According to this sharpest of observers
and deepest of thinkers, if a man during his period
of activity is alive, so is a machine when in opera-
tion. As an inventor and constructor of machines I
know that to be true.'
Moxon was silent for a long time, gazing absently
into the fire. It was growing late and I thought it
time to be going, but somehow I did not like the
notion of leaving him in that isolated house, all alone
except for the presence of some person of whose
nature my conjectures could go no further than that
it was unfriendly, perhaps malign. Leaning toward
him and looking earnestly into his eyes while making
a motion with my hand through the door of his
workshop, I said:
'Moxon, whom have you in there?'
Somewhat to my surprise he laughed lightly and
answered without hesitation:
'Nobody; the incident that you have in mind was
caused by my folly in leaving a machine in action
with nothing to act upon, while I undertook the in-
terminable task of enlightening your understanding.
Do you happen to know that Consciousness is the
creature of Rhythm?'
'O bother them both!' I replied, rising and laying
hold of my overcoat. 'I'm going to wish you good
night; and I'll add the hope that the machine which
you inadvertently left in action will have her gloves
on the next time you think it needful to stop her.'
Without waiting to observe the effect of my shot I
left the house.
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