a journey in other worlds-第14节

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was　the　old　post…roadthough　its　builders　would　not　have
recognized　it　with　its　asphalt　surface；　straightened　curves；　and
easy　gradesto　ask　his　idol　to　christen　the　Callisto　when　it
should　be　finished。
　　　
Starting　from　the　upper　end　of　Central　Park；　he　stopped　to　buy
her　a　bunch　of　violets；　and　then　ran　to　Poughkeepsie　in　two
hours。
　　　
Sylvia　Preston　was　a　lovely　girl；　with　blue　eyes；　brown　hair；　and
perfect　figure；　clear　white　skin；　and　just　twenty。　　She　was
delighted　to　see　him；　and　said　she　would　love　to　christen　the　
Callisto　or　do　anything　else　that　he　wished。　　〃But　I　am　so　sorry
you　are　going　away；〃　she　went　on。　　〃I　hate　to　lose　you　for　so
long；　and　we　shall　not　even　be　able　to　write。〃
　　　
〃Why　couldn't　we　be　married　now；〃　he　asked；　〃and　go　to　Jupiter
for　our　honeymoon？〃
　　　
〃I'm　afraid；　dear；〃　she　answered；　〃you　would　be　sorry　a　few　years
hence　if　I　didn't　take　my　degree；　and；　besides；　as　you　have　asked
those　other　men；　there　wouldn't　be　room　for　me。〃
　　　
〃We　could　have　made　other　arrangements；〃　he　replied；　〃had　I　been
able　to　persuade　you　to　go。〃
　　　
〃Won't　you　dine　with　us　at　Delmonico's　this　evening；　and　go　to
the　play？〃　she　asked。　　〃Papa　has　taken　a　box。〃
　　　
〃Of　course　I　will；〃　he　said；　brightening　up。　　〃What　are　you　going
to　wear？〃
　　　
〃Oh；　I　suppose　something　light　and　cool；　for　it's　so　hot；〃　she
answered。
　　　
〃I'll　go　now；　so　as　to　be　ready；〃　he　said；　getting　up　and　going
towards　the　door　to　which　Sylvia　followed　him。
　　　
A　man　in　livery　stood　at　the　step　of　the　phaeton。　　Ayrault　got　in
and　turned　on　the　current；　and　his　man　climbed　up　behind。
　　　
On　turning　into　the　main　road　Ayrault　was　about　to　increase　his
speed；　when　Sylvia；　who　had　taken　a　short　cut　appeared　at　the
wayside　carrying　her　hat　in　one　hand　and　her　gloves　in　the　other。
　　　
〃I　couldn't　let　you　go　all　by　yourself；〃　she　said。　　〃The　fact　is；
I　wanted　to　be　with　you。〃
　　　
〃You　are　the　sweetest　thing　that　ever　lived；　and　I'll　love　you
all　my　days；〃　he　said；　getting　down　and　helping　Sylvia　to　the
seat　beside　him。　　〃What　a　nuisance　this　fellow　behind　is！〃　he
continuedreferring　to　the　groom　〃for；　though　he　is　a　Russian；
and　speaks　but　little　English；　it　is　unpleasant　to　feel　he　is
there。〃
　　　
〃You'll　have　to　write　your　sweet　nothings；　instead　of　saying
them；〃　Sylvia　replied。
　　　
〃For　you　to　leave　around　for　other　girls　to　see；〃　answered
Ayrault　with　a　smile。
　　　
〃I　don't　know　what　your　other　girls　do；〃　she　returned；　〃but　with
me　you　are　safe。〃
　　　
Ayrault　fairly　made　his　phaeton　spin；　going　up　the　grades　like　a
shot　and　down　like　a　bird。　　On　reaching　New　York；　he　left　Sylvia
at　her　house；　then　ran　his　machine　to　a　florist's；　where　he
ordered　some　lilies　and　roses；　and　then　steered　his　way　to　his
club；　where　he　dressed　for　dinner。　　Shortly　before　the　time　he
repaired　to　Delmonico'swhich　name　had　become　historical；　though
the　founders　themselves　were　long　deadand　sat　guard　at　a　table
till　Sylvia；　wearing　his　flowers　and　looking　more　beautiful　than
any　of　them；　arrived　with　her　mother　and　father；　and　Bearwarden；
