e in all
lopped and shaky after a mean operation, I was the right person to look
out for him. Now I've made my little speech and know-nothings in the
Change World can go on making their bum jokes. But I ask you, how could
an arrangement between Illy and me be anything but Platonic?

We might have had some octopoid girls and nymphs in stock--Sid couldn't
be sure until he checked--but Ilhilihis and Sevensee voted for real
people and I knew Sid saw it their way. Maud squeezed Mark's hand and
tripped over to Sevensee ("Those are sharp hoofs you got, man"--she's
picked up some of my language, like she has everything else), though
Beau did frown over his shoulder at Lili from the piano, maybe to argue
that she ought to take on the ET, as Mark had been a real casualty and
could use live nursing. But it was plain as day to anybody but Beau that
Bruce and Lili were a big thing and the last to be disturbed.

Erich acted stiffly hurt at losing me, but I knew he wasn't. He thinks
he has a great technique with Ghostgirls and he likes to show it off,
and he really is pretty slick at it, if you go for that sort of thing
and--yang my yin!--who doesn't at times?

And when Sid formally wafted the Countess out of Stores--a real blonde
stunner in a white satin hobble skirt with a white egret swaying up from
her tiny hat, way ahead of Maud and Lili and me when it came to looks,
though transparent as cigarette smoke--and when Erich clicked his heels
and bowed over her hand and proudly conducted her to a couch, black
Svengali to her Trilby, and started to German-talk some life into her
with much head cocking and toothy smiling and a flow of witty flattery,
and when she began to flirt back and the dream look in her eyes
sharpened hungrily and focused on him--well, then I knew that Erich was
happy and felt he was doing proud by the _Reichswehr_. No, my little
commandant wasn't worrying me on that score.

* * * * *

Mark had drawn a Greek hetaera, name of Phryne; I suppose not the one
who maybe still does the famous courtroom striptease back in Athens, and
he was waking her up with little sips of his scotch and soda, though,
from some looks he'd flashed, I got the idea Kaby was the kid he really
went for. Sid was coaxing the fighting gal to take some high-energy
bread and olives along with the wine, and, for a wonder, Doc seemed to
be carrying on an animated and rational conversation with Sevensee and
Maud, ma