lrh.villainyvictorious-第62部分

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w　it　free。　Hightee　Heller　takes　her　life　in　her　hands　to　bring　it　to　you。　So　rush　out　and　get　your　neighbors　and　friends　and　people　on　the　street　and　get　them　to　your　set。　It　may　be　your　last　chance　to　see　Hightee。　BE　HERE！〃
Spot　ads　themselves　weren't　usually　done　on　Home…view；　so　the　fact　that　they　had　been　running　now　every　hour　for　the　last　thirty…six　was　creating　something　of　a　sensation。　There　was　hardly　anyone　who　did　not　know　that　something　was　going　to　happen　tonight。　That　〃takes　her　life　in　her　hands〃　was　not　understood　at　all。　Was　she　going　to　do　death…defying　feats　on　the　stage　or　what？　The　billions　and　billions　of　passionately　devoted　Hightee　Heller　fans　reacted　in　a　number　of　different　ways。　A　few　of　them　got　physically　ill　at　the　idea　of　anything　happening　to　〃their　dear　Hightee。〃　Alarmed　calls　had　been　jamming　the　circuit　boards　of　Homeview　all　day　from　every　part　of　the　planet　and　some　from　other　planets　which　only　had　delays　measurable　in　hours。
The　news　followed。　As　a　lot　of　day　programming　was　given　over　to　the　trial；　the　news　itself　could　get　on　with　other　matters。　Mention　was　made　that　the　fighting　on　Calabar　seemed　to　be　diminishing　as　Apparatus　troops　pulled　out。　Several　papers　were　speculating　on　the　target　of　some　punitive　strike；　guessing　at　which　of　several　unconquered　planets。　One　said　that　a　race　had　developed　a　new　and　devastating　weapon　and　needed　preinvasion　chastisement　and　a　usually　informed　source　mentioned　that　it　might　be　Blito…P3。　Lombar　grinned　like　a　toother　at　that：　Madison　had　told　him　that　such　a　leak　〃prepared　the　public　mind。〃
Then　the　musical　came　on　with　a　roar　from　the　studio　audience。　The　performers　were　all　introduced；　as　is　usual。　Then　with　a　fanfare　the　curtain　went　up　and　to　the　downbeat　music；　playing　in　a　dirge　version　of　ragtime；　the　Devils　and　the　beaten　people　howled　and　moaned。　The　show　had　begun。　Hightee　stepped　out　and　in　a　brilliant　aria　described　the　scene　and　the　history　of　her　brother　and　herself。
Madison　glanced　at　Lombar。　He　seemed　to　find　the　antics　of　the　red　Devils　and　the　abuse　of　the　people　a　source　of　gratification。　He　hadn't　really　grasped　the　import　of　the　play。
The　brother　went　through　his　duplicity；　the　sister　described　it　all　in　song；　the　choruses　and　scenery　were　superb。
Lombar　seemed　to　be　musing　about　something　as　he　watched。　He　even　once　or　twice　tapped　his　boot　toe　in　time　to　the　music。　Such　was　Lombar's　ego　that　he　seemed　to　be　missing　the　point。　But　Madison　knew　that　no　one　else　on　Voltar　was　missing　it。　They　all　knew　that　High…tee's　brother　was　Jettero　Heller。　The　lead　male　star　in　the　piece；　by　Madison's　covert　interference；　was　a　handsome　blond　youth　from　Manco；　six　foot　two。
Then　in　the　latter　part　of　the　play；　just　before　the　final　scenes；　Hightee　Heller　as　the　outlaw's　sister　is　seen　standing　on　the　cowcatcher　of　an　improbable　lootive　of　a　train　that　is　being　robbed。　Boxes　and　bags　of　loot　are　being　taken　off。　Another　robber　es　to　her；　opens　a　box　and　says；　〃Look；　we　found　some　of　the　Devils'　clothes；　ha；　ha；　we　found　some　of　the　Devils'　clothes。〃　And　he　holds　up　a　scarlet　Apparatus　general's　uniform。
Madison；　at　that　moment；　looked　at　Lombar。　The　Dictator　of　Voltar　was　sitting　there　stunned。
Hightee；　at　that　point；　throws　back　her　head　and　laughs。　Then　she　draws　a　six…gun　and　fires　it　in　the　air　to　attract　the　attention　of　peasants　in　the　nearby　fields。　These　all　run　up　and　Hightee　sings　them　a　song。
With　the　crazy　downbeat　rhythm　and　singing　as　only　Hightee　could　sing；　the　ballad　went：

