Read Ecce and Old Earth for Free Online

moved into your rooms for a time, but surely he took proper care of your mail. No doubt the letters are tucked away somewhere."
    “No doubt,” said Glawen. “Thank you for the information."
    Glawen became aware that he was ravenously hungry: no surprise, since he had not eaten since morning. In the refectory he made a hurried meal on dark bread, beans and cucumbers, then went up to his apartments. He seated himself before the telephone. He touched buttons, but in response was treated to a crisp official voice: “You are making a restricted call, and cannot be connected without authorization."
    “I am Captain Glawen Clattuc, Bureau B. That is sufficient authorization.”
    “Sorry, Captain Clattuc. Your name is not on the list.”
    “Then put it on the list! Check with Bodwyn Wook if you like.”
    A moment passed. The voice spoke again. “Your name is now on the list, sir. To whom do you wish the connection?”
    “Arles Clattuc.”
    Five minutes passed before Arles heavy face peered hopefully into the screen. At the sight of Glawen, the hope gave way to a scowl. “What do you want, Glawen? I thought It was something important. This place is bad enough without harassment from you.”
    "It might get worse, Arles, depending upon what happened to my mail."
    "Your mail?”
    “Yes, my mail. It was delivered to my chambers and now it’s gone. What happened to it?"
    Arles voice rose in pitch as he focused his mind upon the unexpected problem. He responded peevishly: "I don't remember any mail. There was just a lot of trash. The place was a pig-pen when we moved in."
    Glawen gave a savage laugh. “If you threw away my mail, you'll be breaking rocks a lot longer than eighty-five days! Think seriously, Arles”
    “No need to take that tone with me! If there was mail, it probably got bundled up into your other stuff and stored in a box.”
    "I have been through my boxes and I have found no letters. Why? Because you opened them and read them."
    “Nonsense! Not purposely, at least if I saw mail with the name ‘Clattuc’ on it, I might have automatically glanced at it.”
    "Then what?”
    “I told you: I don’t remember!"
    "Did you give it to your mother to read?"
    Arles licked his lips. “She might have picked it up, in order to take care of it."
    "And she read it in front of you!"
    “I did not say that. Anyway, I wouldn't remember. I don’t keep a watch on my mother. Is that all you wanted to say?"
    “Not quite, but it will do until I find what happened to my letters." Glawen broke the connection. For a moment he stood in the center of the room brooding. Then he changed into his official Bureau B jacket and cap and took himself down the corridor to Spanchetta’s apartments.
    A maid responded to the bell and conducted him into the reception parlor an octagonal chamber furnished with a central octagonal settee upholstered in green silk. In four alcoves four cinnabar urns displayed tall bouquets of purple lilies. Spanchetta stepped into the room. Tonight she had elected to dramatize her majestic big-bosomed torso in a gown of lusterless black, unadorned by so much as a silver button. The hem brushed the floor; long sleeves draped her arms; her hair lofted above her scalp in an amazing pyramidal pile of black curls almost a foot high, and she had toned her skin stark white. For five seconds she stood in the doorway, staring at Glawen with eyes glinting like slivers of black glass, then advanced into the room. “What is your business here, that you come dressed in your toy uniform?”
    “The uniform is official and I am here on an official investigation.”
    Spanchetta gave a mocking laugh. “And of what am I accused on this occasion?"
    “I wish to question you, in regard to the purloining and wrongful sequestration of mail – namely, the mail which arrived for me during my absence.”
    Spanchetta made a scornful gesture. “What should I know of your mail?”
    “I have been in communication with Arles. Unless you