So they vaporized the mountain. Since the converter could not cut through the bar they set it up—the heavy-duty one—to shear off the top of the mountain. Then they moved the machine around to each of the four sides and sliced them off. Their instruments were very accurate, and when the last wisp of smoke had drifted away there stood in the middle of a plain so smooth billiards could have been played on it, sitting on a neat, rectangular column of granite, four feet high, what was now plainly seen as a shiny, gold colored brick, its sides glittering in the evening sun.

The major picked up the pick and walked slowly over to the column. There was a slight, almost unnoticeable swagger in his walk. He hefted the pick slowly, carefully, braced himself, and took aim. “All right, you son of a bitch,” he said, and then gave the pick a magnificent swing.

The brick didn’t move.

The major stood where he was, looking at the brick, for about three minutes. Then he said, softly, “All right. All right!”

He walked back to the converter—which was sitting on its tripod nearby—and began to adjust its aim and elevation and set its dials, all very carefully. When he was ready he stood behind it, his feet planted firmly, his fists clenched, his lower jaw firm and jutting, his eyes squarely ahead, focused on the brick.

“Now!” he said, and pressed the switch. There was a small hum and a tiny puff of smoke and the little column of granite disappeared. The brick was now unsupported and the major watched it, his eyes now betraying an intense gleam, waiting for it to fall to the earth. The major waited.

The brick stayed exactly where it was, four feet above the ground, completely unsupported.

It took the major a few minutes to realize that there was no use in waiting. He said nothing, however; but stepped over to the brick, looked at it a minute, and then reached casually over to it and pushed it, with his index finger. It didn’t move. Then the major sat down on the ground and began to cry, very softly, as the sun sank in the west.

***