lrh.villainyvictorious-第43部分

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Suddenly；　Madison　recognized　him。　Too　long　a　nose；　too　long　in　limb；　weirdly　misshapen。　This　was　the　same　man　Smith　had　sent　to　his　office　and　that　he　had　sent　to　Bellevue　Mental　Hospital　in　New　York！　His　luck　was　in！
〃Get　up；〃　said　Snelz。　〃You're　being　handed　over　to　this　man。〃
〃I　will　not　go；〃　said　Crobe。　〃I　am　busy。〃
Madison；　looking　at　Crobe's　eyes；　had　a　strong　suspicion。
A　twisted　sort　of　assistant　was　timidly　peeking　in。　Madison　said　to　him；　〃What's　the　doctor　so　busy　on？〃
The　assistant　shook　his　head。　〃There　are　no　more　freaks　being　made：　the　chief　is　interested　in　other　things。　He　must　be　talking　about　his　bottles　and　pans。　He　has　been　working　for　a　week　on　them　and　just　yesterday；　he　flopped　down　on　that　table　and　this　is　the　first　time　he's　moved。〃
〃Show　me；〃　said　Madison；　with　a　sudden　flare　of　hope。
The　assistant　led　him　deeper　into　the　maze　of　rooms　and　stopped；　pointing　at　a　laboratory　bench。
Madison　smiled　a　smile　of　exultation。　It　was　more　than　he　had　ever　hoped　for。　There　was　a　pile　of　moldy　seeds。　There　was　a　pan　to　collect　the　fungus。　There　were　the　tubes　and　vials。　Doctor　Crobe　had　been　making　lysergic　acid　and　from　it；　lysergic　acid　diethylamide；　LSD！
Yes；　there　was　a　gallon　jar　full　of　crystals　and　next　to　it；　three　gallon　jars　full　of　liquid！
He　had　suspected　it　the　moment　he　had　taken　a　close　look　at　Crobe's　eyes。　Many　a　psychiatrist　and　psychologist　augmented　his　ine　by　making　LSD　in　his　kitchen　and　spreading　it　around。　And　Crobe　had　been　so　industrious　he　had　enough　there　to　knock　out　a　billion　people：　it　only　took　one　one…hundred…thousandth　of　a　microgram　to　produce　a　full…blown　trip。
〃Pack　up　all　this　stuff；〃　Madison　ordered　the　assistant。　He　went　back　to　Crobe　and　looked　at　him。　The　man　had　evidently　finished　his　task　and　had　celebrated　by　sampling　his　wares！
〃Don't　worry；〃　said　Madison　to　Crobe。　〃We're　taking　your　cookout　along　and　all　your　LSD〃
〃You　know　it？〃　said　Crobe；　suddenly　interested。
〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Madison。　〃LSD　is　wonderful　stuff。　Don't　know　what　I　would　do　without　it。〃　Which　was　a　plete　lie：　he　had　never　touched　it　in　his　whole　life　and　wasn't　ever　going　to；　nor　any　of　his　crew　either。　Talk　about　poisoning　wells！　That　was　nothing　pared　to　what　Crobe　could　do。　With　that　much　LSD　poured　into　waterworks；　he　could　disable　the　whole　planet。
The　assistant　came　out　of　the　back；　wheeling　the　LSD　and　paraphernalia　on　a　cart。
〃What　the　Hells　is　this？〃　said　Snelz。　〃Are　you　carting　away　the　whole　castle？〃
Madison　flashed　his　blanket　order　in　front　of　Snelz。　Then　he　had　the　assistant　push　the　cart　out　the　door　and　into　the　hall。
Crobe　rose　right　up　and　followed　the　cart。
Snelz　stared。　He　had　thought　it　would　take　two　soldiers　to　force　Crobe　to　leave。　He　made　an　experiment。　He　pushed　the　cart　along　himself。　Crobe　ambled　right　on　after　it。　〃Magnets；〃　said　Snelz。　〃It　must　be　magnets。〃
Back　once　more　in　the　landing　area；　Madison　shuddered　at　the　idea　of　letting　the　filthy　Crobe　ride　in　the　Model　99：　he　could　hardly　bear　to　be　near　him；　such　was　the　stench。　Using　his　order；　he　mandeered　an　air…coach　and　loaded　Crobe　in。
〃I　better　send　a　couple　soldiers；〃　said　Snelz；　〃just　to　make　sure　he　gets　to　where　you　want　him…and　of　course　to　make　sure　we　get　the　transport　back。〃
Madison　shrugged。　They　loaded　the　printouts；　the　LSD；　the　cooking　paraphernalia　and　Crobe　into　the　shabby　air…coach。
