Чужак в чужой стране

           Jubalsaid,"Didyoudothat?OrBen?"

           "Bendid.Idon’tsmoke,unlessthemanI’mwithwantstosmoke.Buthe’salwaysforgettinghiscigarettes;theychasehimallovertheNest."

           "Hmmm?prettyfair-sizedmudpieshemakesthesedays."

           "Benisadvancingmuchmorerapidlythanhewilleveradmit.He’saveryholyperson–buthehatestoadmitit.He’sshy."

           "Umph.Dawn,youaretheDawnArdentImetatFosterTabernacleabouttwoandhalfyearsago,aren’tyou?"

           "Oh,youremember!!"Shelookedasifhehadhandedheralollipop.

           "OfcourseIremember.ButIwasslightlypuzzled.You’vechangedsome.Allforthebetter.Youseemmuchmorebeautiful."

           "That’sbecauseIammorebeautiful,"shesaidsimply."YoumistookmeforGillian.Andsheismorebeautiful,too."

           "Whereisthatchild?Ihaven’tseenher?andIexpectedtoseeheratonce."

           "She’sbeenworking."Dawnpaused."ButItoldherandshesaysshe’scomingin."Shepausedagain."AndIamtotakeherplace.Ifyouwillexcuseme."

           "Oh,certainly.Runalong,child."

           "There’snohurry."ButshedidgetupandleavealmostatonceasDr.Mahmoudsatdown.

           Juballookedathimsourly."Youmightatleasthavehadthecommoncourtesytoletmeknowthatyouwereinthiscountryinsteadoflettingmemeetmygoddaughterforthefirsttimethroughthegoodofficesofasnake."

           "Oh,Jubal,you’realwaysinsuchabloodyhurry,"

           "Sir,whenoneisof-"Jubalwasinterruptedbytwohandsplacedoverhiseyesfrombehind.