THEODORE STURGEON ISSUE THE MA GA2INE 0 F Fantasi; and

Science Fiction

WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE

a novelet by THEODORE STURGEON

JUDITH MERRIL JAMES BUSH

EVELYN E. SMITH

JAMES H. SCHMITZ

KIT REED

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.M" ^

Including Venture Science Fiction

When You Care, When You Love (.novelet) THEODORE STURGEON 6 Theodore Sturgeon’s Macrocosm JAMES BLISH 42 Theodore Sturgeon JUDITH MERRIL 46 Fantasy and Science Fiction by Theodore Sturgeon (bibliography) SAM moskowitz 56 Martian Mouse ROBIN STURGEON 62

They Also Serve EVELYN E. SMITH 63 Ferdinand Feghoot: LIV GRENDEL BRIARTON 82 Myrrha GARY JENNINGS 83 Science: The Shape of Things ISAAC ASIMOV 89 The New You KIT REED 100 The Devil’s God-daughter SUZANNE MALAVAL no These Are the Arts JAMES H. SCHMITZ 113 Editorial 4

In this issue . , . Coming soon 5 F&SF Marketplace 129 Cover by Ed Emsh

The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Volume 23, No. 3, Whole No. 136, Sept. 1902. Published monthly by Mercury Press, Inc., at 40t a copy. Annual subscription $4.50 in U. S. and Possessions, $5.00 in Canada and the Pan American Union; $5.50 in all other countries. Publication office, 10 Ferry Street, Concord, N. H. Editorial and general mail should he sent to 347 East 53rd St., New York 22, N. Y. Second Class postage paid at Concord, N. H. Printed in U. S. A. © 1962 by Mercury Press, Inc. All rights, including translations into other languages, reserved. Submissions must be accom- panied by stamped, self-addressed envelopes; the Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of XinsoHcited manuscripts*

Joseph IV. Ferman, publisher Avram Davidson, executivt: editor Robert P. Mills, consulting editor Edward L. Ferman, managing editor Isaac Asimov, contributing science editor —

EDITORIAL

Tlic Milford Science Fietion Writers Conference is held every year in Pike County, Pennsylvania, in a cluster of summer cottages set among a grove of great trees where the foothills of the Pocono Mountains march along the Delaware. The company of such writ- ers as Fritz Leiber, Damon Knight, Judith Merril, Theodore Thomas, Joe Flensley, Gordon Dickson, Richard McKenna, Kate \Vilhelm, Carol Emshwiller, Terry Carr, Katherine Maclean, Joan Matheson, Fred Pohl, Alice Glaser, Keith Laumer, and Randall Garrett, and tlie mostalgic mood of a late afternoon by a quiet river, causes us to think sentimentally about our past memories of Science Fiction something which is generally associated with tlie future. The fu- ture, however, we will leave, for the moment, to fiction and to the Fates; the shadows lengthen, the river flows on, the Delaware might almost be the Hudson, and not far from tliere, in tlie days when the Depression was great upon the land, we haunted — with dimes di- verted from popsicles (root beer, preferably) and Poppy Ott books (whatever became of them?) — a second-hand magazine store. Those Elephant Eolios of the early days of the SE magazines, the Gernsback Amazing and Wonder, were so cheaply come by, tlicn. We can smell their unique scent even now, see before us the an- tique figures of Frank Paul, one of the great classical SF illustrators, flee with Tumithak tlirough the Corridors, shudder over tlie vile Yeast Men of Dr. David H. Keller, and enter (for the first time) the Twenty-Fifth Century with Anthony (“Buck”) Rogers. They don’t write stories like that no more, don’t try to tell us otherwise, we know better. Presently we were to invest a whole twenty cents for our first neie SF magazine — montli and year escape our by now senescent memory, but it had a story in it (we tliink) about proto- plasmic blobs, by Stanton R. Coblenz. In those days protoplasmic blobs were really horrible, as well as educational; it is a sad com- mentary on the decay of our culture that protoplasmic blobs have become the sad, feeble tilings they have become. We presently joined tlie Science Fiction League, Mastered Time with Ray Cum- mings, read wiUi astonished awe the first productions of such giants in the earth as Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Theodore Sturgeon. We remember vividly the lucid comment of a fellow Boy Scout named Kelly (or, conceivably, Kelley), to wit: “You reelly hleeve that rocket ship stuff? Ahahahahah!! The War shook us loose from a steady devotion to the medium, the Post War period saw us 4 drop it entirely. But first loves are often not easily lost. We returned

to ours in the Fifties, and are still with it. Although there is much

grey in our beard now, it stilf strikes us with a sense of wonder that we should be in any sense at all a compeer of the like of Heinlein, Asimov, Sturgeon, Leiber, Knight, Clarke, and others. It seems Not Quite Right that we dare ever presume sit in judgment on their stories. It seems a wonderful and fantastic thing that we are privi- leged to edit a magazine of fantasy and science fiction at all, let alone The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. It is exciting to think that we are privileged to print new writers — Aandahl, Carr, Gilien, and others. Nostalgia, after all, is all very well, but you can’t run a Science Fiction magazine today with blobs, sheiks, and yeast men. Wc aren’t even going to try. — Avram Davidson

In this issue . .

. . . there is, of course, the new Theodore Sturgeon stor\ , the first of three, which, when finished, will be published as one book; plus Judith Merril’s “personality” article on the Guest of Flonor; plus James Blish’s cameo-like critique of Sturgeon as literary crafts- man; plus Sam Moskowitz’s Sturgeon bibliography — and, for lagniappe, a short excursion into extraterrestrial zoology by Robin Sturgeon, penultimate child to Theodore. In addition there are funny stories by Evelyn E. Smith and Suzanne Malaval, a French author new to the U.S.; exceedingly non-funny stories by James Schmitz and Gary Jennings; a Kit Reed tale which deftly manages to be both light and serious at the same time, and Dr. Asimov’s science article, which is alone worth the price of admission.

Coming soon . . .

. . . are stories from A for Aandahl to Z for Zangwill, including one by Mildred Clingerman, an old-time F&SF favorite. October sees Part One of a two-part serial. The Journey of Joenes, marking Robert Sheckley’s reappearance here after a too-long absence. You’ll enjoy, also, in the October issue, an extra-long Books section, to make up for the necessary absence of that column from the current issue, owing to the inclusion of tire special Sturgeon material.

5 Introduction -WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE by Theodore Sturgeon

Among the paradoxes of the kingdom of nature is this: that the golden-throated nightingale is drab, ivhile the splendid

peacock has a harsh scream for a voice. “Paradox” , in the sense of “a seeming contradiction”—but of course really no contradiction at all. The splendor of song is sufficient for the nightingale. The peacoclTs plumage is glory enough for him. Nature, there, is neither niggardly nor lavish past measure. We have writers who sing sweetly as nightingales, writers

who are gorgeous as peacocks. It is a flat fact that Theodore

Sturgeon is both. As someone put it to us recently, he “has an aura.” Ilis flashing eyes, his floating hair, pan-like beard, continually sparkling wit, his alchemist's fingers, and his

ardent, argent pen ... It is around us that the circle is

thrice-woven, it is we who feed on honey-dew and drink the milk, of paradise. Much have we travelled in the realms of gold, who have read much (or even little) of his work. It seems only right, somehow, that, with all this, Theodore Sturgeon .should have a beautiful wife and beautiful children as well. It seems, anyhow, not right that we can find (after long search- ing) nothing fresher to say at this point than this: We are proud to publish this newest story by Theodore Sturgeon. It will form (though complete in itself) part of a book, and he has promised us the privilege of publishing the other parts as they are written. The tale has its beginnings with the long, deep thoughts of Captain Gamaliel Wyke, crouching by the winter fire in his four great grey shawls, near the tolling break-

ers and the creaking gtdls. Thus it begins. There is time enough before tee consider its ending. —

WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE

by Theodore Sturgeon

He was beautiful in her bed. (until now’) the platter called When you care, when you love, well, of course on which these when you treasure someone, you things were served her. For had can ivatch the beloved in sleep as she not wanted it? But this, now

— him, . . you watch everything, anything now . greatest of all else — laughter, lips to a cup, a her w’ants, ever; first thing in all look even away from you; a her life to transcend w’ant itself stride, sun a-struggle lost in a and knowingly become need: this hair-lock, a jest or a gesture she had at last, at long (how long, even stillness, even sleep. now) long last, this she had now She leaned close, all but for good and all, for ahvays, for- breathless, and watched his lashes. ever and never a touch of well, of Now’, lashes are thick sometimes, course. He was her personal mira- curled, russet; these were all these, cle, he in this bed now, w'arm and and glossy besides. Look closely loving her. He was the reason and there where they curve lives light the reward of it all — her family in tiny serried scimitars. and forbears, known by so few All so good, so very good, she and felt by so many, and indeed, let herself deliciously doubt its the whole history of mankind reality. She would let herself be- leading up to it, and all she her- lieve, in a moment, that this was self had been and done and felt; real, was true, w’as here, had at and loving him, and losing him, last happened. All the things her and seeing him dead and bringing life before had ever given her, all him back — it was all for this mo- she had ever wanted, each by each ment and because the moment had had come to her purely for want- to be, he and this peak, this warmth ing. Delight there might be, pride, in these sheets, this iioiv of hers. pleasure, even glory in the new He was all life and all life’s beau- possession of gift, privilege, ob- ty, beautiful in her bed; and now ject, experience : her ring, hat, she could be sure, could believe it, toy, trip to Trinidad; yet, with believe . . . possession there had ahvays been "I do,” she breathed. “I do.”

7 — —

8 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

. “What do you do?” he asked pain . . grunting, gasping, her. He had not moved, and did wrapped away from her, even her, not now. unreachable even by her. "Devil, I thought you were She screamed. She screamed. asleep.” She— “Well, I was. But I had the

feeling someone was looking.” A VV'yke biography is hard to “Not looking,” she said softly. come by. This has been true for “Watching.” She was watching the four generations, and more true lashes still, and did not see them with each, for the more the W'yke stir, hut between them now lay a holdings grew, the less visible have shining sliver of the grey cool alu- been the Wyke family, for so minum of his surprising eyes. In Cap’ll Gamaliel Wyke willed it a moment he would look at her after his conscience conquered just that — in a moment their eyes him. This (for he was a prudent would meet and it would be as if man) did not happen until after nothing new had happened (for it his retirement from what ivas eu- would be the same metal missile phemistically called the molasses vvhieh had first impaled her) and trade. His ship — later, his tlect

also as if everything, everything had carried fine New I ngland were happening again. Within her, rum, made from the molasses, to passion boiled up like a fusion Europe, having brought molasses fireball, so beautiful, so huge from the West Indies to New — and like the most dreaded England. Of course a paying car- thing on earth, without pause the go was needed for the westward radiance changed, shifting from crossing, to close with a third leg the hues of all tlie kinds of love this profitable triangle; and what to all the tones of terror and the better cargo than Africans for the colors of a cataclysm. West Indies, to harvest the cane

She cried his name . . . and work in the mills which made And the grey eyes opened wide the molasses? in fear for her fears and in as- Ultimately allluent and retired, tonishment, and he bounded up he seemed content for a time to laughing, and the curl of his laugh- live among his peers, carrying his ing lips turned without pause to broadcloth coat and snowy linen the pale writhing of agony, and as to the manor born, limiting his they shrank apart, too far apart personal adornment to a massive while the white teeth met and golden ring and small square gold while between them he shouted his buckles at his knee. Soberly shop- hurt. He fell on his side and talking molasses often, rum sel- doubled up, grunting, gasping in dom, slaves never, he dwelt with a —

WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 9

frightened wife and a silent son, and the Vineyard, Gamaliel Wyke until she died and something had come to terms with nothing perhaps loneliness — coupled his less than the Decalogue. brain again to his sharp old eyes, He had never questioned the and made him look about him. He Ten Commandments, nor had he began to dislike the hypocrisy of knowingly disobeyed them. Like man and was honest enough to many another before him, he at- dislike himself as well, and this tributed the sad state of the world was a new thing for the Cap’n; he and the sin of its inhabitants to could not deny it and he could their refusal to heed those Rules. not contain it, so he left the boy But in his ponderings, God Him- with the household staff and, tak- self, he at last devoutly concluded, ing only a manservant, went into had underestimated the stupidity the wilderness to search his soul. of mankind. So he undertook to The wilderness was Martha’s amend the Decalogue himself, by ". .” Vineyard, and right through a bit- adding . . or cause . . to ter winter the old man crouched each Commandment, just to make by tlie fire when the weather it easier for a man to work with: “. closed in, and, muffled in four . . or cause the Name of the great grey shawds, paced the Lord to be taken in vain." “. beaches when it was bright, his . . or cause stealing to be brass telescope under his arm and done. “. his grim canny thoughts doing . . or cause dishonor to thy mighty battle with his convic- father and thy mother. “. tions. In the late spring he re- . . or cause the commission turned to VViscassett, his blunt cer- of adultery. “. tainty regained, his laconic curt- . . or cause a killing to be ness increased almost to the point done.” of speechlessness. He sold out (as But his revelation came to him a startled contemporary described when he came to the last one. It it) "everything that showed,” and was suddenly clear to him that all took his son, an awed obedient mankind’s folly — all greed, lust, eleven, back to the Vineyard where war, all dishonor, sprang from hu- to the accompaniment of tolling manity’s almost total disregard for breakers and creaking gulls, he this edict and its amendment: gave the boy an education to "Thou shall not covet . . . nor which all the schooling of all the cause covetousness r Wykes for all of four generations It came to him then that to would he mere addenda. arouse covetousness in another is For in his retreat to the storms just as deadly a sin as to kill him and loneliness of the inner self or to cause his murder. Yet all —

10 FANT,\SY AND SCIENCE FICTIO.N

around the world empires rose, bear upon the mind and soul of his great yachts and castles and hang- son Walter, and Walter begat Jed- ing gardens came into being, ediah, and Jedediah begat Caia- tombs and trusts and college phas (who died) and Samuel, grants, all for the purpose of and Samuel begat Zebulon (who arousing the envy or covetousness died) and Sylva; so perhaps the of the less endowed — or having true beginning of the story of the that effect no matter what the mo- boy who became his own mother tive. lies with Cap’n Gamaliel Wyke Now, one way for a man as and his sand-scoured, sea-deep, rich as Gamaliel Wyke to have re- rock-hard revelation. solved the matter for himself would be St. Francis’ way; but — fell on his side on the bed (though he could not admit this, and doubled up, grunting, gasp- or even recognize it) he would ing in pain, grunting, gasping, have discarded the Decalogue and wrapped away from her, even his amendments, all surrounding her, unreachable even by her. Scripture and his gnarled right She screamed. She screamed. arm rather than run so counter to She pressed herself up and away his inborn, ingrained Yankee ac- from him and ran naked into the quisitiveness. And another way sitting room, pawed up the ivory might have been to take his riches telephone: “Keogh” she cried; and bury them in the sand of “For the love of God, Keogh!” Martha’s Vineyard, to keep them — and back into the bedroom from causing covetousness; the where he lay open-mouthing a very thought clogged his nostrils grating horrible uh uh! while with the feel of dune-sand and he she wrung her hands, tried to take felt suffocation; to him money was one of his, found it agony-tense a living thing and should not be and unaware of her. She called interred. him, called him, and once, And so he came to his ultimate screamed again. answer: Make your money, en- The buzzer sounded with inex- joy it, but never let anyone knoiv. cusable discretion. Desire, he concluded, for a neigh- “Keogh!” she shouted, and the bor’s wife, or a neighbor’s ass, or polite buzzer shhh’d her again for anything, presupposed know- the lock, oh the damned lock . . . ing about these possessions. No she picked up her negligee and ran neighbor could desire anything of with it in her hand through the his if he couldn’t lay a name to it. dressing room and the sitting So Gamaliel brought weight like room and the hall and the living granite and force like gravity to room and the foyer and flung ”

W HEN VOU CARE, WHEN VOU LOVE 11 open the door. She pulled Keogh side the door, and I’ve sent for through it before he could turn Weber. If there’s a better doctor away from her; she thrust one arm than Rathburn, it could only be in a sleeve of the garment and Weber, so you’ve got to leave it to shouted at him, “Keogh, please, them. Come!” please, Keogh, what’s wrong with “I won’t leave him.” him?” and she fled to the bedroom, “Come!” Keogh rapped; then Keogh sprinting to keep up with murmured, looking over her shoul- her. der at the bed, “He wants you to, Then Keogh, chairman of the can’t you see? He doesn’t want board of seven great corporations, you to see bim like this. Right?" board-member of a dozen more, he demanded, and the face, turned general manager of a quiet family away and half-buried in the pil- holding company which had, for low shone sweatly; cramp mound- most of a century, specialized in ed the muscles on the side of the the ownership of corporate own- mouth they could just see. Stiffly ers, went to the bed and fixed his the head nodded; it was like a cool blue gaze on tbe agonized fig- shudder. “And . . . shut . . . .” ure there. door . . . tight . . he said in He shook his head sliglitly. a clanging half whisper. “You called the wrong man," he “Come,” said Keogh. And snapped, and ran back to the sit- again, “Come.” He propelled her ting-room, knocking the girl aside away; she stumbled. Her faee as if he had been a machine on turned yearningly until Keogh, tracks. He picked up the phone both hands on her, kicked at the and said, “Get Rathburn up here. door and it swung and the sight Noir. Where’s Weber? You don’t? of the bed was gone. Keogh well, find him and get him here. leaned back against the door as if

. . . 1 don't care. Hire an air- the latch were not enough to hold plane. Buy an airplane.” it elosed. He slammed down the phone “What is it? Oh, what is it?” and ran back into the bedroom. He "I don’t know,” he said.

up behind her and gently “You do, you do . . al- came . you lifted the negligee onto her other ways know everything . . . why shoulder, and speaking gently to won’t you let me stay with him?” her all the while, reached round “He doesn’t want that.” her and tied die ribbon belt. “What Overcome, inarticulate, she happened?” — cried out. “N-nothing, he just “Maybe,” he said into her hair, “Come on, girl — clear out of “he wants to scream too.” here. Rathburn’s practically out- She struggled — oh, strong, lithe —

12 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

and strong she was. She tried to He must have been a child once, press past him. He would not a youth; he could remember if he budge, so at last, at last she wept. wished but did not care to. Life He held her in his arms again, began for him with the summa as he had not done since she used cum laude, the degrees in both to sit on his lap as a little girl. He business and law and (so young) held her in his arms and looked the year and a half with Hinne- blindly toward the unconcerned gan and Bache, and then the in- bright morning, seen soft-focused credible opening at the Interna- through the cloud of her hair. And tional Bank; the impossible asked he tried to make it stop, the morn- of him in the Zurich-Plenum af-

ing, the sun, and time, but fair, and his performance of it, — but there is one certain thing and the shadows which grew be- only about a human mind, and tween him and his associates over

that is that it acts, moves, works the years, while for him the light ceaselessly while it lives. The ac- grew and grew as to the architec- tion, motion, labor differ from that ture of his work, until at last he of a heart, say or an epithelial cell, was admitted to Wyke, and was in that the latter have functions, permitted to realize that Wyke and in any circumstance perform was Zurich and Plenum, and the their functions. Instead of a func- International Bank, and Hinne- tion, mind has a duty, that of gan and Bache; was indeed his law making of a hairless ape a human school and his college and much, being ... yet as if to prove how so very much more. And finally trivial a difference there is between sixteen — good heavens, it was mind and muscle, mind must eighteen years ago, when he be- move, to some degree, always came General Manager, and the change, to some degree, always shadows dark to totally black be- while it lives, like a stinking sweat tween him and any other world, gland . . . holding her, Keogh while the light, his own huge per- thought about Keogh. sonal illumination, exposed almost to him alone an industrial-finan- The biography of Keogh is cial complex unprecedented in his somewhat harder to come by than country, and virtually unmatched that of a Wyke. This is not in spite in the world. of having spent merely half a life- But then, the beginning, the time in this moneyed shadow; it other beginning, was when Old is because of it. Keogh was a Wyke Sam Wyke called him in so abrupt- in all but blood and breeding: ly that morning, when (though Wyke owned him and all he General Manager with many a owned, which was a great deal. board chairman, all unbeknownst. \M11:N VOL' CARE, WHEN VOU LOVE 13

under him in rank) he was still President’s office. Without a word the youngest man in that secluded the child rose and moved witli him office. to the door.

"Keogh,” said old Sam, “this is They lunched and spent the my kid. Take ’er out. Give ’er any- afternoon together, and were thing she wants. Be back here at back at six. He bought her what- six.” He had then kissed the girl ever she wanted at one of the most on the crown of her dark straw hat, expensive shops in New York. He gone to the door, turned and took her to just the places of harked, “You see her show off or amusement she asked him to. brag, Keogh, you fetch her a good When it was all over he re- one, then and there, hear? I don’t turned the stack of bills to the care wliat else she does, but don’t petty cash box, less the one dol- you let her wave something she’s lar and twenty cents he had paid got at someone that ha.sn’t got it. out. For at the shop — the largest That's Bide One.” He had then toy store in the world — she had l)rce/.cd out, leaving a silent, start- carefully selected a sponge rub- led young mover of mountains ber ball, which they packed for her locking gazes with an unmoving in a cubical box. This she carried mouse of an clevcn-ycar-old girl. carefully by its string for the rest She had luminous jiale skin, blue- of the afternoon. black silky-shining hair, and thick They lunched from a pushcart level black brows. — he had one hot dog with kraut, The sunnna cmn laude, the ac- she had two with relish. ceptance at Hinnegan and Bache They rode uptown on the top of — all such things, they were be- a Fifth Avenue double-decker, ginnings that he knew were begin- open-top bus. nings. This he would not know for They went to the zoo in Cen- some time that it was a beginning, tral Park and bought one bag of any more than he could realize peanuts for the girl and the pig- that he had just heard the con- eons, and one bag of buns for the temporary version of Cap’n Gama- girl and the bears.

liel’s “Thou shalt not . . . cause Then they took another double- covetousness.” At the moment, he decker back downtown, and that could only stand nonplused for a was it; that was the afternoon. moment, then excuse himself and He remembered clearly what go to the treasurer’s office, where she looked like then: like a straw- he scribbled a receipt and relieved hatted wren, for all it was a well- the petty cash box of its by no brushed wren. He could not re- means petty contents. He got his member what they had talked hat and coat and returned to the about, if indeed they had talked —

H FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

much at all. He was prepared to broke and pitched her into the forget the episode, or at least to water. Before she could so much as put it neatly in the Trivia: Misc.: draw a breath a Negro stoker ap- Closed file in his compartmented peared out of now’here — actually, mind, when, a week later, old Sam out of the top of the coal chute tossed him a stack of papers and and leapt in and had her and told him to read them through and handed her up to the sudden come and ask questions if he crowd. Keogh came galloping up thought he had to. The only ques- from the company store as they tion which came to mind when he were pulling the stoker out, and had read them was, “Are you sure after seeing that the girl was all you want to go through with right, knelt beside die man, whose this?” and that was not the kind of leg was broken. question one asked old Sam. So he “I’m Mr. Harris, her father. thought it over very carefully and You’ll get a reward for this. What’s came up with “Why me?” and old your name?” Sam looked him up and down The man beckoned him close, and growled, “She likes you, that’s and as he bent down, the stoker, why.” in spite of his pain, grinned and And so it was that Keogh and winked. “You don’ owe me a thang, the girl lived together in a cotton Mr. Keogh,” he murmured. In la- mill town in the South for a year. ter dmes, Keogh would be filled Keogh worked in the company with rage at such a confidence, store. The girl w’orked in the mill; would fire the man out of hand: twelve-year-old girls worked in this first time he was filled with cotton mills in the South in those wonder and relief. After that, days. She worked the morning things were easier on him, as he shift and half the evening shift, realized that the child was sur- and had three hours’ school rounded by Wyke’s special em- in die afternoons. Up until 10 ployees, working on Wyke land o’clock on Saturday nights they in a Wyke mill and paying rent in watched die dancing from the side- a Wyke row-house. lines. On Sundays they went to In due time the year was up. the Baptist church. Their name Someone else took over, and the while they were there was Harris. girl, now named Kevin and with a Keogh used to worry frantically complete new background in case when she was out of his sight, but anyone should ask, went off for one day when she was crossing two years to a very exclusive Swiss the catwalk over the water-circu- finishing school, where she duti- lating sump, a sort of oversized fully wrote letters to a Mr. and well beside the mill, the catwalk Mrs. Kevin who held large acreage WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 15

in the Pennsylvania mountains, with this new vocabulary, this deft and who just as dutifully an- school finish, she was strange and swered her. awesome to him, like an angel. Keogh returned to his own Even a loving angel is strange and work, which he found in apple-pie awesome . . . order, with every one of the year’s They were together again then transactions beautifully abstracted for a long while, but there were for him, and an extra amount, over no more hugs. He became a Mr. and above his astronomical salary, Stark in the Cleveland office of a tucked away in one of his ac- brokerage house and she boarded counts — an amount that startled with an elderly couple, went to even Keogh. He missed her at the local high school and had a first, which he expected. But he part-time job filing in his office. missed her every single day for This was w'hen she learned the ins two solid years, a disturbance he and outs of the business, the size could not explain, did not exam- of it. It would be hers. It became ine, and discussed with no one. hers while they were in Cleve- All the Wykes, old Sam once land; old Sam died very sudden- grunted to him, did something of ly. They slipped away to the the sort. He, Sam, had been a log- funeral but were back at work on ger in Oregon and a year and a Monday. They stayed there for half as utility man, then ordinary another eight months; she had a seaman on a coastwise tanker. great deal to learn. In the fall she Perhaps some deep buried part entered a small private college and of Keogh’s mind thought that when Keogh saw nothing of her for a she returned from Switzerland year. they would go for catfish in an old flat-bottomed boat again, or “Shhh,” he breathed to her, cry- that she would sit on his lap while ing, and shhh! said the buzzer. .’’ lie suffered on the hard benches of “The doctor . . the once-a-month picture show. “Go take a bath,” he said. He The instant he saw her on her re- pushed her. turn from Switzerland he knew She half-turned under his hand, that would never be. He knew he faced him again blazing. “No!” was entering some new phase; it “You can't go in there, you troubled and distressed him and know,” he said, going for the door. he put it away in the dark inside She glared at him, but her lower himself; he could do that; he was lip trembled. strong enough. And she — well, Keogh opened the door. “In the she flung her arms around him and bedroom.”— kissed him; but when she talked “Who ” then the doctor saw ” .

16 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

the girl, her hands knotted to- quickly shut the door on the gether, her face twisted, and had grunt, the gasp. his answer. He was a tall man, “What is it?” asked Keogh. grey, with quick hands, a quick “Wait a minute.” Rathburn step, swift words. He went straight strode to the phone. Keogh said, through foyer, hall and rooms and “I sent for Weber.” into the bedroom. He closed the Rathburn came almost ludi- door behind him. There had been crously to a halt. “Wow,” he said. no discussion, no request and re- “Not bad diagnosing, for a lay- fusal; Dr. Rathburn had simply, man. Is there anything you can’t quickly, quietly shut them out. do?” “Go take a bath.” “I can’t understand what you’re “No.” talking about,’’ said Keogh testih “Come on.” He took her wrist “Oh — I thought you knew. and led her to the bathroom. He Yes, I’m afraid it’s in Weber’s field. reached into the shower stall and What made you guess?” turned on the side jets. There were Keogh shuddered. “I saw a mill four at each corner; the second hand take a low blow once. I know from the top w'as scented. Apple he wasn’t hit. What exactly is blossom. “Go on.” it?” He moved toward the door. She Rathburn darted a look around. stood where he had let go of her “Where is she?” Keogh indicated wrist, pulling at her hands. “Go the bathroom. “I told her to take a on,” he said again. "Just a quick shower.” one. Do you good.” He waited. "Good,” said the doctor. He

“Or do you want me to douse you lowered his voice. “Naturally 1 myself? I bet I still can.” can’t tell without— further examina- She flashed him a look; indigna- tion and lab tion passed instantly as she un- "What is it?" Keogh demanded, derstood what he was trying to do. not loud, but with such violence The rare spark of mischief ap- that Rathburn stepped back a peared in her eyes and, in perfect pace. imitation of a mill row redneck, “It could be choriocarcinoma.’ she said, “Y’all try it an Ah’ll tall Tiredly, Keogh wagged his th’ shurff Ah ain’t rightly yo’ head. “Me diagnose that? I can’t chile.” But the effort cost her too even spell it. What is it?” He much and she cried again. He caught himself up, as if he had stepped out and softly closed the retrieved the word from thin air door. and run it past him again. “I know He was waiting by the bedroom what the last part— of it means.” when Rathburn slid out and “One of the ” Rathburn swal- — ” ” ”

WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 17

lowed, and tried again. “One of Look, I’m a G.P. Ask Weber, the more vicious forms of cancer. will you?” .” And it . . He lowered his voice Keogh realized that he had again. “It doesn’t always hit this pushed the man as far as he could hard.’’ in his search for a crumb of hope; “Just how serious is it?” if there w'as none, there was no Rathburn raised his hands and point in trying to squeeze it out. let them fall. He asked, “Is there anyone work-

“Bad, eh? Doc how bad?’’. . ing on it? Anything new? Can “Maybe some day we can you find out?” .” . . Rathburn ’s lowered voice at “Oh, I will, I will. But Weber last disappeared. They hung there, can tell you off the top of his head each on the other’s pained gaze. more than I could find out in six “How much time?” mon ... in a long time.” "Maybe six weeks.” A door opened. She came out, “Six weeks!" holloH'-eycd, but pink and glow- “Shh,” .said Rathburn nervous- ing in a long white— terry-cloth ly. robe. “Dr. Rathburn “Weber—” “He’s asleep.” — “Weber knows more about in- “Thank God. Does it ternal physiology than anybody. “There’s no pain.”

