+ if (SCM_CONSP (object_))
+ return *SCM_CARLOC (object_);
+ return object_;
+}
+
+Protected_scm::operator SCM & ()
+{
+ // The reference may be used to overwrite an immediate value with a
+ // non-immediate one, so we _have_ to create full protection.
+ if (!SCM_CONSP (object_))
+ protectify (object_);
+
+ return *SCM_CARLOC (object_);
+}
+
+bool
+Protected_scm::is_bound () const
+{
+ if (SCM_CONSP (object_))
+ return !SCM_UNBNDP (SCM_CAR (object_));
+ return !SCM_UNBNDP (object_);