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When I read in the paper this morning that you said the Blue Disease conferred immortality on people I was not surprised. I had come to the same conclusion in a roundabout way. But I want to ask you one question. Did you know beforehand that it killed desire?" "No. Neither Sarakoff nor I foresaw that."
"I wonder if it's all black magic?" "That's what Hammer suggested. I don't know what kind of magic it is." "Of course it is magic," said Thornduck. "Magic?" "Of course. Have you even thought what kind of magic it is?" "No." "A big magic, such as you have worked, is just bringing the distant future into the present with a rush." "Sarakoff had some such idea," I murmured.
She transcends the peacock because her voice is beautiful. She is, in fact, worthy of every homage, and you will meet her in a short time. Like all perfect things she is late." He took out his watch and glanced at the door. "You are an extraordinary person, Sarakoff," I observed, after watching him a moment. "Will you answer me a rather intimate question?" "Certainly."
I noticed that her complexion, usually somewhat muddy, was perfectly clear, though of a marble pallor. We greeted each other quietly and I introduced Sarakoff. "So you are an Immortal, Alice," I said smiling. She gazed at me. "Richard, I do not know what I am, but I know one thing; I am entirely changed. Some strange miracle has been wrought in me. I came to ask you what it is."
"You see that both Professor Sarakoff and I have got the germ in our systems like you, Alice. Yes, it is a miracle; we are Immortals." I studied her face attentively, she had changed. It seemed to me that she was another woman, she moved in a new way, her speech was unhurried, her gaze was direct and thoughtful.
And then a great fit of laughter overcame me and I sank down on my bed with the tears coming from my eyes. On coming down to breakfast, I found Sarakoff already seated at the table devouring the morning papers. I picked up a discarded one and stood by the fire, glancing over its contents. There was only one subject of news, and that was the spread of the Blue Disease.
The enormity of this revelation engrossed me with an almost painful activity of thought. I gazed across at Sarakoff and wondered what appalling gulf divided our views on supreme things. What view did he really take of women? Did he or did he not think that the planets and stars were inhabited? Did he believe in the evolution of the soul like Mr. Thornduck?
I became pagan as I lolled there, a creature of sensuous feeling. Sarakoff lay back in a deep chair in the shadow with his eyes fixed on Leonora. We were both in a kind of delicious drowsiness when the opening of the door roused us. Leonora stopped abruptly. With some difficulty I removed my gaze from the Chinese figure, which had hypnotized me, and looked round resentfully.
Sarakoff nodded. "But this germ is harmless," he added. "Then I ain't going to die?" "No. That's just the point. You aren't going to die," said the Russian slowly. "That's what is so strange." I jumped round from the window. "How do you know?" I said fiercely. "There's no proof. It's all theory so far. The calculations may be wrong." The man stared at me wonderingly.
Briefly, we found ourselves at one over many problems of human research, and I congratulated myself on the fact that in communicating the account of the miracle at St. Dane's Hospital to Sarakoff alone, I had done wisely. He was wonderfully enthusiastic. "That discovery of yours has furnished the key to the great riddle I had set myself," he exclaimed, striding to and fro.
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