THE COSMIC COMPUTER

Back Forward Menu

make no mistake about that. But you and I will be the only two people on
Poictesme who can be trusted with the truth. We'll have to lie to
everybody else, with every word we speak. We'll have to lie to Flora,
and we'll have to lie to your mother. Your mother most of all. She
believes in absolutes. Lying is absolutely wrong, no matter whom it
helps; telling the truth is absolutely right, no matter how much damage
it does or how many hearts it breaks. You think this is going to be
worth a price like that?"

"Don't you?" he demanded, and then pointed along the crumbling and
littered Mall. "Look at that. Pretend you never saw it before and are
looking at it for the first time. And then tell me whether it'll be
worth it or not."

His father took a cigar from his mouth. For a moment, he sat staring
silently.