И проиграли бой

           "Youmightbeaneffectaswellasacause,Mac.Youmightbeanexpressionofgroup-man,acellendowedwithaspecialfunction,likeaneyecell,drawingyourforcefromgroup-man,andatthesametimedirectinghim,likeaneye.Youreyebothtakesordersfromandgivesorderstoyourbrain."

           "Thisisn’tpractical,"Macsaiddisgustedly."What’sallthiskindoftalkgottodowithhungrymen,withlayoffsandunemployment?"

           "Itmighthaveagreatdealtodowiththem.Itisn’taverylongtimesincetetanusandlockjawwerenotconnected.Therearestillprimitivesintheworldwhodon’tknowchildrenaretheresultofintercourse.Yes,itmightbeworthwhiletoknowmoreaboutgroup-man,toknowhisnature,hisends,hisdesires.They’renotthesameasours.Thepleasurewegetinscratchinganitchcausesdeathtoagreatnumberofcells.Maybegroup-mangetspleasurewhenindividualmenarewipedoutinawar.IsimplywanttoseeasmuchasIcan,Mac,withthemeansIhave."

           Macstoodupandbrushedtheseatofhispants."Ifyouseetoodarnmuch,youdon’tgetanythingdone."

           Burtonstooduptoo,chucklingsoftly."Maybesomeday—oh,letitgo.Ishouldn’thavetalkedsomuch.Butitdoesclarifyathoughttogetitspoken,evenifnoonelistens."

           Theystartedbackoverthecrispclodstowardthesleepingcamp."Wecan’tlookupatanything,Doc,"Macsaid."We’vegottowhipabunchofscabsinthemorning."

           "Deusvult,"saidBurton."DidyouseethosepointersofAnderson’s?Beautifuldogs;theygivemeasensualpleasure,almostsexual."