"And for monkeyshines like that," the Ambassador growled, "I am driven half crazy working out sleep-record courses. '_Idioms of Earth English_'--'_What Not to Say on Backward Planets and Why_'--'_Earth Fashion Guide, What You Can Buy There and What to Reposit_.' Bah! I'm supposed to be a diplomat, not a fashion adviser!" "Why don't you hire some help?" Jerry suggested. "I have. I've hired a whole staff, with offices in all major Earth cities, to exchange platinum, bullion, and precious stones for Earth currencies. It's a man-sized job, I can tell you, to keep Earth currencies stable under this load!" "You're doing a very good job," Jerry said, soothingly. "You know what one of our citizens asked me yesterday? _How she could get a marriage license!_ Your officials had turned her down, because she'd been conditioned not to mention her birthplace and age. Mind you, a citizen of the Federated Planets wanted to marry an Earthman and live on this raw, Galactic frontier the rest of her life! Why, we don't even know whether the races can cross-breed!" "That should be looked into," Jerry agreed. "What are you trying to do?" the Ambassador demanded, "Drag the citizens of the Federated Planets down to the level of your jungle? You blithely assume those two shoplifters can be trusted with Matter Repositors when they get back home, but I'm not so sure. We haven't any jails to toss them into, but we may have to establish some. Matter-Repositor-proof jails!" "That's your problem," Jerry said. "All I'm trying to do is make some money for myself and, other businessmen on Earth. Which I'm doing, thank you. And I doubt that you could stop me, at this point. Your citizens would raise quite a howl if my ads stopped appearing in the information bulletins." "Money!" the Ambassador exclaimed, "All you Earthmen think about is money!" He leaned over Jerry's desk. "What if you could reposit the money--the gold, that is--without all the work you have to put into entertaining these tourists?" "Hmm," Jerry said, thinking of his date for that evening, and other equally lovely tourists. "Money isn't the only thing in life. And don't forget the income tax. I've got to have some deductible expenses." "Knowing you, I'd bet you could figure out some way of handling that little detail." "What's your proposition?" "Two years ago, you came to my office, wanting to import Matter Repositors. I told you Earth's civilization wasn't ready for them." "We still aren't, according to what you say about our avaricious instincts." "No, you're not. But you have methods of manipulating public opinion and attitudes that are far more advanced than those found on other planets." "So you admit that Earth is advanced in _something_!" Jerry said happily.