The carriage rolled along, sinking deep into the snow and jolting terribly; the jolts made us dread every instant some tragi-comic accident. I cannot tell how long we had been rolling along for, lulled by the movement of the carriage and buried in my warm furs, I was quietly dozing when a formidable “Hip-hip-hurrah!” made us all jump, my traveling companions, the coachman, the horse, and I. As quick as thought the whole country was suddenly illuminated. Under the trees, on the trees, among the bushes, along the garden walks, lights flashed forth triumphantly. The wheels of the carriage turned a few times more and then drew up at the house of the famous Thomas Edison. A group of people awaited us on the veranda, four men, two ladies, and a young girl. My heart began to beat quickly as I wondered which of these men was Edison. I had never seen his photograph and I had the greatest admiration for his genius. I sprang out of the carriage and the dazzling electric light made it seem like daytime to us. I took the bouquet which Mrs. Edison offered me and thanked her for it, but all the time I was endeavoring to discover which of these was the Great Man. They all four advanced toward me, but I noticed the flush that came into the face of one of them and it was so evident from the expression of his blue eyes that he was intensely bored that I guessed this was Edison. I felt confused and embarrassed myself, for I knew very well that I was causing inconvenience to this man by my visit. He, of course, imagined that it was due to the idle curiosity of a foreigner, eager to court publicity. He was no doubt thinking of the interviewing in store for him the following day, and of the stupidities he would be made to utter. He was suffering beforehand at the idea of the ignorant questions I should ask him, of all the explanations he would, out of politeness, be obliged to give me, and at that moment Thomas Edison took a dislike to me. His wonderful blue eyes, more luminous than his incandescent lamps, enabled me to read his thoughts. I immediately understood that he must be won over, and my combative instinct had recourse to all my powers of fascination, in order to vanquish this delightful but bashful _savant_. I made such an effort and succeeded so well that, half an hour later, we were the best of friends. I followed him about quickly, climbing up staircases as narrow and steep as ladders, crossing bridges suspended in the air above veritable furnaces, and he explained everything to me. I understood all, and I admired him more and more, for he was so simple and charming, this king of light. As we leaned over a slightly unsteady bridge, above the terrible abyss in which immense wheels, encased in wide thongs, were turning, tacking about, and rumbling, he gave various orders in a clear voice and light then burst forth on all sides, sometimes in sputtering, greenish jets, sometimes in quick flashes or in serpentine trails like streams of fire.