lrh.fortuneoffear-第44章

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nced　and　recoiled。　He　probably　would　not　have　remained　there　if　his　eye　had　not　focused　on　the　cat。　It　had　been　asleep　on　Heller's　desk　but　had　awakened　now　and　was　looking　at　the　door　to　see　what　all　the　knocking　and　bumping　was　about。　Crobe　had　probably　never　seen　a　cat　before。　Through　the　door；　he　was　studying　it。　The　digital　letters　said：

MYSTIFICATION

　　　One　of　my　other　viewers　had　flashed　at　the　first　knock。　I　couldn't　tell　which　one　it　was；　Krak's　or　Heller's；　until　I　looked　at　the　letter　on　it：　K。　The　Countess　Krak　had　awakened。
　　　She　turned　on　a　bedside　lamp。　She　looked　at　an　alarm　clock：　5：39。　She　looked　at　the　window　and　saw　snow　on　the　pane　and　behind　it　the　greenish　glow　of　the　predawn　city。
　　　She　got　up；　slid　into　some　slippers；　got　into　a　red　silk　bathrobe　and　glanced　at　Heller。　He　was　peacefully　asleep；　facing　the　wall。
　　　My　plans　were　not　going　quite　right。
　　　She　went　out　of　the　〃thinking　room；〃　closed　the　door　behind　her；　turned　on　a　light　in　the　main　office；　crossed　the　snowy　rug　and　opened　the　door。
　　　Crobe　got　his　attention　off　the　cat。　As　the　door　sprang　open　before　him；　he　stared。
　　　〃The　Countess　Krak！〃　he　said。　The　digital…type　letters　said：

SURPRISE　FEAR

　　　〃e　in；〃　said　the　Countess；　in　Voltarian。
　　　He　moved　forward　timidly。　She　closed　the　door　behind　him。　She　said；　〃Sssh。〃　She　moved　Crobe　over　to　the　secretary…boudoir　room；　pushed　him　in　and　closed　the　door。
　　　Crobe　stood　there；　staring　at　her；　eyes　fixed　on　the　surface　of　her　face。　Anyone　who　had　worked　in　Spiteos　was　pletely　aware　that　the　Countess　Krak　could　kill　on　sight。
　　　〃Now；　just　what　are　you　supposed　to　do　here；　Doctor　Crobe？〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。
　　　On　Crobe's　screen；　the　letters　flared：

TERROR

　　　It　was　my　fault。　I　accept　all　the　blame。　I　had　not　specifically　told　him　she　was　in　New　York。　I　had　only　told　him　what　to　tell　her　if　he　met　her。　Suddenly　I　realized　that　he　was　probably　unaware　of　the　relationship　between　〃the　man〃　he　was　supposed　to　handle　and　the　Countess　Krak。　Would　he　remember　what　he　was　supposed　to　tell　her？　Or　would　he　mess　up　and　get　himself　stamped　into　the　rug？
　　　〃I。。。　I。。。　I　forget；〃　he　said。
　　　〃Hmmm；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　I　certainly　did　not　like　the　sound　of　that　〃Hmmm。〃　She　knew　Crobe's　twist　for　messing　up　bodies；　she　had　worked　making　trained　acts　while　he　made　freaks。　She　knew　very　well　what　he　was　capable　of。　She　might　suspect　I　had　sent　him　to　physically　cripple　Heller。　What　she　said　now　would　tell　all。　〃What；〃　she　said；　〃did　Soltan　tell　you　to　do？〃
　　　My　hair　stood　up！　If　Crobe　spilled　the　real　data；　the　Countess　Krak　would　e　looking　for　me　and　I　was　a　dead　man！
　　　Oh；　this　wasn't　going　well　at　all。
　　　Crobe　was　stammering。　My　life　thread　was　getting　frayed！
　　　It　is　wonderful　what　the　presence　of　death　can　do　for　the　mind。　Men　have　even　been　known　to　think。
　　　〃I'm　supposed　to　help　the　man　with　the　spore　formula；〃　blurted　Crobe。　He　had　remembered。
　　　〃Ah；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃Well；　I　am　sure　your　help　will　be　most　wele。　Why　don't　you　sit　right　there？〃　She　pointed　to　a　chair　against　the　wall。　〃You　must　be　very　tired　after　your　long　journey。〃
　　　My　two…way…response　radio　crackled。　A　guard's　voice。　〃I　think　he's　there　all　right。　We　got　his　bag　here。　What　do　we　do？　Just　shove　it　in　the　office　and　e　back？〃
　　　I　said　into　it；　〃No；　no。　You　wait　right　there　out　of　sight。　I　don't　like　the　way　this　is　going。〃
　　　〃He　must　have　the　place　bugged；〃　said　one　guard　to　the　other。　〃We're　supposed　to　wait。〃
　　　The　Countess　Krak　was　fishing　into　the　upper　shelf　of　the　secretary's　closet。　She　was　getting　down　a　box。　〃We'll　just　refresh　you；　Doctor　Crobe。　Relax　you　so　you　can　get　some　sleep。〃　She　was　taking　something　out　of　the　box。
　　　A　hypnohelmet！
　　　I　suddenly　began　to　pray。　Under　that；　he　might　give　up　the　real　orders　he　had。　And　that　would　be　the　end　of　me。
　　　On　Crobe's　head　went　the　hypnohelmet。　The　letters　on　the　screen　flared：

