Чужак в чужой стране

           Astowhosheis,she’sMadameAlexandraVesant."

           Jubalsatupandlookedpleased."Becky?Issheinthisnuthouse,too?Ishouldhaveknownit.Whereisshe?"

           "Yes,Becky.Butwecallher‘Allie’becausewe’vegotanotherBecky.Butyou’llhavetowait.Anddon’tscoffatherhoroscopes,Jubal;shehastheSight."

           "Oh,balderdash,Stinky.Astrologyisnonsenseandyouknowit."

           "Oh,certainly.EvenAllieknowsit.Andapercentageofastrologersareclumsyfrauds.NeverthelessAlliepracticesitevenmoreassiduouslythansheusedto,whenshediditforthepublic–usingMartianarithmeticnowandMartianastronomy–muchfullerthanours.Butit’sherdeviceforgrokking,Itcouldbegazingintoapoolofwater,oracrystalball,orexaminingtheentrailsofachicken.ThemeanssheusestogetintothemooddonotmatterandMikehasadvisedhertogoonusingthesymbolssheisusedto.Thepointis:shehastheSight."

           "Whatthehelldoyoumeanby‘theSight,’Stinky?"

           "Theabilitytogrokmoreoftheuniversethanthatlittlepieceyouhappentobesittingonatthemoment.MikehasitfromyearsofMartiandiscipline;Alliewasanuntrainedsemi-adept.Thefactthatsheusedasmeaninglessasymbolasastrologyisbesidethepoint.Arosaryismeaningless,too–IspeakofaMuslimrosary,ofcourse;I’mnotcriticizingourcompetitorsacrossthestreet."Mahmoudreachedintohispocket,gotoutone,startedfingeringit."Ifithelpstoturnyourhataroundduringapokergame–thenithelps.