Чужак в чужой стране

           ("WhatisTruth?"askedaRomanjudge,andwashedhishandsofatroublesomequestion.Jubalwishedthathecoulddolikewise.)"Anansweristruthwhenyouspeakrightly,Mike.HowmanyhandsdoIhave?"

           "Twohands.Iseetwohands,"Mikeamended.

           Anneglancedupfromherknitting."InsixweeksIcouldmakeaWitnessofhim."

           "Youkeepoutofthis,Anne.Thingsaretoughenoughwithoutyourhelp.Mike,youspokerightly;Ihavetwohands.Youranswerwastruth.SupposeyousaidthatIhadsevenhands?"

           Mikelookedtroubled."IdonotgrokthatIcouldsaythat."

           "No,Idon’tthinkyoucould.Youwouldnotspeakrightlyifyoudid;youranswerwouldnotbetruth.But,Mike–nowlistencarefully–eachreligionclaimstobetruth,claimstospeakrightly.Yettheiranswerstothesamequestionareasdifferentastwohandsandsevenhands.TheFosteritessayonething,theBuddhistssayanother,theMoslemssaystillanother–manyanswers,alldifferent."

           Mikeseemedtobemakingagreatefforttounderstand."Allspeakrightly?Jubal,Idonotgrokit."

           "NordoI."

           TheManfromMarslookedgreatlytroubled,thensuddenlyhesmiled."IwillasktheFosteritestoaskyourOldOnesandthenwewillknow,mybrother.HowwillIdothis?"

           AfewminuteslaterJubalfound,tohisgreatdisgust,thathehadpromisedMikeaninterviewwithsomeFosteritebigmouth–orMikeseemedtothinkthathehad,whichcametothesamething.