Part 24 (1/2)

remained. Were they saying that dependence upon constants was the low fence? That man must learn to do without his firm absolutes? That was the ultimate in relativity: Energy is proportionate to matter. But so all-inclusive as to be too vague for use.

For more than three centuries now, controversy had raged over Einstein's use of C in his expression. Some held that it was a product of his time, that he was able to make only one step beyond cla.s.sical physics where all things must be related to a fixed value. Others held that its inclusion was a deliberate fallacy; that Einstein, by his other work, had shown he knew it was a fallacy; that, tongue in cheek, he inserted it into his equation in full knowledge that his fellow scientists of his day could not even bear to think of the awesome concept of things without orientation to an absolute; that he knew they would reject him entirely, refuse even to consider his thought unless he catered that much to their superst.i.tions.

The need of the absolute was not mathematical or scientific, but emotional. Man was still tortured by his determination to be the center of things, himself the fixed absolute! The need of a familiar, fixed cave where he might run and hide, close himself in securely when the chaos of storm outside became too frightening to bear. The need of a fixed absolute, whether in philosophy or science, a fixed spot that would not s.h.i.+ft.

The science of psi, then, was based in a willingness to s.h.i.+ft?

He looked down at the equation, to see if he were still on the track.

It had changed again. Now it read ”EdM”: The form of the function of energy to matter is variable.

Quickly, another change. ”Df(em)”: The form of the function and the independent variable of the function vary together.

Still another: ”E = f(M)”: There is a general relations.h.i.+p of energy to matter.

And then: ”F(e,m) = 0”: There is a general unspecified relations.h.i.+p between energy and matter.

He slapped his hand down on the sand in frustration.

”All right,” he said. ”You've made your point. And it means about as much as if I said to the turkey, 'All you have to do is fly'.”

There was a stir behind him. He turned his head and saw Louie. A deep sigh, almost a sob came from Louie as he stared down at the symbols in the sand.

”They talked to _you_,” Louie said brokenly. ”I wanted only to serve Them, but it was to _you_ They talked.”

And all the tragedy of his life was contained therein.

Cal sprang to his feet, and put his arms around the other man's shoulders. The two of them, the bitter and the sympathetic, looked down at the sand. The symbols were still changing, and now read ”There is an infinity of relations.h.i.+ps between matter and energy, an infinity of forms to be taken by matter as you control the energy.”

The signs were wiped out, and the sense of Their presence was gone. Cal felt the withdrawal, the sense of a lesson being over. He did not regret it, he had enough to think about. But first, there was Louie, racked with broken sobbing.

Here was a man whose life had been a search for certainties, absolutes that would not s.h.i.+ft under the weight of his questioning. No doubt in his youth he had turned to the religions of the day--and found them a tissue of rationalizations without contact in reality. Then to science--and found it, too, constantly s.h.i.+fting in its interpretations, making new evaluations as evidence discounted the old. The shock of landing on Eden to drive him back into childhood interpretations again--at last, the clear evidence that had been denied his belief in youth.

Wholehearted in his belief of Them, yet it was not to him They had talked.

”Louie,” Cal said slowly. ”If you were lonely, very lonely, if you had searched through the years for companions.h.i.+p, and thought you might have found it, would it please you to have that companion drop to his knees, grovel before you? Would this be your idea of companions.h.i.+p?

”What manner of monstrous egotism would require that? What but the incredible vanity of primitive man, to whom life meant nothing more than conquering or being conquered, could imagine such conduct would be pleasing to another intelligence?

”We are men, Louie. If, in our loneliness, we found another intelligence, wouldn't we want an equal exchange instead of abas.e.m.e.nt?

The use of that intelligence to know, to understand, instead of a denial of it?”

Louie twisted out of Cal's embracing arm, and ran stumbling toward the depths of the forest.

23