Was there hesitation in Herman's obedience? Maugham could not be sure and this very uncertainty troubled him all the more. But once moving Herman went forward with his customary smoothness, marching straight down to the laboratory and waiting there for Maugham, in whose breast pride was once more swelling at this concrete evidence of his inventive ingenuity. He recognized that Herman was indeed almost as perfect a machine as it was possible for man to conceive and bring into being.
He had some question now as to whether he could improve on Herman or not. Or whether indeed it would be wise. But his ambition overcame his qualms and, marshalling Herman, he went to work.
"The next time I ran into Maugham, I saw a badly jangled man," said Harrigan. "For one thing he looked as harassed as any man who was ever nagged by his ball-and-chain. For another he found it seemingly impossible to talk freely.
"'You're not looking so well,' I said to him.
"'No,' he agreed. 'I've been working.'
"'On Herman?'
"'I've worked on him enough,' he said ominously.
"I confess I wasn't particularly observant that morning. I knew something was bothering him but I knew too, as if by instinct, that he wasn't saying anything about it. I couldn't resist having a little fun with him.
"'Look,' I said, 'if you scientists get around to inventing life would it be necessary to rewrite the Bible?'