“Yes. To let out into the street such a group of bald-headed naked little truths. Only imagine please. Imagine, say, that persistent admirer of mine, S- , well, you know him. Then imagine: if he should discard the deception of clothes and appear in public in his true form⁠ ⁠… oh!” She laughed. But I clearly saw her lower, sorrowful triangle; two deep grooves from the nose to the mouth. And for some reason these grooves made me think: that double-curved being, half-hunched, with winglike ears⁠—he embraced her? her, such⁠ ⁠… Oh!

Naturally, I try now merely to express my abnormal feelings of that moment. Now, as I write, I understand perfectly that all this is as it should be; that he, S-4711 , like any other honest Number has a perfect right to the joys of life and that it would be unjust.⁠ ⁠… But I think the point is quite clear.

I-330 laughed a long, strange laugh. Then she cast a look at me, into me.