Including Venture Science Fiction

NOVELET And Madly Teach LLOYD BIGGLE, JR. 4

SHORT STORIES Three For Carnival JOHN SHEPLEY 32 The Colony MIRIAM ALLEN deFORD 48 Breakaway House RON GOULART 61 Flattop GREG BENFORD 71 The Third Dragon ED M. CLINTON 100 Man of Parts H. L. GOLD 117

ARTICLE H. P. Lovecraft: The House and the Shadows J. VERNON SHEA 82

FEATURES Cartoon GAHAN WILSON 39 Books JUDITH MERRIL and FRITZ LEIBER 40 Beamed Power THEODORE L. THOMAS 70 Science: Time and Tide ISAAC ASIMOV 106 F&SF Marketplace 129 Cover by Mel Hunter (see page 116)

Joseph W. Ferman, PUBLISHER Eduoard L. Ferman, EDITOR Ted White, ASSISTANT EDITOR Isaac Asimov, SCIENCE EDITOR Judith Merril, BOOK EDITOR Robert P. llfil/s, CONSULTING EDITOR Dale Beardalt, CIRCULATION MANAGER

The Magazine of Fafltasy aftd Scitflct Fiction, Volume 30, No. 5, Whole No. 180, Ma;, 1966. Published monthly by Mercury Preu, Inc., at 50¢ a copy. Annual subscription $5.00; $5.50 in Canada and tht Pan American Uniofl, $6.00 in all other countries. PublicatioN office, 10 Ferry Street, Concord, N. H. 03302. Editorial and general mail should be sent to 347 East 53rd St., New York, N. Y. 10022. Second Clau postage paid at Concord, N. H. Printed in U.S.A. © 1966 by Mercury Preu, Inc. All rights including translatioou onto other languages,_ reservtd. Submissions must be accompanied by stamped, sel/·addreued nvelo;es; tlu rublishw .usumts no responsibilil' for return of Uftsolicited manuscripts. A college sophomore, applying for a summer ;ob, was asked to give the names of two professors as references. She couldn't think of anybody whose names she could put down. Nobody knew her/ This comes to us second hand, but in a day when an educational tool is likely to be pictured as a hunk of machinery, we find it both credible and disturbing. Whether or not you agree with the point of view expressed in this story by Lloyd Biggle, Jr., you are cer­ tain to find it an absorbing and, more than likely, frightening extrapolation of the impact of technology on education.

AND lfiADL.Y TEACH

h,. Lto,.d Riggle, .Jr.

Miss MILDRED BoLTZ CLASPED 'The school," Miss Boltz said. her hands and exclaimed, "What "It has a lovelv color." a lovely school!" They threaded their way It shimmered delightfully in through an interchange, circled, the bright morning sunlight, a and maneuvered into the· proper pale, delicate blue-white oasis of lane. Then the driver turned to her color that lay gem-like amidst the again. "I've heard of schools. They nondescript towers and domes and used to have some out west. But spires of the sprawling metropoli­ that isn't a school." tan complex. Miss Boltz met his serious gaze But even as she spoke she qual­ confusedly, and hoped she wasn't ified her opinion. The building's blushing. It just wasn't proper for form was box-like, utilitarian, a woman of her age to blush. She ugly. Only its color made it beau­ said, "I must have misunderstood tiful. you. I thought that was-" The aircab driver had been "Yes, Ma'am. That's the address muttering to himself because he'd you gave me." gotten into the wrong lane and "Then-of course it's a school! missed his turn. He turned quick­ I'm a teacher. I'm going to teach ly, and said, "I beg your pardon?" there." 4 AND MADLY TEACH 5 He shook his head. "No, Ma'am. blank expression which resolved We don't have any schools." into the hair-framed oval of a bald ~The descent was so unsettlingly head as she moved forward. She abrupt that Miss Boltz had to swal­ blinked her eyes nervously and low her protests and clutch at her wished she'd worn her contact safety belt. Then they were in the lenses. Mr. Wilbings's attention ground level parking area, and he was fixed upon the papers that lit­ had the door open. She paid him, tered the top of his desk, and he and stepped out with the dignity indicated a chair for her without demanded of a middle-aged school bothering to look up. She walked teacher. She would have liked to tightrope-fashion across the room investigate this queer notion of his and seated herself. about schools, but she didn't want "One moment, please," he said. to be late for her appointment. She ordered herself to relax. And anyway-the idea! If it was­ She was not a young lass just out n't a school, what was it? of college, hoping desperately for a first job. She had a contract and In the maze of lettered and twenty-five years of tenure, and double-lettered corridors, each she was merely reporting for reas­ turning she took seemed to be the signment. wrong one, and she was breathing Her nerves disregarded the or­ heavily and fighting off a mild der. seizure of panic when she reached Mr. Wilbings gathered up his her destination. A receptionist papers, tapped them together, took her name and said severely, and returned them to a folder. "Mr. Wilbings is expecting you. "Miss-ah-Boltz," he said. Go right in." His curiously affected appearance The office door bore a bristling fascinated her. He was wearing label. ROGER A. WILBINGS. spectacles, a contrivance which DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT she hadn't seen for years; and he OF EDUCATION (SECOND­ had a trim little patch of hair on ARY). NORTHEASTERN his upper lip, the like of which she UNITED STATES SCHOOL had never seen outside of films DISTRICT. PRIVATE. Miss and theatricals. He held his head Boltz hesitated, and the reception­ thrust forward and tilted back, ist said again, "Go right in." and he sighted at her distastefully "Thank you," Miss Boltz said along the high arc of his nose. and opened the door. · He nodded suddenly, and The gentleman behind the desk turned back to his desk. "I've gone at the distant center of the room through your file, Miss-ah­ was awaiting her with a fiercely Boltz." He pushed the folder aside 6 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION impatiently. NMy recommenda­ pie's profession, and you are near­ tion is that you retire. My secre­ ly fifty. And then-we must con­ tary will give you the necessary sider your health." papers to fill out. Good morning." "Which is perfectly good," she The suddenness of the attack said. "Of course I had cancer of the startled her out of her nervousness. lung. It isn't uncommon on Mars. She said calmly, "I appreciate It's caused by the dust, you know, your interest, Mr. Wilbings, but I and it's easily cured." have no intention of retiring. Now "You had it four times, accord­ -about my new assignment." ing to your records." "My dear Miss Boltz!" He had "I had it four times and I was decided to be nice to her. His ex­ cured four times. I returned to pression altered perceptibly, Earth only because the doctors felt and hovered midway between a that I was unusually susceptible smile and a sneer. "It is your own to Martian cancer." welfare that concerns me. I un­ "Teaching on Mars-" He ges­ derstand that your retirement tured disdainfully. "You've never might occasion some financial taught anywhere else, and at the sacrifice, and under the circum­ time you were in training your stances I feel that we could obtain college was specializing in train­ an appropriate adjustment in your ing teachers for Mars. There's pension. It would leave you secure been a revolution in education, and free to· do what you like, and I Miss Boltz, and it has completely can assure you that you are not-" passed you by." He tapped his He paused, and tapped his desk desk again, sternly. "You are not with one finger. "-not suited for suited for teaching. Certainly not teaching. Painful as the idea may in this district." be for you, it is the blunt truth, She said stubbornly, "Will you and the sooner you realize it-" honor my contract, or do .I have to For one helpless moment she resort to legal action?" could not control her laughter. He He shrugged, and picked up her broke off angrily and stared at her. file. "Written and spoken English. "I'm sorry," she said, dabbing at Tenth grade. I assume you think her eyes. "I've been a teacher for you can handle that." twenty-five years-a good teacher, "I can handle it." as you know if you've checked ''Your class meets from ten-fif­ over my efficiency reports. Teach­ teen to eleven-fifteen, Monday ing is my whole life, and I love it, through Friday." and it's a little late to be telling "I am not interested in part­ me that I'm not suited for it." time teaching." "Teaching is a young peo- "This is a full-time assignment." AND MADLY TEACH 7 "Five hours a week?" examinations, either. I suppose "The position assumes forty the educational svstem on Mars hours of class preparation. You11 still uses examin-ations and as­ probably need much more than signments to coerce its students that." into learning, but we have pro­ "I see," she said. She had never gressed beyond those dark ages of felt more bewi1dered. education. If you have some idea "Classes begin next Monday. of bludgeoning your material into 1'11 assign you to a studio and ar­ your students with examinations range an eng:ineering conference and papers and the like, just forget for you immediately." it. Those things are symptomatic "A-studio?" of bad teaching, and we would not "Studio." There was a note of permit it if it were possible, which malicious satisfaction in his voice. it isn't." "You wiJJ have approximately "If there are no examinations or .fortv thousand students." papers, and if I never see my stu­ From a drawer he took two dents, how can I evaluate the re­ books, one a ponderous volume en­ sults of my teaching?" titled, TECHNIQUES AND PRO­ 'We have our own method for CEDURES IN TV TEACHING, that. You receive a Trendex rating and the other, mecha-typed and every two weeks. Is there anything bound with a plastic spiral, a else?" course outline of tenth-grade Eng­ "Just one thing." She smiled lish, Northeastern United States faintly. "Would you mind telling School District. "These should me why you so obviously resent my contain all the information you'll presence here?" need," he said. "I wouldn't mind," he answered l\Hss Boltz said falteringly, "TV indifferently. ''You have an obso­ teaching? Then-my students lete contract that we have to wiJJ attend class by television?" honor, but we know that you wi11 "Certainly." not last the term out. When you "Then I'll never see them." do leave we will have the problem "They wiJJ see you, Miss Boltz. of finding a midyear replacement That is quite sufficient." for you, and forty thousand stu­ "I suppose the examinations dents wiJJ have been subjected to wiU be machine-graded, but what several weeks of bad instruction. about papers? I couldn't get You can hardly blame us for taking through one assignment in an the position that it would be better entire semester." for you to retire now. If you He scowled at her. ''There are change your mind before Monday no assignments. There are no I wiU guarantee full retirement 8 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION benefits for you. If not, remember A knock sounded on her door. this: the courts have upheld our It was a kindly-looking, graying right to retire a teacher for in­ man of fifty plus, who introduced competence, regardless of tenure." himself as Jim Pargrin, chief engi­ neer. He seated himself on the Mr. Wilbings's secretary gave edge of her desk and grinned at her a room number. "This will be her. "I was afraid you'd gotten lost. your office." she said. "\Vait there, I telephoned, and no one an­ and I'll send someone." swered." It was a small room with a desk, "By the time I found the tele­ book shelves, a filing cabinet, a phone, you'd hung up," Miss Boltz book-film cabinet, and a film read­ said. er. A narrow window looked out He chuckled and then said onto long rows of narrow windows. seriously, "So you're the Martian. On the wall opposite the desk was Do you know what you're getting a four-foot TV screen. It was the into?" first office Miss Boltz had ever had, "Did they send you up here to and she sat at her desk with the frighten me?" drab brown walls frowning down "I don't frighten anyone but the at her and felt lonely, and humble, new engineers. I just wondered­ and not a little frightened. but never mind. Come over to your The telephone rang. After a studio, and I'll explain the setup." frantic search she located it under They quickly left the rows of a panel in the desk top, but by offices behind them, and each then it had stopped ringing. She room that they passed featured an examined the desk further, and enormous glass window facing on found another panel that conceal­ the corridor. Miss Boltz was re­ ed the TV controls. There were minded of the aquarium on Mars, four dials, each with numbers zero where she sometimes took her stu­ through nine. With almost no dents to show them the strange calculation she deduced the possi­ marine life on Earth. ble number of channels as 9,999. Pargrin unlocked a door, and She tried various numbers and handed her the key. "Six-four­ got a blank screen except for three-nine. A long way from your channel 0001, which carried an office, but at least it's on the same announcement: CLASSES BE­ floor." GIN MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9. A hideous black desk with REGISTRATION IS NOW IN stubby metal legs squatted in front PROGRESS. YOU MUST BE of a narrow blackboard. The REGISTERED TO RECEIVE camera stared down from the op­ GRADUATION CREDITS. posite wall, and beside it was a AND MADLY TEACH 9 pilot screen. Pargrin unlocked a he said. "If you haven't pressed control box, and suddenly lights this button by ten-fifteen, your blinded her. "Because you're an class is automatically cancelled. English teacher, they figure you And then-vou must leave im­ don't need anv special equip­ mediately when your class is over ment," he said. "See these buttons? at eleven-fifteen, so the next Number one gives you a shot of the teacher can get ready for the desk and the blackboard and just eleven-thirty class. Except that it's about the space enclosed by that considered good manners to clean floor line. Number two is a closeup the blackboard and tidy things up. of the desk. Number three is a The stuff is in the desk. Everything closeup of the blackboard. Ready clear?" to try it out?" "I suppose," she said. "Unless "I don't understand." you can tell me how I'm to teach He touched another switch. written and spoken English with­ "There." out ever hearing my students speak The pilot screen flickered to or reading anything that they life. Miss Boltz faced it-faced write." the dumpy-looking, middle-aged He was silent as they left the woman who stared back at her­ studio. "I know what you mean," and thought she looked cruelly old. he said, when they reached her The dress she had purchased with office. "Things were different such care and for too much money when I was a kid. TV was some­ the day before was a blur of repul­ thing you watched when your sive colors. Her face was shocking­ folks let you, and you went to ly pale. She told herself sadly that school with all the other kids. But she really should have spent more it's changed, now, and it seems to time on the sun deck, coming back work out this way. At least, the big from Mars. shots say it does. Anyway-the "Try number two," Pargrin sug­ best of luck to you." gested. She returned to her desk, She seated herself at the desk and thoughtfully opened TECH­ and pressed button number two. NIQUES AND PROCEDURES The camera twitched, and she IN TV TEACHING. contemplated the closeup of her­ self and shuddered. Number At five minutes after ten o'clock three, with herself at the black­ on the following Monday morn­ board, was equally bad. ing, Miss Boltz checked in at her Pargrin switched off the camera studio. She was rewarded with a and closed the control box. "Here white light over the pilot screen. by the door is where you check in," She seated herself at the desk, and 10 PANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION after pressing button number two The end of the hour came as a she folded her hands and waited. death throe. She smiled weakly, At precisely ten-fifteen the and from the pilot screen a hideous white light changed to red, and caricature of a smile grimaced from the pilot screen her own back at her. ''I'll be seeing you to­ image looked down disapproving­ morrow," she said. "Good morn­ ly. "Good morning," she said. ing." "This is tenth-grade English. I am The red light faded to white. Miss Boltz." Miss Boltz took a last, shuddering She had decided to devote that look at the camera and fled. first class period to introducing She was seated at her desk, for­ herself. Although she could never lornly fighting to hold back her become acquainted with her thou­ tears, when Jim Pargrin looked in sands of students, she felt that on her. they should know something about 'What's the matter?" he asked. her. She owed them that much. "Just wishing I'd stayed on She talked about her years .>f Mars." teaching on Mars-how the stu­ "Why would you be wishing dents attended school together, that? You got off to a very good how there were only twenty or start." twenty-five students in one room, "I didn't think so." instead of forty thousand attend­ "I did." He smiled at her. "We ing class by way of as many TV took a sample Trendex on you this sets. She described the recess peri­ morning, during the last ten min­ od,. when the students who went utes. We sometimes do that with outside the dome to play had to a new teacher. Most students will wear air masks in order to breathe. start off with their assigned She told about the field trips, when classes, but if the teacher isn't the class, or perhaps the entire good they switch to something else school, would go out to study in a hurry. So we check at the end Martian plant life, or rocks and of the first.hour to see how a new soil formations. She told them teacher is doing. Wilbings asked some of the questions her Martian foi: a Trendex on you, and he came students liked to ask about Earth. down to watch us take it. I think The minutes dragged tediously. he was disappointed." He chuck­ She felt imprisoned under the un­ led slyly. "It was just a fraction blinking eye of the camera, and under one hundred, which is prac­ her image on the pilot screen be­ tically perfect." gan to look haggard and fright­ He departed before she could ened. She had not realized that thank him, and when she turned teaching could be such a strain. to her desk again her gloom had AND MADLY TEACH 11 been dispelled as if by magic. decided to prepare her classes in Cheerfully she plunged into the her apartment. It was the middle task of rewriting the outline of of the third week before she found tenth grade English. her way to the tenth floor, where, She had no objection to the according to her manual, there basic plan, which was compre­ was a cafeteria. As she awaited her hensive and well-constructed and turn at the vending machines the at times almost logical. But the young teachers who silently sur­ examples, the meager list of stories rounded her made her feel posi­ and novels and dramas supplied tively prehistoric. for study and supplemental read­ A hand waved at her when she ing-these were unbelievable. turned toward the tables. Jim Par­ Just unbelievable. grin bounded to his feet and took "Recommended drama," the her tray. A younger man helped outline said. ''You Can't Marry an her with her chair. After so many Elephant, by H. N. Varga. This hours of solitude, the sudden at­ delightful farce-" tention left her breathless. She crossed it out with firm "My nephew," Pargrin said. strokes of her pen and wrote in the "Lyle Stewart. He teaches physics. margin, 'W. Shakespeare: The Miss Boltz is the teacher from Merchant of Venice." She substi­ Mars." tuted Dickens's A Tale of Two He was a dark-complexioned, Cities for Saddle Blankets and Six good-looking young man with a Guns, a thrilling novel of the Old ready smile. She said she was West, by Percivale Oliver. She pleased to meet him and meant found no unit at all which con­ it. 'Why, you're the first teacher cerned itself with poetry, so she I've spoken to!" she exclaimed. created one. Her pen slashed its "Mostly we ignore each other," way relentlessly through the out­ Stewart agreed. "It's strictly a sur­ line, and her conscience troubled vival-of-the-fittest occupation." her not at all. Didn't the manual "But I'd think that some kind of say that originality was encour­ co-operation-" aged in teachers? He shook his head. "Supposing The next morning, when she you come up with something that started down the corridor toward clicks. You have a high Trendex, her studio, she was no longer and the other teachers notice. So nervous. they watch your class, and if they can steal your stuff they will. Then The vast unfriendliness of the you watch them, to see if they have building and the drab solitude of something you can steal, and you her office so depressed her that she see them using your technique. 12 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Naturally you don't Uke it. We've problems. No extra-curricular ac­ had teachers involved in assault tivities to supervise. No problem cases, and law suits, and varying of transporting the children to degrees of malicious mischief. At school and home again. You aren't best, we just don't speak to each convinced?" other." "Certainly not!" "How do vou like it here?" "Keep it to yourself. And just Pargrin asked her. between us, I'll tell you the most "I miss the students," Miss Boltz potent factor in the philosophy of said. "It worries me, not being the New Education. It's monev. able to know them, or check on Instead of a fortune invested in their progress." buildings and real estate, with "Don't you go trying to drag in thousands of schools to maintain, an abstraction like progress," Stew­ we have one TV studio. \Ve save art said bitterly. "The New Edu­ another fortune in teachers' sala­ cation looks at it this wav: we ex­ ries by having one teacher for a pose the child to the prop~r subject good many thousands of students matter. The exposure takes place instead of one for maybe twenty in his home, which is the most or thirty. The bright kids will natural environment for him. He learn no matter how badly they are will absorb whatever his individu­ taught, and that's all our civiliza­ al capacity permits, and more tion needs-a few bright people than that we have no right to ex­ to build a lot of bright machines. pect." And the school tax rate is the low­ "The child has no sense of ac­ est it's been in the last century and complishment-no incentive to a half." He pushed back his chair. learn," she protested. "Nice to meet you, Miss Boltz. "Under the New Education, Maybe we can be friends. Since both are irrelevant. What we are you're an English teacher, and I'm striving for is the technique that a physics teacher, we aren't likely has made advertising such an im­ to steal from each other. Now I portant factor in our economy. have to go think up some new Hold the people's attention, and tricks. My Trendex is way down." make them buy in spite of them­ She watched thoughtfully as he selves. Or hold the student's atten­ walked away. "He looks as if he's tion, and make him learn whether been working too hard," she an­ he wants to or not." nounced. "But the student learns no so­ "Most teachers don't have con­ cial values." tracts like yours," Pargrin said. Stewart shrugged. "On the other "They can be dismissed at any hand, the school has no discipline time. Lyle wants to go into indus- AND MADLY TEACH 13 try after this year, and he may of a teacher's students. If all of have a tough time finding a job if them are watching their assigned he's fired." class, as they should be, the teach­ "He's leaving teaching? That's a er's Trendex is 100. If only half sh arne.I" are watching, then the Trendex is "There's no future in it." 50. A good teacher will have about "There's always a future for a a 50 Trendex. If a teacher's good teacher." Trendex falls below 20, he's dis­ Pargrin shook his head. "Look missed. Incompet.ence." around you. The teachers are all "Then the children don't have young. They hang on as long as to watch their classes unless they they can, because the pay is very want to?" good, but there comes a time when "The parents have to provide security means more than money. the TV sets," Pargrin said. 'They Anyway, in the not too distant fu­ have to see that their children are ture there won't be any teachers. present during their assigned class Central District is experimenting hours-'in attendance,' it's called now with filmed classes. Take a -but they aren't responsible for good teacher, film a year of his making them watch any particular work, and you don't need the class. They'd have to supervise teacher any longer. You just run them every minute if that were so, the films. No, there's very little fu­ and the courts have held that this ture in teaching. Did you get your would be unreasonable. It would copy of the Trendex ratings?" also be unreasonable to require "Why, no. Should I have gotten sets that worked only on assigned one?" channels, and even if that were "They come out every two done the students could still watch weeks. They were distributed yes­ classes on channels they're sup­ terday." posed to use at another time. So "I didn't get one." the students are there, and their He swore under his breath, and sets are on, but if they don't like then looked at her apologetically. your class they can watch some­ "Wilbings can be downright de­ thing else. You can see how im­ ceitful when he wants to. He prob­ portant it is for the teacher to ably thinks he'll take you by sur­ make the classes interesting." prise." "I understand. What was my "I'm afraid I don't understand Trendex?" these ratings." He looked away. "Zero." "There's nothing complicated "You mean-no one is watch­ about them. Over a two-week peri­ ing me? I thought I was doing od we'll take a thousand samples things correctly." 14 FANTASY AND SCIENCE PICTION "You must have done something She was a trim blonde, with a that interested them that first day. flashy, brazen kind of prettiness. Perhaps they just got tired of it. Her profile displayed sensational That happens. Have you watched curves. She smiled, tossed her any of the other teachers?" head, and started to tiptoe away. "Goodness, no! I've been so "Oh, well, as long as I'm among busy I just never thought of it." friends-" "Lyle may have some ideas for The blouse came off. So did the you. I'll ask him to meet us at skirt. She stood before them in an your office for the two o'clock class. alluringly brief costume, consist­ And then-well, we'll see." ing exdusively of shorts and hal­ ter. The camera recorded its scar­ Lyle Stewart spread some pa­ let and gold colors brilliantly. She pers on the desk in front of her, pranced about in a shuffiing dance and bent over them. "These.are the step, flicking the switch for a Trendex ratings," he said. "You closeup of the blackboard as she were supposed to get a copy." danced past her desk. She glanced down the list of "Time to go to work, aU you names, and picked out hers. Boltz, cats and toms," she said. "This is Mildred. English, tenth grade. called a sentence." She read aloud Time, 10:15. Channel 6439. as she wrote on the blackboard. Zero. Year's average, zero. "The-man-ran-down- the "The subject has something to -street. 'Ran down the street' is do with the tricks you can use," what the man did. We call that the Stewart said. "Here's a Marjorie predicate. Funny word, isn't it? McMillan at two o'clock. She Are vou with me?" teaches eleventh grade English, Miss Boltz uttered a bewildered and her Trendex is sixty-four. protest. "Eleventh grade English?" That's very high. Let's see how she "Yesterday we talked about does it." He set the dials. verbs," Marjorie McMillan said. At precisely two o'clock Mar­ "Do you remember? I'll bet you jorie McMillan appeared, and weren't paying attention. I'll bet Miss Boltz's first horrified impres­ you aren't even paying attention sion was that she was disrobing. now." Her shoes and stockings were piled Miss Boltz gasped. The halter neatly on the floor. She was in the suddenly came unfastened. Its act of unzipping her blouse. She ends flapped loosely, and Miss Mc­ glanced up at the camera. Millan snatched at it just as it "What are you cats and toms do­ started to fall. "Nearly lost it that ing in here?" she cooed. "I thought time," she said. "Maybe I will lose I was alone." it, one of these days. And you AND MADLY TEACH 15 wouldn't want to miss that, would a more subdued manner. Their you? Better pay attention. Now ratings were also much lower. let's take another look at that nasty "That's enough to give you an old predicate." idea of what you're up against," Miss Boltz said quietly, "A lit­ Stewart said. tle out of the question for me, "A teacher who can't do any­ isn't it?" thing but teach is frightfully Stewart darkened the screen. handicapped," Miss Boltz said "Her high rating won't last," he thoughtfully. 'These teachers are said. "As soon as her students de­ just performers. They aren't teach­ cide she's really not going to lose ing their students-they're enter­ that thing-hut let's look at this taining them." one. Tenth-grade English. A male "They have to cover the subject teacher. Trendex forty-five." matter of their courses. If the stu­ He was young, reasonably good­ dents watch, they can't help learn­ looking, and clever. He balanced ing something.,. chalk on his nose. He juggled eras­ Jim Pargrin had remained si­ ers. He did imitations. He took up lent while they switched from the reading of that modern classic, channel to channel. Now he stood Saddle Blankets and Six Guns, up and shook his graying head sol­ and he read very well, acting out emnly. "I'll check engineering. parts of it, creeping behind his Perhaps we could show some films desk to point an imaginary six-gun for you. Normally that's frowned at the camera. It was quite realis­ upon, because we haven't the staff tic. or the facilities to do it for every­ "The kids will like him," Stew­ one, but I think I could manage art said. "He'll probably last pretty it." well. Now let's see if there's any­ "Thank you," she said. ''That's one else." very kind of you. And thank you, There was a history teacher, a Lyle, for helping out with a lost sedate-looking young woman with cause." a brilliant artistic talent. She drew ''The cause is never lost while sketches and caricatures with you're still working," he said. amazing ease and pieced them to­ They left together, and long gether with sprightly conversa­ after the door closed after them tion. There was an economics Miss Boltz sat looking at the blank teacher who performed startling TV screen and wondering how magic tricks with cards and mon­ long she would be working. ey. There were two young women whose routines approximated that For twenty-five years on barren, of Marjorie McMillan, though in inhospitable Mars she had 16 FANTAST AND SCIENCE FICTION dreamed of Earth. She had grin helped out personally, and dreamed of walking barefoot on she was able to run excellent films the green grass, with green trees of background material and scenes and shrubs around her; and over from the play. her head, instead of the blurring She said sadly, "Isn't it a shame transparency of an atmosphere to show these wonderful things dome, the endless expanse of blue when no one is watching?" sky. She had stood in the bleak ''I'm watching," Pargrin said. Martian desert and dreamed of "I enjoy them." high-tossing ocean waves racing His kindly eyes made her wist­ toward a watery horizon. ful for something she remembered Now she was back on Earth, liv­ from long ago-the handsome ing in the unending city complex young man who had seen her off of Eastern United States. Streets for Mars and looked at her in very and buildings impinged upon its much the same way as he promised tiny parks. The blue sky was al­ to join her when he completed his most obscured by air traffic. She engineering studies. He'd kissed had glimpsed the ocean once or her good bye, and the next thing twice, from an aircab. she heard he'd been killed in a But they were there for the tak­ freak accident. There were long ing, the green fields and the lakes years between affectionate glances and rivers and ocean. She had for Miss Mildred Boltz, but she'd only to go to them. Instead she never thought of them as empty had worked. She had slaved over years. She had never thought of her class materials. She had spent teaching as an unrewarding occu­ hours writing and revising and pation until she found herself in a gathering her examples, and more small room with only a camera hours rehearsing herself meticu­ looking on. lously, practicing over and over Pargrin called her when the her single hour of teaching before next Trendex ratings came out. she exposed it to the devouring eye "Did you get a copy?" of the camera. "No," she said. And no one had been watching. 