the moment but for later times, too. The Leader'sachievement was the destruction of his regime by destroying the brainsthat had made it operate!
It is quite possible that you will consider this information a lie. Thatwill be quite droll. However, I am, most respected Herr Professor, (Etcetera.)
* * * * *
Letter from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to Professor AlbrechtAigen, Brunn University.
My dear friend:
Your information about the elder Schweeringen received. The informationabout his prediction is interesting. I could wish that it were complete,but that would seem to be hopeless. Your question, asked in a mannersuggesting great disturbance, is another matter. I will answer it aswell as I can, my friend, but please remember that you asked. Ivolunteer nothing. The question of the rise and power of The Leader isyour research, not mine.
Here is my answer. Years back an American researcher named Rhineobtained seemingly conclusive proof that telepathy took place. Tonighthe would have a "sender," here, attempt to transmit some itemtelepathically to a "receiver," there. Tomorrow morning he would comparethe record of what the "sender" had attempted to transmit, with therecord of what the "receiver" considered he had received. Thecorrespondence was far greater than chance. He considered that telepathywas proven.
But then Rhine made tests for precognition. He secured proof that somepersons could predict with greater-than-probability frequency that someparticular event, to be determined by chance, would take place tomorrow.He secured excellent evidence for precognition.
Then it was realized that if one could foresee what dice would readtomorrow--dice not yet thrown--one should be able to read what a reportwould read tomorrow--a report not yet written. In short, if one canforeknow what a comparison will reveal, telepathy before the comparisonis unproven. In proving precognition, he had destroyed his evidence fortelepathy.
It appears that something similar has happened, which our correspondencehas brought out. Young Schweeringen predicted what a computer wouldreport from unknown numerals and instructions. In order for the computerto match his predictions, it had to err. It did. Therefore one reasonsthat he did not predict what the computer would produce. The computerproduced what he predicted. In effect, what appeared to be foreknowledgewas psychokinesis--the same phenomenon as the movement of crumbs ofcheese by my rat. One may strongly suspect that when young HerrSchweeringen knew in advance what the computer would say, he actuallyknew in advance what he could make it say. It is possible that one canconsciously know in advance only what one can unconsciously bring about.If one can bring about only minor happenings, one can never predictgreat ones.
This is my answer to your question. I would like very much to know whatthe elder Schweeringen predicted that The Leader would accomplish!
My she-dog has died. We had a new attendant in the laboratory. He fedher to excess. She died of it. (Et cetera.)
* * * * *
Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Thurn.
My dear Karl:
I have resolved to dismiss psionic ability from my investigation intoThe Leader's rise to power. This much I will concede: The Leader couldenslave--englamour--enchant anyone who met him personally. He did. To alesser degree, this irresistible persuasiveness is a characteristic ofmany successful swindlers. But he could not have englamoured the wholenation. He did not meet enough persons personally to make his regimepossible, unless he could cause other persons to apply their ownmagnetism to further his ambitions, and they others and others and soon--like an endless series of magnets magnetized originally from one.This is not possible. I restrict myself to normal, plausiblehypotheses--of which so far I have no faintest trace.
You agree with me, do you not--that it was impossible for The Leader toweave a web of enchantment over the whole nation by his own psi energiescontrolling the psi energies of others? I would welcome your assurancethat it could not be.
* * * * *
Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn.
My dear Karl:
Did you receive my last letter? I am anxious to have your assurance thatit was impossible that The Leader could englamour the whole nation byhis psionic gifts.
* * * * *
Telegram, Dr. Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn.
Karl, as you are my friend, answer me!
* * * * *
Letter, Dr. Karl Thurn to Professor Albrecht Aigen.
... But what have you discovered, my friend, that you are afraid toface?
* * * * *
Letter. Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn.
My dear Karl:
I appeal to you because I have discovered how nearly our nation and thewhole world escaped horrors beside which those of The Leader's actualregime would seem trivial. Give me reasons, arguments, proofs beyondquestion, which I can put into my report on his career! I mustdemonstrate beyond question that psi ability did not cause hisascendancy! Help me to contrive a lie which will keep anyone, ever, fromdreaming that psi ability can be used to seize a government and anation. It could seize the world more terribly....
I cannot express the urgency of this need! There are others who possessThe Leader's powers in a lesser degree. They must remain only swindlersand such, without ambitions to rule, or they might study The Leader'scareer as Napoleon studied Alexander's. There must be no hint, anywhere,of the secret I have discovered. There must be nothing to lead to theleast thought of it! The Leader could have multiplied his powerten-thousand-fold! Another like him must never learn how it could bedone!
I beg your help, Karl! I am shaken. I am terrified. I wish that I hadnot undertaken this research. I wish it almost as desperately as I wishthat The Leader had never been born!
* * * * *
Letter from Colonel Sigmund Knoeller, retired, to Professor AlbrechtAigen, Brunn University.
Herr Professor:
In response to your authorized request for information about certainevents; I have the honor to inform you that at the time you mention Iwas Major in command of the Second Battalion of the 161st InfantryRegiment, assigned to guard duty about the residence of The Leader.Actual guard duty was performed by the secret police. My battalionmerely provided sentries around the perimeter of the residence, and atcertain places within.
On August 19th I received a command to march three companies of my meninto the residence, to receive orders from The Leader in person. Thiscommand was issued by the Herr General Breyer, attached to The Leader asa military aide.
I led my men inside according to the orders, guided by the orderly whohad brought them. I entered an inner courtyard. There was disturbance.People moved about in a disorderly fashion and chattered agitatedly.This was astonishing in The Leader's residence. I marched up to GeneralBreyer, who stood outside a group biting his nails. I saluted and said:"Major Knoeller reporting for orders, Herr General."
There was then confusion in the nearby squabbling group. A man burst outof it and waved his arms at me. He looked like The Leader. He criedshrilly:
"Arrest these men! All of them! Then shoot them!"
I looked at the Herr General Breyer. He bit his nails. The man wholooked so much like The Leader foamed at the mouth. But he was not TheLeader. That is, in every respect he resembled The Leader to whom I owedloyalty as did everyone. But no one who was ever in The Leader'spresence failed to know it. There was a feeling. One knew to the inmostpart of one's soul that he was The Leader who must be reverenced andobeyed. But one did not feel that way about this man, though heresembled The Leader so strongly.
"Arrest them!" shrilled the man ferociously. "I command it! I am TheLeader! Shoot them!"
When I still waited for General Breyer to give me orders, the manshrieked at the troopers. He commanded them to kill General Breyer andall the rest, including me. And
if he had been The Leader they wouldhave obeyed. But he was not. So my men stood stiffly at attention,waiting for my orders or General Breyer's.
There was now complete silence in the courtyard. The formerly squabblingmen watched as if astonished. As if they did not believe their eyes. ButI waited for General Breyer to give his commands.
The man screamed in a terrible, frustrated rage. He waved his armswildly. He foamed at the mouth and shrieked at me. I waited for ordersfrom General Breyer. After a long time he ceased to bite his nails andsaid in a strange voice:
"You had better have this man placed in confinement, Major Knoeller. Seethat he is not injured. Double all guards and mount machine guns in caseof rioting outside. Dismiss!"
I obeyed my commands. My men took the struggling, still-shrieking manand put him in a cell in the guardhouse. There was a drunken privatethere, awaiting court-martial. He was roused and annoyed when his newcompanion shrieked and screamed and shook the bars of the door. Hekicked the man who looked so much like The Leader.