They were all frankly sceptical, though realizing that Henderson Blake was not a man given to exaggeration. Nor did their scepticism altogether vanish when Kendrick had ended his bizarre story with a demonstration of the invisibility device.
Murmurs of amazement ran around the laboratory, it is true, but the more hard-headed of his spectators charged him with having invented the apparatus himself. Though they didn't come right out and say so, they seemed to imply that he was seeking publicity.
Annoyedly, Kendrick tried to refute their charges. But even as he was summoning words, refutation utter and complete came from the air.
A low, humming vibration sounded, grew in volume till it filled the room—and as suddenly ceased: The light of midday faded to twilight.
"The disc!" gasped Kendrick, rushing to the west windows.
They followed, tense with awe. And there, between earth and sun, its myriad towers and spires refracting a weird radiance, hovered that vast flying city.
"My God!" muttered a famous general, staring as though he had seen a ghost.
A great statesman opened his lips, but no words came.
"Appalling! Incredible!" burst from others of that stunned assemblage.