ous way of life--against
civilization, in fact."

Hoddan frowned.

"Yet you've granted me asylum--"

"Naturally!" said the ambassador. "The Diplomatic Service works for the
welfare of humanity. That doesn't mean stuffiness. A Golden Age in any
civilization is always followed by collapse. In ancient days savages
came and camped outside the walls of super-civilized towns. They were
unwashed, unmannerly, and unsanitary. Super-civilized people refused
even to think about them! So presently the savages stormed the city
walls and another civilization went up in flames."

"But now," objected Hoddan, "there are no savages."

* * * * *

"They invent themselves," the ambassador told him. "My point is that the
Diplomatic Service cherishes individuals and causes which battle
stuffiness and complacency and Golden Ages and monstrous things like
that. Not thieves, of course. They're degradation, like body lice. But
rebels and crackpots and revolutionaries who prevent hardening of the
arteries of commerce and furnish wholesome exercise to the body
politic--they're worth cherishing!"

"I ... think I see, sir," said Hoddan.

"I hope you do," said the ambassador. "My action on your behalf is pure
diplomatic policy. To encourage the dissatisfied is to insure against
universal satisfaction--which is lethal. Walden is in a bad way. You are
the most encouraging thing that has happened here in a long time. And
you're not a native."

"No-o-o," agreed Hoddan. "I come from Zan."

"Never mind." The ambassador turned to a stellar atlas. "Consider
yourself a good symptom, and valued as such. If you could start a
contagion, you'd deserve well of your fellow citizens. Savages can
always invent themselves. But enough of apology from me. Let us set
about your affairs." He consulted the atlas. "Where would you like to
go, since you must leave Walden?"

"Not too far, sir--"

"The girl, eh?" The ambassador did not smile. He ran his finger down a
page. "The nearest inhabited worlds, of course, are Krim and Darth. Krim
is a place of lively commercial activity, where an electronics engineer
should easily find employment. It is said to be progressive and there is
much organized research--"

"I wouldn't want to be a kept engineer, sir," said Hoddan
apologetically. "I'd rather ... well ... putter on my own."

"Impractical, but sensible," commented the ambassador. He turned a page.
"There's Darth. Its social syste