按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
warm the grasp of his fine old hand； how cordial his greeting。
〃Disturb me； my dear sir；〃 he would have said in answer to your apologies； 〃that's what I was put in the world for。 I love to be disturbed。 Please do it every day。 Come in！ Come in！ It's delightful to get hold of your hand。〃
If you were his friend； and most men who knew him were； he would have slipped his arm through your own； and after a brief moment you would have found yourself poring over a detailed plan； his arm still in yours； while he showed you the outline of some pin； or lever； needed to perfect the most marvellous of all discoveries of modern timeshis new galvanic motor。
If it were your first visit； and he had touched in you some sympathetic chord； he would have uncovered a nondescript combination of glass jars； horse…shoe magnets； and copper wires which lay in a curious shaped box beneath one of the windows； and in a voice trembling with emotion as he spoke； he would have explained to you the value of this or that lever； and its necessary relation to this new invention of his which was so soon to revolutionize the motive power of the world。 Or he would perhaps have talked to you as he did to me； of his theories and beliefs and of what he felt sure the future would bring forth。
〃The days of steam…power are already numbered。 I may not live to see it； but you will。 This new force is almost within my grasp。 I know people laugh； but so they have always done。 All inventors who have benefited mankind have first been received with ridicule。 I can expect no better treatment。 But I have no fear of the result。 The steady destruction of our forests and the eating up of our coal…fields must throw us back on chemistry for our working power。 There is only one solution of this problemit lies in the employment of a force which this machine will compel to our uses。 I have not perfected the apparatus yet； as you see； but it is only a question of time。 To… morrow； perhaps； or next week； or next yearbut it will surely come。 See what Charles Bright and this Mr。 Cyrus Field are accomplishing。 If it astonishes you to realize that we will soon talk to each other across the ocean； why should the supplanting of steam by a new energy seem so extraordinary？ The problems which they have worked out along the lines of electricity； I am trying to work out along the lines of galvanism。 Both will ultimately benefit the human race。
And while he talked you would have listened with your eyes and ears wide open； and your heart too； and believed every word he said； no matter how practical you might have been or how unwilling at first to be convinced。
On another day perhaps you might have chanced to knock at his door when some serious complication had vexed hima day when the cogs and pulleys upon which he had depended for certain demonstration had become so tangled up in his busy brain that he had thoughts for nothing else。 Then； had he pushed pack his green door to receive you； his greeting might have been as cordial and his welcome as hearty； but before long you would have found his eyes gazing into vacancy； or he would have stopped half…way in an answer to your question； his thoughts far away。 Had you loved him you would then have closed the green door behind you and left him alone。 Had you remained you would； perhaps； have seen him spring from his seat and pick up from his work…bench some unfinished fragment。 This he would have plunged into the smouldering embers of his forge and； entirely forgetful of your presence； would have seized the handle of the bellows； his eyes intent on the blaze； his lips muttering broken sentences。 At these moments； as he would peer into the curling smoke； one thin hand upraised； the long calico gown wrinkling about his spare body； the paper cap on his head； he would have looked like some alchemist of old； or weird necromancer weaving a mystic spell。 Sometimes； as you watched his face； with the glow of the coals lighting up his earnest eyes； there would have flashed across his troubled features； as heat lightning illumines a cloud； some sudden brightness from within followed by a quick smile of triumph。 The rebellious fragment had been mastered。 For the hundredth time the great motor was a success！
And yet； had this very pin or crank or cog； on which he had set such store； refused the next hour or day or week to do its work； no trace of his disappointment would have been found in his face or speech。 His faith was always supreme； his belief in his ideals unshaken。 If the pin or crank would not answer； the lever or pulley would。 It was the 〃adjustment〃 that was at fault； not the principle。 And so the dear old man would work on； week after week； only to abandon his results again； and with equal cheerfulness and enthusiasm to begin upon another appliance totally unlike any other he had tried before。 〃It was only a mile…stone；〃 he would say； 〃every one that I pass brings me so much nearer the end。〃
If you had been only a strangersome savant； for instance； who wanted a problem in mechanics solved； or a professor； blinded by the dazzling light of the almost daily discoveries of the time； in search of mental ammunition to fire back at curious students daily bombarding you with puzzling questions； or had you been a thrifty capitalist； holding back a first payment until an expert like Richard Horn had passed upon the merits of some new labor…saving device of the day； had you been any one of these； and you might very easily have been； for such persons came almost daily to see him； the inventor would not only have listened to your wants； no matter how absorbed he might have been in his own work； but he would not have allowed you to leave him until he was sure that your mind was at rest。
Had you； however； been neither friend nor client； but some unbeliever fresh from the gossip of the Club； where many of the habitues not only laughed at the inventor's predictions for the future； but often lost their tempers in discussing his revolutionary ideas； or had you； in a spirit of temerity； entered his room armed with arguments for his overthrow； nothing that your good…breeding or the lack of it would have permitted you to have said could have ruffled his gentle spirit。 With the tact of a man of wide experience among men； he would have turned the talk into another channelmusic； perhaps； or some topic of the dayand all with such exquisite grace that you would have forgotten the subject you came to discuss until you found yourself outside the yard and half… way across Kennedy Square before realizing that the inventor had made no reply to your attacks。
But whoever you might have been； whether the friend of years； the anxious client； or the trifling unbeliever； and whatever the purpose of your visit； whether to shake his hand again for the very delight of touching it； to seek advice； or to combat his theories； you would have carried away the impression of a man whose like you had never met beforea man who spoke in a low； gentle voice； and yet； with an authority that compelled attention； enthusiastic over the things he loved； silent over those that pained him； a scholar of wide learning； yet skilled in the use of tools that obeyed him as readily as nimble fingers do a hand； a philosopher eminently sane on most of the accepted theories of the day and yet equally insistent in his support of many of the supposed sophistries and so…called 〃fanaticisms of the hour〃； an old…time aristocrat holding fast to the class distinctions of his ancestors and yet glorying in the dignity of personal labor； a patriot loyal to the traditions of his State and yet so opposed to the bondage of men and women that he had freed his own slaves the day his father's will was read； a cavalier reverencing a woman as sweetheart； wife； and mother； and yet longing for the time to come when she； too； could make a career； then denied her； coequal in its dignity with that of the man beside her。
A composite personality of strange contradictions； of pronounced accomplishments and yet of equally pronounced failures。 And yet； withal； a man so gracious in speech； so courtly in bearing； so helpful in counsel； so rational； human； and lovable； that agree with him or not； as you pleased； his vision would have lingered with you for days。
When night came the inventor would rake the coals from the forge； and laying aside his paper cap and calico gown； close the green door of his shop； cross the brick pavement of the back yard； and ascend the stairs with the spindling bannisters to his dressing room。 Here Malachi would have laid out the black swallow…tail coat with the high velvet collar； trousers to match； double…breasted waistcoat with gilt buttons； and fluffy cravat of white silk。
Then； while his master was dressing； the old servant would slip down…stairs and begin arranging the several rooms for the evening's guestsfor there were always guests at night。 The red damask curtains would be drawn close； the hearth swept clean； and fresh logs thrown on the andirons。 The lamp in the library would be lighted； and his master's great easy… chair wheeled close to a low table piled high with papers and magazines； his big…eyed reading…glasses within reach of his hand。 The paper would be unfold