lrh.villainyvictorious-第52部分

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hem　close　together。
Oh；　yes；　they'd　testify　at　any　trial。　Gladly；　gladly；　gladly！　At　a　lecture？　Well；　they　were　not　really　very　presentable　but　they'd　be　only　too　glad　to　say　anything　Madison　wanted。
Smiling　like　a　toother　that　was　all　set　to　snap　up　his　prey；　Madison　returned　to　the　townhouse　in　Joy　City。　He　ignored　dinner。　There　was　no　time　for　that。　He　called　his　whole　staff　together。
He　stood　upon　the　platform　in　the　briefing　room。　He　stood　very　tall。
〃Loyal　and　hard　working　staff；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　a　milestone。　At　times　PR　finds　itself　on　a　pinnacle。　We　are　about　to　influence　the　courses　of　empires。　We　are　about　to　direct　the　very　destiny　of　the　stars。　Now　listen　closely。〃

Chapter　5

Two　days　later；　a　very　select　audience　of　ninety　women　sat　in　the　lecture　hall　on　the　eightieth　floor　of　the　townhouse；　conscious　that　they　were　being　especially　favored　by　an　invitation　to　this　highly　educational　lecture　by　the　famous　Doctor　Crobe。
They　were　also　conscious；　but　this　was　never　mentioned；　that　if　they　didn't　cooperate；　they　would　never　again　get　another　chance　to　〃get　cured〃　at　Relax　Island。　Also…although　this；　too；　was　never　even　hinted　at…if　they　weren't　agreeable；　somebody　might　forget　to　renew　their　free　supply　of　pot。
What　was　discussed　amongst　themselves　and　to　others　quite　freely　was　that；　as　members　of　high　society；　they　had　a　positive　duty　to　use　their　positions…and　their　husbands…to　do　good。　It　didn't　have　a　spoken　name　but　they　were　all　members　of　a　very　exclusive　club　made　up　entirely　of　those　fortunate　enough　to　have　been　〃enlightened〃　at　Relax　Island。
Madison　had　had　a　little　trouble　with　Crobe。　He　had　sneaked　an　extra　dose　of　LSD　into　himself　outside　his　rationing　and　two　roustabouts　had　had　to　stand　him　up　in　alternate　hot　and　cold　showers　to　bring　him　around。
He　stood　now　on　the　lecture　platform；　aware　that　he　would　get　a　small　jolt　through　his　hidden　electric　collar　if　he　goofed　up；　and　steadied　himself　against　the　desk。
〃Ladies；〃　he　said；　repeating　what　the　ear　speaker　told　him　to；　〃you　are　aware　that　as　the　chosen　inner　circle　of　the　enlightened　few；　your。。。　your　social。。。　social　position　has　responsibilities。　The　society　we　live　in　is。。。　is　unfortunately　a　cesspool　of　unrestrained　insanity　and　monstrous　abuses。　Lurking；　hidden；　out　of　sight。。。　out　of　sight　from　mon　and　unenlightened　view；　the　brains　of　men。。。　seethe　with　lusts　and　ferocity　unimagined。　It　frightens　me　to　see　the　dangers　to　which　this　society　is　exposed　and　how　ill　it。。。　it。。。　it　handles　them。　It　requires　stern　measures　louder　it　requires　STERN　MEASURES！〃　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　steadied　himself　with　his　fingers　against　the　desk　top。
〃Lean　forward。　There　is　a　case　so　monstrous；　would　you　know　it；　that　I　do　not　even　describe　it　to　you　lean　back　and　stop。　You　are；　after　all；　gently　nurtured　ladies　and　I　must　not　speak　of　it　lest　I　offend　your　ears　don't　go　on。〃
〃No；　no；〃　cried　Lady　Arthrite　Stuffy　in　the　front　row；　well　aware　of　her　position　as　the　leader　of　this　select　group。　〃Go　on；　go　on！　Do　not　be　afraid　to　offend　our　ears。〃
〃Oh；　yes；　go　on！〃　came　others'　calls。
〃Look　as　though　you　need　coaxing；〃　said　Crobe。
〃We　don't　need　coaxing！〃　cried　a　woman。　〃Tell　us！〃
〃Go　ahead。　Well；　this　case；　ladies；　is　so　shout　it　vile　that　you　will　cringe。　It　is　a　singular　and　notable　case。　It　is　so　notable　that　it　falls　totally　outside　the　Freudian　band　of　psychosexual　pathology！〃
〃No！〃　came　several　cries。
