“Whatever?”
“Yes,” he said gently. He felt the midnight chill and led her inside. They stood by the bed. The candle was nearly out. He kissed her solemnly, and thought of Dick Muller again, and wondered what maze was waiting for him at the end of his own path. He drew her into his arms and felt the impress of hardening flesh against his own cool skin. They lowered themselves. His hands sought, grasped, caressed. Her breath grew ragged.
When I see you again, Dick, I have much to tell you, he thought.
She said, “Why did he lock himself into the maze again, Ned?”
“For the same reason that he went among aliens in the first place. For the reason that it all happened.”
“And that reason was?”
“He loved mankind,” Rawlins said. It was as good an epitaph as any. He held the girl tightly. But he left before dawn.