Velikof nodded and then looked at Mangler. "You are skeptical," he said sincerely. "But only because you do not understand."
Mangler nodded cynically. "According to what is known about radioactivity, you are about to violate something of a universal law."
Velikof shook his head. "Universal laws cannot be violated. When a universal law obstructs scientific achievement, the thing to do is to work it so that the universal law can be turned around to operate in your favor."
"And," said Mangler pointedly, "one can sometimes evade the law for a period of time during which one can get away with some amazing things. But always the law catches up with one."
"You do not believe—?"
"Frankly, no. But I'm willing to be shown."
"Then come!" and Velikof led the two Americans from the reception room of the hotel suite to the bedroom. "There it is," he said proudly.
There it was. Mangler eyed the set-up critically. Scientist, experimenter, and practical engineer, Mangler looked the equipment over with his experienced eye. The stuff had been set up on one of the long portable tables used by hotels to furnish display tables in conventions and the like; and the construction of the table precluded any under-cover fancywork. Smooth but bare boards were set upon sturdy horses; a single line-cord led from a wall socket to a small metal case studded with convenience outlets in which several A.C. operated gadgets were plugged. Standard as could be.
At one end of the table was a rather expensive analytical balance. Next to it was a volumetric graduate and system to measure the true volume of an irregular solid to a remarkable degree of precision. Not content to use these pieces for the purpose, the third equipment on the table was a simple but accurate equipment for measuring the specific gravity of solids. There was a spectrometer and its associated gear, the use of which could give an extremely close estimate of the composition of a sample. A small sliver taken from a larger sample could be tested and from the proportion of sample to sliver, the elemental structure of the larger sample could be obtained. Some electrical equipment came next, specific resistivity, magnetic moment, dielectric constant, piezo-electric axes.