An elegant satiric tale of a remote future just before the universe grinds to a halt. There's nothing new under the sun for the decadent dwellers at the end of time, but their ennui is somewhat alleviated by keeping menageries of beings from other places and eras. When Jherek Carnelian decides to fall in love with a Victorian lady who is an item in someone else's collection, it means the novelty of suffering for him and rare entertainment for everyone else.