He stroked it, ran his fingers round her ankle, under her toes, along her instep, could find nothing wrong with it.
She watched him with great amusement, laughed and shook her head.
No, don’t stop, she said, but it’s not that one now.
Arthur stopped, and frowned at her left foot on the floor.
Don’t stop.
He stroked her right foot, ran his fingers around her ankle, under her toes, along her instep and said:
You mean it’s something to do with which leg I’m holding?…
She did another of the shrugs which would have brought such joy into the life of a simple cushion from Squornshellous Beta.
He frowned.
Pick me up, she said quietly.
He let her right foot down to the floor and stood up. So did she. He picked her up in his arms and they kissed again. This went on for a while, then she said: Now put me down again.
Still puzzled, he did so.
Well?
She looked at him almost challengingly.
So what’s wrong with my feet? she said.
Arthur still did not understand. He sat on the floor, then got down on his hands and knees to look at her feet, in situ, as it were, in their normal habitat. And as he looked closely, something odd struck him. He pit his head right down to the ground and peered. There was a long pause. He sat back heavily.
Yes, he said, I see what’s wrong with your feet. They don’t touch the ground.
So… so what do you think?…
Arthur looked up at her quickly and saw the deep apprehension making her eyes suddenly dark. She bit her lip and was trembling. What do… she stammered. Are you?… She shook the hair forwards over her eyes that were filling with dark fearful tears.
He stood up quickly, put his arms around her and gave her a single kiss.
Perhaps you can do what I can do, he said, and walked straight out of her upstairs front door.
The record got to the good bit.
他抚摸着它，将手指绕过脚踝，钻过脚趾，经过脚背，什么问题都没发现。
她极为开心地望着他，一边大笑一边摇头。
“不，别停啊，”她说，“但现在又不是这只脚了。”
阿瑟停下来，皱着眉头瞅着她放在地上的左脚。
“别停。”
他抚摸着她的右脚，将手指绕过脚踝，钻过脚趾，经过脚背，然后说：“你是指我正抱着的腿有什么问题么......？”
她又耸了耸肩，这足以给史奎若谢络丝贝塔星上简单的垫子生命体带来莫大的愉悦。
他皱着眉。
“把我抱起来。”她轻轻地说。
他放下她的右脚然后站了起来。她也一样。
他用胳膊把她抱起来然后再一次拥吻。这持续了一段时间，接着她说：“现在再把我放下去。”
他仍然很迷惑地照做了。
“怎么？”
她几乎是用挑逗的眼神望着他。
“那么我的脚有什么问题？”她说。
阿瑟依然搞不懂。他坐在地上，用手和膝盖撑着地去检查她的脚，那脚摆在原地，就像原来一样，在它正常的生态环境中。然而他进一步地观察，某种诡异的东西震惊了他。他把头垂到地面上凝视着。经过了一段长时间的停顿。他重重地坐了回去。
“是的，”他说，“我看到你脚的问题了。它们碰不到地面。”
“那么......那么你怎么看......？”
阿瑟抬起头飞快地看了她一眼，看到深深的忧郁让她的双眼突然暗淡下来。她咬着嘴唇，不停的颤抖。“你怎么......”她结结巴巴的。“你是否......？”她把头发甩到眼前，眼中充盈着阴暗恐惧的泪水。
他迅速站了起来，抱住她然后给了一个吻。
“也许你可以做我能做的。”他说着，然后直接走出她楼上的前门。
唱片正放到最棒的部分。