Assignment in Eternity

CHAPTER NINE Fledglings Fly

"WE COULD HANG ABOUND HERE for fifty years, learning new things, but in the mean time we wouldn't be getting anywhere. I, for one, am ready to go back." Phil crushed out a cigaret and looked around at his two friends.

Cobum pursed his lips and slowly nodded his head. "I feel the same way, Phil. There is no limit to what we could leam here, of course, but there comes a time when you just have to use some of the things you learn, or it just boils up inside. I think we had better tell the Senior, and get about doing it,"

Joan nodded vigorously. "Uh huh. I think so, too. There's work to be done, and the place to do it is Western U. not up here in Never-Never land. Boy, I can hardly wait to see old Brinckley's face when we get through with him!"

Huxley sought out the mind of Ephraim Howe. The other two waited for him to confer, courteously refraining from attempting to enter the telepathic conversation. "He says he had been expecting to hear from us, and that he intends to make it a full conference. He'll meet us here."

"Full conference? Everybody on the mountain?"

"Everybody on the mountain, or not. I gather it's customary when new members decide what their work will be."

"Whew!" exclaimed Joan, "that gives me stage fright Just to think about it. Who's going to speak for us? It won't be little Joan."

"How about you, Ben?"

"Well ... if you wish."

"Take over,"

They meshed into rapport. As long as they remained so, Ben's voice would express the combined thought of the trio. Ephraim Howe entered alone, but they were aware that he was in rapport with, and spokesman for, not only the adepts on the mountainside, but also the two-hundred-odd fall-geniuses scattered about the country.

The conference commenced with direct mind-tomind exchange:

"We feel that it is time we were at work. We have not learned all that there is to learn, it is true; nevertheless, we need to use our present knowledge."

"That is well and entirely as it should he, Benjamin. You have learned all that we can teach you at this time. Now you must take what you have learned out into the world, and use it, in order that knowledge may mature into wisdom."

"Not only for that reason do we wish to leave, but for another more urgent. As you yourself have taught us, the crisis approaches. We want to fight it."

"How do you propose to fight the forces bringing on the crisis?"

"Well ..." Ben did not use the word, but the delay in his thought produced the impression. "As we see it, in order to make men free, free so that they may develop as men and not as animals; it is necessary that we undo what the Young Men did. The Young Men refused to permit any but their own select few to share in the racial heritage of ancient knowledge. For men again to become free and strong and independent it is necessary to return to each man his ancient knowledge and his ancient powers"

"That is true; what do you intend to do about it?"

"We wtB. go out and teU about it. We all three are in the educational system; we can make ourselves heard I, in the medical school at Western; Phil and Joan in the department of psychology. With the training you have given us we can overturn the traditional ideas in short order. We can start a renaissance in education that will prepare the way for everyone to receive the wisdom that you, our elders, can offer them."

"Do you think that it will be as simple as that?"

"Why not? Oh, we don't expect it to be simple. We know that we wiU run head on into some of the most cherished misconceptions of everyone, hut we can use that very fact to help. It will be spectacular; we can get publicity through it that will call attenr tion to our work. You have taught us enough that we can prove that we are right. For example suppose we put on a public demonstration of levitation, and proved before thousands of'people that human mind could do the things we know it can? Suppose we said that anyone could leam such things who first learned the techniques of telepathy? Why, in a year, or two, the whole nation could be taught telepathy, and be ready for the reading of the records, and all that that implies!"

Howe's mind was silent for several long minutes no message reached them. The three stirred uneasily under his thoughtful, sober gaze. Finally,

"If it were as simple as that, would we not have done it before?"

It was the turn of the three to be silent. Howe continued kindly, "Speak up, my children. Do not be afraid. Tell us your thoughts freely. You will not offend us."

The thought that Coburn sent in answer was hesitant "It is difficult ... Many of you are very old, and we know that all of you are wise. Nevertheless, it seems to us, in our youth, that you have waited overly long in acting. We feel we feel that you have allowed the pursuit of understanding to sap your will to action. From our standpoint, you have waited from year to year, perfecting an organization that will never he perfected, while the storm that overturns the world is gathering its force."

Tie elders pondered before Ephraim Howe answered. "It may be that you are right, dearly beloved children, yet it does not seem so to us. We have not attempted to place the ancient knowledge in the hands of all men because few are ready for it. It is no more safe in childish minds than matches in childish hands.

"And yet ... you may be right. Mark Twain thought so, and was given permission to tell all that he had learned. He did so, writing so that anyone ready for the knowledge could understand. No one did. In desperation he set forth specifically how to become telepathic. Still no one took him seriously. The more seriously he spoke, the more his readers laughed. He died embittered.

"We would not have you believe that we have done nothing. This republic, with its uncommon emphasis on personal freedom and human dignity, would not have endured as long as it has had we not helped. We chose Lincoln. Oliver Wendell Holmes was one of us. Walt Whitman was our beloved brother. In a thousand ways we have supplied help, when needed, to avert a setback toward slavery and darkness."

The thought paused, then continued. "Vet each must act as he sees it. It is still your decision to do this?"

Ben spoke aloud, in a steady voice, "It isl"

"So let it be! Do you remember the history of Salem?"

"Salem? Where the witchcraft trials were held? ... Do you mean to warn us that we may be persecuted as witches?"

"No. There are no laws against witchcraft today, of course. It would be better if there were. We hold no monopoly on the power of knowledge; do not expect an easy victory. Beware of those who hold some portion of the ancient knowledge and use it to a base purpose witches ... black magicians!"

The conference concluded and rapport loosed, Ephraim Howe shook hands solemnly all around and bade them goodby.

"I envy you kids," he said, "going off like Jack the Giant Killer to tackle the whole educational system. You've got your work cut out for you. Do you remember what Mark Twain said? 'God made an idiot for practice, then he made a school board.' Still, I'd like to come along."

"Why don't you, sir?"

"Eh? No, Wouldn't do. I don't really believe in your plan. F'r instance it was frequently a temptation during the years I spent peddlin' hardware in the State of Maine to show^ people better ways of doing things. But I didn't do if; people are used to paring knives and ice cream freezers, and they won't thank you to show them how to get along without them, just by the power of the mind. Not all.at once, anyhow. They'd read you out of meetin' and lynch you, too, most probably.

"Still, I'll be keeping an eye on you."

Joan reached up and kissed him good-bye. They left.