Snelz　told　off　a　corporal　and　a　soldier　and　they　got　in。
〃Well；　I　certainly　do　thank　you；〃　Madison　said　to　Snelz。
〃Say　nothing　of　it；〃　said　Snelz。　〃Any　friend　of　Heller's　is　a　friend　of　mine。〃
Madison；　as　they　took　off；　wondered　if　he　had　detected　sarcasm　in　that　voice。　Well；　it　was　of　no　importance。　Riding　across　the　desert；　the　air…coach　close　beside；　Madison　was　experiencing　his　own　kind　of　glow。
He　not　only　had　his　data；　he　also　had　a　real　Bellevue…trained　psychiatrist。　And　there　was　a　terrific　bonus：　he　had　gallons　of　LSD！
He　couldn't　possibly　lose！
He　could　follow　the　American　Psychiatric　Affiliates　caper　right　here　on　Voltar。　He　didn't　even　have　to　dream　anything　up！　It　had　all　been　done　and　proven　utterly　before。　Earth　ran　on　it；　right　this　minute。　Pure　perfection！
The　stepping　stones　were　leading　him　right　up　to　Heller！　Oh；　it　would　be　no　swift　thing。　But　it　was　sure　and　it　was　certain　that　he　would　succeed。
A　feeling　of　power　surged　through　him。

Chapter　7

The　ensuing　days　were　a　blur　of　activity　for　Madison。　One　part　of　his　project　overlapped　with　others　and　he　was　everywhere　at　once。
His　very　first　action　was　to　turn　all　six　roustabouts　loose　on　Crobe　and　bathe　him　and　soak　him　and　bathe　him　again　and　again　until　he　smelled　less　bad。　It　was　a　terrible　job。
Madison　then　got　him　tailored　and　provided　with　a　wardrobe　of　respectable　professional　clothes；　after　which　the　director；　with　many　curses　and　much　sweat；　began　to　get　him　into　shape。
The　four　reporters　that　Madison　had　put　on　were　clipping　social　notices　and　making　a　huge　social　calendar　that　covered　a　major　wall。
He　checked　the　wardrobe　of　the　five　circus　girls；　augmented　it　and　turned　them　over　to　the　director。
He　delighted　Chalber　at　Zippety…Zip　by　purchasing　some　air　limousines。
He　went　and　saw　Teenie　and；　into　her　wide…eyed　stare；　gave　her　certain　instructions　and　she；　assured　that　it　would　wind　up　eventually　with　a　captured　Gris；　fell　to　with　a　will。
Madison　discovered　the　Apparatus　Provocation　Section　and　pried　them　loose　from　many　false　but　seemingly　valid　identoplates。
He　got　the　electronics　man　busy　on　the　upper　floors。
He　even　managed　to　get　in；　to　keep　him　happy；　another　clip　on　Homeview　of　Lombar。　With　his　own　crew　this　time；　using　the　occasion　of　a　national　holiday；　Confederation　Day　of　Delight；　he　had　Lombar　dedicating　a　new　cemetery　for　the　dead　of　the　Calabar　Revolt。　It　fitted　the　day；　Madison　explained　to　the　dumbfounded　manager　of　Homeview；　because　of　the　close…ups　of　delighted　smiles　of　Lombar　viewing　the　as　yet　unused　grave　markers　in　a　truck。　Lombar；　however；　thought　it　was　great　when　Madison　explained　to　him　that　he　was　building　Lombar　an　image　of　〃Don't　trifle　with　Hisst；　the　most　ruthless　and　relentless　man　in　the　Confederacy。〃
At　the　end　of　ten　days；　Madison；　everything　else　going　well；　wanting　to　see　Teenie；　had　to　fly　from　Joy　City　to　Relax　Island。　Flick　had　left　Cun　pointedly　behind。　They　had　a　pass　stamped　by　Teenie。
This　time；　being　more　experienced；　they　took　no　chances　of　flying　over　the　top　of　the　mountain　and；　ing　in　low；　almost　collided　with　the　side　of　a　five…thousand…foot　cliff；　coal　black；　that　gave　Madison　quite　a　shock。　But；　rising　up　over　it；　they　were　rewarded　by　the　stupendous　scenery　of　the　valleys　and　hills。
