Dr. Spindem stood up. “It is obvious, Major Montgomery, that you have endured a terrible ordeal at the hands of these people who operate this pseudo-analytic device they call the Mirror. It is my professional duty to recommend to your superior, Colonel Dodge, that you be withdrawn from the project immediately. Adequate evidence already exists to force the closing of the Institute. It is morally impossible to allow you to risk your mind further.
“For yourself, I must recommend immediate therapy. In order to minimize the danger of delay I would suggest we arrange for tomorrow morning the first of a series of electroshock treatments for you. If treatment is begun at once, the effects of this terrible experience should begin to disappear within five or six weeks.”
“Not tomorrow,” said Montgomery. “I have to design an airfoil. Perhaps in a day or two after that.”
VI.
He gave the white-faced Spindem an hour to call Colonel Dodge. Then he placed his own call. At Dodge’s first word he knew he had guessed correctly. Spindem had said his piece and Dodge was most sympathetic and solicitous.
“My dear major,” the colonel said. “I was just about to call you. I want to offer my congratulations and my sincere thanks for the job you have done for us. It’s as much as any man could be expected to perform in line of duty and I’m —”
“So Spindem called and told you I was nuts, huh?”
“What’s that, major? Oh, yes I did hear from Dr. Spindem this evening. He said —”
“Colonel Dodge, I want you to come out and see this thing for yourself. If I’m crazy — all right, I’m willing to gamble my sanity for what I’ve seen out here. This isn’t a fake, colonel, or a scheme of sabotage, or anything of the sort. If you think it is, after making a personal inspection, I’ll let Spindem fry my brains in an electric toaster for as long as he wants to. But I ask you to come and make your own decision before taking any further action against the Institute.”
“That is reasonable,” said Dodge carefully, as if he felt he were talking with a child or idiot. “As a matter of fact, I intended to do that anyway. But don’t you think you ought to let Dr. Spindem —”