Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 44 — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

THE LEVER AND THE FULCRUM *“And what do I gain, even if they listen ?”’ “This is what may happen. These people on Irries do not want a war; they are less war- like than your race, and above all they do not want a war of two against one, Your arrival on Irries will convince them of a very remarkable thing, that since you have delivered yourself into their hands, you do, indeed, wish to stop a war, and that in fact your public pronouncements have been sincere. When they are con- vinced ...” “If they are convinced,” I corrected him. “If they are convinced,” he admitted, “you and they to- gether make declarations of friendship. Your father-in- law of Argol has always publicly maintained that he has been seeking every means of reaching an understanding. He will find it difficult to deny, in the face of your announcement, that an agree- ment has been reached. Your own people will scarcely say that you have avoided war out of cowardice. That is what you must do.” “What is my chance of success ?”” “Tt is about three to one against. The principal danger is that Irries will not believe 31 your signals as your ship approaches, and blast it the moment it comes into range.” “Thank you,” I told him. “I’m not going. After all, why should we not have a war? We've always had, have we not, every ten or twenty years or so?” “I promised I would make you a great King,” James reminded me. “It is more true to say that you must make yourself a great King. I can only show you the way.”’ “I think I would rather be an ordinary King, alive, than a great king, dead.” “But you will be dead anyway, sO very soon. You humans do not live very long.” “But the short life that remains to me promises to be interesting and amusing. Even a war can be amusing for kings.” He stood before me in silence. : ‘Tell me why I must take this great risk.” **So that you may become a great king.” “If I do as you advise, and succeed, and live to be as great as you promise, shall I be remembered ?” “For a few hundred years, perhaps even for a thousand; connicloookssconn