The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Last Gentleman, by Rory Magill

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Title: The Last Gentleman

Author: Rory Magill

Illustrator: Ted Speicher

Release Date: June 2, 2010 [EBook #32655]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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The LAST Gentleman

By Rory Magill

Illustrated by TED SPEICHER

[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from IF Worlds of Science
Fiction January 1953. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence
that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

[Sidenote: _No one knew, no one cared. For a great lethargy was
overcoming the people and their only salvation was--_]

The explosion brought Jim Peters upright in bed. He sat there, leaning
back on the heels of his hands, blinking stupidly at the wall. His
vision cleared and he looked down at Myra, just stirring beside him.
Myra opened her eyes.

Jim said, "Did you feel that?"

Myra yawned. "I thought I was dreaming. It was an explosion or
something, wasn't it?"

Jim's lips set grimly. After ten years of cold war, there was only one
appropriate observation, and he made it. "I guess maybe this is it."

As by common agreement, they got out of bed and pulled on their robes.
They went downstairs and out into the warm summer night. Other people
had come out of their homes also. Shadowy figures moved and collected in
the darkness.

"Sounded right on top of us."

"I was looking out the window. Didn't see no flash."

"Must have been further away than it seemed."

This last was spoken hopefully, and reflected the mood of all the
people. Maybe it wasn't the bomb after all.

Oddly, no one had thought to consult a radio. The thought struck them as
a group and they broke into single and double units again--hurrying back
into the houses. Lights began coming on here and there.

Jim Peters took Myra's hand, unconsciously, as they hurried up the porch
steps. "Hugh would know," Jim said. "I kind of wish