A. Bertram Chandler by Coils Of Time

Author:Coils Of Time [Time, Coils Of]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-01-17T14:50:44+00:00

XII

While Wilkinson's knapsack was soaking in the bucket of water there was a slight relaxation. It was Hardcastle who broke the silence by asking Duval,

"What was that about Henshaw?"

"He was a physicist," replied the scholarly man. "He was as apolitical as anyone can be, yet he still contrived to fall foul of the Committee."

"So you had a Henshaw too," broke in Wilkinson. "It stands to reason…"

"Be quiet!" snapped Moira Simmons.

"Henshaw," continued Duval, "had some peculiar ideas about Time. He believed that Time Travel was possible, and at the time of his—his disappearance he was working on a device that, he said, would be capable of sending a person into the Past or the Future." A slight smile flickered over his thin features. "Of course, the idea made no appeal to our lords and masters. It would have been far too easy for one of us to make a brief excursion into the Past and to commit one or two murders just to nip the Committee in the bud, as it were…"

"And I," Wilkinson broke in, "let the Dr. Henshaw of my world send me into the past so that I could save my girl from being killed in a space disaster."

"I never gave you credit for much imagination, Chris Wilkinson," sneered the fat woman, "but I see, now, that I was wrong."

"Hear him out, Moira," protested Duval.

"Ay. I'll hear him out when we start him singing. We may not possess the fancy apparatus of the Committee's interrogation squads, but we made do very nicely with what we have. After all, once a man has talked he's not much further use to anybody and may as well die."

"Moira!" Harcastle's deep voice had a crack to it like the snap of a whip.

"We interrogate when we have to, not, like the Committee, for the sheer love of it."

"Speak for yourself, Hardcastle," she replied sullenly.

The little man turned to the prisoner. "Well, Wilkinson, you can't say that you don't know the score. We can't afford to take risks. Whatever story you tell us, we must know whether or not it is true. Moira is a trained and qualified psychiatrist, so we should be able to get the truth from you without too much physical damage." He paused. "Of course, if you are an agent of the Committee the physical damage will be rather more extensive."

"But I am a Time Traveler!" protested Wilkinson. "When you examine the contents of my knapsack you will find that every article has its origin in a culture widely different from yours…"

"Such things can be faked," remarked the fat woman contemptuously.

"These weren't." Wilkinson turned to Duval. "Furthermore, I can describe Dr.

Henshaw to you. Appearance, mannerisms…"

"Our friends of the Committee," said Moira Simmons slowly, "must have had ample time to observe Henshaw before they disposed of him. No doubt you have studied films and listened to recordings."

"Can't I convince you?" he implored.

"No. You cannot."

"But, Moira…" It was Vanessa, standing beside Wilkinson to face the Council. "I should know, if anybody does.

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