Ah! I laugh to see how lovely

I look in this mirror!

Is it really you, Marguerite?

Answer me, answer me quickly!*

Gounod Faust Act III scene 6

Ah Faust! What a tragedy ! Rather than wealth, power or glory, our heroes get the treasure which contains all the others, youth! And who wouldn't do the same in their place? As for me, whatever the adventure, I prefer when time is stable, even looped with paradoxes: Whatever must come, comes at the appointed time*! (as sung by Jacobs) Concerning Faust, I would be hard pressed to answer to the Gretchenfrage, being much closer to the temperament of Marthe Schwertlein than to that of Marguerite. If I were asked to rewrite a happier end to this opera, I would make it so that Faust asked Mephistopheles to offer Marguerite the same present as the one he got, a lasting youth, instead of the treasure even more wonderful and splendid than those she sees in her dreams*. And if she wants to accept it, I'll leave them both in good company with the devil ... but that's what I did here, didn't I ?


A few weeks later, Blake has undergone the last procedures and his confinement ends. Still weakened by the ordeal and slightly staggering, he comes to stand in front of the long, full-length mirror that has been prepared for him, and contemplates his reflection.

He scarcely recognizes himself! He has regained his appearance from half a century ago!

Blake shakes his head, incredulous but admiring the miracles of science, then smiles. His body is still weak but he feels once more the energy of the powerful instincts of youth.

He hears footsteps in the corridor and Professor Sato enters the room by the sliding door, carrying a tray bearing a bottle and a quartet of glasses which he sets down before closing the door behind him.

"What are we celebrating?" Blake inquires.

"Your rejuvenation, of course," Sato replies, "and the success of these first experiments."

The captain nods. "And where are Mortimer and your daughter?"

"They went to pick up your passport at the embassy this morning and have just come back. I think I hear them coming."

Indeed, footsteps and voices resound in the corridor and soon both Mortimer and young Dr. Sato enter the room.

"Hello Francis, I'm happy to finally see you standing," Mortimer greets him as he enters. He shakes his friend's hand and hands him the passport from his pocket.

Captain Blake takes the document and leafs through it briefly before putting it away.

"So what's the plan, now?" Blake asks, while Professor Sato fills the glasses.

"Well, I'm awaited in London, but there is no hurry," answers Mortimer. "We have still time."

"I was thinking of showing you some of my favorite places in this country before you leave it," Professor Sato says, "since you could not stay at your last visit **. I don't intend, after you have come from such a long way, to show you the door. "

As Blake and Mortimer express some interest, he goes on: "Why don't you spend a few days at the hot spring resort in Hakone? Captain Blake could extend his convalescence while we wait for our other Professor Mortimer to go back so that I can come and meet you there."

"You should taste the Kuro-tamago while you're there," Mimiko Sato teases, "to give our treatment that many more chances to be long-lasting."

And as the captain looks quizzical, she explains: "They are eggs that take on a black color from sulfur when cooked in the springs. Consuming the eggs is said to increase longevity by seven years each."

Finally, they all have a filled glass in hand and toast to their health, with bliss in every eye.

"To health!"

"By Jove, yes! May it last a long time!"

Professor Sato then thanks Professor Mortimer for his gift of the chronoscaphe. "You offer me freedom, Mortimer, I'm so constrained by my temporal obligations."

"As an exchange for youth, I don't think I'm losing out!" the professor answers.

"It seems to me that scientific progress makes winners of us all, " Blake remarks.

"Well, let's toast to science then!" Mortimer raises his glass. "As one of my favorite sayings goes: Science and patience are the key to everything."

"To science!" Sato answers, also raising his glass. "And may it serve us as much as we have served it!"

(THE END)

OWARI


* See Faust, by Gounod, as well as for the other 10 references of this chapter

** see The Professor Sato's 3 Formulae.


There it is ! I tried my hardest not to bore anyone.*

Many thanks to Freric of the CentaurClub for transcribing the Master's words. They comforted me at a time I was despering to finish this story

"Especially as this myth interests me. That's to say, it's this thing about rejuvenation, and I don't know, there is something that I would almost want to put in one of my stories. "

"D'autant plus, que ce mythe m'intéresse, enfin c'est ce truc de rajeunissement, et je ne sais pas, il y a quelque chose que je voudrais presque mettre dans une de mes histoires." E.P. Jacobs