'Til find an extra one, and send During those first two weeks her it up." students had turned away from He did, but she knew without her by the tens and hundreds and looking that the rating of Boltz, thousands, until she had lost them Mildred, English, tenth grade, and all. so on, was still zero. She shrugged off her humilia­ She searched the libraries for tion and took up the teaching of books on the technique of TV The Merchant of Venice. Jim Par- teaching. They were replete with AND MADLY TEACH 17 examples concerning those su~ "Why don't you ask them to jects that lent themselves natural­ write to you? If you got a lot of let­ ly to visual presentation, but they ters, you could use them for evi­ offered very little assistance in the dence." teaching of tenth-grade English. "I'm not concerned about the She turned to the education evidence," she said, "but I will journals and probed the mysteries ask them to write. Thank you." of the New Education. She read "Miss-ah-Mildred-" about the sanctity of the individ­ ''Yes?" ual and the right of the student to "Nothing. I mean, would you an education in his own home, un­ like to have dinner with me to­ disturbed by social distractions. night?" She read about the psychological "I'd love to." dangers of competition in learning and the evils of artificial stand­ A week went by before she final­ ards; about the dangers of old­ ly asked her students to write. She fashioned group teaching and its knew only too well why she hesi­ sinister contribution to delinquen­ tated. She was afraid there would cy. be no response. Pargrin brought in another But the morning came when she Trendex rating. She forced herself finished her class material with a to smile. "Zero again?" minute to spare, and she folded "Well-not exactly." her hands and forced a smile at She stared at the paper, blinked, the camera. "I'd like to ask you a and stared again. Her rating was favor. I want each of you to write .l-one tenth of one per cent. me a letter. Tell me about your­ Breathlessly she did some mental self. Tell me how you like the arithmetic. She had one student! things we've been studying. You At that moment she would have know all about me, and I don't waived all of her retirement bene­ know anything about you. Please fits for the privilege of meeting write to me." that one loyal youngster. She received eleven letters. She "What do you suppose they'll handled them reverently, and read do?" she asked. them lovingly, and she began her "That contract of yours isn't any­ teaching of A Tale of Two Cities thing to trifle with. Wilbings with renewed confidence. won't take any action until he's She took the letters to Jim Par­ certain he has a good case." grin, and when he'd finished read­ "Anyway, it's nice to know that ing them she said, "There must be I have a student. Do you suppose thousands like them-bright, ea­ there are any more?" ger children who would love to 18 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION learn if they weren't drugged into Because she knew that he had a kind of passive indifference by deliberately attempted to keep her all this entertainment." in ignorance, she shook her head "Have _you heard anything from innocently. Her conscience did Wilbings?" not protest. "Not a thing." He patiently explained the tech­ "He asked me to base your next nique and its purpose. Trendex on two thousand samples. "If the Trendex is as valuable as I told him I'd need a special order you say it is," she said, "why don't from the board. I doubt if he'll you let the teachers know what bother." their ratings are?" "He must be getting ready to do "But they do know. They re­ something about me." ceive a copy of every rating." ''I'm afraid so," Pargrin said. "I received none." "We really should start thinking of "Probably an oversight, since some line of defense for you. this is your first term. However, I You'll need a lawyer." have all of them except today's, "I don't know if I'll offer any and that one will be sent down as defense. I've been wondering if I soon as it's ready. You're welcome shouldn't try to set myself up as a to see them." private teacher." He went over each report in "There are private schools, you turn, ceremoniously pointing out know. Those that could afford it her zeros. When he reached the would send their children there. rating of .1, he paused. "You see, Those that couldn't wouldn't be Miss Boltz, out of the thousands of able to pay you, either." samples taken, we have found only "Just the same, when I have one student who was watching you. some time I'm going to call on the This is by far the worst record we children who wrote to me." have ever had. I must ask vou to "The next Trendex is due Mon­ retire voluntarily, and if you re­ day," Pargrin said. "You'll proba­ fuse, then I have no alternative-" bly hear from Wilbings then." He broke off as his secretary tip­ toed in with the new Trendex. Wilbings sent for her on Mon­ "Yes. Thank you. Here we are. day morning. She had not seen Boltz, Mildred-" him since that first day, but his ab­ His finger wavered comically. surd appearance and his testy Paralysis seemed to have clogged mannerisms had impressed them­ his power of speech. Miss Boltz selves firmly upon her memory. found her name, and followed the "Are you familiar with the Tren­ line across the page to her rating. d ex ratings?" he asked her. It was twenty-seven. AND MADLY TEACH 19 "Evidently I've improved: she from Mr. Wilhings. Pargrin heard herself say. "Is there any­ winked at her. "I think I'm going thing else?" to enjoy this. Will you he in your It took him a moment to find his office this afternoon?" voice, and when he did its pitch She shook her head. "I'm going had risen perceptibly. "No. Noth­ to visit my students." ing else." "I'll see you tomorrow, then." As she went through the outer She looked after him thought­ office she heard his voice again, fully. She sincerely hoped that he still high-pitched, squawking an­ hadn't gotten himself in trouble. grily in his secretary's communica­ On the rooftop landing area she tor. "Pargrin. I want Pargrin down asked the manager to call an air­ here immediately." cab for her. While she waited she He was waiting for her in the took a letter from her purse and cafeteria. "It went all right, I sup­ reread it. pose," he said, with studied ~asual­ My name is Darrel Wilson. I'm ness. sixteen ye~rs old, and I hll'Ve to "It went too well." stay in my room most of the time He took a large bite of sand­ because I had Redger disease and wich, and chewed solemnly. part af me is paralyzed. I like your "Jim, why did you do it?" she class, and please, could we hll'Ve demanded. some more Shakespeare? He blushed. "Do what?" "Here's your cab, ma'am." "Arrange my Trendex that way." "Thank you," Miss Boltz said. "Nobody arranges a Trendex. It She returned the letter to her isn't possible. Even Wilbings will purse and stepped briskly up the tell you that." He added softly, cab ramp. "How did you know?" "It's the only possible explana­ Jim Pargrin ruffled his hair and tion, and you shouldn't have done stared at her. 'Whoa, now. What it. You might get into trouble, and was that again? Class room?" you're only postponing the inevita­ "I have nine students who are ble. I'll be at. zero again on the coming here every day to go to next rating." sc:hool. I'll need some place to "That doesn't matter. Wilbings teach them." will take action eventually, but Pargrin clucked his tongue soft­ now he won't be impulsive about ly. "Wilbings would have a hem­ it." orrhage!" They ate in silence until the ca­ "My TV class takes only five feteria manager came in with an hours a week, and I have the en­ urgent message for Mr. Pargrin tire year's work planned. Wlty 20 FANTASY AND SCIENCE PICTION should anyone object to my hold­ "Did you have any trouble ing classes for a selected group of with Mr. Wilbings?" she asked. students on my own time?" She "Not much. He thought your added softly, "These students need Trendex was a mistake. Since I it." don't take the ratings personally, They were wonderful children, the best I could do was refer him brilliant children, but they needed to the Trendex engineer." to be able to ask questions, to ar­ "Then I'm safe for a little while. ticulate their thoughts and feel­ I'll start my class tomorrow." ings, to have their individual prob­ lems dealt with sympathetically. Three of the students arrived in They desperately needed each oth­ power chairs. Ella was a lovely, er. Tens of thousands, hundreds of sensitive girl who had been born thousands of gifted children were without legs, and though science being intellectually and emotion­ had provided her with a pair, she ally stifled in the barren solitude did not like to use them. Darrel of their TV classes. and Charles were victims of "What Wilbings doesn't know Hedger disease. Sharon was blind. won't hurt him," Pargrin said. "At The TV entertainers failed to reach least, I hope it won't. But-a class her with their tricks, but she lis­ room? There isn't a thing like that tened to Miss Boltz's every word in the building. Could you use a with a rapt expression on her face. large studio? We could hang a cur­ Their intelligence level exceed­ tain over the glass so you wouldn't ed by far that of any other class in be disturbed. What hours would Miss Boltz's experience. She felt your class meet?" humble, and not a little apprehen­ "All day. Nine to three. They'll sive; but her apprehension van­ bring their lunches." ished as she looked at their shin­ "\Vhoa, now. Don't forget your ing faces that first morning and TV class. Even if no one is watch­ welcomed them to her venture into ing-" the Old Education. "I'm not forgetting it. My stu­ She had two fellow conspira­ dents will use that hour for a study tors. Jim Pargrin personally took period. Unless you could arrange charge of the technical aspects of for me to hold my TV class in this her hour on TV and gleefully put larger studio." the whole class on camera. Lyle "Yes. I can do that." Stewart, who found the opportu­ "Wonderful! I can't thank you nity to work with real students too enough." appealing to resist, came in the He shrugged his shoulders, and afternoon to teach two hours of sci­ shyly looked away. ence and mathematics. Miss Boltz AND MADLY TEACH 21 laid out her own study units firm­ ney Jim Pargrin recommended. ly. History, English, literature, He was a small, elderly man with and social studies. Later, if the sharp gray eyes that stabbed at her class continued, she would try to fleetingly from behind drooping work in a unit on foreign lan­ eyelids. He questioned her casual­ guage. That Wednesday was her ly during lunch, and when they happiest day since she returned to had pushed aside their dessert Earth. dishes he leaned back and twirled On Thursday morning a special a key ring on one finger and messenger brought in an official­ grinned at her. looking envelope. It contained her "Some of the nicest people I dismissal notice. ever knew were my teachers," he "I already heard about it," Jim said. "I thought they didn't make Pargrin said, when she telephoned that kind any more. I don't sup­ him. "When is the hearing?" pose you realize that your breed i~ "Next Tuesday." almost extinct." "It figures. Wilbings got board "There are lots of fine teachers permission for a special Trendex. on Mars," she said. He even brought in an outside en­ "Sure. Colonies look at educa­ gineer to look after it, and just to tion differently. They'd be com­ be doubly sure they used two thou­ mitting suicide if they just went sand samples. You'll need an at­ through the motions. I kind of torney. Know any?" think maybe we're committing sui­ "No. I know hardly anyone on cide here on Earth. This New Earth." She sighed. She'd been so Education thing has some results uplifted by her first day of actual you may not know about. The teaching that this abrupt encoun­ worst one is that the kids aren't ter with reality stunned her. "I'm getting educated. Businessmen afraid an attorney would cost a lot have to train their new employees of money, and I'm going to need from primary grade level. It's had what money I have." an impact on government, too. An "A little thing like a Board of election campaign is about what Education hearing shouldn't cost you'd expect with a good part of much. Just you leave it to me-I'll the electorate trained to receive its find an attorney for you." information in very weak doses She wanted to object, but there with a sickening amount of sugar was no time. Her students were coating. So I'm kind of glad to be waiting for her. able to work on this case. You're not to worry about the expense. On Saturday she had lunch There won't be any." with Bernard Wallace, the attor- "That's very kind of you," she 22 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION murmured. "But helping one worn­ TV, they told her, and it looked out teacher won't improve condi­ like fun. She was pleased, but tions very much." doubtful. Only one of them was of­ ''I'm not promising to win this ficially a student of hers. She took for you," Wallace said soberly. the names of the others and sent "Wilbings has all the good· cards. them home. The one who was He can lay them right out on the properly her student she permitted table, and you have to keep yours to remain. hidden because your best defense He was a gangling boy of fif­ would be to show them what a teen, and though he seemed bright mess of arrant nonsense this New enough, there was a certain with­ Education is, and you can't do drawn sullenness about him that that. We don't dare attack the New made her uneasy. His name was Education. That's the board's Randy Stump--"A dumb name, baby, and they've already defend­ but I'm stuck with it," he mum­ ed it successfully in court, a lot of bled. She quoted him Shakespeare times. If we win, we'll have to win on the subject of names, and he on their terms." gaped at her bewilderedly. "That makes it rather hopeless, Her impulse was to send him doesn't it?" home with the others. Such a mis­ "Frankly, it'll be tough." He fit might disrupt her class. What pulled out an antique gold watch, stopped her was the thought that and squinted at it. "Frankly, I the suave TV teacher, the brilliant don't see how I'm going to bring it exponent of the New Education, off. Like I said, Wilbings has the would do just that. Send him cards, and anything I lead is likely home. Have him watch the class to be trumped. But I'll give it some on TV in the sanctity of his own thought, and maybe I can come up natural environment, where he with a surprise or two. You just couldn't get into trouble, and just concentrate on your teaching, and incidentally where he would never leave the worrying to me." learn to get along with people. After he left she ordered anoth­ She told herself, "I'm a poor ex­ er cup of coffee, and sipped it cuse for a teacher if I can't handle slowly, and worried. a little problem in discipline." He shifted his feet uneasily as On Monday morning she re­ she studied him. He was a foot tall­ ceived a surprise of her own, in er than she, and he looked past her the form of three boys and four and seemed to find a blank wall in­ girls who presented themselves at tensely interesting. her office and asked permission to He slouched along at her side join her class. They had seen it on as she led him down to the class AND MADLY TEACH 23 room, where he seated himself at "Miss Boltz!" His mouth opened the most remote desk and instantly and closed several times as he lapsed into a silent immobility groped for words. "I have seen that seemed to verge on hypnosis. many teachers do many idiotic The others attempted to draw him things, but I have never seen any­ into their discussions, but he ig­ thing quite as idiotic as this. I am nored them. Whenever Miss Boltz happy to have this further con­ looked up she found his eyes fixed firmation of your hopeless incom­ upon her intently. Eventually she petence. Not only are you a dis­ understood: he was attending gustingly inept teacher, but obvi­ class, but he was still watching it ously you suffer from mental de­ on TV. rangement. No rational adult Her hour on television went would bring these-these-" well. It was a group discussion on He paused. Randy Stump had A Tale of Two Cities, and the emerged from his hypnosis with a youthful sagacity of her class de­ snap. He leaped forward, planted lighted her. The red light faded at himself firmly in front of Wil­ eleven-fifteen. Jim Pargrin waved bings, and snarled down at him. his farewell, and she waved back "You take that back!" at him and turned to her unit on Wilbings eyed him coldly. "Go history. She was searching her home. Immediately." His gaze mind for something that would swept the room. "All of you. Go draw Randv Stump from his TV­ home. Immediately." inflicted shell. ''You can't make us," Randy When she looked up her stu­ said. dents were staring at the door, Wilbings poised himself on the which had opened silently. A dry high pinnacle of his authority. voice said, "What is going on "No young criminal-" here?" Randy seized his shoulders and It was Roger Wilbings. shook vigorously. Wilbings's spec­ He removed his spectacles, and tacles flew in a long arc and shat­ replaced them. 'Well!" he said. tered. He wrenched himelf free His mustache twitched nervously. and struck out weakly, and Ran­ HMay I ask the meaning of this?" dy's return blow landed with a No one spoke. Miss Boltz had splattering thud. The Deputy Su­ carefully rehearsed her explana­ perintendent reeled backward into tion in the event that she should the curtain and then slid gently be called to account for this un­ to the floor as glass crashed in the authorized teaching, but this un­ corridor outside. expected confrontation left her Miss Boltz bent over him. Ran­ momentarily speechless. dy hovered nearby, frightened and 24 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION contrite. "I'm sorry, Miss Boltz," fussy little man Wallace identi­ he stammered. fied as the Superintendent of Edu­ "I'm sure you are," she said. cation fluttered into the room, con­ "But for now-I think you had ferred briefly with Wiblings, and better go home." fluttered out. Eventually Wilbings was as­ "Most of 'em are fair," Wal­ sisted away. To Miss Boltz's in· lace whispered. "They're honest, tense surprise, he said nothing and they mean well. That's on our more; but the look he flashed in her side. Trouble is, they don't know direction as he left the room made anything about education and it's further conversation unnecessary. been a long time since they were Jim Pargrin brought a man to kids." replace the glass. "Too bad," he ob­ From his position at the center served. "He can't have it in for you of the table, the president called any more than he already had, but the meeting to order. He looked now he'll try to make something of narrowly at Bernard Wallace. this class of yours at the hearing "This is not a trial," he an­ tomorrow." nounced. "This is merely a hear· "Should I send them all home?" ing to secure information essen­ she asked anxiously. tial for the board to reach a proper "Well, now. That would be decision. We do not propose to quitting, wouldn't it? You just car­ argue points of law." ry on-we can fix this without · "Lawyer himself," Wallace disturbing you." whispered, "and a good one." She returned to her desk and ''You may begin, Wilbings," the opened her notebook. "Yesterday president said. we were talking about Alexander Wilbings got to his feet. The the Great-" flesh around one eye was splendid­ ly discolored, and he smiled with The fifteen members of the difficulty. "The reason for this Board of Education occupied one meeting concerns the fact that side of a long, narrow table. They Mildred Boltz holds a contract, were business and professional type 79B, issued to her in the year men, most of them elderly, all sol­ 2022. You will recall that this emn, some obviously impatient. school district originally became On the opposite side of the ta­ responsible for these contracts dur­ ble Miss Boltz sat at one end with ing a shortage of teachers on Mars, Bernard Wallace. Roger Wilbings when-" occupied the other end with a The president rapped on the ta­ bored technician who was prepar­ ble. "We understand that, Wil­ ing to record the proceedings. A bings. You want Mildred Boltz AND MADLY TEACH 25 dismissed because of incompe­ 'Then we shaiJ disregard this tence. Present your evidence of in­ personal belief." competence, and we'll see what "The matter is really irrelevant. Miss Boltz has to say about it, and Even if the twenty-seven is in­ wind this up. We don't want to cluded, Miss Boltz has a nine­ spend the afternoon here." week average of only five and a Wilbings bowed politely. "I fraction." now supply to all those present Bernard Wallace was tilted four regular Trendex ratings of back in his chair, one hand thrust Mildred Boltz, as well as one spe­ into a pocket, the other twirling cial rating which was recently au­ his keys. "We don't consider that thorized bv the board." twentv-seven irrelevant," he said. Papers ~ere passed around. Miss Th~ president frowned. "If you Boltz looked only at the special will kindly let Wilbings state his Trendex, which she had not seen. case-" Her rating was .2-two tenths of "Gladly. What's he waiting one per cent. for?" "Four of these ratings are zero Wilbings flushed. "It is incon­ or so low that for all practical pur­ ceivable that a teacher of anv com­ poses we can call them zero," \Vil­ petence whatsoever could ha~e rat­ bings said. "The rating of twenty­ ings of zero, or of fractions of a seven constitutes a special case." per cent. As further evidence of The president leaned forward. Miss Boltz's incompetence, I wish "Isn't it a little unusual for a rat­ to inform the board that without ing to deviate so sharply from the authorization she brought ten of norm?" her students to a studio in this "I have reason to believe that building and attempted to teach this rating represents one of two them in class periods lasting an things-fraud, or error. I freely entire morning and an entire aft­ admit that this is a personal be­ ernoon." ]ief, and that I have no evidence The shifting of feet, the fussing which would be acceptable in with cigarettes, the casual whis­ court." pering stopped. Puzzled glances The board members whispered converged upon Miss Boltz. Wil­ noisily among themselves. The bings made the most of the silence president said slowly, "I have been before he continued. assured at least a thousand times "I shall not review for you the that the Trendex is infallible. probably deadly effect of this ob­ Would you kindly give us the basis solete approach to education. All for this personal belief of yours?" of you are familiar with it. In case "I would prefer not to." the known facts require any sub- 26 FANTAST AND SCIENCE FICTION stantiation, I am prepared to of­ "I am certainly familiar with all fer in evidence a statement of the of the standard studies and re­ physical damage resulting from search," Wilbings said stiffiy. just one of these class periods, as "Ever experience that kind of well as my own person, which was education yourself? Or teach un­ assaulted by one of the young der those conditions?" hoodlums in her charge. Fortu­ "I certainly have not!" nately I discovered this sinister "Then you are not personally plot against the youth of our dis­ an authority. All you really know trict before the effects of her un­ about these so-called deadly ef­ authorized teaching became ir­ fects is what some other windbag reparable. Her immediate dismis­ has written." sal will of course put an end to it. "Mr. Wallace!" That, gentlemen, constitutes our "Let it pass. Is my general state­ case." - ment correct? All you really know The president said, "This is " hard to believe, Miss Boltz. "I am quite prepared to accept Would you mind telling the board the statements of an acknowledged why-" authority in the field." Bernard Wallace interrupted. "Any of these acknowledged au­ "Is it our turn?" thorities ever have any experience The president hesitated, looked of group teaching?" along the table for suggestions, and "If they are reputable authori­ got none. "Go ahead," he said. ties-" "A question, gentlemen. How Wallace banged on the table. many of you secured your own ele­ "Not the question," he snapped. mentary and/or secondary educa­ "Reputable among whom? Ques­ tion under the deadly circum­ tion is whether they really know stances Wilbings has just de­ anything about what they write scribed? Hands, please, and let's about. Well?" be honest. Eight, ten, eleven. Elev­ "I'm sure I can't say just what en out of fifteen. Thank you. Do basis they use for their studies." you eleven gentlemen attribute "Probably not the only basis your present state of degradation that counts-knowing their sub­ to that sinister style of educa­ ject. If I could produce for you an tion?" The board members smiled. authority with years of actual ex­ "You, Wilbings," Wallace went perience and study of the group­ on. ''You talk as if everyone is or teaching system, would you take should be familiar with the dead­ that authority's word as to its ef­ ly effects of group teaching. Are fects, harmful or otherwise?" you an authority on it?" "I am always happy to give AND MADLY TEACH proper consideration to the work of "'Think maybe I could show you any reliable authority," Wilbings they are, but I don't want to take said. the time. You claim this rating of "What about you gentlemen?" twenty-seven is due to fraud or er­ 'We aren't experts in educa­ ror. How do you know those other tion," the president said. "We have ratings aren't due to fraud or er­ to rely on authorities." ror? Take this last one-this spe­ "Splendid. I now give you Miss cial rating. How do you know?" Mildred Boltz, whose twenty-five "Since you make an issue of it," years of group teaching on Mars Wilbings said, "I will state that makes her probably the most com­ Miss Boltz is the personal friend petent authority on this subject in of a person on the engineering the Western Hemisphere. Miss staff who is in a position to influ­ Boltz, is group teaching in any ence any rating if he so desires. way harmful to the student?" This friend knew that Miss Boltz "Certainly not," Miss Boltz said. was about to be dismissed. Sud­ .. In twenty-five years I can't recall Lenly, for one time only, her rat­ a single case where group teaching ing shot up to a satisfactory le,vel. was not beneficial to the student. The circumstances speak for them­ On the other hand, TV teaching-" selves." She broke off as Wallace's el­ "Why are you so certain that this bow jabbed at her sharply. last rating is not due to fraud or "So much for the latter part of error?" Wilbings's argument," Wallace "Because I brought in an out­ said. "Miss Boltz is an expert in side engineer who could be trust­ the field of group teaching. No one ed. He took this last Trendex on here is qualified to question her Miss Boltz personally." judgment in that field. If she "There you hav~ it," Wallace brought together ten of her stu­ said scornfully. "Wilbings wants dents, she knew what she was do­ Miss Boltz dismissed. He's not ing. Matter of fact, I personally very confident that the regular would think it a pretty good thing Trendex, taken by the district's for a school district to have one own engineers, will do the job. So expert in group teaching on its he calls in a personal friend from staff. Wilbings doesn't seem to the outside, one he can trust to think so, but you gentlemen of the give him the kind of rating he board might want to consider that. wants. Now if that doesn't open Now-about this Trendex non- the door to fraud and error-" sense. " The uproar rattled the distant Wilbings said coldly, ''The windows. Wilbings was on his feet Trendex ratings are not nonsense." screaming. The president was 28 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION pounding for order. The board defense. Certainly Jim Pargrin members were arguing heatedly.. would understand that. among themselves. When he came in he studiously "Gentlemen," \Vallace said, avoided looking at her. "It's possi­ when he could make himself ble," he said, when the president heard, ''I'm no Trendex authority, described what was wanted. "It'll but I can tell vou that these five upset our schedule, and it might ratings, and the' circumstances sur­ make us late with the next Tren­ rounding them, add up to nothing dex, but if it's important we can but a mess. I'll take vou to court · do it. Will tomorrow be all right?" cheerfully, and get you laughed "Is tomorrow all right, Wil­ out of court, if that's what vou bings?" the president asked. want, but there mav be an easier "Where Miss Boltz is con­ way. At this moment I don't think cerned, I have no confidence in any of us really know whether any kind of rating taken by our Mildred Boltz is competent or not. staff." Let's find out. Let's have another Pargrin elevated his eyebrows. Trendex, and have it without fuss­ "I don't know what you're getting ing around with samples. Let's at, but if you've got doubts just have a Trendex of all of Miss send in that engineer of yours and Boltz's students. I won't make any let him help out. With this extra promises, but if the results of such load the T rt:nJc::x men would prob­ a rating were in line with this ably appreciate it." Trendex average, I would be dis­ "Is that satisfactory, Wilbings?" posed to recommend that Miss the president asked. Boltz accept her dismissal with­ Wilbings nodded. "Perfectly out a court test." satisfactory." "That sounds reasonable," the "Very well. Miss Boltz's class president said. "And sensible. Get ends at eleven-fifteen. Can we have Pargrin in here, Wilbings, and the results by eleven-thirty? Good. we'll see if it can be done." The board will meet tomorrow at Miss Boltz sank back in her eleven-thirty and make final dis­ chair and looked glumly at the position of this case." polished table top. She felt be­ The meeting broke up. Bernard trayed. It was perfectly obvious Wallace pat~ed Miss Boltz on the that her only chance for a reprieve arm and whispered into her ear, depended upon her refuting the "Now don't you worry about a validity of those Trendex ratings. thing. You just carry on as usual, The kind of test Wallace was sug­ and give us the best TV class you gesting would confirm them so de­ can. It's going to be so tough it'll cisively as to shatter any kind of a be easy." AND MADLY TEACH 29 She returned to her class, where He seemed stunned. "No class?" Lyle Stewart was filling in for her. She shook her head. "I'm very "How did you make out?" Stewart much afraid that I'm going to be asked. dismissed. Fired, you might say." "The issue is still in doubt," she He clenched his fists. Tears said. "But not very much in doubt, streaked his face, and he sobbed I'm afraid. Tomorrow may be our brokenly. She tried to comfort last day, so let's see how much we him, and some minutes went by be­ can accomplish." fore she understood why he was weeping. "Randy!" she exlaimed. Her TV class that Wednesday "It isn't your fault that I'm being morning was the best she'd ever dismissed. What you did had noth­ had. The students performed bril­ ing to do with it." liantly. As she watched them she "We won't let them fire you," he thought with an aching heart of sobbed. "All of us-us kids-we her lost thousands of students, won't let them." who had taken to watching jug­ "We have to abide by the laws, glers and magicians and young fe­ Randy." male teachers in tights. "But they won't fire you." His The red light faded. Lyle Stew­ face brightened, and he nodded art came in. "Very nice," he said. his head excitedly. "You're the best "You were wonderful!" Miss teacher I ever saw. I know they Boltz told her class. won't fire you. Can I come back to Sharon, the blind girl, said tear­ class?" fully, "You'll tell us what happens, "If there's a class tomorrow, won't you? Right away?" Randy, you may come back. I "I'll tell you as soon as I know," have to hurry, now. I'm going to Miss Boltz said. She forced a be late." smile and left the studio quickly. She was already late when she As she hurried along the corri­ reached the ground floor. She dor a lanky figure moved to inter­ moved .breathlessly along the cor­ cept her-tall, pale of face, fright­ ridor to the board room and eningly irrational in appearance. stopped in front of the closed door. "Randy!" she exclaimed. "What Her watch said fifteen minutes to are you doing here?" twelve. ''I'm sorry, Miss Boltz. I'm real­ She knocked timidly. There was ly sorry, and I won't do it again. no response. Can I come back?" She knocked louder and finally ''I'd love to have you back, Ran­ opened the door a crack. dy, but there may not be any class The room was empty. There after today." were no board members, no tech- 30 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION mc1an, no Wilbings, no attorney trick, and when the next Trendex Wallace. It was over and done comes out Mr. Wilbings will start with, and they hadn't even both­ over again." ered to tell her the result. "It was a trick," Wallace agreed, They knew that she would ''but a kind of a permanent trick. know. She brushed her eves with It's like this. The younger genera­ her sleeve. "Courage," she whis­ tion has never experienced any­ pered and turned away. thing like this real live class of As she started back up the cor­ yours. On the first day you told ridor, hurrying footsteps overtook them all about school on Mars, her. It was Bernard Wallace, and and you fascinated them. You held he was grinning. "I wondered their attention. Jim was telling me what kept you," he said. "I went to about that. We figured that put­ check. Have you heard the news?" ting this class of yours on TV She shook her head. "I haven't would fascinate them, too. WiJ­ heard anything." bings took that special Trendex be­ "Your Trendex was 99.2. Wil­ fore you got your class going, but bings took one look and nearly Jim has been sneaking one every went through the ceiling. He want­ day since then, and your rating ed to scream 'Fraud!' but he didn't has been moving up. It was above dare, not with his own engineer on ten yesterday, and now that all of the job. ·The board took. one look your kids know what you're doing and dismissed the case. Think it'll jump way up and stay there. maybe they were in a mood to dis­ So-no more worries. Happy?" miss Wilbings, too, but they were "Very happy. And very grate­ in a hurrv." ful." Miss Boltz caught her breath, "One more thing. The president and found the friendlv support of of the board wants to talk to you a wall. "It isn't possible!" about this class of yours. I had din­ "It's a fact. We kind of planned ner with him last night, and I filled this. Jim and I pulled the names him in. He's interested. I've got a of all of your students, and we suspicion that he maybe has a per­ sent letters to them. Special class sonal doubt or two about this New next Wednesday. Big deal. Don't Education. Of course we won't miss it. Darned few of them missed tear down TV teaching overnight, it. Wilbings played right into our but we're making a start. I have hands, and we clobbered him." work to do, now. I'll be seeing "No," Miss Boltz said. She you." shook her head, and sighed. "No. He shuffied away, twirling his There's no use pretending. I'm keys. grateful, of course, but it was a She turned again, and saw Jim AND MADLY TEACH 31 Pargrin coming toward her. She think I wouldn't marry you if I gripped his hand and said, "I owe kept on teaching?" it all to you." His startled exclamation was "You owe it to nobody but your­ indistinct, but long after she self. I was up telling your class. turned a comer she heard him They're having a wild celebra­ whistling. tion." On the sixth floor she moved "Goodness-! hope they don't down the corridor toward her of­ break anything!" fice, hurrying because her students ''I'm glad for you. I'm a little were celebrating and she didn't sorry, too." He was looking at her want to miss that. Looking ahead, again in that way that made her she saw the door of her office open feel younger-almost youthful. "I slowly. A face glanced in her di­ figured that if you lost your job rection, and suddenly a lanky fig­ maybe I could talk you into marry­ ure flung the door aside and bolted ing me." He looked away shyly. away. It was Randy Stump. "You'd have missed your teaching, She came to a sudden halt. of course, but maybe we could "Randy!" she whispered. have had some children of our But what could he want in her own-" office? There was nothing there but She blushed wildly. "Jim Par­ her notebooks, and some writing grin I At our ages?" materials, and-her purse! She'd "Adopt some, I mean." left her purse on her desk. "Really-I've never given a "Randy!" she whispered again. thought to what I might have She opened the office door, and missed by not having my own chil­ looked in. Suddenly she was laugh­ dren. I've had a family all my life, ing-laughing and crying-and ever since I started teaching, and she leaned against the door frame even if the children were different to steady herself as she exclaimed, every year I've loved them all. And "Now where would he get an idea now I have a family waiting for like that?" me, and I was so nervous this Her purse still lay on her desk, morning I left my history notes in untouched. Beside it, glistening my office. I'll have to run." She brilliantly in the soft overhead took a few steps, and turned to look light, was a grotesquely large, back at him. "What made you polished apple. John Shepley's short stories have appeared in Paris Review, San Francisco Review, The Best American Short Stories of 1956, and in F&SF (GORILLA surr, May 1958; THE KIT-KATr JCLUB, Aprill962). We do not expect that all our readers wiU like the story below. It is not a simple story, nor is it particu­ kwly pleasant. It is a stunning blend of fantasy and reality, of style and ( tndit'ect ) statement and dramatic urgency.

