'Ho, ho, ho!' Oldenburg bellowed, the laughter bouncing like cannon-fire off the hard walls of the Inmost Ward. The raven hopped closer to them and screeched, "Caa, caa, caa!' Both humans laughed, and Oldenburg fetched a bit of bread from his pocket and held it out to the bird. It hopped closer and reared back to peck it out of the fat pale hand – but Oldenburg snatched it back and said very distinctly, 'Cryptonomicon.'