Argosy: The Short Story Magazine — page 113: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE CHRYSALIDS 113 her. I could only back up Michael’s assurances that she had done what was necessary. The day wore on. Nothing came to us from Michael or any of the rest. Then, in the afternoon, something suddenly did come. It was not a thought-shape; it had no real form; it was simply distress, like a cry of agony. Petra gasped, and threw herself into Rosalind’s arms. ‘The impact was so sharp and yet formless that we did not know which of them it came from. Then there was a jumble of pain, shame, and an overriding desolation, with charac- teristics that were Katherine’s. Swiftly followed a wave of love and sympathy trom Sally to her. Then, quickly, to all of us, “‘ They’ve broken Katherine. You mustn’t blame her, any of you. Don’t blame her, please. They’re torturing her. It might have been any of us. She’s all clouded. She can’t hearus...” Sally broke off, in great distress herself. Presently there came Michael; unsteady at first, and then harden- ing into as rigid a form as I had ever received, ‘‘ I shall kill that Inspector. I shall kill him for what he’s done to Katherine.”’ After that, there was nothing for an hour or more. We did our best to soothe Petra. She understood little of it, but she had caught the intensity, and that had been enough to frighten her. Then there was Sally again, dully, hopelessly forcing herself to it, ‘‘ Katherine has confessed; admitted it. I have confirmed. They would have forced me to it, too, in the end. I—I couldn’t face it. Not the hot iron; not once she had told them. Forgive me, all of you. Forgive us both...” Then Michael, trembling a little, ‘‘ Sally dear, we’re not blaming you—either of you. But what have you admitted? How much? ” ‘* About thought-shapes—and David and Rosalind.” ‘Petra, too?” ‘Yes . . . Oh, oh, oh!’ There was an unshaped surge of anguish. ‘“‘ We had to—poor little Petra—but they were almost sure, you see, because she went with David and Rosalind. There was no other reason for her to go with them No lie would cover oe ‘“ Anyone else?” ‘“ No. We’ve told them there isn’t anyone else. 1 hope they believe that. They are still asking questions, trying to understand about it. They want to know how we make thought-shapes, and what the range is. We’re telling them lies. Not more than about five miles, we’re saying, and pretending it is only vague and indefinite at that distance. Katherine’s barely conscious. She can’t send to you. But they keep on asking questions, on and on. If you could see what they’ve done. Oh Katherine, darling ._ . Her feet—oh, her feet ...”’ Sally’s patterns clouded into anguish, and then faded away. We were afraid something queer must have happened to her mind. We heard no more from either of them. Nobody else came in. I think we were all too deeply shocked. Words must be chosen and interpreted: thought-shapes, you feel. comiclbooks.conn