[Illustration] THE LEADER By MURRAY LEINSTER _The trouble with being a Superman, with Super powers, and knowing it, is it's so easy to overlook the unpleasant possibility of a super-superman!_ Illustrated by van Dongen . . . The career of The Leader remains one of the mysteries of history. This man, illegitimate and uneducated, hysterical and superstitious, gathered about him a crowded following of those who had been discontented, but whom he turned into fanatics. Apparently by pure force of personality he seized without resistance the government of one of the world's great nations. So much is unlikely enough. But as the ruler of a civilized country he imposed upon its people the absolute despotism of a primitive sultanate. He honeycombed its society with spies. He imprisoned, tortured, and executed without trial or check. And while all this went on he received the most impassioned loyalty of his subjects! Morality was abandoned at his command with as much alacrity as common sense. He himself was subject to the grossest superstitions. He listened to astrologers and fortunetellers--and executed them when they foretold disaster. But it is not enough to be amazed at the man himself. The great mystery is that people of the Twentieth Century, trained in science and technically advanced, should join in this orgy of what seems mere madness . . . _Concise History of Europe. _ Blaisdell. * * * * * Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen, University of Brunn, to the HerrGeneral Johann von Steppberg, retired. My dear General von Steppberg: It is with reluctance that I intrude upon your retirement, but at therequest of the Government I have undertaken a scientific examination ofthe causes which brought about The Leader's rise to power, theextraordinary popularity of his regime, the impassioned loyalty he wasable to evoke, and the astounding final developments. If you can communicate to me any memories of The Leader which may aid inunderstanding this most bewildering period of our history, I assure youthat it will be appreciated by myself, by the authorities who wish theinvestigation made, and I dare to hope by posterity. I am, my dear general, (Et cetera. ) * * * * * Letter from General Johann von Steppberg (Retired) to Professor AlbrechtAigen, University of Brunn. Herr Professor: The official yearbooks of the army contain the record of my militarycareer. I have nothing to add to that information. You say theauthorities wish more. I refuse it. If they threaten my pension, I willrenounce it. If they propose other pressures, I will leave the country. In short, I refuse to discuss in any manner the subject of your recentcommunication. I am, Herr Professor, (Et cetera. ) * * * * * Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn, Professor ofPsychology at University of Laibach. My dear Karl: I hope your psionic research goes better than my official project! Mybusiness goes nowhere! I have written to generals, ministers, and allkinds of persons who held high office under The Leader. Each and everyone refuses to discuss The Leader or his own experiences under him. Why?Surely no one would blame them now! We have had to agree to pretend thatno one did anything improper under The Leader, or else that what anyonedid was proper at the time. So why should the nabobs of that incredibleperiod refuse to discuss what they should know better than anyone else?I am almost reduced to asking the aid of the astrologers and soothsayersThe Leader listened to. Actually, I must make a note to do so in soberearnest. At least they had their own viewpoint of events. Speaking of viewpoints, I have had some hope of clarifying The Leader'scareer by comparing it with that of Prime Minister Winston, in power inhis country when The Leader ruled ours. His career is splendidlydocumented. There is astonishingly little documentation about The Leaderas a person, however. That is one of the difficulties of my task. Evenworse, those who should know him best lock their lips while those-- Here is an unsolicited letter from the janitor of a building in which aformer Minister of Education now has his law offices. I have manyletters equally preposterous. . . . * * * * * Enclosure in letter to Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. Herr Professor: I am the janitor of the building in which Herr Former Minister ofEducation Werfen has his offices. In cleaning there I saw a lettercrumpled into a ball and thrown into a corner. I learned in the time ofThe Leader that angry actions often mean evil intentions, so I read theletter to see if the police should be notified. It was a letter from youin which you asked Herr Former Minister of Education Werfen for hismemories of The Leader. I remember The Leader, Herr Professor. He was the most holy man who