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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/23612-h.zip b/23612-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0c609f9 --- /dev/null +++ b/23612-h.zip diff --git a/23612-h/23612-h.htm b/23612-h/23612-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..92e3d91 --- /dev/null +++ b/23612-h/23612-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2013 @@ +<!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 The Leader, by Murray Leinster + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + + + h1,h2 {text-align: left; clear: both;} + + hr {width: 33%; margin: 2em auto; clear: both;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .blockquot{margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-top: 3em; font-size: small;} + + .figcenter {margin: 1em auto; text-align: center;} + + .trans1 {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + + img {border: none} + + .author {text-align: right; margin-right: 4em;} + + .illo {margin-bottom: 2em; margin-top: 2em; font-size: smaller; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;} + .tease {margin-top: 2em; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; + text-align: justify; width: 17em;} + .theend {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 2em;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Leader, by +William Fitzgerald Jenkins (AKA Murray Leinster) + +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: The Leader + +Author: William Fitzgerald Jenkins (AKA Murray Leinster) + +Illustrator: van Dongen + +Release Date: November 24, 2007 [EBook #23612] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEADER *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Bruce Albrecht, Stephen Blundell +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px; margin-top: 0;"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="600" height="422" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<h1><big>THE<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2.5em;">LEADER</span></big></h1> + + + +<h2><small>By</small><br />MURRAY<br /> +LEINSTER</h2> + +<div class="tease">The trouble with being a Superman, +with Super powers, and knowing it, is +it's so easy to overlook the unpleasant +possibility of a super-superman!</div> + +<p class="illo">Illustrated by van Dongen</p> + + +<div class="blockquot"><p>... The career of The Leader remains +one of the mysteries of history. This man, +illegitimate and uneducated, hysterical and +superstitious, gathered about him a +crowded following of those who had been +discontented, but whom he turned into +fanatics. Apparently by pure force of personality +he seized without resistance the +government of one of the world's great +nations. So much is unlikely enough. But +as the ruler of a civilized country he imposed +upon its people the absolute despotism +of a primitive sultanate. He honeycombed +its society with spies. He imprisoned, +tortured, and executed without +trial or check. And while all this went +on he received the most impassioned loyalty +of his subjects! Morality was abandoned +at his command with as much +alacrity as common sense. He himself was +subject to the grossest superstitions. He +listened to astrologers and fortunetellers—and +executed them when they foretold +disaster. But it is not enough to be amazed +at the man himself. The great mystery is +that people of the Twentieth Century, +trained in science and technically advanced, +should join in this orgy of what +seems mere madness ...</p> + +<p class="author"><i>Concise History of Europe.</i> Blaisdell.</p></div> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Professor Albrecht +Aigen, University of Brunn, to the +Herr General Johann von Steppberg, +retired.</p> + +<p>My dear General von Steppberg:</p> + +<p>It is with reluctance that I intrude +upon your retirement, but at the request +of the Government I have undertaken +a scientific examination of +the causes which brought about The +Leader's rise to power, the extraordinary +popularity of his regime, the +impassioned loyalty he was able to +evoke, and the astounding final developments.</p> + +<p>If you can communicate to me any +memories of The Leader which may +aid in understanding this most bewildering +period of our history, I +assure you that it will be appreciated +by myself, by the authorities who +wish the investigation made, and I +dare to hope by posterity.</p> + +<p class="author">I am, my dear general, (Et cetera.)</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from General Johann von +Steppberg (Retired) to Professor +Albrecht Aigen, University of Brunn.</p> + +<p>Herr Professor:</p> + +<p>The official yearbooks of the army +contain the record of my military career. +I have nothing to add to that +information. You say the authorities +wish more. I refuse it. If they threaten +my pension, I will renounce it. If +they propose other pressures, I will +leave the country. In short, I refuse +to discuss in any manner the subject +of your recent communication.</p> + +<p class="author">I am, Herr Professor, (Et cetera.)</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Professor Albrecht +Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn, Professor +of Psychology at University of +Laibach.</p> + +<p>My dear Karl:</p> + +<p>I hope your psionic research goes +better than my official project! My +business goes nowhere! I have written +to generals, ministers, and all +kinds of persons who held high office +under The Leader. Each and every +one refuses to discuss The Leader or +his own experiences under him. +Why? Surely no one would blame +them now! We have had to agree to +pretend that no one did anything +improper under The Leader, or else +that what anyone did was proper at +the time. So why should the nabobs +of that incredible period refuse to +discuss what they should know better +than anyone else? I am almost reduced +to asking the aid of the astrologers +and soothsayers The Leader +listened to. Actually, I must make a +note to do so in sober earnest. At +least they had their own viewpoint +of events.</p> + +<p>Speaking of viewpoints, I have had +some hope of clarifying The Leader's +career by comparing it with that +of Prime Minister Winston, in power +in his country when The Leader +ruled ours. His career is splendidly +documented. There is astonishingly +little documentation about The Leader +as a person, however. That is one +of the difficulties of my task. Even +worse, those who should know him +best lock their lips while those—</p> + +<p>Here is an unsolicited letter from +the janitor of a building in which a +former Minister of Education now +has his law offices. I have many letters +equally preposterous....</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Enclosure in letter to Dr. Karl +Thurn, University of Laibach.</p> + +<p>Herr Professor:</p> + +<p>I am the janitor of the building in +which Herr Former Minister of Education +Werfen has his offices. In +cleaning there I saw a letter crumpled +into a ball and thrown into a +corner. I learned in the time of The +Leader that angry actions often mean +evil intentions, so I read the letter to +see if the police should be notified. It +was a letter from you in which you +asked Herr Former Minister of Education +Werfen for his memories of +The Leader.</p> + +<p>I remember The Leader, Herr +Professor. He was the most holy man +who ever lived, if indeed he was only +a man. Once I passed the open door +of an office in the building I then +worked in. I looked in the door—it +was the office of the then-struggling +Party The Leader had founded—and +I saw The Leader sitting in a chair, +thinking. There was golden light +about his head, Herr Professor. I +have told this to other people and +they do not believe me. There were +shadowy other beings in the room. I +saw, very faintly, great white wings. +But the other beings were still because +The Leader was thinking and +did not wish to be disturbed. I assure +you that this is true, Herr Professor. +The Leader was the holiest of +men—if he was only a man.</p> + +<p class="author">I am most respectfully, Herr Professor, (Et cetera.)</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Fraulein Lise Grauer, +nurse, in the city of Bludenz, to Professor +Aigen at Brunn University.</p> + +<p>Most respected Herr Professor:</p> + +<p>I write this at the request of the +Herr Former Police Inspector Grieg, +to whom you directed a letter shortly +before his death. The Herr Former +Police Inspector had been ill for some +time. I was his nurse. I had cared for +him for months and did many small +services for him, such as writing letters +at his direction.</p> + +<p>When your letter came he read it +and went into a black mood of deep +and bitter recollection. He would not +speak for hours, and I had great difficulty +in getting him to take his medicines. +Just before his bedtime he +called me and said sardonically;</p> + +<p>"Lise, write to this Herr Professor +for me. Say to him that I was once a +decent man. When The Leader took +power, I received orders that I would +not accept. I submitted my resignation. +Then I received orders to come +to The Leader. I obeyed these orders +because my resignation was not yet +accepted. I was received in his office. +I entered it with respect and defiance—respect +because he was admitted to +be the ruler of our nation; defiance +because I would not obey such orders +as had been sent me in his name.</p> + +<p>"The Leader spoke to me, kindly, +and as he spoke all my views changed. +It suddenly seemed that I had +been absurd to refuse the orders sent +me. They seemed right and reasonable +and even more lenient than +would have been justified.... I left +The Leader in a state in which I +could not possibly fail to do anything +he wished. From that moment I +obeyed his orders. I was promoted. +Eventually, as you know, I was in +command of the Neusatz prison +camp. And you know what orders I +carried out there!"</p> + +<p>I wept, Herr Professor, because +the Herr Grieg's eyes were terrible +to look at. He was a gentle and kindly +man, Herr Professor! I was his +nurse, and he was a good patient and +a good man in every way. I had +heard of the things that were done +at Neusatz, but I could not believe +that my patient had commanded +them. Now, in his eyes I saw that he +remembered them and that the memory +was intolerable. He said very bitterly:</p> + +<p>"Tell the Herr Professor that I can +tell him nothing more. I have no other +memories that would be of service +to him. I have resolved, anyhow, to +get rid even of these. I have kept +them too long. Say to him that his +letter has decided me."</p> + +<p>I did not understand what he +meant, Herr Professor. I helped him +prepare for the night, and when he +seemed to be resting quietly I retired, +myself. I was wakened by a very loud +noise. I went to see what was the +matter. The Herr Former Police Inspector +Grieg had managed to get out +of his bed and across the room to a +bureau. He opened a drawer and +took out a revolver. He made his +way back to his bed. He blew out his +brains.</p> + +<p>I called the police, and after investigation +they instructed me to +carry out his request, which I do.</p> + +<p>Herr Professor, I do not myself +remember the times of The Leader, +but they must have been very terrible. +If the Herr Former Police Inspector +Grieg was actually in command of +the Neusatz prison camp, and did +actually order the things done there,—I +cannot understand it, Herr Professor! +Because he was a good and +kindly man! If you write of him, I +beg that you will mention that he +was a most amiable man. I was only +his nurse, but I assure you—(Et +cetera.)</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Dr. Karl Thurn, University +of Laibach, to Professor Albrecht +Aigen, University of Brunn.