whom　they　knew　very　well。
　　　
〃How　are　the　exams　getting　on；　Miss　Preston？〃　Bearwarden　asked。
　　　
〃Pretty　well；〃　she　replied；　with　a　smile。　　〃We　had　English
literature　yesterday；　and　natural　history　the　day　before。　　Next
week　we　have　chemistry　and　philosophy。〃
　　　
〃What　are　you　taking　in　natural　history？〃　asked　Bearwarden；　with
interest。
　　　
〃Oh；　principally　physical　geography；　geology；　and　meteorology；〃
she　replied。　　〃I　think　them　entrancing。〃
　　　
〃It　must　be　a　consolation；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃when　your　best　hat　is
spoiled　by　rain；　to　know　the　reason　why。　　Your　average；〃　he
continued；　addressing　Sylvia；　〃was　ninety　in　the　semi…annuals；
and　I　haven't　a　doubt　that　the　finals　will　maintain　your　record
for　the　year。〃
　　　
〃Don't　be　too　sure；〃　she　replied。　　〃I　have　been　loafing　awfully；
and　had　to　engage　a　'grind'　as　a　coach。〃
　　　
After　dinner　they　went　to　the　play；　where　they　saw　a　presentation
of　Society　at　the　Close　of　the　Twentieth　Century；　which　Sylvia
and　Ayrault　enjoyed　immensely。
　　　
A　few　days　after　the　Delmonico　dinner；　while　Bearwarden；
Cortlandt；　and　Ayrault　sat　together　discussing　their　plans；　the
servant　announced　Ayrault's　family　physician；　Dr。　Tubercle
Germiny；　who　had　been　requested　to　call。
　　　
〃Delighted　to　see　you；　doctor；〃　said　Ayrault；　shaking　hands。　
〃You　know　Col。　Bearwarden；　our　President；　and　Dr。　Cortlandtan
LL。　D。；　however；　and　not　a　medico。〃
　　　
〃I　have　had　the　pleasure；〃　replied　Dr。　Germiny；　shaking　hands
with　both。
　　　
〃As　you　may　be　aware；　doctor；〃　said　Ayrault；　when　they　were
seated；　〃we　are　about　to　take　a　short　trip　to　Jupiter；　and；　if
time　allows；　to　Saturn。　　We　have　come　to　you；　as　one　familiar
with　every　known　germ；　for　a　few　precautionary　suggestions　and
advice　concerning　our　medicine…chest。〃
　　　
〃Indeed！〃　replied　Dr。　Germiny；　〃a　thorough　knowledge　of
bacteriology　is　the　groundwork　of　therapeutics。　　It　is
practically　admitted　that　every　ailment；　with　the　exception　of
mechanical　injuries；　is　the　direct　result　of　a　specific　germ；　and
even　in　accidents　and　simple　fractures；　no　matter　what　may　be　the
nature　of　the　bruise；　a　micro…organism　soon　announces　its
presence；　so　that　if　not　the　parent；　it　is　the　inseparable
companion；　in　fact　the　shadow；　of　disease。　　Now；　though　not　the
first　cause　in　this　instance；　it　has　been　indubitably　proved；
that　much　of　the　effect；　the　fever　and　pain；　are　produced　and
continued　by　the　active；　omnipresent；　sleepless　sperm。　　Either
kill　the　micrococcus　or　heal　the　wound；　and　you　are　free　from
both。　　It　being；　therefore；　granted　that　the　ills　of　life　are　in
the　air；　we　have　but　to　find　the　peculiar　nature　of　the　case　in
hand；　its　habits；　tastes；　and　constitution；　in　order　to　destroy
it。　　Impoverish　the　soil　on　which　it　thrives；　before　its　arrival；
if　you　can　foresee　the　nature　of　the　inoculation　to　which　you
will　be　exposed；　by　a　dilute　solution　of　itself；　and　supply　it
only　with　what　it　particularly　dislikes。　　For　an　already
established　tubercle　requiring　rapid　action　of　the　blood；　such　as
may　well　exist　among　the　birds　and　vertebrates　of　Jupiter　and
