They backed away, as if they dared not touch us.
Then they smiled, but it was not a gay smile;
it was lost and pleading. But still we could
not speak. Then they said:

"We shall report our find to the City
Council and both of us will be rewarded."

And then we spoke. Our voice was hard
and there was no mercy in our voice. We said:

"We shall not report our find to the City Council.
We shall not report it to any men."

They raised their hands to their ears,
for never had they heard such words as these.

"International 4-8818," we asked, "will you report us
to the Council and see us lashed to death before your eyes?"

They stood straight all of a sudden and they answered:
"Rather would we die."

"Then," we said, "keep silent. This place is ours.
This place belongs to us, Equality 7-2521, and to
no other men on earth. And if ever we surrender it,
we shall surrender our life with it also."

Then we saw that the eyes of International 4-8818