</p> + +<p>My dear friend:</p> + +<p>I could have predicted your failure +to secure co-operation from eminent +figures in The Leader's regime. So +long as they keep silent, together, +they can pretend to be respectable. +And nobody longs so passionately to +be respectable as a man who has +prospered by being a swine, while he +awaits an opportunity to prosper +again by more swinishness. I would +advise you to expect your best information +from little people who suffered +most and most helplessly looked +on or helped while enormities were +committed. Such little people will +either yearn over the past like your +janitor, or want most passionately to +understand so that nothing of the sort +can ever happen again.</p> + +<p>Winston as a parallel to The Leader? +Or as a contrast? Which? I can +name one marked contrast. I doubt +that anybody really and passionately +wishes that Winston had never been +born.</p> + +<p>You mention my researches. You +should see some of our results! I +have found a rat with undeniable +psychokinetic power. I have seen him +move a gram-weight of cheese nearly +three centimeters to where he could +reach it through the cage bars. I begin +to suspect a certain female dog +of abilities I would prefer not to +name just yet. If you can find any +excuse to come to Laibach, I promise +you amazing demonstrations of psi +phenomena. (Et cetera.)</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Quotations from, "<i>Recollections of +the Earl of Humber, formerly Prime +Minister Winston</i>," by the Hon. +Charles Wilberforce.</p> + +<p>Page 231; "... This incredible +event took place even while it seemed +most impossible. The Prime Minister +took it with his usual aplomb. I asked +him what he thought of the matter +a week later, at a house party in +Hertfordshire. He said, 'I consider it +most unfortunate. This Leader of +theirs is an inherently nasty individual. +Therefore he'll make nastiness +the avenue to distinction so long as +he's in power. The results will be +tragic, because when you bottle up +decency men seem to go mad. What +a pity one can't bottle up nastiness! +The world might become a fit place +to live in!'"</p> + +<p>Page 247; "The Prime Minister +disagreed. 'There was Napoleon,' he +observed. 'You might despise him, +but after he talked to you you served +him. He seemed to throw a spell +over people. Alexander probably had +the same sort of magic personality. +When his personality ceased to operate, +as a result of too much wine +too continuously, his empire fell immediately +to pieces. I've known others +personally; an Afghan whom I've +always thought did us a favor by +getting killed by a sniper. He could +have caused a great deal of trouble. +I'd guess at the Khalifa. Most of the +people who have this incredible persuasiveness, +however, seem to set up +as successful swindlers. What a pity +The Leader had no taste for simple +crime, and had to go in for crimes of +such elaboration!'"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Professor Albrecht +Aigen, University of Brunn, to Dr. +Karl Thurn, University of Laibach.</p> + +<p>My dear Karl:</p> + +<p>You make me curious with your +talk of a rat which levitates crumbs +of cheese and a she-dog who displays +other psi abilities. I assume that you +have found the experimental conditions +which let psi powers operate +without hindrance. I shall hope some +day to see and conceivably to understand.</p> + +<p>My own affairs are in hopeless +confusion. At the moment I am overwhelmed +with material about The +Leader, the value of which I cannot +estimate. Strange! I ask people who +should know what I am commissioned +to discover, and they refuse to answer. +But it becomes known that I +ask, and thousands of little people +write me to volunteer impassioned +details of their experiences while The +Leader ruled. Some are bitter because +they did what they did and felt as +they felt. These seem to believe in +magic or demoniac possession as the +reason they behaved with such conspicuous +insanity. Others gloat over +their deeds, which they recount with +gusto—and then express pious regret +with no great convincingness. Some +of these accounts nauseate me. But +something utterly abnormal was in +operation, somehow, to cause The +Leader's ascendancy!</p> + +<p>I wish I could select the important +data with certainty. Almost anything, +followed up, might reveal the key. +But I do not know what to follow! +I plan to go to Bozen, where the +new monstrous computer has been +set up, and see if there is any way in +which it could categorize my data and +detect a pattern of more than bewildered +and resentful frenzy.</p> + +<p>On the way back to Brunn I shall +stop by to talk to you. There is so +much to say! I anticipate much of +value from your detached and analytic +mind. I confess, also, that I am +curious about your research. This +she-dog with psi powers, of which +you give no account ... I am +intrigued.</p> + +<p class="author">As always, I am, (Et cetera.)</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Professor Albrecht +Aigen, written from The Mathematical +Institute at Bozen, to Dr. Karl +Thurn, University of Laibach.</p> + +<p>My dear Karl:</p> + +<p>This is in haste. There is much +agitation among the computer staff at +the Institute. An assistant technician +has been discovered to be able to +predict the answer the computer will +give to problems set up at random. +He is one Hans Schweeringen and it +is unbelievable.</p> + +<p>Various numerals are impressed on +the feed-in tape of the computer. +Sections of the tape are chosen at +random by someone who is blindfolded. +They are fed unread into the +computer, together with instructions +to multiply, subtract, extract roots, +et cetera, which are similarly chosen +at random and not known to anyone. +Once in twenty times or so, Schweeringen +predicts the result of this +meaningless computation before the +computer has made it. This is incredible! +The odds are trillions to one +against it! Since nobody knows the +sums or instructions given to the +computer, it cannot be mind-reading +in any form. It must be pure precognition. +Do you wish to talk to him?</p> + +<p>He is uneasy at the attention he +attracts, perhaps because his father +was one of The Leader's secretaries +and was executed, it is presumed, for +knowing too much. Telegraph me if +you wish me to try to bring him to +you.</p> + +<p class="author">Your friend—</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Telegram from Dr. Karl Thurn, +Professor of Psychology at Laibach +University, to Professor Albrecht +Aigen, in care of The Mathematical +Institute at Bozen:</p> + +<p>Take tapes which produced answers +Schweeringen predicted. Run +them through computer when he +knows nothing of it. Wire result.</p> + +<p class="author">Thurn.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Telegram. Professor Albrecht +Aigen, at The Mathematical Institute +in Bozen, to Dr. Karl Thurn, University +of Laibach.</p> + +<p>How did you know? The tapes do +not give the same answers when run +through the computer without +Schweeringen's knowledge. The only +possible answer is that the computer +sometimes errs to match his predictions. +But this is more impossible +than precognition. This is beyond +the conceivable. It cannot be! What +now?</p> + +<p class="author">Aigen.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Telegram from Dr. Karl Thurn, +University of Laibach, to Professor +Albrecht Aigen, care Mathematical +Institute, Bozen.</p> + +<p>Naturally I suspect psi. He belongs +with my rat and she-dog. Try to +arrange it.</p> + +<p class="author">Thurn.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Telegram from Professor Albrecht +Aigen, Mathematical Institute, Bozen, +to Dr. Karl Thurn, University +of Laibach.</p> + +<p>Schweeringen refuses further tests. +Fears proof he causes malfunctioning +of computer will cause unemployment +here and may destroy all hope +of hoped-for career in mathematics.</p> + +<p class="author">Aigen.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Telegram from Professor Albrecht +Aigen, at Mathematical Institute, to +Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach.</p> + +<p>Terrible news. Riding bus to Institute +this morning, Schweeringen was +killed when bus was involved in +accident.</p> + +<p class="author">Aigen.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Telegram from Dr. Karl Thurn, +University of Laibach, to Professor +Albrecht Aigen, care Mathematical +Institute, Bozen.</p> + +<p>Deeply regret death Schweeringen. +When you come here please try to +bring all known family history. Psi +ability sometimes inherited. Could be +tie-in his father's execution and use +of psi ability.</p> + +<p class="author">Thurn.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Professor Albrecht +Aigen, at Brunn University, to Dr. +Karl Thurn, University of Laibach.</p> + +<p>My dear Karl:</p> + +<p>I have first to thank you for your +warm welcome and to express my +gratitude for your attention while I +was your guest. Since my return I +have written many inquiries about +Schweeringen's father. There are so +far no replies, but I have some hope +that people who will not tell of their +own experiences may tell about someone +else—especially someone now +dead. This may be a useful device to +get at least some information from +people who so far have refused any. +Naturally I will pass on to you anything +I learn.</p> + +<p>I try to work again upon the task +assigned me—to investigate the rise +and power of The Leader. I find it +hard to concentrate. My mind goes +back to your laboratory. I am deeply +shaken by my experience there. I had +thought nothing could be more bewildering +than my own work. Consider: +Today I received a letter in +which a man tells me amazedly of the +life he led in a slave-labor camp during +the time of The Leader's rule. +He describes the attempt of another +prisoner to organize a revolt of the +prisoners. While he spoke of the +brutality of the guards and the intolerably +hard labor and the deliberately +insufficient food, they cheered him. +But when he accused The Leader of +having ordered these things—the +prisoners fell upon him with cries of +fury. They killed him. I had this information +verified. It was true.</p> + +<p>I cannot hope for a sane explanation +of such things. But a sane explanation +for my experience seems +even less probable. I am impressed +by your rat who levitates crumbs of +cheese. But I am appalled; I am horrified; +I am stupefied by what I did! +You asked me to wait for you in a +certain laboratory beyond a door. I +entered. I saw a small, fat, mangy +she-dog in a dog-run. She looked at +me and wagged her tail. I thereupon +went to the other end of the laboratory, +opened a box, and took out a +handful of strange objects you later +told me are sweetmeats to a dog. I +gave them to the animal.</p> + +<p>Why did I do it? How was it that +I went directly to a box of which I +knew nothing, opened it as a matter +of course, and took out objects I did +not even recognize, to give them to +that unpleasant small beast? How did +I know where to go? Why did I go? +Why should I give those then-meaningless +objects to the dog? It is as if +I were enchanted!</p> + +<p>You say that it is a psi phenomenon. +The rat causes small objects to +move. The dog, you say, causes persons +to give it canine candy. I revolt +against the conclusion, which I cannot +reason away. If you are right, we +are at the mercy of our domestic animals! +Dog-lovers are not people who +love dogs, but people who are enslaved +by dogs. Cat-lovers are merely +people who have been seized upon by +cats to support and pet and cater to +them. This is intolerable! I shall fear +all pets from now on! I throw myself +back into my own work to avoid +thinking of it. I—</p> + +<hr style='width: 15%; margin: 1em auto;' /> + +<p>Later. I did not mail this letter +because an appalling idea occurred +to me. This could bear upon my investigation! +Do you think The +Leader—No! It could not be! It +would be madness....