The Angel in the House

rain

lay r

a case perhaps three feet high, three feet deep and five feet in width. Under this glass upper part of the case was an enclosed sect

owing of the switch; the whole insides of the glass case little by little lightened, until it became apparent it was full of a strange liquid that seemed of itself to have the property of glo

t interconnected the five emerging bulks in a maze of ordered complexity. Thousands interlaced the interior; hundreds were gathered in each of fi

r at what the now brilliantly glowing liquid revealed the five shapes to be.

gow. "Human brains! But n

cted the triumphant

es which led into their under-sides-theatrical evidence that the brains held imprisoned there were, as the Eurasian had said, alive

ui. "And never to die while

s the master brain. It controls and coordinates the thoughts of the others, avoiding the useless, pursuing the relevant and retaining the val

fascination, he could not tear his eyes away from the revolting, amazing achievement of h

all that was best of M

n took this stat

! Not Cram, the physicist, brough

ere dead! He's not. He's very much alive, as you shall see. Pos

d ended the abominable servitude of its gruesome tenants. The Hawk was caught before he had well started; and had he not stopp

and burned his enemy with the frigid glare of his eyes. The Eurasian con

ds. There, at the right, is the brain you once compared notes with in the person of Professor Estapp. Next to him is Dr. Swanson. To the

subject, well fitting his brain for the position it holds. All this, gathered here in one! The five outstanding intellects of Earth, here gathered in one priceless instrument! Here are my advisors; here my trusty, never-t

eir knowledge does not become outmoded, if they are kept informed of the latest currents of scientific thought. From ol

y of what they formerly were; but it is a subdued memory, to them doubtless like a dream, familiar yet puzzling. Because of this I imagin

eroidal kingdom, would have been impossible. Most of my problems in constructing it w

eady goading his brain in search of a way out. Death was by all means preferable to what the Eurasian intended-death

was in store, his face gave

and most vile. I would have thought there was a limit in you somewhere, bu

sian only smiled, and replied,

sturbing atavistic things we call the tender emotions. The pathway to power is not for those who wince at the sight of blood, who weep at the need fo

inated brains in useful operation. Will yo

but to obey. But they felt, both of them, a great unna

I must ask you to remember that the opinions of my brains may always be accepted as the probable truth, and always, abso

ommunicating with my helpers. This inset grille here

there coordinated and the result spoken to me by means of the mechanical mouth. When the opinions of the individual brains do not agree, the answer is in the form of a poll, often

nflicting feelings of horror and dread, and compelling morbid fascination. Dr. Ku paused drama

he asked, easily

n, from the grille, came a thin metallic voice. Inhuman, artificial, it sounded

were i

collective answer is always given as 'I.' What obscur

iberately at Leithgow: "Would the brain of Master Scientist Eliot Leit

passed. Again came

ed that questi

nned silence that fo

casually. "Others, black, are on you. Earthlings would no doubt consider yo

ask, only the freezing shock of his steady gray eyes betraying his emotion as they bore straight into those of the Eurasian. No ma

a sickly, ashy gray, and his eyes large round rolling white marbles; but at the slightest sign of a break he would have metamorphosed into a

wn on his chest. Dr. Ku's next words, though aimed

always come first; they demand this substitution. Were your intellect of lesser

arse s

gave an icy, clear-cut sharpness to the whisper that

Sui, if you do i

deprecatingly an

hose who help themselves. I have always

something in his mind. Then to his veiled e

erations is of infinite delicacy and will require weeks. But I can make other arrangements; I can give you as good as ringside seats for each performance. A small

or an instant he had lost his head-one of the several times in his whole life. Just for an instant he had f

i. "Perhaps you and the black h

rned to go, and his feet would not work well. The ray-guns of the

opped and turned, and his eyes went back

he gray eyes and the

s hellish device, if you ever possibly can. My love to Sandra; and to

ne into his palms. He hesitate

, Carse-yo

e man and black out, and the door