rove that Sarakoff's statement is perfectly correct," I said. "I
am Richard Harden. I discovered the method whereby the bacillus became a
possibility. Every man in this Hall who has the Sarakoff-Harden
bacillus in his system is immortal. You, Mr. President, are not yet one
of the Immortals. But I fancy in a day or two you will join us." I
paused and smiled easily at the concourse below and around me. "It is
really bad luck on the medical profession," I continued. "I'm afraid
we'll all have to find some other occupation. Of course you've all
noticed how the germ cuts short disease."

I sat down again. The smile on Sir Jeremy's face had weakened a little.

"Turn them out!" shouted an angry voice from the body of the Hall.

Sir Jeremy held up a protesting hand, and then took off his glasses and
began to polish them. A buzz of talk arose. Men turned to one another
and began to argue. The doctor behind me leaned forward again.

"Is this a joke?" he enquired rather loudly.

"No."

"But you two are speaking rubbish. What the devil do you mean by saying
you're immortal?"

I turned and looked at him. My calmness enraged him. He was a shaggy,
irritable, middle-aged practitioner.

"You've got the Blue Disease, but you're no more immortal than a blue
monkey." He looked fiercely round at his neighbours. "What do you
think?"

A babel of voices sounded in our ears.

Sir Jeremy Jones appeared perplexed. Someone stood up in the body of the
Hall and Sir Jeremy caught his eye and seemed relieved. It was my friend
Hammer, who had tended me after the accident that my black cat had
brought about.

"Gentlemen," said Hammer, when silence had fallen. "Although the
statements of Professor Sarakoff and Dr. Harden appear fantastical, I
believe that they may be nearer the truth than we suppose." His manner,
slow, impressive and calm, aroused general attention. Frowning slightly,
he drew himself up and clasped the lapels of his coat. "This afternoon,"
he continued, "I was at the bedside of a sick child who was at the point
of death. This child had been visited yesterday by a relative who, two
hours after the visit, developed the Blue Disease. Now----" He paused
and looked slowly about him. "Now the child was suffering from
peritonitis, and there was no possible chance of recovery. Yet that
child _did_ recover and is now well."

The whole audience was staring at him. Hammer took a deep breath and
grasped his coat more firmly.

"That