“A bribe? Gee, I don’t know. There’s something so cold and businesslike about it. Besides, it wouldn’t really solve the situation. For you, that is. I mean, let’s say I took your money and promised I’d be a good boy. What assurance could you have that I’d keep the promise? A crazy guy like me, I might do anything! You’d worry day and night, lose all kinds of weight, ruin your health—no. I’ve decided that I can’t swing it, Professor Blake. I am sorry for you but I think that if I just sort of keep on with this thing, it’ll be good for you. In the long run. Without a job, you’ll be free, and maybe that’ll force you into doing the things you want to do . . . Of course, it’ll be tough at first. But—”

“Please!”

Adam thought of going further, but he looked again at Max Blake and knew that it would be pointless. The man would, literally, do anything, just as he’d promised.

“May I ask what you intend to do?” Blake said.

“You’ll find out, Max. Just keep reading the newspapers. And watch for your name, because I’m going to spread it around like manure on a lawn. You’re going to be famous—just like Frankenstein. I can see the headlines now! ‘Professor Blake’s Monster Goes Wild Again!’ Or: ‘Cramer reports, All I know I learned from my teacher, Max V. Blake. He’s the man who deserves the credit.’ Think of it: all your wonderful epigrams, your philosophy, everything, in print all over the world! Think of it, Professor, and remember that whatever happens, you helped make it happen. Now get out of here before I throw up.”

Adam pulled the door open. He grasped Max Blake’s arm and pushed him into the hall; then he slammed the door.

Joan limped toward him with the cup of coffee, managing, as always, not to spill any. The coffee was too strong and too bitter for Adam’s taste, but it was hot and it helped.

“You ask me,” the toothless man named Harold said, “it served him right.”

“What’s that?” Adam said.

“. . . wouldn’t of dared to come down to school. It was him started the whole thing off again! Him and that Green kid. I say that was plain asking for it.”

“It’s sure funny,” Joan said. “Mr. McDaniel looked to me like a right sensible man. Why’d he want to go and do a thing like that, I couldn’t even begin to guess. I thought—”

“A thing like what?”

“Don’t you know?”

Adam saw the look of amazement and said quickly, “I was up pretty late last night, working on some papers.”

“You mean you ain’t heard about it?”