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salaries. The antisocial types draw low salaries and live a short, idle life. Their length of life is proportional to their productive capacity. For example, a woman who is euthanased at thirty will be found to have a service factor that could not produce more than three hundred thousand dollars worth of productivity during an average eighty year lifetime."

Aubretia began to walk around the room, conscious of a certain sensation of doubt and misgiving. "It seems to me," she observed, "that the State tends to regard life as a kind of mathematical equation: dollars versus productivity."

"Why not?"

"I don't really know. It just seems wrong in principle."

Valinia stood up, smiling, and came over to Aubretia, putting her arms around her affectionately. Aubretia was conscious of the warmth of her body. Her sensual acuity sharpened. She responded warmly, stroking her friend's arm.

Valinia said: "The State has to deal with nearly one hundred million women in this country alone. It has to deal with figures on a statistical basis. The whole basis of mortic revenue is to provide individuals with a strong incentive to become good citizens, to give service and to be productive. The standard required is moderate. You and I and millions of others can attain it quite easily. Those who fail are those who are least useful to all of us, to society as a whole: the idle and lazy people, the criminals, the subversive types, the political intriguers. All these tend to undermine the stability of our way of life. Do you understand, Aubry?"

Aubretia nodded slowly. The abstract problems of mortic revenue were beginning to evaporate and they no longer seemed important in Valinia's vital presence. Valinia came closer to her until her lips were a fraction of an inch away. They kissed.

"You worry too much, darling," Valinia murmured.

Aubretia said nothing.