Larrabee was nodding, thoughtfully. "I wonder what makes you so certain of your theory?"
"What theory? I never deal in theories. I'm talking fact."
"Your theory that we have unveiled all the mystery of the universe; how do you know? Every now and then, of course, man lives through a century of such amazing progress that he concludes that nothing remains to be learned. But how can he ever be certain?"
"But we are certain! Most physicists are in agreement now that there hasn't been one single unexplained physical aberration in the past century!"
"Most physicists except Thakura, you mean?"
"But Thakura is insane! We understand all the physical phenomena of the universe."
"Except the Thakura Ripples?"
Jasperson slammed down his glass and stood up, his face red and puffy. "Steward! More ice water! I'm getting tired of those words, professor. Do you think for one minute I'd have risked my life to come on this trip if I'd thought there was the slightest danger?"
Alan looked up languidly. "You mean you wouldn't mind sending a crew and passengers into danger—as long as you could take care to be safe yourself?"
"Surely you're not afraid, Mr. Jasperson?" said Larrabee.