The Moon Is Green - Fritz Leiber - X Minus One Project

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
The moon is green by Fritz liberany One who wanted to escape death could
by paying a very simple price,denial of life. Effie, what the
devil are you up to? Herhusband's voice, chopping through her mood of
terrified rapture, made her heart jumplike a startled cat, Yet by some

(00:21):
miracle of feminine self control, herbody did not show a tremor. Dear
God, she thought, he mustn'tsee it. It's so beautiful, and
he always kills beauty. I'm justlooking at the moon, she said,
listlessly. It's green. Mustn't,mustn't see it, and now, with

(00:43):
luck, he wouldn't. For theface, as if it also heard and
sensed. The menace in the voicewas moving back from the window's glow into
the outside dark, but slowly,reluctantly, and still fawn like, pleading,
cajoling, tempted, and incredibly beautiful. Close the shutters at once,
a little fool, and come awayfrom the window. Green is a beer

(01:08):
bottle, she went on, dreamily, Green as emeralds, green as leaves
with sunshine striking through them, andgreen grass to lie on. She couldn't
help saying those last words. Theywere her token to the face. Even
though it couldn't hear f Fie,she knew what that last tone meant.

(01:29):
Wearily, she swung shut the ponderouslead inner shutters and drove home the heavy
bolts that hurt her fingers. Italways did. But he mustn't know that.
You know that those shutters are notto be touched, not for five
more years at least. I onlywanted to look at the moon, she
said, turning around, And thenit was all gone, the face,

(01:53):
the night, the moon, themagic, and she was back in the
grubby, stale little hole, facingan angry, stale little man. It
was then that the eternal thud ofthe air conditioning fans and the crackle of
the electrostatic precipitators that sived out thedust reached her consciousness again, like the
bite of a dentist's drill, onlyonan etila get the moon. He mimicked

(02:17):
her in falsetto. Only wanted todie like a little fool and make me
that much more ashamed of you.Then his voice went gruff and professional.
Here count herself. She silently tookthe Daiger counter he held at arm's length,
waited until it settled down to asteady ticking, slower than o'clock due
only to cosmic rays and indicating nothingdangerous, and then began to comb her

(02:40):
body with the instrument, first herhead and shoulders, then out along her
arms, and back along their underside. There was something oddly voluptuous about her
movements, although her features were grayand sagging. The ticking did not change
its tempo until she came to herwaist. Then it suddenly spurreted, clicking
faster and faster. Her husband gavean excited grunt, took a quick step

(03:02):
forward, froze. She goggled fora moment in fear, then grinned foolishly,
dug in the pocket of her grimyapron, and guiltily pulled out her
wrist watch. He grabbed it asit dangled from her fingers, saw that
it had a radium dial. Cursed. Heaved it up as if to smash
it on the floor, but insteadput it carefully on the table. You

(03:23):
ambuscile, You incredible ambuscile, hesoftly chanted to himself through clenched teeth,
with eyes half closed. She shruggedfaintly, put the Geiger counter on the
table and stood there slumped. Hewaited until the chanting had soothed his anger.
Before speaking again, he said quietly, I do suppose you still realize

(03:46):
the sort of world you're living in. She nodded slowly, staring at nothingness.
Oh, she realized, all right, realized only too well. It
was the world that hadn't realized.The world that had gone on stockpiling hydrogen
bombs, The world that had putthose bombs in cobalt shells, although it
had promised it wouldn't because the cobaltmade them much more terrible and cost no

(04:10):
more. The world that had startedthrowing those bombs, always telling itself that
it hadn't thrown enough of them yetto make the air really dangerous with their
deadly radioactive dust that came from thecobalt, thrown them and kept on throwing
them until the danger point where airand ground would become fatal to all human
life was approached. Then, forabout a month, the two great enemy
groups had hesitated, and then eachunknown to the other, had decided it

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could risk one last gigantic and decisiveattack without exceeding the danger point. It
had been planned to strip off thecobalt cases, but someone forgot, and
then there wasn't time. Besides,the military scientists of each group are confident
that the lands of the other hadgot the most dust. The two attacks
came within an hour of each other. After that, the fury, the

(05:00):
fury of doomed men who think onlyof taking with them as many as possible
of the enemy, and in thiscase they hoped all. The fury of
suicides who know they have botched uplife for good. The fury of cock
sure men who realize they have beenoutsmarted by fate, the enemy and themselves,
and know that they will never beable to improvise a defense when arranged

