George shrugged. "I said no, and I wasn't kidding. You take all that
jewelry back where it belongs, and I'll send you back. Not before."
For a long moment, Narka looked at him. "You know," she said, "I think
I will get you in trouble. Yes, I think I will. You definitely deserve
it."
The apartment was on the fourth floor, near the corner. Narka strode to
the window and opened it. Behind her, George looked out. Down on the
corner directing traffic was a cop.
"He's a law officer, isn't he?" Narka demanded.
George nodded, and before he could stop her, Narka took two brooches
and a necklace from the pile in Arl's arms, called to the policeman,
and, when she had caught his attention, threw the jewelry down to him.
"Oh, no...." Myra moaned.
George shut the window. In a few minutes the policeman would be in the
room. He'd see a room full of jewelry, and he'd receive reports of all
the thefts in the past few minutes, the incredible number of thefts in
so short a space of time, and though he would not know how it was done,
he would blame George. He would definitely blame George.
A few minutes....
"You shouldn't have done that," George said.
Narka stuck her tongue out at him. It was very unladylike, even less
queen-like. "No?"
"No." George reached out and pulled Narka to him. He saw the look of
triumph on her face.
"George," she said coyly.
Holding her arm and retreating to a big chair, George sat down. Because
he was still holding her, Narka sat on his lap, and from there it
wasn't hard for him to turn her over. He did and then she got the idea,
but it was too late. She struggled and she writhed but she couldn't do
a thing about it.
"What you need," George told her, "is a good three-dimensional man to
take care of you."
"Let me up or I'll--I'll beat you."
"You'll _what_?"
"I'll beat you. Ask Arl, he's a man, but I beat him. When I get him
home, I will beat him."
* * * * *
George lifted his hand, but Arl caught it in mid-air. "Wait, George.
I think I am learning." Arl was still trembling, but he attempted a
smile. "I think I am learning."
George smiled and got up. Arl sat on the chair next to his wife. Men
could be henpecked just so long, George thought--even in the fourth
dimension, it couldn't go on forever.
But Arl's smile was uncertain, he was trying to bolster his courage
with it, and Narka stared grimly, certainly. Suddenly, she and Arl
were locked together, struggling. George breathed hard. The cop would
be here in another minute or two, but he had to let Arl fight his own
battle. A king could not be a king in name only, and he had tried to
show Arl the way.
Narka wrestled Arl to the floor and held him there, next to the
remainder of the jewelry. Arl began to moan, and then Narka laughed
triumphantly up at George. "There's one thing you didn't know, third
dimensional man. One thing you couldn't know. In the fourth dimension,
the female is superior physically."
Arl moaned.
George didn't know a thing about fourth dimensional culture. He had
never thought of this possibility, but now Narka held her husband
firmly, and she began to do something to his arm.
"Give up?" she said.