in the usual sense, alive, although, of course--I hope
you will not be offended--neither are you."

Herman's brow wrinkled. "Are you _real_?" he demanded finally.

Secundus looked embarrassed. "You have found me out, Dr. Raye. I
endeavored to give you that impression--through vanity, I am ashamed
to say--but, unhappily, it is not true. I, too, belong to the realm of
noumena."

"Then, blast it all, what _is_ real? This planet isn't. You're not.
What's it all for?" He paused a moment reflectively. "We're getting on
to my second question, about Primus's attitude toward his 'father.'
Perhaps I should have asked just now, '_Who_ is real?' Who remembers
you, Secundus?"

"This question, unfortunately, is the one I cannot answer with
complete frankness, Doctor. I assure you that it is not because I do
not wish to; I have no option in the matter. I can tell you only that
there is a Person of whom it might be said that He stands in the
parental relationship to Primus, to me, and all the rest of our
order."

"God?" Herman inquired. "Jahweh? Allah?"

"Please, no names, Doctor." Secundus looked apprehensive.

"Then, damn it, tell me the rest!" Herman realized vaguely that he was
soothing his own hurt vanity at Secundus's expense, but he was
enjoying himself too much to stop. "You're afraid of something; that's
been obvious right along. And there must be a time limit on it, or you
wouldn't be rushing me. Why? Are you afraid that if this unnamable
Person finds out you've botched your job, He'll wipe you out of
existence and start over with a new bunch?"

A cold wind blew down Herman's back. "Not us alone, Dr. Raye," said
Secundus gravely. "If the Inspector discovers this blunder--and the
time is coming soon when He must--no corrections will be attempted.
When a mistake occurs, it is--painted out."

"Oh," said Herman after a moment. He sat down again, weakly. "How long
have we got?"

"Approximately one and a quarter days have gone by at the Earth's
normal rate since Primus lost his memory," Secundus said. "I have not
been able to 'speed you up,' as you termed it, by more than a
twenty-to-one ratio. The deadline will have arrived, by my
calculation, in fifteen minutes of normal time, or five hours at your
present accelerated rate."

Primus stepped into the room, crossed to the couch and lay down
placidly. Secundus turned to go, then paused.

"As for your final question, Doctor--you might think of the Universe
as a Point