Цвет из иных миров

           Ithadactedquiteunbelievablyinthatwell-orderedlaboratory;doingnothingatallandshewingnooccludedgaseswhenheatedoncharcoal,beingwhollynegativeintheboraxbead,andsoonprovingitselfabsolutelynon-volatileatanyproducibletemperature,includingthatoftheoxy-hydrogenblowpipe.Onananvilitappearedhighlymalleable,andinthedarkitsluminositywasverymarked.Stubbornlyrefusingtogrowcool,itsoonhadthecollegeinastateofrealexcitement;andwhenuponheatingbeforethespectroscopeitdisplayedshiningbandsunlikeanyknowncoloursofthenormalspectrumtherewasmuchbreathlesstalkofnewelements,bizarreopticalproperties,andotherthingswhichpuzzledmenofsciencearewonttosaywhenfacedbytheunknown.

           Hotasitwas,theytesteditinacruciblewithalltheproperreagents.Waterdidnothing.Hydrochloricacidwasthesame.Nitricacidandevenaquaregiamerelyhissedandspatteredagainstitstorridinvulnerability.Ammihaddifficultyinrecallingallthesethings,butrecognisedsomesolventsasImentionedthemintheusualorderofuse.Therewereammoniaandcausticsoda,alcoholandether,nauseouscarbondisulphideandadozenothers;butalthoughtheweightgrewsteadilylessastimepassed,andthefragmentseemedtobeslightlycooling,therewasnochangeinthesolventstoshewthattheyhadattackedthesubstanceatall.Itwasametal,though,beyondadoubt.Itwasmagnetic,foronething;andafteritsimmersionintheacidsolventsthereseemedtobefainttracesoftheWidmannstättenfiguresfoundonmeteoriciron.