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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 01:52:28 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/22513-8.txt b/22513-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..95ed36d --- /dev/null +++ b/22513-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1964 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Sense from Thought Divide, by Mark Irvin Clifton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sense from Thought Divide + +Author: Mark Irvin Clifton + +Illustrator: van Dongen + +Release Date: September 5, 2007 [EBook #22513] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SENSE FROM THOUGHT DIVIDE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +SENSE FROM THOUGHT DIVIDE + +BY MARK CLIFTON + + _What is a "phony"? Someone who believes he can do X, when + he can't, however sincerely he believes it? Or someone who can + do X, believes he can't, and believes he is pretending he can?_ + +Illustrated by van Dongen + + + "Remembrance and reflection, how allied; + What thin partitions sense from thought divide." + + Pope + +When I opened the door to my secretary's office, I could see her looking +up from her desk at the Swami's face with an expression of fascinated +skepticism. The Swami's back was toward me, and on it hung flowing folds +of a black cloak. His turban was white, except where it had rubbed +against the back of his neck. + +"A tall, dark, and handsome man will soon come into your life," he was +intoning in that sepulchral voice men habitually use in their dealings +with the absolute. + +Sara's green eyes focused beyond him, on me, and began to twinkle. + +"And there he is right now," she commented dryly. "Mr. Kennedy, +Personnel Director for Computer Research." + +The Swami whirled around, his heavy robe following the movement in a +practiced swirl. His liquid black eyes looked me over shrewdly, and he +bowed toward me as he vaguely touched his chest, lips and forehead. I +expected him to murmur, "Effendi," or "Bwana Sahib," or something, but +he must have felt silence was more impressive. + +I acknowledged his greeting by pulling down one corner of my mouth. Then +I looked at his companion. + +The young lieutenant was standing very straight, very stiff, and a flush +of pink was starting up from his collar and spreading around his +clenched jaws to leave a semicircle of white in front of his red ears. + +"Who are you?" I asked the lieutenant. + +"Lieutenant Murphy," he answered shortly, and managed to open his teeth +a bare quarter of an inch for the words to come out. "Pentagon!" His +light gray eyes pierced me to see if I were impressed. + +I wasn't. + +"Division of Matériel and Supply," he continued in staccato, as if he +were imitating a machine gun. + +I waited. It was obvious he wasn't through yet. He hesitated, and I +could see his Adam's apple travel up above the knot of his tie and back +down again as he swallowed. The pink flush deepened suddenly into +brilliant red and spread all over his face. + +"Poltergeist Section," he said defiantly. + +"_What?_" The exclamation was out before I could catch it. + +He tried to glare at me, but his eyes were pleading instead. + +"General Sanfordwaithe said you'd understand." He intended to make it +matter of fact in a sturdy, confident voice, but there was the undertone +of a wail. It was time I lent a hand before his forces were routed and +left him shattered in hopeless defeat. + +"You're West Point, aren't you?" I asked kindly. + +It seemed to remind him of the old shoulder-to-shoulder tradition. He +straightened still more. I hadn't believed it possible. + +"Yes, sir!" He wanted to keep the gratitude out of his voice, but it was +there. It did not escape my attention that, for the first time, he had +spoken the habitual term of respect to me. + +"Well, what do you have here, Lieutenant Murphy?" I nodded toward the +Swami who had been wavering between a proud, free stance and that of a +drooping supplicant. The lieutenant, whose quality had been recognized, +even by a civilian, was restored unto himself. He was again ready to do +or die. + +"According to my orders, sir," he said formally, "you have requested the +Pentagon furnish you with one half dozen, six, male-type poltergeists. I +am delivering the first of them to you, sir." + +Sara's mouth, hanging wide open, reminded me to close my own. + +So the Pentagon was calling me on my bluff. Well, maybe they did have +something at that. I'd see. + + * * * * * + +"Float me over that ash tray there on the desk," I said casually to the +Swami. + +He looked at me as if I'd insulted him, and I could anticipate some +reply to the effect that he was not applying for domestic service. But +the humble supplicant rather than the proud and fierce hill man won. He +started to pick up the ash tray from Sara's desk with his hand. + +"No, no!" I exclaimed. "I didn't ask you to hand it to me. I want you to +TK it over to me. What's the matter? Can't you even TK a simple ash +tray?" + +The lieutenant's eyes were getting bigger and bigger. + +"Didn't your Poltergeist Section test this guy's aptitudes for +telekinesis before you brought him from Washington all the way out here +to Los Angeles?" I snapped at him. + + * * * * * + +The lieutenant's lips thinned to a bloodless line. Apparently I, a +civilian, was criticizing the judgment of the Army. + +"I am certain he must have qualified adequately," he said stiffly, and +this time left off the "sir." + +"Well, I don't know," I answered doubtfully. "If he hasn't even enough +telekinetic ability to float me an ash tray across the room--" + +The Swami recovered himself first. He put the tips of his long fingers +together in the shape of a sway-backed steeple, and rolled his eyes +upward. + +"I am an instrument of infinite wisdom," he intoned. "Not a parlor +magician." + +"You mean that with all your infinite wisdom you can't do it," I accused +flatly. + +"The vibrations are not favorable--" he rolled the words sonorously. + +"All right," I agreed. "We'll go somewhere else, where they're better!" + +"The vibrations throughout all this crass, materialistic Western +world--" he intoned. + +"All right," I interrupted, "we'll go to India, then. Sara, call up and +book tickets to Calcutta on the first possible plane!" Sara's mouth had +been gradually closing, but it unhinged again. + +"Perhaps not even India," the Swami murmured, hastily. "Perhaps Tibet." + +"Now you know we can't get admission into Tibet while the Communists +control it," I argued seriously. "But how about Nepal? That's a fair +compromise. The Maharajadhiraja's friendly now. I'll settle for Nepal." + +The Swami couldn't keep the triumphant glitter out of his eyes. The +sudden worry that I really would take him to India to see if he could TK +an ash tray subsided. He had me. + +"I'm afraid it would have to be Tibet," he said positively. "Nowhere +else in all this troubled world are the vibrations--" + +"Oh go on back to Flatbush!" I interrupted disgustedly. "You know as +well as I that you've never been outside New York before in your life. +Your accent's as phony as the pear-shaped tones of a Midwestern garden +club president. Can't even TK a simple ash tray!" + +I turned to the amazed lieutenant. + +"Will you come into my office?" I asked him. + +He looked over at the Swami, in doubt. + +"He can wait out here," I said. "He won't run away. There isn't any +subway, and he wouldn't know what to do. Anyway, if he did get lost, +your Army Intelligence could find him. Give G-2 something to work on. +Right through this door, lieutenant." + +"Yes, sir," he said meekly, and preceded me into my office. + +I closed the door behind us and waved him over to the crying chair. He +folded at the knees and hips, as if he were hinged only there, as if +there were no hinges at all in the ramrod of his back. He sat up +straight, on the edge of his chair, ready to spring into instant charge +of battle. I went around back to my desk and sat down. + +"Now, lieutenant," I said soothingly, "tell me all about it." + + * * * * * + +I could have sworn his square chin quivered at the note of sympathy in +my voice. I wondered, irrelevantly, if the lads at West Point all slept +with their faces confined in wooden frames to get that characteristically +rectangular look. + +"You knew I was from West Point," he said, and his voice held a note of +awe. "And you knew, right away, that Swami was a phony from Flatbush." + +"Come now," I said with a shrug. "Nothing to get mystical about. +Patterns. Just patterns. Every environment leaves the stamp of its +matrix on the individual shaped in it. It's a personnel man's trade to +recognize the make of a person, just as you would recognize the make of +a rifle." + +"Yes, sir. I see, sir," he answered. But of course he didn't. And there +wasn't much use to make him try. Most people cling too desperately to +the ego-saving formula: Man cannot know man. + +"Look, lieutenant," I said, with an idea that we'd better get down to +business. "Have you been checked out on what this is all about?" + +"Well, sir," he answered, as if he were answering a question in class, +"I was cleared for top security, and told that a few months ago you and +your Dr. Auerbach, here at Computer Research, discovered a way to create +antigravity. I was told you claimed you had to have a poltergeist in the +process. You told General Sanfordwaithe that you needed six of them, +males. That's about all, sir. So the Poltergeist Division discovered the +Swami, and I was assigned to bring him out here to you." + +"Well then, Lieutenant Murphy, you go back to the Pentagon and tell +General Sanfordwaithe that--" I could see by the look on his face that +my message would probably not get through verbatim. "Never mind, I'll +write it," I amended disgustedly. "And you can carry the message." +Lesser echelons do not relish the task of repeating uncomplimentary +words verbatim to a superior. Not usually. + +I punched Sara's button on my intercom. + +"After all the exposure out there to the Swami," I said, "if you're +still with us on this crass, materialistic plane, will you bring your +book?" + +"My astral self has been hovering over you, guarding you, every minute," +Sara answered dreamily. + +"Can it take shorthand?" I asked dryly. + +"Maybe I'd better come in," she replied. + +When she came through the door the lieutenant gave her one appreciative +glance, then returned to his aloof pedestal of indifference. Obviously +his pattern was to stand in majestic splendor and allow the girls to +fawn somewhere down near his shoes. These lads with a glamour boy +complex almost always gravitate toward some occupation which will +require them to wear a uniform. Sara catalogued him as quickly as I did, +and seemed unimpressed. But you never can tell about a woman; the +smartest of them will fall for the most transparent poses. + +"General Sanfordwaithe, dear sir," I began as she sat down at one corner +of my desk and flipped open her book. "It takes more than a towel +wrapped around the head and some mutterings about infinity to get +poltergeist effects. So I am returning your phony Swami to you with my +compliments--" + +"Beg your pardon, sir," the lieutenant interrupted, and there was a +certain note of suppressed triumph in his voice. "In case you rejected +our applicant for the poltergeist job you have in mind, I was to hand +you this." He undid a lovingly polished button of his tunic, slipped his +hand beneath the cloth and pulled forth a long, sealed envelope. + +I took it from him and noted the three sealing-wax imprints on the flap. +From being carried so close to his heart for so long, the envelope was +slightly less crisp than when he had received it. I slipped my letter +opener in under the side flap, and gently extracted the letter without, +in anyway, disturbing the wax seals which were to have guaranteed its +privacy. There wasn't any point in my doing it, of course, except to +demonstrate to the lieutenant that I considered the whole deal as a +silly piece of cloak and dagger stuff. + +After the general formalities, the letter was brief: "Dear Mr. Kennedy: +We already know the Swami is a phony, but our people have been convinced +that in spite of this there are some unaccountable effects. We have +advised your general manager, Mr. Henry Grenoble, that we are in the act +of carrying out our part of the agreement, namely, to provide you with +six male-type poltergeists, and to both you and him we are respectfully +suggesting that you get on with the business of putting the antigravity +units into immediate production." + +I folded the letter and tucked it into one side of my desk pad. I looked +at Sara. + +"Never mind the letter to General Sanfordwaithe," I said. "He has +successfully cut off my retreat in that direction." I looked over at the +lieutenant. "All right," I said resignedly, "I'll apologize to the +Swami, and make a try at using him." + +I picked up the letter again and pretended to be reading it. But this +was just a stall, because I had suddenly been struck by the thought that +my extreme haste in scoring off the Swami and trying to get rid of him +was because I didn't want to get involved again with poltergeists. Not +any, of any nature. + +The best way on earth to avoid having to explain psi effects and come to +terms with them is simply to deny them, convince oneself that they don't +exist. I sighed deeply. It looked as if I would be denied that little +human privilege of closing my eyes to the obvious. + + * * * * * + +Old Stone Face, our general manager, claimed to follow the philosophy of +building men, not machines. To an extent he did. His favorite phrase +was, "Don't ask me how. I hired you to tell me." He hired a man to do a +job, and I will say for him, he left that man alone as long as the job +got done. But when a man flubbed a job, and kept on flubbing it, then +Mr. Henry Grenoble stepped in and carried out his own job--general +managing. + +He had given me the assignment of putting antigrav units into +production. He had given me access to all the money I would need for the +purpose. He had given me sufficient time, months of it. And, in spite of +all this coöperation, he still saw no production lines which spewed out +antigrav units at some such rate as seventeen and five twelfths per +second. + +Apparently he got his communication from the Pentagon about the time I +got mine. Apparently it contained some implication that Computer +Research, under his management, was not pursuing the cause of +manufacturing antigrav units with diligence and dispatch. Apparently he +did not like this. + +I had no more than apologized to the Swami, and received his martyred +forgiveness, and arranged for a hotel suite for him and the lieutenant, +when Old Stone Face sent for me. He began to manage with diligence and +dispatch. + +"Now you look here, Kennedy," he said forcefully, and his use of my last +name, rather than my first, was a warning, "I've given you every chance. +When you and Auerbach came up with that antigrav unit last fall, I +didn't ask a lot of fool questions. I figured you knew what you were +doing. But the whole winter has passed, and here it is spring, and you +haven't done anything that I can see. I didn't say anything when you +told General Sanfordwaithe that you'd have to have poltergeists to carry +on the work, but I looked it up. First I thought you'd flipped your lid, +then I thought you were sending us all on a wild goose chase so we'd +leave you alone, then I didn't know what to think." + +I nodded. He wasn't through. + +"Now I think you're just pretending the whole thing doesn't exist +because you don't want to fool with it." + +Perhaps he had come to the right decision after all. I'd resolutely +washed the whole thing out of my mind. But I wasn't going to get away +with it. I could see it coming. + +"For the first time, Kennedy, I'm asking you what happened?" he said +firmly, but his tone was more telling than asking. So I was going to +have to discuss frameworks with Old Stone Face, after all. + +"Henry," I asked slowly, "have you kept up your reading in theoretical +physics?" + +He blinked at me. I couldn't tell whether it meant yes or no. + +"When we went to school, you and I--" I hoped my putting us both in the +same age group would tend to mollify him a little, "physics was all +snug, secure, safe, definite. A fact was a fact, and that's all there +was to it. But there's been some changes made. There's the coördinate +systems of Einstein, where the relationships of facts can change from +framework to framework. There's the application of multivalued logic to +physics where a fact becomes not a fact any longer. The astronomers talk +about the expanding universe--it's a piker compared to man's expanding +concepts about that universe." + +He waited for more. His face seemed to indicate that I was beating +around the bush. + +"That all has a bearing on what happened," I assured him. "You have to +understand what was behind the facts before you can understand the facts +themselves. First, we weren't trying to make an antigrav unit at all. +Dr. Auerbach was playing around with a chemical approach to cybernetics. +He made up some goop which he thought would store memory impulses, the +way the brain stores them. He brought a plastic cylinder of it over to +me, so I could discuss it with you. I laid it on my desk while I went on +with my personnel management business at hand." + +Old Stone Face opened a humidor and took out a cigar. He lit it slowly +and deliberately and looked at me sharply as he blew out the first puff +of smoke. + + * * * * * + +"The nursery over in the plant had been having trouble with a little +girl, daughter of one of our production women. She'd been throwing +things, setting things on fire. The teachers didn't know how she did it, +she just did it. They sent her to me. I asked her about it. She threw a +tantrum, and when it was all over, Auerbach's plastic cylinder of goop +was trying to fall upward, through the ceiling. That's what happened," I +said. + +He looked at his cigar, and looked at me. He waited for me to tie the +facts to the theory. I hesitated, and then tried to reassure myself. +After all, we were in the business of manufacturing computers. The +general manager ought to be able to understand something beyond primary +arithmetic. + +"Jennie Malasek was a peculiar child with a peculiar background," I went +on. "Her mother was from the old country, one of the Slav races. There's +the inheritance of a lot of peculiar notions. Maybe she had passed them +on to her daughter. She kept Jennie locked up in their room. The kid +never got out with other children. Children, kept alone, never seeing +anybody, get peculiar notions all by themselves. Who, knows what kind of +a coördinate system she built up, or how it worked? Her mother would +come home at night and go about her tasks talking aloud, half to the +daughter, half to herself. 'I really burned that foreman up, today,' +she'd say. Or, 'Oh, boy, was he fired in a hurry!' Or, 'She got herself +thrown out of the place,' things like that." + +"So what does that mean, Ralph?" he asked. His switch to my first name +indicated he was trying to work with me instead of pushing me. + +"To a child who never knew anything else," I answered, "one who had +never learned to distinguish reality from unreality--as we would define +it from our agreed framework--a special coördinate system might be built +up where 'Everybody was up in the air at work, today,' might be taken +literally. Under the old systems of physics that couldn't happen, of +course--it says in the textbooks--but since it has been happening all +through history, in thousands of instances, in the new systems of +multivalued physics we recognize it. Under the old system, we already +had all the major answers, we thought. Now that we've got our smug +certainties knocked out of us, we're just fumbling along, trying to get +some of the answers we thought we had. + +"We couldn't make that cylinder activate others. We tried. We're still +trying. In ordinary cybernetics you can have one machine punch a tape +and it can be fed into another machine, but that means you first have to +know how to code and decode a tape mechanically. We don't know how to +code or decode a psi effect. We know the Auerbach cylinder will store a +psi impulse, but we don't know how. So we have to keep working with psi +gifted people, at least until we've established some of the basic laws +governing psi." + +I couldn't tell by Henry's face whether I was with him or away from him. +He told me he wanted to think about it, and made a little motion with +his hand that I should leave the room. + +I walked through the suite of executive offices and down a sound +rebuffing hallway. The throbbing clatter of manufacture of metallic +parts made a welcome sound as I went through the far doorway into the +factory. I saw a blueprint spread on a foreman's desk as I walked past. +Good old blueprint. So many millimeters from here to there, made of such +and such an alloy, a hole punched here with an allowance of +five-ten-thousandths plus or minus tolerance. Snug, secure, safe. I +wondered if psi could ever be blue-printed. Or suppose you put a hole +here, but when you looked away and then looked back it had moved, or +wasn't there at all? + +[Illustration] + +Quickly, I got myself into a conversation with a supervisor about the +rising rate of employee turnover in his department. That was something +also snug, secure, safe. All you had to do was figure out human beings. + + * * * * * + +I spent the rest of the morning on such pursuits, working with things I +understood. + +On his first rounds of the afternoon, the interoffice messenger brought +me a memorandum from the general manager's office. I opened it with some +misgivings. I was not particularly reassured. + +Mr. Grenoble felt he should work with me more closely on the antigrav +project. He understood, from his researches, that the most positive psi +effects were experienced during a seance with a medium. Would I kindly +arrange for the Swami to hold a seance that evening, after office hours, +so that he might analyze the man's methods and procedures to see how +they could fit smoothly into Company Operation. This was not to be +construed as interference in the workings of my department but in the +interests of pursuing the entire matter with diligence and dispatch-- + +The seance was to be held in my office. + +I had had many peculiar conferences in this room--from union leaders +stripping off their coats, throwing them on the floor and stomping on +them; to uplifters who wanted to ban cosmetics on our women employees so +the male employees would not be tempted to think Questionable Thoughts. +I could not recall ever having held a seance before. + +My desk had been moved out of the way, over into one corner of the large +room. A round table was brought over from the salesmen's report writing +room (used there more for surreptitious poker playing than for writing +reports) and placed in the middle of my office--on the grounds that it +had no sharp corners to gouge people in their middles if it got to +cavorting about recklessly. In an industrial plant one always has to +consider the matter of safety rules and accident insurance rates. + +In the middle of the table there rested, with dark fluid gleaming +through clear plastic cases, six fresh cylinders which Auerbach had +prepared in his laboratory over in the plant. + +Auerbach had shown considerable unwillingness to attend the seance; he +pleaded being extra busy with experiments just now, but I gave him that +look which told him I knew he had just been stalling around the last few +months, the same as I had. + +If the psi effect had never come out in the first place, there wouldn't +have been any mental conflict. He could have gone on with his processes +of refining, simplifying and increasing the efficiency ratings of his +goop. But this unexpected side effect, the cylinders learning and +demonstrating something he considered basically untrue, had tied his +hands with a hopeless sort of frustration. He would have settled gladly +for a chemical compound which could have added two and two upon request; +but when that compound can learn and demonstrate that there's no such +thing as gravity, teaching it simple arithmetic is like ashes in the +mouth. + +I said as much to him. I stood there in his laboratory, leaned up +against a work bench, and risked burning an acid hole in the sleeve of +my jacket just to put over an air of unconcern. He was perched on the +edge of an opposite work bench, swinging his feet, and hiding the +expression in his eyes behind the window's reflection upon his polished +glasses. I said even more. + +"You know," I said reflectively, "I'm completely unable to understand +the attitude of supposedly unbiased men of science. Now you take all +that mass of data about psi effects, the odd and unexplainable +happenings, the premonitions, the specific predictions, the accurate +descriptions of far away simultaneously happening events. You take that +whole mountainous mass of data, evidence, phenomena--" + + * * * * * + +A slight turn of his head gave me a glimpse of his eyes behind the +glasses. He looked as if he wished I'd change the subject. In his dry, +undemonstrative way, I think he liked me. Or at least he liked me when I +wasn't trying to make him think about things outside his safe and secure +little framework. But I didn't give in. If men of science are not going +to take up the evidence and work it over, then where are we? And are +they men of science? + +"Before Rhine came along, and brought all this down to the level of +laboratory experimentation," I pursued, "how were those things to be +explained? Say a fellow had some unusual powers, things that happened +around him, things he knew without any explanation for knowing them. +I'll tell you. There were two courses open to him. He could express it +in the semantics of spiritism, or he could admit to witchcraft and +sorcery. Take your pick; those were the only two systems of semantics +which had been built up through the ages. + +"We've got a third one now--parapsychology. If I had asked you to attend +an experiment in parapsychology, you'd have agreed at once. But when I +ask you to attend a seance, you balk! Man, what difference does it make +what we call it? Isn't it up to us to investigate the evidence wherever +we find it? No matter what kind of semantic debris it's hiding in?" + +Auerbach shoved himself down off the bench, and pulled out a beat-up +package of cigarettes. + +"All right, Kennedy," he had said resignedly, "I'll attend your seance." + + * * * * * + +The other invited guests were Sara, Lieutenant Murphy, Old Stone Face, +myself, and, of course, the Swami. This was probably not typical of the +Swami's usual audience composition. + +Six chairs were placed at even intervals around the table. I had found +soft white lights overhead to be most suitable for my occasional night +work, but the Swami insisted that a blue light, a dim one, was most +suitable for his night work. + +I made no objection to that condition. One of the elementary basics of +science is that laboratory conditions may be varied to meet the +necessities of the experiment. If a red-lighted darkness is necessary to +an operator's successful development of photographic film, then I could +hardly object to a blue-lighted darkness for the development of the +Swami's effects. + +Neither could I object to the Swami's insistence that he sit with his +back to the true North. When he came into the room, accompanied by +Lieutenant Murphy, his thoughts seemed turned in upon himself, or wafted +somewhere out of this world. He stopped in mid-stride, struck an +attitude of listening, or feeling, perhaps, and slowly shifted his body +back and forth. + +"Ah," he said at last, in a tone of satisfaction, "there is the North!" + +It was, but this was not particularly remarkable. There is no confusing +maze of hallways leading to the Personnel Department from the outside. +Applicants would be unable to find us if there were. If he had got his +bearings out on the street, he could have managed to keep them. + +He picked up the nearest chair with his own hands and shifted it so that +it would be in tune with the magnetic lines of Earth. I couldn't object. +The Chinese had insisted upon such placement of household articles, +particularly their beds, long before the Earth's magnetism had been +discovered by science. The birds had had their direction-finders attuned +to it, long before there was man. + +Instead of objecting, the lieutenant and I meekly picked up the table +and shifted it to the new position. Sara and Auerbach came in as we were +setting the table down. Auerbach gave one quick look at the Swami in his +black cloak and nearly white turban, and then looked away. + +"Remember semantics," I murmured to him, as I pulled out Sara's chair +for her. I seated her to the left of the Swami. I seated Auerbach to the +right of him. If the lieutenant was, by chance, in cahoots with the +Swami, I would foil them to the extent of not letting them sit side by +side at least. I sat down at