everlived, if indeed he was only a man. Once I passed the open door of anoffice in the building I then worked in. I looked in the door--it wasthe office of the then-struggling Party The Leader had founded--and Isaw The Leader sitting in a chair, thinking. There was golden lightabout his head, Herr Professor. I have told this to other people andthey do not believe me. There were shadowy other beings in the room. Isaw, very faintly, great white wings. But the other beings were stillbecause The Leader was thinking and did not wish to be disturbed. Iassure you that this is true, Herr Professor. The Leader was the holiestof men--if he was only a man. I am most respectfully, Herr Professor, (Et cetera. ) * * * * * Letter from Fraulein Lise Grauer, nurse, in the city of Bludenz, toProfessor Aigen at Brunn University. Most respected Herr Professor: I write this at the request of the Herr Former Police Inspector Grieg, to whom you directed a letter shortly before his death. The Herr FormerPolice Inspector had been ill for some time. I was his nurse. I hadcared for him for months and did many small services for him, such aswriting letters at his direction. When your letter came he read it and went into a black mood of deep andbitter recollection. He would not speak for hours, and I had greatdifficulty in getting him to take his medicines. Just before his bedtimehe called me and said sardonically; "Lise, write to this Herr Professor for me. Say to him that I was once adecent man. When The Leader took power, I received orders that I wouldnot accept. I submitted my resignation. Then I received orders to cometo The Leader. I obeyed these orders because my resignation was not yetaccepted. I was received in his office. I entered it with respect anddefiance--respect because he was admitted to be the ruler of our nation;defiance because I would not obey such orders as had been sent me in hisname. "The Leader spoke to me, kindly, and as he spoke all my views changed. It suddenly seemed that I had been absurd to refuse the orders sent me. They seemed right and reasonable and even more lenient than would havebeen justified. . . . I left The Leader in a state in which I could notpossibly fail to do anything he wished. From that moment I obeyed hisorders. I was promoted. Eventually, as you know, I was in command of theNeusatz prison camp. And you know what orders I carried out there!" I wept, Herr Professor, because the Herr Grieg's eyes were terrible tolook at. He was a gentle and kindly man, Herr Professor! I was hisnurse, and he was a good patient and a good man in every way. I hadheard of the things that were done at Neusatz, but I could not believethat my patient had commanded them. Now, in his eyes I saw that heremembered them and that the memory was intolerable. He said verybitterly: "Tell the Herr Professor that I can tell him nothing more. I have noother memories that would be of service to him. I have resolved, anyhow, to get rid even of these. I have kept them too long. Say to him that hisletter has decided me. " I did not understand what he meant, Herr Professor. I helped him preparefor the night, and when he seemed to be resting quietly I retired, myself. I was wakened by a very loud noise. I went to see what was thematter. The Herr Former Police Inspector Grieg had managed to get out ofhis bed and across the room to a bureau. He opened a drawer and took outa revolver. He made his way back to his bed. He blew out his brains. I called the police, and after investigation they instructed me to carryout his request, which I do. Herr Professor, I do not myself remember the times of The Leader, butthey must have been very terrible. If the Herr Former Police InspectorGrieg was actually in command of the Neusatz prison camp, and didactually order the things done there, --I cannot understand it, HerrProfessor! Because he was a good and kindly man! If you write of him, Ibeg that you will mention that he was a most amiable man. I was only hisnurse, but I assure you--(Et cetera. ) * * * * * Letter from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to Professor AlbrechtAigen, University of Brunn. My dear friend: I could have predicted your failure to secure co-operation from eminentfigures in The Leader's regime. So long as they keep silent, together, they can pretend to be respectable. And nobody longs so passionately tobe respectable as a man who has prospered by being a swine, while heawaits an opportunity to prosper again by more swinishness. I wouldadvise you to expect your best information from little people whosuffered most and most helplessly looked on or helped while enormitieswere committed. Such little people will either yearn over the past likeyour janitor, or want most passionately to understand so that nothing ofthe sort can ever