Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 44 — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

THE LEVER AND thing of my life, and earned a reputation which lived all my days in the memory of my people on Tauron and those of Argol and the other planets of “our system. | But this happened five years after my seizure of the king- ship. During those five years we made changes in the king- dom. Duelling was forbidden by decree, and it was further ordered that the wealth and property of any man killed in a duel would be seized by the state; the professors and staffs of universities teaching his- tory, languages and philo- sophy were given the same salaries and status as those devoted to military sciences. University education was made ffee to all. Regulations restricting travel at home and across space were removed; military affairs were made subject to control by a civilian committee. Curiously enough, James selected the moment for the introduction of each new order so judiciously that there was less opposition than one might have expected; many believed that I was strengthen- ing and building up the king- dom for some ultimate pur- pose of conquest. I myself began to see that James planned to impose a new and 49 THE FULCRUM healthier spirit on the race, where an interest in the arts, and music and research and philosophy would take the place of the present predelic- tion for duelling and intrigue and militarism. Of course, while the spirit of our race was thus being gently and imperceptibly di- verted to a new course, the same was not happening else- where. That cheerful old ruf- fian, the father of my wife, King of Argol, had less peace- ful intentions. Now that he felt himself safe from attack from us he turned his eyes towards the ancient enemy, Irries, the third planet. My father would certainly have attempted its conquest had he lived; now the King of Argol thought he might do so instead. Of course, I assured him of my entire unwillingness to participate in any military adventure, and equally, of course, he gave no ear to my words. He supposed them to be mere camouflage; in any event, he was confident that I should be forced into par- ticipation. Irries knew of these moves, and of the preparations, and prepared likewise. The com- mon people of Argol were made the subject of a propa- ganda campaign to put them comiclooks.conn