A Prisoner in Fairyland (The Book That 'Uncle Paul' Wrote)Blackwood, Algernon
Science
A Prisoner in Fairyland (The Book That 'Uncle Paul' Wrote)
Blackwood, Algernon
Magic -- Fiction; Voyages and travels -- Fiction
'Then I'll be saying good-night, Mr. Rogers,' he began, 'for you must
be very tired, and I trust you will enjoy a long night's rest. Perhaps
you would like me to come a little later in the morning than usual.'
He stood looking affectionately at the formidable pile of
correspondence, and, as his chief made no immediate reply, he went on,
with more decision in his voice:
'Here,' he said, touching the papers he had carefully set on one side,
'are all the facts you wanted referring to your great Scheme---'
He jumped. His master's fist had come down with a bang upon the table.
He stepped back a pace. They stared at one another.
'Damn the Scheme!' cried Rogers. 'have done and finished with it. Tear
up the papers. Cancel any arrangements already made. And never mention
the thing again in my hearing. It's all unreal and wrong and
unnecessary!'
Minks gasped. The man was so in earnest. What could it mean?
'Wrong--unnecessary--done with!' he faltered. Then, noticing the
flashing eyes that yet betrayed a hint of merriment in their fire, he
added quickly, 'Quite so, Mr. Rogers; I understand. You've got an
improvement, you mean?'
It was not his place to ask questions, but he could not contain
himself. Curiosity and disappointment rushed over him.
'A bigger and a better one altogether, Minks,' was the vehement reply.
He pushed the heap of papers towards the secretary. Minks took them
gingerly, reluctantly.
'Burn 'em up,' Rogers went on, 'and never speak to me again about the
blessed thing. I've got a far bigger Scheme than that.'
Minks slowly gathered the papers together and put them in his biggest
pocket. He knew not what to think. The suddenness of the affair dazed
him. Thought-transference failed this time; he was too perturbed,
indeed, to be in a receptive state at all. It seemed a catastrophe, a
most undesirable and unexpected climax. The romantic solution revived
in him--but only for a passing moment. He rejected it. Some big
discovery was in the air. He felt that extraordinary sense of
anticipation once again.
'Look here, my dear fellow, Minks,' said Rogers, who had been watching
his discomfiture with amusement, 'you may be surprised, but you need
not be alarmed. The fact is, this has been coming for a long time;
it's not an impulsive decision. You must have felt it--from my
letters. That Scheme was all right enough, only I am not the right man
for it. See? And our work,' he added laughingly, 'won't go for nothing
either, because our thought will drop into another mind somewhere that
will accomplish the thing far better than I could have accomplished
it.'
Minks made an odd gesture, as who should say this might not be true.
He did not venture upon speech, however. This new plan must be very
wonderful, was all he thought just then. His faith in his employer's
genius was complete.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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