"Our purpose is to draw forth information on the subject of reanimation. First I think it is well to question the director of the laboratory which developed the technique, Mr. Martin Raymond." Raymond rose, a trifle awkwardly, and as he did so Senator Vorys requested permission to question him. Permission was granted. Vorys said, in his thin, penetrating voice, "Dr. Raymond, you recognize me, do you not, as a member of the group of United States Senators who visited your laboratories recently?" "I recognize you. You were there." "In our presence you applied your animation technique to a twelve-year-old boy. Am I correct?" "You are." "The boy was dead?" "He had drowned the day before." "And where is this boy now?" Raymond said, "Recuperating from the after-effects of his experience. He's in good health, but still pretty weak." "Ah. Would it be possible for you to bring this boy to a session of this Committee?" "I don't believe so, Senator. The boy's not ready for any travelling yet. And it would violate our policy to present him to the video audience. We try to keep the identity of our patients secret." "Why do you do that?" "To protect them. Reanimation is still in its early stages. The social implications are still unclear." "Ah. Would you object if the members of this Committee paid the boy a visit, then, to ascertain the current state of his health?" "That could be arranged," Raymond said. There was a moment of silence. Vorys stared keenly at Raymond and said, "Would you trace briefly for us the history of your laboratory, the nature of your process, and the results you have obtained so far." Speaking easily and freely now, Raymond told of the original Beller bequest, the gathering-together of the laboratory staff, the early failures. He outlined a rough sketch of the technique as it was now practiced. "To date we've had about seventy successful reanimations," he finished. "And how many failures have there been?" "About ten out of the seventy. Previous to our first successful reanimation we had thirty consecutive failures." "I see. And what is the nature of these failures?" Raymond began to fidget. "Ah--well, we don't succeed in restoring life." "The body remains inanimate?" "Yes. Most of the time, that is. I mean--" It was too late. Vorys pounced on the slip gleefully and said, "Most of the time, Dr. Raymond? I don't quite understand. Does that mean that some of your failures result in actual reanimation, or _partial_ reanimation? Will you make yourself clear?" Panicky, Raymond glanced at Harker, who shrugged and nodded resignedly. _It had to come out eventually_, Harker thought. The squirming Raymond was a pitiful sight under the merciless lights. He said in a hopeless voice, "I guess I ought to be more specific." "That would help, Dr. Raymond."