First Men in the Moon Page #2

No, Mr. Bedford's gone to the village.

- Mr. Bedford? Right.

- Won't you come in?

- That's very nice of you. Thank you.

- He won't be long.

- I hope I'm not intruding.

- No, not at all.

A nice place. Known it

since I was a boy. After you.

- Please sit down, Mr. Cavor.

- Thank you.

- I'll bring some tea.

- That would be nice.

You see, I'm a research scientist.

I'm about to complete an

important scientific demonstration.

Probably one of the

most important of all time.

I'd like to say how pleased I am...

to have you

and Mr. Bedford as neighbors.

The point is, I moved here

for the isolation.

Mr. Cavor, we won't trouble you.

That's just what attracts Arnold.

- He needs quiet to write his play.

- I understand that.

- Then, what is it?

- I must tell you...

there's risk, even danger...

in my experiment.

It could damage your property.

If Mr. Bedford would sell,

I'd pay anything within reason.

- You want to buy Cherry Cottage?

- Yes, I do. Yes.

- How much were you figuring?

- Well, I'm not very good at this.

I thought perhaps 1000, maybe more.

Well, that's $5000.

The cottage has been in

Mr. Bedford's family for years.

He has a deep attachment to it.

I see. The trouble is, my experiments

have cost me so much...

Of course, I might be able to double it.

Good Lord. I forgot.

The furnace! The furnace!

Gibbs!

Gibbs!

- Mr. Cavor!

- Nearly fell. Gibbs!

- You forgot your bicycle!

- Yes, I have a bicycle.

Quite right.

The most wonderful news.

I've sold the cottage.

- You what?

- I've sold the cottage to Mr. Cavor.

That crackpot?

Gibbs, the furnace!

Here.

Better take this. He forgot it.

- Mr. Cavor, I've come about...

- Left the bicycle again?

- Where's Cavor?

- Inside.

Door's open.

Someone to see you.

- My name's Bedford.

- There's a gentleman here.

Stand by, Gibbs. Any moment!

Now!

Quick, fix that! The weight's come off!

I've come about the house.

- Fix that!

- I must get this straight.

Gibbs, get the doors. Quick!

- You must realize...

- A little patience.

- Please.

- But you...

- Getting on, see.

- I'm trying...

- You must listen to what I'm saying!

- Just a minute.

- Mr. Cavor, my...

- Open the door!

Get out of the way, man. Very hot.

- Cavor!

- Go on, get out. Get out.

Mr. Cavor, I simply must

get this straight.

I...

I'm not in a position to...

This... You see...

Kate...

Kate couldn't possibly sell you

Cherry Cottage because...

What is this stuff?

- What?

- What is this stuff?

That's cavorite.

It's cavorite.

Oh, nicely on temperature.

Nicely on temperature.

Mr. Cavor...

if you would...

kindly tell me what it is you're

trying to do, in a simple language...

because I'm not a scientist.

Unless, of course, it's a secret.

- It is a secret. It is a secret.

- Would you...

Would you tell me?

Yes, I will tell you.

I will tell you. I'll explain.

I'll explain.

Now, you know that you can

use screens, like this...

to cut off light and heat.

By the same token, you can...

cut off Marconi's wireless rays

with sheets of lead.

- Nothing, till now, cuts off gravity.

- Gravity. The pull of the earth.

- What holds us on the ground.

- Yes, that's right.

Now, what I'm experimenting with is...

a sort of coating, a metallic paste...

which will, in fact,

cut off the force of gravity.

- Paste?

- Paste.

You mean you paint it on things?

Yes, in a way. Yes.

- Like this chair, for example.

- You could use that chair.

- May I?

- Please. Yes, I'll show you.

Takes effect...

when...

it hardens.

- That's all?

- That's all.

I see.

Are you...

Are you telling me this chair

will lose its weight?

Yes. In fact, we'll have a job

to stop it from rising.

- Really?

- Yes.

- Then, I'd better sit in it.

- I'd be careful...

- About the cottage...

- It will go.

- As I was saying, Katherine...

- Be careful!

Gibbs, the ladder!

This is fantastic!

It's the most incredible thing!

- Can't you see what this will do?

- I warned you!

It will revolutionize

shipping, locomotion...

Think of the ways

we could exploit this product!

Gibbs! I'll get you down.

We have the chance of a thousand

years. We can be rich beyond belief.

Just think of it.

The cartels, the trusts.

Cavorite could rule the world.

I'm certain we could make a fortune.

Your invention, my brains, my methods...

- What's wrong?

- It's nothing to do with you.

Give me that!

- Never mind the ladder!

- What?

Gibbs, you're an idiot.

- I did warn you.

- Never mind. Listen to me.

About the cottage. It's yours.

Provided you allow me to invest

the money in your invention.

What do you say?

- Do you think you should?

- Of course!

I'm a businessman. I can handle

patents, process secrets...

It's settled. Come on, help me down.

Oh, by the way...

How had you thought of using cavorite?

Well, nothing very practical,

I'm afraid.

- Something like a trip to the moon.

- Yes, well...

My dear sir!

Sign there. That's the deed assigning

Cherry Cottage to you.

- Why bring me into it?

- I've explained.

It's got to be done in the proper way.

Cavor's solicitors need papers

and documents. I can't sign them.

If my creditors know that

I've come into money, that's it.

- You're sure it's not dishonest?

- No, it's just a legal device.

Now, this is the agreement

with Cavor. Sign there.

On the proceeds of cavorite,

I'll be able to pay off my debts.

Arnold, with this money, we'll be able

to get married now. Right away.

We could, if I wasn't putting it

into the experiments.

What?

- $10,000 with that madman?

- It will make our future, I'm sure.

- What about your play?

- The play's a gamble.

- But...

- I'm doing this for you.

Soon the experiments will be completed.

If you waste your money on that

experiment, the wedding's off!

I'm packing up and going home to Boston!

Your move.

- Look at this. I've got him now.

- Hang on.

- You must keep an eye on that furnace.

- Yes, all right.

Bedford, come in. Got the deeds?

Go to the kitchen.

Watch that temperature.

Any drop could be disastrous.

Talk about disaster.

What's he want to interfere for?

- Take over for me.

- Let him do it. I'm having tea.

- I'm a metal worker, not a stoker.

- When's a gardener's job stoking?

Come on, matey. It'll be just like

working with your petunias.

I'm fed up with this lark.

- Let's settle it over a pint.

- Now you're talking.

Don't know why he wants

it so hot anyhow.

Let them see it for themselves, use it.

For instance...

cavorite trays and boots.

Boots! Yes, of course! Simply enamel

the soles and a man would just...

Just like that.

That's right.

I thought of boots last night.

Army surplus boots.

- It's a basic idea...

- Only way to do it.

Perhaps not the only way,

but for a start.

We can do it together. Room enough

in the sphere for two people.

You're not serious about going to

the moon, are you? Wasn't it a joke?

We'd be firing ourselves off

the globe for nothing.

If there was anything on the moon

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