lrh.villainyvictorious-第8部分

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〃That's　Spiteos。　The　camp　is　called　Camp　Endurance　on　the　maps　but　the　real　name　is　Camp　Kill。　If　the　Apparatus　gets　unhappy　with　you；　they　send　you　there　to　be　thrown　into　that　chasm。　It's　a　mile　deep。　You're　in　the　Apparatus　now。　By　the　way；　what　was　your　crime？〃
〃I　haven't　mitted　any　crimes！〃　said　Madison。
〃Oh；　space　gas！〃　said　Flick。　〃If　I'm　going　to　have　to　drive　for　you；　we　might　as　well　open　our　coats。　I　was　one　of　the　best　thieves　on　Calabar　until　I　got　caught　and　sentenced　to　death　and　the　Apparatus　grabbed　me。　And　here　I　been　ever　since。　You　must　have　done　something。〃
Madison　thought　fast。　He　did　not　want　a　bad　image　with　his　driver。　〃I　failed　to　finish　a　job；〃　he　said。　And　then　he　knew　for　sure　that　this　strange　planet　was　rattling　him：　he　had　told　somebody　the　truth。　He　better　watch　it！
The　driver　laughed。　〃Well；　if　you　don't　cut　their　throats　when　you　get　a　chance；　they'll　catch　up　with　you　sooner　or　later。　I　think　you　and　me　will　get　along　just　great。〃
Heavens；　the　fellow　had　catalogued　him　as　a　murderer！　Hastily　he　changed　the　subject。　〃What　are　those　mountains　over　there　to　our　right？　I　can't　even　see　their　tops。〃
〃Them's　the　Blike　Mountains。　Fifty　thousand　feet。　We　can't　fly　over　them。　Not　in　this　junk　heap。　Where　we're　headed　is　right　down　there。〃
The　driver　was　pointing。
NOTHING！
No；　it　was　a　sort　of　greenish　mist。
They　were　diving　so　fast　toward　that　mist　he　knew　they　would　crash！　Oh；　to　e　this　far　and　not　even　have　an　obituary：
Madison　dead。。。
Then　suddenly　he　was　nauseated。　It　was　a　strange　feeling。　So　this　was　how　it　was　to　die。　Maybe　the　shock　of　the　crash　was　so　awful　he　had　started　for　heaven　at　once。
No；　he　was　going　through　a　gate！
Round　buildings　were　glittering　on　every　hand；　bathed　in　a　greenish　light。　What　strange　structures！　They　had　round　staircases；　jewels　everywhere。　Huge；　expansive　grounds　with　enormous；　lifelike　statues　painted　in　natural　colors。　The　giants　were　surrounded　by　round　pools　and　flower　beds。　A　glittering　sign　pointed　across　a　grassy　circle。　It　said　Royal　Chambers。
SUDDENLY　HE　SAW　TEENIE！
She　was　in　a　sackcloth　dress；　filthy　with　mud　from　head　to　foot。　Her　ponytail　was　undone。
Oh；　he　knew　she'd　e　a　cropper。　Here　she　was　a　slave。　Two　old　gnarled　men　were　beside　her；　also　grubbing　away。　An　Apparatus　guard　with　what　must　be　a　rifle　was　standing　by。
She　had　an　implement　in　her　hand。　Madison's　car　was　skidding　along　five　feet　off　the　ground　and　it　went　close　by　her。　She　was　just　standing　up；　placing　her　muddy　palm　against　her　obviously　aching　back。　SHE　SAW　HIM！
Then　he　was　by　her。　Oh；　she　must　have　done　something　awful；　to　assign　her　to　filthy　manual　labor。　The　knight…errant　rose　in　him。　〃Never　mind；　Teenie；〃　he　whispered；　〃I'll　rescue　you　if　I　can。〃
They　stopped　in　front　of　a　huge；　jewelled　building　with　twin　curving　stairs　you　could　have　marched　a　regiment　down。
Two　tough…looking　officers　in　black　rushed　up。
〃Delivering　J。　Walter　Madison；〃　said　Flick。
〃In　the　name　of　seven　Devils；〃　said　one；　〃where　have　you　been？　The　old　（bleep）　is　tearing　his　toenails　out　waiting　for　you！　Get　the　Hells　up　those　stairs！　Guard；　guard！　Shove　this　guy　through　to　the　chief；　triple　pace！〃
Hefty　hands　seized　Madison　on　either　arm　and　propelled　him　up　the　stairs　and　into　a　corridor　at　a　dead　run。
The　fatal　moment　had　arrived。　J。　Walter　Madison　was　about　to　meet　Lombar　Hisst。
