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diff --git a/31663-h/31663-h.htm b/31663-h/31663-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7f9d686 --- /dev/null +++ b/31663-h/31663-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2759 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Six Fingers of Time, by R. A. Lafferty + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + text-indent: 1em; + } + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both;} + + h1 {font-size: 250%; + font-family: "Garamond", Times, serif;} + + table {margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + margin-top: 2em; + } + + body{margin-left: 15%; + margin-right: 15%; + } + + p.author {text-align: left; + font-family: "Garamond", Times, serif; + text-indent: 0em; + margin-left: 20%; + margin-top: 2em; + font-size: 130%; + line-height: 150%; + } + + p.publisher {margin-top: 4em; + text-align: center; + font-size: smaller; + margin-bottom: 3em; + text-indent: 0em; + } + + .dropcap { + float: left; + padding-left: 3px; + font-size: 250%; + line-height: 93%; + overflow: visible; + } + + .firstword { + text-transform: uppercase; + } + + p.newchapter { + text-indent: 0em; + padding-top: 1.5em; + } + + div.tn {margin: 4em 10% 2em 10%; + padding: 1em; + border: 1px dashed black; + color: inherit; + background-color: #F0F8FF; + font-size: smaller; + } + + img {border-style: none; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + right: 1%; + font-size: x-small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + font-style: normal; + letter-spacing: 0ex; + text-indent: 0em; + } + + a:link {text-decoration: none; + color: #104E8B; + background-color: inherit; + } + + a:visited {text-decoration: none; + color: #8B0000; + background-color: inherit; + } + + a:hover {text-decoration: underline;} + + a:active {text-decoration: underline;} + + .center {text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; + } + + .figleft {float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; + } + + .figright {float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; + } + + .poem {margin-left:20%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; + line-height: 150%; + font-size: 120%; + font-style: italic; + } + + .poem br {display: none;} + + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + + .poem span.i0 {display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; + } + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's The Six Fingers of Time, by Raphael Aloysius Lafferty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Six Fingers of Time + +Author: Raphael Aloysius Lafferty + +Release Date: March 16, 2010 [EBook #31663] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SIX FINGERS OF TIME *** + + + + +Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Irma Spehar and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="tn"> + +<h5>Transcriber's Note</h5> + +<p>This etext was produced from the September 1960 issue of If. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U. S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Obvious printer's and +punctuation errors have been fixed. Original page numbers have +been retained.</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"> +<img src="images/i108.jpg" width="400" height="593" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<table summary="titlepage"> +<tr><td><h1><span style="padding-right: 4em">THE</span><br /> +<span style="padding-right: 1em">SIX</span><br /> +FINGERS OF<br /> +<span style="padding-left: 1em">TIME</span></h1></td> + +<td style="padding-left: 2em"><div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/i109.jpg" width="200" height="361" alt="" title="" /> +</div></td></tr> +</table> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Time is money.<br /></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +<span class="i0">Time heals all wounds.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Given time,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">anything is possible.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And now he had all the<br /></span> +<span class="i0">time in the world!<br /></span> +</div></div> + + + +<p class="author"><b>By R. A. LAFFERTY</b><br /> + +<small>Illustrated by GAUGHAN</small></p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">H</span>e began</span> by breaking +things that morning. He +broke the glass of water on +his night stand. He knocked +it crazily against the opposite +wall and shattered it. Yet it +shattered slowly. This would +have surprised him if he had +been fully awake, for he had +only reached out sleepily for +it.</p> + +<p>Nor had he wakened regularly +to his alarm; he had +wakened to a weird, slow, low +booming, yet the clock said +six, time for the alarm. And +the low boom, when it came +again, seemed to come from +the clock.</p> + +<p>He reached out and touched +it gently, but it floated off the +stand at his touch and bounced +around slowly on the floor. +And when he picked it up +again it had stopped, nor +would shaking start it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> + +<p>He checked the electric +clock in the kitchen. This also +said six o’clock, but the sweep +hand did not move. In his +living room the radio clock +said six, but the second hand +seemed stationary.</p> + +<p>“But the lights in both +rooms work,” said Vincent. +“How are the clocks stopped? +Are they on a separate circuit?”</p> + +<p>He went back to his bedroom +and got his wristwatch. +It also said six; and its sweep +hand did not sweep.</p> + +<p>“Now this could get silly. +What is it that would stop +both mechanical and electrical +clocks?”</p> + +<p>He went to the window and +looked out at the clock on the +Mutual Insurance Building. It +said six o’clock, and the second +hand did not move.</p> + +<p>“Well, it is possible that the +confusion is not limited to myself. +I once heard the fanciful +theory that a cold shower will +clear the mind. For me it +never has, but I will try it. I +can always use cleanliness +for an excuse.”</p> + +<p>The shower didn’t work. +Yes, it did: the water came +now, but not like water; like +very slow syrup that hung in +the air. He reached up to +touch it there hanging down +and stretching. And it shattered +like glass when he +touched it and drifted in fantastic +slow globs across the +room. But it had the feel of +water, wet and pleasantly +cool. And in a quarter of a +minute or so it was down over +his shoulders and back, and he +luxuriated in it. He let it soak +his head and it cleared his +wits at once.</p> + +<p>“There is not a thing wrong +with me. I am fine. It is not +my fault that the water is +slow this morning and other +things awry.”</p> + +<p>He reached for the towel +and it tore to pieces in his +hands like porous wet paper.</p> + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">N</span>ow</span> he became very careful +in the way he handled +things. Slowly, tenderly, and +deftly he took them so that +they would not break. He +shaved himself without mishap +in spite of the slow water +in the lavatory also.</p> + +<p>Then he dressed himself +with the greatest caution and +cunning, breaking nothing except +his shoe laces, a thing +that is likely to happen at any +time.</p> + +<p>“If there is nothing the +matter with me, then I will +check and see if there is anything +seriously wrong with +the world. The dawn was fairly +along when I looked out, as +it should have been. Approximately +twenty minutes have +passed; it is a clear morning; +the sun should now have hit +the top several stories of the +Insurance Building.”</p> + +<p>But it had not. It was a +clear morning, but the dawn +had not brightened at all in +the twenty minutes. And that +big clock still said six. It had +not changed.