But I don’t know if that will help. “What is it? What hapjjeiied to

It’s a little like . . . your, uh, him?” house is struck by lightning, flat- “Well, I wouldn’t like to say for

tened, burned to the ground. You sure . . . we’re waiting for Dr. can examine it and the weather re- Weber. He’ll know.”— ports and, uh, know exactly what “But —but is he happened. Maybe some day we “He’ll sleep the clock around.” .” .” can . . he said again, but he “Can I . . The timidity, the

said it so hopelessly that Keogh, caution, Keogh realized, was so through the roiling mists of his unlike her. “Can I see him?” own terror, pitied him and half- “He’s fast asleep!”

instinctively put out a hand. He “I don’t care. I’ll be quiet. I touched the doctor’s sleeve and won’t — touch him or anything.” stood aw'kwardly. “Go ahead,” said Rathburn. She "What are you going to do?” opened the bedroom door and eag- Rathburn looked at the closed erly, silently slipped inside. bedroom door. "What I did.” He “You’d think she was trying to made a gesture with a thumb an make sure he was there.” tw’o lingers. "Morphine.” Keogh, who knew her so very “And that’s all?” well, said, “She is.” —

18 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

But a biography of Guy Gibbon this a way of saying, "given is really hard to come by. For he money enough’’? For money can was no exceptional executive, who be not only means, but motive. So for all his guarded anonymity if enough money went into the wielded so much power that he project, perhaps the last unknowm, must be traceable by those who the last vestige of, anonymity knew where to look and what to could be removed from a man’s life look for, and cared enough to story, even a young man from (as process detail like a mass spectro- the snobs say) nowhere, no mat- scope. Neither was Guy Gibbon ter how briefly — though intimate- born heir to countless millions, ly — known. the direct successor to a procession The most important thing, ob- of giants. viously, that ever happened to He came from wherever it is Guy Gibbon in his life was his most of us come from, the middle first encounter with the Wyke en- or the upper-middle, or the upper- tity, and like many a person be- lower middle or the lower-upper fore and since, he had not the middle, or some other indefinable faintest idea he had done so. It speck in the midrange of the inter- was when he was in his late teens, flowing striations of society (the and he and Sammy Stein went more they are studied, the less trespassing. they mean). He belonged to tlie Sammy was a school sidekick, Wykes entity for only eight and and this particular day he had a a half weeks, after all. Oh, the secret; he had been very insistent bare details might not be too hard on the day’s outing, but refused to come by — (birth date, school to say why. He was a burly- record,) and certain main facts shouldered, good-natured, reason- (father’s occupation, mother’s ably chinless boy whose close maiden name) — as well, perhaps, friendship with Guy w'as based al- as a highlight or two — (divorce, most exclusively on the attraction perhaps, or a death in the family); of opposite poles. And since, of but a biography, a real biography, the many kinds of fun they had w’hich does more than describe, had, the most fun was going tres- which explains the man — and few passing, he wanted it that way on do — now, this is an undertaking. this particular occasion. Science, it is fair to assume, "Going trespassing,’’ as an can do what all the king’s horses amusement, had more or less in- and all the king’s men could not vented itself when they were in do, and totally restore a smashed their early teens. They lived in a egg. Given equipment enough, large city surrounded (unlike

and time enough , , . but isn’t many today) by old suburbs, not —

WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 19 new ones. These included large the wall itself. Anything this size some, more than large — estates should have been found, conjec- and mansions, and it was their tured about, campaigned against, greatest delight to slip through a battled and conquered long since. fence or over a wall and, pro- But as well as being a high wall, a foundly impressed by their own long wall, and mysterious, it was bravery, slip through field and for- a distant wall, a discreet wall. No est, lawn and drive, like Indian road touched it but its own drive- scouts in settler country. Twice way, which was primitive, mean- they had been caught, once to dering, and led to ironbound, solid have dogs set on them — three box- oak gates without a chink or crack ers and two mastiffs, which cer- to peek through. tainly woidd have torn them to They could not climb it nor very small pieces if the boys had breach it —but they crossed it. An not been more lucky than swift ancient maple on this side held and once by a dear little old lady hands with a chestnut over the who swamped them sickeningly crown of the wall, and they went with jelly sandwiches and lonely over like a couple of squirrels. affection. But over the saga of They had, in their ghost-like their adventures, their two cap- way, haunted many an elaborate tures served to spice tire adven- property, but never had they seen ture; two failures out of a hun- such maintenance, such manicure, dred successes (for many of these such polish of a piece of land and, places were visited frequently) as Sammy said, awed out of his was a proud record. usual brashness, as they stood in So they took a trolley to the a solid marble pergola overlooking end of the line, and walked a mile, green plush acres of rolling lawn, and went straight ahead where copses of carven boxwood, park- the road turned at a discreet No like woods and steams with little Admittance sign of expensive man- Japanese bridges and, in their ufacture and a high degree of bends, humorful little rock-gar- “ weathering. They proceeded dens: — and there’s goddam through a small w'ild wood, and miles of it.” came at last to an apparently un- They had wandered a bit, that scalable granite wall. first time, and had learned that Sammy had discovered this there were after all some people wall the week before, roaming there. They saw a tractor far alone; he had waited for Guy to away, pulling a slanted gang of accompany him before challeng- mowers across one of the green-

ing it, and Guy was touched. He plush fields. (The owners doubt- was also profoundly excited by less called it a lawn; it was a —

20 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

lield.) The machines, rare in that They went swimming, splash- time, cut a swath all of thirty feet ing as little as possible and sticking wide "and that,” Sammy said, to the shore. They explored two convulsing them, "ain’t hay.” And inlets to the right (a miniature then they had seen the house waterfall and a tiny beach of ob- Well, a glimpse. Breaking out of viously imported golden sand) the woods, Guy had felt himself and three to the left (a square cut snatched back. “House up there,” one, lined with tile the color of pa- said Sammy. “Someone’ll see us.” tina, with a black glass diving There was a confused impression tower overhanging water that of a white hill that was itself the must have been dredged to twenty house, or part of it; towers, turrets, feet; a little beach of snow-white castellations, crenellations; a sand; and one they dared not en- fairy-tale palace set in this legen- ter, for fear of harming the fleet of tlary landscape. They had not perfect sailing ships, none more been able to see it again; it was so than a foot long, which lay at placed that it could be approached anchor; but they trod water until nowhere secretly nor even spied they were bone-cold, gawking at upon. They were struck literally the miniature model waterfront speechless by the sight and for with little pushcarts in tlie street, most of an hour had nothing to and lamp-posts, and old-fashioned say, and that expressible only by houses) and then, weary, hungry wags of the head. Ultimately they and awestruck, they had gone

referred to it as “the shack,” and it home. was in this vein that they later And Sammy cracked the secret called their final discovery "the oT he had been keeping — the thing swimmin’ hole.” which he felt made this day an oc- It was across a creek and over casion: he was to go wild-hairing

.1 wooded hill. Two more hills rose off the next day in an effort to to meet the wood, and cupped be- join Chennault in China. tween the three was a pond, per- Guy Gibbon, overwhelmed, haps a lake. It was roughly L- made the only gesture he could shaped, and all around it were think of: he devotedly swore he shadowed inlets, grottoes, incon- would not go trespassing again un- spicuous stone steps leading here til Sammy got back. to a rustic pavilion set about with flowers, there to a concealed forest “Death from choriocarcinoma," glade harboring a tiny formal gar- Dr. Weber began, "is the result of den. >» But the lake, the oT swimmin’ "But he won’t die,” she said. “I

bole . . . won’t let him.” :

W HEN' YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 21

My clear,” Dr. Weber was a doctor has not? but when Keogh small man with round shoulders had told her baldly that this dis- and a hawk’s face. “I don’t mean ease killed in six weeks, always, to be unkind, but I can use all the she had flinched, closed her eyes euphemisms and kindle all the for an interminable moment, and

false hope, or I can do as you have had then said softly, “Tell us ev- asked me to do— explain the con- erything you can about this — this dition and make a prognosis. I disease. Doctor.” And she had can’t do both.” added, for the hrst time, “He isn’t Dr. Rathburn said gently, going to die. I won’t let him;” and "Why don’t you go and lie down? the way she held her head, the

I’ll come when we’ve finished here way her full voice handled the and tell you all about it.” words, he almost believed her. “1 don’t want to lie down,” she Heaven know's, he wished he said fiercely. “And I wasn’t asking could. And so he found he could you to spare me anything, Dr. be astonished yet again.

Weber. I simply said I would not He made an effort to detach let him die. There’s nothing in himself, and became not a man, that statement which keeps you not this particular patient’s doctor, from telling me the truth.” but a sort of source-book. He began Keogh smiled, Weber caught again

him at it and was startled; Keogh “Death from choriocarcinoma saw his surprise. "I know her better is a little unlike other deaths from than you do,” he said, with a malignancies. Ordinarily a cancer touch of pride. "You don’t have to begins locally, and sends its chains pull any punches.” and masses of wild cells growing “Thanks, Keogh,” she said. She through the organ on which it be- leaned forward. "Go ahead. Dr. gan. Death can result from the Weber.” failure of that organ; liver, kidney, Weber looked at her. Snatched brain, what have you. Or the can- from his work two thousand miles cer suddenly breaks up and away, brought to a place he had spreads through the body, starting never known existed, of a magnif- colonies throughout the system. icence which attacked his confi- This is called metastasis. Death dence in his own eyes, meeting a results then from the loss of effi- woman of power— every sort of ciency of many organs instead of power — quite beyond his experi- just one. Of course, both these

. him- ence . . Weber had thought things can happen — the almost self beyond astonishment. Shock, complete impairment of the origi- grief, fear, deprivation like hers he nally cancerous organ, and metas- had seen before, of course; what tatic effects at the same time. —

22 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

"Chorio, on the other hand, as readily take on the work of a doesn’t originally involve a vital real placenta and uterus, and in organ. Vital to the species, perhaps, six or seven months, if the mother but not to the individual.” He per- survives that long, will create mitted himsclt a dry smile. “This havoc in the abdomen. is probably a startling concept to “All right then: back to chorio. most people in this day and age, Since the cells involved are sex

but it’s nonetheless true. However, cells, and cancerous to boot, they sex cells, at their most basic and divide and redivide wildly, with- primitive, have peculiarities not out pattern or special form. They shared by other body cells. develop in an infinite variety of “Have you e\'er heard of the shapes and sizes and forms. The condition known as ectopic preg- law of averages dictates that a cer- nancy?” He directed his question tain number of these — and the at Keogh, who nodded. “A fertil- number of distorted cells is astro- ized ovum fails to descend to the nomical — resemble fertilized ova.

uterus; instead it attaches itself to Some of them resemble them so the side of the very fine tube be- closely tliat I personally would tween the ovaries and the womb. not enjoy the task of distinguish- And at first everv thing proceeds ing between them and the real well with it — and this is the point thing. However, the body as a I want you to grasp — because in whole is not that particular; any- spite of the fact that only the thing which even roughly resem- uterus is truly specialized for this bles a fertilized egg-cell is capable work, the tube wall not only sup- of commanding that counter-pla- ports the growing ovum but feeds centa. it. It actually forms what w’e call “Now consider the source of a counterplacenta; it enfolds the these cells — physiologically early foetus and nurtures it. The speaking, gland tissue — a mass of foetus, of course, has a high sur- capillary tubes and blood vessels. vival value, and is able to get along Each and every one of these does quite well on the plasma which its best to accept and nurture these

the counterplacenta supplies it fetal imitations, down to the tini- w'ith. And it grows — it grows fan- est of them. The thin w'alls of the tastically. Since the tube is very capillaries, however, break down fine — you’d have difficulty get- easily under such an effort, and ting the smallest sew'ing needle up the imitations — selectiveJy, the through it — it can no longer con- best of them, too, because the tis- tain the growing foetus, and rup- sues yield most readily to them tures. Unless it is removed at that they pass into the capillaries and time, the tissues outside w'ill quite then into the bloodstream. —

WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN Y’OU LOVE 23

“There is one place and only ready taken place by the time the one place where they can be first symptom appears. The can-

combed out; and it’s a place rich cer becomes generalized . . . per- in oxygen, lymph, blood and plas- haps the lung condition is only ma: the lungs. The lungs enthusi- God’s mercy.” astically take on the job of forming “What’s ‘orchidectomy’?” asked placentae for these cells, and nur- Keogh. turing tliem. But for every seg- “Amputation of the — uh ment of lung given over to gestat- source,” said Rathburn uncomfor- ing an imitation fetus, there is one tably. less segment occupied with the “No!” cried the girl. job of oxygenating blood. Ulti- Keogh sent her a pitying look. mately the lungs fail, and death There was that about him which results from oxygen starvation.” was cynical, sophisticated, and Rathburn spoke up. “For years perhaps coldly angry at anyone chorio was regarded as a lung dis- who lived as he could never live, ease, and the cancerous gonads as had what he could never have. It a sort of side effect.”— was a stirring of the grave ancient “But lung cancer ” Keogh be- sin which old Cap’n Gamaliel had gan to object. isolated in his perspicacious

“It isn’t lung cancer, don’t you thoughts. Sure, amputate, if it’ll see? Given enough time, it might help, he thought. What do you be, through metastasis. But there think you’re preserving — his viril- is never enough time. Chorio does- ity? What good’s it to you now?

n’t have to wait for that, to kill. . . . but sending her the look, he That’s why it’s so swift.” He tried encountered something different not to look at the girl, and failed; from the romantically-based hor- he said it anyway: “And certain.” ror and shock he expected. Her “Just exactly how do you treat thick level brows were drawn to- it?” gether, her whole face intense with Weber raised his hands and let taut concentration. “Let me them fall. It was precisely the ges- think,” she said, oddly. — ture Rathburn had made earlier, “You really should ” Rath- and Keogh wondered distantly burn began, but she shushed him whether they taught it in medical with an impatient gesture. The schools. “Something to kill the three men exchanged a glance pain. Orchidectomy might make and settled back; it was as if some- the patient last a little longer, by one, something had told them removing the supply of wild cells clearly and specifically to wait. to tlie bloodstream. But it would- What they were waiting for, they n’t save him. Metastasis has al- could not imagine. 24 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

The girl sat with her eyes wencher, went along only too closed. A minute crawled by. gladly. Sam seemed to have for- “Daddy used to say,” she said, so gotten about the ‘ol’ swimmin’ quietly that she must surely be hole’ at first, and halfway through talking to herself, “that there’s al- the evening, in a local bar-and- ways a way. All you have to do is dance emporium, Guy was about think of it.” to despair of his ever remembering

There was another long silence, it, when Sam himself brought it and she opened her eyes. There up, recalling to Guy that he had was a burning down in them once written Sam a letter asking somewhere; it made Keogh uneasy. Sam if it had really happened. She said, “And once he told me Guy had, in his turn, forgotten that I could have anything I the letter, and after that they had wanted; all it had to be was . . . a good time with “remember-when” possible. And . . . the only way — and they made plans to go you can find out if a thing is im- trespassing the very next day, and possible is to try it.” bring a lunch. And start early. “That wasn't Sam Wyke,” said Then there was a noisy in- Keogh. “That was Keogh.” volvement with some girls, and a She wet her lips and looked at lot more drinks, and out of the them each in turn. She seemed not haze and movement somewhere to see them at all. “I’m not going after midnight, Guy emerged on a to let him die,” she said. “You’ll sidewalk looking at Sammy shov- see.” elling a girl into a taxicab. “Hey!” he called out, “what about the you Sammy Stein came back two know, ol’ swimmin’ hole?” years later, on leave, and full of “Call me Abacus, you can count plans to join the Army Air Force. on me,” said Sammy, and laughed He’d had, as he himself said, the immoderately. The girl with him hell kicked out of him in China pulled at his arm; he shook her off and a lot of the hellishness as well. and weaved over to Guy. “Listen,” But there was enough of the old he said, and gave a distorted wink, Sammy left to make wild wonder- “if this makes — and it will — I’m ful plans about going trespassing; starting no early starts. Tell you and they knew just where they what, you go on out there and were going. The new Sammy, meet me by that sign says keep out however, demanded a binge and a or we’ll castigate you. Say eleven broad first. o’clock. If I can’t make it by then Guy, two years out of high I’m dead or something.” He bel- school, working for a living, lowed at the cab, “You gon’ kill and by nature neither binger nor me, honey?” and the girl called WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 25

back, “I will if you don’t get into however, was no more than con- this taxi.” “See what I mean?” said firmation of his memory, and went Sammy in a grand drunken non- no further; the day was spoiled. sequitor, “I got to go get killed.” Guy reached the lake at nearly He zigged away, needing no zag one o’clock, hot, tired, ravenously because even walking sidewise he hungry and unpleasantly nervous. reached the cab in a straight line, The combination hit him in the and Guy saw no more of him that stomach and made it echo; he sat leave. down on the bank and ate. He That was hard to take, mostly wolfed down the food he had because there was no special mo- brought for himself and Sammy’s ment at which he knew Sammy as well — odds and ends carelessly wasn’t coming. He arrived ten tossed into a paper sack in the minutes late, after making a super- hleary early hours. The cake was human effort to get there. His moldy but he ate it anyway. stomach was sour from the unac- The orange juice was warm and customed drinking and he was had begun to ferment. And stub- sandy-eyed and ache-jointed from bornly, he determined to swim, lack of sleep. He knew that the because that was what he had greater probability was that Sam- come for. my had not arrived yet or would He chose the beach with the not at all; yet the nagging possi- golden sand. Under a thick cover bility existed that he had come of junipers he found a stone bench early and gone straight in. Guy and table. He undressed here and waited around for a full hour, scuttled across the beach and into a some more minutes until the the water. little road was clear of traffic and He had meant it to be a mere sounds of traffic, and then dip, so he could say he’d done it. plunged alone into the woods, But around the little headland to past the No Trespassing sign, the left was the rectangular cove and in to the wall. He had trouble with the diving platform; and he finding the two trees, and once remembered the harbor of model over the wall, he could not get his ships; and then movement diagon- bearings for a while; he was ally across the foot of the lake’s L pleased, of course, to find the un- caught his eye, and he saw models believably perfect lawns still —not the anchored ships this time, there by the flawless acre, the rig- but racing sloops, which put out idly controlled museums of carven from an inlet and crossed its mouth box, the edge-trimmed, rolled- and sailed in again; they must be gravel walks meandering prettily mounted on some sort of under- through the woods. The pleasure. water wheel or endless chain, and 26 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

moved as the breeze took them. He he said, using one of the silly ex- all but boiled straight across to pressions which come to a person them, then decided to be wise and as he grows, and blessedly pass.

go round. She seemed not to react to it at all, He swam to the left and the for she said gravely, “You have rocky shire, and worked his way the most beautiful eyes I have along it. Clinging close (the water ever seen. They are made of alum- seemed bottomless here) he round- inum. And your hair is all wig- ed the point and came face to face gly.” (literally; they touched) with a He could think of nothing to girl. say to that, but tried; all that She was young— near his age emerged was, “Well, it’s early yet,” — and his first impression was of and suddenly they were laughing eyes of too complex an architec- together. She was so strange, so ture, blue-white teeth with pointed different. She spoke in a grave, un- canines quite unlike the piano- accented and utterly incautious key regularity considered beauti- idiom as if she thought strange ful in these times, and a wide cape thoughts and spoke them right of rich brown hair afloat around out. “Also,” she said, “Y'ou have her shoulders. By then his gasp lovely lips. They’re pale blue. was completed, and in view of the You ought to get out of the wa- fact that in gasping he had neg- ter.” lected to remove his mouth from “I can’t!” the water, he was shut off from She considered that for a mo- outside impressions for a stran- ment, treading away from him gling time, until he felt a firm and then back to the yard’s dis- grasp on his left biceps and found tance. “Where are your things?” himself returned to the side of the He pointed across the narrow rock. neck of the lake which he had cir- "Th-thanks,” he said hoarsely as cumnavigated. she swam back a yard and trod “Wait for me over there,” she water. “I’m not supposed to be said, and suddenly swam close, so here,” he added inanely. close she could dip her chin and “I guess I’m not either. But I look straight into his eyes. “You thought you lived here. I thought got to,” she said fiercely. you were a faun.” “Oh I will,” he promised, and

“Boy am I glad to hear that. I struck out for the opposite shore. mean about you. All I am is a She hung to Uie rock, watching trespasser. Boy.” him. “I’m not a boy.” Swimming, reaching hard, "It w'as just a finger of speech,” stretching for distance warmed : ” —

WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 27

him, and the chill and its accom- love him, but I’m me. Loving him panying vague ache diminished. doesn’t mean I’ve stopped think- Then he had a twinge of stomach- ing. Loving him means I’m more ache, and he drew up his knees to me than ever, not less. It means I

ease it. When he tried to extend can do anything I did before, only himself again, he could, but it more, only better. That’s why I hurt too much. He drew up his fell in love with him. That’s why knees again, and the pain fol- I am in love with him. Weren’t lowed inward so tliat to flex again you ever in love, Keogh?” was out of the question. He drew He looked at the way her hair his knees up still tighter, and fell, and the earnest placement of tighter still followed the pain. He her thick soft brows, and he said, needed air badly by then, threw “I haven’t thought much about it.” “ up his head, tried to roll over on ‘There’s always a way. All ” his back; but with his knees drawn you have to do is think of it,’ up, everything came out all wrong. she quoted. “Keogh, I’ve accepted

He inhaled at last because he had what Dr. Rathburn said. After I to, but the air was gone away left you yesterday I went to the somewhere; he floundered upward library and tore the heart out of for it until the pressure in his ears some books . . . they’re right, told him he was swimming down- Rathburn and Weber. And I’ve ward. Blaekness came upon him thought and I’ve thought . . . try- and receded, and came again, he ing the way Daddy would, to let it come for a tired instant, and turn everything upside down and was surrounded by light, and backwards, to look for a new way drew one lungful of air and one of thinking. He won’t die, Keogh; of water, and got tire blackness I’m not going to let him —die.” again; this time it stayed with “You said you accepted him . . . “Oh, part of him. Most of him, if you like. We all die, bit by bit, Still beautiful in her bed, but all the time, and it doesn’t bother morphine-clouded, flypapered and us because most of tbe dead parts unstruggling in viscous sleep, he are replaced. He’ll . . . bc’ll lose lay with monsters swarming in his more parts, sooner, but — after it’s veins . . . over, he’ll be bimself again.” She

Quietly, in a corner of the said it with superb conlidcnce room, she spoke with Keogh perhaps it was childlike. If so, it “You don’t understand me. You was definitely not childish. didn’t understand me yesterday “You have an idea,” said Keogh when 1 cried out at the idea of positively. As he had pointed out that — that operation. Keogh, I to the doctors, he knew her. 28 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

"All those — those things in his He rose to his feet, the rare blood,” she said quietly. “The bright patches of anger showing

struggle they go through . . . in his cheeks. He took a breath, let they’re trying to survive; did you it out, and sat down again. “You’d ever think of it that way, Keogh? better tell me about it.” They want to live. They want “In the library,” she said,

most terribly to go on living,” "there’s a book on genetics, and it “I hadn’t thought about it.” mentions some experiments on “His body wants them to live Belgian hares. The does were im- too. It welcomes them wherever pregnated without sperm, with they lodge. Dr. Weber said so.” some sort of saline or alkaline solu- “You’ve got hold of something,” tion.”

said Keogh flatly, “and whatever it “I remember something about is I don’t think I like it.” it.” He was well used to her cir- “I don’t want you to like it,” cuitous way of approaching some- she said in the same strange quiet thing important. She built conver- voice. He looked swiftly at her sational points, not like a hired and saw again the burning deep contractor, but like an architect. in her eyes. He had to look away. Sometimes she brought in portions

She said, “I want you to hate it. I of her lumber and stacked them want you to fight it. You have one beside the structure. If she ever of the most wonderful minds I did that, it was material she need- have ever known, Keogh, and I ed and would use. He waited. want you to think up every argu- “The does gave birth to baby ment you can think of against it. rabbits, all female. The interesting For every argument I’ll find an thing was that they were identical answer, and then we’ll know what to each other and to the mother. to do.” Even the blood-vessel patterns in “You’d better go ahead,” he said the eyeball were so similar that an reluctantly. expert might be fooled by photo- “I had a pretty bad quarrel with graphs of them. ‘Impossibly simi- Dr. Weber this morning,” she said lar’ is what one of the experiment- suddenly. ers called it. They had to be iden- “This m—when?” He looked at tical because everything they in- his watch; it was still early. herited was from the mother. I “About three, maybe four. In woke Dr. Weber up to tell him his room. I went there and woke about that.” him up.” “And he told you he’d read the “Look, you don’t do things like book.” that to Weber!” “He wrote it,” she said gently. “I do. Anyu’ay, he’s gone.” “And then I told him that if he " —

W HEN YOU CARE, WHEN Y'OU LOVE 29 could do that with —a Belgian hare, “What did you do then? he could do it with— ” she nodded “I dared him to try.” toward her big bed “him.” “And that’s why he left?” Then she W'as quiet, while “Yes.” Keogh rejected the idea, found it “You’re mad,” he said before he stuck to his mind’s hand, not to be could stop himself. She seemed shaken off; brought it to his mind's not to resent it. She sat calmly, eye and shuddered away from it, waiting. shook agiun and failed, slowdy “Look,” said Keogh at last, brought it close and turned it over, “Weber said those distorted — uh, and turned it again. — things were like fertilized ova. “Take one of those — those He never said they were. He could things like fertilized ova — make it have said — well. I’ll say it for him grow ...” — they’re nut fertilized ova.” “You don’t make it grow. It "But he did say they were wants desperateh to grow. And some of them, an\waiy, aiul espe- not one of them, Keogh. You have cially those that reached the lungs thousands. You have hundreds — were very much like ova. How more every hour.” close do you have to get before “Oh my God.” there’s no real difference at all?” “It came to me when Dr. Rath- “It can’t be. It just can't.” burn suggested the operation. It “Weber said that. And I asked came to me all at once, a miracle. him if he had ever tried.” If you love someone that much,” “All right, all right! It can’t she said, looking at the sleeper, happen, but just to keep this silly “miracles happen. But you have to argument going, suppose you got be willing to help them happen.” something that would grow. You She looked at him directly, with won’t, of course. But if you did, an intensity that made him move how would you keep it growing. back in his chair. “I can have any- It has to be fed, it has to be kept thing I want — all it has to be is at a certain critical temperature, a possible. VVe just have to make it certain amount of acid or alkali

why I went to Dr. will kill it . . possible. That's . you don’t just Weber this morning. To ask him.” plant something like that in the “He said it wasn’t possible.” yard.” “He said that at first. After a “Already they’ve taken ova half hour or so he said the odds from one cow, planted them in

against it were in the billions or another, and gotten calves. There’s

trillions . . . but you see, as soon a man in Australia who plans to as he said that, he was saying it raise blooded cattle from scrub was possible.” cows that way.” — —

30 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

"You have done your home- I think it will work. It’s what 1 work.” want. Don’t you want me to have "Oh, that isn’t all. There’s a what I want?” Dr. Carrel in New Jersey who has He had to smile, and she smiled been able to keep chicken tissue back. “You’re a young devil," he alive for months —he says indef- said ardently. “Got me coming initely — in a nutrient solution, in and going, haven’t you? Why did a temperature-controlled jar in his you want me to fight it?” lab. It grows, Keogh! It grows so “I didn’t,” she said, “but if you much he has to cut it away every fight me you’ll come up with once in a while.” problems nobody else could pos- “This is crazy. This is — it’s in- sibly think of, and once we’ve sane,” he growled. "And what do thought of them, we’ll be ready, you think you’ll get if you bring don’t you see? I'll fight with you, one of these monsters to term?” Keogh,” she said, shifting her "^Ve’ll bring thousands of them strange bright spectrum from ten- to term,” she said composedly. derness to a quiet, convinced, in- “And one of them w'ill be him." vincible certainty, “I’ll fight with

She leaned forward abruptly, and you. I’ll lift and carry, I’ll buy her even tone of voice broke; a and sell and kill if I have to, but 1 wildness grew through her face am going to bring him back. You and voice, and though it was quiet, know something, Keogh?” it shattered him: “It will be his “What?” flesh, the pattern of him, his own She waved her hand in a ges- substance grown again. His hair, ture that included him, the room, Keogh. His fingerprints. His the castle and grounds and all the eyes. His ——his self." other castles and grounds; the “I can’t ” Keogh shook himself pseudonyms, the ships and trains, like a wet spaniel, but it changed the factories and exchanges, the nothing; he was still here, she, mountains and acres and mines the bed, the sleeper, and this and banks and the thousands upon dreadful, tliis inconceivably hor- thousands of people which, taken rible, wrong idea. together, were Wyke: “I always She smiled then, put out her knew that all this was," she said, hand and touched him; incredi- "and I’ve come to understand that bly, it was a mother’s smile, warm this is mine. But I used to wonder, and comforting, a mother’s loving sometimes, what it was all for. protective touch; her voice was Now I know. Now I know.” full of affection. “Keogh, if it won’t work, it won’t work, no matter A mouth on his moutli, a weight what w’e do. Then you’ll be right. on his stomach. He felt boneless WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 31

and nauseated, limp as grease ly and comfortingly, and some- drooling. The light around him how, in its wordlessness, creating was green, and all shapes blurred. new expressions for joy and de- The mouth on his mouth, the light for which words would not weight on his stomach, a breatli of do. Then after all there were air, welcome hut too warm, too words, half sung, half whispered; moist. He needed it desperately and he couldn’t catch them, and hut did not like it, and found a he couldn’t catch them and then

power-plant full of energy to . . . and then he was sure he

gather it up in his lungs and fling heard: “How could it be, such a

it away; but his weakness .so fil- magic as that; all this and the

.’’ tered all that ell'ort that it emerged eyes as well . . Then, de- in a faint bubbling sigh. manding, “You arc the shape of The mouth on his mouth again, the not-you: tell me, are yuu in and the \veighl on his stomach, there?” and another breath. lie tried to He opened his eyes wide and turn his head but someone held saw her face clearly at last and him by the nose. He blew out the the dark hair, and the eyes w'ere needed, unsatisfactory air and re- green —-true deep sea-green. Her

placed it Ijv a little gust of his own tangled hair, drying, crowned her inhalation. On this he coughed; it like vines, and the leafy roof close was too rich, pure, loo good. He above seemed jiart of her and the coughed as one does over a pickle- green eyes, and threw green light barrel; good air hurt his lungs. on the unaccountably blonde He felt his head and shoulders transparency of her checks. He lifted, shifted, by which he learned genuinely did not know, at the that he had been flat on his back moment, what she was. She had on stone, or something flat and saiti to him (was it years ago?) I quite that hard, and was now on thought you were a faun . . he smooth firm softness. The good had not, at the moment, much sharp air came and went, his consciousness, not to say whimsy, weak coughs fewer, until he fell at his command; she was simply into a dazed peace. I’lie face that something unrelated to anything bent over his was too close to fo- in his experience. cus, or he had lost the power to He was aw'are of griping, focus; either way, he didn’t care. twisting pain rising, filling, about Drowsily he stared up into the to explode in his upper abdomen. blurred brightness of that face and Some thick w'ire within him had listened uncritically to the voice kinked, and knowing well that it should be unbent, he made a furi- — the voice crooning wordless- ous, rebellious effort and pulled it —

32 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

through. The explosion came, but yielding, as if she w'ere fragile, in nausea, not in agony. Convul- which he knew she was not. Her sively he turned his head, surged other hand lay open across one

upward, and let it go. knee, the palm up and the fingers He saw with too much misery not quite relaxed, as if they held to be horrified the bright vomit something; and indeed they did, surging on and around her knee, for a spot of light, gold turned and running into the crevice be- coral by her flesh, lay in her

tween thigh and calf where she pahn. She held it just so, just right, had her leg bent and tucked under unconsciously, and her hand held her, and the clots left there as the that rare knowledge that closed, a fluid ran away. And she hand may not give nor receive.

She sat where she was, held his For his lifetime be had it all, each head, cradled him in her arms, tiniest part, even to the gleaming soothed him and crooned to him big toenail at the underside of her and said that was good, good; he’d other calf. And she was smiling, feel better now. The weakness and her complex eyes adored. floored him and receded; then Guy Gibbon knew his life’s shakily he pressed away from her, biggest moment during the mo- sat up, bowed his head and gasped ment itself, a rarity in itself, and

for breath. "Whooo,” he said. of all times of life, it was time to “Boy,” she said; and she said it say the unforgettable, for any- in exact concert with him. He thing he said now would be. clung to his shins and wiped the He shuddered, and then smiled

nausea-tears from his left eye, back at her. “Oh . . boy," he then his right, on his knee-cap. breathed. “Boy oh boy,” he said, and she And again they were laughing said it with him in concert. together until, puzzled, he stopped So at last he looked at her. and asked, “Where am I?” He looked at her, and would She would not answer, so he never forget what he saw, and ex- closed his eyes and puzzled it out.

actly the way it was. Late sun- Pine bower . . . undress some-

light made into lace by the bower where . . . swimming. Oh, swim- above clothed her; she leaned to- ming. And then across the lake, ward him, one small hand flat on and he had met — He opened his the ground, one slim supporting eyes and looked at her and said, arm straight and straight down; “you.” Then swimming back, cold, her weight turned up that shoulder his gut full of too much food and and her head tilted toward it as if warm juice and moldy cake to

drawn down by the heavy dark- boot, and, . . you must have ness of her hair. It gave a sense of saved my life." ” —

WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 33

“Well somebody had to. You fore he could touch her she sprang were dead.” up and straight at the leafy wall. "I should've been.” Her long golden body passed "No!” she cried. “Don’t you tlirough it without a sound, and ever say that again!” And he could seemed to hang suspended out- see she was absolutely serious. side; then it was gone. He put his "I only meant, for stupidity. I head through and saw her flashing ate a lot of junk, and some cake along under green water. He hesi- I tliink was moldy. Too much, tated, then got an acrid whiff of when I was hot and tired, and his own vomit. The water looked then like a bonehead I went right clean and the golden sand just into tlie water, so anybody— who w'hat he ached to scrub himself does that deserves to with. He climbed out of the bower “I meant it,” she said levelly, and floundered clumsily down the “never again. Didn’t you ever hear bank and into the water. of the old tradition of the field of After his first plunge he came battle, when one man saved an- up and spun about, looking for other’s life, that life became his to her, but she was gone. do what he wanted with?” Numbly he swam to the tiny "What do you want to do with beach and, kneeling, scoured him- mine?” self with the fine sand. He dove “That depends,” she said and rinsed, and then (hoping) thoughtfully. “You have to give it. scrubbed himself all over again.