DOUBLE　TERROR

The　click　of　the　helmet　switch　as　it　went　on。　The　letters　on　the　screen　shifted：

PEACE

Then　they　shifted　again：

HYPNOTIZED

　　　There　was　no　other　vision　on　Crobe's　screen。
　　　Krak　plugged　in　the　hand　microphone。　She　said；　〃Just　sit　there　quietly　now　and　wait。〃
　　　She　put　the　microphone　down。
　　　She　went　out　the　door；　crossed　the　office；　opened　the　〃thinking　room〃　door　and　closed　it　behind　her。
　　　She　knelt　on　the　bed　and　touched　Heller's　shoulder　gently。　〃Dear；　exactly　what　kind　of　spores　did　you　want？〃
　　　He　sat　up　suddenly；　the　way　a　man　used　to　action　does。　〃Spores？　What's　this？　Is　somebody　here？〃
　　　〃No；　no；　dear。　I　just　got　to　wondering。〃
　　　〃I'll　get　up；〃　said　Heller。
　　　〃No；　no；　dear。　You've　been　up　half　the　night　rebuilding　the　Porsche　for　the　new　carburetor；　and　in　that　drafty　garage；　too。　Just　scribble　down　what　you　want　in　the　way　of　spores。　I　always　like　to　keep　up　with　what　you　are　interested　in。〃
　　　She　was　handing　him　a　big　yellow　tablet　and　pen　from　the　bedside　table。　Heller　yawned。　He　began　to　write。　He　filled　up　the　sheet。　She　took　it。
　　　〃It's　got　to　be　airborne；〃　said　Heller；　pointing　at　the　sheet。　〃It　should　be　able　to　float　in　the　stratosphere。　It　has　to　be　able　to　live　on　those　noxious　gases　and　pollution　particles　and　convert　them　to　oxygen　and　perpetuate　itself。　Blown　around　by　the　winds　of　the　world；　it　should　be　able　to　depollute　the　atmospheric　envelope　of　the　planet。　I　don't　have　the　cellology　formulas　to　synthesize　it。　Say；　if　you're　so　interested；　maybe　I　ought　to　get　up　and　explain　it　further。〃
　　　〃Oh；　no；　dear。　It's　the　middle　of　the　night。　You　just　lie　back　there　and　get　your　sleep。　Don't　mind　stupid　old　me　puttering　about。〃
　　　He　yawned　again　and　lay　back。　He　turned　over　and　went　to　sleep。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　went　out；　closed　the　door；　went　to　the　boudoir　and　closed　the　door。　She　put　the　sheet　in　Crobe's　hand。
　　　〃You　will　now　feel　a　pulsion　to　develop　the　spore　you　are　holding　the　requirements　of。　You　will　now　develop　the　formula　for　synthesizing　it。〃
　　　She　pushed　a　table　in　front　of　him。　She　laid　a　tablet　on　it。　She　pushed　a　pen　into　his　fingers。
　　　Mutterings　from　the　helmet。　Then；　〃I　don't　remember。〃　The　letters　on　the　screen　read：

CONFUSION

　　　The　Countess　juggled　the　mike　for　a　moment。　Then　she　spoke　into　it　again。　〃You　are　a　young　student　again。　You　are　sitting　for　your　final　examination。　The　test　question　is　how　to　synthesize　the　exact　spore　required　by　the　details　on　that　sheet。　If　you　do　not　write　them　down；　you　will　fail　the　exam　and　never　be　permitted　to　cut　up　people　again。〃
　　　Cunning　Countess　Krak！　She　had　appealed　to　his　basic　instincts。　She　had　put　him　at　a　time　when　he　did　know。
　　　Hastily；　Doctor　Crobe　began　to　write。　He　filled　up　half　the　tablet。　The　Countess；　watching　the　paper　upside　down；　saw　that　he　was　giving　the　strains　that　must　be　interbred。
　　　She　slipped　out　of　the　room　and　went　to　Heller's　desk。　She　found　a　book　on　Earth　spores。　She　took　it　back。
　　　〃You　will　now　look　up　in　this　book　what　you　have　written　and　see　if　they　are　there。〃
　　　He　did；　with　much　thumbing。　I　knew　what　his　trouble　was。　She　had　put　him　in　a　time　before　he　knew　any　English。　But　the　book　had　pictures　and　he　was　using　those。
　　　〃They　are　all　in　the　book；〃　he　said。
　　　〃You　will　now　put　down　how　to　mix　the　cultures　to　put　them　in；〃　said　the　Countess。
　　　Crobe　promptly　did。
　　　〃You　will　now　write　everything　else　one　has　to　know　to　acplish　this。〃
　　　Crobe　did。　He　was　finished。
　　　The　Countess　then　said　to　him；　〃Will　this　pass　the　examination？〃
　　　〃Indisputably；〃　said　Crobe。
　　　〃Good；〃　said　the　Countess。　〃You　are　finished　with　that。　Now；　pay　attention。　You　remember　the　man　you　saw　in　your　laboratory　in　Spiteos。　Blond　hair；　blue　eyes。　Mancian。　If　you　ever　see　this　man　you　will　bee　terrified。　You　will　then　run　and　run　to　be　safe　from　him。　You　know　that　if　you　touch　him；　tentacles　will　spring　out　of　your　ears　and　strangle　you。　One　contact　with　an　electric　knife　or　a　fingertip　upon　that　man　will　cause　you　to　cease　to　breathe。　Have　you　got　that？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　hypnotize