"Beatty, I know what you're hiding," said Stoneman, a look of nothingness drifting blankly across his smudged face. His face was black and smeared with ashes–the face of a murderous fireman. Burning houses, people, books, society, murdering it all in one heinous splurge of kerosene and flames.
The Captain had beads of sweet pouring down his face and neck, dripping onto his collar. The salamander taunted him on his shoulder. His mind tricked him into believing that it was hissing and twisting, slithering up his arm.
"Then what and where is it?" Beatty asked, licking his lips and trying to collect himself, trying to lie as convincingly as he could. The Captain was sure he could alter the outcome to such a situation with his slyness. He was wise beyond his many years. He took a handkerchief from out of the front pocket on his uniform and wiped the perspiration off of his forehead.
"Captain, I know that you have books in your possession. I know that you burn people and their belongings for committing the same exact crime you live for. Don't be coy, you can't escape the truth." Stoneman held the exact same expression in place on his face, completely void of any emotion at all.
Beatty was forced into the corner of his living room, the parlor wall echoing all around him. The aunts and uncles whispering into his ears, flashing images all around him that he just realized made no sense. None at all. Cornered by Stoneman, he wore his fireman uniform that was now soaked with the sweat of a hypocrite.
"You wear the outfit and aura of what you should cower in fright from," Stoneman continued. "Yet you act as if nothing being done is wrong and that none of us know. But, believe me, we all know. The smart ones at least. Montag knows. He knows all right...."
"Stoneman–" Captain Beatty started to say, but he was cut off.
"Don't try to sway me with your lies Captain. All is known and cannot be taken back."
Stoneman turned the brass nozzle that spat out a river of clear liquid onto the Captain and his belongings, onto the books stowed away in the insolation inside of the walls. He ran out and left Beatty wiping off kerosene from his body that the great python just smothered him in.
"You wouldn't dare!" Beatty screamed out to Stoneman.
But, Stoneman kept running. He ran out of the house and went to the fire truck to retrieve the igniter.
"'Play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle– " The Captain was too late. His words were cut off by an enormous flame that engulfed his house, burning him along with his library of books in the greatest inferno of his lifetime.