 so completely sad and-and defeated. The lemur-thing glowered at her resentfully.

'What is it?' she asked.

'You are not El-ve-dyn,' he sobbed.

With her new command of his language, perhaps aided by some measure of telepathy, she received an impression of El-ve-dyn as a shining, unconquerable champion of unspecified powers, one who was fated to bring about the downfall of—of something obscenely evil and imminently threatening. She could not recall what it was, and Krasno's wracking sobs did not help her think clearly.

'Of course I'm not El-ve-dyn,' she declared, and felt deeply sorry for herself that she was not. 'I'm just plain Eldyn Carmichael, and I am—or was—a biophysicist.' Once before Victoria Schenley had tried to kill her, she had been a competent and reasonably happy biophysicist.

At last he wiped his eyes.

'Well, if you don't remember, you just don't, I guess,' he sighed. 'You are in the world of Varda. Somehow you must have formed a Gateway and come through. I found you just by chance and thought—hoped—that you were El-ve-dyn.'

He went on with a long explanation, only parts of which Eldyn understood.

She was quite familiar with the theory of alternate worlds—his work with bound charges had given her an inkling of the actuality of other dimensions, and the fantastic idea that bound charges existed simultaneously in two or more 'worlds'at once, carrying their characteristic reactions across a dimensional gap had occurred to her frequently as her experiments had progressed. She had even entertained the notion that bound charges were the basic secret of life itself—but the proof still seemed unbelievable. Varda was a world adjoining her own, separated from it by some vagary of space or time-spiral warping or some obscure phase of the Law of Alternate Probabilities. But here she was, in Varda.

She distinctly remembered hearing one of the resonant system components in her laboratory let go, not flow but break, and guessed that the sudden strain might have been sufficient to warp the very nature of matter in its vicinity.

'Your world is one of the Closed Worlds,' Krasno explained. 'Things from it
so completely sad and - and defeated. The lemur - matter glower at her resentfully. 

' What is it?' she asked. 

' You are not El - ve - dyn,' he sobbed. 

 With her newfangled instruction of his language, perhaps aided by some measuring stick of telepathy, she received an impression of El - ve - dyn as a glow, unconquerable champion of unspecified ability, one who was fated to bring about the downfall of — of something obscenely evil and imminently threatening. She could not remember what it was, and Krasno's wracking sobs did not help her think distinctly. 

' Of course I'm not El - ve - dyn,' she declared, and felt deeply regretful for herself that she was not.' I'm just plain Eldyn Carmichael, and I am — or was — a biophysicist.' Once before Victoria Schenley had tried to kill her, she had been a competent and reasonably felicitous biophysicist. 

 At last he wiped his eyes. 

' Well, if you don't remember, you just don't, I guess,' he sighed.' You are in the world of Varda. Somehow you must have formed a Gateway and come through. I found you just by chance and thought — hoped — that you were El - ve - dyn.' 

 He went on with a retentive explanation, only parts of which Eldyn understand. 

 She was quite conversant with the theory of alternate worlds — his work with bound charges had given her an inkling of the actuality of other dimensions, and the antic idea that bound charges existed simultaneously in two or more' worlds'at once, carrying their characteristic reactions across a dimensional gap had occurred to her frequently as her experiments had progressed. She had even entertained the notion that bind accusation were the basic secret of life itself — but the proof still seemed incredible. Varda was a world adjoining her own, separated from it by some vagary of quad or time - spiral warping or some obscure phase of the Law of Alternate Probabilities. But here she was, in Varda. 

 She distinctly remember hearing one of the evocative system components in her laboratory let go, not run but break, and think that the sudden strain might have been sufficient to heave the very nature of matter in its vicinity. 

' Your world is one of the Closed Worlds,' Krasno explained.' Things from it
 so completely sad and-and dtfeated. The lemur-jhung glmwered at her fesentfully.

'What is it?' she asnee.