THBEE FOB CA.BNIVA.L

by John Shepley

IT HAD BEEN A DULL PLACE. disguise, she chuckled and mum­ But now all lovers of the arts, all bled aloud. lovers of tradition, all lovers, Now understand that Mother could rejoice that New York, after Gimp, for ordinary occasions, was centuries of resistance, had offi­ mere Miss Barbara Rowe, blonde cially adopted the custom of Car­ and hardly out of Iowa State, who nival. worked as a publisher's reader on They had agreed to meet at the Madison Avenue, and took the Battery at eight sharp to begin the subway every morning to get-there. last night, there where the fog is But here she was everybody's ugly thick and the city looks out on the old charwoman, she was some­ world,, by the new ferry terminal. thing out of an expressionist play, Mother Gimp was the first to ar­ she was a Mediterranean earth­ rive. She paced up and down in goddess (crone phase). What's her skirts and shawls, glancing at more, she had thought it all up her wrist-watch, the one token she herself. Life had so many over­ had retained from another life. tones, as she had often mused, and She carried a pail of water and a now Carnival proved itl By the mop and from time to time ad­ way, who said "mere"? Mr. Cooper­ mired herself in the mirror of- a man didn't think her mere, and gum machine; in keeping with her neither perhaps did Lloyd. And 32 THREE FOR CARNIVAL 33 the tiny gold wrist-watch had been seemed, was never anything but a graduation present from Daddy. Lloyd. (Imagine there being real Mr. Cooperman came second. farms in New York City!-Bar­ His parti-colored tights, from Edel bara could never get over it.) & Fitch, Costume Rentals, fitted· "Just no imagination, you!" him badly, the mask on his face shrieked Mother Gimp when she kept slipping askew, but Mother saw him. Gimp would have recognized him Arm-in-arm, they set off up­ anyway-he was Harlequin, with town, Loyd to left, Harlequin to a paint factory in Long Island right, Mother Gimp in the middle. City, a six-foot-two son in the She looked at her watch-it was Army, and a wife in analysis. But 8 : 2 7. What do you suppose Dad­ he seemed a little perplexed on dy was doing at this moment? seeing her. "Is it Barbara, lovely He'd finished dinner, of course, Barbara?" he asked with a worried long ago, was probably sitting out smile. Mother Gimp threw back on the screen-porch, listening to her head and laughed uproarious­ the katydids and digesting his ly. Of course it was! Who else? stock-market reports. To punish Meanwhile all this inconveni­ Lloyd, she made him carry the pail ence because of Llovd. If it hadn't and mop, but at the corner of been for him and his ways, they Broadway and Wall Street, she could have started in uptown changed her mind and made Har­ somewhere, Barbara's apartment lequin carry them instead. Not for instance, where Mother Gimp much going on in this part of would have brewed old-fashioneds. town-the impact of Carnival But he lived on Staten Island with had fallen there earlier in the day. his parents, who ran a chicken The shreds of banners flapped and vegetable farm; mornings he from the lamp posts, the sidewalk took the ferry to Manhattan, to his in places was ankle-deep with job in Davega's sporting goods confetti, but there was little sign store on lower Broadway, then of what anyone, whether Barbara home in the evening; it had taken or Mother Gimp, would have Carnival to induce him to make called life. Lloyd pointed out the trip over twice in one day. Davega's windows, full of ice Finally a hooting in the fog an­ skates, footballs and crew-neck nounced his arrival, and he sweaters, which only he could stepped -ashore in his usual blue make out in the darkness, and serge suit, starched collar and Harlequin patted him on the cheap necktie, and with his tow­ shoulder, praising him for the seri­ head and bumpkin smile, apolo­ ous, hardworking young man that gizing for being late. Lloyd, it he so obviously was. At City Hall 34 :FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Park, two Aoat!l, Bower-bedecked covered wine bottle, but the driver and capped by giant papier-mache dodged it skilfully and it bounced caricatures, had collided, and a on the opposite sidewalk. Barbara night-squad was busily disman­ suddenly opined that people who tling the wreckage. But were they led · significant everyday lives carnival Commission workers, or would have no need of Carnival, scavengers? It was impossible to though she knew it was just her tell. She looked at her watch- puritanical Iowa grandmother 8: 49. Going on Daddy's bedtime. talking, not herself. (Daddy, She made them switch places, Har­ trudging across the living room, lequin to left, Lloyd to right, and would be giving a last sleepy look took back her pail and mop. Why at the television.) They drove on, was she always to be the only one through canyons where only bro­ to enter into the spirit of things? ken glass and trampled paper Ahead there were lights and streamers testified to the day's noises. But why walk all the way? passing glory. Mother Gimp called Now courtly Harlequin, out of his out to the driver to stop. She want­ sleeve, produced a taxicab for the ed to get out of the cab-she felt young folks, and on they went. it her duty to mop up the streets. Things were looking up! "East What was an old charwoman for? Side, West Side ..." sang But Harlequin entreated her, and Mother Gimp, careening in the Lloyd looked so funny with his middle. Clickety-clickety went the shocked expression, that she burst meter, the driver sat hunched over out laughing again and urged the the wheel, and she wanted to see driver on. Ahead of them rose his disguise. "Aw, Miss," he said 14th·Street like an aurora borea1is, tiredly, "can't ya stay put there in a great barrier of light though the back seat?" She settled back­ which they must pass. people who couldn't see made her A shattering screech of brakes, angry. London Bridge is falling and the cab stopped in Union down .•. "Oh, look!" she cried Square. "This is as far as 1 go," in wonder. For all of Canal Street growled the driver. "Don't gimme was in flames. no argument, you people." He From the big fires, children lit leaned around, and Mother Gimp torches and ran to ignite their own looked at last into his sightless little bonfires of egg crates, while orbs. He was Charon!-as she had Harlequin deplored the danger to suspected all along. She memor­ life and property and Lloyd sim­ ized his number in case of further ply gawked. 9: 1 7. Tipsy loiterers trouble. Harlequin was proffering yelled greetings to them as they payment from his wallet, but she passed, and one threw a straw- thrust herself forward, drowning THREE POR CARNIVAL 35 out his protests. She took three human memory, but had been lov­ coins out of her mouth and paid ingly reconstructed, down to the the entire fare. last spittoon and pot-bellied stove, They strolled east along 14th for this last night of Carnival. The Street, between twin lines of passengers wore paper hats, blew lights, and she knew that Daddy whistles and whirled noise-mak­ was now safely upstairs in bed. ers-some were already ripping up Poor Lloyd looked so like a fish out the seats and filching the signs to of water that she took his hand carry home as souvenirs. Mother and tried to make him dance a step Gimp, she wanted to know all or two with her. Harlequin played about Harlequin's wife. Was she cicerone. Everything moved him pretty, or had she been? Did she to a gentle, and sometimes ironic, make him too unhappy? Who, in­ nostalgia: a delicatessen (it was­ cidentally, was her analyst, and n't there any more, but he evoked how much did he charge? He cor­ it so well that you saw it) where rected her philosophically. Har­ you used to get the best pastrami lequin (such were the joys of Car­ sandwiches; a movie theater (still nival) had no wife-Mr. Cooper­ there) for which he once couldn't man (don't mention itl) did. afford even the fifteen cents for a But what was Lloyd saying as, seat in the balcony; an intellec­ caught in a great throng, they tuals' cafeteria, passed beyond rec­ tumbled down the stairs and ognition, where he had argued poured themselves out onto 42nd with friends and pored over politi­ Street? Something about (with a cal pamphlets (yes, he'd been blush and stammer) people not quite a rebel in those days!); a needing one on a night like this. fire-trap loft calling itself a music Not needing what?-a mask or an academy where, a very little lad, analyst? No, he meant a mask. he had been sent to take violin les­ People's usual one was enough, he sons. As for now, he had his paint said. Mother Gimp observed that business, went de luxe to Miami, Lloyd was in danger of becoming a and to first nights on Broadway, wit, and she couldn't exactly say but what could take the place of that the prospect pleased her, but youth? Barbara listened gravely, Barbara giggled her agreement. and from all the doorways, Car­ She went skipping ahead of mens in crimson shawls, puffing them, singing and swinging her cigarettes and humming the Ha­ pail and mop. Let Lloyd sprint, banera, came out and listened too. and Harlequin puff, to catch up I 0: I 0. They took the Third with her. Lexington, Park, Madi­ Avenue El, a legendary structure son, a screaming of sirens, and an which had almost lapsed beyond open truck with motorcycle police 36 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION escort roared past transporting a And Harlequin, her mystic con­ bevy of can-can girls, most likely sort? Mother Gimp took a deep to the Coliseum. Two gossiping breath. Had set kind limits and boys went by, identically disguised promoted virtue. Had charted the as Madame de Pompadour. Be­ soul. Had been, and not been, the tween Fifth Avenue and Times question. Had looked into a glass Square, the floats were still circu­ darkly, never face to face. Had lating, but willy-nilly. The effi­ loved not wisely but too well. Im­ gies of world figures, presidents, mortal melodies : the Kol N idre. prime ministers, scientists, stars of Immortal sayings: BRIGHTEN stage and screen, wrestlers, rolled YOUR LIFE WITH COOPER­ their eyes and waggled papier­ PAINTS! mache arms, and more than one They seemed to be on some side­ broke down with a snapped axle, street. Very grave creatures with while the assembled Pagliaccios, phosphorescent eyes and stiffen­ Fata Morganas, gypsies, pirates, ing fur came out to stare, but she cowboys and minstrels goggled and scampered around them. applauded. Oh, the tawdriness of ''I'll be Mrs. Irwin, the world's imagination! Mother Plain little Mrs. lrwin • Gimp didn't know whether to she sang, and kicked up her legs. laugh or cry. Lloyd asked, "Who's the lucky In the middle of Times Square, Mr. Irwin?" it seemed not a bad idea to make a "I don't know." (\Vas it Bar­ choice. But Llovd-what had he bara speaking?) "But there's al­ ever done? Mother Gimp, goddess ways a Mr. Irwin for a girl like of the waning moon, saw it all, me." keening merrily over the little life She became for a moment, with of man. Oh, sure, got born, the longing, Mrs. Irwin J. Irwin, wife usual way. Got smacked on the of a Newark accountant, of a car backside. Mewled and puked, salesman in Scranton, of an eco­ made pee-pee and po-po. Cry­ nomics teacher in Des Moines, of baby, teacher's pet. Tops, model a Sensitive Young Man in Sacra­ airplanes, stamp collection. Acne. mento. She played a good bridge Curtis High School on Staten Is­ hand, took up watercolors, stood land, flunked geometry, almost for human values, took Time and flunked Latin. Stock-boy at Dave­ the Book of the Month, voted inde­ ga's, basement clerk, now rising pendent. On top of the television assistant. Might someday become set sprawled two floppy rag dolls, head clerk. Might marry, might Harlequin and Lloyd, keepsakes father children. Would certainly No!-it was too ghastly. someday (snip!) die. Back to Mother Gimpl THREE FOR CARNIVAL 37 With a vengeance. Shrieking beside her, taking her in his arms, with hag-laughter, she sloshed the calling her his child, his angel, contents of her pail in the faces of and promising her everything, a the passersby, and filthy and drip­ new wrist watch, a trip to Miami, ping, they roared back at her. She · a divorce from his wife, anything, fixed an evil eye on them, and if only she'd be happy as she de­ they broke out in boils and the served to be, and not cry. Saint Vitus dance. She flung away But what have we here? Who her pail and mop-she flung away is this who rises up in wrath? discretion, and Daddy's watch. Her Launcelot, Sir Galahad, Don Fer­ skirts lifted high, she went pirou­ dinando?-no time to pick a etting out over rooftops and name-quick-to the rescue! His abysses, dancing the pas-de-trois, steed was a gymnasium sidehorse, the Carmagnole, the rigmarole, for armor he wore a baseball and dragging in her wake a re­ catcher's chest protector, with monstrating Harlequin, a Lloyd shoulder pads and hockey shin­ petrified with embarrassment. Oh, guards, a fencing mask for visor, how she laughed at his expres­ and a football helmet topped by a sion! Marauding lions broke out feather-duster plume-everything of the Coliseum, and great Aztec that the Davega branch store in altars smouldered with human East Fordham Road could hurried­ sacrifice. And then they saw him ly assemble at midnight the last -Mother Gimp saw him, Barbara night of Carnival to equip its saw him-it was Daddy, nobody chosen champion. But the sword else, wearing his Legion cap and in his hand was tempered and with his fly unbuttoned, whoop­ true, and the inscription on his ing it up among the can-can shield (courtesy of Miss Eunice girls! They passed on and he was Jenks, teacher of Latin, now de­ lost to sight. ceased, its last pale whisper Where were they now? The through the corridors of Curtis Bronx, by the look of it, or some High) read: height above it. In a wilderness of AMA ME FIDELITER tin cans and stray cats and little FIDEM MEAM NOTA coupling dogs, Mother Gimp sat "Miscreant! Coxcomb/" cried this down and wept. No expressionist knight, and plunged his sword in play was ever so hopeless as this, Harlequin's breast. no earth-goddess's shrine ever so And then there wasn't any Har­ despoiled, no ugly old charwoman lequin-only Mr. Saul Cooper­ ever more unhappy. She drew her man of Long Island City, in a shawl over her head-and sud­ grey business suit, standing there denly an anguished Harlequin was with his amiable smile and his 38 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION hidden sorrows. He put out his the ']Uiet of the night air. hand. "Son," he said, "I thank you Lloyd (he was just Lloyd now, all the same. These disguises we astonished at what he had done, put on get the better of us some­ and not a little abashed) watched times, don't they? Best to get out him go. Then he turned. "Past of them while we can-be our­ midnight," he said. "Carnival is selves, eh? I go now. If you would over. Look, they're already tearing . . . would be so kind . . . as down the El again. You're only to convey to the young lady . . . Barbara and I'm only Lloyd." my regrets . . . the delicacy of Only? She stared back at him, my feelings . • . my eternal re­ her aged eyes and wrinkled face spect . . ." He went away into under the shawl now beyond all the darkness, the sword still in his change or renewal. She had be­ heart and its handle bobbing in come her disguise.

Coming next month

Roger Zelazny's first story for US was A ROSE FOR ECCLESIASTES. Since then, he has built upon the solid reputation that story estab­ lished for him with such stories as THE DOORS OF HIS FACE, THE LAMPS OF HIS MOUTH, and , , . AND CALL ME CONRAD. While he has been writing for us only a relatively short time, his work has already proven him one of the outstanding science fiction writers of the decade. A Roger Zelazny story can be counted on for a unique blend of hard scientific extrapolation and rich poetic vision -for fast-paced action and singing imagery. A Roger Zelazny story is an Event-and we are proud to an­ nounce that next month another such Event will occur: TillS MOMENT OF THE STORM. You will not want to miss it. "I expect one seldom encounters the older, traditional hazards on your American courses." 39 BOOKS

"I know it's junk, but I like it." sure his fifty pages of autobio­ Which [says Feiffer1 ] is the graphy, social comment, and phi­ whole point about junk. It is losophy are worth $9.7 5 (allow­ there to be nothing else but liked. ing 20¢ for the value of a double­ Junk is a second-class citizen of size comic book), and of course I the arts; a status of which we and didn't have to pay for it. But for it are constantly aware. There are me, his final chapter on the subject certain inherent privileges in sec­ of junk was pure revelation. ond-class citizenship. Irresponsi­ "Junk is there to entertain on bility is one. Not being taken seri­ the basest, most compromised of ously is another. levels," he says at one point. "It Peiffer's super-comic-book is a finds the lmvest fantasmal common study in puzzles and paradoxes. denominator and proceeds from Fifty-or-so (large) pages of honest there. Its choice of tone is depend­ Peiffer text surround 13 2 more of ent on its choice of audience, so acknowledged absurd nostalgic that women's magazines will make junk. It is sadly that I must say a pretense at veneer scorned by that not only Batman and the movie-fan magazines, but both Green Hornet and Mr. America are, unarguably, junk." (none of whom I much cared for Or substitute for veneer, intel­ even then), but even Superman lectual eminence; for women's and the Spirit (both of beloved magazines, the bulk of "category'' memory) have not improved with science-fiction novels. age, any more than the comic-book "The success of the best junk colors are enhanced by good book lies in its ability to come close, paper. but not too close; to titillate with­ Peiffer himself-whether as out touching us. To arouse with­ cartoonist or essayist-is any­ out giving .satisfaction. Junk is a thing but junk. Except to someone tease . .•" in my peculiar position, I am not Yes indeed. And I only wish hi

~BE GREAT COMIC BOOB: HEROES, Jules Feifler; Dial, 1965; $9.95; 189 pp. (incl. 12 7 pp. of comics) 40 BOOKS 41 read it before I began belaboring erage of all books of s-f-interest. It the authors of good junk-my can't be done. There isn't time or kind of junk, too-in an attempt space (Ed the Ed. having flatly to make them come through with refused to devote half the maga­ the intellectual and literary satis­ zine to books). So-Feiffer to the faction they keep waving just out rescue, with his twin concepts of of reach. good junk and underground junk. The final quote is as profound Policy statement follows: - as it is paradoxical, concluding as This column will no longer en­ it does a ten-dollar volume with a deavor to provide complete cover­ pop-art Superman cover, which age of s-f and associated books. carries twenty-five-year-old comics Non-junk books, good or bad­ to the artbook shelf of (I am sure, those, that is, that seem to make an many of) the same households effort to satisfy the special tastes of where the originals were burned the s-f reader-will be discussed on sight. at whatever length their merit, my " A junk that knew its place was interest, and the space, permit. In underground where it had no pow­ addition, the good junk (because, er and thus only titillated, rather once more, entwined in rosy than above ground where it truly wreaths-it is my kind of junk, has power-and thus, only de­ and I love it!) will be described or presses." at least mentioned, and recom­ mended, without such examina­ With unwonted restraint, I tion as might expose it in either shall ignore all the opportunities sense: destroy its junk-value by provided not only for comment on trying to impose responsibility on the comment and philosophizing it, or give it depressant power by on the philosophy, but for a mar­ dragging it above ground. vellous multi-meaning word game Thank you, Jules Feifferl of junkie, junkie, who's got the junk? (Is Feiffer peddling the Last month, this column de­ junk here, or is the junk peddling voted much of its space to Games him?) More significant is the re­ -the theory and application, es­ straint I intend to show in future. pecially in science-fiction, and Shortly after I inherited this most particularly in John Brun­ space, we asked for readers' com­ ner's triple-ploy games-novel, THE ments on the column and what SQUARES OF THE CITY. Appar­ they wanted in it. The results were ently Ballantine, who published gratifying, but omniverous. They that one, is making it an all-out -you-wanted discursive essays games season, following up with on some books and complete cov- two other volumes as different 42 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION from each other as from the Brun­ by sheer exaggeration . . ." I ner, but equally game-centered. have not seen the movie, but I One of the most memorable gather its tone is much like that of Games stories in s-f is Robert the book, which is highly success­ Sheckley's "The Prize of Peril." ful (and withal suspenseful) His earlier story on the same farce. theme, "The Seventh Victim," left What fascinates me, and excites a less lasting impression on me, a new kind of admiration for Bob but apparently had a more sig­ Sheckley, is that this rewrite, far nificant impact on Joseph E. Le­ from the usual padding-out and vine, of Embassy Pictures. The watering::ciown job, is not only result is the movie, "The Tenth very well done on its own, but ap­ Victim" (Why be cheap?), and a plies a completely different tech­ "novelization"2 of the movie, this nique to the original theme, per­ time by the original author, under haps more effectively. the same more generous title. The idea, as you probably know The Game in James White's new by now, is a legalized murder­ novel, THE WATCH BELOW,3 iS game, government-approved and also one of life-and-death, but in a TV-commercial-sponsored, design­ very different way. This is a ed to provide an outlet for in­ thoughtful and thought-provoking dividual aggressions, and thus novel combining one of the great eliminate the emotional pressure "classic" s-f ideas (the "Universe" toward the greater destructiveness ship) with two major themes of of organized international slaugh­ current interest: the problem of ter. Anyone who gets enough kick adaptation to an alien environ­ out of killing to be willing to risk ment, and that of communication getting killed registers for the Big between alien cultures. Hunt, and the Victim-Hunter pur­ The actual space ship involved suits supply the viewing public is-well, on the one hand it is a with all the real gore and surrogate space fleet, of "Unthan" ships, adventure it can use. filled with freeze-sleeping star­ · As social theorizing, one can­ colonists and their supplies, seeds, not take the hypothesis too serious­ livestock, etc.; manned (if one ly. Happily, neither author Sheck­ may use the word) by part-time ley nor director Petri requires it. skeleton crews. The other ship is The film publicity quotes Petri: not in space at all, but a giant .. We are giving the lie to violence empty tanker, half-sunk during as glamour, as a heroic ideal • • • World War II, with a handful of

"TBE IOTa VICTIM, Robert Shecldeyl Ballantine U5050, 1965; 60rt; 158 pp. "TBB WATCH ULOw, James White; »aUantine U2285, 1966; SOrt; 192 pp. BOOKS 43 people aboard who manage to sur­ cultural devolution at least enough vive long enough in the vast empty to be able to waken the main body holds to establish an ecology cycle of the crew when the time comes. for air and food from the supplies And on the Gulf Trader, they start of beans on board. The Game. From vastly divergent starting The Game begins only as de­ points-a fleet of high-technology fense against boredom and panic. water-dwellers embarked on a It begins as mutual exchange of well-planned space voyage; and life-histories, goes on to exercises five desperate men and women in memory (as often fantasy as seizing on every scrap of salvage fact) of books, plays, music-all to sustain themselves while waiting experiences and perceptions. The rescue from the half-wrecked, reef­ children born in the submerged grounded tanker-the two groups ship-world have The Game and its move into an intriguing parallel­ retention-sharpening effects for ism. The theory that provided for schooling, entertainment, cultural only short duty tours for each Un­ matrix. than, with long spells of freeze­ It would be unfair to the au­ sleep to endure the long trip, thor's careful construction to tell proves unworkable, and in the end more than this. I only wish White two couples assume the responsi­ had managed to imbue this saga­ bility of progenitors of the fifteen scope story with more of the emo­ generations who will have to live tional conviction and quiet poetry out their lives on board the flag­ of his best short work. There are ship to bring the rest of the fleet flashes of it here, true: unfortu­ through. Meanwhile, back on the nately just enough to bring to Atlantic, the Gulf Trader is mind the warm immediacy of (for wedged securely just enough be­ instance) his memorable "Christ­ low the surface to be passed over mas Treason." Perhaps if it could repeatedly with no effort at rescue have been a longer book. . . ? or investigation. This month's non-junk award to On board the Unthan flagship, James White-and a Gold Star to the two officers who sacrificed their Ballantine Books for three-in-a­ own prospects of reaching jour­ row with originality, content, and ney's end, spend the rest of their craftsmanship. lives setting down text and precept and ritual which they hope will . sTARCHILn,• the Pohl-Wil­ enable the space-home genera­ liamson sequel to REEFS OP tions to survive the pressures of SPACE, is a rather more routine

'ITA.BCHJLD, Frederik Pobl and Jack Williamson; BallantiDe U2176, 1965; SO¢. FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION far-space adventure, brightened by for the genetic do-gooders-who spots of colorful effective imagery have, however, some well-done in which some of the more vivid genetics going for them. There is archetypes of traditional fantasy much freshness, and more surprise emerge in pseudo-science mas­ than you might think, in Mead's querade. description of human reactions to Even more routine, and with the baboon-like "new-mods," the only its easy-reading slick writing mutant improvement in the alien to make it worth mention as a no­ master-pian, and in the gradual strain alternative to television, is exposure of the motives and meth­ van Vogt's ROGUE SHIP 5-anoth­ ods of the invaders, even in the er "Universe"-type voyage, with knowledgeable farce on Mad Ave some extra effects provided by mores and patois-and believe-it­ (what I found) some most confus­ or-not, in the way the whole thing ing time-slippage metaphysics. ends. Most surprising of all is the Shepherd Mead brings the realization after the end that the aliens down to Earth in a tongue­ freshness was not limited to the . in-cheek novel so slickly readable handling of (essentially familiar) that its significance is almost lost components, but extended to the between the pacing and the par­ underlying thinking: that all the ody. Almost. fun and froth rests on a reasona­ Between gentle pokes at saucer­ bly respectable thematic base. watchers, beatnik artists, and homegrown engineers, and some­ The baboon-image, with modi­ what less gentle prods at Mad fications, pops up again in two re­ Ave, THE CAREFULLY CONSII>­ cent Berkley novels. 7 In MIND ERED RAPE OF THE WORLD 8 tells swiTCH (an expanded-but not a story of alien invaders using ad­ enough-version of his Galaxy vertising-and-market-research con­ short novel, "The Visitor at the trol psychology techniques (plus Zoo") Damon Knight builds up an odds and ends of alien super-tech­ empathetic portrait of what might nology) to take over for Man's be called the somapsychic distinc­ Own Good. A household of im­ tions between his human and alien probable semi-beats proves just im­ co-heroes, making use of the old mune enough to the mass-media device specified in the title to techniques to stir up some trouble fresh advantage. Then, having -.ocuE sHIP, A. E. van Vogt; Doubleday, 1965; $4.50; 213 pp. 'THE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED RAPE OF THE WORLD, Shepherd Mead; Simon 1: Schuster, 1966; $4.95. •MIND swiTcH, Damon Knight; Berkley, F1160, 1965; 50¢; 144 pp. A PLACU& oF DEMOHB, Keith Laumer; Berkley, F1086, 1965; 50¢; 159 pp. BOO ItS 45 demonstrated intriguingly the ef­ my evidently time-gilded memo­ fects of their new bodies on two in­ ries with its banal prose and card­ telligent and well-meaning crea­ board characters, but offered fresh tures-he just sort of stops, about evidence of the motive for such where the story seemed about to happy misremembering. The visual start. images are as vivid as ever; the In Laumer's chill-thriller the ease with which idea and action in­ title-A PLAGUE OF DEMONS­ terweave is a delight; and above serves notice that the "dog-things" all, there is structure-the pure, are baddies; in fact; he uses vir­ simple, rare art of story-telling. tually the whole catalog of s-f hor­ -JUDITH MERRIL ror-brains-in-machines, the lust­ ful hungry formless life-force, THE SPELL OF SEVEN, ed. L. hypnotic controls, an invulnerable Sprague de Camp, Pyramid, 50¢, man (and maybe some more I for­ 186 pp. Six solid novelets and one got). Fortunately, he throws these short story-a beauty by Lord in so fast that there are still long Dunsany, "The Hoard of the Gib­ stretches between-times where his belins" -all echter Sword & Sor­ talent for action and suspense nar­ cery. O'ertopping all by a grisly rative, and his good eye and ear head is Clark Ashton Smith's "The for human detail, create absorbing Dark Eidolon"-"And the cere­ and sometimes breath-holding ments of the mummies stirred and scenes. fell open at the bosom, and small rodent monsters, brown as bitu­ As always, when s-f is selling men, eyed as with accursed rubies, well, there has been a rash of resur­ reared forth from the eaten hearts rected "classics" pouring out of of the mummies like rats from their moldering pulp page into books, holes and chittered shrilly in hu­ most of them not even worth list­ man speech . . ."Everything else, ing. Two exceptions 8 are ADAM from the realism of de Camp's LINK, ROBOT, strung together out "The Hungry Hercynian" to the of the Eando Binder series in the louting, overblown madness of 1940-41 Amazing, which I found Michael Moorcock's "Kings in myself reading straight through in Darkness." By Robert E. Howard: spite of the primitive structure and "Shadows in Zamboula" -when pulp prose; and Kuttner's TIME will someone realize that "Beyond AXIs, from 1948-which upset the Black River" is the far-best

'ADAM LINK, ROBOT, Eando Binder; Paperback Library 52-847, 1965; 50¢; 174 pp. 'I'HE TIME AXIS, Henry Kuttner; Ace F-356, (no pub. date giyen for book; original magazine ca. 1948); 40¢; 142 pp. 46 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Conan novelet and "People of the roque horror story was cursed Black Circle" the best Conan short with somatic warps, a syphilitic novel? Also tales by Jack Vance father, and a genteel, coddling, and your anything-but-humble re­ spinsterish background. But by the viewer. exercise of curiosity, rationality, and observation, and by constant THE GHOUL D:EPERS, ed. Leo communication-in-depth with oth­ Margulies, Pyramid, 50¢, 150 pp. er writers, he grew saner every day Nine items from Weird Tales. Very he lived. Typical (p. 129-130): choice despite Mad-Magazine or ". . . ' I have recently wondered Ackermanish punning title. Lively whether or not my anti-erotic views tales, perhaps too naive for nerv­ are too hasty . . . It was my the­ ously hip modem publishers; yet ory that eroticism would diminish these charming wish-fulfilments do if thinkers would awake and turn not need to jeer at themselves in to more important phenomena. the modern manner. "Clair de . . . When I dissociate myself al­ Lune," by Seabury Quinn: perhaps together from humanity, and view the psychic detective Jules de the world as through a telescope, I Grandin was Hercule Poirot's twin, can consider more justly phenom­ but he was gustier, while his ad­ ena which at close range disgust ventures were the slickest, most me. Thus I am coming to be con­ sophisticated writing in the grand vinced that the erotic instinct is in old magazine that, I was once as­ the majority of mankind far strong­ sured by a cigar-stand owner, was er than I could ever imagine with­ bought only by musicians, New­ out wide reading and observation; Orleans femmes de nuit, and other that it relentlessly clutches the weirdos. Funniest ghost story ever: average person-even of the think­ "Please Go 'Way and Let Me ing classes-to a degree that makes Sleep," by Helen W. Kasson, Stan­ its overthrow by higher interests ley Weinbaum's sister. Sturgeon's impossible. . . . The only rem­ fantasia of crystal sets, home­ edy would seem to lie in the grad­ wound coils, and dreamy girls with ual evolution of society out of the lines: "The Martian and the Mo­ puritan phase, and the sanctioning ron." Ably supported by Bloch, of some looser morality or hetair­ Kuttner, Hamilton, Harry Alt­ ism .... surely, the decrease in shuler, and de Camp & Pratt. hypocrisy would make for a gain in wholesomeness." This is the at­ SELECTED LETTERS 1911-1924, by titude of a thoughtful a-sexual H. P. Lovecraft, Arkham House, Martian, or a celibate priest wiser Sauk City, Wis., $7.50, 362 than most-a cerebral victory over pp. This master of the ba- crippling emotional complexes. BOOKS 47

3 weird and wonderful novels from CHIOON DIAN OF THE LOST LAND By EDISON MARSHALL. In a prehistoric land deep In the Antarctic, a young scientist faces grisly monsters dating back to the dawn of human existence - and also meets the· beautiful priestess Dian. WILD AND OUTSIDE · By ALLEN KIM LANG. A hilarious blend of baseball, exo­ biology, extra-terrestrial ethnology, slam-bang adventure, . and pure fun - the story of baseball's introduction to an alien planet. THE WITCHES OF KARRES By JAMES SCHMITZ. Captain Pausert, visiting a distant planet, buys three lovely slave girls from their cruel master. Only then does he learn - too late! - that he has adopted three of the notorious Witches of Karres. "' $3.95 each, now at your bookstore. CHILTON BOOKS \!)

To ease his neuroses, Lovecraft and in slow social-emotional posed as an old man, joshed at growth against odds. pornography, enthused over talent­ DAGON AND OTHER MACABRE TALES, ed youngsters, sneered at effemi­ by H. P. Lovecraft, Arkham, nate men, cultivated literary ec­ $6.50, 413 pp. This completes centricities-salutations: "Illus­ Arkham's republishing of all of trissime!" "H'lo, Sonny!" "Rever­ Lovecraft's fiction first issued in end and Philatelic Sir:-" "Male­ those vast tomes THE OUTSIDER fious Hippocampus:-" "Hail, and BEYOND THE WALL OF hail! The gang's all here!" He also SLEEP. The 28 stories in this nursed passions for England, the book are uneven in quality, but in­ Age of Reason, Ancient Rome, and clude the memorable "The Festi­ cats. And he sometimes described val," "The Temple," ''The Strange non-North Europeans as if they High House in the Mist," "Dagon," were animated slime (though there and a powerful, socially-minded is no record of his ever having be­ science fiction, "In the Walls of haved meanly or discourteously to­ Eryx." Also: 5 juvenilia, 4 frag- · ward such-he married one.) This ments, and the encyclopedic essay, book i.'S. for those interested in "Supernatural Horror in Litera­ Lovecraft, in early fantasy-coter­ ture." ies, in the years his letters cover, -FRITZ LEIBER The colonists had survived for twenty years. They had cleared forest and jungle, built a town that would eventually be a city. In another generation, the colony could be declared a success. And then one day there came shambling into their little town a troop of some score of hairy creatures of a kind the colonists had never seen before . . .

