Vegas were coming into view.
Offering Cal a pinch of Bergamot snuff, the Professor then began to explain to him his own ingenious betting system.
‘Each time the bettor loses a bet,’ he said earnestly, ‘he doubles his next bet. Since every run of luck must needs obey the immutable laws of Destiny, the first winning bet must needs more than make up for all his previous losses at one stroke !’
Cal groaned inwardly, but said nothing, reminding himself that he was a guest—and a prisoner.
‘It is a complex system, but foolproof, as you can see,’ concluded Gallopini. ‘Yet it shews forth the orderly working of the universe. And the universe is orderly. To say it is not is to believe
in magic. One might as well say that the man in that sign could go walking across the desert.’
The sign he indicated was a giant representation of a prospector atop one casino. In one hand he held a pan of nuggets, while the other moved up and down, as if beckoning. It was one of the more famous signs of the city, and could be seen for miles at night.
Now, as the horrified group watched, it did seem to take a step. Daisy screamed, a rich baritone scream, while the professor went as white as a periwig.
‘Ah, it is all right. It is only falling. Perhaps being demolished,’ he said. They watched the sign buckle and disintegrate with some relief. An upsetting coincidence, but not supernatural. The others relaxed, but Cal remained rigid, still staring at the skyline.
‘I think I know what this is all about,’ he breathed. In the distance another sign tumbled, as little grey boxes swarmed over it like ants. ‘We’d better turn around and head the other way at once.’
‘Don’t be an ass,’ said the Professor. ‘I’ve come here to make my fortune, and demme, I’m not turning around on your command. Hold your tongue, sir !’
‘Turn around ! Please !’ Cal said to Harry, who was driving.
‘As a favour to you, I suppose,’ he sneered.
‘Listen. There is something loose in that city—a secret weapon—and it’s out of control. I don’t know how it got here, but it looks like it has taken over Las Vegas. I’m sure of it. Believe me, our lives are in danger if we enter the city.’
‘Stuff and nonsense !’ snapped the Professor. ‘I do
not
believe you, sir. But—so that I cannot be accused of being unfair—we might stop at a telephone and call ahead. We could reserve rooms at the same time that we prove your nonsensical theory has no foundation. Stop at that phone ahead, Harry. Stop, I say !’
But the car continued on past the phone. In fact, it picked up speed. ‘I can’t control it,’ said Harry. ‘It’s like something has hold of it. The steering is locked, and there’s some kind of—cable thing—reeling us in.’
They were close enough to the city to see destruction, now, and swarms of boxy shapes moving over the broken faces of buildings and signs.
‘What shall we do?’ Daisy screamed.
‘There is nothing we can do,’ said her fiancé quietly, tapping on the lid of his snuffbox. ‘It seems as if we shall go on accelerat-
ing until we hit something and probably die.
You
may prepare to meet
your
Author, my dear. Now, since we have perhaps a minute or two, I suggest that Mr. Potter tells us more about this fascinating machine.’
CALLING DR. SMILAX
‘Let us, however, look more closely at the facts.’
A. J. A YER
Shortly before he was to address the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dr. Smilax stepped into the men’s room adjoining the NORAD conference room and began briskly combing his hair. On such occasions, tension seemed to tighten his scalp and make it itch furiously, unless he could give it a quick, vigorous raking.
It was black, luxuriant hair shot with silver grey of the same shade as his foulard tie. This was embroidered with black anthrax bacilli, carefully knotted, and clipped with a tiny silver scalpel. His suit was a quiet grey, his shirt of television blue, though he
Offering Cal a pinch of Bergamot snuff, the Professor then began to explain to him his own ingenious betting system.
‘Each time the bettor loses a bet,’ he said earnestly, ‘he doubles his next bet. Since every run of luck must needs obey the immutable laws of Destiny, the first winning bet must needs more than make up for all his previous losses at one stroke !’
Cal groaned inwardly, but said nothing, reminding himself that he was a guest—and a prisoner.
‘It is a complex system, but foolproof, as you can see,’ concluded Gallopini. ‘Yet it shews forth the orderly working of the universe. And the universe is orderly. To say it is not is to believe
in magic. One might as well say that the man in that sign could go walking across the desert.’
The sign he indicated was a giant representation of a prospector atop one casino. In one hand he held a pan of nuggets, while the other moved up and down, as if beckoning. It was one of the more famous signs of the city, and could be seen for miles at night.
Now, as the horrified group watched, it did seem to take a step. Daisy screamed, a rich baritone scream, while the professor went as white as a periwig.
‘Ah, it is all right. It is only falling. Perhaps being demolished,’ he said. They watched the sign buckle and disintegrate with some relief. An upsetting coincidence, but not supernatural. The others relaxed, but Cal remained rigid, still staring at the skyline.
‘I think I know what this is all about,’ he breathed. In the distance another sign tumbled, as little grey boxes swarmed over it like ants. ‘We’d better turn around and head the other way at once.’
‘Don’t be an ass,’ said the Professor. ‘I’ve come here to make my fortune, and demme, I’m not turning around on your command. Hold your tongue, sir !’
‘Turn around ! Please !’ Cal said to Harry, who was driving.
‘As a favour to you, I suppose,’ he sneered.
‘Listen. There is something loose in that city—a secret weapon—and it’s out of control. I don’t know how it got here, but it looks like it has taken over Las Vegas. I’m sure of it. Believe me, our lives are in danger if we enter the city.’
‘Stuff and nonsense !’ snapped the Professor. ‘I do
not
believe you, sir. But—so that I cannot be accused of being unfair—we might stop at a telephone and call ahead. We could reserve rooms at the same time that we prove your nonsensical theory has no foundation. Stop at that phone ahead, Harry. Stop, I say !’
But the car continued on past the phone. In fact, it picked up speed. ‘I can’t control it,’ said Harry. ‘It’s like something has hold of it. The steering is locked, and there’s some kind of—cable thing—reeling us in.’
They were close enough to the city to see destruction, now, and swarms of boxy shapes moving over the broken faces of buildings and signs.
‘What shall we do?’ Daisy screamed.
‘There is nothing we can do,’ said her fiancé quietly, tapping on the lid of his snuffbox. ‘It seems as if we shall go on accelerat-
ing until we hit something and probably die.
You
may prepare to meet
your
Author, my dear. Now, since we have perhaps a minute or two, I suggest that Mr. Potter tells us more about this fascinating machine.’
CALLING DR. SMILAX
‘Let us, however, look more closely at the facts.’
A. J. A YER
Shortly before he was to address the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dr. Smilax stepped into the men’s room adjoining the NORAD conference room and began briskly combing his hair. On such occasions, tension seemed to tighten his scalp and make it itch furiously, unless he could give it a quick, vigorous raking.
It was black, luxuriant hair shot with silver grey of the same shade as his foulard tie. This was embroidered with black anthrax bacilli, carefully knotted, and clipped with a tiny silver scalpel. His suit was a quiet grey, his shirt of television blue, though he
Similar Books
