ssion."

"And you mean this is catching hold in this day and age?" Joe said.

"Like wildfire," Hodges said easily. "And I wouldn't be too very
surprised if it would do the same over here. Pressures are generating,
in this world of ours. We'll either make changes peaceably or Zen
knows what will happen. The Sovs haven't been exposed to religion for
several generations, Joe. Probably the Party heads had forgotten it as
a potential danger. Here in the West-world we do better. The Temple
provides us with a pressure valve in that particular area, but I still
wouldn't like to see our trank and Telly bemused morons subjected to a
sudden blast of revival-type religion."

Joe looked back at Holland. "I still don't get my going to Budapest.
How, why, when?"

Holland glanced at a desk watch and became brisk. "I have an
appointment with the President," he said. "We'll have to turn this
over to some of the other members of this group. They'll explain
details, Joe. Nadine's going, too. In her case, as a medical attache
in our Embassy, in Budapest. You'll go as a military observer, check
on potential violations of the Universal Disarmament Pact." A sudden
thought struck him. "I imagine it would add to your prestige and
possibly open additional doors to you, if you carried more status." He
looked again at the telly-mike on his desk. "Miss Mikhail, in my
office here is Joseph Mauser, now Mid-Middle in caste. Please take the
necessary steps to raise him to Low-Upper, immediately. I'll clear
this with Tom, and he'll authorize it as recommended through the White
House. It that clear?"

In a daze, Joe could hear the receptionist's voice. "Yes, sir. Joseph
Mauser to be raised to Low-Upper caste immediately."

XV

Budapest, basically, had changed little over half a millennium.

The Danube, seldom blue except when seen through the eyes of a twosome
between whom spark has recently been struck, still wandered its way
dividing the old, old town of Pest from the still older town of Buda.
Where the stream widens there is room for the one hundred and twelve
acres of Margitsziget, or Margaret Island to the West-world. Down
through the ages, through Celts and Romans, Slavs and Hungs, Turks and
Magyars, none have been so gross as to use Margitsziget for other than
a park.

Buda, lying to the west of the Danube, is of rolling hills and bluffs
and of ancient towers, fortresses, castles and walls which have
suffered through a hundred wars, a