I can’t just take it.” She knelt then And rinsed. But he did not see her. and sat back on her heels, her He stood in the late rays of the hands trailing pine-needles across sun to dry, and looked off across the bower’s paved stone floor. She the lake. His heart leapt when he bowed her head and her hair saw white movement, and sank swung forward. He thought she again as he saw it was just the was watching him through it; he wheel of boats bobbing and slid- could not be sure. ing there. He said, and the thought grew He plodded up to the bower so large that it quelled his voice now at last he saw it was the one and made him whisper. “Do you behind which he had undressed want it?” and he sank down on the bench. “Oh, yes,” she said, whispering This was a place where tropical too. When he moved to her and fish swam in ocean water where put her hair back to see if she was there was no ocean, and where watching him, he found her eyes fleets of tiny perfect boats sailed closed, and tears pressed through. with no one sailing them and no He reached for her gently, but be- one watching, and where priceless 34 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

statues stood hidden in clipped wondered what he would tell Sam- and barbered glades deep in the my. If she wasn’t real, Sammy woods and — and he hadn’t seen it wouldn’t know what he was talk- all; what other impossibilities ing about. If she was real there’s were possible in this impossible only one thing he would talk place? about, yes, and from then on. And besides, he’d been sick. You mean you had her in tliat (He wrinkled his nostrils.) Damn place and all you did was throw

near . . . drowned. Out of his up on her? No—he wouldn’t tell head for sure, for a while anyway. Sammy. Or anybody. She couldn’t be real. Hadn’t he And he’d be a bachelor all his noticed a greenish cast to her flesh, life.

or was that just the light? , . . Boy oh boy. What an introduc- anybody who could make a place tion. First she has to save your like this, run a place like this, life and then you don’t know could jimmy up some kind of ma- what to say and then oh, look chine to hypnotize you like in the what you had to go and do. But science fiction stories. anyway — she wasn’t real. He stirred uneasily. Maybe He wondered what her name someone was watching him, even was. Even if she wasn’t real. Lots now. of people don’t use tlieir real Hurriedly, he began to chress. names. So she wasn’t real. Or maybe He climbed out of the bower all of it wasn’t real. He’d bumped and crossed the silent pine carpet into that other trespasser across behind it, and he shouted. It was the lake there, and that was real, not a word at all, and had nothing but then when he’d almost about it that tried to make it one. drowned, he’d dreamed up the She was standing there waiting rest. for him. She wore a quiet brown Only — he touched his mouth. dress and low heels and carried a He'd dreamed up someone blow- brown leather pocketbook, and her ing the breath back into him. He’d hair was braided and tied neatly heard about that somewhere, but and sedately in a coronet. She it sure wasn’t what they w'ere looked, too, as if she had turned teaching this year at the Y. down some inward tone control so Yoii are the shape of the not- that her skin did not radiate. She yoii. Are you in there? looked ready to disappear, not into What did that mean? thin air, but into a crowd — any He finished dressing dazedly. crowd, as soon as she could get He muttered, “Whafd I hafta go close to one. In a crowd he would an’ eat that goddam cake for?” He have walked right past her, cer- WHILN YOU CARK, WHEN YOU LOVE 35

tainly, but for the shape of her “I know,” said Rathburn, who eyes. She stepped up to him quick- did. ly and laid her hand on his cheek “Not only, how could I argue,” and laughed up at him. Again he said Weber, “Why should I? A saw the whiteness of those unusual man has plans, ambitions. That

eyeteeth, so sharp . . . “You're Keogh, what an approach! That’s blushing!” she said. the first thing he went after —my No blusher in history was ever plans for myself. That’s where he stopped by that observation. He starts. And suddenly everything asked, “Which way do you go?” you ever wanted to do or be or She looked at his eyes, one, the have is handed to you or promised other, both, quickl); then folded to you, and no fooling about the her long hands together around promise either.” the strap of her pocketbook and "Oh no. They don’t need to fool

looked down at them. anybody. . . . You want to pass “With you,” she said softly. a prognosis?” This was only one of the many “You mean on the youngster things she said to him, moment by there?” He looked at Rathburn. moment, which gained meaning “Oh—-that’s not what you mean, for him as time went on. He took . . . You’re asking me if I can her back to town and to dinner, bring one of those surrogate fe- and then to the West side address tuses to term. An opinion like that she gave him and they stood out- would make a damn fool out of a side it all night talking. In six man, and this is no job for a damn weeks they were married. fool. All I can tell you is, I tried it — and that is something I

“How could 1 argue?” said wouldn’t’vc/ dreamed of doing if it Weber to Dr. Rathburn. hadn’t been for her and her crazy

They stood together watching idea. I left here at four a.m. with a small army of workmen swarm- some throat smears and by nine ing over the gigantic stone barn a I had a half dozen of them iso- quarter-mile from the castle, lated and in nutrient solution. which, incidentally, was invisible Beef blood plasma — the quickest from this point and unknown to thing I could get ready. And I got the men. Work had begun at three mitosis. They divided, and in a the previous afternoon, continued few hours I could see two of ’em all night. There w'as nothing, dimpling to form the gastrosphore. nothing at all that Dr. Weber had That was evidence enough to get specified which was not only given going; that’s all I think and that’s him, but on the site or already in- all I told tliem on the phone. And stalled. by the time I got here,” he added. 36 F.VNTASY AND SCIENCE flCTlON

waving toward the big barn, learn tliat the man had not only "there’s a researeh lab four-fifths catalogued his clothes and their built, big enough for a city medi- source, their state of maintenance cal center. Argue?” he demanded, and a computation therefrom of returning to Dr. Rathburn’s origi- his personal habits, but also his nal question. “How could I argue? state of health and even his blood Why should I? ... And that type. “My name’s Keogh,” said girl. She’s a force, like gravity. the man. “Does that mean any- She can turn on so much pres- thing to you?” sure, and I mean by herself and “No.” personally, that she could prob- “Sylva never mentioned the ably get anything in the world name?” she wanted even if she didn’t own “Sylva! N-no, she didn’t.”

it, the world I mean. Put that in “Let’s go somewhere and have a the northeast entrance!” he bel- drink. I’d like to talk to you.” lowed at a foreman. “I’ll be down Something had pleased this man: to show you just where it goes.” Guy wondered what. “Well, He turned to Rathburn; he was a okay,” he said. “Only I don’t drink man on fire. “I got to go.” much, but well, okay.” “Anything I can do,” said Dr. They found a bar in the neigh- Rathburn, “just say it.” borhood with booths in the back. “That’s the wonderful part of Keogh had a scotch and soda and it,” said Weber. “That’s what ev- Guy, after some hesitation, or- erybody around here keeps say- dered beer. Guy said, “You know ing, and they mean it!” He trotted her?” down toward the barn, and Rath- “Most of her life. Do you?” burn turned toward the castle. “What? Well, sure. We’re going to get married.” He looked studi- About a month after his last ously into his beer and said un- venture at trespassing, Guy Gib- comfortably, “Who are you any- bon was coming home from work way, Mr. Keogh?” when a man at the corner put “You might say,” said Keogh, away a newspaper and, still fold- “I’m in loco parentis." He waited ing it, said, “Gibbon?” for a response, then added, “Sort “That’s right,” said Guy, a lit- of a guardian.” tle sharply. “She never said anything about The man looked him up and a guardian.” down, quickly, but giving an im- “I can understand that. What pression of such thoroughness, ef- has she told you about herself?” ficiency and experience that Guy Guy’s discomfort descended to would not have been surprised to a level of shyness, diffidence, even ”

WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 37 a touch of fear — which did not Her voice suffused and fliooded alter the firmness of his words, him, changed this whole unset- however they were spoken. "I tling experience to something dif- don’t know you, Mr. Keogh. I ferent and— good. “Guy, darling.” don’t think I ought to answer any “Sylva questions about Sylva. Or me. Or "It’s all right. I should have anything.” He looked up at the told you sooner, I guess. It had to man. Keogh searched deeply, come some time. Guy, you can then smiled. It was an unprac- tell Keogh anything you like. ticed and apparently slightly Anything he asks.” painful process with him, but it "Why, honey? Who is he, any- was genuine for all that. "Good!” way?” he barked, and rose. "Come on.” There was a pause, then a He left the booth and Guy, more strange little laugh. “He can ex- than a little startled, followed. plain that better than I can. You They went to the phone booth in want us to be married, Guy?” the corner. Keogh dropped in a “Oil yes!” nickel, dialed, and waited, his “Well all right then. Nobody eyes fixed on Guy. Then Guy had can change that, nobody but you. to listen to one side of the conver- And listen, Guy, I’ll live any- sation ; where, any way you w'ant to live.

‘Tm here with Guy Gibbon.” That’s the real truth and all of it, (Guy had to notice that Keogh do you believe me?” identified himself only with his "I always believe you.” voice.) “All right then. So that’s what

. . . "Of course I knew about we’ll do. Now you go and talk to

it. That’s a silly question, girl.” Keogh. Tell him anything he

. . . "Because it is my business. wants to know. He has to do the You are my business.” same. I love you, Guy.”

. . . “Stop it? I’m not trying to "Me too,” said Guy, watching stop anything. I just have to know, Keogh’s face. “Well okay then,” he that’s all.” added w hen she said nothing fur- “ . . . “All right. All right. . . . ther. ‘Bye.” He hung up. He’s here. He won’t talk about you He and Keogh had a long talk. or anything, which is good. Yes, very good. Will you please tell “It hurts him,” she whispered to him to open up?” Dr. Rathburn. And he handed the receiver to “I know.” He shook his head a startled Guy, who said tremu- sympathetically. “There’s just so louslv, “Uh, hello,” to it while much morphine you can ram into watching Keogh's impassive face. a man, though.” ^8 I'ANTASY AM) SCiE.VCe I iCTION

“Just a little more?” like anything cold or static. “I al- “Maybe a little,” he said sadly. ways had the idea,” said Keogh, He went to his bag and got the “that nobody can lie anywhere needle. Sylva kissed the sleeping near her.” man tenderly and left the room. She looked up at the Diana. Keogh was waiting for her. “Not even to themselves,” said He said. “This has got to stop, Keogh, and plumped down on a girl.” marble bench. “Why?” she responded omi- “Let’s have it,” she said. nously. “You want to make Guy Gibbon “Let’s get out of here.” happen all o\er again. It’s a crazy

She had known Keogh so long, idea and it’s a big one too. But lots and so well, that she was sure he of things were crazier, and some had no surprises for her. But this bigger, and now the\’re common- voice, this look, these were some- place. I won’t argue on how crazy thing new in Keogh. He held the it is, or how big.” door for her, so she preceded him “What then?” through it and then went where “I’ve been trying, the last day he silently led. or so, to back ’way out, far off, get They left the castle and took a look at this thing with some per- the path through a heavy copse spective. Sy]\a, you’ve forgotten and over the brow of the hill which something.” overlooked the barn. The parking “Good,” slie said. “Oh, good. I lot, which had once been a barn- knew you’d think of tilings like yard, was full of automobiles. A this before it was too late.”

” white ambulance approached; an- “So you can find a way out? other was unloading at the north- Slowly he shook his head. “Not cast platform. A mufUed generator this time. Tighten up the Wyke pitrred somewhere behind the guts, girl, and make up your mind building, and smoke rose from the to quit.” stack of the new stone boiler-room “Go ahead.” at the side. They both looked avid- “It’s just this. 1 don't believe ly at the building but did not you’re going to get your carbon comment. The path took them copy, mind you, but you just along the crest of the hill and might. I’ve been talking to ^Veber, down toward the lake. They went and by God you just about might. to a small forest clearing in which But if you do, all you’ve got is a stood an eight-foot Diana, the container, and nothing to fill it huntress Diana, chaste and fleet- with. Look, girl, a man isn’t blood footed, so beautifully finished she and bone and body cells, and sec’ued not like marble at all, not that’s all.” WHEN YOl' CAKE, WHEN YOU LOVE 39

He paused, until she said, "Go shocking. “You don’t know a par- on, Keogh.” ticle, and I know even less. I had He demanded, “You love this his back against a wall one time gwy?” for better than two hours, trying “Keogh!” She was amused. to find out who he is. He’s just an- “Whaddata love?” he barked. other kid, is all. Nothing much in “That skrinkly hair? The muscles, school, nothing much at sports, skin? His nat’ral equipment? The same general tastes and feelings as eyes, voice?” six zillion other ones like him. “All that," she said composedly. Why him, Sylva? Why him? “All that, and that’s all?” he W'hat did you ever see in a guy demanded relentlessly. “Because like that to be worth the marry- if your answer is yes, you can ing?” have what you want, and more “I . . . didn’t know' you dis- power to you, and good riddance. liked him.”

I don't know anything about love, “Oh hell, girl, I don’t! I never but I will say this: that if that’s said that. I can’t — I can’t even all there is to it, the hell with it.” find anything to dislike!” “Well of course there’s more.” “You don’t know him the way

“Ah. And where are you going [ do.” to get that, girl? Listen, a man is “There, I agree. I don’t and I the skin and bone he stands in, couldn't. Because you don’t know plus what’s in his head, plus anything cither —you feel, but what's in his heart. You mean to you don't know. If you want to reproduce Guy Gibbon, but you- see Guy Gibbon again, or a rea-

're not going to do it by duplicat- sonable facsimile, he’s going to ing his carcass. You want to dup- have to live by a script from the licate the whole man, you’re go- day lie’s born. He’ll have to dup- ing to have to make him live the licate every experience that this

” same life again. And that you kid here ever had. can’t do.” “All right, ” she said quietly. She looked up at the Diana for He looked at her, stunned. He a long time. Tlien, ‘AV'hy not?” said, “/\nd before he can do that, she breathed. we liave to write the script. And

“I’ll tell you why not,” he said liefore u e can write it, we have to angrily. “Because first of all you get the material somehow. What have to find out who he is." do you expect to do — set up a “I know who he is!” Foundation or something dedi- He spat explosively on the cated to the discovery of each and green moss by the bench. It was every moment this — this unno- totallv uncharacteristic and truly ticeable young man ever lived 40 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

through? And do It secretly, be- longer. . . . We better go tell cause while he’s growing up he Rathburn to get him off the mor- can’t ever know? Do you know phine. He has to be able to think." how much that would cost, how “All right,” she said. “All right.” many people it would involve?” “That would be all right,” she When the pain got too much to said. permit him to remember any more, “And suppose you had it, a they tried a little morphine again. biography written like a script, For a while they found a balance twenty years of a lifetime, every between recollection and agony, day, every hour you could ac- but the agony gained. Then they count for; now you’re going to severed his spinal cord so he

liave to arrange for a child, from couldn’t feel it. They brought in birtli, to be surrounded by people people — psychiatrist, stenogra- who are going to play this script phers, even a professional histo- out — and who will never let any- rian. thing else happen to him but In the rebuilt barn, Weber what’s in the script, and who will tried animal hosts, cows even, and never let him know.” primates — everything he could “That’s it! That’s it!” she cried. think of. He got some results, He leapt to his feet and swore though no good ones. He tried hu- at her. He said, “I’m not planning mans too. He couldn’t cross the this, you love-struck lunatic. I’m bridge of body tolerance; the objecting to it!” uterus will not support an alien fe- “Is there any more?” she cried tus any more than the hand will eagerly. “Keogh, Keogh, try — try accept the graft of another’s finger. hard. How do we start? What do So he tried nutrient solutions. we do first? Quick, Keogh.” He tried a great many. Ultimately He looked at her, thunder- he found one tliat worked. It was struck, and at last sank down on the blood plasma of pregnant the bench and began to laugh women. weakly. She sat by him, held his He placed the best of the ejuasi- hand, her eyes shining. After a ova between sheets of sterilized time he sobered, and turned to chamois. He designed automatic her. He drank the shine of those machinery to drip the plasma in eyes for a while; and after, his at arterial tempo, drain it at a brain began to function again . . . veinous rate, keep it at body tem- on Wyke business . . . perature. “The main source of who he is One day fifty of them died, be- and what he’s done,” he said at cause of choloform used in one of last, “won’t be with us much the adhesives. \Vhen light seemed WHEN YOU CARE, WHEN YOU LOVE 41

to affect them adversely, Weber coils and sensing devices. Tliey

designed containers of bakelite. put her in it. When ordinary photography By that time the fetuses were proved impractical he designed a eight and a half months along. new kind of film sensitive to heat, There were four left.

the first infra-red film. One made it. The viable fetuses he had at 60 days showed the eye-spot, the author's note: To the reader, spine, the buds of arms, a beating but especially to the reader in his heart. Each and every one of them early twenties, let me ask: did consumed, or was bathed in, over you ever have the feeling that a gallon of plasma a day, and at yon were getting pushed around? one point there were one hundred Did you ever want to do some- and seventy-four thousand of thing, and have all sorts of ob- them. Tlicn they began to die off stacles thrown in your way until — some malformed, some cbemi- you had to give up, while on the cally unbalanced, many for rea- other hand some other thing you sons too subtle even for Weber wanted was made easy for you? and his staff. Did you ever feel that certain When be had done all he could, strangers know who you are? Did when he could only wait and see, you ever meet a girl who made he had fetuses seven months along you explode inside, who seemed and growing well. There were to like you — and who was myste- twenty-three of them. Guy Gib- riously plucked out of yOur life, bon was dead quite a while by as if she shouldn’t be in the script? then, and his widow came to see Well, we’ve all had these feel- Weber and tiredly put down a ings. Yet if you’ve read the above, stack of papers and reports, urged you’ll allow it’s a little more star- him to read, begged him to call tling than just a story. It reads her as soon as he had. like an analogy, doesn’t it? I mean,

He read them, he called her. it doesn’t have to be a castle, or He refused what she asked. the ol’ swimmin’ hole, and the She got liold of Keogh. He re- names have been changed to pro-

fused to have anything to do with tect the innocent . . . author.

such an idea. She made him Because it could be about time change his mind. Keogh made for her to wake up, aged only two Weber change his mind. or three years for her twenty-year The stone barn hummed with cold sleep. And when she meets construction again, and new ma- you, it’s going to be the biggest chinery. The cold tank was four thing that ever happened to you by six feet inside, surrounded by since the last time. —

James Blish, in this sinewy and succinct article, pays our Guest of Honor the unspoken compliment of realizing that the corpus of Theodore Sturgeons work is not only too large in volume but too large in quality for a mature critic to consider covering completely in one essay. A circle’s meas- urement, as Charles Fort reminds us, can be begun any-

tvhere ... Mr. Blish, therefore, accepting that “a second is a cross-section of eternity,” scans — and scans well — only a few degrees of the marvelous circle of Sturgeon. His report icill demand, and will well repay, your concentration.

THEODORE STURGEON^S MACROCOSM

by James Blish

One of the minor mysteries geon’s long career, one can see that of Theodore Sturgeon’s eareer is it is an atypical Sturgeon story in his hospitality toward a popular a number of ways. One of these and thoroughly competent story differences lies in its central char- called Microcosmic God. If you acter, who is — let us whisper it compliment the author on this a scientist maddened by power. yarn, he is likely to respond with It’s unlike any other story about the polite purr which is as close a mad scientist you are ever likely as he can usually come to a snarl. to encounter, but its theme is about If you don’t mention the subject. as close as Sturgeon can come to Sturgeon will probably bring it up being conventional. It’s charac- himself. teristic of much of science fiction I don’t propose to try to read that its central figures tend to be

the author’s mind, which I regard great scientists, senators, galactic as one of the major critical crimes; presidents, space-fleet admirals, but looking back at Microcosmic and other wheelers-and-dealers, God over the landscape of Stur- though very few' of the authors in-

42 —

THEODORE STURGEON’s MACROCOSM 43

volved have ever met so much as not require them to reveal them- their state assemblyman or even selves. As a good many other peo- know his name. Sturgeon’s work is ple have observed, any serious not like this. work of fiction is bound to be au- Sturgeon’s characters, if assem- tobiographical in part. It was bled in one room, would make a Thomas Wolfe who said that it marvelously motley crowd, but al- would be hard to imagine a more most all of them would be people autobiographical work than Gulli- you would not look at twice in any ver's Travels — a startling example crowd. A few bulldozer operators; at first encounter, but the more a httle girl disowned by her family one mulls it over, the more just it (but how could you tell that?); seems. Science fiction in particu- a male clerk; a ragged outcast; a lar has often been criticised for boarding-house peeping Tom (but its conventionality, and even more how would you know?); and so on. for the cold, cerebral atmosphere Ordinary, all of them —with the which its authors seem to prefer exception of Kidder, the mad sci- to breathe. Though its authors have entist, and Mr. Costello, Hero who as many idiosyncracies of style and bodies forth almost blindingly the approach as a porcupine has quills, author’s positive and pure loathing the emotional tones of what they for all w^heelers-and-dealers. produce are virtually interchange-

None of these people is in the able. least ordinary in Sturgeon’s hands. Sturgeon’s work is charged with A good many of them are what highly personal emotion — so much most readers would regard as rath- so that I have long suspected that er repellent characters, but Stur- it embarrasses his younger readers, geon almost always handles them who likes science fiction precisely with the love — not the forgiveness, because it puts little stress on which is another matter— that is their own untried emotions. (And born of understanding. here it might be added that the This is, I repeat, a rare and val- emotional tone of Microcosmic uable quality in science fiction. It God is pretty standard stuff for leads us to another and even more science fiction — that is, it’s hardly important fact about Sturgeon’s there at all — which again makes work : It is intensely personal. it highly atypical Sturgeon.) Most writers who cling to some Kingsley Amis and others have one form of specialized fiction also pointed to the undoubted fact whether it be the detective story, that there is very little sex of any the Western, or the slick story kind in most science fiction, and do so in my opinion because these this fits nicely with my hypothesis more or less stereotyped forms do that most s-f authors cling to the a

44 FANTASY ANJJ SCIENCb FICTION genre because it doesn’t require in recent years particularly, he has them to reveal themselves. For any seemed so preoccupied with telepa- author, writing about sex is at the thy; it has nothing to do with the beginning a hard lump to get over, didactic madness on tliis subject because it reveals a knowledge of which has dominated so much of matters previously supposed to be the field since World War II, but not proper, or perhaps even posi- instead reflects his larger preoccu- tively forbidden. That very first pation with all the possible forms sex scene is almost impossible to of love relationships. It is signifi- write if what is really at the back of cantly different from the kind ol your mind is, “Suppose Mom telepathy one usually finds in such should read it?” I have the undoc- stories, too: in fact, what Sturgeon umentable suspicion that many seems to be talking about is not science-fiction writers, including telepathy at all, but something 1 some of the major ones, have never am tempted to call telcmpathy — gotten beyond this point in their barbarous word, but perhaps no development, and don’t want to, worse a one than its model. Stur- either. geon’s word for it is love, and a

All of Sturgeon’s major work is very good word it is. about love. He has so testified, but Directly under this heading be- had he kept mum about the mat- longs Sturgeon’s love affair with

ter it would have been discovered the English language, which has

anyhow; it is right there on the been as complicated, stormy and page. This, for Sturgeon, is far rewarding as any affair he has ever from a limited subject, for lie has written about. He is a born experi- stretched the word to include near- menter, capable of the most out- ly every imaginable form of human rageous excesses in search of pre-

relationship. Here again I think cision and poetry; people who do

he is probably always in danger of not like puns, for example, are embarassing a large part of his likely to find most Sturgeon copy audience; the rest of us are for- almost as offensive as late Joyce tunate that, if he is aware of this (and I am sorry for them). No- danger, he evidently doesn’t give a body else in our microcosm could damn. possibly have produced such a sty-

This is, as he himself has said, listic explosion as To Here and the why he has written so much about Easel, because in fact nobody else complicated biological relation- would have seen that the subject ships involving three or more part- couldn’t have been handled in any ners, most of which have technical other way. (This is my favorite names hard to find even in good Sturgeon story, which may explain

unabridged dictionaries. It is why. why I think it’s been neglected.') —

THEODORE sturgeon’s MACROCOSM 45

Jn addition, Sturgeon is an in- man, one of the very few authen- tensely visual writer; his images tic masterpieces science fiction can come almost exclusively from what boast) of marmalade with a he secs, as Joyce’s came almost ex- stained-glass w'indow'. Most of the clusively from what he heard. complainers call this simile Readers who do not think in terms “strained” (in itself a strange word of visual images — a very large to apply to marmalade); yet to me group, perhaps as many as half it seems as just as it is startling, in are likely to he baffled by this; they particular when you observe that will get along much better with a the man in the book to whom writer like Poul Anderson, who fol- breakfast is being served is actually lows a deliberate policy of appeal- trembling on the verge of starva- ing to at least three senses in ev- tion. ery scene. Sturgeon’s extremes of No author, not even Dostoevski, visualization probably lie at the ever managed to be all things to root of the rather common com- all men, and Theodore Sturgeon plaint that he is a “mannered" has never bothered to try. He has writer. The charge as stated is un- concentrated a lifetime into being true, for Sturgeon has many man- caviar for Theodore Sturgeon, and ners, adopted or cast off at the giving the rest of us the privilege of bidding of the subject-matter; but sharing the feast. In the process, it is true that he is often to be he has made himself the finest con- caught in visual similes that must scious artist science fiction has seem wild indeed to that body of ever had, which is purely and readers whose minds work most simply a bonus that w'e had no comfortably with abstractions. One right to expect or even to ask. We of the commonest of such com- are all more in his debt than we plaints in my experience homes on realize, even in this hour of his his comparison (in More Than Hu- honors.

MERCURY PRESS, Inc., 347 East 53 Street, New York 22, N. Y. F9

Send me The Magazine of FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION.

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As Judith Merril, author (WISH UPON A STAR, F&SF Dec., 1958; DEATH CANNOT WITHER, Fi^SF Feh., 1959) and anthologist (SF: THE YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION, now in its sixth series) has told the story, a peddler once knocked on the door of her Chelsea apartment. He sold noth- ing, and was obviously no real peddler at all, but an agent of The Little People; for he told her that there teas another science fiction writer living not far away, Theodore Sturgeon by name. This was some several years ago, and Miss Merril has had time to become well-acquainted with the fascinating subject of this, her first article for us. Non-Sturgeon-lovers (if such there be—can there be such?), take teaming: she is partisan

THEODORE STURGEON

by Judith Merril

The man has style. schooled ease, and studied spon- Tlie same quality of ‘voice’ or taneity. presence’ that makes the most un- Strangers always notice him; evenly composed Sturgeon story children respond with immediate compellingly readable, marks his and lasting confidence; those who personality with equally unmis- know him, like or dislike him. No takeable (if no more definable) one is indifferent — and no two fascination. see quite the same man. He is a man of varied interests No two are presented with and strong opinions, many skills quite the same man. Yet there is and endless paradox. Snob-and- rarely intent to deceive (1 would vulgarian, athlete-and-aesthete, have said never, but one must al- mystic-and-mcchanic, he is de- low for the natural effects of, for tached and merry, humble and instance, bill collectors. Internal arrogant, over-mannered and Revenue officers, and certain pub- deeply courteous — a manicured lishers); nor is deception ordinar- nudist, a man of elegant natural- ily the result. The change of face ness, thoughtful simplicity, or stance or style, from one audi-

46 THEODORE STURGEON 47 dice to another may be anywhere or self-interest depart from the mo- from subtle to sensational; but ment’s artistic necessities. each attitude is as genuine as the There are certain things about last — simply a new permutation Ted that are (comparatively) un- of the internal contradictions. varying: attributes that change, as Beauty is a state of mind com- in all of us, only with time and pounded of harmony and/or con- growth. His appearance is one. trast with the environment of the Now in his early forties, Stur- beautiful thing, he wrote me once. geon looks perhaps ten years The environment does not have younger. A bit above average to he concrete, hut it does have a height (perhaps five-ten?), he is hell of a lot to do with the reflexes slender in build, but determined- of the beholder . . . ly fit. (His first ambition was to This is one of the basic ingredi- be a circus acrobat.) He is just ents of Sturgeon's style. In his short of being conventionally work, the choice of language, the handsome, but the trim beard he prose Cor poetic) meter, sometimes adopted years back (before they even the syntax, is generated by were fashionable) is the touch the situation or character: a con- that turns what was almost a faun- stant variation of prose pattern is like countenance into a faintly one of the elements that marks his Satanic mask. His hair has dark- writing style. In his person, a sim- ened in recent years, he was once ilar variable surface stems in the as gold-blond as his son, Robin, is same way from the instinct for now.

‘harmony and/or contrast.” (It might have been more fit- ‘‘Sturgeon is living his own bi- ting to say that he pre-writes his ography,'’ one close mutual friend own biography: it was not until used to say in moments of maxi- six years or so after he wrote mum frustration with the eternally “Maturity” that his son was born sincere poseur. And though I — and, simidtaneously, that the doubt Ted has given much thought changes described in tbe first Rob- — or would care, if he did — to the in began to materialize in the au- figure he may someday cut in a thor.) scholar’s summary, it is certainly He is a warm person, and the true that he insists on revising the only formalities he practices are script constantly. He simply can- his own — such rituals of behavior not stand idly by and see the dra- as he has devised to suit his own matic unities destroyed by the purposes (or, rather, pleasures. At gross, absurd hand of real hap- work —any kind of work^— he is penstance; there is never a doubt impatiently, starkly, functional). which road to follow, when logic He is (almost) obsessively clean, — —

48 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

with a passion for neatness and to eye, body, and taste buds pleasing design. (Note the “al- achieved by the joint efforts of most,” nothing is ever all-one-way Ted and Marion, but because of with Ted. He is fond of saying: them, and their four remarkable “The definition of perversion is children. (Robin, the miniature anything done to the exclusion of Ted, is ten; Tandy, as much a everything else — including the small Marion, eight; Noelle, just normal position.”) turning six, is a jubilant mixture He loves good food, good drink, of both; two-year-old Timothy good talk, good music, good decor, seems to be starting tbe cycle giK)d looks, good manners. He again.) Marion is a childish-look- hates dirt, sweat, too-loud voices, ing, soft-spoken, shy-sceming, ill-fitting clothes, clumsy behavior. white-skinned girl with long black (1 feel that the Clearest to a basic hair, with strength, compassion, yon can get is in living graciously. and wisdom enough for ten ordi- I can only kinnv my own defini- nary women; and like everything tion of gracionsness, and it is one else with which Ted tries to sur- that ineclndes hating a man for round himself (seldom so success- his black skin, pissing on other fully) she is truly beautiful — not people’s rugs, going naked when it only from the inside out, but in will distress others, sleeping with face and body as well. The chil- other men’s wires, violating pri- dren have that rare blend of truly- vacy, and any number of other free wildness, individuality, and delightful or uncomfortable or fun- considerate behavior that one making things . . .) meets, ordinarily, only in a cer- He acquires skills with the ded- tain kind of British novel. It ication of a collector: offhand, I would be foolish to try to say know him to be anywhere from more about any of them here: it competent to expert as a chauf- could not be done in twice the feur, guitarist, radio (and general length, and Ted himself has done electronics) repairman, cook, bull- (and is doing) it, far better than dozer operator, automobile me- I could hope to. (“Tandy's Story," chanic, and maker-of-whathave- published last year in Galaxy, will yous - from - wire - hangers - tooth- appear sometime soon in book brushes-and-old-bottles. He also form, from Bantam, accompanied sings well, and speaks with an un- by “Robin’s Story,” and tbe rest usually, noticeably, clear diction of the set.) — and with a wit that is, mostly, Suffice it to (under) state here, warm and friendly. that the “new Sturgeon,” the sure- His home is a delight to visit, handed writer who emerged from not onlv because of the comfort the promising young talent of —

THEODORE STURGEON 49

1939-1942, (after ten interven- Not many people see Sturgeon ing years of creative crisis and un- work. Even his family sees little even production —long dry spells of the worst of it. He has, current- punctuated by some fine stories ly, a work room in the garage, and some not so fine), the Stur- where he does his sweating at geon that starts with “Baby Is night. It is drab and dusty and Three,” and “Saucer of Loneli- littered, and looks remarkably like ness,” is very much the husband the workrooms of most scholarly and father of this family— and people. (Could there be some pro- they are inextricably a part of the found significance in the fact that mature writer. with all the techniques Ted has mastered so expertly, he remains

There is another reason why it a poor typist?) is pleasant to visit the Sturgeons: An editor, fretting about an that is that visits are discouraged overdue novel of Ted’s, once told unless it will be pleasant. As in me: “He says he has three days’ any family, there are days (or w'ork left to do. I believe him. I weeks or months) when the chil- know he can write a novel in three dren are sick, someone is bad- days. But which three days is it tempered, the plumbing goes out, going to be?” or — as in the family of any free- The editor was almost right, lance writer — food is scarce and but also wrong. I have knowm drink is scarcer. The Sturgeons do Sturgeon to sit at the typewriter not, really, lead a charmed life; (in an attic or cellar or closed-off it just seems that way. bedroom, before the garage, un- It has to seem that way; that’s combed, paper-strewn, coffee- part of the Sturgeon style. nerved, and sweating) for hours In my first list of paradoxes, I on end, sleepless and almost food- * stressed the “manicured nudist.” less, producing a steady stream of I mentioned later that his near- (one-draft, final-copy) words, obsession with cleanliness and hour after hour. (I think the tidiness had an exception. The ex- record for three days, though ception is work. The most obvious with catnaps and sandwiches thing about the Sturgeon st\'le, is was not quite two-thirds of a nov- the easiness of it, but that ease is el.) But typing is only one part earned the hard way. of the job.

