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Chapter 2 — The First Making of Cavorite
Isupposeyouknow—everybodyknowsnowadays—that,asausualthing,theairhasweight,thatitpressesoneverythingatthesurfaceoftheearth,pressesinalldirections,withapressureoffourteenandahalfpoundstothesquareinch?”
“Iknowthat,”saidI.“Goon.”
“Iknowthattoo,”heremarked.“Onlythisshowsyouhowuselessknowledgeisunlessyouapplyit.Yousee,overourCavoritethisceasedtobethecase,theairthereceasedtoexertanypressure,andtheairrounditandnotovertheCavoritewasexertingapressureoffourteenpoundsandahalftothesquareinchuponthissuddenlyweightlessair.Ah!youbegintosee!TheairallabouttheCavoritecrushedinupontheairaboveitwithirresistibleforce.TheairabovetheCavoritewasforcedupwardviolently,theairthatrushedintoreplaceitimmediatelylostweight,ceasedtoexertanypressure,followedsuit,blewtheceilingthroughandtheroofoff....
“Youperceive,”hesaid,“itformedasortofatmosphericfountain,akindofchimneyintheatmosphere.AndiftheCavoriteitselfhadn’tbeenlooseandsogotsuckedupthechimney,doesitoccurtoyouwhatwouldhavehappened?”
Ithought.“Isuppose,”Isaid,“theairwouldberushingupandupoverthatinfernalpieceofstuffnow.”
“Precisely,”hesaid.