Chapter 6

           Odd,odd,odd,wasLenina’sverdictonBernardMarx.Soodd,indeed,thatinthecourseofthesucceedingweeksshehadwonderedmorethanoncewhethersheshouldn’tchangehermindabouttheNewMexicoholiday,andgoinsteadtotheNorthPolewithBenitoHoover.ThetroublewasthatsheknewtheNorthPole,hadbeentherewithGeorgeEdzelonlylastsummer,andwhatwasmore,founditprettygrim.Nothingtodo,andthehoteltoohopelesslyold-fashioned–notelevisionlaidoninthebedrooms,noscentorgan,onlythemostputridsyntheticmusic,andnotmorethantwenty-fiveEscalator-SquashCourtsforovertwohundredguests.No,decidedlyshecouldn’tfacetheNorthPoleagain.Addedtowhich,shehadonlybeentoAmericaoncebefore.Andeventhen,howinadequately!Acheapweek-endinNewYork–haditbeenwithJean-JacquesHabibullahorBokanovskyJones?Shecouldn’tremember.Anyhow,itwasofabsolutelynoimportance.TheprospectofflyingWestagain,andforawholeweek,wasveryinviting.Moreover,foratleastthreedaysofthatweektheywouldbeintheSavageReservation.NotmorethanhalfadozenpeopleinthewholeCentrehadeverbeeninsideaSavageReservation.AsanAlpha-Pluspsychologist,Bernardwasoneofthefewmensheknewentitledtoapermit.ForLenina,theopportunitywasunique.Andyet,souniquealsowasBernard’soddnessthatshehadhesitatedtotakeit,hadactuallythoughtofriskingthePoleagainwithfunnyoldBenito.AtleastBenitowasnormal.WhereasBernard...