Чужак в чужой стране

           Wasthatalltherewastoit?JustabunchoffanaticsyellingMartianateachother?"

           "Uh?Jubal,theydidn’tyellanditwasn’tfanatical.Sometimestheywouldbarelywhisper,theroomalmostdeadquiet.Thenitmightclimbinvolumealittlebutnotmuch.Theydiditinsortofarhythm,apattern,likeacantata,asiftheyhadrehearseditalongtime?andyetitdidn’tfeelasiftheyhadrehearsedit;itfeltmoreasiftheywerealljustoneperson,hummingtohimselfwhateverhefeltatthemoment.Jubal,you’veseenhowtheFosteritesgetthemselvesworkedup-"

           "Toomuchofit,I’msorrytosay."

           "Well,thiswasnotthatsortoffrenzyatall;thiswasquietandeasy,likedroppingofftosleep.Itwasintenseallrightandgotsteadilymoreso,but–Jubal,eversitinonaspiritualistsance?"

           "Ihave.I’vetriedeverythingIcould,Ben."

           "Thenyouknowhowthetensioncangrowwithoutanybodymovingorsayingaword.Thiswasmuchmorelikethatthanitwaslikeashoutingrevival,oreventhemostsedatechurchservice.Butitwasn’tmild;itpackedterrificwallop."

           "Thetechnicalwordis‘Apollonian.’"

           "Huh?"

           "Asopposedto‘Dionysian.’AndbothratherProcrusteanI’msorrytosay.Peopletendtosimplify‘Apollonian’into‘mild,’and‘calm,’and‘cool.