They　landed　in　front　of　a　much…changed　palace。　Evidently　Too…Too's　new　kiss　had　worked　like　magic　on　Lord　Endow。　The　whole　vast　front　was　stripped　of　moss　and　glowing　in　new　gilt；　the　paths　were　trimmed　and　neat；　the　shrubbery　pruned；　not　a　single　errant　twig　obstructed　the　terrace；　and　even　the　paving　stones；　firmly　gripped　in　new　cement；　had　ceased　to　teeter。　Staff；　and　possibly　some　construction　panies；　had　worked　miracles。
Two　stiffly　standing　guards；　shimmering　in　silver　uniforms；　stood　on　either　side　of　the　door。　A　properly　robed　seneschal　came　out　and　bowed　Madison　in。
〃Her　Majesty　is　in　the　third　music　salon；〃　he　said。　〃Follow　me；　please。〃
Expecting　to　see　Teenie　being　played　to　with　soft　airs　suggested　by　the　climate　and　beauty　of　the　place；　Madison　was　a　little　startled　to　find　her　stripped　to　the　waist；　wearing　a　pair　of　blue　pants　with　red　side…stripes　and　nothing　else。　She　held　a　stinger　in　her　hand。
〃Madison；〃　she　said　without　preamble；　〃you　just　got　no　idea　how　dumb　these　（bleepards）　are！〃
Madison　had　no　idea　who　she　was　talking　about。　They　were　the　only　ones　in　the　room。　There　were　mirrors　on　all　the　walls　which　cross…multiplied　their　images；　and　although　there　seemed　to　be　several　hundred　Madisons　and　Teenies；　that　did　not　make　them　any　less　the　only　occupants　of　this　large　and　ornate　salon。
〃Watch　this；〃　said　Teenie。　She　barked　out；　〃Hike！〃
A　woman；　dressed　in　noble　clothes；　entered　by　a　far　door。　With　leisurely　and　cultured　steps；　idly　gazing　about　her；　she　wandered　toward　a　pedestal　which　must　be　a　performer's　platform。　Madison　recognized　one　of　Teenie's　Palace　City　maids。
〃Let　him　go！〃　cried　Teenie。
Instantly；　from　another　door；　a　man　in　officer's　uniform　raced　into　the　room。　He　spotted　the　woman。　He　made　a　beeline　for　her。
He　tore　the　robe　off　her。　He　knocked　her　down。　He　hauled　her　over　to　the　performer's　platform。　Keeping　one　foot　on　her　so　she　couldn't　escape；　he　half　tore　off　his　own　clothes。　He　leaped　on　her　and　was　just　about　to　spread　her　legs　when　Teenie　moved　forward　with　a　yell。
〃No；　no；　NO！〃　cried　Teenie　and　stabbed　him　in　the　butt　with　her　stinger。
That　didn't　stop　him。　Not　for　a　second。　Teenie　grabbed　hold　of　the　hair　of　his　head　and　sought　to　pull　him　upward。
Two　sergeants　had　rushed　in　and　they　backed　up　Teenie。　They　got　the　man　out　of　and　off　the　maid　and　held　him　there。
〃Madison；　that's　the　third　God　（bleeped）　time　he　got　it　wrong！　In　a　row！〃
〃Teenie；　maybe　he　doesn't　understand　what　he's　supposed　to　do。〃
〃Oh；　he　understands　all　right；〃　she　snarled；　jabbing　him　in　the　belly　with　the　stinger。　〃He　is　supposed　to　walk　up　to　her　and　bow；　then　kneel　and　kiss　her　hand　and　request　her　pany　for　a　stroll　in　the　park；　AFTER　which　he　is　supposed　to　make　an　improper　proposal。　But　they　know　（bleeped）　well　that　after　the　proposal　they　just　get　sent　back　to　barracks；　so　they　use　these　lessons　as　a　chance　to　get　by　me　and　tear　off　a　piece　before　I　can　stop　them。〃
〃Well；　Teenie；〃　said　Madison；　looking　at　the　wilted　officer；　〃I　wouldn't　dare　to　advise　you；　but　has　it　occurred　to　you　that　if　you　let　him　actually　take　a　girl　to　a　bedroom　and　do　it；　IF　he　did　all　the　rest　right；　they　might　revert　to　protocol？　It's　called　'reward'　in　animal　psychology。　I　know；　I　studied　it　in　college。〃
〃You　got　it　all　wrong；〃　said　Teenie。　〃That's　the　trouble　with　them。　They're　acting　like　a　bunch　of　beasts！　Five　hundred　God　（bleeped）　noblemen；　my　（bleep）。　They're　just　five　hundred　God　（bleeped）　animals！〃
〃I　think　even　their　fathers　and　grandfathers　were　led　to　the　queen　with　an　electric　collar　on　them；〃　said　Madison。　〃I　think　maybe　their　protocol　requires　them