"Whatever are you doing here, Dorlup? My but you look silly in that suit." Beti entwined her arm in his.
"I'm doing research for a new solidio."
"Oh, but that's wonderful. I'm on vacation, you know, but I could learn the part while I'm here and—"
"My dear," said Dorlup icily, "I haven't considered casting yet. The solidio is just an idea in my head, and it will be a long time before I—"
"I can wait. Did you notice how positively garish the costumes are, how completely absorbed in their own importance the people seem?"
Beti had spoken in perfect hypnosleep-induced English, and Dorlup said: "Quiet! Do you want them to hear you?"
"Oh, but they won't understand. They won't understand anything. So—so archaic. I'm hungry, Dorlup."
"I'm not." He tried to move away, but the crowd pressed in all around them and Beti still had her arm entwined in his.
"I've always wanted to try one of those automatic cafeterias. Shall we?"
Dorlup wanted passionately to say no, but Beti was already steering him toward the facade of one of the buildings.