The nerves of the men present twitched. Strain. Those who held fear of reprisals were half expecting something dire to happen simultaneously with the start of the pile. Those who had no fear felt the surge of exultation as they took their first real step towards world domination.
It grew warm in the room, but nothing happened. Then as the first report came in that the uranium pile was working, Hohmann dismissed the audience with a grand promise for the future.
Führer Hohmann faced General Unger with fury. "You must be more careful!" exploded Hohmann.
"But I am careful," returned the general.
"Then why do I receive a letter that is radioactive?" demanded Hohmann angrily. "Feel it—it is warm!"
Unger felt the letter but felt nothing untoward. "I feel nothing," he said.
Hohmann opened a cabinet and removed a counter. He held the letter to it and the counter clicked in rapid succession.
"See?" stormed Hohmann. "Now, before you find yourself removed from public—and private—life, tell me how and why this must happen?"
"If it actually happened, it is an error, and some underling will be treated severely—"