The Blue Germ

was a relief. I turned to Sarakoff

we knew more about the Blue Disease than anybody else," I e

an. "You are far too apprehen

welcome the spread of the germ? Do you think that people will be p

immortality with it, they will hai

of immortality with any pleasure," I muttered. "

laughed

ust have patience. It will take some time before the significance of this immortality is grasped by the people. But when it is grasped, all the conditions of life will change. Life will become beautiful. We will ha

hat is

e end-towards solving the riddle of prolonging life and at the same time increasing pleasure? Isn't that the inner secret

ple must live for other motives. T

y your form

orld between aspiration and pleasure. I have scarcely known what pleasure is. I have worked like

sed the Russian. "That is th

the fire. A kind of dull depression came over me, and for some reason the picture of Sarakoff's butterflies appeared in m

ave eaten at leisure? What was the cause behind all the tremendous activity and feverish haste of modern people? When Sarakoff had said that I would not die, and that therein lay the charm of the new situation, it seemed as if scales had momentarily fallen from my eyes. I beheld myself as something ridiculous, comparable to a hare that persists in dashing along a country lane in front of the headlight of a motor car, when a turn one way or another would bring it to safety. A great une

fire, but my depression left me. In place of it I felt a qui

served at length, looking up at Sarakoff with a smile. "I must confess t

n pockets and pipe in mouth, and gazed at

wom

he Russian s

change in you. Your fits of abstraction suggested it. W

hurriedly. "In fact, there is no definite arrangeme

sed his shag

is already

ed the girl's position. She was devoted to her father, who required her constant attention and care, and until she was free there could be no que

an invalid

Marry her, man, and then think of her father. Why, that s

ok my

cannot do such things.... The girl's dut

it for

im in unthink

Annot dies,

window, and began to whistle to himself in subdued tones. A moment later he left the r

rnoon and took a taxi to the Annots'

ed on inviting the Perrys to lunch, and he talked a great deal and insisted on drinking wine, with the result that

do that," I remonstrated. "He is in

nds of father's, and they were only staying one day in Ca

the hall, and we were now s

ired, Alic

replied, with an effort towards brig

wkwardness of our position. I had a strong and natural impulse to comfort her,

etter become engaged. Don't you t

hat I belonged to another man. He would worry about my leavin

e agent in the sense that he or she can be guided solely by love. It is necessary to make a compromise. As these thoughts formed in my mind I again seemed to hear the loud voice of Sarakoff, sounding in derision at

me. I tried to continue, but something prevented me, and I became suddenly calm again. "Plea

ng ninety, with a thin aquiline face and white hair. He lay very still, and at first I though

eeping,"

ed over

the night," she whispere

ld not be bett

at him mo

he very

d man certainly looked very pale. A marble-like hue lay o

he been asle

when I looked in last. He said t

we'll wak

hesi

she whispered. "He would p

ok my

by five. Do you mind if w

is skin. It was like the pallor of extreme collapse, save for the presence of a faint colour in his cheeks which seemed to lie as a bright

with an exclamation. A

ends of his come fro

s? From Bi

nything wron

do you

e uttered a cry of horror. I experienced an extraordinary sensation of fear. Out of the ma