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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
91
By
mid-afternoon,
Jay
had
recovered
consciousness.
After
struggling
with
his
bonds
for
a
while,
he
lay
quietly
under
the
desk.
Just
before
evening,
someone
knocked
at
the
door.
"Minister
Jay,
may
I
come
in?"
"Not
at
the
moment,"
Barrent
said,
in
what
he
hoped
was
a
fair
imitation
of
Jay's
voice.
"I
thought
you'd
be
interested
in
the
statistics
of
the
Hunt,"
the
man
said.
"So
far,
Citizens
have
killed
seventy-three
Hunteds,
with
eighteen
left
to
go.
That's
quite
an
improvement
over
last
year."
"Yes,
it
is,"
Barrent
said.
"The
percentage
who
hid
in
the
sewer
system
was
larger
this
year.
A
few
tried
to
bluff
it
out
by
staying
in
their
homes.
We're
tracking
down
the
rest
in
the
usual
places."
"Excellent,"
said
Barrent.
"None
have
made
the
break
so
far,"
the
man
said.
"Strange
that
Hunteds
rarely
think
of
it.
But
of
course,
it
saves
us
from
having
to
use
the
machines."
Barrent
wondered
what
the
man
was
talking
about.
The
break?
Where
was
there
to
break
to?
And
how
would
machines
be
used?
"We're
already
selecting
alternates
for
the
Games,"
the
man
added.
"I'd
like
to
have
your
approval
of
the
list."
"Use
your
own
judgment,"
Barrent
said.
"Yes,
sir,"
the
man
said.
In
a
moment,
Barrent
heard
his
footsteps
moving
down
the
hall.
He
decided
that
the
man
had
become
suspicious.
The
conversation
had
lasted
too
long,
he
should
have
broken
it
off
earlier.
Perhaps
he
should
move
to
a
different
office.
Before
he
could
do
anything,
there
was
a
heavy
pounding
at
the
door.
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