(05:23):
before the high court of history,and whose unadmitted hope is that there will
be no high Court of History leftto arraign them. More cobalt bahms were
dropped during the Fury than in allthe preceding years of the war. After
the Fury, the terror men andwomen, with death sifting into their bones
through their nostrils and skin, fightingfor bare survival under a dust hazed sky

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that played fantastic tricks with the lightof sun and moon, like the dust
from Krakatoa that drifted around the worldfor years, Cities, countryside and air
were alike, poisoned alive with deadlyradiation. The only realistic chance were continued
existence was to retire for the fiveor ten years the radiation would remain deadly

(06:08):
to some well sealed and radiation shieldedplace that must also be copiously supplied with
food, water, power, anda means of air conditioning. Such places
were prepared by the far seeing,seized by the stronger, defended by them
in turn against the desperate hordes ofthe dying, until there were no more
of those. After that, onlythe waiting, the enduring, a mole's

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existence, without beauty or tenderness,but with fear and guilt as constant companions,
never to see the sun, towalk among the trees, or even
know if there were still trees.Oh, yes, she realized what the
world was like. You understand too. I suppose that we were allowed to
reclaim this ground lovel apartment only becausethe committee believed us to be responsible people,

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and because I've been making a damngood showing lately. Yes, Hank,
I thought you were eager for privacy. You want to go back to
the basement tenements? God, no, anything rather than that fetid huddling,
that shameless communal sprawl, And yetwas this so much better? The nearness
of the surface was meaningless and onlytantalized, and the privacy magnified. Hank.

(07:21):
She shook her head dutifully and said, no, Hank, then why
aren't you careful? I've told youa million times, Effie. The glass
is no protection against the dust that'soutside that window. The lead shutter must
never be touched. If you makeone single slip like that and it gets
around, the committee will send usback to the lower levels without blinking an

(07:43):
eye, and they'll think twice beforetrusting me with any important jobs. I'm
sorry, Hank. Sorry, what'sthe good of being sorry? The only
thing that counts is never to makea slip? Why the devil do ye
do such things? Effie? Whatdrives you to it? She swallowed.
It's just that it's so dreadful beingcooped up like this, she said,

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hesitatingly, shut away from the skyand the sun. I'm just hungry for
a little beauty. And do yousuppose I'm not, he demanded. Don't
you suppose I want to get outsidetwo and be carefree and have a good
time. But I'm not so damnedselfish about it. I want my children
to enjoy the sun, and mychildren's children. Don't you see that that's

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the all important thing, and thatwe have to behave like mature adults and
make sacrifices for it. Yes,hank, he surveyed her slumped figure,
her lined and listless face. You'rea fine one to talk about hunger for
beauty, he told her. Thenhis voice grew softer, more deliberate.

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You haven't forgotten, have you,Effie, that until last month the Committee
was so concerned about your sterility thatthey were about to enter my name on
the list of those waiting to beallotted a free woman very high on the
list too. She could not evenat that one, But not while looking
at him. She turned away.She knew very well that the Committee was
justified in worrying about the birth rate. When the community finally moved back to

(09:16):
the surface again, each additional healthyyoung person would be an asset not only
in the struggle for bare survival,but in the resumed war against communism,
which some of the Committee members stillcounted on. It was natural that they
should view a sterile woman with disfavor, and not only because of the waste
of her husband's germ plasm, butbecause sterility might indicate that she had suffered

(09:37):
more than the average from radiation.In that case, if she did bear
children later on, they would bemore apt to carry a defective heredity,
producing an undue number of monsters andfreaks in future generations, and so contaminating
the race. Of course she understoodit. She could hardly remember the time
when she didn't years ago, centuries. There wasn't much difference in a place

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where time was endless. His lecturefinished, her husband smiled and grew almost
cheerful. Now that you're going tohave a child, that's all in the
background again. Do you know,Effie, that when I first came in,
I had some very good news foryou. I'm to become a member
of the Junior Committee, and theannouncement will be made at the banquet tonight.
He cut short. Her mumbled congratulations. So brighten yourself up and put