I　have　dwelt　upon　it　at　length；　for　it　was　a　moment　which　would　mean　much　to　Voltar's　history　and　Jettero　Heller。　And；　dear　reader；　I　assure　you；　not　for　the　good　of　either！

Chapter　2

On　every　hand　the　pomp　of　millennia　rose：　the　golden　ropes　curved　in　intricate　patterns　along　jewelled　friezes　depicting　parades　and　battles　down　the　ages；　the　glowering　eyes　of　long…dead　monarchs　frowned　at　Madison　as　he　went　along　the　curving　hall。　The　consciousness　reached　him　that　he　was　dealing　with　power　ensconced　in　the　awesome　traditions　of　history　far　longer　than　man；　on　Earth；　had　even　known　how　to　use　an　axe　of　stone。
He　was　rushed　at　length　into　a　huge　circular　room；　jewelled　and　glittering。　It　was　the　antechamber　of　the　Emperor's　sleeping　quarters。
On　the　other　side　of　it；　a　huge　desk；　carved　from　a　single　block　of　onyx；　seemed　to　be　barring　a　door。　All　around　the　desk；　machines　and　equipment　had　been　set　up　to　make　an　impromptu　office。
At　the　desk　sat　a　huge　man；　rather　swarthy；　an　odd　sheen　on　his　skin。　He　was　dressed　in　a　scarlet　uniform；　corded　round　with　gold。　His　eyes　had　a　crazy　light。
LOMBAR　HISST！
The　guards　had　dumped　Madison　in　the　center　of　the　room。　Not　one　to　be　overly　impressed　by　the　trappings　of　the　mighty；　Madison　straightened　up　his　clothes；　picked　a　bit　of　imaginary　lint　from　his　lapel　and　sauntered　forward。
Without　preliminary；　Hisst　said；　〃Is　Rockecenter　all　right？〃
Madison　weighed　up　the　situation。　There　was　concern　and　worry；　not　hostility；　in　Hisst's　voice。　〃Well；〃　said　Madison；　〃he　was　the　last　time　I　talked　to　him。〃
〃You　were　close　to　him；　then？〃　said　Hisst。
Any　unease　Madison　felt；　he　did　not　show。　He　was　asking　himself　how　good　Voltar　intelligence　was：　Did　they　know　the　true　situation？　That　Rockecenter　would　have　Madison's　head　for　failing　and　running　away？　He　saw　what　appeared　to　be　a　TV　screen　flickering　away：　How　fast　were　munications　between　this　place　and　Earth？　He　decided　he　would　take　a　chance。　He　would　name…drop。　〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　said；　careful　to　sound　bored。　〃I　handled　delicate　things　for　him：　telling　the　prime　minister　of　England　or　the　president　of　the　United　States　what　to　think；　things　like　that。　My　account　was　several　million　dollars　a　year。〃
〃What　a　salary！〃　said　Hisst。　〃You　must　have　been　very　valuable　to　him。〃
〃Well；　he　often　said　there　were　a　lot　of　things　only　I　could　handle。　I　was　his　top　PR　man。〃
Hisst　frowned。　This　is　what　the　investigators　had　run　into　and　hadn't　solved。　〃What　is　this　thing　you　call　PR？〃
〃Well；〃　said　Madison；　〃I　noticed；　talking　around；　you　don't　have　a　very　good　image。〃
Hisst　looked　angry。　〃Nothing　wrong　with　my　image！　I'm　six　foot　three　inches　tall。　I　weigh　271　pounds　…　〃
〃No；　no；〃　said　Madison。　〃The　way　people　think　of　you。　The　image　of　you　other　people　carry　in　their　minds。〃
〃Huh！〃　snorted　Hisst。　〃Is　it　important　how　I　am　thought　of　by　the　riffraff？〃
〃Well；　yes；　it　is；〃　said　Madison。　〃I　have　heard　that　you　are　the　virtual　ruler　of　Voltar。〃
〃Well；　of　course　I　am！　I　can　see　that　what　these　（bleeped）　Lords　think　of　me　could　matter。　But　what　does　the　riffraff　have　to　do　with　it？〃
〃Well；　you　see；　PR　means　'public　relations；'　though　the　letters　don't　add　up　to　that　in　Voltarian。　The　Lords　and　the　riffraff　are　different　publics。　But　if　you　don't　have　the　right　image；　they　could　rise　up　and　kill　you。〃
Hisst　frowned。　He　was　thinking　that　could　very　well　happen　anyway。　They　were　all　against　him。
