“Or, if that is too sensational,” continued Banneker, warming up, “we could head it ‘Charles Darwin Would Never Go Fishing, Because’ and a heavy dash after ‘because.’”
“Fakey,” pronounced Edmonds. “Still, I don’t know that there’s any harm in that kind of faking.”
“Merely a trick to catch the eye. I don’t know whether Darwin ever went fishing or not. Probably he did if only for his researches. But, in essentials, I’m giving ’em a truth; a big truth.”
“What?” inquired Marrineal.
“Solemn sermonizers would call it the inter-relations of life or something to that effect. What I’m after is to coax ’em to think a little.”
“About angle-worms?”
“About anything. It’s the process I’m after. Only let me start them thinking about evolution and pretty soon I’ll have them thinking about the relations of modern society—and thinking my way. Five hundred thousand people, all thinking in the way we told ’em to think—”
“Could elect Willis Enderby mayor of New York,” interjected the practical Edmonds.
Marrineal, whose face had become quite expressionless, gave a little start. “Who?” he said.
“Judge Enderby of the Law Enforcement Society.”