*Yes, if you’ve been wondering; those rumors are at least partly true. Ted was, for some years, an enthusiastic {nay, evangelical) nudist. He qualifies

as the only Playmate ( Playboy? ) of science-fiction ( male or female, as far as I know), having had a nude photo published with an interview. Well, almost nude: the man from the Daily News took the shot with the typewriter in front of him to preserve his modesty. 50 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTIO.N

“Nobody can do two things at mine, Ted publicly disclaimed the same time,” Ted says lightly. any responsibility for me as a “I never think while I’m writing.” writer. When he learned I was He doesn’t. The thinking comes writing this article, he reminded first, between the false starts and me, sternly, of his version of the in the glare of the virgin white matter. Having been forbidden to sheet on the typer roller. extend public gratitude, and with full (He said it a little differently intention of doing so, per- in “The Perfect Host:”) You want haps, I can take the curse off it, to write a story, see, and you sit by taking some credit to myself

first : — down in front of the mill, wait un- til that certain feeling comes to yon, hold off a second longer just It was I who taught Sturgeon to be quite sure that you know how much he knew about writing; exactly what you want to do, take I did it by listening, and asking a deep breath, and get up and an occasional question, while he make a pot of coffee. was teaching me everything he This sort of thing is likely to knew about writing. (The differ- go on for days, until you are out ences that are still evident are, I afraid, matter of art rather of coffee and can’t get more until am a you can pay for same, which you than craft.) can do by writing a story and I am not just joking. At the selling it; or until you get tired of time that Ted decided I should, messing around and sit down and and by-damn woidd, write science unite a yarn purely by means of fiction, he was still recovering from knowing how to do it and apply- the double shock of his first pro- ing the knowledge. longed experience with "writer’s block,” and the breakup of his first Neither way of saying it ex- think ill plains why he loses weight in the marriage. He could not enough of himself. (His best sto- process. He sweats — just like peo- ries then were tragedies or sclf- ple; he docs it in private. When — mockerics: “Maturity,” “Thunder he’s done enough of it, out of the mill comes the fluent graceful and Roses,” “It Wasn't Syzygy,” Full Ships.” prose anyone would know as Stur- “The Sky Was of geon’s. There was even one, less memora- ble, called “That Low.”) And his The operative phrase in that sad theme, reiterated, was: “I want to liked or admired for some- quote is “knowing how to do it and be applying the knowledge.” In an thing I do— not just for what I enormously gratifying introduc- am.” Or, alternatively: tion to a short story collection of “I’m not a writer. You are. THEODORE STURGEON 51

* Phil is. I’m not. A writer is some- thought. It had the right number one who has to write. The only of lines and rhymes in the right

reason I want to write is because places, and it was in iambics. I

it’s the only way I can justify all sent it to Ted, and got back a five

the other things I didn’t do.” page critique, line by line. Some At the same time, he was scour- lines he even praised; but he be- ing his mind for what helpful odds gan with a sort of first-grade ex- and ends it might contain for a planation that a sonnet is never, novice writer. (I did not mean to not ever, in tetrameter; each line, imply that Sturgeon formed his always, has ten syllables, not intent against my will; I could eight. He wrote, in part: hardly talk or think of anything Keep pure and faithful your else in those days —but to me it respect for the form. Violate it was a hopeless hope. I knew I nmvherc, ever, not in the slightest was literate; I could do research; I shift of syllabic value. Our lan- could write a tolerable article, or guage, with all its fatdts, is one of even a “hack” pulp story, to form- the most completely expressive in ula rules. But to be A Writer, history. Qoseph Conrad thought which was something else again, so well of it that he adopted it one needed Talent and Imagina- completely. When using it, never

tion . . .) forget that godlike compliment.') The first thing he did was to We have a highly flexible gram- give me a book. mar. Verbs can be placed any- He had seen some (sincere, where in a sentence. Parenthetical young, and of course free verse) thoughts are in the idiom. The poetry of mine in a fan magazine. rich sources of English have He liked one poem, said so, and broiight to it shades of meaning showed up a few days later with and choices between sounds which Clement Wood’s “Complete Rhym- are unparalleled in other tongues ing Dictionary and Poet’s Craft Book,” inscribed: ... I find little fault with

1 give it so that ]ndy can your punctuation, but it might Become a goddam artisan. help you to assume my view of it; fie suggested, gently, that I try namely, that punctuation is in- my hand first at some of the flection in print. To me, "She loves French light verse forms. I did try me— " is heard differently from one, and decided to go on to great- "She loves me . . and from er things. I wrote a sonnet; or so I "She loves me.” There is a speak-

'‘Phil Kiass— William Term: at that time he was also a new writer—two stories

ahead of me (he had two puhlished) . For most of a semi-starved year, just before the Big S-F Boom started, the three of us lived—or so it now seems— on one ten dollar bill loaned around in continuous rotation. —

52 F.VNTASV AND SCIENCE FICTION ing difference between a colon and be behaving in context, and the a semicolon and a coma . . . reader will be able to rebuild a ... If you master this form, complete scene from the pieces of you will have such a feel for the the pattern you’ve given. It doesn’t music of words that in your odes matter if this scene is different and your vers libre your work from yours; it will have the same will be completely compelling, meaning in his frame of reference and in your prose your songful that yours did for you. characters will speak, when their This is one of the most aston- thoughts sing, with singing . . . ishing pieces of instruction on record — simply because I have He said, apologetically, that never heard it anywhere else. It there were only two things he seems so obvious — once you know could really tell me about story it. writing, and that one of those was not his own thought, but had been He wrote me the letter with told to him by Will Jenkins. It the first quote I used here, about was the basic device for generating the nature of beauty; it was, in a plot context, concerned with the abil- Start with a character, some one ity to create beauty. And another with certain strong, even com- letter picks up a theme he spent pulsive personality traits. Put him hours on: . . . imagination is a in a situation which in some way thing like language skill or how to negates a vital trait. Watch the drink brandy — something which character solve the problem. can be done rvell or badly, too

I don’t think I have ever writ- much or not enough . . . ten a successful story that emerged It would be impossible to de- any other way. tail, one by one, the things he The second piece of advice was taught me, or the boosts he gave. his own, and this was: see every- I doubt that I remember all of thing you write about. Don’t put them now. Most of it was so well a word down until you can see absorbed that I no longer dis- the whole scene for yourself — the tinguish it as something learned room, or outdoors area, all the from Ted. I have relayed w'hat I people, including the ones who do recall most vividly, and will yet nothing; the colors and shapes; add an incident or tw’O, primarily the weather; clothes, furnishing- for tw'O reasons. ings, everything. Then describe The first is that, in all serious- only those parts concerned in the ness, he learned something vital to action; or describe nothing, except him in the process, and I think it what your characters do; they will constituted a sort of turning point. —

THEODORE STURGEON 53 starting up from the extreme of his about "something I do, not just depression. It was, I believe, the something I am.” day I read "Bianca’s Hands,” in My other reason for leading you carbon (the ms. was then in Eng- through my primer class as a writ- land, submitted for the British er is that I feel it reveals some vi- Argosy short story contest). I did tal aspects of Sturgeon’s personal- not — do not — like the story. Even ity that I have not seen expound- more, I disliked his effort to com- ed in any of the several eulogies, pare it with Bay Bradbury’s work. prefaces, blurbs, and biographies I had at that time read exactly one I have read myself. Nor could I

Bradl)ury story I liked. (I have (I triedO describe these facets since read several that were pub- myself, except by playback. lished before tlien, and many I might mention, here, that this written afterwards, that I greatly article has been the most difficult admire. But this was 1947; most piece of nonfiction I have ever of Bradbury up till then was in done. How many false starts 1 the Weird Tales vein, and this is made, or how many pages of un- rarely to my taste.) In any ease, used copy will wind up in the cir-

I was somewhat brusque in my cular file, I don’t want to count. criticism. Ted, perhaps defensive- I started out to do a straightfor- ly, explained it had been written ward biographical article, with many years earlier, and that he some, like, personal touches. (You had showed it to me for one sec- know: "I was there, when . . .”) tion, just redone: several para- And the more I tried, the more I graphs of deliberately constructed realized I was, probably, uniquely poetry, highlighting an emotional unqualified to write anything bal- crisis, but spelled out like prose, anced, objective, or factually in- so that it did not appear to break formative about Ted Sturgeon, into the narrative. (“Probably,” because there arc

And it was in pointing this out others who know him, as person (I had missed it, as he expected.) and writer, at least as well as I do; that he stopped, astonished, and some of these have also been the said he had just realized how much beneficiaries of his astonishing ca- he did know about how to write pacity for advice, support, instruc- that it was a skill, with him, not tion, and encouragement of just a talent. younger writers. But — ) I believe Whatever reinforcement the my position is unique, because I recognition needed came very soon am not only a friend, fan, col- afterwards, when the story won league, and sometime protege; I the first prize of $1000. am also, in one sense, 'Ted’s own I never again heard the line invention. — "

54 F.^NTASV AND SClfcNCE FiCl'iON

The first Judith Merril story thing so flamboyantly anglo-saxon- published was called, “That Only sounding.

A Mother . . (I had done Ted reacted with unwonted an- these pulp jobs under various by- ger, and we parted in mutual irri-

lines.) It Was on the strength of tation. Three days later, I had a that one story, before it was pub- letter, c.xplaining things, with an lished, that I got the editorial job ehclosure — a sonnet called, “On at Bantam Books which led di- The Birth of Judith Merril! rectly to my first anthology. Less Two lines of the poem had directly, the same story had much come to his mind, you see, ^vhile to do with Doubleday’s accep- we were talking (in an ice-cream

tance of my first novel, on the parlor!). From that point on, all basis of a short and unfinished my arguments were unreasonable sample. It was Sturgeon who sup- and obstreperous. He went home plied tire confidence, and ulti- to finish the story he was working mately, the challenge, to try to on: an assigned job with a sure write the story; in between, he also check at the end, which he needed supplied — by accident — the ideas badly. But the poem kept growing. for the central problem and the Finally central character. All I did was . . . remembering something write it; after that, it was Ted, you had said about your Hebreu' again, who took it to his own name, 1 went to the ertcyclopedia agent; and it was in the agent’s . . . It was right in there, repro- office that it was read by those duced also in Greek script and in people who later influenced jobs Hebrew, and it means Jewess. It and contracts. All this was, to doesn’t mean anything else but some extent, happenstance. But Jewess. . . . the author of the story was created With this reassurance that 1 by design — Sturgeon’s design. was bound to change my mind, he Sometime before I gathered up spent the next day on the sonnet. my courage to try the “serious The letter goes on — story,” I had already determined ... it is a Petrarchan sonnet, to he a freelance writer (of arti- which means that its form is ex- cles and “hack pulp stories”). For tremely rigid and complex. The several reasons, irrelevant here, I rhyme scheme is 1221, 1221, wanted a pen-name. Among oth- 3 4 5, 3 4 5. Notice that there is ers, I asked Ted for ideas. He no rhymed couplet at the end, as suggested my daughter, Merril’s, is found in Shakespearean and first name. I balked; none of my Wordsworthian sonnets. The idea reasons included the wish to is presented in the octet (^thc first change my Jewish name to any- eight lines') and resolved in the TllKOUORE Sl'L’KOEON 55 sestet. I’d rather build something “See what?” like this than eat, which is demon- "The little green man, running .?” strable . . . up the wall . . (Well, what \vould yon have I shook my head, smiled faint- done? Let a reasonable prejudice ly. “Nope.” stand in the way of a compulsive “Keep looking. Look. See! Right christening?) T had a name. there? He has a long green cap sticking straight out, and he’s tak- .” The man is full of self-contra- ing tiny little steps . . dictions: he is blind and percep- I didn’t see any green man, and tive; rational and illogical; pedan- 1 said as much. “What’s more, if tic and Itrical; self-centered and there was one, he’d be taking long warmly outgiving. But he docs draggy steps and his cap would each side of all the coins with hang down, going up that wall ' }> style. One more anecdote, about the “There,” he said triumphantly. final challenge that sent me home “Sec? I write fantasy. You write to write my story : — science fiction.” I was leaving the aj^artment he So I did — and came, eventual- then shared with L. Jerome Stan- ly, to be asked to write about ton. It was just after the big news Sturgeon. Well, as I said, I am about “Bianca’s Hands,” and Ted prejudiced; and the things that was effusing in all directions, in- seemed important to say left no cluding mine. He went to the door room for statistics. These have, in with me, told me to go home and any case, been more than ade- write a better one. I took it as quately compiled cLsewhere. (Sec mocking. He stopped himself in Sam Moskowit/’s very fine biog- mid-explanation (of his sincerity) raphy in the February, 1962, and said, suddenly, pointing to Amazing.^ I have tried to portray the hall wall: what I could of an unusual and

“Look!” admirable human being. But it’s I did, and looked back ques- tough, when you’re writing about tioningly. a man whose style you can’t pos- “Look! Don’t you see it?” sibly match. Sam Moskowitz is so well known as a historian of Science Fiction that this bibliography needs no more introduction than his name.

FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION BY THEODORE STURGEON

A chronological listing of the first publication of his fan- tasy and science fiction works, with a few non fantasies (indicated by an asterisk*) of associational interest.*

Research and compilation by Sam Moskowitz

1939 The Ultimate Egoist, Unknown, Feb. (Pseudonym E. Waldo Flunter) f.ther Breather, Astounding Science- Shottle Bop, Unknown, Feb. Fiction, Sept. Poker Face, Astounding Science Fic-

V God in the Garden, Unknown, tion, March Oct. Microcosmic God, Astounding Sci- ence Fiction, April 1940 The Haunt, Unknown, April Nightmare Island, Unknown, June Derm Fool, Unknown, March (Pseudonym E. Waldo Hunter) He Shuttles, Unknown, April Artnan Process, Astounding Science It, Unknown, Aug. Fiction, June Butyl and the Breather, Astounding Purple Light, Astounding Science Science Fiction, Oct. Fiction, June (Pseudonym E. Cargo, Unknown, Nov. Waldo Hunter) Yesterday Was Monday, Unknown, 1941 June Biddiver, Astounding Science Fic- Completely Automatic, Astounding tion, Aug. Science Fiction, Feb. The Golden Egg, Unknown, Aug.

* While this is the most complete list of Sturgeons professional works yet pub- lished, it makes no claim to being definitive and additions and correc'tions are welcomed.

56 l A.NTASV AND SCIENCE FICTION BY THEODOkE STLRCiEON 5 /

Iwo Percent Inspiration, Astound- Thunder and Roses, Astounding Sci- ing Science Fiction, Oct. ence Fiction, Nov, Brat, Unknown, Dec. 1948 1942 Deadly Ratio, Weird Tales, Jan, Medusa, Astounding Science Fiction, There is No Defense, Astounding Feb. Science Fiction, Feb. The Jumper, Unknown, Aug. The Professor’s Teddy Bear, Weird Hag Seleen, (with James H. Beard), Tales, March Unknown, Dec. Abreaction, Weird Tales, July 1943 Memory, Thrilling Wonder Stories, Aug. Green-Eyed Monster, Unknown, The Purple Light, Senior Scholastic . June Sept. The Bones (w’ith James FI. Beard) That Loir, Famous Fantastic Mys- Unknown, Aug. teries, Oct. The Perfect Host, Weird Tales, Nov. 1944 The Love of Heaven, Astounding Killdozer, Astounding Science Fic- Science Fiction, Nov. tion, No\'. Maturity, (Lengthened and Revised ' Without Sorcery, Prime Press 1946 '^Wham Bop, Varsity *Smohe, Calling All Boys Memorial, Astounding Science Fic- ’’^The Clock, Calling All Boys April tion, The Graveyard Reader, The Grave- Chromium Helmut, Astounding Sci- yard Reader (edited by Groff Con- ence Fiction, June klin), Ballantine Books Mewhu's Jet, Astounding Science Fiction, Nov. 1949 1947 Messenger, Ihrilling Wonder Sto- Cellmate, Weird Tales, Jan. ries, Feb. Blabbermouth, Amazing Stories, Feb. The Martian and the Moron, Weird Maturity, Astounding Science Fic- Tales, March tion, Feb. Prodigy, Astounding Science Fietion, Tiny and the Monster, Astounding April Science Fiction, May ’'Die, Maestro, Die, Dime Detective. Bianca’s Hands, Argosy (British), May May Scars, Zane Grey’s Western Maga- The Sky VF«s Full of Ships, Thrill- zine, May ing Wonder Stories, June Minority Report, Astounding Science Largo, Fantastic Adventures, July Fiction, June Unite and Conquer, Astounding Sci- One Foot and the Grave, Weird ence Fiction, Oct. Tales, Sept. 58 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

What Dead Men Tell, Astounding 1953 Science Fiction, Nov. The Hurkle is a Happy Beast, The Saucer of Loneliness, Galaxy Science Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Feb. Fiction, Fall The Way Home, Amazing Stories, *Well Spiced, Zane Grey’s Western May Magazine, (No Date) The World Well Lost, Universe Sci- ence Fiction, June 1950 And My Tear is Great, Beyond Fan- tasy Fiction, July Dreaming Jeivels, Fantastic Adven- The Wages of Synergy, Startling Sto- tures, Feb. ries, Aug. The Stars are the Styx, Galaxy Sci- The Dark Room, Fantastic Adven- ence Fiction, Nov. tures, Aug. Dreaming Jewels, (rewritten) Green- Talent, Beyond Fantasy Fiction, berg: Publishers Sept. The Touch of Your Hand, Galaxy 1951 Science Fiction, Sept. A Way of Thinking, Amazing Sto- Rule of Three, Galaxy Science Fic- ries, Nov. tion, Jan. The Silken Swift, The Magazine of "Shadow, Shadow, on the Wall”, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Nov. Imagination, Feb. Mr. Costello, Hero, Galaxy Science Last Laugh (reprinted as Special Fiction, Dec. Aptitude'), Other Worlds, March The Clinic, Star Science Fiction Ghost of a Chance, Suspense, Spring Stories #2, Ballatine Books (Reprint: Green-Eyed Monster) More Than Human, (Contains Baby The Dianetics Question, (article) is Three plus The Fabulous Idiot Marvel Science Stories, May and Morality, the latter two being Make Room for Me, Fantastic Ad- original novelets connected to the ventures, May central story) Farrar, Straus and The Traveling Crag, Fantastic Ad- Young with Ballantine Books ventures, July The Music, E Pluribus Unicom, Excalibur and the Atom, Fantastic Abelard Press Adventures, Aug. The Incuhi of Parallel X, Planet 1954 Stories, Sept. The Education of Drusilla Strange, 1952 Galaxy Science Fiction, March Granny Won't Knit, Galaxy Science Never Underestimate, If, March Fiction, May The Golden Helix, Thrilling Won- Baby is Three, Galaxy Science Fic- der Stories, Summer tion, Oct. * Cactus Dance, Luke Short’s West- The Sex Opposite, Fantastic, Fall ern Magazine, Oct. -Dec. FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION BY THEODORE STURGEON 59

To Here and the Easel, Star Short 1957 Novels, Ballantine Books The Girl Had Guts, Venture Science 1955 Fiction, Jan. The Other Celia, Galaxy Science When You’re Smiling, Galaxy Sci- Fiction, March ence Fiction, Jan. Affair With a Green Monkey, Ven- Who?, Galaxy Science Fiction, ture Science Fiction, May

March On Hand . . . Off Hand (Book Hurricane Trio, Galaxy Science Fic- Reviews) Venture Science Fiction, tion, April July and Sept. Riddle of Ragnorak, (with Don The Pod in the Barrier, Galaxy Sci- Ward) Fantastic Universe, June ence Fiction, Sept. Twink, Galaxy Science Fiction, Aug. It Opens the Sky, Venture Science So Near the Darkness, Fantastic Uni- Fiction, Nov. verse, Nov. The [Widget], the [Wadget] and 1958 Hoff, The Magazine of Fantasy

and Science Fiction (two parts), On Hand . . . Off Hand (Book Nov. & Dec. Reviews), Venture Science Fic- ’Bright Segment, Caviar, Ballantine tion, Jan., March, May and July Books A Touch of Strange, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, 1956 Jan. The Comedian’s Children, Venture Won’t You Walk?, Astounding Sci- Science Fiction, May ence Fiction, Jan. Memorial to Henry Kuttner, (obitu- ’Half-Way Tree Murder, The ary), Venture Science Fiction, Saint’s Mystery Magazine, March July Skills of Xanadu, Galaxy Science To Marry Medusa, Galaxy Science Fiction, July Fiction, Aug. Claustrophile, Galaxy Science Fic- The Cosmic Rape, Dell paperback tion, Aug. fTo Marry Medusa expanded) Fear is a Business, The Magazine of *A Crime for Llewellyn, A Touch of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Aug. Strange, Doubleday ’Dead Dames Don’t Dial, The Saint’s Mystery Magazine, Aug. 1959 rhe Other Man, Galaxy Science Fic- tion, Sept. The Man Who Lost the Sea, The ind Now the Netvs .... The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Oct. Fiction, Dec.

‘I, Libertine, fa novel written un- 1960 der the pen name of Frederick R. Ewing) Ballantine Books Need. Beyond, Avon ,

60 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

Like Young, Tlie Magazine of Fan- FIRST PRINTINGS OF HARD tasy and Science Fiction, March COVER AND PAPERBACK Venus Plus X, Pyramid EDITIONS

1961 WITHOUT SORCERY, Prime Press, 355 Pages, $3.00, 1948. Science Briefs (non-fiction), If, Contains an introduction by Ray March Bradbury and the following tales: *How To Kill Aunty, Mike Shayne’s The Ultimate Egoist, It, Poker Mystery Magazine, March Face, Shottle Bop, Artnan Proc- Tandy’s Story, Galaxy Science Fic- ess, Memorial, Ether Breatlter, tion, April Butyl and the Breather, Brat, Two A Science Faction Story, (column). Percent Inspiration, Cargo, Ma- If, May turity and Microcosmic God. ^Assault and Little Sister, Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, July THE DREAMING JEWELS, Green- The BEM Called Wendigo, (col- berg: Publishers, New York, 217 umn) If, July pages, $2.50, 1950. Anovel, Monoliths and Miracles, (column), If, Sept. E PLURIBUS UNICORN, Abelard A Function for Fable, (book re- Press, New York, 275 pages, views) National Review, Sept. 23 $2.75, 1953. Contains Essay on Penny Wise and Fashion Foolish, Sturgeon by Groff Conklin and (column), If, Nov. the following tales: The Silken Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Swift, The Professor’s Teddy- (novel based on motion picture Bear, Bianca's Hands, Saucer of the same name) Pyramid, June of Loneliness, The World Well Some of Your Blood, Ballantine Lost, It Wasn't Syzgy, The Music, Books Scars, Fluffy, The Sex Opposite, Die, Maestro, Cellmate, 1962 Die!, and A Way of Thinking. An appendix From Plynck to Planch, (column). of Science Fiction and Fantasy by If, Jan. Theodore Sturgeon in Anthologies Alexander Graham Bell and Me. (Up to 1953) is included. Origi- (column) If, March nal title of It Wasn’t Sjzgy was Of Times and Tithes, (book re- The Deadly P^atio. views) National Review, April 24 — Atid Besides Those Bombs— MORE THAN HUMAN, Farrar, (column) If, May Straus & Young, New York, 233 The Other If, (article) If, July pages, $2.00, 1953. Contains The Uncle Sam's Time Machine, (col- Fabulous Idiot, Baby is Three and umn) If, July Morality as a unified whole. lust Westing, (column) If, Sept. The Worlds of Science, (special A WAY HOME, selected and with book review) If, Sept. an introduction by Groff Conklin, FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION BY THEODORE STURGEON (>1

Funk and Wagnalls, 333 pages, The [Widget], The JWadget], $3.50, 1955. Contains Unite and and Boff. Conquer, Special Aptitude, Mew-

hu's Jet, Hurricane Trio, . . BEYOND, Avon Book Division, The

And My Fear is Great . . Hearst Corp., New York, 157 Minority Report, The Hurkle is a pages, 350, 1960. Contains Need, Happy Beast, Thunder and Roses, Abreaction, Nightmare Island, Bulkhead, Tiny and the Monster, Largo, The Bones and Like Young. A Way Home. Bulkhead original- ly published as Who?; Special VENUS PLUS X, Pyramid Books, Aptitude as The Last Laugh. 160 pages, 350, 1960. A novel.

WlAR, Ballantine Books, New VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF York, $2.00, 168 pages, 1955. THE SEA, Pyramid Books, New Contains Bright Segment, Micro- York, 159 pages, 350, 1961. An cosmic God, Ghost of a Chance adaptation from motion picture. (The Green-Eyed Monster'), Prodigy, Medusa, Blabbermouth, SOME OF YOUR BLOOD, Ballan- Shadow, Shadow on the Wall and tine Books, New York, 143 pages, Twink. 350, 1961. A novel.

LIBERTINE, published under the pen name of Frederick R. Ewing, Ballantine Books, New York, pa- SELECTED MATERIAL ON perback edition 350, 151 pages, THEODORE STURGEON 1956. Theodore Sturgeon: No More Than TOUCH OF STRANGE, Double- Human by Sam Moskowitz, Amaz- day, New York, 262 pages, ing Stories, Feb., 1962. Analysis $2.95, 1958. Contains The Pod of his work and position in the in the Barrier, A Crime for Llew- science fiction field. ellyn, The Touch of Your Hand, Author, Author: Theodore Stur-

Affair with a Green Monkey, Mr. geon : Autobiographical sketch by Costello, Hero; The Girl Had Theodore Sturgeon with alpha- Guts, The Other Celia, It Opens betical list of stories and reprint- the Sky, A Touch of Strange. ings up until 1950. The Fan- scient. Spring, 1950. IE COSMIC RAPE, Dell, New The Vorpel Pen: Theodore Sturgeon,

York, 160 pages, 35^, 1958. Chapter 1 1 , In Search of Wonder Short novel. by Damon Knight, Advent: Pub- hshers, Chicago, 1956. .lENS 4, Avon Publications, New Why So Much Syzygy? by Theodore York, 224 pages, 350, 1959. Con- Sturgeon, Skyhook, Summer, tains Killdozerl, Cactus Dance, 1953. An exposition on sex in his The Comedian’s Children and science fiction. Robin Sturgeon is ten, which makes him—by one year—our youngest contributor. We are not very familiar with the hobbies, plans, etc., of Sturgeon fib, but we can say on good authority that he has never been married and looks just like his father, though minus beard. This article teas originally written as a school composition, but the chance to use it for our Special Sturgeon Issue was not to be missed. We look forward to publbhing more of Mr. R. Sturgeon’s writings in the future.

THwiiLcm, Wjoil&jl bif tRobin, SiwiqsimL

This is an aniinal I’d like very much for a pet. It is a certain pcrculiar animal that lives on Mars. He has a mousc-Iike face, ears the like of a horse, a slim body and powerful hind legs which he jumps from peak

to peak of Martian mountains. He eats well . . . pcul Cats, dogs, rabbits, and even horses of every kind. (Depending on the Martian Mouse)

These are the things that usually happens to your pet. No. 1 : He (or

she) got mushed under the wheels of an auto; No. 2 : Fell off a cliff; No. 3 (last but not least, no sir!) The pet was taken captive by tlie Martian :

mouse who made a very good meal of it. You will probably think, “why

do you want such a nasty pet?” And I answer, “because it would keep

the dogs of the ncighboorhood away from here!” The end. P, S.! I hope your pet has a happy ending!

62 Evelijn E. Smith, from whom our ace agent, Mr. Pettifogle, finally extracted some biographical information with his handy pocket thumbscrew, insists her reluctance is based

on a “depressingly uneventful life.” Pointing to Theodore

(“. Thomas . . science-columnist and-lecturer, pater familias, patent attorney, scuba-dh'er,” etc. [THE TEST, FirSF, April,

1962]), she says that “The only area in which we coincide is

in never having tried out a deathray-gun on passers-by . . .

although I would, if I had one.” The author of this chilling statement is a deceptively mild-mannered and attractive gen- tle-lady, a native New Yorker, full-time free-lance writer of “mostly articles, good and bloodthirsty ones.” She loent on to inform the by-now-popeyed Pettifogle, that she ivas re- sponsible for book, lyrics, and fingerprints on the music, of a “stirring musical-comedy version of DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, [which], after nearly being produced off-Broadway (Maine, in fact), failed to arouse excitement, even in my agent ” . . . Miss Smith is well-knotvn for her careful and humorous study of aliens—in the SF, rather than the McCarran-Walter, sense—and in THEY ALSO SERVE she adds to this a re- minder, well-known to empire-builders of all ages, that mis- fits at home may often prove heroes abroad. (“After reading the above,” Miss S. comments, “I feel I should go out and

commit a crime to ginger things up. If I do. I’ll send you a telegram right away.” The telegram has failed to arrive, but we are watching our tabloid newspaper icith ill-concealed interest.

THEY ALSO SERVE

by Evelyn E. Smith

“Sow, REMEMBER,” THE CAP- not here to study the planet or die tain told the young officers, “you’re nadves; a two-man expedition

63 .

64 FANTASY AND SCIENCE EICTION

can’t afford to fool around with tives before you try to make con- such nonsense. All you’re here for tact. See if you can figure out is to get prozius stones, under- what keeps going wrong with the stand?” rapport.” Though, if seven expedi- “We understand, sir.” Lieu- tions had been unable to find out tenant Garnett’s handsome face what changed a seemingly eourte- was pale but composed. Young ous people into wanton killers, he Morson’s lower lip was trembling. doubted that these two youths “Prozius stones are of the ut- would be able to do any better. most importance to Earth,” the “How can we learn about the captain said defensively. “They’re natives?” Morson demanded. used in science and — and medi- “Who’s to tell us? Dead men. .” cine.” And, of course, in the jewel . . Ilis voice broke. trade, but it seemed needless to “Jimmy!" Garnett said sternh mention that. Garnett’s family was Navy, so at “What did Earth do before least he had some idea of correct Persiper was discovered?” Morson behavior. There was good stuff asked. in young Garnett, the captain “It suffered," tlie captain said thought; pity there was so much curtly, aware that, since the exist- bad stuff along with it. ence of Persiper had been known Morson gulped. “Sorry, Clyde.' for only half a century, and the “You know all the expeditions potency of the prozius for even left records,” Garnett chided. less than that, this gave Earth a “Surely you looked at the micro-

” long period of martyrdom. films on the ship. “Persiper looks like such a nice Morson turned pink. Of course planet, too!" Morson wailed. he hadn’t, the captain thought;

Persiper did look like a nice - that would smack of too much like planet. Not only did it have efficiency. Aloud he said, “We’ve Earth-type gravity and atmos- packed them along with \our gear, phere, but it was equipped with in case you wanted to do a bit of

” rolling green hills, colorful flow- last-minute cramming. ers, blue skies ... all that sort “Good of you, sir," Garnett said. of thing. A pretty, pleasant-seem- This was the first-two man ex- ing place, but all of them knew pedition to Persiper. 1 he previous that appearances were most de- seven had set out with a full com- cidedly deceptive. plement of scientists and social The captain felt a tweak of scientists and elaborate equip- guilt. “Oh, I don’t mean that you ment. Although their primary aim have to plunge in blind. It won’t had also been to collect prozius hurt to learn a bit about the na- stones, thev had also sought a

THEY ALSO SERVE ()5

knowledge. However, the records “Good luck,” he finally managed they left behind were curiously to choke out.

