lrh.fortuneoffear-第29部分

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　　　Oh；　the　arduousness　of　duty　in　the　Apparatus！
　　　All　he　did　for　four　whole　days　was　lie　in　his　lashings　and　glare。

Chapter　4

　　　Oh；　was　I　glad　when　at　last　I　could　pay　the　construction　superintendent　his　remaining　money　for　a　pleted　job。　I　almost　parted　with　the　lira　with　joy。
　　　Four　days　of　glares　had　gotten　me　down。
　　　Getting　four　guards　to　stand　with　blastrifles　pointed　at　the　still…cocooned　Doctor　Crobe's　head；　I　worked　rapidly。
　　　I　got　a　huge　case　of　spacecraft　emergency　rations…　who　knew　how　long　he　would　be　in　there　mucking　about…and　threw　it　into　the　middle　of　the　cell　floor。
　　　Reviewing　his　language　equipment；　I　made　sure　it　was　adequate　to　teach　even　an　idiot　English。　I　put　it　on　the　cell　table。
　　　Then；　as　I　had　before；　I　realized　there　still　might　be　inadequate　incentive　for　him　to　learn　the　language。　He　had　exhibited　interest　in　the　first　two　texts。　Accordingly；　I　unearthed　whatever　I　could　spare　on　the　subjects　of　psychology　and　psychiatry。　It　was　pretty　juicy　stuff。　It　included　Governmental　Psychology；　all　about　man　being　a　lousy；　stinking；　（bleeping）　animal　that　was　so　depraved　and　writhing　with　unconscious　passions　he　was　totally　incapable　of　rational　thought　and　had　to　be　policed　with　clubs　at　every　turn；　Irrational　Psychiatry；　all　about　how　to　cure　people　by　killing　them；　Psychology　of　Women；　or　How　to　Trick　Your　Wife　and　Mistress　into　Getting　into　the　Bed　of　Your　Best　Friend；　Child　Psychology；　all　about　the　techniques　of　turning　children　into　perverts；　The　Psychiatrist　on　the　Couch；　giving　seventy…seven　unusual　ways　to　engage　in　sex　with　animals；　Dr。　Kutzman's　famous　text；　Psychiatric　Neurosurgery；　all　about　how　to　end　every　possible　brain　function；　and　Psychiatric　Stew；　which　authoritatively　told　one　what　to　do　with　people　when　they　have　been　turned　into　vegetables　by　the　latest　techniques　approved　by　the　Food　and　Drug　Administration。　I　included　lots　of　other　even　more　vital　texts；　all　standard　and　accepted　material　of　the　professions。　They　could　not　fail　to　entice　Crobe　into　reading　English　like　mad。
　　　I　checked　the　cell　carefully。　There　was　no　possible　way　to　get　out　or　to　get　in　and　there　was　no　way　anyone　outside　it　could　speak　with　anyone　in　it；　and　vice　versa。
　　　I　went　back；　and　with　the　guards　standing　ready；　I　burned　the　knot　apart　with　a　small　disintegrator　and　began　to　unwind　the　safety　line　off　his　head。　I　got　down　to　his　mouth。
　　　Crobe　said；　〃I'll　have　the　law　on　you　for　this！〃
　　　I　was　utterly　amazed！　Here　I　had　saved　his　life。　I　had　even　bee　a　claimant　for　him　and　put　my　own　life　at　risk。
　　　Then　I　understood：　Crobe　might　be　a　doctor　but　he　didn't　know　anything　about　law。　He　did　not　know；　for　instance；　that　I　could　now　kill　him　without　his　thereafter　being　able　to　sue　me。　Further；　if　he　knew　so　little　about　law；　he　didn't　know　ranks　or　how　important　I　was。　I　recognized　that　I　had　better　get　a　book　and　show　him　before　I　unwrapped　anything　else。
　　　There　was　a　crew　library　near　to　hand。　I　went　in。　I　looked。　There　was　a　long　shelf　utterly　covered　with　dust。　Nobody　had　looked　at　these　books　for　decades。　I　blew　and　when　I　was　through　coughing　I　read　the　titles。
　　　It　was　all　one　series　of　volumes！　More　than　forty　of　them；　very　thick。　The　title　of　the　set　was　Voltar　Confederacy　bined　pendium　plete；　including　Space　Codes；　Penal　Codes；　Domestic　Codes；　Royal　Proclamations；　Royal　Orders；　Royal　Procedures；　Royal　Precedence；　Royal　Successions　plete　with　Tables　and　Biographies；　Court　Customs；　Court　History；　Royal　Land　Grants；　Rights　of　Aristocracy；　Planetary　Districts　of　110　Planets；　Local　Laws；　Local　Customs；　Aristocratic　Privileges　and　Various　Other　Matters。　Impressive！
　　　I　realized　it　would　scare　Crobe　half　to　death。　I　promptly　put　the　whole　set　on　a　cart　and　wheeled　it　to　the　new　cell　and　stuffed　it　into　the　shelves。　Why　engage　in　chitchat？　Let　him　find　his　own　reasons　he　was　being　so　ungrateful！
　　　I　went　back　to　get　Crobe。　He　was　glaring　so　hard；　I　decided　not　to　take　a　chance　of　pleting　the　unwrap　there。　I　dumped　him　on　a　cart　and　rolled　it　into　the　cell。
　　　I　said；　〃You　will　get　out　of　here　when　you　know　English　and　decide　to　obey　my　orders！〃
　　　I　picked　up　the　loose　end　of　the　safety　line　and　gave　it　a　hefty　yank。
　　　He　spun　like　a　top！
　　　Right　across　the　floor。
　　　His　body　even　hummed；　it　was　turning　so　fast。
　　　I　kicked　the　cart　out　of　the　cell。
　　　I　locked　up　the　cell　door。
　　　I　slammed　the　new　armor…steel　corridor　door。
　　　I　spun　the　bination。
　　　Only　I　knew　that　bination。　Nobody　could　get　in。　Crobe　couldn't　get　out。
　　　My　sigh　of　relief　came　with　a　gusty　rush。　In　due　time；　if　I　needed　it；　I　had　a　secret　weapon　I　could　send　against　Heller。　At　the　least　sign　of　resurgence　or　success　in　the　U。　S。；　I　would　launch　the　deadly　Crobe。
　　　Until　then；　he　was　safe　and　I　was　safe。
　　　I　looked　in　through　the　port。　He　had　untangled　himself。　He　was　staring　at　the　bookshelves。　And　just　as　I　had　hoped；　his　interest　quickened。　He　was　picking　up　Psychiatric　Stew。
　　　With　a　gay　and　jaunty　step；　I　went　upon　my　way。
　　　Life　had　taken　a　new　and　pleasant　upturn　once　again。

