"He will be."
"He'd better. I'll let you wait another--half an hour. That's all."
"Thank you, Miss Bestris. You're very kind to me."
"I indulge you more than I ought to, child," she said. "More than is
good for you, if the truth were known."
A man came in; Mary stiffened and then relaxed.
The mutter of voices blended into a steady hum. More couples were
dancing. Miss Bestris moved around the room. The music was tinny.
Another man came in.
"Your time's up," the Madame told Mary.
"Please, let me just wait for another few minutes."
Miss Bestris fixed her lips grimly. "I've had enough nonsense for
tonight. You heard me!"
"_Please!_"
"You heard what I said."
"Miss Bestris, I couldn't. Not tonight. Honest, I couldn't. If I had to
talk to anybody, I'd break down and cry. He'll ... come. I know he
will."
Miss Bestris whirled on her. "Listen, you little--" But she stopped,
suddenly. "All right," she said, gritting her teeth. "I can't afford
another scene tonight. But you'll be sorry for this."
Miss Bestris stormily looked away. The dancers danced; the music swelled
louder. Gradually, deliberately, the lights were waning.
"Haven't I always been good to you, Mary?" the Madame asked.
"Yes."
"Then like an obedient girl, do as I say. If he hasn't come by now, he
just won't. He's gone to some other house."
"No!" Mary said doggedly.
"Just remember, tomorrow, how you deliberately disobeyed me. Your silly
emotions are costing me money, and that's one thing I simply won't stand
for."
"He'll come." Mary said. "You won't lose money."
Couples sat side by side, laughing, talking in whispers. Occasionally
there were giggles. The room began to empty slowly.
The lights continued to dim until the rooms were gloomy. Even the
shifting shades of the color organ were no more than a faint lambence.
Anne, laughing, helped her second mate to his feet.
"I'll give you one more chance," Miss Bestris said. "The next man that
comes in...."
"No! I just couldn't! Not tonight!"
A few more customers drifted in. Then even the stragglers stopped
coming. It was very late.
"He's deserted you; you see that now?" Madame Bestris sneered.
Mary stood up. There were tears in her eyes. "You can't--you
don't--know--how I feel," she choked. "You don't care!" She turned and
ran up the stairs, crying.
Several Earthmen, still in the big room, turned to watch. The torches
were misty twinkles now. The last couples climbed the stairs and then
Miss Bestris, too, went to bed.
* * * * *
The blue morning came. The town awoke; commerce began.
At seven, Miss Bestris lay in bed frowning, considering the events of
the previous evening. But she was not so annoyed that she forgot to call
a doctor on the teleview and arrange for him to come at nine to give a
physical examination.
Her bulk out of bed, she dressed and went to the kitchen to brew a pot
of hemp tea. The cleaning maid, moving about in the next room, heard
Miss Bestris call sharply: "Flavia! Come in here!"
Flavia appeared with a dust rag in her hand.
"Did you cut this cake?"
"No, ma'am."
Miss Bestris glowered. "That little idiot! She must have slipped down
here after we were all asleep and sat here and cried her silly little
eyes out! If she thinks she can pull that love-sick act on me she'll
soon find out different. Am I supposed to put up with having her moon
over every space tramp that comes in? Why, I've taken more from her--!"
"Yes, ma'am."
Miss Bestris waddled to the stairs, climbed them determinedly. At Mary's
door she stopped and twisted the knob. Locked!
Miss Bestris hammered. "Open up, Mary!" The door rattled under her hand.
"Open that door at once!"
No answer.