The Professor's House
time I give to any of my students who are doing
honest work. Outland was, of course, the most
brilliant pupil I ever had, and I gave him time and
thought without stint. Gladly, of course. If he
were reaping the rewards of his discovery himself,
I’d have nothing to say—though I’ve not the least
doubt he would compensate me liberally. But it
does not seem right that a stranger should profit,
and not those who helped him. You, of course, do
profit—indirectly, if not directly. You cannot shut
your eyes to the fact that this money, coming into
your family, has strengthened your credit and your
general security. That’s as it should be. But your
claim was less definite than mine. I spent time and
strength I could ill afford to spare on the very series
of experiments that led to this result. Marsellus
gets the benefit of my work as well as of Outland’s.
I have certainly been ill-used—and, as you say, it’s
difficult to get recompense when I ask for it so late.
It’s not to my discredit, certainly, that I didn’t take
measures to protect my interests. I never thought
of my student’s work in terms of money. There
were others who did, and I was not considered,” he
concluded bitterly.
“Why don’t you put in a claim to Marsellus, for your time and expert advice? I think he’d honour it. He is going to live here. He probably doesn’t wish to be more unpopular than a suddenly prosperous man is bound to be, and you have many friends.
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