“I hope so. Got any new stunts?”
I told him, briefly, about my thoughts on marriage or rather Cave’s thoughts. The literary device was for me to ask him certain questions and for him to answer them or, at least, to ask pointed questions in his turn. Cheerfully, I had committed Cave to my own point of view and I was somewhat nervous about his reaction, not to mention the others. So far, only Clarissa knew and her approval was pleasant but perhaps frivolous: it carried little weight, I knew, with the rest.
Paul whistled. “You got us a tall order. I’m not sure we’ll be able to handle that problem yet, if ever.”
“I’ve done it carefully,” I began.
Stokharin, who had been listening with interest, came to my aid. “In the Centers we, how you say, Paul? soft-pedal the family. We advise young boys to make love to the young girls without marrying or having babies. We speak of the family as a social unit, and society changes. I am most eager to study Mr Luther’s approach. Perhaps a little aid from those of us in clinical work....”
But then the dark sedans began to purr; nervous attendants whispered to Paul and I was soon left alone with the fragments of our brief conversation to examine and interpret at my leisure. I was surprised and pleased at Stokharin’s unexpected alliance. I had thought of him as my chief antagonist. But then, my work finished, I tended roses and read Cassius Dio until the summons in August came.
6
The plane landed on a glare of blue water, more blinding even than the vivid sky about the sun itself which made both elements seem to be a quivering blue fire in which was destroyed all of earth save a tiny smear of dusty faded green, the island of our destination.
The pilot maneuvered the plane against a bone-gray dock where, all alone, Iris stood, her hair tangled from the propellers’ wind and her eyes hidden by dark glasses. Like explorers in a new country, Paul, Stokharin and I scrambled onto the dock, the heat closing in about us like blue canvas, stifling, palpable. I gasped and dropped my suitcase. Iris laughed and ran forward to greet us; she came first to me which, even in my dazzled, shocked state, I realized and valued.
“Gene, you must get out of that suit this minute! and get some dark glasses or you’ll go blind. Paul, how are you? It’s good to see you, Doctor.” And, in the chatter of greetings, she escorted us off the dock and across a narrow white beach to a grove of palm trees where the cottage stood.