The Gift Bearer - Charles L. Fontenay, ebook, Temp
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//-->The Gift BearerFontenay, Charles LouisPublished:1958Type(s):Short Fiction, Science FictionSource:1Also available on Feedbooks for Fontenay:•The Jupiter Weapon(1959)•Rebels of the Red Planet(1961)•Wind(1959)•The Silk and the Song(1956)Copyright:Please read the legal notice included in this e-book and/orcheck 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.2This could well have been Montcalm's greatest opportunity; a chance to bringmankind priceless gifts from worlds beyond. But Montcalm was a solid familyman—and what about that nude statue in the park?It was one of those rare strokes of poetic something-or-other that thewhole business occurred the morning after the stormy meeting of theTraskmore censorship board.Like the good general he was, Richard J. Montcalm had foreseentrouble at this meeting, for it was the boldest invasion yet into the territ-ory of evil and laxity. His forces were marshaled. Several of the town'sministers who had been with him on other issues had balked on this one,but he had three of them present, as well as heads of several women'sclubs.As he had anticipated, the irresponsible liberals were present to dobattle, headed by red-haired Patrick Levitt."This board," said Levitt in his strong, sarcastic voice, "has gone toofar. It was all right to get rid of the actual filth … and everyone will agreethere was some. But when you banned the sale of some magazines andbooks because they had racy covers or because the contents were a littletoo sophisticated to suit the taste of members of this board … well, youcan carry protection of our youth to the point of insulting the intelligenceof adults who have a right to read what they want to.""You're talking about something that's already in the past, Mr. Levitt,"said Montcalm mildly. "Let's keep to the issue at hand. You won't denythat children see this indecent statue every day?""No, I won't deny it!" snapped Levitt. "Why shouldn't they see it? Theycan see the plate of the original in the encyclopaedia. It's a fine copy of awork of art."Montcalm waited for some rebuttal from his supporters, but none wasforthcoming. On this matter, they apparently were unwilling to gofarther than the moral backing of their presence."I do not consider the statue of a naked woman art, even if it is called'Dawn,'" he said bitingly. He looked at his two colleagues and receivedtheir nods of acquiescence. He ruled: "The statue must be removed fromthe park and from public view."Levitt had one parting shot."Would it solve the board's problem if we put a brassiere and pantieson the statue?" he demanded.3"Mr. Levitt's levity is not amusing. The board has ruled," said Mont-calm coldly, arising to signify the end of the meeting.That night Montcalm slept the satisfied sleep of the just.He awoke shortly after dawn to find a strange, utterly beautiful nakedwoman in his bedroom. For a bemused instant Montcalm thought thestatue of Dawn in the park had come to haunt him. His mouth fell openbut he was unable to speak."Take me to your President," said the naked woman musically, with anaccent that could have been Martian.Mrs. Montcalm awoke."What's that? What is it, Richard?" she asked sleepily."Don't look, Millie!" exclaimed Montcalm, clapping a hand over hereyes."Nonsense!" she snapped, pushing his hand aside and sitting up. Shegasped and her eyes went wide, and in an instinctive, unreasonable reac-tion she clutched the covers up around her own nightgowned bosom."Who are you, young woman?" demanded Montcalm indignantly."How did you get in here?""I am a visitor from what you would call an alien planet," she said. "Ofcourse," she added thoughtfully, "it isn't alien to me.""The woman's mad," said Montcalm to his wife. A warning noisesounded in the adjoining bedroom. Alarmed, he instructed: "Go andkeep the children out of here until I can get her to put on some clothes.They mustn't see her like this."Mrs. Montcalm got out of bed, but she gave her husband a searchingglance."Are you sure I can trust you in here with her?" she asked."Millie!" exclaimed Montcalm sternly, shocked. She dropped her eyesand left the room. When the door closed behind her, he turned to thestrange woman and said:"Now, look, young lady, I'll get you one of Millie's dresses. You'll haveto get some clothes on and leave.""Aren't you going to ask me my name?" asked the woman. "Of course,it's unpronounceable to you, but I thought that was the first thing allEarth people asked of visitors from other planets."4"All right," he said in exasperation. "What's your name?"She said an unpronounceable word and added: "You may call me Liz."Montcalm went to the closet and found one of Millie's house dresses.He held it out to her beseechingly.As he did so, he was stricken with a sudden sharp feeling of regretthat she must don it. Her figure … why Millie had never had a figure likethat! At once, he felt ashamed and disloyal and sterner than ever.Liz rejected the proffered garment."I wouldn't think of adopting your alien custom of wearing clothing,"she said sweetly."Now look," said Montcalm, "I don't know whether you're drunk orcrazy, but you're going to have to put something on and get out of herebefore I call the police.""I anticipated doubt," said Liz. "I'm prepared to prove my identity."With the words, the two of them were no longer standing in the Mont-calm bedroom, but in a broad expanse of green fields and woodland, un-marred by any habitation. Montcalm didn't recognize the spot, but itlooked vaguely like it might be somewhere in the northern part of thestate.Montcalm was dismayed to find that he was as naked as hiscompanion!"Oh, my Lord!" he exclaimed, trying to cover himself with a SeptemberMorn pose."Oh, I'm sorry," apologized Liz, and instantly Montcalm's pajamaswere lying at his feet. He got into them hurriedly."How did we get here?" he asked, his astonished curiosity overcominghis disapproval of this immodest woman."By a mode of transportation common to my people in planetary at-mospheres," she answered. "It's one of the things I propose to teach yourpeople."She sat down cross-legged on the grass. Montcalm averted his eyes,like the gentleman he was."You see," said Liz, "the people of your world are on the verge of goingto space and joining the community of worlds. It's only natural the restof us should wish to help you. We have a good many things to give you,5
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