the opposite side of the table from the +Swami. The lieutenant sat down between me and Sara. + +The general manager came through the door at that instant, and took +charge immediately. + +"All right now," Old Stone Face said crisply, in his low, rumbling +voice, "no fiddle-faddling around. Let's get down to business." + +The Swami closed his eyes. + +"Please be seated," he intoned to Old Stone Face. "And now, let us all +join hands in an unbroken circle." + +Henry shot him a beetle-browed look as he sat down between Auerbach and +me, but at least he was coöperative to the extent that he placed both +his hands on top of the table. If Auerbach and I reached for them, we +would be permitted to grasp them. + +I leaned back and snapped off the overhead light to darken the room in +an eerie, blue glow. + +We sat there, holding hands, for a full ten minutes. Nothing happened. + + * * * * * + +It was not difficult to estimate the pattern of Henry's mind. Six +persons, ten minutes, equals one man-hour. One man-hour of idle time to +be charged into the cost figure of the antigrav unit. He was staring +fixedly at the cylinders which lay in random positions in the center of +the table, as if to assess their progress at this processing point. He +apparently began to grow dissatisfied with the efficiency rating of the +manufacturing process at this point. He stirred restlessly in his chair. + +The Swami seemed to sense the impatience, or it might have been +coincidence. + +"There is some difficulty," he gasped in a strangulated, high voice. "My +guides refuse to come through." + +"Harrumph!" exclaimed Old Stone Face. It left no doubt about what _he_ +would do if _his_ guides did not obey orders on the double. + +"Someone in this circle is not a True Believer!" the Swami accused in an +incredulous voice. + +In the dim blue light I was able to catch a glimpse of Sara's face. She +was on the verge of breaking apart. I managed to catch her eye and flash +her a stern warning. Later she told me she had interpreted my expression +as stark fear, but it served the same purpose. She smothered her +laughter in a most unladylike sound somewhere between a snort and a +squawk. + +The Swami seemed to become aware that somehow he was not holding his +audience spellbound. + +"Wait!" he commanded urgently; then he announced in awe-stricken tones, +"I feel a presence!" + +There was a tentative, half-hearted rattle of some castanets--which +could have been managed by the Swami wiggling one knee, if he happened +to have them concealed there. This was followed by the thin squawk of a +bugle--which could have been accomplished by sitting over toward one +side and squashing the air out of a rubber bulb attached to a ten-cent +party horn taped to his thigh. + +Then there was nothing. Apparently his guides had made a tentative +appearance and were, understandably, completely intimidated by Old Stone +Face. We sat for another five minutes. + +"Harrumph!" Henry cleared his throat again, this time louder and more +commanding. + +"That is all," the Swami said in a faint, exhausted voice. "I have +returned to you on your material plane." + + * * * * * + +The handholding broke up in the way bits of metal, suddenly charged +positive and negative, would fly apart. I leaned back again and snapped +on the white lights. We all sat there a few seconds, blinking in what +seemed a sudden glare. + +The Swami sat with his chin dropped down to his chest. Then he raised +stricken, liquid eyes. + +"Oh, now I remember where I am," he said. "What happened? I never know." + +Old Stone Face threw him a look of withering scorn. He picked up one of +the cylinders and hefted it in the palm of his hand. It did not fly +upward to bang against the ceiling. It weighed about what it ought to +weigh. He tossed the cylinder contemptuously, back into the pile, +scattering them over the table. He pushed back his chair, got to his +feet, and stalked out of the room without looking at any of us. + +The Swami made a determined effort to recapture the spotlight. + +"I'm afraid I must have help to walk to the car," he whispered. "I am +completely exhausted. Ah, this work takes so much out of me. Why do I go +on with it? Why? Why? Why?" + +He drooped in his chair, then made a valiantly brave effort to rise +under his own power when he felt the lieutenant's hands lifting him up. +He was leaning heavily on the lieutenant as they went out the door. + +Sara looked at me dubiously. + +"Will there be anything else?" she asked. Her tone suggested that since +nothing had been accomplished, perhaps we should get some work out +before she left. + +"No, Sara," I answered. "Good night. See you in the morning." + +She nodded and went out the door. + +Apparently none of them had seen what I saw. I wondered if Auerbach had. +He was a trained observer. He was standing beside the table looking down +at the cylinders. He reached over and poked at one of them with his +forefinger. He was pushing it back and forth. It gave him no resistance +beyond normal inertia. He pushed it a little farther out of parallel +with true North. It did not try to swing back. + +So he had seen it. When I'd laid the cylinders down on the table they +were in random positions. During the seance there had been no jarring of +the table, not even so much as a rap or quiver which could have been +caused by the Swami's lifted knee. When we'd shifted the table, after +the Swami had changed his chair, the cylinders hadn't been disturbed. +When Old Stone Face had been staring at them during the seance--seance?, +hah!--they were laying in inert, random positions. + +But when the lights came back on, and just before Henry had picked one +up and tossed it back to scatter them, every cylinder had been laying in +orderly parallel--and with one end pointing to true North! + +I stood there beside Auerbach, and we both poked at the cylinders some +more. They gave us no resistance, nor showed that they had any ideas +about it one way or the other. + +"It's like so many things," I said morosely. "If you do just happen to +notice anything out of the ordinary at all, it doesn't seem to mean +anything." + +"Maybe that's because you're judging it outside of its own framework," +Auerbach answered. I couldn't tell whether he was being sarcastic or +speculative. "What I don't understand," he went on, "is that once the +cylinders having been activated by whatever force there was in +action--all right, call it psi--well, why didn't they retain it, the way +the other cylinders retained the antigrav force?" + +I thought for a moment. Something about the conditional setup seemed to +give me an idea. + +"You take a photographic plate," I reasoned. "Give it a weak exposure to +light, then give it a strong blast of overexposure. The first exposure +is going to be blanked out by the second. Old Stone Face was feeling +pretty strongly toward the whole matter." + +Auerbach looked at me, unbelieving. + +"There isn't any rule about who can have psi talent," I argued. "I'm +just wondering if I shouldn't wire General Sanfordwaithe and tell him +to cut our order for poltergeists down to five." + + * * * * * + +I spent a glum, restless night. I knew, with certainty, that Old Stone +Face was going to give me trouble. I didn't need any psi talent for +that, it was an inevitable part of his pattern. He had made up his mind +to take charge of this antigrav operation, and he wouldn't let one bogus +seance stop him more than momentarily. + +If it weren't so close to direct interference with my department, I'd +have been delighted to sit on the side lines and watch him try to +command psi effects to happen. That would be like commanding some random +copper wire and metallic cores to start generating electricity. + +For once I could have overlooked the interference with my department if +I didn't know, from past experience, that I'd be blamed for the +consequent failure. That's a cute little trick of top executives, +generally. They get into something they don't understand, really louse +it up, then, because it is your department, you are the one who failed. +Ordinarily I liked my job, but if this sort of thing went too far-- + +But more than saving my job, I had the feeling that if I were allowed to +go along, carefully and experimentally, I just might discover a few of +the laws about psi. There was the tantalizing feeling that I was on the +verge of knowing at least something. + +The Pentagon people had been right. The Swami was an obvious phony of +the baldest fakery, yet he had something. He had something, but how was +I to get hold of it? Just what kind of turns with what around what did +you make to generate a psi force? It took two thousand years for man to +move from the concept that amber was a stone with a soul to the concept +of static electricity. Was there any chance I could find some shortcuts +in reducing the laws governing psi? The one bright spot of my morning +was that Auerbach hadn't denied seeing the evidence of the cylinders +pointing North. + +It turned out to be the only bright spot. I had no more than got to my +office and sorted out the routine urgencies which had to be handled +immediately from those which could be put off a little longer, when Sara +announced the lieutenant and the Swami. So I put everything else off, +and told her to send them right in. + +The Swami was in an incoherent rage. The lieutenant was contracting his +eyebrows in a scowl and clenching his fists in frustration. In a voice, +soaring into the falsetto, the Swami demanded that he be sent back to +Brooklyn where he was appreciated. The lieutenant had orders to stay +with the Swami, but he didn't have any orders about returning either to +Brooklyn or the Pentagon. I managed, at last, to get the lieutenant +seated in a straight chair, but the Swami couldn't stay still long +enough. He stalked up and down the room, swirling his slightly odorous +black cloak on the turns. Gradually the story came out. + + * * * * * + +Old Stone Face, a strong advocate of Do It Now, hadn't wasted any time. +From his home he had called the Swami at his hotel and commanded him to +report to the general manager's office at once. Apparently they both got +there about the same time, and Henry had waded right in. + +Apparently Henry, too, had spent a restless night. He accused the Swami +of inefficiency, bungling, fraud, deliberate insubordination, and a few +other assorted faults for having made a fool out of us all at the +seance. He'd as much as commanded the Swami to cut out all this +shilly-shallying and get down to the business of activating antigrav +cylinders, or else. He hadn't been specific about what the "or else" +would entail. + +It was up to me to pick up the pieces, if I could. + +"Now I'm sure he really didn't mean--" I began to pour oil on the +troubled waters. "With your deep insight, Swami--The fate of great +martyrs throughout the ages--" Gradually the ego-building phrases calmed +him down. He grew willing to listen, if for no more than the +anticipation of hearing more of them. + +He settled down into the crying chair at last, and I could see his +valence shifting from outraged anger to a vast and noble forgiveness. +This much was not difficult. To get him to coöperate, consciously and +enthusiastically, well that might not be so easy. + +Each trade has its own special techniques. The analytical chemist has a +series of routines he tries when he wishes to reduce an unknown compound +to its constituents. To the chemically uneducated, this may appear to be +a fumbling, hit or miss, kind of procedure. The personnel man, too, has +his series of techniques. It may appear to be no more than random, +pointless conversation. + +I first tried the routine process of reasoning. I didn't expect it to +work; it seldom does, but it can't be eliminated until it has been +tested. + + * * * * * + +"You must understand," I said slowly, soothingly, "that our intentions +are constructive. We are simply trying to apply the scientific method to +something which has, heretofore, been wrapped in mysticism." + +The shocked freezing of his facial muscles told me that reasoning had +missed its mark. It told me more. + +"Science understands nothing, nothing at all!" he snapped, "Science +tries to reduce everything to test tubes and formulae; but I am the +instrument of a mystery which man can never know." + +"Well, now," I said reasonably. "Let us not be inconsistent. You say +this is something man was not meant to know; yet you, yourself, have +devoted your life to gaining a greater comprehension of it." + +"I seek only to rise above my material self so that I might place +myself in harmony with the flowing symphony of Absolute Truth," he +lectured me sonorously. Oh well, his enrapturement with such terminology +differed little from some of the sciences which tended to grow equally +esoteric. And maybe it meant something. Who was I to say that mine ears +alone heard all the music being played? + +It did mean one thing very specifically. There are two basic approaches +to the meaning of life and the universe about us. Man can know: That is +the approach of science, its whole meaning. There are mysteries which +man was not meant to know: That is the other approach. There is no +reconciling of the two on a reasoning basis. I represented the former. I +wasn't sure the Swami was a true representative of the latter, but at +least he had picked up the valence and the phrases. + +I made a mental note that reasoning was an unworkable technique with +this compound. Henry, a past master at it, had already tried threats and +abuse. That hadn't worked. I next tried one of the oldest forms in the +teaching of man, a parable. + +I told him of my old Aunt Dimity, who was passionately fond of Rummy, +but considered all other card games sinful. + +"Ah, how well she proves my point," the Swami countered. "There is an +inner voice, a wisdom greater than the mortal mind to guide us--" + +"Well now," I asked reasonably, "why would the inner voice say that +Rummy was O.K., but Casino wasn't?" But it was obvious he liked the +point he had made better than he had liked the one I failed to make. + +So I tried the next technique. I tried an appeal for instruction. Often +an opponent will come over to your side if you just confess, honestly, +that he is a better man than you are, and you need his help. What was +the road I must take to achieve the same understanding he had achieved? +His eyes glittered at that, and a mercenary expression underlay the tone +of his answer. + +"First there is fasting, and breathing, and contemplating self," he +murmured mendaciously. "I would be unable to aid you until you gave me +full ascendancy over you, so that I might guide your every thought--" + +I decided to try inspiration. In breaking down recalcitrant materials in +the laboratory of my personnel office, sometimes one method worked, +sometimes another. + +"Do you realize, Swami," I asked, "that the one great drawback +throughout the ages to a full acceptance of psi is the lack of permanent +evidence? It has always been evanescent, perishable. It always rests +solely upon the word of witnesses. But if I could show you a film print, +then you could not doubt the existence of photography, could you?" + +I opened my lower desk drawer and pulled out a couple of the Auerbach +cylinders which we had used the night before. I laid them on top of the +desk. + +"These cylinders," I said, "act like the photographic film. They will +record, in permanent form, the psi effects you command. At last, for all +mankind the doubt will be stilled; man will at once know the truth; and +you will take your place among the immortals." + +[Illustration] + +I thought it was pretty good, and that, with his overweening ego, it +would surely do the trick. But the Swami was staring at the cylinders +first in fascination, then fear, then in horror. He jumped to his feet, +without bothering to swirl his robe majestically, rushed over to the +door, fumbled with the knob as if he were in a burning room, managed to +get the door open, and rushed outside. The lieutenant gave me a puzzled +look, and went after him. + + * * * * * + +I drew a deep breath, and exhaled it audibly. My testing procedures +hadn't produced the results I'd expected, but the last one had revealed +something else. + +The Swami believed himself to be a fraud! + +As long as he could razzle-dazzle with sonorous phrases, and depend upon +credulous old women to turn them into accurate predictions of things to +come, he was safe enough. But faced with something which would prove +definitely-- + +Well, what would he do now? + +And then I noticed that both cylinders were pointing toward the door. I +watched them, at first, not quite sure; then I grew convinced by the +change in their perspective with the angles of the desk. Almost as +slowly as the minute hand of a watch, they were creeping across the desk +toward the door. They, too, were trying to escape from the room. + +I nudged them with my fingers. They hustled along a little faster, as if +appreciative of the help, even coming from me. I saw they were moving +faster, as if they were learning as they tried it. I turned one of them +around. Slowly it turned back and headed for the door again. I lifted +one of them to the floor. It had no tendency to float, but it kept +heading for the door. The other one fell off the desk while I was +fooling with the first one. The jar didn't seem to bother it any. It, +too, began to creep across the rug toward the door. + +I opened the door for them. Sara looked up. She saw the two cylinders +come into view, moving under their own power. + +"Here we go again," she said, resignedly. + +The two cylinders pushed themselves over the door sill, got clear +outside my office. Then they went inert. Both Sara and I tried nudging +them, poking them. They just lay there; mission accomplished. I carried +them back inside my office and lay them on the floor. Immediately both +of them began to head for the door again. + +"Simple," Sara said dryly, "they just can't stand to be in the same room +with you, that's all." + +"You're not just whistling, gal," I answered. "That's the whole point." + +"Have I said something clever?" she asked seriously. + +I took the cylinders back into my office and put them in a desk drawer. +I watched the desk for a while, but it didn't change position. +Apparently it was too heavy for the weak force activating the cylinders. + +I picked up the phone and called Old Stone Face. I told him about the +cylinders. + +"There!" he exclaimed with satisfaction. "I knew all that fellow needed +was a good old-fashioned talking to. Some day, my boy, you'll realize +that you still have a lot to learn about handling men." + +"Yes, sir," I answered. + + * * * * * + +Sara asked me if I were ready to start seeing people, and I told her I +wasn't, that I had some thinking to do. She quipped something about +making the world wait, meaning that I should be occupying my time with +personnel managing, and closed the door. + +At that, Old Stone Face had a point. If he hadn't got in and riled +things up, maybe the Swami would not have been emotionally upset enough +to generate the psi force which had activated these new cylinders. + +What was I saying? That psi was linked with emotional upheaval? Well, +maybe. Not necessarily, but Rhine had proved that strength of desire had +an effect upon the frequency index of telekinesis. Was there anything at +all we knew about psi, so that we could start cataloguing, sketching in +the beginnings of a pattern? Yes, of course there was. + +First, it existed. No one could dismiss the mountainous mass of evidence +unless he just refused to think about the subject. + +Second, we could, in time, know what it was and how it worked. You'd +have to give up the entire basis of scientific attitude if you didn't +admit that. + +Third, it acted like a sense, rather than as something dependent upon +the intellectual process of thought. You could, for example--I argued to +my imaginary listener--command your nose to smell a rose, and by +autosuggestion you might think you were succeeding; that is, until you +really did smell a real rose, then you'd know that you'd failed to +create it through a thought pattern. The sense would have to be +separated from the process of thinking about the sense. + +So what was psi? But, at this point, did it matter much? Wasn't the main +issue one of learning how to produce it, use it? How long did we work +with electricity and get a lot of benefits from it before we formed some +theories about what it was? And, for that matter, did we know what it +was, even yet? "A flow of electrons" was a pretty meaningless phrase, +when you stopped to think about it. I could say psi was a flow of +positrons, and it would mean as much. + +I reached over and picked up a cigarette. I started fumbling around in +the center drawer of my desk for a matchbook. I didn't find any. Without +thinking, I opened the drawer containing the two cylinders. They were +pressing up against the side of the desk drawer, still trying to get out +of the room. Single purposed little beasts, weren't they? + +I closed the drawer, and noticed that I was crushing out my cigarette in +the ash tray, just as if I'd smoked it. It was the first overt +indication I'd had that maybe my nerves weren't all they should be this +morning. + +The sight of the cylinders brought up the fourth point. Experimental +psychology was filled with examples of the known senses being unable to +make correct evaluations when confronted with a totally new object, +color, scent, taste, sound, impression. It was necessary to have a point +of orientation before the new could be fitted into the old. What we +really lacked in psi was the ability to orient its phenomena. The +various psi gifted individuals tried to do this. If they believed in +guides from beyond the veil, that's the way they expressed themselves. +On the other hand, a Rhine card caller might not be able to give you a +message from your dear departed Aunt Minnie if his life depended upon +it--yet it could easily be the same force working in both instances. +Consequently, a medium, such as the Swami, whose basic belief was There +Are Mysteries, would be unable to function in a framework where the +obvious intent was to unveil those mysteries! + +That brought up a couple more points. I felt pretty sure of them. I +felt as if I were really getting somewhere. And I had a situation which +was ideal for proving my points. + +I flipped the intercom key, and spoke to Sara. + +"Will you arrange with her foreman for Annie Malasek to come to my +office right now?" I asked. Sara is flippant when things are going along +all right, but she knows when to buckle down and do what she's asked. +She gave me no personal reactions to this request. + +Yes, Annie Malasek would be a good one. If anybody in the plant believed +There Are Mysteries, it would be Annie. Further, she was exaggeratedly +loyal to me. She believed I was responsible for turning her little +Jennie, the little girl who'd started all this poltergeist trouble, into +a Good Little Girl. In this instance, I had no qualms about taking +advantage of that loyalty. + + * * * * * + +While I waited for her I called the lieutenant at his hotel. He was in. +Yes, the Swami was also in. They'd just returned. Yes, the Swami was +ranting and raving about leaving Los Angeles at once. He had said he +absolutely would have nothing more to do with us here at Computer +Research. I told Lieutenant Murphy to scare him with tales of the +secret, underground working of Army Intelligence, to quiet him down. And +I scared the lieutenant a little by pointing out that holding a civilian +against his will without the proper writ was tantamount to kidnapping. +So if the Army didn't want trouble with the Civil Courts, all brought +about because the lieutenant didn't know how to handle his man-- + +The lieutenant became immediately anxious to coöperate with me. So then +I soothed him. I told him that, naturally, the Swami was unhappy. He was +used to Swami-ing, and out here he had been stifled, frustrated. What he +needed was some credulous women to catch their breath at his +awe-inspiring insight and gaze with fearful rapture into his eyes. The +lieutenant didn't know where he could find any women like that. I told +him, dryly, that I would furnish some. + +Annie was more than coöperative. Sure, the whole plant was buzzing about +that foreign-looking Swami who had been seen coming in and out of my +office. Sure, a lot of the Girls believed in seances. + +"Why? Don't you, Mr. Kennedy?" she asked curiously. + +I said I wasn't sure, and she clucked her tongue in sympathy. It must be +terrible not to be sure, so ... well, it must be just terrible. And I +was such a kind man, too. I didn't quite get the connection, until I +remembered there are some patterns which believe a human being would be +incapable of being kind unless through hope of reward or fear of +punishment. + +But when I asked her to go to the hotel and persuade the Swami to give +her a reading, she was reluctant. I thought my plan was going to be +frustrated, but it turned out that her reluctance was only because she +did not have a thing to wear, going into a high-toned place like that. + +Sara wasn't the right size, but one of the older girls in the outer +office would lend Annie some clothes if I would let her go see the +Swami, too. It developed that her own teacher was a guest of Los Angeles +County for a while, purely on a trumped-up charge, you understand, Mr. +Kennedy. Not that she was a cop hater or anything like that. She was +perfectly aware of what a fine and splendid job those noble boys in blue +did for us all, but-- + +In my own office! Well, you never knew. + +Yet, what was the difference between her and me? We were both trying to +get hold of and benefit by psi effects, weren't we? So I didn't comment. +Instead, I found myself much farther ahead with my tentative plans than +I'd anticipated at this stage. + +Yes, my interviewer's teacher had quite a large following, and now they +were all at loose ends. If the Swami were willing, she could provide a +large and ready-made audience for him. She would be glad to talk to him +about it. + +Annie hurriedly said that she would be glad to talk to him about it, +too; that she could get up a large audience, too. So, even before it got +started, I had my rival factions at work. I egged them both on, and +promised that I'd get Army Intelligence to work with the local boys in +blue to hold off making any raids. + +Annie told me again what a kind man I was. My interviewer spoke up +quickly and said how glad she was to find an opportunity for expressing +how grateful she was for the privilege of working right in the same +department with such an understanding, really intellectually developed +adult. She eyed Annie sidelong, as if to gauge the effects of her +attempts to set me up on a pedestal, out of Annie's reach. + +I hoped I wouldn't start believing either one of them. I hoped I wasn't +as inaccurate in my estimates of people as was my interviewer. I +wondered if she were really qualified for the job she held. Then I +realized this was a contest between two women and I, a mere male, was +simply being used as the pawn. Well, that worked both ways. In a fair +bargain both sides receive satisfaction. I felt a little easier about my +tactical maneuvers. + +But the development of rivalry between factions of the audience gave me +an additional idea. Perhaps that's what the Swami really needed, a +little rivalry. Perhaps he was being a little too hard to crack because +he knew he was the only egg in the basket. + +I called Old Stone Face and told him what I planned. He responded that +it was up to me. He'd stepped in and got things under way for me, got +things going, now it was my job to keep them going. It looked as if he +were edging out from under--or maybe he really believed that. + +Before I settled into the day's regular routine, I wired General +Sanfordwaithe, and told him that if he had any more prospects ready +would he please ship me one at once, via air mail, special delivery. + + * * * * * + +The recital hall, hired for the Swami's Los Angeles debut, was large +enough to accommodate all the family friends and relatives of any little +Maribel who, having mastered "Daffodils In May," for four fingers, was +being given to the World. It had the usual small stage equipped with +pull-back curtains to give a dramatic flourish, or to shut off from view +the effects of any sudden nervous catastrophe brought about by stage +fright. + +I got there, purposely a little late, in hopes the house lights would +already be dimmed and everything in progress; but about a hundred and +fifty people were milling around outside on the walk and in the +corridors. Both factions had really been busy. + +Most of them were women, but, to my intense relief, there were a few +men. Some of these were only husbands, but a few of the men wore a look +which said they'd been far away for a long time. Somehow I got the +impression that instead of looking into a crystal ball, they would be +more inclined to look out of one. + +It was a little disconcerting to realize that no one noticed me, or +seemed to think I was any different from anybody else. I supposed I +should be thankful that I wasn't attracting any attention. I saw my +interviewer amid a group of Older Girls. She winked at me roguishly, and +patted her heavy handbag significantly. As per instructions, she was +carrying a couple of the Auerbach cylinders. + +I found myself staring in perplexity for a full minute at another woman, +before I realized it was Annie. I had never seen her before, except +dressed in factory blue jeans, man's blue shirt, and a bandanna wrapped +around her head. Her companion, probably another of the factory +assemblers, nudged her and pointed, not too subtly, in my direction. +Annie saw me then, and lit up with a big smile. She started toward me, +hesitated when I frowned and shook my head, flushed with the thought +that I didn't want to speak to her in public; then got a flash of better +sense than that. She, too, gave me a conspiratorial wink and patted her +handbag. + +My confederates were doing nicely. + +Almost immediately thereafter a horse-faced, mustached old gal started +rounding people up in a honey sweet, pear shaped voice; and herded them +into the auditorium. I chose one of the wooden folding chairs in the +back row. + +A heavy jowled old gal came out in front of the closed curtains and gave +a little introductory talk about how lucky we all were that the Swami +had consented to visit with us. There was the usual warning to anyone +who was not of the esoteric that we must not expect too much, that +sometimes nothing at all happened, that true believers did not attend +just to see effects. She reminded us kittenishly that the guides were +capricious, and that we must all help by merging ourselves in the great +flowing currents of absolute infinity. + +She finally faltered, realized she was probably saying all the things +the Swami would want to say--in the manner of people who introduce +speakers everywhere--and with a girlish little flourish she waved at +someone off stage. + +The house lights dimmed. The curtains swirled up and back. + + * * * * * + +The Swami was doing all right for himself. He was seated behind a small +table in the center of the stage. A pale violet light diffused through a +huge crystal ball on the table, and threw his dark features into sharp +relief. It gave an astonishingly remote and inscrutable wisdom to his +features. In the pale light, and at this distance, his turban looked +quite clean. + +He began to speak slowly and sonorously. A hush settled over the +audience, and gradually I felt myself merging with the mass reaction of +the rest. As I listened, I got the feeling that what he was saying was +of tremendous importance, that somehow his words contained great and +revealing wonders--or would contain them if I were only sufficiently +advanced to comprehend their true meanings. The man was good, he knew +his trade. All men search for truth at one level or another. I began to +realize why such a proportionate few choose the cold and impersonal +laboratory. Perhaps if there were a way to put science to music-- + +The Swami talked on for about twenty minutes, and then I noticed his +voice had grown deeper and deeper in tone, and suddenly, without any +apparent transition, we all knew it was not really the Swami's voice we +were hearing. And then he began to tell members of the audience little +intimate things about themselves, things which only they should know. + +He was good at this, too. He had mastered the trick of making universals +sound like specifics. I could do the same thing. The patterns of +people's lives have multiple similarities. To a far greater extent than +generally realized the same things happen to everyone. The idea was to +take some of the lesser known ones and word them so they seemed to apply +to one isolated individual. + +For instance, I could tell a fellow about when he was a little boy there +was a little girl in a red dress with blond pigtails who used to scrap +with him and tattle things about him to her mother. If he were inclined +to be credulous, this was second sight I had. But it is a universal. +What average boy didn't, at one time or another, know a little girl with +blond pigtails? What blond little girl didn't occasionally wear a red +dress? What little girl didn't tattle to her mother about the naughty +things the boys were doing? + +[Illustration] + +The Swami did that for a while. The audience was leaning forward in a +rapture of ecstasy. First the organ tones of his voice soothed and +softened. The phrases which should mean something if only you had the +comprehension. The universals applied as specifics. He had his audience +in the palm of his hand. He didn't need his crystal ball to tell him +that. + +But he wanted it to be complete. Most of the responses had been from +women. He gave them the generalities which didn't sound like +generalities. They confirmed with specifics. But most were women. He +wanted the men, too. He began to concentrate on the men. He made it +easy. + +"I have a message," he said. "From ... now let me get it right ... from +R. S. It is for a man in this audience. Will the man who knew R. S. +acknowledge?" + +There was a silence. And that was such an easy one, too. I hadn't +planned to participate, but, on impulse, since none of the other men +were cooperating, I spoke up. + +"Robert Smith!" I exclaimed. "Good old Bob!" + +Several of the women sitting near me looked at me and beamed their +approval. One of the husbands scowled at me. + +"I can tell by your tone," the Swami said, and apparently he hadn't +recognized my tone, "that you have forgiven him. That is the message. He +wants you to know that he is happy. He is much wiser now. He knows now +that he was wrong." + +One of the women reached over and patted me on the shoulder, giving me +motherly encouragement. + +But the Swami had no more messages for men. He was smart enough to know +where to stop. He'd tried one of the simplest come-ons, and there had +been too much of a pause. It had almost not come off. + +I wondered who good old Bob Smith was? Surely, among the thousands of +applicants I'd interviewed, there must have been a number of them. And, +being applicants, of course some of them had been wrong. + +The Swami's tones, giving one message after another--faster and faster +now, not waiting for acknowledgment or confirmation--began to sink into +a whisper. His speech became ragged, heavy. The words became +indistinguishable. About his head there began to float a pale, +luminescent sphere. There was a subdued gasp from the audience and then +complete stillness. As though, unbreathing, in the depths of a tomb, +they watched the sphere. It bobbed about, over the Swami's head and +around him. At times it seemed as if about to float off stage, but it +came back. It swirled out over the audience, but not too far, and never +at such an angle that the long, flexible dull black wire supporting it +would be silhouetted against the glowing crystal ball. + +Then it happened. There was a gasp, a smothered scream. And over at one +side of the auditorium a dark object began bobbing about in the air up +near the ceiling. It swerved and swooped. The Swami's luminescent sphere +jerked to a sudden stop. The Swami sat with open mouth and stared at the +dark object which he was not controlling. + +The dark object was not confined to any dull black wire. It went where +it willed. It went too high and brushed against the ceiling. + +There was a sudden shower of coins to the floor. A compact hit the floor +with a flat spat. A handkerchief floated down more slowly. + +"My purse!" a woman gasped. I recognized my interviewer's voice. Her +purse contained two Auerbach cylinders, and they were having themselves +a ball. + +In alarm, I looked quickly at the stage, hoping the Swami wasn't astute +enough to catch on. But he was gone. The audience, watching the bobbing +purse, hadn't realized it as yet. And they were delayed in realizing it +by a diversion from the other side of the auditorium. + +"I can't hold it down any longer, Mr. Kennedy!" a woman gasped out. +"It's taking me up into the air!" + +"Hold on, Annie!" I shouted back. "I'm coming!" + + * * * * * + +A chastened and subdued Swami sat in my office the following morning, +and this time he was inclined to be coöperative. More, he was looking to +me for guidance, understanding, and didn't mind acknowledging my +ascendancy. And, with the lieutenant left in the outer office, he didn't +have any face to preserve. + +Later, last night, he'd learned the truth of what happened after he had +run away in a panic. I'd left a call at the hotel for the lieutenant. +When the lieutenant had got him calmed down and returned my call, I'd +instructed the lieutenant to tell the Swami about the Auerbach +cylinders; to tell the Swami he was not a fake after all. + +The Swami had obviously spent a sleepless night. It is a terrible thing +to have spent years perfecting the art of fakery, and then to realize +you needn't have faked at all. More terrible, he had swallowed some of +his own medicine, and was overcome with fear of the forces which he had +been commanding. All through the night he had shivered in fear of some +instant and horrible retaliation. For him it was still a case of There +Are Mysteries. + +And it was of no comfort to his state of mind right now that the four +cylinders we had finally captured last night were, at this moment, +bobbing about in my office, swooping and swerving around in the upper +part of the room, like bats trying to find some opening. I was giving +him the full treatment! The first two cylinders, down on the floor, were +pressing up against my closed door, like frightened little things trying +to escape a room of horror. + +The Swami's face was twitching, and his long fingers kept twining +themselves into King's X symbols. But he was sitting it out. He was +swallowing some of the hair of the dog that bit him. I had to give him A +for that. + +"I've been trying to build up a concept of the framework wherein psi +seems to function," I told him casually, just as if it were all a +formularized laboratory procedure. "I had to pull last night's stunt to +prove something." + +He tore his eyes away from the cylinders which were over exploring one +corner of the ceiling, and looked at me. + +"Let's go to electricity," I said speculatively. "Not that we know psi +and electricity have anything in common, other than some similar +analogies, but we don't know they don't. Both of them may be just +different manifestations of the same thing. We don't really know why a +magnetized core, turning inside a coil of copper wire, generates +electricity. + +"Oh we've got some phrases," I acknowledged. "We've got a whole +structure of phrases, and when you listen to them they sound as if they +ought to mean something--like the phrases you were using last night. +Everybody assumes they do mean something to the pundits. So, since it is +human to want to be a pundit, we repeat these phrases over and over, and +call them explanations. Yet we do know what happens, even if we do just +theorize about why. We know how to wrap something around something and +get electricity. + +"Take the induction coil," I said. "We feed a low-voltage current into +one end, and we draw off a high-voltage current from the other. But +anyone who wants, any time, can disprove the whole principle of the +induction coil. All you have to do is wrap your core with a +nonconductor, say nylon thread, and presto, nothing comes out. You see, +it doesn't work; and anybody who claims it does is a faker and a liar. +That's what happens when science tries to investigate psi by the +standard methods. + +"You surround a psi-gifted individual with nonbelievers, and probably +nothing will come out of it. Surround him with true believers; and it +all seems to act like an induction coil. Things happen. Yet even when +things do happen, it is usually impossible to prove it. + +"Take yourself, Swami. And this is significant. First we have the north +point effect. Then those two little beggars trying to get out the door. +Then the ones which are bobbing around up there. Without the cylinders +there would have been no way to know that anything had happened at all. + +"Now, about this psi framework. It isn't something you can turn on and +off, at will. We don't know enough yet for that. Aside from some +believers and those individuals who do seem to attract psi forces, we +don't know, yet, what to wrap around what. So, here's what you're to do: +You're to keep a supply of these cylinders near you at all times. If any +psi effects happen, they'll record it. Fair enough? + +"Now," I said with finality. "I have anticipated that you might refuse. +But you're not the only person who has psi ability. I've wired General +Sanfordwaithe to send me another fellow; one who will coöperate." + +The Swami thought it over. Here he was with a suite in a good hotel; +with an army lieutenant to look after his earthly needs; on the payroll +of a respectable company; with a ready-made flock of believers; and no +fear of the bunco squad. He had never had it so good. The side money, +for private readings alone, should be substantial. + +Further, and he watched me narrowly, I didn't seem to be afraid of the +cylinders. It was probably this which gave the clincher. + +"I'll coöperate," he agreed meekly. + + * * * * * + +For three days there was nothing. The Swami seemed coöperative enough. +He called me a couple times a day and reported that the cylinders just +lay around his room. I didn't know what to tell him. I recommended he +read biographies of famous mediums. I recommended fasting, and +breathing, and contemplating self. He seemed dubious, but said he'd try +it. + +On the morning of the third day, Sara called me on the intercom and told +me there was another Army lieutenant in her office, and another charac +... another gentleman. I opened my door and went out to Sara's office to +greet them. My first glimpse told me Sara had been right the first time. +He was a character. + +The new lieutenant was no more than the standard output from the same +production line as Lieutenant Murphy, but the wizened little old man he +had in tow was from a different and much rarer matrix. As fast as I had +moved, I was none too soon. The character reached over and tilted up +Sara's chin as I was coming through the door. + +"Now you're a healthy young wench," he said with a leer. "What are you +doing tonight, baby?" The guy was at least eighty years old. + +"Hey, you, pop!" I exclaimed in anger. "Be your age!" + +He turned around and looked me up and down. + +"I'm younger, that way, than you are, right now!" he snapped. + +A disturbance in the outer office kept me from thinking up a retort. +There were some subdued screams, some scuffling of heavy shoes, the +sounds of some running feet as applicants got away. The outer door to +Sara's office was flung open. + +Framed in the doorway, breast high, floated the Swami! + + * * * * * + +He was sitting, cross-legged, on a hotel bathmat. From both front +corners, where they had been attached by loops of twine, there peeked +Auerbach cylinders. Two more rear cylinders were grasped in Lieutenant +Murphy's strong hands. He was propelling the Swami along, mid air, in +Atlantic City Boardwalk style. + +The Swami looked down at us with aloof disdain, then his eyes focused on +the old man. His glance wavered; he threw a startled and fearful look at +the cylinders holding up his bathmat. They did not fall. A vast relief +overspread his face, and he drew himself erect with more disdain than +ever. The old man was not so aloof. + +"Harry Glotz!" he exclaimed. "Why you ... you faker! What are you doing +in that getup?" + +The Swami took a casual turn about the room, leaning to one side on his +magic carpet as if banking an airplane. + +"Peasant!" He spat the word out and motioned grandly toward the door. +Lieutenant Murphy pushed him through. + +"Why, that no good bum!" the old man shouted at me. "That no-good from +nowhere! I'll fix him! Thinks he's something, does he? I'll show him! +Anything he can do I can do better!" + +His rage got the better of him. He rushed through the door, shaking both +fists above his white head, shouting imprecations, threats, and pleading +to be shown how the trick was done, all in the same breath. The new +lieutenant cast a stricken look at us and then sped after his charge. + +"Looks as if we're finally in production," I said to Sara. + +"That's only the second one," she said mournfully. "When you get all six +of them, this joint's sure going to be jumping!" + +I looked out of her window at the steel and concrete walls of the +factory. They were solid, real, secure; they were a symbol of reality, +the old reality a man could understand. + +"I hope you don't mean that literally, Sara," I answered dubiously. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + +[Illustration] + +This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_ March 1955. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright +on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors +have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Sense from Thought Divide, by Mark Irvin Clifton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SENSE FROM THOUGHT DIVIDE *** + +***** This file should be named 22513-8.txt or 22513-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/1/22513/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/22513-8.zip b/22513-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..923e610 --- /dev/null +++ b/22513-8.zip diff --git a/22513-h.zip b/22513-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1b25608 --- /dev/null +++ b/22513-h.zip diff --git a/22513-h/22513-h.htm b/22513-h/22513-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..90b231f --- /dev/null +++ b/22513-h/22513-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3100 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Sense from Thought Divide, by Mark Clifton + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + } + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figtran {float: left; text-align: justify; border: solid 1px; + margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em;} + .figtran img {float: left; padding-right: 1em;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + img {border: none} + + a:link {text-decoration:none;} + a:visited {text-decoration:none;} + + .cpoem {width: 25em; margin: 0 auto;} + + .poem span.i12 {display: block; margin-left: 12em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .illo {margin-bottom: 2em; margin-top: 1.5em; font-size: smaller; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;} + .tease {margin-top: 2em; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;text-align: center;} + .theend {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 2em;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Sense from Thought Divide, by Mark Irvin Clifton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sense from Thought Divide + +Author: Mark Irvin Clifton + +Illustrator: van Dongen + +Release Date: September 5, 2007 [EBook #22513] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SENSE FROM THOUGHT DIVIDE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="700" height="280" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<h1>SENSE FROM THOUGHT DIVIDE</h1> + +<h2>BY MARK CLIFTON</h2> + + +<p class="tease"><big>What is a</big> "phony"? Someone who believes he can do X, when<br /> +he can't, however sincerely he believes it? Or someone who can<br /> +do X, believes he can't, and believes he is pretending he can?</p> + + +<p class="illo">Illustrated by van Dongen</p> + + + +<div class="cpoem"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Remembrance and reflection, how allied;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">What thin partitions sense from thought divide."<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i12">Pope<br /></span> +</div></div></div> + +<p>When I opened the door to my +secretary's office, I could see her +looking up from her desk at the +Swami's face with an expression of +fascinated skepticism. The Swami's +back was toward me, and on it hung +flowing folds of a black cloak. His +turban was white, except where it +had rubbed against the back of his +neck.</p> + +<p>"A tall, dark, and handsome man +will soon come into your life," he +was intoning in that sepulchral voice +men habitually use in their dealings +with the absolute.</p> + +<p>Sara's green eyes focused beyond +him, on me, and began to twinkle.</p> + +<p>"And there he is right now," she +commented dryly. "Mr. Kennedy, +Personnel Director for Computer +Research."</p> + +<p>The Swami whirled around, his +heavy robe following the movement +in a practiced swirl. His liquid black +eyes looked me over shrewdly, and +he bowed toward me as he vaguely +touched his chest, lips and forehead. +I expected him to murmur, "Effendi," +or "Bwana Sahib," or something, +but he must have felt silence +was more impressive.</p> + +<p>I acknowledged his greeting by +pulling down one corner of my +mouth. Then I looked at his companion.</p> + +<p>The young lieutenant was standing +very straight, very stiff, and a +flush of pink was starting up from +his collar and spreading around his +clenched jaws to leave a semicircle +of white in front of his red ears.</p> + +<p>"Who are you?" I asked the +lieutenant.</p> + +<p>"Lieutenant Murphy," he answered +shortly, and managed to open his +teeth a bare quarter of an inch for +the words to come out. "Pentagon!" +His light gray eyes pierced me to see +if I were impressed.</p> + +<p>I wasn't.</p> + +<p>"Division of Matériel and Supply," +he continued in staccato, as if +he were imitating a machine gun.</p> + +<p>I waited. It was obvious he wasn't +through yet. He hesitated, and I +could see his Adam's apple travel +up above the knot of his tie and back +down again as he swallowed. The +pink flush deepened suddenly into +brilliant red and spread all over his +face.</p> + +<p>"Poltergeist Section," he said +defiantly.</p> + +<p>"<i>What?</i>" The exclamation was +out before I could catch it.</p> + +<p>He tried to glare at me, but his +eyes were pleading instead.</p> + +<p>"General Sanfordwaithe said you'd +understand." He intended to make it +matter of fact in a sturdy, confident +voice, but there was the undertone +of a wail. It was time I lent a hand +before his forces were routed and +left him shattered in hopeless defeat.</p> + +<p>"You're West Point, aren't you?" +I asked kindly.</p> + +<p>It seemed to remind him of the +old shoulder-to-shoulder tradition. +He straightened still more. I hadn't +believed it possible.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir!" He wanted to keep +the gratitude out of his voice, but +it was there. It did not escape my +attention that, for the first time, he +had spoken the habitual term of +respect to me.</p> + +<p>"Well, what do you have here, +Lieutenant Murphy?" I nodded toward +the Swami who had been +wavering between a proud, free +stance and that of a drooping supplicant. +The lieutenant, whose quality +had been recognized, even by a +civilian, was restored unto himself. +He was again ready to do or die.</p> + +<p>"According to my orders, sir," he +said formally, "you have requested +the Pentagon furnish you with one +half dozen, six, male-type poltergeists. +I am delivering the first of +them to you, sir."</p> + +<p>Sara's mouth, hanging wide open, +reminded me to close my own.</p> + +<p>So the Pentagon was calling me +on my bluff. Well, maybe they did +have something at that. I'd see.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"Float me over that ash tray there +on the desk," I said casually to the +Swami.</p> + +<p>He looked at me as if I'd insulted +him, and I could anticipate some +reply to the effect that he was not +applying for domestic service. But +the humble supplicant rather than +the proud and fierce hill man won. +He started to pick up the ash tray +from Sara's desk with his hand.</p> + +<p>"No, no!" I exclaimed. "I didn't +ask you to hand it to me. I want you +to TK it over to me. What's the +matter? Can't you even TK a simple +ash tray?"</p> + +<p>The lieutenant's eyes were getting +bigger and bigger.</p> + +<p>"Didn't your Poltergeist Section +test this guy's aptitudes for telekinesis +before you brought him from +Washington all the way out here to +Los Angeles?" I snapped at him.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The lieutenant's lips thinned to a +bloodless line. Apparently I, a civilian, +was criticizing the judgment of +the Army.</p> + +<p>"I am certain he must have qualified +adequately," he said stiffly, and +this time left off the "sir."</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't know," I answered +doubtfully. "If he hasn't even +enough telekinetic ability to float me +an ash tray across the room—"</p> + +<p>The Swami recovered himself first. +He put the tips of his long fingers +together in the shape of a sway-backed +steeple, and rolled his eyes +upward.</p> + +<p>"I am an instrument of infinite +wisdom," he intoned. "Not a parlor +magician."</p> + +<p>"You mean that with all your +infinite wisdom you can't do it," I +accused flatly.</p> + +<p>"The vibrations are not favorable—" +he rolled the words sonorously.</p> + +<p>"All right," I agreed. "We'll go +somewhere else, where they're +better!"</p> + +<p>"The vibrations throughout all this +crass, materialistic Western world—" +he intoned.</p> + +<p>"All right," I interrupted, "we'll +go to India, then. Sara, call up and +book tickets to Calcutta on the first +possible plane!" Sara's mouth had +been gradually closing, but it unhinged +again.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not even India," the +Swami murmured, hastily. "Perhaps +Tibet."</p> + +<p>"Now you know we can't get +admission into Tibet while the Communists +control it," I argued seriously. +"But how about Nepal? That's +a fair compromise. The Maharajadhiraja's +friendly now. I'll settle for +Nepal."</p> + +<p>The Swami couldn't keep the triumphant +glitter out of his eyes. The +sudden worry that I really would +take him to India to see if he could +TK an ash tray subsided. He had me.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid it would have to be +Tibet," he said positively. "Nowhere +else in all this troubled world are +the vibrations—"</p> + +<p>"Oh go on back to Flatbush!" I +interrupted disgustedly. "You know +as well as I that you've never been +outside New York before in your +life. Your accent's as phony as the +pear-shaped tones of a Midwestern +garden club president. Can't even +TK a simple ash tray!"</p> + +<p>I turned to the amazed lieutenant.</p> + +<p>"Will you come into my office?" +I asked him.</p> + +<p>He looked over at the Swami, in +doubt.</p> + +<p>"He can wait out here," I said. +"He won't run away. There isn't any +subway, and he wouldn't know what +to do. Anyway, if he did get lost, +your Army Intelligence could find +him. Give G-2 something to work +on. Right through this door, lieutenant."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," he said meekly, and +preceded me into my office.</p> + +<p>I closed the door behind us and +waved him over to the crying chair. +He folded at the knees and hips, as +if he were hinged only there, as if +there were no hinges at all in the +ramrod of his back. He sat up +straight, on the edge of his chair, +ready to spring into instant charge +of battle. I went around back to my +desk and sat down.</p> + +<p>"Now, lieutenant," I said soothingly, +"tell me all about it."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>I could have sworn his square chin +quivered at the note of sympathy in +my voice. I wondered, irrelevantly, +if the lads at West Point all slept +with their faces confined in wooden +frames to get that characteristically +rectangular look.</p> + +<p>"You knew I was from West +Point," he said, and his voice held +a note of awe. "And you knew, right +away, that Swami was a phony from +Flatbush."</p> + +<p>"Come now," I said with a shrug. +"Nothing to get mystical about. +Patterns. Just patterns. Every environment +leaves the stamp of its +matrix on the individual shaped in +it. It's a personnel man's trade to +recognize the make of a person, just +as you would recognize the make of +a rifle."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. I see, sir," he answered. +But of course he didn't. And there +wasn't much use to make him try. +Most people cling too desperately +to the ego-saving formula: Man cannot +know man.</p> + +<p>"Look, lieutenant," I said, with +an idea that we'd better get down +to business. "Have you been checked +out on what this is all about?"</p> + +<p>"Well, sir," he answered, as if he +were answering a question in class, +"I was cleared for top security, and +told that a few months ago you and +your Dr. Auerbach, here at Computer +Research, discovered a way to +create antigravity. I was told you +claimed you had to have a poltergeist +in the process. You told General +Sanfordwaithe that you needed six +of them, males. That's about +all, sir. So the Poltergeist Division +discovered the Swami, and +I was assigned to bring him out here +to you."