‘Production of what?’
‘Why, mechanicos, of course.’
‘Are you a Will-to-Power?’
‘No. I’m the sales department.’
‘Then you’re a Go-Getter.’
‘The Go-Getter gets,’ began the figure automatically. ‘He increases his personal efficiency. No man is bigger and better than his sales. That’s what keeps me busy—bigger and better.’ And he continued cranking the adding machine in front of him.
Just then the Sorcerer beckoned to them from a door in the wall. There were three doors lettered Very Private, Really Very Private, and Not So Very Private. Through this last one they followed Mechanus.
‘Raphael and Cassandra, these are the Executives. They plan the work and are responsible for its success.’
At this ten mechanicos with immense bulging foreheads rose and bowed. ‘Pleased to see you,’ they said with one voice. ‘Pleased indeed.’
‘Gentlemen,’ went on the Sorcerer, ‘here are the children I have spoken about. They are young and fairly adaptable. Study them. Our working mechanicos can be improved. For instance, these children feel pain. It is a wise provision of nature. If our mechanicos felt pain they would do themselves less injury, and there would be less work for the repair shop. A repair shop is a sign of inefficiency.