tances--no. I appear in my act to hypnotize people against their
wills. Actually, subconsciously, they _wish_ to be hypnotized, which is
why they volunteer to let me try in the first place."

"Okay, number two. Is there any drug that can hypnotize a person?"

Marco frowned. "Pentothal and several things _appear_ to do that. You
could argue it either way, whether the subject is actually hypnotized or
not. I believe post-hypnotic commands have been given to subjects under
sodium pentothol and carried out, even back in the dark ages of
psychiatry several hundred years ago."

"I've got one more really important question," Pell said then. "I'd
understood that somebody under hypnosis won't do anything against his
moral or ethical sense. An honest man, for instance, can't be forced to
steal. Is that true?"

Marco laughed and gestured with his graceful fingers. "I don't think it
is true. It was once believed to be, because hypnotic technique was not
strong enough. That is, the subject's hypnosis was not strong enough to
overcome a strong moral sense, which is actually a surface veneer on a
deeper, more brutal nature. But I think with deep enough hypnosis, and
the right kind of command, you can get a person to do most anything in
post-hypnotic behavior--and of course not know why he _must_ do it, even
knowing it's wrong. Do you follow me?"

"I hope I do." Then Pell leaned forward. "And now I have a very great
favor to ask of you."

"Yes?"

"I want you to put on a little special private performance for me, right
here and now."

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"You will, in about sixty seconds. Just listen carefully...."

Chapter V

He was late for his date with Ciel, of course. He glanced at his chrono
as he entered the Stardust Cafe by the front door and saw that he was
twenty minutes late. However, this time he was certain Ciel wouldn't
complain too vigorously.

Again the askarins were playing, and once more the green-skinned
Venusian girls were doing their writhing, spasmodic, aphrodisiacal
dance. It was remarkable how they could achieve such an effect of utter
abandon and yet keep their faces blank and frozen. He looked around the
rest of the room swiftly. Not so crowded tonight, and people were
generally quieter. There were no oversexed spacemen clawing after the
dancers on the floor.

Ciel was again in a rear booth, in the same corner of the room she had
chosen before. She had spotted him now; she