</p> + +<p>"Well then, Lieutenant Murphy, +you go back to the Pentagon and tell +General Sanfordwaithe that—" I +could see by the look on his face +that my message would probably not +get through verbatim. "Never mind, +I'll write it," I amended disgustedly. +"And you can carry the message." +Lesser echelons do not relish the task +of repeating uncomplimentary words +verbatim to a superior. Not usually.</p> + +<p>I punched Sara's button on my +intercom.</p> + +<p>"After all the exposure out there +to the Swami," I said, "if you're still +with us on this crass, materialistic +plane, will you bring your book?"</p> + +<p>"My astral self has been hovering +over you, guarding you, every minute," +Sara answered dreamily.</p> + +<p>"Can it take shorthand?" I asked +dryly.</p> + +<p>"Maybe I'd better come in," she +replied.</p> + +<p>When she came through the door +the lieutenant gave her one appreciative +glance, then returned to his +aloof pedestal of indifference. Obviously +his pattern was to stand in +majestic splendor and allow the girls +to fawn somewhere down near his +shoes. These lads with a glamour +boy complex almost always gravitate +toward some occupation which will +require them to wear a uniform. Sara +catalogued him as quickly as I did, +and seemed unimpressed. But you +never can tell about a woman; the +smartest of them will fall for the +most transparent poses.</p> + +<p>"General Sanfordwaithe, dear sir," +I began as she sat down at one +corner of my desk and flipped open +her book. "It takes more than a +towel wrapped around the head and +some mutterings about infinity to get +poltergeist effects. So I am returning +your phony Swami to you with my +compliments—"</p> + +<p>"Beg your pardon, sir," the lieutenant +interrupted, and there was a +certain note of suppressed triumph +in his voice. "In case you rejected +our applicant for the poltergeist job +you have in mind, I was to hand you +this." He undid a lovingly polished +button of his tunic, slipped his hand +beneath the cloth and pulled forth +a long, sealed envelope.</p> + +<p>I took it from him and noted the +three sealing-wax imprints on the +flap. From being carried so close to +his heart for so long, the envelope +was slightly less crisp than when +he had received it. I slipped my letter +opener in under the side flap, and +gently extracted the letter without, +in anyway, disturbing the wax seals +which were to have guaranteed its +privacy. There wasn't any point in +my doing it, of course, except to +demonstrate to the lieutenant that I +considered the whole deal as a silly +piece of cloak and dagger stuff.</p> + +<p>After the general formalities, the +letter was brief: "Dear Mr. Kennedy: +We already know the Swami +is a phony, but our people have been +convinced that in spite of this there +are some unaccountable effects. We +have advised your general manager, +Mr. Henry Grenoble, that we are +in the act of carrying out our part +of the agreement, namely, to provide +you with six male-type poltergeists, +and to both you and him we are +respectfully suggesting that you get +on with the business of putting the +antigravity units into immediate production."</p> + +<p>I folded the letter and tucked it +into one side of my desk pad. I +looked at Sara.</p> + +<p>"Never mind the letter to General +Sanfordwaithe," I said. "He has +successfully cut off my retreat in that +direction." I looked over at the lieutenant. +"All right," I said resignedly, +"I'll apologize to the Swami, and +make a try at using him."</p> + +<p>I picked up the letter again and +pretended to be reading it. But this +was just a stall, because I had suddenly +been struck by the thought that +my extreme haste in scoring off the +Swami and trying to get rid of him +was because I didn't want to get +involved again with poltergeists. Not +any, of any nature.</p> + +<p>The best way on earth to avoid +having to explain psi effects and +come to terms with them is simply +to deny them, convince oneself that +they don't exist. I sighed deeply. It +looked as if I would be denied that +little human privilege of closing my +eyes to the obvious.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Old Stone Face, our general manager, +claimed to follow the philosophy +of building men, not machines. +To an extent he did. His favorite +phrase was, "Don't ask me how. I +hired you to tell me." He hired a +man to do a job, and I will say +for him, he left that man alone as +long as the job got done. But when +a man flubbed a job, and kept on +flubbing it, then Mr. Henry Grenoble +stepped in and carried out his own +job—general managing.</p> + +<p>He had given me the assignment +of putting antigrav units into production. +He had given me access to +all the money I would need for the +purpose. He had given me sufficient +time, months of it. And, in spite of +all this coöperation, he still saw no +production lines which spewed out +antigrav units at some such rate as +seventeen and five twelfths per +second.</p> + +<p>Apparently he got his communication +from the Pentagon about the +time I got mine. Apparently it contained +some implication that Computer +Research, under his management, +was not pursuing the cause +of manufacturing antigrav units with +diligence and dispatch. Apparently +he did not like this.</p> + +<p>I had no more than apologized +to the Swami, and received his martyred +forgiveness, and arranged for +a hotel suite for him and the lieutenant, +when Old Stone Face sent +for me. He began to manage with +diligence and dispatch.</p> + +<p>"Now you look here, Kennedy," he +said forcefully, and his use of my +last name, rather than my first, was +a warning, "I've given you every +chance. When you and Auerbach +came up with that antigrav unit last +fall, I didn't ask a lot of fool questions. +I figured you knew what you +were doing. But the whole winter +has passed, and here it is spring, +and you haven't done anything that +I can see. I didn't say anything when +you told General Sanfordwaithe that +you'd have to have poltergeists to +carry on the work, but I looked it +up. First I thought you'd flipped +your lid, then I thought you were +sending us all on a wild goose chase +so we'd leave you alone, then I +didn't know what to think."</p> + +<p>I nodded. He wasn't through.</p> + +<p>"Now I think you're just pretending +the whole thing doesn't exist +because you don't want to fool with +it."</p> + +<p>Perhaps he had come to the right +decision after all. I'd resolutely +washed the whole thing out of my +mind. But I wasn't going to get +away with it. I could see it coming.</p> + +<p>"For the first time, Kennedy, I'm +asking you what happened?" he +said firmly, but his tone was more +telling than asking. So I was going +to have to discuss frameworks with +Old Stone Face, after all.</p> + +<p>"Henry," I asked slowly, "have +you kept up your reading in theoretical +physics?"</p> + +<p>He blinked at me. I couldn't tell +whether it meant yes or no.</p> + +<p>"When we went to school, you +and I—" I hoped my putting us both +in the same age group would tend +to mollify him a little, "physics was +all snug, secure, safe, definite. A +fact was a fact, and that's all there +was to it. But there's been some +changes made. There's the coördinate +systems of Einstein, where the relationships +of facts can change from +framework to framework. There's the +application of multivalued logic to +physics where a fact becomes not a +fact any longer. The astronomers talk +about the expanding universe—it's a +piker compared to man's expanding +concepts about that universe."</p> + +<p>He waited for more. His face +seemed to indicate that I was beating +around the bush.</p> + +<p>"That all has a bearing on what +happened," I assured him. "You +have to understand what was behind +the facts before you can understand +the facts themselves. First, we +weren't trying to make an antigrav +unit at all. Dr. Auerbach was playing +around with a chemical approach to +cybernetics. He made up some goop +which he thought would store memory +impulses, the way the brain stores +them. He brought a plastic cylinder +of it over to me, so I could discuss +it with you. I laid it on my desk +while I went on with my personnel +management business at hand."</p> + +<p>Old Stone Face opened a humidor +and took out a cigar. He lit it slowly +and deliberately and looked at me +sharply as he blew out the first puff +of smoke.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"The nursery over in the plant +had been having trouble with a little +girl, daughter of one of our production +women. She'd been throwing +things, setting things on fire. The +teachers didn't know how she did +it, she just did it. They sent her to +me. I asked her about it. She threw +a tantrum, and when it was all over, +Auerbach's plastic cylinder of goop +was trying to fall upward, through +the ceiling. That's what happened," +I said.</p> + +<p>He looked at his cigar, and looked +at me. He waited for me to tie the +facts to the theory. I hesitated, and +then tried to reassure myself. After +all, we were in the business of manufacturing +computers. The general +manager ought to be able to understand +something beyond primary +arithmetic.</p> + +<p>"Jennie Malasek was a peculiar +child with a peculiar background," I +went on. "Her mother was from the +old country, one of the Slav races. +There's the inheritance of a lot of +peculiar notions. Maybe she had +passed them on to her daughter. She +kept Jennie locked up in their room. +The kid never got out with other +children. Children, kept alone, never +seeing anybody, get peculiar notions +all by themselves. Who, knows what +kind of a coördinate system she built +up, or how it worked? Her mother +would come home at night and go +about her tasks talking aloud, half to +the daughter, half to herself. 'I really +burned that foreman up, today,' +she'd say. Or, 'Oh, boy, was he fired +in a hurry!' Or, 'She got herself +thrown out of the place,' things like +that."</p> + +<p>"So what does that mean, Ralph?" +he asked. His switch to my first name +indicated he was trying to work with +me instead of pushing me.</p> + +<p>"To a child who never knew anything +else," I answered, "one who +had never learned to distinguish +reality from unreality—as we would +define it from our agreed framework—a +special coördinate system might +be built up where 'Everybody was +up in the air at work, today,' might +be taken literally. Under the old +systems of physics that couldn't +happen, of course—it says in the +textbooks—but since it has been +happening all through history, in +thousands of instances, in the new +systems of multivalued physics we +recognize it. Under the old system, +we already had all the major answers, +we thought. Now that we've +got our smug certainties knocked out +of us, we're just fumbling along, +trying to get some of the answers we +thought we had.</p> + +<p>"We couldn't make that cylinder +activate others. We tried. We're still +trying. In ordinary cybernetics you +can have one machine punch a tape +and it can be fed into another machine, +but that means you first have +to know how to code and decode a +tape mechanically. We don't know +how to code or decode a psi effect. +We know the Auerbach cylinder will +store a psi impulse, but we don't +know how. So we have to keep +working with psi gifted people, at +least until we've established some of +the basic laws governing psi."</p> + +<p>I couldn't tell by Henry's face +whether I was with him or away +from him. He told me he wanted +to think about it, and made a little +motion with his hand that I should +leave the room.</p> + +<p>I walked through the suite of +executive offices and down a sound +rebuffing hallway. The throbbing +clatter of manufacture of metallic +parts made a welcome sound as I +went through the far doorway into +the factory. I saw a blueprint spread +on a foreman's desk as I walked past. +Good old blueprint. So many millimeters +from here to there, made of +such and such an alloy, a hole +punched here with an allowance of +five-ten-thousandths plus or minus +tolerance. Snug, secure, safe. I wondered +if psi could ever be blue-printed. +Or suppose you put a hole +here, but when you looked away and +then looked back it had moved, or +wasn't there at all?</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/002.png" width="600" height="486" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>Quickly, I got myself into a conversation +with a supervisor about the +rising rate of employee turnover in +his department. That was something +also snug, secure, safe. All you had +to do was figure out human beings.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>I spent the rest of the morning +on such pursuits, working with +things I understood.</p> + +<p>On his first rounds of the afternoon, +the interoffice messenger +brought me a memorandum from +the general manager's office. I +opened it with some misgivings. I +was not particularly reassured.</p> + +<p>Mr. Grenoble felt he should work +with me more closely on the antigrav +project. He understood, from his researches, +that the most positive psi +effects were experienced during a +seance with a medium. Would I kindly +arrange for the Swami to hold a +seance that evening, after office +hours, so that he might analyze the +man's methods and procedures to see +how they could fit smoothly into +Company Operation. This was not +to be construed as interference in +the workings of my department but +in the interests of pursuing the entire +matter with diligence and dispatch—</p> + +<p>The seance was to be held in my +office.</p> + +<p>I had had many peculiar conferences +in this room—from union leaders +stripping off their coats, throwing +them on the floor and stomping +on them; to uplifters who wanted to +ban cosmetics on our women employees +so the male employees would +not be tempted to think Questionable +Thoughts. I could not recall ever +having held a seance before.</p> + +<p>My desk had been moved out of +the way, over into one corner of +the large room. A round table was +brought over from the salesmen's +report writing room (used there +more for surreptitious poker playing +than for writing reports) and placed +in the middle of my office—on the +grounds that it had no sharp corners +to gouge people in their middles if +it got to cavorting about recklessly. +In an industrial plant one always has +to consider the matter of safety rules +and accident insurance rates.</p> + +<p>In the middle of the table there +rested, with dark fluid gleaming +through clear plastic cases, six fresh +cylinders which Auerbach had prepared +in his laboratory over in the +plant.</p> + +<p>Auerbach had shown considerable +unwillingness to attend the seance; +he pleaded being extra busy with +experiments just now, but I gave him +that look which told him I knew he +had just been stalling around the last +few months, the same as I had.</p> + +<p>If the psi effect had never come +out in the first place, there wouldn't +have been any mental conflict. He +could have gone on with his processes +of refining, simplifying and increasing +the efficiency ratings of his +goop. But this unexpected side effect, +the cylinders learning and demonstrating +something he considered +basically untrue, had tied his hands +with a hopeless sort of frustration. +He would have settled gladly for +a chemical compound which could +have added two and two upon request; +but when that compound can +learn and demonstrate that there's +no such thing as gravity, teaching it +simple arithmetic is like ashes in +the mouth.</p> + +<p>I said as much to him. I stood +there in his laboratory, leaned up +against a work bench, and risked +burning an acid hole in the sleeve +of my jacket just to put over an air +of unconcern. He was perched on +the edge of an opposite work bench, +swinging his feet, and hiding the +expression in his eyes behind the +window's reflection upon his polished +glasses. I said even more.</p> + +<p>"You know," I said reflectively, +"I'm completely unable to understand +the attitude of supposedly unbiased +men of science. Now you take +all that mass of data about psi +effects, the odd and unexplainable +happenings, the premonitions, the +specific predictions, the accurate descriptions +of far away simultaneously +happening events. You take that +whole mountainous mass of data, +evidence, phenomena—"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>A slight turn of his head gave +me a glimpse of his eyes behind the +glasses. He looked as if he wished +I'd change the subject. In his dry, +undemonstrative way, I think he +liked me. Or at least he liked me +when I wasn't trying to make him +think about things outside his safe +and secure little framework. But I +didn't give in. If men of science +are not going to take up the evidence +and work it over, then where +are we? And are they men of +science?</p> + +<p>"Before Rhine came along, and +brought all this down to the level +of laboratory experimentation," I +pursued, "how were those things to +be explained? Say a fellow had some +unusual powers, things that happened +around him, things he knew +without any explanation for knowing +them. I'll tell you. There were +two courses open to him. He could +express it in the semantics of +spiritism, or he could admit to witchcraft +and sorcery. Take your pick; +those were the only two systems of +semantics which had been built up +through the ages.</p> + +<p>"We've got a third one now—parapsychology. +If I had asked you +to attend an experiment in parapsychology, +you'd have agreed at once. +But when I ask you to attend a +seance, you balk! Man, what difference +does it make what we call it? +Isn't it up to us to investigate the +evidence wherever we find it? No +matter what kind of semantic debris +it's hiding in?"</p> + +<p>Auerbach shoved himself down off +the bench, and pulled out a beat-up +package of cigarettes.</p> + +<p>"All right, Kennedy," he had said +resignedly, "I'll attend your seance."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The other invited guests were +Sara, Lieutenant Murphy, Old Stone +Face, myself, and, of course, the +Swami. This was probably not typical +of the Swami's usual audience composition.</p> + +<p>Six chairs were placed at even +intervals around the table. I had +found soft white lights overhead to +be most suitable for my occasional +night work, but the Swami insisted +that a blue light, a dim one, was +most suitable for his night work.</p> + +<p>I made no objection to that condition. +One of the elementary basics +of science is that laboratory conditions +may be varied to meet the +necessities of the experiment. If a +red-lighted darkness is necessary to +an operator's successful development +of photographic film, then I could +hardly object to a blue-lighted darkness +for the development of the +Swami's effects.</p> + +<p>Neither could I object to the +Swami's insistence that he sit with +his back to the true North. When +he came into the room, accompanied +by Lieutenant Murphy, his thoughts +seemed turned in upon himself, or +wafted somewhere out of this world. +He stopped in mid-stride, struck an +attitude of listening, or feeling, perhaps, +and slowly shifted his body +back and forth.</p> + +<p>"Ah," he said at last, in a tone +of satisfaction, "there is the North!"</p> + +<p>It was, but this was not particularly +remarkable. There is no confusing +maze of hallways leading to the +Personnel Department from the outside. +Applicants would be unable to +find us if there were. If he had got +his bearings out on the street, he +could have managed to keep them.</p> + +<p>He picked up the nearest chair +with his own hands and shifted it +so that it would be in tune with +the magnetic lines of Earth. I +couldn't object. The Chinese had +insisted upon such placement of +household articles, particularly their +beds, long before the Earth's magnetism +had been discovered by +science. The birds had had their +direction-finders attuned to it, long +before there was man.</p> + +<p>Instead of objecting, the lieutenant +and I meekly picked up the table +and shifted it to the new position. +Sara and Auerbach came in as we +were setting the table down. Auerbach +gave one quick look at the +Swami in his black cloak and nearly +white turban, and then looked away.</p> + +<p>"Remember semantics," I murmured +to him, as I pulled out Sara's +chair for her. I seated her to the left +of the Swami. I seated Auerbach to +the right of him. If the lieutenant +was, by chance, in cahoots with the +Swami, I would foil them to the +extent of not letting them sit side +by side at least. I sat down at the +opposite side of the table from the +Swami. The lieutenant sat down +between me and Sara.</p> + +<p>The general manager came +through the door at that instant, and +took charge immediately.</p> + +<p>"All right now," Old Stone Face +said crisply, in his low, rumbling +voice, "no fiddle-faddling around. +Let's get down to business."</p> + +<p>The Swami closed his eyes.</p> + +<p>"Please be seated," he intoned to +Old Stone Face. "And now, let us +all join hands in an unbroken circle."</p> + +<p>Henry shot him a beetle-browed +look as he sat down between Auerbach +and me, but at least he was +coöperative to the extent that he +placed both his hands on top of the +table. If Auerbach and I reached for +them, we would be permitted to +grasp them.</p> + +<p>I leaned back and snapped off the +overhead light to darken the room in +an eerie, blue glow.</p> + +<p>We sat there, holding hands, for +a full ten minutes. Nothing happened.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>It was not difficult to estimate the +pattern of Henry's mind. Six persons, +ten minutes, equals one man-hour. +One man-hour of idle time to be +charged into the cost figure of the +antigrav unit. He was staring fixedly +at the cylinders which lay in random +positions in the center of the table, +as if to assess their progress at this +processing point. He apparently began +to grow dissatisfied with the +efficiency rating of the manufacturing +process at this point. He stirred +restlessly in his chair.</p> + +<p>The Swami seemed to sense the +impatience, or it might have been +coincidence.</p> + +<p>"There is some difficulty," he +gasped in a strangulated, high voice. +"My guides refuse to come through."</p> + +<p>"Harrumph!" exclaimed Old +Stone Face. It left no doubt about +what <i>he</i> would do if <i>his</i> guides did +not obey orders on the double.</p> + +<p>"Someone in this circle is not a +True Believer!" the Swami accused +in an incredulous voice.</p> + +<p>In the dim blue light I was able +to catch a glimpse of Sara's face. +She was on the verge of breaking +apart. I managed to catch her eye +and flash her a stern warning. Later +she told me she had interpreted my +expression as stark fear, but it served +the same purpose. She smothered her +laughter in a most unladylike sound +somewhere between a snort and a +squawk.</p> + +<p>The Swami seemed to become +aware that somehow he was not +holding his audience spellbound.</p> + +<p>"Wait!" he commanded urgently; +then he announced in awe-stricken +tones, "I feel a presence!"</p> + +<p>There was a tentative, half-hearted +rattle of some castanets—which could +have been managed by the Swami +wiggling one knee, if he happened +to have them concealed there. This +was followed by the thin squawk of +a bugle—which could have been +accomplished by sitting over toward +one side and squashing the air out +of a rubber bulb attached to a ten-cent +party horn taped to his thigh.</p> + +<p>Then there was nothing. Apparently +his guides had made a tentative +appearance and were, understandably, +completely intimidated by Old +Stone Face. We sat for another five +minutes.</p> + +<p>"Harrumph!" Henry cleared his +throat again, this time louder and +more commanding.</p> + +<p>"That is all," the Swami said in +a faint, exhausted voice. "I have +returned to you on your material +plane."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The handholding broke up in the +way bits of metal, suddenly charged +positive and negative, would fly +apart. I leaned back again and +snapped on the white lights. We all +sat there a few seconds, blinking in +what seemed a sudden glare.</p> + +<p>The Swami sat with his chin +dropped down to his chest. Then he +raised stricken, liquid eyes.</p> + +<p>"Oh, now I remember where I +am," he said. "What happened? I +never know."</p> + +<p>Old Stone Face threw him a look +of withering scorn. He picked up +one of the cylinders and hefted it +in the palm of his hand. It did not +fly upward to bang against the ceiling. +It weighed about what it ought +to weigh. He tossed the cylinder +contemptuously, back into the pile, +scattering them over the table. He +pushed back his chair, got to his +feet, and stalked out of the room +without looking at any of us.</p> + +<p>The Swami made a determined +effort to recapture the spotlight.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I must have help to +walk to the car," he whispered. "I +am completely exhausted. Ah, this +work takes so much out of me. Why +do I go on with it? Why? Why? +Why?"</p> + +<p>He drooped in his chair, then +made a valiantly brave effort to rise +under his own power when he felt +the lieutenant's hands lifting him up. +He was leaning heavily on the lieutenant +as they went out the door.</p> + +<p>Sara looked at me dubiously.</p> + +<p>"Will there be anything else?" +she asked. Her tone suggested that +since nothing had been accomplished, +perhaps we should get some work +out before she left.</p> + +<p>"No, Sara," I answered. "Good +night. See you in the morning."</p> + +<p>She nodded and went out the +door.</p> + +<p>Apparently none of them had +seen what I saw. I wondered if +Auerbach had. He was a trained +observer. He was standing beside the +table looking down at the cylinders. +He reached over and poked at one +of them with his forefinger. He was +pushing it back and forth. It gave +him no resistance beyond normal +inertia. He pushed it a little farther +out of parallel with true North. It +did not try to swing back.</p> + +<p>So he had seen it. When I'd laid +the cylinders down on the table they +were in random positions. During +the seance there had been no jarring +of the table, not even so much as +a rap or quiver which could have +been caused by the Swami's lifted +knee. When we'd shifted the table, +after the Swami had changed his +chair, the cylinders hadn't been disturbed. +When Old Stone Face had +been staring at them during the +seance—seance?, hah!—they were +laying in inert, random positions.</p> + +<p>But when the lights came back on, +and just before Henry had picked +one up and tossed it back to scatter +them, every cylinder had been laying +in orderly parallel—and with one +end pointing to true North!</p> + +<p>I stood there beside Auerbach, +and we both poked at the cylinders +some more. They gave us no resistance, +nor showed that they had any +ideas about it one way or the other.</p> + +<p>"It's like so many things," I said +morosely. "If you do just happen to +notice anything out of the ordinary +at all, it doesn't seem to mean anything."</p> + +<p>"Maybe that's because you're judging +it outside of its own framework," +Auerbach answered. I couldn't tell +whether he was being sarcastic or +speculative. "What I don't understand," +he went on, "is that once +the cylinders having been activated +by whatever force there was in +action—all right, call it psi—well, +why didn't they retain it, the way +the other cylinders retained the antigrav +force?"</p> + +<p>I thought for a moment. Something +about the conditional setup +seemed to give me an idea.</p> + +<p>"You take a photographic plate," +I reasoned. "Give it a weak exposure +to light, then give it a strong blast +of overexposure. The first exposure +is going to be blanked out by the +second. Old Stone Face was feeling +pretty strongly toward the whole +matter."</p> + +<p>Auerbach looked at me, unbelieving.</p> + +<p>"There isn't any rule about who +can have psi talent," I argued. "I'm +just wondering if I shouldn't wire +General Sanfordwaithe and tell him +to cut our order for poltergeists +down to five."</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>I spent a glum, restless night. I +knew, with certainty, that Old Stone +Face was going to give me trouble. +I didn't need any psi talent for that, +it was an inevitable part of his pattern. +He had made up his mind to +take charge of this antigrav operation, +and he wouldn't let one bogus +seance stop him more than momentarily.</p> + +<p>If it weren't so close to direct +interference with my department, I'd +have been delighted to sit on the +side lines and watch him try to command +psi effects to happen. That +would be like commanding some +random copper wire and metallic +cores to start generating electricity.</p> + +<p>For once I could have overlooked +the interference with my department +if I didn't know, from past experience, +that I'd be blamed for the consequent +failure. That's a cute little +trick of top executives, generally. +They get into something they don't +understand, really louse it up, then, +because it is your department, you +are the one who failed. Ordinarily +I liked my job, but if this sort of +thing went too far—</p> + +<p>But more than saving my job, I +had the feeling that if I were allowed +to go along, carefully and experimentally, +I just might discover a few +of the laws about psi. There was the +tantalizing feeling that I was on the +verge of knowing at least something.