О дивный новый мир

           Intheopenspaceatthecentreofthesquareweretwocircularplatformsofmasonryandtrampledclay–theroofs,itwasevident,ofundergroundchambers;forinthecentreofeachplatformwasanopenhatchway,withaladderemergingfromthelowerdarkness.Asoundofsubterraneanfluteplayingcameupandwasalmostlostinthesteadyremorselesspersistenceofthedrums.

           Leninalikedthedrums.Shuttinghereyessheabandonedherselftotheirsoftrepeatedthunder,allowedittoinvadeherconsciousnessmoreandmorecompletely,tillatlasttherewasnothingleftintheworldbutthatonedeeppulseofsound.ItremindedherreassuringlyofthesyntheticnoisesmadeatSolidarityServicesandFord’sDaycelebrations."Orgy-porgy,"shewhisperedtoherself.Thesedrumsbeatoutjustthesamerhythms.

           Therewasasuddenstartlingburstofsinging–hundredsofmalevoicescryingoutfiercelyinharshmetallicunison.Afewlongnotesandsilence,thethunderoussilenceofthedrums;thenshrill,inaneighingtreble,thewomen’sanswer.Thenagainthedrums;andoncemorethemen’sdeepsavageaffirmationoftheirmanhood.

           Queer–yes.Theplacewasqueer,sowasthemusic,soweretheclothesandthegoitresandtheskindiseasesandtheoldpeople.Buttheperformanceitself–thereseemedtobenothingspeciallyqueeraboutthat.

           "Itremindsmeofalower-casteCommunitySing,"shetoldBernard.

           Butalittlelateritwasremindingheragooddeallessofthatinnocuousfunction.