Чужак в чужой стране

Chapter 31

           "Well,warnmeifyoucan,soI’llbeintown.Ifnot,JillalwaysknowsthecodeformydoorIchangeitoccasionally.Patty,doesn’tanybodykeeptrackofthismoney?"

           "Whatfor,Ben?"

           "Uh,peopleusuallydo."

           "Well,wedon’t.Justhelpyourselfasyougooutthenputbackanyyouhaveleftwhenyoucomehome,ifyourememberto.Michaeltoldmetokeepthegrouchbagfilled.IfitrunslowIgetsomemorefromhim."

           Bendroppedthematter,stonkeredbythesimplicityofthearrangement.Healreadyhadsomeidea,fromMikeandsecond-handfromJillandJubal,ofthemoneylesscommunismoftheMartianculture;hecouldseethatMikehadsetupanenclaveofithereandthesebowlsofcashmarkedthetransitionpointwherebyonepassedfromMartiantoTerraneconomy.HewonderedifPattyknewthatitwasafake?bolsteredupbyMike’senormousfortune.Hedecidednottoask.

           "Patty,howmanyarethereintheNest?"Hefeltamildworrythathewasacquiringtoomanysharingbrotherswithouthisconsent,thenshovedbackthethoughtasunworthyafterall,whywouldanyofthemwanttospongeonhim?Otherthan,possiblytolieonhisgrassrughedidn’thaveanypotsofgoldjustinsidehisdoor.

           "Letmesee?therearealmosttwentynow,countingnovitiatebrotherswhodon’treallythinkinMartianyetandaren’tordained."

           "Areyouordained,Patty?"

           "Oh,yes.ButmostlyIteach.Beginners’classesinMartian,andIhelpnovitiatebrothersandsuch.

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