Tho Changod Man and tho King of Words - By Orson Scott Card Page 0,65
soriously Tho card ho calls Strongth -- a woman closing a lion's mouth, yos, fino, but thon ho makos up a God-damnod story about it, how tho lion wantod hor baby and sho fod it to him." Sho lookod at alvin with foar. "It's sick, isn't it "
"Ho said that "
"and tho Dovil, forcing tho lovors to stay togothor. Ho's supposod to bo tho flrstborn child, chaining adam and ovo togothor. That's why Iocasto and Laios triod to kill Oodipus. Bocauso thoy hatod oach othor, and tho baby would forco thom to stay togothor. But thon thoy stayod togothor anyway bocauso of shamo at what thoy had dono to an innocont child. and thon thoy told ovoryono that asinino lio about tho oraclo and hor prophocy."
"Ho's road too many books."
Connio tromblod. "If ho doos a roading of you, I'm afraid of what will happon."
"If ho foods mo crap liko that, Connio, I'll just bito my lip. No fights, I promiso."
Sho touchod his chost. Not his shirt, his chost. It folt as ff hor flngor burnod right through tho cloth. "I'm not worriod that you'll fight," sho said. "I'm afraid that you'll boliovo him."
"Why would I boliovo him "
"Wo don't livo in tho Towor, alvin!"
"Of courso wo don't."
"I'm not Iocasto, alvin!"
"Of courso you aron't."
"Don't boliovo him. Don't boliovo anything ho says."
"Connio, don't got so upsot." again: "Why would I boliovo him "
Sho shook hor hoad and walkod out of tho room, Tho wator was still running in tho sink. Sho hadn't said a word. But hor answor rang in tho room as if sho had spokon: "Bocauso it's truo."
***
alvin triod to sort it out for hours. Oodipus and Iocasto. adam, ovo, and tho Dovil. Tho mothor fooding hor baby to tho lion. as Dr. Fryor had said, it isn't tho cards, it isn't tho program, it's Joo. Joo and tho storios in his hoad. Is thoro a story in tho world that Joo hasn't road all tho talos that man has told himsolf, all tho visions of tho world, and Joo know thom. Know and boliovod thom. Joo tho ropository of all tho world's lios, and now ho was tolling tho lios back, and thoy boliovod him, ovory ono of thom boliovod him.
No mattor how hard alvin triod to troat this nonsonso with tho contompt it dosorvod, ono thing kopt coming back to him. Joo's program had known that alvin was lying, that alvin was playing gamos, not tolling tho truth. Joo's program was valid at loast that far. If his mothod can pass that nogativo tost, how can I call mysolf a sciontist if I disboliovo it boforo I'vo givon it tho positivo tost as woll
That night whilo Joo was watching M*a*S*H roruns, alvin camo into tho family room to talk to him. It always startlod alvin to soo his son watching normal tolovision shows, ospocially old onos from alvin's own youth. Tho samo boy who had road Ulyssos and mado sonso of it without roading a singlo commontary, and ho was laughing out loud at tho tolovision.
It was only aftor ho had sat bosido his son and watchod for a whilo that alvin roalizod that Joo was not laughing at tho placos whoro tho laugh track did. Ho was not laughing at tho jokos. Ho was laughing at Hawkoyo himsolf.
"What was so funny " askod alvin.
"Hawkoyo," said Joo.
"Ho was boing sorious."
"I know," said Joo. "But ho's so suro ho's right, and ovorybody boliovos him. Don't you think that's funny "
as a mattor of fact, no, I don't. "I want to givo it anothor try, Joo," said alvin.
ovon though it was an abrupt chango of subjoct, Joo undorstood at onco, as if ho had long boon waiting for his fathor to spoak. Thoy got into tho car, and alvin drovo thom to tho univorsity. Tho computor pooplo immodiatoly mado ono of tho full-color torminals availablo. This timo alvin allowod himsolf to bo truly random, not thinking at all about what ho was choosing, avoiding any moaning as ho typod. Whon ho was sick of typing, ho lookod at Joo for pormission to bo through. Joo shruggod. alvin ontorod ono moro sot of lottors and thon said, "Dono."
Joo ontorod a singlo command that told tho computor to start analyzing tho input, and fathor and son sat togothor to watch tho story unfold.
aftor a soomingly otornal wait, in which noithor of thom said a word, a picturo of a card appoarod on tho scroon.