. . . not so much inadequate as The two lieutenants saluted. uneven. There were very compre- “Te morituri and all that,” Garnett hensive grammatical and linguis- observed.

tic studies of the native language. The captain scrambled hastily There were geological and botani- into the flyer. cal reports that were almost as Back on the ship, the doctor thorough. But there w'as little waited in the captain’s cabin, about the natives themselves — glass in hand. “It’s plain murder; few pictures, enough to show that that’s what it is,” he said accusing- they were humanoid and probably ly. “Seven expeditions have van- mammalian; enough sociological ished here, large, fully-staffed ex- data to show that they had a non- peditions, practically colonies. mechanical culture. But nothing What do you expect those two to indicate what made them tick. miserable boys to do?” And there was no w’ay of query- “Vanish also.” The captain ing the investigators about the poured himself a stiff drink. “No spottiness of their reports, because sense wasting more than a mini- they were all dead. How^ever, mal number of men. And those prozius stones had been found two are particularly expendable.” among their effects, which was “Young Garnett is Admiral Gar- why, although the Earth Govern- nett’s nephew, isn’t he? And Mor- ment had given up any more ex- son is the senator’s son? Put-up pensive attempts to unravel the job, isn’t it? Get rid of an embar-

secret of Persiper, it had not given rassment, two embarrassments, up entirely. and no questions asked. Doesn’t "Well,” the captain said with always pay to have good connec- pinchbeck heartiness, “the ship’ll tions, does it?” be back in a twelvemonth or so. The captain swallowed his

I'll expect to find you two doing drink and poured another. “Don’t

a thriving business, hey?” be an idiot! It’s just that . . . Morson’s always-meagre self- I’m sure the admiral and the sena- control departed him. “Bleached tor would like the boys to die bones!” he cried. “That’s all you heroes’ deaths.” really expect to find, bleached “So am I,” the doctor said.

bones . . “Somebody’s got to do the job. Sinee this was true, there was I picked them myself; it has noth- no tactful answer. “Well, I’ll be ing whatsoever to do with their seeing you,” the captain tried to connections. Now, let’s talk about say, but the lie stuck in his throat. something else.” 66 TANT-VSy AND SCIENCE FICTION

The seventh Persiperian ex- sensitive than other people. Gar- pedition had consisted of over a nett himself was pretty high- hundred men, women and, as an strung, but he had learned self- inevitable result of the long voy- control. Being the stronger and age out, children, who had lived older, he must be the leader rather in prefabricated luxury until their than the rcproacher. Besides, demise. Now the elaborate instal- Jimmy had joined the Navy be lations were gone, dismantled and cause of him; he had a moral re- removed by the ship that had sponsibility. taken away the bodies. All that He tried to sound hearty and was left was a small space in the distracting. “We’ve got to get

forest; the lush vegetation of Per- started putting up the prefab, if siper had overgrown the rest of the W'e W'ant a roof over our heads to-

land the Earthmen had cleared. night. It'll be dark in a few' hours.' Its mild, rosy sun bathed grass and He began unpacking the house, flow'ers and the encroaching bush- and, after a moment, Morson rose es in radiant light. Birdlike things and joined him. sang in the trees; butterflylike Although the prefab was large things twittered in the shrubbery. enough to accommodate a whole

Except for the huge pile of equip- family of colonists, it could casih ment the flyer had left, there was be put up by two men in two no sign of civilization. One could hours. No engineering skill was suppose the planet to be unin- required; the building was divided habited. One knew better. into a number of comjxmcnts. Morson cast himself upon a each neatly packed in a separate carton and wept. “It’s suicitle, just box witli a label to show’ where it

plain suicide!’’ belonged. “This is the part 1 “Murder, you mean,’’ Garnett like!’’ Morson exclaimed, glisten corrected, “because suicide im- ing-eyed, as he carefully un plies volition, and w'e certainly wrapped a portion of their future didn't ask for this assignment. But home. “Oh, if only life could al cheer up, Jimmy, being in the ways be this w’ay!” Space Service is a fate worse than death, anyw'ay.’’ Back in the bushes Cmirral anti ‘T\'e often thought that, myself. Fluurim watched the Earthmen But right now' the Navy doesn’t attentively. “They don't look all look all that bad.’’ He began to sob that obnoxious,’’ Fluurim said again. cautiously. He was young. This For a moment Garnett was ex- was his first permanent associa- asperated. Then he was ashamed. tion, as well as his first official as- Jimmy couldn’t help being more signment, and he was apprehen TflEY ALSO SERVE 67 sive. Cmirral, although much always begin in such apparent in- sought after, was notoriously hard nocence. They build their homes; to get along Avith. Still, Fluurim they settle down; then they become kept reminding himself when unpleasant and we are forced to things got rough, Cmirral had exterminate them.” chosen Fluurim as his partner. Fluurim didn’t ask the nature “Don’t judge by initial appear- of the unpleasantnesses commit- ances, Fluurim; everything they ted; anything capitally unpleasant do seems harmless at first. But was axiomatically unspeakable. they’re up to no good.’’ Having Besides, he had already gotten a been watcher for several earlier fair idea from detergency gossip. human expeditions, Cmirral knew “Did we ever explain what our what the score was. laws were before we killed the Fluurim squinted at the pecul- aliens for violating them?” he iar construction. “All they’re doing asked.

is building a house; that is, put- Cmirral emitted a hissing sound ting it together, like a child’s edu- between his teeth. “We didn’t ask cational toy.” Too late, he heard them to come to our planet. We his gaffe. He could feel himself have never made any effort to en- green furiously. Cmirral didn’t say courage relations with any of the anything, but he looked. Surely other so-called civilized species; we know eaeh other w'ell enough we’re too different from any of by now, Fluurim thought. But did them. A live-and-let-live policy is one ever really get to know Cmir- possible only if they stay on their ral? planets and we stay on ours. If “What they’re doing is, of they insist on coming here, they course, uncreative,” Fluurim said must abide by our laws, whether nervously, “but there’s no outright they know them or not.” aesthetic violation, especially if He’s a difficult one, Fluurim you consider that their standards thought admiringly. He’s a real may be different from ours.” challenge. “Standards are absolute!” Cmir- ral snapped. Garnett and Morson spent a “There are two schools of comfortable first night on Persi- thought on that subject,” Fluurim per. It was such a relief to be declared stoutly. Then he back- away from the ship, from the hos- tracked a little: “And one must tile forces they had seen and felt allow for ignorance.” for so many months that for nine “One might,” Cmirral conced- hours it was easy to forget they ed; “there’s no must involved. were surrounded by unseen, un- However, don’t be deluded. They felt hostilities. However, morning 68 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION had to come, and, with it, ob- rowing fruitlessly through all the livion had to go. cartons, he threw a tantrum. Morosely they set about their "Wouldn't you know, no drapes! duties. "According to the records,” Such slipshod stowage!” Garnett observed, as he fitted a “I daresay they expected us to knocked-down chair together, "it’s pig it without drapes. Figured that up to us to make the first ap- in our situation the amenities proach. The natives don’t seem to wouldn’t matter. Not that they appear unless they’re hailed.” care much for amenities. The "We don’t have to hail them to- decor on that ship!” Garnett closed day, do we?” Morson asked anx- his eyes and shuddered. iously. “We’ve only just got here. "Well, I refuse to spend my

Besides, it’s Sunday.” last months in squalor!” Morson Garnett rubbed the back of his declared. "If I must die, let there neck. “Uncle Mortimer always be drapes around me.” says a space officer’s first duty on “A noble sentiment,” Garnett an alien planet is to consolidate said drily. "Do you propose to his base. So probably we ought to create drapes out of thin air?” get the place fixed up a little be- Morson sat down on a box. It fore we try to get in touch with buckled a little, for, though he the indigenous life forms. Makes was not precisely plump, neither a better impression on them; be- could he be quite described as sides, it gives us a solid basis of slender, particularly in the area emotional security to operate that made contact with the box. .” from. . . "You'll think of something, “You don’t have to convince Clyde.” me, Clyde; I’m sold! Oh, I do so "As a matter of fact,” Garnett hate meeting new people . . . murmured, trying not to sound even if they aren’t exactly peo- complacent. "There was some- ple!” thing in the films about a native "I don’t like it any more than plant a lot like flax. If we can you do, Jimmy, but that’s what find some. I’ll try my hand at we’re here for.” Garnett gave the throwing together a spinning chair a final thump and set it up- wheel and making the stuff into right, where it stood as inelegant yarn. Used to do a lot of that kind as it was utilitarian. "Come now,” of thing up at Woody Grove.” He he said with false heartiness, "no sighed, remembering the happy time for brooding. There’s tons of days before he had felt called unpacking to be done!” upon — largely by the suspension Morson behaved well enough of his allowance — to follow the for a fcM' hours, then, after bur- family tradition. —

IHEY ALSO SERVE 69

And I’ll build a loom and nearby bushes. Cmirral disap-

weave the yarn into cloth! I proved. “After all, the Earthmen learned how on the Island! We haven’t been convicted of any can make couch covers and every- crime as yet.” thing!” VV^e all know they’re going to Garnett looked dubious. "I commit something horrid,” Tiitkin

guess it'll be all right if we listen retorted, “so all they’re doing is to the tapes all the while we work, anticipating.” He peered eagerly so wc’ll be absorbing the language. through the foliage that screened That way we won’t be wasting then from the Earthmen’s dwell- time.” ing. The house no longer looked Morson’s light tenor rose to a alien. It’s become familiar by whinny. “Wasting time! How can now, Fluurim thought; so many

vou say that?” weeks of watching. . . . And he

“Oh, 1 wouldn’t, but the Serv- sighed inwardly, because, though ice would. From their point of he was interested in his job, even view, making drapes and couch more he wanted to be back in the covers would be wasting time, fragile hand-carved tower, work- and, hence, a violation of duty.” ing on his sonnet sequence while Garnett smiled ruefully. "I know Cmirral fashioned his ivory figu- they’ve left us here —to die, but rines. well—” he shrugged “my uncle’s “Look at the lovely pitchers and an admiral, and so was my grand- bowls they’ve been making out of father, and my grandfatlicr was a mere clay from the riverbank,” t-ommander. Navy’s in my blood, Boorg, Tutkin’s partner, mur-

I guess." mured. “How can anyone who Morson’s round face shone with created such pure sensitive shapes incomprehension. “I must say I be all bad?” don’t quite understand, Clyde,” he “Probably they’re not all bad,” confessed, “but, just the same, I Tutkin said, “just mostly.” He do admire you for it.” pressed close against the leaves. “Wonder how they got that par- Since the climate of Persiper ticularly haunting shade of vi- was so mild the Earthmen worked olet. They couldn't have made it out of doors a good deal, thus pro- out of our vegetation alone; they viding convenient observation and must have added some substance free entertainment for their hid- they brought with them. I’ve never den hosts. By the time they had gotten such a color myself.” finished spinning the yarn and “How could a barbarian excel had started in to dye it, there was you in your own art?” Boorg asked a small crowd of lurkers filling the sarcastically. 70 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

But Tutkin didn’t rise to the Stem, but just, Fluurim bait. "Primitive art is often in- thought. spired.” Tentatively, he added, “Perhaps it is because there are "It would be a shame for their only two,” Cmirral went on, “but .” secret to die with them. . . they do appear to be paying more The Persiperians looked at each attention to the essential graces of other. “We can’t very well go up living than the earlier ones. How- to them, ask them how they got ever, tliat could result from a com- their color, and then kill them!” bination of random factors rather Fluurim said flatly. than the existence of a substratum “Why not? ” Tutkin demanded. of sensibility in the species.” ‘The violet will have committed “They’re probably trying to lull no crime.” us into a sense of false security!” But everyone knew art be- Tutkin snapped. But it was obvi- longed to its creator, and he had ous to all that if the terrestrials the right to choose whether or not had enough perception and deli- it would die with him. cacy to realize that such a course “What a pretty garden they’ve could lull the Persiperians into a fashioned,” gentle Vanzt mur- sense of false security, then they mured. “Lovingly transported our would have too much perception own flora from the forest. How and delicacy to be capable of the little flowers are thriving! criminal behavior in the first Surely they would not flourish place. like that for beings who were es- There was a crashing in tlie sentially evil.” bushes. Xefter, Tutkin’s oldest, The others exchanged smiles, scrambled out, giggling. Tutkin for they did not hold with Vanzt flinched and said, “Oh, no!” in a that “plants know.” “All Earth- low tone. men are evil,” Tutkin declared One could feel sorry for the sweepingly, “plants or no plants, man; it was, indeed, a sore afflic- violet or no violet.” tion to be cursed with so graceless “These two seem different to a cub. But such was one of the me,” Arvis observed. He and his inevitable hazards of perpetuat- partner were not unsolicited by- ing the race. Although Fluurim standers, like all the others except was not one of those extremists

Cmirral and his partner, but the who held it preferable to let the official night-watchers, so his race die out exquisitely rather opinion held value. than to continue grossly, none- Cmirral scratched his crest. theless he was glad he himself was “To me, too ... a little,” he ad- not yet of breeding age. It was mitted reluctantly. vulgar, he knew, but he couldn’t —

I llEV ALSO SERVE 71

help wondering what Cmirral’s “Can I ask a question?" he said offspring were like; they would, brightly. of course, be too young yet to be “No.” allowed public appearance and so “The young should be allowed

would be still kept in the cellar to indulge their thirst for knowl- with their dam. edge,” Boorg remarked, “else how "Guess where I’ve been, fel- are they to learn.” Being Tutkin’s

lows!” Xefter cried. ‘‘I sneaked partner, he had, of course, certain

around the back of the Earth- familiarity rights. .'\s a rule, how-

men's house, and I looked in the ever, these did not extend to off- windows!” spruig.

^ 1 here was a chorus of outraged “You’ll be sorry,” Tutkin said. cries. Fluiirim had never before “All right, Xefter, ask away.” seen Cmirral so angry; he was “If peeping is wrong, then what truly magnificent in bis wrath. are you-all doing out here?” “Xefter, you^— you peeiicr! Your Tutkin looked triumphantly at behavior is vulgar; it’s vile; it’s vi- Boorg. cions! Cmirral cleared bis throat. He took a deep breath and “This post is ojftcudly watching

turned to Tutkin. "I regret that I the E.arthmcn, which is (luile an- bad to reprimand your cub, but other thing,” be declared in the

this is a planetary affair.” voice of authority. And, before “Reprimand him,” Tutkin said. Xefter could point out that his "Kill him if you like.” parents were not part of the post, To everyone's further horror, he added, “Also, we take pains to Xefter began to weep. “If Ed had keep at a discreet distance. You a proper family life,” he bawled, you were practically mingliug." "I would’ve had the rough edges “Eor shame!” several said.

” rubbed off me! Xefter mumbled something in- Tutkin went rigid with embar- audible and scuffed a hoof in the rassment. "If you’re going to in- grass. dulge in cftide emotional displays Fluurim could restrain himself you’d better go borne. It’s nearly no longer. “What was the Earth- time anyway.” men’s house like inside?" he asked ".\aaah, Dad, let me stay. I eagerly. promise to display only publicly- Xefter brightened. "Really proper emotion. Look, I’m smil- charming! The room I saw was ing!” He grinned from ears to done in a muted shade of blue- cars. green that’s rather unusual at first Tutkin grunted. The cub ap- but grows on you. And the other peared to take this for consent. colors are cleverly arranged to ”

FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

lead up to it in a sweeping ascen- He left clumsily, crashing through “. cion of tone!” the bushes, muttering . . al- “How I should like to see it!” ways doing something wrong. Be- Fluurim cried, carried away. cause nobody ever loved me, that’s The others looked at him and why.” then at Xefter. “Corruption is There were small moiies of dis- more than a simple misdemeanor,” taste. Cmirral said softly. “And the sins “When we have such among .” of the cub. . . us,” Boorg observed, “Who are we “Xefter,” Tutkin snapped, “it’s to judge the Earthmen?” Not one home-time for you!” of them could look at the others. “Aaaah, Dad — “You know it’s the hour for you By the time Garnett and Morson to feed your female parent,” Tut- had been on Persiper for close to kin whispered. Although he was four months, they had succeeded audible, the others affected not to in making the prefab almost liv- hear. What had Cmirral ever seen able. They had torn down some of in such a boorish fellow, Fluurim the interior walls to make one vast

wondered . . . for, although nat- main room. The remaining walls urally one didn’t talk about such they painted, except for the dining things, he knew Tutkin had once alcove, which they papered with been Cmirral's companion. Way star maps soaked in tea to make back at the time of the Second them look antique. The floors were Alien Expedition it had been; covered with thick rugs of native Tutkin had taken part in the alien moss pressed in a process suggest- watch then; and, because Xefter ed by The Universal Craftsman the ungainly had been bom not ... of which they had brought long after the disposal, Tutkin had along tw’o full years in microfilm. blamed his affliction on the linger- Not only had they softened the ing terrestrial auras. That was stern lines of the utility furniture why he was so down on Earth- with tender-hued paint and plump, men. yielding cushions, but they had “Home-time, Xefter,” Tutkin re- hand-fashioned several pieces out peated. of the native woods — w'hich “Aaah, it won’t hurt the old worked easily and were distinctive cow to skip a meal!” Xefter said, in in appearance. They thought of his normal speaking voice. leaving a before and after article The air was still with shock. behind for The Craftsman to pub- Suddenly Xefter lost his bravado lish posthumously, but what was and turned vivid green. "All the use; the Navy would never for- right,” he mumbled, ‘Til go; I’ll go.” ward it. IIIHV ALSO SERVE 73

"Oh, 1 could be so happy here,” stones, grow inside a person. How Morsoii sighed, “with nobody to could you have the gall to step up poke and pry and pester and per- and ask somebody for his gall-

secute, if only it weren’t for that stones r

sword hanging over our heads . . . “It’s not quite as bad as all Clyde,” he said hopefully, “we that,” Garnett said resolutely. “If

still haven’t seen any sign of a na- you’d read further, you’d knoyv tive. Do you think maybe they all that having them removed is a died of a plague or something, and frequent and fashionable opera- we’re all alone on the planet? Oh, tion. They keep the stones in Clyde, wouldn’t that be vmi- beautiful blown-glass bottles after- derfiilt” wards, as mementoes.” Garnett shook his sleek head. “They’re even more uncivilized "Initial contact always came from than terrestrials, aren’t they?” our side. Apparently their code “We-cll, prozius stones arc pret- demands that we make ';he first tier than gallstones. The ugliness gesture.” lies in the origin, and the Persipe- "‘And then, having been prop- rians’ aesthetic approach may be erly introduced, they’ll kill us,” different.” Morson said dully. “Some code. Morson gave a skeptical sniff. I’d rather be rude and alive.” “Now,” Garnett went on, “let’s “They couldn’t have done tlie have a final brush-up on the lan-

killing right after the introduc- guage. You be a native; I’ll be tions,” Cjarnett pointed out, “or me.” He stepped back a few paces die other expeditions wouldn’t and tried to look moss green. have been able to leave any rec- “Greetings, brother,” he began in ords. Something happened after Persiperian, “we of Earth offer an initially favorable connection, you the hand of fellowship and .” something faulty in the rapport.” friendship. . . Morson made a face. “I hate the Morson clutched desperately at idea of establishing rapport. Seems his arm. “Oh, Clyde, isn’t there so pu^iy! Must we?” some way wc could just keep on “We’re not here on a holiday, the way we have been? Maybe the Jimmy; we’re here for prozius natives won’t bother us if yve don’t and/or die in the attempt.”— bother them. Maybe. . . “Cut — but, Clyde ” Morson’s Garnett disengaged himself “ voice sank to a whisper — that’s gently. “You know we can’t, Jim- the worst; we can’t just step up to my. It would be wrong. Besides, the natives, introduce ourselves, the ship will come back in a year. and ask for prozius stones. The Even if the natives didn’t bother

records say they —; they’re like gall- us, the Navy would.” —

74 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

“We could wait until, say, ten "That would be an awfully snot- months have gone by. That would ty thing to do,” Xefter observed. give us over six more months to- “Using somebody else’s planet gether. Oh, Clyde, do say yes!” without so much as how-do-you-do Garnett was tempted. But there to them.” were too many pitfalls. They “Why should they say ‘how-do- might not be able to establish con- you-do’ to us?” Vanzt askedr“We tact right away. And, if they did- haven’t made any attempt to com- n’t have any prozius stones by the municate with them. We never time the ship came back, they made any attempt at communica- might just as well have been tion with the other ones, not in the killed by the natives. deeper sense of the word.” “Well, couldn’t we wait another “Look,” Cmirral snapped, “our month before trying to make con- objective is not to make the Earth- tact? One measly month, Clyde men’s acquaintance, but to get rid

. . . please? Please? There were of them with all deliberate pro- tears in Morson’s big blue eyes. priety.” “Oh, all right,” Garnett said. oh, Cmirral, Ehiurim thought, After all, soon they would both be how can one so noble still be so dead. pig-headed? "I want to make their acquaint- The month stretched into two ance,” Boorg suddenly declared. and then began on a third. Mean- “I have a feeling that, if given a while, back in the bushes, the na- chance, they may be basically tives were getting impatient. Not capable of refinement.” so much that they were bored "All you want is to get a closer they found the Earthmen’s activi- look at that kiln of theirs,” Cmir- ties endlessly fascinating—but ral said between his teeth. that they were bewildered ... a “Nothing wrong with that,” little hurt, even. “Know what I Boorg replied. “Tutkin admits free- think?” Arvis said. “They’ve just ly that he’d like to know how they come here for a — a vacation! They made their colors, and I’ll bet never had any intention of getting young Eluurim here is just itching in touch with us at all; just want- for a look at the library.” ed a congenial atmosphere to work Ehiurim couldn’t help green- in.” ing. Cmirral gave him a reproach- “Why, the amount they’ve been ful glance. saving on craft materials probably “I move we hail the Earthmen,” more than pays for the cost of the Vanzt proposed. “Since this is oui trip!” Tutkin declared angrily. planet, it’s not really ill-bred for There were petulant murmurs. us to speak first.” THEY ALSO SERVE 75

Cmirral stirred restlessly. Fluu- “Oh, very well,” Cmirral said. rim looked up at him with great deference. “Could that be consid- “My god, Clyde,” Morson called, ered as a non-invasion of privacy?” as he looked up from the dinner he asked, trying not to overdo it. dishes — there wasn’t enough Cmirral hesitated. “Stricdy spare power— in the packs for a speaking,” he said at last, “They dishwasher “they’re coming!” don’t have privacy rights on some- “Who? The ship? But it hasn’t one else’s planet, not when they been even seven months yet.” Gar- came uninvited in the hrst place. nett raced to the kitchen window. However, if we tacitly recognized A group of moss-green humanoids their existence by approaching was approaching them. “Oh, na- them first, we'd be handing them tives!” he said. a significant moral advantage. If it “Why do you sound so relieved? came to a showdown, they’d be Are you so bored with my com- able to invoke the hospitality pany that even a native looks bet- laws, which could mean a long ter?” court battle before we were per- But Garnett had no time either mitted to annihilate them.” to soothe or reproach his junior.

“Don’t you think it’s better to He was too full of a surprising risk a court battle than to run the gladness. The matter of meeting risk of spending our whole lives the natives had now been taken here?” Fluurim asked wistfully. “I out of his hands. Furthermore, want to finish my sequence, and I now that the terrestrials had, in know you’re anxious to get at those effect, forced the natives to make has reliefs. What’s more, we’ll miss the first move, it seemed to Garnett the Vernal Redecoration if this that his side had scored somewhat stretches out, and I had my heart of a point ... in their own set on our winning the prize to- terms, at least. “Let’s go out and gether.” meet them!” he cried, buttoning It took Cmirral even longer to his tunic and brushing back his answer this time. “I can’t let per- hair. sonal considerations keep me from “I don’t care to make their ac- doing what is right.” quaintance!” Morson flung a dish

“But nothing would be keeping on the floor. Since it was of plastic you from doing the right thing. naval issue rather than their own You’d just be approaching it at an ceramic contriving, it rattled rath- accelerated pace, that’s all.” He er than shattered . . . and so took Cmirral's upper right arm and failed as an emotional outlet. gave him a winning smile. “Now, “Oh, Jimmy,” Garnett said wear- let’s go hail the aliens, shall we?” ily, “won’t you ever grow' up?” 76 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

“What’s the use?’’ Morson again in Garnett. “It might not be howled. “I’ll soon be dead, any- the end. In our family there’s an way. Might as well die young and old saying: ‘Don’t give up the unspoiled.’’ He untied his apron ship!’ Well—” and hurled it across the room. “Honestly, Clyde,” Morson ex- “Now everything's going to be so ploded, “sometimes you make me — so rotten. We’re going to have sick! If we must die, let’s die with- to ask them all sorts of nasty, per- out cliches.” Then he buried his sonal questions, and probably face in his hands. “I’m sorry, they’ll ask us nasty, personal ques- Clyde; you know 1 didn’t really tions. It’s going to be dull and mean it.” disgusting! And then they’ll kill Garnett patted his shoulder. He us, which will be even more dis- felt more like kicking him, but gusting . . . though less dull. I’ll this was neither the time nor tlie admit.’’ place for a quarrel. “I know you “All we have to ask them about didn’t, Jimmy,” he said heavily. are the prozius stones,” Garnett “We’ve both been under a strain told him. “That’s all we’re here and let’s be glad it’s going to be for. I intend to do my duty, but resolved at last. Now, chin up; I’m damned if I’ll exceed it. And, we want to make a good impres- if the natives pose any personal .sion.” questions. I’ll simply tell them And, arm in arm, the two young they should have asked the previ- men went out to meet their fate. ous expeditions, instead of killing them.” “I don’t think it was in good “You’re so brave, Clyde,” Mor- taste to bring those coffins along,” son said, drying his eyes on the the doctor said to the captain, as dish touel. “I wish I were like they stepped into the flyer, tlie you.” captain having decided he re-

It’s easy to be brave when quired company on this sad occa- there’s no hope left, Garnett sion. thought. But somehow he found “Oh, come on now, doc,” the himself actually feeling hopeful. captain said cheerfully; “then “You don’t need to go out with we’d have had to waste time while me, Jimmy, if you don’t want to,” the carpenter made a pair, and he said. they’d never be as good as the Morson drew himself up until ones we brought. All metal with he almost looked really Navy. plush linings. You can’t beat “You know I’m with you to the Terra for high-class artifacts. I al- end, Clyde!” ways say.” That curious optimism flickered “You’re a ghoul!” —

THEY ALSO SERVE 77

The captain was piqued. better view. “You certainly must "Look, doc, there’s no use kidding agree; they do have a flair!” ourselves: the boys must be dead. The captain’s eyes narrowed. We’ll give them a bang-up funeral “You mean they were using the in space. The admiral and the sen- time they should have spent col- ator said to spare no expense, and lecting prozius stones in this we won’t. Took on an extra tank this nonsense! Just let me get my !” of whiskey when we shipped out. hands on them. . . His voice Why, the crew’s been counting the trailed off in futility. .” light-years. . . “Yes, the poor lads are where The doctor closed his eyes and your evil desires for revenge can- moved his lips, which annoyed the not harm them.” And the doctor captain, because he knew the doc- looked piously up at the Earthlike tor to be of an agnostic tempera- sky. ment. The captain moved toward the Shortly after dawn, the flyer house. “Garden’s in good shape,” landed in the clearing and the he noted, “so the natives must two officers emerged. They looked have taken over . . . afterw'ard. wonderingly at the not-large but They never did that before, impressive structure that stood be- either.” He sighed. “Things have fore them. “The natives never built been happening here, doctor anything of their own here be- strange things, no doubt —but I fore!’’ the captain said. “Seemed suppose we’ll never know.” to regard the site as taboo — or “Oh, I wouldn’t count on that,” something. And what happened to the doctor said. the prefab? They never touched The captain threw a wistful look any of the physical installations at the flyer, but he wasn’t going to before!’’ be the one to suggest retreat. If a The doctor had been giving the mere medical man could face the edifice a closer look. “But this is unknown, so could he. “Well,” he the prefab!” he exclaimed. “Been said, “I guess we might as well go drastically remodelled, but under- inside and see how many stones neath it all it’s just standard issue the boys managed to collect before OP-62X5.” they — ah —passed on.” He put his This puzzled the captain even hand on the doorknob, and found more. “Why would the natives do himself curiously reluctant to turn a thing like that?” it. He was afraid. For shame, he “Natives be damned! Can’t you told himself, and you a Space Of- recognize Woody Grove Modem ficer. when you see it? The boys did this He opened the door and went themselves.” He stepped back for a inside, the doctor following. Both —

78 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

gasped. “Not quite my tv^ie of cording to Persiperian law,” he thing,” tlie doctor said, looking said smugly, “it’s our house, be- around the spacious rococo draw- cause a thing belongs to the ones ing room, “but handsome, very who made it beautiful.” handsome, indeed.” “Persiperian law does not apply For a moment the captain splut- to you, sir!” The captain was out- tered inarticulately. Then he found raged, not only by this impu- his voice. “The Stores Officer’ll be dence, but by the knowledge that furious! If — if only those two mis- these two incompetents had ap- erable creatures were alive, so I parently succeeded where hun- could kill them with my bare dreds of better men, women, and

hands!” He sighed. “But the age of children had failed. “And I’ll miracles is over!” thank you to address your supe- There was a noise from the rior officer respectfully.” inner room. The captain jumped. “I’m afraid you’re laboring un- “What’s that?” der several misapprehensions, “Maybe we’re about to witness vioii capitaine,” Garnett said with a renaissance of miracles,” tlie a faint, provoking smile. “Persip- doctor said. erian law does apply to us. You “Who’s out there?” a sleepy see, we’ve become naturalized citi- voice demanded. And then there zens.” Crossing the room, he lit an was an apparition: Lieutenant elaborate device which gave off Garnett. It was easier to accept gouts of thick, perfumed smoke. the fact that he was alive than “We’ve gone native, you sec,” that he had been enrolled in one Morson agreed, lighting another of the heavenly bands, though his such gadget. He spoiled the effect, magnificent garment — a brocaded though, by choking. robe of unearthly manufacture “You — you deserters!" the cap- would not liavc been ill-suited to a tain raged. “I'll have you floated seraph. back in irons!”

“Oh,” he said, yawning. “I Both young men smiled. “Oh, I might ha\e known it would be hardly think so,” Garnett said. you. No Persiperian would dream “I’ll bet your ‘fellow citizens’ of entering another’s house with- wouldn’t dare stop us!” out knocking.” “They wouldn’t try. A man’s "This house belongs to the private battle is his own private Space Service, .sir!” the captain concern, so long as it is conducted tJiundered. with propriety.” Garnett paused; Morson, also lavishly robed, ap- then added softly, “But I think peared behind Garnett, a smirk on the Earth Government wouldn’t his chubby-cheeked face. "Ac- like it if you did that. No, sir, ” —

THEY ALSO SERVE 79

they wouldn’t be a bit pleased.” “VVe’ll consider this lot yours, So this is what it feels like to be because you subsidized the original on the verge of apoplexy, the cap- undertaking,” Garnett said in tain thought. “Our government brisk, businesslike tones. “How- displeased because I upheld Naval ever, from now on, we expect to discipline!” he barked. "Don’t be paid for all stones we procure think that, just because you’re— Ad- in the future. After all, they were miral Garnett’s nephew paid to us.” “It has nothing at all to do with “Paid to you!" the captain that,” Garnett said impatiently. yelled. “For government-issue

"In fact, the connection is one I trade goods!” deplore rather than vaunt.” Morson sniggered. “That trump- “The Naval mind,” Morson ery stuff! Honestly, we M'ere

murmured, “always so crass!" ashamed to show it to them!” “And so is the reason why the Garnett threw him a quelling government would be displeased glance; then turned back to the if the captain did anything to captain. “We haven’t touched ah — terminate our careers. Look your trade goods; most of them here, captain!” Garnett glided over are still in their original wrap- to an intricate handmade chest pings. The natives don’t seem to

and opened it. It was full of fancy machine-made items.”

prozius stones. He unlocked a Since a choking fit had ren- hand-carved cabinet. From every dered the captain temporarily in- shelf, heaped-up jewels gleamed capable of speech, the doctor took richly. He removed the needk- over. “What did you give for the point cover from a standard-issue stones, then?” footlocker. Gems twinkled inside. “Our services,” Garnett told “All told we have over two hun- him. “Interior decoration and dred pounds of them,” he ex- house renovation. Handicraft les- plained, “more than all the other sons. And, of course, handmade expeditions put together managed objects of art. Our things are well to amass.” thought of here. Different, with- The captain stared. “Now, sir,” out being outre." Garnett smiled, “which do you “Garnett,” the captain said, think the government is more in- “whatever other failings you pos- terested in — discipline or pro- sessed, you always had a strong zius?” sense of duty. What became of it?” The doctor — damn his eyes Garnett gave him a blinding chuckled. He’d never been really smile. “Oh, I still have it, sir; it’s Navy, the captain thought, not merely that I’ve transferred my realh true-blue deep-down Navy. allegiance. My sense of duty is 80 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

now channelled in the interests of privacy, and that’s a capital

Persiper, but, I assure you, it’s as crime. For instance, if you kill strong as ever.” somebody, you’re not executed for “But — but how did you do it? taking his life but for violating VV^hen anthropologists, sociologists, his privacy.” even psychologists couldn’t even “But you’re executed all the seem to establish minimal rapport, same,” the doctor observed. how come you two little pipsqueaks “Oh, yes, of course. There’s a — you two little squir — you two fully-developed system of justice succeeded?” here; it just hap]icned to develop The two young men grinned at along different lines from our

each other. own. It’s the same with the other “I suppose it’s a trade secret,” moral codes — the family system, .” llie doctor said. property rights, and so on. . . “Oh, no,” Garnett smiled, “we’ll The captain strove to make tell you, if you like. It won’t do sense out of this. “But, if you you any good.” Fie threw himself couldn’t ask personal questions, into an easy chair covered in a how did you manage to get luxurious velvctlike pile. “But I’m through to the natives?” forgetting my manners; please do Garnett smiled and exhaled a sit down, gentlemen!” languid puff of smoke. “Wc didn’t Somehow this made the captain try. That’s how we succeeded.” even angrier. “Sit down!” he “We minded our own business,” echoed. "How dare you ask me to Morson put in. “Something you to—” terrestrials might well learn bow “Oh, sit down and listen, cap- to do.” tain,” the doctor said. "Later you “\Ve didn’t ask them an\ ques- can resume your futile threats. I, tions at all,” Garnett explained. personally, am dying of curiosity “In fact we ignored them. We about how all tliis came to pass.” made contact by wot attempting to He lowered himself into a chair establish rapport.” and the captain could think of The captain felt even more baf- nothing else to do but follow fled, but the doctor nodded as if suit. he understood. Garnett crossed his legs elegant- Gleefully Morson added, “And ly. “You see, captain, anthro’^ol- if you try to send another expedi- ogy, sociology, psychology — any- tion here, the natives’ll just go thing along those lines would be and kill everybody again. Because about as legal here as lynching is they’ll never be able to keep from on Earth. On Persiper asking per- meddling; humans are such a nosy sonal questions is a violation of species. And so, if you want the THEY ALSO SERVE 81 prozius stones, you’ll just have to "So much for your vaunted dis- leave matters in our hands.” cipline, captain,” Garnett said. He “Or,” the doctor said, before the looked uneasy. “It might work, captain could spit out an answer, doctor; it just might work. But it “organize the next expedition more would take a lot of time and plan- .” carefully. Perhaps it was unwise to ning. . . send out the earlier ones on a “Naturally it would,” the doctor

. . . colonial basis. If, as you replied cheerfully. It would be at mentioned earlier, lieutenant, the least ten years before we could get mores here are so drastically dif- things rolling. And, by that time, ferent from ours, why, then our you’d probably be glad to see the family life could have aspects that expedition.” are offensive to them.” “Never!” Morson declared. “I’ll “I don’t see how that could be never in all my life be glad to see possible!” the captain protested. those — those vile interlopers!” “Good, clean, togetherness; that’s There was a pause. “You might universal!” feel different after ten years, Jim- There was a brief silence; then my,” Garnett said finally. the doctor went on, “I’m going to “But — but what kind of a re- suggest to Naval Intelligence that port am I going to make?” the cap- any subsequent expeditions should tain sputtered. “How can I say be all-male, to avoid familial com- that, instead of dying gloriously plications.” in their country’s service, the ad- “You mean the natives were miral’s nephew and the senator’s after our women all along!” the son are traitors! And — and what captain cried, much struck. “And about the crew? They’ve been the scientists aU died defending looking forward to the funeral all their honor! Well, I’d never have the way out. I don’t like to tliink thought it of them!” of what they might do if they’re The other three looked at each thwarted!” other. “All members of the expedi- Garnett shook his head sadly. tion,” the doctor continued, “Calm yourself, captain,” the “should be screened for lack of doctor said. “The admiral and the sociological and biological inter- senator will be told that the boys ests, aptitude-tested for artistic in- died heroes’ deaths. We’ll fill the clinations.” coffins with something or other, so This was something the captain the crew can have their fun. Be- could understand. “No ship in the cause the boys died in action on a Navy could be asked to ferry out a hostile planet, it should mean fif- batch of hand-picked nuts like teen rockets and at least eight that. The crew would mutiny!” choruses of the Spaceman’s Re- 82 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

treat.” He smiled. “I daresay this wonderful; how I wish I could be will be the finest funeral ever there!” held in space.” “So do I,” the captain said be- "Oh,” Morson cried, “it sounds tween his teeth.

