The Blue Tower - Evelyn E. Smith, ebook, Temp
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
The Blue Tower
Smith, Evelyn E.
Published:
1958
Type(s):
Short Fiction, Science Fiction
Source:
1
Copyright:
Please read the legal notice included in this e-book and/or
check the copyright status in your country.
Note:
This book is brought to you by Feedbooks.
Strictly for personal use, do not use this file for commercial purposes.
2
Ludovick Eversole sat in the golden sunshine outside his house, writing
a poem as he watched the street flow gently past him. There were very
few people on it, for he lived in a slow part of town, and those who went
in for travel generally preferred streets where the pace was quicker.
Moreover, on a sultry spring afternoon like this one, there would be
few people wandering abroad. Most would be lying on sun-kissed white
beaches or in sun-drenched parks, or, for those who did not fancy being
either kissed or drenched by the sun, basking in the comfort of their own
air-conditioned villas.
Some would, like Ludovick, be writing poems; others composing sym-
phonies; still others painting pictures. Those who were without creative
talent or the inclination to indulge it would be relaxing their well-kept
golden bodies in whatever surroundings they had chosen to spend this
particular one of the perfect days that stretched in an unbroken line be-
fore
every
member
of
the
human
race
from
the
cradle
to
the
crematorium.
Only the Belphins were much in evidence. Only the Belphins had du-
ties to perform. Only the Belphins worked.
Ludovick stretched his own well-kept golden body and rejoiced in the
knowing that he was a man and not a Belphin. Immediately afterward,
he was sorry for the heartless thought. Didn't the Belphins work only to
serve humanity? How ungrateful, then, it was to gloat over them!
Besides, he comforted himself, probably, if the truth were known, the
Belphins
liked
to work. He hailed a passing Belphin for assurance on this
point.
Courteous, like all members of his species, the creature leaped from
the street and listened attentively to the young man's question. "We Bel-
phins have but one like and one dislike," he replied. "We like what is
right and we dislike what is wrong."
"But how can you tell what is right and what is wrong?" Ludovick
persisted.
"We
know
," the Belphin said, gazing reverently across the city to the
blue spire of the tower where The Belphin of Belphins dwelt, in constant
communication with every member of his race at all times, or so they
said. "That is why we were placed in charge of humanity. Someday you,
too, may advance to the point where you
know
, and we shall return
whence we came."
3
"But
who
placed you in charge," Ludovick asked, "and whence
did
you
come?" Fearing he might seem motivated by vulgar curiosity, he ex-
plained, "I am doing research for an epic poem."
A lifetime spent under their gentle guardianship had made Ludovick
able to interpret the expression that flitted across this Belphin's frontis-
piece as a sad, sweet smile.
"We come from beyond the stars," he said. Ludovick already knew
that; he had hoped for something a little more specific. "We were placed
in power by those who had the right. And the power through which we
rule is the power of love! Be happy!"
And with that conventional farewell (which also served as a greeting),
he stepped onto the sidewalk and was borne off. Ludovick looked after
him pensively for a moment, then shrugged. Why
should
the Belphins
surrender their secrets to gratify the idle curiosity of a poet?
Ludovick packed his portable scriptwriter in its case and went to call
on the girl next door, whom he loved with a deep and intermittently re-
quited passion.
As he passed between the tall columns leading into the Flockhart
courtyard, he noted with regret that there were quite a number of
Corisande's relatives present, lying about sunning themselves and sip-
ping beverages which probably touched the legal limit of intoxicatability.
Much as he hated to think harshly of anyone, he did not like Coris-
ande Flockhart's relatives. He had never known anybody who had as
many relatives as she did, and sometimes he suspected they were not all
related to her. Then he would dismiss the thought as unworthy of him or
any right-thinking human being. He loved Corisande for herself alone
and not for her family. Whether they were actually her family or not was
none of his business.
"Be happy!" he greeted the assemblage cordially, sitting down beside
Corisande on the tessellated pavement.
"Bah!" said old Osmond Flockhart, Corisande's grandfather. Ludovick
was sure that, underneath his crustiness, the gnarled patriarch hid a
heart of gold. Although he had been mining assiduously, the young man
had not yet been able to strike that vein; however, he did not give up
hope, for not giving up hope was one of the principles that his wise old
Belphin teacher had inculcated in him. Other principles were to lead the
good life and keep healthy.
4
"Now, Grandfather," Corisande said, "no matter what your politics,
that does not excuse impoliteness."
Ludovick wished she would not allude so blatantly to politics, because
he had a lurking notion that Corisande's "family" was, in fact, a band of
conspirators … such as still dotted the green and pleasant planet and
proved by their existence that Man was not advancing anywhere within
measurable
distance
of
that
totality
of
knowledge
implied
by
the
Belphin.
You could tell malcontents, even if they did not voice their dissatisfac-
tions, by their faces. The vast majority of the human race, living good
and happy lives, had smooth and pleasant faces. Malcontents' faces were
lined and sometimes, in extreme cases, furrowed. Everyone could easily
tell who they were by looking at them, and most people avoided them.
It was not that griping was illegal, for the Belphins permitted free
speech and reasonable conspiracy; it was that such behavior was con-
sidered ungenteel. Ludovick would never have dreamed of associating
with this set of neighbors, once he had discovered their tendencies, had
he not lost his heart to the purple-eyed Corisande at their first meeting.
"Politeness, bah!" old Osmond said. "To see a healthy young man
simply—simply accepting the status quo!"
"If the status quo is a good status quo," Ludovick said uneasily, for he
did not like to discuss such subjects, "why should I not accept it? We
have everything we could possibly want. What do we lack?"
"Our freedom," Osmond retorted.
"But we
are
free," Ludovick said, perplexed. "We can say what we like,
do what we like, so long as it is consonant with the public good."
"Ah, but who determines what is consonant with the public good?"
Ludovick could no longer temporize with truth, even for Corisande's
sake. "Look here, old man, I have read books. I know about the old days
before the Belphins came from the stars. Men were destroying them-
selves quickly through wars, or slowly through want. There is none of
that any more."
"All lies and exaggeration," old Osmond said. "
My
grandfather told me
that, when the Belphins took over Earth, they rewrote all the textbooks to
suit their own purposes. Now nothing but Belphin propaganda is taught
in the schools."
5
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]