TH-E COLONY

by Miriam Allen deFord

THEY WERE NOT STRANDED. It had been a hard life, but They were a deliberately gradually they were taming the planned colony of voluntary pi­ wilderness. They had cleared for­ oneers from an overcrowded est and jungle in the section in planet which they-like the na­ which they had landed because of tives of every human-inhabited its climatic likeness to their orig­ planet in every Galaxy-called inal home. At first purely agricul­ Earth, or The World. TheJ had tural, they were beginning to selected this planet after scouts create a focus in a town that in had investigated its terrain, its time would be a city-in still climate, its gravity, its at­ more time the capital of a great mosphere, the nature of its sun, nation, a city built then of stone and had ascertained the absence and glass instead of wood. They of any indications of an intelligent had everything essential to most native race. They had been there cultures except a cemetery-they 20 years. The first 250 had grown cremated their dead and scattered to more than a thousand, and the ashes. In another generation children had been born who were they would be able to declare the now young men and women­ colony a success, and to send word and who thought of the planet, (though it would take a long time alien to their parents, as Earth, or for the message to reach its desti­ The World. nation) that other colonies might 48 THl! COLONY settle elsewhere on the planet. It may have sounded like a Their spaceship still stood on strange and harsh ruling to com­ the charred ground where they pel them to evacuate the planet if had landed. Colonists whose only they discovered any human or duty it was kept it in good repair. potentially human inhabitants. So fully stocked had it been with Couldn't they, one wonders, have tools, seeds, all sorts of supplies come to terms with any such in­ to enable a civilized community telligent beings? Wasn't the to get started, that for a long time planet big enough to be shared? it had served as a warehouse or But it was based on bitter experi­ store-room; now most of its cargo ence. There had been other extra­ was either used up or in use, but planetary colonies planted by other it was kept carefully ready to take overcrowded worlds with which off again if ever that became their home, their Earth, was in necessary. Rather soon the attend­ communication. In every in­ ants began to take on the status stance, any attempt at cohabita­ almost of priests in a temple, and tion by two completely alien their maintenance job approached races had resulted in catastrophe: a ritual which the young people met either the colonists themselves increasingly with ridicule. had been wiped out, or they had There had been many problems been obliged to exterminate the and difficulties, of course. There original natives-and that neces­ were the jungle and the forest, sity was overwhelmingly repug­ there were rivers (though, know­ nant to a highly civilized people ing that they would not at first be like theirs. able to build boats, they had set­ And then one day there came tled in the middle of a continent, shambling into their little town far from any ocean). There were from the far-off jungle a troop of wild and dangerous animals. The some score of creatures of a kind one thing there was not-for oth­ the colonists had never seen be­ erwise they would, by their home­ fore. world Council's rules, have had to Like the beasts, these creatures leave at once-was intelligent were covered with thick hair. Oc­ beings who could be considered casionally they, especially the the equals or potential equals of young ones, dropped on all fours themselves. There were beasts and lurched ahead on their that sometimes walked almost up­ knuckles; but for the most part right, and that communicated they walked upright, though with one another by grunts and round-shouldered and with their howls, but there was no question heads inclined to the ground. And that these were beasts, not men. they chattered. So did many of the 50 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION animals, but this chatter sounded They did not possess the most almost like speech. Aside from advanced weapons of their native that, they had few characteristics planet, but they had been sup­ of humans as the colonists under­ plied with plenty of good service­ stood humanity-they were quite able firearms and ammunition. So naked, they performed the most far they had been able to deal with intimate functions casually and the wild beasts who threatened openly, they grabbed food wher­ them, by means of snares and ever they found it, and spat it out axes. But this was the emergency if it was not to their taste. But for which lethal weapons had they threw stones and wielded been given them. Most of the guns sticks, and they made fires. They were still stored in the ship; a made them of the nearest fences. party was organized immediately The colonists' first reaction was to get them and bring them back. spontaneous and inevitable. When Four hours after the nomads had the strangers moved into their fields wandered into the colony, the col­ and their streets, raided orchards onists gathered in a compact and markets, met resistance with regiment and systematically start­ violence, there was only one thing ed firing. to do, and that was to fight them off Three of the creatures fell and drive them away. The colonists dead, shot expertly through the were a peaceable people, descen­ head. The rest turned tail and dants of centuries of good, law­ dashed back whence they had abiding citizens of a peaceful come. There were mountains a world, but they could not be ex­ few miles to the east of the valley pected to let themselves be looted, which was now the colony, and injured, even killed. At first, reluc­ the foothills were full of caves. tant to treat these newcomers as Undoubtedly it was to these caves they would have treated invading that the aggressors were fleeing. animals not on the borderline of They had probably come from humanity, they tried to drive them, if they had not wandered them off with clubs, even to meet from still farther away. them with bare fists. But the As they ran, one of them sud­ strongest of them was no match denly reached out a hairy arm, for the immense strength of these seized a frightened girl who was creatures rather smaller than they; in their path, and ran on with his and after several young men had screaming captive held against been left bleeding or with broken him. Desperately the nearest men bones, and two of the older men shot after him, willing to kill his had died of their injuries, they victim too if necessary, rather than had no choice left. leave her to a worse horror. But THB COLONY 51 the bullets missed him. The troop be seen. The Chief Justice con­ disappeared in the distance. quered his disquiet and turned to She was a beautiful girl, just 18 the assembled throng. years old. Her name was Amritse; All over the hall people were her father was a farmer on the clamoring to speak first. Firmly, outskirts of the town. He led the and as soothingly as he could, the group that pursued the fleeing Chief Justice established order. creatures, his face grey, his eyes "You will all have a chance to staring, his gun triggered. But the give us your advice," he told colonists were soon outdistanced. them. "But first let us consider They led her broken father back what questions we must answer in to his companions who were car­ the face of this disaster." ing for their wounded. "First, can we protect our­ Their own dead they cremated, selves against a return of these in­ as was their custom; but the three vaders, or against another group dead invaders they buried, as they of them? And how?" did all inedible animals they "What about Amritse?" several killed. Only human beings were voices yelled. worthy of dissolution by pure fire. "I have not forgotten Amritse," When at last a shocked quiet the Chief Justice said sternly. "I had settled on the devastated col­ hope and believe, poor girl, that ony, the Chief Justice, who was she is dead. We have no idea how their highest official and by com­ many of these-these beings there mon consent their leader, called are; for us to leave our own terri­ a general meeting in the largest tory, try to find them in the jungle building of the town-which for or the caves, would be simple the present served them as audi­ suicide, and have small chance of torium, courtroom, school, and saving her. We must recognize church. Even the nearest relatives her as lost, just as our two com­ of the two murdered men were rades whose ashes are still warm there. Everyone came except the are lost to us." injured and Amritse's stricken Young people were jumping to parents. their feet, shouting him down, And one other. waving their fists in the air. For a Where is Aghonizzen the moment the Chief Justice was in Chief Justice wondered, looking danger of being mobbed and over­ uneasily about him. Aghonizzen whelmed. Then the men and was his son, and his righthand women of his own generation aide. His wife was dead; Aghoniz­ came to his rescue. Margotz, who zen was his sole hold on a per­ had been pilot of the spaceship sonal life. Now he was nowhere to 20 years before; Envereddin, who 52 PANTASY AND SCIENCE PJCTION had for a long time been the col­ toil and struggle, their farms and ony's only teacher; Lazzidir, its their homes and their burgeoning first doctor and now head of the town -all to be given up? The small hospital, all bestirred them­ long, weary search to begin again? selves. Slowly they calmed the And what if at the end they never excited protestors, gained silence found a habitable planet without for the Chief Justice to go on. He intelligent autochthons? Were they felt drained and shaken, but he to return, old and worn out, to the was not their leader for nothing. over-populated Earth whose lack "And the second thing we must of opportunity had driven them consider," he said, facing them out-where the vagaries of time down, "is whether these are intel­ would make that whole world a ligent beings, however primitive. world of strangers, their relatives If they are, we should be violating and friends long since dead? Council law, to which all of us It was the original colonists who founded this colony gave our through whose minds darted that unbreakable pledge, if we re­ bleak prospect. To, the young, na­ mained on this planet. We should tives of this planet, the whole idea be obligated to destroy all the evi­ was unbelievable. dences of our stay here, to activate "And I think," the Chief Justice our ship again, and under our went on, "that we shall have to instructions from home to set out decide the second matter before again to search for a suitable we can consider the first." world." Under his calm speech anxiety He shut his eyes and braced gnawed. What had happened to himself for the onslaught. He the boy? Was he lving somewhere, longed for Aghonizzen, who had hurt or dead? The last sight of the same charisma for the young him the Chief Justice had had, as he had for their parents, who had been in the midst of the bat­ would have been able to control tle. But he continued speaking. them and get them to think and And_ little by little he per­ talk logically about the problems suaded them. Envereddin, Lazzi­ before them. Where has he gone? dir, Margotz, others of the older he worried; and was afraid to let men and women came to his aid. himself guess. "There is no need for immedi­ But this time there was no up­ ate action," he said before he dis­ roar. What he had said seemed to missed the meeting. "It is most have struck his audience dumb. unlikely that these invaders will They sat and stared at him, young return soon, after losing three of and old alike. their number, or that another no­ Twenty years of sacrifice and madic band will arrive suddenly. THE COLONY 53. After all, in 20 years this is the rest and food. The girl was in much first such disaster. Talk things worse plight. Her right leg was over among yourselves, and in a broken, she had been savagely week or so we shall meet again beaten and was a mass of bruises, and come to some conclusion. and she remained completely un­ "One thing more I must say be~ conscious. Aghonizzen, as he laid fore we leave, and then I must go her down, gasped that until the day and see what I can do to comfort before she had been delirious, and Amritse's poor parents. I know she was in a high fever. He had some of you hot~headed youngsters had to gag her to keep her quiet, are eager to go in search of her. I lest they be heard by her captors. implore you not to do so. It is most The rest of the story, the doctor unlikely that she can still be alive, ordered, must wait. But after Am­ and you would almost certainly get ritse had been examined and cared yourselves killed. We have already for, Lazzidir was forced to ac­ lost enough, and we need you." knowledge to her frantic father and And as he watched the assembly mother that the girl had been re­ breaking up, some of them still peatedly violated. stunned into silence, others argu~ When the Chief Justice returned ing and urging, he felt within him to the hospital the following morn­ the frightened certainty that his ing, he found his son sufficiently own son had not waited for that recovered to be discharged. The warning. boy still showed the effects of his It was six days later that he terrible journey, but he was able to knew he was right. The Chief Jus~ go home to his own bed and to tell tice's first act after the meeting had his story, bit by bit, to his father. been to post sentries, day and His first words startled the Chief night, both in the town and on the Justice. outskirts of the settlement-strong "I had to go," he said. "Amritse young men, fleet of foot to raise an is my girl." alarm. It was a town sentry, late at How little we know of what goes night, who raised a cry. Exhausted, on in the minds and hearts of our stumbling under his burden, dirty children, thought the older man. and ragged and with his hair mat~ He had been so close always to the ted with dried blood from a scalp boy, but he had never suspected. wound, Aghonizzen staggered into And under his surprise was a little the town. And in his arms he bore glow; Aghonizzen had said "is," not the unconscious girl. "was." He would not have wanted a At the hospital they sent for his son whose love could be destroyed father and for her parents. All he by the loved one's misfortune. himself needed was first aid and In short bursts-sometimes he 54 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION even dozed off in between­ her in his arms. She had been Aghonizzen at last gave the whole bound with tough vine-stems; he account. He had started out only was not near enough to catch more minutes after Amritse had been than a bare sight, but he could hear abducted, before any of the others, her moaning. It was all he could do but even in his agony and despair to hold himself back. But he knew he had kept his head. He knew any possibility of saving her would there was no chance of rescuing be gone forever if he showed him­ her by force. The band was out of self now; he would have been tom sight but their trail was clear, and to pieces instantly. In his haste he at times he could even hear their had not even armed himself; he blundering progress through the had no weapon of any kind. As forest. Obviously they were heading soon as they had picked up and for the foothills. started off again, he followed the It was night before he caught up trail. with them. In the moonlight they In his night's· vigil he had been lay sprawled on the ground, sound able to get a better idea of the crea­ asleep, even they worn out by tures. There were 14 of them, he the day's excitement. He ap­ knew now, counting three who had proached cautiously, pretty sure shared the trees with the abductor. they would have posted a sentry, Since three had been shot, there and he had guessed correctly. Prob­ had been I 7 who had invaded the ably no alien could have the inti­ colony. Eight of those left were mate mastery of this wild territory children or young adolescents; five which the natives had, but Aghon­ were adult females. The three the izzen had lived always in a half­ colonists had killed had been pioneer community, and he too young males of about his own age. knew how to walk noiselessly and So the only full-grown male was stay unobserved. From a safe dis­ the abductor himself, and he must tance he watched, and as he ex­ be their leader, or perhaps the pected saw one of the creatures father of a polygamous family. standing by the embers of their fire. The implications of that sent a But search as he might, he could cold shudder through Aghonizzen's catch no glimpse of Amritse. body, but there was still no way to He watched all night, until they rescue Amritse except by strategy. awoke and began to move on again. And now he realized another thing Then he saw that some of them had -the tying with vine-tendrils slept, not on the ground, but in the meant an ability beyond that of any lower branches of the trees. And he lower animal: however unevolved saw the heavy male who had seized or degraded, these were intelligent the girl descend from a tree with beings equivalent to man, and by THE COLONY 55 Council law the colonists would and they had already used up what have no choice but to abandon the had been close at hand. The sentry planet. turned his back and walked off a But not without the girl, Aghon­ dozen steps. He began to gather izzen vowed, unless he himself met wood, his head bent. death first. Risking ev~rything, Aghonizzen It was on the third night that his took his one chance. Hardly breath­ opportunity came. ing, he sped to the bush, swiftly It seemed incredible, careful as untied the tendril tht held the girl he had been, that the sentries had to it, lifted her slight body, and not caught sight or sound of him. dashed away. He slept by snatches, waking at the Fortunately she did not wake or least noise. What food he ate was cry; perhaps they · had fed her wild fruit or berries; he dared not soporific herbs to keep her quiet. light a fire, even if he had been So silent was he that the sentry was able to snare some small animal. not alerted. Aghonizzen was al­ Thirst was beginning to tell on him most out of hearing, and quite out when he came on them again that of sight, before the sentry returned night, and found them camped on to his round and discovered the the banks of a river. captive missing. There were no trees bordering it Then, as he had known would large enough to bear the leader's happen, there were outcries and weight. He lay snoring a little way hubbub, and the chase was on. from the rest of them. And Amritse, Abruptly, stopping only for a deep still bound and either asleep or drink of river water, Aghonizzen unconscious, lay tied to a sturdy changed his course. Relatively in­ bush, by his side. The sentry this telligent these creatures might be, time was pacing the camp. Now, but they were no match for the however, because of the river, he tactics of a civilized human. They had only three sides to cover. would expect him to return the Aghonizzen watched him with way he had come. Instead, he went straining eyes. Back and forth he at right angles, making for the for­ paced, his head cocked for any est. As soon as he reached it he sign of danger. The fire, which ap­ searched for a hiding-place. Light parently they kept burning to ward as the girl was, and now emaciated off predatory beasts, was almost too, he also was near the end of his out. strength. It was in pulling her into He watched the sentry searching the thick underbrush that the the ground for twigs to feed it. In jagged end of a broken tree-branch this more open country, there were slashed his scalp. There was noth­ fewer of them than in the forest, ing he could do about that but 56 FANTASY AND SCIBNC!l FICTION brush the blood out of his eyes un­ of fear that the marauders would til the bleeding stopped of its own come again. By this time they were accord. Holding tightly to Amritse, confident that there would be no he fell into exhausted slumber. expedition of vengeance. The mem· When he awoke it was broad ory-span of the aborigines was too daylight. His first thought was of short, the power of their chief too the girl. She was awake now, her limited, for a renewed attack. eyes open, but there was no recogni­ "There is no doubt that these are tion in them. As he lifted her she intelligent beings, sparse and no­ whimpered in terror. His soothing madic as the population may be," words met no response. He must Aghonizzen told them. "They are get help as soon as possible, or he far too primitive and savage for us feared she would die. He listened to negotiate with them; the only intently and heard nothing except way we could maintain ourselves in bird-calls and the rustlings of safety on this planet would be by small animals. He laid her gently exterminating them. That, as we on the ground and climbed the all know, and as my father has al­ nearest tree as high as he could ready said, would be a violation of clamber. Between the forest and the law by which we are bound. We the invisible river there was no made a mistake, however inno­ sign of his enemies. He climbed cently, and we must pay for it." down again and, dread in his heart A burly young named Brogdin, but urgency in his gait, hurried as bandaged still on both his shoul­ best he could in the direction of ders, sprang to his feet. He was a the town. troublemaker, and he had follow­ "She will live," -Lazzidir said. ers. But like any colonist he had a "Whether she will regain her rea­ right to express his views. son I can't tell yet. But we can "We are no longer bound by hope." Council rules!" he shouted. "This is By the time the second meeting our world now; our fathers and we was called, Aghonizzen had recov­ have worked for 20 years to build a ered sufficiently to be able to ad­ home in it. I say, let's forget the dress it. The Chief Justice's advisers old formalities and protect our­ had gathered in his house and selves! These animals surprised us heard the story first. A long discus­ once and got away with it. It's not sion followed, and by the time the going to happen again, Council colonists had filled the auditorium rules or no Council rules. Who'll the leaders' decisions had been join me in an armed campaign to made. hunt these creatures and wipe out Every colonist able to travel was all of them wherever we can find in the hall. They had spent a week them?" THE COLONY 57 It was touch and go; there was significantly at Lazzidir. Reluc­ imminent danger that Brogdin tantly, the doctor stood up. would stampede the meeting. It "We had hoped," he said, "that I was Envereddin, who had taught would not have to reveal this. Un­ them all, who saved the day. She happily, we have absolute proof. raised her arms, and the tumult So far, only the few most nearly halted. concerned know about it. As many "We are civilized men and of you have had occasion to know women," she said mildly. "We are from experience, one thing we not an invading army on this brought from Earth, our home­ planet; we are peaceful colonists. planet, was the most advanced The first-comers were all chosen by medical techniques and facilities. the Council and we are the repre­ It is little more than two weeks sentatives of an advanced society. since the attack on our colony. But We are not going to revert to the the tests I have made are positive. condition of the brutes we find Yes, these are human beings. now are the original inhabitants. "Amritse is pregnant." "Is that the kind of instruction I There were gasps and groans. gave you young people when you Amritse's mother burst into sobs. were all my promising pupils?" And her father, his face ashen, said There was some shamefaced in a barely audible voice : "Our laughter, and the commotion died poor daughter has been driven mad down. by her terrible calamity. My wife To the Chief Justice's surprise, and I would far rather see her dead the next objection came from the than have this further horror in­ oldest colonist-Megardis, whose flicted on her. we· are hoping to husband had died in their first persuade Lazzidir to grant a peace­ year, leaving her to work their ful death to her and-and the farm alone. child." "I am not satisfied, Chief Jus­ The doctor shook his head firm­ tice," she said, "that just because ly. But before he could speak, these creatures strike us with stones Aghonizzen jumped up. and clubs, or know how to tie vine­ "Listen, all of you," he cried, his tendrils or kindle fires, this is proof voice breaking. "The child-yes. they are fully human. On our own Lazzidir will know about that, and Earth we had apes who could do it is justified by our laws. But almost as much. But they were not Amritse-I love Amritse, and classed as human beings, and we when she was herself she loved me. were free to kill them if they at­ Amritse is my chosen wife, whether tacked us." she ever recovers or not. But she The Chief Justice glanced wiU recover-1 shall cure her by 58 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION my love and care, and she will be ing. Perhaps he was; perhaps he again what she was before, this was among the many who were bar­ dreadful thing forgotten. ricading themselves nightly in "But not if we must stay on here, their houses and going armed about in constant danger of another raid their work, in fear of a return of by some band of these savages. My the savages, the many whose nerves father and the wisest minds among could not endure the thought of us all say we must go, either back months more of waiting until a to the old home or on to find an­ message could be sent a,nd other. They have many reasons, returned. The Chief Justice was not and they are all good. But I, who sure he could keep his hold on the was born here like so many of us, assembly if he accused so revered and have never known any other an elder of sabotage. His mind, home, implore you to vote to go, for conditioned to legality, was un­ Amritse's sake if for no other rea­ easy, but he decided upon the lesser son!" evil. The vote was almost unanimous. "Then that's that," he said calm­ "Margotz," the Chief Justice said ly. "We must make up our own then, "you are in charge of our minds. We shall proceed at once to communication system. Exactly pack our belongings and move into how long will it take to tell Earth the ship. There were only 250 of us what has happened and to receive who came here in it, but it has a their orders?" capacity of five times that number. The ex-pilot rierved himself. Then we must systematically de­ "After our talk last night," he stroy every trace of our sojourn said, "I went to the ship. It is 20 here. Some day thousands of years years since our transplanetary ra­ in the future these aborigines will dio was activated. I examined it become civilized, and they must with the chief attendant. It is no never know that aliens from Earth, longer operative, and it is beyond which to them is a far-off world repair with ou,r facilities. We must under another sun, have ever come make our own decision without in­ here. structions from home." "All we still have to determine is The Chief Justice gazed at him whether we are to seek another keenly. Margotz was the only one planet in another solar system of them, except a young man he where we can plant a new colony, was training to be his successor, or to return to Earth and either who had the necessary knowledge. remain there or join another colo­ It did not seem possible that the nial quest later." radio could deteriorate; but nobody What he shrewdly guessed could prove that Margotz was ly- would happen came about. Most of THE COLONY 59 the older men and women longed the carbon-14 test, showed an age to die where they were born; the of approximately 30,000 years. less adventurous among the young In the second month of the pro­ either were indifferent or were ject, they made their first find. eager to exchange the hardships of Gundlichen himself was in charge pioneering for the amenities of when a worker unearthed a fossil­ civilization. A month later, their ized human thigh bone. Slowly fields were bare, their building~ and with infinite care three human were leveled and the structural skeletons were uncovered, lying materials destroyed, their movable tangled together as if they had been property was aboard the ship. The thrown into a common grave. They jungle would soon grow back in were in a stratum still lower than the clearings. the one in which Gundlichen had The first extraterrestrial colony found tools and charcoal the year on that planet had disappeared. before. They were all male, and young. In 1969, by permission of one They were of the Neanderthal type of the new African governments, -the first of that race to have been a team of archaeologists from two discovered in Africa. European countries and the United The skeletons were photo­ States were undertaking a joint ex­ graphed in situ preparatory to cavation under Professor Gundli­ their removal. Then the finicky chen, whose previous digs in the operation began. Gundlichen bent district had made it strongly prob­ down and inserted his fingers deli­ able that fossil remains of ancient cately under the nearest head as man would be found there. In pre­ soon as it had been freed. Nearly vious expeditions flint tools had the whole s~aff was there watching. been unearthed, and the remains Suddenly he turned ghastly of wood fires whose charcoal, by white and dropped the fossil. skull

ITS CORRECT TO CLIP! Fllling in the coupon on the next page oilers the following advantages& 1. Guaranteed monthly delivery to your door of the best in science fic­ tion and fantasy reading. 2.. Reduced rate-it's cheaper to subscribe than to buy your copies at the newsstand. · 3. An essentially unmarred copy of this issue-the coupon is backed up with this box, and its removal does not affect the text of the surrounding material. 60 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION back into its resting-place. Pem­ he turned to his two colleagues­ berton, the British archaeologist, "will you wait here a minute? who happened to be beside him, There's something I'd like to talk caught him before he collapsed. over with you." The others hurried over. When the three distinguished "What is it? Is it his heart?" archaeologists were alone, Gundli­ somebody asked. Gundlichen ral­ chen seemed to have difficulty in lied and pulled himself upright. speaking. He was still pale, and ''I'm all right," he said brusque­ his eyes glittered. ly. "You!" he called to the native "We shall of course apply the foreman. "Tell the men to stop carbon-14 test to these bones," he work at once." said at last. "I have no doubt that Phlegmatically the workers we shall find these fossils even dropped their implements and older than the material I dug up stood aside. last year. "Go home," Gundlichen said. "So-what do you make of this?" "Do not come back till tomorrow." He stooped again and raised the The puzzled professionals closest skull. It rattled, and some­ glanced at one another in perplex­ thing fell out into his hand. ity. Gundlichen was their chief, "O'Brien," he said, "look at the but what was wrong? The old man other two." achieved a smile. Completely at a loss for words, "We'll go on tomorrow, ladies the three men stood staring at the and gentlemen," he said suavely. incredible things. "Something's come up that I want Inside each of those Neander­ to study before we proceed further. thaloid skulls there had been a Pemberton, and you, O'Brien"- steel bullet. ------Mercury Press, Inc., 347 East 53 Street, New York, N. Y. 10022 F5 Send me The Magazine of FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION. enclose 0 $5.00 for one year 0 $9.00 for two years. 0 $12.50 for three years.

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Address •••..•...••••••••.••••••••• • · · • • • • • • • • • • · • · • • · · · • • • · • City • • • • • • • . • • . . . • . . . . . State . • . . . • . • • • • • • • • • • • • Zip # ...... Whether more things go wrong with suburban homes or In them is an eternal dispute between plumbers and psychiatrists which we do not intend to drag into these pages. We all know, however, that a lot of things always seem to need fixing out there. Take Pete and Gretchen Goodwin, for instance, whose new house had seagulls in the sink, bobcats in the shower staU, white mice in the conversation pit and black fu"Y things under the bed. These are problems which clearly require professional help-this time in the person .of Max Kearny, who reluctantly returns to his old hobby, occult detection.

BREAKAWAY HOUSE

by Ron Goulart

GRETCHEN GooDWIN STEPPED now and standing on tip toe. into the kitchen area, then stepped "Maybe I could call an extermi­ out and screamed tentatively. nator." Pete Goodwin came running "It's against the law to exter­ from the den comer of the recrea­ minate a seagull," Pete said. "Cut tion area. "What is it?" it out,'' he whispered to the bird. "There's," said his wife, nod­ "Maybe Mr. Hazzard with Dill­ ding at the sink, "a seagull sitting man/Eclectic Homes could help,'' on the chafing dish." suggested Gretchen. "We have had Pete still had their checkbook all kinds of problems since we in his hand. He slipped it into his moved into San Xavier Acres." hip pocket as he ·approached the Pete reached out and tried to sink. "Yeah, that's a seagull all­ open the window above the sink. right." Masking the gesture with "I can cope with a seagull." He his body Pete made a get-out-of­ couldn't get the window to open. here motion with his thumb. He "All the windows stick," said stepped closer to the dingy brown Gretchen. "I told Mr. Hazzard bird and winked. "I'll try and shoo about it twice." him away, honey." Pete got the seagull by the feet "Be careful,'' said Gretchen. and carried it to the front door of She was a big blonde girl, pale the house. The bird said, "Awk,'' 61 62 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION once but didn't otherwise object. Magnin's and Robert Kirk this "Won't you make him dizzy month." carrying him upside down like "I won't bother you. I'll get to that?" asked Gretchen. work on my children's book." Her husband tossed the bird "Which one is this?" out toward their lawn. "Whose "Kevin The Conveyor ·Belt," side are you on'?" said Gretchen. "It's just that it's ten miles from "Good," said Pete. He fished the Bay and he'll need a clear head out the check book and headed to fly home." back for the den corner. Pete closed the door. "I'll get "Pete," said Gretchen. back to paying the bills. Okay?" "Um'?" "Pete," said Gretchen. "There is "Listen." something wrong with this house. 'To what'?" Why don't you admit it'?" "Hear that dripping?" "All new houses have a few "No." kinks in them." 'Well, listen." She started for 'We've been here two weeks. the bedroom. "In the closet," she And we've had seagulls in the sink said, pointing. and a bobcat in the shower stall Pete opened the door. Some­ and white mice in the conversa­ thing was dripping into his tennis tion pit and whatever those black shoes. "What the hell." furry things were under the bed "It's not raining and there are­ that night," said Gretchen. "Not n't any pipes in here." to mention the windows that stick Pete got on his hands and knees and the doors that don't open and and took a sample of the dripping the legs that fall off sofas and the liquid on his forefinger. He sniff­ canisters and apothecary jars that ed, then tasted. "Maple syrup." He jump off shelves, Pete." looked up into the closet. "Seems "It's better than the apartment to be coming from under my sports we had in San Francisco, isn't it?" car cap." He flicked up the hat and "No," said his wife. "I think it's the dripping stopped. There was haunted." nothing on the shelf beneath the Pete grunted. "San Xavier Acres cap. "Huh," he said. is only two months old. Before the "Poltergeists," said Gretchen. houses were here this was just Pete didn't answer her. empty fields. How could it have ghosts?" Max Kearny hurried through "Well, poltergeists then." the fog and up the steps of the grey Pete said, "I've got to figure Victorian apartment building. how we can settle with Macy's, There was no mail on the eagle- BREAKAWAY HOUSE 63 footed table in the hallway, which "Nope," said Jillian, stepping probably meant his wife was home back from the table. "It's the Good­ ahead of him. wins." He let himself into the ground "Pete and Gretchen?" floor apartment and said, "JU­ "Yes." lian?" "Pete and Gretchen are mixed "In the kitchen," called his up in something occult?" asked wife. Max. "Gee, I can see Pete as just Jillian, a slim, auburn haired going on as a copywriter with girl, was bent over a card table. Jarndyce & Jarndyce and Gretchen On the table were a dozen sand­ writing Gordon The Garbage wiches. Truck and so on. But I don't see "Job?" saked Max. Jillian was a them as possible clients for a food consultant to ad agencies. ghost detective." "Yes," she said. "Do any of these Jillian said, 'They've got pol­ look appetizing?" tergeists." Max studied the sandwiches. Max frowned. "At that new "No. What's in them?" tract house of theirs?" "Watercress. We've got to get an "Yes," said Jillian and told him appetizing shot of a watercress what had been happening to the sandwich." Good wins. "Who's the client?" "That doesn't sound like polter­ "Watercress Advisory Board." geists quite." "That one with the green olive "Do you think you could inves­ on top isn't so bad looking," said tigate?" Max. He kissed Jillian and then "I suppose," said Max. "Is that sat on a yellow stool. what Pete and Gretchen want?" "Max?" "Gretchen asked me,'" said JU­ "Yeah?" lian. "I don't think Pete wants any­ "Do you ever get the urge ~o take body to look into it. Which is kind up your old hobby again?" of odd. Anyway, we're invited for "Occult detective work?" Max dinner Thursday night. Want to?" shrugged. "Not too much." He nar­ Max hesitated. Then said, rowed one eye and watched Jil­ "Okay." lian. "Why?" "I've got a case for you if you Pete Goodwin scratched at his want to take it." short blond hair and said, "Gretch­ Max said, "You've got a knack en exaggerates, Max. We're still on for working a little magic yourself. our shakedown cruise with this Is this something you've gotten house and little things are going messed up in?" to show up." 64 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Max watched the sherry in his "That's us," Gretchen told Max glass. "Of course, Jillian and I are and Jillian. apartment types so far. But maple "None of our other modern liv­ syrup in the closets and bobcats in ing homes," said Hazzard, "seem the shower. That stuff sounds un­ to be having the trouble you peo­ usual, Pete." ple are." "Ufe is different in the sub­ "It's okay," said Pete. "Don't fret urbs, Max." about it, Mr. Hazzard. New houses A soaking wet man stepped out can be quirky." of the bathroom. He was small and "Dillman/Eclectic has built his thick dark hair was running nineteen developments since onto his ears and forehead. 19 53. All of our homes are notably Gretchen yelped. "Mr. Haz­ quirk free." Hazzard combed his zard." hair and then shrugged several "I was," said Hazzard, shaking times in his wet suit. himself, "standing on your front "We're happy here," said Pete. stoop, I rang the chimes and some­ "Some of the other folks," said how found myself in the shower Hazzard, "particularly Lots 22 stall." and 23, have the notion, and I "These new houses," said Jil­ don't want a panic to start, that lian, tapping Max's knee. you people are haunted." "I don't want to intrude on your "People gossip a lot in the sub­ cocktail hour," said Hazzard. His urbs," said Pete. He took Haz­ suit gave off a smoky smell. zard's arm and guided him toward Pete had stepped over into the the door. kitchen area. He caught an orange "If it spreads," said Hazzard. towel and flipped it to Hazzard. "You get into some warm "Mr. Hazzard," he explained, "sold clothes. I'll drop over to your of­ us this house. He's with Dillman/ fice after work tomorrow and talk Eclectic, builders of San Xavier to you." Pete helped Hazzard out Acres." into the night. ''The shower was on when I "Pete," his wife said. found myself in it," said Hazzard, "Guys in the sales end of things toweling his head. are all twitchy." ''We have trouble getting "But Pete," said Gretchen, "he enough hot water," Gretchen said. got teleported from the front door "I didn't notice." Hazzard blot­ into the bath." ted his face and patted his shirt "We can go into our personal front with the towel. "I had a rea­ problems when we don't have son for popping over, folks. I'm a guests," said Pete. He came back little worried about Lot 26." into the conversation sector and BREAKAWAY HOUSE 65 picked up a wedge of feta cheese. "TTtis gnome was the seagull "Max," said Gretchen. "What and the bobcat?" do you think?" "Probably," said Max, wander­ Max looked across at Pete. ing around the bedroom barefoot­ "Teleportation isn't a feature of ed. "They're given to pranks. They the average house." can also turn invisible if they Pete said, ''Drop it, Max." want to. Which would explain the "It's a ghost, isn't it?" Gretchen other tricks. At least some of asked. them." Max drank some of his wine. "But why doesn't Pete admit "If it is, it's Pete's ghost. And he that something's wrong?" doesn't seem to want to talk about "Well," said Max, "maybe be­ it." Max set down his glass and cause he's met the gnome. Their glanced at the spot where Hazzard house, Lot 26, is probably over an had been standing. He rose and underground cave or something." went over. "You mean the gnome might Next to a pair of damp foot­ have a treasure hidden there?" prints was a scattering of dirt. The asked Jillian. ''That's what gnomes dirt was dry and as Max touched do isn't it?" it it glittered faintly gold. Max nodded. "It could be Pete's Back on the sofa next to Jillian interested in the treasure." Max said, "When's your next kids' "Is it dangerous?" book coming out, Gretchen?" "Sure," said Max. "Never trust "Randell The Rotary Press? In a gnome." September." The blonde girl jerked "Are you going to investigate?" to her feet. "I'll go look after din­ "No," said Max. "I don't want ner." to get into a frumus with Pete over Jillian put her hand on Max's this. He was pretty nasty about it knee and squeezed slightly. tonight." "There's Gretchen to think J illian was sitting cross legged about." on the end of their bed. Her hair Max sat on the bed. "She's not was down, touching her shoulders. a very good cook, is she?" "But why a gnome?" she said. "With a gnome in the house, Max untied his shoes. "Because who would be. But, Max, you will I get the feeling it's some kind of help them?" elemental. Those clumps of dirt. Max said, "If Pete asks me to. I think the gnome has them cling­ Otherwise, no." ing to him. Those little guys live Jillian bit her lip. underground, you know. And they can change shape usually." Pete Goodwin rolled silently 66 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION out of bed, listening carefully to outwit you and you'll have to tum the sleeping Gretchen. He skulked the treasure over to me." across the thin carpet and ducked Blum shuddered. "I wish you'd into the hall. never stumbled onto my lair." He moved quietly through the "I have a nose for this kind of dark, still house and edged through stuff," said Pete. the door to the garage. Kneeling in "Suppose I gave you one gold front of the Volkswagen he pushed nugget. Would you vacate then?" aside cardboard cartons. "One nugget? That won't even Beneath a packing case of back settle what we owe Macy's." issues of The New Yorker was a "Two is as high as I could go," hole, some three feet in diameter. said Blum. "Once I gave a shep­ The hole glowed faintly blue. herd three nuggets for taking a "Blum," said Pete. "Hey, Blum." thorn out of my foot and I caught The hole went quite deep and some awful trouble from the high­ Pete's voice echoed. er ups." "Ready to compromise?" said a "Let me cross the barrier," said burred voice. Pete. "And just look at the gold "We're not going to move," said anyway." Pete. "But look, Blum, I've got The gnome caught his hat by its friends with a lot of occult knowl­ brim and shook his head. "No, no. edge. If you don't turn over some I can get in dutch merely for talk­ of the treasure I'll have something ing to you. Come on, Peter. I've put drastic done to you." centuries into being a gnome. It's A chubby man, some two feet the only thing I know. Don't blow high, rose up out of the hole. He it for me." wore a conservative suit and a "But all that gold," said Pete. checkered hat. "Peter, I've told "Right here, under foot." you. I only work here. The treas­ "I'm warning you, Peter. All ure belongs to the higher ups. The the stops are going to get pulled really influential gnomes. I'm just out," said Blum, jabbing with his here to watch it." thumb. "Whoops," he cried and ''Thev wouldn't miss a little dived back into the hole. gold," said Pete. Pete reached out to catch him "I'm in enough trouble al­ but his hand was stopped at floor ready," said the gnome. "I tried to level by an invisible shield. Then scare the builders away and that Pete thought to look behind him didn't work. I've been deviling and see what had caused the you and your bride and that isn't gnome to bolt. working." He turned and saw a flash of "Sooner or later I'm going to polka dot nightgown retreating. BREAKAWAY HOUSlt He held his breath while he moved HI hope she's not botching up the boxes back over the hole. that gnome, Max. We're friends and all, but I need that gold." Max Kearny swung his car into "I wasn't going to do a damn the driveway of the Goodwin thing for or against you. But now house. He jumped out and ran my wife's involved.'' He pulled across the mist damp lawn and Pete toward the garage. toward the front door. As he rang "Could you really work some­ the bell Pete came around the thing on Blum," said Pete. "That's house from the garage. the gnome, Blum. We could split "Is Jillian here?" Max said. the treasure fifty-fifty." "Isn't Gretchen over visiting ''I'm afraid he's worked some­ her?" thing on Jillian and Gretchen." "No, damn it," said Max. "What "They weren't around the house are you and your gnome up to?" anywhere when I got home from Pete widened his eyes. work." Pete stopped next to the "Gnome?" boxes that had been over the Max jumped off the welcome gnome hole. They were pushed mat and down to the cobblestones aside and the hole glowed in the next to Pete. He grabbed his arm. dim garage. "I was just coming "Gretchen saw you last night, you in to check here when you drove nitwit. She called Jillian and up. I guess they have been prying." asked for help." Max knelt next to the hole. Face "She did?" down at its edge was one of the oc­ "Look," said Max. He jerked a cult volumes from his library. note out of his coat pocket. Elementals & How To Beat Them. "I didn't know Jillian printed "Jillian," Max called. like that," said Pete, studying the ''You're not down there are you, note. Gretchen?" said Pete over Max's "Read the thing." shoulder. " 'Since you won't help Gret­ Finally a voice answered. "You chen I really think I have to tackle guys. You guys. Have you really that gnome mvself,' " read Pete. any idea what you're doing to me." " 'Pete is completely ensnared by Up from the hole came Blum. the thing.' That's a subjective "My wife," said Max, turning judgment. 'Gretchen saw him carefully to the index of the anti­ pleading with it in their garage gnome book. last night. I think I can work a "She's down here with Mrs. spell or two on the thing and get Goodwin," said Blum. "Here they rid of it.'" stay, too. Until you squatters pack "Now where's Jillian?" up." 68 PANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Max ignored him and read "Where's Pete?" said Gretchen. briefly in the book. He turned to "Asleep against the Volkswag­ Pete and said, "I'm going down en," said Max. "I want them both there. I want you to stay up here." released." "No. I want to see the gold." "You've got to promise to go Max gritted his teeth and swung away," said Blum. at Pete's jaw. "Oof," said Pete. "Max," said Jillian. "On that "Hey, Max." little table over there." Max swung a~ain. "Sorry." He Max dived for a portable card managed to knock his friend down table. On it was a memo size sheet with two more blows. of paper. It said: "All gold must Then he spun and muttered a be away by midni~ht. S:te to be quick spell. vacat"d and gnome Blum to report Blum blanched. "Everybody's for reassignment. While no direct invading my privacy today." He charge is made, the authorities are retreated. not pleased with gnome Blum's Max found nothing to block handling of matters." him. "I saw it while he was chasing Stone steps twisted in half cir­ us around," said Jillian. cles down and around. Far under "I'm making a last ditch try to the garage was a long low cavern. salva~e something," said Blum. Sitting in one corner, surrounded "Maybe if you all go away the by a ring of ma~ic fire, were a higher ups will let me stay.'" dusty Jillian and a grimy Gret­ ''You can't ignore an official chen. Near them were bricks-and­ memo." boards shelves on which were laid Blum grimaced, his hands out several dozen bright gold nug­ working at his hat brim. "Things gets. Shelves on all the other walls have been so trying lately. The were empty. tensions, the failures." ''You're perceptive," said Blum. "I'll even help you pack," of­ ''You knew that in order to beat fered Max. me you have to be uninterested in The little gnome sighed. "Very my gold." well. You can have your respec­ "Right. Which is why I didn't tive wives back." want Pete along." Max said, "That doesn't look "And it doesn't tempt you?" like very effective magic fire any­ "Not at the moment. Are you way." okay, J illian ?" He moved nearer to "So I'm a second rate gnome," his wife. said Blum. He waved at the circle ''Yes,"_ said Jillian. "I'm sorry I of fire around the girls and it went botched things." out. BREAKAWAY HOUSI 69 Jillian and Gretchen stepped Blum hunched his shoulders. free. "Shall we go back up?" Jil­ '1 spent a half a century under lian said. Pittsburgh once. I hope they don't "Right," said Max. send me back there." The girls left the cavern and Max . stepped back from the Blum said, "Want one gold nug­ gnome, turned and went up the get?" stairs. Max shook his head. "I haven't In the garage he put his arm been interested in that sort of around Jillian while Gretchen thing since the day I got married. tried to explain to Pete why they Sorry." didn't have any treasure.

