Itsappearanceuponthemarketinaconvenient，controllable，andassimilableformisamatterofthenextfewmonths。Itwillbeobtainableofallchemistsanddruggists，insmallgreenbottles，atahighbut，consideringitsextraordinaryqualities，bynomeansexcessiveprice。Gibberne’sNervousAcceleratoritwillbecalled，andhehopestobeabletosupplyitinthreestrengths:onein200，onein900，andonein2000，distinguishedbyyellow，pink，andwhitelabelsrespectively。
Nodoubtitsuserendersagreatnumberofveryextraordinarythingspossible；for，ofcourse，themostremarkableand，possibly，evencriminalproceedingsmaybeeffectedwithimpunitybythusdodging，asitwere，intotheintersticesoftime。Likeallpotentpreparationsitwillbeliabletoabuse。Wehave，however，discussedthisaspectofthequestionverythoroughly，andwehavedecidedthatthisispurelyamatterofmedicaljurisprudenceandaltogetheroutsideourprovince。WeshallmanufactureandselltheAccelerator，and，asfortheconsequences——weshallsee。
Myfriend，Mr。Ledbetter，isaround-facedlittleman，whosenaturalmildnessofeyeisgiganticallyexaggeratedwhenyoucatchthebeamthroughhisglasses，andwhosedeep，deliberatevoiceirritatesirritablepeople。Acertainelaborateclearnessofenunciationhascomewithhimtohispresentvicaragefromhisscholasticdays，anelaborateclearnessofenunciationandacertainnervousdeterminationtobefirmandcorrectuponallissues，importantandunimportantalike。Heisasacerdotalistandachessplayer，andsuspectedbymanyofthesecretpracticeofthehighermathematics——creditableratherthaninterestingthings。Hisconversationiscopiousandgivenmuchtoneedlessdetail。Bymany，indeed，hisintercourseiscondemned，toputitplainly，as“boring，“andsuchhaveevendonemethecomplimenttowonderwhyIcountenancehim。But，ontheotherhand，thereisalargefactionwhomarvelathiscountenancingsuchadishevelled，discreditableacquaintanceasmyself。Fewappeartoregardourfriendshipwithequanimity。Butthatisbecausetheydonotknowofthelinkthatbindsus，ofmyamiableconnectionviaJamaicawithMr。Ledbetter’spast。
Aboutthatpasthedisplaysananxiousmodesty。“IdonotKNOWwhatIshoulddoifitbecameknown，“hesays；andrepeats，impressively，“IdonotknowWHATIshoulddo。“Asamatteroffact，Idoubtifhewoulddoanythingexceptgetveryredabouttheears。Butthatwillappearlater；norwillItellhereofourfirstencounter，since，asageneralrule——thoughIampronetobreakit——theendofastoryshouldcomeafter，ratherthanbefore，thebeginning。
Andthebeginningofthestorygoesalongwayback；indeed，itisnownearlytwentyyearssinceFate，byaseriesofcomplicatedandstartlingmanoeuvres，broughtMr。Ledbetter，sotospeak，intomyhands。