О дивный новый мир

           "Well,ofcourse,ifyouprefertohaveherscreamingmadallthetime..."

           IntheendJohnwasforcedtogivein.Lindagothersoma.Thenceforwardsheremainedinherlittleroomonthethirty-seventhfloorofBernard’sapartmenthouse,inbed,withtheradioandtelevisionalwayson,andthepatchoulitapjustdripping,andthesomatabletswithinreachofherhand–theresheremained;andyetwasn’tthereatall,wasallthetimeaway,infinitelyfaraway,onholiday;onholidayinsomeotherworld,wherethemusicoftheradiowasalabyrinthofsonorouscolours,asliding,palpitatinglabyrinth,thatled(bywhatbeautifullyinevitablewindings)toabrightcentreofabsoluteconviction;wherethedancingimagesofthetelevisionboxweretheperformersinsomeindescribablydeliciousall-singingfeely;wherethedrippingpatchouliwasmorethanscent–wasthesun,wasamillionsaxophones,wasPopémakinglove,onlymuchmoreso,incomparablymore,andwithoutend.

           "No,wecan’trejuvenate.ButI’mveryglad,"Dr.Shawhadconcluded,"tohavehadthisopportunitytoseeanexampleofsenilityinahumanbeing.Thankyousomuchforcallingmein."HeshookBernardwarmlybythehand.

           ItwasJohn,then,theywereallafter.AndasitwasonlythroughBernard,hisaccreditedguardian,thatJohncouldbeseen,Bernardnowfoundhimself,forthefirsttimeinhislife,treatednotmerelynormally,butasapersonofoutstandingimportance.Therewasnomoretalkofthealcoholinhisblood-surrogate,nogibesathispersonalappearance.