</p> + +<p>Yet it had changed, and he +knew it with a queer feeling. +He pictured it as it had been +before. The hour and the minute +hand had not moved noticeably. +But the second hand +had moved. It had moved a +third of the dial.</p> + +<p>So he pulled up a chair to +the window and watched it. +He realized that, though he +could not see it move, yet it +did make progress. He watched +it for perhaps five minutes. +It moved through a space of +perhaps five seconds.</p> + +<p>“Well, that is not my problem. +It is that of the clock +maker, either a terrestrial or +a celestial one.”</p> + +<p>But he left his rooms without +a good breakfast, and he +left them very early. How did +he know that it was early +since there was something +wrong with the time? Well, it +was early at least according +to the sun and according to +the clocks, neither of which +institutions seemed to be +working properly.</p> + +<p>He left without a good +breakfast because the coffee +would not make and the bacon +would not fry. And in plain +point of fact the fire would +not heat. The gas flame came +from the pilot light like a +slowly spreading stream or an +unfolding flower. Then it +burned far too steadily. The +skillet remained cold when +placed over it; nor would water<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +even heat. It had taken at +least five minutes to get the +water out of the faucet in the +first place.</p> + +<p>He ate a few pieces of leftover +bread and some scraps of +meat.</p> + +<p>In the street there was no +motion, no real motion. A +truck, first seeming at rest, +moved very slowly. There was +no gear in which it could move +so slowly. And there was a +taxi which crept along, but +Charles Vincent had to look +at it carefully for some time +to be sure that it was in motion. +Then he received a shock. +He realized by the early morning +light that the driver of it +was dead. Dead with his eyes +wide open!</p> + +<p>Slowly as it was going, and +by whatever means it was +moving, it should really be +stopped. He walked over to it, +opened the door, and pulled +on the brake. Then he looked +into the eyes of the dead man. +Was he really dead? It was +hard to be sure. He felt warm. +But, even as Vincent looked, +the eyes of the dead man had +begun to close. And close they +did and open again in a matter +of about twenty seconds.</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">T</span>his</span> was weird. The slowly +closing and opening eyes +sent a chill through Vincent. +And the dead man had begun +to lean forward in his seat. +Vincent put a hand in the +middle of the man’s chest to +hold him upright, but he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +found the forward pressure +as relentless as it was slow. +He was unable to keep the +dead man up.</p> + +<p>So he let him go, watching +curiously; and in a few seconds +the driver’s face was +against the wheel. But it was +almost as if it had no intention +of stopping there. It +pressed into the wheel with +dogged force. He would surely +break his face. Vincent took +several holds on the dead man +and counteracted the pressure +somewhat. Yet the face was +being damaged, and if things +were normal, blood would +have flowed.</p> + +<p>The man had been dead so +long however, that (though he +was still warm) his blood +must have congealed, for it +was fully two minutes before +it began to ooze.</p> + +<p>“Whatever I have done, I +have done enough damage,” +said Vincent. “And, in whatever +nightmare I am in, I am +likely to do further harm if I +meddle more. I had better +leave it alone.”</p> + +<p>He walked on down the +morning street. Yet whatever +vehicles he saw were moving +with an incredible slowness, +as though driven by some fantastic +gear reduction. And +there were people here and +there frozen solid. It was a +chilly morning, but it was not +that cold. They were immobile +in positions of motion, as +though they were playing the +children’s game of Statues.</p> + +<p>“How is it,” said Charles +Vincent, “that this young girl +(who I believe works across +the street from us) should +have died standing up and in +full stride? But, no. She is +not dead. Or, if so, she died +with a very alert expression. +And—oh, my God, she’s doing +it too!”</p> + +<p>For he realized that the +eyes of the girl were closing, +and in the space of no more +than a quarter of a second +they had completed their cycle +and were open again. Also, +and this was even stranger, +she had moved, moved forward +in full stride. He would +have timed her if he could, +but how could he when all the +clocks were crazy? Yet she +must have been taking about +two steps a minute.</p> + +<p>He went into the cafeteria. +The early morning crowd that +he had often watched through +the windows was there. The +girl who made flapjacks in the +window had just flipped one +and it hung in the air. Then it +floated over as if caught by +a slight breeze, and sank +slowly down as if settling in +water.</p> + +<p>The breakfasters, like the +people in the street, were all +dead in this new way, moving +with almost imperceptible motion. +And all had apparently +died in the act of drinking +coffee, eating eggs, or munching +toast. And if there were +only time enough, there was +even a chance that they would +get the drinking, eating, and +munching done with, for there +was the shadow of movement +in them all.</p> + +<p>The cashier had the register +drawer open and money in her +hand, and the hand of the customer +was outstretched for it. +In time, somewhere in the new +leisurely time, the hands +would come together and the +change be given. And so it +happened. It may have been +a minute and a half, or two +minutes, or two and a half. It +is always hard to judge time, +and now it had become all but +impossible.</p> + +<p>“I am still hungry,” said +Charles Vincent, “but it would +be foolhardy to wait for service +here. Should I help myself? +They will not mind if they are +dead. And if they are not dead, +in any case it seems that I am +invisible to them.”</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">H</span>e wolfed</span> several rolls. +He opened a bottle of +milk and held it upside down +over his glass while he ate another +roll. Liquids had all become +perversely slow.</p> + +<p>But he felt better for his +erratic breakfast. He would +have paid for it, but how?</p> + +<p>He left the cafeteria and +walked about the town as it +seemed still to be quite early, +though one could depend on +neither sun nor clock for the +time any more. The traffic +lights were unchanging. He +sat for a long time in a little +park and watched the town<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +and the big clock in the Commerce +Building tower; but like +all the clocks it was either +stopped or the hand would +creep too slowly to be seen.</p> + +<p>It must have been just about +an hour till the traffic lights +changed, but change they did +at last. By picking a point on +the building across the street +and watching what moved +past it, he found that the +traffic did indeed move. In a +minute or so, the entire length +of a car would pass the given +point.</p> + +<p>He had, he recalled, been +very far behind in his work +and it had been worrying him. +He decided to go to the office, +early as it was or seemed to be.</p> + +<p>He let himself in. Nobody +else was there. He resolved not +to look at the clock and to be +very careful of the way he +handled all objects because of +his new propensity for breaking +things. This considered, all +seemed normal there. He had +said the day before that he +could hardly catch up on his +work if he put in two days +solid. He now resolved at least +to work steadily until something +happened, whatever it +was.