Page:HG Wells--secret places of the heart.djvu/169

Rh that the movement of thought is away from haphazard towards control——”

“I’m for control all the time,” Miss Seyffert injected, following up her previous success.

“I admit,” the doctor began his broken sentence again with marked patience, “that the movement of thought is away from haphazard towards control—in things generally. But is the movement of events?”

“The eternal problem of man,” said Sir Richmond. “Can our wills prevail?”

There came a little pause.

Miss Grammont smiled an enquiry at Miss Seyffert. “If you are,” said Belinda.

“I wish I could imagine your world,” said Miss Grammont, rising, “of two hundred and fifty millions of fully developed human beings with room to live and breathe in and no need for wars. Will they live in palaces? Will they all be healthy?... Machines will wait on them. No! I can’t imagine it. Perhaps I shall dream of it. My dreaming self may be cleverer.”

She held out her hand to Sir Richmond. Just for a moment they stood hand in hand, appreciatively....

“Well!” said Dr. Martineau, as the door closed behind the two Americans, “This is a curious—encounter.”

“That young woman has brains,” said Sir Richmond, standing before the fireplace.