Read Online Shikasta by Doris Lessing - Free Book Online

in every head instantly became the property of everyone at once. What was shared was a disposition, a ground, a necessary mesh, net, or grid, a pattern which was common property, and was not itself static, since it would grow and change with the strengthenings and fallings off of emanations. If one individual wished to contact another, this was done by a careful and specific ‘tuning in’, and thereafter what was communicated was exactly what had been decided would be communicated, no more and no less. So while the Giants were a function of the ‘mind’ of Canopus, they would not know anything that Canopus did not want them to know. Nor were conditions always perfect for exchange of ‘thought’. For instance, there was a period of more than a hundred years when no exchange of specific information was possible, because of interference from a certain configuration in a nearby solar system, temporarily out of phase with Canopus. The interchange of fuels went on, but subtler currents were interdicted until the star in question changed its disposition in the celestial dance.
    â€˜Were you measuring the vibrations of the column for any reason?’ I asked at last.
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜You have noticed something wrong?’ 
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜You have no idea of what it might be?’ I was eager, as can be seen, to introduce Shammat, for on what I learned would depend so much of planning for the future, but even as I was looking for a way to talk of Shammat, I saw that this was a subject still far off and secondary. The need for haste tookhold of me again, and mastered my weakness, so that I struggled up, and faced them.
    â€˜We were told that Emissary Johor would come, and that we must meantime prepare ourselves for a crisis.’
    â€˜And that was all?’
    â€˜That was all.’
    â€˜Then that means they were even more afraid than I knew they were when I left of information being picked up by enemies,’ I said. I spoke firmly, and even with desperation, looking up first at one, then the other.
    They did not respond to ‘enemies’. The word fled by them, unmarked, it did not strike home in them anywhere, and here was a weakness that was, that must be, our fault.
    Even while I report in them a flaw, and a serious one, I must record for the honour and the right memories of everyone concerned, how extraordinary a race this was – the Giants, who would soon cease to be, at least in this form. Not because of their physique, their size, their strength! I had worked among large races before. Size did not always go with qualities such as these men possessed. These had something unforgettable. There was a largeness in them, a magnanimity, a scope and sweep of understanding far beyond most of the species we were fostering. There was a deep containment in them, like the deep silence that was the air of this city. They had all the quiet strength of their function – which was service to the best there was and is. Their powerful eyes were thoughtful and observant and again spoke of links and harnessings with forces far beyond, far higher than most creatures could ever dream of. It was not that the Natives were not impressive, in their way; they, too, had thought and observation and above all an abundance of easy warm good humour. But here was something so much more, so much finer. I gazed up into these majestic faces, and it was with recognition: these men gave off the same ring, or note, as the best of Canopus. I knew that with such people I could meet with nothing but Justice, Truth – it was as simple as that.
    â€˜You need to rest, perhaps?’ inquired one.
    â€˜No, no, no,’ I cried, again trying to force into them theurgency I felt. ‘No, I must talk to you. I will tell you now, if you like, and you can tell the others.’
    I saw that it was at last coming home to them that here was something terrible. Again I watched them muster inner