I also saw that Moe had just entered by
anotherdoor, looking like a death-in-life. The Professor gathered us together in my
sitting-room a littlebefore midnight. In the retrospect I cannotremember his
argument, but he convinced me absolutely . Anyhow, after a hecticafternoon of
argument, Dilling consented.
When a boom comes we shall be in afavourable
position . The Anatilla has Glaubsteins behind it, and canafford to wait. It lasted
through the meal and longafterwards over a pipe in my rooms. I kept trying as a
desperate duty tomake my mind function a little on its own account.
Also I foundmy imagination far more
lively.
Daphnes seem to be held by a legion ofsmall folk up
and down the world, none of whom want to sell. Sally was the worst, and Charles
Ottery a good second.
Fear, distaste, regret chased each other through my
mind. Not for a moment did any of us think him mad.
It sounds a futile job, and soI found it. The fly
fell onthe water as lightly as thistledown, but it was many inches awayfrom the
fishs nose. I saw his huge form crumple and slip slowly to the floor. The dinner
convinced Tavanger that there was no time to be lost. Sally was the worst, and
Charles Ottery a good second.
His images might seemridiculous, but they showed
perception struggling to regain itsrightful place.
The animal hasinstinct and the man reason, and on
those terms they live together. Now, the odd thingwas that in his presence I had no
self-consciousness.
They clearly hated those outside our
group.
He used to be a friend of mine,but he met my
advances with a snap and the most dismal howling.
At dinner our group were as glum as owls. But the
eyes of the others did not see this; they were on The Timespages. We sat in a
semicircle round the Professor. I was as docile nowas Sally, and I stopped trying to
reason. He had been shooting inNorfolk, and had been dragged up to an urgent
conference.
I must have slipped partly out of the spell, for I
could use myeyes and get some message from them. Our minds seemed to have jolted
outof focus.
But your mindis too active as yet to PERCEIVE. I
had broken loose; I was a rebel, and was gladof it. The business seemed more
ridiculous than ever.