"It has been proven," Rogers declared quietly. "The mathematical language of science would bore you. Let me give you a popular illustration--an illustration, by the way, that I saw in print long before Einstein's theory was made public. For instance, think about this: A house has length, breadth and thickness. The house is matter, and it has three dimensions of space. But what else has it?" A blank silence followed his sudden question. "Hasn't it duration, gentlemen? Could a house have any real existence if it did not exist for any time at all?" "Well," said George, "I guess that's something to think about." Rogers went on calmly: "You must admit, my friends, that the existence of matter depends on time equally as on space. They are, as I said, blended together. A house must have length, breadth, thickness and duration, or it cannot exist. Matter, in other words, persists in time and space. Let me give you another illustration of this blending. How would you define motion?" Again there was a dubious silence. "Motion," said George suddenly, "why, that's when something--something material changes place." He was blushing at his own temerity, and he sat back in his leather chair, smoking furiously. "Quite so," smiled Rogers. "That, gentlemen, is about the way we all conceive motion. Something material, a railroad train, for instance, changes its position in space." He regarded the men before him, and this time there was a touch of triumph in his manner. "But, my friends, that's where our line of reasoning is inadequate. Time is involved equally with space. The train was there _then_; it is here _now_. That involves time." "In other words--" the Doctor began. "In other words, motion is the simultaneous change of the position of matter in time and space. You see how impossible it is to speak of one factor without involving the others? That is the mental attitude into which I'm trying to get you. I want you to think of time exactly as you think of length, breadth and thickness--as one of the properties of space. Isn't that clear?" The Big Business Man answered him. "I think so. I can understand now what you mean by a blending of--" "Oh, his words are clear enough," the Banker interjected testily. "But what's the argument about? He started in by saying--" George sat up suddenly. "Mr. Rogers, you said we were to come here for something vitally important to you. Something about time and space. You said--" Rogers interrupted him. "I did indeed. I asked you all to come here to the club tonight because you are my friends. Mine and Loto's. And the affair concerns him more directly than it does me." He glanced across the room. "Come, Loto. You're the one to tell them."