</p> + +<p>The Pentagon people had been +right. The Swami was an obvious +phony of the baldest fakery, yet he +had something. He had something, +but how was I to get hold of it? +Just what kind of turns with what +around what did you make to generate +a psi force? It took two thousand +years for man to move from +the concept that amber was a stone +with a soul to the concept of static +electricity. Was there any chance I +could find some shortcuts in reducing +the laws governing psi? The one +bright spot of my morning was that +Auerbach hadn't denied seeing the +evidence of the cylinders pointing +North.</p> + +<p>It turned out to be the only bright +spot. I had no more than got to my +office and sorted out the routine +urgencies which had to be handled +immediately from those which could +be put off a little longer, when Sara +announced the lieutenant and the +Swami. So I put everything else off, +and told her to send them right in.</p> + +<p>The Swami was in an incoherent +rage. The lieutenant was contracting +his eyebrows in a scowl and clenching +his fists in frustration. In a voice, +soaring into the falsetto, the Swami +demanded that he be sent back to +Brooklyn where he was appreciated. +The lieutenant had orders to stay +with the Swami, but he didn't have +any orders about returning either to +Brooklyn or the Pentagon. I managed, +at last, to get the lieutenant +seated in a straight chair, but the +Swami couldn't stay still long +enough. He stalked up and down +the room, swirling his slightly odorous +black cloak on the turns. Gradually +the story came out.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Old Stone Face, a strong advocate +of Do It Now, hadn't wasted any +time. From his home he had called +the Swami at his hotel and commanded +him to report to the general +manager's office at once. Apparently +they both got there about the same +time, and Henry had waded right in.</p> + +<p>Apparently Henry, too, had spent +a restless night. He accused the +Swami of inefficiency, bungling, +fraud, deliberate insubordination, +and a few other assorted faults for +having made a fool out of us all +at the seance. He'd as much as commanded +the Swami to cut out all +this shilly-shallying and get down to +the business of activating antigrav +cylinders, or else. He hadn't been +specific about what the "or else" +would entail.</p> + +<p>It was up to me to pick up the +pieces, if I could.</p> + +<p>"Now I'm sure he really didn't +mean—" I began to pour oil on the +troubled waters. "With your deep +insight, Swami—The fate of great +martyrs throughout the ages—" +Gradually the ego-building phrases +calmed him down. He grew willing +to listen, if for no more than the +anticipation of hearing more of +them.</p> + +<p>He settled down into the crying +chair at last, and I could see his +valence shifting from outraged anger +to a vast and noble forgiveness. This +much was not difficult. To get him +to coöperate, consciously and enthusiastically, +well that might not be so +easy.</p> + +<p>Each trade has its own special +techniques. The analytical chemist +has a series of routines he tries when +he wishes to reduce an unknown +compound to its constituents. To the +chemically uneducated, this may appear +to be a fumbling, hit or miss, +kind of procedure. The personnel +man, too, has his series of techniques. +It may appear to be no more than +random, pointless conversation.</p> + +<p>I first tried the routine process of +reasoning. I didn't expect it to work; +it seldom does, but it can't be eliminated +until it has been tested.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"You must understand," I said +slowly, soothingly, "that our intentions +are constructive. We are simply +trying to apply the scientific +method to something which has, +heretofore, been wrapped in mysticism."</p> + +<p>The shocked freezing of his facial +muscles told me that reasoning had +missed its mark. It told me more.</p> + +<p>"Science understands nothing, +nothing at all!" he snapped, "Science +tries to reduce everything to test +tubes and formulae; but I am the +instrument of a mystery which man +can never know."</p> + +<p>"Well, now," I said reasonably. +"Let us not be inconsistent. You say +this is something man was not meant +to know; yet you, yourself, have devoted +your life to gaining a greater +comprehension of it."</p> + +<p>"I seek only to rise above my material +self so that I might place myself +in harmony with the flowing +symphony of Absolute Truth," he +lectured me sonorously. Oh well, his +enrapturement with such terminology +differed little from some of the sciences +which tended to grow equally +esoteric. And maybe it meant something. +Who was I to say that mine +ears alone heard all the music being +played?</p> + +<p>It did mean one thing very specifically. +There are two basic approaches +to the meaning of life and +the universe about us. Man can +know: That is the approach of science, +its whole meaning. There are +mysteries which man was not meant +to know: That is the other approach. +There is no reconciling of the two +on a reasoning basis. I represented +the former. I wasn't sure the Swami +was a true representative of the +latter, but at least he had picked up +the valence and the phrases.</p> + +<p>I made a mental note that reasoning +was an unworkable technique +with this compound. Henry, a past +master at it, had already tried threats +and abuse. That hadn't worked. I +next tried one of the oldest forms +in the teaching of man, a parable.</p> + +<p>I told him of my old Aunt Dimity, +who was passionately fond of +Rummy, but considered all other +card games sinful.</p> + +<p>"Ah, how well she proves my +point," the Swami countered. "There +is an inner voice, a wisdom greater +than the mortal mind to guide us—"</p> + +<p>"Well now," I asked reasonably, +"why would the inner voice say that +Rummy was O.K., but Casino +wasn't?" But it was obvious he liked +the point he had made better than +he had liked the one I failed to +make.</p> + +<p>So I tried the next technique. I +tried an appeal for instruction. Often +an opponent will come over to your +side if you just confess, honestly, +that he is a better man than you are, +and you need his help. What was +the road I must take to achieve +the same understanding he had +achieved? His eyes glittered at that, +and a mercenary expression underlay +the tone of his answer.</p> + +<p>"First there is fasting, and breathing, +and contemplating self," he +murmured mendaciously. "I would +be unable to aid you until you gave +me full ascendancy over you, so that +I might guide your every thought—"</p> + +<p>I decided to try inspiration. In +breaking down recalcitrant materials +in the laboratory of my personnel +office, sometimes one method worked, +sometimes another.</p> + +<p>"Do you realize, Swami," I asked, +"that the one great drawback +throughout the ages to a full acceptance +of psi is the lack of permanent +evidence? It has always been evanescent, +perishable. It always rests solely +upon the word of witnesses. But +if I could show you a film print, +then you could not doubt the existence +of photography, could you?"</p> + +<p>I opened my lower desk drawer +and pulled out a couple of the Auerbach +cylinders which we had used +the night before. I laid them on top +of the desk.</p> + +<p>"These cylinders," I said, "act +like the photographic film. They will +record, in permanent form, the psi +effects you command. At last, for +all mankind the doubt will be stilled; +man will at once know the truth; +and you will take your place among +the immortals."</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 204px;"> +<img src="images/003.png" width="204" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>I thought it was pretty good, and +that, with his overweening ego, it +would surely do the trick. But the +Swami was staring at the cylinders +first in fascination, then fear, then +in horror. He jumped to his feet, +without bothering to swirl his robe +majestically, rushed over to the door, +fumbled with the knob as if he were +in a burning room, managed to get +the door open, and rushed outside. +The lieutenant gave me a puzzled +look, and went after him.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>I drew a deep breath, and exhaled +it audibly. My testing procedures +hadn't produced the results I'd expected, +but the last one had revealed +something else.</p> + +<p>The Swami believed himself to be +a fraud!</p> + +<p>As long as he could razzle-dazzle +with sonorous phrases, and depend +upon credulous old women to turn +them into accurate predictions of +things to come, he was safe enough. +But faced with something which +would prove definitely—</p> + +<p>Well, what would he do now?</p> + +<p>And then I noticed that both cylinders +were pointing toward the +door. I watched them, at first, not +quite sure; then I grew convinced +by the change in their perspective +with the angles of the desk. Almost +as slowly as the minute hand of a +watch, they were creeping across the +desk toward the door. They, too, +were trying to escape from the room.</p> + +<p>I nudged them with my fingers. +They hustled along a little faster, as +if appreciative of the help, even +coming from me. I saw they were +moving faster, as if they were learning +as they tried it. I turned one +of them around. Slowly it turned +back and headed for the door again. +I lifted one of them to the floor. +It had no tendency to float, but it +kept heading for the door. The other +one fell off the desk while I was +fooling with the first one. The jar +didn't seem to bother it any. It, too, +began to creep across the rug toward +the door.</p> + +<p>I opened the door for them. Sara +looked up. She saw the two cylinders +come into view, moving under their +own power.</p> + +<p>"Here we go again," she said, resignedly.</p> + +<p>The two cylinders pushed themselves +over the door sill, got clear +outside my office. Then they went +inert. Both Sara and I tried nudging +them, poking them. They just +lay there; mission accomplished. I +carried them back inside my office +and lay them on the floor. Immediately +both of them began to head for +the door again.</p> + +<p>"Simple," Sara said dryly, "they +just can't stand to be in the same +room with you, that's all."</p> + +<p>"You're not just whistling, gal," +I answered. "That's the whole +point."</p> + +<p>"Have I said something clever?" +she asked seriously.</p> + +<p>I took the cylinders back into my +office and put them in a desk drawer. +I watched the desk for a while, but +it didn't change position. Apparently +it was too heavy for the weak force +activating the cylinders.</p> + +<p>I picked up the phone and called +Old Stone Face. I told him about the +cylinders.</p> + +<p>"There!" he exclaimed with satisfaction. +"I knew all that fellow +needed was a good old-fashioned +talking to. Some day, my boy, you'll +realize that you still have a lot to +learn about handling men."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," I answered.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Sara asked me if I were ready to +start seeing people, and I told her +I wasn't, that I had some thinking +to do. She quipped something about +making the world wait, meaning that +I should be occupying my time with +personnel managing, and closed the +door.</p> + +<p>At that, Old Stone Face had a +point. If he hadn't got in and riled +things up, maybe the Swami would +not have been emotionally upset +enough to generate the psi force +which had activated these new cylinders.</p> + +<p>What was I saying? That psi was +linked with emotional upheaval? +Well, maybe. Not necessarily, but +Rhine had proved that strength of +desire had an effect upon the frequency +index of telekinesis. Was +there anything at all we knew about +psi, so that we could start cataloguing, +sketching in the beginnings of +a pattern? Yes, of course there was.</p> + +<p>First, it existed. No one could dismiss +the mountainous mass of evidence +unless he just refused to think +about the subject.</p> + +<p>Second, we could, in time, know +what it was and how it worked. +You'd have to give up the entire +basis of scientific attitude if you +didn't admit that.</p> + +<p>Third, it acted like a sense, rather +than as something dependent upon +the intellectual process of thought. +You could, for example—I argued +to my imaginary listener—command +your nose to smell a rose, and by +autosuggestion you might think you +were succeeding; that is, until you +really did smell a real rose, then +you'd know that you'd failed to +create it through a thought pattern. +The sense would have to be separated +from the process of thinking about +the sense.</p> + +<p>So what was psi? But, at this +point, did it matter much? Wasn't +the main issue one of learning how +to produce it, use it? How long did +we work with electricity and get a +lot of benefits from it before we +formed some theories about what it +was? And, for that matter, did we +know what it was, even yet? "A +flow of electrons" was a pretty +meaningless phrase, when you stopped +to think about it. I could say +psi was a flow of positrons, and it +would mean as much.</p> + +<p>I reached over and picked up a +cigarette. I started fumbling around +in the center drawer of my desk for +a matchbook. I didn't find any. +Without thinking, I opened the +drawer containing the two cylinders. +They were pressing up against the +side of the desk drawer, still trying +to get out of the room. Single purposed +little beasts, weren't they?</p> + +<p>I closed the drawer, and noticed +that I was crushing out my cigarette +in the ash tray, just as if I'd smoked +it. It was the first overt indication +I'd had that maybe my nerves weren't +all they should be this morning.</p> + +<p>The sight of the cylinders brought +up the fourth point. Experimental +psychology was filled with examples +of the known senses being unable +to make correct evaluations when +confronted with a totally new object, +color, scent, taste, sound, impression. +It was necessary to have a point of +orientation before the new could be +fitted into the old. What we really +lacked in psi was the ability to orient +its phenomena. The various psi gifted +individuals tried to do this. If +they believed in guides from beyond +the veil, that's the way they expressed +themselves. On the other hand, +a Rhine card caller might not be +able to give you a message from your +dear departed Aunt Minnie if his +life depended upon it—yet it could +easily be the same force working in +both instances. Consequently, a medium, +such as the Swami, whose basic +belief was There Are Mysteries, +would be unable to function in a +framework where the obvious intent +was to unveil those mysteries!</p> + +<p>That brought up a couple more +points. I felt pretty sure of them. +I felt as if I were really getting +somewhere. And I had a situation +which was ideal for proving my +points.</p> + +<p>I flipped the intercom key, and +spoke to Sara.</p> + +<p>"Will you arrange with her foreman +for Annie Malasek to come to +my office right now?" I asked. Sara +is flippant when things are going +along all right, but she knows when +to buckle down and do what she's +asked. She gave me no personal reactions +to this request.</p> + +<p>Yes, Annie Malasek would be a +good one. If anybody in the plant +believed There Are Mysteries, it +would be Annie. Further, she was +exaggeratedly loyal to me. She believed +I was responsible for turning +her little Jennie, the little girl who'd +started all this poltergeist trouble, +into a Good Little Girl. In this instance, +I had no qualms about taking +advantage of that loyalty.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>While I waited for her I called +the lieutenant at his hotel. He was +in. Yes, the Swami was also in. +They'd just returned. Yes, the Swami +was ranting and raving about leaving +Los Angeles at once. He had said +he absolutely would have nothing +more to do with us here at Computer +Research. I told Lieutenant Murphy +to scare him with tales of the secret, +underground working of Army Intelligence, +to quiet him down. And +I scared the lieutenant a little by +pointing out that holding a civilian +against his will without the proper +writ was tantamount to kidnapping. +So if the Army didn't want trouble +with the Civil Courts, all brought +about because the lieutenant didn't +know how to handle his man—</p> + +<p>The lieutenant became immediately +anxious to coöperate with me. So +then I soothed him. I told him that, +naturally, the Swami was unhappy. +He was used to Swami-ing, and out +here he had been stifled, frustrated. +What he needed was some credulous +women to catch their breath at his +awe-inspiring insight and gaze with +fearful rapture into his eyes. The +lieutenant didn't know where he +could find any women like that. I +told him, dryly, that I would furnish +some.</p> + +<p>Annie was more than coöperative. +Sure, the whole plant was buzzing +about that foreign-looking Swami +who had been seen coming in and +out of my office. Sure, a lot of the +Girls believed in seances.</p> + +<p>"Why? Don't you, Mr. Kennedy?" +she asked curiously.</p> + +<p>I said I wasn't sure, and she clucked +her tongue in sympathy. It must +be terrible not to be sure, so ... +well, it must be just terrible. And +I was such a kind man, too. I didn't +quite get the connection, until I +remembered there are some patterns +which believe a human being would +be incapable of being kind unless +through hope of reward or fear of +punishment.</p> + +<p>But when I asked her to go to the +hotel and persuade the Swami to +give her a reading, she was reluctant. +I thought my plan was going to be +frustrated, but it turned out that her +reluctance was only because she did +not have a thing to wear, going into +a high-toned place like that.</p> + +<p>Sara wasn't the right size, but one +of the older girls in the outer office +would lend Annie some clothes if +I would let her go see the Swami, +too. It developed that her own +teacher was a guest of Los Angeles +County for a while, purely on a +trumped-up charge, you understand, +Mr. Kennedy. Not that she was a +cop hater or anything like that. She +was perfectly aware of what a fine +and splendid job those noble boys +in blue did for us all, but—</p> + +<p>In my own office! Well, you never +knew.</p> + +<p>Yet, what was the difference between +her and me? We were both +trying to get hold of and benefit by +psi effects, weren't we? So I didn't +comment. Instead, I found myself +much farther ahead with my tentative +plans than I'd anticipated at this +stage.</p> + +<p>Yes, my interviewer's teacher had +quite a large following, and now +they were all at loose ends. If the +Swami were willing, she could provide +a large and ready-made audience +for him. She would be glad to +talk to him about it.</p> + +<p>Annie hurriedly said that she +would be glad to talk to him about +it, too; that she could get up a +large audience, too. So, even before +it got started, I had my rival factions +at work. I egged them both on, and +promised that I'd get Army Intelligence +to work with the local boys +in blue to hold off making any raids.</p> + +<p>Annie told me again what a kind +man I was. My interviewer spoke up +quickly and said how glad she was +to find an opportunity for expressing +how grateful she was for the +privilege of working right in the +same department with such an understanding, +really intellectually developed +adult. She eyed Annie sidelong, +as if to gauge the effects of her +attempts to set me up on a pedestal, +out of Annie's reach.</p> + +<p>I hoped I wouldn't start believing +either one of them. I hoped I wasn't +as inaccurate in my estimates of people +as was my interviewer. I wondered +if she were really qualified +for the job she held. Then I realized +this was a contest between two women +and I, a mere male, was simply +being used as the pawn. Well, that +worked both ways. In a fair bargain +both sides receive satisfaction. I felt +a little easier about my tactical +maneuvers.</p> + +<p>But the development of rivalry +between factions of the audience +gave me an additional idea. Perhaps +that's what the Swami really needed, +a little rivalry. Perhaps he was being +a little too hard to crack because he +knew he was the only egg in the +basket.</p> + +<p>I called Old Stone Face and told +him what I planned. He responded +that it was up to me. He'd stepped +in and got things under way for me, +got things going, now it was my job +to keep them going. It looked as if +he were edging out from under—or +maybe he really believed that.</p> + +<p>Before I settled into the day's +regular routine, I wired General +Sanfordwaithe, and told him that if +he had any more prospects ready +would he please ship me one at once, +via air mail, special delivery.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The recital hall, hired for the +Swami's Los Angeles debut, was +large enough to accommodate all the +family friends and relatives of any +little Maribel who, having mastered +"Daffodils In May," for four fingers, +was being given to the World. It +had the usual small stage equipped +with pull-back curtains to give a +dramatic flourish, or to shut off from +view the effects of any sudden nervous +catastrophe brought about by +stage fright.</p> + +<p>I got there, purposely a little late, +in hopes the house lights would already +be dimmed and everything in +progress; but about a hundred and +fifty people were milling around outside +on the walk and in the corridors. +Both factions had really been busy.</p> + +<p>Most of them were women, but, +to my intense relief, there were a +few men. Some of these were only +husbands, but a few of the men wore +a look which said they'd been far +away for a long time. Somehow I +got the impression that instead of +looking into a crystal ball, they +would be more inclined to look out +of one.</p> + +<p>It was a little disconcerting to realize +that no one noticed me, or +seemed to think I was any different +from anybody else. I supposed I +should be thankful that I wasn't +attracting any attention. I saw my +interviewer amid a group of Older +Girls. She winked at me roguishly, +and patted her heavy handbag significantly. +As per instructions, she +was carrying a couple of the Auerbach +cylinders.</p> + +<p>I found myself staring in perplexity +for a full minute at another woman, +before I realized it was Annie. +I had never seen her before, except +dressed in factory blue jeans, man's +blue shirt, and a bandanna wrapped +around her head. Her companion, +probably another of the factory assemblers, +nudged her and pointed, +not too subtly, in my direction. +Annie saw me then, and lit up with +a big smile. She started toward me, +hesitated when I frowned and shook +my head, flushed with the thought +that I didn't want to speak to her +in public; then got a flash of better +sense than that. She, too, gave me +a conspiratorial wink and patted her +handbag.</p> + +<p>My confederates were doing nicely.</p> + +<p>Almost immediately thereafter a +horse-faced, mustached old gal started +rounding people up in a honey sweet, +pear shaped voice; and herded them +into the auditorium. I chose one of +the wooden folding chairs in the +back row.</p> + +<p>A heavy jowled old gal came out +in front of the closed curtains and +gave a little introductory talk about +how lucky we all were that the +Swami had consented to visit with +us. There was the usual warning to +anyone who was not of the esoteric +that we must not expect too much, +that sometimes nothing at all happened, +that true believers did not +attend just to see effects. She reminded +us kittenishly that the guides were +capricious, and that we must all help +by merging ourselves in the great +flowing currents of absolute infinity.</p> + +<p>She finally faltered, realized she +was probably saying all the things +the Swami would want to say—in +the manner of people who introduce +speakers everywhere—and with a +girlish little flourish she waved at +someone off stage.</p> + +<p>The house lights dimmed. The +curtains swirled up and back.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The Swami was doing all right +for himself. He was seated behind +a small table in the center of the +stage. A pale violet light diffused +through a huge crystal ball on the +table, and threw his dark features +into sharp relief. It gave an astonishingly +remote and inscrutable wisdom +to his features. In the pale light, and +at this distance, his turban looked +quite clean.</p> + +<p>He began to speak slowly and +sonorously. A hush settled over the +audience, and gradually I felt myself +merging with the mass reaction of +the rest. As I listened, I got the +feeling that what he was saying was +of tremendous importance, that +somehow his words contained great +and revealing wonders—or would +contain them if I were only sufficiently +advanced to comprehend their +true meanings. The man was good, +he knew his trade. All men search +for truth at one level or another. +I began to realize why such a proportionate +few choose the cold and +impersonal laboratory. Perhaps if +there were a way to put science to +music—</p> + +<p>The Swami talked on for about +twenty minutes, and then I noticed +his voice had grown deeper and +deeper in tone, and suddenly, without +any apparent transition, we all +knew it was not really the Swami's +voice we were hearing. And then he +began to tell members of the audience +little intimate things about +themselves, things which only they +should know.</p> + +<p>He was good at this, too. He had +mastered the trick of making universals +sound like specifics. I could +do the same thing. The patterns of +people's lives have multiple similarities. +To a far greater extent than +generally realized the same things +happen to everyone. The idea was +to take some of the lesser known +ones and word them so they seemed +to apply to one isolated individual.</p> + +<p>For instance, I could tell a fellow +about when he was a little boy there +was a little girl in a red dress with +blond pigtails who used to scrap +with him and tattle things about him +to her mother. If he were inclined +to be credulous, this was second +sight I had. But it is a universal. +What average boy didn't, at one time +or another, know a little girl with +blond pigtails? What blond little girl +didn't occasionally wear a red dress? +What little girl didn't tattle to her +mother about the naughty things the +boys were doing?</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/004.png" width="600" height="402" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>The Swami did that for a while. +The audience was leaning forward +in a rapture of ecstasy. First the +organ tones of his voice soothed and +softened. The phrases which should +mean something if only you had the +comprehension. The universals applied +as specifics. He had his audience +in the palm of his hand. He +didn't need his crystal ball to tell +him that.</p> + +<p>But he wanted it to be complete. +Most of the responses had been from +women. He gave them the generalities +which didn't sound like generalities. +They confirmed with specifics. +But most were women. He wanted +the men, too. He began to concentrate +on the men. He made it easy.</p> + +<p>"I have a message," he said. +"From ... now let me get it right +... from R. S. It is for a man in +this audience. Will the man who +knew R. S. acknowledge?"</p> + +<p>There was a silence. And that was +such an easy one, too. I hadn't planned +to participate, but, on impulse, +since none of the other men were +cooperating, I spoke up.</p> + +<p>"Robert Smith!" I exclaimed. +"Good old Bob!"</p> + +<p>Several of the women sitting near +me looked at me and beamed their +approval. One of the husbands +scowled at me.</p> + +<p>"I can tell by your tone," the +Swami said, and apparently he hadn't +recognized my tone, "that you have +forgiven him. That is the message. +He wants you to know that he is +happy. He is much wiser now. He +knows now that he was wrong."</p> + +<p>One of the women reached over +and patted me on the shoulder, +giving me motherly encouragement.</p> + +<p>But the Swami had no more messages +for men. He was smart enough +to know where to stop. He'd tried +one of the simplest come-ons, and +there had been too much of a pause. +It had almost not come off.</p> + +<p>I wondered who good old Bob +Smith was? Surely, among the thousands +of applicants I'd interviewed, +there must have been a number of +them. And, being applicants, of +course some of them had been +wrong.