lrh.villainyvictorious-第53部分

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ll。　At　that　time；　he　didn't　even　know　about　them。
Gris；　in　his　carelessness；　had　left　the　old　cloak　of　Prahd's　beside　his　office　desk。　He　had　intended　it　to　be　found　beside　the　River　Wiel。　And　in　that　cloak　he　had　wrapped　a　very　bad　forgery；　a　suicide　note。　Unfortunately；　he　had　written　it　on　a　piece　of　paper　which　had　been　under　a　document　when　he　stamped　it　for　Bawtch。　And　dimly　under　the　writing　on　the　Prahd　suicide　note　could　be　seen　the　identoplate　outline　of　Soltan　Gris！
The　recorded　strips　of　the　dead　Provocation　Section　officer　had　shown　Soltan　Gris　calling　on　Prahd　Bittlestiffender。
All　evidence　for　a　murder　charge　was　there。　So　Madison；　through　one　of　his　reporters；　called　the　attention　of　the　Domestic　Police　to　the　crime。
The　Domestic　Police　traced　it　down；　acpanied　by　a　horde　of　reporters；　and　found　that　young　Dr。　Prahd　Bittlestiffender　was　nowhere　to　be　found。　They　then　issued　a　warrant　for　the　arrest　of　Soltan　Gris。
Young　Dr。　Prahd；　the　most　promising　cellologist　to　graduate　for　some　time；　was　extolled　by　his　professors　as　a　real　loss　to　his　profession。　The　act　of　cutting　him　down　in　his　early　youth　could　be　looked　upon　as　a　crime　against　the　whole　population；　who　so　desperately　needed　his　services。　The　act　of　a　madman！
HEADLINES！
Then　the　Domestic　Police　asked　Lord　Turn　for　the　custody　of　Gris　so　they　could　try　him　and　execute　him。　It　was；　of　course；　refused。
HEADLINES！
The　questions　began　to　race　through　the　population。　Why　was　the　government　protecting　this　raving　lunatic　of　an　Apparatus　officer？　Why　would　they　not　let　him　be　brought　to　trial？
Written　by　his　ex…Royal　Academy　of　Arts　reporter；　Madison　began　to　circulate　the　words　and　music　of　a　ballad。　It　was　printed　on　a　single　sheet　and　seemed　to　be　the　creation　of　an　unknown。　Shortly　it　was　being　reprinted　in　the　press　and　sung　on　every　hand。　It　went：

In　the　name　of　the　government　he　murdered　and　kitted。
Many　an　innocent　victim　he　has　chilled。
He　is　an　Apparatus　officer！
Why　does　the　government　love　this　cur？
He　grows　fat　on　his　victim's　blood；
Then　with　glee　stamps　them　in　the　mud。
Coddled　and　protected　for　his　crime；
They　extoll　his　virtues　as　sublime。
We　are　demanding　his　life　should　cease。
WE　WANT　THE　BLOOD　OF　SOLTAN　GRIS！

Mobs　took　to　marching　in　the　streets　singing　it　at　the　tops　of　their　voices。
Actually；　some　time　since；　J。　Walter　Madison　had　fully　expected　Lord　Turn　to　simply　give　in　and　say；　〃All　right。　I'll　try　him。〃　And　in　the　case　of　the　Domestic　Police；　〃Here　he　is。　Try　the　Hells　out　of　him。〃
If　he　could　only　get　Gris　on　the　stand　accusing　Heller；　Madison　knew　he　would　have　it　made。
But　he　had　reached　an　impasse。　The　fury　boiling　in　the　streets　was　not　moving　Lord　Turn　up　there　in　his　high　castle。
Other　measures　were　needed。

