This wasn’t the room he had dreamed about. It was much larger, and outside the windows was normal darkness. Morrissey had said that the anesthetic had lasted for several hours. “Anyway, I’m jittery,” Bruno said. “I didn’t know you had any nerves.... Here, Harwood.” Morrissey turned to the nurse and scribbled down a few symbols on a pad. “There. We’ll get your sedative. Don’t you want to know about Gregson?” “I’d forgotten about him completely,” Bruno acknowledged. “Can you tell anything definite yet?” “We caught him on the downcurve of the depressive cycle, remember? Well, he isn’t talking yet, but there’s a touch of euphoria. The elation will wear off. One thing, you’ve broken the cycle. His mind isn’t adjusted yet to those—damper bars you put in ’em, but off-hand, I’d say it looks pretty good.” “What does Parsons think?” “He’s immersed in calculations. Said he’d be around to see you as soon as you woke up. Here’s that sedative.” Bruno accepted the capsules from the nurse and washed them down with water. “Thanks. I’d rather rest a bit. I must have unconsciously piled up quite a lot of tension.” “So I gather,” Morrissey said drily. “Well, here’s the bell-cord. Anything else?” “Just rest.” Bruno hesitated. “Oh—one thing.” He extended his arm. “Pinch it.” * * * * * Morrissey stared and chuckled. “Still not sure you’re awake? I can assure you you are, Doctor. I’m not going to jump out of the window. And it’s still night, you’ll notice.” When Bruno didn’t move, Morrissey pinched up a fold of the other’s forearm between thumb and finger. “Ouch!” Bruno said. “Thanks.” “Any time,” Morrissey said cheerfully. “Get some rest now. I’ll be back.” He went out with the nurse. Bruno blew out his breath and let his gaze wander around the room. Everything looked perfectly solid and normal. No black, thundering abyss lurked under the floor. An unpleasant dream! He reached for pad and pencil and made careful notes on the curious double-delusion before he let himself relax. Then he felt the sedative creeping slowly along his nerves, a warm, pleasant sensation that he was glad to encourage. He didn’t want to think. Later would be time enough. The empathy surrogate experiment, Gregson, the physicist Parsons, Barbara—later! He drowsed. It seemed only a moment before he opened his eyes to see sunlight beyond the window. Brief panic touched him, then he looked at his wrist-watch and was reassured to see that it said eleven o’clock. He could hear the muffled sounds of the ordinary hospital routine going on outside door and window. Presently, feeling refreshed, he got up and dressed. In Nurse Harwood’s office he telephoned Morrissey, exchanged brief greetings, and then went to his own office to shower and shave. He telephoned Barbara. “Hello, there,” she said. “Morrissey notified me you were doing all right. So I thought I’d wait till you woke up.”