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In 1941, at the beginning of his writing career, Isaac Asimov published a story, 'Nightfall', which almost immediately became an SF classic. But 'Nightfall's' resounding success has irritated its author ever since.As he reasonably says, thirty years of solid star-studded professionalism (think of the world-famous Foundation trilogy, of /, Robot, The Caves of Steel, etc, etc) must surely have produced stories as fine as and possibly far superior to that early tale. Yet there are still people around - and people whose opinions Asimov respects - to tell him that 'Nightfall' is the finest thing he ever wrote. Finally, in 1969, in an effort to exorcise 'Nightfall's' ghost once and for all, he made his own selection of twenty stories from the scores he has written and presented them in chronological order in Nightfall and other stories. It was an instant bestseller.For technical reasons this first paperback edition of Nightfall and other stories is published as two companion volumes. This volume, Nightfall Two, ranges across the Asimov worlds from 'In a Good Cause -' (1951) to 'Segregationist' (1967).* Each volume is a self-contained collection. Together they compose an unparalleled selection of the best of Asimov chosen by Asimov himself.*Nightfall One, also available, ranges from 'Nightfall' itself (1941) to 'C-Chute' (1951).Also by Isaac Asimov in Panther BooksIsaac AsimovNightfall TwoScience fiction storiesGranada Publishing Limited Published in 1971 by Panther Books Ltd Frogmorej St Albans, Herts AL2 2NF Reprinted 19723 1973, 1976Nightfall Two includes the last fifteen stories published by Rapp & Whiting Limited in Nightfall and other stories, 1970Copyright © Isaac Asimov 1969Made and printed in Great Britain by Richard Clay (The Chaucer Press) LtdBungay, SuffolkSet in Linotype PlantinThis book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. This book is published at a net price and is supplied subject to the Publishers Association Standard Conditions of Sale registered under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1956.Contents'In a Good Cause -'What If -SallyFliesNobody Here But -It's Such a Beautiful DayStrikebreakerInsert Knob A in Hole BThe Up-to-date SorcererUnto the Fourth GenerationWhat is This Thing Called Love?The Machine That Won the WarMy Son, the PhysicistEyes Do More Than SeeSegregationistto John W. Campbell Jr.for making 'Nightfall' possible,and for thirty years of friendshipandto the memory of Anthony Boucherand Groff ConklinThere is a perennial question among readers as to whether the views contained in a story reflect the views of the author. The answer is, 'Not necessarily - And yet one ought to add another short phrase '- but usually.'When I write a story in which opposing characters have opposing viewpoints, I do my best, in so far as it lies within my capabilities, to let each character express his own viewpoint honestly.There are few people who, like Richard III in Shakespeare's play, are willing to say: 'since I cannot prove a lover to entertain these fair and well-spoken days, I am determined to prove a villain.'No matter how villainous Tom may appear to Dick, Tom undoubtedly has arguments, quite sincerely felt, to prove to himself that he is not villainous at all. It is therefore quite ridiculous to have a villain act ostentatiously like a villain (unless you have the genius of Shakespeare and can carry off anything - and I'm afraid I haven't).Still, no matter how I try to be fair, and how I try to present each person's views honestly, I cannot make myself be as convincing in presenting views that don't appeal to me, as in presenting those that do. Besides, the general working out of my story usually proceeds as I want it to; the victory, in one way or another, tends to lie with those characters whom I particularly like. Even if the ending is tragic, the point of the story (I hate to use the word 'moral') is usually one that satisfies me.In short, if you ignore the fine details of any of my stories and consider it as a whole, I think you will find that the feeling it leaves with you is the feeling that I myself feel. It isn't a matter of conscious propaganda; it's just that I am a human being who feels something and who cannot help having that feeling show in the story.But there are exceptions -In 1951, Mr. Raymond J. Healy, an anthologist of note, was planning a collection of original science fiction stories, and asked me to write one. He made only one specification. He wanted an upbeat story - something which, in my own more unsophisticated way, I called a 'happy ending' story. . So I wrote a happy ending, but