"Once we had dogs. And it was possible to train them so that they made amazing use of their inherent faculties. They could never be taught to speak, for dogs never had that ability, but they made expert use of their paws and their noses in the way that was inherent to them. Now, the Sons, who are the children of women of the masses, are descended, as are the Degraded themselves, from speaking and thinking men. Like yourself, O'Hara. And I have trained them to recover their lost faculties. Without that training you could not distinguish them from the masses. But no amount of patience will instill in them--recover from their lineal past--the power to think beyond instinctive things. We need a new pattern, a thinking pattern. I have wasted too much of my allotted time in trying to salvage. I must create now. That is, you must create, O'Hara--a new caste, a new race." "That will soon go the way of the Degraded, Father?" "Yes, in time. The law of retrogression is exact, and for two generations--" The Father's voice broke off abruptly. Then, in a moment, it came back with amazing sharpness. And O'Hara knew that the Father was speaking now to someone else, and in anger. "Why are you here? You will return at once to your work with the Sons!" The voice that answered was hysterical. "No, Father--oh, no! I won't return to the Sons. I've seen him on the screen, I know he's here, and I'm going to warn him, Father. He won't surrender to your bloody, murderous--" "I am calling the Sons," the Father cried. "Call them and be damned. These arms of yours are so much cheese, Father, I can snap them in my fingers. You see? You feel? Pain--pain--you had forgotten what it was, hadn't you? Make the Sons return!" "The Sons are coming now," the Father said. "You have your choice. Return at once to your work, and the promise that I've made to you--" "A promise I no longer trust." "You have your choice," the Father said again. "If I do not keep my promise, you know what lies ahead for you. You do prefer to trust me, don't you, Anstruther?" The shrill voice rose. "I want to believe! I've got to believe you, Father--" "Then return at once." O'Hara heard a sob. When the Father spoke again, his words came very slowly. "I have been injured, O'Hara. I cannot talk to you today. That imbecile who crossed the Curtain--Anstruther, who knew you when he flew for the Patrol--I'm sorry. You must be patient. Contemplate. Time need mean nothing to you, as it means nothing to me. Nothing, O'Hara! Think. And wait--" Time need mean nothing. Think--and wait!