"Of course I denied it and very strenuously, too, because I didn't have anything to do with it. But it's not convincing if I do the denying. I want you to do it. I want you to tell her that, in your opinion, I had nothing to do with the whole business. You just said I didn't and you can't, without any evidence at all, destroy my reputation. I can report you."
"To whom?"
"To the Committee on Personal Defense. To the Legislature. The head of this Institute is a close personal friend of the Chairman himself and I've already sent a full report to him on this matter. I'm not waiting, you understand. I'm taking action."
Gremionis shook his head with an attitude that might have been intended for fierceness but that did not entirely carry conviction, considering the mildness of his face. "Look," he said, "this isn't Earth. We are protected here. Your planet, with its overpopulation, makes your people exist in so many beehives, so many anthills. You push against each other, suffocate each other - and it doesn't matter. One life or a million lives - it doesn't matter."
Baley, fighting to keep contempt from showing in his voice, said, "You've been reading historical novels."
"Of course I have - and they describe it as it is. You can't have billions of people on a single world without its being so. - On Aurora, we are each a valuable life. We are protected physically, each of us, by our robots, so that there is, never an assault, let alone murder, on Aurora."
"Except for Jander."
"That's not murder; it's only a robot. And we are protected from the kinds of harm more subtle than assault by our Legislature. The Committee on Personal Defense takes a dim view - a very dim view - of any action that unfairly damages the reputation or the social status of any individual citizen. An Auroran, acting as you did, would be in trouble enough. As for an Earthman - well - "
Baley said, "I am carrying on an investigation at the invitation, I presume, of the Legislature. I don't suppose Dr. Fastolfe could have brought me here without Legislative permission."
"Maybe so, but that wouldn't give you the right to overstep the limits of fair investigation."
"Are you going to put this up to the Legislature, then?"
"I'm going to have the Institute head - "
"What is his name, by the way?"
"Kelden Amadiro. I'm going to ask him to put it up to the Legislature - and he's in the Legislature, you know - he's one of the leaders of the Globalist party. So I think you had better make it plain to Gladia that I am completely innocent."
"I would like to, Mr. Gremionis, because I suspect that you are innocent, but how can I change suspicion to certainty, unless you will allow me to ask you some questions?"
Gremionis hesitated. Then, with an air of defiance, he leaned back in his chair and placed his hands behind his neck, the picture of a man utterly failing to appear at ease. He said, "Ask away. I have nothing to hide. And after you're done, you'll have to call Gladia, right on that trimensional transmitter behind you and say your piece - or you will be in more trouble than you can imagine."
"I understand. But first - How long have you known Dr. Vasilia Fastolfe, Mr. Gremionis? Or Dr. Vasilia Aliena, if you know her by that name?"
Gremionis hesitated, then said in a tense voice, "Why do you ask that? What does that have to do with it?"
Baley sighed and his dour face seemed to sadden further.
"I remind you, Mr. Gremionis, that you have nothing to hide and that you want to convince me of your innocence, so that I can convince Gladia of the same. Just tell me how long you have known her. If you have not known her, just say so - but before you do, it is only fair to tell you that Dr. Vasilia has stated that you knew her well - well enough, at least, to offer yourself to her."
Gremionis looked chagrined. He said in a shaky voice, "I don't know why people have to make a big thing out of it. An offer is a perfectly natural social interaction that concerns no one else. - Of course, you're an Earthman, so you'd make a fuss about it."
"I understand she didn't accept your offer."
Gremionis brought - his hands down upon his lap, fists clenched. "Accepting or rejecting is entirely up to her. There've been people who've offered themselves to me and whom I've rejected. It's no large matter.
"Well, then. How long have you known her?"
"For some years. About fifteen."
"Did you know her when she was still living with Dr. Fastolfe?"
"I was just a boy then," he said, flushing.
"How did you get to know her?"
"When I finished my training as a personnel artist, I was called in to design a wardrobe for her. It gave her pleasure and after that she used my services - in that respect - exclusively."
"Was it on her recommendation, then, that you received your present position as - might we say - official personnel artist for the members of the Robotics Institute?"
"She recognized my qualifications. I was tested, along with others, and won the position on my merits."
"But she did recommend you?"
Briefly and with annoyance, Gremionis said, "Yes."
"And you felt the only decent return you could make was to offer yourself to her."
Gremionis grimaced and drew his tongue across his lips, as though tasting something unpleasant. "That is disgusting! I suppose an Earthman would think in such a way offer meant only that it pleased me to do so."
"Because she is attractive and has a warm personality?" Gremionis hesitated.
"Well, I wouldn't say she has a warm personality," he said cautiously, "but certainly she's attractive."