Ronar paused. "My sense of taste is somewhat fatigued. I shall have to ask for a short recess before proceeding further."
There was a sigh from the audience. The tension was not released, it was merely relaxed for a short interval.
Ronar said to the chairman, "I should like a few moments of fresh air.
That will restore me. Do you mind?"
"Of course not, Mr. Ronar."
He went outside. Seen through the thin layer of air which surrounded the group of buildings, and the plastic bubble which kept the air from escaping into s.p.a.ce, the stars were brilliant and peaceful. The Sun, far away, was like a father star who was too kind to obliterate his children. Strange, he thought, to recall that this was his native satellite. A few years ago it had been a different world. As for himself, he could live just as well outside the bubble as in it, as well in rarefied air as in dense. Suppose he were to tear a hole in the plastic--
Forbidden thoughts. He checked himself, and concentrated on the three cakes and the three contestants.
"You aren"t supposed to let personal feelings interfere. You aren"t even supposed to know who baked those cakes. But you know, all right. And you can"t keep personal feelings from influencing your judgment.
"Any one of the cakes is good enough to win. Choose whichever you please, and no one will have a right to criticize. To which are you going to award the prize?
"Number 17? Mrs. Cabanis is, as one of the other women has so aptly termed her, a b.i.t.c.h on wheels. If she wins, she"ll be insufferable. And she"ll probably make her husband suffer. Not that he doesn"t deserve it.
Still, he thought he was doing me a favor. Will I be doing him a favor if I have his wife win?
"Number 64, now, is insufferable in her own right. That loving conversation with her husband would probably disgust even human ears. On the other hand, there is this to be said for her winning, it will make the other women furious. To think that a young snip, just married, without real experience in home-making, should walk away with a prize of this kind!
"Ah, but if the idea is to burn them up, why not give the prize to Number 43? They"d be ready to drop dead with chagrin. To think that a mere man should beat them at their own specialty! They"d never be able to hold their heads up again. The man wouldn"t feel too happy about it, either. Yes, if it"s a matter of getting back at these humans for the things they"ve done to me, if it"s a question of showing them what I really think of them, Number 43 should get it.
"On the other hand, I"m supposed to be a model of fairness. That"s why I got the job in the first place. Remember, Ronar? Come on, let"s go in and try tasting them again. Eat a mouthful of each cake, much as you hate the stuff. Choose the best on its merits."
They were babbling when he walked in, but the babbling stopped quickly.
The chairman said, "Are we ready, Mr. Ronar?"
"All ready."
The three cakes were placed before him. Slowly he took a mouthful of Number 17. Slowly he chewed it and swallowed it. Number 43 followed, then Number 64.
After the third mouthful, he stood lost in thought. One was practically as good as another. He could still choose which he pleased.
The a.s.semblage had quieted down. Only the people most concerned whispered nervously.
Mrs. Cabanis, to her psychologist husband: "If I don"t win, it"ll be your fault. I"ll pay you back for this."
The good doctor"s fault? Yes, you could figure it that way if you wanted to. If not for Dr. Cabanis, Ronar wouldn"t be the judge. If Ronar weren"t the judge, Mrs. C. would win, she thought. Hence it was all her husband"s fault. Q.E.D.
The male baker to his wife: "If he gives the prize to me, I"ll brain him. I should never have entered this."
"It"s too late to worry now."
"I could yell "Fire"," he whispered hopefully. "I could create a panic that would empty the hall. And then I"d destroy my cake."
"Don"t be foolish. And stop whispering."
The young post-honeymooning husband: "You"re going to win, dear; I can feel it in my bones."
"Oh, Greg, please don"t try to fool me. I"ve resigned myself to losing."
"You won"t lose."
"I"m afraid. Put your arm around me, Greg. Hold me tight. Will you still love me if I lose?"
"Mmmm." He kissed her shoulder. "You know, I didn"t fall in love with you for your cooking, sweetheart. You don"t have to bake any cakes for me. You"re good enough to eat yourself."
"He"s right," thought Ronar, as he stared at her. "The man"s right. Not in the way he means, but he"s right." And suddenly, for one second of decision, Ronar"s entire past seemed to flash through his mind.
The young bride never knew why she won first prize.