n him, he knew! He was getting there, he was reaching the synaptic, a
bit of fiction here and a bit there, ECAIAC was being conditioned,
unable to distinguish the real from the unreal--

COUNSELOR: Mr. Arnold! If you please, sir! (_Waits for Arnold to
subside._) I can appreciate how this discovery distresses you,
both--ah--personally and in your official capacity, but be assured that
your findings will be of inestimable value to future security. In fact
(_smiles slightly_) Council has not been idle in its own pursuit of Mr.
Beardsley's vagaries! (_Rises, removes a small screen to reveal a
towering pile of tomes._) And now, Mr. Beardsley. I must really ask you
to cooperate; I believe you fully capable. Are these your books?

BEARDSLEY (_adjusts his glasses, smiles at his books_): Yes.

COUNSELOR: And these charts, these graphs that we found plastered to
every wall of your home. Obviously they are also yours.

BEARDSLEY (_adjusts his glasses, smiles at his graphs_): Yes.

COUNSELOR: Thank you, Mr. Beardsley. That's fine. And, Mr. Beardsley,
what did you use them for? These books, these graphs?

BEARDSLEY (_groping, bewildered_): I--I--

COUNSELOR (_sees the futility of it_): Gentlemen, I believe we can
proceed on the grounds of self-evidence. Let me read you a few titles
from these books. "The Cybernetic Principle: Advanced Theory" ... "The
Synapse in Function" ... and here we have "Synaptics: Pattern and Flux."
There are more, many more in similar vein. (_Turns abruptly._) Mr.
Arnold. I'm sure you are familiar with most of these volumes. On the
basis of the content, would you say that you could duplicate Beardsley's
feat?

ARNOLD (_aghast_): No! I would not presume to say that, sir.

COUNSELOR (_frowns; it was not the answer he wanted_): Very well, then.
Dr. Trstensky ... would you come forward, please? Dr. Trstensky ... you
are head of the Department of Advanced Cybernetics at Cal Tech. You have
had opportunity to study these graphs and charts in minutest detail--

TRSTENSKY: Oh, yes-s. Fascinating!

COUNSELOR: I put the question: would it be possible for you to duplicate
the grotesque feat that Beardsley performed on ECAIAC?

TRSTENSKY: Yes-s, possibly. No, I will say definitely. You mean, of
course, cold, from the beginning? Yes-s ... but it would take me
approximately three-to-four years.

COUNSELOR: Yes, Mr. Beardsley? What is it? You would like to make a
pertinent statement?

BEARDSLEY (_abashed_):