"One, I didn't threaten him. If he felt that way, it was only because he knew he was pushing me into a corner where I might turn dangerous. Two, anything he represents can't be worth much, if he can accuse me of bringing in a red herring and then can back down when I bring that selfsame herring back in a louder tone of voice. Three, it doesn't matter if anybody supports me. I'm in charge." She set her mouth in a disgusted line. "You don't think much of yourself, do you?" Brendan crossed the room. He sat down on the edge of the stone block that fitted into the join of floor and wall, and was his bed. Sitting that way, bent forward, with his shoulders against the curve of the overhead, he looked as though he might be trying to help hold up the dome. "We've been married a long time, Sally. That can't be a fresh discovery you're making." "It isn't." "All right." "You don't even care what _I_ think of you, do you?" "I care. I can't afford to pay any attention." "You don't care. You don't care for one living soul besides yourself, and the only voice you'll listen to is that power-chant in your head. You married me because I was good breeding stock. You married me because, if you can't lead us outside, at least your son will be the biggest and best of his generation." "Funny," Brendan said. "Lusic thinks I've been motivated by a fear of losing my pre-eminence. I wonder if your positions can be reconciled. And do you realize you're admitting I'm exactly what I say I am?" She spat: "I hate you. I really do. I hope they pull you down before the nursery gate opens to the outside." "If they pull me down, that'll be a sure bet. I changed over all the controls, several years ago. I'm the only man in this dome who can possibly work them." "You _what_!" "You heard me." "They'll kill you when I tell them." "You can think better than that, Sally. You're just saying something for the sake of making a belligerent noise. They don't dare kill me, and they'd be taking a very long chance in torturing me to a point where I'd tell them how the controls work. Longer than long, because there'd be no logic in my telling them and so passing my own death sentence. But I expected you to say something like that, because people do, when they're angry. That's why I never get angry. I've got a purpose in life. I'm going to see it attained. So you're not going to catch me in any mistakes." "You're a monster." "So I am. So are we all. Monsters with a purpose. And I'm the best monster of us all." "They'll kill you the moment after you open that gate." "No," he said slowly, "I don't think so. All the tension will be over then, and the kids will be doing their job." "I'll kill you. I promise." "I don't think you mean that. I think you're in love with me." "You think I love you?" "Yes, I do." She looked at him uncertainly. "Why do I?" "I don't know. Love takes odd forms, under pressure. But it's still love. Though, of course, I don't know anything about it."