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Chapter 2 — The First Making of Cavorite
Andthatprepared,IcouldturnonCavorforhisexplanation.
“Quitecorrect,”heinsisted;“quitecorrect.I’vedoneit,andit’sallright.”
“But,”Iprotested.“Allright!Why,therecan’tbearickstanding,orafenceorathatchedroofundamagedfortwentymilesround....”
“It’sallright—really.Ididn’t,ofcourse,foreseethislittleupset.Mymindwaspreoccupiedwithanotherproblem,andI’mapttodisregardthesepracticalsideissues.Butit’sallright—”
“Mydearsir,”Icried,“don’tyouseeyou’vedonethousandsofpounds’worthofdamage?”
“There,Ithrowmyselfonyourdiscretion.I’mnotapracticalman,ofcourse,butdon’tyouthinktheywillregarditasacyclone?”
“Buttheexplosion—”
“Itwasnotanexplosion.It’sperfectlysimple.Only,asIsay,I’mapttooverlooktheselittlethings.It’sthatzuzzoobusinessonalargerscale.InadvertentlyImadethissubstanceofmine,thisCavorite,inathin,widesheet....”
Hepaused.“Youarequiteclearthatthestuffisopaquetogravitation,thatitcutsoffthingsfromgravitatingtowardseachother?”
“Yes,”saidI.“Yes.”
“Well,sosoonasitreachedatemperatureof60degreesFahrenheit,andtheprocessofitsmanufacturewascomplete,theairaboveit,theportionsofroofandceilingandflooraboveitceasedtohaveweight.