Чужак в чужой стране

           "Frisby,"hesaidcoldly,"doyouwanttoadviseyourclientonthelawconcerningslander?"

           "Takeiteasy,Ben."

           "Iknowthelawonslander,Gil.InmybusinessIhaveto.ButwhomamIslandering?TheManfromMars?Orsomebodyelse?Nameaname.Irepeat,"hewenton,raisinghisvoice,"thatIhaveheardthatthemaninterviewedonTVlastnightwasnottheManfromMars.Iwanttoseehimmyselfandaskhim."

           Thecrowdedreceptionhailwasveryquietaseveryonepresentbentaneartotheargument.BerquistglancedquicklyattheFairWitness,thengothisexpressionundercontrolandsaidsmilinglytoCaxton,"Ben,it’sjustpossiblethatyoutalkedyourselfintotheinterviewyouwanted-aswellasalawsuit.Waitamoment."

           Hedisappearedintotheinneroffice,camebackfairlysoon."Iarrangedit,"hesaidwearily,"thoughGodknowswhy.Youdon’tdeserveit,Ben.Comealong.Justyou-Mark,I’msorrybutwecan’thaveacrowdofpeople;afterall,Smithisasickman."

           "No,"saidCaxton.

           "Huh?"

           "Allthreeofus,ornoneofus.Takeyourchoice."

           "Ben,don’tbesilly;you’rereceivingaveryspecialprivilege.Tellyouwhat-MarkcancomealongandwaitoutsidethedoorButyoucertainlydon’tneedhim."BerquistglancedtowardCavendish;theWitnessseemednottohear.

           "Maybenot.ButI’vepaidhisfeetohavehimalong.MycolumnwillstatetonightthattheadministrationrefusedtopermitaFairWitnesstoseetheManfromMars."

           Berquistshrugged."Comealong,then.Ben,Ihopethatslandersuitreallyclobbersyou."