erewhon-第49节

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car；　so　I　got　into　it　at　once；　and　watched　the　gradual　inflation　of
the　balloon。　　Luggage　I　had　none；　save　the　provisions　hidden　in　the
ballast　bags；　the　books　of　mythology；　and　the　treatises　on　the
machines；　with　my　own　manuscript　diaries　and　translations。

I　sat　quietly；　and　awaited　the　hour　fixed　for　my　departurequiet
outwardly；　but　inwardly　I　was　in　an　agony　of　suspense　lest
Arowhena's　absence　should　be　discovered　before　the　arrival　of　the
King　and　Queen；　who　were　to　witness　my　ascent。　　They　were　not　due
yet　for　another　two　hours；　and　during　this　time　a　hundred　things
might　happen；　any　one　of　which　would　undo　me。

At　last　the　balloon　was　full；　the　pipe　which　had　filled　it　was
removed；　the　escape　of　the　gas　having　been　first　carefully
precluded。　　Nothing　remained　to　hinder　the　balloon　from　ascending
but　the　hands　and　weight　of　those　who　were　holding　on　to　it　with
ropes。　　I　strained　my　eyes　for　the　coming　of　the　King　and　Queen；
but　could　see　no　sign　of　their　approach。　　I　looked　in　the　direction
of　Mr。　Nosnibor's　housethere　was　nothing　to　indicate　disturbance；
but　it　was　not　yet　breakfast　time。　　The　crowd　began　to　gather；　they
were　aware　that　I　was　under　the　displeasure　of　the　court；　but　I
could　detect　no　signs　of　my　being　unpopular。　　On　the　contrary；　I
received　many　kindly　expressions　of　regard　and　encouragement；　with
good　wishes　as　to　the　result　of　my　journey。

I　was　speaking　to　one　gentleman　of　my　acquaintance；　and　telling　him
the　substance　of　what　I　intended　to　do　when　I　had　got　into　the
presence　of　the　air　god　（what　he　thought　of　me　I　cannot　guess；　for
I　am　sure　that　he　did　not　believe　in　the　objective　existence　of　the
air　god；　nor　that　I　myself　believed　in　it）；　when　I　became　aware　of
a　small　crowd　of　people　running　as　fast　as　they　could　from　Mr。
Nosnibor's　house　towards　the　Queen's　workshops。　　For　the　moment　my
pulse　ceased　beating；　and　then；　knowing　that　the　time　had　come　when
I　must　either　do　or　die；　I　called　vehemently　to　those　who　were
holding　the　ropes　（some　thirty　men）　to　let　go　at　once；　and　made
gestures　signifying　danger；　and　that　there　would　be　mischief　if
they　held　on　longer。　　Many　obeyed；　the　rest　were　too　weak　to　hold
on　to　the　ropes；　and　were　forced　to　let　them　go。　　On　this　the
balloon　bounded　suddenly　upwards；　but　my　own　feeling　was　that　the
earth　had　dropped　off　from　me；　and　was　sinking　fast　into　the　open
space　beneath。

This　happened　at　the　very　moment　that　the　attention　of　the　crowd
was　divided；　the　one　half　paying　heed　to　the　eager　gestures　of
those　coming　from　Mr。　Nosnibor's　house；　and　the　other　to　the
exclamations　from　myself。　　A　minute　more　and　Arowhena　would
doubtless　have　been　discovered；　but　before　that　minute　was　over；　I
was　at　such　a　height　above　the　city　that　nothing　could　harm　me；　and
every　second　both　the　town　and　the　crowd　became　smaller　and　more
confused。　　In　an　incredibly　short　time；　I　could　see　little　but　a
vast　wall　of　blue　plains　rising　up　against　me；　towards　whichever
side　I　looked。

At　first；　the　balloon　mounted　vertically　upwards；　but　after　about
five　minutes；　when　we　had　already　attained　a　very　great　elevation；
I　fancied　that　the　objects　on　the　plain　beneath　began　to　move　from
under　me。　　I　did　not　feel　so　much　as　a　breath　of　wind；　and　could
not　suppose　that　the　balloon　itself　was　travelling。　　I　was；
therefore；　wondering　what　this　strange　movement　of　fixed　objects
could　mean；　when　it　struck　me　that　people　in　a　balloon　do　not　feel
the　wind　inasmuch　as　they　travel　with　it　and　offer　it　no
resistance。　　Then　I　was　happy　in　thinking　that　I　must　now　have
reached　the　invariable　trade　wind　of　the　upper　air；　and　that　I
should　be　very　possibly　wafted　for　hundreds　or　even　thousands　of
miles；　far　from　Erewhon　and　the　Erewhonians。

Already　I　had　removed　the　wrappings　and　freed　Arowhena；　but　I　soon
covered　her　up　with　them　again；　for　it　was　already　very　cold；　and
she　was　half　stupefied　with　the　strangeness　of　her　position。

And　now　began　a　time；　dream…like　and　delirious；　of　which　I　do　not
suppose　that　I　shall　ever　recover　a　distinct　recollection。　　Some
things　I　can　recallas　that　we　were　ere　long　enveloped　in　vapour
which　froze　upon　my　moustache　and　whiskers；　then　comes　a　memory　of
sitting　for　hours　and　hours　in　a　thick　fog；　hearing　no　sound　but　my
own　breathing　and　Arowhena's　（for　we　hardly　spoke）　and　seeing　no
sight　but　the　car　beneath　us　and　beside　us；　and　the　dark　balloon
above。

