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increase of speed。 But what are speed and force？ Our science is as
powerless to tell us that as to create motion。 Any movement whatever
is an immense power； and man does not create power of any kind。
Everything is movement； thought itself is a movement； upon movement
nature is based。 Death is a movement whose limitations are little
known。 If God is eternal； be sure that He moves perpetually； perhaps
God is movement。 That is why movement； like God is inexplicable；
unfathomable； unlimited； incomprehensible； intangible。 Who has ever
touched； comprehended； or measured movement？ We feel its effects
without seeing it； we can even deny them as we can deny the existence
of a God。 Where is it？ Where is it not？ Whence comes it？ What is its
source？ What is its end？ It surrounds us； it intrudes upon us； and yet
escapes us。 It is evident as a fact； obscure as an abstraction； it is
at once effect and cause。 It requires space； even as we； and what is
space？ Movement alone recalls it to us； without movement； space is but
an empty meaningless word。 Like space； like creation； like the
infinite； movement is an insoluble problem which confounds human
reason； man will never conceive it； whatever else he may be permitted
to conceive。
〃Between each point in space occupied in succession by that ball；〃
continued the man of science； 〃there is an abyss confronting human
reason； an abyss into which Pascal fell。 In order to produce any
effect upon an unknown substance； we ought first of all to study that
substance； to know whether； in accordance with its nature； it will be
broken by the force of a blow； or whether it will withstand it； if it
breaks in pieces； and you have no wish to split it up； we shall not
achieve the end proposed。 If you want to compress it； a uniform
impulse must be communicated to all the particles of the substance； so
as to diminish the interval that separates them in an equal degree。 If
you wish to expand it； we should try to bring a uniform eccentric
force to bear on every molecule； for unless we conform accurately to
this law； we shall have breaches in continuity。 The modes of motion；
sir； are infinite； and no limit exists to combinations of movement。
Upon what effect have you determined？〃
〃I want any kind of pressure that is strong enough to expand the skin
indefinitely；〃 began Raphael； quite of out patience。
〃Substance is finite；〃 the mathematician put in； 〃and therefore will
not admit of indefinite expansion； but pressure will necessarily
increase the extent of surface at the expense of the thickness； which
will be diminished until the point is reached when the material gives
out〃
〃Bring about that result； sir；〃 Raphael cried； 〃and you will have
earned millions。〃
〃Then I should rob you of your money；〃 replied the other； phlegmatic
as a Dutchman。 〃I am going to show you； in a word or two； that a
machine can be made that is fit to crush Providence itself in pieces
like a fly。 It would reduce a man to the conditions of a piece of
waste paper； a manboots and spurs； hat and cravat； trinkets and
gold； and all〃
〃What a fearful machine！〃
〃Instead of flinging their brats into the water； the Chinese ought to
make them useful in this way；〃 the man of science went on； without
reflecting on the regard man has for his progeny。
Quite absorbed by his idea； Planchette took an empty flower…pot； with
a hole in the bottom； and put it on the surface of the dial； then he
went to look for a little clay in a corner of the garden。 Raphael
stood spellbound； like a child to whom his nurse is telling some
wonderful story。 Planchette put the clay down upon the slab； drew a
pruning…knife from his pocket； cut two branches from an elder tree；
and began to clean them of pith by blowing through them； as if Raphael
had not been present。
〃There are the rudiments of the apparatus；〃 he said。 Then he connected
one of the wooden pipes with the bottom of the flower…pot by way of a
clay joint； in such a way that the mouth of the elder stem was just
under the hole of the flower…pot； you might have compared it to a big
tobacco…pipe。 He spread a bed of clay over the surface of the slab； in
a shovel…shaped mass； set down the flower…pot at the wider end of it；
and laid the pipe of the elder stem along the portion which
represented the handle of the shovel。 Next he put a lump of clay at
the end of the elder stem and therein planted the other pipe； in an
upright position； forming a second elbow which connected it with the
first horizontal pipe in such a manner that the air； or any given
fluid in circulation； could flow through this improvised piece of
mechanism from the mouth of the vertical tube； along the intermediate
passages； and so into the large empty flower…pot。
〃This apparatus； sir；〃 he said to Raphael； with all the gravity of an
academician pronouncing his initiatory discourse； 〃is one of the great
Pascal's grandest claims upon our admiration。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
The man of science smiled。 He went up to a fruit…tree and took down a
little phial in which the druggist had sent him some liquid for
catching ants； he broke off the bottom and made a funnel of the top；
carefully fitting it to the mouth of the vertical hollowed stem that
he had set in the clay； and at the opposite end to the great
reservoir； represented by the flower…pot。 Next； by means of a
watering…pot； he poured in sufficient water to rise to the same level
in the large vessel and in the tiny circular funnel at the end of the
elder stem。
Raphael was thinking of his piece of skin。
〃Water is considered to…day； sir； to be an incompressible body；〃 said
the mechanician； 〃never lose sight of that fundamental principle；
still it can be compressed； though only so very slightly that we
should regard its faculty for contracting as a zero。 You see the
amount of surface presented by the water at the brim of the flower…
pot？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Very good； now suppose that that surface is a thousand times larger
than the orifice of the elder stem through which I poured the liquid。
Here； I am taking the funnel away〃
〃Granted。〃
〃Well； then； if by any method whatever I increase the volume of that
quantity of water by pouring in yet more through the mouth of the
little tube； the water thus compelled to flow downwards would rise in
the reservoir； represented by the flower…pot； until it reached the
same level at either end。〃
〃That is quite clear；〃 cried Raphael。
〃But there is this difference；〃 the other went on。 〃Suppose that the
thin column of water poured into the little vertical tube there exerts
a force equal； say； to a pound weight； for instance； its action will
be punctually communicated to the great body of the liquid； and will
be transmitted to every part of the surface represented by the water
in the flower…pot so that at the surface there will be a thousand
columns of water； every one pressing upwards as if they were impelled
by a force equal to that which compels the liquid to descend in the
vertical tube； and of necessity they reproduce here；〃 said Planchette；
indicating to Raphael the top of the flower…pot； 〃the force introduced
over there； a thousand…fold；〃 and th