"Because I want to know things, and this thing came up," Bella says.

"Good answer. Unfortunately for you, I have no idea. I've been doing it since I could talk."

"Mm. Fair enough. Is talking crucially involved or did they just co-occur?"

"It's a lot easier to figure people out when you can have a conversation with them."

"How much of that is nonverbals and how much of it is just exchanging words in real time? I assume at least some of it is the former or you could do it on the phone, and some of it is the latter or you could do it by further spying. But I'd be interested by a guess at a ratio."

"Off the top of my head, thirty/seventy."

"Oh, I'm sure it's a learnable skill. Lots of people learn it, with varying degrees of success. I just happen to be naturally talented."

"Who teaching classes in it is a crank and who's got interesting stuff to say?"

"I don't pay much attention. It's not like I need the help."

"I'd think you'd be curious about where any particularly well-educated students were coming from, at least."

"I might be, if I'd met anyone who compared."

"So you're pretty sure that your reading people extends to reading their literacy?" chuckles Bella.

"Of course it does."

"What else does it cover? If you had a little checklist what would be on it?"

"The way you think is fascinating," Libby remarks. "What do you imagine it might not cover?"

"I bet you don't know my motorcycle's name," Bella says. "Or if you do, you learned it in a spy way and not by deriving it. I'm just wondering where the line is between that category and the other - and if there are more than that."

"I don't know your motorcycle's name, but if I'd thought about it, I could probably have guessed that you might name your motorcycle. Does that answer your question?"

"Not in detail," says Bella earnestly. "Examples, examples."

"The categorical division between things it's possible to find out about somebody by chatting with them and things it's not seems perfectly obvious and self-explanatory to me, but of course you don't see it the same way."

"You look pleased," Bella observes. "Did you think of marvelous examples?"

"None whatsoever," says Libby, "and you're not going to care. Do you have a lie detection power, and if not, would you like me to spot you a five so you can get one temporarily?"

"If you're offering to let me lie-detect you, I can spot the pentagon," Bella says slowly, "but are you sure you don't want to see if I'll believe you on the strength of the offer alone, first?"