The Collected Stories

by Earl

  It was a luxuriously furnished and comfortable room adjoining the laboratory. Seating themselves in deep upholstered chairs, a silence ensued that was broken only by the ticking of a stately clock, standing sentinel beside a long shelf of books.

  After lighting his customary cigar, Professor Haupt spoke.

  “Karl, as my assistant it is necessary for you to know something that has remained a secret with me for many years. When I have finished, it will be known to two, and to you and to me only, until I shall deem it the proper time to disclose it to the world. Am I understood, Karl?”

  As Karl answered in the affirmative and sat forward in the eagerness that gripped him, Professor Haupt bade him to make himself comfortable for much had to be said.

  “You have wondered, perhaps, as many others have, why I chose this isolated spot for a habitation and a laboratory when the immense cities of to-day offer such comfort and luxury. But, to be explicit, I must go back ten years. I have always been fond of hiking, in fact, I preferred it far above the grinding routine of the great public gymnasiums. For to me it not only offered me exercise, but it afforded me the opportunity of seeing and enjoying the beauty and solitude of nature.

  “During my customary vacation in the mountains one summer, I wandered into this section, and its surroundings so appealed to me, that I immediately made a fortnight’s reservations at the inn of the village below.

  “Upon the natives informing me that an exceptionally fine view could be had of the country about us from the summit of this crag, I decided one morning to climb it.

  “It was quite a strenuous climb for a man of my years and tired me exceedingly, so I seated myself to rest; I forgot my weariness as I literally drank in the beautiful panorama that presented itself: the village like ‘Toyland’ below me; the snow-covered peaks towering into the blue above me; and the height and distance lending an indescribable charm of perspectiveness. Karl, Man’s handiwork, no matter how astounding, cannot compare with nature’s,” and the old professor closed his eyes in contemplation and smoked in silence for several minutes.

  Arousing himself as if with an effort he continued, “Having enjoyed this for several hours, I was about to arise and begin my descent, when my eyes encountered the formation of the ground about me. I was astounded; I could not believe my sight; the ore, for of such it was composed, was of such a color and composition as I had never seen before. Taking a sizable portion with me, I returned to my laboratory in Vienna as quickly as possible, keeping it a secret.

  “I analyzed it and to my utmost joy the tests proved it to be an unknown ore containing some foreign substance never met with before. Continuing my tests I became convinced that this peculiar ore contained element No. 85, the element following polonium!

  “Upon making this discovery, I decided to give up my presidency and here build a laboratory, thus better enabling me to keep it a secret. In Vienna I had been experimenting in a field of investigation, continued failure of which experimenting made me despair, until I chanced upon this rare ore, which I thought at last offered some hope of success.

  “After years of the most exhaustive analytical work, success at last rewarded me. Karl, that ore contained element No. 85, and I’ve extracted all of it!”

  When Professor Haupt concluded the last word of that statement Karl leaped to his feet and his face and sparkling eyes portrayed the emotion that surged within him.

  “85—85,” he whispered hoarsely, bending over the seated professor, “Can I see it?”

  “Most assuredly you can see it, Karl, come,” said Professor Haupt and arose leading the way into the laboratory.

  Winding their way between huge and intricate apparatuses of Professor Haupt’s own design, they stopped before a glass-topped table. Upon it rested a cabinet of exceedingly thick glass and within it were two small glass bottles, plainly labeled “No 85” and “No. 87”—Possible”.

  Karl could not restrain his excitement as the Professor calmly opened the cabinet door and took out the bottle numbered 85. Handing it to his assistant that young man gazed at it as if entranced.

  He saw a bluish slightly glowing crystalline substance similar in appearance to iodine except in color. As he gazed at it Professor Haupt spoke, “So rare is it that from about three tons of ore I have been able to extract the small amount before you, one ounce and a half; and the final residue I am convinced contains No. 87. Some day we will extract that, too, from this black powder.

  “But the ore, Professor, is it unlimited?” asked Karl.

  “No, that is all the world can have of 85 and 87.”

  “But—but—”, stammered Karl perplexedly.

  “My theory;” began Professor Haupt as he replaced the bottles, “is that a meteorite from some planet rich in this ore, was hurled through space at some remote time and landed upon this crag’s top. I have used every grain of ore and I am positive there is no more in existence, according to this theory.”

  “It can hardly be of use to the world,” said Karl.

  “No, only in the matter of chemical theory. I have chosen you to assist me in the experiment, which I nearly despaired of years ago in Vienna,” and Professor Haupt extended his hand.

  Many days were to pass since that eventful night. Days of toil and trial that stretched into a year.

  Now Karl possessed peculiarities which often put Professor Haupt in a mental turmoil of thought, but endeavor as he would, he could find neither source nor reason for them. These peculiarities centered around what modernly would be called, “hunches.”

  In the year that passed there were many instances (during some experiments that had taxed and thwarted every mental effort of the Professor) that Karl would, without apparent reason, word, permission, or suggestion use bizarre methods, compounds, etc., and to the amazement of the professor, they always terminated in success. Asking for the reason or the basic law, he would receive nothing more from Karl than a shrug of his powerful young shoulders, followed with a nonchalant, “Just a hunch, Professor.”

