"O verdadeiro valor de Ruth Villiers" , um conto de 1970 por Michael G. Coney , texto completo disponível em Cordula's Web .
"Look," interrupted Griffiths suddenly. His fists were clenched white. "I'm not interested in any of your bloody stories! What's more, I'm sick of the way you seem to treat this whole business as an academic exercise. Don't you realize there's a girl under there? A human being, like you and me? She's trapped under there, and all you can think of is the interesting technical ramifications! For God's sake, haven't you any pity?" He was obviously overwrought.
"Take it easy." I laid a hand on his shoulder. "I realize it's your girl down there, and I'm sorry. I had a claimant die in the hospital yesterday, and I'm sorry about that too. Since the Social Valuation Act came in, over nine thousand people have died, who, before 2012, might have been saved. I'm sorry about them. But it's for the general good. Starving Chinese are dying like flies and I'm sorry for them. But perhaps that's for the general good too. Now, how sorry can you get? You've got to learn to accept these things."
[. . . .]
"Miss Villiers, provided she is still alive, has Cr. 400 left to her name, which is obviously insufficient for financing an endeavor to break through this granite. Hire of mobile breaker for one day, with crew, Cr. 500." He tapped the figures again. "And it is not permitted to hire such expensive equipment for a period less than a day, even if you could get through in that time."