human
What particular psychodrug was this one?
gpt
One of the judgment-warpers, Burris said.
human
Haenlingen's Mixture; it's more or less a new development, but the Russians probably know as much about it as we do. In large doses, the drug affects even the automatic nervous system and throws the involuntary functions out of whack; but it isn't usually used in killing amounts.
gpt
And in the water cooler?
human
There wasn't much of it, Burris said,
gpt
Oh, Malone said.
human
But it comes out about right, doesn't it?
gpt
Just about, Burris said cheerfully.
human
And since it was Brubitsch's job to change the cooler jug--
gpt
Wait a minute, Malone said.
human
I think I see a hole in that.
gpt
Really?
human
Sure, he said.
gpt
If any of the spies drank the water--their judgment would be warped, too, wouldn't it?
human
So they didn't drink the water,
gpt
How can we be sure?
human
Why do we have to be? he said.
gpt
Malone, you've got to stop pressing so hard on this.
human
But a man who didn't drink water all day would be a little conspicuous, Malone said.
gpt
After a while, anyhow.
human
The man is a janitor, Kenneth, he said.
gpt
Do you know what a janitor is?
human
Don't baby me,
gpt
A janitor doesn't work in the office with the men, he said.
human
He can drink out of a faucet in the broom closet--or wherever the faucets might be. Nobody would notice. Nobody would think it odd.
gpt
But-- and stopped and thought it over.
human
All right, he went on at last.
gpt
But I still insist--
human
Now, Kenneth, Burris said in a voice that dripped oil.
gpt
I'll admit that psionics is new and wonderful and you've done a lot of fine work with it. A lot of very fine work indeed. But you can't go around blaming everything on psionics no matter what it is or how much sense it makes.
human
I don't, Malone said, injured.
gpt
But--
human
But you do, Burris said.
gpt
Lately, you've been acting as though magic were loose in the world. As though nothing were dependable any more.
human
It's not magic,
gpt
But it is, Burris told him,
human
He paused,
gpt
Kenneth, he said in a more kindly tone,
human
It was nothing,
gpt
Oh, but it was, Burris said.
human
Something, I mean. You've been working very hard and you're just not at peak efficiency any more. You need a rest, Kenneth. A nice rest.
gpt
I do not,
human
A lovely rest, Burris went on, oblivious.
gpt
Somewhere peaceful and quiet, where you can just sit around and think peacefully about peaceful things. Oh, it ought to be wonderful for you, Kenneth. A nice, peaceful, lovely, wonderful vacation.