She came near the bust of the snub-nosed poet, lowered the curtains on the wild fire of her eyes and said, this time I think she was really in earnest, or perhaps she merely wanted to soften my impatience with her, but she said a very reasonable thing: "Don't you think it surprising that once people could stand types like this? Not only stand them but worship them. What a slavish spirit, don't you think so?" "It's clear ... that is...!" I wanted ... (damn that cursed "it's clear!"). "Oh, yes, I understand. But in fact these were rulers stronger than the crowned ones. Why were they not isolated and exterminated? In our State--" "Oh, yes, in our State--" I began. Suddenly she laughed. I saw the laughter in her eyes. I saw the resounding sharp curve of that laughter, flexible, tense like a whip. I remember my whole body shivered. I thought of grasping her ... and I don't know what.... I had to do something, mattered little what; automatically I looked at my golden badge, glanced at my watch,--ten minutes to seventeen! "Don't you think it is time to go?" I said in as polite a tone as possible. "And if I should ask you to stay here with me?" "What? Do you realize what you are saying? In ten minutes I must be in the auditorium." "And 'all the Numbers must take the prescribed courses in art and science'," said I-330 with my voice. Then she lifted the curtain, opened her eyes,--through the dark windows the fire was blazing. "I have a physician in the Medical Bureau; he is registered to me; if I ask him, he will give you a certificate declaring that you are ill. All right?" Understood! At last I understood where this game was leading. "Ah, so! But you know that every honest Number as a matter of course must immediately go to the office of the Guardians and--" "And as a matter not of course?" (Sharp smile-bite) "I am very curious to know; will you or will you not go to the Guardians?" "Are you going to remain here?" I grasped the knob of the door. It was a brass knob, a cold, brass knob and I heard, cold like brass, her voice: "Just a minute, may I?" She went to the telephone, called a Number,--I was so upset it escaped me,--and spoke loudly: "I shall be waiting for you in the Ancient House. Yes, yes, alone." I turned the cold brass knob. "May I take the aero?" "Oh yes, certainly, please!" In the sunshine at the gate the old woman was dozing like a plant. Again I was surprised to see her grown-together mouth open, and to hear her say: "And your lady, did she remain alone?" "Alone." The mouth of the old woman grew together again; she shook her head; apparently even her weakening brain understood the stupidity and the danger of the behaviour of that woman.