“Before you go,” he said, “I would like to speak of something else. It has a bearing on the subject we have been discussing.”
Although conscience-bitten by the sudden recollection of his promise to Millicent, the vicar allowed himself to be further detained.
“I have just had a visit from the new tenant of Longwood.”
“Yes, I met him in the avenue as I came here. He has very simply invited me to dine with him on Wednesday.”
“Be sure you do. A very remarkable man. We had a most interesting talk.”
“A great scientist, I hear.”
“One of the forces of the material world. A modern Newton, the discoverer of Murdwell’s Law.”
“Tell me, what is Murdwell’s Law exactly?”
“At present it can only be rendered in terms of the highest mathematics, which I’m afraid is beyond a layman’s power. But Murdwell himself has just told me that he expects soon to be able to reduce it to a physical formula.”
“And if he does?”