Saturn；　I　suggest　a　hypodermic　rattlesnake　injection；　while
hydrocyanic　acid　and　tarantula　saliva　may　also　come　in　well。　　The
combinations　that　so　long　destroyed　us　have　already　become　our
panacea。〃
　　　
〃I　see　you　have　these　poisons　at　your　fingers'　ends；〃　said
Ayrault；　〃and　we　shall　feel　the　utmost　confidence　in　the　remedies
and　directions　you　prescribe。〃
　　　
They　found　that；　in　addition　to　their　medicine…chest；　they　would
have　to　make　room　for　the　following　articles；　and　also　many　more：
six　shot…guns　（three　double…barrel　12…bores；　three　magazine
10…bores；）　three　rifles；　three　revolvers；　a　large　supply　of
ammunition　（explosive　and　solid　balls）；　hunting…knives；
fishing…tackle；　compass；　sextant；　geometrical　instruments；　canned
food　for　forty　days；　appliance　for　renewing　air；　clothing；　rubber
boots；　apergetic　apparatus；　protection…wires；　aneroid　barometer；
and　kodaks。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VIII。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GOOD…BYE。
　　　
At　last　the　preparations　were　completed；　and　it　was　arranged　that
the　Callisto　should　begin　its　journey　at　eleven　o'clock　A。　M。；
December　21stthe　northern　hemisphere's　shortest　day。
　　　
Though　six　months'　operations　could　hardly　be　expected　to　have
produced　much　change　in　the　inclination　of　the　earth's　axis；　the
autumn　held　on　wonderfully；　and　December　was　pronounced　very
mild。　　Fully　a　million　people　were　in　and　about　Van　Cortlandt
Park　hours　before　the　time　announced　for　the　start；　and　those
near　looked　inquiringly　at　the　trim　little　air…ship；　that；　having
done　well　on　the　trial　trip；　rested　on　her　longitudinal　and
transverse　keels；　with　a　battery　of　chemicals　alongside；　to　make
sure　of　a　full　power　supply。
　　　
The　President　and　his　Cabinetincluding；　of　course；　the　shining
lights　of　the　State　and　Navy　Departmentscame　from　Washington。　
These；　together　with　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Preston；　and　a　number　of　people
with　passes；　occupied　seats　arranged　at　the　sides　of　the
platform；　while　sightseers　and　scientists　assembled　from　every
part　of　the　world。
　　　
〃There's　a　ship　for　you！〃　said　Secretary　Stillman　to　the
Secretary　of　the　Navy。　　〃She'll　not　have　to　be　dry…docked　for
barnacles；　neither　will　the　least　breeze　make　the　passengers
sick。〃
　　
〃That's　all　you　landlubbers　think　of；〃　replied　Deepwaters。　　〃I
remember　one　of　the　kings　over　in　Europe　said　to　me；　as　he
introduced　me　to　the　queen：　　'Your　Secretary　of　State　is　a　great
man；　but　why　does　he　always　part　his　hair　in　the　middle？'
　　　
〃'So　that　it　shall　not　turn　his　head；'　I　replied。
　　　
〃'But　with　so　gallant　and　handsome　an　officer　as　you　to　lean
upon；'　he　answered；　'I　should　think　he　could　look　down　on　all　the
world。'　　Whereupon　I　asked　him　what　he'd　take　to　drink。〃
　　　
〃Your　apology　is　accepted；〃　replied　Secretary　Stillman。
　　　
Cortlandt　also　came　from　Washington；　where；　as　chief　of　the
Government's　Expert　Examiners　Board；　he　had　temporary　quarters。　
Bearwarden　sailed　over　the　spectators'　heads　in　one　of　the
Terrestrial　Axis　Straightening　Company's　flying　machines；　while
A