(10:24):
on your best dress. I wantthe other juniors to see what a handsome
wife the new member has got.He paused, well, get a move
on, She spoke with difficulties,still not looking at him. I'm terribly
sorry, Hank, but you'll haveto go alone. I'm not well,
he straightened up with an indignant jerk. There you go again, First that

(10:46):
infantile, inexcusable business of the shutters, and now this no feeling for my
reputation at all. Don't be ridiculous, Effie. You're coming terribly sorry,
she repeated blindly. But I reallycan't just be sick. I wouldn't make
you proud of me at all.Of course you won't, he retorted sharply.
As it is, I have tospend half my energy running around making

(11:09):
excuses for you. Why you're soodd, why you always seem to be
ailing, why you're always stupid andsnobbish and say the wrong thing. But
tonight's really important, Effie. Itwill cause a lot of bad comment if
the new member's wife isn't present,you know how, just as a hint
of sickness starts the old radiation diseaserumor going, You've got to come,
Effie. She shook her head helplessly. Oh, for heaven's sake, come

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on, he shouted, advancing onher. This is just a silly mood.
As soon as you get going,you'll snap out of it. There's
nothing really wrong with you at all, he put his hand on her shoulder
to turn her around, and athis touch her face suddenly grew so desperate
and gray that for a moment hewas alarmed in spite of himself. Really,

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he asked, almost with a noteof concern. She nodded miserably.
Hum He stepped back and strode aboutirresolutely. Well, of course, if
that's the way it is, hechecked himself, and a sad smile crossed
his face. So you don't careenough about your old husband's success to make

(12:15):
one supreme effort in spite of feelingbad again, the helpless head shake.
I just can't go out to nightunder any circumstances, and her gaze stole
toward the lad shutters. He wasabout to say something when he caught the
direction of her gaze. His eyebrowsjumped. For seconds. He stared at
her incredulously, as if some completelynew and almost unbelievable possibility had popped into

(12:37):
his mind. The look of incredrulityslowly faded to be replaced by a harder,
more calculating expression. But when hespoke again, his voice was shockingly
bright and kind. Well, itcan't be helped naturally, and I certainly
wouldn't want you to go if youweren't able to enjoy it. So you
hop right into bed and get goodrest. I'll run over to the men's

(12:58):
dorm to freshen up. No,really, I don't want you to have
to make any effort at all.Incidentally, Jim Barnes isn't going to be
able to come to the banquet either, touch of the old flu, he
tells me, of all things.He watched her closely as he mentioned the
other man's name, but she didn'treact noticeably. In fact, she hardly
seemed to be hearing his chatter.I got a bit sharp with you.

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I'm afraid effy, he continued contritely. I'm sorry about that. I was
excited about my new job, andI guess that was why things upset me,
made me feel let down when Ifound you weren't feeling as good as
I was. Selfish of me.Now you get into bed right away and
get well. Don't worry about mea bit. I know you'd come if
you possibly could, and I knowyou'll be thinking about me. Well,

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I must be off now. Hestarted toward her as if to embrace her,
then seemed to think better of it. He turned back at the doorway
and said, emphasizing the words,you'll be completely alone for the next four
hours. He waited for her nod, then bounced out. She stood still
until his footsteps died away. Thenshe straightened up, walked over to where

(14:07):
he'd put down the wrist watch,picked it up and smashed it hard on
the floor. The crystal shattered,the case flew apart, and something when
zing. She stood there, breathingheavily. Slowly, her sagged features lifted
formed themselves since the beginning of asmile. She stole another look at the
shutters. The smile became more definite. She felt her hair wet her fingers

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and ran them along her hair lineand back over her ears. After wiping
her hands on her apron, shetook it off. She straightened her dress,
lifted her head with a little flourish, and stepped smartly toward the window.
Then her face went miserable again,and her steps slowed. No,
it couldn't be, and it won'tbe, she told herself. It had

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been just an illusion, a sillyromantic dream that she had somehow projected out
of her beauty starved mind and givena moment's false reality. There couldn't be
anything alive outside. There hadn't beenfor two whole years, and if there
conceivably were, it would be somethingaltogether horrible. She remembered some of the

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pariahs, hairless, witless creatures withradiation whilst crawling over their bodies like worms,
who had come begging for succor duringthe last months of the terror and
been shot down. How they musthave hated the people and refugees. But
even as she was thinking these things, her fingers were caressing the bolts,
gingerly, drawing them, and shewas opening the shutters gently, apprehensively.

