A cold glass of bitter coffee remained untouched on a bookshelf, and the fastidious Brother Joseph put it safely on the small table by the door before giving his partner the news. "Our message has been sent," he said, "and we should expect a reply later this afternoon. It is amazing! I cannot believe it. Who would have thought that humans would ever have been able to send messages to and from such distant places in mere seconds instead of days."

"In England and America they are even better at using the electric telegraph," Brother Gregory said, adjusting yet again the settings on his equipment. "Over twenty years ago the British police used the electric telegraph to catch a murderer called Tawell, I think that was his name. When I was in England, many years ago, it was quite a sensation. I even bought the book, it's over there somewhere." He pointed to the bookshelf where the curious Brother Joseph found an English "penny dreadful" written by Sir Francis Head, a veteran soldier of Waterloo who had had an amazing career of his own.

As neither Mendel or Lindenthall could read English, the lurid tale of how the telegraph was used to trap the murderer Tawell did not enlighten them much, but both monks appreciated the new, rapid and incredible means of communication that was slowly spreading from the English speaking world to the continent. Mendel would himself predict how the use of the telegraph could and would change the science of meteorology. Using pulses of electricity, Brother Joseph had been able to send a request for information all the way from Brno to Vienna in a matter of minutes, a process that would have taken days by land mail.

"We'll have their answer by tonight," Brother Joseph said, sill marveling at how modern technology was rapidly changing their world. "Did you get the paper?"

Mendel nodded, still ashamed of his role as thief. "It's over there. Do you think it will look right?"

Brother Joseph examined the single sheet of paper that Mendel had taken from the Abbot's desk. "Yes," he said at last, "from a distance it looks perfect." At that moment he jumped in shock, as, for the first time, Brother Gregory got his demonstration project to work perfectly, and the results were everything they wanted.

"If it works like that tomorrow," Lindenthall said, "it should be very effective."

"Now it all depends on the heavens," said Brother Gregory piously looking out of the window and up towards the sky. "Let's go and see Brother Matthew and tell him where we stand."

Phase two was now complete.