Henry followed, then; hardly aware of the oddity of Humphrey's actions.
In the half-light that sifted dustily in through the high windows, the
metal lathes, large and small, the tool benches, the two large reels of
piano wire, the rows of wall boxes filled with machine jars, the round
objects that might have been electric motors hanging by twisted strings
or wires from the ceiling joists, the heavy steel wheels of various
sizes mounted in frames, some with wooden handles at one side, the big
box kites and the wood-and-silk planes stacked at one end of the room,
the gas engine mounted at the other end, the water motor in a corner,
the wheels, shafts and belting overhead--all were indistinct, ghostly.
And all were covered with dust.
'See!' Humphrey waved his pipe. 'I've done no work here for six
weeks. And I shan't do any for a good while. I can't. It takes
leisure--long-evenings--Sundays when you aren't disturbed by a soul.
And at that it means years and years, working as I've had to. You know,
getting out the _Voice_ every week. You know how it's been with me, Hen.
People are going to fly some day, Hen. As sure as we're walking now.
Pretty soon. Chanute--Langley--they know! Those are Chanute gliders
over there. By the kites. I've never told you; I've worked with 'em,
moonlight nights, from the sand-dunes away up the beach. I've got some
locked in an old boat-house up there, Hen'--he stood, very tall, a
reminiscent, almost eager light in eyes that had been dull of late, a
gaunt strong hand resting affectionately on a gyroscope--'I've flown
over six hundred feet! Myself! Gliding, of course. Got an awful ducking,
but I did it.
'But it takes money, Hen. I've thought I could be an inventor and do my
job besides. Maybe I could. Maybe some day I'll succeed at it. But I've
just come to see what it needs. Material, workmen, time--Hen, you've got
to have a real shop and a real pay-roll to do it right. And...
'Oh, I'm not telling you the truth, Hen! Not the real truth!'
He took to walking around now, making angular gestures. Henry, watching
him, coming slowly alive now to the complex life that was flowing around
him, found himself confronted by a new, disturbed Humphrey. He had,
during the year and more of their friendship, taken him for granted as
an older, steadier influence, had leaned on him more than he knew. He
had been a rock for the erratic Henry to cling to in the confusing,
unstable swirl of life.
'Hen'--Humphrey turned on him--'you don't know, but I'm going to be
married.'
Henry's jaw sagged.
'It's Mildred, of course.
'It's going to be hard on the little woman, Hen. She's got to get her
divorce. She can't take money from her husband, of course; and she's
only got a little. She'll need me.' His voice grew a thought unsteady;
he waved his pipe, as if to indicate and explain the machinery. 'We've
got to strike out--take the plunge--you know, make a little money. It's
occurred to me... This machinery's worth more than the library, in
a pinch. And I've got two bonds left. Just two. They're money, of
course...... Hen, you said you _lent_ that thousand to McGibbon?'