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No, there couldn't be anything outside, she assured herself, Riley, peering
out into the green night. Evenher fears had been groundless. But the
face came floating up towards the window. She started back in terror, then
checked herself, for the face wasn'thorrible at all, only very thin,

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with full lips and large eyes anda thin, proud nose like the jutting
beak of a bird, and noradiation welts or scars marred the skin.
Olive in the tempered moonlight, itlooked, in fact, just as it
had when she had seen it thefirst time. For a long moment,
the face stared deep, deep intoher brain. Then the full lips smiled,

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and a half clenched, thin fingeredhand materialized itself from the green darkness
and wrapped twice on the grimy pane. Her heart pounding, she furiously worked
the little crank that opened the window. It came unstuck from the frame with
a tiny explosion of dust and azing like that of the watch, only
louder. A moment later, itswung open wide, and a puff of

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incredibly fresh air caressed her face andthe inside of her nostrils, stinging her
eyes with unanticipated tears. The manoutside balanced on the sill, crouching like
a fawn, head high, oneelbow on knee. He was dressed in
scarred snug trousers in an old sweater. Is it tears I get for a

(17:07):
welcome? He mocked her gently ina musical voice. Are those only to
greet God's own breath? The airhe swung down inside, and now she
could see he was tall. Turning, he snapped his fingers and called compose.
A black cat with a twisted stumpof a tail and feet like small
box and gloves and ears, almostas big as rabbits, hopped clumsily in

(17:30):
view. He lifted it down,gave it a pat, then, nodding
familiarly to Effie, he unstrapped alittle pack from his back and laid it
on the table. She couldn't move. She even found it hard to breathe.
The window she finally managed to getout, He looked at her inquiringly,

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caught the direction of her stabbing finger. Moving without haste, he went
over and closed it carelessly. Theshutters too, she told him, But
he ignored that. Looking around,it's a snug enough place you and your
man have, he commented. Oris it that this is a free love
town or a harem spot or justa military boast? He checked her before

(18:14):
she could answer. But let's notbe talking about such things now. Soon
enough i'll be scared to death forboth of us. Best enjoy the kick
of meeting, which is always goodfor twenty minutes at the least, he
smiled at her, rather shyly.Have you food good, then bring it?
She set cold meat and some preciouscanned bread before him, and had
water heating for coffee. Before hefell to he shredded a chunk of meat

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and put it on the floor forthe cat, which left off its sniffing
inspection of the walls and ran upeagerly mewing. Then the man began to
eat, chewing each mouthful slowly andappreciatively. From across the table, Effie
watched him, drinking in his everydeft movement, his every cryptic quirk of
expression. She attempted to making thecoffee, but that took only a moment.

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Finally she could contain herself no longer. What's it like up there,
she asked, breathlessly, outside Imean He looked at her oddly for quite
a space. Finally he said flatly, Oh, it's a wonderland, for
sure, more amazing than you tombedfolk could ever imagine. A veritable fairy

(19:22):
land, and he quickly went oneating. No, but really, she
pressed, noting her eagerness, hesmiled, and his eyes filled with playful
tenderness. I mean it on myoath, he assured her. You think
the bombs and the dust made onlydeath in ugliness. That was true at
first, but then, just asthe doctors were told, they changed the

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life and the seeds and loins thatwere brave enough to stay. Wanders bloomed
and walked. He broke off suddenlyand asked, do any of you ever
venture outside? A few of themen are allowed to, She told him,
for short trip and special protective suitsto hunt for canned food and fuels
and batteries and things like that.Ay, and those blind souled slugs would

(20:08):
never see anything but what they're lookingfor, he said, nodding bitterly.
They'd never see the garden where adozen buds blossom where one did before,
and the flowers have paddles a yardacross with stingless Bee's biggest sparrows gently supping
their nectar. House Cats grown spottedand huge as leopards, not little ronts
like Joe Lewis here, stalk throughthose gardens, but their gentle beasts no

(20:33):
more harmful than the rainbow scaled snakesthat glide round their paws. For the
dust burned all the murder out ofem as they burned itself out. I've
even made up a little poem aboutthat. It starts fire can hurt me,
or water or the weight of earth, But the dust is my friend.
Ah. Yes. And then therobins like cockatoos and squirrels like a

