"I've no doubt Gii is the sort of young man who can become a New Man, but he never told me he believed in God or stood on the side of the antichrist,"

Fred said. Then he closed his notebook and asked very calmly, "Has this become a church without God, then?"

On Ikuo's brawny features a truly beautiful expression arose as he pon- dered this. From the bottoms of the domes on the ceiling, snow melted in the sun and fell off with a thud. The large cylindrical space was surrounded by the sound of water. Between the question and the reply enough time passed that the direct relationship between the two grew fuzzy. When just enough time had passed for Ogi to feel this, Ikuo finally replied.

"For us, a church is a place where deeds of the soul are done."