Perhaps　the　most　painful　feeling　when　the　earth　was　hidden　was　that
the　balloon　was　motionless；　though　our　only　hope　lay　in　our　going
forward　with　an　extreme　of　speed。　　From　time　to　time　through　a　rift
in　the　clouds　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　earth；　and　was　thankful　to
perceive　that　we　must　be　flying　forward　faster　than　in　an　express
train；　but　no　sooner　was　the　rift　closed　than　the　old　conviction　of
our　being　stationary　returned　in　full　force；　and　was　not　to　be
reasoned　with：　　there　was　another　feeling　also　which　was　nearly　as
bad；　for　as　a　child　that　fears　it　has　gone　blind　in　a　long　tunnel
if　there　is　no　light；　so　ere　the　earth　had　been　many　minutes
hidden；　I　became　half　frightened　lest　we　might　not　have　broken　away
from　it　clean　and　for　ever。　　Now　and　again；　I　ate　and　gave　food　to
Arowhena；　but　by　guess…work　as　regards　time。　　Then　came　darkness；　a
dreadful　dreary　time；　without　even　the　moon　to　cheer　us。

With　dawn　the　scene　was　changed：　　the　clouds　were　gone　and　morning
stars　were　shining；　the　rising　of　the　splendid　sun　remains　still
impressed　upon　me　as　the　most　glorious　that　I　have　ever　seen；
beneath　us　there　was　an　embossed　chain　of　mountains　with　snow　fresh
fallen　upon　them；　but　we　were　far　above　them；　we　both　of　us　felt
our　breathing　seriously　affected；　but　I　would　not　allow　the　balloon
to　descend　a　single　inch；　not　knowing　for　how　long　we　might　not
need　all　the　buoyancy　which　we　could　command；　indeed　I　was　thankful
to　find　that；　after　nearly　four…and…twenty　hours；　we　were　still　at
so　great　a　height　above　the　earth。

In　a　couple　of　hours　we　had　passed　the　ranges；　which　must　have　been
some　hundred　and　fifty　miles　across；　and　again　I　saw　a　tract　of
level　plain　extending　far　away　to　the　horizon。　　I　knew　not　where　we
were；　and　dared　not　descend；　lest　I　should　waste　the　power　of　the
balloon；　but　I　was　half　hopeful　that　we　might　be　above　the　country
from　which　I　had　originally　started。　　I　looked　anxiously　for　any
sign　by　which　I　could　recognise　it；　but　could　see　nothing；　and
feared　that　we　might　be　above　some　distant　part　of　Erewhon；　or　a
country　inhabited　by　savages。　　While　I　was　still　in　doubt；　the
balloon　was　again　wrapped　in　clouds；　and　we　were　left　to　blank
space　and　to　conjectures。

The　weary　time　dragged　on。　　How　I　longed　for　my　unhappy　watch！　　I
felt　as　though　not　even　time　was　moving；　so　dumb　and　spell…bound
were　our　surroundings。　　Sometimes　I　would　feel　my　pulse；　and　count
its　beats　for　half…an…hour　together；　anything　to　mark　the　timeto
prove　that　it　was　there；　and　to　assure　myself　that　we　were　within
the　blessed　range　of　its　influence；　and　not　gone　adrift　into　the
timelessness　of　eternity。

I　had　been　doing　this　for　the　twentieth　or　thirtieth　time；　and　had
fallen　into　a　light　sleep：　　I　dreamed　wildly　of　a　journey　in　an
express　train；　and　of　arriving　at　a　railway　station　where　the　air
was　full　of　the　sound　of　locomotive　engines　blowing　off　steam　with
a　horrible　and　tremendous　hissing；　I　woke　frightened　and　uneasy；
but　the　hissing　and　crashing　noises　pursued　me　now　that　I　was
awake；　and　forced　me　to　own　that　they　were　real。　　What　they　were　I
knew　not；　but　they　grew　gradually　fainter　and　fainter；　and　after　a
time　were　lost。　　In　a　few　hours　the　clouds　broke；　and　I　saw　beneath
me　that　which　made　the　chilled　blood　run　colder　in　my　veins。　　I　saw
the　sea；　and　nothing　but　the　sea；　in　the　main　black；　but　flecked
with　white　heads　of　storm…tossed；　angry　waves。

Arowhena　was　sleeping　quietly　at　the　bottom　of　the　car；　and　as　I
looked　at　her　sweet　and　saintly　beauty；　I　groaned；　and　cursed
myself　for　the　misery　into　which　I　had　brought　her；　but　there　was
nothing　for　it　now。

I　sat　and　waited　for　the　worst；　and　presently　I　saw　signs　as　though
that　worst　were　soon　to　be　at　hand；　for　the　balloon　had　begun　to
sink。　　On　first　seeing　the　sea　I　had　been　impressed　with　the　idea
that　we　must　have　been　falling；　but　now　there　could　be　no　mistake；
we　were　sinking；　and　that　fast。　　I　threw　out　a　bag　of　ballast；　and
for　a　time　we　rose　again；　but　in　the　course　of　a　few　hours　the
sinking　recommenced；　and　I　threw　out　another　bag。

Then　the　battle　commenced　in　earnest。　　It　lasted　all　that　afternoon
and　through　the　night　until　the　following　evening。　　I　had　seen
never　a　sail　nor　a　sign　of　a　sail；　though　I　had　half　blinded　myself
with　straining　my　eyes　incessantly　in　every　direction；　we　had
parted　with　everything　but　the　clothes　which　we　had　upon　our　backs；
food　and　water　were　gone；　all　thrown　out　to　the　wheeling
albatrosses；　in　order　to　save　us　a　few　hours　or　even　minutes　from
the　sea。　　I　did　not　throw　away　the　books　till　we　were　within　a　few
feet　of　the　water；　and　clung　to　my　manuscripts　to　the　very　last。
Hope　there　seemed　none　whateveryet；　strangely　enough　we　were
neither　of　us　utterly　hopeless；　an