Chapter 3 — The Building of the sphere

           IremembertheoccasionverydistinctlywhenCavortoldmeofhisideaofthesphere.Hehadhadintimationsofitbefore,butatthetimeitseemedtocometohiminarush.Wewerereturningtothebungalowfortea,andonthewayhefellhumming.Suddenlyheshouted,“That’sit!Thatfinishesit!Asortofrollerblind!”

           “Finisheswhat?”Iasked.

           “Space—anywhere!Themoon.”

           “Whatdoyoumean?”

           “Mean?Why—itmustbeasphere!That’swhatImean!”

           IsawIwasoutofit,andforatimeIlethimtalkinhisownfashion.Ihadn’ttheghostofanideathenofhisdrift.Butafterhehadtakenteahemadeitcleartome.

           “It’slikethis,”hesaid.“LasttimeIranthisstuffthatcutsthingsofffromgravitationintoaflattankwithanoverlapthathelditdown.Anddirectlyithadcooledandthemanufacturewascompletedallthatuproarhappened,nothingaboveitweighedanything,theairwentsquirtingup,thehousesquirtedup,andifthestuffitselfhadn’tsquirteduptoo,Idon’tknowwhatwouldhavehappened!Butsupposethesubstanceisloose,andquitefreetogoup?”

           “Itwillgoupatonce!”

           “Exactly.Withnomoredisturbancethanfiringabiggun.”

           “Butwhatgoodwillthatdo?”

           “I’mgoingupwithit!”

           Iputdownmyteacupandstaredathim.

           “Imagineasphere,”heexplained,“largeenoughtoholdtwopeopleandtheirluggage.Itwillbemadeofsteellinedwiththickglass;itwillcontainaproperstoreofsolidifiedair,concentratedfood,waterdistillingapparatus,andsoforth.