lrh.villainyvictorious-第42部分

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amp　on　Calabar：　he　went　crazy　as　a　gyro　with　half　a　wheel　gone。　They　kept　him　for　half　a　year；　didn't　do　a　thing　but　feed　him；　and　then　they　let　him　back　out。　He　was　all　sane　again。　I'm　sure　glad　they　didn't　damage　him：　my　aunt　would　have　raised　a　thousand　Devils　if　they　had。〃
〃Have　you　ever　heard　of　a　mental　doctor？〃
〃Nope。　Don't　think　I　ever　saw　a　doctor　that　went　crazy。〃
〃I　mean　a　psychiatrist？〃　said　Madison。
〃Look；　Chief；　I　been　sitting　here　awfully　patient　and　every　muscle　aches；　but　couldn't　we　lay　off　foreign　words　at　least　until　I　have　had　some　breakfast　and　wake　up？〃
All　this　talk　had　stirred　the　girls。　Twa　said；　〃You　don't　need　any　breakfast　yet；〃　and　reached　for　him。
Madison　left。　He　felt　blocked　again。
He　went　back　to　his　room　and　paced。
The　idea　he　had　had　was　not　really　his。　It　was　a　historic　milestone　of　the　PR　trade。　It　had　e　to　him　when　he　realized　the　primary　purpose　of　Earth　media　was　to　make　people　go　mad。　And　this　had　jarred　into　view　one　of　the　PR　triumphs　of　the　century。
The　American　Psychiatric　Affiliates；　many　decades　ago；　had　had　a　terrible　problem　with　the　media。　At　that　time；　nobody　in　his　right　mind　would　print　anything　serious　about　psychiatrists；　the　breed　was　regarded　as　just　a　bunch　of　vicious　fakes　and　quacks；　destructive　at　the　very　least　with　their　electric　shocks　and　murders。
But　PR　had　saved　the　day。　In　league　with　the　World　Federation　of　Mental　Stealth…an　organization　posed　of　ex…Nazis　who　had　murdered　the　millions　of　Jews　as　well　as　all　the　〃insane〃　in　Germany；　and　who　were　running　from　the　Allied　forces…the　American　Psychiatric　Affiliates　had　pulled　the　most　cunning　coup　of　the　age。
They　had　done　such　a　marvelous　job　on　the　media　that　now；　today；　a　psychiatrist　could　mit　murder　several　times　a　day；　including　Sunday；　and　could　do　anything；　even　exhibit　himself　in　front　of　children；　and　the　media　and　every　page　and　frame　of　it　would　praise　him　to　the　skies　and　say　how　scientific　and　necessary　it　all　was。
Yes；　their　PR　procedure　had　indeed　worked　and　continued　to　work。　Resoundingly；　psychiatry　and　psychology　were　now　considered　totally　above　all　law　and　even　the　highest　in　the　land　licked　their　scruffy；　bloodstained　boots。
Madison；　with　his　mand　of　PR　history；　knew　exactly　what　they　had　done；　how　they　had　gone　about　it　and　continued　to　go　about　it　down　to　the　finest；　minute　detail。
But　there　was　one　small　flaw　in　his　plan：　he　didn't　have　a　psychiatrist。

