Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 44 — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

ADDICT himself again. The thought no longer carried any power. ‘““And yet,” continued the speaker, a man perhaps in his middle forties, greying slightly abovea head of sharp, sensitive features. ““And yet we con- stitute the only real threat to this State. We will not take Tab. We will not, therefore, Harmonise. We reserve the right to think, to feel, to intuit as men! We would think, mind you, George. Would dream. Would try, and per- haps fail and would try again. We would stand as men, per- haps fall. But as men! “We will not live the spell- life Tab imparts. We will not accept the dulling terrible Harmony of half-life, half- death! ‘*‘Human slavery cannot be maintained with words or force. The human spirit is too strong, inexorably strong, im- peratively strong. It breaks all bonds, climbs all walls, resists and finally overcomes all forces. It develops from birth, yet it transcends death. It is wise and ever good. *“You can bind and blind a man and curl him with pain. But if you leave him alive— and sane—he will live and grow, become cunning, and one day escape you. “Tab is very nearly the an- swer to the ageless awful . quest of power of man over man, George. For Tab attacks the very spirit of man. Tab- harmony is emasculation and half-life. It makes animals of men. Tame, dull animals with- | out even the ferocity of ani- mals. It makes them blind robots. “We resist Tab, ergo we are traitors of the State that it has made possible. The slave-state. We are Addicts. And you, George Three, are one of us!” “You... you mean my allergy...” “Yes,” said the speaker, ‘your allergy.” “But why?” asked George Three. “Why me? I’m just one man.” He turned to Lilian Four. “‘Why, Lilian?” “That,” said the speaker, smiling, “is the final story. Tell me, George Three, what do you remember of Village?” George Three’s face lit up. “‘That was before they sent me to work in the City. Sometimes I dream about it. There were books. 1 could have all the 143 - COMmicOOkS. COM) —