Interlude

           Itwas,lookingbackatit,anidyllicperiodthatfollowed.Ahundredthingstookplaceinthosephysioweeks,andallconfuseditselfinextricablyinHarlan’smemory,later,makingtheperiodseemtohavelastedmuchlongerthanitdid.Theoneidyllicthingaboutitwas,ofcourse,thehourshecouldspendwithNoys,andthatcastaglowovereverythingelse.

           ItemOne:Atthe482ndheslowlypackedhispersonaleffects;hisclothingandfilms,mostofallhisbelovedandtenderlyhandlednewsmagazinevolumesoutofthePrimitive.Anxiouslyhesupervisedtheirreturntohispermanentstationinthe575th.

           FingewasathiselbowasthelastofitwasliftedintothefreightkettlebyMaintenancemen.

           Fingesaid,choosinghiswordswithunerringtriteness,"Leavingus,Isee."Hissmilewasbroad,buthislipswerecarefullyheldtogethersothatonlythebaresttraceofteethshowed.Hekepthishandsclaspedbehindhisbackandhispudgybodyteeteredforwardontheballsofhisfeet.

           Harlandidnotlookathissuperior.Hemutteredamonotoned"Yes,sir."

           Fingesaid,"IwillreporttoSeniorComputerTwissellconcerningtheentirelysatisfactorymannerinwhichyouperformedyourObservationaldutiesinthe482nd."

           Harlancouldnotbringhimselftoutterevenasullenwordofthanks.Heremainedsilent.

           Fingewenton,inasuddenlymuchlowervoice,"Iwillnotreport,forthepresent,yourrecentattemptatviolenceagainstme.