# {{{ encrypt

        my $encrypted_file = IO::File->new( ">$gpgmpw" ) || 
            die "\n\nUnable to open encrypted master.passwd file.  $!\n";

        my $mpw_file = IO::File->new( "<$mpw" ) || 
            die "\n\nUnable to open master.passwd file.  $!\n";
        my $gnupg = GnuPG::Interface->new();
        $gnupg->options->hash_init( armor   => 1, homedir => '/root/.gnupg' );
        $gnupg->options->push_recipients( 'root@propane.gwi' );
        $gnupg->options->meta_interactive( 0 );

        #my @original_plaintext = <$mpw_file>;
        ##my $passphrase = "Three Little Pigs";

        
        # We'll let the standard error of GnuPG pass through
        # to our own standard error, by not creating
        # a stderr-part of the $handles object.

        my ( $input, $output, $error, $status_fh ) = 
            ( 
                IO::Handle->new(),
                IO::Handle->new(),
                IO::Handle->new(),
                IO::Handle->new()
            );

        my $handles = GnuPG::Handles->new( 
            stdin =>    $mpw_file,
            stdout  =>  $output,
            stderr  =>  $error,
            status  =>  $status_fh
        );

        # This is necessary for reading stdin handle from an open file
        $handles->options( 'stdin' )->{direct} = 1;
           
        # this sets up the communication
        # Note that the recipients were specified earlier
        # in the 'options' data member of the $gnupg object.
        my $pid = $gnupg->encrypt( handles => $handles );

        # this closes the communication channel,
        # indicating we are done

        my @ciphertext     = <$output>;     # reading the output
        my @status_info    = <$status_fh>;  # reading the status info 
        my @error_output   = <$error>;      # reading the error

        print $encrypted_file @ciphertext;
        print @status_info     if $opt_v;   # only if verbose 
        print @error_output    if $opt_v;   # only if verbose 

        close $mpw_file; 
        close $output;
        close $status_fh;
        close $error;
        close $encrypted_file;

        waitpid $pid, 0;  # clean up the finished GnuPG process
        # }}}

    } 

}
# }}}