Chapter 35 work together

September to December 1893 Marco arrived at Mr. Barris's London office a few minutes before the scheduled meeting time, and was surprised to find that the usually orderly space was in chaos, with half-opened crates and stacks of boxes everywhere. There is no desk buried under the chaos. Is it that late?When Marco knocked on the open door, unable to enter because of lack of space on the ground, Mr. Barris asked: The clock that should have been left outside was stuffed in one of the crates.He waved at the large wooden crates that lined the wall, but even if one of them ticked, it was impossible to tell which.I had planned to clear a way too.He added, pushing the box aside and picking up stacks of rolled blueprints.

Sorry to interrupt, Marco said: I want to talk to you before you leave the city.I could have waited until you settled down again, but I think this is best discussed face to face. Of course, Mr. Barris said: I'm going to give you a spare copy of the circus floor plans, they're somewhere around here.He pored over the stack of blueprints, checking labels and dates. The office door closed quietly without anyone touching it. May I ask you a question, Mr. Barris?Marco asked. certainly.said Mr. Barris, turning over rolls of paper. How much do you know? Mr. Barris put down the blueprint in his hand, turned around, and pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose so that he could see Marco's expression clearly.

How much do I know about something?After a pause, he asked. How much did Miss Bowen tell you?Horses can ask questions in response. Mr. Barris looked at him curiously for a moment before speaking. It turns out that you are her opponent.He said.When Marco nodded, a smile spread across his face.I really didn't expect that. She told you about the contest.Marco said. Saying only the bare essentials, Mr Barris said: "She came to me a few years ago and asked what I would think if she were to tell me that everything she did was true.I told her that either I had to take her word for it or I would think she was lying, and I couldn't imagine such a lovely lady lying.Then she asked, what could I design if I didn't have to take into account constraints like gravity.That's how the carousel started, but I guess you probably already knew that.

I also guessed so, Marco said: "However, I wasn't sure at first that the reason why you participated was to what extent you knew the inside story." As far as I'm concerned, my character can be quite helpful.I believe that stage magicians use engineering skills to make their special effects look like real ones.In this case, I'm doing the exact opposite, helping to make real magic look like fine engineering.Miss Bowen speaks of it as laying the groundwork is all about making the unbelievable believable. Does she have anything to do with Stargazer?Marco asked. No, the Stargazer is a complete mechanism, Mr. Barris said: If I can find a plan of the structure in this mess, I can show it to you.That was the inspiration for visiting the Columbian Exposition in Chicago earlier this year.Miss Bowen insisted it couldn't be improved, but I thought she might have worked a little to make it work.

You are hardly a magician yourself, sir.Marco said. Maybe we're doing something similar in different ways, Mr Barris said: "I knew Miss Bowen's opponent was lurking somewhere, and I was thinking, whoever you are, you don't need any assistance.Paper animals, for example, are amazing. Thanks, Marco says: I put out quite a few improvisations, trying to build tents that don't require blueprints. Is that why you are here?Mr. Barris asked: Switch to blueprints for a change? I was mostly trying to make sure you knew about the game, and Marco said: I could make you forget about this whole conversation, you know.

Oh, such precautions are unnecessary, said Mr. Barris, shaking his head violently: I assure you, I am capable of neutrality.I don't like to take sides.I will assist you or Miss Bowen as much or as little as you like, and I will not reveal to either of you any secrets that you or she confided in private.I will never mention this to anyone, you can trust me. As Marco weighed the matter, he straightened the crumbling stack of boxes. Well, he said: But I must admit, Mr. Barris, that I am rather surprised at how receptive you are to these things. Mr. Barris responded with a chuckle. I admit, I looked the least likely to have this reaction of our group, he said: The world is a lot more interesting than I imagined it to be at my first dinner party.Is that because Miss Bowen can animate solid wood creatures on a merry-go-round?Or because you can manipulate my memory?Or because the circus itself pushed the limits of my dreams, even before I even considered magic?I can't tell.But if I had to trade this experience for anything, I wouldn't be willing.

You won't reveal my identity to Miss Bowen, will you? I won't tell her, Mr. Barris said: I assure you. That being the case, Marco said: I would appreciate it if you would help with something. When the letter arrived, Mr. Barris was frightened for a moment, afraid that Miss Bowen would express displeasure at the turn of events, or ask who her opponent was. She would have easily guessed that he was now Already know. But when he opened the envelope, the note inside only read: Can I build? He wrote back to inform her that it was something specially designed to be manipulated by both parties, so she could add whatever she wanted.

Celia strolled down the aisle of whirling snow, glistening snowflakes tangled in her hair or clinging to the skirt of her gown.She held out her hand, and couldn't help smiling as the snow crystals dissolved and dissipated on her skin. There were doors all along the corridor, and she picked the one at the end.When she stepped into the room, she trailed a mouthful of melting snow vapor behind her.She had to duck down to avoid bumping into the books that hung from the ceiling, cascading down like a cascade, the pages opening in a churning motion, frozen in undulating waves. She reached out and brushed the paper with a hand.As the action moves from one page to the next, the room shakes gently.

It took her a while to find another door, hidden in a vague corner.The room behind the door was actually covered with soft sand like fine powder, and when her boots sank in, she chuckled. Celia occupies the shining white desert, and the starry night sky stretches in all directions.The sense of space was so vast that she had to reach forward, looking for walls hidden among the stars; she was still surprised when her fingers touched the solid surface. She groped around on the star-studded walls, looking around for another exit. This is really annoying stuff.Her father's voice said, though she couldn't see him in the dim lighting.You should split up and not do this kind of depraved juxtaposition.I warn you not to cooperate with others, it is inappropriate for you to show your skills together.

Celia sighed. I think it's wonderful, she said: What better way than competing in the same tent?And you can't really call this a synergy either.I don't even know the other party's identity, how can I work together? When he glared at her furiously, she gave him just a glare in the face before turning around and returning her attention to the wall. So, which one is higher?She asked: A room full of trees?Or a room full of sand?Do you really know which are my works?It's getting more and more tiring, Dad, for the opponent's skill is evidently equal to mine.How do you decide who the winner is?

You don't have to worry about that, her father hissed in a low voice, and it's disgustingly close to her ear, you're such a disappointment, I thought you'd do better, you gotta work harder. Pushing harder would wear me out, Celia protested: that's all I have control over. It just wasn't enough.her father said. When will it be enough?Celia asked, but no one answered.She stands alone among the stars in the sky. She bent down, picked up a handful of pearly white sand from the ground, and let it slide slowly from her fingers. Marco is alone in the apartment, building a miniature room out of small pieces of paper.He used book pages, fragments of blueprints, scattered wallpaper and scraps of letter paper to make aisles and doors one by one. The small room he built can lead to the small room created by Celia.The staircase he built coiled around her walkway.Marco leaves open space for Celia to respond.