(20:53):
princess's ermine, all under a treasurechest of sun and moon and stars that
the dusts matter. Chick powder changesfrom ruby to emerald, and sapphire and
amethyst and back again. Oh,and then the new Children. You're telling
the truth, she interrupted him,her eyes brimming with tears. You're not
making it up. I am not, he assured her solemnly. And if

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you could catch a glimpse of oneof the new Children, you'd never doubt
me again. They have long limbsas brown as this coffee would be if
it had lots of fresh cream init, and smile on delicate faces,
and the whitish teeth and the finesthair. They're so nimble that I,
a sprightly man and somewhat enlivened bythe dust, feel like a cripple beside

(21:37):
them, and their thoughts dance likeflames and make me feel a very imbecile.
Of course. They have seven fingerson each hand and eight toes on
each hood. But they're the morebeautiful for that. They have large pointed
ears that the sun shines through.They're playing the garden all day long,
slipping among the great leaves and blooms, but they're so swift that you can
hardly see them unless one chooses tostand still and look at you. For

(22:00):
that matter, you have to looka bit hard for all these things I'm
telling you. But is it true? She pleaded? Every word of it,
he said, looking straight into hereyes. He put down his knife
and fork. What's your name,he asked, softly. Mind's Patrick,
Effie, she told him. Heshook his head. That can't be,

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he said. Then his face brightened. Euphemia, he exclaimed. That's what
Effie is short for. Your nameis Euphemia. As he said, sat
looking at her, she suddenly feltbeautiful. He got up and came around
the table and stretched out his handtoward her. Euphemia, he began,

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yes, she answered, huskily,shrinking from him a little, but looking
up sideways and very flushed. Don'teither of you move, Hank said.
Voice was flat and nasal because Hankwas wearing a nose respirator that was just
long enough to suggest an elephant's trunk. In his right hand was a large,
blue, black automatic pistol. Theyturned their faces to him. Patrick's

(23:12):
was abruptly alert, shifty, butEffie's was still smiling tenderly, as if
Hank could not break the spell ofthe match of garden and should be pitied
for not knowing about it. Youlittle Hank began with an almost gleeful fury,
calling her several shameful names. Hespoke in short phrases, closing tight

(23:33):
his unmasked mouth between them while hesucked in breath through the respirator. His
voice rose in a crescendo. Andnot with a man of the community,
but a pariah. A pariah.I hardly know what you're thinkin' man,
but you're quite wrong. Patrick tookthe opportunity to put in hurriedly, conciliatingly.
I just happened to be coming byhungry to night. I'd lonely dramp

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and knocked at the window. Yourwife was a bit foolish and let kindheartedness
get the better of approve. Don'tthink you fold the wool over my eyes,
Effie, Hank went on with ascreechy laugh, disregarding the other man
completely. Don't think I don't knowwhy you're suddenly going to have a child
after four long years. At thatmoment, the cat came nosing up to

(24:15):
his feet. Patrick watched him narrowly, shifting his weight forward a little,
but Hank only kicked the animal asidewithout taking his eyes off them. Even
that business of carrying the wrist watchin your pocket instead of on your arm,
He went on, with channeled hysteria, a neat bit of camouflage.
Effie, very neat and telling meit was my child, when all the

(24:37):
time you've been seeing him for months. Man, you're mad I've not touched
her. Patrick denied hotly, thoughstill calculatingly, and risked a step forward,
stopping when the gun instantly swung hisway, pretending you are going to
give me a healthy child, Hankraved on, when all the while you
knew it would be either in body, a germplasm, a thing like that.

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He waved his gun at the malformedcat, which had leaped to the
top of the table and was eatingthe remains of Patrick's food, though its
watchful green eyes were fixed on Hank. I could shoot him down, Hank
yelled, between sobbing, chest rackinginhalations through the mask. I should kill
him this instant, for the condamnatedp right he is. All this while

(25:23):
Effie had not ceased to smile compassionately. Now she stood up without haste and
went to Patrick's side, disregarding hiswarning apprehensive glance. She put her arm
lightly around him and faced her husband. Then you'd be killing the bringer of
the best news we've ever had,she said, and her voice was like

