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“Professor Beiderbecke and I have invented a machine that reproduces sound perfectly”

“What kind of war machine is that?”

“It’s not a weapon”

“That’s what Beiderbecke told ” Bell recalled Beiderbecke’s claims for education and science, communication, industrial improvement, even public araramophone?”

“It is ra pictures Apictures”

“Talking pictures?”

“That’s what I na Pictures Snappy, eh?”

“Better than Sprechendlichtspieltheater,” Bell admitted with a smile

Lynds shook his head ruefully and ran his fingers through his tousled hair

“Word got out We were approached iest film manufacturer in Germany They wanted to make a deal Invited us to Berlin, First Class, all expenses paid, put us up in the best hotel But then we learned that the firswerk, and we knew they would steal it The Professor knew a scientist whose invention they robbed So we decided ould doit to America to sell it to Thomas Edison… Boy, e babes in the woods Never occurred to us they’d try to stop us fro Germany Or that the munitions trust was so in cahoots with the German Army that the Arot away That phony warrant gave them the power to havea draft dodger We barely made it out of there with that Rotterdaht ere free to sell Talking Pictures in America Then surprise, surprise…”

“What do they want it for?” asked Bell

“It is very valuable,” Lynds answered

“But the German Army isn’t in the movie line”

Lynds shrugged “Maybe they want to be”

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