Level 7

APRIL 22

P-867 reappeared in the lounge today. She was in even better spirits than usual, and came straight up to me. “What do you think about the marriages?” she said. “Aren’t they wonderful?”

I made some cynical remark to the effect that marriage was an affliction as old as humanity itself. She laughed it off and said: “Oh, I know you don’t mean that! You’re only talking like that in an attempt to hide your real feelings.” At this she giggled in her typical way.

I did not argue the point, but asked her where she had been the last few days.

“You missed me, didn’t you?” she said with satisfaction. “Well,” she went on more briskly, “I’ve been busy with your colleague X-117. It’s a difficult case. Marriage might help him, though, and I’m sorry the facilities weren’t announced earlier. You know, he’s too sociable for Level 7, but if he’d been able to marry before the hysterical symptoms appeared, it might have provided a harmless outlet for his sociable impulses. It’s not so easy now.” Then she glanced up at me and gave what I took to be a winning smile. “Still, don’t let’s waste our half hour talking about X-117. I’ve had enough of him recently.”

I wanted to hear more about my fellow-officer, but I did not ask her to go on. She had a right to rest, after all. I remained silent, not knowing quite what to say. P-867, however, needs very little co-operation in conversation. She eagerly went on talking.

“You know,” she said, “I’ve had two proposals of marriage through the mediation service. Two shy officers,” she giggled, “want to marry me!”

I congratulated her on her success, but this did not seem to satisfy her. “Aren’t you jealous?” she asked, “Or are you so sure of your charms that you know I shall refuse my two shy officers? Oh, you naughty X-127!” She gave me an arch look, fluttering her eye-lashes in a coquettish manner.

I failed to see why I was naughty, I was not in the least jealous, and I did not care a damn whom she married, or whether she married at all. But I made some silly remark about how sure I was she would refuse her shy suitors, whoever they were. This seemed to confirm my naughtiness, in her eyes; which meant my interest in her.

Our half hour in the lounge was up at this point, and on parting from P-867 I felt some relief.