  Silently, with close study, he tried to solve this baffling sense or hunch of his assistant, but without success. Although Karl’s education and knowledge of chemistry and science was above the average for a young man of his age, these facts alone were not enough to account for such amazing things, so the old professor as the days passed by, finally gave up trying to find the keynote and contented himself with the thought that he had an invaluable assistant. In this he was correct as passing time later corroborated.

  And now we read of the return of Professor Haupt to the great world of science to disclose his discovery.

  ON a brisk autumn day in late November, the usual staid calm of the members of the Clique of Science was upset by the announcement of its secretary that a telegram of vast import had been received. Further shock was added to the confusion, when it was found to be from none other than Professor Haupt, he who had been practically dead for ten years in his inaccessible home in the Tyrol.

  Professor Haupt arrived amidst a welcome he did not expect—received by every notable scientist of that day. The chairman personally conducted the old professor, and his seemingly nervous servant, to the same room he had occupied at the time of his presidency.

  After the welcoming banquet in his honor all retired to the luxuriant lounge, where the professor renewed old acquaintances. Here plans were formulated for a meeting which would take place a month after the date of his arrival, to give ample time to those members who resided or were upon duties, in other capitals of the world. The purpose of the meeting was to disclose the results of an amazingly successful discovery.

  That night Professor Haupt retired, with no little elation, as his thoughts reverted to his reception by those whom he thought had forgotten him. Yet, amidst all this, there still lingered in his heart an inexplicable loneliness and longing for the youth that was not there to enjoy these plaudits for their success.

  The days passed, and the hour at last arrived—the audience hall of the Cliq
ue of Science was fast filling with its distinguished members. Gathered here and there in various groups, whispering and gesticulating, the most illustrial scientists of that year were animatedly conjecturing with word and argument as to the nature of this latest discovery.

  It was with some difficulty that the chairman finally succeeded in his requests for order and silence. Following this were brief and customary formalities regarding the introduction of Professor Haupt.

  As that venerable old man ascended the platform from which he was to address them, a hush fell upon that great hall—a silence such as can only be, in a place where intelligence reigns and profoundly listens to the enchanting, electrifying voice of genius.

  “Gentlemen,” began Professor Haupt, “You have done me great honor this evening by your presence here. I only hope that in having set the date of this meeting a month in advance, it has given a sufficient time for all of you to prepare for this occasion.

  “I must ask for your patience, because I am forced to go into detail and narrate certain events, interweaving these as I go along so that stitch by stitch, strand by strand, and color by color I shall endeavor ere I conclude, to set before you not a fantastic picture, but something clear, distinct, and beautiful, as a painstakingly-woven tapestry.

  “When I left your midst, it was not to isolate myself, fostering the thought to shun society, from prejudice or hatred of humanity, nay, it was with a set purpose. To accomplish this I needed absolute solitude, where my every faculty could concentrate without the slightest molestation.

  “You are all informed regarding the so-called noble gases, of which there are six, namely helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon. Four, as you know, are found in small quantities in the atmosphere. By manipulation of large quantities of liquid air these four may be obtained in quantity, and stored in a compressed state in steel cylinders. You are also aware that helium (which is exceedingly abundant in our sun) is extracted from oil wells, being the first product after the sinking of a new shaft. And radon is obtained from the decomposition of radium. This, of course, is the rarest of all. It is an established fact that there are no known compounds of the six inert gases. If any of you have experimented in this field you are well aware that flourine, the most active element known, capable of dissolving even silica and glass, has no effect upon them, nor is there a known element that will combine with these gases. However, there are as yet two unisolated elements, No.’s 85 and 87 in the atomic table and respectively known as eka-iodine and eka-caesium. The former would be non-metallic, a solid, reasonably active chemically and related to chlorine bromine, and iodine. The latter would be a soft, and very active metal, decomposing water rapidly, and related to sodium and potassium of the alkali-metal group. In fact, No. 87, when discovered, will be the most active metal known. Therefore, is it not reasonable to surmise that either 85 or 87, or both will chemically combine with the inert gases to form hitherto unprecedented compounds with exceedingly singular properties? Gentlemen!”—and all heads became erect as Professor Haupt’s voice rang vibrant with emotion, “I have extracted element no. 85, eka-iodine, from its ore, hitherto unknown, and with a possibility of extracting 87 from it in the future!”

  Following this astounding statement that great hall of great men reverberated with tumultous applause, and pandemonium followed. Perplexity, amazement, and excitement were writ upon every face as they animately discussed this remarkable discovery. The chemist’s dream come true—the completion of the table of elements; such thought arose in many places.

