Page 29 - Nutshell 4

SCENE 4: Inner space

BARGELLO: (effects) Let’s stop. Maybe we’ve gone far enough.
Besides, I’m getting dizzy.

MINIMAX: Okay, Great Bargello. (object comes up as they slow to a stop;
they get out)

BARGELLO: Well, well! Look at this, Minimax. Do you think this is
the smallest thing there is?

MINIMAX: No, I don’t. It’s just an ordinary speck of dust. It’s not
the smallest thing there is, I’m quite sure of that.

BARGELLO: But we’ve really shrunk a lot! Let me just give it a
karate chop and see. (hits object; it breaks open) Ah, rats! There are still
some smaller things inside it. Let’s get back in the Shrinkmobile and
shrink some more. (they get in; effects; new object appears) That’s enough!
Whoa! We really shrank that time. I feel very tiny all of a sudden.
Now, look at that thing, Minimax. I think we’ve just found one of the
Extremes. Get your camera ready. (gets out) I’ll just crack it open so
you can get a clear shot of its interior. (hits it) Bah! I can see some
little objects spinning around in there. This isn’t it either!

MINIMAX: No, it’s just a molecule. We’d better shrink some more.
(they get in; effects)

BARGELLO: Stop! Stop! Here's a teeny-weeny piece of
something. It has to be the smallest thing there is. (gets out, breaks it

open) Darn! I can stil1 see something moving in there. But we are so s all ourselves that t ere can't be anything smaller, can there, Minimax?

MINIMAX: That is an atom you just smashed. I think it is made

of smaller pieces. Shall we go on?

BARGELLO: Certainly! The Great Bargello never gives up! This

is tiring, though. (gets in; effects) Halt! Look at that, Minimax! Do

you know what that is?

MINIMAX: It looks to me like a neutron, one of the components
of an atom.

BARGELLO: (gets out wearily) Well, this has got to be it. Let me look
inside it. (pries it open) Oh, no! Do you see what I see?