"Exactly. Loeb was able to cause the egg of a sea urchin to develop
normally without union with a male germ cell. I have done the same
tiding with a human being. This girl is Mary Alice Pope. She has
exactly the same heredity. She has had exactly the same life, so far
as it could be reconstructed. She's heard and read the same things at
exactly the same times. There have been the old newspapers, the books,
even the old recorded radio programs. Hani and Hilda have had their
daily instructions, to the letter. She's retraced the same time-trail."
"Rot!" Jack interrupted. "I don't for a moment believe what you say
about her birth. She's Mary's daughter--or the daughter of your wife
on the mainland. And as for retracing the same time-trail, that's
senile self-delusion. Mary Alice Pope had a normal life. This girl has
been brought up in cruel imprisonment by two insane, vindictive old
women. In your own frustrated desire, you've pretended to yourself that
you've recreated the girl you lost. You haven't. You couldn't. Nobody
could--the great Martin Kesserich or anyone else!"
Kesserich, his features working, shifted his point of attack. "Who are
you, Mary?"
"Don't answer him," Jack said. "He's trying to confuse you."
"Who are you?" Kesserich insisted.
"Mary Alice Pope," she said rapidly in a breathy whisper before Jack
could speak again.
"And when were you born?" Kesserich pressed on.
"You've been tricked all your life about that," Jack warned.