Transvestia

accurate details. Not only that, but it was only about thirty seconds delay until the clerk had the information. "My!" said Turner. "That didn't take long!" "Well," said the clerk. "The first time I looked it up, it took two weeks. You're the fifteenth request I've had for that this month. What's in--uh, Lo Mantang?"

"Oh--uh, you see, they--uh--they export a med- icinal herb that I'm interested in. Yes--that's it, a medicinal herb."

"Oh. I see. Well, the total fare, round trip, is $3783.36."

The figure staggered Turner's mind. "Th-three thousand..."

"That's right. That's coach-class, First class is about one thousand higher--just a moment, I'll give you that exactly."

"No-no, don't bother.

Uh--how much is one-way?"

"Just a moment." There was a pause, then the

clerk returned to the line. "One-way is $2042.15-- plus car-fare to and from the airport." a faint note of sarcasm in his voice.

There was

So

The next day, the travel agency sent him the complete routings as well as those two fantastic sums. For several weeks, Turner lived with nothing in his mind but the mysterious monastery--that and the utter impossibility of ever going. He had never before felt the need for an undue sum of money, his savings were very small. His possessions were relatively low in value, For years he had poured money into his wardrobe and now, he could find little or no comfort in it. His wardrobe seemed once more a symbol of defeat, a feeling of a heavy weight suspended from his neck.

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