w in him, an enormous pity for the millions of
mankind. They did not know themselves, they fought themselves like
wild beasts, tied up in knots, locked in nightmare. Man could be so
much if he had the chance.

He glanced at Bancroft. "I know you," he said, "but I'm afraid the
lady has the advantage of me."

"My secretary and general assistant, Miss Casimir." The politician's
voice was sonorous, a beautifully controlled instrument. He leaned
across the desk. The recorder by his elbow whirred in the flat
soundproofed stillness.

"Mr. Dalgetty," he said, "I want you to understand that we aren't
fiends. There are things too important for ordinary rules though. Wars
have been fought over them in the past and may well be fought again.
It will be easier for all concerned if you cooperate with us now. No
one need ever know that you have done so."

"Suppose I answer your questions," said Dalgetty. "How do you know
I'll be telling the truth?"

"Neoscopolamine, of course. I don't think you've been immunized. It
confuses the mind too much for us to interrogate you about these
complex matters under its influence but we will surely find out if you
have been answering our present questions correctly."

"And what then? Do you just let me go?"

Bancroft shrugged. "Why shouldn't we? We may have to keep you here for
awhile but soon you will have ceased to matter and can safely be
released."

Dalgetty considered. Not even he could do much against truth drugs.
And there were still more radical procedures, prefrontal lobotomy for
instance. He shivered. The leatherite straps felt damp against his
thin clothing.

He looked at Bancroft. "What do you really want?" he asked. "Why are
you working for Bertrand Meade?"

Bancroft's heavy mouth lifted in a smile. "I thought you were supposed
to answer the questions," he said.

"Whether I do or not depends on whose questions they are," said
Dalgetty. _Stall for time! Put it off, the moment of terror, put it
off!_ "Frankly, what I know of Meade doesn't make me friendly. But I
could be wrong."

"Mr. Meade is a distinguished executive."

"Uh-huh. He's also the power behind a hell of a lot of political
figures, including you. He's the real boss of the Actionist movement."

"What do you know of that?" asked the woman sharply.

"It's a complicated story," said Dalgetty, "but essentially Actionism
is a--a _Weltanschauung_. We're still recovering from the World Wars
and their aftermath. Pe