The Master Key by Lyman Frank Baum (free children's ebooks online .txt) 📕

“I have other inventions, which you may use without any such qualms of conscience. The Electro-Magnetic Restorer I offered you would be a great boon to your race, and could not possibly do harm. And, besides this, I have brought you what I call the Illimitable Communicator. It is a simple electric device which will enable you, wherever you may be, to converse with people in any part of the world, without the use of such crude connections as wires. In fact, you may—”

“Stop!” cried Rob. “It is useless for you to describe it, because I’ll have nothing more to do with you or your inventions. I have given them a fair trial, and they’ve got me into all sorts of trouble and made all my friends miserable. If I was some high-up scientist it would be different; but I’m just a common boy, and I don’t want to be anything else.”

“But, your duty—” began the Demon.

“My duty I owe to myself and to my family,” interrupted Rob. “I have never cultivated science, more than to fool with some simple electrical experiments, so I owe nothing to either science or the Demon of Electricity, so far as I can see.”

“But consider,” remonstrated the Demon, rising to his feet and speaking in a pleading voice, “consider the years that must elapse before any one else is likely to strike the Master Key! And, in the meanwhile, consider my helpless position, cut off from all interest in the world while I have such wonderful inventions on my hands for the benefit of mankind. If you have no love for science or for the advancement of civilization, DO have some consideration for your fellow-creatures, and for me!”

“If my fellow-creatures would have as much trouble with your electrical inventions as I had, I am doing them a service by depriving them of your devices,” said the boy. “As for yourself, I’ve no fault to find with you, personally. You’re a very decent sort of Demon, and I’ve no doubt you mean well; but there’s something wrong about our present combination, I’m sure. It isn’t natural.”

The Demon made a gesture of despair.

“Why, oh why did not some intelligent person strike the Master Key!” he moaned.

“That’s it!” exclaimed Rob. “I believe that’s the root of the whole evil.”

“What is?” inquired the Demon, stupidly.

“The fact that an intelligent person did not strike the Master Key. You don’t seem to understand. Well, I’ll explain. You’re the Demon of Electricity, aren’t you?”

“I am,” said the other, drawing himself up proudly.

“Your mission is to obey the commands of whoever is able to strike the Master Key of Electricity.”

“That is true.”

“I once read in a book that all things are regulated by exact laws of nature. If that is so you probably owe your existence to those laws.” The Demon nodded. “Doubtless it was intended that when mankind became intelligent enough and advanced enough to strike the Master Key, you and all your devices would not only be necessary and acceptable to them, but the world would be prepared for their general use. That seems reasonable, doesn’t it?”

“Perhaps so. Yes; it seems reasonable,” answered the Demon, thoughtfully.

“Accidents are always liable to happen,” continued the boy. “By accident the Master Key was struck long before the world of science was ready for it—or for you. Instead of considering it an accident and paying no attention to it you immediately appeared to me—a mere boy—and offered your services.”

“I was very anxious to do something,” returned the Demon, evasively. “You’ve no idea how stupid it is for me to live invisible and unknown, while all the time I have in my possession secrets of untold benefit to the world.”

“Well, you’ll have to keep cool and bide your time,” said Rob. “The world wasn’t made in a minute, and while civilization is going on at a pretty good pace, we’re not up to the Demon of Electricity yet.”

“What shall I do!” groaned the Apparition, wringing his hands miserably; “oh, what shall I do!”

“Go home and lie down,” replied Rob, sympathetically. “Take it easy and don’t get rattled. Nothing was every created without a use, they say; so your turn will come some day, sure! I’m sorry for you, old fellow, but it’s all your own fault.”

“You are right!” exclaimed the Demon, striding up and down the room, and causing thereby such a crackling of electricity in the air that Rob’s hair became rigid enough to stand on end. “You are right, and I must wait—wait—wait—patiently and silently—until my bonds are loosed by intelligence rather than chance! It is a dreary fate. But I must wait—I must wait—I must wait!”

“I’m glad you’ve come to your senses,” remarked Rob, drily. “So, if you’ve nothing more to say—”

“No! I have nothing more to say. There IS nothing more to say. You and I are two. We should never had met!” retorted the Demon, showing great excitement.

“Oh, I didn’t seek your acquaintance,” said Rob. “But I’ve tried to treat you decently, and I’ve no fault to find with you except that you forgot you were a slave and tried to be a master.”

The Demon did not reply. He was busily forcing the various electrical devices that Rob had relinquished into the pockets of his fiery jacket.

Finally he turned with an abrupt movement.

“Good-by!” he cried. “When mortal eyes next behold me they will be those of one fit to command my services! As for you, your days will be passed in obscurity and your name be unknown to fame. Good-by,—forever!”

The room filled with a flash of white light so like a sheet of lightning that the boy went reeling backwards, half stunned and blinded by its dazzling intensity.

When he recovered himself the Demon of Electricity had disappeared.

Rob’s heart was very light as he left the workshop and made his way down the attic stairs.

“Some people might think I was a fool to give up those electrical inventions,” he reflected; “but I’m one of those persons who know when they’ve had enough. It strikes me the fool is the fellow who can’t learn a lesson. I’ve learned mine, all right. It’s no fun being a century ahead of the times!”