</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Extract from a letter from Dr. +Karl Thurn to Professor Albrecht +Aigen.</p> + +<p>... I deplore your reaction. It has +the emotional quality of a reaction to +witchcraft or magic, but psi is not +witchcraft. It is a natural force. No +natural force is either nonexistent or +irresistible. No natural force is invariably +effective. Psi is not irresistible +under all circumstances. It is not +always effective. My rat cannot levitate +cheese-crumbs weighing more +than 1.7 grams. My she-dog could +not make you give her dog-candy +once you were on guard. When you +went again into the laboratory she +looked at you and wagged her tail as +before. You say that you thought of +the box and of opening it, but you +did not. It was not even an effort of +will to refrain.</p> + +<p>A lesser will or a lower grade of +personality cannot overwhelm a +greater one. Not ever! Lesser beings +can only urge. The astrologers used +to say that the stars incline, but they +do not compel. The same can be said +of psi—or of magnetism or gravitation +or what you will. Schweeringen +could not make the computer err +when it had to err too egregiously. +A greater psi ability was needed than +he had. A greater psi power than was +available would have been needed to +make you give the dog candy, once +you were warned.</p> + +<p>I do not apply these statements to +your so-called appalling idea. I carefully +refrain from doing so. It is your +research, not mine....</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Extract from letter to Professor +Albrecht Aigen from the Herr Friedrich +Holm, supervisor of electrical +maintenance, municipal electrical +service, Untersberg.</p> + +<p>Herr Professor:</p> + +<p>You have written to ask if I knew +a certain Herr Schweeringen, attached +to The Leader's personal staff during +his regime. I did know such a +person. I was then in charge of electrical +maintenance in The Leader's +various residences. Herr Schweeringen +was officially one of The Leader's +secretaries, but his actual task was to +make predictions for The Leader, like +a soothsayer or a medium. He had a +very remarkable gift. There were +times when it was especially needful +that there be no electrical failures—when +The Leader was to be in residence, +for example. On such occasions +it was my custom to ask Herr +Schweeringen if there was apt to be +any failure of apparatus under my +care. At least three times he told me +yes. In one case it was an elevator, +in another refrigeration, in a third +a fuse would blow during a State +dinner.</p> + +<p>I overhauled the elevator, but it +failed nevertheless. I replaced the +refrigeration motor, and the new +motor failed. In the third case I +changed the fuse to a new and tested +one, and then placed a new, fused +line around the fuse Herr Schweeringen +had said would blow, and placed +a workman beside it. When the fuse +did blow as predicted, my workman +instantly closed the extra-line switch, +so that the lights of the State dinner +barely flickered. But I shudder when +I think of the result if Herr Schweeringen +had not warned me.</p> + +<p>He was executed a few days before +the period of confusion began, which +ended as everyone knows. I do not +know the reason for his execution. It +was said, however, that The Leader +executed him personally. This, Herr +Professor, is all that I know of the +matter.</p> + +<p class="author">Very respectfully, (Et cetera.)</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> +<img src="images/002.png" width="600" height="411" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Herr Theophrastus +Paracelsus Bosche, astrologer, to Professor +Albrecht Aigen, Brunn University.</p> + +<p>Most respected Herr Professor:</p> + +<p>I am amused that a so-eminent +scientist like yourself should ask information +from a so-despised former +astrologer to The Leader. It is even +more amusing that you ask about a +mere soothsayer—a man who displayed +an occult gift of prophecy—whom +you should consider merely one of +the charlatans like myself whom The +Leader consulted, and who are unworthy +of consideration by a scientific +historian. We have no effect upon +history, most respected Herr Professor! +None at all. Oh, none! I am +much diverted.</p> + +<p>You ask about the Herr Schweeringen. +He was a predictor, using his +occult gift of second sight to foreknow +events and tell The Leader +about them. You will remember that +The Leader considered himself to +have occult powers of leadership and +decision, and that all occult powers +should contribute to his greatness. At +times of great stress, such as when +The Leader demanded ever-increasing +concessions from other nations on +threat of war, he was especially concerned +that occult predictions promise +him success.</p> + +<p>At a certain time the international +tension was greater than ever before. +If The Leader could doubt the rightness +of any of his actions, he doubted +it then. There was great danger of +war. Prime Minister Winston had +said flatly that The Leader must withdraw +his demands or fight. The +Leader was greatly agitated. He demanded +my prediction. I considered +the stars and predicted discreetly that +war would be prevented by some +magnificent achievement by The +Leader. Truly, if he got out of his +then situation it would be a magnificent +achievement. But astrology, of +course, could only indicate it but not +describe what it would be.</p> + +<p>The Leader was confident that he +could achieve anything he could imagine, +because he had convinced even +himself that only treason or disloyalty +could cause him to fail in any +matter. He demanded of his generals +what achievement would prevent the +war. They were not encouraging. He +demanded of his civilian political advisers. +They dared not advise him to +retreat. They offered nothing. He demanded +of his occult advisers.</p> + +<p>The Herr Schweeringen demanded +of me that I tell him my exact prediction. +His nerves were bad, then, and +he twitched with the strain. Someone +had to describe the great achievement +The Leader would make. It would be +dangerous not to do so. I told him +the prediction, I found his predicament +diverting. He left me, still +twitching and desperately sunk in +thought.</p> + +<p>I now tell you exact, objective +facts, Herr Professor, with no interpretation +of my own upon them. The +Herr Schweeringen was closeted with +The Leader. I am told that his face +was shining with confidence when he +went to speak to The Leader. It was +believed among us charlatans that he +considered that he foreknew what +The Leader would do to prevent war +at this time.</p> + +<p>Two hours later there were shots +in The Leader's private quarters. +The Leader came out, his eyes glaring, +and ordered Herr Schweeringen's +body removed. He ordered the +execution of the four senior generals +of the General Staff, of the Minister +of Police, and several other persons. +He then went into seclusion, from +which he emerged only briefly to give +orders making the unthinkable retreat +that Prime Minister Winston +had demanded. No one spoke to him +for a week. Confusion began. These +are objective facts. I now add one +small boast.</p> + +<p>My discreet prediction had come +true, and it is extremely diverting to +think about it. The Leader had +achieved magnificently. The war was +prevented not only for the moment +but for later times, too. The Leader's +achievement was the destruction of +his regime by destroying the brains +that had made it operate!</p> + +<p>It is quite possible that you will +consider this information a lie. That +will be quite droll. However, I am, +most respected Herr Professor, (Et +cetera.)</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Dr. Karl Thurn, University +of Laibach, to Professor Albrecht +Aigen, Brunn University.</p> + +<p>My dear friend:</p> + +<p>Your information about the elder +Schweeringen received. The information +about his prediction is interesting. +I could wish that it were complete, +but that would seem to be +hopeless. Your question, asked in a +manner suggesting great disturbance, +is another matter. I will answer it as +well as I can, my friend, but please +remember that you asked. I volunteer +nothing. The question of the rise +and power of The Leader is your research, +not mine.</p> + +<p>Here is my answer. Years back an +American researcher named Rhine +obtained seemingly conclusive proof +that telepathy took place. Tonight he +would have a "sender," here, attempt +to transmit some item telepathically +to a "receiver," there. Tomorrow +morning he would compare the record +of what the "sender" had attempted +to transmit, with the record +of what the "receiver" considered he +had received. The correspondence +was far greater than chance. He considered +that telepathy was proven.</p> + +<p>But then Rhine made tests for precognition. +He secured proof that +some persons could predict with +greater-than-probability frequency +that some particular event, to be determined +by chance, would take place +tomorrow. He secured excellent evidence +for precognition.</p> + +<p>Then it was realized that if one +could foresee what dice would read +tomorrow—dice not yet thrown—one +should be able to read what a report +would read tomorrow—a report not +yet written. In short, if one can foreknow +what a comparison will reveal, +telepathy before the comparison is +unproven. In proving precognition, +he had destroyed his evidence for +telepathy.</p> + +<p>It appears that something similar +has happened, which our correspondence +has brought out. Young Schweeringen +predicted what a computer +would report from unknown numerals +and instructions. In order for the +computer to match his predictions, it +had to err. It did. Therefore one reasons +that he did not predict what the +computer would produce. The computer +produced what he predicted. In +effect, what appeared to be foreknowledge +was psychokinesis—the +same phenomenon as the movement +of crumbs of cheese by my rat. One +may strongly suspect that when young +Herr Schweeringen knew in advance +what the computer would say, he actually +knew in advance what he could +make it say. It is possible that one +can consciously know in advance only +what one can unconsciously bring +about. If one can bring about only +minor happenings, one can never +predict great ones.</p> + +<p>This is my answer to your question. +I would like very much to know +what the elder Schweeringen predicted +that The Leader would accomplish!</p> + +<p>My she-dog has died. We had a +new attendant in the laboratory. He +fed her to excess. She died of it. (Et +cetera.)</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Professor Albrecht +Aigen to Dr. Thurn.</p> + +<p>My dear Karl:</p> + +<p>I have resolved to dismiss psionic +ability from my investigation into +The Leader's rise to power. This +much I will concede: The Leader +could enslave—englamour—enchant +anyone who met him personally. He +did. To a lesser degree, this irresistible +persuasiveness is a characteristic +of many successful swindlers. But he +could not have englamoured the +whole nation. He did not meet +enough persons personally to make +his regime possible, unless he could +cause other persons to apply their +own magnetism to further his ambitions, +and they others and others and +so on—like an endless series of magnets +magnetized originally from one. +This is not possible. I restrict myself +to normal, plausible hypotheses—of +which so far I have no faintest trace.</p> + +<p>You agree with me, do you not—that +it was impossible for The Leader +to weave a web of enchantment over +the whole nation by his own psi energies +controlling the psi energies of +others? I would welcome your assurance +that it could not be.