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Childhood's End Chapter 4 Summary

  • Stormgren visits Pierre Duval, Chief of the Science Bureau. He explains to his old friend the setup of the room, and Duval wonders if it's really a view screen in the room.
  • He suggests it could just be two-way glass and says he'll look into the problem.
  • On the ship, Stormgren and Karellen finish the paperwork for the new world state.
  • Karellen promises the Overlords will present themselves to humanity in fifty years. Set your watches, people.
  • Stormgren agrees to write up the statement but says he'll continue to pester the Overlord to see him, all the while fiddling with a contraption in his briefcase.
  • At the office, Van Ryberg shares another of his theories: The Overlords are physically identical to humans.
  • Wainwright shows up to read the statement, pointing out that in fifty years those who remember true human independence will be long dead.
  • Duval returns Stormgren's briefcase, minus one technological contraption. The radar device sent back an analysis of the room and the first photo of Karellen by way of abstract, wavy lines.
  • The scientist also informs Stormgren that there is no such thing as truly one-way glass, and he's devised a beam gun the Secretary-General can use that'll allow him to see the other side.
  • At their next meeting, Karellen tells Stormgren that he and his successor no longer have to worry about the Freedom League—humanity's path for the next fifty years has been set.
  • Stormgren wonders what will happen if their experiment with man fails, and Karellen answers that they'll start over. Oh good?
  • Karellen tells Stormgren goodbye, and Stormgren raises the beam gun to the glass.
  • Years later, a helicopter interrupts Stormgren on his walk around a lake.
  • A reporter asks Stormgren about the rumors that he once had the Chief of the Science Bureau make a contraption for him.
  • Stormgren admits to it but adds he saw nothing. Oh well, only twenty more years to go.
  • Thinking to himself, Stormgren imagines what he actually saw that day, and how grateful he is that Karellen allowed him to solve the mystery before he died.
  • He questions if Karellen has failed in his experiments with humanity before. He also wonders if the alien will visit his grave as a friend when Stormgren finally passes on.