happen again. Winston as a parallel to The Leader? Or as a contrast? Which? I can nameone marked contrast. I doubt that anybody really and passionately wishesthat Winston had never been born. You mention my researches. You should see some of our results! I havefound a rat with undeniable psychokinetic power. I have seen him move agram-weight of cheese nearly three centimeters to where he could reachit through the cage bars. I begin to suspect a certain female dog ofabilities I would prefer not to name just yet. If you can find anyexcuse to come to Laibach, I promise you amazing demonstrations of psiphenomena. (Et cetera. ) * * * * * Quotations from, "_Recollections of the Earl of Humber, formerly PrimeMinister Winston_, " by the Hon. Charles Wilberforce. Page 231; ". . . This incredible event took place even while it seemedmost impossible. The Prime Minister took it with his usual aplomb. Iasked him what he thought of the matter a week later, at a house partyin Hertfordshire. He said, 'I consider it most unfortunate. This Leaderof theirs is an inherently nasty individual. Therefore he'll makenastiness the avenue to distinction so long as he's in power. Theresults will be tragic, because when you bottle up decency men seem togo mad. What a pity one can't bottle up nastiness! The world mightbecome a fit place to live in!'" Page 247; "The Prime Minister disagreed. 'There was Napoleon, ' heobserved. 'You might despise him, but after he talked to you you servedhim. He seemed to throw a spell over people. Alexander probably had thesame sort of magic personality. When his personality ceased to operate, as a result of too much wine too continuously, his empire fellimmediately to pieces. I've known others personally; an Afghan whom I'vealways thought did us a favor by getting killed by a sniper. He couldhave caused a great deal of trouble. I'd guess at the Khalifa. Most ofthe people who have this incredible persuasiveness, however, seem to setup as successful swindlers. What a pity The Leader had no taste forsimple crime, and had to go in for crimes of such elaboration!'" * * * * * Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen, University of Brunn, to Dr. KarlThurn, University of Laibach. My dear Karl: You make me curious with your talk of a rat which levitates crumbs ofcheese and a she-dog who displays other psi abilities. I assume that youhave found the experimental conditions which let psi powers operatewithout hindrance. I shall hope some day to see and conceivably tounderstand. My own affairs are in hopeless confusion. At the moment I am overwhelmedwith material about The Leader, the value of which I cannot estimate. Strange! I ask people who should know what I am commissioned todiscover, and they refuse to answer. But it becomes known that I ask, and thousands of little people write me to volunteer impassioned detailsof their experiences while The Leader ruled. Some are bitter becausethey did what they did and felt as they felt. These seem to believe inmagic or demoniac possession as the reason they behaved with suchconspicuous insanity. Others gloat over their deeds, which they recountwith gusto--and then express pious regret with no great convincingness. Some of these accounts nauseate me. But something utterly abnormal wasin operation, somehow, to cause The Leader's ascendancy! I wish I could select the important data with certainty. Almostanything, followed up, might reveal the key. But I do not know what tofollow! I plan to go to Bozen, where the new monstrous computer has beenset up, and see if there is any way in which it could categorize my dataand detect a pattern of more than bewildered and resentful frenzy. On the way back to Brunn I shall stop by to talk to you. There is somuch to say! I anticipate much of value from your detached and analyticmind. I confess, also, that I am curious about your research. Thisshe-dog with psi powers, of which you give no account . . . I amintrigued. As always, I am, (Et cetera. ) * * * * * Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen, written from The MathematicalInstitute at Bozen, to Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. My dear Karl: This is in haste. There is much agitation among the computer staff atthe Institute. An assistant technician has been discovered to be able topredict the answer the computer will give to problems set up at random. He is one Hans Schweeringen and it is unbelievable. Various numerals are impressed on the feed-in tape of the computer. Sections of the tape are chosen at random by someone who is blindfolded. They are fed unread into the computer, together with instructions tomultiply, subtract, extract roots, et cetera, which are similarly chosenat random and not known to anyone. Once in twenty times or so, Schweeringen