Maybe Marsden would feel more inclined to watch the patterned years drag by on Talbor if he just once saw the women of Earth. He never told this to Marie, for she wouldn't understand. "We'd better hurry," she said, "or we won't get to town till after the ship comes in." Marsden nodded. "Like to see it land. Everyone will be there, I'll bet." "I suppose so. It's a great deal of trouble, if you ask me." "Trouble? Don't you want to see the people of Earth?" There it was again--Marsden felt an argument brewing. Marie spoke like an old woman, but she was only twenty-five. You couldn't blame her, though, and every time Marsden's thoughts took that tack he felt sorry for his wife. She had known nothing but Talbor all her life. "They're people," said Marie. "Just folks." But she carefully removed the frilly dress which had hung near Marsden's suit on the rack and examined it critically. "You're going to wear that?" "What's wrong with it?" "Nothing. You haven't put it on since we got married, that's all." "We can't scare the Earth people off with a lot of tunics and coveralls." "Better get dressed," said Marsden, chuckling with grim amusement as Marie struggled with the unfamiliar garment. Marsden's own starched collar threatened to choke him, but the women of Earth would expect it. "What's so funny, Harry?" "There must be an easier way to climb into that thing. You look so funny." Marie's back was toward him. She took the dress off and threw it across the bed. "All right, I won't wear it. I won't wear anything. I'm not going." "Now, Marie." "Don't you 'now' me. I'll stay right here." "I was joking," said Marsden, squirming uncomfortably inside his collar. Marie flung the dress from bed to floor. "You can throw it out, for all I care. Or give it away." "Thank you, I'll stay here." "For crying out loud!" Marsden said in exasperation. "This is the biggest thing to hit Talbor in years. The Earth people are coming to visit us and you want to stay home." "They probably will make fun of us." "If we act like bumpkins they will. If we act--well, sophisticated, they won't." "I'm not sophisticated." Marie sat down on the bed where her dress had been, drew her legs up, wrapped her arms around her knees. "Do I look sophisticated?" "Put the dress on." "I've never been off Talbor, never. We have one town, two hundred people on seventy or eighty farms. Is it my fault I wasn't born on Earth? Do you think I would have married you if I had much choice?" "Oh," said Marsden. "I see." Marie stared at him and shrugged her bare shoulders. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, Harry. But you don't see. Talbor is all right for you because you're a man and you like to work like that. Don't you think I'd rather be small and attractive, instead of--" "I think you're very attractive." "That's a lie. I know how you and Charlie Adcock get together and look at those magazines with pictures of Earth women. Your tongues practically hang out."