Owen Oliver

“ The girl shrank from them, for she had not been out in the strange world before, and their upturned faces were like a cold, grey sea, and their clothes were grey, and the plain, straight houses—everything!
"It is we who shall live!" she cried. "These are dead, and all your world. It is better to die!" ”

“ As such a Power could intervene if It chose, there are no rational grounds for considering it in your voting. The vote will now be taken."
"Where do they vote?" the girl whispered with a shudder. "How?"
The Chief Physician showed her two grey columns of hollow glass, one on either side of the platform, and rising to the top of the huge dome.
"The votes are recorded in them," he whispered, "by a change of colour. White for life and black for death. Look!" ”

“ It would not be life."
"No," he agreed. "It would not be life."They would give her the anti-sentients, he knew.
They went together down the stairs. The doctors and nurses gathered round them in the Hall. They, too, had experimented and grown human, learnt to laugh and smile. And now they learnt sighs and tears. For none can have the joy of life without the sorrow.
"You have taught us to live," one said.
"If the Council know, we shall die," said another.
A third wrung her hands and wailed that life was vain, for death would end it all.
"Death is not the end," the girl told them ”

“ He motioned the Chief Physician to a seat at the far end of the room. After a few minutes' deliberation, he summoned him again.
"Your life is dangerous to the race," he said. "It must therefore cease. The Council allow you one week to put your affairs in order. Recognising your past services, they will grant you any reasonable request."
The Chief Physician bowed.
"I ask to be relieved of the use of anti-sentients during the week," he said, "and that the same favour may be accorded to the unnamed woman formerly known as Maud Mordaunt. I also ask to be allowed to marry her." ”

“ Anyhow, you must do your best to keep her alive and emotional for a month. You are relieved from other duties. She is the only subject from whom we can gain first-hand knowledge, remember."
"First-hand knowledge," the Chief Physician mused, when the Arch-Councillor had gone. "Ye-es; but the only first-hand knowledge of feeling is to feel. If I diminished the anti-sentients in my diet, I might experience some of those emotions myself. ”

“ I had no idea that the emotions were so dangerous to life."
"They could not be otherwise," the Arch protested. "All activity wears out organisms. The activity necessary for rational life destroys our bodies in from 130 to 150 years. The activity wasted in these useless emotions reduced the period by half. This should be common knowledge."
The Chief Physician drew another wire stand towards him and sat down and smoked a heap of tobacco in a brazier under a cone.
"The gradual wear and tear of primitive feeling is described in all the text-books, of course," he stated ”

“ Consequently they prolong life; double it, practically. You might live to a hundred and fifty years, if you took them."
The girl held her head high.
"What is the use of life," she asked, "if life is not worth living? Life without tears and laughter! Life without—preferences!" .
She leaned towards him with her eyes shining.
"Are you sure that you 'prefer' me?" she asked. "Are you quite sure?"
He took up the thought-focus, but she snatched it from him and turned his face to look in her eyes. He found, to his surprise, that he could focus the question better there. ”

“ And the decision was that the world would discontinue the use of anti-sentients for a week; and then, when they knew the worth or unworth of the feelings, they would vote again for his and her life or death.
"I do not fear this voting," he told her. But, when the week was over, there was no voting. The crowd cheered them through the streets, and caught at their hands, and held their garments as they went to the Hall; and the Arch-Councillor met them and led them, one by each hand, up the main steps and along the great aisle to the seats of the Seven ”

“ He squeezed her hands very tightly.
"It is possible," he owned. "But to make myself feel I should have to cease using the anti-sentients prescribed by law. The penalty is capital; and if you reported the matter to the Council—which, of course, would be your duty——"
The girl gave a little hurt cry.
"I would rather die myself than hurt you," she told him. "Can't you see that I—'prefer' you?"
She put one of his hands against her cheek for a moment. A feeling of preference ran up his arm and startled—almost frightened—him. ”

“ The anti-anti-sentients had found, it seemed, a single disciple.
The Chief Physician faced the Seven.
"I appeal to the people," he said.
There was a moment's hush. Then the Arch-Councillor touched a knob, and a gentle humming sound began.
"It calls the world to judgment," the Chief Physician told the girl. ”

“ A means that I am a male adult. F means that I am a doctor. Q indicates my degrees and distinctions in the profession. 55 tells that I am fifteen-sixteenths of English descent, and one-sixteenth Scotch, and was born in London. R is my letter in the schedule of personal characteristics. 4081 is my individual number. N shows that I am not married, nor, at present, designated for marriage. The numbers are unalterable. The letters change, if necessary, to correspond to the facts. So, you see, my name is always rational. Your name is 'funny.' Maud Mordaunt means nothing ”