vance only what one can unconsciously bring about.
If one can bring about only minor happenings, one can never predict
great ones.

This is my answer to your question. I would like very much to know what
the elder Schweeringen predicted that The Leader would accomplish!

My she-dog has died. We had a new attendant in the laboratory. He fed
her to excess. She died of it. (Et cetera.)

* * * * *

Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Thurn.

My dear Karl:

I have resolved to dismiss psionic ability from my investigation into
The Leader's rise to power. This much I will concede: The Leader could
enslave--englamour--enchant anyone who met him personally. He did. To a
lesser degree, this irresistible persuasiveness is a characteristic of
many successful swindlers. But he could not have englamoured the whole
nation. He did not meet enough persons personally to make his regime
possible, unless he could cause other persons to apply their own
magnetism to further his ambitions, and they others and others and so
on--like an endless series of magnets magnetized originally from one.
This is not possible. I restrict myself to normal, plausible
hypotheses--of which so far I have no faintest trace.

You agree with me, do you not--that it was impossible for The Leader to
weave a web of enchantment over the whole nation by his own psi energies
controlling the psi energies of others? I would welcome your assurance
that it could not be.

* * * * *

Letter from Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn.

My dear Karl:

Did you receive my last letter? I am anxious to have your assurance that
it was impossible that The Leader could englamour the whole nation by
his psionic gifts.

* * * * *

Telegram, Dr. Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn.

Karl, as you are my friend, answer me!

* * * * *

Letter, Dr. Karl Thurn to Professor Albrecht Aigen.

... But what have you discovered, my friend, that you are afraid to
face?

* * * * *

Letter. Professor Albrecht Aigen to Dr. Karl Thurn.

My dear Karl:

I appeal to you because I have discovered how nearly our nation and the
whole world escaped horrors beside which those of The Leader's actual
regime would seem trivial. Give me reasons, arguments, proofs beyond
question, which I can put into my report on his career!