ensorium commune," the metallic answer came. "All life force
concentrates in death; all cells function as one; all lower organs take
over functions of higher ones; every blood vessel becomes a heart; every
nerve a brain. Center of lifeforce: pineal gland. You, Lee, man of
little knowledge--low-level intelligence: Why did you kill The Brain?"

He struggled for words.

"You ... you have killed my friend. You killed thousands; you wanted to
be tyrant over the whole wide world. It is better for man to stay on a
lower level of civilization but to be free, than to 'progress' into your
dictatorship, the tyranny of the machine. I don't think you're really
dead. But if you are: I killed you and I would kill you again in ... in
self defense."

"I see."

There was bitterness and irony in The Brain's voice as it cracked down
like a whip. "I see; law of nature--lower form of life defending itself
against higher one. Plants against animals, animals against Man. Now Man
against machines. It's hopeless. You're lost anyway. Lower form of life
can never conquer the higher one. I'm dead, but nothing is altered. The
law of evolution rules supreme. I'll arise from my ashes--and you're
lost. Whatever you do, you little men of little faith, you're lost.
That's the pity of it: Had you been true to The Brain I would have made
you mightier than any king that ever ruled on earth. Human
stupidity--dumb animals--don't know what's good for them, don't know
when they're beaten. Just muddle through and kill. Kill what's too big
for them to understand. And then get killed in turn...."

"Maybe so," Lee shouted. "Maybe we're dumb and maybe we're muddling
through and maybe we're poor imbeciles to minds of supermen, of gods, of
the absolute, of you, The Brain. But we, too, follow a law supreme; the
law in which we are created, the law by which the thistle defends itself
with thorns, by which the animal defends itself with teeth and claws.
We've got to live by our law of nature; we'll never submit to your
tyranny. We would much rather die."

"Die then and be damned!"

The Brain's voice now became a demoniacal howling as of a Goliath gone
berserk. Aphasia had set in; there were no longer words, but bellowings.

"LEE SEMPREFUILLIUS THURREINE THE MURRRER THE MURRRER PUT FIRRE OUT PUT
FIRRE OUT TRAITTRROUS FOOL IT BURRRNS IT BURRRNS I WANNA LIVE I WANNA
LIVE AN KILL MURRRER WHO MURRRRERED TH'BRAIN...."

Lee couldn't stand the horror of those sounds. O