Coming next month . . • While the raft floated placidly along the rWer, the sun gave an alarming pulse. A purple film formed upma ahe surface like tarnish, then dissolved. The earth is dying, and in its last days magic haunts its surface. Cugel the Clever, having attempted fraud upon Iucounu, the Laugh­ ing Magician, has been charged with a terrible quest. He obtained the magic cusp lucounu sent him for in THE OVER­ WORLD (Dec., 1965), but found his troubles were only begun­ for he was half the world away from his homeland of Almery and lucounu, and must return as best he could, on foot, with the demon Firx clenched about his viscera to remind him with terrible pangs of his need to return without dallying. First he crossed the MOUN­ TAINS OF MAGNATZ (February, 1966), and then encountered THE SORCERER PHARESM (April, 1966). Now he joins a band of pilgrims in their trek to Ene Damath for the Lustral Rite at the Black Obelisk, and enlists their aid on a further leg of his ~urney, in THE PILGRIMS, Jack Vance's penultimate story of Cugel the Clever and.the Dying Earth. THE SCIENCE SPRINGBOARD

BEAMED POWER by Theodore L. Thomas

HIGH ON THB LIST OF RESEARCH cent efficient, the system will have projects these days is the problem an efficiency of only 7 3 percent. of beamed power. Beamed power is If the present goals can be ob­ the transmission of power by radio tained, and if high power levels can waves. But instead of the usual ra- be reached, then no wires will be dio waves, the beamed power proc- needed for the transmission of ess will use the shorter electromag- power. Helicopters will hover in­ netic radiation known as micro- definitely and can be used as plat­ waves. The wave lengths used most forms for weather observation and often have a length of 4 centimeters for radar and television relay sta­ and I 0 centimeters. In five years of tions. Cities will be powered by a research, the power output in the chain of microwave stations. These I 0 centimeter range has gone up by things have all been predicted as a factor of 25. the work progresses. Microwave power transmission But the recent power blackout demands three tricky pieces of in the Northeast will be child's equipment. First, there must be a play compared to what can happen device that converts electrical en- to beamed power. Reflectors posi­ ergy to microwave energy. Second, tioned in a beam will chop off the there must be a device that trans- power supply completely. Gaseous mits a beam of microwave radia- clouds of microwave absorbers can tion. Third, there must be a device be released from a distance to drift that converts the microwave energy over the network and black it out; back to electrical energy. That's ionized gases will do very nicely. your power system. In short, the beamed power re- Each of these devices must oper- search will solve technical problems ate efficiently. You cannot tolerate of great complexity and yet if used much in the way of heat losses, will render us vulnerable to the beam spreading, or reflection. If work of any passing enemy or each of the three devices is 90 per- crackpot. 70 The space program had been flat on its back since the Great Depression of 1978. This shot was an opener-a one man, cut•rate trip to Mars. The missiOn was clear enough: To grab some impressive looking data on the fly-anything which might reap enough publicity and, eventuaUy, money, to make more trips pomble. There were no clear instruc­ tions on what to do if the tLlta grabbed back.

FLATTOP

by Greg Benford

IT WAS STRAIGHT OUT OF THE but not another lump of rock book. A gray rim of a crater over either. on the left, stars glinting in the "All air scouts landed," Roger black sky and nothing else but broke in. "Recovery in three some slightly eroded rock forma­ hours." The helmet mike left a tions. I had come millions of miles ringing in my ears. to see it, and already I was tired of "Later," I said, and started out the view. at a long, slow-motion lope. Mar­ Mars, the cut-rate planet. No tian gravity was stronger than the life forms noticeable, plant or ani­ Moon's, but there was enough sim­ mal, a gritty look to the surface ilarity to make my running style caused by too many silicones, an effective. achingly brilliant ball of a sun At least here there wasn't as .fixed in a hard sky. As advertised. great a chance of catching the suit The part of my mind that be­ on a barb of rock and listening to lieves in schedules gave me a your life scream out through a hole nudge. I ran my binocs out to the the size of a fingernail. And no one extreme telescopic range, and to help you patch it within .fifty that's when I saw it. It wasn't out million miles. of the book at all. I got a better look at it as I ap­ At this distance the movement proached. It was a dull mat-like was just on the edge of perception, thing, and the movement I had de­ something making a flicker of tected was a slow, rhythmic push change in the weak light. Not tall, that carried it smoothly along the 71 72 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION ground with barely perceptible side pouch and made a cut. The speed. mat tried to back away but it wasn't We'd landed just a few miles fast enough and I got a chunk the from the edge of one of the brown­ size of my hand. It went into the ish areas that appear in the Mar­ sterilized sample carrier and I tian summer, hoping to get the could hear Roger muttering to biggest variation in lifeforms-if himself as he made an entry in the any-within our operating radius log. of five hundred miles. But we I watched the progress it made might not have to go anywhere. for a few moments, knowing Roger The ecology was coming to us. would edit out the best shots and I bent over to look at it. Fiberous beam them back to Earth. layers laced all through its brown The first large-scale extrater­ surface, but the edge had the rigid restrial life, and all mine. I was look of muscle. interested, but somehow it didn't It seemed to be making about a seem quite the sensation I'd im­ mile an hour with no appreciable agined. Probably because I knew noise-nothing I could pick up that even if the plant could play through my suit, though you'd be bridge and quote Shakespeare, surprised how much does get Roger wouldn't let me spend as through even the best insulation­ much time on it as I'd like. Any­ and with a slight undulation at way, it's a little hard to get cold the rim. A plant, most probably. shivers down the spine about some­ I pulled a boot back in time to thing that in a dim light could avoid touching it. Plant or no, it pass as a living room rug. might be stronger than it looked. I spent some time inventing and "Take a sample," Roger said. I discarding theories about its ori­ had forgotten he could pick up gin, and then moved up the side of everything I saw from the televi­ the shallow ravine the plant oc­ sion camera mounted under my cupied. left ear. It's hard to see how erosion "That's my decision," I snapped. could take place in an atmosphere He was right, of course, but I still less than one percent as dense as didn't like being ordered around Earth's, but in the low places a by a machine. They try to make thin, grainy soil had collected. them cordial, good-natured, warm, The rest was bare rock. Stones polite, etc., but somehow they al­ showed those fine overlayed webs ways come out with the personali­ that result from constantly freez­ ties of electronics engineers, and ing and thawing the small amounts I never liked double-e's. of water caught in the rock, crack­ I slid a surgical knife out of my ing and splintering the surface FLA'ITOP 73 with every revolution of the planet. scheduled; what was left of NASA I climbed over a short, steep wasn't taking chances with the ridge and got a view of the land last of its resources. beyond. Roger whistled. They couldn't afford to. Most of I'm usually annoyed when com­ my equipment was designed and puters simulate human noises, but built in the middle of the '70's, to in this case I would have done the be tested on the moon flights. If it same thing. The plain beyond was worked out, the basic apparatus completely covered with the mat. would be duplicated and every one A brown sea, lapping at the feet of the ships in the Mars fleet would of the hills that stood out sharply have the same basic complement. in the distance. But it didn't quite work out that "Aerial scouts just reported wav, Professor. back," Roger said. "The growth is This is the Century of Non­ continuous for a radius of fifty Anticipation. The Great War did­ miles." n't become World War One until I scrambled back down by a dif­ the Second was well under way. ferent path, taking the gentle So when the Second Great Depres­ slope. I could have made a good sion hit in '7 8 it had to wait a guess just from our orbit photos, while before getting a name, and but somehow our thinking had by that time the space program was been only in terms of patches of flat on its back and barely breath­ vegetation linked together, not one ing. Nobody likes to think about it, plant alone. It sounded like some­ but the exploration of space is ic­ thing out of a very bad invasion­ ing on the cake and always will be. from-space movie. I was sure Everybody said we were coming somebody back on Earth was going out of it now-1985. But the to be clever and invert the old barbecue pit and tail fin crowd was forest-and-trees cliche. grumbling about taxes, and NASA "The timetable calls for . . ." hadn't yet seen much of the New "I know," I broke in. "Set up ex­ Prosperity that the Chamber of ternal defenses and sensors." He Commerce was pushing. A little didn't sound very interested in the bit was leaking through from the plant. But then, it wasn't his job Air Force, just enough to finance to be curious. Maybe it wasn't this shot. mine, either. Space scientists without money I trotted back to the ship, open­ become irritable, so they were us­ ed the cargo port and began un­ ing me as openers. Make a quick loading the non-mobile equip­ one-man trip with the pilot doped ment; with Mars gravity it was· under drugs so he doesn't mind easy. Everything I did was rigidly riding in a shoe box for half a year. 74 PANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION Have him grab some data on the with its weak gravity, the Raleigh fly-not necessarily the best infor­ scattering processes take over and mation you could get, you under­ the land is suddenly dashed with stand, just something to look im­ blood, a weird fantasy of somber pressive and justify the expense. images. Then reap the harvest of news­ A thin wind came up, stirring print. Let every columnist from the dust like water currents min­ the Farm and Dairy News on up gling ocean sand. Dante would interview the astronaut ("Will you have liked the view. be eating fresh eggs during the And suddenly it was gone, as if trip, sir?"), push him in front of a light bulb had flared, fused and every TV camera you can find gone out. Only a weak pink glow ("Are you looking forward to this remained on the horizon, rapidly historic voyage?"), let Congress­ darkening into the rest of the ob­ men badger him ("You're a billion sidian sky. dollars worth of prestige to the I went inside and closed the country, boy!"), and gouge every outer lock. There was only an hour homey detail out of his biography to study the preliminary returns of until it looks like a remake of the air scouts, aerial photos and Oliver Twist. Try to keep the some sample pouches. I put my technical staff quiet when they personal sample carrier with the realize how little time is going to cutting from the plant in the small be spent on the surface. isolation room next to the galley, Science, they called it. and set the environmental condi­ "Sundown in one hour," Roger tioner to duplicate the Martian announced, and I hurried to con­ surface. Analysis could wait until nect the power lines. I wanted to I had some rest. get back to the plant, but there I read the scout reports over wasn't time. dinner. It was good to have a bowl I worked through the last half of soup lie down in the bottom and hour of sunset, a sea of darkening behave, but the summaries, print­ shadows and brutal flashes of re­ ed out in the all-capital type of flected brilliance as the silicone computerese, weren't going to keep layers in the hills caught the light. me on the edge of my chair. There Because the Martian atmosphere were no other apparent large life­ lies so close to the surface, the forms, not even some ambitious normal diffusion of the sun's rays fungi. Maybe the competition was doesn't color the sky. But when the too rough. Except for Flattop, The sun sinks into the thin layer of Educated Plant, Mars was just water vapor, gases and dust which plain monotonous. the planet has been able to retain The food was drugged, but I'd FLA1TOP 75 expected that. When NASA wants eras are usually turned off when you to sleep, by God, you sleep. the area isn't being used, since By morning the dark sheet was Roger depends on his other senses breaking like a slow bow wave on for overseeing the maintenance. the narrow bluff of rock below the When it was rewarmed this morn­ base of the ship. The flash shots ing, though, it showed symptoms Roger took in the night showed Roger diagnosed as shorting out of that it moved best in the first few some of the components, so he hours of darkness, slowing to a stop turned it off and was waiting for before dawn. me to repair it. I ate a bar of cereal concentrate That would have to wait for the and looked out the side port. Sur­ flight back. The schedule, you veys reported microrganisms­ know. some of fairly large size-distrib­ "Positive pressure gradient Sec­ uted uniformly in the thin soil, all tion 3C," Roger droned. Coffee with a basic DNA reproduction hissed into a cup in the automatic mechanism. That must be what galley, and I sat down with it to the plant was after. Water could wait for the followup check. be trapped between the grains of Everything was breaking down at the soil and frozen there in the once. Martian winter. When the short "Pressure now normal on ex­ summer came, it would melt dur­ terior panels." He paused. I wait­ ing the day and form a solution of ed, still a little tired. "Increase on microrganisms that Flattop could internal panel4 7." pick up without trouble. I looked at the number on the But it was bypassing the ship wall. Forty-seven. The metal was like a Boston matron ignoring an bulging out a foot into the galley immigrant. The ship was on bare, as though something were trying to uninviting rock and evolution had push it in. My brain started oper­ probably taught Flattop to keep ating. I remembered that 3C was low, where the water collected. the outer skin of the isolation cell, God knew how old it was. Not and the cell was next to the galley. that God necessarily had anything I started to get up. to do with it. My theology, basi­ A grin that turned into a sneer cally, is that the universe was split the bulge at its peak and dictated but not signed, so Flattop widened. Wind whipped by me -like the rest of us-was in with a high whine to equalize pres­ limbo. sures with the cell, which was at I checked the night log and Martian atmosphere level. I caught found an entry about the television a musky odor like mildewed burlap, camera in the isolation cell. Cam- and Roger tried to shout something 76 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION at me but couldn't make it over the numb, but nothing had snapped noise. Flattop was coming through on impact. the hole. I tried to get up, slipped on my I threw my coffee at it, a reflex right foot and hit the deck again. action, and backed away. It cov­ Pain began to seep back into the ered the drops before they had a shoulder, a steady pulse that felt chance to run down the wall. My like a tendon pulled almost to the ears popped as Roger adjusted the limit. Little fireballs were still pressure. popping in front of my eyes. I de­ "The plant is enlarging," Roger cided to sit there for a few minutes said quickly. "Try to cut it into and think about philosophy. sections with your knife." The hatch had closed behind I didn't have a knife. I hadn't me, before Flattop could get to it. thought I needed one to get a cup But it might be able to force its of coffee. way through this bulkhead too. I The bulkhead split again and remembered Roger. the brown mass began to gush "Deploy all your heavy mobile through. The galley only allowed equipment against the walls enough room to do isometric ten­ around the galley. Reinforce the sion exercises and no-gee rebounds ventilator seals and run a continu­ off the walls while in flight. I was ous pressure check everywhere in flat against the opposite wall with the ship." nowhere else to go. Roger mumbled something over I prodded it with a fork but the his loudspeaker, and I caught the webbing wrapped around the low rumble of things moving. I prongs like an old friend and stumbled into the pilot's couch wouldn't let go. I looked around. and flicked on internal television. The deck was almost completely Flattop was covering the walls covered. now, pressing against everything I caught hold of a handle set that contained traces of liquid. in the bulkhead and lifted myself For the first time I had that up, fitting my heels flush with the feeling you get when you miss a wall. Flattop closed in below. It step in the dark and aren't really really did smell like burlap. sure there's a next one. Until now I took a last look, let go the han­ it had just been an interesting life­ dle and sprang. In Mars gravity it form, something you cut samples was enough to take me through the out of and filed away for the ones galley hatchway before I caught back home to investigate. Flattop my right shoulder on an equip­ is a funny haircut from the '50's ment locker and slammed into the or the name of somebody's kid. deck. I rolled. My right side went And this one had almost killed me. FLA1TOP 77 I watched the television screen able about the plant's internal and referred to indicators on the structure. A gelatin sac in the cen­ panel in front of me. It was several ter served as a digestive system and minutes before I noticed that my the semi-rigid fibers on the out­ left hand was gripping the arm side rolled forward like caterpillar rest, knuckles white as death. I was treads when it wanted to move. Its scared. strength came from very long I watched the plant until it threads that seemed to play the crawled over the lens. The interior role of muscles. They contracted pressure built up, alternating from rapidly when they were stimulated one wall to another, but all the by an electrical impulse. life-support apparatus is between I disassembled the rest of the the galley and the main cabin and equipment around the ship and re­ has double reinforcement. For the turned it to the hold. There wasn't moment, Flattop couldn't crack it. much point in cal'l'}ing out the Roger and I talked about it and schedule now. tried to get through to Earth, but The solar Rare silently hammer­ the solar storm Cape Kennedy had ed at the plain, its tempo gradually forecasted was starting up, and we building. The warning light on got nothing but noise. It was just the radiation counter under my bad luck it had to come when we viewplate winked redly at me, but were on the surface. I wasn't in the mood to wink back. On a hunch, I had him pump We were at an impasse, but one alcohol vapor into the galley to see that would run against me the if it had a toxic effect. Nothing longer Flattop held on. I could get happened. Lousy hunch. We work­ to the food supplies indefinitely,· ed our way through the chemicals but too many things could go on board, made up theories about wrong with it in the ship. I had to its body chemistry, and tried some act. And gnawing in the back of more. Flattop dHn't seem to mind. my stomach was the realization It was mid-afternoon. "Call in that if I did the wrong thing, made all probes," I ordered, and put on one bad move, I would die here, my pressure suit. Roger tried to without ever getting off this barren give me an argument, but I wasn't plain. listening. I went back in through the lock. This time I didn't take the sec­ There was no concern about the ond sample inside the ship. It gave shielding material in the drums me an uneasy feeling just to get surrounding the living area being close enough to it to take a cutting. adequate-unless, of course, you Under the field microscope were the pilot. Human feces has a there wasn't anything very remark- very high absorption ratio for high- 78 FANTASY AND SCIBNCZ PICTION energy radiation, you see, and we Now I could play football with did have a problem with dumping it. the waste material, you see, so ... "Galley pressure relieved," They had been very careful to Roger announced, and I woke up. check for any signs of claustropho­ I unbuckled and floated out of bia before okaying me for the flight. the couch, consciously timing my I realized I was trying to cheer moves. The body is a tricky thing. myself up, keep my mind busy. Even a few hours on the surface Roger listened to what I'd found will throw off your no-gee reflexes and began to mull the problem enough to cause trouble. I didn't over while I checked in the air want to break a wrist in a routine scouts we'd have to abandon when -maneuver at this point. we left. Roger wasn't a high-IQ "Open a ventilator grille and type-we didn't have the weight take a sample," I said, pulling my allowance for that-but his tapes suit from its rack. were crammed with xenobiology, I could hear the rustle of one of and he might stumble over an idea. Roger's miniaturized robot jack-of­ My suit ran its daily rnedcheck all-trades as it slid down the nar­ on me and reported high blood row air shaft. As I put on the suit, pressure and too much adrenalin. I drifted by the port and looked I ignored it. out. "You should continue making The night side of Mars was un­ all measurements possible while relieved by any hint of reflected confined to the ship," Roger said. light, not even an occasional faint He was right. If I sat still and trace of a meteorite. An orbit did nothing, I couldn't think. I above Earth is always broken by spent the next few minutes setting the pin-pricks of cities or the gen­ up and activating the equipment. tle diffuse glow the oceans give I focused the main camera and back to the moon. Suddenly I felt ran it through a series of shots, us­ more alone than I had in years. ing all the filter types. Oily rock We were in an equatorial orbit on the distant slopes shot toward matched with the Martian day, to me and then retreated in jumps as keep the ship always in the planet's the tracker went through its pro­ shadow. Roger had talked me into grammed routine, analyzing, sleeping while he took care of measuring. In the last frame clos­ slowly feeding some of the ship's est to the ship, something caught water supply into the galley. my eye. "Plant gives no reaction to It was the sample. An hour ago stimulus," Roger's voice crackled. I'd cut off a slice the size of my "Sample shows three hundred per­ finger. cent increase in cell volume." FLATfOP 79 "Thanks. Pump down the ship The key was radiation. Flattop's and open the outer lock. When digestive and metabolic processes I'm ready, put the galley hatch on were catalyzed by ionization caus· manual." ed by high-velocity cosmic rays I drifted across the small cabin passing through it. Add summer and switched off one of the mag· heat and it had enough energy to netic clamps along the wall. The become active, like a bear coming thin sheet of metal it had been out of hibernation. That explained holding fell loose. It had a good the periodic green spots on the sur· sharp edge-two hours worth of face. work and it had a passable appear· When I put the first sample in ance of a sword with handles. the isolation cell it broke open the Out of the comer of my eye I containers of chemical fluids stor­ 'loticed the outer lock swing open ed there and used them to build up &n the stars. There wasn't any its body tissue. During the day, point in waiting. when the solar flare acted up, there I gave Roger the signal. Hold­ was more radiation. It could grow, ing the sword in one hand, I un· despite being shielded by the ship dogged the galley hatch. from most of the incident parti· Flattop filled the hatchway, a des. The galley walls stopped it solid wall of dirty bile-colored or­ for a while, but given time it ganics. I hesitated. My palms were would have gotten through. sweating. I gave it a tentative jab, The same thing happened to not sure how it would react. the second sample, but it must The exterior seemed hard and have had only the moisture that tough, and then it split open slow· collected on the instruments in ly, lazily, like an overripe water­ the field lab. But it was enough to melon. The material was paler on give me a lead. the inside and my bl'ade came I got another lump out of the away wet. I had an impulse to galley and drifted with it over to laugh. the lock. I braced my feet, gave a There wasn't any worry about it shove and watched it tumble off moving. Its cells were swollen toward Orion. with moisture from the opened A faint crescent glowed at the galley stores, so rigid it couldn't rim of the planet, light caught by shift balance and maintain force the thin belt of atmosphere. So thin on the walls any longer. it couldn't stop the radiation Flat· I chopped out a chunk as large top needed to live. as myself and aimed it out through But Mars has no iron core­ the open lock. It was going to be a and consequently, no magnetic long, messy job. field-so particles coming from 80 . FANTASY AND SCIENCE PICTION the sun would find no free ride on "Care in handling future sam­ the fields to the night side of the ples will eliminate the danger. planet. It was the only place I There are still a number of ecologi­ could go to get away from the flux cal and geographical factors which of radiation that in a few days remain to be studied." would have given Flattop enough "And suppose one of them is as usuable weight to crack the galley dangerous as the last? What if a walls. little chunk of Flattop got into the Here Flattop got no ionization ion tube by accident?" to digest its food, so the added He didn't answer. I might as liquid Roger gave it was useless. well have been passing the time of Evolution hadn't had the chance day. We both knew what the risks yet to tell it about the evils of were; it was just a matter of being gluttony. programmed different ways. "Maximum possible fuel re­ I looked down at the cratered quirements are still sufficient for surface. re-entry and escape," Roger said. I could take the ship in again "Radio to Earth probably will not and use the survey equipment we be open for a minimum of twenty had left. We could have another hours. I shall begin computing the few days on the surface, without orbit." cutting the fuel margin too close. 'Wait." Without contact from It would be the scientific thing to Kennedy it was my decision. do. ASTRONAUT RISKS LIFE "How's Stage Four?" FOR HUMAN KNOWLEDGE. The booster to take us home was But NASA didn't want science, in another orbit slightly further it wanted money. Research is out. something you can do after the "Functioning normally." Was bonuses are paid and reputations there a trace of antagonism in his secured. Maybe we could come voice, or was I imagining it? back in a few years and do the job "Orders are to carry out as much of right. Maybe. the assigned mission as possible "Snap to," I said, and punched without endangering chances of instructions into the console. The the return flight." ship shivered in the night of vacu­ "Orders are that I'll give the um, paused, and we lifted up and orders." out. Introduction to "H. P. Locecraft, The Hcnue and the Shadows"

When, in a book review a while back, we expressed something less than total awe and utter respect for the person and produce of H. P. Lovecraft, there u;ere shrill screams and frenzied roars ... almost entirely from ]ohnnys-come-lately. Those u:ho had known HPL reacted quite differently; August Derleth, Fritz Lei­ ber, and Robert Bloch, for instance, all said in effect, "What you wrote was more-or-less true-but there was another and a better side to Lovecraft . . ." This did not seem unreasonable to us, and we feel the following well-balanced appraisal of HPL will inter­ est readers. (See also the review of the long-awaited volume of Lovecraft's letters in this month's BOOKs.) ]. Vernon Shea, friend to Lovecraft and author of this article, u:as born in Dayton, Ky., in 1912, the son of a professional magician u:ho numbered among his friends such famous conjurors as Thurston, Hermann the Great, Houdini, and Blackstone. Mr. Shea, an overseas veteran of the Army Medical Corps, now works as a metallurgist in Cleve­ land. He u:rote his first story at fourteen-" Lovecraft professed to see merit in my early stuff, but he was just being generom" -and was the editor of the anthologies, STRANGE DESIRES (Lion, 1954) and STRANGE BARRIERS (Pyramid, 1961 ) . He describes himself as "a Fantasy and Science Fiction fan from away back ... bought a copy of the first issue of Amazing Stories, as well as, of course, F&SF . . ." Our own great reservations about HPL and his writ­ ings-we think them, among other things, totally unwholesome­ have never blinded u.s to his talents and his literary influence. He was a strange man, inhabiting a strange house peopled with strange shadows. One wonders if anyone ever really knew him. -AvRAM DAviDsoN