Through Time And Space With Ferdinand Feghooi: LIV

The beautiful but psychotic Cleopatra II ascended the restored throne of Egypt in 2054. She at once set about revising society according to the notions of her favorite novelist, Aldous Huxley. She had every Egyptian classified from Alpha to Epsilon, with set

duties and drudgeries. She ordered all children into State nurseries to be properly conditioned. She decreed sexual promiscuity. Chaos ensued, and her desperate Ministers finally called in Ferdinand Eeghoot, who warned them that her case was so far

advanced that even he could only guarantee to arrest it. Disguised as one of her lovers, Eeghoot embraced die Queen passionately, gave her a tranquilizer, put her under hypnosis, and in

three weeks of expert psychotherapy effected what seemed a full

cure. The Queen rescinded all her decrees and submitted to Consti- tutional government. She showered Eeghoot with honors and jewels. A month later, however, in the Times, he saw the brief headline Repentant Queen Paints Dam Gray. The story stated that Cleopatra

II had caused the great Aswan Dam to be painted with 4000 tons of deep-penetrating gray cement stain. "It will stand as a perpetual reminder of my folly,” she was quoted as saying.

“It is as I feared,” sighed Ferdinand Eeghoot. “The cure is not

complete. Failing to create a brave new world, the Queen after mania somber dies Aswan.”

— Grendel Briarton (with thanks to Cora Anne Cunningham)

Sec Feghoot advertisement in “Marketplace," page 129. This is a horrible story.

MYRRHA

by Gary Jennings

Excerpts from the report of the plicity in the tragedies, the text- court-appointed psychiatrist, book syndrome is complete. concurring in the commitment Events leading up to her psy- of Mrs. Shirley Makepeace chogenic deterioration are set Spencer to the Western State down in subject’s daily journal. Hospital at Staunton, Virginia: The appended extractions have been arranged in narrative form, To ALL STIMULI APPIJEU, SUB- edited only in the excision of ex- ject remains blind, deaf, mute and traneous matter and repeated

paralyzed . . . datelines.

Catatonic schizophrenia . . . note; The last, unfinished

. . . complete withdrawal . . . sentence, which subject wrote just

Briefly, subject’s formerly un- before the onset of catatonia, is eventful domestic life was recently inexplicable. In the absence of any disrupted by two tragic circum- other indication that she was ob- stances. Two loved ones died vio- sessed witli classical mythology, lently; but by indisputable acci- the final entry can only be dis- dent, as attested by attending missed as hysteric incoherence. physicians. To judge from her diary, sub- Excerpts from the journal of ject reacted rationally enough to Mrs. Shirley Spencer, dated at the fact of these deaths. Trauma- intervals, May 10, 1960 to tic withdrawal appears to have de- final entry, sometime in July, veloped from her inability to ac- 1961. Intervals of one day or cept them as accidental. Although more are indicated by asterisks: an intelligent, educated woman, she mentions toward the end of I had forgotten how beautiful her diary, “a blight, a curse.” When Myrrha Kyronos was. Is, I should Mrs. Spencer hints at suspecting say. When she arrived this morn- her innocent house guest of com- ing, I just had to get out the old

83 84 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

Southern Seminary annual and ever competed in the National look up her picture. She hasn’t Horse Show. When I told Myrrha changed an iota. She was a year we were honored to play hosts to a ahead of me at school, probably a representative of the Greek team, year older. That would make her she laughed and said, “I am the 31 now, and she might just have Royal Hellenic Team.” doffed the cap and gown! And aft- * Of course the Show does- er that long ocean crossing, and n’t come off until November. the ride in the trucks and all, and Myrrha brought the horses here having to mother a dozen horses now to get them used to American and half a dozen helpers the whole weather and atmosphere and feed way! — apparently foreign horses are a Tom’s mouth fell open when he sensitive lot. met her. Afterwards he said if he’d In just 24 hours, Myrrha has known what a “temptation” I was become undisputed queen of the putting in his way he’d never have Spencer acres, at least as far as our agreed to let Myrrha come for the Dorrie is concerned. Dorrie, who summer. Pooh to the temptation; can hardly speak “Virginian” yet, Myrrha’s interested in nothing but is beginning to imitate Myrrha’s her horses. And lovely creatures exotic speech. A slight accent, dis- they are; she must have rounded arming rather than distracting, them up on Mount Olympus. By that I don’t remember her having, comparison, our gentle old saddle way-back-when. * * * jades here on the farm appear as Even if we weren’t just torpid as tortoises. thrilled to have Myrrha herself Myrrha has certainly brought here, we’d enjoy basking in ber re- excitement. Right from the start, flected glory. The horses are the when her letter came. I don’t be- showpiece and envy of the neigh- lieve Mr. Tatum bothered to stop borhood, and she is the cynosure of at any mailbox between Warren- all the local young men. Cars drive ton and here, he was so anxious to by hourly, full of sightseers cither deliver that letter from Greece. openly ogling or pretending a non- And I was just about as amazed as chalant interest. he was. Myrrha and I hadn’t been For the first time today I tried "close” at school, and I’d had no to strike up a conversation with reason to give her a thought since one of Myrrha’s — whatever they then. are; she has a Greek word for tliem And now here she is. And here — herders, I suppose. And I can I am, dabbling in international re- say truthfully it was all Greek to lations or whatever you’d call it. me. None of them speaks English. This is the first time Greece has All are dark, saturnine, hairy MYRRHA 85

* * * little men. They keep strictly to Dorrie, who has always tliemselves — and the horses, of treated our own horses with a sort course. They seem to have made of lazy, familiarity-bred contempt, provision for their keep. Whatever looks on Myrrha’s as if they were it is they cook for themselves down Santa’s reindeer. It gives me a there by the barn smells like singed turn, sometimes, to see her dodg- hair and is eaten wrapped in a ing in and out among their sharp grape leaf. At night they amuse hoofs, or brazenly braiding one’s themselves with a sonorous and in- tail. But hair-triggered and wall- liarmonious tweedling; Pan-pipes, eyed as they are at any other intru-

is mv guess. sion, they suffer her as benignly as Good old bumbling Tom if she were their own frisky colt. got familiar enough to ask her why And Myrrha doesn’t seem to her husband hadn’t come over. mind, any more than she minds When she admitted there was Tom’s tomfoolery. Nowadays he none, he essayed gallantry and pretends to be a horseflesh expert. said he would expect her to be He’s forever down at the stable or married to a prince. She told him the paddock, looking wise, or ex- quite seriously, “King Paul has pounding on some trick-of-the- only daughters.” trade known only to him, and get- It does appear that Myrrha hails ting in the little Greek herders’ I'rom one of the wealthiest families way, and one of these times he’s in her country, which somehow I going to get kicked in the head. * * never realized in the old days at Was admiring Myrrha’s school. Her father owns all these steeds today, for the umptietli liorses she brought, and is under- time, and she scolded me gently writing the expenses of the whole about my own Merry Widow. Said venture, all for the greater glory of she could have made a show-horse, Greece. if I’d spent a little time and effort * * * Myrrha told us, on ar- instead —of letting her turn out to rival, that we must try to overlook be just “A drudge?” I laughed. any cf her “so-strange” customs. “Like me?” and said that Merry I’d call them superstitions. Why, and I suited each other. when we \\ent walking in the Tom said maybe it wasn’t too woods, did she refuse to cross the late; how about Myrrha letting branch? She said the still water one of her stallions service Merry would reflect her image; so what? Widow after the Show doings And why, when I resurrected my were over? I thought, and told him old class ring, did she recoil and so, that that was an indelicate sug- say she had a horror of wearing gestion. He and Myrrha laughed. * * * rings? First friction tonight. 86 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

My fault. We were re-hashing had quite a high time. Quite high. schooldays. Thinking it was the Just one of their customs, she

typical hair-letting-down hen ses- called it, but I’ve been gargling sion, I humorously confided to mouthwash all evening.

Myrrha that I and the other girls * I wondered a little, at

had considered her rather too the time, when 1 saw her take the “queenly” in her demeanor. stone away from Laddie. It was Myrrha was not amused; she just a plain old pebble; the dog had

practically demanded to know been idly chewing on it. She what were the necessary qualifica- wheedled it aw'ay from him, stuck tions for queenliness. Somewhat it in her pocket and walked away.

flustered, I said, “Well, after all, Laddie didn’t seem to care, and I the only other Greek any of us soon forgot the incident. knew was the little man at the de- Then tonight she and Tom in- pot fruit-stand over in Lexington.” sisted I have some more of that Black, an artist friend once told wretched resin wine. Tom was me, is considered a “cold” color. quite set on my not being a “party- Myrrha’s eyes are black, but they pooper” — I think he must have flared out like heat-lightning. I had a little something previously. shouldn’t have said what I did. So I choked down a sip, then * I shouldn’t have said nearly choked for real. In the bot- what I did. Things have been very tom of the decanter was the peb- awkward and a little awful for the ble Laddie had been mouthing. past two days. Myrrha is being There must be some reason, but queenly in earnest, now, and I she didn’t even pretend to vouch- guess I’m in the role of the Court safe one. Now I come to think, she Fool. Tom has chided me for my didn’t taste the wine tonight. * * * “inhospitality,” and even Dorrie Bad to worse. Perhaps I turns an occasional melancholy really shouldn’t have made such a gaze on Mommy for tilting at her fuss about that pebble; all the con- idol. flict seems to date from that night. * * * Myrrha unbent a little Or was it from the time I made tonight; at least far enough to con- that thoughtless remark about the tribute a decanter of wine for the fruit peddler? Anyway, Tom has dinner, and invite me, too, to par- taken Myrrha’s side whenever take. I could have done without it. there’s been the slightest brush be- I forget what it’s called — some tween us. There’ve been more than Greek name — but its proudest fea- a few, and not all of them slight. ture is that it’s spiced with resin The worst was at Dorrie’s bed- (and tastes to me like old socks). time, when she refused to kiss me Tom liked it fine; he and Myrrha goodnight, because I’d “been bad” —

MYRRHA «7

to her adored Myrrha. Finally, by Poor Myrrha. I’ve been promising to mend my ways, I so shaken by what has happened bought a reluctant kiss — and in these last couple days that I tasted that damnable resin wine haven’t thought what they might on my child’s lips! have meant to her. It was my mare. * * * Don't know what to do. Merry Widow, she spent tliat First that horrible scene, when night nursing. And here I was all

I found what was left of Laddie, ready and willing to believe down by the herders’ campfires. Anyway, today we’ve been close, And then the horrible scene when friendly and forgiving, and more 1 confronted Myrrha — and Tom or less re-cemented our friendship. leaped to her defense. Tom — chastened, remorseful and And now both of them gone. shamefaced — has s]ient all day Gone all day, and here it is after down at the stable, taking over the midnight. Dorrie upstairs, still care of Merry Widow. When he awake, crying for Myrrha to come comes up, I’ll tell him he’s for- and kiss her goodnight. given, too. * * * Surely there can be no Tomorrow is the funeral. more horrible day in my life. How manv days has it been since Tom's confession was enough to I last wrote here? Why am I writ- chill my soul. And then Myrrha’s ing now? I look haek ov'er the denial of it — and his confusion. Is pages and marvel at having writ- he losing his mind, or is she driv- ten “there can be no more horrible ing me out of mine? day in my life.’’ I must force my- Me came to me, crying, plead- self not to write tliat again here, ing forgiv eness “for what happened in mortal fear that I may tliereby in the hayloft," pleading tliat she call down another blow from fate. had been the seducer. Then she, If only I could have said good- so cool, .so self-possessed, said. “Do bye, but he’ll he buried in a sealed you think I’d give myself to that?" coffin. Dr. Carey says the stallions and I smelled the reek of resin on did it because, when Tom went his breath. among Myrrha’s herd, he still had She called our own old faithful the smell of the sick mare on him. Wheeler to witness, and he nod- * I don’t know what I’d ded witlcssly and stammered yes, have done all this time without tliat Miss Kyronos had spent all Myrrha here to help me. Bless her, night doctoring a croupy mare at she realized that I wanted only se- the stable. clusion. She has even neglected Tom, Tom, you were so be- her duties with the horses, to keep wildered. Did you confess to a Dorrie occupied and out of the dream? A wish? way, and leave me to meander —

88 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

alone through the empty house. that they call the Death Angel. * * * But I must come back to myself. Haven’t written. Things Dorrie will need me. Sooner or la- so seldom, so far between I don't

ter she will be asking why Daddy remember at the time, and when I hasn’t come back “from town.” think to write, by then they’ve lost I think I have lost all ca- all meaning. But write that farm pacity for grief, all vulnerability to now is empty as an echo. What-

horror. I know I have lost all sense ever it is about this place that made

of time. All I have left is a mild Myrrha and the herders take their

wonder that there really can be horses and leave, whatever it is such a thing as a blight, a curse seems to keep everybody else away and wonder, why me? why us? as well. * * * I can’t think when it was — it Everything suffers. My wasn’t recently, because I am sure bay mare Merry Widow foaled this she’s been gone for quite a long morning after whole night of pain- time. Whenever it was, she came ful labor, screamed like a woman. running up the hill from the I not much help and no one here wooded place down near the with me but simple old Wheeler, branch. She was chewing happily, not much help either. * * * eating from the little paper bag Merry ^Vidow unmoth- she carried, and calling, “Marsh- erly, refused to lick foal clean at mallows, Mommy!” birth. Today ignores, even shuns Whenever that was, she died the poor trembly thing. Wheeler

that night in convulsions. The doc- won’t touch it either, says it can’t tor — not Dr. Carey; we couldn’t live long. I don’t care, going to get him; and it was an emergency keep it anyway. Somebody, it re- — whoever the doctor was, he said minds me so of somebody, some- she had eaten Amanita-something. body I loved. * * * Not a marshmallow, a mushroom Its dear little hands are

COMING NEXT MONTH-1 3TH ANNIVERSARY ALL-STAR ISSUE

Featuring stories by MILDRED CLINGERMAN BRIAN W. ALDISS

Anri a neiv novel by ROBERT SHECKLEY The trouble with the Asimov-Aristotle Three Theorems for proving the Eaiih is round is that they are all based on optical illusions. The Earth is flat, and we have felt it our duty to point this out to Dr. A. His only reply was, “I will kill and eat you if you cut out my final pun.” As we do not wish to add an- thropophagy to the Sage’s already dreadfully long list of crimes, we have reluctantly stayed our .sword. No fair peek- ing, though—read the whole thing.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS

by Isaac Asimov

Every child comes staggering out oi- grammar school with a load of misstatements of fact firmly planted in his head. He may forget, for instance, as the years drift by, that the Battle of Waterloo was fought in 1815 or that seven times six is forty-two; but he will never, never forget, while he draws breath, that Columbus proved die world vva^^ round. And, of course, Columbus proved no such thing. What Co- lumbus did prove was that it doesn’t matter how wrong you are, as long as you’re lucky.

The fact Uiat the Earth is spherical in shape was first suggested in the 6th Century B.C. by various Greek philosophers. Some believed it out of sheer mysticism; the reasoning being that tlie sphere was the per- fect solid and that therefore the Earth was a sphere. To us, the premise is dubious and the conclusion a non sequitnr, but to the Greeks it car- ried weight. 89 9(1 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

However, not all Greek philosophers were mystics and there were ra- tional reasons for believing the Earth to be spherical. These were ca- pably summarized by Aristotle in the 4th Century, B.C. and turned out to be three in number; 1) If the Earth were flat then all the stars visible from one point on the Earth’s surface would be visible from all other points (barring minor distortions due to perspective and, of course, the obscuring of parts of the horizon by mountains). However, as travelers went south- ward, some stars disappeareel beyond the northern horizon, while new stars appeared above the southern horizon. This proved the earth was not flat but had some sort of curved shape. Once that was allowed one could reason further that all things fell toward Earth’s center and got as close to it as they could. That solid shape in which the total distance of all parts from the center is a minimum is the sphere, Q.E.D. 2) Ships on leaving harbor and sailing off into the open sea, seemed to sink low-er and lower in the water, until at the horizon only the tops were visible. The most reasonable conclusion was that the water surface, though it seemed flat, was a gently curving hill behind which the ships disappeared. Furthermore, since this effect was equally in- tense whatever the direction in which the ship sailed, the gently curving hill of the ocean seemed to curve equally in all directions. The only solid shape that curves equally in all directions is a sphere, Q.E.D.

3) It w'as accepted by the Greek philosophers that the Moon is eclipsed when it entered the Earth’s shadow. As darkness crossed over the face of the Moon, the encroaching shadow marked off a projection of the shape of the Eartli, and that shadow was alway s the segment of a circle. It didn’t matter whether the Moon were high in the sky or at either horizon. The shadow Avas ahvays circular. The only solid for Avhich all projections are circular is a sphere, Q.E.D. Now Aristotle’s reasoning carried conviction. All learned men throughout history, who had access to Aristotle’s book, accepted the sphericity of the Earth. Even in the 8th Century, A.D., in the very depth of the Dark Ages, Saint Bede (usually called “the Venerable Bede’’) collecting w’hat scraps of physical science were still remembered from Greek days, plainly stated the Earth was a sphere. In the Htli Century, Dante’s “Divine Comedy” which presented a detailed view of the orthodox astronomy of the day, presented the Earth as spherical. Consequently, there is no doubt that Columbus knew the Earth was a sphere. But so did all other educated men in Europe. In that case, what was Columbus’s difficulty? He wanted to sail Avest from Europe and cross the Atlantic to Asia. If the Earth were —

THE SHAPE OF THINGS 91 spherical this was theoretically possible, and if educated men all agreed with the premise and, therefore, with the conclusion, why the resistance to Columbus’s scheme? Well, to say the Earth is a sphere is not enough. The question is how large a sphere?

The first person to measure the circumference of the Earth was a Greek astonomer, named Eratosthenes of Cyrene, and he did it with- out ever leaving home. If the Earth were a sphere, as Eratosthenes tvas certain it was, then the Sun’s rays should, at any one instant of time, strike different parts of the Earth's surface at different angles. Eor instance, on June 21, the Sun was just overhead at noon in the city of Syene, Egypt. In Alexan- dria, Egypt (where Eratosthenes lived) the Sun was not quite over- head at that moment but made a small angle with the zenith. Eratosthenes knew the distance between Alexandria and Syene, and it was simple geometry to calculate the curvature of the Earth’s surface that would account for the displacement of the Sun, Erom that one could further calculate the radius and the circumference of the Earth. Eratosthenes worked out this circumference to be 25,000 miles in our modern units of length (or perhaps a little higher— the exact length in miles of the unit he used is uncertain) and this is just about right! About 100 B.C., however, a Greek geographer named Posidonius of Apamea checked Eratosthenes’ work and came out with a lower figure — a circumference of 18,000 miles. This smaller figure may have seemed more comfortable to some Greeks for it reduced the area of the unknown. If the larger figure were ac- cepted tlian the known world made up only about one-sixth of the Earth’s surface area. If the smaller figure were accepted, the Earth’s surface area was reduced by half and tlie known world made up a third of the Earth’s surface area. Now the Greek thinkers were much concerned with the unknown portions of the Earth (which seemed as unattainable and mysterious to them as, until recently, the other side of the Moon seemed to us) and they filled it with imaginary continents. To have less of it to worry about must have seemed a relief and the Greek astonomer, Claudius Ptolemy, who lived about 150 A.D., was one of those who accepted Posidonius’s figure. It so happened that in the latter centuries of the Middle Ages, Ptolcmv’s books were as influential as Aristotle’s and if the 15th Cen- 92 l ANTASY AND SCIENCE EICTICN lury geographers aceepted Aristotle's reasoning as to the sphericity ot the Earth, many of them also accepted Ptolemy’s figure of its circum- ference. An Italian geographer, named Paolo Toscanelli, was one of them. Since the extreme distance across Europe and Asia is some 13,000 miles Ca piece of knowledge geographers had become acquainted with thanks to Marco Polo’s voyages in the 13th Century) and the total cir- cumference was 18,000 miles or less, then one would have to travel westward from Spain no more than 5,000 miles to reach “die Indies.” In fact, since there were islands off the eastern coast of Asia, such as the Zipangu (Japan) spoken of by Marco Polo, the distance might be only 4,000 miles or even less. Toscanelli drew a map in the 1470’s, showing this, picturing the Atlantic Ocean widi Europe and Africa on one side and Asia, with its offshore islands, on the other. Columbus obtained a copy of the map and some personal encourage- ment from Toscanelli and was an enthusiastic convert to the notion of reaching Asia by the westward route. All he needed now was govern- ment financing. The most logical place to go for such financing was Portugal. In the 15th Century, many of Europe’s luxuries (including spices, sugar and silk) were available only by overland routes from the Ear East, and the Turks w'ho straddled the route charged all the traffie could bear in the way of middle-man fees. Some alternate route was most desirable and the Portuguese, who were at the extreme southeastern edge of Europe, conceived the notion of sailing around Africa and reaching the Far East by sea, outflanking the Turks altogether. Throughout the 14th Century, then, the Portuguese had been sending out expedition after expedition, further and further down the African coast. (Tlie Por- tuguese “African effort” was as difficult for those days, as our “space effort” is for ours.)

In 1484, w'hen Columbus appealed to John II of Portugal for fi- nancing, Portuguese expeditions had all but reached the southern tip of Africa (and in 1487, they w'ere to do so). The Portuguese, at the time, were the most experienced navigators in Europe, and King John’s geographers viewed with distrust the low figure for the circumference of the Earth. If it turned out that the high figure, 25,000 miles, were correct, and if the total east-west stretch of Europe and Asia were 13,000 miles, — then it follow'ed, as the night the day, that a ship would have to sail 12,000 miles west from Portugal to reach Asia. No ship of that day could possibly make such an uninterrupted ocean voyage. iHE SHAEE OF THINGS 93

I’he Portuguese decision, therefore, was that the westward voyage was theoretically possible but, given the technology of the day, com- pletely impractical. The geographers advised King John to continue work on Project Africa and to turn down the Italian dreamer. This was done. Now, mind you, the Portuguese geographers were perfectly right.

It is 12,000 miles from Portugal west to Asia, and no ship of the day could possibly have made such a voyage. The fact is that Columbus never clid reach Asia by the western route, whereas the Portuguese voy- agers succeeded, within 1 3 years, in reaching Asia by the African route. As a result, tiny Portugal built a rich and far-flung Empire, be- coming the first of the great European colonialists. Enough of that Em- pire has survived into 1962 to permit them to be the last as well.

And what is the reward of the Portuguese geographers for proving to be right in every last particular? Why, school children are taught to sneer at them. Columbus obtained the necessary financing from Spain in 1492. Spain had just taken the last Moslem strongholds on the Iberian penin- sula and, in tbc flush of victory, reached for some daring feat of naviga- tion that would match the deeds of the Portuguese. (In the language of today, they needed an “ocean spectacular” to improve their “world image”). So they gave Columbus three foundering hulks and let him have his pick of the prison population for crewmen and sent him off. It would have meant absolutely certain death for Columbus and his men, thanks to his wrongness, were it not for his incredible luck. The Greek dreamers had been right. The unoccupied wastes of the Earth did indeed possess other continents and Columbus ran aground on them after only 3,000 miles. (As it was, he barely made it; another thou- sand miles and he would have been gone.) The Portuguese geographers had not counted on what are now known as the American continents (they would have been fools to do so) but neither had Columbus. In fact, Columbus never admitted he had reached anything but Asia. He died in 1506 still convinced the earth was 18,000 miles in circumference; — stubbornly wrong to the end. So Columbus had not proved the earth was round; that was alread) known. In fact, since he had expected to reach Asia and had failed, his voyage was an argument against the sphericity of the Earth. In 1519, however, five ships set sail from Spain under Ferdinand Magellan (a Portuguese navigator in the pay of Spain) with the in- tention of completing Columbus’s job and reaching Asia, and then con- 94 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

tinuing on back to Spain. Such an expedition was as difficult for its day as orbiting a man is for ours. The expedition took three years and made it by an inch. An uninterrupted 10,000 mile trip across the Paci- fic all but finished them (and they were far better prepared than Co- lumbus had been). Magellan himself died en route. However, the one ship that returned brought back a large enough cargo of spices to pay for the entire expedition with plenty left over. This first circumnavigation of the Earth was experimental confirma- tion, in a way, of the sphericity of the planet, but that was scarcely needed. More important, it proved two other things. It proved the ocean was continuous; that there was one great sea in which the continents were set as large islands. This meant that any sea-coast could be reached from any other sea-coast, which was vital knowledge (and good news) for merchantmen. Secondly, it proved once and for all, that Eratosthenes was right and that the circumference of the Earth was 25,000 miles.

And yet, after all, though the Earth is round, it turned out, despite all Aristotle’s arguments, that it wasn’t a sphere after all. Again we go back to the Greeks. The stars wheel about the Earth in a stately and smooth 24-hour cycle. Tlie Greek philosophers realized that this could be explained in either of two ways. It was possible that the Earth stood still and the heaven rotated about it in a 24-hour pe- riod. Or the heavens might stand still while the Earth rotated about itself in 24 hours. A few Greeks (notably Aristarchus of Samos) maintained, in the 3rd Century, B.C., that it was the Earth that rotated. The majority, however, held for a stationary Earth, and it was the latter who won out. After all, the Earth is large and massive, while the heavens are light and airy; surely it is more logical to suppose the latter turned. The notion of tire stationary Earth was accepted by Ptolemy and therefore by the Medieval scholars and by the Church. It was not until 1543 that a major onslaught was made against the view. In that year, Nicholas Copernicus, a Polish astronomer, published his views of the Universe and died at once, ducking all controversy. According to his views (which were like those of Aristarchus) the Sun was the center of the Universe, and the Earth revolved about it as one planet among many. If the Earth were only a minor body circling the

Sun, it seemed completely illogical to suppose that the stars revolved about our planet. Copernicus therefore maintained that the Earth ro- tated on its axis. THE SHAPE OF THINGS 95

The Copernican view was not, of course, accepted at once and the world of scholarship argued the matter for a century. As late as 1633, Galileo was forced by the Inquisition to abjure his belief that the Earth moved and to affirm that it was motionless. However, that was the dy- ing gasp of the motionless-Earth view, and there has been no scientific opposition to Earth’s rotation since. (Nevertheless, it was not until 1851, that the Earth’s rotation was actually confirmed by experiment, but that is another story.) Now if the Earth rotated, the theory that it was spherical in shape suddenly became untenable. The man who first pointed this out was Isaac Newton, in the 1680’s.

If the Earth were stationary, gravitational forces would force it into spherical shape (minimum total distance from the center) even if it were not spherical to begin with. If the Earth rotated, however, a sec- ond force would be applied to every particle on the planet. This is centrifugal force, which would counter gravity and would tend to move particles away from the center of the Earth. But the surface of a rotating sphere moves at varying velocities de- ITcnding upon its distance from the axis of rotation. At the point where the axis of rotation intersects the surface (as at the North and South

Poles) the surface is motionless. As distance from the Poles increases, the surface velocity increases and is at its maximum at the Equator, which is equidistant from the Poles.

Whereas the gravitational force is constant (just about) at all points on Earth’s surface, the centrifugal force increases rapidly with surface velocity. As a result the surface of the Earth lifts up slightly away from the center and the lifting is at its maximum at the Equator where the surface velocity is highest. In other words, said Newton, the Earth

should have an equatorial bulge. (Or, to put it another way, it should be flattened at the Poles.) This means that if an east-west cross-section of the Earth were taken at the Elquator, that cross-section would have a circular boundary. If however, a cross-section were taken north-south through the Poles, that cross-section would have an elliptical boundary and the shortest diame-

ter of the ellipse would run from Pole to Pole. Such a solid body is not a sphere but an “oblate spheroid.” To be sure, the ellipticity of the north-south cross-section is so small that it is invisible to the naked eye and, viewed from space, the Earth would seem a sphere. Nevertheless, the deviation from perfect sphericit} is important, as I shall explain shortly.

Newton was arguing entirely from theory, of course, but it seemed 96 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

to him he had experimental evidence as well. In 1673, a French scien- tific exjredition in French Guiana found that the pendulum of their clock, which beat out perfect seconds in Paris, was moving slightly slower in their tropical headquarters — as compared with the steady mo- tion of the stars. This could only mean that the force of gravity (which was what powered the swinging pendulum) was slightly weaker in French Guiana than in Paris. This would be understandable if the scientific expedition were on a high mountain where the distance from the center of the Earth were greater than at sea-level and the gravitational force consequently weak- ened — but the expedition was at sea-level. Newton, however, main- tained that, in a manner of speaking, the expedition was not truly at sea-level, but was high up on the Equatorial bulge and that that ac- counted for the slowing of the pendulum. In this, Newton found himself in conflict with an Italian-born, French astronomer named Jean Dominique Cassini. Ihe latter tackled the problem from another direction. If the Eardi were not a true sphere, then the curvature of its surface ought to vary from point to point.