Chapter　7

Madison　was　busy　far　into　the　night；　laying　out　his　plans。　There　were　several　things　he　had　to　do。　Amongst　the　first　of　them　was　to　keep　Lombar　Hisst　hopeful。
Accordingly；　one　morning；　Madison　caught　Hisst　at　his　desk　before　the　closed　door　of　the　Emperor's　bedroom。　Hisst　was　going　over　the　details　of　the　invasion　plan　of　Earth。
〃How　soon；〃　he　greeted　Madison；　〃do　you　suppose　we　can　have　the　cooperation　of　the　Army　and　the　Fleet？　If　they　can　supplant　our　Apparatus　forces　now　active　in　the　Calabar　revolt；　we　can　get　on　with　invading　Blito…P3　and　bring　it　to　heel。〃
〃I'm　working　on　that　project　day　and　night；〃　said　Madison。　〃In　fact；　that's　what　I'm　here　to　see　you　about：　that　and　the　far　more　important　question　of　making　you　Emperor。　You　see；　all　these　things　tie　together　neatly。〃
〃How？〃　said　Hisst。
〃It's　simply　a　matter　of　image；〃　said　Madison。　〃With　enough　image；　you　can　do　anything。　Now　what　I　need　to　know　is　what　exact　image　do　you　favor？　How　do　you　want　the　public　to　think　of　you？〃
Lombar　sat　back。　His　yellow　eyes　grew　dreamy。　〃Totally　formidable；〃　he　said　finally。
〃That's　what　I　thought；〃　said　Madison。　〃A　man　of　iron　will。　One　who　will　brook　no　nonsense。　The　public　yearns　for　strong　and　merciless　control。　The　figure　of　a　vengeful　God。〃
〃Exactly；〃　said　Lombar　Hisst。　〃I　have　finally　discovered　why　I　listen　to　you。　You　are　extremely　perceptive　and　are　not　afraid　to　speak　the　truth　to　your　superior。〃
〃I　only　do　my　duty；〃　said　Madison。　〃Now；　I　know　that　you　are　very　busy。　But　it　just　so　happens　that　there　are　some　riots　going　on　at　this　minute　in　Slum　City。　It　is　a　marvelous　opportunity　to　create　image。　The　mob　is　being　contained　by　two　battalions　of　the　Apparatus。　I　have　a　camera　crew　standing　by。　If　your　good　judgment　tells　you　that　you　should　utilize　this　priceless　opportunity　to　create　image；　we　can　go　there　in　your　private　tank　and　you'll　be　on　Homeview　in　a　trice。〃
〃A　mob；〃　said　Lombar；　〃that　needs　quelling？　Where's　my　cap　and　stinger？〃
An　hour　and　a　half　later；　Lombar　stomped　up　the　steps　of　the　prepared　stand　before　the　faces　of　an　assembled　five　thousand　people。　The　Slum　City　square　was　cordoned　off。　For　once　Madison　had　not　had　to　put　out　any　money　for　extras　or　actors　in　such　a　demonstration。　Due　to　the　Gris　publicity；　the　two　Apparatus　Death　Battalions　were　having　more　trouble　keeping　additional　spectators　out　than　containing　the　ones　that　were　in：　they　had　tank　roadblocks　on　every　side　street　that　entered　the　area。
Madison　had　handed　Lombar　his　speech。　It　was　a　good　speech：　the　horror…story　writer；　under　Madison's　close　direction；　had　been　up　all　night　writing　it。
In　his　red　general's　uniform；　Lombar　loomed　above　the　crowd。　The　speakers　boomed　as　he　began　to　read　his　speech。
〃Citizens　of　Voltar！　You　are　misguided。　Law　and　order　must　triumph　every　time　above　mob　rule。　Our　domestic　tranquillity　must　not　be　shattered　by　questions　and　challenge　of　your　government。　I　stand　here；　strong　and　powerful；　formidable　and　determined　to　crush　all　opposition　to　the　sovereign　state。　In　me　you　see　the　image　of　stern　power！　I　will　not　ever　retreat　from　my　stern　duty　to　bring　all　malefactors　to　trial。〃
A　wave　of　satisfaction　swept　through　the　vast　throng。　Madison's　camera　crew；　supplemented　by　three　more　camera　crews　from　Homeview　on　the　manager's　own　initiative；　were　carrying　this　speech　to　all　Voltar　and；　on　delay；　to　every　other　planet。
〃I　will　have　you　know；〃　roared　Lombar；　in　fine　form；　〃that　the　characters　of　Apparatus　officers　should　not　be　impugned　by　the　crimes　of　Soltan　Gris。　Apparatus　officers　are　men　of　sterling　virtue　and　unblemished　honor。　I　am　proud　to　number　myself　amongst　them　and　to　be　their　chief。