</p> + +<p>For hour after hour he +worked on his tabulations and +reports. Nobody else had arrived. +Could something be +wrong? Certainly something +was wrong. But this was not +a holiday. That was not it.</p> + +<p>Just how long can a stubborn +and mystified man plug<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +away at his task? It was hour +after hour after hour. He did +not become hungry nor particularly +tired. And he did get +through a lot of work.</p> + +<p>“It must be half done. However +it has happened, I have +caught up on at least a day’s +work. I will keep on.”</p> + +<p>He must have continued silently +for another eight or ten +hours.</p> + +<p>He was caught up completely +on his back work.</p> + +<p>“Well, to some extent I can +work into the future. I can +head up and carry over. I can +put in everything but the figures +of the field reports.”</p> + +<p>And he did so.</p> + +<p>“It will be hard to bury me +in work again. I could almost +coast for a day. I don’t even +know what day it is, but I +must have worked twenty +hours straight through and +nobody has arrived. Perhaps +nobody ever will arrive. If +they are moving with the +speed of the people in the +nightmare outside, it is no +wonder they have not arrived.”</p> + +<p>He put his head down on his +arms on the desk. The last +thing he saw before he closed +his eyes was the misshapen +left thumb that he had always +tried to conceal a little by the +way he handled his hands.</p> + +<p>“At least I know that I am +still myself. I’d know myself +anywhere by that.”</p> + +<p>Then he went to sleep at his +desk.</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">J</span>enny</span> came in with a +quick click-click-click of +high heels, and he wakened to +the noise.</p> + +<p>“What are you doing dozing +at your desk, Mr. Vincent? +Have you been here all night?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know, Jenny. Honestly +I don’t.”</p> + +<p>“I was only teasing. Sometimes +when I get here a little +early I take a catnap myself.”</p> + +<p>The clock said six minutes +till eight and the second hand +was sweeping normally. Time +had returned to the world. Or +to him. But had all that early +morning of his been a dream? +Then it had been a very efficient +dream. He had accomplished +work that he could +hardly have done in two days. +And it was the same day that +it was supposed to be.</p> + +<p>He went to the water fountain. +The water now behaved +normally. He went to the window. +The traffic was behaving +as it should. Though sometimes +slow and sometimes +snarled, yet it was in the pace +of the regular world.</p> + +<p>The other workers arrived. +They were not balls of fire, +but neither was it necessary +to observe them for several +minutes to be sure they +weren’t dead.</p> + +<p>“It did have its advantages,” +Charles Vincent said. +“I would be afraid to live with +it permanently, but it would +be handy to go into for a few +minutes a day and accomplish +the business of hours. I may +be a case for the doctor. But +just how would I go about telling +a doctor what was bothering +me?”</p> + +<p>Now it had surely been less +than two hours from his first +rising till the time that he +wakened to the noise of Jenny +from his second sleep. And +how long that second sleep had +been, or in which time enclave, +he had no idea. But how account +for it all? He had spent +a long while in his own rooms, +much longer than ordinary in +his confusion. He had walked +the city mile after mile in his +puzzlement. And he had sat in +the little park for hours and +studied the situation. And he +had worked at his own desk +for an outlandish long time.</p> + +<p>Well, he would go to the +doctor. A man is obliged to +refrain from making a fool of +himself to the world at large, +but to his own lawyer, his +priest, or his doctor he will +sometimes have to come as a +fool. By their callings they are +restrained from scoffing openly.</p> + +<p>Dr. Mason was not particularly +a friend. Charles Vincent +realized with some unease that +he did not have any particular +friends, only acquaintances +and associates. It was +as though he were of a species +slightly apart from his fellows. +He wished now a little +that he had a particular +friend.</p> + +<p>But Dr. Mason was an acquaintance +of some years, had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +the reputation of being a good +doctor, and besides Vincent +had now arrived at his office +and been shown in. He would +either have to—well, that was +as good a beginning as any.</p> + +<p>“Doctor, I am in a predicament. +I will either have to invent +some symptoms to +account for my visit here, or +make an excuse and bolt, or +tell you what is bothering me, +even though you will think I +am a new sort of idiot.”</p> + +<p>“Vincent, every day people +invent symptoms to cover +their visits here, and I know +that they have lost their nerve +about the real reason for coming. +And every day people do +make excuses and bolt. But experience +tells me that I will +get a larger fee if you tackle +the third alternative. And, +Vincent, there is no new sort +of idiot.”</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">V</span>incent</span> said, “It may not +sound so silly if I tell it +quickly. I awoke this morning +to some very puzzling incidents. +It seemed that time itself +had stopped, or that the +whole world had gone into +super-slow motion. The water +would neither flow nor boil, +and fire would not heat food. +The clocks, which I first believed +had stopped, crept +along at perhaps a minute an +hour. The people I met in the +streets appeared dead, frozen +in lifelike attitudes. And it +was only by watching them +for a very long time that I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +perceived that they did indeed +have motion. One car I saw +creeping slower than the most +backward snail, and a dead +man at the wheel of it. I went +to it, opened the door, and put +on the brake. I realized after +a time that the man was not +dead. But he bent forward +and broke his face on the +steering wheel. It must have +taken a full minute for his +head to travel no more than +ten inches, yet I was unable +to prevent his hitting the +wheel. I then did other bizarre +things in a world that had +died on its feet. I walked many +miles through the city, and +then I sat for hours in the +park. I went to the office and +let myself in. I accomplished +work that must have taken me +twenty hours. I then took a +nap at my desk. When I awoke +on the arrival of the others, it +was six minutes to eight in the +morning of the same day, today. +Not two hours had passed +from my rising, and time was +back to normal. But the things +that happened in that time +that could never be compressed +into two hours.”</p> + +<p>“One question first, Vincent. +Did you actually accomplish +the work of many hours?”</p> + +<p>“I did. It was done, and +done in that time. It did not +become undone on the return +of time to normal.”</p> + +<p>“A second question. Had +you been worried about your +work, about being behind?”</p> + +<p>“Yes. Emphatically.”</p> + +<p>“Then here is one explanation. +You retired last night. +But very shortly afterward +you arose in a state of somnambulism. +There are facets +of sleepwalking which we do +not at all understand. The +time-out-of-focus interludes +were parts of a walking dream +of yours. You dressed and +went to your office and worked +all night. It is possible to do +routine tasks in a somnambulistic +state rapidly and even +feverishly, with an intense +concentration—to perform +prodigies. You may have fallen +into a normal sleep there +when you had finished, or you +may have been awakened directly +from your somnambulistic +trance on the arrival of +your co-workers. There, that +is a plausible and workable +explanation. In the case of an +apparently bizarre happening, +it is always well to have a +rational explanation to fall +back on. They will usually satisfy +a patient and put his +mind at rest. But often they +do not satisfy me.”