(A sphere is the only solid that has equal curvature everywhere on its surface.) By triangulation methods, measuring the lengths of tlic sides and die size of the angles of triangles drawn over large areas of liarth’s surface, one could determine the gentle curvature of that surface. If the Earth were truly an oblate spheroid, then this curvature ought to decrease as one approached either Pole. Cassini had conducted triangulation measurements in the north and soudi of Prance and decided that the surface curvature was less, not in the north, but in the south. Therefore, he maintained, the Earth bulged at the Poles and was flattened at the Equator. If one took a cross-section of the Earth through the Poles, it would have an elliptical boundary indeed, but the longest (and not the shortest) diameter would be through the Poles. Such a solid is a “prolate spheroid.” Por a generation, the argument raged. It was not just a matter of pure science either. I said the deviation of the Earth’s .shape from the spherical was important, despite the smallness of the deviation, and that was because ocean voyages had become commonplace in the 18th Century. European nations were squabbling over vast chunks of over- seas real estate, and victory could go to tlic nation whose ships got less badly lost eti route. To avoid getting lost one had to have accurate charts and such charts could not be drawn up unless the exact devia- tion of the Earth’s shape from the spherical were known. It was decided that the difference in curvature betvvcen northern and THE SHAPE OF THINGS 97

southern France was too small to decide the matter safely either way. Something more extreme was needed. In 173 5, therefore, two French expeditions set out. One went to Peru, near the Equator. The other went to Lapland, near the North Pole. Both expeditions took years to make their measurements (and out of their difficulties arose a strong demand for a reform in standards of measurement that led, even- tually, to the establishment of the metric system a half-century later). When the expeditions returned, the matter was settled. Cassini was

wrong, and Newton was right. The equatorial bulge is 1 3 miles high which means that a point at sea-level on the Equator is 1 3 miles further

from the center of the Earth than is sea-level at either Pole. The existence of this equatorial bulge neatly explained one particu- lar astronomic mystery. The heavens seems to rotate about an axis of which one end (the “North Celestial Pole”) is near the North Star. An ancient Greek astronomer, Hipparchus of Nicaea, was able to show about 150 B.C., that this celestial axis is not fixed. It marks out a circle in the heavens and takes some 25,800 years to complete one turn of the circle. This is called “the precession of the equinoxes.”

To Hipparchus, it seemed that the heavenly sphere simply rotated slowly in that fashion. He didn't know why. When Copernicus ad- vanced his theory, he had to say that the Earth’s axis wobbled in that fashion. He didn’t know why, either. Newton, however, pointed out that the Moon travelled in an orbit that was not in the plane of the Earth’s Equator. During half of its

revolution about the Earth, it was well to the north of the Equator and

during the other half it was well to the south. If the Earth were per-

fectly spherical, the Moon would attract it in an all-one-piece fashion from any point. As it was, the Moon gave a special unsymmetrical yank at the Equatorial bulge. Newton showed that this pull at the bulge pro- duced the prcession of the equinoxes. This could be shown experi- mentally by hanging a weight on the rim of a spinning gyroscope. The axis of the gyroscope then precesses. And thus the Moon itself came to the aid of scientists interested in the shape of things.

An artificial moon was to do the same, two and a half centuries after Newton’s time. The hero of the latest chapter in the drama of Earth’s shape is Van-

guard I, which w?is launched by the United States on March 17, 1958. It was the fourth satellite placed in orbit and is currently the oldest satellite still orbiting and emitting signals. Its path carried it so high 98 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

above Earth’s surface that in the absence of atmospheric interference it will stay in orbit for a couple of centuries. Furthermore, it has a solar battery which will keep it delivering signals for years. The orbit of Vanguard I, like that of the Moon itself, is not in the plane of the Earth’s equator, so Vanguard I pulls on the equatorial bulge and is pulled by it, just as the Moon does. Vanguard I isn’t large enough to affect the Earth’s motion, of course, but it is itself affected by the pull of the bulge, much more than the Moon is. For one thing. Vanguard I is nearer to the bulge and is therefore affected more strongly. For another, what counts in some ways is the

total number of revolutions made by a satellite. Vanguard I revolves about the Earth in 2y^ hours, which means that in a period of 14 months, it had completed about 4500 revolutions. This is equal to the total number of revolutions that tlie Moon has completed since the invention of the telescope. It follows that the motions of Vanguard I better reveal the fine structure of the bulge than the motions of the Moon do. Sure enough, John A. O’Keefe, by studying die orbital irregularities of Vanguard I, was able to show that the Earth’s equatorial bulge is not symmetrical. The satellite is yanked just a little harder when it is south of the Equator so that the bulge must be a little bulgier there. It has been calculated that the southern half of the equatorial bulge is up to 50 feet (not miles but feetl') further from the Earth’s center than the northern half is. To balance this, the South Pole (calculating from sea-level) is one hundred feet closer to the center of the Earth than the North Pole is.

So the Earth is not an exact oblate spheroid, eidier. It is very, very, very slightly egg-shaped, with a bulging southern half and a narrow northern half; with a flattened southern tip and a pointy northern tip.

Nevertheless, to the naked eye, the Earth is still a sphere, and don’t you forget it. This final tiny correction is important in a grisly way. Nowadays, the national insanity of war requires that missiles not get lost en route, and missiles must be aimed far more accurately than ever a sailing ves- sel had to be. The exact shape of the Earth is more than ever important. Moreover, this final correction even has theoretical implications. To allow such an asymmetry in the bulge against the symmetrical pull of gravity and push of centrifugal force, O’Keefe maintains, the interior of the Earth must be considerably more rigid than geophysicists had thought.

One final word — O’Keefe’s descriptive adjective for the shape of the THE SHAPE OF THINGS 99

Earth, as revealed by Vanguard I, is "pear-shaped,” and the newspapers took that up at once. The result is that readers of headlines must have the notion that the Earth is shaped like a Bartlett pear, or a Bose pear, which is ridiculous. There are some varieties of pears that are closer to the egg-shaped, but the best-known varieties are far-off. However “pear- shaped” will last, I am sure, and will do untold damage to the popular conception of the shape of the Earth. Undoubtedly the next generation of kids will gain the firm conviction that Columbus proved die Earth is shaped like a Bartlett pear.

But it is an ill wind that blows no good, and I am breathlessly await- ing a certain opportunity. You see, in 1960, a book of mine, entitled THE DOUBLE PLANET, was published. It is about the Earth and Moon, which are more nearly alike in size than any other planet-satel- lite combination in the Solar system, so that the two may rightly be referred to as a “double planet.” Now someday, someone is going to pick up a copy of the book in my presence (I have my books strategically scattered about my house), and will leaf through it and say, "Is this about the Earth?" With frantically beating heart, I will say, “Yes.” And he will say (I hope, I hope), "Why do you call the Earth a double planet?” !!’’ And then I •will say (get this now), "Because it is pair-shaped! —Why am I the only one laughing?

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With the appearance of THE WAIT (FirSF, April, 1958), Kit Reed surprised and delighted our many myriads of readers with her description of a good young girl and her hypochondriac mother caught up in the curious ways and sexual mores of a small town which was definitely not the Connecticut town where Mrs. Reed makes her home. The quality of her first story was sustained in her subsequent ones PIGGY (Fi^SF, August, 1961) and TO LIFT A SHIP (FirSF, April, 1962) as it is in this most recent one. How many a woman leading one of those lives of quiet despera- tion which another, earlier. New Englander spoke of, have wished that she—like Martha Merriam—could “new her

youth like an eagle”—and how many a man! Reader, if you, too, long for a new you, pause: consider the case of Martha and Howard Merriam. Reflect. Ponder. Think twice. And always, but always, read the directions which come with the package.

THE NEW YOU

by Kit Reed

“Now — THE New You," the it almost covered plump knees, ad said. It was a two-page spread and bent once more over the mag- in one of the glossier fashion mag- azine. Raptly she contemplated azines, and it was aecompanied the photograph, the list of prom- by a shadowed, grainy art photo- ises framed in elegant italics, ab- graph that hinted at the possibility sently chewing a string of wdry, of a miraculous transformation dun-colored hair. which hov^ered — so the ad said In her more wistful, rebellious at every woman’s fingertips. moments, Martha Merriam forgot Raptly, Martha Merriam her dumpy body and imagined hunched forward, pulling at her herself the svelte, impeccable Mar-

\ iolct-spriggcd housedrcss so tliat nie, taller by six inches and lighter

too THE NEW YOU 101

by forty pounds. When a suaver, And Martha, eyes aglow, got up better-dressed woman cut her at a and went to the telephone almost luncheon or her husband left her w'ithout realizing what she was do- alone at parties she would retreat ing, and got her broker on the line. into dialogues with Mamie. Mar- The New You arrived as adver- nie knew just the right, devastat- tised two weeks later, and when it ing thing to say to chic, overcon- came, Martha was too excited to fident women, and Mamie was ex- touch it, alone in the house as she pert in all the wiles that keep a was, with this impossibly beautiful man at home. In the person of future. Mamie, Martha could pretend. In mid-afternoon, when she "Watch the Old You Melt had looked at the coffin-shaped Aw'ay,” Martha read aloud, and as crate from every possible angle she mouthed the words for the sec- and smoothed the ruffled, splin- ond time Mamie strained inside tered edges of wood, she nerved her, waiting for release. Martha herself to pull the ripcord the com- straightened imperceptibly, pat- pany had provided — and let her ting her doughy throat with a stub- future begin. She jumped back by hand, and as her eyes found the with a little squeak as the hard hooker — the price tag for the New crate sides fell away to reveal a You in small print in the lower black and richly molded box. right hand comer, longing con- Trembling, she twiddled the gold- sumed her, and Mamie took cover. plated clasp with the rosebud em- “We could use a New You,’’ blem and opened the lid. Mamie said. For a moment, all she saw was "But three thousand dollars." an instruction booklet, centered on Martha nibbled at the strand of top of fold upon fold of purple hair. tissue paper, but as she looked "You have those stocks,” Mamie closer, she saw that the paper was prompted. massed to protect a mysterious, "But those were Howard’s wed- promising form which lay beneath. ding present to me — part of his IMPORTANT: READ THIS BE- business.’’ FORE PROCEEDING, the book-

“He won’t mind . . Mamie let warned. Distracted, she threw twisted and became one with the it aside, reflecting as she did so that photograph. the last time she had seen paper

“But a hundred shares . . folded in this way was around The hank of hair was sodden now, long-stemmed American Beauties and Martha was chewing faster. — a dozen of them, which How- "He won’t mind when he sees ard had sent her a dozen years be- us,” Mamie said. fore. — —

102 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

The last piece of paper came then hugged shoulders lithe and away in her fingers, reveaKng the smooth as a jungle cat’s in a grad- figure beneath, and Martha ual aw'areness of what had hap- gasped. It was a long-stemmed pened. Then, remembering that American Beauty —everything the new her was quite naked and she had hoped for. She recognized that Howard w'ould be home any her ow’n expression in its face, but minute, she pulled herself together

it was a superb, glamorous version in one fluid glide of muscles and of her face, and at the same time got to her feet. With the air of a it was Mamie, Helen, Cleopatra queen, she lifted one foot deli- more than she had dared antici- cately and stepped out of the box. pate. It was the new her. Quiver- She remembered the line from ing with impatience to get into it, the advertisement “Watch the Old she bent over it without another You Melt Away,” and she smiled thought for the instruction book, languidly as she flowed away from and plunged her arms to the el- the box. Yawning, she reached in bows in the rustling, rising swirl the closet, picked up her old of purple tissue paper. The sud- quilted wrapper and discarded it den aura of perfume, the move- for the silk kimono Howard had ment of the paper, a sense of brought her from Japan. It had mounting excitement overcame fitted her ten years before, and her, and the last thing she remem- then it had gotten too small. She bered was clasping the figure’s looped the sash twice about her silken hands in her own stubby middle and then — still not too fingers and holding them to her good to be an orderly housewife bosom as tbe two figures, new and she began folding the tissue paper old, tossed on a rushing purple that seemed to have exploded all

sea. Then the moiling sheets of over the room, and putting it in purple kaleidoscoped and engulfed the box. As she came to the side her and she lost consciousness. where the old her had first touched She was awakened by a squashy the gold-plated rosebud, she

thud. She lay in the midst of the swooped up a w hole armful of tis- purple tissue, stretching luxurious- sue in a gesture of exuberance ly, thinking that she ought to get and dropped it with a little scream. up to see what the thud had been. Her toe had hit something. Not She raised one knee, in the begin- wanting to look, she poked at the ning of a movement to get to her remaining pieces of paper with a feet, and then stopped, delighted gilded toenail. Her foot connected by its golden sleekness. Sbe with something soft. She made stretched the leg she knew must be herself look dowm, and stifled a just beyond that perfect knee, and moan. THE NEW YOU iOi

The old her had not melted Howard.” Without another away. It was still there, dowdy as thought, she pushed the lumpy, ever in its violet-sprigged house- unresisting old her into the hall dress. Its drab hair trailed like sea- closet, locked it and pocketed the weed, and its hips seemed to key.

spread where it lay, settling on the Then, pulling the robe around rug. her, she went to the door. "How- “But you promised! ’ the new, ard, darling,” she began. sleek Martha yelped. W'ith a sud- He recognized her and he didn’t den sinking feeling, she rooted recognize her. He stood just inside around in the rest of the purple the doorway with the look of a tissue until she found the cast-off child who has just been given a instruction book. soda fountain, listening as she ex- "Care must be exercised in ef- plained (leaving out certain de- fecting the transfer,” the book tails — the sale of his stock, the warned in urgent italics. Then it matter of the old her) in vibrant, went on with a number of compli- intimate tones. cated, technical directions about “Martha, darling,” he said at transfer and grounding, which last, pulling her toward him. •Martha didn’t understand. When “Call me Mamie, dear. Hm?” she had grasped the new her’s she purred, and nestled against his hands she had plunged right into chest. the transfer, without a thought for Of course the change involved the body she was leaving behind. a new wardrobe, and new things And it had to be dematerialized at for Howard too, as Mamie had tbe time of transfer, no later. It read in a dozen glamour magazines was pointless to send botched jobs how important an accessory a well- back to the company, the booklet dressed man could be. The Mer- warned. The company would send riams were swept up in a round of them back. Apparently, the new parties and were admitted, for the Martha was stuck with the old her. first time, to the city’s most glitter- "Ohh ...” There was a little ing homes. Howard’s business moan from the figure on the floor. flourished and Mamie, surrounded And the old Martha sat up and by admirers, far more attractive looked dully— around the room. than the most fashionable of her “You ” the new Martha rivals, thrived. There were parties, looked at it with growing hatred. meetings, theatre dates, luncheon “You leave me alone,” she said. engagements with a number of at- She was about to lunge at it in a tractive men. And what w'ith one fit of irritation when there was a thing and another, Mamie didn’t sound in the driveway. “Oh-oh. have much time for piddling 104 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

around the house. The black box closet door. Fumbling in her pock from the New You Company lay et, she brought out the key and

where she had left it, and the old applied herself to the lock. her was still stacked — like an old “You,” she said disgustedly. vacuum cleaner, so far as she was She had almost forgotten. concerned — unused, in the closet 'Yes — yes ma’am,” the old her in the hall. said humbly, almost completely In the second week of her new cowed. The dumpy, violet-sprigged life, Mamie began to notice Martha was sitting in one corner things. The tissue paper around of the closet, a milk carton in one the New You box was disarrayed, hand and a box of marshmallow and the instruction book was gone. cookies open in her lap.

Once, when she had stepped out “Why can’t yon just . . . Wh\ .” of the bedroom for a moment, she can’t you . . Mamie snorted in thought she saw a shadow moving disgust. There was chocolate at tlie in the hall. “Oh, it’s you,” Howard corners of the creature’s mouth, said with an ambiguous look, when and it had gained another five she returned to their room. "For a pounds. .” minute I thought . . He sound- “A body has to live,” the old her ed almost wistful. said humbly, trving to wipe away And there were crumbs — little the chocolate. “You forgot — I had trails of them — and empty food a key to the closet too.” containers left in odd corners of “If you're going to be wandering the house. around,” Mamie said, tapping one Disturbed by the dirt which vermilion fingernail on a flawless had begun to collect, Mamie re- tooth, “you might as well be of fused two luncheon dates and a some use. Come on,” she said, cocktail invitation and spent one pulling at the old her. “We’re go- of her rare afternoons at home. In ing to clear out the old maid’s slippers and the quilted house coat room. Move!” she had discarded the first day of The old Martha came to its feet her transformation, she began to and shambled behind Mamie, clean the house. She was outraged making little sounds of obedience. to find a damp trail leading from The experiment was a floji. The the kitchen to the hall closet. With creature ate constantly and had a a rug-cleaning preparation she be- number of (to Mamie) disgusting gan scrubbing at the hall carpet, habits, and when Mamie invited and she straightened her back, in- some of Howard’s more attractive dignant, when she reached a par- business contacts in for dinner, it ticularly sordid little mixture of refused to wear a maid’s cap and liquid and crumbs, right at the apron, and made a terrible mess of THE NEW YOU 105 serving the soup. When she called “What way?” Mamie asked, it down at table, Howard pro- trying to cover, and then, with a tested mildly but Mamie was too little gesture of indifference, she engrossed in conversation with a raised one eyebrow. “Okay, smarty, Latin type who dealt in platinum why not?” to notice. Nor did she notice, in “Killing’s against tlie law,” the the days that followed, that How- creature said patiently. ard was putting on weight. She “This would hardly be killing,” was slimmer even than she had Mamie said in her most biting been the first day of her new life, tones. “It’s like giving your old and she stalked the house impa- elothes to the rag man or the Good tiently, nervous and well-groomed Will, or burning them. Getting rid as a high-bred horse. Howard of old clothes has never been mur- seemed unusually quiet and with- der." drawn, and Mamie laid it to the “Not murder,” the old her said,

effect of having the Old Her and it produced tlie instruction around, flat-footed and quiet in its book. Patiently, it guided Mamie’s violet-sprigged dress. When she eyes over the well-thumbed pages caught it feeding Howard fudge to a paragraph marked in ehoeo- cake at the kitchen table the very late. “Suicide.” day she found he could no longer Desperate, she gave it a thou- button his tuxedo, she knew the sand dollars and a ticket to Cali- Old Her had to go. fornia.

She had a Dispose-All installed And for a few days, the gay life in her kitchen sink and began a went on as it had before. The quiet investigation into the prop- Merriams were entertained or en- erties of various poisons, in hopes tertaining day and night now, and of finding a permanent way of Howard hardly had time to notice getting rid of it. But when she that the quiet old Martha was brought a supply of sharp-edged missing. Mamie’s new autochef equipment into the house the vio- made her dinner parties the talk of let-sprigged Martha seemed to the city’s smarter social set, and sense what she was planning. It she found herself the center of an stood in front of her, wringing its inexhaustible crowd of attentive, hands humbly, until she noticed it. handsome young men in tuxedoes. “Well?” Mamie said, perhaps While Howard had abandoned the more sharply than she had in- old her at parties, she saw little tended. more of him now, because the "I — just wanted to say you ean’t good-looking young man adored get rid of me that way,” it offered, her too much to leave her alone. almost apologetically. She was weleome in the very best —

106 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION places and there wasn’t a woman magnate had taken his leave and in town who dared exclude her Mamie was still looking for How- from her invitation list. Mamie ard. She found him at last, on a went everywhere. balcony, and she could have sworn If she was dissatisfied, it was that she saw him wave to a dark only because Howard seemed lum- figure, which touched its hands to pier and less attractive than usual, its lips and disappeared into the and the bumps and wrinkles in his bushes just as she closed the bal- evening clothes made him seem cony door. something less than the perfect “It’s not very flattering, you accessory. She slipped away from know,” she said, coiling around him early in the evening each time his arm. they went out together, and she "Mmmmm?” He hardly looked looked for him again only in the at her. small hours, when it was time to “Having to track you down like collect him and go home. this,” she said, fitting against him. But for all that, she still loved “Mmmm?” him, and it came as something of She started to go on, but led a blow when she discovered that it him through the apartment and was no longer she who avoided him down to the front door. Even in at parties — he was avoiding her. the cab, she couldn't shake his She first noticed it after an eve- reverie. She tucked his coattails ning of dinner and dancing. She into the cab with a solicitous little had been having a fascinating con- frown. And she brooded. There versation with someone in consoli- had been something disturbingly dated metals, and it seemed to her familiar about that figure on the the right touch — the final fdlip balcony. for the evening would be for the The next morning Mamie was gentleman in question to see her up at an unaccustomed hour, standing next to Howard in the dressing with exquisite care. She soft light, serene, beautiful, the had been summoned to morning doting wife. coffee with Edna Hotchkiss- “You must meet my husband,” Baines. Eor the first time, she had she murmured, stroking the metal been invited to help with the Wid- magnate’s lapel. ows’ and Orphans’ Fund Bazaar. “Have you seen Howard?” she (“I’ve found somebody wonderful asked a friend nearby, and some- to help with the planning,” the thing in the way the friend shook chichi Edna had confided. “You’ll his head and turned away from never guess who.”) her made her a little uneasy. Superb in an outfit that could Several minutes later, the metal stand even Edna's scrutiny, Mar- ”

THE NEW YOEI 107 nie presented herself at the Hotch- dined with one of her devastating kiss-Baines door and followed the young men. It haunted her steps, butler into the Hotchkiss-Baines looking just enough like her to breakfast room. make everyone uncomfortable, Edna Hotchkiss-Baines barely enough like everything Mamie greeted her. She was engrossed in hated to embarrass her. conversation with a squat, unas- Then one night she found How- suming figure that slumped across ard kissing it at a party. the table from her, shoes slit to At home a few hours later, he accommodate feet that were confronted her.

spreading now, violet-sprigged “Mamie, I want a divorce.” dress growing a little tight. “Howard.” She made clutching .” Face afire, Mamie fell back. motions. “Is there . . She took a chair without speaking He sounded grave. “My dear, and leveled a look of hatred at the there’s someone else. Well, it isn’t woman who held the town’s most exactly someone else.” fashionable social leader en- “You don’t mean — How'ard, thralled — the dowdy, frumpy, you can't be serious.” lumpy old her. “I’m in love with the girl I mar- It was only the beginning. Ap- ried,” he said. “A quiet girl, a parently tlie creature had cashed grey-and-brown— girl.” in the California ticket and used “That ” Her fashionable body the fare and the thousand dollars was trembling. Her gemlike eyes .” to rent a small flat and buy a mod- w'ere aflame. “That frumpy . . est w'ardrobe. Now, to Mamie’s “A home girl . . He was get- helpless fury, it seemed to be going ting rhapsodic now. “Like the girl everywhere. It appeared at cock- I married so many years ago.” tail parties in a series of matronly “After all that money ——the crepe dresses ranging in color from transformation — the new body taupe to dove grey. It sat on the Mamie’s voice rose with everv most important committees and word. “The CHANGE?” appeared at the most elegant din- “I never asked you to change, ners. No matter how exclusive the Mamie.” He smiled mistily. “You .” guest list or how gay the company, were so . . no matter how high Mamie’s hopes “You’d drop me for that piece that it had not been included, of suet?” She was getting shrill. somebody had always invited it. “How could I face my friends?” It appeared behind her in clothing “You deserve somebody better store mirrors \vhen she was trying looking,” he said with a little sigh. on new frocks and looked over her “Somebody tall and slim. I’ll just .” shoulder in restaurants when she pack and go . . 108 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

“All right, Howard.” She man- There was a crate in the living aged a noble tone. “But not just room just two weeks later. “How- yet.” She was thinking fast. “There ard,” Mamie said, beckoning, “I .” has to be a Decent Waiting Pe- have a surprise for you . . riod . . He was just coming in, with A period would give her time the old Martha, from a date. They to handle this. liked to sit in the kitchen over “If you wish, my dear.” He had cocoa and talk. At a look from changed into his favorite flannel Mamie, the creature settled in a bathrobe. In times past, the old chair. It couldn’t take its eyes off Martha had sat next to him on the the coffin-shaped box. Howard couch in front of the television, stepped forward, brows wrinkling she in her quilted house coat, he furrily. “What’s this?” he asked, in his faithful robe. He stroked its and then without waiting for her lapels. “I just want you to realize to answer, he murmured, “Didn’t that my mind is made up — we’ll we have one of jhese around a .” all be happier . . few months ago?” and pulled the “Of course,” she said, and a cord attached to the corner of the hundred plans went through her crate. It fell open — perhaps a little mind. “Of course.” too easily — and the lid of the She sat alone for the rest of the smooth ebony box sprang up under night, drumming opalescent nails his fingers almost before he had on her dressing table, tapping one touched the rosebud catch. The slender foot. tissue paper was green this time,

And by morning, she had it. and if there had been an instruc- Something Howard had said had tion book nestled on top, it was set her mind churning. “You de- gone now. serve somebody better looking.” Both the new Mamie and the “He’s right,” she said aloud. “1 old her watched raptly as Howard, do.” And by the time it had begun oblivious of both of them, broke to get light she had conceived of a through the layers of tissue paper way to get rid of the persistent and with a spontaneous sound of embarrassment of the old her and pleasure grasped the figure in the the —homier elements of Howard box. at one stroke. As soon as Howard Both the new and the old wom- left for the office she began a series an watched as the papers began to of long distance inquiries, and swirl and rise, and they sat trans- once she had satisfied her curiosity fixed until there was a thud and she called a number of friends and the papers settled again. floated several discreet loans in the When it was over, Mamie course of drinks before lunch. turned to the old her with a mali- —

THE NEW YOU 109

cions grin. “Satisfied?” she asked. who has discovered tlie new Cin- And then, eyes gleaming, she derella, he helped her to her feet. waited for the new Howard to rise “Shall we go?” he asked. from the box. Mamie watched, openmouthed. He came forth like a new Adam, They did. ignoring both of them, and went On the floor, the old Howard to his own room for clothes. had gotten turned on its stomach While he was gone, the old somehow, and was floundering Howard, a little frayed at the cor- like a displaced fish. Mamie ners, almost buried under a fall of watched, taut with rage, too strick- tissue, stirred and tried to rise. en to speak. The old Howard

“That’s yours,” Mamie said, flapped a few more times, made it giving the old her a dig in tlie to its knees and then slipped on ribs. "Better go help it up.” And the tissue paper again. Hardly then she presented her face to the looking at it, Mamie smoothed the doorway, waiting with arms spread coif she had prepared for the for the new Howard to reappear. Hotchkiss-Baines dinner that After a few moments he came, night. There was always the din- godlike in one of Howard’s pin- ner— and the party in Westport. striped business suits. Dispassionately, she moved for- “Darling,” Mamie murmured, ward and kicked a piece of tissue mentally cancelling dinner at the out of the way. She drew herself Hotchkiss-Bainses’ and a Westport up, supple, beautiful, and she party with a new man. seemed to find new strength. The “Darling,” the new Howard old Howard flapped again. said. And he swept past her to the “Oh get uj),” she said, and old Martha, still scrabbling around poked it with her toe. She was in the tissue paper on the floor. completely composed now. "Get Gently, with the air of a prince up darling," she spat. —

Damon Knight writes: “Suzanne Malaval writes that her age is 30, she is married to an engineer and has three children. She wrote some two-character dialogues which were per-

formed in Montmartre cabarets . . . she writes now for nu- merous French fanzines and occasionally for Fiction [FirSF’s French sister-magazine]. She lives in Lorraine, ‘two steps away from Joan of Arc’s native village.’ She apologizes for the brevity of this sketch, but says she hasn’t got much to say about herself.” Mme. Malaval’s story, however, says some- thing about herself, namely, that she has a salty sense of hu- mor and a good knowledge of the ways and attitudes of the French peasantry. Which gives us a good opportunity to ex- press a sentiment which we are never reluctant to express, anyway, to wit: Vive la Francel

THE DEVIL'S GOD-DAUGHTER

by Suzanne Malaval

(translated by Damon Knight)

When Fanche was born, her the devil, the real one, the most parents were sad, sad, for she was horned, came knocking on the door. the eighth child of eight, and find- Sitting up with a start, the ma- ing a godfather in the neighbor- ma said “Come in,” and the devil hood was practically impossible. gladly obliged.

Just the same, she was a pretty “Good morning, woman! I come little thing, Fanche in her cradle to ask for your Fanche as my god- plump as a little pig, pink, her daughter.” cheek smooth as fruit from the “Oh, no!” said the mama. tree. The eighth child of eight, al- The mama was sleeping, Fanche ready Fanche was loved eight beside her in the big bed, when times more than the others. no THE DEVILS G0D-DAU(;HTER 111

The devil, he was a perfect Fanche was fifteen, so beauti- scoundrel, but he didn’t say any- ful it was a marvel. thing: when a woman just out of When she watched the flocks, childbed talks in that tone of voice, the dog was utterly fascinated, and even the devil himself has nothing the sheep too. to say. One day when she was walking Only, the papa coming back in the fields, she saw a gentleman from the rye fields said yes, that coming who made her feel cold to he did, without looking at his wife the bottom of her soul. who was making faces at him. "I’m your godfather,’’ he said. Fanche was asleep, pretty as a She bad not known she had a daisy. godfather of such ugliness. For sure, it wasn’t at the church “Come with me!’’ that they had the baptism with She was obliged to do as he such a godfather. But it was a gay, asked: he had taken her by the noisy baptism, with many mortal wrist, squeezing hard enough to sins. make her arm go numb. It was only the mama who Hell is so close to the eartli that was sad: everything she ate tasted she was there, quickly, the poor of sulphur. god-daughter. “You’re queen of all this here. Little Fanche grew bigger. She You ask, you get,” the devil told went through seven years like her, with a sweeping gesture. nothing. “I want to go back home.’’ The brothers, the sisters, the But of course that was impossi- whole kit and kaboodle took her ble. along to mass. The mama, she felt Up above, they were worried, her heart beating. they searched for her in the bot- Arriving at the holy church, she toms of the ponds; but the mama found it impossible to bring the knew very well what had hap- little one in. It was as if she were pened. planted in the ground. The poor little thing pushed Fanche didn’t cry long. She with her feet, pulled with her hips, was a crafty little thing, that but nothing : she stayed where she Fanche, and never at a loss. was, stuck in the ground like a She made herself nice, sweet rosebush. and good, so much so that the dev-

They went back home, not very il’s wife grew jealous. She was proud. dark, with a squashed nose, and anyone who stroked her would Time passed. prick his hand. 112 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

Also the devil spent a lot of Fanche was alarmed to hear time looking at his god-daughter, this, for she knew that in taking blonde as the wheat, fresh-cheeked, the kiss, he’d slip his hand into her her voice like a song. bosom, down there where it was Fanche, my heaven! she was pink and round. never out of the godfather’s sight. Sure as sure, it meant damna- She was not astonished at all, tion. After death. Hell again. but really not at all, when he came The devil’s wife saw how the up to her and said: “Fanche, doll- land lay, and knew that if she lost, ing, I want you give me a kiss.” the devil would bewitch her.

