te the young man's ear. But as his gaze, accustoming
itself to the atmosphere, searched around, he could not perceive what
was its cause. Adam Warner was standing in the middle of the room, his
arms folded, and contemplating something at a little distance, which
Marmaduke could not accurately distinguish. The youth took courage, and
approached. "Honoured mine host," said he, "I thank thee for
hospitality and kindness, I crave pardon for disturbing thee in thy
incanta--ehem!--thy--thy studies, and I come to bid thee farewell."

Adam turned round with a puzzled, absent air, as if scarcely recognizing
his guest; at length, as his recollection slowly came back to him, he
smiled graciously, and said: "Good youth, thou art richly welcome to
what little it was in my power to do for thee. Peradventure a time may
come when they who seek the roof of Adam Warner may find less homely
cheer, a less rugged habitation,--for look you!" he exclaimed suddenly,
with a burst of irrepressible enthusiasm--and laying his hand on
Nevile's arm, as, through all the smoke and grime that obscured his
face, flashed the ardent soul of the triumphant Inventor,--"look you!
since you have been in this house, one of my great objects is well-nigh
matured,--achieved. Come hither," and he dragged the wondering Marmaduke
to his model, or Eureka, as Adam had fondly named his contrivance. The
Nevile then perceived that it was from the interior of this machine that
the sound which had startled him arose; to his eye the THING was uncouth
and hideous; from the jaws of an iron serpent, that, wreathing round it,
rose on high with erect crest, gushed a rapid volume of black smoke,
and a damp spray fell around. A column of iron in the centre kept in
perpetual and regular motion, rising and sinking successively, as the
whole mechanism within seemed alive with noise and action.

"The Syracusan asked an inch of earth, beyond the earth, to move the
earth," said Adam; "I stand in the world, and lo! with this engine the
world shall one day be moved."

"Holy Mother!" faltered Marmaduke; "I pray thee, dread sir, to ponder
well ere thou attemptest any such sports with the habitation in which
every woman's son is so concerned. Bethink thee, that if in moving the
world thou shouldst make any mistake, it would--"

"Now stand there and attend," interrupted Adam, who had not heard one
word of this judicious exhortation.

"Pardon me, terrible sir!" exclaimed Marmaduke, in grea