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

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

THE LEVER AND the truth of the matter. Itisa disgraceful and scandalous business, and I have already talked to one of the parties concerned to that effect. Such things were unknown in my youth. We took far too much care not to be found out.” “T assure you, sir,” I told him, “‘how the story got out is a complete mystery to me.” “The point is,” the King continued, “that it has em- erged. What is to be done? The only solution that occurs to me is that you two brothers argue it out privately with swords...” He looked blandly and en- quiringly at Tomos while he spoke. Tomos was definitely fail- ing to keep abreast of events. He believed, judging by the expression on his face, that this intervention by the King was to his advantage, whereas by the way the wily old man directed the conversation, it was clear to me that he in- tended at the very least to ‘ give me a chance to accom- plish my plan. Tomos ex- plained how he and his Coun- cil had been on the point of sending me home. “Now I’m not sure that’s the best course,”’ the King of Argol objected. ‘““People might laugh at you even louder. But 43 THE FULCRUM the chief difficulty about your plan is that your brother Niklas thinks you mean to kill him, and, therefore, very naturally proposes to kill you instead. Of course, he’s wrong. I’m certain you wouldn’t dream of murdering him, but apparently Niklas is convinced you could, and seems dead set to act on his conviction.” Tomos, for the first time since the King’s arrival, began to look uneasy, but he was not given a chance to speak. “What’s -your solution to the problem ?” the King asked, turning to me. “That my brother abdicate, and that I take his place, and marry your daughter.” He swallowed this mon- strous proposal without effort, and appeared to turn it over in his mind, quite as a matter of course. *““We-e-ell,”” he said, judi- cially, “why not? It rectifies the scandal. You are very popular with my people, and the marriage would be wel- comed. In fact, gentlemen,” turning to the Council, “I would welcome such a change. Of course I would not dream of interfering further in what is, after all, a matter that concerns your planet, but I can give you this assurance: in order to handle any diffi- COMICOOKS:COM) ~