Chapter　5

Madison；　grim　determination　in　his　eye；　got　dressed　and　had　some　breakfast　and　then　got　on　the　viewer…phone。　He　was　trying　to　locate　Lombar：　he　was　not　at　Palace　City；　he　was　not　at　his　office　in　town。　He　seemed　to　have　vanished。
From　what　he　knew　now　of　Apparatus　offices；　he　hazarded　that　Lombar　must　have　a　chief　clerk。　By　using　his　blanket　order　from　Hisst　that　gave　him。　a　free　hand　in　all　matters　of　PR；　he　finally　got　through　several　shunts　and　wound　up　looking　at　an　old　man　of　very　bitter　visage。
〃I　need　information；〃　said　Madison。
〃Well；　I'm　not　giving　any　over　a　viewer…phone；　no　matter　what　authority　you've　got。　Tell　your　driver　to　land　you　at　Camp　Endurance。〃　He　clicked　off。
Flick；　up　and　around　now；　went　into　a　deeper　gloom。　〃I　knew　it　would　happen　sooner　or　later：　you　been　ordered　to　Camp　Kill。　They'll　simply　take　us　out　of　the　car　and　throw　us　in　the　chasm。　That's　what　they　do　with　criminals　the　Apparatus　can　no　longer　use。〃　And　he　would　have　gone　off　to　bid　the　staff　farewell　if　Madison　hadn't　grabbed　his　arm　and　shoved　him　toward　the　hangar。
Far　above　the　traffic　lanes；　at　six　hundred　miles　an　hour；　they　went　over　the　mountains；　crossed　the　Great　Desert　with　its　dust　dancers　and；　after　a　harsh　challenge；　were　permitted　to　land　at　the　camp。
Troops　were　marching　here　and　there　and　for　some　time　the　three　of　them　simply　sat　in　the　landing　area；　unapproached。
〃They're　getting　the　execution　squad　ready；〃　Flick　told　Cun。　〃They　will　probably　rape　you　first。　Then　over　we　go。　I've　just　got　time　to　re…re…reform　so　I　can　go　to　my　death　thinking　about　Hightee　Heller。〃
Cun　hit　him。
A　smart　young　officer；　followed　by　a　squad；　came　out　to　the　car。　He　looked　somehow　different　than　others　who　were　around。　His　squad　came　to　a　military　halt；　very　precise。　The　officer　leaned　in　the　window。　〃I'm　Captain　Snelz。〃　By　chance　of　changing　duty　rosters；　it　was　the　very　same　man　who　had　been　the　fast　friend　of　Heller　and　the　Countess　Krak。　〃Is　your　name　Madison？〃
Flick　cowered　back　and　Madison　had　to　reach　over　and　get　his　identoplate；　just　used　in　the　slot。　Snelz　looked　at　it。　He　clicked　the　buttons　on　the　back。
〃Hello；　hello；〃　said　Snelz。　〃Unlimited　pay　status？　Well；　it　just　so　happens　the　canteen　is　on　the　way　and　you　won't　mind　setting　up　some　drinks　for　me　and　the　squad　before　we　proceed。　I'm　your　escort。〃
Madison　got　out。　The　hot　desert　wind　hit　him。　He　stared　at　the　huge　black　bulk　of　the　castle　and　then　he　felt　himself　being　pushed　along。　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　supposed　to　see　Lombar　Hisst's　chief　clerk；　not　attend　a　military　review。　What　is　this　place？〃
Snelz　said；　〃You　must　be　new　in　the　Apparatus　not　to　know　this　is　Spiteos。　Where　are　you　from？〃
〃Earth；〃　said　Madison。
〃Earth？〃　said　Snelz。　〃You　mean　Blito…P3？〃
〃That's　what　they　call　it　here；〃　said　Madison。　〃The　right　name　is　Earth。〃
〃Hmm；〃　said　Snelz。
They　got　to　the　canteen　and　Snelz　ordered　tup　all　around。　When　he　had　washed　the　desert　dust　out　of　his　throat；　he　said；　〃By　any　chance　did　you　run　into　an　officer　named　Jettero　Heller　on　Earth？〃
〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Madison。　〃One　of　my　dearest　friends。〃
〃Hmm；〃　said　Snelz。　〃How　is　he？〃
〃Oh；　splendid；　splendid；〃　said　Madison。
〃You　didn't　e　back　here　with　him；　did　you？〃　said　Snelz。
〃No；　I'm　afraid　I　didn't　have　that　pleasure；〃　said　Madison。
〃Then　you　know　his　lady；〃　said　Snelz。
〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Madison。　〃Lovely　person。〃
〃What　does　she　look　like？〃　said　Snelz。　〃Just　to　make　sure　we're　talking　about　the　same　person。〃
〃Oh；　lovely；　lovely；〃　said　Madison。　〃Very　lovely。〃
〃But；　confidentially；〃　said　Snelz；　〃didn't　you　think　she　was　a　little　short　for　him？　I　mean；　a　girl　only　five　feet　two　when　Heller　is　six　feet　six。〃
〃Oh；　I　thought　her　slightness　was　one　of　her　most　charming　features；〃　said　Madison。
〃Well；　drink　up；〃　said　Snelz；　〃and　I'll　run　you　on　through　to　the　chief　clerk。〃　Other　than　that；　Snelz　didn't　seem　to　have　much　more　to　say；　which　was　not　strange；　now　that　he　knew　Madison　was　a　fake。