predicts the result of this meaningless computation beforethe computer has made it. This is incredible! The odds are trillions toone against it! Since nobody knows the sums or instructions given to thecomputer, it cannot be mind-reading in any form. It must be pureprecognition. Do you wish to talk to him? He is uneasy at the attention he attracts, perhaps because his fatherwas one of The Leader's secretaries and was executed, it is presumed, for knowing too much. Telegraph me if you wish me to try to bring him toyou. Your friend-- * * * * * Telegram from Dr. Karl Thurn, Professor of Psychology at LaibachUniversity, to Professor Albrecht Aigen, in care of The MathematicalInstitute at Bozen: Take tapes which produced answers Schweeringen predicted. Run themthrough computer when he knows nothing of it. Wire result. Thurn. * * * * * Telegram. Professor Albrecht Aigen, at The Mathematical Institute inBozen, to Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. How did you know? The tapes do not give the same answers when runthrough the computer without Schweeringen's knowledge. The only possibleanswer is that the computer sometimes errs to match his predictions. Butthis is more impossible than precognition. This is beyond theconceivable. It cannot be! What now? Aigen. * * * * * Telegram from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to ProfessorAlbrecht Aigen, care Mathematical Institute, Bozen. Naturally I suspect psi. He belongs with my rat and she-dog. Try toarrange it. Thurn. * * * * * Telegram from Professor Albrecht Aigen, Mathematical Institute, Bozen, to Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. Schweeringen refuses further tests. Fears proof he causes malfunctioningof computer will cause unemployment here and may destroy all hope ofhoped-for career in mathematics. Aigen. * * * * * Telegram from Professor Albrecht Aigen, at Mathematical Institute, toDr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach. Terrible news. Riding bus to Institute this morning, Schweeringen waskilled when bus was involved in accident. Aigen. * * * * * Telegram from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to ProfessorAlbrecht Aigen, care Mathematical Institute, Bozen. Deeply regret death Schweeringen. When you come here please try to bringall known family history. Psi ability sometimes inherited. Could betie-in his father's execution and use of psi ability. Thurn. * * * * * Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen, at Brunn University, to Dr. KarlThurn, University of Laibach. My dear Karl: I have first to thank you for your warm welcome and to express mygratitude for your attention while I was your guest. Since my return Ihave written many inquiries about Schweeringen's father. There are sofar no replies, but I have some hope that people who will not tell oftheir own experiences may tell about someone else--especially someonenow dead. This may be a useful device to get at least some informationfrom people who so far have refused any. Naturally I will pass on to youanything I learn. I try to work again upon the task assigned me--to investigate the riseand power of The Leader. I find it hard to concentrate. My mind goesback to your laboratory. I am deeply shaken by my experience there. Ihad thought nothing could be more bewildering than my own work. Consider: Today I received a letter in which a man tells me amazedly ofthe life he led in a slave-labor camp during the time of The Leader'srule. He describes the attempt of another prisoner to organize a revoltof the prisoners. While he spoke of the brutality of the guards and theintolerably hard labor and the deliberately insufficient food, theycheered him. But when he accused The Leader of having ordered thesethings--the prisoners fell upon him with cries of fury. They killed him. I had this information verified. It was true. I cannot hope for a sane explanation of such things. But a saneexplanation for my experience seems even less probable. I am impressedby your rat who levitates crumbs of cheese. But I am appalled; I amhorrified; I am stupefied by what I did! You asked me to wait for you ina certain laboratory beyond a door. I entered. I saw a small, fat, mangyshe-dog in a dog-run. She looked at me and wagged her tail. I thereuponwent to the other end of the laboratory, opened a box, and took out ahandful of strange objects you later told me are sweetmeats to a dog. Igave them to the animal. Why did I do it? How was it that I went directly to a box of which Iknew nothing, opened it as a matter of course, and took out objects Idid not even recognize, to give them to that unpleasant small beast? Howdid I know where to go? Why did I go? Why should I give thosethen-meaningless objects to the dog? It is as if I were enchanted! You say that it