“I have no desire for money,” he said; “but what you have seen will show you that I shall be the most famous scientist of the century. The name of Lambelle will be known till the end of the world.”
“But, my God, man!” said the Minister, “the end of the world is here the moment your secret is in the possession of another. With you or me it would be safe: but who can tell the minds of those who may follow us? You are putting the power of the Almighty into the hands of a man.”
Lambelle flushed with pride as the pale-faced Minister said this.
“You speak the truth!” he cried, “it is the power of Omnipotence.”
“Then,” implored the Minister, “reconsider your decision.”
“I have labored too long,” said Lambelle, “to forego my triumph now. You are convinced at last, I see. Now then, tell me: will you, as Minister of France, secure for your country this greatest of all inventions?”
“Yes,” answered the Minister; “no other power must be allowed to obtain the secret. Have you ever written down the names of the ingredients?”
“Never,” answered Lambelle.
“Is it not possible for any one to have suspected what your experiments were? If a man got into your laboratory—a scientific man—could he not, from what he saw there, obtain the secret?”
“It would be impossible,” said Lambelle. “I have been too anxious to keep the credit for myself, to leave any traces that might give a hint of what I was doing.”