</p> + +<p>“Your explanation very +nearly satisfies me, Dr. Mason, +and it does put my mind considerably +at rest. I am sure +that in a short while I will be +able to accept it completely. +But why does it not satisfy +you?”</p> + +<p>“One reason is a man I +treated early this morning. He +had his face smashed, and he +had seen—or almost seen—a +ghost: a ghost of incredible +swiftness that was more +sensed than seen. The ghost +opened the door of his car +while it was going at full +speed, jerked on the brake, +and caused him to crack his +head. This man was dazed and +had a slight concussion. I have +convinced him that he did not +see any ghost at all, that he +must have dozed at the wheel +and run into something. As I +say, I am harder to convince +than my patients. But it may +have been coincidence.”</p> + +<p>“I hope so. But you also +seem to have another reservation.”</p> + +<p>“After quite a few years in +practice, I seldom see or hear +anything new. Twice before +I have been told a happening +or a dream on the line of what +you experienced.”</p> + +<p>“Did you convince your patients +that it was only a +dream?”</p> + +<p>“I did. Both of them. That +is, I convinced them the first +few times it happened to +them.”</p> + +<p>“Were they satisfied?”</p> + +<p>“At first. Later, not entirely. +But they both died within +a year of their first coming +to me.”</p> + +<p>“Nothing violent, I hope.”</p> + +<p>“Both had the gentlest +deaths. That of senility extreme.”</p> + +<p>“Oh. Well, I’m too young for +that.”</p> + +<p>“I would like you to come +back in a month or so.”</p> + +<p>“I will, if the delusion or the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +dream returns. Or if I do not +feel well.”</p> + +<p>After this Charles Vincent +began to forget about the incident. +He only recalled it with +humor sometimes when again +he was behind in his work.</p> + +<p>“Well, if it gets bad enough +I may do another sleepwalking +act and catch up. But if +there is another aspect of time +and I could enter it at will, it +might often be handy.”</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">C</span>harles Vincent</span> never +saw his face at all. It is +very dark in some of those +clubs and the Coq Bleu is like +the inside of a tomb. He went +to the clubs only about once a +month, sometimes after a +show when he did not want to +go home to bed, sometimes +when he was just plain restless.</p> + +<p>Citizens of the more fortunate +states may not know of +the mysteries of the clubs. In +Vincent’s the only bars are +beer bars, and only in the +clubs can a person get a drink, +and only members are admitted. +It is true that even such +a small club as the Coq Bleu +had thirty thousand members, +and at a dollar a year that is +a nice sideline. The little numbered +membership cards cost +a penny each for the printing, +and the member wrote in his +own name. But he had to have +a card—or a dollar for a card—to +gain admittance.</p> + +<p>But there could be no entertainments +in the clubs. There<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +was nothing there but the +little bar room in the near +darkness.</p> + +<p>The man was there, and +then he was not, and then he +was there again. And always +where he sat it was too dark +to see his face.</p> + +<p>“I wonder,” he said to Vincent +(or to the bar at large, +though there were no other +customers and the bartender +was asleep), “I wonder if you +have ever read Zurbarin on +the Relationship of Extradigitalism +to Genius?”</p> + +<p>“I have never heard of the +work nor of the man,” said +Vincent. “I doubt if either +exists.”</p> + +<p>“I am Zurbarin,” said the +man.</p> + +<p>Vincent hid his misshapen +left thumb. Yet it could not +have been noticed in that +light, and he must have been +crazy to believe there was any +connection between it and the +man’s remark. It was not truly +a double thumb. He was not +an extradigital, nor was he a +genius.</p> + +<p>“I refuse to become interested +in you,” said Vincent. +“I am on the verge of leaving. +I dislike waking the bartender, +but I did want another +drink.”</p> + +<p>“Sooner done than said.”</p> + +<p>“What is?”</p> + +<p>“Your glass is full.”</p> + +<p>“It is? So it is. Is it a +trick?”</p> + +<p>“Trick is the name for anything +either too frivolous or +too mystifying for us to comprehend. +But on one long early +morning of a month ago, you +also could have done the +trick, and nearly as well.”</p> + +<p>“Could I have? How would +you know about my long early +morning—assuming there to +have been such?”</p> + +<p>“I watched you for a while. +Few others have the equipment +to watch you with when +you’re in the aspect.”</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">S</span>o they</span> were silent for +some time, and Vincent +watched the clock and was +ready to go.</p> + +<p>“I wonder,” said the man in +the dark, “if you have read +Schimmelpenninck on the Sexagintal +and the Duodecimal in +the Chaldee Mysteries?”</p> + +<p>“I have not and I doubt if +anyone else has. I would guess +that you are also Schimmelpenninck +and that you have +just made up the name on the +spur of the moment.”</p> + +<p>“I am Schimm, it is true, +but I made up the name on the +spur of a moment many years +ago.”</p> + +<p>“I am a little bored with +you,” said Vincent, “but I +would appreciate it if you’d +do your glass-filling trick once +more.”</p> + +<p>“I have just done so. And +you are not bored; you are +frightened.”</p> + +<p>“Of what?” asked Vincent, +whose glass was in fact full +again.</p> + +<p>“Of reentering a dread that +you are not sure was a dream. +But there are advantages to +being both invisible and inaudible.”</p> + +<p>“Can you be invisible?”</p> + +<p>“Was I not when I went behind +the bar just now and +fixed you a drink?”</p> + +<p>“How?”</p> + +<p>“A man in full stride goes +at the rate of about five miles +an hour. Multiply that by +sixty, which is the number of +time. When I leave my stool +and go behind the bar, I go +and return at the rate of three +hundred miles an hour. So I +am invisible to you, particularly +if I move while you +blink.”</p> + +<p>“One thing does not match. +You might have got around +there and back, but you could +not have poured.”</p> + +<p>“Shall I say that mastery +over liquids is not given to +beginners? But for us there +are many ways to outwit the +slowness of matter.”</p> + +<p>“I believe that you are a +hoaxer. Do you know Dr. +Mason?”</p> + +<p>“I know that you went to +see him. I know of his futile +attempts to penetrate a certain +mystery. But I have not +talked to him of you.”</p> + +<p>“I still believe that you are +a phony. Could you put me +back into the state of my +dream of a month ago?”</p> + +<p>“It was not a dream. But I +could put you again into that +state.”</p> + +<p>“Prove it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span>”</p> + +<p>“Watch the clock. Do you +believe that I can point my +finger at it and stop it for +you? It is already stopped for +me.”</p> + +<p>“No, I don’t believe it. Yes, +I guess I have to, since I see +that you have just done it. But +it may be another trick. I don’t +know where the clock is plugged +in.”</p> + +<p>“Neither do I. Come to the +door. Look at every clock you +can see. Are they not all +stopped?”</p> + +<p>“Yes. Maybe the power has +gone off all over town.”