Desperate Games

Fawell, who had helped her with his advice, was delighted at her success, for he himself did not despise psychology, and considered Betty’s presence among the thirteen to be desirable. When he congratulated her about it, she replied with a smile that her speciality had been useful to her, even for the examinations in mathematics, inspiring her to present her work in a way which would seduce a Nobel jury. Betty was Chinese, having long since separated from an American husband, but had kept her nationality, which had become possible since relations between the countries had been normalised. This imposed no obstacle to the friendly relations she maintained with the scientific world in the United States. In the circles of scholars in which men like Fawell and Yranne moved, questions of nationality, race and religion had lost all significance a long time ago.

Fawell, the father of a young girl of eighteen, had no objection to Ruth marrying a Russian, as she had confirmed her intention to do. Her beloved, Nicolas Zarratoff, was the son of a famous astronomer, whom she had got to know during a stay in the Soviet Union, where she was accompanying her father on the occasion of a conference. The physicist would have preferred a young scholar as a son-in-law, but Nicolas seemed to him to be a suitable match. At twenty-six years old he had already had quite a remarkable career in aviation. Having plunged himself recently into astronautics, a second still more brilliant career was opening before him. Moreover his father was a friend of Fawell, and he admired unreservedly the astronomer’s almost mystical passion for science. The parents had no objection whatsoever to their children’s plans. As Ruth was a little young however, they asked them to delay matters for a year or two to think things over.

Zarratoff Senior was also there in the amphitheatre. Turning his head, Fawell could see him perched on the highest tier. He smiled, thinking that it was no doubt a stroke of luck that the astronomer was in the position closest to the sky, the domain he was familiar with. The fact that he had reached the final thirteen had not surprised him, for, being a master of his special field, the Russian possessed extensive scientific knowledge and at the same time a fertile imagination.

It is amazing, the physicist thought with satisfaction, that all four of us have been selected: Betty, Yranne, Zarratoff and me. His own success did not surprise Fawell. He could make a fair evaluation of his own merits and knew that he could compete with the most eminent scholars of his generation for the extent of his knowledge and the keenness of his mind.

He didn’t know the other candidates as well. Among them were two biologists, a chemist and then mostly other physicists like himself. But there wasn’t time to try and read the feelings on their faces. Fawell looked forwards again, towards the masters’ platform, where an usher was introducing three members of the jury: three Nobels.

2.

The three illustrious scholars were also in their vestments. The first was none other than O’Kearn, the most senior member and the most famous of all the Nobels, and whose laboratory Fawell had been visiting for a long time. He was of a majestic appearance, which matched his reputation, and his eyes shone with an unusual brightness in a face marked with deep wrinkles by study and passionate research. A halo of white unmanageable hair suggested a vague resemblance to certain portraits of Einstein. He managed to accentuate the similarity by deliberately making his hair untidy.

When the members of the jury appeared, the thirteen candidates exchanged a furtive glance, and then stood up by common accord, as used to be the practice in the past in certain universities at the entrance of a famous master. Fawell could not prevent himself from smiling in noticing this reflex from their youth. The three scholars appeared to be flattered and O’Kearn made a benevolent gesture, indicating to them that they could sit down again. Then he raised an envelope above his head.

‘Madam, and gentlemen,’ he began, ‘here are the topics. I have ascertained, we have ascertained, my two colleagues and I, that the seal of the envelope is intact, and you can certainly do the same for yourself… In fact,’ he added, with a smile, ‘if there is anyone among you who nurtures the least doubt concerning this point, he can reassure himself by coming forward.’

A murmur of polite protestation greeted this taunt. No one would permit themselves to suspect the honesty of such a jury. Thus there was a murmur coloured by a nuance of surprise and even of disapproval when they saw Mrs Betty Han, doubtless the youngest of all the candidates, rise quietly and make her way with an assured step to the master’s chair. The two Nobels already seated raised their heads, also surprised by this gesture, while O’Kearn, who was standing, and still brandishing the envelope, watched her progress attentively. Betty did not become flustered, mounting the three steps and stopping in front of him. He held out the envelope towards her. She examined it carefully and then returned it to him.

‘Are you satisfied?’ the president of the jury asked.

‘It’s perfectly all right, Master.’

‘So you do not completely trust our word?’

‘Master,’ she replied calmly, ‘in circumstances as important as the present ones I do not trust anyone, not even the three Nobels.’

O’Kearn stared at her with increasing intensity, and then he shook his head. Fawell, who knew him well, interpreted this gesture as approbation. She was right, he thought. A good point in her favour.

Betty had gone back to her seat. In an almost religious silence O’Kearn unsealed the envelope and took the subjects out of it: there were sixteen copies, each containing only two pages. He gave one to each of his colleagues, keeping one for himself, and made a sign to the usher to distribute the rest to the candidates. When each of them had their copy, he cleared his throat and spoke in suitably solemn tones:

‘Madam, gentlemen,’ he said, ‘each of you is now in possession of the topics, or rather the topic, for it is unique, for this final competition. I shall read it to you. You are requested to follow it with the closest attention and to interrupt me if some point does not appear clear to you.’

He made a pause, while the candidates leaned over their papers, and he began:

‘“COMPETITION WITH THE AIM OF APPOINTING THE POST OF PRESIDENT OF THE SCIENTIFIC GOVERNMENT OF THE WORLD…”’

Here he interrupted his reading and made this comment:

‘Before coming to the topic itself, you are reminded at this point of the aim and terms of this test.

‘“…The candidates are reminded that this competition, the first of its kind, is open solely to the members already designated for a world government. These have been judged the most worthy to constitute this body as a result of an examination which has made it possible to evaluate the extent and quality of their knowledge of the principal matters concerning the future of our earth and of humanity.

‘“The specific goal of this final test is therefore to select that person among you who appears to be the best qualified to preside over the world government which has already been constituted.

‘“The candidate who, according to the jury of Nobels all present here, shall have provided the best work on the topic set out below, will, ipso facto, be entrusted with the duties of supreme leader.

‘“The candidate who, also according to the decisions without appeal of the same jury, shall have submitted the second best composition, will be elected vice-president and will be called upon to replace the first choice in case of the decease or incapacity of the latter.

‘“The other candidates will be appointed to different ministries, to be decided by the president. Each will be given a number however according to their ranking in the present competition, which will serve to determine the order of promotion to vice-president in the case of the decease or incapacity of the latter.

‘“The Scientific Government of the World, or SGW, will assume its functions immediately after the proclamation of the results. At that point the provisional administration conducted at the moment by the assembly of Nobels will cease to be. The present SGW will stay in place for nine full years, unless the opinion

of an absolute majority of the Nobels is to the contrary. It will also have to make a presentation before them every time a decision of exceptional scope is envisaged and, in any case, at least once a year, for an inspection of its work.”’

O’Kearn interrupted his reading for a moment and lowered his paper.

‘Is this all clear?’