r, or Napoleon--perhaps even lesser monsters--could attempt the
same feat. But they might be less unstable! They might be able to invade
the mind of any human being, anywhere, and drain it of any secret or
impress upon it any desire or command, however revolting. You see, Karl,
why this must never become known! It must be hidden forever.

* * * * *

Letter from Dr. Karl Thurn, University of Laibach, to Professor Albrecht
Aigen, Brunn University.

My dear friend:

I am relieved! I feared for your judgment. I thought that perhaps
overwork and frustration had set up an anxiety-block to make you cease
your work. But you are quite right. Your analysis is brilliant. And now
that you have pointed it out, unquestionably a man with The Leader's psi
powers could force another man's brain to transmit all its contents to
him.

But consider the consequences! Consider the conditions of such an event.
One's brain is designed to work within one's own skull, dealing with
sensory messages and the like. Very occasionally it acts outside,
shifting crumbs of cheese and confusing computers--and securing candy.
But even when one's will controls outside actions, it does not fuse with
the outside brain or thing. It molds or moves the recipient mind, but
there is never a sharing of memory. You have explained why.

Consider what must happen if a brain of limited power and essentially
emotional operation is linked to another and more powerful one. Assume
for a moment that my she-dog had linked her brain to yours, even
momentarily. Do you realize that she would not have gotten your
memories, much less your power to reason? She would not even have
acquired your knowledge of the meaning of words! When a bright light
shines in your eyes, you see nothing else. When thunder rolls in your
ears, you do not hear the ticking of a clock. When you suffer pain, you
do not notice a feather's tickle. If my she-dog had linked her mind to
yours, she would have experienced something which is knowledge more
firmly fixed and more continuously known than anything else in your
conscious life. This overwhelmingly strong conviction would have been so
powerful and so positive that it would be imprinted--branded--burned
into every cell of her brain. She could never get it out.

But in receiving this overwhelming experience she would not get your
memories or power to reason or even your personality. She would have
experienced only your