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Professor Albrecht +Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn.</p> + +<p>My dear Karl:</p> + +<p>Did you receive my last letter? I +am anxious to have your assurance +that it was impossible that The Leader +could englamour the whole nation +by his psionic gifts.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Telegram, Dr. Albrecht Aigen to +Dr. Karl Thurn.</p> + +<p>Karl, as you are my friend, answer +me!</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter, Dr. Karl Thurn to Professor +Albrecht Aigen.</p> + +<p>... But what have you discovered, +my friend, that you are afraid to +face?</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter. Professor Albrecht Aigen +to Dr. Karl Thurn.</p> + +<p>My dear Karl:</p> + +<p>I appeal to you because I have discovered +how nearly our nation and +the whole world escaped horrors beside +which those of The Leader's actual +regime would seem trivial. Give +me reasons, arguments, proofs beyond +question, which I can put into +my report on his career! I must demonstrate +beyond question that psi +ability did not cause his ascendancy! +Help me to contrive a lie which will +keep anyone, ever, from dreaming +that psi ability can be used to seize +a government and a nation. It could +seize the world more terribly....</p> + +<p>I cannot express the urgency of +this need! There are others who +possess The Leader's powers in a +lesser degree. They must remain only +swindlers and such, without ambitions +to rule, or they might study +The Leader's career as Napoleon +studied Alexander's. There must be +no hint, anywhere, of the secret I +have discovered. There must be nothing +to lead to the least thought of it! +The Leader could have multiplied his +power ten-thousand-fold! Another +like him must never learn how it +could be done!</p> + +<p>I beg your help, Karl! I am shaken. +I am terrified. I wish that I had +not undertaken this research. I wish +it almost as desperately as I wish +that The Leader had never been +born!</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Colonel Sigmund +Knoeller, retired, to Professor Albrecht +Aigen, Brunn University.</p> + +<p>Herr Professor:</p> + +<p>In response to your authorized request +for information about certain +events; I have the honor to inform +you that at the time you mention I +was Major in command of the Second +Battalion of the 161st Infantry Regiment, +assigned to guard duty about +the residence of The Leader. Actual +guard duty was performed by the +secret police. My battalion merely +provided sentries around the perimeter +of the residence, and at certain +places within.</p> + +<p>On August 19th I received a command +to march three companies of +my men into the residence, to receive +orders from The Leader in person. +This command was issued by the +Herr General Breyer, attached to The +Leader as a military aide.</p> + +<p>I led my men inside according to +the orders, guided by the orderly who +had brought them. I entered an inner +courtyard. There was disturbance. +People moved about in a disorderly +fashion and chattered agitatedly. This +was astonishing in The Leader's residence. +I marched up to General +Breyer, who stood outside a group +biting his nails. I saluted and said: +"Major Knoeller reporting for orders, +Herr General."</p> + +<p>There was then confusion in the +nearby squabbling group. A man +burst out of it and waved his arms at +me. He looked like The Leader. He +cried shrilly:</p> + +<p>"Arrest these men! All of them! +Then shoot them!"</p> + +<p>I looked at the Herr General +Breyer. He bit his nails. The man +who looked so much like The Leader +foamed at the mouth. But he was not +The Leader. That is, in every respect +he resembled The Leader to whom I +owed loyalty as did everyone. But no +one who was ever in The Leader's +presence failed to know it. There was +a feeling. One knew to the inmost +part of one's soul that he was The +Leader who must be reverenced and +obeyed. But one did not feel that way +about this man, though he resembled +The Leader so strongly.</p> + +<p>"Arrest them!" shrilled the man +ferociously. "I command it! I am +The Leader! Shoot them!"</p> + +<p>When I still waited for General +Breyer to give me orders, the man +shrieked at the troopers. He commanded +them to kill General Breyer +and all the rest, including me. And +if he had been The Leader they +would have obeyed. But he was not. +So my men stood stiffly at attention, +waiting for my orders or General +Breyer's.</p> + +<p>There was now complete silence in +the courtyard. The formerly squabbling +men watched as if astonished. +As if they did not believe their eyes. +But I waited for General Breyer to +give his commands.</p> + +<p>The man screamed in a terrible, +frustrated rage. He waved his arms +wildly. He foamed at the mouth and +shrieked at me. I waited for orders +from General Breyer. After a long +time he ceased to bite his nails and +said in a strange voice:</p> + +<p>"You had better have this man +placed in confinement, Major Knoeller. +See that he is not injured. Double +all guards and mount machine guns +in case of rioting outside. Dismiss!"</p> + +<p>I obeyed my commands. My men +took the struggling, still-shrieking +man and put him in a cell in the +guardhouse. There was a drunken +private there, awaiting court-martial. +He was roused and annoyed when his +new companion shrieked and screamed +and shook the bars of the door. +He kicked the man who looked so +much like The Leader. I then had the +civilian placed in a separate cell, but +he continued to rave incoherently +until I had the regimental surgeon +give him an injection to quiet him. +He sank into drugged sleep with +foam about his lips.</p> + +<p>He looked remarkably like The +Leader. I have never seen such a resemblance! +But he was not The +Leader or we would have known +him.</p> + +<p>There was no disturbance outside +the residence. The doubled guards +and the mounted machine guns were +not needed.</p> + +<p class="author">I am, Herr Professor, (Et cetera.)</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter, with enclosure, from Professor +Albrecht Aigen, Brunn University, +to Dr. Karl Thurn, University +of Laibach.</p> + +<p>My dear Karl:</p> + +<p>Because of past sharing in my research, +you will realize what the enclosed +means. It is part of the report +of the physicians who examined The +Leader three days after his confinement +in a military prison. He had recovered +much of his self-control. He +spoke with precision. He appeared +even calm, though he was confused +in some matters. The doctors addressed +him as "My Leader" because he +refused to reply otherwise.</p> + +<p>(Enclosure)</p> + +<p><i>Dr. Kundmann</i>: But, My Leader, +we do not understand what has happened! +You were terribly disturbed. +You were even ... even confused in +your behavior! Can you tell us what +took place?</p> + +<p><i>The Leader</i>: I suffered a great danger +and a temporary damage. That +villain Schweeringen—I shot him. +It was a mistake. I should have had +him worked over—at length!</p> + +<p><i>Dr. Messner</i>: My Leader, will you +be so good as to tell us the nature of +the danger and the damage?</p> + +<p><i>The Leader</i>: Schweeringen probably +told someone what he would propose +to me. It was his conviction that +because of my special gifts I could +cause anyone, not only to obey me, +but to pour out to me, directly, his +inmost thoughts and memories. Of +course this is true. The danger was +that of the contact of my mind with +an inferior one. But I allowed +Schweeringen to persuade me that I +should risk even this for the service of +my people. Therefore I contacted the +mind of Prime Minister Winston, +so I could know every scheme and +every plan he might have or know +to exist to injure my people. I intended, +however, to cause him to become +loyal to me—though I would +later have had him shot. Schweeringen +had betrayed me, though. When +I made contact with Winston's mind, +it was not only inferior, but diseased! +There was a contagion which temporarily +affected the delicate balance of +my intuition. For a short time I +could not know, as ordinarily, what +was best for my people.</p> + +<p>(End of Enclosure)</p> + +<p>You will see, my dear Karl, what +took place. To you and to me this +explains everything. In the background +of my research and your information +it is clear. Fortunately, The +Leader's mind was unstable. The +strain and shock of so unparalleled +experience as complete knowledge of +another brain's contents destroyed his +rationality. He became insane. Insane, +he no longer had the psi gifts by +which he had seized and degraded +our nation. He ceased to be The +Leader.</p> + +<p>But you will see that this must be +hidden! Another monster like The +Leader, or Napoleon—perhaps even +lesser monsters—could attempt the +same feat. But they might be less unstable! +They might be able to invade +the mind of any human being, anywhere, +and drain it of any secret or +impress upon it any desire or command, +however revolting. You see, +Karl, why this must never become +known! It must be hidden forever.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Letter from Dr. Karl Thurn, University +of Laibach, to Professor Albrecht +Aigen, Brunn University.</p> + +<p>My dear friend:</p> + +<p>I am relieved! I feared for your +judgment. I thought that perhaps +overwork and frustration had set up +an anxiety-block to make you cease +your work. But you are quite right. +Your analysis is brilliant. And now +that you have pointed it out, unquestionably +a man with The Leader's +psi powers could force another man's +brain to transmit all its contents to +him.</p> + +<p>But consider the consequences! +Consider the conditions of such an +event. One's brain is designed to +work within one's own skull, dealing +with sensory messages and the like. +Very occasionally it acts outside, +shifting crumbs of cheese and confusing +computers—and securing candy. +But even when one's will controls +outside actions, it does not fuse with +the outside brain or thing. It molds +or moves the recipient mind, but +there is never a sharing of memory. +You have explained why.</p> + +<p>Consider what must happen if a +brain of limited power and essentially +emotional operation is linked to +another and more powerful one. Assume +for a moment that my she-dog +had linked her brain to yours, even +momentarily. Do you realize that she +would not have gotten your memories, +much less your power to reason? +She would not even have acquired +your knowledge of the meaning +of words! When a bright light +shines in your eyes, you see nothing +else. When thunder rolls in your +ears, you do not hear the ticking of +a clock. When you suffer pain, you +do not notice a feather's tickle. If +my she-dog had linked her mind to +yours, she would have experienced +something which is knowledge more +firmly fixed and more continuously +known than anything else in your +conscious life. This overwhelmingly +strong conviction would have been +so powerful and so positive that it +would be imprinted—branded—burned +into every cell of her brain. +She could never get it out.</p> + +<p>But in receiving this overwhelming +experience she would not get +your memories or power to reason or +even your personality. She would +have experienced only your identity. +She would have received only the +conviction that she was yourself! She +would have been like those poor lunatics +who believe that they are +Napoleon, though they have nothing +of Napoleon in them but the conviction +of identity. They do not know +when he was born or have more than +the vaguest notion of what he did, +but they try to act as who he was—according +to their own ideas of how +Napoleon would act in their situation. +This is how my she-dog would +have behaved.