"I should say it was made of the motions. There's a similar idea about
the atom. Another thing that's like a crystal is that it appears to
be forming around a nucleus not of its own material--the way a speck
of sand thrown into a supersaturated solution becomes the nucleus of
crystallization."
"Sounds like the pearl in an oyster," Molly said, and gave me an
impertinent look.
"Why," I asked McGill, "did you say the coins couldn't have the same
date? I mean apart from the off chance I got them that way."
"Because I don't think this thing got going before today and
everything that's happened can all be described as improbable motions
here and now. The dates were already there, and to change them would
require retroactive action, reversing time. That's out, in my book.
That telephone now--"
The doorbell rang. We were not surprised to find it was the telephone
repairman. He took the set apart and clucked like a hen.
"I guess you dropped it on the floor, mister," he said with strong
disapproval.
"Certainly not," I said. "Is it broken?"
"Not exactly _broken_, but--" He shook his head and took it apart some
more.
* * * * *
McGill went over and they discussed the problem in undertones. Finally
the man left and Molly called her mother to reassure her. McGill tried
to explain to me what had happened with the phone.
"You must have joggled something loose. And then you replaced the
receiver in such a way that the contact wasn't quite open."
"But for Pete's sake, Molly says the calls were going on for a long
time! I phoned you only a short time ago and it must have taken her
nearly two hours to get here from Oyster Bay."
"Then you must have done it twice and the vibrations in the
floor--something like that--just happened to cause the right induction
impulses. Yes, I know how you feel," he said, seeing my expression.
"It's beginning to bear down."
Molly was through telephoning and suggested going out for dinner. I was
so pleased to see her that I'd forgotten all about being hungry.
"I'm in no mood to cook," she said. "Let's get away from all this."