Madison　saw　the　frown。　〃You　know；　Mr。　Hisst；　I　was　very　close　to　Rockecenter。　I　call　him　'Rockie'　and　he　calls　me　'Mad。'　Many　a　time；　late　at　night；　he　used　to　slip　his　shoes　off　and　put　his　feet　on　his　desk　and；　over　a　panionable　Scotch　and　soda；　he'd　confide　in　me。　He　trusted　me　when　he　really　wanted　something。　I　was；　so　to　speak；　his　most　intimate　confidence　man。　I　think　it's　time　we　opened　our　coats。　Is　there　something　you　desire　more　than　anything　else　in　the　world？〃
Lombar's　eyes　got　a　bit　crazy。　The　sheen　on　his　face　was　more　pronounced。　He　leaned　forward　and　spoke　in　a　whisper。　〃It　isn't　that　I　want　it　so　much。　It's　that　I　have　an　order　about　it。　In　spite　of　my　being　a　moner　and　the　fact　that　all　the　Lords　hate　me；　I　am　destined　to　bee　Emperor。〃
Madison　was　instantly　alert。　Ah；　he　could　deal　with　this。　He　had　heard　of　it　before　about　Rockecenter。　〃A　call　from。。。？〃　He　left　it　hanging　in　the　air。
Lombar　whispered；　〃The　angels。〃
Mad　knew　he　had　it　made。　〃Did　you　know　they　called　Rockecenter　to　rule　Earth？〃
〃NO！〃
〃Fact；〃　said　Madison。　〃Heard　them　myself。　That's　why　I　became　his　PR　man。〃
Hisst　instantly　frowned。　〃What's　that　got　to　do　with　it？〃
〃Well；〃　said　Madison；　〃when　somebody　doesn't　have　a　good　PR　man；　the　riffraff　rises　up　and　kills　him。　BUT　if　he　DOES　have　a　GOOD　PR　man；　the　Lords；　the　public；　the　riffraff　rise　as　one　man　and　proclaim　him　Emperor　by　acclamation。〃
Lombar　blinked。　This　was　a　brand…new　idea。　Usually；　he　didn't　bother　to　listen　to　people　or　even　answer　them。　But　this　Earthman　sitting　here　had　been　close　to　Rockecenter。　Rockecenter；　a　moner；　had　risen　to　bee　the　ruler　of　Earth；　and　this　alone　had　given　Lombar　hope　that　it　could　be　done。　Now　he　was　alert　to　the　possibility　that　some　secret　technology；　heretofore　unknown　to　him；　had　been　employed。　He　mused　on　it。　It　came　to　him　that　what　this　man　was　saying　might　get　around　not　having　a　dead　Cling　to　display。　Emperor　by　proclamation　of　the　public！　How　novel！　But　then　his　suspicious　nature　began　to　tell　him　that　it　might　be　too　good　to　be　true。　He　started　to　sag。
Madison；　noting　it：　〃Do　you　have　any　other　little　problems？〃
Lombar　stiffened。　He　was　instantly　wary。　He　was　not　going　to　tell　anyone　that　there　was　no　emperor　in　that　room　behind　him　and　no　regalia　either。　Instead；　he　clutched　at　another　worry。　He　said；　〃This　（bleeped）　Sol…tan　Gris！〃
That　startled　Madison。　〃Soltan　Gris？　Is　HE　here？〃
〃You　know　him？〃
Madison　had　detected　the　fury。　〃Oh；　I　should　say　so。　On　Earth　he　went　by　the　names　of　Smith；　Inkswitch　and　Sultan　Bey。　Got　in　the　road　all　over　the　place。　Knew　NOTHING　of　PR。　Wrecked　things。　An　idiot！〃
〃He's　down　at　the　Royal　Prison　and　I　can't　get　to　him　and　can't　execute　him　the　way　he　deserves。〃
〃Well；〃　said　Madison；　〃that's　a　PR　problem；　too。　There　are　ways。　Any　other　problem？〃
〃Heller！　That　（bleeped）　Royal　officer！〃
Madison　felt　like　somebody　was　giving　him　candy　on　a　silver　platter。　The　whole　room　went　brighter。　But　he　said　calmly；　〃On　Earth　he　went　by　the　name　of　Wister。〃
Lombar；　who　had　never　bothered　to　listen　to　anyone　before；　seized　upon　the　information　like　a　starved　hound！　THAT　was　the　missing　piece　of　the　puzzle　of　why　his　strategy　had　failed。　〃Aha！〃　he　cried。　〃Gris　didn't　carry　out　my　idea　with　the　birth　certificate！　It　went　wrong　because　that　（bleeped）　Gris　didn't　follow　my　plans　for　Heller！〃
Madison's　hopes　soared　to　seventh　heaven。　Oh；　what　a　chance　was　opening　up　in　front　of　him！　He　could　finish　the　job　he　had　been　hired　to　do！　He　could　go　ho