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.One tentacle was already a truncated stump, and there could be no doubt as to the ultimate outcome of the battle.When the two greatest beasts on earth engaged in combat, the whale was always the winner.For all the vast strength of its forest of tentacles, the squid's only hope lay in escaping before that patiently grinding jaw had sawn it to pieces.Its great expressionless eyes, half a metre across, stared at its destroyer-though, in all probability, neither creature could see the other in the darkness of the abyss.The entire exhibit was more than thirty metres long, and had now been surrounded by a cage of aluminum girders to which the lifting tackle had been connected.Everything was ready, awaiting the Overlords' pleasure.Sullivan hoped that they would act quickly; the suspense was beginning to be uncomfortable.Someone had come out of the office into the bright sunlight, obviously looking for him.Sullivan recognized his chief clerk, and walked over to meet him."Hello, Bill-what's the fuss?"The other was holding a message form and looked rather pleased."Some good news, Professor.We've been honoured! The Supervisor himself wants to come and look at our tableau before it's shipped off.Just think of the publicity we'll get! It will help a lot when we apply for our new grant.I'd been hoping for something like this."Professor Sullivan swallowed hard.He never objected to publicity, but this time he was afraid he might get altogether too much.Karellen stood by the head of the whale and looked up at the great, blunt snout and the ivory-studded jaw.Sullivan, concealing his unease, wondered what the Supervisor was thinking.His behaviour had not hinted at any suspicion, and the visit could be easily explained as a normal one.But Sullivan would be very glad when it was over."We've no creatures as large as this on our planet," said Karellen."That is one reason why we asked you to make this group.My-er-compatriots will find it fascinating.""With your low gravity," answered Sullivan, "I should have thought you would have had some very large animals.After all, look how much bigger you are than us!""Yes-but we have no oceans.And where size is concerned, the land can never compete with the sea."That was perfectly true, thought Sullivan.And as far as he knew, this was a hitherto unrevealed fact about the world of the Overlords.Jan, confound him, would be very interested.At the moment that young man was sitting in a hut a kilometre away, anxiously watching the inspection through field glasses.He kept telling himself that there was nothing to fear.No inspection of the whale, however close, could reveal its secret.But there was always the chance that Karellen suspected something-and was playing with them.It was a suspicion that was growing in Sullivan's mind as the Supervisor peered into the cavernous throat."In your Bible," said Karellen, "there is a remarkable story of a Hebrew prophet, one Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale and thus carried safely to land after he had been cast from a ship.Do you think there could be any basis of fact in such a legend?""I believe," Sullivan replied cautiously, "that there is one fairly well-authenticated case of a whaleman being swallowed and then regurgitated with no ill-effects.Of course, if he had been inside the whale for more than a few seconds he would have suffocated.And he must have been very lucky to miss the teeth.It's an almost incredible story, but not quite impossible.""Very interesting," said Karellen.He stood for another moment staring at the great jaw, then moved on to examine the squid.Sullivan hoped he did not hear his sigh of relief."If I'd known what I was going to go through," said Professor Sullivan, "I'd have thrown you out of the office as soon as you tried to infect me with your insanity.""I'm sorry about that," Jan replied."But we've got away with it.""I hope so.Good luck, anyway.If you want to change your mind, you've still got at least six hours.""I won't need them.Only Karellen can stop me now.Thanks for all that you've done.If I ever get back, and write a book about the Overlords, I'll dedicate it to you.""Much good that will do me," said Sullivan gruffly."I'll have been dead for years." To his surprise and mild consternation, for he was not a sentimental man, he discovered that this farewell was beginning to affect him.He had grown to like Jan during the weeks they had plotted together.Moreover, he had begun to fear he might be an accessory to a complicated suicide [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]