CHAPTER 12

You dance and sing all night." Emmanuel said. He thought. And it is beautiful. Show me" he said.

"Then we shall begin." Zina said.

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He sat under palm trees and knew that he had entered the Garden, but it was the garden he himself had fashioned at the beginning of creation; she had not brought him to her realm. This was his own realm restored.

Buildings and vehicles, but the people did not hurry. They sat here and there enjoying the sun. One young woman had unbut- toned her blouse, and her breasts shone with perspiration; the sun radiated down hot and bright.

"No," he said, "this is not the Commonwealth."

"I took you the wrong way," Zina said. 'But it doesn't mat- ter. There is nothing wrong with this place, is there? Does it lack? You know it doesn't lack; it is Paradise."

I made it so,' he said.

All right," Zina said. "This is the Paradise that you created and I will show you something better. Come." She reached out and took him by the hand. 'That savings and loan building has the Golden Rectangle doorway. We can enter there; it is as good as any." Holding him by the hand she led him to the corner waited for the light to change, and then, together, they made their way down the sidewalk, past the resting people, to the savings and loan office. Pausing on the steps Emmanuel said, "I-" "This is the doorway," she said, and led him up the steps. "Your realm ends here and mine begins. From now on the laws are mine." Her grip on his hand tightened. "So be it," he said, and continued on.

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The robot teller said, "Do you have your passbook, Ms. Pal- las?"

"In my purse." Beside Emmanuel the young woman opened her mail-pouch leather purse, fumbled among keys, cosmetics, letters, assorted valuables, until her quick fingers found the pass- book. "I want to draw out-well, how much do I have?"