"A. C. Doyle - The Disintegration Machine" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doyle Arthur Conan)

'Not at all. I am a correspondent of the Gazette, and this is Professor Challenger.'

'An honoured name тИТтИТ a European name.' His yellow fangs gleamed in obsequious amiability. 'I was about to
say that the British Government has lost its chance. What else it has lost it may find out later. Possibly its
Empire as well. I was prepared to sell to the first Government which gave me its price, and if it has now
fallen into hands of which you may disapprove, you have only yourselves to blame.'

'Then you have sold your secret?'

'At my own price.'

'You think the purchaser will have a monopoly?'

'Undoubtedly he will.'

'But others know the secret as well as you.'

'No, sir.' He touched his great forehead.

'This is the safe in which the secret is securely locked тИТтИТ a better safe than any of steel, and secured by
something better than a Yale key. Some may know one side of the matter: others may know another. No one
in the world knows the whole matter save only I.'

The Disintegration Machine and Other Stories 3
 The Disintegration Machine and Other Stories

'And these gentlemen to whom you have sold it.'

'No, sir; I am not so foolish as to hand over the knowledge until the price is paid. After that it is I whom they
buy, and they move this safe' he again tapped his brow 'with all its contents to whatever point they desire. My
part of the bargain will then be done тИТтИТ faithfully, ruthlessly done. After that, history will be made.' He
rubbed his hands together and the fixed smile upon his face twisted itself into something like a snarl.

'You will excuse me, sir,' boomed Challenger, who had sat in silence up to now, but whose expressive face
registered most complete disapproval of Theodore Nemor, 'we should wish before we discuss the matter to
convince ourselves that there is something to discuss. We have not forgotten a recent case where an Italian,
who proposed to explode mines from a distance, proved upon investigation to be an arrant impostor. History
may well repeat itself. You will understand, sir, that I have a reputation to sustain as a man of science тИТтИТ a
reputation which you have been good enough to describe as European, though I have every reason to believe
that it is not less conspicuous in America. Caution is a scientific attribute, and you must show us your proofs
before we can seriously consider your claims.'

Nemor cast a particularly malignant glance from the yellow eyes at my companion, but the smile of affected
geniality broadened his face.

'You live up to your reputation, Professor. I had always heard that you were the last man in the world who
could be deceived. I am prepared to give you an actual demonstration which cannot fail to convince you, but
before we proceed to that I must say a few words upon the general principle.