〃The　case；〃　said　Crobe；　〃is　not　anal。　It　is　not　oral。　It　is　not　genital！　It　is　not　even　latent！　Shout　a　monster。〃
The　women　looked　appalled。
Crobe　sat　down　suddenly　in　a　chair。　〃A　woman　has　e　forward　to　describe　this　case　as　an　eyewitness。　Introduce　her。〃
Meeley　came　forward　timidly　to　the　platform。　Then　took　confidence　from　the　expectant　female　faces。　〃What　he　says；〃　said　Meeley；　〃is　true。　I　was　his　landlady。　He　never　had　women　in　his　room。　He　closed　the　door　when　he　went　to　the　bathroom。　He　never　spoke　properly　to　anyone。　When　he　wasn't　sneaking　in　and　out；　he　was　lurking　in　the　dirt　and　filth　of　his　room。　There　is　no　describing　his　obscene　and　awful　thoughts。　He　also　plotted　day　and　night　to　get　me　executed　just　because　I　used　to　smile　at　him　and　wish　him　good　day。　When　he　skipped　out　we　could　find　no　one　to　occupy　his　room。　It　had　such　an　awful　reputation　that　it　is　empty　yet！〃　She　broke　down　sobbing　and　an　usher　led　her　off。
Then　came　Ske。　〃I　was；〃　he　said；　〃his　long…suffering　driver。　The　deprivations　I　experienced　during　that　unhappy　period　of　my　life　have　left　a　brand　upon　me　so　deep　that　my　very　soul　is　seared。　He　used　to　sit　in　the　airbus　trying　to　hide　the　grinding　of　his　teeth。　And　for　my　faithful　service　he　tried　to　get　me　executed。　I　cannot　describe　the　obscenities　that　surrounded　him！〃　He　broke　down　as　coached　and　fled　the　platform。
Old　Bawtch　came　forward。　〃I　was　his　chief　clerk　and　it　ruined　my　life。　The　murders　and　crimes　of　this　man；　strung　end　to　end；　would　reach　half　across　the　universe。
The　insane　things　he　did　culminated　in　orders　to　take　my　life。〃
He　left　the　platform。　Crobe；　somewhat　revived；　stood　up。　〃Now；　ladies；　you　can　plainly　see　that　insanity　rages。　The　diagnosis　of　this　case　is　so　monstrous　that　in　all　the　annals　of　psychiatry　there　has　never　been　one　like　it。　I　have　simply　look　calm　and　professorial　brought　up　the　case　to　show　you　how　the　claws　of　insanity　have　dug　into　the　very　depths　of　our　culture　look　like　that's　the　end。〃
〃Wait！〃　cried　Lady　Arthrite。　〃Who　is　this　case　and　where　is　he？〃
〃Look　toward　the　door。　Is　the　man　who　informed　me　of　this　case　still　here？〃
〃Yes；〃　said　an　usher　promptly。
An　actor　dressed　as　a　warder　of　the　Royal　prison　came　in　reluctantly。　He　was　wearing　a　mask。　〃Doctor　Crobe；〃　he　said；　〃I　told　you　about　this　case　for　the　good　of　the　society。　If　it　got　out　that　I　had　informed　you　of　what　the　government　is　doing；　it　could　cause　me　to　lose　my　job。〃
〃Tell　them　tell　them　they　will　all　regard　your　identity　as　inviolate。〃
The　actor　turned。　〃The　man　is　being　held　in　the　Royal　prison　to　avoid　his　being　brought　to　trial。　He　sits　in　his　cell；　protected。　What　is　feared　is　that　if　he　ever　was　put　before　a　judge；　the　things　he　would　divulge　would　shake　the　government　to　its　very　foundations。　Even　if　they　tried　him；　it　would　be　done　in　secret。　What　we　warders　fear　is　that　he　will　be　released　upon　the　society　through　a　back　door　and　strew　the　streets　with　the　gruesomely　mangled　bodies　of　the　poor　and　innocent。　While　I　know　naught　of　your　psychiatry；　from　just　viewing　him　in　his　cell；　I　would　say　that；　in　a　long　career　of　handling　malefactors；　he　is　easily　the　worst　I　have　ever　seen。　He　defies　all　descriptions！　Yet　THEY　are　hiding　and　defending　him。〃
〃What　is　his　name？〃　said　Lady　Arthrite　Stuffy　in　an　enraged　voice。
〃His　name；〃　said　the　actor；　〃is　Soltan　Gris！〃

Chapter　6

Like　a　maestro　conducting　a　vast　orchestra；　J。　Walter　Madison　went　to　work　on　Soltan　Gris。
The　highest　social　circles　of　Voltar　were　buzzing　about　the　scandal　and；　quite　in　addition　to　demands　from　their　wives；　publishers　and　editors　could　not　turn　anywhere　without　colliding　with　the　outrage。
The　first　headlines　read：

