True, it was my opinion that Beardsleyacted in fulfillment of the self-destructive impulse, but the man is_sane--sane_, I tell you, and entitled to a humanitarian death! Myprofessional judgment--
COUNSELOR (_again coldly, glancing around_): Is welcome, but does notbear final weight, sir.
* * * * *
Silence closed down like a pall. Doebler's plea by its very impassionednature had gotten through. It was a moment of embarrassment andindecision in which each man weighed his conscience, and found itwanting ... in which every member of Council looked to his neighbor forsolution or solace, and finding neither, turned back to himself, aghast.
Only one person looked to the true source and saw the solution as itwould be, as it had to be. Pederson. Heartsick with the knowing, heobserved Raoul Beardsley and remembered! This funny little man ... thisridiculous man ... this proud man who had seized his fate and shoved itthrough because it had to be done, because he obeyed the dictates,because he had reached his Time of Assertion. Oh, Pederson remembered!And most of all he remembered Beardsley there at the last, in that finalmoment when ECAIAC had reached the wailing heights of sentience andgrief ... and how could he ever forget Beardsley's soundless whisperthat seemed to say, "_No, no ... don't you understand? ... we're friendsnow!_"
Pederson remembered. He remembered, and looking up saw that Council hadreached equitable agreement, and his heart was sick and his soul wassick as he realized this was final, there could be no appeal. For thelast time he looked upon Beardsley's face and saw that the man was fullycognizant.... Beardsley also knew.... Deobler had been right. Pedersonturned his face away.
COUNSELOR: Now we are agreed, gentlemen? (_waits for general approval._)Be it pronounced, then. Inasmuch as there exists a general area of doubtas to Disposition; and inasmuch as it is agreed that furtherdeliberation would be prolonged and pointless; and inasmuch as our faithin the ultimate function of ECAIAC remains inestimable, despite recentvagaries which shall never occur again: be it therefore resolved, thatthe problem pending shall be taped in all its detail and submitted toECAIAC for Final Disposition.
THE END
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