morning she was dead. Mutis and Funo took the body around the hill to the garbage pit and threw it away."
Glawen winced. He dared not look at Muds lest the roil in his stomach cause an undignified reaction. When he felt that he could control his voice, he swung about and spoke to Zaa:
"Lilo had nothing to do with the sheets. I took them two months ago, the first time I occupied the room. I would have been gone at that time if you had not put me into the tomb.
Lilo knew nothing of my plans."
Zaa made no comment.
Glawen spoke on.
"You murdered the girl for no reason whatever."
Zaa was unmoved.
"Mistakes are made everywhere. Each instant, across the Gaean Reach, a thousand such events are taking place. They are implicit to the conduct of coherent civilization."
"So it may be," said Plock.
"This is the function of the
IPCC:
to minimize these so-called mistakes. In the present case, judgment is clear and simple, despite the complexity of your motives. You imprisoned Glawen Clattuc; when he escaped, you murdered an innocent girl. If rumor can be believed, as often it can, you have murdered an unknown number of tourists. Am I correct in this assumption?"
"I have nothing to say. Your opinions are fixed."
"It is true," said Plock.
"I have formed my judgment." He addressed the entire group.
"This place is a pest house, and must be vacated | now. Gather your personal belongings and return here at once. You will be taken to Fexelburg, and a disposition made of your individual cases. These instructions, incidentally, do not apply to Funo, Mutis, nor the Ordene Zaa. You three may now come with me around the road to the garbage pit. You will need no personal belongings."
Mutis looked uncertainly toward Zaa, his face sagging. Funo stood Stolidly, thinking her private thoughts. Zaa said sharply: "That is absolutely absurd: I have never heard such nonsense!"
"Lilo perhaps thought the same, when you ordered her to her death," said Plock.
"These ideas always seem implausible when they apply to yourself. But it makes no great difference."
"I wish to make a telephone call."
"To the Fexelburg police? You may not do so. I prefer to take them by surprise."
"Then I must write some letters."
"To whom?"
"To the Ordene Klea at Strock and other Ordenes."
Glawen kept his voice casual.
"Such as who?"
Zaa said curtly: "I will not write, after all."
"Would one of your Ordenes be Madame Zigonie, who lives at a country place on the world Rosalia?"
"We are wandering far afield. I will tell you no more. Do your filthy work and be done with it."
Plock said: "That is a practical suggestion, and we shall not wait upon ceremony." He fired his gun three times, with precision.
"The work is done," said Plock, for a moment looking down at the three bodies.
How quick it went! thought Glawen. Funo no longer thought private thoughts; Mutis felt no more indecision and Zaa's knowledge was irretrievably gone.
Plock turned to the awed Danton: "Take these bodies to the garbage pit. Use a barrow, or a can, or make up a trestle:
as you choose. Pick out two or three sturdy fellows to help you. When you are finished, join the others down the hill."
Danton started to obey Flock's order, but Glawen halted him.
"The stairs between the second and third floors: why are they dangerous?"
Danton glanced toward the corpses, as if to assure himself that none could hear him.
"When a stranger was brought to the third floor, and held against his will--which happened more often than you might think--Muds strung a trip wire across the steps near the top of the flight, and this wire was charged with electricity. If someone tried to use the steps, he would end up in a huddle of broken bones at the bottom. Mutis and Funo would then carry him, alive or dead, to the garbage pit and throw him away."
"And no one protested?"
