human
Is it possible, gasped Keane,
gpt
We have discovered the devil’s workshop,
human
Nay, we shall find the philosopher’s stone, or the _elixir vitae_ soon,
gpt
We are more likely to find the _elixir mortis_ than anything else, said the gloomy one.
human
This place gives me the shivers. I am sure that I shall have cold feet for the rest of my life.
gpt
After this, Hermes and Geber will be dull reading, continued the enthusiast.
human
Give me the Schwarzwald every time for the real thrill of the alchemist.
gpt
Their time might have been more profitably employed, at any rate,
human
Yes, it is a thousand pities that the wonderful brain which designed and organised all this should have had nothing better in view than brigandage and world revolution.
gpt
More misdirected energy, moaned Sharpe;
human
You’re a veritable misanthrope, Sharpe!
gpt
I have reason to be,
human
What do you mean?
gpt
I mean this--we’re not out of the wood yet.
human
I agree; we’re in the very centre of it,
gpt
Yet you did not inflict the _coup de grâce_ on the diabolical vipers, and they will shortly awake. Moreover, the _Scorpion_ may arrive unexpectedly, and we shall be unprepared for her.
human
What would you do?
gpt
Bring over the machines from Mulhausen, ready to fight this air fiend when he comes.
human
Ho! So you’re longing for another real air fight, are you, like the ’scraps’ we used to have with the Richthofen ’circus’?
gpt
At any rate, we’d better prepare. Then I’d bind those two criminals hand and foot or surround them with live wires, so that, should they awake unexpectedly, they would not dare to stir.
human
There is certainly something in what you suggest about bringing the aeroplanes over, though we should have a deuce of a job to land them in this place; they’re by no means possessed of the powers of a helicopter. However, I’ll get into touch with Colonel Tempest and ask for immediate assistance, and also ask him to bring over Professor Verne to investigate these mysterious engineering and chemical appliances.