Henry Kuttner

Name: Don't look now
Author: Henry Kuttner

Don't look now (1948)

Summary

“Don't look now”, published in 1948, is a work by Henry Kuttner. It explores elements such as Martians, Lyman and bar.

Quotes from Don't look now (Henry Kuttner)

Henry Kuttner, Don't look now (1948)

“ It’s not easy to learn, but it can be done. We’re conditioned to look directly at a thing—the particular thing we want to see clearly, whatever it is. Perhaps the Martians gave us that conditioning. When we see a movement at the edge of our range of vision, it’s almost irresistible not to look directly at it. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Kuttner, Don't look now (1948)

“ Wars don’t make sense from any human viewpoint. Nobody really wants wars. But we go right on having them. From the Martian viewpoint, they’re useful. They give us a spurt in technology, and they reduce the excess population. And there are lots of other results, too. Colonization, for one thing. But mainly technology. In peace time, if a guy invents jet-propulsion, it’s too expensive to develop commercially. In war-time, though, it’s got to be developed. Then the Martians can use it whenever they want. They use us the way they’d use tools or—or limbs. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Kuttner, Don't look now (1948)

“ The brown man said something under his breath about a human interest story in a box. He asked, “What do the Martians do, besides hang around bars all dressed up?”
“I’m still working on that,” Lyman said. “It isn’t easy to understand. They run the world, of course, but why?” He wrinkled his brow and stared appealingly at the brown man. “Why?”
“If they do run it, they’ve got a lot to explain.”
“That’s what I mean. From our viewpoint, there’s no sense to it. We do things illogically, but only because they tell us to. Everything we do, almost, is pure illogic. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Kuttner, Don't look now (1948)

“ The human skins are perfectly good imitations. Nobody can tell the difference. It’s that third eye that gives them away. When they keep it closed, you’d never guess it was there. When they want to open it, they go invisible—like that. Fast. When I see somebody with a third eye, right in the middle of his forehead, I know he’s a Martian and invisible, and I pretend not to notice him.”
“Uh-huh,” the brown man said. “Then for all you know, I’m one of your visible Martians.”
“Oh, I hope not!” Lyman regarded him anxiously. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Kuttner, Don't look now (1948)

“ It’s that little suggestion of movement you never catch except just at the edge of your vision, just out of the corner of your eye. Something that’s almost there—and when you look fully at it, there’s nothing. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Kuttner, Don't look now (1948)

“ You have to train yourself. It’s like seeing a trick picture—one that’s really a composite, after you study it. Camouflage. You just have to learn how. Otherwise we can look at them all our lives and never see them.”
“The camera does, though.”
“Yes, the camera does. I’ve wondered why nobody ever caught them this way before. Once you see them on film, they’re unmistakable—that third eye.”
“Infra-red film’s comparatively new, isn’t it? And then I’ll bet you have to catch them against that one particular background—you know—or they won’t show on the film. Like trees against clouds. It’s tricky. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Kuttner, Don't look now (1948)

“ Lyman continued, going off at a tangent. “There’s no earthly reason why a sane human should listen to a radio. But the Martians make us do it. They like it. Take bathtubs. Nobody contends bathtubs are comfortable—for us. But they’re fine for Martians. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Kuttner, Don't look now (1948)

“ I’m sure they’re vulnerable, or why have they always kept under cover? They’re afraid of being found out. If the world had convincing evidence—look, people always believe what they read in the newspapers. Couldn’t you—”
“Ha,” said the brown man with deep significance.
Lyman drummed sadly on the bar and murmured, “There must be some way. Perhaps if I had another drink....”
The brown suited man tasted his collins, which seemed to stimulate him. “Just what is all this about Martians?” he asked Lyman. ”

Henry Kuttner

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Quotes from Don't look now (Henry Kuttner)

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