"George Griffith - A Corner in Lightning" - читать интересную книгу автора (Griffith George)

"I'm very glad to hear it," said Mrs. Calvert approvingly. "I think it will be a very wicked scheme if it
succeeds, and a very foolish and expensive one if it fails."
"After which there is of course nothing mare to be said," laughed her husband, "except for the Professor
to give his dispassionate opinion."

"Oh, it shall be dispassionate, I can assure you," he replied, noticing a little emphasis on the word. "The
ethics of the matter are no business of mine, nor have I anything to do with its commercial bearings. You
have asked me merely to look at technical possibilities and scientific probabilities, and of course I don't
propose to go beyond these."

He took another sip at a cup of coffee that Mrs. Calvert had handed him, and went on:

"I've had a long talk with Markovitch this afternoon, and I must confess that I never met a more ingenious
man or one who knew as much about magnetism and electricity as he does. His theory that they are the
celestial and terrestrial manifestations of the same force, and that what is popularly called electric fluid is
developed only at the stage where they become one, is itself quite a stroke of genius, or, at least, it will
be if the theory stands the test of experience. His idea of locating the storage works over the Magnetic
Pole of the earth is another, and I am bound to confess that, after a very careful examination of his plans
and designs, I am distinctly of opinion that, subject to one or two reservations, he will be able to do what
he contemplates."

"And the reservations what are they?" asked Culvert a trifle eagerly.

"The first is one that it is absolutely necessary to make with regard to all untried schemes, and especially
to such a gigantic one as this. Nature, you know, has a way of playing most unexpected pranks with
people who take liberties with her. Just at the last moment, when you are on the verge of success,
something that you confidently expect to happen doesn't happen, and there you are left in the lurch. It is
utterly impossible to foresee anything of this kind, but you must clearly understand that if such a thing did
happen it would ruin the enterprise just when you have spent the greatest part of the money on it--that is
to say, at the end and not at the beginning."

"All right," said Calvert, "we'll take that risk. Now, what's the other reservation?"

"I was going to say something about the immense cost, but that I presume you are prepared for."

Calvert nodded, and he went on:

"Well, that point being disposed of, it remains to be said that it may be very dangerous--I mean to those
who live on the spot, and will be actually engaged in the work."

"Then, I hope you won't think of going near the place, Sid!" interrupted Mrs. Calvert, with a very pretty
assumption of wifely authority.

"We'll see about that later, little woman. It's early days yet to get frightened about possibilities. Well,
Professor, what was it you were going to say? Any more warnings?"

The Professor's manner stiffened a little as he replied:

"Yes, it is a warning, Mr. Calvert. The fact is I feel bound to tell you that you propose to interfere very