MYSTERIOUS　PRISONER
HIDDEN　BY　AUTHORITIES

And　this　was　quickly　followed　up　with：

WHO　IS　THE
GOVERNMENT　REFUSING
TO　BRING　TO　TRIAL？

And　then：

IDENTITY　REVEALED！
PRISONER　IS
APPARATUS　OFFICER
SOLTAN　GRIS！

Quickly　then；　edition　after　edition　and　day　after　day；　the　documented　catalogue　of　the　crimes　of　Apparatus　Officer　Soltan　Gris　began　to　appear；　each　one　juicier　than　the　last。
They　began　with：

APPARATUS　OFFICER
GRIS　ILLEGALLY
EXPORTED　METALS

Immediately　after　that：

APPARATUS　OFFICER
GRIS　ORDERED　MURDER
OF　OWN　OFFICE　HEAD
AND　CLERKS

And　then：

APPARATUS　OFFICER
ORDERS　MURDER　OF
MOTHER　OF
DEFENSELESS　BOY

And　a　picture　of　the　sobbing　Twolah　and　faked　photos　of　his　mother's　body　and　funeral　began　to　send　ripples　of　rage　through　the　population。
It　was　at　this　time　that　Lord　Turn　received　a　viewer…phone　call　from　no　less　a　social　leader　than　Lady　Arthrite　Stuffy。
〃Lord　Turn；〃　said　Lady　Arthrite；　〃I　do　not　think　you　realize　that　public　opinion　is　growing。　WHEN　are　you　going　to　bring　that　prisoner　to　trial？〃
〃Lady　Arthrite；〃　said　Lord　Turn；　〃would　you　please　keep　your　nose　out　of　the　affairs　of　the　Royal　prison？〃　And　hung　up。
This；　as　it　was　recorded；　gave　the　Daily　Speaker　an　exclusive：

JUDGE　TELLS　PUBLIC
〃HANDS　OFF　GRIS！〃

This；　of　course；　made　all　the　other　papers　livid：　they　had　been　scooped。　They　began　to　bombard　Lord　Turn　with　tricky　calls　of　their　own。　This　made　Lord　Turn　furious。　He　was　so　angry　that　he　refused　to　explain　anything　to　anyone。　The　headlines　grew　worse　and　worse。
Now；　unfortunately　for　Soltan　Gris；　when　he　had　been　blackmailing　the　Provocation　Section　of　the　Apparatus；　the　head　of　that　section　had　been　radio…recording　back　to　his　own　office　down　by　the　River　Wiel　during　the　whole　time　that　he　had　been　shadowing　Gris　to　get　the　goods　on　him。　And　a　recording　of　every　single　one　of　these　crimes　Gris　had　pulled　at　that　time　existed；　with　pictures　and　sound；　in　the　Provocation　Section。　Gris；　unaware　of　this；　thought　he　had　handled　it　with　the　final　murder　of　that　chief。　And　now　Madison　began　to　feed　these　crimes　one　at　a　time　to　the　press。

HYPNOTIST　MURDERED
BY　APPARATUS
OFFICER　GRIS

And　then：

SUPPLY　COLONEL
MURDERED　BY
APPARATUS　OFFICER　GRIS

And　then：

ELECTRONICS　WIZARD
SPURK　FOULLY　SLAIN
BY　APPARATUS　OFFICER
GRIS

BURNS　THIRD　OF
ELECTRONICS　INDUSTRIAL
QUARTER　TO　HIDE
VICIOUS　CRIME

And　the　final　one　of　the　series　was　plete　with　photographs　of　a　body　falling　ten　thousand　feet。

BROTHER　APPARATUS
OFFICER　SLAIN　IN
DASTARDLY　EFFORT
TO　HIDE　DAMNABLE
CRIMES

The　footage　was　even　shown　on　Homeview；　which　was　beginning　to　take　an　interest。
The　question　was　starting　to　buzz　through　the　streets：　If　the　government　had　an　officer　who　had　been　mitting　all　these　crimes；　just　why　was　it　refusing　to　bring　the　villain　to　trial？
But　Madison　was　saving　a　piece　de　resistance。
When　Bawtch　had　been　overheard　chortling　〃he　had　Gris　now〃　and　about　a　forgery；　he　had　NOT　been　talking　about　the　Royal　signature　forgeries　at　all。　At　that　time；　he　didn't　even　know　about　them。
Gris；　in　his　carelessness；　had　left　the　old　cloak