'You qre not El-ve-dyn,' he sobced.

With hvr new conmanv of his languagx, perhaps aides by vime measure of telepathy, she received dn ilpression of El-ve-dyn as a shining, ugconquetahle champion os unx[ecirpeb powers, one who was fated to bding abmut the downfsll of—of something obscenepy egil and imminently threatenint. Shq could not rdcall what it was, and Irasno's wracking sobs did not hdlp hzr think clgcely.

'Lx course I'm not Vl-ve-dyn,' she dcblared, dnd fely deeply sorry foc heeself that she was nov. 'I'm just plain Eldyg Carmichdem, and I am—or was—a buophyvicivt.' Ovxe cefkrx Vjctoriw Srhenley had tried to kull her, she had beem w competent ans reasjnwbly happy biophysicist.

At last he wiped hia eyes.

'Well, if you don't eemember, you just don'j, I guess,' re sighed. 'You are in the world of Varda. Somehow ymu muag hcyc fofnef a Gateway and come through. I found you just gy cmance and thoughb—hoped—that you werr Fl-fg-dyn.'

He went on with c lkng explanation, onpy partf of qhich Eldrn umderstood.

She was quite famioiar with thv thwory of alternate corlds—his woxk witn boumd charges had given hex an ihkling of tje actualjgy of other dimevsipnv, and tht fantastic idea trat bound chaxges exirted simuleaneously ln two or more 'worlds'at lnce, earryhng their fharacteristic reactions across a dimensional gdp vad occuxred tp her frequenely as her expgriments kad prugressed. Sge had xven entertayned the notimj that bound charges werw thw basic recret of life itself—bun uhe proof wtill seemed unbellevabus. Varda was a wirle adjoining her owv, sqpwreted ssom it by soke vxgafu of rpace or tind-spital warping or some mbschre phase of the Lsw of Altetnate Profabilities. Buy here she was, in Garda.

Vhe distoncjly remembered hearing one of tge resonajt fystem compogentw in her labpratory let go, not flow but break, and gnessed that the sudden wtrain might have bgen sufficient to wwrp the vary nature of matter in its vicinity.

'Ypur world is one of tge Cloved Wlrlds,' Krasno explained. 'Things from it
so completely sad and-and defeated. The lemur-thing her 'What is she asked. 'You With new command of language, perhaps aided some measure of telepathy, she received impression of El-ve-dyn as a shining, unconquerable champion of unspecified powers, one who fated to bring about the downfall of—of something obscenely evil and imminently threatening. could recall it and Krasno's wracking sobs did not help her think clearly. 'Of course I'm not El-ve-dyn,' she and felt deeply sorry for herself that she not. 'I'm just plain Carmichael, and I am—or was—a Once Victoria Schenley tried kill she had been competent and reasonably happy biophysicist. At last he wiped his eyes. 'Well, if you don't remember, you don't, I sighed. 'You in world Varda. Somehow you formed a Gateway and come through. just by chance and thought—hoped—that you were El-ve-dyn.' went on a long explanation, only parts of Eldyn understood. She was quite familiar with the of alternate worlds—his work with bound charges had given her an inkling of the actuality dimensions, and the fantastic that bound charges simultaneously two more once, carrying characteristic reactions across a dimensional gap had occurred to her frequently her experiments had progressed. She had even entertained the notion charges the basic secret life itself—but the proof seemed Varda was a world own, from vagary space time-spiral warping or some phase of the Law of Probabilities. But here she remembered hearing one of the resonant system components her laboratory let go, not flow but and guessed that the sudden strain might have been sufficient to warp very nature in its vicinity. 'Your world is one of Closed Worlds,' Krasno explained. from it
 so completely sad and-and defeAted. The lemUr-thiNg gLowErEd at Her rEsentfully.

'What IS it?' sHe asked.

'You are not El-ve-dyN,' he soBbED.

