of the coach where he
consented to the assistance of a porter.

[Illustration]

"It's not really heavy," he told Corinne as he and the porter waddled
through the crowd. "Actually only 57 pounds, four ounces. Aluminum
casing, you know ..."

"No, I didn't ..." began Corinne.

"But it's delicate," he continued. "If I should drop this ..." He
shuddered.

After the crate had been placed lengthwise in the rear of the station
wagon, Corinne watched Ronald tuck a blanket around it.

"It's not very cold, Ronald."

"I don't want it to get bounced around," he said. "Now, please, Corinne,
do drive carefully." Not until she had driven half a block did he kiss
her on the cheek. Then he glanced anxiously over his shoulder at the
rear seat. Once he thought Corinne hit a rut that could have been
avoided.

Long after Corinne had retired that night she heard Ronald pounding with
a brass hammer down in his den. At first she had insisted he take the
crate out to his workshop. He looked at her with scientific aloofness
and asked if she had the slightest conception of what "this is worth?"
She hadn't, and she went to bed. It was only another one of his gestures
which was responsible for these weird dreams. That night she dreamed
Ronald brought home a giant octopus which insisted on doing the dishes
for her. In the morning she woke up feeling unwanted.

Downstairs Ronald had already put on the coffee. He was wearing his robe
and the pinched greyness of his face told Corinne he had been up half
the night. He poured coffee for her, smiling wanly. "If I have any
commitments today, Corinne, will you please see that they are taken care
of?"

"But you were supposed to get the wallpaper for the guest room...."

"I know, I know, dear. But time is so short. They might want Pascal
back any day. For the next week or two I shall want to devote most of
my time ..."

"_Pascal?_"

"Yes. The machine--the computer." He smiled at her ignorance. "We
usually name the expensive jobs. You see, a computer of this nature is
really the heart and soul of the mechanical man we will construct."

Corinne didn't see, but in a few minutes she strolled toward the den,
balancing her coffee in both hands. With one elbow she eased the door
open. There it was: an innocent polished cabinet reaching up to her
shoulders. Ronald had removed one of the plates from its side and she
peeped into the section where the heart and soul might be located. She
saw only an