weak, weak--andweakness was sinful. His old Belphin teacher had taught him that, too.
As Ludovick writhed restlessly upon his bed, he became aware thatsomeone had come into his chamber.
"Ludovick," a soft, beloved voice whispered, "I have come to ask yourhelp...." It was so dark, he could not see her; he knew where she wasonly by the glitter of the jewel on her neck-chain as it arced throughthe blackness.
"Corisande...." he breathed.
"Ludovick...." she sighed.
Now that the amenities were over, she resumed, "Against my will, I havebeen involved in the family plot. My uncle has invented a secret weaponwhich he believes will counteract the power of the barriers."
"But I thought you devised it!"
"So it _was_ you in the courtyard. Well, what happened was I wanted togain time, so I said I had a secret weapon of my own invention which Ihad not perfected, but which would cost considerably less than myuncle's model. We have to watch the budget, you know, because we canhardly expect the Belphins to supply the components for this job.Anyhow, I thought that, while my folks were waiting for me to finishit, you would have a chance to warn the Belphins."
"Corisande," he murmured, "you are as noble and clever as you arebeautiful."
* * * * *
Then he caught the full import of her remarks. "_Me!_ But they won'tpay any attention to me!"
"How do you know?" When he remained silent, she said, "I suppose you'vealready tried to warn them about us."
"I--I said _you_ had nothing to do with the plot."
"That was good of you." She continued in a warmer tone: "How manyBelphins did you warn, then?"
"Just one. When you tell one something, you tell them all. You knowthat. Everyone knows that."
"That's just theory," she said. "It's never been proven. All we do knowis that they have some sort of central clearing house of information,presumably The Belphin of Belphins. But we don't know that they areincapable of thinking or acting individually. We don't really know muchabout them at all; they're very secretive."
"Aloof," he corrected her, "as befits a ruling race. But alwaysaffable."
"You must warn as many Belphins as you can."
"And if none listens to me?"
"Then," she said dramatically, "you must approach The Belphin ofBelphins himself."
"But no human being has ever come near him!" he said plaintively. "Youknow that all those who have tried perished. And that can't be a rumor,because your grandfather said----"
"But they came to _attack_ The Belphin. You're coming to _warn_ him!That makes a big difference. Ludovick...." She took his hands in hers;in the darkness, the jewel swung madly on her presumably heaving bosom."This is bigger than both of us. It's for Earth."
He knew it was his patriotic duty to do as she said; still, he hadenjoyed life so much. "Corisande, wouldn't it be much simpler if wejust destroyed your uncle's secret weapon?"
"He'd only make another. Don't you see, Ludovick, this is our onlychance to save the Belphins, to save humanity.... But, of course, Idon't have the right to send you. I'll go myself."
"No, Corisande," he sighed. "I can't let you go. I'll do it."
* * * * *
Next morning, he set out to warn Belphins. He knew it wasn't much use,but it was all he could do. The first half dozen responded in much thesame way the Belphin he had warned the previous day had done, bycourteously acknowledging his solicitude and assuring him there was noneed for alarm; they knew all about the Flockharts and everything wouldbe all right.
After that, they started to get increasingly huffy--which would, hethought, substantiate the theory that they were all part of one vastcoordinate network of identity. Especially since each Belphin behavedas if Ludovick had been repeatedly annoying _him_.
Finally, they refused to get off the walks when he hailed them--whichwas unheard of, for no Belphin had ever before failed to respond to anEarthman's call--and when he started running along the walks afterthem, they ran much faster than he could.
At last he gave up and wandered about the city for hours, speaking toneither human nor Belphin, wondering what to do. That is, he knew whathe had to do; he was wondering _how_ to do it. He would never be ableto reach The Belphin of Belphins. No human being had ever done it.Mieczyslaw and George had died trying to reach him (or it). Even thoughtheir intentions had been hostile and Ludovick's would be helpful,there was little chance he would be allowed to reach The Belphin withall the other Belphins against him. What guarantee was there that TheBelphin would not be against him, too?
And yet he knew that he would have to risk his life; there was no helpfor it. He had never wanted to be a hero, and here he had heroismthrust upon him. He knew he could not succeed; equally well, he knew hecould not turn back, for his Belphin teacher had instructed him in themeaning of duty.
It was twilight when he approached the Blue Tower. Commending himselfto the Infinite Virtue, he entered. The Belphin at the reception deskdid not give off the customary smiling expression. In fact, he seemedto radiate a curiously apprehensive aura.
"Go back, young man," he said. "You're not wanted here."
"I must see The Belphin of Belphins. I must warn him against theFlockharts."
"He has been warned," the receptionist told him. "Go home and behappy!"
"I don't trust you or your brothers. I must see The Belphin himself."
Suddenly this particular Belphin lost his commanding manners. He beganto wilt, insofar as so rigidly constructed a creature could go limp."Please, we've done so much for you. Do this for us."
"The Belphin of Belphins did things for us," Ludovick countered. "Youare all only his followers. How do I know you are _really_ followinghim? How do I know you haven't turned against him?"
Without giving the creature a chance to answer, he strode forward.The Belphin attempted to bar his way. Ludovick knew one Belphin wasa myriad times as strong as a human, so it was out of utter futilitythat he struck.
The Belphin collapsed completely, flying apart in a welter of fragilesprings and gears. The fact was of some deeper significance, Ludovickknew, but he was too numbed by his incredible success to be able tothink clearly. All he knew was that The Belphin would be able toexplain things to him.
* * * * *
Bells began to clash and clang. That meant the force barriers had goneup. He could see the shimmering insubstance of the first one beforehim. Squaring his shoulders, he charged it ... and walked right through.He looked himself up and down. He was alive and entire.
Then the whole thing was a fraud; the barriers were not lethal--orperhaps even actual. But what of Mieczyslaw? And George? And countlessrumored others? He would not let himself even try to think of them. Hewould not let himself even try to think of anything save his duty.
A staircase spiraled up ahead of him. A Belphin was at its foot. Behindhim, a barrier iridesced.
"Please, young man----" the Belphin began. "You don't understand. Letme explain."
But Ludovick destroyed the thing before it could say anything further,and he passed right through the barrier. He had to get to the top andwarn The Belphin of Belphins, whoever or whatever he (or it) was, thatthe Flockharts had a secret weapon which might be able to annihilate it(or him). Belphin after Belphin Ludovick destroyed, and barrier afterbarrier he penetrated until he reached the top. At the head of thestairs was a vast golden door.
"Go no further, Ludovick Eversole!" a mighty voice roared from within."To open that door is to bring disaster upon your race."
But all Ludovick knew was that he had to get to The Belphin within andwarn him. He battered down the door; that is, he would have battereddown the door if it had not turned out to be unlocked. A stream ofnoxious vapor rushed out of the opening, causing him to black out.
When he came to, most of the vapor had dissipated. The Belphin ofBelphins was already dying of asphyxiation, since it was, in fa
ct, asingle alien entity who breathed another combination of elements. Theroom at the head of the stairs had been its tank.
"You fool...." it gasped. "Through your muddle-headed integrity ... youhave destroyed not only me ... but Earth's future. I tried to make ...this planet a better place for humanity ... and this is my reward...."
"But I don't understand!" Ludovick wept. "_Why_ did you let me do it?Why were Mieczyslaw and George and all the others killed? Why was itthat I could pass the barriers and they could not?"
"The barriers were triggered ... to respond to hostility.... You meantwell ... so