Чужак в чужой стране

           Butwhenhetranslatedthelastqueryhefeltsuchasurgeofemotionthathealmostlethisheartbeatincrease.Hecaughtitintimeandchidedhimselfforanundisciplinednestling.Thenhecheckedhistranslation.

           No,hewasnotmistaken.Thiswomancreaturehadofferedhimthewaterritual.Itwishedtogrowcloser.

           Withgreateffort,scramblingforadequatemeaningsinhispitifullypoorlistofhumanwords,heattemptedtoanswerwithdueceremoniousness."Ithankyouforwater.Mayyoualwaysdrinkdeep."

           NurseBoardmanlookedstartled."Why,howsweet!"Shefoundaglass,filledit,andhandedittohim.

           Hesaid,"Youdrink."

           WonderifhethinksI’mtryingtopoisonhim?sheaskedherself-buttherewasacompellingqualitytohisrequest.Shetookasip,whereuponhetooktheglassfromherandtookonealso,afterwhichheseemedcontenttosinkbackintothebed,asifhehadaccomplishedsomethingimportant.

           Jilltoldherselfthat,asanadventure,thiswasafizzle.Shesaid,"Well,ifyoudon’tneedanythingelse,Imustgetonwithmywork."

           Shestartedforthedoor.Hecalledout,"Not"

           Shestopped."Eh?Whatdoyouwant?"

           "Don’tgoaway."

           "WellIhavetogo,prettyquickly."Butshecamebacktothebedside,"Isthereanythingyouwant?"

           Helookedherupanddown."Youare

           ThequestionstartledJillBoardman.Hersexhadnotbeenindoubttothemostcasualobserverformanyyears.Herfirstimpulsewastoanswerflippantly.

           ButSmith’sgravefaceandoddlydisturbingeyescheckedher.