Sentiment Inc. Read online

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  Cover]

  Dr. Kennedy's examination room]

  the machine]

  _The way we feel about another person, or about objects, is often bound up in associations that have no direct connection with the person or object at all. Often, what we call a "change of heart" comes about sheerly from a change in the many associations which make up our present viewpoint. Now, suppose that these associations could be altered artificially, at the option of the person who was in charge of the process...._

  _Sentiment, Inc._

  _by_ POUL ANDERSON

  She was twenty-two years old, fresh out of college, full of life andhope, and all set to conquer the world. Colin Fraser happened to be onvacation on Cape Cod, where she was playing summer stock, and went tomore shows than he had planned. It wasn't hard to get an introduction,and before long he and Judy Sanders were seeing a lot of each other.

  "Of course," she told him one afternoon on the beach, "my real name isHarkness."

  He raised his arm, letting the sand run through his fingers. The beachwas big and dazzling white around them, the sea galloped in with asteady roar, and a gull rode the breeze overhead. "What was wrong withit?" he asked. "For a professional monicker, I mean."

  She laughed and shook the long hair back over her shoulders. "I wantedto live under the name of Sanders," she explained.

  "Oh--oh, yes, of course. Winnie the Pooh." He grinned. "Soulmates,that's what we are." It was about then that he decided he'd been abachelor long enough.

  In the fall she went to New York to begin the upward grind--understudy,walk-on parts, shoestring-theaters, and roles in outright turkeys.Fraser returned to Boston for awhile, but his work suffered, he had tokeep dashing off to see her.

  By spring she was beginning to get places; she had talent and everybodyenjoys looking at a brown-eyed blonde. His weekly proposals were alsobeginning to show some real progress, and he thought that a month or twoof steady siege might finish the campaign. So he took leave from his joband went down to New York himself. He'd saved up enough money, and wasgood enough in his work, to afford it; anyway, he was his ownboss--consulting engineer, specializing in mathematical analysis.

  He got a furnished room in Brooklyn, and filled in his leisure time--ashe thought of it--with some special math courses at Columbia. And he hada lot of friends in town, in a curious variety of professions. Next toJudy, he saw most of the physicist Sworsky, who was an entertainingcompanion though most of his work was too top-secret even to bementioned. It was a happy period.

  There is always a jarring note, to be sure. In this case, it was thefact that Fraser had plenty of competition. He wasn't good-lookinghimself--a tall gaunt man of twenty-eight, with a dark hatchet face andperpetually-rumpled clothes. But still, Judy saw more of him than ofanyone else, and admitted she was seriously considering his proposal andno other.

  He called her up once for a date. "Sorry," she answered. "I'd love to,Colin, but I've already promised tonight. Just so you won't worry, it'sMatthew Snyder."

  "Hm--the industrialist?"

  "Uh-huh. He asked me in such a way it was hard to refuse. But I don'tthink you have to be jealous, honey. 'Bye now."

  Fraser lit his pipe with a certain smugness. Snyder was several times amillionaire, but he was close to sixty, a widower of notably dullconversation. Judy wasn't--Well, no worries, as she'd said. He droppedover to Sworsky's apartment for an evening of chess and bull-shooting.

  * * * * *

  It was early in May, when the world was turning green again, that Judycalled Fraser up. "Hi," she said breathlessly. "Busy tonight?"

  "Well, I was hoping I'd be, if you get what I mean," he said.

  "Look, I want to take you out for a change. Just got some unexpectedmoney and dammit, I want to feel rich for one evening."

  "Hmmm--" He scowled into the phone. "I dunno--"

  "Oh, get off it, Galahad. I'll meet you in the Dixie lobby at seven.Okay?" She blew him a kiss over the wires, and hung up before he couldargue further. He sighed and shrugged. Why not, if she wanted to?

  They were in a little Hungarian restaurant, with a couple of Tziganistrolling about playing for them alone, it seemed, when he asked fordetails. "Did you get a bonus, or what?"

  "No." She laughed at him over her drink. "I've turned guinea pig."

  "I hope you quit _that_ job before we're married!"

  "It's a funny deal," she said thoughtfully. "It'd interest you. I'vebeen out a couple of times with this Snyder, you know, and if anythingwas needed to drive me into your arms, Colin, it's his politicallectures."

  "Well, bless the Republican Party!" He laid his hand over hers, shedidn't withdraw it, but she frowned just a little.

  "Colin, you know I want to get somewhere before I marry--see a bit ofthe world, the theatrical world, before turning hausfrau. Don't beso--Oh, never mind. I like you anyway."

