rength. The High Priestess had
been something special but, Forrester thought, she had not really called
out his _all_. Venus was clearly another matter.

But Venus said only: "Those clothes," in a considering sort of tone.

"Clothes?" Forrester said, trying to readjust in a hurry.

"You certainly can't go in those clothes. Hera would object quite
violently, I'm afraid. She's awfully stuffy about such things."

The intimate details about the Gods intrigued Forrester. "Stuffy? Hera?"

"Confidentially," Venus said, "at times, the All-Mother can be an
absolute bitch."

She went over to one of the light-swirled walls, and a part of the light
seemed to fade as she did so. Of course, she did nothing so crude as
opening a door. When she started for the wall there was no closet
apparent there, but when she arrived it was there, solid, and open.

It was just that simple.

She took out a white robe and started back. Forrester took his eyes from
her with an effort and watched the closet disappear again. By the time
she had reached him, it was only a part of the swirling wall again.

And the hospital attendants were nowhere in sight.

She handed Forrester the robe. He took it warily, but it seemed real
enough. At any rate, it was as real as anything else that was happening
to him, he thought.

It was a simple tunic, cut in the style of the ancient Greek _chiton_,
and open at one side instead of the front. Forrester turned it in his
hands. At the waist and shoulder there was a golden clasp to hold it in
place. The clasp wasn't figured in any special way. The material itself
was odd: it was an almost fluorescent white and, though it was perfectly
opaque, it was thinner than any paper Forrester had ever seen in public.
It almost didn't seem to be there when he rubbed it between his thumb
and forefinger.

"Well, don't just stand there," Venus said. "Get started."

"Started?" Forrester said.

"Get dressed. The others are waiting for you."

"Others?"

But she didn't answer. Forrester looked frantically around the room for
anything that looked even remotely like a dressing room. As a last
resort, he was willing to settle for a screen. No room, no screen. He
was willing to settle for a chair he could crouch behind. There was
none.

He looked hopefully at the Goddess. Perhaps, he thought, she would leave
while he dressed. She showed no sign of doing so. He cleared his throat
and jerked at his collar nervously.

"Now, n