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Four
Wewantyoutodowhateveryouhaveto,tobecomethatcertainyounglady’spersonalbodyguard.Then,whenyougetthejob,onethingyoudon’tforget.Youmayguardherfromtherestoftheworld,butwhenwewanther,wetakeher.Gotit?"
Varneyranhistongueoverthewreckofhisteeth."Areyoubribingme?"heasked.
Mr.Vandemarhadpickedupthemorning-star.Hewaspullingthechainapart,withhisfreehand,linkbylink,anddroppingthebitsoftwistedmetalontothefloor.Chink."No,"saidMr.Vandemar.Chink."We’reintimidatingyou."Chink."Andifyoudon’tdowhatMisterCroupsays,we’re..."chink"...hurtingyou..."chink"...verybadly,beforewe’re..."chink"...killingyou."
"Ah,"saidVarney."ThenI’mworkingforyou,aren’tI?"
"Yes,youare,"saidMr.Croup."I’mafraidwedon’thaveanyredeemingfeatures."
"Thatdoesn’tbotherme,"saidVarney.
"Good,"saidMr.Croup."Welcomeaboard."
Itwasalargebutelegantmechanism,builtofpolishedwalnutandoak,ofbrassandglass,copperandmirrorsandcarvedandinlaidivory,ofquartzprismsandbrassgearsandspringsandcogs.Thewholethingwasratherlargerthanawide-screentelevision,althoughtheactualscreenitselfwasnomorethansixinchesacross.Amagnifyinglensplacedacrossitincreasedthesizeofthepicture.