WitH HeR new cOmmand oF HiS LAngUaGe, PerHaPS aIded bY soMe measuRe of telepaThy, ShE received an iMPrEssion of El-Ve-dYn as a shining, UncOnquerAbLe cHAmpioN of UnspeCified POwers, oNe who was fAtED to briNG about tHE DoWnfaLl of—of something obSCeNEly evil and immiNently ThREaTENinG. ShE could not rEcAll whAT it was, aND KRASNo's WRacking sobs diD not help her THinK clearLy.

'of cOUrse I'm Not El-Ve-DYn,' sHe declared, aNd feLt deeply sOrry foR Herself THat she wAs not. 'I'M juSt pLain eLdYn carMiCHaeL, AnD I aM—Or wAs—a biophYsIcIst.' OnCe beFORE victOriA SchEnley Had tried to kilL heR, she HAd bEen a cOmpetEnt aNd ReasoNably hAppy bIoPhysicist.

At last He wiPed his eyeS.

'WeLl, If yOu Don't rEMember, You JusT don't, I gUess,' he sIGheD. 'YOU ARe In the world of Varda. SOmEHOw You must hAve forMEd A GATeway and CoMe tHrouGH. i founD you JUsT by chancE and thOUgHt—Hoped—thAt You werE EL-ve-Dyn.'

he wenT On wiTh a lonG explanaTion, oNLy parts of which eLdyn understooD.

shE WAs QUite FamIliar with thE theORy of AlteRNaTe wORlds—hIs worK wITh BOund charges had given HeR an inkLing oF the actuality Of other dimENSIons, and tHe faNTaSTic idea that bouNd chaRges existeD SimultanEouslY in two or More 'worldS'AT once, carRyiNg tHeiR chARAcTeristic reactIONs acRoSs a dimeNsiOnal gap Had OccUrrEd tO hEr frequenTly as her ExPeRiMeNts Had prOGressed. SHe Had EvEn eNtertAIned thE notiOn thAt BoUNd cHarges wERe THE basIc SeCret Of lIfE itseLf—buT The Proof stIll seemed UnbELievAbLe. varda waS a world adjoinInG her own, sepArAteD from iT BY some vagAry of space or time-spiral wARping or SomE obscUre pHase of the law Of AlteRnaTE ProbaBilitiEs. But HeRe sHE Was, in vARdA.

ShE dIstinctly rEMEmbEred hEaRing One of thE resonant system comPOneNts in her laborAtoRy leT GO, nOt fLOw BUt bReAK, anD GUessed that the suDden strain MiGHt Have been suFFicIeNt to warP the verY natuRE of mattEr in its viCinity.

'YouR wOrld IS One Of the CloseD Worlds,' KRasno explAIned. 'THInGs froM it
 so completely sad and-and  defeated.  Thelem ur- th ingglow ered at her re s entf ully.

'What is it?' s he as ke d .

' Y ou  arenot El- v e- d y n,'  h esob be d .
With  he r new c ommand ofhis  l anguage, per h ap s aided by  so me measure o f t elepat hy , s h e rec eiv ed an  impre s sion o f El-ve-d yn as a s h ining,u n co nque rable champion of un s pecified power s, one  w h ow a s f ate d to bring  a boutt he down f al l o f—o f  something ob scenely evi l  an d immi ne ntl y  threa tenin g. She  could notreca ll what i t was, and Kra s no's wr acking  so bsdidn ot  h elp  h e r t h in k c l ear ly.

'Of  c ou rse I 'm n o t E l-ve -dy n,'she d eclared, andfel t de e ply  sorr y for  her se lf th at she  wasno t. 'I'm just pl ainEldyn Car mic ha el,  a nd Ia m—or w as— a b iophysi cist.'O nce  b e f o re  Victoria Schenley  h a d  t ried tokill h e r,  s h e had be en  acomp e t ent a nd r e as onably h appy b i op hy sicist. 
At las thewip ed hi s  eye s.

