登陆注册
15383400000083

第83章

What's the use of repeating it now? The thing to do is to get out of this hole.Come, help me at this door.Maybe we can batter it down."Kennedy paid no attention to me, however, but kept his eyes glued on the Cimmerian blackness outside the porthole.

He had done nothing apparently, yet a long finger of light seemed to shoot out into the sky from the pier across from us and begin waving back and forth as it was lowered to the dark waters of the river.It was a searchlight.At once I thought of the huge reflector which I had seen set up.But that had been on our side of the next pier and this light came from the far side where the Mohican lay.

"What is it?" I asked eagerly."What has happened?"It was as if a prayer had been answered from our dungeon on La Montaigne.

"I knew we should need some means to communicate with Herndon,"he explained simply, "and the wireless telephone wasn't practicable.

So I have used Dr.Alexander Graham Bell's photophone.Any of the lights on this side of La Montaigne, I knew, would serve.What Idid, Walter, was merely to talk into the mouthpiece back of this little silvered mirror which reflects light.The vibrations of the voice caused a diaphragm in it to vibrate and thus the beam of reflected light was made to pulsate.In other words, this little thing is just a simple apparatus to transform the air vibrations of the voice into light vibrations.

"The parabolic reflector over there catches these light vibrations and focuses them on the cell of selenium which you perhaps noticed in the centre of the reflector.You remember doubtless that the element selenium varies its electrical resistance under light?

Thus there are reproduced similar variations in the cell to those vibrations here in this transmitter.The cell is connected with a telephone receiver and batteries over there and there you are.

It is very simple.In the ordinary carbon telephone transmitter a variable electrical resistance is produced by pressure, since carbon is not so good a conductor under pressure.Then these variations are transmitted along two wires.This photophone is wireless.Selenium even emits notes under a vibratory beam of light, the pitch depending on the frequency.Changes in the intensity of the light focused by the reflector on the cell alter its electrical resistance and vary the current from the dry batteries.Hence the telephone receiver over there is affected.

Bell used the photophone or radiophone over several hundred feet, Ruhmer over several miles.When you thought I was talking to myself I was really telling Herndon what had happened and what to do - talking to him literally over a beam of light."I could scarcely believe it, but an exclamation from Kennedy as he drew his head in quickly recalled my attention."Look out on the river, Walter," he cried."The Mohican has her searchlight sweeping up and down.What do you see?"The long finger of light had now come to rest.In its pathway Isaw a lightless motor-boat bobbing up and down, crowding on all speed, yet followed relentlessly by the accusing finger.The river front was now alive with shouting.

Suddenly the Mohican shot out from behind the pier where she had been hidden.In spite of Lang's expertness it was an unequal race.Nor would it have made much difference if it had been otherwise, for a shot rang out from the Mohican which commanded instant respect.The powerful revenue cutter rapidly overhauled the little craft.

A hurried tread down the passageway followed.Cases were being shoved aside and a key in the door of our compartment turned quickly.I waited with clenched fists, prepared for an attack.

"You're all right?" Herndon's voice inquired anxiously."We've got that steward and the other fellows all right.""Yes, come on," shouted Craig."The cutter has made a capture."We had reached the stern of the ship, and far out in the river the Mohican was now headed toward us.She came alongside, and Herndon quickly seized a rope, fastened it to the rail, and let himself down to the deck of the cutter.Kennedy and I followed.

"This is a high-handed proceeding," I heard a voice that must have been Lang's protesting."By what right do you stop me? You shall suffer for this.""The Mohican," broke in Herndon, "has the right to appear anywhere from Southshoal Lightship off Nantucket to the capes of the Delaware, demand an inspection of any vessel's manifest and papers, board anything from La Montaigne to your little motor-boat, inspect it, seize it, if necessary put a crew on it." He slapped the little cannon."That commands respect.Besides, you were violating the regulations - no lights."On the deck of the cutter now lay four cases.A man broke one of them open, then another.Inside he disclosed thousands of dollars'

worth of finery, while from a tray he drew several large chamois bags of glittering diamonds and pearls.

Pierre looked on, crushed, all his jauntiness gone.

"So," exclaimed Kennedy, facing him, "you have your jilted fiancee, Mademoiselle Violette, to thank for this - her letters and her suicide.It wasn't as easy as you thought to throw her over for a new soul mate, this Mademoiselle Gabrielle whom you were going to set up as a rival in business to Violette.Violette has her revenge for making a plaything of her heart, and if the dead can take any satisfaction she"With a quick movement Kennedy anticipated a motion of Pierre's.

The ruined smuggler had contemplated either an attack on himself or his captor, but Craig had seized him by the wrist and ground his knuckles into the back of Pierre's clenched fist until he winced with pain.An Apache dagger similar to that which the little modiste had used to end her life tragedy clattered to the deck of the ship, a mute testimonial to the high class of society Pierre and his associates must have cultivated.

"None of that, Pierre," Craig muttered, releasing him."You can't cheat the government out of its just dues even in the matter of punishment."