is a psi phenomenon. The rat causes small objects tomove. The dog, you say, causes persons to give it canine candy. I revoltagainst the conclusion, which I cannot reason away. If you are right, weare at the mercy of our domestic animals! Dog-lovers are not people wholove dogs, but people who are enslaved by dogs. Cat-lovers are merelypeople who have been seized upon by cats to support and pet and caterto them. This is intolerable! I shall fear all pets from now on! I throwmyself back into my own work to avoid thinking of it. I-- * * * Later. I did not mail this letter because an appalling idea occurred tome. This could bear upon my investigation! Do you think The Leader--No!It could not be! It would be madness. . . . * * * * * Extract from a letter from Dr. Karl Thurn to Professor Albrecht Aigen. . . . I deplore your reaction. It has the emotional quality of a reactionto witchcraft or magic, but psi is not witchcraft. It is a naturalforce. No natural force is either nonexistent or irresistible. Nonatural force is invariably effective. Psi is not irresistible under allcircumstances. It is not always effective. My rat cannot levitatecheese-crumbs weighing more than 1. 7 grams. My she-dog could not makeyou give her dog-candy once you were on guard. When you went again intothe laboratory she looked at you and wagged her tail as before. You saythat you thought of the box and of opening it, but you did not. It wasnot even an effort of will to refrain. A lesser will or a lower grade of personality cannot overwhelm a greaterone. Not ever! Lesser beings can only urge. The astrologers used to saythat the stars incline, but they do not compel. The same can be said ofpsi--or of magnetism or gravitation or what you will. Schweeringen couldnot make the computer err when it had to err too egregiously. A greaterpsi ability was needed than he had. A greater psi power than wasavailable would have been needed to make you give the dog candy, onceyou were warned. I do not apply these statements to your so-called appalling idea. Icarefully refrain from doing so. It is your research, not mine. . . . * * * * * Extract from letter to Professor Albrecht Aigen from the Herr FriedrichHolm, supervisor of electrical maintenance, municipal electricalservice, Untersberg. Herr Professor: You have written to ask if I knew a certain Herr Schweeringen, attachedto The Leader's personal staff during his regime. I did know such aperson. I was then in charge of electrical maintenance in The Leader'svarious residences. Herr Schweeringen was officially one of The Leader'ssecretaries, but his actual task was to make predictions for The Leader, like a soothsayer or a medium. He had a very remarkable gift. There weretimes when it was especially needful that there be no electricalfailures--when The Leader was to be in residence, for example. On suchoccasions it was my custom to ask Herr Schweeringen if there was apt tobe any failure of apparatus under my care. At least three times he toldme yes. In one case it was an elevator, in another refrigeration, in athird a fuse would blow during a State dinner. I overhauled the elevator, but it failed nevertheless. I replaced therefrigeration motor, and the new motor failed. In the third case Ichanged the fuse to a new and tested one, and then placed a new, fusedline around the fuse Herr Schweeringen had said would blow, and placed aworkman beside it. When the fuse did blow as predicted, my workmaninstantly closed the extra-line switch, so that the lights of the Statedinner barely flickered. But I shudder when I think of the result ifHerr Schweeringen had not warned me. He was executed a few days before the period of confusion began, whichended as everyone knows. I do not know the reason for his execution. Itwas said, however, that The Leader executed him personally. This, HerrProfessor, is all that I know of the matter. Very respectfully, (Et cetera. ) [Illustration] * * * * * Letter from Herr Theophrastus Paracelsus Bosche, astrologer, toProfessor Albrecht Aigen, Brunn University. Most respected Herr Professor: I am amused that a so-eminent scientist like yourself should askinformation from a so-despised former astrologer to The Leader. It iseven more amusing that you ask about a mere soothsayer--a man whodisplayed an occult gift of prophecy--whom you should consider merelyone of the charlatans like myself whom The Leader consulted, and whoare unworthy of consideration by a scientific historian. We have noeffect upon history, most respected Herr Professor! None at all. Oh, none! I am much diverted. You ask about the Herr Schweeringen. He was a predictor, using hisoccult gift of second sight to foreknow events and tell The Leader aboutthem. You will remember that The Leader considered himself to haveoccult powers of leadership