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democracy is not the same as egalitarianism—”
    “It’s wasting your time you are,” said Kirwan. “The girl knows it all already. Got the Truth from her Dago prophet.”
    Althea protested. “Everybody seems to think that because I’m a missionary, I must be some sort of grim fanatic. Now really, I don’t know an awful lot about the fine points at Getulio C&aTilde;o’s theology, although I had to accept the fundamentals when I joined the mission. But I can still think for myself.”
    “Good for you!” said Bahr. “How did you happen to get into this kind of work?”
    “Oh, my mother died and I felt useless and alone. I’d taken care of her for years and didn’t have any good ready way to make a living.”
    “What had she lived on?” asked Bahr with a keen look.
    “She had money, but she left it all to my brothers. All I got was a useless patch of land near Lake George.”
    “The shame of it!” cried Kirwan. “Couldn’t you sue ’em? Or don’t they have laws to protect heirs in America?”
    “Oh, I couldn’t sue my family!” said Althea.
    “By God, I could; or I could bounce a dornick off their ugly heads if the occasion called for it. You’ve got no guts at all, girl. But that doesn’t tell us how you became a missionary lady.”
    “Well, I wanted to do some good in the galaxy. So, having been brought up an Ecumenical Monotheist, I went around to our presbyter, and he sent me to training school, and they sent me out here.”
    “What ails the young men of Earth? Are they blind, that one of ’em didn’t carry you off to bear his sons, and you so beautiful and all?” asked Kirwan.
    “Brian!” said Althea severely. “No, I suppose I might as well tell you. I’ve got three brothers—”
    “Your people must have had a high genetic rating,” said Bahr, “four children to be allowed.”
    “They did; my father was a brilliant New York lawyer. But after he died, my brothers discouraged my getting married every way they could. They didn’t want to take care of Mother, who was a difficult character. As long as I was single, they figured I’d do it. So when I had a boyfriend in, they’d go out of their way to make him uncomfortable. When he’d gone, they’d work on me, telling me what a stupid boor he was. And now I suppose it’s too late.”
    “Ah, it’s never too late,” said Kirwan. “Sure, if I didn’t have other plans, I’d have a try at marrying you myself, or at least a damned good seduction.” He grinned lewdly. “However, I suppose your religion protects you against such dangers, darling?”
    “It’s supposed to,” said Althea. “Have you a religion?”
    “Well, now, a famous Irish scholar, Stephen Mackenna it was, said the best religion for a man to have is to be a bad Catholic. But I’m not even that.”
    “What then?”
    “I call myself a pseudo-neo-pagan.”
    “A what?”
    “ ’Tis not surprising you never heard of it, for I’m the only one. I dabble in all the old cults and sects, not taking ’em seriously, but using ’em to stimulate the poetic imagination. You ought to try it.”
    ###
    The day died. Kirwan yawned. “Time we turned in, darling, unless you want to watch the three moons chase one another.”
    Althea said, “I think I’ll sleep on deck. I can’t stand the smell of that little cabin, especially that rancid grease the captain and the mate wear.”
    Kirwan asked, “Aren’t you afraid one of the sailors will misconstrue you?”
    “Oh, nobody bothers a skinny old maid like me.”
    “It gets colder than you might think,” said Bahr.
    “Well, could one of you lend me a jacket?”
    “Sure, sure,” said Kirwan.
    He went aft to the small cabin below the poop deck and presently returned with a windbreaker which he gave Althea. He and Bahr said goodnight and departed.
    As they entered the cabin, Althea heard Captain Memzadá burst into angry speech. From the few words that she caught, she inferred that he was scolding Bahr for going below