| 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 |
| 1 | 50 | 99 | 149 | 198 |
|
www.freeclassicebooks.com
revenge? Tara of Helium could not guess, nor did she care. The worst had
happened. She had tried to escape and she had failed. There would never be
another opportunity.
"Come!" said Ghek. "We will return to the tower." The deadly monotone of his
voice was unbroken. It was worse than anger, for it revealed nothing of his
intentions. It but increased her horror of these great brains that were beyond the
possibility of human emotions.
And so she was dragged back to her prison in the tower and Ghek took up his
vigil again, squatting by the doorway, but now he carried a naked sword in his
hand and did not quit his rykor, only to change to another that he had brought to
him when the first gave indications of weariness. The girl sat looking at him. He
had not been unkind to her, but she felt no sense of gratitude, nor, on the other
hand, any sense of hatred. The brains, incapable themselves of any of the finer
sentiments, awoke none in her. She could not feel gratitude, or affection, or
hatred of them. There was only the same unceasing sense of horror in their
presence. She had heard great scientists discuss the future of the red race and
she recalled that some had maintained that eventually the brain would entirely
dominate the man. There would be no more instinctive acts or emotions, nothing
would be done on impulse; but on the contrary reason would direct our every act.
The propounder of the theory regretted that he might never enjoy the blessings of
such a state, which, he argued, would result in the ideal life for mankind.
Tara of Helium wished with all her heart that this learned scientist might be here
to experience to the full the practical results of the fulfillment of his prophecy.
Between the purely physical rykor and the purely mental kaldane there was little
choice; but in the happy medium of normal, and imperfect man, as she knew
him, lay the most desirable state of existence. It would have been a splendid
object lesson, she thought, to all those idealists who seek mass perfection in any
phase of human endeavor, since here they might discover the truth that absolute
perfection is as little to be desired as is its antithesis.
Gloomy were the thoughts that filled the mind of Tara of Helium as she awaited
the summons from Luud--the summons that could mean for her but one thing;
death. She guessed why he had sent for her and she knew that she must find the
means for self-destruction before the night was over; but still she clung to hope
and to life. She would not give up until there was no other way. She startled Ghek
once by exclaiming aloud, almost fiercely: "I still live!"
"
What do you mean?" asked the kaldane.
5
3
Page
Quick Jump
|