and decision, and that all occult powersshould contribute to his greatness. At times of great stress, such aswhen The Leader demanded ever-increasing concessions from other nationson threat of war, he was especially concerned that occult predictionspromise him success. At a certain time the international tension was greater than everbefore. If The Leader could doubt the rightness of any of his actions, he doubted it then. There was great danger of war. Prime MinisterWinston had said flatly that The Leader must withdraw his demands orfight. The Leader was greatly agitated. He demanded my prediction. Iconsidered the stars and predicted discreetly that war would beprevented by some magnificent achievement by The Leader. Truly, if hegot out of his then situation it would be a magnificent achievement. Butastrology, of course, could only indicate it but not describe what itwould be. The Leader was confident that he could achieve anything he couldimagine, because he had convinced even himself that only treason ordisloyalty could cause him to fail in any matter. He demanded of hisgenerals what achievement would prevent the war. They were notencouraging. He demanded of his civilian political advisers. They darednot advise him to retreat. They offered nothing. He demanded of hisoccult advisers. The Herr Schweeringen demanded of me that I tell him my exactprediction. His nerves were bad, then, and he twitched with the strain. Someone had to describe the great achievement The Leader would make. Itwould be dangerous not to do so. I told him the prediction, I found hispredicament diverting. He left me, still twitching and desperately sunkin thought. I now tell you exact, objective facts, Herr Professor, with nointerpretation of my own upon them. The Herr Schweeringen was closetedwith The Leader. I am told that his face was shining with confidencewhen he went to speak to The Leader. It was believed among us charlatansthat he considered that he foreknew what The Leader would do to preventwar at this time. Two hours later there were shots in The Leader's private quarters. TheLeader came out, his eyes glaring, and ordered Herr Schweeringen's bodyremoved. He ordered the execution of the four senior generals of theGeneral Staff, of the Minister of Police, and several other persons. Hethen went into seclusion, from which he emerged only briefly to giveorders making the unthinkable retreat that Prime Minister Winston haddemanded. No one spoke to him for a week. Confusion began. These areobjective facts. I now add one small boast. My discreet prediction had come true, and it is extremely diverting tothink about it. The Leader had achieved magnificently. The war wasprevented not only for 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. I then had thecivilian placed in a separate cell, but he continued to raveincoherently until I had the regimental surgeon give him an injection toquiet him. He sank into drugged sleep with foam about his lips. He looked remarkably like The Leader. I have never seen such aresemblance! But he was not The Leader or we would have known him. There was no disturbance outside the residence. The doubled guards andthe mounted machine guns were not needed. I am, Herr Professor, (Et cetera. ) * * * * * 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 theenclosed means. It is part of the report of the physicians who examinedThe Leader three days after his confinement in a military prison. He hadrecovered much of his self-control. He spoke with precision. He appearedeven calm, though he was confused in some matters. The doctors addressedhim 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 yourbehavior! Can you tell us what took place? _The Leader_: I suffered a great danger and a temporary damage. Thatvillain Schweeringen--I shot him. It was a mistake. I should have hadhim worked over--at length! _Dr. Messner_: My Leader, will you be so good as to tell us the natureof the danger and the damage? _The Leader_: Schweeringen probably told someone what he would proposeto me. It was his conviction that because of my special gifts I couldcause anyone, not only to obey me, but to pour out to me, directly, hisinmost thoughts and memories. Of course this is true. The danger wasthat of the contact of my mind with an inferior one. But I allowedSchweeringen to persuade me that I should risk even this for the serviceof 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 toexist to injure my people. I intended, however, to cause him to becomeloyal to me--though I would later have had him shot. Schweeringen hadbetrayed me, though. When I made contact with Winston's mind, it was notonly inferior, but diseased! There was a contagion which temporarilyaffected the delicate balance of my intuition. For a short time I couldnot 