</p> + +<p>I am relieved. You have explained +everything. Your letter gave me the +suspicion. I secured a transcript of +the Herr Doctor's report for myself. +My suspicion became a certainty. You +will find the clue in the report. Consider: +The Leader had had the experience +I imagined for my she-dog. +He had linked his mind with a +stronger one and a greater personality—if +it must be said, a greater man. +For a moment The Leader knew +what that man knew most certainly, +with most profound conviction, with +most positive knowledge. It was +burned into his brain. He could never +get it out. He did not secure that +other man's memories or knowledge +or ability. He was blinded, deafened, +dazed by the overwhelming conviction +that, the other man had of his +own identity. It would not be possible +for him to get anything else from +a stronger mind and a greater person. +Nor could anyone else succeed where +he failed, my friend! There is no +danger of any man seizing the world +by seizing the minds of all his fellows! +One who tries will meet the +fate of The Leader.</p> + +<p>You realize what that fate was, of +course. He suddenly ceased to be the +monster who could cast a spell of +blind adoration for himself. He +ceased to be The Leader! So the +doctors gave him truth-serum so +he would not try to conceal anything +from them. The result is in the +transcript on the third page beyond +the place you quoted to me. There +the doctors asked The Leader who he +was. Read his answer, my friend! It +proves everything! He said:</p> + +<p>"I am Prime Minister Winston."</p> + + +<p class="theend">THE END</p> + + + +<div class="trans1"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br /> +This etext was produced from <i>Astounding Science Fiction</i> February +1960. 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 the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Leader, by +William Fitzgerald Jenkins (AKA Murray Leinster) + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEADER *** + +***** This file should be named 23612-h.htm or 23612-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/6/1/23612/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Bruce Albrecht, 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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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: The Leader + +Author: William Fitzgerald Jenkins (AKA Murray Leinster) + +Illustrator: van Dongen + +Release Date: November 24, 2007 [EBook #23612] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEADER *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Bruce Albrecht, Stephen Blundell +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + + + THE + LEADER + + By + MURRAY + LEINSTER + + _The trouble with being a Superman, + with Super powers, and knowing it, is + it's so easy to overlook the unpleasant + possibility of a super-superman!_ + + Illustrated by van Dongen + + + ... The career of The Leader remains one of the mysteries of + history. This man, illegitimate and uneducated, hysterical and + superstitious, gathered about him a crowded following of those who + had been discontented, but whom he turned into fanatics. Apparently + by pure force of personality he seized without resistance the + government of one of the world's great nations. So much is unlikely + enough. But as the ruler of a civilized country he imposed upon its + people the absolute despotism of a primitive sultanate. He + honeycombed its society with spies. He imprisoned, tortured, and + executed without trial or check. And while all this went on he + received the most impassioned loyalty of his subjects! Morality was + abandoned at his command with as much alacrity as common sense. He + himself was subject to the grossest superstitions. He listened to + astrologers and fortunetellers--and executed them when they foretold + disaster. But it is not enough to be amazed at the man himself. The + great mystery is that people of the Twentieth Century, trained in + science and technically advanced, should join in this orgy of what + seems mere madness ... + + _Concise History of Europe._ Blaisdell. + + * * * * * + +Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen, University of Brunn, to the Herr +General Johann von Steppberg, retired. + +My dear General von Steppberg: + +It is with reluctance that I intrude upon your retirement, but at the +request of the Government I have undertaken a scientific examination of +the causes which brought about The Leader's rise to power, the +extraordinary popularity of his regime, the impassioned loyalty he was +able to evoke, and the astounding final developments. + +If you can communicate to me any memories of The Leader which may aid in +understanding this most bewildering period of our history, I assure you +that it will be appreciated by myself, by the authorities who wish the +investigation made, and I dare to hope by posterity. + + I am, my dear general, (Et cetera.) + + * * * * * + +Letter from General Johann von Steppberg (Retired) to Professor Albrecht +Aigen, University of Brunn. + +Herr Professor: + +The official yearbooks of the army contain the record of my military +career. I have nothing to add to that information. You say the +authorities wish more. I refuse it. If they threaten my pension, I will +renounce it. If they propose other pressures, I will leave the country. +In short, I refuse to discuss in any manner the subject of your recent +communication. + + I am, Herr Professor, (Et cetera.) + + * * * * * + +Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn, Professor of +Psychology at University of Laibach. + +My dear Karl: + +I hope your psionic research goes better than my official project! My +business goes nowhere! I have written to generals, ministers, and all +kinds of persons who held high office under The Leader. Each and every +one refuses to discuss The Leader or his own experiences under him. Why? +Surely no one would blame them now! We have had to agree to pretend that +no one did anything improper under The Leader, or else that what anyone +did was proper at the time. So why should the nabobs of that incredible +period refuse to discuss what they should know better than anyone else? +I am almost reduced to asking the aid of the astrologers and soothsayers +The Leader listened to. Actually, I must make a note to do so in sober +earnest. At least they had their own viewpoint of events. + +Speaking of viewpoints, I have had some hope of clarifying The Leader's +career by comparing it with that of Prime Minister Winston, in power in +his country when The Leader ruled ours. His career is splendidly +documented. There is astonishingly little documentation about The Leader +as a person, however. That is one of the difficulties of my task. Even +worse, those who should know him best lock their lips while those-- + +Here is an unsolicited letter from the janitor of a building in which a +former Minister of Education now has his law offices. I have many +letters equally preposterous.... + + * * * * * + +Enclosure in letter to Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. + +Herr Professor: + +I am the janitor of the building in which Herr Former Minister of +Education Werfen has his offices. In cleaning there I saw a letter +crumpled into a ball and thrown into a corner. I learned in the time of +The Leader that angry actions often mean evil intentions, so I read the +letter to see if the police should be notified. It was a letter from you +in which you asked Herr Former Minister of Education Werfen for his +memories of The Leader. + +I remember The Leader, Herr Professor. He was the most holy man who ever +lived, if indeed he was only a man. Once I passed the open door of an +office in the building I then worked in. I looked in the door--it was +the office of the then-struggling Party The Leader had founded--and I +saw The Leader sitting in a chair, thinking. There was golden light +about his head, Herr Professor. I have told this to other people and +they do not believe me. There were shadowy other beings in the room. I +saw, very faintly, great white wings. But the other beings were still +because The Leader was thinking and did not wish to be disturbed. I +assure you that this is true, Herr Professor. The Leader was the holiest +of men--if he was only a man. + + I am most respectfully, Herr Professor, (Et cetera.) + + * * * * * + +Letter from Fraulein Lise Grauer, nurse, in the city of Bludenz, to +Professor Aigen at Brunn University. + +Most respected Herr Professor: + +I write this at the request of the Herr Former Police Inspector Grieg, +to whom you directed a letter shortly before his death. The Herr Former +Police Inspector had been ill for some time. I was his nurse. I had +cared for him for months and did many small services for him, such as +writing letters at his direction. + +When your letter came he read it and went into a black mood of deep and +bitter recollection. He would not speak for hours, and I had great +difficulty in getting him to take his medicines. Just before his bedtime +he called me and said sardonically; + +"Lise, write to this Herr Professor for me. Say to him that I was once a +decent man. When The Leader took power, I received orders that I would +not accept. I submitted my resignation. Then I received orders to come +to The Leader. I obeyed these orders because my resignation was not yet +accepted. I was received in his office. I entered it with respect and +defiance--respect because he was admitted to be the ruler of our nation; +defiance because I would not obey such orders as had been sent me in his +name. + +"The Leader spoke to me, kindly, and as he spoke all my views changed. +It suddenly seemed that I had been absurd to refuse the orders sent me. +They seemed right and reasonable and even more lenient than would have +been justified.... I left The Leader in a state in which I could not +possibly fail to do anything he wished. From that moment I obeyed his +orders. I was promoted. Eventually, as you know, I was in command of the +Neusatz prison camp. And you know what orders I carried out there!" + +I wept, Herr Professor, because the Herr Grieg's eyes were terrible to +look at. He was a gentle and kindly man, Herr Professor! I was his +nurse, and he was a good patient and a good man in every way. I had +heard of the things that were done at Neusatz, but I could not believe +that my patient had commanded them. Now, in his eyes I saw that he +remembered them and that the memory was intolerable. He said very +bitterly: + +"Tell the Herr Professor that I can tell him nothing more. I have no +other memories that would be of service to him. I have resolved, anyhow, +to get rid even of these. I have kept them too long. Say to him that his +letter has decided me." + +I did not understand what he meant, Herr Professor. I helped him prepare +for the night, and when he seemed to be resting quietly I retired, +myself. I was wakened by a very loud noise. I went to see what was the +matter. The Herr Former Police Inspector Grieg had managed to get out of +his bed and across the room to a bureau. He opened a drawer and took out +a revolver. He made his way back to his bed. He blew out his brains. + +I called the police, and after investigation they instructed me to carry +out his request, which I do. + +Herr Professor, I do not myself remember the times of The Leader, but +they must have been very terrible. If the Herr Former Police Inspector +Grieg was actually in command of the Neusatz prison camp, and did +actually order the things done there,--I cannot understand it, Herr +Professor! Because he was a good and kindly man! If you write of him, I +beg that you will mention that he was a most amiable man. I was only his +nurse, but I assure you--(Et cetera.) + + * * * * * + +Letter from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to Professor Albrecht +Aigen, University of Brunn. + +My dear friend: + +I could have predicted your failure to secure co-operation from eminent +figures in The Leader's regime. So