Null-A Three (Jerry eBooks) by A. E. van Vogt

Author:A. E. van Vogt [Vogt, A. E. van]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jerry eBooks
Published: 2014-12-26T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

14

As he used each item, and did each little grooming act, he found himself remembering that similar conveniences had been available for the other Gosseyn on that other occasion.

It was not the kind of fantasy that could hold him long. Because, once again he was having fleeting thoughts about Enin . . . out there. With that, he hastily put away the electric razor. And then—

And then, it was just a matter of slipping again into the slip-on shoes. But he had the thought that he’d better get some better clothes, somehow. And some much stronger shoes.

Moments after that he was out of the bathroom, and heading. As he pulled at the door that led out of the bedroom into the rest of the house, he heard Enin saying, “Yes, Mr. Lyttle, but what’s an assumption?” Gosseyn slowed his action of opening the door, and stayed where he was. As he listened, then, to the voice of Dan Lyttle explain the General Semantics definition of an assumption, he felt awed . . . Of course, he thought—this attempt should be made. How it would work on a brain not yet fully grown, and with no reward that could be offered—to someone who had everything—was not clear.

But he drew back, out of sight, Pushed the door until it was open only an inch or so. And listened.

“You mean—why do I act the way I do?” The boyish voice showed continued puzzlement.

“Yes.” It was Dan Lyttle’s voice. “A little while ago you came out here and ordered me to get your breakfast ready. And I did, didn’t I?”

“So?”

“Well—” the man’s tone was ever so slightly insistent—“you’re a guest in my house, and you treat me like I’m a servant. That’s what I mean: what’s the underlying assumption?”

There was a momentary pause. Then: “I’m the emperor. Everybody does as I say.”

“You mean, where you come from?—”

“Dzan. The universe of Dzan.” It was Enin’s voice. “So,” went on Dan Lyttle, “one of your assumptions is that here on earth you should be treated the way you are treated at home?”

“I’m emperor wherever I go.” It was insolently spoken. Gosseyn Three smiled. Grimly.

“And—” continued the man’s voice out there in the living room—“I gather you have a number of underlying assumptions by which you believe that you are better than other people?”

“I am better than other people. I was born to be emperor.”

“Your assumption, then, is that, because of an accident of birth, you have a right to lord it over other human beings?”

“Well . . . I didn’t really think about that very much before my father was killed. But when I became emperor I just treated people exactly the way he had treated them. And I’ve been doing it ever since I ascended the throne. What’s wrong with that?”

“Well—” smiling tone—“what we General Semanticists are interested in is what kind of thinking makes people do irrational things. For example, how did your father die?”

“He fell out of a high window.” Belligerently. “Are you

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.