e: illusionists basing their effects upon
the reflections of invisible mirrors and the cunning use of combined
lights; "looping the loop," "circles of death," in which sheer weight did
the cyclist's work for him, his arrival at a given point depending upon
his accelerated and calculated speed. From seeing so many of this sort
scouring the world--erstwhile acrobats, former laboratory-students, who
now, venturing all and risking all, topped the bills at the
music-halls--Jimmy, greatly interested in this scientific side, had
himself made researches in that direction. _Engineering_ and other
journals had printed some of his schemes, including that of an apparatus
based upon the notion of exterior ballistics: the resistance of the air
proportional to the square of the velocity and, according to this
velocity, the exact proportion of the angle of incidence to the angle of
projection. Theoretically, it was perfect; in reality there might be some
unexpected hitch. It was a question for the venturesome performer, who
allowed himself to be projected by a series of powerful springs, to fall
accurately from pedestal to pedestal, preserving a faultless balance; in a
word, to risk his life six times in as many seconds. The daring of a
Laurence and the agility of a Lily combined would not have been enough for
the task; and so Jimmy had prudently contented himself with pinning his
diagrams on the walls of the workshop and dismissing the idea from his
mind. Not that he was afraid, rather not; but simply because it appeared
impossible to him.

Other plans had interested him, besides; flying machines, for instance,
etc. He was a real enthusiast about flying machines! One day, perhaps,
when he knew more ... to say nothing of the theater, which did not leave
him much leisure; yet he managed, somehow, for he took but little sleep
and the rest of the time he devoted to study.

This was the Jimmy of whom Ma made a bugbear to Lily--in Lily's
interest--for he was one of the few men whom she saw often; and you can
never tell ... with those devils of the stage....

Meanwhile, Lily, as soon as she had turned the corner of the street, drew
herself up and, with a light step, went down Percy Street and Tottenham
Court Road, instead of keeping straight on. It took her only five minutes
longer and it suggested luxury, fine shops, handsome furniture,
patent-leather shoes. She adored shopping, even if it was only with the
eyes, through the plate-glass w