“Cosmic entity, of course. What do you think Ive been talking about?”
I tried to remember what she had said about cosmic entity. “You mean youre going to try to turn matter into space or something like that?”
“Something like that. I intend to translate matter-energy into terms of space-time.”
“Oh,” I said, “equations and symbols and all that.”
“I just said I wasnt going to write a book.”
“But how—” I started up as the impact struck me. “Youre going to ...” I groped for words. “Youre going to build a ... an engine which will move through time?”
“Putting it crudely. But close enough for a layman.”
“You once told me your work was theoretical. That you were no vulgar mechanic.”
“I’ll become one.”
“Barbara, youre crazy! As a philosophical abstraction this theory of yours is interesting—” “Thank you. It’s always nice to know one has amused the yokelry.”