</p> + +<p>The Swami's tones, giving one +message after another—faster and +faster now, not waiting for acknowledgment +or confirmation—began to +sink into a whisper. His speech became +ragged, heavy. The words became +indistinguishable. About his +head there began to float a pale, +luminescent sphere. There was a subdued +gasp from the audience and +then complete stillness. As though, +unbreathing, in the depths of a tomb, +they watched the sphere. It bobbed +about, over the Swami's head and +around him. At times it seemed as +if about to float off stage, but it +came back. It swirled out over the +audience, but not too far, and never +at such an angle that the long, flexible +dull black wire supporting it would +be silhouetted against the glowing +crystal ball.</p> + +<p>Then it happened. There was a +gasp, a smothered scream. And over +at one side of the auditorium a dark +object began bobbing about in the +air up near the ceiling. It swerved +and swooped. The Swami's luminescent +sphere jerked to a sudden stop. +The Swami sat with open mouth and +stared at the dark object which he +was not controlling.</p> + +<p>The dark object was not confined +to any dull black wire. It went +where it willed. It went too high and +brushed against the ceiling.</p> + +<p>There was a sudden shower of +coins to the floor. A compact hit the +floor with a flat spat. A handkerchief +floated down more slowly.</p> + +<p>"My purse!" a woman gasped. I +recognized my interviewer's voice. +Her purse contained two Auerbach +cylinders, and they were having +themselves a ball.</p> + +<p>In alarm, I looked quickly at the +stage, hoping the Swami wasn't +astute enough to catch on. But he +was gone. The audience, watching +the bobbing purse, hadn't realized +it as yet. And they were delayed in +realizing it by a diversion from the +other side of the auditorium.</p> + +<p>"I can't hold it down any longer, +Mr. Kennedy!" a woman gasped out. +"It's taking me up into the air!"</p> + +<p>"Hold on, Annie!" I shouted +back. "I'm coming!"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>A chastened and subdued Swami +sat in my office the following morning, +and this time he was inclined +to be coöperative. More, he was +looking to me for guidance, understanding, +and didn't mind acknowledging +my ascendancy. And, with +the lieutenant left in the outer office, +he didn't have any face to preserve.</p> + +<p>Later, last night, he'd learned the +truth of what happened after he had +run away in a panic. I'd left a call +at the hotel for the lieutenant. When +the lieutenant had got him calmed +down and returned my call, I'd instructed +the lieutenant to tell the +Swami about the Auerbach cylinders; +to tell the Swami he was not a fake +after all.</p> + +<p>The Swami had obviously spent a +sleepless night. It is a terrible thing +to have spent years perfecting the +art of fakery, and then to realize you +needn't have faked at all. More terrible, +he had swallowed some of his +own medicine, and was overcome +with fear of the forces which he had +been commanding. All through the +night he had shivered in fear of +some instant and horrible retaliation. +For him it was still a case of There +Are Mysteries.</p> + +<p>And it was of no comfort to his +state of mind right now that the four +cylinders we had finally captured last +night were, at this moment, bobbing +about in my office, swooping and +swerving around in the upper part +of the room, like bats trying to find +some opening. I was giving him the +full treatment! The first two cylinders, +down on the floor, were pressing +up against my closed door, like +frightened little things trying to escape +a room of horror.</p> + +<p>The Swami's face was twitching, +and his long fingers kept twining +themselves into King's X symbols. +But he was sitting it out. He was +swallowing some of the hair of the +dog that bit him. I had to give him +A for that.</p> + +<p>"I've been trying to build up a +concept of the framework wherein +psi seems to function," I told him +casually, just as if it were all a +formularized laboratory procedure. +"I had to pull last night's stunt to +prove something."</p> + +<p>He tore his eyes away from the +cylinders which were over exploring +one corner of the ceiling, and looked +at me.</p> + +<p>"Let's go to electricity," I said +speculatively. "Not that we know psi +and electricity have anything in common, +other than some similar analogies, +but we don't know they don't. +Both of them may be just different +manifestations of the same thing. +We don't really know why a magnetized +core, turning inside a coil +of copper wire, generates electricity.</p> + +<p>"Oh we've got some phrases," I +acknowledged. "We've got a whole +structure of phrases, and when you +listen to them they sound as if they +ought to mean something—like the +phrases you were using last night. +Everybody assumes they do mean +something to the pundits. So, since +it is human to want to be a pundit, +we repeat these phrases over and over, +and call them explanations. Yet we +do know what happens, even if we +do just theorize about why. We know +how to wrap something around +something and get electricity.</p> + +<p>"Take the induction coil," I said. +"We feed a low-voltage current into +one end, and we draw off a high-voltage +current from the other. But +anyone who wants, any time, can +disprove the whole principle of the +induction coil. All you have to do is +wrap your core with a nonconductor, +say nylon thread, and presto, nothing +comes out. You see, it doesn't +work; and anybody who claims it +does is a faker and a liar. That's +what happens when science tries to +investigate psi by the standard methods.</p> + +<p>"You surround a psi-gifted individual +with nonbelievers, and probably +nothing will come out of it. +Surround him with true believers; +and it all seems to act like an induction +coil. Things happen. Yet even +when things do happen, it is usually +impossible to prove it.</p> + +<p>"Take yourself, Swami. And this +is significant. First we have the north +point effect. Then those two little +beggars trying to get out the door. +Then the ones which are bobbing +around up there. Without the cylinders +there would have been no way +to know that anything had happened +at all.</p> + +<p>"Now, about this psi framework. +It isn't something you can turn on +and off, at will. We don't know +enough yet for that. Aside from some +believers and those individuals who +do seem to attract psi forces, we +don't know, yet, what to wrap +around what. So, here's what you're +to do: You're to keep a supply of +these cylinders near you at all times. +If any psi effects happen, they'll +record it. Fair enough?</p> + +<p>"Now," I said with finality. "I +have anticipated that you might refuse. +But you're not the only person +who has psi ability. I've wired General +Sanfordwaithe to send me another +fellow; one who will coöperate."</p> + +<p>The Swami thought it over. Here +he was with a suite in a good hotel; +with an army lieutenant to look after +his earthly needs; on the payroll of +a respectable company; with a ready-made +flock of believers; and no fear +of the bunco squad. He had never +had it so good. The side money, for +private readings alone, should be +substantial.</p> + +<p>Further, and he watched me narrowly, +I didn't seem to be afraid of +the cylinders. It was probably this +which gave the clincher.</p> + +<p>"I'll coöperate," he agreed meekly.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>For three days there was nothing. +The Swami seemed coöperative +enough. He called me a couple times +a day and reported that the cylinders +just lay around his room. I didn't +know what to tell him. I recommended +he read biographies of famous +mediums. I recommended fasting, +and breathing, and contemplating +self. He seemed dubious, but +said he'd try it.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the third day, +Sara called me on the intercom and +told me there was another Army +lieutenant in her office, and another +charac ... another gentleman. I +opened my door and went out to +Sara's office to greet them. My first +glimpse told me Sara had been right +the first time. He was a character.</p> + +<p>The new lieutenant was no more +than the standard output from the +same production line as Lieutenant +Murphy, but the wizened little old +man he had in tow was from a +different and much rarer matrix. As +fast as I had moved, I was none too +soon. The character reached over and +tilted up Sara's chin as I was coming +through the door.</p> + +<p>"Now you're a healthy young +wench," he said with a leer. "What +are you doing tonight, baby?" The +guy was at least eighty years old.</p> + +<p>"Hey, you, pop!" I exclaimed in +anger. "Be your age!"</p> + +<p>He turned around and looked me +up and down.</p> + +<p>"I'm younger, that way, than you +are, right now!" he snapped.</p> + +<p>A disturbance in the outer office +kept me from thinking up a retort. +There were some subdued screams, +some scuffling of heavy shoes, the +sounds of some running feet as +applicants got away. The outer door +to Sara's office was flung open.</p> + +<p>Framed in the doorway, breast +high, floated the Swami!</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>He was sitting, cross-legged, on a +hotel bathmat. From both front corners, +where they had been attached +by loops of twine, there peeked +Auerbach cylinders. Two more rear +cylinders were grasped in Lieutenant +Murphy's strong hands. He was +propelling the Swami along, mid air, +in Atlantic City Boardwalk style.</p> + +<p>The Swami looked down at us +with aloof disdain, then his eyes +focused on the old man. His glance +wavered; he threw a startled and +fearful look at the cylinders holding +up his bathmat. They did not fall. +A vast relief overspread his face, +and he drew himself erect with more +disdain than ever. The old man was +not so aloof.</p> + +<p>"Harry Glotz!" he exclaimed. +"Why you ... you faker! What are +you doing in that getup?"</p> + +<p>The Swami took a casual turn +about the room, leaning to one side +on his magic carpet as if banking +an airplane.</p> + +<p>"Peasant!" He spat the word out +and motioned grandly toward the +door. Lieutenant Murphy pushed +him through.</p> + +<p>"Why, that no good bum!" the +old man shouted at me. "That no-good +from nowhere! I'll fix him! +Thinks he's something, does he? +I'll show him! Anything he can do +I can do better!"</p> + +<p>His rage got the better of him. +He rushed through the door, shaking +both fists above his white head, +shouting imprecations, threats, and +pleading to be shown how the trick +was done, all in the same breath. +The new lieutenant cast a stricken +look at us and then sped after his +charge.</p> + +<p>"Looks as if we're finally in production," +I said to Sara.</p> + +<p>"That's only the second one," she +said mournfully. "When you get all +six of them, this joint's sure going +to be jumping!"</p> + +<p>I looked out of her window at +the steel and concrete walls of the +factory. They were solid, real, secure; +they were a symbol of reality, the +old reality a man could understand.</p> + +<p>"I hope you don't mean that literally, +Sara," I answered dubiously.</p> + + +<p class="theend">THE END</p> + + +<div class="figtran"> +<a href="images/005.jpg"><img src="images/005t.jpg" width="144" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a> +<b><big>Transcriber's Note:</big></b><br /><br /> + +This etext was produced from <i>Astounding Science Fiction</i> March 1955. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright +on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors +have been corrected without note. +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Sense from Thought Divide, by Mark Irvin Clifton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SENSE FROM THOUGHT DIVIDE *** + +***** This file should be named 22513-h.htm or 22513-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/1/22513/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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mode 100644 index 0000000..3c031c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/22513-page-images/p037.png diff --git a/22513.txt b/22513.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..774d833 --- /dev/null +++ b/22513.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1964 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Sense from Thought Divide, by Mark Irvin Clifton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Sense from Thought Divide + +Author: Mark Irvin Clifton + +Illustrator: van Dongen + +Release Date: September 5, 2007 [EBook #22513] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SENSE FROM THOUGHT DIVIDE *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +SENSE FROM THOUGHT DIVIDE + +BY MARK CLIFTON + + _What is a "phony"? Someone who believes he can do X, when + he can't, however sincerely he believes it? Or someone who can + do X, believes he can't, and believes he is pretending he can?_ + +Illustrated by van Dongen + + + "Remembrance and reflection, how allied; + What thin partitions sense from thought divide." + + Pope + +When I opened the door to my secretary's office, I could see her looking +up from her desk at the Swami's face with an expression of fascinated +skepticism. The Swami's back was toward me, and on it hung flowing folds +of a black cloak. His turban was white, except where it had rubbed +against the back of his neck. + +"A tall, dark, and handsome man will soon come into your life," he was +intoning in that sepulchral voice men habitually use in their dealings +with the absolute. + +Sara's green eyes focused beyond him, on me, and began to twinkle. + +"And there he is right now," she commented dryly. "Mr. Kennedy, +Personnel Director for Computer Research." + +The Swami whirled around, his heavy robe following the movement in a +practiced swirl. His liquid black eyes looked me over shrewdly, and he +bowed toward me as he vaguely touched his chest, lips and forehead. I +expected him to murmur, "Effendi," or "Bwana Sahib," or something, but +he must have felt silence was more impressive. + +I acknowledged his greeting by pulling down one corner of my mouth. Then +I looked at his companion. + +The young lieutenant was standing very straight, very stiff, and a flush +of pink was starting up from his collar and spreading around his +clenched jaws to leave a semicircle of white in front of his red ears. + +"Who are you?" I asked the lieutenant. + +"Lieutenant Murphy," he answered shortly, and managed to open his teeth +a bare quarter of an inch for the words to come out. "Pentagon!" His +light gray eyes pierced me to see if I were impressed. + +I wasn't. + +"Division of Materiel and Supply," he continued in staccato, as if he +were imitating a machine gun. + +I waited. It was obvious he wasn't through yet. He hesitated, and I +could see his Adam's apple travel up above the knot of his tie and back +down again as he swallowed. The pink flush deepened suddenly into +brilliant red and spread all over his face. + +"Poltergeist Section," he said defiantly. + +"_What?_" The exclamation was out before I could catch it. + +He tried to glare at me, but his eyes were pleading instead. + +"General Sanfordwaithe said you'd understand." He intended to make it +matter of fact in a sturdy, confident voice, but there was the undertone +of a wail. It was time I lent a hand before his forces were routed and +left him shattered in hopeless defeat. + +"You're West Point, aren't you?" I asked kindly. + +It seemed to remind him of the old shoulder-to-shoulder tradition. He +straightened still more. I hadn't believed it possible. + +"Yes, sir!" He wanted to keep the gratitude out of his voice, but it was +there. It did not escape my attention that, for the first time, he had +spoken the habitual term of respect to me. + +"Well, what do you have here, Lieutenant Murphy?" I nodded toward the +Swami who had been wavering between a proud, free stance and that of a +drooping supplicant. The lieutenant, whose quality had been recognized, +even by a civilian, was restored unto himself. He was again ready to do +or die. + +"According to my orders, sir," he said formally, "you have requested the +Pentagon furnish you with one half dozen, six, male-type poltergeists. I +am delivering the first of them to you, sir." + +Sara's mouth, hanging wide open, reminded me to close my own. + +So the Pentagon was calling me on my bluff. Well, maybe they did have +something at that. I'd see. + + * * * * * + +"Float me over that ash tray there on the desk," I said casually to the +Swami. + +He looked at me as if I'd insulted him, and I could anticipate some +reply to the effect that he was not applying for domestic service. But +the humble supplicant rather than the proud and fierce hill man won. He +started to pick up the ash tray from Sara's desk with his hand. + +"No, no!" I exclaimed. "I didn't ask you to hand it to me. I want you to +TK it over to me. What's the matter? Can't you even TK a simple ash +tray?" + +The lieutenant's eyes were getting bigger and bigger. + +"Didn't your Poltergeist Section test this guy's aptitudes for +telekinesis before you brought him from Washington all the way out here +to Los Angeles?" I snapped at him. + + * * * * * + +The lieutenant's lips thinned to a bloodless line. Apparently I, a +civilian, was criticizing the judgment of the Army. + +"I am certain he must have qualified adequately," he said stiffly, and +this time left off the "sir." + +"Well, I don't know," I answered doubtfully. "If he hasn't even enough +telekinetic ability to float me an ash tray across the room--" + +The Swami recovered himself first. He put the tips of his long fingers +together in the shape of a sway-backed steeple, and rolled his eyes +upward. + +"I am an instrument of infinite wisdom," he intoned. "Not a parlor +magician." + +"You mean that with all your infinite wisdom you can't do it," I accused +flatly. + +"The vibrations are not favorable--" he rolled the words sonorously. + +"All right," I agreed. "We'll go somewhere else, where they're better!" + +"The vibrations throughout all this crass, materialistic Western +world--" he intoned. + +"All right," I interrupted, "we'll go to India, then. Sara, call up and +book tickets to Calcutta on the first possible plane!" Sara's mouth had +been gradually closing, but it unhinged again. + +"Perhaps not even India," the Swami murmured, hastily. "Perhaps Tibet." + +"Now you know we can't get admission into Tibet while the Communists +control it," I argued seriously. "But how about Nepal? That's a fair +compromise. The Maharajadhiraja's friendly now. I'll settle for Nepal." + +The Swami couldn't keep the triumphant glitter out of his eyes. The +sudden worry that I really would take him to India to see if he could TK +an ash tray subsided. He had me. + +"I'm afraid it would have to be Tibet," he said positively. "Nowhere +else in all this troubled world are the vibrations--" + +"Oh go on back to Flatbush!" I interrupted disgustedly. "You know as +well as I that you've never been outside New York before in your life. +Your accent's as phony as the pear-shaped tones of a Midwestern garden +club president. Can't even TK a simple ash tray!" + +I turned to the amazed lieutenant. + +"Will you come into my office?" I asked him. + +He looked over at the Swami, in doubt. + +"He can wait out here," I said. "He won't run away. There isn't any +subway, and he wouldn't know what to do. Anyway, if he did get lost, +your Army Intelligence could find him. Give G-2 something to work on. +Right through this door, lieutenant." + +"Yes, sir," he said meekly, and preceded me into my office. + +I closed the door behind us and waved him over to the crying chair. He +folded at the knees and hips, as if he were hinged only there, as if +there were no hinges at all in the ramrod of his back. He sat up +straight, on the edge of his chair, ready to spring into instant charge +of battle. I went around back to my desk and sat down. + +"Now, lieutenant," I said soothingly, "tell me all about it." + + * * * * * + +I could have sworn his square chin quivered at the note of sympathy in +my voice. I wondered, irrelevantly, if the lads at West Point all slept +with their faces confined in wooden frames to get that characteristically +rectangular look. + +"You knew I was from West Point," he said, and his voice held a note of +awe. "And you knew, right away, that Swami was a phony from Flatbush." + +"Come now," I said with a shrug. "Nothing to get mystical about. +Patterns. Just patterns. Every environment leaves the stamp of its +matrix on the individual shaped in it. It's a personnel man's trade to +recognize the make of a person, just as you would recognize the make of +a rifle." + +"Yes, sir. I see, sir," he answered. But of course he didn't. And there +wasn't much use to make him try. Most people cling too desperately to +the ego-saving formula: Man cannot know man. + +"Look, lieutenant," I said, with an idea that we'd better get down to +business. "Have you been checked out on what this is all about?" + +"Well, sir," he answered, as if he were answering a question in class, +"I was cleared for top security, and told that a few months ago you and +your Dr. Auerbach, here at Computer Research, discovered a way to create +antigravity. I was told you claimed you had to have a poltergeist in the +process. You told General Sanfordwaithe that you needed six of them, +males. That's about all, sir. So the Poltergeist Division discovered the +Swami, and I was assigned to bring him out here to you." + +"Well then, Lieutenant Murphy, you go back to the Pentagon and tell +General Sanfordwaithe that--" I could see by the look on his face that +my message would probably not get through verbatim. "Never mind, I'll +write it," I amended disgustedly. "And you can carry the message." +Lesser echelons do not relish the task of repeating uncomplimentary +words verbatim to a superior. Not usually. + +I punched Sara's button on my intercom. + +"After all the exposure out there to the Swami," I said, "if you're +still with us on this crass, materialistic plane, will you bring your +book?" + +"My astral self has been hovering over you, guarding you, every minute," +Sara answered dreamily. + +"Can it take shorthand?" I asked dryly. + +"Maybe I'd better come in," she replied. + +When she came through the door the lieutenant gave her one appreciative +glance, then returned to his aloof pedestal of indifference. Obviously +his pattern was to stand in majestic splendor and allow the girls to +fawn somewhere down near his shoes. These lads with a glamour boy +complex almost always gravitate toward some occupation which will +require them to wear a uniform. Sara catalogued him as quickly as I did, +and seemed unimpressed. But you never can tell about a woman; the +smartest of them will fall for the most transparent poses. + +"General Sanfordwaithe, dear sir," I began as she sat down at one corner +of my desk and flipped open her book. "It takes more than a towel +wrapped around the head and some mutterings about infinity to get +poltergeist effects. So I am returning your phony Swami to you with my +compliments--" + +"Beg your pardon, sir," the lieutenant interrupted, and there was a +certain note of suppressed triumph in his voice. "In case you rejected +our applicant for the poltergeist job you have in mind, I was to hand +you this." He undid a lovingly polished button of his tunic, slipped his +hand beneath the cloth and pulled forth a long, sealed envelope. + +I took it from him and noted the three sealing-wax imprints on the flap. +From being carried so close to his heart for so long, the envelope was +slightly less crisp than when he had received it. I slipped my letter +opener in under the side flap, and gently extracted the letter without, +in anyway, disturbing the wax seals which were to have guaranteed its +privacy. There wasn't any point in my doing it, of course, except to +demonstrate to the lieutenant that I considered the whole deal as a +silly piece of cloak and dagger stuff. + +After the general formalities, the letter was brief: "Dear Mr. Kennedy: +We already know the Swami is a phony, but our people have been convinced +that in spite of this there are some unaccountable effects. We have +advised your general manager, Mr. Henry Grenoble, that we are in the act +of carrying out our part of the agreement, namely, to provide you with +six male-type poltergeists, and to both you and him we are respectfully +suggesting that you get on with the business of putting the antigravity +units into immediate production." + +I folded the letter and tucked it into one side of my desk pad. I looked +at Sara. + +"Never mind the letter to General Sanfordwaithe," I said. "He has +successfully cut off my retreat in that direction." I looked over at the +lieutenant. "All right," I said resignedly, "I'll apologize to the +Swami, and make a try at using him." + +I picked up the letter again and pretended to be reading it. But this +was just a stall, because I had suddenly been struck by the thought that +my extreme haste in scoring off the Swami and trying to get rid of him +was because I didn't want to get involved again with poltergeists. Not +any, of any nature. + +The best way on earth to avoid having to explain psi effects and come to +terms with them is simply to deny them, convince oneself that they don't +exist. I sighed deeply. It looked as if I would be denied that little +human privilege of closing my eyes to the obvious. + + * * * * * + +Old Stone Face, our general manager, claimed to follow the philosophy of +building men, not machines. To an extent he did. His favorite phrase +was, "Don't ask me how. I hired you to tell me." He hired a man to do a +job, and I will say for him, he left that man alone as long as the job +got done. But when a man flubbed a job, and kept on flubbing it, then +Mr. Henry Grenoble stepped in and carried out his own job--general +managing. + +He had given me the assignment of putting antigrav units into +production. He had given me access to all the money I would need for the +purpose. He had given me sufficient time, months of it. And, in spite of +all this cooeperation, he still saw no production lines which spewed out +antigrav units at some such rate as seventeen and five twelfths per +second. + +Apparently he got his communication from the Pentagon about the time I +got mine. Apparently it contained some implication that Computer +Research, under his management, was not pursuing the cause of +manufacturing antigrav units with diligence and dispatch. Apparently he +did not like this. + +I had no more than apologized to the Swami, and received his martyred +forgiveness, and arranged for a hotel suite for him and the lieutenant, +when Old Stone Face sent for me. He began to manage with diligence and +dispatch. + +"Now you look here, Kennedy," he said forcefully, and his use of my last +name, rather than my first, was a warning, "I've given you every chance. +When you and Auerbach came up with that antigrav unit last fall, I +didn't ask a lot of fool questions. I figured you knew what you were +doing. But the whole winter has passed, and here it is spring, and you +haven't done anything that I can see. I didn't say anything when you +told General Sanfordwaithe that you'd have to have poltergeists to carry +on the work, but I looked it up. First I thought you'd flipped your lid, +then I thought you were sending us all on a wild goose chase so we'd +leave you alone, then I didn't know what to think." + +I nodded. He wasn't through. + +"Now I think you're just pretending the whole thing doesn't exist +because you don't want to fool with it." + +Perhaps he had come to the right decision after all. I'd resolutely +washed the whole thing out of my mind. But I wasn't going to get away +with it. I could see it coming. + +"For the first time, Kennedy, I'm asking you what happened?" he said +firmly, but his tone was more telling than asking. So I was going to +have to discuss frameworks with Old Stone Face, after all. + +"Henry," I asked slowly, "have you kept up your reading in theoretical +physics?" + +He blinked at me. I couldn't tell whether it meant yes or no. + +"When we went to school, you and I--" I hoped my putting us both in the +same age group would tend to mollify him a little, "physics was all +snug, secure, safe, definite. A fact was a fact, and that's all there +was to it. But there's been some changes made. There's the cooerdinate +systems of Einstein, where the relationships of facts can change from +framework to framework. There's the application of multivalued logic to +physics where a fact becomes not a fact any longer. The astronomers talk +about the expanding universe--it's a piker compared to man's expanding +concepts about that universe." + +He waited for more. His face seemed to indicate that I was beating +around the bush. + +"That all has a bearing on what happened," I assured him. "You have to +understand what was behind the facts before you can understand the facts +themselves. First, we weren't trying to make an antigrav unit at all. +Dr. Auerbach was playing around with a chemical approach to cybernetics. +He made up some goop which he thought would store memory impulses, the +way the brain stores them. He brought a plastic cylinder of it over to +me, so I could discuss it with you. I laid it on my desk while I went on +with my personnel management business at hand." + +Old Stone Face opened a humidor and took out a cigar. He lit it slowly +and deliberately and looked at me sharply as he blew out the first puff +of smoke. + + * * * * * + +"The nursery over in the plant had been having trouble with a little +girl, daughter of one of our production women. She'd been throwing +things, setting things on fire. The teachers didn't know how she did it, +she just did it. They sent her to me. I asked her about it. She threw a +tantrum, and when it was all over, Auerbach's plastic cylinder of goop +was trying to fall upward, through the ceiling. That's what happened," I +said. + +He looked at his cigar, and looked at me. He waited for me to tie the +facts to the theory. I hesitated, and then tried to reassure myself. +After all, we were in the business of manufacturing computers. The +general manager ought to be able to understand something beyond primary +arithmetic. + +"Jennie Malasek was a peculiar child with a peculiar background," I went +on. "Her mother was from the old country, one of the Slav races. There's +the inheritance of a lot of peculiar notions. Maybe she had passed them +on to her daughter. She kept Jennie locked up in their room. The kid +never got out with other children. Children, kept alone, never seeing +anybody, get peculiar notions all by themselves. Who, knows what kind of +a cooerdinate system she built up, or how it worked? Her mother would +come home at night and go about her tasks talking aloud, half to the +daughter, half to herself. 