(25:44):
a flood of some warm, sweetliquor, and that musty hate charged room.
Oh, Hank, frigate your silly, wrong jealousy, and listen to
me. Patrick, here has somethingwonderful to tell us. Hank stared at
her for once he screamed no reply. It was obvious that he was seeing
for the first time how beautiful shehad become, and that the realization jolted

(26:08):
him terribly. What do you mean, he finally asked, unevenly, almost
fearfully. I mean that we nolonger need to fear the dust, she
said, and now her smile wasradiant. It never really did hurt people
the way the doctor said it would. Remember how it was with me,

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Hank, the exposure I had andrecovered from, although the doctor said I
wouldn't at first, and without evenlosing my hair, Hank. Those who
were brave enough to stay outside andwho weren't killed by terror and suggestion and
panic. They adapted to the dust. They changed, but they changed for

(26:52):
the better. Everything every he toldyou lies, Hank interrupted, but still
in that agitated, broken voice,cowed by her beauty, Everything that grew
or moved was purified, she wenton, ringingly. You men going outside
have never seen it because you've neverhad eyes for it. You've been blinded

(27:15):
to beauty, to life itself.And now all the power and the dust
has gone and faded anyway, burneditself out. That's true, isn't it.
She smiled at Patrick for confirmation.His face was strangely veiled, as
if he were calculating obscure changes.He might have given a little nod at

(27:38):
any rate, Effie assumed he did, for she turned back to her husband.
You see, Hank, we canall go out now. We need
never fear the dust again. Patrickis a living proof of that, she
continued, triumphantly, standing straighter,holding him a little tighter. Look at
him, not a scar or asign. And he's been out in the

(27:59):
dust for years. How could hebe this way? If the dust hurt
the brave. Oh believe me,Hank, believe what you see. Test
it if you want test Patrick here, Effie, you're all mixed up.
You don't know, Hank faltered,but without conviction of any sort. Just
test him, Effie repeated, withutter confidence, ignoring not even noticing Patrick's

(28:22):
warning nudge. All right, Hankmumbled. He looked at the stranger.
Dully, can you count? Heasked. Patrick's face was a complete enigma.
Then he suddenly spoke, and hisvoice was like a fencer's foil light,
bright alert, constantly playing, yetutterly on guard. Can I count?

(28:45):
Do you take me for a completesimpleton? Man? Of course I
can count. Then count yourself,Hank said, barely indicating the table.
Count myself? Should I? Theother retorted with a quick, facetious laugh.
Is this a kindergarten? But ifyou want me to, I'm willin'.
His voice was rapid. I've twoarms and two legs. That's four

(29:06):
and ten fingers and ten toes.You'll take my word for them. That's
twenty four, a head twenty fiveand two eyes and a nose and a
mouth. With this, I mean, Hank said. Heavily advanced to the
table, picked up the Geiger counter, switched it on, and handed it
across the table to the other.Man. But while it was still in
arm's length from Patrick, the clicksbegan to mount furiously, until they were

(29:27):
like the chatter of a pigmy machinegun. Abruptly the clicks slowed, but
that was only the counter shifting toa new scaling circuit in which each click
stood for five hundred and twelve ofthe old ones. With those horrid,
rattling little volleys. Fear cascaded intothe room and filled it, smashing like
so much colored glass all the brightbarriers of words Effie had raised against it.

(29:48):
For no dreams can stand against theGeiger Counter, the twentieth century's mouthpiece
of ultimate truth. It was asif the dust and all the terrors of
the dust had incarnated themselves in oned invading shape that said, in words
stronger than audible speech. Those wereillusions, whistles in the dark. This
is reality, the dreary, pitilessreality of the burrowing years. Hank scuttled

(30:14):
back to the wall. Through chatteringteeth. He babbled enough radioactives kill a
thousand men, freak of a freak. In his agitation, he forgot for
a moment to inhale through the respirator. Even Effie taken off guard. All
the fears that had been drilled intoher, twanging like piano wires, shrank
from the skeletal seeming shape beside her, held herself to it only by desperation.

