"Well, cripes!" he exploded. "You ain't got nothing to squawk about! You said yourself we was stuck here in this new world forever, didn't you? Well, then—?"
"That's not the point," wrangled Steve. "If we want to change an entire culture and substitute a brand new design for living, we must set the example ourselves in our behavior towards these women. We can't confuse liberty with license."
"You mean," said Chuck, "everything's got to be done fair and square, eh? Marriage, and all that stuff?"
"That's the idea."
"Well, then—" Lafferty stroked his jaw—"why not that? I got eyes in my head. You like the kid, don't you?"
Steve answered, "That's the hell of it; I do! If we had met in a different age, under other circumstances—"
"No dice, pal! If you like her, why don't you set a real honest-to-John example by marrying her? Show the Women that the new system will pan out."
"Because," explained Steve bitterly, "it wouldn't be fair to Beth. I'd be getting her under false pretenses. You see, she still thinks I'm a god. She's doing this purely and simply because she considers it her duty. Beth's not in love with me. She doesn't even know what love is!"
Lafferty shrugged and turned away.
"Well, okay," he said. "It's your worry. All I got to say is: Some guys want everything!"