</p> + +<p>“You know it has not. There +are still lighted windows in +those buildings, though it is +quite late.”</p> + +<p>“Why are you playing with +me? I am neither on the inside +nor the outside. Either +tell me the secret or say that +you will not tell me.”</p> + +<p>“The secret isn’t a simple +one. It can only be arrived +at after all philosophy and +learning have been assimilated.”</p> + +<p>“One man cannot arrive at +that in one lifetime.”</p> + +<p>“Not in an ordinary lifetime. +But the secret of the secret +(if I may put it that way) +is that one must use part of +it as a tool in learning. You +could not learn all in one lifetime, +but by being permitted +the first step—to be able to +read, say, sixty books in the +time it took you to read one, +to pause for a minute in +thought and use up only one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +second, to get a day’s work +accomplished in eight minutes +and so have time for other +things—by such ways one may +make a beginning. I will warn +you, though. Even for the most +intelligent, it is a race.”</p> + +<p>“A race? What race?”</p> + +<p>“It is a race between success, +which is life, and failure, +which is death.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s skip the melodrama. +How do I get into the state +and out of it?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that is simple, so easy +that it seems like a gadget. +Here are two diagrams I will +draw. Note them carefully. +This first, envision it in your +mind and you are in the state. +Now this second one, envision, +and you are out of it.”</p> + +<p>“That easy?”</p> + +<p>“That deceptively easy. The +trick is to learn why it works—if +you want to succeed, +meaning to live.”</p> + +<p>So Charles Vincent left him +and went home, walking the +mile in a little less than fifteen +normal seconds. But he +still had not seen the face of +the man.</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">T</span>here</span> are advantages intellectual, +monetary, and +amorous in being able to enter +the accelerated state at will. +It is a fox game. One must be +careful not to be caught at it, +nor to break or harm that +which is in the normal state.</p> + +<p>Vincent could always find +eight or ten minutes unobserved +to accomplish the day’s +work. And a fifteen-minute +coffee break could turn into a +fifteen-hour romp around the +town.</p> + +<p>There was this boyish +pleasure in becoming a ghost: +to appear and stand motionless +in front of an onrushing +train and to cause the scream +of the whistle, and to be in +no danger, being able to move +five or ten times as fast as the +train; to enter and to sit suddenly +in the middle of a select +group and see them stare, and +then disappear from the middle +of them; to interfere in +sports and games, entering a +prize ring and tripping, hampering, +or slugging the unliked fighter; +to blue-shot +down the hockey ice, skating +at fifteen hundred miles an +hour and scoring dozens of +goals at either end while the +people only know that something +odd is happening.</p> + +<p>There was pleasure in being +able to shatter windows by +chanting little songs, for the +voice (when in the state) will +be to the world at sixty times +its regular pitch, though normal +to oneself. And for this +reason also he was inaudible +to others.</p> + +<p>There was fun in petty +thieving and tricks. He would +take a wallet from a man’s +pocket and be two blocks away +when the victim turned at the +feel. He would come back and +stuff it into the man’s mouth +as he bleated to a policeman.</p> + +<p>He would come into the +home of a lady writing a letter, +snatch up the paper and +write three lines and vanish +before the scream got out of +her throat.</p> + +<p>He would take food off +forks, put baby turtles and +live fish into bowls of soup +between spoonfuls of the +eater.</p> + +<p>He would lash the hands of +handshakers tightly together +with stout cord. He unzippered +persons of both sexes when +they were at their most +pompous. He changed cards +from one player’s hand to another’s. +He removed golf balls +from tees during the backswing +and left notes written +large “YOU MISSED ME” +pinned to the ground with the +tee.</p> + +<p>Or he shaved mustaches +and heads. Returning repeatedly +to one woman he disliked, +he gradually clipped her bald +and finally gilded her pate.</p> + +<p>With tellers counting their +money, he interfered outrageously +and enriched himself. +He snipped cigarettes in two +with a scissors and blew out +matches, so that one frustrated +man broke down and +cried at his inability to get a +light.</p> + +<p>He removed the weapons +from the holsters of policemen +and put cap pistols and water +guns in their places. He unclipped +the leashes of dogs and +substituted little toy dogs rolling +on wheels.</p> + +<p>He put frogs in water<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +glasses and left lighted firecrackers +on bridge tables.</p> + +<p>He reset wrist watches on +wrists, and played pranks in +men’s rooms.</p> + +<p>“I was always a boy at +heart,” said Charles Vincent.</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">A</span>lso</span> during those first few +days of the controlled +new state, he established himself +materially, acquiring +wealth by devious ways, and +opening bank accounts in various +cities under various +names, against a time of possible +need.</p> + +<p>Nor did he ever feel any +shame for the tricks he played +on unaccelerated humanity. +For the people, when he was +in the state, were as statues +to him, hardly living, barely +moving, unseeing, unhearing. +And it is no shame to show +disrespect to such comical +statues.</p> + +<p>And also, and again because +he was a boy at heart, he had +fun with the girls.</p> + +<p>“I am one mass of black and +blue marks,” said Jenny one +day. “My lips are sore and my +front teeth feel loosened. I +don’t know what in the world +is the matter with me.”</p> + +<p>Yet he had not meant to +bruise or harm her. He was +rather fond of her and he resolved +to be much more careful. +Yet it was fun, when he +was in the state and invisible +to her because of his speed, to +kiss her here and there in out-of-the-way +places. She made<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +a nice statue and it was good +sport. And there were others.</p> + +<p>“You look older,” said one +of his co-workers one day. +“Are you taking care of yourself? +Are you worried?”</p> + +<p>“I am not,” said Vincent. “I +never felt better or happier in +my life.”</p> + +<p>But now there was time for +so many things—time, in fact, +for everything. There was no +reason why he could not master +anything in the world, +when he could take off for fifteen +minutes and gain fifteen +hours. Vincent was a rapid +but careful reader. He could +now read from a hundred and +twenty to two hundred books +in an evening and night; and +he slept in the accelerated +state and could get a full +night’s sleep in eight minutes.</p> + +<p>He first acquired a knowledge +of languages. A quite extensive +reading knowledge of +a language can be acquired in +three hundred hours world +time, or three hundred minutes +(five hours) accelerated +time. And if one takes the +tongues in order, from the +most familiar to the most remote, +there is no real difficulty. +He acquired fifty for a +starter, and could always add +any other any evening that he +found he had a need for it. +And at the same time he began +to assemble and consolidate +knowledge. Of literature, +properly speaking, there are +no more than ten thousand +books that are really worth +reading and falling in love +with. These were gone +through with high pleasure, +and two or three thousand of +them were important enough +to be reserved for future rereading.