since I always try to beat the rules out of sheer bravado, I tried to write an unexpected happy ending, one in which the reader doesn't find out till the very end what the happy ending really is.It was only after I had successfully (I think) managed this particular tour de force and had had the story published, that I realized that my interest in technique had for once blinded me to content. Somehow this particular story, 'In a Good Cause —,' doesn't quite reflect my own feelings.Groff Conklin, the late perceptive science fiction critic, once said that he liked this story, even though he disagreed with its philosophy, and to my embarrassment, I find that that is exactly how I myself feel.First appearance - New Tales of Space and Time, 1951. Copyright, 1951, by Henry Holt and Company, Inc.'IN A GOOD CAUSE -'In the Great Court, which stands as a patch of untouched peace among the fifty busy square miles devoted to the towering buildings that are the pulse beat of the United Worlds of the Galaxy, stands a statue.It stands where it can look at the stars at night. There are other statues ringing the court, but this one stands in the center and alone.It is not a very good statue. The face is too noble and lacks the lines of living. The brow is a shade too high, the nose a shade too symmetrical, the clothing a shade too carefully disposed. The whole bearing is by far too saintly to be true. One can suppose that the man in real life might have frowned at times, or hiccuped, but the statue seemed to insist that such imperfections were impossible.All this, of course, is understandable overcompensation. The man had no statues raised to him while alive, and succeeding generations, with the advantage of hindsight, felt guilty.The name on the pedestal reads 'Richard Sayama Altmayer'. Underneath it is a short phrase and, vertically arranged, three dates. The phrase is: 'In a good cause, there are no failures.' The three dates are June 17, 2755; September 5, 2788; December 21, 2800; - the years being counted in the usual manner of the period, that is, from the date of the first atomic explosion in 1945 of the ancient era.None of those dates represents either his birth or death. They mark neither a date of marriage or of the accomplishment of some great deed or, indeed, of anything that the inhabitants of the United Worlds can remember with pleasure and pride. Rather, they are the final expression of the feeling of guilt.Quite simply and plainly, they are the three dates upon which Richard Sayama Altmayer was sent to prison for his opinions.1-June 17,2755At the age of twenty-two, certainly, Dick Altmayer was fully capable of feeling fury. His hair was as yet dark brown and he had not grown the mustache which, in later years, would be so characteristic of him. His nose was, of course, thin and high-bridged, but the contours of his face were youthful. It would be only later that the growing gauntness of his cheeks would convert that nose into the prominent landmark that it now is in the minds of trillions of school children.Geoffrey Stock was standing in the doorway, viewing the results of his friend's fury. His round face and cold, steady eyes were there, but he had yet to put on the first of the military uniforms in which he was to spend the rest of his life.He said, 'Great Galaxy!'Altmayer looked up. 'Hello, Jeff.''What's been happening, Dick? I thought your principles, pal, forbid destruction of any kind. Here's a book-viewer that looks somewhat destroyed.' He picked up the pieces.Altmayer said, 'I was holding the viewer when my wave-receiver came through with an official message. You know which one, too.''I know. It happened to me, too. Where is it?''On the floor. I tore it off the spool as soon as it belched out at me. Wait, let's dump it down the atom chute.''Hey, hold on. You can't -''Why not?''Because you won't accomplish anything. You'll have to report.''And just why?''Don't be an ass, Dick.''This is a matter of principle, by Space.''Oh, nuts! You can't fight the whole planet.''I don't intend to fight the whole planet; just the few who get us into wars.'Stock shrugged. 'That means the whole planet. That guff of yours of leaders tricking poor innocent people into fighting is just so much space-dust. Do you think that if a vote were taken the people wouldn't be overwhelmingly in favor of fighting this fight?''That means nothing, Jeff. The government has control of -''The organs of propaganda. Yes, I know. I've listened to you often enough. But why not report, anyway?'Altmayer turned away.Stock said, 'In the first place, you might not pass the physical ex...
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