Chapter 5

           Byeighto’clockthelightwasfailing.TheloudspeakerinthetoweroftheStokePogesClubHousebegan,inamorethanhumantenor,toannouncetheclosingofthecourses.LeninaandHenryabandonedtheirgameandwalkedbacktowardstheClub.FromthegroundsoftheInternalandExternalSecretionTrustcamethelowingofthosethousandsofcattlewhichprovided,withtheirhormonesandtheirmilk,therawmaterialsforthegreatfactoryatFarnhamRoyal.

           Anincessantbuzzingofhelicoptersfilledthetwilight.Everytwoandahalfminutesabellandthescreechofwhistlesannouncedthedepartureofoneofthelightmonorailtrainswhichcarriedthelowercastegolfersbackfromtheirseparatecoursetothemetropolis.

           LeninaandHenryclimbedintotheirmachineandstartedoff.AteighthundredfeetHenrysloweddownthehelicopterscrews,andtheyhungforaminuteortwopoisedabovethefadinglandscape.TheforestofBurnhamBeechesstretchedlikeagreatpoolofdarknesstowardsthebrightshoreofthewesternsky.Crimsonatthehorizon,thelastofthesunsetfaded,throughorange,upwardsintoyellowandapalewaterygreen.Northwards,beyondandabovethetrees,theInternalandExternalSecretionsfactoryglaredwithafierceelectricbrilliancefromeverywindowofitstwentystories.BeneaththemlaythebuildingsoftheGolfClub–thehugeLowerCastebarracksand,ontheothersideofadividingwall,thesmallerhousesreservedforAlphaandBetamembers.