way, just to keep the record straight, I'm Dr. Capek, Mr. Bonforte's personal therapist. I know who you are. Now what's this we hear about you and Martians?
I tried to explain it clearly and unemotionally.
Dr. Capek nodded. «Captain Broadbent should have told me. I would have changed the order of your indoctrination program. The captain is a competent young fellow in his way
I answered, «You have my permission readily, sir — but it won't do any good. I can't go under.» I had learned hypnotic techniques myself during the time I was showing my mentalist act, but my teachers had never had any luck hypnotizing me. A touch of hypnotism is very useful to such an act, especially if the local police aren't too fussy about the laws the medical association has hampered us with.
«So? Well, we'll just have to do the best we can, then. Suppose you relax, get comfortable, and we'll talk about your problem.» He still kept the watch in his hand, fiddling with it and twisting the chain, after he had stopped taking my pulse. I started to mention it, since it was catching the reading light just over my head, but decided that it was probably a nervous habit of which he was not aware and really too trivial a matter to call to the attention of a stranger
«I'm relaxed,» I assured him. «Ask me anything you wish. Or free association, if you prefer.»
«Just let yourself float,» he said softly. «Two gravities makes you feel heavy, doesn't it? I usually just sleep through it myself. It pulls the blood out of the brain, makes one sleepy. They are beginning to boost the drive again. We'll all have to sleep ... We'll be heavy ... We'll have to sleep...»
I started to tell him that he had better put his watch away — or it would spin right out of his hand. Instead I fell asleep.
When I woke up, the other acceleration bunk was occupied by Dr. Capek. «Howdy, bub,» he greeted me. «I got tired of that confounded perambulator and decided to stretch out here and distribute the strain.»
«Uh, are we back on two gravities again?»
«Eh? Oh yes! We're on two gravities.»
«I'm sorry I blacked out. How long was I asleep?»
«Oh, not very long. How do you feel?»
«Fine. Wonderfully rested, in fact.»
«It frequently has that effect. Heavy boost, I mean. Feel like seeing some more pictures?»
«Why, certainly, if you say so, Doctor.»
«Okay.» He reached up and again the room went dark.
I was braced for the notion that he was going to show me more pictures of Martians; I made up my mind not to panic. After all, I had found it necessary on many occasions to pretend that they were not present; surely motion pictures of them should not affect me — I had simply been surprised earlier.
They were indeed stereos of Martians, both with and without Mr. Bonforte. I found it possible to study them with detached mind, without terror or disgust.
Suddenly I realized that I was
I let out some exclamation and Capek stopped the film. «Trouble?»
«Doctor — you hypnotized me!»
«You told me to.»
«But I can't be hypnotized.»
«Sorry to hear it.»
«Uh — so you managed it. I'm not too dense to see that.» I added, «Suppose we try those pictures again. I can't really believe it.»
He switched them on and I watched and wondered. Martians were not disgusting, if one looked at them without prejudice; they weren't even ugly. In fact, they possessed the same quaint grace as a Chinese pagoda. True, they were not human in form, but neither is a bird of paradise — and birds of paradise are the loveliest things alive.
I began to realize, too, that their pseudo limbs could be very expressive; their awkward gestures showed some of the bumbling friendliness of puppies. I knew now that I had looked at Martians all my life through the dark glasses of hate and fear.
Of course, I mused, their stench would still take getting used to, but — and then I suddenly realized that I was smelling them, the unmistakable odor — and I didn't mind it a bit! In fact, I liked it. «Doctor!» I said urgently. «This machine has a “smellie” attachment — doesn't it?»
«Eh? I believe not. No, I'm sure it hasn't — too much parasitic weight for a yacht.»
«But it must. I can smell them very plainly.»
«Oh, yes.» He looked slightly shamefaced. «Bub, I did one thing to you that I hope will cause you no inconvenience.»
«Sir?»
«While we were digging around inside your skull it became evident that a lot of your neurotic orientation about Martians was triggered by their body odor. I didn't have time to do a deep job so I had to offset it. I asked Penny — that's the youngster who was in here before — for a loan of some of the perfume she uses. I'm afraid that from here on out, bub, Martians are going to smell like a Parisian house of joy to you. If I had had time I would have used some homelier pleasant odor, like ripe strawberries or hot cakes and syrup. But I had to improvise.»
I sniffed. Yes, it did smell like a heavy and expensive perfume — and yet, damn it, it was unmistakably the reek of Martians. «I like it.»
«You can't help liking it.»
«But you must have spilled the whole bottle in here. The place is drenched with it.»
«Huh? Not at all. I merely waved the stopper under your nose a half hour ago, then gave the bottle back to Penny and she went away with it.» He sniffed. «The odor is gone now. “Jungle Lust,” it said on the bottle. Seemed to have a lot of musk in it. I accused Penny of trying to make the crew space-happy and she just laughed at me.» He reached up and switched off the stereopix. «We've had enough of those for now. I want to get you onto something more useful.»
When the pictures faded out, the fragrance faded with them, just as it does with smellie equipment. I was forced to admit to myself that it was all in the head. But, as an actor, I was intellectually aware of that truth anyhow.
When Penny came back in a few minutes later, she had a fragrance exactly like a Martian.
I loved it.
Four
My education continued in that room (Mr. Bonforte's guest room, it was) until turnover. I had no sleep, other than under hypnosis, and did not seem to need any. Either Doc Capek or Penny stuck with me and helped me the whole time. Fortunately my man was as thoroughly photographed and recorded as perhaps any man in history and I had, as well, the close cooperation of his intimates. There was endless material; the problem was to see how much I could assimilate, both awake and under hypnosis.
I don't know at what point I quit disliking Bonforte. Capek assured me — and I believe him — that he did not implant a hypnotic suggestion on this point; I had not asked for it and I am quite certain that Capek was meticulous about the ethical responsibilities of a physician and hypnotherapist. But I suppose that it was an inevitable concomitant of the role — I rather think I would learn to like Jack the Ripper if I studied for the part. Look at it this way: to learn a role truly, you must for a time become that character. And a man either likes himself, or he commits suicide, one way or another.
«To understand all is to forgive all» — and I was beginning to understand Bonforte.
