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as yourself might distract them from their labours, and inattention can be
dangerous, if not fatal.'
'I wouldn't want to cause trouble,' Sarah assured him.
'Thank you.' Breckinridge gestured to a door beside them. 'This leads to the
stairs to the next level. If you'd care to?'
'Try and stop me,' Sarah said cheerfully. She opened the door and started off up
the stairs. Breckinridge followed her up. They emerged into a short corridor,
and when they closed the stairwell door behind them, the sound of the
lower-level machinery was much diminished.
'This floor contains such dull but essential departments as the accountants, the
shipping clerks and the laboratories,' the owner explained.
'Laboratories?' Sarah asked. 'You do research here, then?'
Breckinridge laughed. 'Don't I wish! I am certain that we English could
duplicate and surpass the achievements of Edison, given half the chance. After
all, scientific method was mostly born in this country. Davy, Boyle, Kelvin and
so forth. No, the laboratories are mosdy to check samples of the cable for
accuracy and conductive properties, that kind of thing. You could take a look in
if you wish, but you'd most likely find it rather boring.'
'I'll take your word for it. Mister Breckinridge.' Was he being honest, or
simply trying to divert her attention? Sarah wasn't absolutely sure what to make
of the man. He appeared to be open and honest, and he certainly had a winning
way about him. But was this merely illusion, to cover some hidden depths? Or was
she searching for clues to something that didn't in fact exist? 'Is this
everything?'
'By no means!' Breckinridge's eyes sparkled. 'There is the final floor. I think
you might well enjoy that. Come along.' He led her past the wooden and
smoked-glass doors leading to the 'dull' areas, and to another door. As Sarah
had expected, there was a further staircase beyond.
'Have you thought of installing elevators?' she asked.
'It had occurred to me,' he replied. 'But hydraulic elevators are not as
efficient as they might be. I hear that our American cousins are experimenting
with electrically powered models. I'm certain that they will soon become
practical, and then I shall certainly install them. Until that time, alas, we
have to endure the omnipresent stairs.'
Sarah nodded, and followed him up to another door. This was locked, and
Breckinridge removed the key on a chain from his waistcoat pocket. 'This is my
private part of the factory,' he explained. 'This is where I come when I wish to
relax or to cogitate.' Throwing open the door, he gestured her to precede him.
Inside, Sarah was impressed. It was a single large room that must have spanned
about a third of the entire floor. There was a gentle hum of machinery and the
sound of water splashing gently, but it was otherwise quite serene. Large
aquanum tanks lined the walls everywhere except by the windows. Inside the tanks
swam all manner of species of fish. Sarah recognized a few of the species, but
many were strange to her. Some of them were clearly foreign. She stared at
Breckmridge in respect. 'An impressive collection of species,' she observed,
nodding at one tank. 'Is that a sand shark?'
'It is indeed.' His eyes lit up. 'You are an admirer of fish?' he asked
hopefully.
'Mostly with chips, I'm afraid,' Sarah admitted. 'But I realize this is a most
impressive collection. Is this your hobby?'
'More of an obsession, I'm afraid,' he admitted, like a boy with a guilty
secret. 'And a fairly recent one, too. I began to study the oceans when I
considered the laying of a telephonic cable to the continental United States. As
I studied, marine life began to fascinate me. I've made a small fortune from my
manufacturing plants here and in London, and was able to indulge my curiosity.'
He gestured her over to the windows. 'I often stand here and simply stare out.'
Sarah emulated him, and saw that from this vantage point the bay was visible.
She could see the waves on the surface of the grey waters, and from time to time
spume flying as the waves crashed against rocks in the water. It really was very
pleasant in this lofty perch. 'Is that why you met with Captain Gray?' she
asked. 'Does he supply you with some of these samples?'
Breckinridge appeared surprised. 'You know about the captain?'
'His ship's surgeon, Doyle, is helping my friend, the Doctor,' Sarah explained.
'He mentioned that the captain bad business with you, that's all.'
'Ah, I see.' Breckinridge shook his head. 'No, the captain does not bring live
specimens back, I'm afraid. I met with him to offer him a job. I wish to finance
my own cable-laying ship, and the good captain would be a perfect choice to
skipper such a vessel. But, alas, I shall have to search elsewhere. Captain Gray
is wedded to his love of whaling, it appears. I tried to convince him that
whaling cannot last much longer, but he wouldn't listen. He knows that there are
probably less than three hundred Greenland whales still in those waters, but
seems impervious to suggestions that the whaling should at least pause for a
while to allow their numbers to be replenished. A terrible shame.'
'Quite.' Sarah was amazed at his enlightened attitude. 'One day, I'm sure, more
people will feel as you do. Perhaps then the whalers can be put out of action.
'I only hope it's soon. Miss Smith.'
Sarah stared out of the window at the sea. So far, Breckinridge appeared to have
been very honest and straightforward. She could see why men like Sir Alexander
Cromwell and Sir Edward Fulbright were taken with him. This was the age of
progress, and Breckinridge seemed poised to take advantage of it.
A movement in the yard some eighty feet below caught her eyes. Several small
figures were moving about between the small outbuildings. 'Are they children
down there?' she asked, unbelieving.
Breckinridge frowned at the tone in her voice. 'Yes. We have several dozen of
them working here.' He gave Sarah a penetrating gaze. 'Ah, I take it that you're
a supporter of Mundella's Act, and think that all children should be in school,
not in work.'
'I am. indeed,' said Sarah firmly.
'I can sympathize with that point of view, Miss Smith,' Breckinridge answered.
'But I don't actually agree with it, especially in these cases. You have to
understand that the children you see down there are happy to work here.'
'I'll just bet they are,' Sarah said sarcastically.
That made him irritated. 'I see no cause for such animosity,' he snapped. 'Most
of those children have lost their fathers at sea. They often have younger
brothers and sisters dependent on them. Without the wages they earn here, they
and their families might well all perish, and this nonsense about sending them
to school wouldn't keep them alive. I feel that what I am doing here is helping
them, not harming them.'
Sarah realized that she was projecting ideas a hundred years in advance of their
time on Breckinridge. It was unfair to judge him by the light of her era when he
was doing what he believed to be nght. 'I'm sorry,' she apologized. 'It was rude
of me to criticize you in that tone.' She stared down at the sad little figures
in the courtyard below. 'Nevertheless, I do feel that they would be better off
being educated than worked.'
'And if the law passes,' Breckinridge said, 'we may well get to discover " which
of us is correct. You believe they will be helped. I believe they will simply
avoid going and many will become transients upon the city streets, as they were
before I helped them. Until then, perhaps we could declare a truce?'
'Of course,' agreed Sarah. She smiled. 'I believe you're wrong, but I admit that
you are sincere, and I have to admire you for doing what you believe is right.'
Breckinridge was mollified. 'Good. And I admire your outspokenness. Miss Smith,
for a cause you obviously believe in. Now, would you like tea and sandwiches
with our truce? Or would you prefer to see more?'
'A cup of tea would be marvellous.' 'Excellent.' He gestured toward the door.
'Shall we go?'
Thankfully, Sir Alexander didn't press her for details on the way back. Sarah [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]