"Christopher Priest - The Space Machine" - читать интересную книгу автора (Priest Christopher)

Anson approached the lounge door.

"Good evening, Mr Turnbull."

"Good night, Mrs Anson."

By the bottom of the staircase I noticed that the door to the sitting-room was ajar, but there was no
sign of the lady guest.

Once in my room, I lighted the lamps and sat on the edge of my bed, trying to order my thoughts.



ii


The mention of Sir William's name had a startling effect on me, for he was at that time one of the most
famous scientists in England. Moreover, I had a great personal interest in matters indirectly concerned
with Sir William, and the casual information Dykes had imparted was of the greatest interest to me.

In the 1880s and 1890s there was a sudden upsurge in scientific developments, and for those with an
interest in such matters it was an enthralling period. We were on the verge of the Twentieth Century, and
the prospect of going into a new era surrounded by scientific wonders was stimulating the best minds in
the world. It seemed that almost every week produced a new device which promised to alter our mode
of existence:

electric omnibuses, horseless carriages, the kinematograph, the American talking machines... all these
were very much on my mind.

Of these, it was the horseless carriage which had most caught my imagination. About a year before I
had been fortunate enough to be given a ride on one of the marvellous devices, and since then had felt
that in spite of the attendant noise and inconvenience such machines held great potential for the future.

It was as a direct result of this experience that I had involved myself - in however small a way - with
this burgeoning development. Having noticed a newspaper article about American motorists, I had
persuaded the proprietor of the firm that employed me, Mr Westerman himself, to introduce a new line to
his range of goods. This was an instrument which I had named the Visibility Protection Mask. It was
made of leather and glass, and was held in place over the eyes by means of straps, thus protecting them
from flying grit, insects, and so forth.
 Mr Westerman, it should be added, was not himself wholly convinced of the desirability of such a
Mask. Indeed, he had manufactured only three sample models, and I had been given the commission to
offer them to our regular customers, on the understanding that only after I had obtained firm orders would
the Mask be made a permanent part of the Westerman range.

I treasured my idea, and I was still proud of my initiative, but I had been carrying my Masks in my
samples-case for six months, and so far I had awakened not the slightest interest of any customer. It
seemed that other people were not so convinced as I of the future of the horseless carriage.

Sir William Reynolds, though, was a different matter. He was already one of the most famous motorists
in the country. His record speed of just over seventeen miles an hour, established on the run between