Page:Karel Čapek - The Absolute at Large (1927).djvu/60

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48
The Absolute at Large

suction pump on the Sazava River, and has been running without attention for fourteen days. No. 2, the dredge on the Upper Vltava, is working spendidly. No. 3 is in the testing laboratory of the Brno Technical Institute. No. 4 was damaged in transport. No. 5 is supplying the city of Hradec Králové with light. That is the ten-kilo pattern. The five-kilo pattern, No. 6, is running a mill at Slany. No. 7 has been installed to provide central heating for a block of buildings in the New Town. Mr. Machat, the proprietor of that block, is with us to-day. Would you mind, Mr. Machat?"

The elderly gentleman of that name awoke as from a dream. "I beg your pardon?"

"We were asking how your new central-heating system is working."

"What? What heating do you mean?"

"In your new block of buildings," said Bondy gently.

"What block of buildings?"

"In your new houses."

"In my houses? I haven't any houses."

"Come, come, come!" Mr. Rosenthal exclaimed. "You put them up only last year."

"I did?" said Machat in tones of surprise. "Oh, yes, you're right, so I did. But, you see, I have given those houses away, now. I gave them all away."