The Blue Germ   By: Maurice Nicoll (1884-1953)

WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR

LORD RICHARD IN THE PANTRY CUPID GOES NORTH THE SPORTING INSTINCT

IN MESOPOTAMIA. (With Illustrations in Colour by the Author.)

LONDON: HODDER AND STOUGHTON

THE BLUE GERM

BY MARTIN SWAYNE

HODDER AND STOUGHTON LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO MCMXVIII

Printed in Great Britain By Richard Clay & Sons, Limited, BRUNSWICK ST., STAMFORD ST., S.E. 1, AND BUNGAY, SUFFOLK.

TO

J. E. H. W.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE I. BLACK MAGIC 1 II. SARAKOFF'S MANIFESTO 5 III. THE BUTTERFLIES 14 IV. THE SIX TUBES 21 V. THE GREAT AQUEDUCT 29 VI. THE ATTITUDE OF MR. THORNDUCK 32 VII. LEONORA 40 VIII. THE BLUE DISEASE 58 IX. THE MAN FROM BIRMINGHAM 67 X. THE ILLNESS OF MR. ANNOT 79 XI. THE RESURRECTION 90 XII. MR. CLUTTERBUCK'S OPINION 101 XIII. THE DEAD IMMORTAL 110 XIV. FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF IMMORTALITY 123 XV. THE TERRIBLE FEAR 132 XVI. THE VISIT OF THE HOME SECRETARY 144 XVII. CLUTTERBUCK'S ODD BEHAVIOUR 156 XVIII. IMMORTAL LOVE 161 XIX. THE MEETING AT THE QUEEN'S HALL 177 XX. THE WAY BACK 188 XXI. JASON 196 XXII. THE FIRST MURDERS 206 XXIII. AT DOWNING STREET 216 XXIV. NIGHT OF AN IMMORTAL 224 XXV. OUR FLIGHT 229 XXVI. ON THE SPANIARD'S WALK 236 XXVII. LEONORA'S VOICE 245 XXVIII. THE KILLING OF DESIRE 252 XXIX. THE REVOLT OF THE YOUNG 260 XXX. THE GREAT SLEEP 273

CHAPTER I

BLACK MAGIC

I had just finished breakfast, and deeply perplexed had risen from the table in order to get a box of matches to light a cigarette, when my black cat got between my feet and tripped me up.

I fell forwards, making a clutch at the table cloth. My forehead struck the corner of the fender and the last thing I remembered was a crash of falling crockery. Then all became darkness. My parlour maid found me lying face downwards on the hearth rug ten minutes later. My cat was sitting near my head, blinking contentedly at the fire. A little blood was oozing from a wound above my left eye.

They carried me up to my bedroom and sent for my colleague, Wilfred Hammer, who lived next door. For three days I lay insensible, and Hammer came in continually, whenever he could spare the time from his patients, and brooded over me. On the fourth day I began to move about in my bed, restless and muttering, and Hammer told me afterwards that I seemed to be talking of a black cat. On the night of the fourth day I suddenly opened my eyes. My perplexity had left me. An idea, clear as crystal, was now in my mind.

From that moment my confinement to bed was a source of impatience to me. Hammer, large, fair, square headed, and imperturbable, insisted on complete rest, and I chafed under the restraint. I had only one desire to get up, slip down to St. Dane's Hospital in my car, mount the bare stone steps that led up to the laboratory and begin work at once.

"Let me up, Hammer," I implored.

"My dear fellow, you're semi delirious."

"I must get up," I muttered.

He laughed slowly.

"Not for another week or two, Harden. How is the black cat?"

"That cat is a wizard."

I lay watching him between half closed eyelids.

"He gave me the idea."