Чужак в чужой стране

           Jubalatlastgotcertainideasclearinhisownmind:(a)MikedidnotknowthattheFosteriteservicewasareligiousone;(b)Mikerememberedwhathehadreadaboutreligionsbuthadfiledsuchdataforfuturecontemplation,havingrecognizedthathedidnotunderstandthem;(c)infact,Mikehadonlythemostconfusednotionofwhattheword"religion"meant,eventhoughhecouldquoteallninedefinitionsforsameasgivenintheunabridgeddictionary;(d)theMartianlanguagecontainednoword(andnoconcept)whichMikewasabletoequatewithanyoftheseninedefinitions;(e)thecustomswhichJubalhaddescribedtoDukeasMartian"religiousceremonies"werenothingofthesorttoMike;toMikesuchmatterswereasmatter-of-factasgrocerymarketsweretoJubal;(f)itwasnotpossibletoexpressasseparateideasintheMartiantonguethehumanconcepts:"religion,""philosophy,"and"science"–and,sinceMikestillthoughtinMartianeventhoughhenowspokeEnglishfluently,itwasnotyetpossibleforhimtodistinguishanyonesuchconceptfromtheothertwo.Allsuchmattersweresimply"learnings"whichcamefromthe"OldOnes."Doubthehadneverheardofandresearchwasunnecessary(noMartianwordforeither);theanswertoanyquestionshouldbeobtainedfromtheOldOnes,whowereomniscient(atleastwithinMike’sscope)andinfallible,whetherthesubjectbetomorrow’sweatherorcosmicteleology.