</p> + +<p>History, however, is very +uneven; and it is necessary to +read texts and sources that for +form are not worth reading. +And the same with philosophy. +Mathematics and science, pure +or physical, could not, of +course, be covered with the +same speed. Yet, with time +available, all could be mastered. +There is no concept ever +expressed by any human mind +that cannot be comprehended +by any other normal human +mind, if time is available and +it is taken in the proper order +and context and with the +proper preparatory work.</p> + +<p>And often, and now more +often, Vincent felt that he +was touching the fingers of the +secret; and always, when he +came near it, it had a little bit +the smell of the pit.</p> + +<p>For he had pegged out all +the main points of the history +of man; or rather most of the +tenable, or at least possible, +theories of the history of man. +It was hard to hold the main +line of it, that double road of +rationality and revelation that +should lead always to a fuller +and fuller development (not +the fetish of progress, that toy +word used only by toy people), +to an unfolding and growth +and perfectibility.</p> + +<p>But the main line was often +obscure and all but obliterated, +and traced through fog +and miasma. He had accepted +the Fall of Man and the Redemption +as the cardinal +points of history. But he understood +now that neither +happened only once, that both +were of constant occurrence; +that there was a hand reaching +up from that old pit with +its shadow over man. And he +had come to picture that hand +in his dreams (for his dreams +were especially vivid when in +the state) as a six-digited +monster reaching out. He began +to realize that the thing +he was caught in was dangerous +and deadly.</p> + +<p>Very dangerous.</p> + +<p>Very deadly.</p> + +<p>One of the weird books that +he often returned to and which +continually puzzled him was +the Relationship of Extradigitalism +to Genius, written by +the man whose face he had +never seen, in one of his +manifestations.</p> + +<p>It promised more than it +delivered, and it intimated +more than it said. Its theory +was tedious and tenuous, bolstered +with undigested mountains +of doubtful data. It left +him unconvinced that persons +of genius (even if it could be +agreed who or what they +were) had often the oddity of +extra fingers and toes, or the +vestiges of them. And it puzzled +him what possible difference +it could make.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">Y</span>et</span> there were hints here +of a Corsican who commonly +kept a hand hidden, or +an earlier and more bizarre +commander who wore always +a mailed glove, of another man +with a glove between the two; +hints that the multiplex-adept, +Leonardo himself, who sometimes +drew the hands of men +and often those of monsters +with six fingers, may himself +have had the touch. There was +a comment of Caesar, not conclusive, +to the same effect. It +is known that Alexander had +a minor peculiarity; it is not +known what it was; this man +made it seem that this was it. +And it was averred of Gregory +and Augustine, of Benedict +and Albert and Acquinas. Yet +a man with a deformity +could not enter the priesthood; +if they had it, it must have +been in vestigial form.</p> + +<p>There were cases for Charles +Magnut and Mahmud, for +Saladin the Horseman and for +Akhnaton the King; for +Homer (a Seleuciad-Greek +statuette shows him with six +fingers strumming an unidentified +instrument while reciting); +for Pythagoras, for +Buonarroti, Santi, Theotokopolous, +van Rijn, Robusti.</p> + +<p>Zurbarin catalogued eight +thousand names. He maintained +that they were geniuses. +And that they were extradigitals.</p> + +<p>Charles Vincent grinned +and looked down at his misshapen +or double thumb.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span></p> + +<p>“At least I am in good +though monotonous company. +But what in the name of triple +time is he driving at?”</p> + +<p>And it was not long afterward +that Vincent was examining +cuneiform tablets in the +State Museum. These were a +broken and not continuous +series on the theory of numbers, +tolerably legible to the +now encyclopedic Charles Vincent. +And the series read in +part:</p> + +<p>“On the divergence of the +basis itself and the confusion +caused—for it is five, or it is +six, or ten or twelve, or sixty +or a hundred, or three hundred +and sixty or the double +hundred, the thousand. The +reason, not clearly understood +by the people, is that Six and +the Dozen are first, and Sixty +is a compromise in condescending +to the people. For the +five, the ten are late, and are +no older than the people themselves. +It is said, and credited, +that people began to count by +fives and tens from the number +of fingers on their hands. +But before the people the—by +the reason that they had—counted +by sixes and twelves. +But Sixty is the number of +time, divisible by both, for +both must live together in +time, though not on the same +plane of time—” Much of the +rest was scattered. And it was +while trying to set the hundreds +of unordered clay tablets +in proper sequence that +Charles Vincent created the +legend of the ghost in the museum.</p> + +<p>For he spent his multi-hundred-hour +nights there studying +and classifying. Naturally +he could not work without +light, and naturally he could +be seen when he sat still at his +studies. But as the slow-moving +guards attempted to close +in on him, he would move to +avoid them, and his speed +made him invisible to them. +They were a nuisance and had +to be discouraged. He belabored +them soundly and they +became less eager to try to +capture him.</p> + +<p>His only fear was that they +would some time try to shoot +him to see if he were ghost or +human. He could avoid a seen +shot, which would come at no +more than two and a half +times his own greatest speed. +But an unperceived shot could +penetrate dangerously, even +fatally, before he twisted +away from it.</p> + +<p>He had fathered legends of +other ghosts, that of the Central +Library, that of University +Library, that of the John +Charles Underwood Jr. Technical +Library. This plurality +of ghosts tended to cancel out +each other and bring believers +into ridicule. Even those who +had seen him as a ghost did +not admit that they believed +in the ghosts.</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">H</span>e went</span> back to Dr. Mason +for his monthly +checkup.</p> + +<p>“You look terrible,” said the +Doctor. “Whatever it is, you +have changed. If you can afford +it, you should take a long +rest.”</p> + +<p>“I have the means,” said +Charles Vincent, “and that is +just what I will do. I’ll take a +rest for a year or two.”</p> + +<p>He had begun to begrudge +the time that he must spend at +the world’s pace. From now on +he was regarded as a recluse. +He was silent and unsociable, +for he found it a nuisance to +come back to the common state +to engage in conversation, and +in his special state voices were +too slow-pitched to intrude into +his consciousness.</p> + +<p>Except that of the man +whose face he had never seen.</p> + +<p>“You are making very tardy +progress,” said the man. Once +more they were in a dark club. +“Those who do not show more +progress we cannot use. After +all, you are only a vestigial. It +is probable that you have very +little of the ancient race in +you. Fortunately those who do +not show progress destroy +themselves. You had not imagined +that there were only two +phases of time, had you?”</p> + +<p>“Lately I have come to suspect +that there are many +more,” said Charles Vincent.