* * * * *
Letter, with enclosure, from Professor Albrecht Aigen, Brunn University,
to Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach.
My dear Karl:
Because of past sharing in my research, you will realize what the
enclosed means. It is part of the report of the physicians who examined
The Leader three days after his confinement in a military prison. He had
recovered much of his self-control. He spoke with precision. He appeared
even calm, though he was confused in some matters. The doctors addressed
him as "My Leader" because he refused to reply otherwise.
(Enclosure)
_Dr. Kundmann_: But, My Leader, we do not understand what has happened!
You were terribly disturbed. You were even ... even confused in your
behavior! Can you tell us what took place?
_The Leader_: I suffered a great danger and a temporary damage. That
villain Schweeringen--I shot him. It was a mistake. I should have had
him worked over--at length!
_Dr. Messner_: My Leader, will you be so good as to tell us the nature
of the danger and the damage?
_The Leader_: Schweeringen probably told someone what he would propose
to me. It was his conviction that because of my special gifts I could
cause anyone, not only to obey me, but to pour out to me, directly, his
inmost thoughts and memories. Of course this is true. The danger was
that of the contact of my mind with an inferior one. But I allowed
Schweeringen to persuade me that I should risk even this for the service
of my people. Therefore I contacted the mind of Prime Minister Winston,
so I could know every scheme and every plan he might have or know to
exist to injure my people. I intended, however, to cause him to become
loyal to me--though I would later have had him shot. Schweeringen had
betrayed me, though. When I made contact with Winston's mind, it was not
only inferior, but diseased! There was a contagion which temporarily
affected the delicate balance of my intuition. For a short time I could
not know, as ordinarily, what was best for my people.
(End of Enclosure)
You will see, my dear Karl, what took place. To you and to me this
explains everything. In the background of my research and your
information it is clear. Fortunately, The Leader's mind was unstable.
The strain and shock of so unparalleled experience as complete knowledge
of another brain's contents destroyed his rationality. He became insane.
Insane, he no longer had the psi gifts by which he had seized and
degraded our nation. He ceased to be The Leader.
But you will see that this must be hidden! Another monster like The
Leader, or Napoleon--perhaps even lesser monsters--could attempt the
same feat. But they might be less unstable! They might be able to invade
the mind of any human being, anywhere, and drain it of any secret or
impress upon it any desire or command, however revolting. You see, Karl,
why this must never become known! It must be hidden forever.
* * * * *
Letter from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to Professor Albrecht
Aigen, Brunn University.
My dear friend:
I am relieved! I feared for your judgment. I thought that perhaps
overwork and frustration had set up an anxiety-block to make you cease
your work. But you are quite right. Your analysis is brilliant. And now
that you have pointed it out, unquestionably a man with The Leader's psi
powers could force another man's brain to transmit all its contents to
him.
But consider the consequences! Consider the conditions of such an event.
One's brain is designed to work within one's own skull, dealing with
sensory messages and the like. Very occasionally it acts outside,
shifting crumbs of cheese and confusing computers--and securing candy.
But even when one's will controls outside actions, it does not fuse with
the outside brain or thing. It molds or moves the recipient mind, but
there is never a sharing of memory. You have explained why.
Consider what must happen if a brain of limited power and essentially
emotional operation is linked to another and more powerful one. Assume
for a moment that my she-dog had linked her brain to yours, even
momentarily. Do you realize that she would not have gotten your
memories, much less your power to reason? She would not even have
acquired your knowledge of the meaning of words! When a bright light
shines in your eyes, you see nothing else. When thunder rolls in your
ears, you do not hear the ticking of a clock. When you suffer pain, you
do not notice a feather's tickle. If my she-dog had linked her mind to
yours, she would have experienced something which is knowledge more
firmly fixed and more continuously known than anything else in your
conscious life. This overwhelmingly strong conviction would have been so
powerful and so positive that it would be imprinted--branded--burned
into every cell of her brain. She could never get it out.
But in receiving this overwhelming experience she would not get your
memories or power to reason or even your personality. She would have
experienced only your identity. She would have received only the
conviction that she was yourself! She would have been like those poor
lunatics who believe that they are Napoleon, though they have nothing of
Napoleon in them but the conviction of identity. They do not know when
he was born or have more than the vaguest notion of what he did, but
they try to act as who he was--according to their own ideas of how
Napoleon would act in their situation. This is how my she-dog would have
behaved.
I am relieved. You have explained everything. Your letter gave me the
suspicion. I secured a transcript of the Herr Doctor's report for
myself. My suspicion became a certainty. You will find the clue in the
report. Consider: The Leader had had the experience I imagined for my
she-dog. He had linked his mind with a stronger one and a greater
personality--if it must be said, a greater man. For a moment The Leader
knew what that man knew most certainly, with most profound conviction,
with most positive knowledge. It was burned into his brain. He could
never get it out. He did not secure that other man's memories or
knowledge or ability. He was blinded, deafened, dazed by the
overwhelming conviction that, the other man had of his own identity. It
would not be possible for him to get anything else from a stronger mind
and a greater person. Nor could anyone else succeed where he failed, my
friend! There is no danger of any man seizing the world by seizing the
minds of all his fellows! One who tries will meet the fate of The
Leader.
You realize what that fate was, of course. He suddenly ceased to be the
monster who could cast a spell of blind adoration for himself. He ceased
to be The Leader! So the doctors gave him truth-serum so he would not
try to conceal anything from them. The result is in the transcript on
the third page beyond the place you quoted to me. There the doctors
asked The Leader who he was. Read his answer, my friend! It proves
everything! He said:
"I am Prime Minister Winston."