The　Devil's　going　to　get　you
If　you　don't　watch　out。
The　Devil's　going　to　cheat　you
Before　you　know　he　is　about。
He's　going　to　hit　you；
With　a　great　big　stick。
He　is　going　to　smash　you
With　a　fist　that's　quick。
But　if　you　saw　the　Devil
When　he　was　skinned；
You　would　really　find；
He　was　just　a　bag　of　wind。
For　the　Devil　was　bred
In　a　lowly　slum
And　every　unknown　father
Was　a　gutter　bum。
The　point　of　this　song
Should　not　be　missed。
I　am　singing　about
（mouthed　only）　_____　___！

There　is　no　mistaking　the　words　that　Hightee's　lips　form。　They　can　only　be　〃Lombar　Hisst。〃　But　in　their　very　silence；　they　are　ten　times　as　loud　as　if　they　had　been　spoken。
Then　the　robber　holding　the　uniform　inflates　it　with　gas　and　it　does　a　crazy　dance　as　it　rises。　The　stage…play　brother　rushes　up；　draws　his　six…guns　and　shoots　the　uniform　full　of　holes。　The　peasants　and　robbers　all　go　into　a　wild　carnival　of　dance；　stamping　on　the　uniform　and　finally　burning　it　in　effigy。
But　that　wasn't　the　only　thing　that　went　into　wild　motion。　Lombar　was　up　out　of　his　chair；　waving　his　arms　about　wildly　and　leaping。　〃That's　me！　That's　me　she's　singing　about！　I'll　kill　her！　I'll　maim　her！　She　is　holding　me　up　to　ridicule！　Oh；　Gods；　I　get　the　point　of　this　play　now！　She's　telling　the　people　to　revolt　and　tear　me　to　bits！〃　He　shook　both　fists　at　the　screen　and　would　have　lunged　into　it　but　he　tripped　over　a　stool　and　began　to　roll　around　on　the　floor；　frothing　at　the　mouth。
The　convulsions　lasted　until　the　burning　of　the　effigy　on　the　screen；　and　then　Hisst　lay　there　in　a　twisted　pile；　staring　at　the　set　as　though　in　a　catatonic　stupor。
The　rest　of　the　play　ran　off；　the　brother　and　sister　were　both　hanged　and　their　bodies　seized　down　into　a　grave　and　the　vast　cast　all　sadly　sang　the　last　song　the　sister　had　sung。　Then　they　chorused　The　Outlaw　theme　song　again；　but　with　celestial　overtones；　and　the　face　of　Hightee　and　factually　the　face　of　Jettero　Heller　himself　looked　down　from　heaven。　Madison's　last　touch　had　not　been　known　to　anybody　except　the　bribed　technician。
The　studio　audience　went　into　yells　and　applause　that　Madison　thought　better　than　to　plete。　He　turned　the　set　off。
Lombar　somehow　got　himself　straightened　out　and　fell　into　a　chair。
〃Now　you　see　why　I　was　worried；〃　said　Madison。
〃It's　Heller；〃　said　Lombar。　〃Heller　put　her　up　to　this。　All　Voltar　knows　Jettero　Heller　is　her　brother。　It　didn't　take　that　last　picture　of　his　face　to　drive　it　home！　It's　a　plot　against　my　life！　I'll　order　a　Death　Battalion　to　raid　her　house　and　shoot　her　down　at　once！〃
Madison　said；　〃Lombar；　all　famous　figures　have　to　be　able　to　withstand　ridicule。　It's　one　of　the　rules　of　the　game：　ridicule　the　mighty。　But　be　calm；　they　have　played　right　into　your　hands。　I　am　glad　that　you　have　seen　that。　You　can　get　even　with　her　and　can　get　Heller　to　show　up。　All　you　have　to　do　is　sign　this　note。〃
Lombar　looked　at　it。　A　savage　look　replaced　the　shock　that　had　been　dominating　him。　〃That's　brilliant！〃　he　said　and　signed　it；　stamped　it。
Madison　took　it　back　to　see　that　it　was　all　in　order。　It　said：

