My idea was simply this: using mans own definitions of evil, in my opinion, to an objective observer--perhaps a being from another planet--all so called good men would appear to be evil. On the other hand, Dr. Langly was of the opinion, that some men, regardless of the degree of scrutiny, would retain halos.
I'll explain further: During the summer vacation, Professor Langly, who holds a PHD in Criminal Psychology, and myself, a noted criminologist, decided to settle a scholastic battle that had been raging between us for some years. But I must confess, the contest agreed upon also gave us perfect excuse to escape the classroom--getting far away from the constrictions of academia as was practical to do.
For some time Langly has owned a rustic cottage, just North of Phoenix, deep in the White Mountains. Accompanied by the Reverend Roberts, who was unknowingly to play a starring role in an intricately contrived drama, we arrived just at dusk
I remember how particularly beautiful was the evening. The sky--afire! Ribbons of light blazing between the trees; sparking foliage on the distant mountain peaks--making it appear as though the entire world around us was an infernal of hot coals--and our too perfect hideaway, this small, secluded, hillside of forest, mystically protected. From the Reverend Roberts point of reference, I imagine, he felt compelled to insert: "Another enchanted deception of Hell!"
But to get back to Langly's and my own plan--what we hoped to accomplish was this. We intended to disclose, after a well staged hoax, the answer to the question: 'Do all men, under certain kinds of stress, react in a very basic and primitive way?' My contention was, that they did. In fact, I suggested on many earlier occasions to Langly, that even the lowest form of outbreak, cold blooded murder, was vented by all of us, on a daily basis, in one representative form or another. Take for instance the automobile, and the noxious, deadly fumes we consciously spew-out, knowing it will lead to the deaths of untold millions, yet we persist, ignoring the consequences for mobile convenience. While on the other hand, Langly was certain that, some men, forgiving them their fondness for gas guzzlers, on close inspection would appear to rise above all base, animal instincts; and express their lives entirely on idealistic plains--where murder was not only unacceptable, but unthinkable regardless of circumstance.
To prove one or the other right, we had hired two actors to help us with an elaborate hoax. Both actors were youthful. The female especially appeared helpless and vulnerable--innocent in the purest sense--child-like in effect. We wanted the dependent type--who, if injured, would evoke a maximum of sympathy. While in the case of the male actor, he was chosen for exactly the opposite reasons. The male had to be large--brutish in appearance...more animal than man--a Neanderthal who was capable of the most aggressive if not entirely savage behavior. However, the weight of our experiment depended on the female's ability to be convincing.
The idea was for Langly and I to make an excuse--something that wouldn't arouse the Reverend's suspicions--for going off into the woods. Langly commented that he needed help carrying some canned goods stored in a shed not far away. While we saw to this chore the Reverend agreed that he would stay behind and tend to tidying the Cabin, seeing how it hadn't been used since last summer.
Shortly after our departure, in a badly tattered condition the female actress came stumbling to the door. Naturally, the Reverend promptly took the poor, shaking child in as Langly and I had anticipated. So far things were going just as we had planned.
Once inside, she proceeded to tell a tale of how she had been abducted from the roadside by a raging man, who dragged her deep into the woods where she was assaulted repetitively. He seemed a crazed maniac, capable of everything foul and loathsome.
A microphone was hidden in the cottage.While concealed behind a cluster of bushes not far from the scene, Langly and I listened to all. In fact, so convincing was the girl's acting, as the magnificent tale of horror unfolded one could swear the gruesome details were gospel.
To be certain, as we had foreseen the Reverend did everything in his power to comfort the trembling victim. He explained that there was no telephone, but as soon as Langly and I returned, we would drive her into town. There, at the local hospital she could be treated, and the authorities would be notified.
Langly scratched his head, in a meditative manner as he listened. I had the habit of toying with a pen top during times of deep contemplation.
She went on to explain how she had gotten away from her abductor. At length, he wearied--and as he slept, after untying the ropes she was bound by, she slipped from the cabin where she had been held captive. The story continued: She ran through the woods, tears flooding from her eyes. She feared her abductor had awakened and was close behind, tracking her as a hunter would pursue his prey. She knew he was in possession of a machete that he had threatened her with during her entire ordeal. And swore that if she ran away, eventually he would catch up--and then proceed to slash her thin body to shreds.
Now we grew nearer to knowing whether our little experiment would be a success or not.
Before Lankly and I had gone off into the woods we left a loaded rifle--loaded with blanks of course--aside the table. At which time we told the Reverend, that there was no need for alarm but on occasion moocher bears came nosing around the cottage looking for a handout. Most of the time they could be startled off with a good shout. Never-the-less, it was wise to have a weapon on hand just in case. No matter how truthful this may seem on the surface, it was far from the real reason for having the weapon on hand. To the contrary, when the Reverend was sufficiently baited by the gruesome details of the girl's hideous experience--gorged to the point where we felt certain that any man--so called, 'Good Man'--would want the fiend responsible, at the least, put behind bars where he belonged--at this point, through a series of carefully staged events the Reverend would be prompted to take up the weapon. And then the climax--the answer to our question would quickly unfold.
There next came a rustling...just outside the cottage door. Naturally, the Reverent and the Girl became silent...thus setting up a mood of nervous anticipation. "Langly! Cummings! Is that you gentlemen?"
The rustling was then followed by a gruff voice, demanding that the girl come out or it would go worse for her.
Pretending to be enraged by the silence coming from inside the cottage, after a series of vulgar threats, with his machete the actor began to slash his way through the flimsy cottage door. And soon after, langly and I hoped to have a definitive answer for our ancient rivalry.
Our criterion for coming to a conclusion was simply this: When the actor playing the part of the savage was standing there, having broken into the cottage--standing in the room, waving his weapon in a threatening manner, he makes no immediate attempt to move toward the Reverend or the girl. Now--this was the poignant point! If the Reverend warns the intruder, not to move, or he will be forced to shoot--then Langly wins. But on the other hand--if the Reverend fires the weapon, without first issuing the warning--then I win. Though legally within his rights to protect himself and the girl from what he may think an inevitable attack, morally he would be wrong--for at that precise moment, the villain posed no definite threat, standing a good distance across the room. And the Reverend's only reason for firing the weapon--was rage toward the perpetrator. And our universal pacifier--the spilling of blood. So if the Reverend pulled the trigger, it was solely because he had been so sickened by the girl's prior tale of atrocity, that the primitive instinct, to kill, was resurrected.
And all was going according to plan. Right up to the man's slashing through the cottage door. At which time, to our amazement, the girl began screaming incessantly. That was not according to our strict instructions. Above all else, she had to remain silent if we were to clearly hear the Reverend's warning.
Instead there continued a horrible succession of fearful cries...and the shouting of a wild man; followed by a barrage of riffle blasts. And with the shouting and shooting, echoed and sounded the chopping or grated tearing of a machete against bone.
As Langly and I finally overcame being, confused at first, and then paralyzed with intense fear--we summoned up enough courage to hurry toward the cottage. We approached just in time to catch glimpse of a man, carrying a machete, dash from the splintered doorway and off into the woods.
Let it suffice to say, when we entered the cottage...the slaughter...the scene of dismemberment, was one to surpass all descriptions of the grotesque. And when we later learned the truth--that our actors had met with auto trouble and were forced to remain in Phoenix and miss their engagement....Let me now say--the shock of that discovery, combined with the nightmare of the incident, is something Langly and I will take to our graves--and to our ever mounting fear--beyond!