Чужак в чужой стране

           "Youarenotangrywithmenow?"

           "Mike,dear–Ihaveneverbeenangrywithyou.ButsometimesIhavebeenfrightened.Iwasfrightenedthattime–butIamnotafraidnow.JubalandIwanttoknowwhathappened.Thosetwomenwerethere,inthatroomwithus.Andthenyoudidsomething?andtheyweregone.Youdidittwice.Whatwasityoudid?Canyoutellus?"

           "Yes,Iwilltellyou.Theman–thebigman–hityou?andIwasfrightened,too.SoI-"HecroakedaphraseinMartian,thenlookedpuzzled."Idonotknowwords."

           Jubalsaid,"Mike,canyouusealotofwordsandexplainitalittleatatime?"

           "Iwilltry,Jubal.Somethingisthere,infrontofme.Itisawrongthinganditmustnotbethere.Itmustgo.SoIreachoutand-"Hestoppedagainandlookedperplexed."Itissuchasimplething,suchaneasything.Anyonecandoit.Tyingshoelacesismuchmorehard.Butthewordsnotare.Iamverysorry.Iwilllearnmorewords."Heconsideredit."PerhapsthewordsareinPlantstoRaym,orRayntoSarr,orSarstoSorc.Iwillreadthemtonightandtellyouatbreakfast."

           "Maybe,"Jubaladmitted."Justaminute,Mike."Hegotupfromhisdesk,wenttoacornerandreturnedwithalargecartonwhichhadlatelycontainedtwelvefifthsofbrandy."Canyoumakethisgoaway?"

           "Thisisawrongthinganditmustnotbehere?"

           "Well,assumethatitis."

           "But–Jubal,Imustknowthatitisawrongthing.Thisisabox.Idonotgrokthatitexistswrongly."

           "Mmm-Isee.IthinkIsee.