Chapter　5

　　　After　a　marvelous　breakfast　served　by　Karagoz　and　a　waiter；　who　crossed　the　floor　only　on　their　knees；　it　occurred　to　me　that　I　had　better　check　up　on　Heller　and　Krak　just　to　make　sure　they　were　still　failing。
　　　With　a　pitcher　of　hot　sira；　I　leaned　back　in　a　fortable　chair　and　watched　the　two　viewers。
　　　Heller　was　doing　a　whole　bunch　of　figures　at　his　desk　in　New　York。　All　sorts　of　equations；　mostly　chemical。　No　threat　there：　he　could　do　equations　until　the　sky　fell　in　and　it　wouldn't　disturb　the　planet　in　the　least。
　　　I　became　interested　in　what　the　Countess　Krak　was　doing。　She　was　in　the　secretary　boudoir　and　the　door　to　the　office　itself　was　closed。　The　place　was　all　festooned　with　cupids　prancing　around　the　wallpaper。　But　that　wasn't　what　she　was　looking　at　directly。　It　was　the　cat。
　　　She　was　down　on　her　knees　and　she　was　teaching　him　to　do　backflips。　He　was　working　very　hard　to　get　them　just　right。
　　　〃Elegance　is　the　watchword；　Mister　Calico；〃　she　was　saying。　〃Now　let's　do　it　again。　Saunter　along…one；　two；　three；　four…without　a　care　in　the　world。　Then　FLIP！　Takes　the　audience　by　surprise。　Now　here　we　go　again：　one；　two；　three；　four。。。〃
　　　What　a　silly　woman！　She　was　still　talking　to　it　in　Standard　Voltarian　and　it　was　still　an　Earth　cat！　Couldn't　possibly　understand　her。
　　　And　if　this　was　all　she　was　doing；　it　was　certainly　no　threat　to　me。
　　　The　cat　must　have　done　a　perfect　flip。　She　petted　it　and　Mister　Calico　purred。
　　　〃All　right；〃　said　the　Countess。　〃That's　enough　acrobatics　for　today。　Now　let's　review　yesterday's　lesson。　Go　get　a　newspaper。〃
　　　She　opened　the　door　a　crack。　That　cat　wasn't　so　smart　after　all。　Had　to　have　doors　opened　for　it。
　　　The　cat　went　out　into　the　office。　It　sprang　up　on　a　bar　stool。　A　stack　of　newspapers　was　there。　The　cat　caught　the　edge　of　one　in　its　teeth　and　worried　it　off　the　bar。　The　paper　hit　the　floor　with　a　plop。　The　cat　jumped　down　and　again　bit　into　the　corner　of　it　and；　walking　sideways；　got　it　through　the　boudoir　door。
　　　The　Countess　closed　the　door。　〃That's　fine。〃　She　knelt　on　the　floor。　〃Now　turn　it　over　so　I　can　read　it。〃
　　　The　cat；　with　teeth　and　paws；　turned　the　newspaper　over。
　　　It　wasn't　really　a　newspaper。　It　was　the　weekly　news　magazine；　the　National　Expirer。　I　guess　the　cat　liked　spicy　reading。
　　　It　didn't　go　smoothly。　The　Countess　flinched　back。　She　gave　the　cat　an　absent　pat。　She　leaned　forward；　reading　the　front　page　story。　It　said：

