Don’t drink that, Uncle—or you’re dead! Wha-a-at? Janno pointed to . . . Mallo! I saw that treacherous animal putting poison in the goblet! It’s a lie! Janno hurled himself at Mallo—and fared badly at the hands of an expert wrestler. Aaaaaagh! You taught me well, Mallo! Next time, I shall try not to let you down! The contest was brief—and dramatic! Eeeeeeeaaagh! Pass me the Emperor’s goblet! We’ll see how this scoundrel likes his own medicine! No! No! Not that! Anything but that!Aaaaah! Ahhhh . . . Janno forced the liquid between the other’s lips. Before the eyes of the assembled company, Mallo aged . . . half a lifetime! Eeeee-aaaaahhhh! Moments later, an incredibly aged creature sank to his knees. Im-Imperial Majesty . . . I was tempted . . . the Catons were going to pay me . . . to do this . . . to you . . . By all the stars! The Emperor turned to Peric, his top scientist. Your Majesty, I blame myself! I allowed this youth to tamper in experiments far beyond his intellect! These experiments will cease, Peric! And you will devote yourself to devising an antidote for this evil thing! So it was that Peric worked, day and night, in his laboratory. Is this the antidote? There is one swift and sure way to find out! Later . . . I see, from your changed appearance, that you have carried out my order! Yes, Imperial Majesty! I have aged—once again! I have also destroyed all my notes! I shall never find the secret of youth again. But I can restore to their normal state the others—including Mallo—for whom the experiment went hideously wrong! This was done. Some time later, old Crillus and old Narrod watched a race-craft streaking round the measured course. There goes young Janno—breaking your record! Good luck to the lad! I’ve learned my lesson! From now on, I’m leaving record-breaking to the young—the really young!
This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 652 on 13 July 1974.
