Page:The Works of H G Wells Volume 5.pdf/35

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THE DISCOVERY OF THE FOOD

over the arm-chair with a patient disregard of the habits of this convenience; and then, finding the pamphlet still out of reach, he went down on all fours in pursuit. It was on the floor that the idea of calling it the Food of the Gods came to him. . . .

For you see, if he was right and Redwood was right, then by injecting or administering this new substance of his in food, he would do away with the "resting phase," and instead of growth going on in this fashion

it would (if you follow me) go thus

IV

The night after his conversation with Redwood Mr. Bensington could sleep scarcely a wink. He did seem once to get into a sort of doze, but it was only for a moment, and then he dreamt he had dug a deep hole into the earth and poured in tons and tons of the Food of the Gods and the earth was swelling and swelling, and all the boundaries of the countries were bursting, and the Royal Geographical Society was all at work like one mighty guild of tailors letting out the equator.

That of course was a ridiculous dream; but it shows

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