IS　MISS　AMERICA　SAFE　
FROM　WHIZ　KID　RAPE？

　　　This　probing　question　is　being　passionately　asked　today　by　rape　experts。
　　　After　his　theft　of　Atlantic　City；　the　thing　has　raised　its　ugly　head：　Is　the　reigning　Miss　America；　only　just　crowned　this　autumn　at　Atlantic　City；　now　safe　from　threatened　Whiz　Kid　ravishment？
　　　Many　experts　predict　that　the　Whiz　Kid　will　not　be　able　to　curtail　his　ardor　now　that　Miss　America　is　so　easily　in　his　clutches。
　　　Others；　reviewing　the　measurements　of　Miss　America；　agree　that　no　oversexed　normal　male　would　be　able　to　resist　her　charms。
　　　No　less　an　authority　than　the　press　agent　of　Miss　America　himself　stated；　〃We　have　tried　to　hide　her　photographs　from　his　view　and　we　have　her　in　a　narrow　bed　that　won't　take　two；　but　predictions　of　an　early　roll　in　the　hay　are　rife。〃

　　　The　story　was　acpanied　by　a　full…length；　half…page　picture　of　a　gorgeous；　half…naked　blonde　showing　a　yard　of　leg　enticingly。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　sat　back　on　her　haunches。　She　was　staring　at　the　photograph。　〃Oh；　dear；〃　she　muttered。　〃She　is　beautiful。　Oh；　dear；　and　we're　not　even　married　yet！〃
　　　She　suddenly　folded　the　paper　and　shoved　it　under　the　edge　of　the　rug。　She　said；　〃Cat！　Call　Mamie！〃
　　　There　was　a　phone　on　the　side　table　of　the　couch。　The　cat　jumped　up　beside　it。　I　was　amazed。　A　cat　using　a　telephone？　But　then　I　saw　it　wasn't　remarkable　at　all。　The　phone　was　a　speaker　phone　and　all　you　had　to　do　was　punch　a　button　and　it　came　on　with　a　dial　tone。　Then　it　had　a　row　of　call　buttons　on　a　panel　beside　it　and　all　you　had　to　do　was　touch　one　button　and　it　automatically　dialled　a　whole　number。　Anybody　can　do　that。　Just　two　buttons。
　　　〃President　and　General　Manager　Boomp　here；〃　came　out　of　the　phone　speaker。
　　　〃Meow；〃　said　the　cat。　Well；　at　least　it　didn't　say　〃Hello〃　in　Voltarian。　That　would　have　been　a　Code　break　for　sure！
　　　The　Countess　gave　the　cat　a　stroke　and　sat　down　on　the　couch。　〃Hello；　dear。　This　is　Joy。　You　know　that　dinner　you　were　inviting　us　to　attend　this　week？　Well；　I　just　called　to　say　Jettero　is　very；　very　busy　and　can't　possibly　e　down　to　Atlantic　City。〃
　　　〃Oh；　that's　too　bad。〃
　　　Krak　said；　〃How　are　things；　dear？〃
　　　〃Oh；　just　fine；〃　said　Mamie。　〃That　（bleeped）　Mafia　had　all　the　gambling　devices　rigged　and　they　were　paying　off　only　to　their　own　henchmen　and　shills；　but　we　reversed　the　policy　and　only　let　popular　people　win…pretty　girls　we　can　get　good　pictures　of　and　such。　You　should　see　them　flocking　in。〃
　　　〃Well；　well；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃That　confir