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"Yes"

"What did you choose for a thesis topic?"

"The reign of Mindaugas in Lithuania"

"Your ancestor"

"So they tell me"

"If I’d been here," I said, "I could have written your thesis for you But I guess you did a good job of writing it yourself And why shouldn’t you pick Lithuanian history as an area of expertise? You grew up speaking the language, and you’re going to be queen if the place ever gets its independence"

"That’s ays said, Evan But now that Lithuania is independent, nobody has co on the door to offerabout? The Soviets would never allow it

"Little Minna," I said again, for lack of anything better to say "Little Minna the Doctor Only you’re not so little anymore"

"I grew," she said "Evan, I’m thirty-five years old And youin puzzlement "How old are you, Evan? Because you don’t look any older than the last time I saw you"

"Oh," I said, and tossed off the last of the scotch "Well, it’s a long story"

I told her all of it, or as e and what I’d learned from Fischbinder and Westerley Minna asked questions andand thoughtful look

"I asked how old you were," she said, "and you didn’t answer, and now I understand why Because it is a question without an answer, isn’t it, Evan? You were born sixty-four years ago, but it is more accurate to say that you are thirty-nine"

"Like Jack Benny," I said

"I aoing to be very difficult to get used to"

"You’re telling me"

"When you are a child, adults are so row up and the age difference is not so great, not so important I have friends noho are fifteen or twenty years older than I They were grown-ups when I was a child, but noe are all grown-ups and it is possible for us to be friends"

"Yes"

"But this is different There really is hardly any age difference between us, Evan"

"That’s true"

"I always thought… proht you would rew up I believe it’s a natural fantasy for a child under such circurown up and you have returned and you are still a young "

"I know"

"In a few days," she said, "I will find my own apartment"

"Don’t be ridiculous This is your apart here for the past thirty years"

"But it’s your apartment, Evan I kept it for you, with all your books and files Everything is here for you"

"And it’s a large apartment," I said "Lots of roo rooh space for two people"

"I suppose we can see hoorks out"

"It’ll work out fine," I said, "and if it doesn’t work out, then I’ll be the one to move"

"No, I’ll et to decide who moves out of it Except I really don’t see why either of us has to move I think we’ll do fine here"

"You can have your bed back," she said "I’ll be coo to somebody who sleeps," I pointed out, "and I don’t When I need to stretch out and do ic relaxation, the couch is fine"