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"It may still be dangerous. The Tatler is nice about them, but other papers may take a different line. "
"Maud has been attacked by the press before now. She's pretty tough. "
Rosa looked abashed. "I suppose this is what you were talking about that night I saw you tete-a-tete with her. "
"Exactly. She was asking me if I had heard any news about Walter. "
"I feel foolish for suspecting you of flirting. "
"I forgive you, but reserve the right to recall the matter next time you criticize me unreasonably. Can I ask you something?"
"Anything you like, Gus. "
"Three questions, in fact. "
"How ominous. Like a folktale. If I get the answers wrong, will I be banished?"
"Are you still an anarchist?"
"Would it bother you?"
"I guess I'm asking myself if politics might divide us. "
"Anarchism is the belief that no one has the right to rule. All political philosophies, from the divine right of kings to Rousseau's social contract, try to justify authority. Anarchists believe that all those theories fail, therefore no form of authority is legitimate. "
"Irrefutable, in theory. Impossible to put into practise. "
"You're quick on the uptake. In effect, all anarchists are antiestablishment, but they differ widely in their vision of how society should work. "
"And what is your vision?"
"I don't see it as clearly as I used to. Covering the White House has given me a different slant on politics. But I still believe that authority needs to justify itself. "
"I don't think we'll ever quarrel about that. "
"Good. Next question?"
"Tell me about your eye. "
"I was born like this. I could have an operation to open it. Behind my eyelid is nothing but a mass of useless tissue, but I could wear a glass eye. However, it would never shut. I figure this is the lesser evil. Does it bother you?"
He stopped walking and turned to face her directly. "May I kiss it?"
She hesitated. "All right. "
He bent down and kissed her closed eyelid. There was nothing unusual about how it felt to his lips. It was just like kissing her cheek. "Thank you," he said.
She said quietly: "No one has ever done that before. "
He nodded. He had guessed it might be some kind of taboo.
She said: "Why did you want to do it?"
"Because I love everything about you, and I want to make sure you know it. "
"Oh. " She was silent for a minute, in the grip of emotion; but then she grinned and reverted to the flip tone she preferred. "Well, if there's anything else weird you want to kiss, just let me know. "
He was not sure how to respond to that vaguely exciting offer, so he filed it away for future consideration. "I have one more question. "
