Heavens. Please tell me they give you something else, as well. I can't possibly imagine wanting to take one of those pills if that's all you got from them.

[ He lifts his hand to stroke a lock of hair out of Prior's eyes. A little meditatively: ]

I'll admit...I do miss the excitement of it, sometimes. Being young. There's a singular pleasure in finding things out for the first time. [ A little wistfully: ] It would be thrilling to be here if the circumstances were different.

[ Earlier that evening, of course, he was feigning indifference to the death of his world - but this is Prior. Prior gets fewer lies. ]