So hideously... yet, he could see the picture as if it were before his eyes now in the full light of Berlin. And he could see the man who was trying to sell it to him, a tall, good-looking youth with blond hair and broad shoulders, speaking the Berliner variety of Icelandic.

White flesh gleaming...

Mary had been silent for several minutes, but he could hear her breathing. Then, 'Hal, haven't you done enough since you came home? Must you make me tell the gapt even more?'

'And just what else have I done?' he asked fiercely. Nevertheless, he smiled slightly, for he was determined to make her speak plainly, to come out and ask. Not that she ever would, but he was going to get her to come as close as she was capable.

'That's just it, you haven't done anything,' she whispered.

'Now what do you mean?

'You know.'

'No, I don't'

'The night before you left for the Preserve, you said you were too tired. That's no real excuse, but I didn't say anything to the gapt about it because you had fulfilled your weekly duty. But you've been gone two weeks, and now–'

'Weekly duty!' he said loudly, resting on one elbow. 'Weekly duty! Is that what you think of it?'

'Why, Hal,' she said with a surprised note. 'What else am I to think?'

Groaning, he lay back down and stared into the dark.

'What's the use?' he said. 'Why, why should we? Nine years we've been married; we've had no children; we never will. I've even petitioned for a divorce. So why should we continue to perform like a couple of robots on tridi?'

Mary's breath sucked in, and he could imagine the horror on her face.

After a moment which seemed to bulge with her shock, she said, 'We must because we must. What else can we do? Surely, you're not suggesting that?...'

'No, no,' he said quickly, thinking of what would happen if she told their gapt. Other things he could get away with, but any hint on her part that her husband was refusing to carry out the specific command of the Forerunner... He did not dare to think about that. At least, he now had prestige as a university teacher and a puka with some room in it and a chance to advance. But not if...