Eloise

A man rose and quietly left the room. Another followed, one of Arbush's girls. Rats, she thought bleakly, getting out while the going was good; not wanting to be contaminated with Eloise's presence, associated with her disregard.

Two women remained. One of them said, "Earl, I can be found in room 532."

"Get out!" snapped Eloise. "Do your hunting somewhere else."

"If you've any sense, Earl, you'll join me." Without further comment she left, her companion close behind.

Arbush plucked at a string. "The end of the party," he said regretfully. "And I was just beginning to enjoy it. That dance took me back. There was a girl who danced as you did. A vision of delight, who took all I had and left me for another with more. Well, such is life. A man can only be thankful for such pleasures, transient though they may be."

"A harlot," she sneered. "Is that what you think I am?"

Again he plucked the string and, as the singing note died, said quietly, "I did not say that you were-but if you are not, then you are unique among all the dancers I have ever known."

"You fat bastard!" She rose, fingers like claws. "I'll have your eyes for that! Earl, do you believe what he says?"

"Does it matter?"

"It matters! Dear God, it matters! I love you! Can't you understand? I love you!"

* * * * *

It had come, as he had known it would. Adara looked at his hands and found, to his surprise, that they did not tremble. The inner hurt was gone also, as if emotion had been raised to too high a pitch, to burn itself out and leave only ashes. Would the Knelling be like this? Would he, once his number had been tolled, feel the same cold, detached resignation?

He stared in surprise at the glass of wine thrust into his hand, the man who had placed it there.

"Sit down," said Dumarest. "Sit and drink your wine."

A kindness, the consideration of the victor for the vanquished; would he have been capable of such a gesture? Adara sat and drank and said, "Earl, I think there is something you should know."

"Adara! You-"

"Be quiet!" snapped Dumarest, not looking at the woman. To Adara he said, "Why were you so insistent that Eloise should not order more wine?"

"It is noted. Everything you order is noted. If anyone is considered to be guilty of too great an excess, it tells against them."

"And?"

"I can answer that." Eloise stepped forward with a delicate chiming of bells. "Drink too much, use too many drugs, eat like a pig, have too much sex, pick a fight or fail to cooperate-it all tells against you. Do it too often and you'll draw a low number at the Knelling. You know what the Knelling is? Hasn't anyone told you yet? It's when the unfit are culled. The unfit according to Camolsaer, of course; that damned god in a box who rules this jail. And it is a jail, Earl; surely you have discovered that for yourself by now. A prison from which there is only one way out." Her lifted hand made a cutting gesture at her throat. "Curtains. Finish. Food for the worms."

Arbush said, dryly, "A pleasant prospect. Is there anything else?"

"When you get too old. When you fall too sick. When you become too anti-social, whatever that means in this godforsaken place. When you don't fit the nice, neat, tidy pattern laid down by God knows who." She glared at him. "You won't last long. You like wine too much, have too many girls. You dodge work and go your own way. And you're too fat."

"I like my comforts."

"Sure, and you'll pay for them. With your life."

As she would also, of that she was certain. Again, she had allowed emotion to ruin the carefully maintained appearance of calm. But now, at least, there was a hope.

"Earl, please, you've got to get me away from here."

"Got to? Why?"

"Because I love you." It wasn't reason enough; she had given him words, nothing else, and how many other women had told him the same? Too many others. Enough for him to have learned that what is said and what is meant are not the same thing. She added, "And, because in a way, I saved your life. If I hadn't been watching and spotted you against the barrier, the Monitors could never have reached you in time."

"Is that true, Adara?"

"Yes, Earl. I was with her at the time. I-she reported it to Camolsaer and insisted that aid be sent."

"Insisted?" If Dumarest had noticed the slip, he gave no indication of it. "Can anyone insist?"

"No, but you can make a point on the basis of logic. Camolsaer stated that, as you had come from the ice, you had to be Krim and therefore destroyed. I pointed out that the Krim are animals and animals do not use ropes to descend a cliff. Therefore, you had to be men and should be rescued."

Rescued and healed; but where was the logic in that if he was fated to be selected for death?