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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
133
The
procedure
set
by
Group
Two
for
locating
the
underground
on
Earth
was
simple
and
straightforward.
Revolutionaries,
he
had
been
told,
are
found
in
greatest
quantity
among
a
civilization's
most
depressed
elements.
Poverty
breeds
dissatisfaction;
the
have-nots
want
to
take
from
those
who
have.
Therefore,
the
logical
place
to
look
for
subversion
is
in
the
slums.
It
was
a
good
theory.
The
trouble
was,
Barrent
couldn't
find
any
slums.
He
walked
for
hours,
past
neat
stores
and
pleasant
little
homes,
playgrounds
and
parks,
scrupulously
tended
farms,
and
then
past
more
houses
and
stores.
Nothing
looked
much
better
or
worse
than
anything
else.
By
evening,
he
was
tired
and
footsore.
As
far
as
he
could
tell,
he
had
discovered
nothing
of
significance.
Before
he
could
penetrate
any
deeper
into
the
complexities
of
Earth,
he
would
have
to
question
the
local
citizens.
It
was
a
dangerous
step,
but
one
which
he
could
not
avoid.
He
stood
near
a
clothing
store
in
the
gathering
dusk
and
decided
upon
a
course
of
action.
He
would
pose
as
a
foreigner,
a
man
newly
arrived
in
North
America
from
Asia
or
Europe.
In
that
way,
he
should
be
able
to
ask
questions
with
a
measure
of
safety.
A
man
was
walking
toward
him,
a
plump,
ordinary-looking
fellow
in
a
brown
business
tunic.
Barrent
stopped
him.
"I
beg
your
pardon,"
he
said.
"I'm
a
stranger
here,
just
arrived
from
Rome."
"Really?"
the
man
said.
"Yes.
I'm
afraid
I
don't
understand
things
over
here
very
well,"
Barrent
said,
with
an
apologetic
little
laugh.
"I
can't
seem
to
find
any
cheap
hotels.
If
you
could
direct
me--"
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