Astounding Science Fiction (British Edition) — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

BELIEF “*Met her by coincidence, I suppose? Do you make appointments for all your coincidences?” Sarle laughed, “Let’s put it this way. She told me a little about what’s been going on.” June said, wearily, “I’m sorry if you disapprove, Roger; but it was the first chance I had to talk to someone who would understand.” “What makes you think he under- stands? Tell me, Jim, do you believe her story?” Sarle said, “It’s not an easy thing to believe. You'll admit that. But I’m trying.” “All right, suppose I flew. Suppose I levitated right now. What would you do?’ “Faint, maybe. Maybe I'd say, ‘Holy Pete,’ Maybe I’d bust out laughing. Why don’t you try, and then we'll see?” Roger stared at him. “You really want to see it?” “Why shouldn’t I?” “The ones that have. seen it screamed or ran or froze with horror. Can you take it, Jim?” “T think so.” “O.K.” Roger slipped two feet upward and executed a slow tenfold entrechat. He remained in the air, toes pointed downward, legs together, arms gracefully outstretched in bitter parody. “Better than Nijinski, eh, Jim?” Sarle did» none of the things he suggested he might do. Except for catching his pipe as it dropped, he did nothing at all. Jane had closed her eyes. Tears squeezed quietly through the lids. Sarle said, ‘““Come down, Roger.” Roger did so. He took a seat and said, “I wrote to physicists, men of reputation. I explained the situation in an impersonal way. I said I thought it ought to be investigated. Most of them ignored me. One of them wrote 3 65 to old man Morton to ask if I were crooked or crazy.” “Oh, Roger,” whispered Jane. “You think that’s bad? The dean called me into his office today. I’m to stop my parlor tricks, he says. It seems I had stumbled down the stairs and automatically levitated myself to safety. Morton says he wouldn’t believe I could fly if he saw me in action. Seeing isn’t believing in this case, he says, and orders me to take a rest. I’m not going back.” “Roger,” said Jane, her eyes open- ing wide. “Are you serious?” “T can’t go back. I’m sick of them. Scientists!” “But what will you do?” “T don’t know.” Roger buried his head in his hands. He said in a muffled voice, ““You tell me, Jim. You're the psychiatrist. Why won’t they believe me?” “Perhaps it’s a matter of self- protection, Roger,” said Sarle, slowly. “People aren’t happy with anything they can’t understand. Even some | centuries ago when many people did believe in the existence of extra- natural abilities, like flying on broom- sticks, for instance, it was almost always assumed that these powers originated with the forces of evil. “People still think so. They may not believe literally in the devil, but they do think that what is strange is evil. They'll fight against believing in levitation—or be scared to death if the fact is forced down their throats. That’s true, so let’s face it.” Roger shook his head. “You're talking about people, and I’m talking about scientists.” : “Scientists are people.”’ “You know what I mean. I have here a phenomenon. It isn’t witch- craft. I haven’t dealt with the devil. Jim, there must be a natural explana- tion. We don’t know all there is to know about gravitation. We know EComichooks7co im