Then they wrapped about my waist and chest a strong net of metal mesh,
and I knew that now something strenuous was going to occur, for I could
not move a muscle because of the complete wrapping of metal mesh.

Now a metal disk was set to swinging in front of my nose so that I could
not see what they were doing to my companion. I watched the metal disk,
and saw behind it the tall swaying figure of the Queen enter and
approach. She stopped a few feet from my chair, and her eyes were intent
upon me. Then a light flashed blindingly in the reflecting disk, it went
back and forth faster and faster, and I felt a strong vibration of
energy pass in a beam through my head, throbbing, throbbing ... darkness
engulfed me. It was a darkness that was a black whirlwind of emotion.
The sense of the desertion by humankind, by God and mercy and
rationality swept through me and overwhelmed my inner self. I will never
forget the utter agony of shrieking pain and loss that formed a whirling
ocean of darkness into which I dived....

In this maelstrom of seeming destruction I lost all grip, had no will,
was at sea mentally. Into this shrieking hurricane of madness a calm
voice intruded. I recognized a familiar note--it was the ruler herself,
her voice no longer bored, but with a cruel curiosity that I knew meant
to be satisfied if it killed me.

"Tell me what your people intend to do about the flying saucers they
speak of in their newspapers?"

"They do not believe they exist; they are told they are delusions," I
heard myself answering. I was surprised to hear my voice, for it came
with no conscious volition on my part.

"That is for the public; that is a lie. But what do the powers behind
the scenes intend to do about them?"

"They are searching for them, to learn all they can about them. They do
not understand where they come from, but they have some information.
They suspect they are from space, and are afraid of them."

"And they sent you here to learn what you could. They brought you the
golden statuette to help you gain an entry, did they not?"

I tried to resist the impulse to tell the truth, for I could realize
that if she thought I had the power of my government behind me, my fate
might be different than if I did not. I tried to say "yes, they sent
me," but I could not! I answered like an automaton:

"No, my government has no knowledge of my expedition. I came purely to
get gold and for no other reason. Mining is my busine