Against the Fall of Night by Arthur C. Clarke Page B

to Alvin that the whole world had turned against him. Though there was much truth in the words of Seranis, he would not recognize it: he saw only the wreck of his still dimly-conceived plans, the end of the search for knowledge that had now become the most important thing in his life.
    Seranis must have read his thoughts.
    “I’ll leave you for a while,” she said. “But remember—whatever your choice, there can be no turning back.”
    Theon followed her to the door but Alvin called after him. He looked enquiringly at his mother, who hesitated for a moment and then nodded her head. The door closed silently behind her and Alvin knew that it would not open again without her consent.
    Alvin waited until his racing thoughts were once more under control.
    “Theon,” he began, “you’ll help me, won’t you?”
    The other nodded but did not speak.
    “Then tell me this—how could your people stop me if I tried to run away?”
    “That would be easy. If you tried to escape, my mother would take control of your mind. Later, when you became one of us, you would not wish to leave.”
    “I see. Can you tell if she is watching my mind now?”
    Theon looked worried, but his protest answered the question.
    “I shouldn’t tell you that!”
    “But you will, won’t you?”
    The two boys looked silently at each other for many seconds. Then Theon smiled.
    “You can’t bully me, you know. Whatever you’re planning—and I can’t read your mind—as soon as you tried to put it into action Mother would take over. She won’t let you out of her sight until everything has been settled.”
    “I know that,” said Alvin, “but is she looking into my mind at this moment?”
    The other hesitated.
    “No, she isn’t,” he said at last. “I think’s she’s deliberately leaving you alone, so that her thoughts won’t influence you.”
    That was all he needed to know. For the first time Alvin dared to turn his mind upon the only plan that offered any hope. He was far too stubborn to accept either of the alternatives Seranis had offered him, and even if there had been nothing at stake he would have bitterly resisted any attempt to override his will.
    In a little while Seranis would return. He could do nothing until they were in the open again, and even then Seranis would be able to control his actions if he attempted to run away. And apart from that, he was sure that many of the villagers could intercept him long before he reached safety.
    Very carefully, checking every detail, he traced out the only road that could lead him back to Diaspar on the terms he wished.
    Theon warned him when Seranis was near, and he quickly turned his thoughts into harmless channels. It had never been easy for her to understand his mind, and now it seemed to Seranis as if she were far out in space, looking down upon a world veiled with impenetrable clouds. Sometimes there would be a rift in the covering, and for an instant she could catch a glimpse of what lay beneath. She wondered what Alvin was trying to hide from her. For a moment she dipped into her son’s mind, but Theon knew nothing of the other’s plans. She thought again of the precautions she had taken: as a man may flex his muscles before some great exertion, she ran through the compulsion patterns she might have to use. But there was no trace of her preoccupation as she smiled at Alvin from the doorway.
    “Well,” she asked, “have you made up your mind?”
    Alvin’s reply seemed frank enough.
    “Yes,” he said. “I will return to Diaspar.”
    “I’m sorry, and I know that Theon will miss you. But perhaps it’s best: this is not your world and you must think of your own people.”
    With a gesture of supreme confidence, she stood aside to let Alvin pass through the door.
    “The men who can obliterate your memory of Lys are waiting for you: we expected this decision.”
    Alvin was glad to see that Seranis was leading him in the direction he wished to go. She did not look back to see