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           ImeanthatIhavebeentoolongweddedtomyownbrandofevilandhopelessnesstobecleansedintheirwateroflifeandbecomeinnocentagain.IfIeverwas."

           "Mikethinksyouhavethisinnocence–hedoesn’tcallitthat–infullmeasurenow.Dawntoldme,speakingexofficio."

           "ThenMikedoesmegreathonor;Iwouldnotdisillusionhim.Heseeshisownreflection–Iam,byprofessionamirror."

           "Jubal,you’rechicken."

           "Precisely,sir!Thethingthattroublesmemostiswhetherthoseinnocentscanmaketheirpatternfitintoanaughtyworld.Oh,it’sbeentriedbefore!–andeverytimetheworldetchedthemawaylikeacid.SomeoftheearlyChristians–anarchy,communism,groupmarriage–whyeventhatkissofbrotherhoodhasastrongprimitive-Christianflavortoit.ThatmightbewhereMikepickeditup,sincealltheformsheusesareopenlysyncretistic,especiallythatEarth-Motherritual."Jubalfrowned."Ifhepickedthatupfromprimitivechristianity–andnotjustfromkissinggirls,whichheenjoys,Inow–thenIwouldexpectmentokissmen,too."

           Bensnorted."Iheldoutonyou–theydo.Butit’snotapansygesture.Igotcaughtonce;afterthatImanagedtoduck."

           "So?Itfigures.TheOneidaColonywasmuchlikeMike’s‘Nest’;itmanagedtolastquiteawhilebutinalowpopulationdensity–notasanenclaveinaresortcity.