human
What sort of infernal machine have you there, anyhow? Does it generate a new kind of gas?
gpt
No, it isn't a gas machine, he said.
human
It's just a little apparatus for taking moving pictures of insects. It's as harmless as the chocolate sodas my friend Bob likes so well. I got it up to take views of grasshoppers and crickets, and I wanted to get some pictures this morning of those insects showing them as they hopped about normally. Then, later, I intended to set the machine out in the open space, and leave it there when heavy firing was going on. I hoped to get contrasting pictures then, and show the effect, if any, of the sound of big guns on the creatures. But those Germans spoiled my plans.
gpt
And I fancy you spoiled theirs, said the lieutenant with a laugh.
human
So you threatened them with your moving-picture machine, did you?
gpt
Yes, I couldn't think of anything else to do when I saw them confronting me. So I yelled that my machine was a new product of the war, and that unless they did exactly as I said I would at once destroy them, even down to their finger nails, by a blast of terrible fire from the machine. Fortunately they understood my very poor German, mixed with English as it was.
human
Yes, very fortunately, said the lieutenant.
gpt
We saw them drop their guns and raise their hands, and couldn't understand. But your machine, harmless as it is, doubtless impressed them as very dangerous.