Ron Goulart - The Curse of the Obelisk

THE CURSE OF THE OBELISK 31
"Bats are notoriously difficult to train, child." The magician huffed to an upright position. "I
seriously doubt one could be induced to come running every time a buzzer sounded."
"This isn't a regular everyday bat." Harry joined Jennie to examine the control panel. "Fact is,
Lorenzo, it's probably a flying mechanism of some sort."
"Impossible. Successful flight is years off, its secret yet to be revealed to mortal man."
Jennie perched on the divan edge. "Speaking of secrets, Harry, why did you taunt Orchardson
by saying you were on to the secret of eternal life?"
He grinned. "That's got to be what's behind all this interest in the obelisk," he told her.
"Remember that odd inscription Allegre translated for us? Orchardson is ailing and Zaytoon, from
what I've heard, is up near ninety. Both of them are especially interested in immortality and they
must have the notion that somehow the obelisk can give that to them."
"Though still in my prime and in tip-top shape, I must admit that I, too, have entertained the
idea of living beyond my allotted time," admitted the Great Lorenzo. "Not for selfish reasons, mind
you, but because of my exceptional gifts. It seems unfair to keep generations as yet unborn from
enjoying an evening of my magical entertainments. My fabled Floating Lady illusion, for instance,
belongs to the ages. Even the Japanese Diving—"
"Hey." Harry tugged out a small drawer that had been concealed beneath the marble top of the
small table. "Some letters and a few pages torn out of a magazine."
"Those pages are from The Journal of Advanced Technology, published in England,"
recognized Jennie.
"Dated April 1892. Article's entitled 'The "Flying Machine" of Professor G. P. R. Stowe
Successfully Tested.' Goes on to describe the flights of a steam-powered craft Stowe calls an
aerodrome."
"Oh, I interviewed him three or four years ago when he was in New York trying to raise funds."
Jennie shook her head and wrinkled her freckled nose. "He struck me as an eccentric and probably
a charlatan."
"This aerodrome, though, would look quite a bit like a giant bat with a few modifications," said
Harry.
Taking the tearsheets from him, she studied the steel-engraved drawings. "Maybe you're right at
that. Orchardson might have Professor Stowe working for him."
"One way or the other."
"Ah, listen to this." The magician was thumbing through the letters. "These missives are from
various physicians in Great Britain and the continent. The general medical opinion is that unless
Orchardson suspends his decadent style of living only a miracle can keep him alive more than a
few months."
"A good motive for going after immortality," said Harry. "I'm wondering, though, why
everybody waited until now to make a try for the obelisk. It's been sitting in the damn museum for
months."
"Let's search the villa," said Jennie. "The answer may be here someplace."