And how strange an appearance he presented!
His jacket was a wavering mass of white light, edged with braid of red flames that shot little tongues in all directions. The buttons blazed in golden fire. His trousers had a bluish, incandescent5 color, with glowing stripes of crimson6 braid. His vest was gorgeous with all the colors of the rainbow blended into a flashing, resplendent mass. In feature he was most majestic7, and his eyes held the soft but penetrating8 brilliance9 of electric lights.
It was hard to meet the gaze of those searching eyes, but Rob did it, and at once the splendid apparition bowed and said in a low, clear voice:
"I am here."
"I know that," answered the boy, trembling, "but WHY are you here?"
"Because you have touched the Master Key of Electricity, and I must obey the laws of nature that compel me to respond to your summons."
"I understand that. You did it unconsciously. No one in the world has ever done it before, for Nature has hitherto kept the secret safe locked within her bosom11."
Rob took time to wonder at this statement.
"Then who are you?" he inquired, at length.
"Good gracious!" exclaimed Rob, "a demon!"
"Certainly. I am, in truth, the Slave of the Master Key, and am forced to obey the commands of any one who is wise and brave enough—or, as in your own case, fortunate and fool-hardy enough—to touch it."
"I—I've never guessed there was such a thing as a Master Key, or—or a Demon of Electricity, and—and I'm awfully13 sorry I—I called you up!" stammered15 the boy, abashed16 by the imposing17 appearance of his companion.
The Demon actually smiled at this speech,—a smile that was almost reassuring18.
"I am not sorry," he said, in kindlier tone, "for it is not much pleasure waiting century after century for some one to command my services. I have often thought my existence uncalled for, since you Earth people are so stupid and ignorant that you seem unlikely ever to master the secret of electrical power."
"Oh, we have some great masters among us!" cried Rob, rather nettled19 at this statement. "Now, there's Edison—"
"Lots of things," declared the boy. "He's invented no end of wonderful electrical things."
"You are wrong to call them wonderful," replied the Demon, lightly. "He really knows little more than yourself about the laws that control electricity. His inventions are trifling21 things in comparison with the really wonderful results to be obtained by one who would actually know how to direct the electric powers instead of groping blindly after insignificant22 effects. Why, I've stood for months by Edison's elbow, hoping and longing23 for him to touch the Master Key; but I can see plainly he will never accomplish it."
"Then there's Tesla," said the boy.
The Demon laughed.
"There is Tesla, to be sure," he said. "But what of him?"
"Why, he's discovered a powerful light," the Demon gave an amused chuckle24, "and he's in communication with the people in Mars."
"What people?"
"Why, the people who live there."
"There are none."
This great statement almost took Rob's breath away, and caused him to stare hard at his visitor.
"It's generally thought," he resumed, in an annoyed tone, "that Mars has inhabitants who are far in advance of ourselves in civilization. Many scientific men think the people of Mars have been trying to signal us for years, only we don't understand their signals. And great novelists have written about the Martians and their wonderful civilization, and—"
"And they all know as much about that little planet as you do yourself," interrupted the Demon, impatiently. "The trouble with you Earth people is that you delight in guessing about what you can not know. Now I happen to know all about Mars, because I can traverse all space and have had ample leisure to investigate the different planets. Mars is not peopled at all, nor is any other of the planets you recognize in the heavens. Some contain low orders of beasts, to be sure, but Earth alone has an intelligent, thinking, reasoning population, and your scientists and novelists would do better trying to comprehend their own planet than in groping through space to unravel25 the mysteries of barren and unimportant worlds."
Rob listened to this with surprise and disappointment; but he reflected that the Demon ought to know what he was talking about, so he did not venture to contradict him.
"It is really astonishing," continued the Apparition, "how little you people have learned about electricity. It is an Earth element that has existed since the Earth itself was formed, and if you but understood its proper use humanity would be marvelously benefited in many ways."
"We are, already," protested Rob; "our discoveries in electricity have enabled us to live much more conveniently."
"Then imagine your condition were you able fully14 to control this great element," replied the other, gravely. "The weaknesses and privations of mankind would be converted into power and luxury."
"That's true, Mr.—Mr.—Demon," said the boy. "Excuse me if I don't get your name right, but I understood you to say you are a demon."
"Certainly. The Demon of Electricity."
"But electricity is a good thing, you know, and—and—"
"Well?"
"Not necessarily," returned his visitor. "If you will take the trouble to consult your dictionary, you will find that demons may be either good or bad, like any other class of beings. Originally all demons were good, yet of late years people have come to consider all demons evil. I do not know why. Should you read Hesiod you will find he says:
'Soon was a world of holy demons made,
Aerial spirits, by great Jove designed
"Then take the words of Mr. Shakespeare, to whom you all defer," he replied. "Do you not remember that he says:
'Thy demon (that's thy spirit which keeps thee) is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable.'"
"Oh, if Shakespeare says it, that's all right," answered the boy. "But it seems you're more like a genius, for you answer the summons of the Master Key of Electricity in the same way Aladdin's genius answered the rubbing of the lamp."
"To be sure. A demon is also a genius; and a genius is a demon," said the Being. "What matters a name? I am here to do your bidding."
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1
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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4
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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5
incandescent
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| adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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7
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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8
penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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9
brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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10
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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11
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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12
demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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13
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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14
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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15
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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18
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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19
nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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20
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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21
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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22
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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23
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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24
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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25
unravel
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| v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开 | |
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26
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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27
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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28
mythology
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| n.神话，神话学，神话集 | |
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29
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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