the fortunes of oliver horn-第2章

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about　Kennedy　Square　most　beloved；　and　the　man　of　all　others　least　understoodRichard　Horn；　the　　distinguished　inventor。

Perhaps　at　the　first　rap　he　would　have　been　too　absorbed　to　hear　you。　He　would　have　been　bending　over　his　carpenter…benchhis　deep；　thoughtful　eyes　fixed　on　a　drawing　spread　out　before　him；　the　shavings　　pushed　back　to　give　him　room；　a　pair　of　compasses　　held　between　his　fingers。　Or　he　might　have　been　raking　the　coals　of　his　forgeset　up　in　the　same　fireplace　that　had　warmed　the　toes　of　the　pickaninnies；　　his　long　red　calico　working…gown；　which　clung　about　his　spare　body；　tucked　between　his　knees　to　keep　it　from　the　blaze。　Or　he　might　have　been　stirring　　a　pot　of　gluea　wooden　model　in　his　hand　or　hammering　away　on　some　bit　of　hot　iron；　the　brown　paper　cap　that　hid　his　sparse　gray　locks　pushed　down　over　his　broad　forehead　to　protect　it　from　the　heat。

When；　however；　his　ear　had　caught　the　tap　of　your　knuckles　and　he　had　thrown　wide　the　green　door；　what　a　welcome　would　have　awaited　you！　How　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　read