charges as certain rich but timid Englishmen had studied the maps brought back by the explorers of the Victorian Age, explorers who had in many cases been funded by these same rich but timid men. With their clipped nails and soft fingers the philanthropists had traced paper rivers upon which they would never ride and paper jungles through which they would never safari. They lived in fearful perplexity and passed it off as imagination.
Clotho and Lachesis had drafted them, and had used them with a certain crude effectiveness, hut they understood neither the joy of risk nor the sorrow of loss-the best they had been able to manage in the way of emotion was a nagging fear that Ralph and Lois would try to take on the Crimson King's pet research chemist directly and be swatted like elderly flies for their pains. The little bald doctors lived long lives, but Ralph suspected that, brilliant dragonfly auras notwithstanding, they were gray lives. He looked at their unlined, oddly childish faces from the safe haven of Lois's arms and remembered how terrified of them he had been when he had first seen them coming out of May Locher's house in the early hours of the morning. Terror, he had since discovered, could not survive mere acquaintanceship, let alone knowledge, and now he had some of both.
Clotho and Lachesis returned his gaze with an uneasiness Ralph found he had absolutely no urge to allay. It seemed very right to him, somehow, that they should feel the way they were feeling.
Ralph: ["Yes, she's very brave and I love her very much and I think we'll make each other very happy until-"] He broke off, and Lois stirred in his arms. He realized with a mixture of amusement and relief that she had been half-asleep.
["Until what, Ralph?"] ["Until you name it. I guess that there's always an until when you're a Short-Timer, and maybe that's okay."] Lachesis: [Well, I guess this is goodbye.] Ralph grinned in spite of himself, reminded of The Lone Ranger radio program, where almost every episode had ended with some version of that line. He reached out toward Lachesis and was sourly amused to see the little man recoil from him.
Ralph: ["Wait a minute... let's not be so hasty, fellas.] Clotho, with a tinge of apprehension: [Is something wrong?] ["I don't think so, but after getting popped in the head, popped in the ribs, and damned near roasted alive, I think I have a right to make sure that it's really over. Is it? Is your boy safe?"] Clotho, smiling and clearly relieved: [Yes. Can't you feel it?
Eighteen years from now,. just before his death, the boy is going to save the lives of two men who would otherwise die... and one of those men must of die, if the balance between the Random and the Purpose is to be maintained.] Lois: ["Never mind all that. I just want to know if we can go back to being regular Short-Timers again."] Lachesis: [Not only can, Lois, but must. If you and Ralph were to stay up here much longer, you wouldn't be able to go back down.] Ralph felt Lois press more tightly against him.
["I wouldn't like that."] Clotho and Lachesis turned toward each other and a subtle, perplexed glance-How could anybody not like it up here? their eyes asked-passed between them before they turned back to Ralph and Lois.
Lachesis: [We really must be going. I'm sorry, but-Ralph: ["Hold on, neighbors-you're not going anywhere yet."] They looked at him apprehensively while Ralph slowly pushed up the sleeve of his sweater-the cuff was now stiff with some fluid, perhaps catfish ichor, that he found he did not want to think about-and showed them the white, knotted line of scar on his forearm.
["Put away the constipated looks, guys. I just want to remind you that you gave me your word. Don't forget that part of it.] Clotho, with obvious relief: [You can depend on it, Ralph. What was your weapon is now our bond. The promise will not be forgotten-Ralph was beginning to believe it really was over. And, crazy as it seemed, part of him regretted it. Now it was real life-life as it went on on the floors below this level-that seemed almost like a mirage, and he understood what Lachesis had meant when he told them that they would never be able to return to their normal lives if they stayed up here much longer.