long as they keep silent, together, +they can pretend to be respectable. And nobody longs so passionately to +be respectable as a man who has prospered by being a swine, while he +awaits an opportunity to prosper again by more swinishness. I would +advise you to expect your best information from little people who +suffered most and most helplessly looked on or helped while enormities +were committed. Such little people will either yearn over the past like +your janitor, or want most passionately to understand so that nothing of +the sort can ever happen again. + +Winston as a parallel to The Leader? Or as a contrast? Which? I can name +one marked contrast. I doubt that anybody really and passionately wishes +that Winston had never been born. + +You mention my researches. You should see some of our results! I have +found a rat with undeniable psychokinetic power. I have seen him move a +gram-weight of cheese nearly three centimeters to where he could reach +it through the cage bars. I begin to suspect a certain female dog of +abilities I would prefer not to name just yet. If you can find any +excuse to come to Laibach, I promise you amazing demonstrations of psi +phenomena. (Et cetera.) + + * * * * * + +Quotations from, "_Recollections of the Earl of Humber, formerly Prime +Minister Winston_," by the Hon. Charles Wilberforce. + +Page 231; "... This incredible event took place even while it seemed +most impossible. The Prime Minister took it with his usual aplomb. I +asked him what he thought of the matter a week later, at a house party +in Hertfordshire. He said, 'I consider it most unfortunate. This Leader +of theirs is an inherently nasty individual. Therefore he'll make +nastiness the avenue to distinction so long as he's in power. The +results will be tragic, because when you bottle up decency men seem to +go mad. What a pity one can't bottle up nastiness! The world might +become a fit place to live in!'" + +Page 247; "The Prime Minister disagreed. 'There was Napoleon,' he +observed. 'You might despise him, but after he talked to you you served +him. He seemed to throw a spell over people. Alexander probably had the +same sort of magic personality. When his personality ceased to operate, +as a result of too much wine too continuously, his empire fell +immediately to pieces. I've known others personally; an Afghan whom I've +always thought did us a favor by getting killed by a sniper. He could +have caused a great deal of trouble. I'd guess at the Khalifa. Most of +the people who have this incredible persuasiveness, however, seem to set +up as successful swindlers. What a pity The Leader had no taste for +simple crime, and had to go in for crimes of such elaboration!'" + + * * * * * + +Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen, University of Brunn, to Dr. Karl +Thurn, University of Laibach. + +My dear Karl: + +You make me curious with your talk of a rat which levitates crumbs of +cheese and a she-dog who displays other psi abilities. I assume that you +have found the experimental conditions which let psi powers operate +without hindrance. I shall hope some day to see and conceivably to +understand. + +My own affairs are in hopeless confusion. At the moment I am overwhelmed +with material about The Leader, the value of which I cannot estimate. +Strange! I ask people who should know what I am commissioned to +discover, and they refuse to answer. But it becomes known that I ask, +and thousands of little people write me to volunteer impassioned details +of their experiences while The Leader ruled. Some are bitter because +they did what they did and felt as they felt. These seem to believe in +magic or demoniac possession as the reason they behaved with such +conspicuous insanity. Others gloat over their deeds, which they recount +with gusto--and then express pious regret with no great convincingness. +Some of these accounts nauseate me. But something utterly abnormal was +in operation, somehow, to cause The Leader's ascendancy! + +I wish I could select the important data with certainty. Almost +anything, followed up, might reveal the key. But I do not know what to +follow! I plan to go to Bozen, where the new monstrous computer has been +set up, and see if there is any way in which it could categorize my data +and detect a pattern of more than bewildered and resentful frenzy. + +On the way back to Brunn I shall stop by to talk to you. There is so +much to say! I anticipate much of value from your detached and analytic +mind. I confess, also, that I am curious about your research. This +she-dog with psi powers, of which you give no account ... I am +intrigued. + + As always, I am, (Et cetera.) + + * * * * * + +Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen, written from The Mathematical +Institute at Bozen, to Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. + +My dear Karl: + +This is in haste. There is much agitation among the computer staff at +the Institute. An assistant technician has been discovered to be able to +predict the answer the computer will give to problems set up at random. +He is one Hans Schweeringen and it is unbelievable. + +Various numerals are impressed on the feed-in tape of the computer. +Sections of the tape are chosen at random by someone who is blindfolded. +They are fed unread into the computer, together with instructions to +multiply, subtract, extract roots, et cetera, which are similarly chosen +at random and not known to anyone. Once in twenty times or so, +Schweeringen predicts the result of this meaningless computation before +the computer has made it. This is incredible! The odds are trillions to +one against it! Since nobody knows the sums or instructions given to the +computer, it cannot be mind-reading in any form. It must be pure +precognition. Do you wish to talk to him? + +He is uneasy at the attention he attracts, perhaps because his father +was one of The Leader's secretaries and was executed, it is presumed, +for knowing too much. Telegraph me if you wish me to try to bring him to +you. + + Your friend-- + + * * * * * + +Telegram from Dr. Karl Thurn, Professor of Psychology at Laibach +University, to Professor Albrecht Aigen, in care of The Mathematical +Institute at Bozen: + +Take tapes which produced answers Schweeringen predicted. Run them +through computer when he knows nothing of it. Wire result. + + Thurn. + + * * * * * + +Telegram. Professor Albrecht Aigen, at The Mathematical Institute in +Bozen, to Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. + +How did you know? The tapes do not give the same answers when run +through the computer without Schweeringen's knowledge. The only possible +answer is that the computer sometimes errs to match his predictions. But +this is more impossible than precognition. This is beyond the +conceivable. It cannot be! What now? + + Aigen. + + * * * * * + +Telegram from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to Professor +Albrecht Aigen, care Mathematical Institute, Bozen. + +Naturally I suspect psi. He belongs with my rat and she-dog. Try to +arrange it. + + Thurn. + + * * * * * + +Telegram from Professor Albrecht Aigen, Mathematical Institute, Bozen, +to Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. + +Schweeringen refuses further tests. Fears proof he causes malfunctioning +of computer will cause unemployment here and may destroy all hope of +hoped-for career in mathematics. + + Aigen. + + * * * * * + +Telegram from Professor Albrecht Aigen, at Mathematical Institute, to +Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. + +Terrible news. Riding bus to Institute this morning, Schweeringen was +killed when bus was involved in accident. + + Aigen. + + * * * * * + +Telegram from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to Professor +Albrecht Aigen, care Mathematical Institute, Bozen. + +Deeply regret death Schweeringen. When you come here please try to bring +all known family history. Psi ability sometimes inherited. Could be +tie-in his father's execution and use of psi ability. + + Thurn. + + * * * * * + +Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen, at Brunn University, to Dr. Karl +Thurn, University of Laibach. + +My dear Karl: + +I have first to thank you for your warm welcome and to express my +gratitude for your attention while I was your guest. Since my return I +have written many inquiries about Schweeringen's father. There are so +far no replies, but I have some hope that people who will not tell of +their own experiences may tell about someone else--especially someone +now dead. This may be a useful device to get at least some information +from people who so far have refused any. Naturally I will pass on to you +anything I learn. + +I try to work again upon the task assigned me--to investigate the rise +and power of The Leader. I find it hard to concentrate. My mind goes +back to your laboratory. I am deeply shaken by my experience there. I +had thought nothing could be more bewildering than my own work. +Consider: Today I received a letter in which a man tells me amazedly of +the life he led in a slave-labor camp during the time of The Leader's +rule. He describes the attempt of another prisoner to organize a revolt +of the prisoners. While he spoke of the brutality of the guards and the +intolerably hard labor and the deliberately insufficient food, they +cheered him. But when he accused The Leader of having ordered these +things--the prisoners fell upon him with cries of fury. They killed him. +I had this information verified. It was true. + +I cannot hope for a sane explanation of such things. But a sane +explanation for my experience seems even less probable. I am impressed +by your rat who levitates crumbs of cheese. But I am appalled; I am +horrified; I am stupefied by what I did! You asked me to wait for you in +a certain laboratory beyond a door. I entered. I saw a small, fat, mangy +she-dog in a dog-run. She looked at me and wagged her tail. I thereupon +went to the other end of the laboratory, opened a box, and took out a +handful of strange objects you later told me are sweetmeats to a dog. I +gave them to the animal. + +Why did I do it? How was it that I went directly to a box of which I +knew nothing, opened it as a matter of course, and took out objects I +did not even recognize, to give them to that unpleasant small beast? How +did I know where to go? Why did I go? Why should I give those +then-meaningless objects to the dog? It is as if I were enchanted! + +You say that it is a psi phenomenon. The rat causes small objects to +move. The dog, you say, causes persons to give it canine candy. I revolt +against the conclusion, which I cannot reason away. If you are right, we +are at the mercy of our domestic animals! Dog-lovers are not people who +love dogs, but people who are enslaved by dogs. Cat-lovers are merely +people who have been seized upon by cats to support and pet and cater +to them. This is intolerable! I shall fear all pets from now on! I throw +myself back into my own work to avoid thinking of it. I-- + + * * * + +Later. I did not mail this letter because an appalling idea occurred to +me. This could bear upon my investigation! Do you think The Leader--No! +It could not be! It would be madness.... + + * * * * * + +Extract from a letter from Dr. Karl Thurn to Professor Albrecht Aigen. + +... I deplore your reaction. It has the emotional quality of a reaction +to witchcraft or magic, but psi is not witchcraft. It is a natural +force. No natural force is either nonexistent or irresistible. No +natural force is invariably effective. Psi is not irresistible under all +circumstances. It is not always effective. My rat cannot levitate +cheese-crumbs weighing more than 1.7 grams. My she-dog could not make +you give her dog-candy once you were on guard. When you went again into +the laboratory she looked at you and wagged her tail as before. You say +that you thought of the box and of opening it, but