aferhesceneinheferilizingroom，alluppercaselondonwaswildoseehisdeliciouscreaurewhohadfallenonhiskneesbeforehedirecorofhacheriesandcondiioning–orraherheexdirecor，forhepoormanhadresignedimmediaelyaferwardsandneversefooinsidehecenreagain–hadfloppeddownandcalledhim（hejokewasalmosoogoodoberue！）“myfaher”linda，onheconrary，cunoice；nobodyhadhesmallesdesireoseelindaosayonewasamoher–hawaspasajoke：iwasanobsceniymoreover，shewasn’arealsavage，hadbeenhachedouofaboleandcondiionedlikeanyoneelse：socoudn’havereallyquainideasfinally–andhiswasbyfarhesrongesreasonforpeople’snowaningoseepoorlinda–herewasherappearancefa；havinglosheryouh；wihbadeeh，andablochedcomplexion，andhafigure（ford！）–yousimplycouldn’lookaherwihoufeelingsick，yes，posiivelysicksohebespeoplewerequiedeerminednooseelindaandlinda，forherpar，hadnodesireoseehemhereurnocivilizaionwasforherhereurnosoma，washepossibiliyoflyinginbedandakingholidayaferholiday，wihoueverhavingocomebackoaheadacheorafiofvomiing，wihoueverbeingmadeofeelasyoualwaysfelaferpeyol，ashoughyou’ddonesomehingsoshamefullyanisocialhayoucouldneverholdupyourheadagainsomapyednoneofheseunpleasanricksheholidayigavewasperfecand，ifhemorningaferwasdisagreeable，iwasso，noinrinsically，buonlybycomparisonwihhejoysofheholidayheremedywasomakeheholidayconinuousgreedilyshecmouredforeverrger，evermorefrequendosesdrshawafirsdemurred；henleherhavewhashewanedsheookasmuchaswenygrammesaday

“whichwillfinishheroffinamonhorwo，”hedocorconfidedobernard“onedayherespiraorycenrewillbeparalyzednomorebreahingfinishedandagoodhingooifwecouldrejuvenae，ofcourseiwouldbedifferenbuwecan’”

surprisingly，aseveryohough（foronsomaholidaylindawasmosconvenienlyouofheway），johnraisedobjecions

“buaren’youshoreningherlifebygivinghersomuch？”

“inonesense，yes，”drshawadmied“buinanoherwe’reacuallylengheningi”heyoungmansared，uncomprehending“somamaymakeyouloseafewyearsinime，”hedocorwenon“buhinkofheenornous，immeasurableduraionsicangiveyououofimeeverysomaholidayisabiofwhaourancesorsusedocalleerniy”

johnbeganoundersand“eerniywasinourlipsandeyes，”hemurmured

“eh？”

“nohing”

“ofcourse，”drshawwenon，“youcan’allowpeopleogopoppingoffinoeerniyifhey’vegoanyseriousworkodobuasshehasn’goanyseriouswork…”

“allhesame，”johnpersised，“idon’believei’srigh”

hedocorshruggedhisshoulders“well，ofcourse，ifyoupreferohaveherscreamingmadallheime…”

inheendjohnwasforcedogiveinlindagohersomahenceforwardsheremainedinherlileroomonhehirysevenhfloorofbernard’saparmenhouse，inbed，wihheradioandelevisionalwayson，andhepachouliapjusdripping，andhesomaableswihinreachofherhand–heresheremained；andyewasn’hereaall，wasallheimeaway，infinielyfaraway，onholiday；onholidayinsomeoherworld，wherehemusicofheradiowasabyrinhofsonorouscolours，asliding，palpiaingbyrinh，haled（bywhabeauifullyineviablewindings）oabrighcenreofabsolueconvicion；wherehedancingimagesofheelevisionboxwereheperformersinsomeindescribablydeliciousallsingingfeely；wherehedrippingpachouliwasmorehanscen–washesun，wasamillionsaxophones，waspopémakinglove，onlymuchmoreso，incomparablymore，andwihouend

“no，wecan’rejuvenaebui’mverygd，”drshawhadconcluded，“ohavehadhisopporuniyoseeanexampleofseniliyinahumanbeinghankyousomuchforcallingmein”heshookbernardwarmlybyhehand

iwasjohn，hen，heywereallaferandasiwasonlyhroughbernard，hisaccrediedguardian，hajohncouldbeseen，bernardnowfoundhimself，forhefirsimeinhislife，reaednomerelynormally，buasapersonofousandingimporanceherewasnomorealkofhealcoholinhisbloodsurrogae，nogibesahispersonalappearancehenryfoserwenouofhiswayobefriendly；beniohoovermadehimapresenofsixpackesofsexhormonechewinggum；heassisanpredesinaorcameouandcadgedalmosabjeclyforaninviaionooneofbernard’seveningpariesasforhewomen，bernardhadonlyohinahepossibiliyofaninviaion，andhecouldhavewhicheverofhemheliked

“bernard’saskedmeomeehesavagenexwednesday，”fa

ya

ouncedriumphanly

“i’msogd，”saidlenina“andnowyoumusadmihayouwerewrongaboubernarddon’youhinkhe’sreallyraherswee？”

fa

ynodded“andimussay，”shesaid，“iwasquieagreeablysurprised”

hechiefboler，hedirecorofpredesinaion，hreedepuyassisanferilizergenerals，heprofessoroffeeliesinhecollegeofemoionalengineering，hedeanofhewesminsercommuniysingery，hesupervisorofbokanovskificaion–helisofbernard’snoabiliieswasinerminable

“andihadsixgirlssweek，”heconfidedohelmholzwason“oneonmonday，woonuesday，womoreonfriday，andoneonsaurdayandifi’dhadheimeorheinclinaion，herewerealeasadozenmorewhowereonlyooanxious…”

helmholzlisenedohisboasingsinasilencesogloomilydisapprovinghabernardwasoffended

“you’reenvious，”hesaid

helmholzshookhishead“i’mrahersad，ha’sall，”heanswered

bernardwenoffinahuffnever，heoldhimself，neverwouldhespeakohelmholzagain