Time Will Run Back by Henry Hazlitt Read Free Book Online Page B

might be terminated before I could prove to her that she was wrong. And it has occurred to me that it might be at least some satisfaction to select you as my successor, you who have been brought up according to her ideas of what an education should be, and defy you to try to create true communism—since I wasn’t supposed to be doing it.”
    “But, Your Supremacy, as I told you yesterday, I am completely unequipped—”
    “Of course you are. The idea, as I originally conceived it, had no sense. It was merely an emotional daydream of revenge. It began to evaporate, in fact, the moment I first saw you two weeks ago.”
    “I realize, Your Supremacy, that I am quite untrained for politics ; but that doesn’t mean that I am not equipped for other -”
    “That has nothing to do with why I changed my mind. I had always thought of you as her son. But at my first glance at you as a man instead of a child, I suddenly realized that you are my son. And now I want you to succeed me, when I pass on, for a better reason, a real reason. And that is why, if you prove equal to it, I’m going to give you a chance to become the next Dictator. I’d like to think of the flesh and blood of Stalenin carrying on. I can understand how the old kings felt—”
    “Your Supremacy—”
    “When we are alone you may call me ‘father.’ “
    “Father.... I don’t want to succeed you as Wonworld Dictator. I know that sounds amazing, but... I have no reason to suppose that I would have any particular aptitude for it. I have no training for it.... I have no heart for it. I’d like to devote myself to music—”
    Stalenin cut in with another impatient wave of his pipe. “Music may be all right as a hobby, but it’s not a full-time occupation for a serious man. Besides, I’ve already told you—your life is in imminent danger. Do you imagine for a moment that, if anything happened to me, whoever took my place would let you live? Let you become a potential rallying point for a plot against him? You have only one choice: succeed me as Dictator or be annihilated.”
    Peter was silent. He said at last: “What do you want me to do, father?”
    “The first thing I intend to do is to introduce you to the Politburo at tomorrow’s meeting. Your presence in Moscow is bound to be known soon. Bolshekov already knows of it, though he still may not know just who you are. The best way to lull suspicion is to appear to be perfectly frank and introduce you as my son.... But I shall treat you with a certain contempt. That is one reason why I have given you the status of a Proletarian. Anyway, you ought to know what it’s like to be a Proletarian. The next thing for me to do is to see that you get a real communist education. You shall get the best. I will put your education directly in charge of Bolshekov himself.”
    “Wouldn’t that give him even more opportunity—?”
    “It will lull his suspicions. He has already been spying on you. Now it will not be necessary. But you can watch him, with a perfect excuse. By the way, I had almost forgotten to tell you: every member of the Politburo must be addressed as ‘Your Highness.’... Any further questions?”
    Peter had none. “The meeting of the Politburo is at four o’clock. You will be here ten minutes before then.”
    At five minutes after four the next day Peter followed Stalenin through a short corridor leading from his office to another room of the same size—and found himself in the presence of the Politburo.
    Eleven men in black, and one in the red coat of an army officer, were seated along a large oblong table, half a dozen on each side. At the moment of Stalenin’s appearance they stood up.
    “Comrades,” said Stalenin, “I have a surprise for you. Let me introduce my son, Peter Uldanov!”
    He took Peter around the table and introduced him to each member individually, beginning with His Highness No. 2, Bolshekov. It was only the second time that Peter had even seen Bolshekov. He was