you did not. It was +not even an effort of will to refrain. + +A lesser will or a lower grade of personality cannot overwhelm a greater +one. Not ever! Lesser beings can only urge. The astrologers used to say +that the stars incline, but they do not compel. The same can be said of +psi--or of magnetism or gravitation or what you will. Schweeringen could +not make the computer err when it had to err too egregiously. A greater +psi ability was needed than he had. A greater psi power than was +available would have been needed to make you give the dog candy, once +you were warned. + +I do not apply these statements to your so-called appalling idea. I +carefully refrain from doing so. It is your research, not mine.... + + * * * * * + +Extract from letter to Professor Albrecht Aigen from the Herr Friedrich +Holm, supervisor of electrical maintenance, municipal electrical +service, Untersberg. + +Herr Professor: + +You have written to ask if I knew a certain Herr Schweeringen, attached +to The Leader's personal staff during his regime. I did know such a +person. I was then in charge of electrical maintenance in The Leader's +various residences. Herr Schweeringen was officially one of The Leader's +secretaries, but his actual task was to make predictions for The Leader, +like a soothsayer or a medium. He had a very remarkable gift. There were +times when it was especially needful that there be no electrical +failures--when The Leader was to be in residence, for example. On such +occasions it was my custom to ask Herr Schweeringen if there was apt to +be any failure of apparatus under my care. At least three times he told +me yes. In one case it was an elevator, in another refrigeration, in a +third a fuse would blow during a State dinner. + +I overhauled the elevator, but it failed nevertheless. I replaced the +refrigeration motor, and the new motor failed. In the third case I +changed the fuse to a new and tested one, and then placed a new, fused +line around the fuse Herr Schweeringen had said would blow, and placed a +workman beside it. When the fuse did blow as predicted, my workman +instantly closed the extra-line switch, so that the lights of the State +dinner barely flickered. But I shudder when I think of the result if +Herr Schweeringen had not warned me. + +He was executed a few days before the period of confusion began, which +ended as everyone knows. I do not know the reason for his execution. It +was said, however, that The Leader executed him personally. This, Herr +Professor, is all that I know of the matter. + + Very respectfully, (Et cetera.) + +[Illustration] + + * * * * * + +Letter from Herr Theophrastus Paracelsus Bosche, astrologer, to +Professor Albrecht Aigen, Brunn University. + +Most respected Herr Professor: + +I am amused that a so-eminent scientist like yourself should ask +information from a so-despised former astrologer to The Leader. It is +even more amusing that you ask about a mere soothsayer--a man who +displayed an occult gift of prophecy--whom you should consider merely +one of the charlatans like myself whom The Leader consulted, and who +are unworthy of consideration by a scientific historian. We have no +effect upon history, most respected Herr Professor! None at all. Oh, +none! I am much diverted. + +You ask about the Herr Schweeringen. He was a predictor, using his +occult gift of second sight to foreknow events and tell The Leader about +them. You will remember that The Leader considered himself to have +occult powers of leadership and decision, and that all occult powers +should contribute to his greatness. At times of great stress, such as +when The Leader demanded ever-increasing concessions from other nations +on threat of war, he was especially concerned that occult predictions +promise him success. + +At a certain time the international tension was greater than ever +before. If The Leader could doubt the rightness of any of his actions, +he doubted it then. There was great danger of war. Prime Minister +Winston had said flatly that The Leader must withdraw his demands or +fight. The Leader was greatly agitated. He demanded my prediction. I +considered the stars and predicted discreetly that war would be +prevented by some magnificent achievement by The Leader. Truly, if he +got out of his then situation it would be a magnificent achievement. But +astrology, of course, could only indicate it but not describe what it +would be. + +The Leader was confident that he could achieve anything he could +imagine, because he had convinced even himself that only treason or +disloyalty could cause him to fail in any matter. He demanded of his +generals what achievement would prevent the war. They were not +encouraging. He demanded of his civilian political advisers. They dared +not advise him to retreat. They offered nothing. He demanded of his +occult advisers. + +The Herr Schweeringen demanded of me that I tell him my exact +prediction. His nerves were bad, then, and he twitched with the strain. +Someone had to describe the great achievement The Leader would make. It +would be dangerous not to do so. I told him the prediction, I found his +predicament diverting. He left me, still twitching and desperately sunk +in thought. + +I now tell you exact, objective facts, Herr Professor, with no +interpretation of my own upon them. The Herr Schweeringen was closeted +with The Leader. I am told that his face was shining with confidence +when he went to speak to The Leader. It was believed among us charlatans +that he considered that he foreknew what The Leader would do to prevent +war at this time. + +Two hours later there were shots in The Leader's private quarters. The +Leader came out, his eyes glaring, and ordered Herr Schweeringen's body +removed. He ordered the execution of the four senior generals of the +General Staff, of the Minister of Police, and several other persons. He +then went into seclusion, from which he emerged only briefly to give +orders making the unthinkable retreat that Prime Minister Winston had +demanded. No one spoke to him for a week. Confusion began. These are +objective facts. I now add one small boast. + +My discreet prediction had come true, and it is extremely diverting to +think about it. The Leader had achieved magnificently. The war was +prevented not only for the moment but for later times, too. The Leader's +achievement was the destruction of his regime by destroying the brains +that had made it operate! + +It is quite possible that you will consider this information a lie. That +will be quite droll. However, I am, most respected Herr Professor, (Et +cetera.) + + * * * * * + +Letter from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to Professor Albrecht +Aigen, Brunn University. + +My dear friend: + +Your information about the elder Schweeringen received. The information +about his prediction is interesting. I could wish that it were complete, +but that would seem to be hopeless. Your question, asked in a manner +suggesting great disturbance, is another matter. I will answer it as +well as I can, my friend, but please remember that you asked. I +volunteer nothing. The question of the rise and power of The Leader is +your research, not mine. + +Here is my answer. Years back an American researcher named Rhine +obtained seemingly conclusive proof that telepathy took place. Tonight +he would have a "sender," here, attempt to transmit some item +telepathically to a "receiver," there. Tomorrow morning he would compare +the record of what the "sender" had attempted to transmit, with the +record of what the "receiver" considered he had received. The +correspondence was far greater than chance. He considered that telepathy +was proven. + +But then Rhine made tests for precognition. He secured proof that some +persons could predict with greater-than-probability frequency that some +particular event, to be determined by chance, would take place tomorrow. +He secured excellent evidence for precognition. + +Then it was realized that if one could foresee what dice would read +tomorrow--dice not yet thrown--one should be able to read what a report +would read tomorrow--a report not yet written. In short, if one can +foreknow what a comparison will reveal, telepathy before the comparison +is unproven. In proving precognition, he had destroyed his evidence for +telepathy. + +It appears that something similar has happened, which our correspondence +has brought out. Young Schweeringen predicted what a computer would +report from unknown numerals and instructions. In order for the computer +to match his predictions, it had to err. It did. Therefore one reasons +that he did not predict what the computer would produce. The computer +produced what he predicted. In effect, what appeared to be foreknowledge +was psychokinesis--the same phenomenon as the movement of crumbs of +cheese by my rat. One may strongly suspect that when young Herr +Schweeringen knew in advance what the computer would say, he actually +knew in advance what he could make it say. It is possible that one can +consciously know in advance only what one can unconsciously bring about. +If one can bring about only minor happenings, one can never predict +great ones. + +This is my answer to your question. I would like very much to know what +the elder Schweeringen predicted that The Leader would accomplish! + +My she-dog has died. We had a new attendant in the laboratory. He fed +her to excess. She died of it. (Et cetera.) + + * * * * * + +Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Thurn. + +My dear Karl: + +I have resolved to dismiss psionic ability from my investigation into +The Leader's rise to power. This much I will concede: The Leader could +enslave--englamour--enchant anyone who met him personally. He did. To a +lesser degree, this irresistible persuasiveness is a characteristic of +many successful swindlers. But he could not have englamoured the whole +nation. He did not meet enough persons personally to make his regime +possible, unless he could cause other persons to apply their own +magnetism to further his ambitions, and they others and others and so +on--like an endless series of magnets magnetized originally from one. +This is not possible. I restrict myself to normal, plausible +hypotheses--of which so far I have no faintest trace. + +You agree with me, do you not--that it was impossible for The Leader to +weave a web of enchantment over the whole nation by his own psi energies +controlling the psi energies of others? I would welcome your assurance +that it could not be. + + * * * * * + +Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn. + +My dear Karl: + +Did you receive my last letter? I am anxious to have your assurance that +it was impossible that The Leader could englamour the whole nation by +his psionic gifts. + + * * * * * + +Telegram, Dr. Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn. + +Karl, as you are my friend, answer me! + + * * * * * + +Letter, Dr. Karl Thurn to Professor Albrecht Aigen. + +... But what have you discovered, my friend, that you are afraid to +face? + + * * * * * + +Letter. Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn. + +My dear Karl: + +I appeal to you because I have discovered how nearly our nation and the +whole world escaped horrors beside which those of The Leader's actual +regime would seem trivial. Give me reasons, arguments, proofs beyond +question, which I can put into my report on his career! I must +demonstrate beyond question that psi ability did not cause his +ascendancy! Help me to contrive a lie which will keep anyone, ever, from +dreaming that psi ability can be used to seize a government and a +nation. It could seize the world more terribly.... + +I cannot express the urgency of this need! There are others who possess +The Leader's powers in a lesser degree. They must remain only swindlers +and such, without ambitions to rule, or they might study The Leader's +career as Napoleon studied Alexander's. There must be no hint, anywhere, +of the secret I have discovered. There must be nothing to lead to the +least thought of it! The Leader could have multiplied his power +ten-thousand-fold! Another like him must never learn how it could be +done! + +I beg your help, Karl! I am shaken. I am terrified. I wish that I had +not undertaken this research. I wish it almost as desperately as I wish +that The Leader had never been born! + + * * * * * + +Letter from Colonel Sigmund Knoeller, retired, to Professor Albrecht +Aigen, Brunn University. + +Herr Professor: + +In response to your authorized request for information about certain +events; I have the honor to inform you that at the time you mention I +was Major in command of the Second Battalion of the 161st Infantry +Regiment, assigned to guard duty about the residence of The Leader. +Actual guard duty was performed by the secret police. My battalion +merely provided sentries around the perimeter of the residence, and at +certain places within. + +On August 19th I received a command to march three companies of my men +into the residence, to receive orders from The Leader in person. This +command was issued by the Herr General Breyer, attached to The Leader as +a military aide. + +I led my men inside according to the orders, guided by the orderly who +had brought them. I entered an inner courtyard. There was disturbance. +People moved about in a disorderly fashion and chattered agitatedly. +This was astonishing in The Leader's residence. I marched up to General +Breyer, who stood outside a group biting his nails. I saluted and said: +"Major Knoeller reporting for orders, Herr General." + +There was then confusion in the nearby squabbling group. A man burst out +of it and waved his arms at me. He looked like The Leader. He cried +shrilly: + +"Arrest these men! All of them! Then shoot them!" + +I looked at the Herr General Breyer. He bit his nails. The man who +looked so much like The Leader foamed at the mouth. But he was not The +Leader. That is, in every respect he resembled The Leader to whom I owed +loyalty as did everyone. But no one who was ever in The Leader's +presence failed to know it. There was a feeling. One knew to the inmost +part of one's soul that he was The Leader who must be reverenced and +obeyed. But one did not feel that way about this man, though he +resembled The Leader so strongly. + +"Arrest them!" shrilled the man ferociously. "I command it! I am The +Leader! Shoot them!" + +When I still waited for General Breyer to give me orders, the man +shrieked at the troopers. He commanded them to kill General Breyer and +all the rest, including me. And if he had been The Leader they would +have obeyed. But he was not. So my men stood stiffly at attention, +waiting for my orders or General Breyer's. + +There was now complete silence in the courtyard. The formerly squabbling +men watched as if astonished. As if they did not believe their eyes. But +I waited for General Breyer to give his commands. + +The man screamed in a terrible, frustrated rage. He waved his arms +wildly. He foamed at the mouth and shrieked at me. I waited for orders +from General Breyer. After a long time he ceased to bite his nails and +said in a strange voice: + +"You had better have this man placed in confinement, Major Knoeller. See +that he is not injured. Double all guards and mount machine guns in case +of rioting outside. Dismiss!" + +I obeyed my commands. My men took the struggling, still-shrieking man +and put him in a cell in the guardhouse. There was a drunken private +there, awaiting court-martial. He was roused and annoyed when his new +companion shrieked and screamed and shook the bars of the door. He +kicked the man who looked so much like The Leader. I then had the +civilian placed in a separate cell, but he continued to rave +incoherently until I had the regimental surgeon give him an injection to +quiet him. He sank into drugged sleep with foam about his lips. + +He looked remarkably like The Leader. I have never seen such a +resemblance! But he was not The Leader or we would have known him. + +There was no disturbance outside the residence. The doubled guards and +the mounted machine guns were not needed. + + I am, Herr Professor, (Et cetera.) + + * * * * * + +Letter, with enclosure, from Professor Albrecht Aigen, Brunn University, +to Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. + +My dear Karl: + +Because of past sharing in my research, you will realize what the +enclosed means. It is part of the report of the physicians who examined +The Leader three days after his confinement in a military prison. He had +recovered much of his self-control. He spoke with precision. He appeared +even calm, though he was confused in some matters. The doctors addressed +him as "My Leader" because he refused to reply otherwise. + +(Enclosure) + +_Dr. Kundmann_: But, My Leader, we do not understand what has happened! +You were terribly disturbed. You were even ... even confused in your +behavior! Can you tell us what took place? + +_The Leader_: I suffered a great danger and a temporary damage. That +villain Schweeringen--I shot him. It was a mistake. I should have had +him worked over--at length! + +_Dr. Messner_: My Leader, will you be so good as to tell us the nature +of the danger and the damage? + +_The Leader_: Schweeringen probably told someone what he would propose +to me. It was his conviction that because of my special gifts I could +cause anyone, not only to obey me, but to pour out to me, directly, his +inmost thoughts and memories. Of course this is true. The danger was +that of the contact of my mind with an inferior one. But I allowed +Schweeringen to persuade me that I should risk even this for the service +of my people. Therefore I contacted the mind of Prime Minister Winston, +so I could know every scheme and every plan he might have or know to +exist to injure my people. I intended, however, to cause him to become +loyal to me--though I would later have had him shot. Schweeringen had +betrayed me, though. When I made contact with Winston's mind, it was not +only inferior, but diseased! There was a contagion which temporarily +affected the delicate balance of my intuition. For a short time I could +not know, as ordinarily, what was best for my people. + +(End of Enclosure) + +You will see, my dear Karl, what took place. To you and to me this +explains everything. In the background of my research and your +information it is clear. Fortunately, The Leader's mind was unstable. +The strain and shock of so unparalleled experience as complete knowledge +of another brain's contents destroyed his rationality. He became insane. +Insane, he no longer had the psi gifts by which he had seized and +degraded our nation. He ceased to be The Leader. + +But you will see that this must be hidden! Another monster like The +Leader, or Napoleon--perhaps even lesser monsters--could attempt the +same feat. But they might be less unstable! They might be able to invade +the mind of any human being, anywhere, and drain it of any secret or +impress upon it any desire or command, however revolting. You see, Karl, +why this must never become known! It must be hidden forever. + + * * * * * + +Letter from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to Professor Albrecht +Aigen, Brunn University. + +My dear friend: + +I am relieved! I feared for your judgment. I thought that perhaps +overwork and frustration had set up an anxiety-block to make you cease +your work. But you are quite right. Your analysis is brilliant. And now +that you have pointed it out, unquestionably a man with The Leader's psi +powers could force another man's brain to transmit all its contents to +him. + +But consider the consequences! Consider the conditions of such an event. +One's brain is designed to work within one's own skull, dealing with +sensory messages and the like. Very occasionally it acts outside, +shifting crumbs of cheese and confusing computers--and securing candy. +But even when one's will controls outside actions, it does not fuse with +the outside brain or thing. It molds or moves the recipient mind, but +there is never a sharing of memory. You have explained why. + +Consider what must happen if a brain of limited power and essentially +emotional operation is linked to another and more powerful one. Assume +for a moment that my she-dog had linked her brain to yours, even +momentarily. Do you realize that she would not have gotten your +memories, much less your power to reason? She would not even have +acquired your knowledge of the meaning of words! When a bright light +shines in your eyes, you see nothing else. When thunder rolls in your +ears, you do not hear the ticking of a clock. When you suffer pain, you +do not notice a feather's tickle. If my she-dog had linked her mind to +yours, she would have experienced something which is knowledge more +firmly fixed and more continuously known than anything else in your +conscious life. This overwhelmingly strong conviction would have been so +powerful and so positive that it would be imprinted--branded--burned +into every cell of her brain. She could never get it out. + +But in receiving this overwhelming experience she would not get your +memories or power to reason or even your personality. She would have +experienced only your identity. She would have received only the +conviction that she was yourself! She would have been like those poor +lunatics who believe that they are Napoleon, though they have nothing of +Napoleon in them but the conviction of identity. They do not know when +he was born or have more than the vaguest notion of what he did, but +they try to act as who he was--according to their own ideas of how +Napoleon would act in their situation. This is how my she-dog would have +behaved. + +I am relieved. You have explained everything. Your letter gave me the +suspicion. I secured a transcript of the Herr Doctor's report for +myself. My suspicion became a certainty. You will find the clue in the +report. Consider: The Leader had had the experience I imagined for my +she-dog. He had linked his mind with a stronger one and a greater +personality--if it must be said, a greater man. For a moment The Leader +knew what that man knew most certainly, with most profound conviction, +with most positive knowledge. It was burned into his brain. He could +never get it out. He did not secure that other man's memories or +knowledge or ability. He was blinded, deafened, dazed by the +overwhelming conviction that, the other man had of his own identity. It +would not be possible for him to get anything else from a stronger mind +and a greater person. Nor could anyone else succeed where he failed, my +friend! There is no danger of any man seizing the world by seizing the +minds of all his fellows! One who tries will meet the fate of The +Leader. + +You realize what that fate was, of course. He suddenly ceased to be the +monster who could cast a spell of blind adoration for himself. He ceased +to be The Leader! So the doctors gave him truth-serum so he would not +try to conceal anything from them. The result is in the transcript on +the third page beyond the place you quoted to me. There the doctors +asked The Leader who he was. Read his answer, my friend! It proves +everything! He said: + +"I am Prime Minister Winston." + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_ February + 1960. 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 the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Leader, by +William Fitzgerald Jenkins (AKA Murray Leinster) + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEADER *** + +***** This file should be named 23612.txt or 23612.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/6/1/23612/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Bruce Albrecht, 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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