y descended from their blacked-out busses they were led to the
center of the dome where the Thinker's giant head looked down upon them
with Olympic calm. At eleven-fifteen, exactly as scheduled, the great
Scriven dramatically mounted the steps of the monument's pedestal. Pens
hastily scribbled notes for future reference:

"S. tall and erect" "Unbroken by the blow" "Deep lines of strain and
suffering add dignity to magnificent figure of a man" "Very solemn;
leonine head slightly bowed under the burden of responsibility."

With meticulous exactitude of speech, with rolling echoes accentuating
every syllable Scriven began:

"In this solemn and tragic hour as a great storm has passed over our
land and many of our cities are slowly digging out from the ruin which
has been wreaked, it is my duty to give you the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth. And in order that you might completely
understand the underlying cause of the catastrophe, I have to begin at
the beginning...."

For about thirty minutes Scriven lectured with lucidity upon the basic
idea, the history, the functions of The Brain. He underlined the close
relationship between its engineering features and the physiology of the
human brain. He stressed the elaborate precautions which the government
had taken for The Brain's protection. He did not conceal The Brain's
role as a strategic weapon; but, pointing to the future, he painted an
inspiring picture of peace on earth and human problems solved with the
aid of this tool supreme of science and technology.

Then, lowering his voice, he went into the explanation of the tragedy:

"Six months ago, on my personal initiative and responsibility, I invited
a noted scientist from a foreign land to collaborate with the Braintrust
on a great humanitarian experiment. The exigencies of military secrecy
do not permit me to give you his name nor that of the country from
whence he came. Needless to say, that man was carefully
investigated--submitted to the same character and aptitude tests as all
our employees were. He was admitted to work in one of The Brain's
apperception centers where he installed the objects of his studies:
certain species of ants and termites of the most destructive kind...."

Now that he had come down to the brass tacks, the journalists' pens went
galloping over the pads:

"Criminal negligence," they scribbled. "Millions permitted to escape."
"Probably over period of months." "Wormed their