One Enemy v. Twenty-Five Millions of Friends

           TheAmericanpublictookalivelyinterestinthesmallestdetailsoftheenterpriseoftheGunClub.Itfolloweddaybydaythediscussionofthecommittee.Themostsimplepreparationsforthegreatexperiment,thequestionsoffigureswhichitinvolved,themechanicaldifficultiestoberesolved—inoneword,theentireplanofwork—rousedthepopularexcitementtothehighestpitch.

           Thepurelyscientificattractionwassuddenlyintensifiedbythefollowingincident:

           WehaveseenwhatlegionsofadmirersandfriendsBarbicane’sprojecthadralliedrounditsauthor.Therewas,however,onesingleindividualaloneinalltheStatesoftheUnionwhoprotestedagainsttheattemptoftheGunClub.Heattackeditfuriouslyoneveryopportunity,andhumannatureissuchthatBarbicanefeltmorekeenlytheoppositionofthatonemanthanhedidtheapplauseofalltheothers.Hewaswellawareofthemotiveofthisantipathy,theoriginofthissolitaryenmity,thecauseofitspersonalityandoldstanding,andinwhatrivalryofself-loveithaditsrise.

           ThisperseveringenemythepresidentoftheGunClubhadneverseen.Fortunatethatitwasso,forameetingbetweenthetwomenwouldcertainlyhavebeenattendedwithseriousconsequences.Thisrivalwasamanofscience,likeBarbicanehimself,ofafiery,daring,andviolentdisposition;apureYankee.HisnamewasCaptainNicholl;helivedatPhiladelphia.

           MostpeopleareawareofthecuriousstrugglewhicharoseduringtheFederalwarbetweenthegunsandarmorofiron-platedships.