my line straight away staking everything, but I jumped there and then

"We're on absolutely the biggest thing that has ever been invented," , and put the accent on "we " " me out , you'll have with gun I'm coming down your fourth labourer to-morrow "

surprised at my enthusiasm, but not bit suspicious or hostile Rather, self-depreciatory He looked at me doubtfully "But really think - ? " "And your play ! How play ? "

" It's vanished ! " I cried "My , don't what you've got ? Don't what you're going ? "

That was merely rhetorical turn, but positively, he didn't At first believe it He had the beginning inkling of an idea This astonishing little man working on purely theoretical grounds the whole time; When "the most important" research the world had ever seen, he simply meant it squared up theories, settled that was in doubt; he had troubled no more application stuff going out than if he machine that makes guns possible substance, and going it ! V'la tout, Frenchman says

Beyond that, childish; If it, it would go down to posterity as Cavorite or Cavorine, and made an F R S , portrait given away as scientific worthy with Nature, and things like that was all ! dropped this bombshell world he had discovered new species of gnat, happened that I had come along And there it lain and fizzled, like other little things these scientific people have lit and dropped about us

When I realised this, the talking, and Cavor who said, "Go on ! " I jumped up I paced the room, gesticulating like boy of twenty I tried him understand his duties and responsibilities matter - our duties and responsibilities matter I assured him make wealth enough to work any sort of social revolution we fancied, own and order the whole world him of companies and patents, case for secret processes All these things seemed him much as his mathematics had taken me look of perplexity came into his ruddy little face He stammered something about indifference to wealth, but I brushed all that aside He had got rich, and no good his stammering him to understand the sort of man , I had had very considerable business experience tell him an undischarged bankrupt , because that was temporary, but I reconciled my evident poverty with my financial claims And quite insensibly, way such projects grow, the understanding of Cavorite monopoly grew up to stuff, and to boom

I stuck like leech "we" - "you" and "I" didn't exist

His idea the profits I spoke of might go to endow research, but that, , was matter we had to settle later "That's all right," I shouted, " that's all right " The great point, as I insisted, was the thing done

" substance," I cried, "no home, no factory, no fortress, no ship can dare without - more universally applicable even than patent medicine There isn't solitary aspect of it, not one ten thousand possible uses make us rich, Cavor, beyond the dreams of avarice ! "

"No ! " "I begin It's extraordinary how one gets new points of view by talking over things ! "

"And as it happens just talked right man ! "

" I suppose no one," , "is absolutely averse to enormous wealth - "

He paused I stood still

" just possible, , that not it after all ! It one things theoretical possibility, but practical absurdity Or when it, some little hitch ! "

"We'll tackle the hitch when it comes " said I

Chapter 2

The First Making of Cavorite

But Cavor's fears were groundless, actual making was concerned 14th of October, 1899, this incredible substance !

Oddly enough, it at last by accident, when Mr Cavor least expected it He had fused together number of metals and certain other things - the particulars now ! - and he intended to leave the mixture week and then allow it to cool slowly Unless he had miscalculated, the last stage combination would occur stuff sank to temperature of 60 Fahr But it chanced that, unknown to Cavor, dissension had arisen furnace tending Gibbs, who had previously seen , had suddenly attempted to shift it man who gardener, score that coal was soil, being dug, and therefore possibly fall province of joiner; the man who jobbing gardener alleged, however, that coal was metallic or ore-like substance, let alone that cook But Spargus insisted on Gibbs doing the coaling, seeing that joiner coal is notoriously fossil wood Consequently Gibbs ceased to replenish the furnace, and no one else did so, and Cavor was immersed in certain interesting problems concerning Cavorite flying machine (neglecting the resistance air and other points) to perceive that anything was wrong premature birth invention took place just as coming across the field to my bungalow afternoon talk and tea

I remember the occasion with extreme vividness The water was boiling, and everything was prepared, sound "zuzzoo" had brought me out verandah His active little figure was black against the autumnal sunset, and right the chimneys house just rose above gloriously tinted group of trees Remoter rose the Wealden Hills, faint and blue, while left the hazy marsh spread out spacious and serene And then -

The chimneys jerked heavenward, smashing into string of bricks rose, roof and miscellany of furniture followed Then overtaking them came huge white flame The trees building swayed and whirled and tore themselves to pieces, that sprang towards the flare My ears were smitten with clap of thunder that left me deaf on one side for life, and all about me windows smashed, unheeded

three steps verandah towards Cavor's house, and even as so came the wind

Instantly my coat tails were over my head, and progressing in great leaps and bounds, and quite against my will, towards him same moment the discoverer was seized, whirled about, and flew screaming air one chimney pots hit the ground within six yards of me, leap score of feet, and so hurry in great strides towards the focus disturbance Cavor, kicking and flapping, came down again, rolled over and over ground for space, struggled up and was lifted and borne forward at an enormous velocity, vanishing at last labouring, lashing trees that writhed about his house

mass of smoke and ashes, and square of bluish shining substance rushed up towards the zenith large fragment of fencing came sailing past me, dropped edgeways, hit the ground and fell flat, and then the worst was over The aerial commotion fell swiftly until mere strong gale, and 1 became once more aware that I had breath and feet By leaning back against the wind I managed to stop, and could collect such wits as still remained

instant the whole face world had changed The tranquil sunset had vanished, the sky was dark with scurrying clouds, everything was flattened and swaying gale I glanced back bungalow was still in general way standing, then staggered forwards towards the trees amongst which Cavor had vanished, and through whose tall and leaf-denuded branches shone the flames burning house

I entered the copse, dashing from one tree to another and clinging , and for space I sought him in vain Then amidst heap of smashed branches and fencing that had banked itself against portion garden wall I perceived something stir run , but before I reached it brown object separated itself, rose on two muddy legs, and protruded two drooping, bleeding hands Some tattered ends of garment fluttered out from its middle portion and streamed wind

For moment recognise this earthy lump, and then Cavor, caked mud he had rolled He leant forward against the wind, rubbing the dirt eyes and mouth

He extended muddy lump of hand, and staggered pace towards me His face worked with emotion, little lumps of mud kept falling He looked as damaged and pitiful as any living creature ever seen, remark therefore amazed me exceeding

"Gratulate me," he gasped; "gratulate me ! "

"Congratulate you ! said I "Good heavens ! What for ? "

"I've done it "