Madison　paid　for　the　drinks　and　they　got　onto　a　zip…bus　and　were　shortly　speeding　through　the　tunnels。　They　got　out　and　made　their　way　to　an　elevator。　They　sped　to　the　high　tower　where　Lombar　had　his　main　clerical　office；　and　Snelz　pushed　Madison　in　and　posed　himself　and　his　squad　in　the　passageway　to　wait。
The　criminal　old　chief　clerk　frowned　at　Madison。　〃I　know　you　have　a　blanket　order。　You　probably　think；　by　seeing　me；　you　can　get　to　see　the　chief。。。。〃
〃No；〃　said　Madison。　〃Actually；　I　want　to　see　you。　I　know　very　well　that　chief　clerks　really　run　things。〃
〃Well；　you're　the　first　one　to　ever　mention　that！　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
〃Two　things。　As　the　Apparatus　is　actually　an　intelligence　activity；　I　can　only　suppose　that　you　have　lots　of　information　on　people。　So　the　first　one　is；　I　want　to　know　if　you　have　data　on　publishers　and　editors。〃
〃Blackmail；　you　mean。　It's　a　fact　that　we　have　informers　in　their　houses　and　in　their　offices；　but　it's　a　dry　run。　We've　tried　for　years　to　get　something　really　good　on　them　but　all　we　hear　about　is　just　domestic　spats。　Tiresome　trash。　You　won't　find　any　twists。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃　said　Madison；　〃I　want　everything　on　every　publisher　and　editor　and　everyone　around　them。〃
The　old　chief　clerk　shrugged；　called　another　clerk　and　led　Madison　to　the　central　data　console。
With　the　clerk　operating　it；　they　shortly　had　torrents　of　printouts　ing　from　the　machine。
After　a　while　the　chief　clerk　came　over。　〃You　remind　me　of　Gris。　He　sneaked　in　here　one　day　and　ran　this　machine　totally　out　of　paper。〃
〃It's　important；〃　said　Madison。
〃It's　trash；〃　said　the　chief　clerk。　He　picked　up　a　corner　of　the　roll　and　in　a　snide　voice　read；　〃　'Lady　Mithin　this　morning　accused　her　husband　of　being　an　unreasonable　boor　when　he　plained　the　jolt　was　not　hot。'　I　can　see　you　now　trying　to　blackmail　Noble　Mithin；　publisher　of　the　Voltar　Vigilant；　with　that！〃
Madison　suddenly　found　himself　looking　at　reports　from　informers；　doormen　and　such；　who　had　noted　his　calls　on　publishers　the　day　before。　Yes；　the　Apparatus　ran　quite　a　network。　Well；　he　could　run　quite　a　network　himself：　he　would　have　to　see　that　proper　false　reports　were　fed　into　their　system。
The　paper　eventually　amounted　to　a　formidable　bale：　the　rolls　had　had　to　be　replaced　twice。
〃I　hope　that's　all；〃　the　old　chief　clerk　said。
〃Well；　no；　it　isn't；〃　said　Madison。　〃Anywhere　on　Voltar　or　in　the　Confederacy；　is　there　a　real　psychiatrist？〃
The　old　chief　clerk　shook　his　head。
〃A　psychologist？〃　said　Madison。
The　old　chief　clerk　shook　his　head　again。
〃A　psychoanalyst？〃　said　Madison。　〃You　know。　Somebody　who　handles　mental　illness？〃
〃Mental　illness？〃　said　the　chief　clerk；　〃That's　a　funny　term。　Mental　things　don't　have　any　germs　or　virus　connected。。。　Wait。　I　just　remembered　something。　What　was　that　first　word　you　used　again？〃
〃Psychiatrist。〃
〃Aha；　yes！　That　crazy　Doctor　Crobe；　when　he　came　back　from　Blito…P3；　was　yapping　about　treating　'mental　illness。'　He　was　refusing　to　go　back　into　his　laboratory　because　he　was　now　that　funny　word　you　just　used。　He's　right　down　on　the　first　sub…level　here。〃
〃Crobe？　Can　I　have　him？〃
〃Oh；　and　wele；〃　said　the　chief　clerk。　And　he　promptly　wrote　out　the　order　of　custody。

Chapter　6

Doctor　Crobe　was　lying　on　a　filthy　operating　table；　obviously　in　a　bit　of　a　haze。
The　rest　of　Snelz's　squad　had　stayed　outside；　guarding　the　cart　of　printouts；　but　two　of　them　and　Snelz　preceded　Madison　into　the　rooms。
Snelz　punched　at　Crobe　with　a　stinger　a　couple　of　times　and　the　man　writhed　around；　blinking。
The　smell　of　the　place　hit　Madison　like　a　club。　Old　dried　blood　and　decayed　tatters　of　flesh　stained　the　floor　and　furniture。　He　stared　at　the　dirty　doctor。
Suddenly；　Madison　recognized　him。　Too　long　a　nose；　too　long　in　limb；　weirdly　misshapen。　This　was　the　same　man　Smith　had　sent　to　his　office　and　that　he　had　sent　to　Bellevue