ARREST　HIGHTEE　HELLER　AND　HOLD　HER。　THEN　BARGAIN　WITH　HER　BROTHER　AND　GET　HIM　TO　E　IN。　THEN　KILL　THEM　BOTH。

LOMBAR　HISST

〃Make　sure　you　get　that　executed！〃　said　Lombar　with　a　ferocious　snarl。　〃I've　never　been　so　affronted　in　my　life！〃
〃I　knew　you'd　see　your　way　out　of　this；〃　said　Madison。　〃You　can　now　ignore　the　details。　Leave　the　rest　up　to　me。〃
J。　Warbler　Madman　was　about　to　pull　off　the　PR　caper　of　the　age。

Chapter　4

The　arrest　of　Hightee　Heller　took　place　in　the　street　before　the　huge　dome　studio　of　Homeview。
She　had　been　told　that　a　group　of　notables　and　fans　from　Mistin　wished　to　present　her　with　that　planet's　symbolic　flower。　There　were　some　notables　there　all　right；　but　they　weren't　from　Mistin。　They　were　Death　Battalion　men　in　civilian　clothes。
Madison　had　his　own　camera　crew　placed　on　a　ledge　that　outcropped　from　the　dome：　it　was　thirty　feet　above　and　could　look　down　on　the　whole　scene。　There　was　another　crew　there；　on　the　scene　itself；　assigned　by　the　manager　of　Homeview。　There　were　several　reporters　and　photographers　from　papers。
The　street　was　just　a　typical　Joy　City　street；　lined　with　shops　that　sold　knickknacks　and　pretty　clothes。　The　main　entrance　to　the　dome；　however；　was　imposing；　for　the　pavement　just　in　front　of　it　appeared　to　be　made　of　gold。　It　was　there　that　the　deputation　stood。
Hightee　Heller　came　out　of　the　building：　she　was　dressed　in　a　white　gown　and　gold　gloves。　Such　presentations　were　quite　ordinary：　she　would　simply　go　down；　accept　whatever　it　was；　smile；　shake　hands；　thank　them　and　withdraw。　It　was　a　little　ceremony　that　took　place　several　times　a　week。　She　was　usually　only　acpanied　by　a　couple　Homeview　ushers　to　carry　away　the　present　or　award　or　whatever　it　was。　No　one　would　have　dreamed　of　flanking　Hightee　with　security　men；　for　in　all　her　career；　no　one　had　ever　laid　a　finger　on　the　Homeview　star　or　even　frowned　at　her　in　public。
She　might　have　been　checked　by　the　fact　that　the　deputation　was　so　silent。　Usually　such　groups　were　more　numerous　and　gave　a　little　cheer　when　she　appeared。　This　one　just　stood　there；　the　man　in　front　holding　a　bouquet。
She　was　five　feet　from　the　apparent　leader。　He　extended　the　bouquet　toward　her　stiffly。　Still　moving　forward；　she　put　out　a　hand　toward　it。
He　dropped　the　flowers　to　the　pavement。
They　had　masked　the　blastgun　in　his　hand！
A　whistle　screamed。
With　a　single　movement；　two　hundred　men　stepped　out　of　the　different　shops。　They　wore　black　uniforms　and　carried　rifles。　The　street　was　suddenly　totally　lined　with　these　troops。
From　the　back　of　the　deputation；　a　man　strode　forward；　throwing　off　a　cloak　to　reveal　himself　as　a　colonel　of　the　Death　Battalion。
Hightee　turned　to　reenter　the　building。
Two　Death　Battalion　soldiers　blocked　her　way。　She　turned　back　to　the　〃deputation。〃
The　colonel's　boot　crushed　the　fallen　flowers。　〃High…tee　Heller；　I　arrest　you　in　the　name　of　Lombar　Hisst！〃
The　two　ushers　made　a　sudden　rush　to　protect　Hightee。
Two　actors；　placed　there　by　Madison　for　that　purpose　in　Apparatus　uniforms；　smashed　blood　bags　into　the　faces　of　her　protectors！　It　looked　exactly　like　they　had　been　killed！　They　fell。
A　member　of　the　〃deputation〃　raised　and　dropped　a　black　sack　over　Hightee。
Four　Death　Battalion　troopers　grabbed　her　as　though　she　were　a　bundle　and　rushed　her　into　a　personnel　carrier。
Two　hundred　Death　Battalion　troops　struck　down　the　people　who　had　stopped；　stunned；　in　the　street。　They　raced　for　their　vehicles。
With　a　shattering　roar　of　takeoffs；　the　street　was　empty　except　for　pedestrians　collapsed　upon　the　walks。
Then　people　began　to　run　out　of　the　building　and　out　of　the　shops。　The