“Uh-uh, godfather, no kiss!” She whispered : “It’s the shadow

“I’ll take one by force, if you of the Eiffel Tower.” don’t let me.” All Fanche had to do was repeat

"Godfather, you know I’d bite it. How furious he was, the devil!

you.” “Listen, godchild! I ask you an-

He didn’t doubt it. other riddle. If you guess it, I give “Dolling, on the forehead!” you the winged horse. If you lose,

“Not on the forehead.” I pull up your dress . . . and not “On the ear.” as far as the calf! ‘On the wooden

“Not on the ear, not anywhere.” shoe of Father Fred, what can it be The devil, he got furious, he that walks on its head?” wanted that kiss so much. Fanche W'as in despair, for she “Fanche, my godchild, pull up knew that in pulling up her dress, skirt, let me see your calf.” he’d rumple her panties, where “No, godfather, not that far.” they were so well stitched. “As far as the ankle.” Sure as sure, it meant damna- “Not even as far as the ankle!” tion. After death, Hell again. “If you don’t, I grab you by The devil’s wife saw how' the the w’aist and pull up as far as the land lay, and didn’t want the god- knee!” daughter to stay. “Godfather, you know I’d She whispered: “It’s the nails in scratch you.” the shoe.” The devil, he turned My heaven! how he knew it. completely green at that. But a It was always the same routine. promise is a promise, even for Satan. “Listen, godchild, I ask you a He gave the keys of Hell, he riddle. If you guess it, I give you gave the winged horse, and so long. the keys to Hell. If you flunk, you When Fanche found herself at give me that kiss . . . and not on the door of her house, it was rain- the forehead! ‘What is it tliat’s as ing in the sunlight. big as the Eiffel Tower, and doesn’t She knew that meant the devil weigh as much as a grain of flour?” was beating his wife. The name of James H. Schmitz is new to this Magazine, but not to the field, for it has appeared in science fiction and fan- tasy magazines since the days of the old and great UN-

KNOWN, olav ha-sholem. We hope it will appear here often from now on. The brief biography on the jacket of his novel, A TALE OF TWO CLOCKS, (Torquil Press, 162), says that he “was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1911, of American parents. Aside from several trips to the United States, he lived in Germany until 1938, returning to America with the out- break of World War II. He flew with an Army Air Corps group in the Southern Pacific Theater during the war . . . and now lives with his wife in Inglewood, California.” Mr. Schmitz is also the author of a collection of SF stories, AGENT OF VEGA (Gnome, /60), and an engineer by profession. His present occupation is writing, his principal interest, “learn- ing to write more proficiently ... if I didn’t have anything else to do, the thing I’d like most would be to take a month for fishing, boating, swimming, sunning and snooping around marine or lake life generally, in pleasant company and with an ample supply of iced Schlitz beer in the locker.” He sounds like a Nice Man, and we hope he makes it. We trust that his preference in brands of beer has nothing to do with the subject of his story. Subliminal Perception, an attribute most of us were unaware of until a few years ago; when we learned that

it could be manipulated by TV and motion pictures flashing an image or a phra.se on and off the screen so rapidly as to be unobserved by the supraliminal, or concious, mind. This devil- ish device has not been much heard of lately, one hopes it is unused. If not, his story could come true ivithout the need of —but we are getting ahead of things. "Now the Seven Deadly Arts are: Musk, Literature, Paint- ing, Sculpture, Architecture, Dancing, Acting. The Mercy of God has luckily purified these once pagan inventions, and transformed them into saving instruments of grace. Yet it be- hooves us to examine with the utmost diligence the possible sources of evil latent in each and every one of these arts. Then we shall consider some of the special forms of sin that may

develop from them. St. Chrysostom warned the faithful . , — the preacher, in Huneker’s “Visionaries"

THESE ARE THE ARTS

by James H. Schmitz

Hugh Grover was sitting in the last living member of the fam- the TV room of an old but spa- ily, looked very thoughtful and cious and luxuriously equipped puzzled as he switched off the bomb shelter located in a forested TV set and audiophil attachment section of the rambling Grover and closed up a bull-roarer re- estate. The shelter had been con- cording he had placed on the ta- structed by Hugh’s grandfather ble beside him. He pushed away sixty years earlier and, while never the tall mirror he had set up so he actually used as a place of refuge, could watch the screen without had been kept in good condition looking at it directly, and climbed by various members of the Grover out of his chair. He had intended family, who retained a strong mirror and recording to be pre- touch of foresight and prudence cautionary devices, but they had in their habits even through the turned out to be superfluous. He easygoing early decades of the had seen and heard nothing of the Twenty-first Century. The en- Galcom Craze. trance to the shelter was camou- It was possible that the World flaged, and only the Grover house- Government—wonder of won- hold and their intimates were in- ders! — had heeded his warnings, formed of its existence and where- or perhaps somebody else’s, and abouts. banned the stuff completely. In Hugh, now a man of forty and the past few hours. Hugh had

114 THESE ARE THE ARTS 115 dialed every major station on secretary, Andy Britton, who earth. From none of them had the shared the shelter with him and improbably beautiful face of a was at present asleep in another Galcom Teacher looked out at section. Then he checked him- him; no Galcom symbol appeared self. Andy made a good listener suddenly in the screen. Nor had when Hugh felt like airing his the audiophil programs produced thoughts, but it might be better to any of those curious little cross- ponder this curious situation by ripples of sound which were not himself first. openly connected with Galcom, but which Hugh had considered It had been through Andy Brit- to be definitely one of its devices. ton that Hugh first learned of the The absence of these items in Galcom Craze. They had come in itself was, of course, all to the by Atlantic rocket from the Jura good. But it seemed odd that, in Mountains that evening with a addition, there hadn’t been the box of newly uncovered Bronze slightest mention of Galcom dur- Age artifacts to add to Hugh’s pri- ing the hours Hugh listened and vate museum. The Grover resi- watched. He was the reverse of a dence was on the fringes of the lit- TV addict, but he felt it improb- tle village of Antoinette, three able that what had started as the miles upriver from the bomb shel- biggest TV Craze of recent years ter, in the direction of the sizable could simply have dropped from town of South Valley. Hugh un- the public’s interest again during packed while Andy drove into the two weeks he was living in the Antoinette to buy dinner supplies. bomb shelter. It seemed much He came back laughing. more likely that the lack of refer- “A new advertising craze has ence to it was due to an official started up,” he said. "This one taboo. might interest you, Hugh!” He had predicted that the em- “Why should it?” Hugh asked. bittered settlers of Mars Territory “Symbols,” Andy told him. would carry out a space attack on “Primitive meditation brought up Eartli after first softening up the to date on TV! Practically every population through the Galcom big station seems to be involved. Craze. Did this deliberate lack of They have overlapping Symbol mention of the Craze suggest that Hours around the clock. You can’t

certain elements of the danger guess who’s doing all this, so I’ll

still existed? Hugh Grover could tell you. It’s the first representa-

think of no otlier reason for it. tives of the Galactic Community He frowned, his finger moving to reach the Solar System. How towards a button to summon his about that?” 116 FANTASV AND SCIENCE FICTION

Hugh grunted and asked him ner of Earth was without its quota what he thought he was talking of TV sets, a really big Craze about. Galcom, it appeared, was could command virtually univer- short for Galactic Community. sal attention. As a rule, they built The representatives were inhu- up for a month or two, while the manly beautiful women or inhu- more sophisticated speculated on manly handsome men. They were who was behind it this time and referred to as The Teachers. Their what actually was to be promoted, mission was to facilitate the adop- and the less sophisticated — time tion of Earth into the Community after time, apparently— took the by instructing its inhabitants in a gag at faee value and very serious- New Method of Thought and ly. Andy reported that the smart Communication, which would en- money had begun to settle on able them to exchange ideas with Mars Territory as the Galcom other Galcom entities, and also sponsor within the first week and one another, with the greatest of that the Craze was expected to re- ease and speed. The New Method solve itself eventually as a re- could be acquired by devoting a newed bid for Unlimited Free Wa- little study daily to the Galeom ter from Earth for the Territory. Symbols being presented on pur- “They seem to have hooked an chased TV time. unusual percentage of Believers It was, of course, a promotion this time,” Andy said — Believers hoax of some sort. After the World being, of course, the people who Supreme Court established circa again had bought the gag. He had 1990 that publicly to question the run into live or six persons in An- truthfulness of statements made toinette who assured him with through an advertising medium some excitement that the Galaetic was to act in restriction of trade, Community really existed, that and hence illegal, the way had been this Craze was no Craze at all but open for the staging of truly co- a perfectly sincere and earnest at- lossal attention-getting tricks. tempt to help Earth raise itself to Throughout his life, Hugh Grover Galeom’s lofty standards. Two of had been vaguely aware of a con- Andy’s informants by now had stant succession of TV Crazes of achieved moments of direct men- varying magnitude. When he tal communieation with a Galeom thought of them at all, he con- Teacher, an experience deseribed cluded that in the comfortable as enthralling and spiritually satis- world-wide suburbanity of the pe- fying. riod people grew increasingly hun- Hugh felt mildly disgusted as he gry for sensations of even the most not infrequently was with the idiotic varietv. And since no cor- ways of soeiety in whieh he found —

THESE ARE THE ARTS 117 himself. But since the study of In spite of this sweetly fluted symbolism and its use by primi- lunacy, Hugh did not turn oflF the tive societies was in fact one of his TV. He was still starting in fasci- most intensively cultivated hob- nation at the exquisite creature in bies, he was curious enough to the screen when she suddenly fad- turn on the TV set after dinner. ed from view and he was looking Immediately, he found himself instead at a Galcom symbol. face to face with one of the Gal- In almost the same instant, the com Teachers. screen went blank. This one was female, and there It took Hugh some seconds to could be no disputing the flawless realize that he himself had shut and — figuratively, at least — the oEF the set. He was not in the least unearthly quality of her loveliness. tempted to turn it on again. He Women irritated Hugh Grover as a had been badly startled. At the mo- rule, and he tended to avoid their ment the symbol appeared, there company; but the Teacher’s impact had been a distinct sensation as if was not lost on him. He had been something were tugging at his staring at her for almost twenty thoughts . . . and then some- seconds before he discovered that thing else inside him went tight, the melodious voice was repeating closed up; and the sensation end- some of the things Andy had told ed. him. The arts the station’s viewers Once before, he’d had a very were being taught here, she said, similar experience. A psychiatrist were not designed to make them had attempted to hypnotize him; worthy of membership in the Ga- and while Hugh, consciously, had lactic Community, as some ap- been completely willing to let it peared to have assumed. No happen, the attempt ended in ab- they were worthy indeed, and the solute failure. At that time, too, intention was only to dissolve the there had been, as Hugh floated barriers of linguistic difference, to along mentally, his attention only do away with the awkwardness of half on the medical man’s words, a spoken words which led so often sudden awareness of shutting off and easily to misunderstandings. their effect and remaining closed

Words were not necessary when to it, of having become impene- mind could speak to mind. And trable now and secure. And there now, if tlie viewers would give was nothing that Hugh— con- their relaxed attention to the Gal- sciously again —could do about it. com symbols they would be shown, He could not be hypnotized. they would find their minds begin And what could that mean

to open out gently and softly . . . here? Brief as his glimpse of the

like beautiful flowers. . . . Galcom symbol had been, he could 118 FANT.\Sy AND SCIENCE FICTION

recall it distinctly — a pale-blue, Hugh replied cautiously that he glowing, rather intricate design of hadn’t yet seen a Galcom program, markings which reminded Hugh but that it seemed possible. What of nothing so mueh as some of the effect did the symbols produce on ideographic characters used in the the view'ers? written Chinese language of past “They’re euphoric,” the ac- centuries. In itself, there was quaintance said. It was difficult to nothing sinister or alarming about be more specihc because of wide its appearance. But Hugh could variations in individal response. remember very vividly the feeling It was a really remarkable ap- of something pulling at his proach, a unique accomplishment.

thoughts. . . . Yes, he understood there’d been Hugh Grover continued to sit negative reactions but in such an before the dead set for a while, be- insignificant number that they coming increasingly disturbed. At could not affect the progress of the

last, he got up and put a call Craze in any way . . . Oh, per- through to the home of an ac- haps point five per cent. There quaintance in the East who was were always cranks and alarmists an advertising executive. who objected to genuine innova- The acquaintance confirmed tions in the programs. Andy Britton’s report on the Gal- After Hugh hung up, he did com Craze. It was a big thing, a some more intensive thinking. He very big thing. After only a few was now thoroughly concerned, days, it was beginning to edge into but there were reasons to be cau- the top popularity spot. In his tious about any action he took. opinion, it was likely to develop Officially, he could be fitted very into the most successful 'TV spec- well into his acquaintance’s classi- tacular of die past twenty years. fication of cranks and alarmists. Yes, Mars Territory dehnitely was He w'as known to be a wealthy ec- backing it. The acquaintance centric — wealthy enough to get couldn’t yet see just how the Ter- away with a degree of eccentricity ritory planned to tie in its peren- which a man of moderate means nial demand for Earth water, but could hardly have afforded. He that certainly would turn out to be was an amateur scientist. Eh’en his the angle. Hugh presumably had friends regarded his preoccupa- become interested in the program tion with things of the past, things because of its use of symbols? One of the mind, as somewhat morbid. heard that there appeared to be a And there had been a period ten very deft adaptation of neo-Jun- years before, after an ill-fated at- gian techniques involved. What tempt at marriage, when he suf- w’as Hugh’s opinion? fered a quite serious nerv’ous break- THESE ARE THE ARTS 119 down and required extensive psy- average man, which had never chiatric treatment. needed to learn such stringent He had developed a consider- measures of defense? able degree of self-awareness over In Hugh Grover’s opinion, it the years. He knew that his inter- could plunge the possessor of that ests and studies reflected his men- mind . . . after not too many

tal organization ... an organi- encounters . . . into a state of zation in which conscious and un- psychotic helplessness. conscious processes which in most And who would be interested in men were kept much more neatly doing such a thing to the people distinct tended to merge to an un- of Earth? comfortable degree. He knew also Precisely Mars Territory, of that he had, in consequence, de- course. . . . veloped defensive reactions which the ordinary person simply did not He had been on Mars some have, and ordinarily had no need years before. Except for World for. He could not be hypnotized. Government officials, whose duties Drugs which were supposed to re- held them there, not many Earth duce resistance to hypnosis merely citizens visited the Territory. It raised his own level. And he could held no attractions for tourists. not be affected by the Galcom sym- Hugh Grover’s interest w'as drawn bols. But neither of those things by reports that excavations had be- would be true for the vast majority gun again in some of the ruins of of Earth’s population. the aboriginal Martian culture He had made a careful study of scattered sparsely about the Ter- the connections between specific ritory. Earlier archeological ef- sensory impressions and mental ef- forts had produced insignificant fects. Form, color, motion — these results; the ruins were over a quar- things held unique meanings for ter of a million years old and usu- the unconscious mind and aroused ally buried, and there was no evi- responses of which the conscious dence that the native race had ad- man might not be in the least vanced beyond the level of walled aware. villages before it died out. But His mind had produced an in- Hugh decided he would like to stantaneous, violent reaction to visit some of the new digs in per- his first glimpse of a Galcom sym- son. bol. It had sealed itself away from It had been a frustrating expe- something it regarded as a very rience which gave him a very dif- dangerous threat. ferent picture of the Territorial What would the same impres- settlers and in particular of their sion be doing to the mind of the ruling group than he had obtained 120 F.VNTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

on Earth. They were a hard, sullen order to learn how to adapt them breed of men, rulers of a barren to produce effects on the human empire with the potential of a great mind. In other words, the tools of industrial development — a devel- the Galcom Craze were being pre-

opment still stalled by Earth’s re- pared . . . and, naturally, an fusal to supply Mars Territory with Earthman would not have been a the required amounts of water. welcome visitor. It was quite like- Hugh thought he understood the ly, Hugh decided, that he would- reason for that. Martian technol- n’t have got alive out of Mars Ter- ogy, spurred by necessity, was at ritory again if he bad been too per- least on a par with Earth’s. Given sistent in his efforts.

unlimited water it would forge One could conclude further ahead. And once it was sufficient- that Mars Territory was now at ly ahead, complacent suburban war with Earth. Earth would be virtually at the The Galcom symbols would mercy of a society which had ... in the opinion of the Terri- learned again to fight and work torials, at least . . . determine relentlessly for what it wanted. It the issue. The derangement of the was hardly surprising that the mental structure of the great ma- World Government was reluctant jority of Earth’s population could to go to enormous expense to help be far advanced before any outer bring such a situation about. evidence of general psychosis ap- But it made Earth’s citizens very peared. Then the Territorial space unpopular on Mars. Hugh’s at- attack would be launched. tempts to obtain permission to visit Mars Territory, Hugh thought, the ruins of the prehistoric culture was making a mistake. Earth’s ma- continued to run into unaccount- terial advantages shoidd still be able difficulties and delays, and too great for them and in the end the local Earth officials at last ad- Earth should win out. But for the vised him quietly to give the matter private citizens who retained their up. If he did succeed in getting sanity, the interim period would into the Territorial backlands, be extremely unpleasant and dan- they could not be responsible for gerous. his safety there. Partway through bis reflections, At the time, Hugh had thought he had pressed the audiophil but- he was confronting simple malice. ton on the TV set without giving But there was another explanation. the action much consideration, If an aboriginal symbol science and the familiar muted flows of had existed on Mars in the distant classical music w'ere accompany- past. Territorial scientists might ing his thoughts. Now, suddenly, have been studying its principles in he sat bolt upright. There had been —

THESE ARE THE ARTS 121 a subtle intrusion in the music, his fellow men; on the whole, they an odd, quick, light, up-and-down were there, and he could tolerate rippling, like the crossing of two them. A few, like Andy Britton, he threads of sound, which was not a rather liked, when they weren’t be- proper part of the piece to which he ing irritating. Nevertheless, his de- was listening. cision now to take Andy to the old Almost with that thought came Grover bomb shelter with him was an internal reaction very similar due primarily to the fact that Andy to what Hugh experienced at his was a very capable young man glimpse of the Galcom symbol whose assistance during the pos-

. . . a sense of something pull- sibly trying period ahead might be ing, tugging gently at his mind, a invaluable. dreamlike distortion; then the As for the otliers, he would try quick, solid block of mental resist- to warn them in time to avert or ance which shut the feeling off. modify the approaching disaster;

Hugh reached out hastily and but it would have to be done in a turned off the audiophil. manner which could not affect his So they were not limited to vis- own safety. Though Mars Terri- ual channels in their attack on tory looked like the responsible

Earth’s minds I Men like himself agent for what was happening, it who ignored TV presentations must have allies on Earth in posi- could still be approached along tions where they could deal with other routes. . . . interference . . . and with those who interfered. Hugh spent an That decided him. This was no hour outlining his conclusions speculation but quite real, quite about the Galcom Craze in every serious personal danger. He real- detail. He then made approxi- ized now that he had been getting mately fifty copies of the message sleepy for the past few minutes and addressed them to various and he could not be sure he had members of the government, to not heard that curious cross-ripple news agencies, and to a number of of sound several times before it important people whose back- penetrated into his awareness. ground indicated that they might When the attack was insidious give serious thought to such a warn- enough, his subconscious watch- ing. He was careful to mention dogs might be much less depend- nothing that could serve to identify able than he had believed. him and left the messages un- The important thing then was signed. Andy Britton was dis- to look out for himself. Hugh was patched to South Valley to drop aware that he had no overwhelm- them into the mailing system there. ing or all-inclusive fondness for After the secretary returned, Hugh 122 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION

told him what he believed was oc- could wait events out with the curring and what his plans were. greatest degree of safety. Andy kept his face carefully ex- He began to give his attention pressionless, but it was plain what to methods whereby he could his own theory was — old Hugh . . . without exposing himself had cracked up at last. However, . . . regain a more complete con- he had a highly paid job, and if tact with the outer world than Hugh wanted them to sit out the simple observation from tbe shel- next few weeks in a bomb shelter, ter provided. Out of this came that would clearly be all right with eventually the arrangement in the Andy Britton. Before dawn, all TV room with the mirror and the preparations had been made. They bull-roarer recording. The Galcom closed up the town house in An- S3'mbols, judging from the sample toinette again, and installed them- he had seen, w'ere asymmetrical de- selves unobtrusively in the forest signs. If the specific visual image shelter down the river. produced by them brought alxiut The next two weeks passed some effect on the mind, the ef-

. . . to all appearances . . . fect should be nullified by a re- uneventfully. Andy Britton duti- versal of the image. Hence the mir- fully avoided the shelter’s TV ror through which he could observe room, and he and Hugh took turns the TV screen without looking di- observing tlie air traffic above the rectly at it. He was cancelling out river and the road gliders passing the Gorgon’s head. The bull-roarer along the highway from the shelter recording was to smother Galcom ’s lookout panel. There were no signs audible form of attack, the drowsi- of disturbance of any kind. Andy, ness-producing cross-ripplings of an active individual by nature, be- light sound. The sw'itch which gan to show some degree of restive- started the recording would be in ness but made no attempts to ar- Hugh’s left hand whenever he gue Hugh out of his ideas. turned on the set, his thumb Hugh saw no reason to rush pressed down on its release. At any matters. For the time being, he loss of alertness, he would let go had secured himself from the Gal- automatically. The election of a com attack, both as to possible per- bull-roarer with its own ritual im- sonal effects and the dangers that plications hadn’t been necessary could arise from a demented pop- for this purpose; but the notion ulace. His warning might or might pleased Hugh and — the subcon- not be heeded. Others might see scious being the suggestible and the threat and take steps to end superstitious entity it was — a little it. Whatever was to occur, he had deliberate countermagic should withdrawn to a position where he strengthen the effect of sheer noise. —

THESE ARE THE ARTS 123

In spite of these supporting de- a little mystifying, but neff neces- vices, Hugh had intended to pro- sarily alarming. It concurred with ceed very prudently with his in- the undisturbed look of the coun- vestigation. He couldn’t be sure tryside traffic outside the shelter. tlicy would actually give him more But those reflections did not at protection than his own resources all change Hugh’s feeling about could provide. He hadn’t forgotten the situation. The feeling told him the disconcerting feeling of having with increasing clarity that there been caught off guard by a barely was some hidden menace in the perceptible sound pattern, and lack of mention about Galcom. there might, after all, be more Gal- That the silence covered a waiting com tricks than the two he had trap. And that specifically he . . . encountered. The lack of anything Hugh Grover . . . was being in the least abnormal then in the threatened. TV programs he scanned through He eould acknowledge that, was rather disconcering in itself. theoretically, that presented the Something, obviously, had hap- picture of a paranoid personality. pened— must have happened. The But the huneh was too strong to be Galcom program hadn’t vanished ignored. He didn’t intend to ig-

without cause. nore it. He could lose nothing

The appearance of it was that . . . except for strengthening Galcom had been banned from the Andy’s notions about his loss of networks by W^orld Government mental competence, which was edict. The entire business of sym- hardly important ... by acting bol trickery and its effects might on the assumption that the hunch have been turned over meanwhile was correct. If it was correct, if to some scientific group for orderly there was a trap waiting outside, investigation. Mars Territory could the trap could be sprung. Not by have been put under an embargo. him, but by Andy Britton. And it was coneeivable that Terri- Hugh rubbed his chin thought- torial raiders were known or sus- fully. There was another place in pected to be in space; and that the northern Andes which could be while the Earth fleets hunted for turned into at least as secure a them, the whole affair was being hide-out as Grandfather Grover’s toned down deliberately in the bomb shelter. In some respects networks to avoid a panic. There the nearest neighbors would be was, after all, no effective way of many miles away — it should be a protecting the population from more dependable one. He could space attack except by stopping a get there overnight with one of the raider before he got too close. pair of jet rigs hanging in the shel- The appearance of it then was ter storeroom. For the sake of ob- —

124 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION taining definite information, which the list these last three hours,” would either confirm or disprove Hugh said. "I don’t believe I missed his suspicions, he could, therefore, a station of any significance. I risk losing the bomb shelter. didn’t hear a word about the Gal- And he could — though he hoped com Craze. Odd, isn’t it?” nothing would happen to Andy Andy agreed it was very odd in- risk losing Andy. deed. Andy Britton was in the kitchen “What do you make of it?” section, having breakfast. He Hugh asked. looked up rather blearily when Andy’s lips quirked. “Isn’t it ob-

Hugh came in. His red hair was vious? Everyone in the world . . . still uncombed and he had obvious- except you and I, of course . . . ly just come awake. has learned by now how to com- “Mind coming along to the TV municate with the alien races of room a moment?” Hugh asked. the Galactic Community. Last “I’ve found something but I’m not Monday, the Solar System was ele- quite sure what it means.” vated to full membership. Why

” “What have you found? keep the thing going after that?” “I’d sooner let you see for your- He pondered a moment, added, “I self.” owe you an apologv, of course, In the TV room, Andy looked at Hugh.” the mirror and recording with con- “Why?” trolled distaste, asked, “Want me “I thought you were tottering,

to use those?” and I guess I showed it. Now it “It can’t do any harm,” Hugh looks as if you were right. Some- said. “Here— I’ll hold the switch thing stopped the Craze in mid- for the bull-roarer myself. Now go swing. And only our good old pa- ahead.” ternal World Government could Andy studied his face quizzi- have done it.” cally, then turned on the TV set “The Craze couldn’t have sim- and clicked in a station at random. ply run itself out . . . natural- He watched the screen through ly?” the mirror, looked over at Hugh Andy shook his head. “I fol-

again. lowed a lot of them when I was "Try another one,” Hugh sug- still young and foolish. That Gal- gested. com deal was good for another six Ten minutes later, Andy, face weeks. It didn’t run out naturally. very thoughtful, switched off the It was stopped. And unless there set, asked, “Same thing, every- was something mighty wrong where?” about those symbols — just like you “I’ve been going down through said — it wouldn’t have been —

THESE ARE THE ARTS 125

Stopped.” He grinned suddenly, his Craze. Now suppose I put the mid- face lightening. “Know something? get road glider in the back of the

When we walk out of here now flitter and . . . when they find out who it was that “Why not?” Hugh looked at his shot off those warning messages watch. “It’ll be getting dark in a all over the world two weeks ago few hours. If it seems safe to let

I’ll be a hero’s secretary!” you do a little reconnoitering on Hugh hesitated, said, “I’m not so foot around South Valley, that sure about that, Andy.” would be the time to start out.” "Huh?” The grin faded from Andy’s face, was replaced by a cau- Shortly after sunset, Hugh tious “Now what?” expression. He brought the flitter down to a quiet asked, “What do you mean, Hugh?” stretch of the road leading from Hugh said, “I don’t want to seem Antoinette to South \kdley. Andy unduly apprehensive.” He indicat- swung the glider out of the flitter’s ed the TV screen. “But what we rear compartment, straightened it, saw there does suggest something and climbed into the saddle. He like a conspiracy to me.” grinned at Hugh, said, “I’ll be care-

“A conspiracy?” ful . . . don’t worry! Sec you at

“Exactly. I told you 1 was sitting tlie bomb shelter early in the morn- here for three liours checking ing.” through the v'arious stations. Why Hugh nodded. ‘Til wait for you in all that time did no one even inside.” mention the late Galcom Craze?” He watched tire road glider dis- “I wouldn’t know,” Andy said appear around the bend towards with a trace of exasperation. “But South Valley, and took the flitter up the obvious way to find out is to again. From the air, nothing out get out of here and start asking of the ordinary appeared to have questions, ^^'e can’t spend the rest occurred, or to be occurring, in the of our lives lurking in a bomb shel- South Valley district. In Antoinette ter, Hugh.” and the other towns and villages Hugh smiled. “I don't intend to, over which they had passed, peo- bcliexe me. But I do think we ple plainly were going about their should be a little careful about ask- everyday activities with no sugges- ing questions.” He considered, tion of an emergency or of disturb- went on, “As a first step, let’s wheel ances. But Flugh did not intend to out the flitter and look things over change any part of his plans. His from the air for a while.” instincts still smelled a trap. Andy said with strained pa- By nightfall, he had locked each tience, “That isn’t going to tell section of the bomb shelter indi- us what happened to the Galcom vidually, then left it, locking tlie 126 FANTASY AND SCIENCE ITCTIO.N

camouflaged entrance behind him. His hunch didn’t tell him diat. Carrying one of the jet rigs and a What it told him was to stay ready knapsack of camping equipment, to run if he wanted to survive. and with a heavy automatic pistol He intended to do just that. fastened to his belt, he moved up- Andy Britton appeared riding hill through the trees surrounding the road glider along the route the shelter until he reached a point from Antoinette around nine in some three hundred yards away the morning. Hugh tvatched him from where he could watch both approach through the glasses. the approaches from the river Nothing had happened during the road half a mile below and the air night. Near morning, when he be- above the forest. Here he took out gan to feel traces of drowsiness, he a pair of powerful night glasses, had taken wake-up pills and come laid his other equipment beside a alert again. tree, and setded down to wait. The glider could not be used in If Andy showed up unaccompa- the rough natural terrain of the nied in the morning, he would be estate grounds. Hugh saw Andy there to receive him and find out bring it to a stop near the edge of

what had happened during the past the estate, push it out of sight two weeks. But if Andy did not among some bushes and start up come alone, or if the shelter was towards the shelter. They had approached by others in the inter- agreed that he should come on foot, val, Hugh would vanish quiedy rather than have Hugh bring the among the big trees behind him. flitter down to the road to pick Once over the crest of the hill, he him up. Hugh remained where he would be in the thick timber of a was, continuing to scan the sky, government preserve. He was an the road in botli directions and expert outdoorsman and felt no the woods below him as Andy came concern about his ability to remain climbing higher, disappearing for out of sight there. Before the next minutes at a time among the trees, morning, the jet rig would have then emerging into open ground carried him to his new retreat while again. any searchers would still be en- There was no one with him, fol- gaged in attempting to open the last lowing him, or watching him locked sections of the bomb shelter from the air. Hugh stood up final- where he was supposed to be. ly, settled knapsack and jet rig

Any searchers . . . Hugh ad- over his shoulders, and started mitted to himself that he could find downhill towards the shelter, still no rational answer to the question careful to remain out of sight him- of who should be searching for him self. or what their purpose might be. He was standing concealed THESE ARE THE ARTS 127 among the bushes above the shelter “Mars Territory. They weren’t entrance when Andy appeared di- behind the Galcom Craze. . . rectly below him. His voice faltered. "Up here, Andy!” Hugh said. “Go ahead. Then who was be- Andy stopped in his tracks, hind it?” stood peering about, as if in be- “Hugh, don’t you see? The Gal- wilderment. com Teachers were aliens. They Hugh repeated, “Up here. Right took over Mars Territory two above you . . . sec me? That’s months ago, before they ever right. Now come on up.” showed up on Earth.” Watching the secretary scram- Staring at Andy’s sweating, an- ble awkwardly through the shrub- guished face, Hugh felt a dryness bery towards him, Hugh felt a come into his throat. He asked, sharp thrill of renewed apprehen- “Are you trying to tell me there is sion, for Andy was stumbling like such a thing as tlie Galactic Com- a man who was either drunk or on munity — that those Teachers were the very edge of exhaustion. Then, its missionaries, just as they as he came closer, Hugh could see claimed to be?” that his face was pale and drawn. Andy shook his head. “No. It’s A dazed face, Hugh told himself worse than that. It’s a lot worse than that. You were right about the . . . a shocked face. Caution! He said sharply, the sense of symbols. They were doing things danger pounding through him, to people’s minds through them. “That's close enough to talk! Stop But it wasn’t to teach us how to there.” communicate with others. It’s al- Andy stopped obediently twelve most the other way around.” feet away, stood staring at Hugh, “The other . . . try to make then at the knapsack and jet rig sense, Andy!” Hugh had let slide to the ground, “I’m trying to. Those Teachers and at the pistol belted to Hugh’s are the servants or slaves of an- side. A look of growing comprehen- other race. They were sent here be- sion came into his face. cause they can be made to look and “Yes,” Hugh said coldly, “I’m sound like humans. The others arc ready to move out if necessary. Is telepaths and the way they handle it?” tlieir servants is by telepathic or- Andy seemed to be struggling ders. They’re in control of whole for words. Then he said, his voice planets, whole races. They could- thick and harsh, “I don’t think that n’t ordinarily have got control of will do any good, Hugh. You were Earth because there were hardly wrong, you know.” any human beings with enough “About what?” telepathic sensitivity to recei^'e —

128 FANTASY AND SCIENCE ITCTION

their orders and respond to them. what they call ‘immunes’— anyone So that’s what was to be done who doesn’t react to a telepathic through the Galcom Craze and the command and won’t respond to

symbols . . . soften us up men- conditioning. What’s the differ- tally to the point where we could ence? There weren’t enough of ei- understand the master race’s or- ther. The immunes are being ders.” rounded up and killed. The others “And it succeeded?” get the treatment.” "Of course, it succeeded. They’re Take Andy or leave him? Andy already here. They arrived on could still be very useful. . . . Rarth almost a week ago.” "Andy,” he said, “we’ll have to

“Then why . . . act quickly. If we stay here until “Why does everything look so they get everything organized, jreaceful?” Andy asked bitterly. we won’t be able to move without “\Vhy shouldn’t it? When they being spotted. Here are the shelter

give a human an order, the human keys . . . catch them! That’s

obeys. He can’t help it. They don’t right. Now get in there and get out want our economy to break down. your jet rig. We’ll lock up the shel- They don’t want panics and an- ter and leave at once.” archy. This is a valuable planet Andy nodded. “‘And then, and their property. Everybody’s Hugh?”

been told to keep on with their “There’s another place I know regular activities, just as if noth- of. Doyvn south, up in the moun- ing had happened. So that’s exact- tains. Nobody else around for

ly what they do. miles . . . we’ll be safe there a “But they can tell you what’s long time. It’s stocked up for years.” happened if you start asking them Hugh bent for knapsack and rig, questions. Ob, Lord, can they tell added, “After we get there, we’ll you about it!” Andy’s face wrin- see. It’s quite probable that I’m an kled up and tears ran down his immune myself. We may locate

cheeks. “They’ve started taking others. I . . . people away in their ships now. There was a sudden noise be- Our surplus population, they say. hind him. Hugh turned sharply. Nobody knows what happens to Andy stood four feet away, the small gun in his hand pointing Hugh said, shocked, “But they straight at Hugh’s head. couldn’t have got control of every- “You are an immune, Hugh,” he body. Not so easily! Not so fast!” said, chokingly, “But I’m not “No, not everybody. There were I’m not!” the people like ourselves who just The tears poured down his face hadn’t watched the programs. And as he pulled the trigger. kirk'k'kirkir-k-kkifk-ifkitit'klfkiifk’kitit * * $ MARKET PLACE | *

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130

Eight stories by DASHItU HAMMETT Complete

and

] Unabridged

50fi auction Lthintto', edited and <•/ \ at most

.llectiono]

A-v*' . newsstands j^etTien achieves f

,d virility* HOWARD

Thi s is the ninth and final collection of

Hammett short stories to be published by Mercury Publica-

tions. (The preceding eight (8) books in this series are now

all out of print.) In addition to the title story, the other

stories are WAGES OF CRIME, THE GATEWOOD CAPER, THE BARBER AND HIS WIFE, ITCHY THE DEBONAIR, THE SECOND-STORY ANGEL, IN THE MORGUE and WHEN LUCK’S RUNNING GOOD, each with a special

editorial note by Ellery Queen. These eight (8) stories, complete and unabridged, are appearing in book form for

the first time. 50^ at most newsstands or direct from the

publishers.

MERCURY PRESS, Inc., 347 East 53 St., New York 22, N. Y.