Part 17 (1/2)
He chewed, and swallowed, and said gravely:
”And can I make deathrays?”
Don Loris brightened. He drew a deep breath of relief. He said complainingly:
”I don't see why you're so sarcastic! Yes. That is a rather important question. You see, on Walden they don't know how to. They say you do.
They're very anxious that n.o.body should be able to. But while in unscrupulous hands such an instrument of destruction would be most unfortunate ... ah ... under proper control--”
”Yours,” said Hoddan.
”Say--ours,” said Don Loris hopefully. ”With my experience of men and affairs, and my loyal and devoted retainers--”
”And cozy dungeons,” said Hoddan. He wiped his mouth. ”No.”
Don Loris started violently.
”No, what?”
”No deathrays,” said Hoddan. ”I can't make 'em. n.o.body can. If they could be made, some star somewhere would be turning them out, or some natural phenomenon would let them loose from time to time. If there were such things as deathrays, all living things would have died, or else would have adjusted to their weaker manifestations and developed immunity so they wouldn't be deathrays any longer. As a matter of fact, that's probably been the case, some time in the past. So far as the gadget goes that they're talking about, it's been in use for half a century in the Cetis cl.u.s.ter. n.o.body's died of it yet.”
Don Loris looked bitterly disappointed.
”That's the truth?” he asked unhappily. ”Honestly? That's your last word on it?”
”Much,” said Hoddan, ”much as I hate to spoil the prospects of profitable skulduggery, that's my last word and it's true.”
”But those men from Walden are very anxious!” protested Don Loris.
”There was no s.h.i.+p available, so their government got a liner that normally wouldn't stop here to take an extra lifeboat aboard. It came out of overdrive in this solar system, let out the lifeboat, and went on its way again. Those two men are extremely anxious--”
”Ambitious, maybe,” said Hoddan. ”They're prepared to pay to overcome your sense of grat.i.tude to me. Naturally, you want all the traffic will bear. I think you can get half a million.”
Don Loris looked suspicious again.
”You don't seem worried,” he said fretfully. ”I don't understand you!”
”I have a secret,” said Hoddan.
”What is it?”
”It will develop,” said Hoddan.
Don Loris hesitated, essayed to speak, and thought better of it. He shrugged his shoulders and went slowly back to the flight of stone steps. He descended. The Lady Fani started to wring her hands. Then she said hopefully:
”What's your secret?”
”That your father thinks I have one,” said Hoddan. ”Thanks for the breakfast. Should I walk out the gate, or--”
”It's closed,” said the Lady Fani forlornly. ”But I have a rope for you.
You can go down over the wall.”