Чужак в чужой стране

           Averylargeminorityofmankind–possiblyamajority–donotsharemytasteinthismatter.Decidedlynot–fortheorgyhasalongandverywidespreadhistory.Nonethelessitisnottomytaste.Butshocking?Mydearsir,Icanbeshockedonlybythatwhichoffendsmeethically.Ethicalquestionsaresubjecttologic–butthisisamatteroftasteandtheoldsawisinpoint–"degusribusnonestdisputandu."

           "Youthinkthatapublicshaggingismerely‘amatteroftaste?’"

           "Precisely.InwhichrespectIconcedethatmyowntaste,rootedinearlytraining,reinforcedbysomethreegenerationsofhabit,andnow,Ibelieve,calcifiedbeyondpossibilityofchange,isnomoresacredthantheverydifferenttasteofNero.Lesssacred–Nerowasagod;Iamnot."

           "Well,I’llbedamned."

           "Induecourse,possibly–ifitispossible?apointonwhichIam‘neutral-against.’But,Ben,thiswasn’tpublic."

           "Huh?"

           "Youyourselfhavesaidit.Youdescribedthisgroupasapluralmarriage–agrouptheogamy,tobeprecise.Notpublicbututterlyprivate.Aintnobodyherebutjustusgods’–sohowcouldanyonebeoffended?"

           "Iwasoffended!"

           "Thatwasbecauseyourownapotheosiswaslesscompletethantheirs–I’mafraidtheyover-ratedyou?andyoumisledthem.Youinvitedit."

           "Me?Jubal,Ididnothingofthesort"

           "Tommybustedmydolly?Ihittedhimovertheheadwithit.’Thetimetobackoutwastheinstantyougotthere,foryousawatoncethattheircustomsandmannerswerenotyours.