Part 6 (2/2)

Melick smiled. ”Why, it isn't much to see through,” said he.

”See through what?” said the doctor, hastily, p.r.i.c.king up his ears at this, and peering keenly at Melick through his spectacles.

”Why, the ma.n.u.script, of course.”

”Well,” said the doctor, ”what is it that you see? What do you make out of it?”

”Why, anyone can see,” said Melick, ”that it's a transparent hoax, that's all. You don't mean to say, I hope, that you really regard it in any other light?”

”A transparent hoax!” repeated the doctor. ”Will you please state why you regard it in that light?”

”Certainly,” said Melick. ”Some fellow wanted to get up a sensation novel and introduce it to the world with a great flourish of trumpets, and so he has taken this way of going about it. You see, he has counted on its being picked up, and perhaps published. After this he would come forward and own the authors.h.i.+p.”

”And what good would that do?” asked the doctor, mildly. ”He couldn't prove the authors.h.i.+p, and he couldn't get the copyright.”

”Oh, of course not; but he would gain notoriety, and that would give him a great sale for his next effort.”

The doctor smiled. ”See here, Melick,” said he, ”you've a very vivid imagination, my dear fellow; but come, let us discuss this for a little while in a common-sense way. Now how long should you suppose that this ma.n.u.script has been afloat?”

”Oh, a few months or so,” said Melick.

”A few months!” said the doctor. ”A few years you mean. Why, man, there are successive layers of barnacles on that copper cylinder which show a submersion of at least three years, perhaps more.”

”By Jove! yes,” remarked Featherstone. ”Your sensation novelist must have been a lunatic if he chose that way of publis.h.i.+ng a book.”

”Then, again,” continued the doctor, ”how did it get here?”

”Oh, easily enough,” answered Melick. ”The ocean currents brought it.”

”The ocean currents!” repeated the doctor. ”That's a very vague expression. What do you mean? Of course it has been brought here by the ocean currents.”

”Why, if it were thrown off the coast of England it would be carried away, in the ordinary course of things, and might make the tour of the world.”

”The ocean currents,” said the doctor, ”have undoubtedly brought this to us. Of that I shall have more to say presently--but just now, in reference to your notion of a sensation novelist, and an English origin, let me ask your opinion of the material on which it is written. Did you ever see anything like it before? Is it paper?”

”No,” said Melick; ”it is evidently some vegetable substance. No doubt the writer has had it prepared for this very purpose, so as to make it look natural.”

”Do you know what is is?” asked the doctor.

”No.”

”Then I'll tell you; it's papyrus.”

”Papyrus?”

”Yes, actual papyrus. You can find but little of that in existence at the present day. It is only to be found here and there in museums.

I know it perfectly well, however, and saw what it was at the first glance. Now, I hold that a sensation novelist would never have thought of papyrus. If he didn't wish to use paper, he could have found a dozen other things. I don't see how he could have found anyone able to prepare such a substance as this for writing. It must have come from a country where it is actually in use. Now, mark you, the papyrus-plant may still be found growing wild on the banks of the upper Nile, and also in Sicily, and it is made use of for ropes and other things of that sort. But as to making writing material out of it, that is hardly possible for the art is lost. The ancient process was very elaborate and this ma.n.u.script is written on leaves which resembled in a marvellous manner those of the Egyptian papyrus books. There are two rolls at Ma.r.s.eilles which I have seen and examined, and they are identical with this. Now these papyrus leaves indicate much mechanical skill, and have a professional look. They seem like the work of an experienced manufacturer.”

”I don't see,” said Melick, obstinately, ”why one shouldn't get papyrus now and have it made up into writing material.”

”Oh, that's out of the question,” said the doctor. ”How could it ever enter into anyone's head? How could your mere sensation-monger procure the raw material? That of itself would be a work of immense difficulty. How could he get it made up? That would be impossible.

<script>