ember! Surely you do! Jeff, you don't understand--you
must tell them--"

* * * * *

Arnold looked at her for a single comprehending instant, a pitying
instant, then his lips compressed tightly as he turned away.

There was finality in it. Sheila's eyes were stark and unbelieving. She
stood there without motion, without a word, her mind groping in a shock
of blindness.

Beardsley said gently, "It's all right, Mrs. Carmack. It's really all
right. Merely an experiment, an inquiry into comparative methods as
Mandleco said. I'm truly sorry if my methods seemed harsh, but"--he
shrugged--"I dare say my participation is over now."

"You're damned right you may say it, Beardsley!" Arnold's eyes raked him
with venom, but he controlled himself and turned to Mandleco. "I only
came to tell you, sir, that we have ECAIAC ready. We'll be reaching
Cumulative very shortly now."

"Jeff ... are you _sure_?"

"Quite sure! Depend on it, there'll be no more trouble."

More than relief took hold of Mandleco; it was transformation, it was as
if a spell had been snapped. He glanced once about the room, and
shuddered as his gaze encountered Beardsley.

"Uh--yes. Fine!" he said. "That's fine, Jeff! Shall we proceed?" He
strode through the door, pausing only to fling back scathingly: "That
is, if Mr. Beardsley is quite sure it meets with _his_ approval!"

* * * * *

ECAIAC was in finest fettle again as the tapes sped through. Circuits
were activated. Codes gave meaning. Synaptic cells summed and
integrated, cancelled and compared and with saucy assurance sent the
findings on toward Cumulative. The murmur was soft and sustained and
somehow apologetic, as if ECAIAC were quite aware that she had failed in
her duty but would be just pleased to make amends _this_ time.

So like a woman ... fractious, unfathomable, then fawning and
attrite--with a purpose! Beardsley cocked his head and listened, his
mien almost beatific. Purpose? This creature had none that could quite
match his! He was convinced of it now, and he had never been more happy
or self-assured.

It was Pederson who was distressed, as he paced with long nervous
strides and watched the equate-panel where the mathematics were made
visible in a pattern of constantly changing lights. It had meaning only
for the techs, but Pederson couldn't seem to take his eyes from it. At
last he came over to Beardsley and managed to st