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.''It is a voluntary fund though, isn't it?' Trafford asked.'Of course it is.There ain't no rule, is there?''Then surely those who want to be a part of it should pay in and eat the things you buy and those who don't should simply opt out.''They can if they want.''Then I think I will,' Trafford said, 'if that's all right with you.''Whatever,' Princess Lovebud said and, taking up her money tin, she returned with it to the social hub where with exaggerated indifference she ate a doughnut.Nobody else took up the opportunity to withdraw from the fund; the power in the office might have shifted somewhat, but only for Trafford.For most people the idea of confronting Princess Lovebud remained unthinkable.Slowly the office returned to normal.Trafford looked towards Sandra Dee many times during that day to see if he could catch her eye but she never once looked in his direction.He saw Cassius smile at him, though, and once more Trafford was struck by the thought that there were only three real, fully rounded human beings in the office.Himself, Cassius and Sandra Dee.There must be others, of course; he knew that.Kahlua he imagined was real and there were one or two more whom he suspected of hiding elements of individuality, but he could not be sure.In Trafford's mind, evidence of humanity was the keeping of secrets and he had no knowledge of theirs.It was then that he had a huge and exciting thought.He smiled, remembering how Barbieheart had suggested that the Love had a task waiting for him.All of a sudden Trafford knew what that task was.26'It's out of the question,' Cassius said angrily.'We can't possibly expand our recruitment programme.It simply isn't our way.''You said it was the duty of every Humanist to be a missionary, to spread the knowledge.''It's also our duty not to get caught and risk handing the whole damn network to the Inquisition!''Network! It's not a network.It's a cosy little club! You've said yourself there's barely a few hundred of you in the whole damn country of faith.Do you want the children you saved as a Vaccinator to grow up in the same shitty world we did? And what about their children's children? And the children after that?''Trafford, we can't start a revolution.''Why not? Why can't we start a revolution? We need a revolution.'The two men were facing each other in the anteroom of the Finchley library.'No, Trafford, we need evolution! Sober thinkers, not impetuous hotheads.What's your hurry?' Cassius asked.'When you called me you said it was urgent.Why did you have to drag me across the lake to ask me this now?''It is urgent,' Trafford pleaded.'Every second counts.I had to wait thirty bloody years to find you.To find this library.That's almost half a lifetime wasted! Wasted in ignorance and, more to the point, in utter stupefying boredom.The boredom of living in a world where the only idea is faith and the only diversions are sex and gossip.You know very well that before I met you, the best I could manage to maintain some sense of individuality was keeping a few paltry secrets! How fucking pointless is that? Hoarding feelings like a rat hoards rubbish.Always looking inwards, when I could have been expanding my mind.The day I became a Humanist was the day I was born.Until then, my mind was in utero, an embryonic consciousness.If I deserved this chance,' Trafford exclaimed, 'so do millions of other people.''They may very well deserve their chance,' Cassius replied and despite his anger he could not help smiling at Trafford's passion.'But we have rules, Trafford.Serious rules.Each new follower is required to wait at least a year before approaching a new prospect of their own—''A year!' Trafford blurted.'.and even then only with the utmost patience and caution.If you share your secret with the wrong person you will be denounced and almost certainly tortured into denouncing the rest of us.'' "Patience"! "Caution"!' Trafford echoed derisively.'The way you're going it'll take a thousand years to spread the light.''Better that than have it snuffed out for ever.''You brought me in.How could you be sure I wouldn't denounce you then?''You had allowed me to vaccinate your baby, Trafford.You were entirely compromised and in no position to denounce anyone.''Is that the best you can do to spread the word? Wait until you find someone with a baby that they'll allow you to vaccinate?''Well, you say you have a better way.Let's hear it then.''It's bloody obvious.I can't believe I didn't think of it immediately.That's why it's urgent: too much time has been wasted already!''Yes but what is it? What is your better way?''By finding the people who keep secrets,' Trafford exclaimed, his eyes bright with excitement.'That was how you found me.You guessed that I kept secrets.''We work together in the same office.I had the opportunity to observe you.''But don't you see? That's the point.We at DegSep have the opportunity to observe everybody! We have access to a profiling tool of incredible sophistication which should, if we ask it the right questions, be able to find people like us.'Cassius's eyes narrowed with interest.'Carry on,' he said.'We need to study ourselves,' Trafford continued, 'and our fellow Humanists.We need to identify common movements, characteristics and choices.Are we the sort of people who do such a thing in a certain way, at certain times and in certain places? When we have built up some sort of pattern which we feel is common to us all, or at least indicates a commonality, then I can put it through DegSep and look for matches.All we have to do is profile who we are, then we can find out who is like us.'Cassius considered this idea for a moment.'It is ingenious, I'll admit that,' he said finally.'Do you really think you could manipulate DegSep undetected?''Why not, if I follow your rules and do it boldly? My job is to come up with nonsense to ask the computer, and this would just be more nonsense.I wouldn't even try to hide it.''Very well then,' said Cassius, and despite his efforts to maintain a cool, objective air it was clear he was excited.'I'll think about it and speak to some of the others.You may have hit on something here, Trafford.''Of course I've hit on something.But I'll only do it on one condition.'Cassius's face hardened.'If you are a loyal Humanist,' he said tersely, 'then you will make no conditions!''I am a loyal Humanist but I don't care.I want to bring in a girl.I know I'm supposed to wait a year but I want to bring her in now.'Cassius looked at Trafford long and hard.'Is it the one at work? Sandra Dee?'Trafford tried to hide his surprise.'What.what makes you think that?''I observe people.You know that, Trafford, and I hardly think you would stand up to our charming Princess Lovebud for just any girl.I'm right, aren't I?''Yes.She's the one I want to bring in.''What makes you think you can trust her?''Because she's like me, she keeps secrets [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]