The bell rang and he went to the door.
A man stood just outside.
"Good evening," said the man. "My name is Montague, but they call me Monty."
"Won't you come in, Monty?"
Monty came in and surveyed the room.
"Nice place," he said.
Bishop nodded. "I didn't ask for anything at all. They just gave it to me."
"Clever, these Kimonians," said Monty. "Very clever, yes."
"My name is Selden Bishop."
"Just come in?" asked Monty.
"An hour or so ago."
"All dewed up with what a great place Kimon is."
"I know nothing about it," Bishop told him. "I studied it, of course."
"I know," said Monty, looking at him slantwise. "Just being neighborly. New victim and all that, you know."
Bishop smiled because he didn't quite know what else to do.
"What's your line?" asked Monty.
"Business," said Bishop. "Administration's what I'm aiming at."
"Well, then," Monty said, "I guess that lets you out. You wouldn't be interested."
"In what?"
"In football. Or baseball. Or cricket. Not the athletic type."
"Never had the time."
"Too bad," Monty said. "You have the build for it."
The cabinet asked: "Would the gentleman like a drink?"
"If you please," said Monty.
"And another one for you, sir?"
"If you please," said Bishop.
"Go in and get dressed," said Monty. "I'll sit down and wait."
"Your jacket and trousers, sir," said the cabinet.
A door swung open and there they were, cleaned and pressed.
"I didn't know," said Bishop, "that you went in for sports out here."
"Oh, we don't," said Monty. "This is a business venture."
"Business venture?"
"Certainly. Give the Kimonians something to bet on. They might go for it. For a while at least. You see, they can't bet - "
"I don't see why not - "
"Well, consider for a moment. They have no sports at all, you know. Wouldn't be possible. Telepathy. They'd know three moves ahead what their opponents were about to do. Telekinesis. They could move a piece or a ball or what-have-you without touching a finger to it. They - "
"I think I see," said Bishop.
"So we plan to get up some teams and put on exhibition matches. Drum up as much enthusiasm as we can. They'll come out in droves to see it. Pay admission. Place bets. We, of course, will play the bookies and rake off our commissions. It will be a good thing while it lasts."
"It won't last, of course."
Monty gave Bishop a long look.
"You catch on fast," he said. "You'll get along."
"Drinks, gentlemen," the cabinet said.
Bishop got the drinks, gave one of them to his visitor.
"You better let me put you down," said Monty. "Might as well rake in what you can. You don't need to know too much about it."
"All right," Bishop told him, agreeably. "Go ahead and put me down."
"You haven't got much money," Monty said.
"How did you know that?"
"You're scared about this room," said Monty.
"Telepathy?" asked Bishop.
"You pick it up," said Monty. "Just the fringes of it. You'll never be as good as they are. Never. But you pick things up from time to time - a sort of sense that seeps into you. After you've been here long enough."
"I had hoped that no one noticed."
"A lot of them will notice, Bishop. Can't help but notice, the way you're broadcasting. But don't let it worry you. We all are friends. Banded against the common enemy, you might say. If you need a loan - "
"Not yet," said Bishop. "I'll let you know."
"Me," said Monty. "Me or anyone. We all are friends. We got to be."
"Thanks."
"Not at all. Now you go ahead and dress. I'll sit and wait for you. I'll bear you down with me. Everyone's waiting to meet you."
"That's good to know," said Bishop. "I felt quite a stranger."
"Oh, my, no," said Monty. "No need to. Not many come, you know. They'll all want to know of Earth."
He rolled the glass between his fingers.
"How about Earth?" he asked.
"How about - "
"Yes, it still is there, of course. How is it getting on? What's the news?"