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Chapter 2 — The First Making of Cavorite
“Ahugefountain—”
“Spoutingintospace!Goodheavens!Why,itwouldhavesquirtedalltheatmosphereoftheearthaway!Itwouldhaverobbedtheworldofair!Itwouldhavebeenthedeathofallmankind!Thatlittlelumpofstuff!”
“Notexactlyintospace,”saidCavor,“butasbad—practically.Itwouldhavewhippedtheairofftheworldasonepeelsabanana,andflungitthousandsofmiles.Itwouldhavedroppedbackagain,ofcourse—butonanasphyxiatedworld!Fromourpointofviewverylittlebetterthanifitnevercameback!”
Istared.AsyetIwastooamazedtorealisehowallmyexpectationshadbeenupset.“Whatdoyoumeantodonow?”Iasked.
“InthefirstplaceifImayborrowagardentrowelIwillremovesomeofthisearthwithwhichIamencased,andthenifImayavailmyselfofyourdomesticconveniencesIwillhaveabath.Thisdone,wewillconversemoreatleisure.Itwillbewise,Ithink”—helaidamuddyhandonmyarm—“ifnothingweresaidofthisaffairbeyondourselves.IknowIhavecausedgreatdamage—probablyevendwelling-housesmayberuinedhereandthereuponthecountry-side.Butontheotherhand,IcannotpossiblypayforthedamageIhavedone,andiftherealcauseofthisispublished,itwillleadonlytoheartburningandtheobstructionofmywork.Onecannotforeseeeverything,youknow,andIcannotconsentforonemomenttoaddtheburthenofpracticalconsiderationstomytheorising.
