Paul was led back to his cell, and next day was again summoned before the Governor.
'I have considered your application, said Sir Wilfred, 'with the most minute care. In fact, I have decided to include it in my forthcoming work on the criminal mind. Perhaps you would like to hear what I have written about you?
Case R., he read:
A young man of respectable family and some education. No previous criminal record. Committed to seven years' penal servitude for traffic in prostitution. Upon completing his first four weeks R. petitioned for extension of cellular labour. Treatment as prescribed by Standing Orders: either (a) detention in observation cell for the Medical Officer to satisfy himself about the state of the prisoner's mind, or (b) compulsory work in association with other prisoners unless privilege forfeited by misdeamenour.
Treatmcnt by Sir Wilfred Lucas‑Dockery. ‑ I decided that R. was suffering from misanthropic tendencies induced by a sense of his own inferiority in the presence of others. R.'s crime was the result of an attempt to assert individuality at the expense of community. (Cf. Cases D, G, and I.) Accordingly I attempted to break down his social inhibitions by a series of progressive steps. In the first stage he exercised for half an hour in the company of one other prisoner. Conversation was allowed during this period upon approved topics, history, philosophy, public events, etc., the prisoners being chosen among those whose crimes would tend as little as possible to aggravate and encourage R.'s.
'I have not yet thought out the other stages of your treatment, said Sir Wilfred, 'but you can see that individual attention is being paid to your reclamation. It may cause you some gratification to realize that, thanks to my report, you may in time become a case of scientific interest throughout the world. Sir Wilfred Lucas‑Dockery's treatment of Case R. may haply become a precedent for generations yet unborn. That is something to lift you above the soul‑destroying monotony of routine, is it not?
Paul was led away.
'The men in the kitchen have lodged a complaint that they cannot work with C.2.9, said the Chief Warder. 'They say he has an infectious skin disease all over his hands.
'I can't be worried with things like that, said the Governor irritably. 'I am trying to decide upon Case R.'s ‑ I mean D.4.12's ‑ third stage of reclamation.