</p> + +<p>“And you understand that +only one step cannot succeed?”</p> + +<p>“I understand that the life +I have been living is in direct +violation of all that we know +of the laws of mass, momentum, +and acceleration, as well<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +as those of conservation of +energy, the potential of the +human person, the moral compensation, +the golden mean, +and the capacity of human organs. +I know that I cannot +multiply energy and experience +sixty times without a +compensating increase of food +intake, and yet I do it. I know +that I cannot live on eight +minutes’ sleep in twenty-four +hours, but I do that also. I +know that I cannot reasonably +crowd four thousand years of +experience into one lifetime, +yet unreasonably I do not see +what will prevent it. But you +say I will destroy myself.”</p> + +<p>“Those who take only the +first step destroy themselves.”</p> + +<p>“And how does one take the +second step?”</p> + +<p>“At the proper moment you +will be given the choice.”</p> + +<p>“I have the most uncanny +feeling that I will refuse the +choice.”</p> + +<p>“From present indications, +you will refuse it. You are fastidious.”</p> + +<p>“You have a smell about +you, Old Man without a face. +I know now what it is. It is +the smell of the pit.”</p> + +<p>“Are you so slow to learn +that?”</p> + +<p>“It is the mud from the pit, +the same from which the clay +tablets were formed, from the +old land between the rivers. +I’ve dreamed of the six-fingered +hand reaching up +from the pit and overshadowing +us all. And I have read:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +‘The people first counted by +fives and tens from the number +of fingers on their hands. +But before the people—for +the reason that they had—counted +by sixes and twelves.’ +But time has left blanks in +those tablets.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, time in one of its +manifestations has deftly and +with a purpose left those +blanks.”</p> + +<p>“I cannot discover the name +of the thing that goes in one +of those blanks. Can you?”</p> + +<p>“I am part of the name that +goes into one of those blanks.”</p> + +<p>“And you are the man without +a face. But why is it that +you overshadow and control +people? And to what purpose?”</p> + +<p>“It will be long before you +know those answers.”</p> + +<p>“When the choice comes to +me, it will bear very careful +weighing.”</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">A</span>fter</span> that a chill descended +on the life of Charles +Vincent, for all that he still +possessed his exceptional powers. +And he seldom now indulged +in pranks.</p> + +<p>Except for Jennifer Parkey.</p> + +<p>It was unusual that he +should be drawn to her. He +knew her only slightly in the +common world and she was at +least fifteen years his senior. +But now she appealed to him +for her youthful qualities, and +all his pranks with her were +gentle ones.</p> + +<p>For one thing this spinster +did not frighten, nor did she +begin locking her doors, never +having bothered about such +things before. He would come +behind her and stroke her +hair, and she would speak out +calmly with that sort of quickening +in her voice: “Who are +you? Why won’t you let me +see you? You are a friend, +aren’t you? Are you a man, or +are you something else? If you +can caress me, why can’t you +talk to me? Please let me see +you. I promise that I won’t +hurt you.”</p> + +<p>It was as though she could +not imagine that anything +strange would hurt her. Or +again when he hugged her or +kissed her on the nape, she +would call: “You must be a +little boy, or very like a little +boy, whoever you are. You are +good not to break my things +when you move about. Come +here and let me hold you.”</p> + +<p>It is only very good people +who have no fear at all of the +unknown.</p> + +<p>When Vincent met Jennifer +in the regular world, as he +more often now found occasion +to do, she looked at him +appraisingly, as though she +guessed some sort of connection.</p> + +<p>She said one day: “I know +it is an impolite thing to say, +but you do not look well at all. +Have you been to a doctor?”</p> + +<p>“Several times. But I think +it is my doctor who should go +to a doctor. He was always +given to peculiar remarks, but +now he is becoming a little unsettled.”</p> + +<p>“If I were your doctor, I +believe I would also become a +little unsettled. But you should +find out what is wrong. You +look terrible.”</p> + +<p>He did not look terrible. He +had lost his hair, it is true, +but many men lose their hair +by thirty, though not perhaps +as suddenly as he had. He +thought of attributing it to the +air resistance. After all, when +he was in the state he did +stride at some three hundred +miles an hour. And enough of +that is likely to blow the hair +right off your head. And might +that not also be the reason for +his worsened complexion and +the tireder look that appeared +in his eyes? But he knew that +this was nonsense. He felt no +more air pressure when in his +accelerated state than when in +the normal one.</p> + +<p>He had received his summons. +He chose not to answer +it. He did not want to be presented +with the choice; he had +no wish to be one with those +of the pit. But he had no intention +of giving up the great +advantage which he now held +over nature.</p> + +<p>“I will have it both ways,” +he said. “I am already a contradiction +and an impossibility. +The proverb was only the +early statement of the law of +moral compensation: ‘You +can’t take more out of a basket +than it holds.’ But for a +long time I have been in violation<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +of the laws and balances. +‘There is no road without +a turning,’ ‘Those who +dance will have to pay the +fiddler,’ ‘Everything that goes +up comes down,’ But are proverbs +really universal laws? +Certainly. A sound proverb +has the force of universal law; +it is but another statement of +it. But I have contradicted +the universal laws. It remains +to be seen whether I have contradicted +them with impunity. +‘Every action has its reaction.’ +If I refuse to deal with them, +I will provoke a strong reaction. +The man without a face +said that it was always a race +between full knowing and destruction. +Very well, I will +race them for it.”</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">T</span>hey</span> began to persecute +him then. He knew that +they were in a state as accelerated +from his as his was from +the normal. To them he was +the almost motionless statue, +hardly to be told from a dead +man. To him they were by +their speed both invisible and +inaudible. They hurt him and +haunted him. But still he +would not answer the summons.</p> + +<p>When the meeting took +place, it was they who had to +come to him, and they materialized +there in his room, +men without faces.</p> + +<p>“The choice,” said one. +“You force us to be so clumsy +as to have to voice it.”</p> + +<p>“I will have no part of you.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +You all smell of the pit, of that +old mud of the cuneiforms of +the land between the rivers, of +the people who were before +the people.”</p> + +<p>“It has endured a long time, +and we consider it as enduring +forever. But the Garden which +was in the neighborhood—do +you know how long the Garden +lasted?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know.”</p> + +<p>“That all happened in a +single day, and before nightfall +they were outside. You +want to throw in with something +more permanent, don’t +you.”</p> + +<p>“No. I don’t believe I do.”</p> + +<p>“What have you to lose?”</p> + +<p>“Only my hope of eternity.”</p> + +<p>“But you don’t believe in +that. No man has ever really +believed in eternity.”