Astounding Science Fiction, February 1952 (British Edition) — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

32 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION Warren burst out angrily, “Why didn’t you tell—” But Barnes rushed in and headed him off : “You saw him again. When?” “In my tent. When I was sick. I opened my eyes and he was there, in front of me.” “Just standing there?” “Standing there and looking at me. Like he was going to swallow me with those big yellow eyes of his. Then he .. . then he—” They waited for him to remember. “T was sick,” said Falkner. “Out of my head, maybe. Not all there. I can’t be sure. But it seemed that he stretched out and touched me, one paw on each side of my head.” “Touched you? touched you?” “Gently,” said Falkner. “Ever so gently. Just for an instant. Then I went to sleep.” “We're ahead of our story,” Warren ‘said, impatiently. “Let’s go back to the trail. You saw the native—” “We've been over that before,” said Falkner bitterly. “We'll try it once again,” Warren told him. “You say the native passed quite close to you when he went by. You mean that he stepped out of the path and circled past you—” “No,” said Falkner, “I don’t mean that at all. I was the one who stepped out of the path.” You must maintain human dignity, the manual said. Above all else, human dignity and human prestige must be upheld. Kind- ness, yes. And helpfulness. And even brotherhood. But dignity was ahead of all. And too often human dignity was - human arrogance. Human dignity did not allow you to step out of the path. It made the other thing step out and go around you. By inference, human dignity automatically assigned al! other life to an inferior position. “Mr. Barnes,” said Warren, “it was the laying on of hands.” The man on the cot rolled his head on the pillow and looked at Warren, almost as if he were surprised to find him there. The thin lips worked in the pallid face and the words were weak and very slow in coming. | “Yes, Warren, it was the laying on of hands. A power these creatures have. Some Christ-like power that no human has.” “But that was a divine power.” Actually, physically “No, Warren,” said the chaplain, “not necessarily. It wouldn’t have to be. It might be a very real, a very human power, that goes with mental or spiritual perfection.” Warren hunched forward on his stool. “T can’t believe it,” he said. “I simply can’t. Not those owl-eyed things.” He looked up and glanced at the chap- lain. Barnes’ face had flushed with sudden fever and his breath was fluttery and shal- low. His eyes were closed and he looked like a man already dead. . There had been that report by the third -expedition’s psychologist. It had said dig- nity and an exact code of honor and a rather primitive -protocol. And that, of course, would fit. a But Man, intent upon his own dignity and his own prestige, had never accorded anyone else any dignity. He had been will- ing to be kind if his kindness were appro- priately appreciated. He stood ready to help if his help were allowed to stand as a testament to his superiority. And here on Landro he had scarcely bothered to be either kind or helpful, never dreaming for a moment that the little owl-eyed native was anything other than a stone age crea- ture that was a pest and nuisance and not ~ to be taken too seriously even when he turned out, at times, to be something of a menace. Until one day a frightened kid had stepped out of a path and let a native by. “Courtesy,” said Warren. “That’s the an- Swer : hands.” He got up from the stool and walked out of the tent and met Falkner coming in. “How-is he?” Falkner asked. Warren shook his head. “Just like the others. It was late in coming, but it’s just as bad.” “Two of us,” said Falkner. “Two of us left out of twenty-six.” “Not two,” Warren told him. “Just one. courtesy and the laying on of Just you.” “But, sir, you're all—” Warren shook his head. | “¥ have a headache,” he said. “I’m _be- ginning to sweat a little. My legs are wobbly.” “Maybe—” ae “Ive seen it too many times,” said Warren, “to kid myself about it.” He reached out a hand, grasped the canvas and steadied himself. “J didn’t have a chance,” he said. “I stepped out of no paths.” (CCOPMIE OO KS EO A) ——— he