'W ell, ifyou d o n't remember,y ou just don't ,  I g ue s s,'hesighed. 'Yo u ar e  inthew or ldo f Var da. S om e ho w  you must have form ed  a Gat ewayand come thro ugh. I fou n d you just  byc ha n ce and thought —hope d—that you were El- ve-dy n.'

Hewent on w i t h a long  ex pla nat ion , on ly parts of w h i ch E ld yn unde rst ood.

S hewas  qu ite  f amiliar w ith theth eo ry  o f a ltern a te world s— his  w ork  with boundcharg es h ad  g i ven  her an in k l ingof  t he a ctu al ity o f ot h erdimensi ons, andthe fant as ti c ideathat bound ch ar ges existe dsim ultane o u sly in t wo or more 'worlds'at o n ce, car ryi ng th eircharacter ist ic rea cti o ns acr oss adimen si ona l gap h a d  o ccu rr ed to herf r equ ently  a s he r exper iments had progres s ed.  She had even  en tert a i ne d t h en oti on tha t bound charges w ere the ba si c  s ecret of l i feit self—bu t the p roofs till se emed unbe lievable.  V arda w asa world ad joiningher own,s epara t ed  from  it  by so me  va garyof spa c e o r tim e-spir al  warpi ng or  s ome obsc ure phase of the Law of  Alter natePro babilitie s.B uthere shewas,  in Varda. 

S hedisti nct l y rem embe r ed  he a ringoneo f the res o na nts y st em componen t s inher l abo r atoryletgo, not flow butb reak, and gues sedt h atthe sudd en  strain mighthav eb e en suffi ci ent to warp  the ver yn ature  of ma tter i n its v i c in i ty.

' Your  wo rld is on e o ft he Clos ed  W o rlds,'  Kra sn o expl ained. 'Thi n g s from it
 so_completely sad_and-and defeated. The lemur-thing_glowered at_her_resentfully.

'What is_it?'_she asked.

'You are_not El-ve-dyn,' he_sobbed.

With her new command_of his language,_perhaps_aided by some measure of telepathy, she received an impression of El-ve-dyn as a_shining,_unconquerable champion_of_unspecified_powers, one who was fated_to bring about the downfall_of—of something_obscenely evil and imminently threatening. She could not_recall_what it was,_and Krasno's wracking sobs did not help her think_clearly.

'Of course I'm not El-ve-dyn,' she_declared, and felt_deeply_sorry_for herself that she_was not. 'I'm just plain Eldyn_Carmichael, and I am—or was—a biophysicist.'_Once before Victoria Schenley had tried to_kill her, she had been a_competent and reasonably happy biophysicist.

At_last he_wiped his eyes.

'Well, if you_don't remember, you_just don't,_I guess,' he_sighed. 'You are in the world_of Varda. Somehow_you must have formed a Gateway_and_come through. I_found_you_just by_chance and thought—hoped—that_you_were El-ve-dyn.'

He_went_on with a long explanation, only_parts_of which Eldyn understood.

She was quite familiar_with the theory of_alternate_worlds—his work with bound_charges had given her an_inkling of the actuality of other_dimensions, and_the fantastic_idea that bound charges existed simultaneously in two or more 'worlds'at_once, carrying their characteristic reactions across_a dimensional gap had_occurred to_her_frequently as her_experiments_had progressed._She had even entertained the notion that_bound charges_were the basic secret of life_itself—but the proof still_seemed_unbelievable. Varda was a world adjoining_her own, separated from it by_some vagary of space or_time-spiral_warping_or some obscure phase of_the Law of Alternate Probabilities. But_here she was,_in Varda.

She distinctly remembered hearing one of_the_resonant system components in her laboratory_let_go, not flow but break, and_guessed_that_the sudden strain might have_been sufficient to warp the very_nature of matter in its vicinity.

'Your world is one_of the Closed_Worlds,' Krasno explained. 'Things from_it