'I really burned that foreman up, today,' +she'd say. Or, 'Oh, boy, was he fired in a hurry!' Or, 'She got herself +thrown out of the place,' things like that." + +"So what does that mean, Ralph?" he asked. His switch to my first name +indicated he was trying to work with me instead of pushing me. + +"To a child who never knew anything else," I answered, "one who had +never learned to distinguish reality from unreality--as we would define +it from our agreed framework--a special cooerdinate system might be built +up where 'Everybody was up in the air at work, today,' might be taken +literally. Under the old systems of physics that couldn't happen, of +course--it says in the textbooks--but since it has been happening all +through history, in thousands of instances, in the new systems of +multivalued physics we recognize it. Under the old system, we already +had all the major answers, we thought. Now that we've got our smug +certainties knocked out of us, we're just fumbling along, trying to get +some of the answers we thought we had. + +"We couldn't make that cylinder activate others. We tried. We're still +trying. In ordinary cybernetics you can have one machine punch a tape +and it can be fed into another machine, but that means you first have to +know how to code and decode a tape mechanically. We don't know how to +code or decode a psi effect. We know the Auerbach cylinder will store a +psi impulse, but we don't know how. So we have to keep working with psi +gifted people, at least until we've established some of the basic laws +governing psi." + +I couldn't tell by Henry's face whether I was with him or away from him. +He told me he wanted to think about it, and made a little motion with +his hand that I should leave the room. + +I walked through the suite of executive offices and down a sound +rebuffing hallway. The throbbing clatter of manufacture of metallic +parts made a welcome sound as I went through the far doorway into the +factory. I saw a blueprint spread on a foreman's desk as I walked past. +Good old blueprint. So many millimeters from here to there, made of such +and such an alloy, a hole punched here with an allowance of +five-ten-thousandths plus or minus tolerance. Snug, secure, safe. I +wondered if psi could ever be blue-printed. Or suppose you put a hole +here, but when you looked away and then looked back it had moved, or +wasn't there at all? + +[Illustration] + +Quickly, I got myself into a conversation with a supervisor about the +rising rate of employee turnover in his department. That was something +also snug, secure, safe. All you had to do was figure out human beings. + + * * * * * + +I spent the rest of the morning on such pursuits, working with things I +understood. + +On his first rounds of the afternoon, the interoffice messenger brought +me a memorandum from the general manager's office. I opened it with some +misgivings. I was not particularly reassured. + +Mr. Grenoble felt he should work with me more closely on the antigrav +project. He understood, from his researches, that the most positive psi +effects were experienced during a seance with a medium. Would I kindly +arrange for the Swami to hold a seance that evening, after office hours, +so that he might analyze the man's methods and procedures to see how +they could fit smoothly into Company Operation. This was not to be +construed as interference in the workings of my department but in the +interests of pursuing the entire matter with diligence and dispatch-- + +The seance was to be held in my office. + +I had had many peculiar conferences in this room--from union leaders +stripping off their coats, throwing them on the floor and stomping on +them; to uplifters who wanted to ban cosmetics on our women employees so +the male employees would not be tempted to think Questionable Thoughts. +I could not recall ever having held a seance before. + +My desk had been moved out of the way, over into one corner of the large +room. A round table was brought over from the salesmen's report writing +room (used there more for surreptitious poker playing than for writing +reports) and placed in the middle of my office--on the grounds that it +had no sharp corners to gouge people in their middles if it got to +cavorting about recklessly. In an industrial plant one always has to +consider the matter of safety rules and accident insurance rates. + +In the middle of the table there rested, with dark fluid gleaming +through clear plastic cases, six fresh cylinders which Auerbach had +prepared in his laboratory over in the plant. + +Auerbach had shown considerable unwillingness to attend the seance; he +pleaded being extra busy with experiments just now, but I gave him that +look which told him I knew he had just been stalling around the last few +months, the same as I had. + +If the psi effect had never come out in the first place, there wouldn't +have been any mental conflict. He could have gone on with his processes +of refining, simplifying and increasing the efficiency ratings of his +goop. But this unexpected side effect, the cylinders learning and +demonstrating something he considered basically untrue, had tied his +hands with a hopeless sort of frustration. He would have settled gladly +for a chemical compound which could have added two and two upon request; +but when that compound can learn and demonstrate that there's no such +thing as gravity, teaching it simple arithmetic is like ashes in the +mouth. + +I said as much to him. I stood there in his laboratory, leaned up +against a work bench, and risked burning an acid hole in the sleeve of +my jacket just to put over an air of unconcern. He was perched on the +edge of an opposite work bench, swinging his feet, and hiding the +expression in his eyes behind the window's reflection upon his polished +glasses. I said even more. + +"You know," I said reflectively, "I'm completely unable to understand +the attitude of supposedly unbiased men of science. Now you take all +that mass of data about psi effects, the odd and unexplainable +happenings, the premonitions, the specific predictions, the accurate +descriptions of far away simultaneously happening events. You take that +whole mountainous mass of data, evidence, phenomena--" + + * * * * * + +A slight turn of his head gave me a glimpse of his eyes behind the +glasses. He looked as if he wished I'd change the subject. In his dry, +undemonstrative way, I think he liked me. Or at least he liked me when I +wasn't trying to make him think about things outside his safe and secure +little framework. But I didn't give in. If men of science are not going +to take up the evidence and work it over, then where are we? And are +they men of science? + +"Before Rhine came along, and brought all this down to the level of +laboratory experimentation," I pursued, "how were those things to be +explained? Say a fellow had some unusual powers, things that happened +around him, things he knew without any explanation for knowing them. +I'll tell you. There were two courses open to him. He could express it +in the semantics of spiritism, or he could admit to witchcraft and +sorcery. Take your pick; those were the only two systems of semantics +which had been built up through the ages. + +"We've got a third one now--parapsychology. If I had asked you to attend +an experiment in parapsychology, you'd have agreed at once. But when I +ask you to attend a seance, you balk! Man, what difference does it make +what we call it? Isn't it up to us to investigate the evidence wherever +we find it? No matter what kind of semantic debris it's hiding in?" + +Auerbach shoved himself down off the bench, and pulled out a beat-up +package of cigarettes. + +"All right, Kennedy," he had said resignedly, "I'll attend your seance." + + * * * * * + +The other invited guests were Sara, Lieutenant Murphy, Old Stone Face, +myself, and, of course, the Swami. This was probably not typical of the +Swami's usual audience composition. + +Six chairs were placed at even intervals around the table. I had found +soft white lights overhead to be most suitable for my occasional night +work, but the Swami insisted that a blue light, a dim one, was most +suitable for his night work. + +I made no objection to that condition. One of the elementary basics of +science is that laboratory conditions may be varied to meet the +necessities of the experiment. If a red-lighted darkness is necessary to +an operator's successful development of photographic film, then I could +hardly object to a blue-lighted darkness for the development of the +Swami's effects. + +Neither could I object to the Swami's insistence that he sit with his +back to the true North. When he came into the room, accompanied by +Lieutenant Murphy, his thoughts seemed turned in upon himself, or wafted +somewhere out of this world. He stopped in mid-stride, struck an +attitude of listening, or feeling, perhaps, and slowly shifted his body +back and forth. + +"Ah," he said at last, in a tone of satisfaction, "there is the North!" + +It was, but this was not particularly remarkable. There is no confusing +maze of hallways leading to the Personnel Department from the outside. +Applicants would be unable to find us if there were. If he had got his +bearings out on the street, he could have managed to keep them. + +He picked up the nearest chair with his own hands and shifted it so that +it would be in tune with the magnetic lines of Earth. I couldn't object. +The Chinese had insisted upon such placement of household articles, +particularly their beds, long before the Earth's magnetism had been +discovered by science. The birds had had their direction-finders attuned +to it, long before there was man. + +Instead of objecting, the lieutenant and I meekly picked up the table +and shifted it to the new position. Sara and Auerbach came in as we were +setting the table down. Auerbach gave one quick look at the Swami in his +black cloak and nearly white turban, and then looked away. + +"Remember semantics," I murmured to him, as I pulled out Sara's chair +for her. I seated her to the left of the Swami. I seated Auerbach to the +right of him. If the lieutenant was, by chance, in cahoots with the +Swami, I would foil them to the extent of not letting them sit side by +side at least. I sat down at the opposite side of the table from the +Swami. The lieutenant sat down between me and Sara. + +The general manager came through the door at that instant, and took +charge immediately. + +"All right now," Old Stone Face said crisply, in his low, rumbling +voice, "no fiddle-faddling around. Let's get down to business." + +The Swami closed his eyes. + +"Please be seated," he intoned to Old Stone Face. "And now, let us all +join hands in an unbroken circle." + +Henry shot him a beetle-browed look as he sat down between Auerbach and +me, but at least he was cooeperative to the extent that he placed both +his hands on top of the table. If Auerbach and I reached for them, we +would be permitted to grasp them. + +I leaned back and snapped off the overhead light to darken the room in +an eerie, blue glow. + +We sat there, holding hands, for a full ten minutes. Nothing happened. + + * * * * * + +It was not difficult to estimate the pattern of Henry's mind. Six +persons, ten minutes, equals one man-hour. One man-hour of idle time to +be charged into the cost figure of the antigrav unit. He was staring +fixedly at the cylinders which lay in random positions in the center of +the table, as if to assess their progress at this processing point. He +apparently began to grow dissatisfied with the efficiency rating of the +manufacturing process at this point. He stirred restlessly in his chair. + +The Swami seemed to sense the impatience, or it might have been +coincidence. + +"There is some difficulty," he gasped in a strangulated, high voice. "My +guides refuse to come through." + +"Harrumph!" exclaimed Old Stone Face. It left no doubt about what _he_ +would do if _his_ guides did not obey orders on the double. + +"Someone in this circle is not a True Believer!" the Swami accused in an +incredulous voice. + +In the dim blue light I was able to catch a glimpse of Sara's face. She +was on the verge of breaking apart. I managed to catch her eye and flash +her a stern warning. Later she told me she had interpreted my expression +as stark fear, but it served the same purpose. She smothered her +laughter in a most unladylike sound somewhere between a snort and a +squawk. + +The Swami seemed to become aware that somehow he was not holding his +audience spellbound. + +"Wait!" he commanded urgently; then he announced in awe-stricken tones, +"I feel a presence!" + +There was a tentative, half-hearted rattle of some castanets--which +could have been managed by the Swami wiggling one knee, if he happened +to have them concealed there. This was followed by the thin squawk of a +bugle--which could have been accomplished by sitting over toward one +side and squashing the air out of a rubber bulb attached to a ten-cent +party horn taped to his thigh. + +Then there was nothing. Apparently his guides had made a tentative +appearance and were, understandably, completely intimidated by Old Stone +Face. We sat for another five minutes. + +"Harrumph!" Henry cleared his throat again, this time louder and more +commanding. + +"That is all," the Swami said in a faint, exhausted voice. "I have +returned to you on your material plane." + + * * * * * + +The handholding broke up in the way bits of metal, suddenly charged +positive and negative, would fly apart. I leaned back again and snapped +on the white lights. We all sat there a few seconds, blinking in what +seemed a sudden glare. + +The Swami sat with his chin dropped down to his chest. Then he raised +stricken, liquid eyes. + +"Oh, now I remember where I am," he said. "What happened? I never know." + +Old Stone Face threw him a look of withering scorn. He picked up one of +the cylinders and hefted it in the palm of his hand. It did not fly +upward to bang against the ceiling. It weighed about what it ought to +weigh. He tossed the cylinder contemptuously, back into the pile, +scattering them over the table. He pushed back his chair, got to his +feet, and stalked out of the room without looking at any of us. + +The Swami made a determined effort to recapture the spotlight. + +"I'm afraid I must have help to walk to the car," he whispered. "I am +completely exhausted. Ah, this work takes so much out of me. Why do I go +on with it? Why? Why? Why?" + +He drooped in his chair, then made a valiantly brave effort to rise +under his own power when he felt the lieutenant's hands lifting him up. +He was leaning heavily on the lieutenant as they went out the door. + +Sara looked at me dubiously. + +"Will there be anything else?" she asked. Her tone suggested that since +nothing had been accomplished, perhaps we should get some work out +before she left. + +"No, Sara," I answered. "Good night. See you in the morning." + +She nodded and went out the door. + +Apparently none of them had seen what I saw. I wondered if Auerbach had. +He was a trained observer. He was standing beside the table looking down +at the cylinders. He reached over and poked at one of them with his +forefinger. He was pushing it back and forth. It gave him no resistance +beyond normal inertia. He pushed it a little farther out of parallel +with true North. It did not try to swing back. + +So he had seen it. When I'd laid the cylinders down on the table they +were in random positions. During the seance there had been no jarring of +the table, not even so much as a rap or quiver which could have been +caused by the Swami's lifted knee. When we'd shifted the table, after +the Swami had changed his chair, the cylinders hadn't been disturbed. +When Old Stone Face had been staring at them during the seance--seance?, +hah!--they were laying in inert, random positions. + +But when the lights came back on, and just before Henry had picked one +up and tossed it back to scatter them, every cylinder had been laying in +orderly parallel--and with one end pointing to true North! + +I stood there beside Auerbach, and we both poked at the cylinders some +more. They gave us no resistance, nor showed that they had any ideas +about it one way or the other. + +"It's like so many things," I said morosely. "If you do just happen to +notice anything out of the ordinary at all, it doesn't seem to mean +anything." + +"Maybe that's because you're judging it outside of its own framework," +Auerbach answered. I couldn't tell whether he was being sarcastic or +speculative. "What I don't understand," he went on, "is that once the +cylinders having been activated by whatever force there was in +action--all right, call it psi--well, why didn't they retain it, the way +the other cylinders retained the antigrav force?" + +I thought for a moment. Something about the conditional setup seemed to +give me an idea. + +"You take a photographic plate," I reasoned. "Give it a weak exposure to +light, then give it a strong blast of overexposure. The first exposure +is going to be blanked out by the second. Old Stone Face was feeling +pretty strongly toward the whole matter." + +Auerbach looked at me, unbelieving. + +"There isn't any rule about who can have psi talent," I argued. "I'm +just wondering if I shouldn't wire General Sanfordwaithe and tell him +to cut our order for poltergeists down to five." + + * * * * * + +I spent a glum, restless night. I knew, with certainty, that Old Stone +Face was going to give me trouble. I didn't need any psi talent for +that, it was an inevitable part of his pattern. He had made up his mind +to take charge of this antigrav operation, and he wouldn't let one bogus +seance stop him more than momentarily. + +If it weren't so close to direct interference with my department, I'd +have been delighted to sit on the side lines and watch him try to +command psi effects to happen. That would be like commanding some random +copper wire and metallic cores to start generating electricity. + +For once I could have overlooked the interference with my department if +I didn't know, from past experience, that I'd be blamed for the +consequent failure. That's a cute little trick of top executives, +generally. They get into something they don't understand, really louse +it up, then, because it is your department, you are the one who failed. +Ordinarily I liked my job, but if this sort of thing went too far-- + +But more than saving my job, I had the feeling that if I were allowed to +go along, carefully and experimentally, I just might discover a few of +the laws about psi. There was the tantalizing feeling that I was on the +verge of knowing at least something. + +The Pentagon people had been right. The Swami was an obvious phony of +the baldest fakery, yet he had something. He had something, but how was +I to get hold of it? Just what kind of turns with what around what did +you make to generate a psi force? It took two thousand years for man to +move from the concept that amber was a stone with a soul to the concept +of static electricity. Was there any chance I could find some shortcuts +in reducing the laws governing psi? The one bright spot of my morning +was that Auerbach hadn't denied seeing the evidence of the cylinders +pointing North. + +It turned out to be the only bright spot. I had no more than got to my +office and sorted out the routine urgencies which had to be handled +immediately from those which could be put off a little longer, when Sara +announced the lieutenant and the Swami. So I put everything else off, +and told her to send them right in. + +The Swami was in an incoherent rage. The lieutenant was contracting his +eyebrows in a scowl and clenching his fists in frustration. In a voice, +soaring into the falsetto, the Swami demanded that he be sent back to +Brooklyn where he was appreciated. The lieutenant had orders to stay +with the Swami, but he didn't have any orders about returning either to +Brooklyn or the Pentagon. I managed, at last, to get the lieutenant +seated in a straight chair, but the Swami couldn't stay still long +enough. He stalked up and down the room, swirling his slightly odorous +black cloak on the turns. Gradually the story came out. + + * * * * * + +Old Stone Face, a strong advocate of Do It Now, hadn't wasted any time. +From his home he had called the Swami at his hotel and commanded him to +report to the general manager's office at once. Apparently they both got +there about the same time, and Henry had waded right in. + +Apparently Henry, too, had spent a restless night. He accused the Swami +of inefficiency, bungling, fraud, deliberate insubordination, and a few +other assorted faults for having made a fool out of us all at the +seance. He'd as much as commanded the Swami to cut out all this +shilly-shallying and get down to the business of activating antigrav +cylinders, or else. He hadn't been specific about what the "or else" +would entail. + +It was up to me to pick up the pieces, if I could. + +"Now I'm sure he really didn't mean--" I began to pour oil on the +troubled waters. "With your deep insight, Swami--The fate of great +martyrs throughout the ages--" Gradually the ego-building phrases calmed +him down. He grew willing to listen, if for no more than the +anticipation of hearing more of them. + +He settled down into the crying chair at last, and I could see his +valence shifting from outraged anger to a vast and noble forgiveness. +This much was not difficult. To get him to cooeperate, consciously and +enthusiastically, well that might not be so easy. + +Each trade has its own special techniques. The analytical chemist has a +series of routines he tries when he wishes to reduce an unknown compound +to its constituents. To the chemically uneducated, this may appear to be +a fumbling, hit or miss, kind of procedure. The personnel man, too, has +his series of techniques. It may appear to be no more than random, +pointless conversation. + +I first tried the routine process of reasoning. I didn't expect it to +work; it seldom does, but it can't be eliminated until it has been +tested. + + * * * * * + +"You must understand," I said slowly, soothingly, "that our intentions +are constructive. We are simply trying to apply the scientific method to +something which has, heretofore, been wrapped in mysticism." + +The shocked freezing of his facial muscles told me that reasoning had +missed its mark. It told me more. + +"Science understands nothing, nothing at all!" he snapped, "Science +tries to reduce everything to test tubes and formulae; but I am the +instrument of a mystery which man can never know." + +"Well, now," I said reasonably. "Let us not be inconsistent. You say +this is something man was not meant to know; yet you, yourself, have +devoted your life to gaining a greater comprehension of it." + +"I seek only to rise above my material self so that I might place +myself in harmony with the flowing symphony of Absolute Truth," he +lectured me sonorously. Oh well, his enrapturement with such terminology +differed little from some of the sciences which tended to grow equally +esoteric. And maybe it meant something. Who was I to say that mine ears +alone heard all the music being played? + +It did mean one thing very specifically. There are two basic approaches +to the meaning of life and the universe about us. Man can know: That is +the approach of science, its whole meaning. There are mysteries which +man was not meant to know: That is the other approach. There is no +reconciling of the two on a reasoning basis. I represented the former. I +wasn't sure the Swami was a true representative of the latter, but at +least he had picked up the valence and the phrases. + +I made a mental note that reasoning was an unworkable technique with +this compound. Henry, a past master at it, had already tried threats and +abuse. That hadn't worked. I next tried one of the oldest forms in the +teaching of man, a parable. + +I told him of my old Aunt Dimity, who was passionately fond of Rummy, +but considered all other card games sinful. + +"Ah, how well she proves my point," the Swami countered. "There is an +inner voice, a wisdom greater than the mortal mind to guide us--" + +"Well now," I asked reasonably, "why would the inner voice say that +Rummy was O.K., but Casino wasn't?" But it was obvious he liked the +point he had made better than he had liked the one I failed to make. + +So I tried the next technique. I tried an appeal for instruction. Often +an opponent will come over to your side if you just confess, honestly, +that he is a better man than you are, and you need his help. What was +the road I must take to achieve the same understanding he had achieved? +His eyes glittered at that, and a mercenary expression underlay the tone +of his answer. + +"First there is fasting, and breathing, and contemplating self," he +murmured mendaciously. "I would be unable to aid you until you gave me +full ascendancy over you, so that I might guide your every thought--" + +I decided to try inspiration. In breaking down recalcitrant materials in +the laboratory of my personnel office, sometimes one method worked, +sometimes another. + +"Do you realize, Swami," I asked, "that the one great drawback +throughout the ages to a full acceptance of psi is the lack of permanent +evidence? It has always been evanescent, perishable. It always rests +solely upon the word of witnesses. But if I could show you a film print, +then you could not doubt the existence of photography, could you?" + +I opened my lower desk drawer and pulled out a couple of the Auerbach +cylinders which we had used the night before. I laid them on top of the +desk. + +"These cylinders," I said, "act like the photographic film. They will +record, in permanent form, the psi effects you command. At last, for all +mankind the doubt will be stilled; man will at once know the truth; and +you will take your place among the immortals." + +[Illustration] + +I thought it was pretty good, and that, with his overweening ego, it +would surely do the trick. But the Swami was staring at the cylinders +first in fascination, then fear, then in horror. He jumped to his feet, +without bothering to swirl his robe majestically, rushed over to the +door, fumbled with the knob as if he were in a burning room, managed to +get the door open, and rushed outside. The lieutenant gave me a puzzled +look, and went after him. + + * * * * * + +I drew a deep breath, and exhaled it audibly. My testing procedures +hadn't produced the results I'd expected, but the last one had revealed +something else. + +The Swami believed himself to be a fraud! + +As long as he could razzle-dazzle with sonorous phrases, and depend upon +credulous old women to turn them into accurate predictions of things to +come, he was safe enough. But faced with something which would prove +definitely-- + +Well, what would he do now? + +And then I noticed that both cylinders were pointing toward the door. I +watched them, at first, not quite sure; then I grew convinced by the +change in their perspective with the angles of the desk. Almost as +slowly as the minute hand of a watch, they were creeping across the desk +toward the door. They, too, were trying to escape from the room. + +I nudged them with my fingers. They hustled along a little faster, as if +appreciative of the help, even coming from me. I saw they were moving +faster, as if they were learning as they tried it. I turned one of them +around. Slowly it turned back and headed for the door again. I lifted +one of them to the floor. It had no tendency to float, but it kept +heading for the door. The other one fell off the desk while I was +fooling with the first one. The jar didn't seem to bother it any. It, +too, began to creep across the rug toward the door. + +I opened the door for them. Sara