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Earth. The important thing was that I was now safe, that
    I had been rescued.
    I noted the wagon. It was also scarred in several places, as though it had been
    struck with sharp objects. In places the wood was splintered. I wondered where
    the draft animals, presumably oxen, were, who would draw the heavy wagon. I
    further noted that the boards of the wagon, besides being struck and splintered
    in certain places, were, in other places, darkened, as though by smoke. Further,
    looking more closely I could see that the paint on the wagon, which was red, had
    cracked and blistered considerably. It was reasonably clear that the wagon had
    been afire, or had come through a fire. As I mentioned, over the wagon, its
    cover, of blue and yellow silk, was torn. Further, as I could see now, it had
    been burned at the edges and was, in another area, stained with smoke and rain.
    It then occurred to me that Targo had seemed haggard, apprehensive, and that,
    although he seemed to be the sort of man who might be vain about his appearance,
    judging from the earrings, the sandals, the robe, the rings that he had not kept
    up his appearance. I did not event think him the sort who would be likely to
    walk, but his sandals, with the pearled straps, with certain of the pearls
    missing, were stained with dust. I recalled, too, how apprehensive the men had
    been, when I had approached them, how they had examined the hill, the fields
    about, as though they feared I might not be alone.
    Targo was running.
    (pg. 51) They had been attacked.
    There were some objects in the wagon, some chests and boxes.
    I looked to the girls near the front of the wagon, immeshed in the harness.
    There were nineteen of them, ten on one side of the wagon tongue, and nine on
    the other.
    They were naked.
    I looked at them, irritably, and stunned. They were incredibly beautiful. I
    regarded myself as a fantastically beautiful woman, one among perhaps tens of
    thousands. I had even modeled. But here, to my amazement, and fury, I saw that
    at least eleven of these girls were unquestionably, clearly, more beautiful than
    I. On Earth I had never met a woman, personally, whom I had regarded as my
    superior in beauty. Here, uncomprehensively, but obviously, there were at least
    eleven. I was puzzled how there could be so many in this one small place. I was
    shaken. But, I told myself, I am more than their equal in intelligence, and in
    riches, and in taste, and sophistication. They were doubtless simple barbarians.
    I felt pity for them. I hated them! I hated them! They looked on me as I had
    looked on other women , on Earth, casually, unthreatened. They looked on me as I
    had looked on plainer women, unimportant women, not to be taken account of, not
    to be considered seriously as a rival, simply as my inferiors of beauty. I could
    not remember ever having not been the most beautiful woman in any room I had
    entered. How I had relished the admiration of the men, the intake of their
    breath, their pleasure, their furtive glances, the irritation of the other
    women! And these women looked upon me, daring to, as I had upon those others.
    They regarded me curiously, I could see, but more importantly, I had seen, to my
    fury, that when I received their instantaneous appraisal, that which one woman
    gives always to another when first they meet, as natural and unconscious as a
    glance, that they had, at least to their own satisfaction, found themselves
    superior to me! To Elinor Brinton! I had seen that if I was to count with them I
    would have to have qualities other than my beauty to comment me to them, as if I
    were a (pg. 52) plain girl, who must cultivate other qualities, who must
    struggle to be pleasing, rather than a beauty, whom others must strive to
    please! The haughty bitches! I was superior to them all! I was more beautiful! I
    was more rich! I hated them! I hated them!
    But the important thing was that I was rescued, that I could soon buy my way
    home to Earth.
    Surely