The Power and The Glory

"And I would have been the greatest man in the world." 


There were papers on the desk, a litter of papers scrawled over, in the careless writing of indifferent students, with the symbols of chemistry and long mathematical computations. The man at the desk pushed them aside to rest his lean, lined face on one thin hand. The other arm, ending at the wrist, was on the desk before him.


Students of a great university had long since ceased to speculate about the missing hand. The result of an experiment, they knewâ€"a hand that was a miss of lifeless cells, amputated quickly that the living arm might be savedâ€"but that was some several years ago, ancient history to those who came and went through Professor Eddinger's class room.


And now Professor Eddinger was wearyâ€"weary and old, he told himselfâ€"as he closed his eyes to shut out the sight of the interminable papers and the stubby wrist that had ended forever his experiments and the delicate manipulations which only he could do.


He reached slowly for a buzzing phone, but his eyes brightened at the voice that came to him.

"I've got itâ€"I've got it!" The words were almost incoherent. "This is Avery, Professorâ€"Avery! You must come at once. You will share in it; I owe it all to you ... you will be the first to see ... I am sending a taxi for youâ€""


Professor Eddinger's tired eyes crinkled to a smile. Enthusiasm like this was rare among his youngsters. But Averyâ€"with the face of a poet, a dreamer's eyes and the mind of a scientistâ€"good boy, Avery!â€"a long time since he had seen himâ€"had him in his own laboratory for two years....


"What's this all about?" he asked.


"Noâ€"no!" said a voice; "I can't tell youâ€"it is too bigâ€"greater than the induction motorâ€"greater than the electric lightâ€"it is the greatest thing in the world. The taxi should be there nowâ€"you must comeâ€""