  When at last silence was restored, Professor Haupt, the only calm one of that vast assemblage, resumed, “Gentleman, I must again ask for your patience. With the assistance of a certain young man, a further great achievement resulted. He is, I am sure, known to some of you, Karl Marienfeldt, son of the late Professor Marienfeldt, a distinguished member of this clique. He came to me after the death of his father and since then I shall never regret my using alone his meritorious assistance and companionship. I must here inform you that 85 had been discovered a few years ago, but I did not wish to disclose it to the world until I had further facts about it. My one ambition, after its discovery, was to combine it chemically with one or all of the noble gases. I was led into this track of experimentation by the discovery that it was a reversion to reactivity in the halogen family, being more active than flourine in many respects. In this I was practically at a standstill, until Karl’s young and active brain made new suggestions. However, I cannot define, for I do not know where his suggestions began and mine ended, as we worked in perfect unison, sometimes for hours without speaking a word.

  “We used a large, evacuated tube at one millionth of a millimeter pressure and ran small quantities of the six rare gases through it, energizing them by means of the ten million volts at our command. This incidentally rearranged the internal composition of the molecules of the gases, among other things making them diatomic, giving them the same molecular construction as the active gas oxygen. Then, passing these reconstructed rare gases (all six in the hope that one would be successful) over a porcelain boat encased in a silica combustion tube, heated to red heat and containing element 85, we waited with bated breath for results, I can still picture Karl, his face aglow, not only from the light that radiated from the combustion tube, but flushed from the excitement within him that made him breathe with gasps, as if in physical exertion. I do not know how I appeared, but it must have been the same, for a tension of conflicting thoughts gripped my mind and body. Racing madly through my brain was the fear of destruction as well as the hope of success. Our eyes smarting from the peculiar rays from the glowing element, we watched and waited, expecting we knew not what, when a sudden, subtle change in color of the heated substance in the boat caused us to bend forward in anticipation of a reaction. Such a blinding radiance flashed in our unshielded eyes that we staggered backward, as if mortally wounded. Recovering I rushed to the switch and turned off the power. With blinking eyes we waited for the mass to cool, silently wondering as we looked at each other what new, inconceivable compound lay before us.

  “It was a compound resembling glass in physical appearance, hard, but not brittle and perfectly transparent, glowing with a bluish light at all times. In examining it after the experiment we discovered that it possessed such inexplainable refracting power as to astonish us. Deciding therefore, to use it for telescopic purposes, we repeated the experiment, making a specimen two feet in diameter. In examining the gases which issued from the end of the combustion tube, we were astounded to find all the gases there except radon. If you will notice in the atomic table radon occupies a position between 85 and 87, being No. 86. At present I am not in the position to explain the significance of this statement. But no doubt it has some bearing on the problem.

  “With unceasing labor we produced a perfect lens as far as shape goes and fitted it into a telescope of our own design.

  Completing this early one afternoon we hardly found the patience to wait for the darkness to fall.

  “So the moment came that meant so much to us, for I was certain it would prove to have phenomenal magnification. But gazing through it we were doomed to such disappointment as can rock the foundation of the senses.

  “Then followed days of ceaseless toil, trials and failures, until we worked upon the theory that a reflecting surface would be necessary to render an image. For this purpose we employed highly-polished sheets of every metal procurable, and, also glass. The latter we found, was peculiarly etched after use. All of these we tried until we were on the verge of despair. One day Karl, without the slightest reason, suggested the use of mercury (which he had tried before) in motion circularly. Placing this in position at the lower end of the telescope we connected it to an electric motor which revolved in such a way that its surface was extremely smooth. I then trained the telescope upon the various portions of the heavens.

  “Previous disappointments had calloused us to its sharp pangs, and we accepted this latest failure und
isturbed. The mirrored surface remained unbroken! Karl, then attempting it, turned away at last as I had done, and suddenly arising with expressed disgust, accidently struck the telescope with his shoulder, thus turning it in a quarter circle. He was about to leave when a bluish light flooded the disc of revolving mercury.

  “ ‘Look, look, professor,’ ” he called to me across the laboratory. Reaching his side as hurriedly as possible I noticed his face portraying great astonishment and followed his staring eyes—

  “Gentlemen I upon that revolving disc of mercury was reflected, in proportion to its relative size, what would be a scene of about two thousand square feet of some planet so plain that it seemed I was merely looking out of one of my window-panes!

  “Following the direction in which the telescope was pointed we found it to be trained upon the brightest object in the earthly sky, the planet Venus. Therefore, the newly-discovered element No. 85 shall be named VENUSINE, as Karl and I agreed between us. The ore from which I extracted element 85 must have been the remains of a metorite from Venus, and in some inexplicable way this element is related to, bound up in Venus, and in Venus only.”

  Thus ended the epochal-making speech of Professor Johann Haupt.

  It is an interesting suggestion that the list of elements should be filled up by elements from another planet.

  SNOW, cold, and Yuletide spirit heralded in the month of December.

  Up the almost snow-obliterated path, that twisted to the crag’s summit, were toiling a party of men in single file. The majority of these consisted of the committee chosen by the Clique of Science to accompany Professor Haupt. Those remaining were personal servants of the scientists and some few packing the supplies. Several feet ahead of them the old professor was leading the way, his merry, twinkling eyes expressing the happy thoughts within him.