Чужак в чужой стране

           "Jubal,youthinkwhattheyaredoingismoral?Monkeysinthezoostuffandall?AllImeantwasthatJillreallydidn’tknowthatwhatshewasdoingwaswrong–Mike’sgotherhornswoggled–andMikedoesn’tknowhe’sdoingwrongeither.He’stheManfrontMars;hedidn’tgetofftoafairstart.Everythingaboutuswasstrangetohim–he’llprobablynevergetstraightenedout."

           Juballookedtroubled."You’veraisedahardquestion,Ben–butI’llgiveyouastraightanswer.Yes,Ithinkwhatthosepeople–theentireNest,notjustourownkids–aredoingismoral.Asyoudescribedittomeyes.Ihaven’thadachancetoexaminedetails–butyes:allofit.Grouporgies,andopenandunashamedswappingoffatothertimes?theircommunallivingandtheiranarchisticcode,everything.Andmostespeciallytheirselflessdedicationtogivingtheirperfectmoralitytoothers."

           "Jubal,youutterlyastonishme."Caxtonscratchedhisheadandfrowned."Sinceyoufeelthatway,whydon’tyoujointhem?You’rewelcome,theywantyou,they’reexpectingyou.They’llholdajubilee–andDawniswaitingtokissyourfeetandserveyouinanywayyouwillpermit;Iwasn’texaggerating."

           Jubalshookhishead."No.HadIbeenapproachedfiftyyearsago–Butnow?Benmybrother,thepotentialforsuchinnocenceisnolongerinme–andIamnotreferringtosexualpotency,sowipethatcynicalsmileoffyourface.