of science. It takes lifetimes of training and an excellent brain to get that far.”
Yohan Lee had risen abruptly during the foregoing speech and left the room. He had returned now and when Hardin finished speaking, he bent to his superior’s ear. A whisper was exchanged and then a leaden cylinder. Then, with one short hostile look at the deputation, Lee resumed his chair.
Hardin turned the cylinder end for end in his hands, watching the deputation through his lashes. And then he opened it with a hard, sudden twist and only Sermak had the sense not to throw a rapid look at the rolled paper that fell out.
“In short, gentlemen,” he said, “the Government is of the opinion that it knows what it is doing.”
He read as he spoke. There were the lines of intricate, meaningless code that covered the page and the three penciled words scrawled in one corner that carried the message. He took it in at a glance and tossed it casually into the incinerator shaft.
“That,” Hardin then said, “ends the interview, I’m afraid. Glad to have met you all. Thank you for coming.” He shook hands with each in perfunctory fashion, and they filed out.
Hardin had almost gotten out of the habit of laughing, but after Sermak and his three silent partners were well out of earshot, he indulged in a dry chuckle and bent an amused look on Lee.
“How did you like that battle of bluffs, Lee?”
Lee snorted grumpily. “I’m not sure that
he
was bluffing. Treat him with kid gloves and he’s quite liable to win the next election, just as he says.”
“Oh, quite likely, quite likely—if nothing happens first.”
“Make sure they don’t happen in the wrong direction this time, Hardin. I tell you this Sermak has a following. What if he doesn’t wait till the next election? There was a time when you and I put things through violently, in spite of your slogan about what violence is.”
Hardin cocked an eyebrow. “You
are
pessimistic today, Lee. And singularly contrary, too, or you wouldn’t speak of violence. Our own little putsch was carried through without loss of life, you remember. It was a necessary measure put through at the proper moment, and went over smoothly, painlessly, and all but effortlessly. As for Sermak, he’s up against a different proposition. You and I, Lee, aren’t the Encyclopedists.
We
stand prepared. Order your men onto these youngsters in a nice way, old fellow. Don’t let them know they’re being watched—but eyes open, you understand.”
Lee laughed in sour amusement. “I’d be a fine one to wait for your orders, wouldn’t I, Hardin? Sermak and his men have been under surveillance for a month now.”
The mayor chuckled. “Got in first, did you? All right. By the way,” he observed, and added softly, “Ambassador Verisof is returning to Terminus. Temporarily, I hope.”
There was a short silence, faintly horrified, and then Lee said, “Was that the message? Are things breaking already?”
“Don’t know. I can’t tell till I hear what Verisof has to say. They may be, though. After all, they
have
to before election. But what are you looking so dead about?”
“Because I don’t know how it’s going to turn out. You’re too deep, Hardin, and you’re playing the game too close to your chest.”
“Even you?” murmured Hardin. And aloud, “Does that mean you’re going to join Sermak’s new party?”
Lee smiled against his will. “All right. You win. How about lunch now?”
2
There are many epigrams attributed to Hardin—a confirmed epigrammatist—a good many of which are probably apocryphal. Nevertheless, it is reported that on a certain occasion, he said:
“It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety.”
Poly Verisof had had occasion to act on that advice more than once for he was now in the fourteenth year of his double status on Anacreon—a double status the upkeep of which reminded him often and unpleasantly of a dance performed barefoot on
Yohan Lee had risen abruptly during the foregoing speech and left the room. He had returned now and when Hardin finished speaking, he bent to his superior’s ear. A whisper was exchanged and then a leaden cylinder. Then, with one short hostile look at the deputation, Lee resumed his chair.
Hardin turned the cylinder end for end in his hands, watching the deputation through his lashes. And then he opened it with a hard, sudden twist and only Sermak had the sense not to throw a rapid look at the rolled paper that fell out.
“In short, gentlemen,” he said, “the Government is of the opinion that it knows what it is doing.”
He read as he spoke. There were the lines of intricate, meaningless code that covered the page and the three penciled words scrawled in one corner that carried the message. He took it in at a glance and tossed it casually into the incinerator shaft.
“That,” Hardin then said, “ends the interview, I’m afraid. Glad to have met you all. Thank you for coming.” He shook hands with each in perfunctory fashion, and they filed out.
Hardin had almost gotten out of the habit of laughing, but after Sermak and his three silent partners were well out of earshot, he indulged in a dry chuckle and bent an amused look on Lee.
“How did you like that battle of bluffs, Lee?”
Lee snorted grumpily. “I’m not sure that
he
was bluffing. Treat him with kid gloves and he’s quite liable to win the next election, just as he says.”
“Oh, quite likely, quite likely—if nothing happens first.”
“Make sure they don’t happen in the wrong direction this time, Hardin. I tell you this Sermak has a following. What if he doesn’t wait till the next election? There was a time when you and I put things through violently, in spite of your slogan about what violence is.”
Hardin cocked an eyebrow. “You
are
pessimistic today, Lee. And singularly contrary, too, or you wouldn’t speak of violence. Our own little putsch was carried through without loss of life, you remember. It was a necessary measure put through at the proper moment, and went over smoothly, painlessly, and all but effortlessly. As for Sermak, he’s up against a different proposition. You and I, Lee, aren’t the Encyclopedists.
We
stand prepared. Order your men onto these youngsters in a nice way, old fellow. Don’t let them know they’re being watched—but eyes open, you understand.”
Lee laughed in sour amusement. “I’d be a fine one to wait for your orders, wouldn’t I, Hardin? Sermak and his men have been under surveillance for a month now.”
The mayor chuckled. “Got in first, did you? All right. By the way,” he observed, and added softly, “Ambassador Verisof is returning to Terminus. Temporarily, I hope.”
There was a short silence, faintly horrified, and then Lee said, “Was that the message? Are things breaking already?”
“Don’t know. I can’t tell till I hear what Verisof has to say. They may be, though. After all, they
have
to before election. But what are you looking so dead about?”
“Because I don’t know how it’s going to turn out. You’re too deep, Hardin, and you’re playing the game too close to your chest.”
“Even you?” murmured Hardin. And aloud, “Does that mean you’re going to join Sermak’s new party?”
Lee smiled against his will. “All right. You win. How about lunch now?”
2
There are many epigrams attributed to Hardin—a confirmed epigrammatist—a good many of which are probably apocryphal. Nevertheless, it is reported that on a certain occasion, he said:
“It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety.”
Poly Verisof had had occasion to act on that advice more than once for he was now in the fourteenth year of his double status on Anacreon—a double status the upkeep of which reminded him often and unpleasantly of a dance performed barefoot on
Similar Books
