They turned a corner. ‘Honestly, Braling, I hate to say this, but you have been patient with her. You may not admit it to me, but marriage has been awful for you, hasn’t it?’
‘I wouldn’t say that.’
‘It’s got around, anyway, here and there, how she got you to marry her. That time back in 1979 when you were going to Rio—’
‘Dear Rio. I never did see it after all my plans.’
‘And how she tore her clothes and rumpled her hair and threatened to call the police unless you married her.’
‘She always was nervous, Smith, understand.’
‘It was more than unfair. You didn’t love her. You told her as much, didn’t you?’
‘I recall that I was quite firm on the subject.’
‘But you married her anyhow.’
‘I had my business to think of, as well as my mother and father. A thing like that would have killed them.’
‘And it’s been ten years.’
‘Yes,’ said Braling, his gray eyes steady. ‘But I think perhaps it might change now. I think what I’ve waited for has come about. Look here.’
He drew forth a long blue ticket.
‘Why, it’s a ticket for Rio on the Thursday rocket!’
‘Yes, I’m finally going to make it.’
‘But how wonderful! You do deserve it! But won’t she object? Cause trouble?’
Braling smiled nervously. ‘She won’t know I’m gone. I’ll be back in a month and no one the wiser, except you.’
Smith sighed. ‘I wish I were going with you.’
‘Poor Smith, your marriage hasn’t exactly been roses, has it?’
‘Not exactly, married to a woman who overdoes it. I mean, after all, when you’ve been married ten years, you don’t expect a woman to sit on your lap for two hours every evening, call you at work twelve times a day and talk baby talk. And it seems to me that in the last month she’s gotten worse. I wonder if perhaps she isn’t a little simple-minded?’
‘Ah, Smith, always the conservative. Well, here’s my house. Now, would you like to know my secret? How I made it out this evening?’
‘Will you really tell?’
‘Look up, there!’ said Braling.
They both stared up through the dark air.
In the window above them, on the second floor, a shade was raised. A man about thirty-five years old, with a touch of gray at either temple, sad gray eyes, and a small thin mustache looked down at them.
‘Why, that’s you!’ cried Smith.
‘Sh-h-h, not so loud!’ Braling waved upward. The man in the window gestured significantly and vanished.
‘I must be insane,’ said Smith.
‘Hold on a moment.’
They waited.
The street door of the apartment opened and the tall spare gentleman with the mustache and the grieved eyes came out to meet them.
‘Hello, Braling,’ he said.
‘Hello, Braling,’ said Braling.
They were identical.
Smith stared. ‘Is this your twin brother? I never knew—’
‘No, no,’ said Braling quietly. ‘Bend close. Put your ear to Braling Two’s chest.’
Smith hesitated and then leaned forward to place his head against the uncomplaining ribs.
Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick.
‘Oh no! It can’t be!’
‘It is.’
‘Let me listen again.’
Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick.
Smith staggered back and fluttered his eyelids, appalled. He reached out and touched the warm hands and the cheeks of the thing.
‘Where’d you get him?’
‘Isn’t he excellently fashioned?’
‘Incredible. Where?’
‘Give the man your card, Braling Two.’
Braling Two did a magic trick and produced a white card:
MARIONETTES, INC.
Duplicate self or friends: new humanoid plastic 1990 models, guaranteed against all physical wear. From $7,600 to our $15,000 de luxe model.
‘No,’ said Smith.
‘Yes,’ said Braling.
‘Naturally,’ said Braling Two.
‘How long has this gone on?’
‘I’ve had him for a month. I keep him in the cellar in a toolbox. My wife never goes downstairs, and I have the only lock and key to that box. Tonight I said I wished to take a walk to buy a cigar. I went down cellar and took Braling Two out of his box and sent him back up to sit with my wife while I came on out to see you, Smith.’
‘Wonderful! He even smells like you: Bond Street and Melachrinos!’
‘It may be splitting hairs, but I think it highly ethical. After all, what my wife wants most of all is me. This marionette is me to the hairiest detail. I’ve been home all evening. I shall be home with her for the next month. In the meantime another gentleman will be in Rio after ten years of waiting. When I return from Rio, Braling Two here will go back in his box.’
Smith thought that over a minute or two. ‘Will he walk around without sustenance for a month?’ he finally asked.
‘For six months if necessary. And he’s built to do everything – eat, sleep, perspire – everything, natural as natural is. You’ll take good care of my wife, won’t you, Braling Two?’
‘Your wife is rather nice,’ said Braling Two. ‘I’ve grown rather fond of her.’
Smith was beginning to tremble. ‘How long has Marionettes, Inc., been in business?’
‘Secretly, for two years.’
‘Could I – I mean, is there a possibility—’ Smith took his friend’s elbow earnestly. ‘Can you tell me where I can get one, a robot, a marionette, for myself? You will give me the address, won’t you?’
‘Here you are.’
Smith took the card and turned it round and round. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘You don’t know what this means. Just a little respite. A night or so, once a month even. My wife loves me so much she can’t bear to have me gone an hour. I love her dearly, you know, but remember the old poem: “Love will fly if held too lightly, love will die if held too tightly.” I just want her to relax her grip a little bit.’
‘You’re lucky, at least, that your wife loves you. Hate’s my problem. Not so easy.’
‘Oh, Nettie loves me madly. It will be my task to make her love me comfortably.’
‘Good luck to you, Smith. Do drop around while I’m in Rio. It will seem strange, if you suddenly stop calling by, to my wife. You’re to treat Braling Two, here, just like me.’
‘Right! Good-by. And thank you.’
Smith went smiling down the street. Braling and Braling Two turned and walked