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 thisexplains everything. In the background of my research and yourinformation it is clear. Fortunately, The Leader's mind was unstable. The strain and shock of so unparalleled experience as complete knowledgeof another brain's contents destroyed his rationality. He became insane. Insane, he no longer had the psi gifts by which he had seized anddegraded our nation. He ceased to be The Leader. But you will see that this must be hidden! Another monster like TheLeader, or Napoleon--perhaps even lesser monsters--could attempt thesame feat. But they might be less unstable! They might be able to invadethe mind of any human being, anywhere, and drain it of any secret orimpress 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 AlbrechtAigen, Brunn University. My dear friend: I am relieved! I feared for your judgment. I thought that perhapsoverwork and frustration had set up an anxiety-block to make you ceaseyour work. But you are quite right. Your analysis is brilliant. And nowthat you have pointed it out, unquestionably a man with The Leader's psipowers could force another man's brain to transmit all its contents tohim. But consider the consequences! Consider the conditions of such an event. One's brain is designed to work within one's own skull, dealing withsensory 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 withthe outside brain or thing. It molds or moves the recipient mind, butthere is never a sharing of memory. You have explained why. Consider what must happen if a brain of limited power and essentiallyemotional operation is linked to another and more powerful one. Assumefor a moment that my she-dog had linked her brain to yours, evenmomentarily. Do you realize that she would not have gotten yourmemories, much less your power to reason? She would not even haveacquired your knowledge of the meaning of words! When a bright lightshines in your eyes, you see nothing else. When thunder rolls in yourears, you do not hear the ticking of a clock. When you suffer pain, youdo not notice a feather's tickle. If my she-dog had linked her mind toyours, she would have experienced something which is knowledge morefirmly fixed and more continuously known than anything else in yourconscious life. This overwhelmingly strong conviction would have been sopowerful and so positive that it would be imprinted--branded--burnedinto every cell of her brain. She could never get it out. But in receiving this overwhelming experience she would not get yourmemories or power to reason or even your personality. She would haveexperienced only your identity. She would have received only theconviction that she was yourself! She would have been like those poorlunatics who believe that they are Napoleon, though they have nothing ofNapoleon in them but the conviction of identity. They do not know whenhe was born or have more than the vaguest notion of what he did, butthey try to act as who he was--according to their own ideas of howNapoleon would act in their situation. This is how my she-dog would havebehaved. I am relieved. You have explained everything. Your letter gave me thesuspicion. I secured a transcript of the Herr Doctor's report formyself. My suspicion became a certainty. You will find the clue in thereport. Consider: The Leader had had the experience I imagined for myshe-dog. He had linked his mind with a stronger one and a greaterpersonality--if it must be said, a greater man. For a moment The Leaderknew what that man knew most certainly, with most profound conviction, with most positive knowledge. It was burned into his brain. He couldnever get it out. He did not secure that other man's memories orknowledge or ability. He was blinded, deafened, dazed by theoverwhelming conviction that, the other man had of his own identity. Itwould not be possible for him to get anything else from a stronger mindand a greater person. Nor could anyone else succeed where he failed, myfriend! There is no danger of any man seizing the world by seizing theminds of all his fellows! One who tries will meet the fate of TheLeader. You realize what that fate was, of course. He suddenly ceased to be themonster who could cast a spell of blind adoration for himself. He ceasedto be The Leader! So the doctors gave him truth-serum so he would nottry to conceal anything from them. The result is in the transcript onthe third page beyond the place you quoted to me. There the doctorsasked The Leader who he was. Read his answer, my friend! It proveseverything! He said: "I am Prime Minister Winston. " THE END Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from _Astounding Science Fiction_ February 1960. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U. S. Copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note.