(30:38):
Patrick did it for her. Hedisengaged her arm and stepped briskly away.
Then he whirled on them, smilingsardonically, and started to speak,
but instead looked with distaste at thechattering Gaiger counter he held between fingers and
thumb. Have we listened to thisracket long enough? He asked, Without
waiting for an answer, he putdown the instrument on the table. The

(31:00):
cat hurried over to it curiously,and the clicks began again to mount in
a minor crescendo. Effie lunched wereit, frantically, switched it off,
darted back. That's right, Patricksaid, with another chilling smile. You
do well to crnch, for I'mdeath itself. Even in death, I
could kill you like a snake.And with that his voice took on the

(31:22):
tones of a circus barker. Yes, I'm a freak, as this gentleman
so wisely said. That's what onedoctor who dared talk with me for a
minute told me before he kicked meout. He couldn't tell me why.
But somehow the dust doesn't kill me, because I'm a freak, you see,
just like the men who ate nailsand walked on fire and ate arsenic
and stuck themselves through with pins.Step right up, ladies and gentlemen,

(31:45):
only not too close, and examinethe man the dust can't harm. Rappaccini's
child brought up to date his embracedeath. And now, he said,
breathing heavily, I'll get out andleave you in your damned lead cave.
He started towards the window. Hank'sgun followed him, shakingly. Wait,

(32:07):
Effie called, in an agonized voice. He obeyed, She continued, falteringly,
when we were together earlier, youdidn't act as if when we were
together earlier, I wanted what Iwanted. He snarled at her. You
don't suppose I'm a bloody saint,do you? And all the beautiful things
you told me that, he said, cruelly, it's just a line I've

(32:30):
found that women fall for. They'reall so bored and so starved for beauty,
as they generally put it, eventhe garden. Her question was barely
audible, through the sobs that threatenedto suffocate her. He looked at her,
and perhaps his expression softened just atrifle. What's outside, he said,

(32:53):
flatly. He's just a little worsethan either of ye can imagine up
to his temple. The garden's allhere. You've killed it, she wept.
You've killed it in me. You'veboth killed everything that's beautiful. But
you're words, she screamed at Patrick, because he only killed beauty once,

(33:16):
but you who brought it to lifejust so you could kill it again.
Oh, you can't stand it.You won't stand it, and she began
to scream. Patrick started toward her, but she broke off and whirled away
from him to the window, hereyes crazy. You've been lying to us,
she cried. The garden's there,I know it is, but you

(33:37):
don't want to share it with anyone. No, no, Euphaemia, Patrick
protested anxiously. It's hell out there. Believe me, I wouldn't lie to
you about it. Wouldn't lie tome, she mocked, Are you afraid
too? With a sudden pull,she jerked open the window and stood before
the blank, green tinged oblong ofdarkness that seemed to press into the room

(33:59):
like a menace. Seeing heavy windurged curtain. At that, Hank cried
out a shock. Pleading Effy,she ignored him. I can't be cooped
up here any longer, she said, and I won't now that I know.
I'm going to the garden. Bothmen sprang at her, but they
were too late. She leaped lightlyto the sill, and by the time

(34:19):
they had flung themselves against it,her footsteps were already hurrying off into the
darkness. Effie, come back,come back, Hank shouted after her,
desperately, no longer thinking to cringefrom the man beside him or how the
gun was pointed. I love you, Effie, come back, Patrick added
his voice. Come back, Euphemia, You'll be safe if you come back

(34:42):
right away, come back to yourhome. No answer to that at all.
They both strained their eyes through thegreenish murk. They could barely make
out a shadowy figure about half ablock down the near black canyon of the
dismal, dust blown street, intowhich the greenish moonlight hardly reached. It
seemed to them that the figure wasscooping something up from the pavement and letting

(35:05):
it sift down along its arms andover its bosom. Go out and get
her, man, Patrick urged theother for if I go out for her,
I warn you I won't bring herback. She said something about having
stood the dust better than most.An that's enough for me. But Hank,
chained by his painfully learned habits andby something else, could not move.

(35:27):
And then a ghostly voice came whisperingdown the street, chanting, fire
can hurt me, or water orthe way over, but the dust is
my friend. Patrick spared the otherman one more look. Then, without
a word, he vaulted up andran off. Hank stood there after perhaps

(35:49):
a half minute. He remembered toclose his mouth when he inhaled. Finally
he was sure the street was empty. As he started to close the window,
there was a little mew. Hepicked up the cat and gently put
it outside. Then he did closethe window and the shutters and bolted them,
and took up the Geiger counter andmechanically began to count himself. And

(36:13):
of the Moon is Green by FritzLieber