"They are immensely flattered by the notion that if you come here to study anything, it must be because their knowledge is so superior to what can be found elsewhere. However, if you want to get rid of the daily worry of a 'conductor,' that is what you must do. But you must be a specialist of some sort, or they won't admit you to the privilege." "But there is no special subject I want to study," I said. "I am just a 'general' observer, and if I undertake to study a special subject I shall miss seeing what I most want to see." "That is a difficulty. Perhaps you had better go on as you have been doing, and when you have had enough of that, go in for some political institutions; they have got you registered as a National Councillor, so you can pretend to study the working of the Constitution or some such thing." "That's rather a good idea," I said; "but, judging from what I have seen, I should doubt whether they will let me see what I want to see." "Why, what do you want to see?" "Just what I cannot get from an inspection of the machinery of the State--the effect of the laws and customs on the actual life of the people." "Ah, that you will have to get by the aid of your imagination." "But," I suggested, "is it not possible to get permission to live in some family, or with several different families in different classes in succession?" "Oh yes," replied Johnson, "quite possible, if you are prepared to go through all the necessary formalities; but I doubt whether you will get much by it. You see, each family is a sort of replica, in miniature, of the State. They will have to report to the Police once a week upon all your doings. Every word you say will be listened to. They will be studying you, just as you will be studying them. I have tried it. There _is_ no natural intercourse in this country. Try it if you like, but I am sure you will come to my opinion in the end. "Don't forget to enter the time of this conversation in your diary," Mr. Johnson said as we parted. "If you make a mistake, or if I make a mistake, we shall have an interview with an inspector from the Time Department, and the hotel manager will worry us to death about it."