nothing, my boy. Some minor trouble I've had lately. It will pass in a moment."
With effort, he went on. "I wanted to say that already you have come to think of science being divided into armed camps by the artificial boundaries of the politicians. Has it been so long ago that it was not even in your lifetime, when scientists regarded themselves as one international brotherhood?"
"I can't quarrel with your ideals," said Curt softly. "But national boundary lines do, actually, divide the scientists of the world into armed camps."
<*"\7"OUIl premises are still inJL correct. They do not deliberately war on each other. It is only that they have blindly sold themselves as mercenaries. And they can be called upon to redeem themselves. They can break their unholy contracts."
'There would have to be simultaneous agreement among the scientists of all nations. And they are men, influenced by national
ideals. They are not merely ivory-tower dabblers and searchers after truth."
"Do you remember me five years ago?" Dell's face became more haggard, as if the memory shamed him. "Do you remember when I told the atomic scientists to examine their guts instead of their consciences ? ' '
'Yes. You certainly have changed."
"And so can other men. There is a way. I need your help desperately, Curt — "
The face of the aging biochemist contorted again with unbearable pain. His forehead beaded with sweat as he clenched his skull between his vein-knotted hands.
"Dell! What is it?"
"It will pass," Dr. Dell breathed through clenched teeth. "I have some medicine — in my bedroom. I'm afraid I'll have to excuse myself tonight. There's so much more I have to say to you, but we'll continue our talk in the morning, Curt. I'm sorry — "
He stumbled out, refusing Curt's offer of aid with a grim headshake. The fire crackled loudly within the otherwise silent room. Curt felt cold at the descending chill of the night, his mind bewildered at Dell's barrage, some of it so reasonable, some of it so utterly confused. And there was no clue to the identity of the powerful force that had made so great a change in the once militant scientist.
Slowly Curt mounted the staircase of the old house and went to the room Dell had assigned them. Louise was in bed reading a murder mystery.
"Secret mission completed?" she asked.
Curt sat down on the edge of the bed. "I'm afraid something terrible is wrong with Dell. Besides the neurotic guilt complex because of his war work, he showed signs of a terrific and apparently habitual pain in his head. If that should be brain tumor, it might explain his erratic notions, his abandonment of his career."
"Oh, I hope it's not that!"
IT SEEMED to Curt that he had slept only minutes before he was roused by sounds in the night. He rolled over and switched on the light. His watch said two o'clock. Louise raised up in sharp alarm.
"What is it?" she whispered.
"I thought I heard something. There it is again!"
"It sounds like someone in pain. It must be Dell!"
Curt leaped from the bed and wrestled into his bathrobe. As he hurried toward Dell's room, there was another deep groan that ended in a shuddering sob of unbearable agony.
He burst into the scientist's room and switched on the light.
Dell looked up, eyes glazed with pain.
"Dr. Dell!"
"Curt — I thought I had time left, but this is as far as I can go — Just remember all I said tonight. Don't forget a word of it." He sat up rigidly, hardly breathing in the effort of control. "The responsibility for the coming destruction of civilization lies at the doors of the scientist mercenaries. Don't allow it, Curt. Get them to abandon the laboratories of the warriors. Get them to reclaim their honor — "
He fell back upon the pillow, his face white with pain and shining with sweat. "Brown — see Brown. He can tell you the — the rest."
"I'll go for a doctor," said
With effort, he went on. "I wanted to say that already you have come to think of science being divided into armed camps by the artificial boundaries of the politicians. Has it been so long ago that it was not even in your lifetime, when scientists regarded themselves as one international brotherhood?"
"I can't quarrel with your ideals," said Curt softly. "But national boundary lines do, actually, divide the scientists of the world into armed camps."
<*"\7"OUIl premises are still inJL correct. They do not deliberately war on each other. It is only that they have blindly sold themselves as mercenaries. And they can be called upon to redeem themselves. They can break their unholy contracts."
'There would have to be simultaneous agreement among the scientists of all nations. And they are men, influenced by national
ideals. They are not merely ivory-tower dabblers and searchers after truth."
"Do you remember me five years ago?" Dell's face became more haggard, as if the memory shamed him. "Do you remember when I told the atomic scientists to examine their guts instead of their consciences ? ' '
'Yes. You certainly have changed."
"And so can other men. There is a way. I need your help desperately, Curt — "
The face of the aging biochemist contorted again with unbearable pain. His forehead beaded with sweat as he clenched his skull between his vein-knotted hands.
"Dell! What is it?"
"It will pass," Dr. Dell breathed through clenched teeth. "I have some medicine — in my bedroom. I'm afraid I'll have to excuse myself tonight. There's so much more I have to say to you, but we'll continue our talk in the morning, Curt. I'm sorry — "
He stumbled out, refusing Curt's offer of aid with a grim headshake. The fire crackled loudly within the otherwise silent room. Curt felt cold at the descending chill of the night, his mind bewildered at Dell's barrage, some of it so reasonable, some of it so utterly confused. And there was no clue to the identity of the powerful force that had made so great a change in the once militant scientist.
Slowly Curt mounted the staircase of the old house and went to the room Dell had assigned them. Louise was in bed reading a murder mystery.
"Secret mission completed?" she asked.
Curt sat down on the edge of the bed. "I'm afraid something terrible is wrong with Dell. Besides the neurotic guilt complex because of his war work, he showed signs of a terrific and apparently habitual pain in his head. If that should be brain tumor, it might explain his erratic notions, his abandonment of his career."
"Oh, I hope it's not that!"
IT SEEMED to Curt that he had slept only minutes before he was roused by sounds in the night. He rolled over and switched on the light. His watch said two o'clock. Louise raised up in sharp alarm.
"What is it?" she whispered.
"I thought I heard something. There it is again!"
"It sounds like someone in pain. It must be Dell!"
Curt leaped from the bed and wrestled into his bathrobe. As he hurried toward Dell's room, there was another deep groan that ended in a shuddering sob of unbearable agony.
He burst into the scientist's room and switched on the light.
Dell looked up, eyes glazed with pain.
"Dr. Dell!"
"Curt — I thought I had time left, but this is as far as I can go — Just remember all I said tonight. Don't forget a word of it." He sat up rigidly, hardly breathing in the effort of control. "The responsibility for the coming destruction of civilization lies at the doors of the scientist mercenaries. Don't allow it, Curt. Get them to abandon the laboratories of the warriors. Get them to reclaim their honor — "
He fell back upon the pillow, his face white with pain and shining with sweat. "Brown — see Brown. He can tell you the — the rest."
"I'll go for a doctor," said
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