looked up. She saw the two cylinders +come into view, moving under their own power. + +"Here we go again," she said, resignedly. + +The two cylinders pushed themselves over the door sill, got clear +outside my office. Then they went inert. Both Sara and I tried nudging +them, poking them. They just lay there; mission accomplished. I carried +them back inside my office and lay them on the floor. Immediately both +of them began to head for the door again. + +"Simple," Sara said dryly, "they just can't stand to be in the same room +with you, that's all." + +"You're not just whistling, gal," I answered. "That's the whole point." + +"Have I said something clever?" she asked seriously. + +I took the cylinders back into my office and put them in a desk drawer. +I watched the desk for a while, but it didn't change position. +Apparently it was too heavy for the weak force activating the cylinders. + +I picked up the phone and called Old Stone Face. I told him about the +cylinders. + +"There!" he exclaimed with satisfaction. "I knew all that fellow needed +was a good old-fashioned talking to. Some day, my boy, you'll realize +that you still have a lot to learn about handling men." + +"Yes, sir," I answered. + + * * * * * + +Sara asked me if I were ready to start seeing people, and I told her I +wasn't, that I had some thinking to do. She quipped something about +making the world wait, meaning that I should be occupying my time with +personnel managing, and closed the door. + +At that, Old Stone Face had a point. If he hadn't got in and riled +things up, maybe the Swami would not have been emotionally upset enough +to generate the psi force which had activated these new cylinders. + +What was I saying? That psi was linked with emotional upheaval? Well, +maybe. Not necessarily, but Rhine had proved that strength of desire had +an effect upon the frequency index of telekinesis. Was there anything at +all we knew about psi, so that we could start cataloguing, sketching in +the beginnings of a pattern? Yes, of course there was. + +First, it existed. No one could dismiss the mountainous mass of evidence +unless he just refused to think about the subject. + +Second, we could, in time, know what it was and how it worked. You'd +have to give up the entire basis of scientific attitude if you didn't +admit that. + +Third, it acted like a sense, rather than as something dependent upon +the intellectual process of thought. You could, for example--I argued to +my imaginary listener--command your nose to smell a rose, and by +autosuggestion you might think you were succeeding; that is, until you +really did smell a real rose, then you'd know that you'd failed to +create it through a thought pattern. The sense would have to be +separated from the process of thinking about the sense. + +So what was psi? But, at this point, did it matter much? Wasn't the main +issue one of learning how to produce it, use it? How long did we work +with electricity and get a lot of benefits from it before we formed some +theories about what it was? And, for that matter, did we know what it +was, even yet? "A flow of electrons" was a pretty meaningless phrase, +when you stopped to think about it. I could say psi was a flow of +positrons, and it would mean as much. + +I reached over and picked up a cigarette. I started fumbling around in +the center drawer of my desk for a matchbook. I didn't find any. Without +thinking, I opened the drawer containing the two cylinders. They were +pressing up against the side of the desk drawer, still trying to get out +of the room. Single purposed little beasts, weren't they? + +I closed the drawer, and noticed that I was crushing out my cigarette in +the ash tray, just as if I'd smoked it. It was the first overt +indication I'd had that maybe my nerves weren't all they should be this +morning. + +The sight of the cylinders brought up the fourth point. Experimental +psychology was filled with examples of the known senses being unable to +make correct evaluations when confronted with a totally new object, +color, scent, taste, sound, impression. It was necessary to have a point +of orientation before the new could be fitted into the old. What we +really lacked in psi was the ability to orient its phenomena. The +various psi gifted individuals tried to do this. If they believed in +guides from beyond the veil, that's the way they expressed themselves. +On the other hand, a Rhine card caller might not be able to give you a +message from your dear departed Aunt Minnie if his life depended upon +it--yet it could easily be the same force working in both instances. +Consequently, a medium, such as the Swami, whose basic belief was There +Are Mysteries, would be unable to function in a framework where the +obvious intent was to unveil those mysteries! + +That brought up a couple more points. I felt pretty sure of them. I +felt as if I were really getting somewhere. And I had a situation which +was ideal for proving my points. + +I flipped the intercom key, and spoke to Sara. + +"Will you arrange with her foreman for Annie Malasek to come to my +office right now?" I asked. Sara is flippant when things are going along +all right, but she knows when to buckle down and do what she's asked. +She gave me no personal reactions to this request. + +Yes, Annie Malasek would be a good one. If anybody in the plant believed +There Are Mysteries, it would be Annie. Further, she was exaggeratedly +loyal to me. She believed I was responsible for turning her little +Jennie, the little girl who'd started all this poltergeist trouble, into +a Good Little Girl. In this instance, I had no qualms about taking +advantage of that loyalty. + + * * * * * + +While I waited for her I called the lieutenant at his hotel. He was in. +Yes, the Swami was also in. They'd just returned. Yes, the Swami was +ranting and raving about leaving Los Angeles at once. He had said he +absolutely would have nothing more to do with us here at Computer +Research. I told Lieutenant Murphy to scare him with tales of the +secret, underground working of Army Intelligence, to quiet him down. And +I scared the lieutenant a little by pointing out that holding a civilian +against his will without the proper writ was tantamount to kidnapping. +So if the Army didn't want trouble with the Civil Courts, all brought +about because the lieutenant didn't know how to handle his man-- + +The lieutenant became immediately anxious to cooeperate with me. So then +I soothed him. I told him that, naturally, the Swami was unhappy. He was +used to Swami-ing, and out here he had been stifled, frustrated. What he +needed was some credulous women to catch their breath at his +awe-inspiring insight and gaze with fearful rapture into his eyes. The +lieutenant didn't know where he could find any women like that. I told +him, dryly, that I would furnish some. + +Annie was more than cooeperative. Sure, the whole plant was buzzing about +that foreign-looking Swami who had been seen coming in and out of my +office. Sure, a lot of the Girls believed in seances. + +"Why? Don't you, Mr. Kennedy?" she asked curiously. + +I said I wasn't sure, and she clucked her tongue in sympathy. It must be +terrible not to be sure, so ... well, it must be just terrible. And I +was such a kind man, too. I didn't quite get the connection, until I +remembered there are some patterns which believe a human being would be +incapable of being kind unless through hope of reward or fear of +punishment. + +But when I asked her to go to the hotel and persuade the Swami to give +her a reading, she was reluctant. I thought my plan was going to be +frustrated, but it turned out that her reluctance was only because she +did not have a thing to wear, going into a high-toned place like that. + +Sara wasn't the right size, but one of the older girls in the outer +office would lend Annie some clothes if I would let her go see the +Swami, too. It developed that her own teacher was a guest of Los Angeles +County for a while, purely on a trumped-up charge, you understand, Mr. +Kennedy. Not that she was a cop hater or anything like that. She was +perfectly aware of what a fine and splendid job those noble boys in blue +did for us all, but-- + +In my own office! Well, you never knew. + +Yet, what was the difference between her and me? We were both trying to +get hold of and benefit by psi effects, weren't we? So I didn't comment. +Instead, I found myself much farther ahead with my tentative plans than +I'd anticipated at this stage. + +Yes, my interviewer's teacher had quite a large following, and now they +were all at loose ends. If the Swami were willing, she could provide a +large and ready-made audience for him. She would be glad to talk to him +about it. + +Annie hurriedly said that she would be glad to talk to him about it, +too; that she could get up a large audience, too. So, even before it got +started, I had my rival factions at work. I egged them both on, and +promised that I'd get Army Intelligence to work with the local boys in +blue to hold off making any raids. + +Annie told me again what a kind man I was. My interviewer spoke up +quickly and said how glad she was to find an opportunity for expressing +how grateful she was for the privilege of working right in the same +department with such an understanding, really intellectually developed +adult. She eyed Annie sidelong, as if to gauge the effects of her +attempts to set me up on a pedestal, out of Annie's reach. + +I hoped I wouldn't start believing either one of them. I hoped I wasn't +as inaccurate in my estimates of people as was my interviewer. I +wondered if she were really qualified for the job she held. Then I +realized this was a contest between two women and I, a mere male, was +simply being used as the pawn. Well, that worked both ways. In a fair +bargain both sides receive satisfaction. I felt a little easier about my +tactical maneuvers. + +But the development of rivalry between factions of the audience gave me +an additional idea. Perhaps that's what the Swami really needed, a +little rivalry. Perhaps he was being a little too hard to crack because +he knew he was the only egg in the basket. + +I called Old Stone Face and told him what I planned. He responded that +it was up to me. He'd stepped in and got things under way for me, got +things going, now it was my job to keep them going. It looked as if he +were edging out from under--or maybe he really believed that. + +Before I settled into the day's regular routine, I wired General +Sanfordwaithe, and told him that if he had any more prospects ready +would he please ship me one at once, via air mail, special delivery. + + * * * * * + +The recital hall, hired for the Swami's Los Angeles debut, was large +enough to accommodate all the family friends and relatives of any little +Maribel who, having mastered "Daffodils In May," for four fingers, was +being given to the World. It had the usual small stage equipped with +pull-back curtains to give a dramatic flourish, or to shut off from view +the effects of any sudden nervous catastrophe brought about by stage +fright. + +I got there, purposely a little late, in hopes the house lights would +already be dimmed and everything in progress; but about a hundred and +fifty people were milling around outside on the walk and in the +corridors. Both factions had really been busy. + +Most of them were women, but, to my intense relief, there were a few +men. Some of these were only husbands, but a few of the men wore a look +which said they'd been far away for a long time. Somehow I got the +impression that instead of looking into a crystal ball, they would be +more inclined to look out of one. + +It was a little disconcerting to realize that no one noticed me, or +seemed to think I was any different from anybody else. I supposed I +should be thankful that I wasn't attracting any attention. I saw my +interviewer amid a group of Older Girls. She winked at me roguishly, and +patted her heavy handbag significantly. As per instructions, she was +carrying a couple of the Auerbach cylinders. + +I found myself staring in perplexity for a full minute at another woman, +before I realized it was Annie. I had never seen her before, except +dressed in factory blue jeans, man's blue shirt, and a bandanna wrapped +around her head. Her companion, probably another of the factory +assemblers, nudged her and pointed, not too subtly, in my direction. +Annie saw me then, and lit up with a big smile. She started toward me, +hesitated when I frowned and shook my head, flushed with the thought +that I didn't want to speak to her in public; then got a flash of better +sense than that. She, too, gave me a conspiratorial wink and patted her +handbag. + +My confederates were doing nicely. + +Almost immediately thereafter a horse-faced, mustached old gal started +rounding people up in a honey sweet, pear shaped voice; and herded them +into the auditorium. I chose one of the wooden folding chairs in the +back row. + +A heavy jowled old gal came out in front of the closed curtains and gave +a little introductory talk about how lucky we all were that the Swami +had consented to visit with us. There was the usual warning to anyone +who was not of the esoteric that we must not expect too much, that +sometimes nothing at all happened, that true believers did not attend +just to see effects. She reminded us kittenishly that the guides were +capricious, and that we must all help by merging ourselves in the great +flowing currents of absolute infinity. + +She finally faltered, realized she was probably saying all the things +the Swami would want to say--in the manner of people who introduce +speakers everywhere--and with a girlish little flourish she waved at +someone off stage. + +The house lights dimmed. The curtains swirled up and back. + + * * * * * + +The Swami was doing all right for himself. He was seated behind a small +table in the center of the stage. A pale violet light diffused through a +huge crystal ball on the table, and threw his dark features into sharp +relief. It gave an astonishingly remote and inscrutable wisdom to his +features. In the pale light, and at this distance, his turban looked +quite clean. + +He began to speak slowly and sonorously. A hush settled over the +audience, and gradually I felt myself merging with the mass reaction of +the rest. As I listened, I got the feeling that what he was saying was +of tremendous importance, that somehow his words contained great and +revealing wonders--or would contain them if I were only sufficiently +advanced to comprehend their true meanings. The man was good, he knew +his trade. All men search for truth at one level or another. I began to +realize why such a proportionate few choose the cold and impersonal +laboratory. Perhaps if there were a way to put science to music-- + +The Swami talked on for about twenty minutes, and then I noticed his +voice had grown deeper and deeper in tone, and suddenly, without any +apparent transition, we all knew it was not really the Swami's voice we +were hearing. And then he began to tell members of the audience little +intimate things about themselves, things which only they should know. + +He was good at this, too. He had mastered the trick of making universals +sound like specifics. I could do the same thing. The patterns of +people's lives have multiple similarities. To a far greater extent than +generally realized the same things happen to everyone. The idea was to +take some of the lesser known ones and word them so they seemed to apply +to one isolated individual. + +For instance, I could tell a fellow about when he was a little boy there +was a little girl in a red dress with blond pigtails who used to scrap +with him and tattle things about him to her mother. If he were inclined +to be credulous, this was second sight I had. But it is a universal. +What average boy didn't, at one time or another, know a little girl with +blond pigtails? What blond little girl didn't occasionally wear a red +dress? What little girl didn't tattle to her mother about the naughty +things the boys were doing? + +[Illustration] + +The Swami did that for a while. The audience was leaning forward in a +rapture of ecstasy. First the organ tones of his voice soothed and +softened. The phrases which should mean something if only you had the +comprehension. The universals applied as specifics. He had his audience +in the palm of his hand. He didn't need his crystal ball to tell him +that. + +But he wanted it to be complete. Most of the responses had been from +women. He gave them the generalities which didn't sound like +generalities. They confirmed with specifics. But most were women. He +wanted the men, too. He began to concentrate on the men. He made it +easy. + +"I have a message," he said. "From ... now let me get it right ... from +R. S. It is for a man in this audience. Will the man who knew R. S. +acknowledge?" + +There was a silence. And that was such an easy one, too. I hadn't +planned to participate, but, on impulse, since none of the other men +were cooperating, I spoke up. + +"Robert Smith!" I exclaimed. "Good old Bob!" + +Several of the women sitting near me looked at me and beamed their +approval. One of the husbands scowled at me. + +"I can tell by your tone," the Swami said, and apparently he hadn't +recognized my tone, "that you have forgiven him. That is the message. He +wants you to know that he is happy. He is much wiser now. He knows now +that he was wrong." + +One of the women reached over and patted me on the shoulder, giving me +motherly encouragement. + +But the Swami had no more messages for men. He was smart enough to know +where to stop. He'd tried one of the simplest come-ons, and there had +been too much of a pause. It had almost not come off. + +I wondered who good old Bob Smith was? Surely, among the thousands of +applicants I'd interviewed, there must have been a number of them. And, +being applicants, of course some of them had been wrong. + +The Swami's tones, giving one message after another--faster and faster +now, not waiting for acknowledgment or confirmation--began to sink into +a whisper. His speech became ragged, heavy. The words became +indistinguishable. About his head there began to float a pale, +luminescent sphere. There was a subdued gasp from the audience and then +complete stillness. As though, unbreathing, in the depths of a tomb, +they watched the sphere. It bobbed about, over the Swami's head and +around him. At times it seemed as if about to float off stage, but it +came back. It swirled out over the audience, but not too far, and never +at such an angle that the long, flexible dull black wire supporting it +would be silhouetted against the glowing crystal ball. + +Then it happened. There was a gasp, a smothered scream. And over at one +side of the auditorium a dark object began bobbing about in the air up +near the ceiling. It swerved and swooped. The Swami's luminescent sphere +jerked to a sudden stop. The Swami sat with open mouth and stared at the +dark object which he was not controlling. + +The dark object was not confined to any dull black wire. It went where +it willed. It went too high and brushed against the ceiling. + +There was a sudden shower of coins to the floor. A compact hit the floor +with a flat spat. A handkerchief floated down more slowly. + +"My purse!" a woman gasped. I recognized my interviewer's voice. Her +purse contained two Auerbach cylinders, and they were having themselves +a ball. + +In alarm, I looked quickly at the stage, hoping the Swami wasn't astute +enough to catch on. But he was gone. The audience, watching the bobbing +purse, hadn't realized it as yet. And they were delayed in realizing it +by a diversion from the other side of the auditorium. + +"I can't hold it down any longer, Mr. Kennedy!" a woman gasped out. +"It's taking me up into the air!" + +"Hold on, Annie!" I shouted back. "I'm coming!" + + * * * * * + +A chastened and subdued Swami sat in my office the following morning, +and this time he was inclined to be cooeperative. More, he was looking to +me for guidance, understanding, and didn't mind acknowledging my +ascendancy. And, with the lieutenant left in the outer office, he didn't +have any face to preserve. + +Later, last night, he'd learned the truth of what happened after he had +run away in a panic. I'd left a call at the hotel for the lieutenant. +When the lieutenant had got him calmed down and returned my call, I'd +instructed the lieutenant to tell the Swami about the Auerbach +cylinders; to tell the Swami he was not a fake after all. + +The Swami had obviously spent a sleepless night. It is a terrible thing +to have spent years perfecting the art of fakery, and then to realize +you needn't have faked at all. More terrible, he had swallowed some of +his own medicine, and was overcome with fear of the forces which he had +been commanding. All through the night he had shivered in fear of some +instant and horrible retaliation. For him it was still a case of There +Are Mysteries. + +And it was of no comfort to his state of mind right now that the four +cylinders we had finally captured last night were, at this moment, +bobbing about in my office, swooping and swerving around in the upper +part of the room, like bats trying to find some opening. I was giving +him the full treatment! The first two cylinders, down on the floor, were +pressing up against my closed door, like frightened little things trying +to escape a room of horror. + +The Swami's face was twitching, and his long fingers kept twining +themselves into King's X symbols. But he was sitting it out. He was +swallowing some of the hair of the dog that bit him. I had to give him A +for that. + +"I've been trying to build up a concept of the framework wherein psi +seems to function," I told him casually, just as if it were all a +formularized laboratory procedure. "I had to pull last night's stunt to +prove something." + +He tore his eyes away from the cylinders which were over exploring one +corner of the ceiling, and looked at me. + +"Let's go to electricity," I said speculatively. "Not that we know psi +and electricity have anything in common, other than some similar +analogies, but we don't know they don't. Both of them may be just +different manifestations of the same thing. We don't really know why a +magnetized core, turning inside a coil of copper wire, generates +electricity. + +"Oh we've got some phrases," I acknowledged. "We've got a whole +structure of phrases, and when you listen to them they sound as if they +ought to mean something--like the phrases you were using last night. +Everybody assumes they do mean something to the pundits. So, since it is +human to want to be a pundit, we repeat these phrases over and over, and +call them explanations. Yet we do know what happens, even if we do just +theorize about why. We know how to wrap something around something and +get electricity. + +"Take the induction coil," I said. "We feed a low-voltage current into +one end, and we draw off a high-voltage current from the other. But +anyone who wants, any time, can disprove the whole principle of the +induction coil. All you have to do is wrap your core with a +nonconductor, say nylon thread, and presto, nothing comes out. You see, +it doesn't work; and anybody who claims it does is a faker and a liar. +That's what happens when science tries to investigate psi by the +standard methods. + +"You surround a psi-gifted individual with nonbelievers, and probably +nothing will come out of it. Surround him with true believers; and it +all seems to act like an induction coil. Things happen. Yet even when +things do happen, it is usually impossible to prove it. + +"Take yourself, Swami. And this is significant. First we have the north +point effect. Then those two little beggars trying to get out the door. +Then the ones which are bobbing around up there. Without the cylinders +there would have been no way to know that anything had happened at all. + +"Now, about this psi framework. It isn't something you can turn on and +off, at will. We don't know enough yet for that. Aside from some +believers and those individuals who do seem to attract psi forces, we +don't know, yet, what to wrap around what. So, here's what you're to do: +You're to keep a supply of these cylinders near you at all times. If any +psi effects happen, they'll record it. Fair enough? + +"Now," I said with finality. "I have anticipated that you might refuse. +But you're not the only person who has psi ability. I've wired General +Sanfordwaithe to send me another fellow; one who will cooeperate." + +The Swami thought it over. Here he was with a suite in a good hotel; +with an army lieutenant to look after his earthly needs; on the payroll +of a respectable company; with a ready-made flock of believers; and no +fear of the bunco squad. He had never had it so good. The side money, +for private readings alone, should be substantial. + +Further, and he watched me narrowly, I didn't seem to be afraid of the +cylinders. It was probably this which gave the clincher. + +"I'll cooeperate," he agreed meekly. + + * * * * * + +For three days there was nothing. The Swami seemed cooeperative enough. +He called me a couple times a day and reported that the cylinders just +lay around his room. I didn't know what to tell him. I recommended he +read biographies of famous mediums. I recommended fasting, and +breathing, and contemplating self. He seemed dubious, but said he'd try +it. + +On the morning of the third day, Sara called me on the intercom and told +me there was another Army lieutenant in her office, and another charac +... another gentleman. I opened my door and went out to Sara's office to +greet them. My first glimpse told me Sara had been right the first time. +He was a character. + +The new lieutenant was no more than the standard output from the same +production line as Lieutenant Murphy, but the wizened little old man he +had in tow was from a different and much rarer matrix. As fast as I had +moved, I was none too soon. The character reached over and tilted up +Sara's chin as I was coming through the door. + +"Now you're a healthy young wench," he said with a leer. "What are you +doing tonight, baby?" The guy was at least eighty years old. + +"Hey, you, pop!" I exclaimed in anger. "Be your age!" + +He turned around and looked me up and down. + +"I'm younger, that way, than you are, right now!" he snapped. + +A disturbance in the outer office kept me from thinking up a retort. +There were some subdued screams, some scuffling of heavy shoes, the +sounds of some running feet as applicants got away. The outer door to +Sara's office was flung open. + +Framed in the doorway, breast high, floated the Swami! + + * * * * * + +He was sitting, cross-legged, on a hotel bathmat. From both front +corners, where they had been attached by loops of twine, there peeked +Auerbach cylinders. Two more rear cylinders were grasped in Lieutenant +Murphy's strong hands. He was propelling the Swami along, mid air, in +Atlantic City Boardwalk style. + +The Swami looked down at us with aloof disdain, then his eyes focused on +the old man. His glance wavered; he threw a startled and fearful look at +the cylinders holding up his bathmat. They did not fall. A vast relief +overspread his face, and he drew himself erect with more disdain than +ever. The old man was not so aloof. + +"Harry Glotz!" he exclaimed. "Why you ... you faker! What are you doing +in that getup?" + +The Swami took a casual turn about the room, leaning to one side on his +magic carpet as if banking an airplane. + +"Peasant!" He spat the word out and motioned grandly toward the door. +Lieutenant Murphy pushed him through. + +"Why, that no good bum!" the old man shouted at me. "That no-good from +nowhere! I'll fix him! Thinks he's something, does he? I'll show him! +Anything he can do I can do better!" + +His rage got the better of him. He rushed through the door, shaking both +fists above his white head, shouting imprecations, threats, and pleading +to be shown how the trick was done, all in the same breath. The new +lieutenant cast a stricken look at us and then sped after his charge. + +"Looks as if we're finally in production," I said to Sara. + +"That's only the second one," she said mournfully. "When you get all six +of them, this joint's sure going to be jumping!" + +I looked out of her window at the steel and concrete walls of the +factory. They were solid, real, secure; they were a symbol of reality, +the old reality a man could understand. + +"I hope you don't mean that literally, Sara," I answered dubiously. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + +[Illustration] + +This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_ March 1955. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright +on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors +have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Sense from Thought Divide, by Mark Irvin Clifton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SENSE FROM THOUGHT DIVIDE *** + +***** This file should be named 22513.txt or 22513.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/1/22513/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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