〃The　rivers　of　blood　spilled　by　Gris；　the　graveyards　jammed　with　corpses；　are　all　the　work　of　Gris　and　Gris　alone。　This　foul　fiend　must　not　damage　the　brilliant　innocence　of　other　Apparatus　officers　or　mine！
〃My　very　soul　cries　out　to　do　him　justice。　With　these　two　hands　I　could　separate　his　spine；　vertebra　by　vertebra；　and　take　the　utmost　pleasure　in　it。　I　would　love　to　deliver　him　even　into　the　hands　of　this　mob　and　let　him　be　dismembered！〃
Wild　cheering　began　at　the　back　and　swept　forward　in　a　roar。
When　the　hysteria　died；　Hisst　swept　on。　〃Alas；　His　Majesty　lies　ill；　too　ill　to　be　disturbed；　and　in　this　time　of　public　crisis；　I　do　not　wish　for　anything　but　tranquillity。　I　am　therefore　carrying　forward　His　Majesty's　deepest　wish　and　I　am　assuming　the　temporary　powers　of　Dictator　of　Voltar。〃
There　was　a　shock　of　stillness。　The　crowd　stared。　They　had　never　heard　of　such　a　post　or　position。
But　the　speech　gave　no　time　for　discussion。　Lombar　had　never　heard　of　the　position　either。　He　had　not　read　the　speech　beforehand。　But　suddenly；　although　he　could　not　imagine　what　it　might　embrace；　he　accepted　the　post　with　a　surge　of　unbridled　elation。　It　was　the　stepping…stone　he　had　been　seeking。
Filled　with　divine　fervor；　he　read　on；　〃I　pledge　on　my　honor　to　bring　peace　to　Voltar；　tranquillity　to　its　people；　and　I　will　stamp　out　ruthlessly　any　dissidence　or　question　that　will　damage　the　state。　I　am　backed　by　the　sterling　and　honest　officers　of　the　Apparatus　and　I　will　gather　in　the　support　of　every　other　branch　of　service；　or　else！
〃Now；　as　to　the　matter　of　Gris；　due　to　the　obstructionism　of　the　Royal　prison；　other　means　will　have　to　be　used。　The　danger　is　that　this　foul　fiend　will　be　released　upon　the　population　to　work　his　will　again。　Fortunately；　there　is　a　new　tool　that　can　be　used。　It　is　called　psychotherapy。　It　is　that　which　will　be　employed。　And　I　shall　use　my　new　powers　to　see　that　it　is　properly　applied。　So　I　promise　you　that　the　matter　of　Gris　will　be　successfully　concluded　to　the　satisfaction　of　everyone。〃
The　crowd　was　confused。　Then　they　began　to　get　the　idea　that　psychotherapy　must　be　some　kind　of　torture。　They　began　to　cheer。
Lombar　came　to　the　last　paragraph　of　his　speech。　He　waited　for　a　lull　and　then　he　boomed　it　out；　〃O　population　of　the　Confederacy！　I　promise　you　that　I　and　all　the　other　officers　of　the　Apparatus；　honest；　unimpeachable　and　dedicated；　will　bring　peace　and　order　to　the　state　no　matter　WHAT　we　have　to　do。　I　thank　you！〃
Delight　raged。　Lombar　came　down　off　the　platform　feet　taller　than　he　had　climbed　up　it。
The　two　Death　Battalions　stood　there　dumbfounded。　Their　officers　had　to　scream　at　them　to　block　back　the　surging　crowds　so　Lombar　could　get　into　his　tank。　The　din　of　cheering　for　Lombar　was　deafening。　He　stood　in　the　turret　and　waved。　His　tank　took　off。
〃My　Gods；　Madison；〃　he　said；　〃your　genius　is　almost　as　great　as　mine。　But　this　post　of　dictator；　won't　it　have　to　pass　the　Grand　Council？〃
Madison　handed　him　the　G。　C。　order；　all　stamped　and　signed。　Only　two　members　had　been　present　but　the　pages　were　good　pages。　They　had　done　what　Teenie　told　them　to。
〃A　man　named　Napoleon；〃　said　Madison；　〃moved　from　dictator　to　emperor　with　ease。〃
〃GODS！〃　said　Lombar；　quivering。　And　for　minutes　he　just　stared　into　space。
It　was　not　until　they　were　flying　across　the　Great　Desert　that　Lombar　spoke　again。　〃You　know；　this　opens　the　door　to　total　cooperation　by　the　Army　and　the　Fleet。　We　will　be　able　to　handle　both　Calabar　and　Earth　with　ease。　You　seem　to　have　solved　everything。　But　I　do　have　one　question。　What　is　this　thing　called　psychotherapy？　Some　new　long…distance　method　of　execution？〃
〃You　leave　that　to　me；〃　said　Madison。
Lombar　nodded　and　forgot　about　it。

PART　EIGHTY
Chapter　1

Madison　was　handling　the　〃psychotherapy。〃
He　was　in　the　observa