c
fiasco of my "matter transmitter" some years ago. The chances
of another person becoming aware of the temporal
incongruities which were being brought to this man's
attention were regarded as so remote that they need be given
no practical consideration. Nevertheless, the unexpected
happened: you became interested. The promptness with which
you acted on your chance observations shows a bold and
imaginative manner of thinking on which you may be genuinely
congratulated.

However, a perhaps less commendable motivation was also
indicated. While I appeared to stall on coming to decisions
you may have regarded as inevitable, your background was
being investigated by the association. The investigation
confirmed that you fall within a personality category of
which we have the greatest reason to be wary.

Considering the extent of what you had surmised and learned,
falsified though the picture was, this presented a serious
problem. It was made more acute by the fact that the
association is embarking on a "five-year-plan" of some
importance. Publicity during this period would be more than
ordinarily undesirable. It will therefore be necessary to see
to it that you have no opportunity to tell what you know
before the plan is concluded. I am sure you can see it would
be most unwise to accept your simple word on the matter. Your
freedom of movement and of communication must remain
drastically restricted until this five-year period is over.

Within the next two weeks, as shown by the clock in your
quarters, it will have become impossible for me or for any
member of the association to contact you again before the day
of your release. I tell you this so that you will not nourish
vain hopes of changing the situation in your favor, but will
adjust as rapidly as you can to the fact that you must spend
the next five years by yourself. What ameliorations of this
basic condition appeared possible have been provided.

It is likely that you will already have tried to find a way
out of the cabin in which you were left. The manner of doing
this will become apparent to you exactly twenty-four hours
after I conclude and seal this letter. It seemed best to
advise you of some details of your confinement before letting
you discover that you have been given as much limited
freedom