同类推荐
  • 安禄山事迹

    安禄山事迹

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 法界宗莲花章

    法界宗莲花章

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Captivity and Restoration

    Captivity and Restoration

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 异苑

    异苑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 云峨喜禅师语录

    云峨喜禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 异世界的妄想

    异世界的妄想

    宅女离奇来到异世界,才发现异世界的自己竟然如此高大上,豪门贵族富N代,稀有的能力者,分分钟能放大招秒杀你。有个超级大帅逼的妹控老哥,和一群精英贵族小伙伴,看中二深井病的我如何在异世界收帅哥、开后宫、虐BOSS。神秘的斗篷人组织为何会处处针对我,被绑架的公主和<天星>的指引以及狼神宝藏,这一切究竟是命运的安排还是有幕后黑手,大祭司面具下的真实身份究竟是谁?在这个神奇的异世界里,究竟谁可以相信,被召唤来的我到底背负了什么样的使命。在这个世界发生的一切,是否只是一场镜花水月的妄想。
  • 长亭遗事

    长亭遗事

    佛说,不可说道家讲,三缄其口儒家曰,沉默是金金殿上:“萧誉,你与男子相恋怎配为帝?”身旁林玄微微一笑:“什么,男子?”刑场上,大雨倾盆,“林玄,你可知罪?”林玄抬眼冷笑:“我何罪之有?”“通敌叛国是罪,谋害皇亲是罪,罪罪当诛!”地牢里“想让林玄活命,喝了它。”萧誉看了那张与她一模一样的脸,接过那穿肠毒药,只要是你递给我的,我都不会拒绝。
  • 符魔记

    符魔记

    仙道,玄通大陆的安生立命之本法器,玄通大陆的定鼎天下之根宗门,玄通大陆的最高主宰之地不过,这一切都与莫无欢没有丝毫关系因为他只是一个没有仙根的孩子......
  • 超能公子纵横花都

    超能公子纵横花都

    秦睿,意外中被外星人植入超能芯片,从而掌握外星球的超能科技!是征服世界,还是通知地球……不,他只想做个有钱人,建立属于自己的金融帝国!总裁、警花、御姐、萝莉,一个又一个美女对他暗生情愫,而他却坐拥花丛享受天下!阴谋、阳谋……一次次卷入纷争之中,他只想做自己该做的是,只想做自己想做的事!
  • 守护甜心之冰山公主的复仇

    守护甜心之冰山公主的复仇

    冷,是她的名片。“你该把那年的恨放下了”“不,我会做我最好的自己。既然她抢走了我的幸福,我将会把我的痛苦,我的绝望,一点一点地回报给她,证明给她看,让她明白,她不够格!”
  • 破碎虚空之天道

    破碎虚空之天道

    诸神为执行自己的天道,就创造了天道,前往人间执行天道。天道的任务除了代天执道,还有就是为诸神收集丰富的灵魂力,人间是众界中灵力最丰富的阶层。然而第一百三十一代天道突然叛变,背叛诸神,于是诸神就将天道抹杀。天道传承被断,诸神为了继续自己的统治,便创造天眼族,妄想代替天道再次开启通天塔,恢复对人界灵魂力的剥夺。然而诸神的私欲、天道的背叛都是为了一个古老的阴谋,直到一个少年的出现,改变了这一切。命运的齿轮在一次转动······为了保护心爱之人,为了再次与玄帝一战,三世重生的他这一世他要逆天改命,守护一切。
  • 中国打工妹

    中国打工妹

    改革开放、世纪之交,中国发生着前所未有翻天覆地的变化,拥有世界上最多的中国农民,开始变成农民工:打工仔、打工妹。本作品从打工妹的工作、生活、情感、婚恋及就业创业等方面,并与天下大事、社会时事、个人小事有机结合,记录了新时代下不断发展变化的中国和为追求美好梦想自力更生自强不息的中国人,展现了一幅丰富多彩波澜壮阔的社会画卷。本作品对打工进行了全景式的描写,比较全面真实地反映了打工。欲了解中国之打工,必读此书。在这里,也许有你的影子和坐标,至少有你的亲朋好友或相识相知的人的影子和坐标。生活生活,流浪飘泊,悲欢离合,喜怒哀乐。中国打工妹——美丽而善良、温柔而坚强、勤劳而能干
  • 我从末日来

    我从末日来

    2015年5月3日,我来到末日2015年5月6日,我回到现在现实3天的时间,我在末日渡过了三年,现实的一切都没变,变的只是我——狩猎者D照持牌人,肌体强化D级,视野强化E级,领域掌控F级……我从末日来,我不想改变历史,我不想当英雄,我只想平静过完一生。
  • 在神造大陆历练成神的日子

    在神造大陆历练成神的日子

    神造大陆年历一万年,东方大秦帝国诞生了一个名叫沐风雪的天才修炼家。沐风雪从孩童时期的懵懂无知、知书达理,到少年时期的淘气捣蛋、风趣幽默,再到成年后的成熟稳重、大智若愚,最终将走向登天封神之路,带领全人界立足神造世界、重返辉煌。
  • 网婚小娇妻,韩少夜夜宠

    网婚小娇妻,韩少夜夜宠

    她被虐上门,被宠上天,被韩少夜夜宠。天,“韩少我要套套,我不要生baby。”某男宠溺一笑,“生了小念念,你就不会想杀我了。”她念旧情,她想着夜琛箫,却不得不设计跟韩以晔上床。从来都没人告诉她,她身后还有风画尘保护她。两月后,韩少未婚妻回归,虐到咱小伙伴了,一年后,韩少带着未婚妻消失了。她也成了别人的女人了,三年后,某男又回归“风画尘,你知道染指本少女人的下场么?”