He was thinking alone, and seriously racking his brain to find a direction for this single force four times multiplied, with which he did not doubt, as with the lever for which Archimedes sought, they should succeed in moving the world, when some one tapped gently at his door.

Summary

This quote illustrates the protagonist's intense concentration and contemplation about how to harness a powerful force to bring about significant change. It compares his quest for a direction in life to Archimedes' pursuit of a lever to move the world. The knock on the door symbolizes a potential interruption to his profound thoughts and suggests that there may be unexpected opportunities or challenges that await him outside of his solitude and reflections.

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