</p> + +<p>“No man has ever either +entirely believed or disbelieved +in it,” said Charles Vincent.</p> + +<p>“At least it cannot be +proved,” said one of the faceless +men. “Nothing is proved +until it is over with. And in +this case, if it is ever over +with, then it is disproved. And +all that time would one not be +tempted to wonder, ‘What if, +after all, it ends in the next +minute?’”</p> + +<p>“I imagine that if we survive +the flesh we will receive +some sort of surety,” said +Vincent.</p> + +<p>“But you are not sure either +of such surviving or receiving. +Now <i>we</i> have a very close approximation +of eternity. When +time is multiplied by itself, +and that repeated again and +again, does that not approximate +eternity?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe it does. But +I will not be of you. One of +you has said that I am too fastidious. +So now will you say +that you’ll destroy me?”</p> + +<p>“No. We will only let you +be destroyed. By yourself, +you cannot win the race with +destruction.”</p> + +<p>After that Charles Vincent +somehow felt more mature. He +knew he was not really meant +to be a six-fingered thing of +the pit. He knew that in some +way he would have to pay for +every minute and hour that he +had gained. But what he had +gained he would use to the +fullest. And whatever could be +accomplished by sheer acquisition +of human knowledge, he +would try to accomplish.</p> + +<p>And he now startled Dr. +Mason by the medical knowledge +he had picked up, the +while the doctor amused him +by the concern he showed for +Vincent. For he felt fine. He +was perhaps not as active as +he had been, but that was only +because he had become dubious +of aimless activity. He was +still the ghost of the libraries +and museums, but was puzzled +that the published reports +intimated that an old ghost +had replaced a young one.</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">H</span>e now</span> paid his mystic +visits to Jennifer Parkey +less often. For he was always +dismayed to hear her exclaim +to him in his ghostly form: +“Your touch is so changed. +You poor thing! Is there anything +at all I can do to help +you?”</p> + +<p>He decided that somehow +she was too immature to understand +him, though he was +still fond of her. He transferred +his affections to Mrs. +Milly Maltby, a widow at +least thirty years his senior. +Yet here it was a sort of girlishness +in her that appealed +to him. She was a woman of +sharp wit and real affection, +and she also accepted his visitations +without fear, following +a little initial panic.</p> + +<p>They played games, writing +games, for they communicated +by writing. She would scribble +a line, then hold the paper up +in the air whence he would +cause it to vanish into his +sphere. He would return it in +half a minute, or half a second +by her time, with his retort. +He had the advantage of her +in time with greatly more opportunity +to think up responses, +but she had the advantage +over him in natural wit and +was hard to top.</p> + +<p>They also played checkers, +and he often had to retire +apart and read a chapter of +a book on the art between +moves, and even so she often +beat him; for native talent is +likely to be a match for accumulated +lore and codified +procedure.</p> + +<p>But to Milly also he was unfaithful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +in his fashion, being +now interested (he no longer +became enamored or entranced) +in a Mrs. Roberts, +a great-grandmother who was +his elder by at least fifty years. +He had read all the data extant +on the attraction of the +old for the young, but he still +could not explain his successive +attachments. He decided +that these three examples +were enough to establish a +universal law: that a woman +is simply not afraid of a ghost, +though he touches her and is +invisible, and writes her notes +without hands. It is possible +that amorous spirits have +known this for a long time, +but Charles Vincent had made +the discovery himself independently.</p> + +<p>When enough knowledge is +accumulated on any subject, +the pattern will sometimes +emerge suddenly, like a form +in a picture revealed where +before it was not seen. And +when enough knowledge is accumulated +on all subjects, is +there not a chance that a pattern +governing all subjects +will emerge?</p> + +<p>Charles Vincent was caught +up in one last enthusiasm. On +a long vigil, as he consulted +source after source and sorted +them in his mind, it seemed +that the pattern was coming +out clearly and simply, for all +its amazing complexity of detail.</p> + +<p>“I know everything that +they know in the pit, and I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +know a secret that they do not +know. I have not lost the race—I +have won it. I can defeat +them at the point where they +believe themselves invulnerable. +If controlled hereafter, +we need at least not be controlled +by them. It is all falling +together now. I have found +the final truth, and it is they +who have lost the race. I hold +the key. I will now be able to +enjoy the advantage without +paying the ultimate price of +defeat and destruction, or of +collaboration with them.</p> + +<p>“Now I have only to implement +my knowledge, to publish +the fact, and one shadow at +least will be lifted from mankind. +I will do it at once. Well, +nearly at once. It is almost +dawn in the normal world. I +will sit here a very little while +and rest. Then I will go out +and begin to make contact +with the proper persons for +the disposition of this thing. +But first I will sit here a little +while and rest.”</p> + +<p>And he died quietly in his +chair as he sat there.</p> + + +<p class="newchapter"><span class="firstword"><span class="dropcap">D</span>r. Mason</span> made an entry +in his private journal: +“Charles Vincent, a completely +authenticated case of +premature aging, one of the +most clear-cut in all gerontology. +This man was known +to me for years, and I here +aver that as of one year ago +he was of normal appearance +and physical state, and that +his chronology is also correct, +I having also known his +father. I examined the subject +during the period of his illness, +and there is no question +at all of his identity, which +has also been established for +the record by fingerprinting +and other means. I aver that +Charles Vincent at the age of +thirty is dead of old age, having +the appearance and organic +condition of a man of +ninety.”</p> + +<p>Then the doctor began to +make another note: “As in +two other cases of my own +observation, the illness was +accompanied by a certain delusion +and series of dreams, so +nearly identical in the three +men as to be almost unbelievable. +And for the record, and +no doubt to the prejudice of +my own reputation, I will set +down the report of them +here.”</p> + +<p>But when Dr. Mason had +written that, he thought about +it for a while.</p> + +<p>“No, I will do no such +thing,” he said, and he struck +out the last lines he had written. +“It is best to let sleeping +dragons lie.”</p> + +<p>And somewhere the faceless +men with the smell of the pit +on them smiled to themselves +in quiet irony.</p> + + +<p class="center" style="padding-top: 1em; font-weight: bold">END</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Six Fingers of Time, by +Raphael Aloysius Lafferty + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SIX FINGERS OF TIME *** + +***** This file should be named 31663-h.htm or 31663-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/6/6/31663/ + +Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Irma Spehar and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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