Childhoods End by Childhood's End

Author:Childhood's End [End, Childhood's]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-04-12T09:24:00.363000+00:00

ii

Jail leaned against the elephant and rested his hands on the skin, rough as the bark of a tree. He looked at the great tusks and the curving trunk, caught by the skill of the taxidermist in the moment of challenge or salutation. What still weirder creatures, he wondered, from what unknown worlds would one day be looking at this exile from Earth?

"How many animals have you sent the Overlords?" he asked Rupert.

"At least fifty, though of course this is the biggest one. He's magnificent, isn't he? Most of the others have been quite small-butterflies, snakes, monkeys, and so on. Though I did get a hippo last year."

Jan gave a wry smile.

"It's a morbid thought, but I suppose they've got a fine stuffed group of Homo sapiens in their collection by this time. I wonder who was honoured?"

"You're probably right," said Rupert, rather indifferently. "It would be easy to arrange through the hospitals."

"What would happen," continued Jan thoughtfully, "if someone volunteered to go as a live specimen? Assuming that an eventual return was guaranteed, of course."

Rupert laughed, though not unsympathetically.

"Is that an offer? Shall I put it to Rashaverak?"

For a moment Jan considered the idea more than half seriously. Then he shook his head.

"Er-no. I was only thinking out loud. They'd certainly turn me down. By the way, do you ever see Rashaverak these days?"

"He called me up about six weeks ago. He'd just foun4a book I'd been hunting. Rather nice of him."

98

Jan walked slowly round the stuffed monster, admiring the

skill that had frozen it forever at this instant of greatest vigour.

"Did you ever discover what he was looking for?" he asked.

"I mean, it seems so hard to reconcile the Overlords' science with an interest in the occult."

Rupert looked at Jan a little suspiciously, wondering if his brother-in-law was poking fun at his hobby.

"His explanation seemed adequate. As an anthropologist he was interested in every aspect of our culture. Remember, they have plenty of time. They can go into more detail than a human research worker ever could. Reading my entire library probably put only a slight strain on Rashy's resources."

That might be the answer, but Jan was not convinced.

Sometimes he had thought of confiding his secret to Rupert but his natural caution had held him back. When he met his

Overlord friend again, Rupert would probably give something away-the temptation would be far too great.

"Incidentally," said Rupert, changing the subject abruptly, "if you think this is a big job, you should see the commission Sullivan's got. He's promised to deliver the two biggest creatures of all-a sperm whale and a giant squid. They'll be shown locked in mortal combat. What a tableau that will make!"

For a moment Jan did not answer. The idea that had exploded in his mind was too outrageous, too fantastic to be taken seriously. Yet, because of its very daring, it might succeed.

"What's the matter?" said Rupert anxiously. "The heat getting you down?"

Jan shook himself back to present reality.

"I'm all tight," he said. "I was just wondering how the Overlords would collect a little packet like that.

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