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Chapter 3 — The Building of the sphere
Andenamelled,asitwere,ontheoutersteel—”
“Cavorite?”
“Yes.”
“Buthowwillyougetinside?”
“Therewasasimilarproblemaboutadumpling.”
“Yes,Iknow.Buthow?”
“That’sperfectlyeasy.Anair-tightmanholeisallthatisneeded.That,ofcourse,willhavetobealittlecomplicated;therewillhavetobeavalve,sothatthingsmaybethrownout,ifnecessary,withoutmuchlossofair.”
“LikeJulesVerne’sthinginATriptotheMoon.”
ButCavorwasnotareaderoffiction.
“Ibegintosee,”Isaidslowly.“AndyoucouldgetinandscrewyourselfupwhiletheCavoritewaswarm,andassoonasitcooleditwouldbecomeimpervioustogravitation,andoffyouwouldfly—”
“Atatangent.”
“Youwouldgooffinastraightline—”Istoppedabruptly.“Whatistopreventthethingtravellinginastraightlineintospaceforever?”Iasked.“You’renotsafetogetanywhere,andifyoudo—howwillyougetback?”
“I’vejustthoughtofthat,”saidCavor.“That’swhatImeantwhenIsaidthethingisfinished.Theinnerglassspherecanbeair-tight,and,exceptforthemanhole,continuous,andthesteelspherecanbemadeinsections,eachsectioncapableofrollingupafterthefashionofarollerblind.Thesecaneasilybeworkedbysprings,andreleasedandcheckedbyelectricityconveyedbyplatinumwiresfusedthroughtheglass.Allthatismerelyaquestionofdetail.Soyousee,thatexceptforthethicknessoftheblindrollers,theCavoriteexteriorofthespherewillconsistofwindowsorblinds,whicheveryouliketocallthem.
