How the Stars did Fall Read Online Free PDF Page A

doctor took the forceps and penetrated the wound and the pain was so great Faraday lost consciousness.
    When he awoke the next day, his shirt was soaked through by his own sweat, and his leg still throbbed but the wound was covered with new and clean bandages. He got up and walked over to the door on one leg, opening the door, and a barrage of sunlight afflicted him. He put his hands up to shield his eyes until they could acclimate. It must have been midday. And with the light came sounds of conversation and the clacking of silverware. The inn was empty save for one circular table on which sat Tennyson and five or six other men Faraday did not recognize. Each man had in front of him a mug of beer and plates with sausage and bread and beans.
    “Good morning, sir,” Tennyson said, greeting Faraday.
    “Morning. I want to thank you, Doctor. For helping me. Name’s Faraday.” They shook hands.
    “Tennyson’s my name. And I did what men of my calling ought to do. No more than that. This man is Corliss. He is the owner of this inn and the one who gave you a bed to sleep on.”
    “Well, I thank you, too, sir. I’m afraid I have no banknotes or gold on me at the moment, but if you gentlemen give me a bill for your services then I would surely pay as soon as I am able.”
    “Nonsense, man,” Corliss said. “Your gold is of no use here. Look inside the box.”
    Just then Faraday noticed the strange contraption he had seen the night before was sitting in the center of the table, upright, the holes on its sides like open eyes. Faraday peeked inside one of the holes and saw glittering in the sunlight a pan holding little bits of shiny gold. Flakes as brilliant and pure as the day they were forged in the distant corners of the cosmos.
    “Is that—” Faraday began but Corliss finished his question with the answer.
    “Gold. Yes, it is. Our good Doctor Tennyson is an inventor. And he has invented a machine to extract gold from the ocean. Is it not amazing? So you see: what good is your gold to people who can pluck the stuff up from the sea like weeds? We won’t have to work ever again, man,” Corliss said.
    And Corliss pulled out a chair for Faraday and asked that drink and food be brought to him as well. The assemblage marveled at the contraption in front of them and each man spoke to the other of what he would do with his own share of the bountiful riches that awaited them. One spoke of buying a field and cattle and living off the land. Another of taking his earnings and returning to Connecticut and maybe even boarding a ship and going off to Europe and from there riding a train straight into Russia and further into China and India and seeing the East and all its wonders. But even as they spoke and dreamt together Tennyson cleared his throat and settled them down.
    “Gentlemen, I understand your enthusiasm. I truly do. However, as you can see, one accumulator can only bring up a tiny portion of the wealth that the ocean contains. If we are to profit, we must expand. And that means funds. Each accumulator costs some one hundred dollars to assemble, and whichever of you spare enough for one accumulator I will count as investors and equal participants in the venture, and you will be owed a portion of the profits in perpetuity.”
    Corliss raised himself from the table first, and he took hold of Tennyson’s hands and shook them violently.
    “You know I’m in,” Corliss said.
    The others took a few moments to consider the proposition, but seeing the eagerness of their elder convinced them and they shook Tennyson’s hand too and promised that they would invest in the fledgling venture. So Tennyson brought out a thick bundle of parchment and on the letterhead in big letters was written ELECTROLYTIC MARINE SALTS COMPANY and each man that had pledged his support came round and signed one of the pages. Then they dispersed, each going to the place where they held their money, leaving Faraday alone with Doctor Tennyson.
    “Is it