  Sipping her drink and setting it down again: "Well, to carry on with thestory. I finally gave Comrade Snyder the complete brush-off, and I mustsay he took it very nicely. But today, this morning, he called asking meto have lunch with him, and I did after he explained. It seems he's gota psychiatrist friend doing research, measuring brain storms orsomething, and--Do I mean storms? Waves, I guess. Anyway, he wants tomeasure as many different kinds of people as possible, and Snyder hadsuggested me. I was supposed to come in for three afternoonsrunning--about two hours each time--and I'd get a hundred dollars persession."

  "Hm," said Fraser. "I didn't know psych research was that well-heeled.Who is this mad scientist?"

  "His name is Kennedy. Oh, by the way, I'm not supposed to tell anybody;they want to spring it on the world as a surprise or something. Butyou're different, Colin. I'm excited; I want to talk to somebody aboutit."

  "Sure," he said. "You had a session already?"

  "Yes, my first was today. It's a funny place to do research--Kennedy'sgot a big suite on Fifth Avenue, right up in the classy district.Beautiful office. The name of his outfit is Sentiment, Inc."

  "Hm. Why should a research-team take such a name? Well, go on."

  "Oh, there isn't much else to tell. Kennedy was very nice. He took meinto a laboratory full of all sorts of dials and meters and blinkinglights and os--what do you call them? Those things that make wigglypictures."

  "Oscilloscopes. You'll never make a scientist, my dear."

  She grinned. "But I know one scientist who'd like to--Never mind!Anyway, he sat me down in a chair and put bands around my wrists andankles--just like the hot squat--and a big thing like a beauty-parlorhair-drier over my head. Then he fiddled with his dials for awhile,making notes. Then he started saying words at me, and showing mepictures. Some of them were very pretty; some ugly; some funny; somedownright horrible.... Anyway, that's all there was to it. After acouple of hours he gave me a check for a hundred dollars and told me tocome back tomorrow."

  "Hm." Fraser rubbed his chin. "Apparently he was measuring the electricrhythms corresponding to pleasure and dislike. I'd no idea anybody'dmade an encephalograph that accurate."

  "Well," said Judy, "I've told you why we're celebrating. Now come on,the regular orchestra's tuning up. Let's dance."

  They had a rather wonderful evening. Afterward Fraser lay awake for along time, not wanting to lose a state of happiness in sleep. Heconsidered sleep a hideous waste of time: if he lived to be ninety, he'dhave spent almost thirty years unconscious.

  * * * * *

  Judy was engaged for the next couple of evenings, and Fraser himself wasinvited to dinner at Sworsky's the night after that. So it wasn't
tillthe end of the week that he called her again.

  "Hullo, sweetheart," he said exuberantly. "How's things? I refer toCharles Addams Things, of course."

  "Oh--Colin." Her voice was very small, and it trembled.

  "Look, I've got two tickets to _H. M. S. Pinafore_. So put on your ownpinafore and meet me."

  "Colin--I'm sorry, Colin. I can't."

  "Huh?" He noticed how odd she sounded, and a leadenness grew within him."You aren't sick, are you?"

  "Colin, I--I'm going to be married."

  "_What?_"

  "Yes. I'm in love now; really in love. I'll be getting married in acouple of months."

  "But--but--"

  "I didn't want to hurt you." He heard her begin to cry.

  "But who--how--"

  "It's Matthew," she gulped. "Matthew Snyder."

  He sat quiet for a long while, until she asked if he was still on theline. "Yeah," he said tonelessly. "Yeah, I'm still here, after afashion." Shaking himself: "Look, I've got to see you. I want to talk toyou."

  "I can't."

  "You sure as hell can," he said harshly.

  They met at a quiet little bar which had often been their rendezvous.She watched him with frightened eyes while he ordered martinis.

  "All right," he said at last. "What's the story?"

  "I--" He could barely hear her. "There isn't any story. I suddenlyrealized I loved Matt. That's all."

  "_Snyder!_" He made it a curse. "Remember what you told me about himbefore?"

  "I felt different then," she whispered. "He's a wonderful man when youget to know him."

  _And rich._ He suppressed the words and the thought. "What's sowonderful specifically?" he asked.

  "He--" Briefly, her face was rapt. Fraser had seen her looking at himthat way, now and then.

  "Go on," he said grimly. "Enumerate Mr. Snyder's good qualities. Make alist. He's courteous, cultured, intelligent, young, handsome,amusing--To hell! _Why_, Judy?"

  "I don't know," she said in a high, almost fearful tone. "I just lovehim, that's all." She reached over the table and stroked his cheek. "Ilike you a lot, Colin. Find yourself a nice girl and be happy."

  His mouth drew into a narrow line. "There's something funny here," hesaid. "Is it blackmail?"

  "No!" She stood up, spilling her drink, and the flare of temper showedhim how overwrought she was. "He just happens to be the man I love.That's enough out of you, good-bye, Mr. Fraser."

  He sat watching her go. Presently he took up his drink, gulped itbarbarously, and called for another.