The “groups,” originally simply clans formed for mutual protection, were increasingly becoming endogamous associations of similar people. It was the group which was the real unit of society. Business, social life-all were integrated with the needs of the group, and of the world as a whole.

For instance, it was desirable that population be limited. Overpopulation was probably the most basic cause of misery in past history. Thus the group council regulated how many children there should be in a given family. It decided how long a marriage—family association was the term now—should last; a person might have children by three or four different people, if that seemed to be for the good of human evolution.

“But suppose your individual doesn’t want to obey? I noticed nothing in the law compelling him to.”

“Obedience are customary, and psychoconditioning in childhood delibraatly plants reflexes of conformity wit custom. No sane person wants to do oderwise.”

“But—but—talk about tyrannies!”

“Why, nuw.” Chang was taken aback at Hart’s violent reaction. “All societies in past conditioned young. Waar du not telled to obey law and worship flag—dey still had flag-worship in time duurs, did dey not?—and how it are wrong to kill and steal? But such conditioning waar superficial, it did not always affect basic impulses, so dat dere waar tragic conflicts between individual needs and desires and de laws and customs. Frustrating, crime, insanity? No wonder de dark ages came. Today we simply condition so thoroughly—and de inculcated desires do not conflict wit basic instincts—dat no one wants to break rules which fit him su perfectly.”

“Everyone?”

“Well, dere are exceptions, ewen today. If dey cannot be adjusted, or will not be—since noting is legally compulsory—dey must eider be sent to space colonies or struggle though an unhappy life on Eart, witout friends or marriage, witout ewen a group. But numbers deys gruw less all de time.”

“Hm-m-m…well…”

“Ewerybody have his place in society. Ewerybody happy wit life, nobody have conflicts wit felluw man—dat are goal nos. And we are close to it.”

“It sounds nice,” muttered Hart. He shrugged. “Not much I can do about it, anyway.” His eyes swung back to the doctor’s. “Now what about me?”

“Well…” Chang was obviously steeling himself. He smiled with a false geniality. “Well, we have seweral possibilities. Dere are a weader station in Greenland, or a small farm in Brazil, or—”

“Hold on!” Hart reached out and grabbed the doctor’s tunic. His throat choked with a sudden rage and, under that, a gathering horrible dismay. “What do you think you’re doing? Am I going to be stuck somewhere out of the sight of man and forgotten?”

“I—”

“Come on, “ snarled Hart. The fist he lifted was shaking. “Spit out the truth, or you’ll be spitting out your teeth”

Chang disengaged himself and held the smaller man with an effortless strength. His face was twisted. “I—I are sorry, Tov Hart,” he said, very quietly. “It waar raally a cruel kindness to wake du. But I are afraid dat—du are right. “