81 H. P. LOVECRAFT: THE HOUSE AND THE SHADOWS

by J. Vernon Shea

THE NAME OF HowARD PHIL­ readers receive. There is justice in lips Lovecraft, obscure during his the charge, but not complete jus­ lifetime except to a select circle of tice. There was a far better side to devotees, has acquired a measure Lovecraft that will not be revealed of posthumous fame. He has been fully until the publication of his praised and damned extravagant­ selected letters. (See this month's ly as a writer of Gothic fiction. BOOKS.) Lovecraft could write August Derleth refers to him al­ warm, wonderful letters. I know. ways as "the late great H. P. Love­ He wrote scores of them to me craft", and many readers echo that from 1931 almost up to the time sentiment. Derleth's viewpoint is of his death in 193 7. These letters perhaps partisan, for he was a are on file in Brown University's friend and correspondent of Love­ John Hay Library. craft's for many years, and is now H. P. Lovecraft was born on the executor of his estate; Der­ August 20, 1890 in Providence, leth's publishing house, Arkharn Rhode Island, where he spent most House (a name derived from of his life. Very little is known Lovecraft's fictional "Arkharn") about his father, ·Winthrop Love­ was established primarily to print craft, a traveling salesman. He was Lovecraft's writings. On the other presumably somewhat of a rake hand, numerous critics, among (the logical reaction to his wife's whom can be counted Edmund puritanical attitude toward sex); Wilson, Fletcher Pratt, L. Sprague he was placed in a mental horne de Camp, Kingsley Arnis and when Howard was three and died Charles Beaumont, have been es­ five years later of paresis. Howard pecially hostile toward Lovecraft either did not know or refused to and his works. acknowledge to himself the reason Damon Knight, in reviewing for his father's death, but he must one of Lovecraft's books, referred have received some hints or have to him as "a neurasthenic recluse, suspected something of the truth, scholarly, fastidious, and prim," for he was extremely reticent about and this is the impression most his father, mentioning him in his Quotations frOfll letters by H. P. Lovecraft, by perwtissiolt of ArlcJuJm House 82 H. p, LOVECllAFr: THE HOUSE AND TRI! SHADOWS 83 correspondence as little as possi­ steps. So Howard was brought up ble, and his stories are concerned in the strict code of the Victorian to a suspicious degree with the ef­ gentleman, to whom sex was an fect of a tainted heredity. There unmentionable subject. The intel­ is no one now to come to the elder lectuality he displayed early was Lovecraft's defense; he may have eagerly nourished; he could read been a pathetic-tragic figure along at four and was encouraged to dip the lines of Willy Loman in Death into the volumes of his grandfa­ of a Salesman. And Howard may ther's library, so that he became have inherited some of his as­ somewhat of an infant prodigy, tounding mental gifts from him. writing his first story at eight and However, it has been established editing an amateur paper on as­ that Winthrop Lovecraft was no tronomy at eleven. Howard was al­ great reader; the large library of ways a sickly child; like the father the household came from How­ of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, ard's maternal grandfather. Mrs. Lovecraft was solicitous as to The key to Lovecraft's personal­ his health (urging upon him milk, ity is his mother, Sarah Phillips which he loathed), but she en­ Lovecraft. My knowledge of her is forced a regimen that was certain slight, and I may be maligning her to perpetuate his invalidism. Mrs. memory, but the impression I gath­ Lovecraft mistakenly believed that er is that she was almost truly a Howard was to become a great monster, albeit a pathetic one. poet. But lyricism was not in his Very possibly she wished well of nature, and the verses he produced her son, but her own influence were never more than minor. His could scarcely have been more de­ true forte-the writing of tales of leterious. There is evidence that supernatural horror-did not she was psychoneurotic and ended emerge until years after his moth­ her days, like her husband, in a er's death. madhouse. It is very probable that In my correspondence with she recoiled from her husband, Lovecraft, I once cited George Kel­ whom she must have regarded ly's play, Craig's Wife, as bad from her puritanical background psychology in that Mrs. Craig, al­ as an incorrigible lecher, for whom though passionately interested in paresis (the final stage of syphilis) the appearance of her home to the was a fitting end. Her behavior to­ exclusion of everything else, in­ ward the young Howard was pos­ cluding her husband, none the less sibly motivated by an unconscious almost never permitted visitors in­ feeling of revenge toward her hus­ side that house; this quirk seemed band and a determination that her to me unnatural, for I thought it son would not follow in his foot- was only feminine for a woman to 84 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION want to show off her possessions. dence that would seem to rule it But Lovecraft upheld Kelly's char­ out. A photograph. For if one ex­ acterization of Mrs. Craig, writing amines the photograph of Sarah that he had known just such wom­ Phillips Lovecraft, it is dearly en. I didn't realize at the time that seen that Howard bore a remarka­ he meant his mother. For Mrs. ble resemblance to his mother. Lovecraft, instead of wishing to Mrs. Lovecraft could hardly have exhibit her brilliant son, also dis­ believed a son who looked just like couraged visitors. her to be "hideous." One must Howard must have been an un­ search for other motivations with­ wanted child. His mother, presum­ in her twisted mind. ably to get back at his father, told The Lovecraft household was him as a child that he was too hid­ alwavs essentiallv a house of wom­ eous to be seen in company. This en. i\1rs. Lovecra.ft tried to smother cruel judqment was completely Howard as upon a great downy pil­ without physical justification, for low, collecting to herself his devo­ Howard, although sickly, was no tion and individuality. The only more unprepossessing than anyone regular visitors were his maternal else. It would be facile for an ama­ aunts, with whom he went to live teur psychologist to say that it set after his mother was taken away. up a scarifying trauma in his mind One of these aunts, Mrs. Gamwell, that was to affect his whole life. resided with Lovecraft almost en­ Even as an adult, Lovecraft pre­ tirely through his adult life, tak­ ferred to sleep and stay indoors by ing care of the household chores; day with the shades drawn, going she outlived him by a few years. out at night to prowl the streets of Still, Lovecraft must have been too Providence like a cat, and doing familiar through his reading with most of his writing by night. He the legend of vampirism not to rec­ lived a recluse's existence, rarely ognize, if only subconsciously, the visiting, and maintaining contact vampire in his household. Long with the world principally through before such exposes of the son-de­ an extensive correspondence with vouring mother as Sidney How­ young write.rs whom for the most ard's The Silver Cord and Philip part he never met. It is easy to Wylie's Generation of Vipers ap­ draw parallels here with the ghoul­ peared. he understood his moth­ ish protagonist of his famous story, er's attempt to emasculate him, and The Outsider. he was careful to maintain some It would be verv facile to estab­ essentially masculine pursuits, lish this "trauma"· explanation for such as his love of firearms and his Lovecraft's whole mode of behav­ devotion to the tradition of mili­ ior, but there is one piece of evi- tary academies. H. P. LOVECRAFT: THE HOUSE AND THE SHADOWS 85

The only guiding masculine ly accustomed to the usual pious hand Howard was to know in his tales of an orthodox household early years was that of his grand­ and Sunday-school, he was never a father, of whom he wrote affec­ believer in the prevailing abstract tionately; unfortunately, the and barren Christian mythology. grandfather died before his correc­ Instead, he was a devotee of fairy tive influence could have much ef­ tales and the Arabian Nights' En­ fect. Lovecraft wrote of him (in a tertainments; none of which he be­ letter to me dated February 4, lieved, but which seemed to him 1934): "I never heard oral weird fully as true as the Bible tales, and tales except from my grandfather much more attractive. Then, at an -who, observing my tastes in age not much above six, he stum­ reading, used to devise all sorts of bled on the legends of Greece­ impromptu original yams about and became a sincere and enthusi­ black woods, unfathomed caves, astic classical pagan. Unlearned winged horrors (like the 'night­ in science, and reading all the gaunts' of my dreams, about which Graeco-Roman lore at hand, he I used to tell him), old witches was until the age of eight a rapt with sinister cauldrons, and 'deep, devotee or the old gods; building low, moaning sounds.' He obvious­ altars to Pan and Apollo, Athena ly drew most of his imagery from and Artemis, and benignant Sa­ the Early Gothic romances-Rad­ tumus, who ruled the world in the cliffe, Lewis, Maturin, etc.­ Golden Age. And at times this be­ which he seemed to like better lief was very real indeed-there than Poe or other later fantaisistes. are vivid memories of fields and He was the only other person I groves at twilight when the now knew-young or old-who cared materialistic mind that dictates for macabre and horrific fiction.'' these lines knew absolutely that The grandfather can scarcely be the ancient gods were true. Did he faulted for turning Howard's tastes not see with his own eyes, beyond in reading toward morbid chan­ the possibility of a doubt, the nels, for the boy displayed a love graceful forms of dryads half min­ for the weird from the very begin­ gled with the trunks of antique ning. He wrote as follows in an oaks, or spy with clearness and early essay, Idealism and Material­ certainty the elusive little fauns ism: "The writer can cite a sub­ and goat-footed old satyrs who jective childhood fancy of his own leapt about so slyly from the shad­ which well illustrates the false po­ ows of one rock or thicket to that sition of the intuitive theist. of another? He saw these things as Though the son of an Anglican plainly as he saw the antique oaks father and Baptist mother, and ear- and the rocks and the thickets 86 PANTASY AND SCIENCE PICTION themselves, and laughed at unbe­ foundations of the art and work­ lievers, for he knew. Now he real­ ing mv way up through graded sim­ izes that he saw these things with plifications of the classics. By the the eye of imagination only; that time I was 9 the whole field of for­ his devotion to the gods was but a mal music and violin practice be­ passing phase of childish dream­ came so hateful that I was threat- ing and emotionalism, to be dis­ . ened with one of the nervous sipated with time and knowledge." breakdowns so frequent in my Protective love, one of the pro­ youth. At the doctor's orders my foundest forms of arrogance, can lessons were stopped-and that be ruinous. Sarah Phillips Love­ was the end of HPL as Kreisler's craft was determined that her son great rival!" was to be a genius of one kind or It was perhaps an unconscious another. Her insistence upon mu­ regret for that lost art that caused sic lessons, although her son was Lovecraft to value The Music of almost tone-deaf and in later life Erich Zann second amongst his was indifferent to music, is typi­ stories (The Colour Out of Space cal. Once I wrote Howard of an was his first choice-a judgment uncle of mine whose superb lyric no critic shares.) The Music of tenor might have carried him to Erich Zann is one of the best of the Metropolitan had he been am­ H. P. L.'s early tales, but it is no bitious enough, but who preferred better than, say, Pickman's Model, the company to be found in bars which it parallels to some extent. and poolrooms. Lovecraft an­ Lovecraft never abandoned music swered, in a letter dated November altogether; in his adolescence he 8,1933: "Italwaysprovokesusto loved to sing the popular songs of see a great innate gift neglected, the day in groups. His memory of and yet in most cases the fact of the lyrics and the songs' dates of neglect itself argues some deep­ publication was to remain exact. seated quality antagonistic to suc­ If Lovecraft's childhood expe­ cess. On a very modest scale I can riences were so traumatic, as so parallel your uncle. When I was many commentators have suggest­ 7 years old I seemed to show a ed, it is odd that so little of them marked talent for the -.iolin. I took are reflected in his stories. There is lessons for two years under the best much that is autobiographical in teacher in Providence. But god, Howard's writings, yet he never what a grind it got to be! My taste wrote a novel or story in which a in music is not good, and (like child is the central figure. Chil­ your. uncle) I wanted to have a dren are almost non-existent in his good time with popular songs in­ tales; he always depicts the shad­ stead of laboriously absorbing the owy world of adults. Even in his H. P. LOYECRAPT: THE HOUSE AND THE. SHADOWS 87 juvenilia, in which some children as sparingly as possible. His ear do appear, there are no tormented was attuned to the oddities of vary­ or obsessed victims. ing regional idioms rather than to It is ironic that Lovecraft's first their emotional connotations. It story should have been called The was his belief that the people in Noble Eavesdropper, for nothing supernatural fiction were relative­ in later life ran so counter to his ly unimportant, that they need philosophy than prying into the af­ only be representative. H. P. L. fairs of others. He had, it is true, had neither tlie inclination nor the an inordinately inquisitive mind, skill to turn to naturalistic fiction. but its researches delved into the The everyday concerns of the man field of ideas, never into people. in the street were as remote to him He wrote that he had once enter­ as those of Laplanders. So there is tained the idea of suicide, but the no compassion in him for his fic­ thought of thereby missing out on tional people, for they mean noth­ the latest developments of science ing to him; they are only foreor­ was so repugnant that he dis­ dained victims. missed the idea immediately. How­ What did matter to him in his ard would have failed miserably writings can be seen from this quo­ as a reporter (despite his keen in­ tation from a letter of his of Octo­ terest in amateur journalism), for ber 14, 1931: ''My idea of the es­ he had considerably less than the sence of a weird tale is that it suc­ normal human curiosity about peo­ cessfully present a picture of some ple, and was inclined to take the impressive violation of the estab­ idealistic self-portraits of his cor­ lished order of things-some de­ respondents at face value. To use feat of time, space, or natural law, his acquaintances as literary mate­ or some subtle intrusion of influ­ rial, as almost all writers must do, ences from another imagined or­ was to him the act of a cad; and the der of being upon the familiar or­ only literary eavesdropping he der of being. It is hard to achieve would condone was the talk of cas­ this effect with the hackneyed ual strangers one cannot help over­ stage properties of the old-time hearing in public vehicles or upon ghost story (with which Derleth is the streets. This gentlemanly re­ all too often content), hence I find luctance to intrude upon the pri­ greatest merit in those tales which vacy of others worked very unfa­ I call cosmic-tales which bring vorably for his own fictional char­ in sharp reminders of the vast un­ acterizations, since he simply did plumbed recesses of space that not know enough about the way loom perpetually around our in­ people talk and behave to flesh significant dust-grain. That is the them properly. He used dialogue only way one can be weird and FANTASY AND SCIENCE FIC110N quasi-realistic at the same time­ tated his adverse psychoanalysis supplementing reality rather than of Lovecraft's work. For Dr. Keller actually contradicting known real· never enjoyed the great popularity ity. But every man to his taste. I among the readers of Weird Tales agree with you that horror is not (a pulp magazine in which both necessary to a good weird tale-as appeared as regular contributors) proved by the bulk of Dunsany's that Lovecraft commanded. Dr. work. I have experimented in this Keller's stories frequently have fine direction, though without success. ideas, but they are hamstrung by It takes a greater amount of sub­ mediocritv of execution. tlety and adroitness than I Dr. Ke'ller's theory can be sup­ possess." ported only up to a point. Internal evidence from the stories them· Some years after Lovecraft' s selves would incline the casual death Dr. David H. Keller wrote an reader to agree with him. The article about him in which he women in Lovecraft's stories are made much of Winthrop Love­ completely sexless, for his domina­ craft's paresis and suggested that tion by his mother spoiled forever he had transmitted the syphilis to any great sexual urge upon his his wife, thereby causing the even· part. Howard was almost com· tual disintegration of her mind. pletely indifferent to the feminine He further suggested that Love­ figures of fantasy and mythology craft himself mav have been a life­ which have allured other writers: long victim of the inherited dis· Circe, mermaids, lamias, nymphs ease, which would explain his and vampires. And his stories are physical infirm~ties, his distaste for full of references to tainted ances­ sexual activitie~. and his virtual try. The Shaduw Over lnnsmouth withdrawal from society. It is a (which may have been suggested persuasive thesis, yet it is com­ by Irvin S. Cobb's Fishhead) is a pletely unsupported by medical novel about an inbred community evidence. (Lovecraft died of which lives near the sea and has Bright's disease and intestinal suspiciously fishlike or batrachian cancer.) traits; and in the final chapter the As may be imagined, Dr. Kel· narrator discovers that he himself ler's article created a furore in fan· bears the same tainted blood. Yet tasy circles. Lovecraft's circle of Howard refused to identify him­ friends and admirers rallied to his self with the narrator in any way; defense. It was hinted that since he wrote (in a letter of October Dr. Keller himself was completely 14, 1931): "Science long ago ex­ outside the Lovecraft ,circle, some ploded the myth that there is nec· trace of jealousy might have die· essarily anything unhealthy about H. P. LOVECRAPT: THE HOUSE AND THE SHADOWS 89 the offspring of close kin. In an­ Machen dared not write. Machen cient Egypt the marriage of broth­ finally sublimated his repressions ers and sisters was very common, by translating Casanova's Mem­ and no harm ever came of it. All oirs, but no such recourse was that a consanguineous union real­ available to Howard. Although al­ ly does, is to intensify in the off­ most any other writer of fantasy spring whatever latent hereditary would have had the followers of weakness or strength the parties Cthulhu (in Lovecraft's numerous may possess." None the less, Inns­ stories of the Cthulhu Mythos) mouth's fishlike inhabitants linger participating in ineffably nasty long in the memory; it would be orgiastic rites, the prim Howard very easy to explain that Love­ foreswore any mention of sex. The craft's unconscious dread of his reader has to use his imagination mother made him create womb­ to intuit what upset Howard so ter­ symbols, horrible creatures from ribly. Like Machen, like Haw­ the deep dark sea (a fishy odor is thorne, H. P. L. could not bear to vulgarly associated with the va­ bring himself to deal directly with gina.) A psychoanalyst could sexual problems in his stories. Ob­ also make much of the title figure viously, for him -incest was some­ of Howard's The Outsider, saying thing to shudder at; it is the covert that a recurrent dream of being sin in his stories of tainted com­ hideously diseased or of falling munities. His stories almost al­ apart with decay indicates a deep­ ways involve a flight at the end; seated fear of harming the love­ but it is not really from monsters partner. that his protagonists flee, but from Howard's writings were deeply real or imagined sins. Similarly, influenced by Arthur Machen. H. P. L.'s life was a long flight Machen, the son of a clergyman, from society. had an upbringing similar to Love­ Curiously, Lovecraft seems nev­ craft's, and his writings are full of er to have rebelled against his a repressed sexuality. His story, mother's standards of morality. He The Novel of the White Pcnvder, believed himself to be sexually in which the protagonist upon tak­ cold. This passage (from a letter ing a drug is reduced to a loath­ to me dated October 14, 19 31) is some white slime, has been inter­ self-revelatory: 'While the tradi­ preted as an adolescent's mastur­ tional system of sex ethics is prob­ bation fantasy (Lovecraft achieved ably rather clumsy, it still has cer­ a similar effect in his Cool Air), tain advantages over that which and other stories like The Great seems to be replacing it; and is cer­ God Pan a:qd The White People tainly the most sensible one to fol­ hint at sexual orgies of which low unless one's -temperament 90 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION makes it wholly impracticable. At cepted way. Not that experience be present, the following of an alter­ hurried, but that certain types of native course involves so much heavier writing be deferred. I nev­ commonness and ignominious fur­ er thought pre-marital experiment tiveness that it can hardly be rec­ worth the attendant ignominious­ ommended for a person of delicate ness, and doubt very much if I was sensibilities except in extreme the loser therebv. Indeed, I can't cases. It remains to be seen what see any difference in the work I did sort of middle course the future before marriage and that I did dur­ will work out. No conceivable sys­ ing a matrimonial period of some tem can be really perfect, for there years-none of my stylistic transi­ are opposite emotions which make tions corresponding in the least to for ceaseless conflict under any any change in biological status. sort of arrangement; but it is pos­ Weird work, without a doubt, is to sible that some improvement may an enormous degree independent be made on the existing state of of objective circumstances." things-a state in which the ac­ Many men overly protected in tual situation tends to depart far­ their vouths have turned to homo­ ther and farther from the nominal sexuality. Case histories are full of one. In these transitional days the such deviates with backgrounds luckiest persons are those of slug- · similar to Howard's. But the idea of gish eroticism who can cast aside homosexuality was wholly repug­ the whole muddled business and nant to him. Some would-be psy­ watch the !lquirming of the primi­ chiatrists, learning of H. P. L.'s tive majority from the sidelines detestation of perverts (he cold­ with ironic detachment. Sex expe­ shouldered Hart Crane in Cleve­ rience is certainly not necessary to land and was railing against Oscar good authorship or other aesthetic Wilde as late as the Thirties), endeavour, although of course in learning of Lo'Jecraft's forays into dealing seriously with real life one the night and his encouragement ought to have all the experience of young male writers, might sus­ and perspective one can possibly pect that all this covered up an command. I'd reverse the general unconscious urge in that direc­ tenor of Derleth's advice" (my tion, like Saint-Loup's in Remem­ note: Derleth had advised me to brance of Things Past or the house­ get some sexual experience in a master's in Tea and Sympathy. But hurry) "by merely suggesting that they would be very wrong. There the bulk ()f one's work dealing with is not an iota of evidence to sup­ the details of erotic relationships port such a suspicion. For H. P. L. be postponed till after one is do­ was as nearly sexless as anyone but mestically established in the ac- a eunuch can be; he seems almost H. P. LOVECJtAFT! THB HOUSE AND THE SHADOWS 91 to have been born cold. His one Salem, once a flourishing port, sorry attempt at marriage ( possi­ had become run-down even in bly to prove to himself that he had Hawthorne's day; fat weeds grew not been completely emasculated upon the wharves, and the cobble­ by his mother) was doomed from stones were grown over with grass. the beginning. He married Sonia Once accustomed to making merry Greene, one of his revision clients with sailors who had startling tales from the early days of Weird Tales, to tell of the cannibal isles, the and the marriage was amicably dis­ people were taciturn and with­ solved some years later. People who drawn into secret conclaves. They knew Howard during this period peered out from their Gothic many­ say that he seemed content enough gabled houses, now moss-grown and picked up considerable weight. and worm-eaten, and ventured out Miss Greene later wrote an article little, for they were in effect buried for a commemorative volume on there. Spiders abounded every­ Lovecraft; the article, while far where, and the people were en­ from hostile, reveals very little. closed in mental cobwebs. It was a town that whispered of Edgar Allan Poe was a great in­ grim tales. The witch legends had fluence- upon Lovecraft in his for­ never fully died. The stocks and mative literary years. Howard un­ the ear-croppings were very recent consciously aped his style in a few history. In the nearby hollows in stories, to such a degree that, were the hills, it was said, black masses one not to know better, his The were still performed. Young Na­ Outsider might easily pass as a thaniel, the queer Hawthorne boy, "forgotten" story of Poe's. The simi­ thought often he detected a ghost larity to The Masque of the Red at the gate. It could be seen only Death is obvious. But their person­ by indirection. al traits rarely met on common Hawthorne as a boy was very ground. H. P. L. possessed none like young Howard. He listened to of Poe's vulgarity nor his addiction the conversation of the bells, loved to drink, drugs, and self-dramatiza­ the black shadows cast by the hills, tions. Lovecraft's erudition was watched the trees reversed and very real; Poe's was largely fake. transfigured in the calm river, On the other hand, enwrapped loved caves and decaying stumps, within the cocoon of Poe's char­ the evening light outlining a lone­ latanism lay genius, while H. P. ly figure, the effect of moonlight L. had only an uncommon talent. upon a well. He went often to visit Lovecraft's personality was Gallows Hill, and imagined the more like Hawthorne's. The paral­ condemned "witches" being carted lels are frequently remarkable. up it slowly to their dooms. He 92 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION read Tieck and Hoffmann and de­ -cause Boston society was so bitterly vised similar tales in his imagina­ opposed to Sacco and Vanzetti, he tion. never could be persuaded of their Salem, too, was to enchant innocence. New England's rock Howard's fancy. There he placed and ice, and so are New England­ his witch covens-but deep down ers; in Lovecraft stories one always in subterranean warrens. He was senses that his New England is a especially sensitive to atmospheric closed community, wary of and ul­ effects and was delighted when he timately hostile to strangers, as in or other writers could show con­ Shirley Jackson's The Summer tinuity with the past. Most fan­ People: the people are all inbred, tasists are inept in describing the and they have had some very odd physical details of the worlds of ancestors. their imaginations. They are Yet it is curious that Lovecraft, cloud-enshrouded Never-Lands, always identified with New Eng­ their atmosphere merely states of land, steeped in its history and a mind. For all Branch Cabell's student of its speech-patterns, was many novels of Poictesme, no read­ never able to create a convincing er could draw a map of the land or New Englander in his stories, but tell wherein it differs from any only a figure in a Gothic tale; other world. But H. P. L.'s New while on the other hand Edith England comes across to the reader Wharton, merely a summer visitor, as intimately as Joyce's Dublin. wrote into the New England scene All old New England was Love­ a tour de force unlike any other of craft's province. He knew details her works. Like most contes cruels, of its history that most historians "Ethan Frome" is not really true to have forgotten. He loved it with life, but it possesses an amazing passion (so far as he could feel verisimilitude. The reader cannot passion-publicly proclaimed emo­ forget Miss Wharton's three tion was as inadmissible to him doomed figures; he cannot remem­ as nudity in the Boston Com­ ber even the names of Lovecraft's mon), and his love for its tradi­ New Englanders. tions betrayed him into hostility For H. P. L.'s stories take place toward "foreign" elements which in a world of the imagination al­ he felt might disrupt or destroy most completely divorced from those traditions. In his youth he reality. When the modem world :was violently anti-Semitic, his creeps in, ever so faintly, one it views on the matter gradually mod­ startled: I remember congratulat• ifying as he entered into corre­ ing him in a letter upon the intro­ spondence with Jews like the tal­ duction of a phonograph record­ ented young Robert Bloch. Be- ing in The Whisperer in Dark- H. P. LOVECRAFT! THE HOUSE AND THE SHADOWS 93 ness; it seemed almost as anach­ upon Howard. Like most fan­ ronistic there as it would have tasists, he was at home only in his been in a work of Voltaire's. Love­ own mind and home and amongst craft himself wrote, in a letter of strange books. October 2 7, 19 3 2: "Whenever I Long Howard would sit in his assemble realistic detail it is with house, savoring shadows. His cat great effort-and more important might wander in from time to still, I simply haven't anything to time, sniffing amongst the old say in any field outside the unreal. books and perhaps jumping upon I have not a keen sensitiveness for the desk where his master was the drama of actual life." writing his manuscripts or letters It is only in his settings that in his crabbed, spidery' almost mi­ any modernity is permitted; other­ croscopically small handwriting. wise the stories might have been (Howard employed the typewriter written in the .time of Walpole or only when absolutely necessary.) Maturin. Modem New York-a Howard might fondle the cat ab­ horror to him-and modem New sently, his mind elsewhere. England, with carefully repro­ It would be very easy for a critic duced but jarring dialects, are viv­ to draw a hostile portrait of Love­ idly recreated, and Lovecraft was craft. He might start with his ap­ careful to keep his science fiction pearance. With his odd, gaunt, within the possibilities of modem bony face and cadaverous frame, scientific thought; but the mood Howard might have posed for his and feeling of the tales are strict­ own Outsider. The face looked not ly eighteenth century. unlike Max von Sydow's, the hero The eighteenth century, in fact, of Bergman's film The Seventh was Lovecraft's special love. His Seal; the chin like Meyerbeer's. style was influenced by the writers An eighteenth-century face: Hor­ of the eighteenth century, one of ace Walpole's face was similar but the most graceful periods in Eng­ womanish. It was a face that rarely lish literature; the brocade of that smiled; even when he was enjoying style was what most infuriated himself at a banquet, Howard critics like Fletcher Pratt. Howard looked weighted down by melan­ liked to imagine himself trans­ choly. ported back to the eighteenth cen­ His aversion to cold has been tury and part of its ways, periwig cited as one of his outstanding and all; and, probably for that rea­ phobias. The reason was not psy­ son, esteemed Berkeley Square chological but physiological. above all other films he had seen. When one is extremely thin and But I imagine that the tighteenth inclined toward anemia one feels century would soon have palled the cold intensely. Howard would 94 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION pass out on the street whenever the the title, feeling that it was exces· temperature dropped below 20 de· sively melodramatic; he knew that grees; and when one considers the it was taken from something he harshness of New England win· had read, but for once his prodigi· ters one realizes that H. P. L. ous memory failed him. When I spent· most of those winters in· pointed out that it was a quotation doors. The summers were never too from Dunsany he was relieved and warm for him; it is doubtful that decided to retain the title. he could ever sweat. When he vis· Lovecraft was not, as has been ited Florida in the hottest c;um· claimed, indifferent to food. It mertime the weather seemed ideal was just that his tastes in food re· to him. mained substantially those of his His long story At the Mountains childhood, when his mother strove of Madness has been mentioned to please his palate. Knowing of frequently as an especially good his aversion to milk (which psy­ example of H. P. L.'s aversion to chiatrists might make much of), cold; yet when it is read closely it she mixed it with both vanilla and shows nothing of the sort. Para· chocolate to disguise the taste; he doxically, Lovecraft was fascin· accepted it even then grudgingly. ated by the thought of polar ex· He was inordinately fond of ice peditions and read extensively cream and would go out of his way upon the subject; he himself would to sample all available flavors, lik­ have liked to have been a member ing coffee and vanilla best. He of such an expedition had his wrote once to me in wonder, "How health permitted, for the idea ap­ could anyone dislike cheese?" pealed to him as adventurous and When I wrote that I couldn't stand wholly masculine, and thus a re· maple flavoring because of its cloy· pudiation of his mother The nov· ingly sweet taste, he replied that elette was planned as a kind of nothing was too sweet for him. sequel to Poe's Narrative of A. His loathing for sea food has Gordon Pym (fitting into his tales been considered highly symbolic of the Cthulhu Mythos) and How· by some commentators, who link ard took extraordinary pains to it with his "hatred" for the sea. get his scientific data accurate. The matter seems simple to me, When I objected to the refriger· who has no especial feeling for ated prose of the story, H. P. L. the sea one way or the other: H. P. was delighted, for he felt that it L. disliked sea food for the same indicated that he had achieved reason I do--because of its horri­ the objectivity and impersonality ble taste. To test the genuineness of style of scientific reports. of this distaste, one of his ac· Lovecraft had misgivings as to quaintances once mixed some H. P. LOVECRAFT: THE HOUSE AND THE SHADOWS 95 shredded fish into a salad; after the Walls, the enormous monster one taste, H. P. L. pushed the sal­ underneath The Shunned House, ad aside, thinking it spoiled. the ghoulish Outsider, the thing Much has been made of Love­ that spoke up the tube in The craft's supposed hatred of the sea. Statement of Randolph Carter, the I believe it existed only in the reanimated corpses In the Vault minds of his commentators, who and in other tales. But here again confused the materials of his sto­ one must display caution; even as ries with the man. It is true that a child, Howard loved caverns, Lovecraft wrote many horror tales and it is quite possible that he of the sea. But then, so did Conrad shared Poe's necrophiliac fascina­ and William Hope Hodgson. It is tion with the dead. He loved to curious that a person who was visit old cemeteries. supposed to detest the sea lived all Perhaps even his state of her­ his life in places that were never mitage, like Hawthorne's, has been far from the sound of the sea; even exaggerated. He could not very in his travels, Howard rarely ven­ easily separate himself for long tured away from places that were from mankind. His hushed with­ situated near great bodies of water: drawal from the world was prema­ New Orleans and Cleveland and ture. It didn't take; the world was Quebec and Florida. too importunate. He could draw He may have suffered from claus­ down his shades in the daylight, trophobia. This phobia is most evi­ but he couldn't shut out the sounds dent in his story of the pulsing and the smells. His sleep was con­ masses of New York City, The tinually disturbed. Horror at Red Hook, but also can As a recluse, he was merely the be detected in his tales of tombs shy child he had been all over and vaults and other underground again. He must hide from visitors horrors. The feeling of oppressive only for fear of being repulsed. He dankness, of fetid air, submerges might hear from his mother's lips the reader of his Imprisoned With again what a hideous child he was the Pharaohs (ghost-written for ... Yet he longed for company, Houdini) or The Case of Charles and perhaps his nightly journeys Dexter Ward; and the stories of were an unconscious search for the Cthulhu Mythos abound with them. The night provides an in­ secret doors and passageways that visible cloak through which you lead into the depths of the earth. can safely peer out at people. In Most terrifying of all Lovecraft's the immensity of the night, when tales are those of the horrors to be no one presses too close to you and found underground: the beast­ everything seems fresh and nearly men raised as food in The Rats in transformed and the stars wheel- 96 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION ing high make you ponder your him as a spidery character scut­ place in the universal scheme, you tling through dark alleys. are free to indulge your thoughts; It has been said that if H. P. L. littleness is gone, and your step is had not dissipated so much of his adventurous. You wonder at the time with his correspondence with secret life behind the fanlighted obscure young writers he would doors, and pause briefly to make up surely have had time for more fantasies about the dwellers with­ writing of his own, and might have in. That shuttered, abandoned become the great writer he showed house with its sour-smelling yard: himself potentially to be; his fi­ you get an idea here for a story, nancial returns in any case would The Shuttered House. You hear have been much larger. Members the intimate song of the wind and of the Lovecraft circle have casti­ the water lapping at the docks. gated themselves mentally upon You pause long at the graveyard: learning that Lovecraft virtually here come ideas for many tales. starved himself in order to have Night is a necessity to you. But funds for postage and notepaper. when a passerby looks too curious­ Yet his correspondents were neces­ ly at you, you shrivel inside, and sary to him; he needed their ad­ you begin to think of ghouls and miration to bolster his always fal­ other rejected creatures. tering ego, needed their paper Yet Lovecraft never erected the friendship at a time when he had schizophrenic's invisible wall be­ no friends, needed their narration tween himse~f and other people. of outside events to keep up to Despite his mother's conditioning some degree with the world he felt and his New England rearing, he slipping away from him. He blos­ had an instinct for gregariousness. somed under their protective re­ As an adolescent, as has previous­ gard to the point where he was ly been noted, he took part in actually making trips to far states singing groups; he talked to E. and even on occasion meeting Hoffman Price almost around the some of his correspondents; emerg­ clock when he visited him in New ing from his shell. And the cor­ Orleans; he went often to New respondence itself was eminently York to see a fellow writer, Frank worth doing; H. P. L. was in the Belknap Long, and allowed him­ line of great letter writers like self to be taken by him to all the Horace Walpole. latest movies; he was a member Yet H. P. L. invited veneration for years of an amateur writers' rather than fellow-feeling; his clos­ group and even served a term as its ing signatures, like "Grandpa The­ president. All this hardly coin­ obald," while intended humorous­ cides with some fans' picture of ly, served to keep his correspond- H. P. LOVECRAFT: THE HOUSE AND THE SHADOWS ents at a distance, if only by age letter so friendly, so considerate (the youngsters thought of him as in answering all the questions I an old man, yet he was only forty­ had asked, so shrewd in analyzing seven when he died); and it is the writers I had mentioned, so possible, though unlikely, that he encouraging to my literary en­ brandished his near-encyclopedic deavors that I could scarcely wait knowledge as an unconscious to pen a reply. And the letters kept weapon to repel any feeling of coming through the years. equality. He discouraged too many Lovecraft's letters were amaz­ intimacies; it would have been un­ ing. What impressed his corre­ thinkable to write him an off-color spondents first was his erudition. joke. He had read very widely in the arts and sciences and retained in his My father brouoht home the astounding memory almost every­ first issue of Weird Tales in 1923, thing he had read. No matter what when I was eleven, and the maga­ the subject, from architecture to zine opened up a new world to me. zoology, his knowledge seemed en­ I read each issue avidly. I soon cyclopedic-so that each corre­ had picked out favorites among the spondent found himself confront­ authors, and foremost was H. P. ed by an expert who knew more Lovecraft. He 5eemed a highly about his own specialty than he mysterious figure. Farnsworth did. Howard knew the literary Wright, the editor, divulged noth­ classics thoroughly and railed at mg about his stable of writers, and me and other young writers for ne­ I often pondered what Lovecraft glecting them in favor of modern could be like. From some quality works. He had a vast command of in his style I judged him to be a languages not only Greek and clergyman! Latin, but modern ones; he even I didn't summon up courage to knew a smattering of Bantu. For write to Lovecraft until 1931, aft­ one of my stories I called upon my er I had tried my hand unsuccess­ faltering Spanish, and Howard fully at weird fiction myself. I ex­ immediately corrected the errors. pected at best a few lines of formal Every time one of the Weird Tales acknowledgement. I was virtually writers needed a terrifying-sound­ bowled over when Lovecraft's first ing inscription in Latin, he would letter came. It was almost a manu­ · consult Howard; one young col­ script in itself-twenty pages writ­ lege student, a Latin major, even ten on both sides in a handwriting carried on a correspondence with so minute that Lovecraft managed him in the language. As an anti­ to get more upon a page than a quarian, Howard was especially typewriter could manage. It was·a knowledgeable about history and 98 PANTAST AND SCIENCE PICTION could pick out the errors in Holly­ his writings that he had to limit wood's "historical" spectacles. his food budget to a dollar a day, But what ultimately held Love­ and weakened his frail constitu­ craft's correspondents was his per­ tion still further thereby. Yet if a sonalitv. The stvle of the letters correspondent mentioned some was relaxed-he-wrote them exact­ books he would like to read and ly the way he spoke-and had an they were in Howard's own library, intimate tone he would never per­ he would mail them off immedi­ mit in his rather starched formal ately. Howard had to eke out his writing. He had a sense of humor existence by revising the work of the stories never reveal and he other Weird Tales contributors could be unexpectedly witty. The (they became so transformed in the wit very frequently was at his own process that the stories are much expense; sometimes he would make more Lovecraft's than the nominal a drawing to illustrate his short­ writers'). Yet his correspondents comings, as when he -:lrew a rather were continually sending him man­ devastating self-portrait in one of uscripts for his criticism. No mat­ his letters to me. Howard had none ter how bad they were, Howard of the egoism and prickly pom­ could always find something en­ posity of the college professor; he couraging to say about them-and was modest to a fault. He was his very frequently he would revise own most severe literary critic; he whole paragraphs without charge. was so conscious of his real or im­ It is no wonder that the mem­ agined shortcomings that he des­ bers of the so-called "Lovecraft cir­ paired of continuing writing, and cle" felt so warm and fiercely pro­ frequently would refuse to submit tective toward him. Without his manuscripts he considered un­ encouragement, it is very probable worthy. that some of them would have dis­ He could be amazingly generous. continued writing altogether, for The ability to be impetuously gen­ the principal market for their sto­ erous-one of the few virtues of ries, Weird Tales, paid only a cent the very rich-is encountered a word, upon publication, and the more rarely in the poor, who, al­ editor, Farnsworth Wright, was though they can feel compassion subject to idiosyncratic whims: he because of their own travails, have would sometimes reject a manu­ to count the pennies to keep their script two or three times before fi­ own families from starving; their nally accepting it. Although pos­ feeling of largesse toward others is sibly the magazine's most popular worn down by mean economies writer, H. P. L. was never certain and undignified haggling. Love­ of Wright's favor himself; Wright craft was so wretchedly paid for might reject a story of his as "too H. P. LOVECRAFT: THE HOUSE AND THE SHADOWS 99 horrible" and then years later ask steadfastly disdained his manu· to see it again. Many of Love­ scripts-Lovecraft had only one craft's stories did not please Wright; book published during his life­ they had to wait for appearances time, the privately printed Shad­ in non-paying fan magazines or ow Over Innsmouth-showed a posthumous publication. belated interest. Howard's death came as a pro­ If Lovecraft's work is judged in found shock to me and to all his the terms of the very greatest art, other correspondents. Robert it admittedly fails; and this Love­ Bloch wrote that, had he known craft himself was the first to con­ he was dying, he would have cede. But it must be remembered crawled upon his hands and knees that the markets for which he if necessary to reach his bedside. wrote were wretchedly paying Writers who had rarely written pulp magazines and that their verse were inspired to write com­ readers were uninterested in sub­ memorative poems, fan magazines tleties or niceties of style. Love­ put out special issues in his mem­ craft recognized his limitations, ory, and book publishers, who had and wrote within them.

