beauty, watch his rule change into just that."

"I've been detecting symptoms of religious paranoia, messianic
delusions, about his public statements...." the woman began.

"Idolatry!" another member of the group, who wore a black coat fastened
to the neck, and white neck-bands, rasped. "Idolatry in deed, as well as
in spirit!"

* * * * *

The sense of unreality, partially dispelled, began to return. Benson
dropped to the floor and stood beside the table, getting a cigarette out
of his pocket and lighting it.

"I made a joke," he said, putting his lighter away. "The fact that none
of you got it has done more to prove that I am fifty years in the future
than anything any of you could say." He went on to explain who the St.
Louis Cardinals were.

"Yes; I remember! Baseball!" Anthony exclaimed. "There is no baseball,
now. The Guide will not allow competitive sports; he says that they
foster the spirit of violence...."

The cadaverous man in the blue jacket turned to the man in the black
garment of similar cut.

"You probably know more history than any of us," he said, getting a
cigar out of his pocket and lighting it. He lighted it by rubbing the
end on the sole of his shoe. "Suppose you tell him what the score is."