In a moment or two there was a small knock at the door, and Rodriguez, loosening the chain, drawing back the bolt, had it open.
One of the maids was there.
“Come in,” said Rodriguez.
She entered.
He closed the door, behind her.
“Get on the bed,” said Rodriguez. “On your stomach.”
Brenner almost cried out with protest, but no sound escaped him.
The maid, with no hesitation, but apparently with some apprehension, with some timidity, obeyed.
Rodriguez had put her on Brenner’s bed. Brenner noted this with dismay, and, to be sure, another feeling which he would been hard put to describe. To be sure, there was some point in this. There was already a suitcase on Rodriguez’ bed.
Rodriguez then, with his left hand, brushed the maid’s uniform up a few inches, revealing more of the backs of her legs. Brenner gasped. This thing, small in itself, had a very great impact for Brenner. He had never seen so much of a female before, except perhaps in the performance circles of his imagination, and on the sales blocks of his dreams. She lay very quietly on the freshly made bed, which she had helped turn down but moments ago. Her small hands, at either side of her head, clutched the sheets. “Look,” commanded Rodriguez, seizing her left ankle in one hand, and pulling it up, bending the leg forward. “See?”
Brenner looked at the ankle, encircled closely by the small, stout chain. Certainly it could not be slipped, not as it was on her. Too, with misgivings, he regarded the cylindrical lock. That lock, if he were not mistaken, actually fastened the chain on her ankle.
But Rodriguez’ interest, it seemed, was in displaying the small metallic disk, about an inch in diameter, which was fastened to the chain. “See?” he asked.
On the disk was a tiny number, but this number, more importantly, was below another sign, larger, impressed in the metal. “Do you know this sign?” asked Rodriguez.
“Of course,” said Brenner. It was one of the best-known signs in this portion of the galaxy. It was the company logo.
“This, in effect,” said Rodriguez, shaking the ankle in his grasp for emphasis, as though this might the better impress the matter on Brenner, which forcible motion brought a small cry from the woman and was accompanied by a tiny jingling from the disk on the chain, “is company property.”
“The chain, the lock, the disk?” said Brenner.
“What they mark!” said Rodriguez, impatiently. “The woman!”
“She is a free person,” said Brenner.
“She is a contract slut,” said Rodriguez. “You can tell that from the chain. “For all practical purposes she is company property.”
He then, angrily, flung the woman’s ankle back to the bed. It struck the covers with a sound, and the disk made a tiny noise against the chain. Brenner observed that she had a small foot, and then, closely about her ankle, was the chain, and then came her calf.
“It’s part of your job to make our stay here pleasant, isn’t it?” asked Rodriguez.
“Yes, sir,” she whispered.
“Do you understand “maid service” now?” asked Rodriguez.
Brenner thought it wise not to respond. It was at this point, incidentally, that he decided he would not remain at the hostel that evening but would accompany Rodriguez outside, even in the weather, to find a bar.
Rodriguez dropped his hand to the back of her thigh, and touched it, gently.
Her eyes opened very wide, and she made a tiny sound.
Again Rodriguez touched her.
She closed her eyes, and uttered a tiny moan.
“Get your ass down,” said Rodriguez.
She moaned, and pressed herself further down, into the covers.
“You can ring for her later, if you want her,” said Rodriguez.
“No, no!” said Brenner, alarmed.
“Get out,” said Rodriguez to the maid.
Quickly she left the bed, and pausing only a moment to smooth down her skirt, she hurried from the room.
Brenner, sweating, locked the door after her, and put the chain in place.
He turned about, to face Rodriguez. “How could you have done that?” he asked him.
“What?” asked Rodriguez.
“What you did to her!” said Brenner.
Rodriguez looked at him, puzzled. “I didn’t do anything to her,” he said.
Brenner regarded him, aghast. But Rodriguez, carrying a robe, was making his way to the bath. A little later Brenner heard the shower running.
For a time Brenner did not even sit on the bed. He stood there, rather, looking at it, and at the place where the maid had lain. There were some small disarrangements in the covers there, sloping up to the sides. Too, there were some