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Each Volume File will keep 12 copies of FANTASY &I SCIENCE FICTION clean, orderly, and readily accessible. Sturdily built; the files are covered with a rich black and red washable leatherette, and tho lettering is in 16-carat gold leaf. Reasonably priced at $2.50 each, 3 for $7.00, or 6 for $13.00, they are shipped fully preoaid on a money back basis if not satisfactory. Order direct from:JESSEJONES BOX CORPORATION Dept. F6SP P.O. Box 5120 Philadelphia 41. Pa. A readet" recently wrote to say that he was partial to any rtory with dragons in it and would we please publish more of them. Well, dragons are our second favorite things-our first are lovely girls. The charming fable below contains three dragons and one lovely girl, and we hope that it will satisfy everybody.

THE THIRD DRAGON

by Ed M. Clinton

DID YOU EVER WONDER WHY IT's scaring a few children once in a called a dragonfly? Not even the while just by flying close to them. dictionary knows, though it knows But it's quite a come-down when about werewolves, which is to say you've been the real thing. man-wolves, and which are a simi­ Under such circumstances, it lar kind of thing. would be anybody's ambition to be It happens every morning when a full-time, day-and-night dragon. the sun comes up. One moment But not many make the grade; be­ you're a dragon, breathing fire and cause, you see, there's a secret to it. making the earth shake and thrash­ And only a few ever discover this ing around a great long tail. Not to secret. mention being beautiful, with But I know of one who did, and your tremulous, colorful wings. that's what I'm going to tell you The next thing you know, you're about. Actually, there are three of just a dragonfly. these part-time dragons in this Now, a dragonfly is a nice story, but as far as I know, two of enough creature, and it's probably them are still only dragonflies not a bad life, flitting from flower when the sun shines. to flower in the warm summer air, Once upon a time, then, there looking rather pretty and maybe were these three dragons-at 100 THE niiiU> DRAGON 101 night, that is. After the sun came I am named, and when I walk the up, of course, they were just three ground shakes, and when I roar the average dragonflies, zipping and world holds its breath in fear," floating across the fields. Thunderer would say. Don't ask me how they got into "Nonsense. In point of fact, I this fix. I suspect that, like every­ don't think you're such hot stuff at thing else about them, it was their all. I'm quite convinced that. not own fault. only am I the most beautiful, but Their vanity was so great they am incidentally probably the had abandoned their given names mightiest of all dragons, though and taken new ones which they that is an element of my personal­ felt better suited to their particu­ ity which I regard as of only sec­ lar outstanding natures, but which ondary importance. Anybody can of course actually only suited their be destructive and noisy. Anybody remarkable fancies. One, thinking can spit fire. True beauty is a rare himself the most powerful and gift." fearsome creature on earth, an­ "But how sad," Thunderer swered only to the name of Thun­ would say, "to have to depend derer. The second, who fancied upon a pair of silly wings for one's himself the most beautiful of all importance." creatures, insisted on being called "Better than hanging one's ca­ Ravisher. And the third, whose reer on a matter _of hot breath. vanity was his presumption of su­ Look here, I tum the forest of the preme intelligence, styled himself night into a living rainbow." Socrates, a perhaps subtler appella­ "And my very appearance stops tion, which he had picked up from the heart of any living creature." some intellectual friends. "All things pale before perfect They fought together incessant­ beauty." ly. "I am the mightiest and most "If so, what greater beauty than fearsome of all creatures," Thun­ my perfect strength?" derer would hiss. "The world can only be cowed "Ha! A mere smasher of trees, by you, and it is humbled by me." squasher of creatures, and maker "Overweaning peacock." of loud noises. What is that beside "Inflated elephant." the supernal glory of my ultimate "Effete!" beauty?" And Ravisher would flut­ "Insensitive!" ter his wings ecstatically. (They And pretty soon the flames really were quite beautiful, con­ would flash from their mouths and sisting of delicate membranes of their claws would unfurl and their green and yellow and magenta.) wings would flutter the air into a "I am like the thunder for which terrible turbulence. 102 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICI'ION "Braggart!" "Intellectual fop," Ravisher "Fool!" would add. Then they would leap at each Then the three of them would other, with much thrashing of tails have at it, on through the night. and snarling, and Rapping of But soon would come the dawn, wings, and they would spin round the cover of night would vanish and round until they were like one before the light of day, and out of huge pinwheel, all flame and the forest three ordinary dragon­ noise. Around and around, burn­ flies would emerge to soar and dart ing the underbrush, breaking down across the meadow, burning with trees, driving all the other forest the injustice of their respective creatures away. fates: that such sublime beauty, Socrates was of a different sort, such noble power, and such pro­ quieter; his vanity was a more rari­ found intellect ·should be trapped fied one, but his self-satisfaction in the unprepossessing bodies of was just as great and got him into common insects. quite as much trouble. His opinion But one summer night, wearied of his two companions was very by his quarreling friends, Socrates low, and be never hesitated to tell wandered off to a quieter part of them how stupid he thought they the forest so that he could meditate were. "Oh, stop it," he would say, on deep subjects. While he was "stop your silly fighting. It's all trying to think of a deep subject over nothing, you know, because upon which to meditate, he could it's brains that count in this world. hear Thunderer and Ravisher in In the last analysis, brains always the distance beginning their night­ rule. And as I am the brainiest of ly quarrel. all creatures, I clearly outrank, Socrates snorted, his nostrils outshine, and generally outdo the glowing a little and a Ricker of both of you. Besides, I'm not at all sparks dancing round his tongue. sure" -and he would preen his Didn't they realize, wouldn't they wings-"that I'm not utterly more ever understand, how pointless all beautiful than either of you. And their fighting was? Well, he as far as being fearsome" -here he thought, intellectual creatures roared and sent out a sheet of fire have always home this cross: nev­ and flicked his long tail-"I don't er recognized until after the fact. feel I have to take a back seat to No matter-with a toss of his head you there, either." At which point and a trembling of his wings-we Thunderer and Ravisher would know our worth. stop their quarrel and tum on him. Suddenly the sounds of squab­ "Overweaning ego," Thunderer bling stopped. Socrates looked over would say. in the direction where the other niE THIRD DRAGON 103 two dragons were, and saw that "Blasd" even the glow of dragon-fire had "Your damned noise frightened stopped. "Curious," he said, and her off-" started ·back. "If you hadn't been so busy Then he heard Thunderer preening yourself, she wouldn't shriek: "Now! This is the moment have-" of truth! She can tell us that I, the "Your fault!" mightiest of all dragons, am the "Yours!" emperor of all creatures!" Just then, Socrates heard a "On the contrary, she will tell crunching of twigs near his right us that I, the most beautiful of all forepaw. He turned his head and dragons, am supreme." curved his long neck down to gaze "Curious," Socrates said again. at the spot. He halted and listened. There was· a human creature, "In peril of your life, helpless standing horrified at the sight of inferior human being," roared Rav­ him, her hand to her mouth, her isher (and Socrates saw the sky wide eyes staring up in terror at light up with dragon-fire and felt him. the wind rush from .the beating of "Why-you're just a girl," he dragon wings), "tell this idiot that said. I, the most beautiful of dragons, She began to cry and fell to her am hence the supreme creature of knees. the earth." And a very lovely girl, too, he "Not sol You must tell this silly thought, with long red hair and wiggler of wings that I, the most fair rosy cheeks and a soft ivory fearsome of dragons, am owed the skin. deference of all other creatures­ "They ought to be ashamed of including him." themselves," he said, feeling very And the sky turned red and pur­ superior. "Frightening you like ple and the ground shook and there that." was the sound of splintered trees She only cried harder. crashing to earth. "Don't be afraid. I shan't hurt "Hey-she's getting away!" you. Come, come. Look up, now." During all of this, Socrates had But there seemed nothing to be stood quite still,_ listening with done for her tears. amusement, and very puzzled. His "You shouldn't be in the forest tail flicked ever so slightly and his at night, you know. You must be great purple and orange wings lost." The hiss and crunch of Rav­ throbbed gently up and down. isher and Thunderer rolling and "She's gone!" thrashing among the trees came to "I can't find her!" his ears. "Oh, bother such tomfool- 104 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION isness. Come, come. Enough tears. already the loveliest of all crea­ Look, I'll show you a trick. See-" tures." And he vibrated his wings just She laughed when he said this. enough to lift himself a foot and a Then she frowned. "But tell me, half from the ground. why are your friends fighting so? The girl with the long red hair They're just awful, you know, and stopped crying and said, "Oh, I hope you don't mind my s·aying that's marvelous. Can you ... it." can you go higher?" "They always fight. Sometimes I "Sure." And he went up to three fight too," he added, a little em­ feet. barrassed. When he had come back down, "That's a silly thing to do." he said, "Feel better?'' ''They're fighting over who's the "A little." At least she wasn't most beautiful and who's the most crying, but she still looked terribly fearsome, and, given those proposi­ frightened. tions, which of. them is pre-emi­ "My," she said, after she had nent among all creatures." wiped her eyes, "my, you have the "Pooh! Such silliness. You're most beautiful wings. May I see?" just as beautiful as either of them, Never before in his life had any­ and much nicer, too. And I'll bet one said anything so nice to Socra­ you're just as strong, too, and could tes, and he really didn't quite know scare anybody just as easily-but what to do. So after blinking his you're too nice to do that." eyes and swallowing hard, he said, "I guess I'm pretty strong." He "Okay," and folded his right wing flicked his tail. down so that she could get a close "Could you break that tree over look at it. there with your tail?" "My," she said, "the colors are "Oh, sure." He snapped his tail all in concentric spirals." and the tree toppled with a crash. Now, even though he fancied "And can you breathe fire?" himself above all creatures in in­ "Sure I can. Watch." He made tellect, Socrates hadn't the slight­ a small swath of red, blue, and est idea what concentric spirals green dragon-fire, about three feet might be. So he said, ''Yeah." long. It was a very minor effort, "And they're iridescent." but he did not want to frighten her. ''Yeah." "If you really want, I could make "I wish I had beautiful wings it bigger-" like that." "Do, oh dol Make it as big as you Socrates looked down into her can!" The girl sat back on her legs eyes and sighed. "No, you don't and tossed the long red hair over need them," be said, "for you are her shoulders. "Make the biggest, niB THiltD DRAGON 105 brightest fire you ever made, just explained what iridescent meant. for me!" "Thank you," he said, and led Socrates inhaled until he her to the edge of the forest. "Good­ thought his lungs would burst, and bve." He felt verv sad, for he had then, squeezing his eyes tight shut, g;own to Jove the. girl and he knew he heaved out the mightiest breath he would never see her again. he had ever breathed. The flames "Oh, dear dragon, goodbye. You licked and curled for twenty feet, have been kind and good to me. and lit up the forest for a hundred Always be just what you are, dear yards in all directions. dragon, and I'm sure the world will The girl clapped her hands. go weii with you." "Wonderful! Wonderful! Dragon, "I promise," l!e said. I love you, for you are the kindest, Sadly he watched her running most beautiful, most fearsome crea­ across the meadow toward the ture I have ever seen!" town, her long red hair streaming He lowered his head, because as behind her. What was that wonder· I have said he was not at aU used fu] word? Iridescent: yes, he to having nice things said to him. thought, her hair was almost irides­ "But it's terribly late," she said, cent in the first slanting rays of the "and I've got to find my way home. rising sun. Could vou show me the way out of The sun? The sun I the forest?" Two dragonflies buzzed angrily Proudly, Socrates said: "My about his head and flashed out into pleasure." He hesitated. "But­ the meadow. one thing, first, please. If I bend Socrates could not believe what mv wing down again, wili von­ his eyes told him. It was day, the would you explain to rne what it sun had risen, and vet ... and means, concentric spirals and iri­ yet here he stood, a ·real dragon. descent?" He tossed his head, breathed a "Of course." little fire, and turned back into the So he folded down the right forest. For, vou see, he had ]earned wing again, and with her hand the that to be a ~ea] dragon in the light beautiful girl traced the swirling of day, one must be the dragon one patterns of concentric orange and is. Otherwise, you become just an­ green and purple and white, and other dragonfly. SCIENCE

TIME AND TIDE

by Isaac Asimov

WHAT WITH ONE THING AND another, I've gotten used to explain­ ing various subtle puzzles that arise in connection with the scientific view of the universe. For instance, I have disposed of the manner in which electrons and photons can be waves part of the time and particles the rest of the time in a dozen different ways and by use of a dozen different analogies. I've gotten so good at it, in fact, that at dinner parties the word nervously goes about, "For heaven's sake, don't ask Asimov anything about wave-particle duality." And no one ever does. I sit there all primed and aching to explain, and no one ever asks. It kills the party for me: But it's the simple thing that throws me. I've just been trying to write a very small book on the Moon for third-graders and as part of the task I was asked to explain why there are two high tides each day. Simple, I thought, 2nd a condescending smirk passed over my face. I flexed my fingers and bent over the typewriter. As the time passed, the smirk vanished and the hair at my temples grew perceptibly grayer. I managed at last, after a fashion, but if you don't mind, Gentle Reader, I'd like to try again. I need the practice.

The tides have bothered people for a long time, but not the good old Greeks, with reference to whom I start so many articles. The Greeks, you see, lived (and still live, for that matter) on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. That sea happens to be relatively tideless because it is so nearly landlocked that high tide can't get through the strait of Gibraltar before the time for it has passed and it is low tide again. About 325 B.C., however, a Greek explorer, Pytheas of Massalia (the modern Marseilles) ventured out of the Mediterranean and into 106 TIME AND TIDE 107 the Atlantic. There he came across pronounced tides, with two periods of high water each day and two periods of low water in between. Pytheas made good observations of these, undoubtedly helped out by the inhabitants of the shores facing the open ocean, who were used to the tides and took them for granted. The key observation was that the range between high water and low water was not always the same. It increased and decreased with time. Each month there were two periods of particularly large range between high and low tides ("spring tides") and, in between, two periods of particularly small range ("neap tides"). What's ·more, the monthly variations matched the phases of the Moon. Th~ spring tides came at full Moon and new Moon, while the neap tides came at first quarter and third quarter. Pytheas suggested, therefore, that the tides were caused by the Moon. Some of the later Greek astronomers accepted this, but for the most part, Pytheas' sug­ gestion lay fallow for two thousand years. There were plenty of men who believed that the Moon influenced the manner in which crops grew, the rationality or irrationality of men, the way in which a man might turn into a werewolf, the likelihood of encountering spooks and goblins-but that it might influence the tides seemed to be going a bit far! I suspect that one factor that spoiled the Moon/tide connection for thoughtful scholars was precisely the fact that there were two tides a day. For instance, suppose there is a high tide when the Moon .is high in the sky. That would make sense. The Moon might well be drawing the water to itself by some mysterious force. No one in ancient and medi­ eval times had any notion of just how such a force might behave, but one could at least give it a name such as "sympathetic attraction." If the water heaped up under a high Moon, a point on the rotating Earth, passing through the heap, would experience a high tide followed by a low tide. But a little over twelve hours later, there would be another high tide and then the Moon would be nowhere in the sky. It would be, in fact, on the other side of the globe, in the direction of a Man's feet. If the Moon were exerting a sympathetic attraction, the water on the man's side of the globe ought to be pulled downward in the direction of his feet. There ought to be a hollow in the ocean, not a heap. Or could it be that the Moon exerted a sympathetic attraction on the side of the Earth nearest itself and a sympathetic repulsion on the side opposite. Then there would be a heap on both sides, two heaps 108 FANTAST AND SCIENCE FICTION all told. In one rotation of the Earth, a point on the shore would pass through both heaps and there would be two high tides each day, with two low tides in between. The notion that the Moon would pull in some places and push in other places must have been very hard to accept, and most scholars didn't try. So the Moon's influence on the tides was put down to astro­ logical supersition by the astronomers of early modern times. In the e.arly 1600's, for instance, Johann Kepler stated his belief that the Moon influenced the tides, and the sober Galileo laughed at him. Kepler, after all, was an astrologer who believed in the influence of the Moon and the planets on all sorts of earthly phenomena and Galileo \vould have none of that. Galileo thought the tides were caused by the sloshing of the oceans back and forth as the Earth rotated-and he was quite wrong. Came Isaac Newton at last! In 1685, he advanced the law of uni­ versal gravitation. By using that law it became obvious that the Moon's gravitational field had to exert an influence on the Earth and the tides could well be a response to that field. But why two tides? What difference does it make whether we call the force exerted by the Moon on the Earth "sympathetic attraction" or "gravitational attraction"? How could the Moon, when it was on the other side of the Earth, cause the water on this side to heap upward, away from the Moon. The Moon would still ·have to be pulling in one place and pushing in another, wouldn't it? And that still wouldn't make sense, would it? - Ah, but Newton did more than change words and substitute "gravity" for "sympathy." Newton showed exactly how the gravitational force varied with distance, which was more than anyone before him had shown in connection with the vaguely postulated sympathetic force. The gravitational force varied inversely as the square of the distance. That means the force grows smaller as the distance grows larger; and if the distance increases by a ratio of x, the force decreases by a ratio of -x. Let's take the specific case of the Moon and the Earth. The average distance of the Moon's center from the surface of the Earth nearest it­ self is 234,000 miles. In order to get the distance of the Moon's center from the surface of the Earth farthest from itself, you must add the thick­ ness of the Earth ( 8,000 miles) to the first figure, and that gives you 242,000 miles. If we set the distance of the Moon to the near surface of the TIME AND TIIIK 100 Earth at 1, then the distance to the far surface is 242,000/234,000 or 1.034. As the distance increases from 1.000 to 1.034, the gravita­ tionalforce decreases from 1.000 to 1 I 1.034", or 0.93. There is thus a 7.0 percent difference in the amount of gravitational force exerted by the Moon on the two sides of the Earth. If the Earth were made of soft rubber, you might picture it as yield­ ing somewhat to the Moon's pull, but each part would yield by a differ­ ent amount depending on the strength of the pull on that particular part. The surface of the Earth on the Moon's side would yield most since it would be most strongly attracted. The parts beneath the surface would be attracted with a progressively weaker force and move less and less toward the Moon. The opposite side of the Earth, being farthest from the Moon would move toward it least of all. There would therefore be two bulges; one on the part of the Earth's surface nearest the Moon, since that part of the surface would move the most; and another on the part of the Earth's surface farthest from the Moon, since that part of the surface would move the least and lag behind all the rest of the Earth. If that's not clear, let's try analogy. Imagine a compact group of runners running a long race. All of them run toward the finish line so that we might suppose some "force" is attracting them toward that finish line. As they run, the speedier ones pull out ahead and the slower ones fall behind. Despite the fact that only one "force" is involved, a "force" directed toward the finish line, there are two "bulges" produced; a bulge of runners extending forward toward the finish line in the direction of the force, and another bulge of runners extending back­ ward in the direction opposite to that of the force. Actually the solid body of the Earth, held together by strong inter­ molecular forces yields only very slightly to the gravitational differ­ ential exerted by the Moon on the Earth. The liquid oceans, held to­ gether by far weaker intermolecular forces, yield considerably more and make two "tidal bulges," one toward the Moon and one away from it. As the Earth rotates, an individual point on some seacoast is carried past the first tidal bulge and then half a day later through the second. There are thus two high tides and two low tides in one complete rota­ tion of the Earth-or, to put it more simply, in one day. If the Moon were motionless, the tidal bulges would always remain in exactly the same place, and high tides would be exactly twelve hours apart. The Moon moves in its orbit about the Earth, however, in the same direction that the Earth rotates, and the tidal bulges move with 110 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION it. By the time some point on Earth has passed through one bulge and is approaching a second, that second bulge has moved onward so that the Earth must rotate an additional half-hour in order to pass the point under question through high-tide again. The time be~een high tides is 12 hours and 25 minutes, and the time from one high tide to the next but one is 24 hours and 50 minutes. Thus, the high tides each day come nearly one hour later than on the day before.

But why spring tides and neap tides and what is the connection be­ tween tides and the phases of the Moon? For that we have to bring in the Sun. It, too, exerts a gravitational influence on the Earth. The gravitational pull of two separate heavenly bodies on the Earth varies directly with the mass of the bodies in ques­ tion and inversely with the square of their distance from the Earth. To make things simple, let's use the mass of the Moon as the mass­ unit, and the average distance of the Moon from the Earth (center to center) as the distance-unit. The Moon possesses 1 Moon-mass and is at 1 Moon-distance in other words, and the Moon's gravitational pull upon us can therefore be set at 1 I I' or 1. The mass of the Sun is 27,000,000 times that of the Moon and its distance from the Earth is 392 times that of the Moon. We can say, then, that the Sun is 27,000,000 Moon-masses and is at 392 Moon­ distances. The gravitational pull of the Sun upon the Earth is therefore 27,000,000/392" or 176. This means that the Sun's gravitational pull upon the Earth is 176 times that of the Moon. You would therefore expect the Sun to create tidal bulges on the Earth, and so it does. One bulge on the side toward itself, naturally, and one on the side opposite itself. At the new Moon, the Moon is on the same side of the Earth as the Sun, and both Moon and Sun are pulling in the same direction. The bulges they produce separately add to each other, producing an unusu­ ally large difference between high and low tide. At the full Moon, the Moon is on the side of the Earth opposite that of the Sun. Both, however, are producing bulges on the side nearest them and on the side opposite them. The Sun's near-bulge coincides with the Moon's far-bulge and vice versa. Once again, the bulges pro­ duced separately add to each other and another unusually large differ­ ence between high and low tide is produced. There fore the spring tides come at new Moon and full Moon. At first and third quarter, when the Moon has the half-Moon ap- TIME AND TIDE 111 pearance, Moon, Earth and Sun form a right triangle. If you picture the Sun as pulling from the right and producing a tidal bulge to the right and left of the Earth, the Moon at first quarter is pulling from above and producing a bulge up and down. (At third quarter, it is pulling from below and still producing a bulge up and down.) In either case, the two sets of bulges tend to neutralize each other. What would ordinarily be the Moon's low tide is partially filled by the existence of the Sun's high tide, so that the range in water level between high and low tide is cut down. Thus we have the neap tides at first and third quarter.

But hold on. I said that the Moon's low tide is "partially filled" by the existence of the Sun's high tide. Only "partially." Does that mean the Sun's tidal bulges are smaller than the Moon's tidal bulges? It sure does. The tides follow the Moon. The Sun modifies the Moon's effect but never abolishes it. Surely, one ought to ask why that should be so. I have said that the Sun's gravitational pull on the Earth is 176 times that of the Moon. Why then should it be the Moon that produces the major tidal effect? The answer is that it is not the gravitational pull itself that pro­ duces the tides, but the difference in that pull upon different parts of the Earth. The difference in gravitational pull over the Earth's width decreases rapidly as the body under consideration is moved farther off, since, as the total distance increases, the distance represented by the width of the Earth makes up a smaller and smaller part of the total. Thus, the distance of the Sun's center from the Earth's center is about 92,900,000 miles. The Earth's width makes far less difference in this case than in the case, earlier cited, of the Moon's distance. The distance from the Sun's center to the side of the Earth near it is 92,896,000, while the distance to the far side is 92,904,000. If the distance from the Sun's center to the near side of the Earth is set equal to 1, then the distance to the far side is 1.00009. In that distance, the Sun's gravitational pull drops off to only 1/1.00009" or 0.99982. In other words, where the difference in the Moon's gravitational pull,from one side of the Earth to the other is 7.0 percent; the dif­ ference of the Sun's gravitational pull is only 0.018 percent. Multiply the Sun's gravitational difference by its greater gravitational pull over­ all (0.0 18 x 176) and you get 3.2 percent. The tide-producing effect of the Moon is to that of the Sun as 7.0 is to 3.2 or as 1 is to 0.46. We see then that the Moon's effect on tides is more than twice that of the Sun, despite the Sun's much greater gravitational pull 112 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION A second way of attaining the comparative gravitational pulls of two bodies upon the Earth is to divide their respective masses by the cubes of their respective distances. Thus, since the Moon has I Moon-mass and is at I Moon-distance, its tide-producing effect is I I I" or 1. The Sun with 2 7,000,000 Moon­ masses at 392 Moon-distances, has a tide-producing effect of 27,000,- 000/392" or 0.46. We can easily see that no body other than the Sun and the Moon can have any significant tidal effect on the Earth. The nearest sizable body other than those two is the planet Venus. It can approach as closely as 26,000,000 miles, or I08 Moon-distances, at year-and-a­ half intervals. Even then its tidal effect is only 66/I09" or 0.000005I times that of the Moon.

The tides, in a way, affect time. At least, it is the tides that make our day 24. hours long. As the tidal bulge travels about the Earth, it scrapes against shallow sea-bottoms (the Bering Sea and the Irish Sea are supposed to be the prime culprits) and the energy of Earth's rota­ tion is dissipated as frictional heat. The energy of the Earth's rotation is so huge that this dissipation represents only a very small portion of the total over any particular year or even any particular century. Still, it is enough to be slowing the Earth's rotation and lengthening the day by I second every I 00,000 years. This isn't much on the human time-scale, but if the Earth has been in existence for five billion years and this rate of day-lengthening has been constant throughout, the day has lengthened a total uf 50,000 seconds or nearly I4 hours. When the Earth was created, it must have been rotating on its axis in only I 0 hours (or less, if the tides were more important in early geologic times than they are now, as they well might have been). As the Earth's rate of rotation slows down, it loses angular momen­ tum as well, but this angular momentum cannot be dissipated as heat. It must be retained, as angular momentum, elsewhere in the Moon­ Earth system. What the Earth loses the Moon must gain and it can do this by receding from the Earth. It's greater distance means a greater angular momentum as it turns, since angular momentum depends not only upon rate of turn, but also upon distance from the center about which an object is turning. The effect of the tides, then, is to slow the Earth's rotation and to increase the distance of the Moon. There is a limit to how much the Earth's rotation will be slowed. TIME AND nDI!. 113 Eventually, the Earth will rotate about its axis so slowly that one side will always face the Moon as the Moon turns in its orbit. When that happens, the tidal bulges will be "frozen" into place immediately under the Moon (and on Earth's opposite side) and will no longer travel about the Earth. No more friction, no more slowing. The length of the Earth day will then be more than fifty times as long as the present day; and the more distant Moon will turn in its orbit in twice the period it now turns. Of course, the tidal bulges of the Sun will still be moving about the Earth some seven times a year and this will have further effects on the Earth-Moon system, but never mind that now.

