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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
137
"But,
sir,"
Wonderson
said,
"diamonds
and
such
have
no
intrinsic
value.
They
haven't
since
'23,
when
Von
Blon
wrote
the
definitive
work
destroying
the
concept
of
scarcity
value."
"Of
course,"
Barrent
said,
at
a
loss
for
words.
Wonderson
looked
at
the
rings.
"I
suppose
these
have
a
sentimental
value,
though."
"Certainly.
We've
had
them
in
the
family
for
generations."
"In
that
case,"
Wonderson
said,
"I
wouldn't
want
to
deprive
you
of
them.
Please,
no
arguments,
sir!
Sentiment
is
the
most
priceless
of
emotions.
I
couldn't
sleep
nights
if
I
took
even
one
of
these
family
heirlooms
from
you."
"But
there's
the
matter
of
payment."
"Pay
me
at
your
leisure."
"You
mean
you'll
trust
me,
even
though
you
don't
know
me?"
"Most
certainly,"
Wonderson
said.
He
smiled
archly.
"Trying
out
your
Opinioner's
methods,
aren't
you?
Well,
even
a
child
knows
that
our
civilization
is
based
upon
trust,
not
collateral.
It
is
axiomatic
that
even
a
stranger
is
to
be
trusted
until
he
has
conclusively
and
unmistakably
proven
otherwise."
"Haven't
you
ever
been
cheated?"
"Of
course
not.
Crime
is
nonexistent
these
days."
"In
that
case,"
Barrent
asked,
"what
about
Omega?"
"I
beg
your
pardon?"
"Omega,
the
prison
planet.
You
must
have
heard
of
it."
"I
think
I
have,"
Wonderson
said
cautiously.
"Well,
I
should
have
said
that
crime
is
almost
nonexistent.
I
suppose
there
will
always
be
a
few
congenital
criminal
types,
easily
recognizable
as
such.
But
I'm
told
they
don't
amount
to
more
than
ten
or
twelve
individuals
a
year
out
of
a
population
of
nearly
two
billion."
He
smiled
broadly.
"My
chances
of
meeting
one
are
exceedingly
rare."
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