"Yeh; well, maybe 111 read awhile."

"Yes, Barton." But she needed to talk. "Barton?**

"Yeh? Something?" He seemed interested, so she plunged ahead.

"Barton, how did you know not to leam Demu lan- guage?"

"Huh? Oh-well, I didn't. I mean, I didn't know . . .

what happened, if you did. It was just, they pushed me around so long, before they tried the talky-talk, that by then I was too stubborn to do anything I thought they wanted. There's a lot happened that I never told you . . ."

And a lot, she thought, that I can never tell anyone. "I wish I had been stubborn. Barton. But I Was alone and did

141.

not want to be alone, and I did not guess that harm could

come from learning."

She stood and went to him. Once more, she thought,

and then not again. She took his hand. "Barton? I-"

He clasped her to him but turned his face away. She heard him curse, his voice thick. Then he said, more qui- etly, tt! wish I could, Limila. I wish . . ." He released her.

"Oh, hell! I'm going to bed."

She went to her own room. This is not life, she thought;

I am not living. I need to work yet awhile for others, and

then I can stop.

The thought comforted her more than any had in a

long time.

The young person sits with Limila and the animal Ling.

The fourth o( the second four of questionings begins.

Against its will, Eeshta understands more each time, of animal speech, but as Hishtoo has said to do, it pretends

ignorance.

Also,. it understands some meanings of Ling's face movements. The downward-together pull of the small dark growths above the eyes means the animal is dissatis- fied. The young person has known this meaning earlier, for on the ship Barton often made the sign-but never the upcurving of incorrectly smooth mouth, meaning plea- sure, that Ling makes. Eeshta has made the Demu sign of pleased feeling, mouth opened slightly to show the tongue uplifted, but Ling does not understand until Limila ex- plains in animal words. Then, to Eeshta, Ling lifts its own tongue, so incorrectly long.

Eeshta is certain Ling comes to understand some Demu speech, also. It sometimes speaks before Limila repeats Eeshta's saying fully. On Ashura, perhaps Ling would soon be worthy of being given citizenship and correct ap- pearance . . . though Eeshta is surprised to find that with familiarity the animal's deformities are less offensive and

seem almost natural

Now Ling speaks directly to Eeshta but in its own ani- mal speech. "Eeshta, do you know what I say? You do

know, don't you?"

"Limila, it is that Ling speaks. That you tell its saying

in our tongue."

"It is that I hear you," says Ling, "that you hear me, also. That we forbind and enfeet," The last has no mean- ing; Ling is not yet worthy of correct appearance.

142.

"It is that I am pleased that Ling attempts Demu tpeech, Limila. That it may continue to do so."

Ling turns to Limila. "I didn't get that last." Limila repeats Eeshta's words in Demu and then in animal tongue.

"I know you understand me," says Ling. "Why won't you answer? Limila? Why?"

The young person shakes its head; animal gestures de- mean less than animal words.

"The Demu see no view but their own, Annette. We can only keep trying."

"Yes. But not today, Limila; the hell with it." And to Eeshta: "It is that you go to your place, that another time we speak in both our tongues."

"Limila, it is that I go to my place."

As the young person leaves the room it hears Ling say, "Sometimes I think Barton had the right idea the first fane."

The young person sits with Hishtoo. Across the room SSewen looks at nothing, while Shestin very softly speaks an old Demu chant it has learned. Outside, on guard so that all must stay in, is the animal that speaks much with upcurved mouth when it takes Eeshta to and from its place here. Eeshta thinks upon a matter.

"Hishtoo, when Barton crushes our annshells. it is that there is much pain."

"That the animal gives us pain, we remember."

"Is it that there is much pain in the giving of correct appearance?"

"Much pain and loss of body liquid. It is done over , many days, or animals die of becoming Demu. When Bar- ton and the others are taken, none on Ashura had experi- ence. We lose many as we leam. Siewen is one of the first to live, and Limila. It is that each for a time is near to death." -

"That I find it not good, Hishtoo, to give such pain."

"It is that the pain is not from us, Eesbta, but from be- ing animal without correct appearance. That animals may become Demu, we do what is proper."

"Is it that the pain is soon gone?"

"As correct appearance heals, pain goes. And we learn a thing, Eeshta. On each day of correction we give the greatest pain first, so that often the mind becomes not awake and does not feel more of what is done."

143.

"That I am pleased you give no pain without need."