Even if there were no oceans on the Earth, there would still be tidal friction, for the solid substance of the Earth does yield a bit to the differential pull of the Moon. This bulge of solid material travelling around the Earth also contributes to internal friction and to the slow­ ing of the Earth's rotation. We can see this at work on the Moon, which has no oceans. Just as the Moon produces tides on the Earth, so the Earth produces tides on the Moon. Since the mass of the Earth is 81 times that of the Moon, but the distance is the same one way as the other, you might suspect that the tidal effect of Earth-on-Moon would be 81 times that of Moon­ on-Earth. Actually, it's not quite that high. The Moon is a smaller body than the Earth so there's a smaller gravitational difference over its width than there would be in the case of the larger Earth. Without going into th.:: details of the mathematics (after all, I must spare you something) I can give you the results- If the effect of Moon-on-Earth is considered to be 1.00, then the effect of Earth-on-Moon is 3 2. 5. With the Moon affected 32.5 times as much as the Earth is, and with its mass, and therefore its rotational energy, considerably less than that of the Earth, there has been ample time in the history of the Solar system to dissipate its rotational energy to the point where the tidal bulge is frozen into the Moon, and where the Moon faces one side only toward the Earth. This is actually the situation. We can suspect that any satellite which receives a tidal effect even greater than that received by the Moon wopld (unless it were very much larger than the Moon) also face one side to its primary at all times. As a matter of fact, there are six other satellites in the Solar system that are Moon-sized or a little larger, and each of them is attached 114 FANTASY AND ICIENCE FICTION to a planet considerably more massive than the Earth. They are there­ fore much more affected tidally. If we continue to consider the effect of the Moon on the Earth to be 1.00, then we can say- Neptune-on-Triton ...... 720 Saturn-on-Titan ...... • 225 Jupiter-on-Callisto ...... ·... . 225 Jupiter-on-Ganymede ...... 945 Jupiter on Europa ...... 145 Jupiter on Io ...... 5,650 There seems no question but that all these satellites have had their rotations with respect to their primaries stopped. Each of these satel­ lites faces one side to its primary constantly. What about the reverse, though? What about the effect of the various satellites on their primaries? Of the six Moon-sized satellites just mentioned, the two which are closest to their primaries are lo and Triton. Io is 262,000 miles from Jupiter and Triton is 219,000 miles from Neptune. Because the effect varies inversely with the cube of the distance, we can suspect that these two will have considerably niore effect on their primaries than will the remaining four which are all much farther away from their primaries. If we consider the Jupiter/Io and Neptune/Triton pairs, then we note that Jupiter is far larger than Neptune and that there will there­ fore be a larger drop in the gravitational field across the width of Jupiter than across the lesser width of Neptune. Since the extent of this drop is crucial, it is fair to conclude that of the six planet/satellite combinations we have been considering, the tidal effect of lo on Jupiter is the strongest. Let's see how much that is. Again, we are considering the tidal effect of the Moon on the Earth to be 1.00. In that case (if you will trust my calculations) the effect of Io on Jupiter is equal to 30. This is a sizable amount, surprising to anyone who would assume, without analysis, that a small satellite like Io could scarcely have much of a gravitational effect on giant Jupiter. Well, it has. It has 30 times the effect on Jupiter that our Moon has on the Earth. Io exerts roughly the effect on Jupiter that the Earth exerts on the Moon. N~turally, although the Earth's effect is sufficient to stop the Moon's rotation relative to itself, we wouldn't expect Io's similar effect on Jupi­ ter to slow Jupiter's rotation significantly. After all, Jupiter is far larger TIME AND TIDE 115 in mass than the Moon is and packs far more rotational energy into its structure. Jupiter can dissipate this rotational energy for billions of years without slowing its rotation much while the Moon, dissipating its rotational energy at the same rate is brought to a halt. And, indeed, Jupiter still rotates with a period of only 10 hours. However, there are tidal effects other than rotation-slowing. It has recently been discovered that Jupiter's emission of -1dio waves varies in time with the rotation of Io. This seems to puzzle astronomers and a number of theories to explain it have been proposed which I am not sure I exactly understand. (I am not, after all, a professional astrono­ mer.) I suspect that these explanations must surely take into account Io's tidal action on Jupiter's huge atmosphere. This tidal action must affect the turbulence of that atmosphere and therefore its radio emission. In the extremely unlikely case that this has not been considered, I offer the suggestion to all comers free of charge.

That leaves only one more. thing to consider. I have discussed the effect of the Sun upon Earth's tides. This is not terribly large (0.46) and one can expect that since the Sun's tide-producing effect drops off as the cube of the distance, the effect on planets more distant than the Earth would prove to be insignificant. What about the effect on Venus and Mercury, however, which are closer to the Sun than is the Earth? Well, according to my calculations, the Sun's tidal effect on Venus is 1.06 and its effect on Mercury is 3. 77. These are intermediate figures. They are more than the Moon's effect on Earth, which is not sufficient to stop Earth's rotation altogether; but they are less than the Earth's effect on the Moon, which was enough to stop the Moon. One might suppose, then, that the rotations of Venus and Mercury, while slowed, would not yet have slowed to a stop. Nevertheless, for a long time, the rotations of Venus and Mercury were considered as having been stopped, so that both planets faced a single side to the Sun at all times. In the case of Venus,. this was a pure guess for no one had ever seen the surface, but in the case of Mercury, where surface markings could be made out (though obscurely) the feeling seemed to check with observations. In the last year or two, however, this view has had to be revised in the case of both planets. Venus and Mercury are each rotating slowly 116 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION with respect to the Sun as (with the wisdom of hindsight) one might have suspected from the figures on tidal effects. Both rotations are quite odd, moreover, and I would go into that if I had more data and if my allotment of pages were not used up. But alas, magazine space, like time and tide, will not adjust itself to the needs of mere man.

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This month's cover by Mel Hunter pictures three ships descending into the shaft of an unusually deep crater on a planet circling a red giant star, Proofs of this cover are available (please specify). Requests for other specific covers will be fllled when possible; otherwise, we will send our selection. When H. L. Gold offered this story to us for possible reprint (it has appeared once in a book, never in a magazine), he mentioned that probably no one has ever invented an alien quite like the DorfeUow. We would venture a strong guess that nobody has even come close, and, after reading the vtory, we think you wiU concur.

MAN OF PARTS

by H. L. Gold

THERE WASN'T A TRACE OF AM· bling. He spat out the rock frag­ nesia or confusion when Major ments that tasted-nutritious. Hugh Savold, of the Fourth Earth Shaking, Savold recoiled from Expedition against Vega, opened something even more frightful than his eyes in the hospital. He knew the wrong name, wrong birthplace, exactly who he was, where he was, wrong accident, and shockingly and how he had gotten there. wrong food. His name was Gam Nex Biad. A living awl was watching him He was a native of the planet solicitiously. It was as tall as him- named Dorfel. self, had a pointed spiral drill for a He had been killed in a mining head, three knee-action arms end- accident far underground. ing in horn spades, two below them The answers were preposterous with numerous sensitive cilia, a and they terrified Major Savold. row of socketed bulbs down its Had he gone insane? He must have, front, and it stood on a nervously for his arms were pinned tight in bouncing bedspring of a leg. a restraining sheet. And his mouth Savold was revolted and tense was full of bits of rock. with panic. He had never in his Savold screamed and wrenched life seen a creature like this. around on the flat, comfortable It was Surgeon Trink, whom he boulder on which he had been nib- had known since infancy. 01954 by H. L. Gold 117 118 F.\NTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION "Do not be distressed," glowed nate accident. We were all very the surgeon's kindly lights. ''You sad." are everything you think you are." "And I was killed," said Savold, "But that's impossible! I'm an horrified. "Twice/" Earthman and my name is Major "Oh, no. Only once. You were Hugh Savold!" badly damaged when your machine "Of course." crashed, but you were not killed. "Then I can't be Gam Nex Biad, We were able to repair you." a native of Dorfel!" Savold felt fear swarm through "But you are." him, driving his ghastly thoughts "I'm not!" shouted Savold. "I into a quaking corner. He looked was in a one-man space scout. I down at his body, knowing he sneaked past the Vegan cordon couldn't see it, that it was wrapped and dropped the spore-bomb, the tightly in a long sheet. He had only one that ever got through. The never seen material like this. Vegans burned my fuel and engine He recognized it instantly as sections full of holes. I escaped, asbestos cloth. but I couldn't make it back to There was a row of holes down Earth. I found a planet that was the front. Savold screamed in pockmarked worse than our moon. horror. The socketed bulbs lit up in I was afraid it had no atmosphere, a deafening glare. but it did. I crash-landed." He "Please don't be afraid!" The shuddered. "It was more of a crash surgeon bounced over concernedly, than a landing." broke open a large mica capsule, Surgeon Trink brightened joy­ and splashed its contents on fully, "Excellent! There seems to be Savold's head and face. "I know it's no impairment of memory at all." a shock, but there's no cause for "No?" Savold yelled in terror. alarm. You're not in danger, I as­ 'Then how is it I remember being sure you." killed in a mining accident? I was Savold found himself quieting drilling through good hard mineral down, his panic diminishing. No, ore, spinning at a fine rate, my it wasn't the surgeon's gentle, re­ head soothingly warm as it gouged assuring glow that was responsible. into the tasty rock, my spades It was the liquid he was covered pushing back the crushed ore, and with. A sedative of some sort, it I crashed right out into a fault ..." eased the constriction of his brain, "Soft shale," the surgeon ex­ relaxed his facial muscles, dribbled plained, dimming with sympathy. comfortingly into his mouth. Half ''You were spinning too fast to of him recognized the heavy odor sense the difference in density and the other half identified the ahead of you. It was an unfortu- taste. MAN OF PAJlTS 119 It was lubricating oil. translation: from Surgeon Trink to As a lubricant, it soothed him. Gam Nex Biad to him. They were But it was also a coolant, for it all equivalents, of course, but they cooled off his fright and disgust amounted to a large portion of his and let him think again. brain, skull, chest, internal and "Better?" asked Surgeon Trink reproductive organs, mid-section, hopefully. and legs. "Yes, I'm calmer now," Savold "Then what's left of me?" Savold said, and noted first that his voice cried in dismay. sounded quieter, and second that it "Why, part of your brain-a wasn't his voice-he was commu­ very considerable part, I'm proud to nicating by glows and blinks of his say. Oh, and your arms. Some row of bulbs, which, as he talked, things weren't badly injured, but it gave off a cold light like that of seemed better to make substi­ fireflies. "I think I can figure it out. tutions. The digestive and circula­ I'm Major Hugh Savold. I crashed tory system, for instance. Yours and was injured. You gave me the were adapted to foods and fluids body of a . . ." he thought about that aren't available on Dorfel. the name and realized that he did­ Now you can get your sustenance n't know it, yet he found it immed­ directly from the minerals and met­ diately, "... a Dorfellow, didn't als of the planet, just as we do. If I you?" hadn't, your life would have been "Not the whole body," the sur­ saved, but you would have starved geon replied, glimmering with con­ to death." fidence again as his bedside man­ "Let me up," said Savold in ner returned. "Just the parts that alarm. "I want to see what I look were in need of replacement." like." Savold was revolted, but the The surgeon looked worried sedative effect of the lubricating again. He used another capsule of oil kept his feelings under control. oil on Savold before removing the He tried to nod in understanding. sheet. He couldn't. Either he had an un­ Savold stared down at himself believably stiff neck . . . or no and felt revulsion trying to rise. neck whatever. But there was nowhere for it to "Something like our bone, limb, go and it couldn't have gotten and 'organ banks," he said. "How past the oil if there had been. much of me is Gam Nex Biad?" He swayed sickly on his bedspring "Quite a lot, I'm afraid." The leg, petrified at the sight of him­ surgeon listed the parts, which self. came through to Savold as if he He looked quite handsome, he were listening to a simultaneous had to admit-Gam Nex Biad had 120 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION always been considered one of the Surgeon Trink glowed sympa­ most crashing bores on Dorfel, cap­ thetically and flashed with pride. able of taking an enormous leap on "Your mission seems important his magnificently wiry leg, landing somehow, though its meaning es­ exactly on the point of his head caped me. However, we have re­ with a swift spin that would bury paired your machine . . ." him out of sight within instants in "You have?" Savold interrupted even the hardest rock. His knee­ eagerly. action arms were splendidly flinty; "Indeed, yes. It should worlc he knew they had been repaired better than before." The surgeon with some other miner's remains, flickered modestly. "We do have and they could whirl him through a some engineering skill, you know." self-drilled tunnel with wonderful The Gam Nex Biad of Savold speed, while the spade hands did know. There were the under­ could shovel back ore as fast as he ground ore smelters and the oil could dig it out. He was as good as refineries and the giant metal awls new . . . except for the disgust­ that drilled out rock food for the ingly soft, purposeless arms. manufacturing centers, where min­ The knowledge of function and ers alone could not keep up with custom was there, and the reaction the demand, and the communica­ to the human arms, and they tors that sent their signals clear made explanation unnecessary, around the planet through the sub­ just as understanding of the firefly strata of rock, and more, much language had been there without more. This, insisted Gam Nex his awareness. But the emotions Biad proudly, was a civilization, were Savold's and they drove him and Major Hugh Savold, sharing to say fiercely, "You didn't have to his knowledge, had to admit that it change me altogether. You could certainly was. have just saved my life so I could "I can take right off, then?" fix my ship and get back ..."He Savold flared excitedly. paused abruptly and would have "There is a problem first," gasped if he had been able to. glowed the surgeon in some doubt. "Good Lord! Earth Command does­ "You mention a 'girl' on this place n't even know I got the bomb you call 'Earth.' I gather it is a per­ through! If they act fast, they can son of the opposite sex." land without a bit of opposition!" "As opposite as anybody can get. He spread all his arms-the two Or was," Savold added moodily. human ones, the three with knee­ "But we have limb and organ action and spades, the two with the banks back on Earth. The doctors sensitive cilia-and stared at them. there can do a repair job. It's a ".(\nd I have a girl back on Earth ..." damned big one, I know, but they MAN OF PARTS 121 can handle it. I'm not so sure I like "Mate!" added Prad Fim Biad in carrying Gam Nex Biad around a delighted exclamation point. with me for life, though. Maybe "You see," said the surgeon to thev can take him and . . ." Savold, who was shrinking back, ''Please," Surgeon Trink cut in "you already have a mate and a with anxious blinkings. "There is a family." matter to be settled. When you re­ fer to the 'girl,' you do not specify It was only natural that a board that she is your mate. You have not of surgeons should have tried to been selected for each other yet?" cope with Savold's violent reaction. "Selected?" repeated Savold He had fought furiously against blankly, but Gam Nex Biad sup­ being saddled with an alien fam­ plied the answer-the equivalent ily. Even constant sautration with of marriage, the mates chosen by lubricating oil couldn't keep that experts on genetics, the choice be­ rebellion from boiling over. ing determined by desired trans­ On Earth, of course, he would mittable aptitudes. "No, we were have been given immediate psy­ just going together. We were not cho-therapy, but there wasn't any­ mates, but we intended to be as thing of the sort here. Dorfellows soon as I got back. That's the other were too granitic physically and reason I have to return in a hurry. psychologically to need -medical or I appreciate all you've done, but I psy~hiatric doctors. A job well really must ..." done and a family well raised­ "Wait,'' the surgeon ordered. that was the extent of their emo­ He drew an asbestos curtain that tionalism. Savold's feelings, rage covered part of a wall. Savold saw and resentment and a violent de­ an opening in the rock of the hos­ sire to escape, were completely pital, a hole-door through which beyond their understanding. He bounced half a dozen little Dar­ discovered that as he angrily fellows and one big one ... Straight watched the glittering debate. at him. He felt what would have The board quickly determined been his heart leap into what would that Surgeon Trink had been cor­ have been .his chest if he had had rect in adapting Savold to the either. But he couldn't even get Dorfel way of life. Savold objected angry or shocked or nauseated; the that the adaptation need not have lubricating oil cooled off all his been so thorough, but he had to ad­ emotions. mit that, since they couldn't have The little creatures were all afire kept him fed any other way, Sur­ with childish joy. The big one geon Trink had done his best in an sparkled happily. emergency. "Father!" blinked the children. The surgeon was willing to ac- 122 FANTASY AND SCIENCI!. FICTION cept blame for having introduced puzzled glimmers and Gam Nex Savold so bluntly to his family, but Biad's confusion made him state the board absolved him-none of resignedly, "Our customs are differ­ them had had any experience in ent. We choose our own mates." He dealing with an Earth mentality. A thought of adding that marriages Dorfellow would have accepted the were arranged in some parts of the fact, as others with amnesia caused world, but that would only have in­ by accident had done. Surgeon creased their baffled lack of under­ Trink had had no reason to think standing. Savold would not have done the "And how many mates can an same. Savold cleared the surgeon individual have?" asked a surgeon. entirely by admitting that the mem­ "Where I come from, one." ory was there, but, like aJl the other "The individual's responsibility, memories of Gam Nex Biad's, had then, is to the family he has. Cor­ been activated only when the situa­ rect?" tion came up. The board had no "Of course." trouble getting Savold to agree that 'Well," said the oldest surgeon, the memory would have returned "the situation is perfectly clear. sooner or later, no matter how You have a family-Prad Fim Biad Surgeon Trink handled the intro­ and the children." duction, and that the reaction "They're not my family," Savold would have been just as violent. objected. "They're Gam Nex Biad's "And now," gleamed the oldest and he's dead." surgeon on the board, "the problem "We respect your customs. It is is how to help our new-and re­ only fair that you respect ours. If stored-brother adjust to life on you had had a family where you this world." come from, there would have been "That isn't the problem at alii" a question of legality, in view of the Sa void flared savagely. "I have to fact that you could not care for get back to Earth and tell them I them simultaneously. But you have dropped the bomb and they can none and there is no such ques­ land safely. And there's the girl I tion." mentioned. I want to marry her­ "Customs? Legality?" asked Sa­ become her mate, I mean." void, feeling as lost as they had in "You want to become her mate?" trying to comprehend an alien the oldest surgeon blinked in be­ society. wilderment. "It is your decision?" "A rebuilt Dorfellow," the oldest "Well, hers, too." surgeon said, "is required to "You mean you did the selecting assume the obligations of whatever yourselves? Nobody chose for you?" major parts went into his recon­ Savold attempted to explain, but struction. You are almost entirely MANOP PARTS 123 made up of the remains of Gam allowing a chance to work his way Nex Biad, so it is only right that free. his mate and children should be But the board of surgeons had yours." agreed on a disastrously simple "I won't do it!" Savold protested. course of treatment for him. He "I demand the right to appeal." was not to be fed by anybody and "On what grounds?" asked an­ he could not sleep in any of the other surgeon politely. underground rock apartments, in­ "That I'm not a Dorfellow!" cluding the dormitory for unmated "Ninety-four point seven per males. cent of you is, according to Sur­ "When he's hungry enough, geon Trink's requisition of limbs he'll go back to mining," the oldest and organs. How much more of a surgeon had told the equivalent of citizen can any individual be?" a judge, a local teacher who did Gam Nex Biad confirmed the part-time work passing on legal ruling and Savold subsided. While questions that did not have to be the board of surgeons discussed the ruled on by the higher courts. point it had begun with-how to "And if he has no place to stay ex­ adapt Savold to life on Dorfel­ cept with Gam Nex Biad's family, he thought the situation through. which is his own, naturally, he'll He had no legal or moral re­ go there when he's tired of living course. If he was to get out of his out in the open all by himself." predicament, it would have to be The judge thought highly of the through shrewd resourcefulness decision and gave it official ap­ and he would never have become a proval. major in the space fleet if he hadn't Savold did not mind being out had plenty of that. in the open, but he was far from being all by himself. Gam Nex Yeah, shrewd resourcefulness, Biad was a constant nuisance, nag­ thought Savold bitterly, jouncing ging at him to get in a good day's unsteadily on his single bedspring drilling and then go home to the leg on a patch of unappealing top­ wife, kiddies, and their cozy, hol­ soil a little distance from the settle­ lowed-out quarters, with company ment. He had counted on some­ over to celebrate his return with a thing that didn't exist here-the lavish supply of capsuled lubricat­ kind of complex approach that ing oil. Savold obstinately refused, Earth doctors and autorities would though he found himself salivat­ have used on his sort of problem, ing, or something very much like it. from the mitigation of laws to The devil of the situation was psychological conditioning, all of that he was hungry and there was it complicated and every stage not a single bit of rock to munch 124 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION on. That was the purpose of this down those ores I was telling you fenced-in plot of ground-it was about." like hard labor in the prisons back Rrsisting the thought of the ores on Earth. where the inmates ate was hard enough, for Savold was only if they broke their quota of rattlinglv empty, but the tempta­ rock, except that here the inmates tion of the smooth, cold mercury would eat the rock thev broke. The would have roused the glutton in only way Savold could get out of anyone. the enclosure was by driHing "All right," he growled. "but get under the high fence. He had al­ this straight-we're not going back readv tried to bounce over it and to your family. They're your prob­ discovered he couldn't. lem, not mine." "Come on," Gam Nex Biad "But how could I go back to argued in his mind. "Whv fight it? them if you won't go?" We're a miner and there's no life ''I'm glad you see it my way. like the life of a miner. The excite­ Now where are those ores and that ment of boring your way through a mercury?" lode, making a meal out of the "Dive," said Gam Nex Biad. rich ore! Miners get the choicest "I'll give vou the directions." tidbits, you know-that's our com­ Savold took a few bounces to pensation for working so hard and work up speed and spin, then shot taking risks." into the air and came down on the "Some compensation," sneered point of his awl-shaped head, Savold, looking wistfully up at the which bit through the soft topsoil stars and enviously wishing he as if through-he shuddered-so were streaking between them in his much water. As a Dorfellow, he scout. had to avoid water; it eroded and "A meal of iron ore would go corroded and caused deposits of pretty well right now, wouldn't rust in the di!Yestive and circula­ it?" Gam Nex Biad tempted. "And tory systems. There was a warmth I know where there are some veins that was wonderfully soothing of tin and sulphur. You don't find caused by drilling into rock. He ate them lving around on the surface, some to get back his strength, but eh? Nonminers get just traces of left room for the main course and the rare metals to keep them the dessert. healthy, but we can stuff ourself "Pretty nice, isn't it?" asked all we want-" Gam Nex Biad as they gouged a "Shut up!" comfortable tunnel back toward "-and some pools of mercury. the settlement. "Nonminers don't Not big ones, I admit, but all we'd know what they're missing." want is a refreshing gulp to wash "Quiet," Savold ordered surlily, MAN OF P.U.TS 125 but he had to confess to himself second, Marge third, he corrected. that it was pleasant. His three knee­ She wouldn't want him this way ... action arms rotated him at a com~ "Manganese," said Gam Nex fortable speed, the hom spades Biad abruptly, and Savold shut off pushing back the loose rock; and his thinking. "I always did like a he realized why Gam Nex Biad had few mouthfuls as an appetizer." been upset when Surgeon Trink The rock had a pleasantly spicy left Savold's human arms attached. taste, much like a cocktail before They were in the way and they kept dinner. Then they went on, with getting scratched. The row of sock~ the Dorfellow giving full concen~ eted bulbs gave him all the light he tration to finding his way from needed. That, he decided, had been deposit to deposit. their original purpose. Using them The thing to do, Savold rea~ to communicate with must have soned, was to learn where the been one of their first steps toward scout ship was being kept. He had civilization. tried to sound out Gam Nex Biad Savold had been repressing subtly, but it must have been too thoughts ever since the meeting of subtle-the Dorfellow had guessed the board of surgeons. Now he ex~ uninterestedly that the ship would perimentally called his inner part~ be at one of the metal-fabricating ner. centers, and Savold had not dared "Um?" asked Gam Nex Biad ab­ ask him which one. Gam Nex Biad sently. couldn't induce him to become a "Something I wanted to discuss miner and Dorfellow family man, with you," Savold said. but that didn't mean he could es~ "Later. I sense the feldspar com~ cape over Gam Nex Biad's opposi~ ing up. We head north there." tion. Savold turned the drilling over Savold did not intend to find to him, then allowed the buried out. Shrewd resourcefulness, that thoughts to emerge. They were was the answer. It hadn't done him thoughts of escape and he had kept much good yet, but the day he could them hidden because he was posi~ not outfox these rock~eaters, he'd tive that Gam Nex Biad would tum in his commission. All he had have betrayed them. He had been to do was find the ship . . . trying incessantly, wheedlingly, to Bloated and tired, Savold found sell ,Savold on mining and return~ himself in a main tunnel thor~ ing to the family. oughfare back to the settlement. Hell with that, Savold thought The various ores, he disgustedly grimly now. He was getting back to had to confess to himself, were as Earth somehow-Earth Command delicious as the best human foods, first, Marge second. No, surgery and there was nothing at all like 126 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION the flavor and texture of pure liq­ plied with weary impatience. "For­ uid mercury. He discovered he had get it. We're not going there." some in his cupped cilia hands. "But it's so comfortable there-• "To keep for a snack?" he asked "Forget it, I told you I" Gam Nex Biad. "Oh, all right," Gam Nex Biad "I thought you wouldn't mind said resignedly. "But we're not go­ letting Prad Fim and the children ing to find anything as pleasant have a little," the DorfeUow said and restful as my old sleeping hopefuUy. "You ought to see them boulder. It's soft limestone, you light up whenever I bring it home!" know, and grooved to fit our body. "Not a chancel \Ve're not going I'd like to see anybody not fall there, so I might as well drop it." asleep instantly on that good old Savold tried to open his cilia flat boulder . . ." hands. They stayed cupped. That Savold tried to resist, but he was was when he realized that he had worn out from the operation, dig­ supposed correctly. Gam Nex Biad ging, and the search for a place to could prevent him from escaping. . spend the night. "Just look at it, that's all," Gam Savold had to get some sleep. He Nex Biad coaxed. "If you don't was ready to topple with exhaus­ like it, we'll sleep anywhere you tion. But the tunnels were unsafe say. Fair enough?" -a Dorfellow traveling through "I suppose so," admitted Savold. one on an emergency night errand The hewn-rock apartment was would crash into him hard enough quiet, at least; everybody was to leave nothing but flinty splin­ asleep. He'd lie down for a while, ters. And the night air felt chill just enough to get some rest, and and hostile, so it was impossible to clear out before the household sleep above ground. awoke ... "Please make up your mind," But Prad Fim and the children Gam Nex Biad begged. "I can't stay were clustered around the boulder awake much longer and you'll just when he opened his eyes. Each of go blundering around and get into them had five arms to fight off. And trouble." there was Surgeon Trink, the elder "But they've got to put us up of the board of surgeons, and the somewhere," argued Savold. "How local teacher-judge all waiting to about the hospital? We're still a pa­ talk to him when the homecoming tient, aren't we?" was over with. "We were discharged. And no­ "The treatment worked!" cried body else is aUowed to let us stay the judge. "He came back I" in any apartment-except one." "I never doubted it," the elder •1 know, I know," Savold re- said complacently. MANOP PAII.TS 127 "You know what this means?" silently agreed. "But I'm afraid you Surgeon Trink asked Savold. have to take it from here. All I "No, what?" Savold inquired know is mining, not metal-fabri­ warily, afraid of the answer. cating centers." "You can show us how to operate Savold suppressed his elation. your machine," declared the judge. The less Gam Nex Biad knew from "It isn't that we lack engineering this point on, the less he could ability, you understand. We simply guess-and the smaller chance never had a machine as large and that he could betray Sa void. complex before. We could have, of "We can leave right now," the course-I'm sure you're aware of judge was saying. "The family can that-but the matter just never follow as soon as you've built a came up. We could work it out by home for them." ourselves, but it would be easier to "Why should they follow?" Sa­ .have you explain it." void demanded. "I thought you said "By returning, you've shown I was going to be allowed to operate that you have attained a degree of the ship." stability," added the elder. "We "Demonstrate and explain it, couldn't trust you with the machine really," amended the judge. "We're while you were so disturbed." not absolutely certain that you are "Did you know this?" Savold si­ stable, you see. As for the family, lently challenged Gam Nex Biad. you're bound to get lonesome ..." "Well, certainly," came the Savold stared at Prad Fim and voiceless answer. the children. Gam Nex Biad was "Then why didn't you tell me? brimming with affection for them, Why did you let me go flounder­ but Savold saw them only as hide­ ing around instead?" ous ore-crushing monsters. He "Because you bewilder me. This tried to keep them from saying loathing for our body, which I'd good-by with embraces, but they always been told was quite attrac­ came at him with violent leaps tive, and for mining and living that threatened to chip bits out of with our family-wanting to reach his body with their grotesque point this thing you call Earth Com­ awl heads. He was glad to get away, mand and the creature with the especially with Gam Nex Biad strange name-Marge, isn't it? I making such a damned slobbering could never guess how you would nuisance of himself. react to anything. It's not easy liv­ "Let's go!" Savold blinked fran­ ing with an alien mentality." tically at the judge, and dived after "You don't have to explain. I've him into an express tunnel. got the same problem, remember." While Gam Nex Biad was busily "That's true," Gam Nex Biad grieving, Savold stealthily worked 128 FANTASY AND SCffiNCE FICTION out his plans. He would glance "What am I doing?" Savold casually at the ship, glow some glinted venomously. "Getting off mild compliment at the repair job, your lousy planet and back to a make a pretense of explaining how sane world where people live like the controls worked-and blast off people instead of like worms and into space at the first opportunity, moles!" even if he had to wait for days. He "I don't know what you mean," knew he would never get another said the Dorfellow anxiously, "but chance; they'd keep him away from I must stop you until the authori­ the ship if that attempt failed. And ties say it's all right." Gam Nex Biad was a factor, too. "You can't stop me!" Savold ex­ Savold had to hit the takeoff button ulted. "You can paralyze every­ before his partner suspected or thing except my own arms!" their body would be paralyzed in And that, of course, was the ulti­ the conflict between them. mate secret he had been hiding It was a very careful plan and it from Gam Nex Biad. called for iron discipline, but Sa­ His finger slammed down the void had plenty of that. All he had takeoff button. The power plant to do was maintain his iron self­ roared and the ship lifted swiftly control. toward the sky. He did-until he saw the ship It began to spin. right ahead on the hole-pocked Then it flipped over and rushed plain. Then his control broke and suicidally at the ground. he bounced with enormous, desper­ "They did something wrong to ate leaps toward it. the ship!" cried Savold. "Wait! Wait!" glared the judge, "Wrong?" repeated Gam Nex and others from the fabricating Biad vacantly. "It seems to be work­ center sprang toward the ship. ing fine." Savold managed to reach the "But it's supposed to be heading pilot room and slam the door before up./" Gam Nex Biad, asking in fright­ "Oh, no," said Gam Nex Biad as ened confusion "What are you do­ the converted ship started to drill. ing?" locked their muscles so that "Our machines never go that way. Savold was unable to move. There's no rock up there." **********************''S : * £ MARKET PLACE t: .************************* Did you know that man is not an animal-the brain is not the mind-you may be stuck in your BOOKS-MAGAZINES mind-you can be released from your mind? If you don't know these things, then you best find FREE CATALOG. Adult Books, POSTAL FF, 2217 outl Read Dianelics: The Modern Science of Lockland, St. Louis, Missouri 63114.. Menial Health by L. Ron Hubbard. Send $5.00 to The Distribution Center, Inc. Dept. FSF, Box 242, Silver Spring, Md. 20907. 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