During the twenty minutes’ stop at Berlin, Olga had found an opportunity of having a few words in private with Serge, and had succeeded in persuading him, much against his will, of the necessity of postponing2 their marriage, and therefore their visit to Moscow, for the execution of a daring and suddenly-conceived plan which she had thought out, but which she had then no time to explain to him.
Serge, though very loath3 to postpone4 even for a day or two the consummation of his hopes and the hour which should make Olga irrevocably his, so far as human laws could bind5 her to him, was so far under the domination of her imperious will that, as soon as he saw that she had determined6 to have her own way, he yielded with the best grace he could.
Olga chided him gently and yet earnestly for his outbreak of temper towards Alan, and told him plainly that, where such tremendous issues were concerned as those which were involved in the struggle which sooner or later they must wage with the Aerians, no personal considerations whatever could be permitted[48] a moment’s serious thought. If she could sacrifice her own feelings, and disguise her hatred7 of the tyrants8 of the world under the mask of friendliness9, for the sake of the ends to which both their lives were devoted10, surely he, if he were at all worthy11 of her love, could so far trust her as to restrain the unreasoning jealousy12 of which he had already been guilty.
Either, she told him, he must trust to her absolutely for the present, or he must take the management of affairs into his own hands; and, as she said in conclusion, he must find some influence stronger than hers in their dealings with him who would one day be the ruler of Aeria, and, therefore, the real master of the world, should it ever be possible to dispute the empire of Earth with the Aerians.
From the influence which she exercised over himself, Serge knew only too well that he could not hope to rival her in this regard where a man was concerned, and so he perforce agreed to her proposal, and for the present left the conduct of affairs in her hands.
A telephonic message was therefore sent from K?nigsberg to the friends who expected them at Vorobièvo?, near Moscow, to tell them of the change in their plans; and when the train once more glided13 out over the frozen plains of the North, the four were once more seated together in the brilliantly-lighted car, which flashed like a meteor through the gathering14 darkness of the winter’s night.
About half an hour after they had passed what had once been the jealously-guarded Russian frontier, a dazzling gleam of light suddenly blazed down from the black darkness overhead, and Olga, who was sitting by one of the windows of the car, bent15 forward and said—
“Look there! What is that? There is a bright light shining down out of the clouds on the train.”
Alan saw the flash across the window, and, without even troubling to look up at its source, said—
“Oh, I suppose that’ll be the air-ship that was ordered to meet us at St. Petersburg. You know, we usually have one of[49] them in attendance, when we trust ourselves alone among our possible enemies of the outer world.”
The last sentence was spoken with a quiet irony17, which brought home both to Olga and Serge the not very pleasant conviction that their previous conversation had by no means been forgotten. Serge, perhaps fearing to give utterance18 to his thoughts, remained silent, but Olga looked at Alan with a half-saucy smile, and said almost mockingly—
“Your Majesties19 of Aeria may well esteem20 yourselves impregnable, while you have such a bodyguard21 as that at your beck and call. I suppose that air-ship would not have the slightest difficulty in blowing this train, and all it contains, off the face of the earth at a moment’s notice, if it had orders to do so?”
“Not the slightest,” said Alan quietly. “But in proof of the fact that it has no such hostile intentions, you shall, if you please, take a voyage beyond the clouds in it the day after to-morrow, from St. Petersburg.”
“What!” said Olga, her cheeks flushing and her eyes lighting22 up at the very idea of such an experience. “Do you really mean to say that you would permit a daughter of the earth, as I am told you call the women who have not the good fortune to be born in Aeria, to go on board one of those wonderful air-ships of yours, and taste the forbidden delights of spurning23 the earth and sharing, even for an hour, your Empire of the Air?”
“Why not?” replied Alan, with a laugh. “What harm would be done by taking you for a trip beyond the clouds? We are not so selfish as all that; and if the novel experience would give you any pleasure, we have a perfect right to ask you to enjoy it. Will you come?”
“Surely there is scarcely any need for me to say ‘yes.’ Why, do you know, I believe I would give five years of my life for as many hours on board that air-ship of yours,” said Olga; “and if you will do as you say, you will make me your debtor24 for ever. Indeed, how could a poor earth-dweller such as I am repay a favour like that.”
“Ah, if only you were an Aerian, I should not have much[50] difficulty in telling you how you could do that,” retorted Alan, with almost boyish candour. “As it is, I am afraid I must be satisfied for my reward with the pleasure of knowing that I have given you a pleasurable experience.”
“Your Majesty25 has put that so prettily26, that it almost atones27 for the sense of hopeless inferiority which, I need hardly tell you, is just a trifle bitter to my feminine pride,” said Olga, in the same half-bantering tone she had used all along.
Before a reply had risen to Alan’s lips, the conversation was interrupted by the air-ship suddenly swooping28 down from the clouds to the level of the windows of the train, which was now flying along over a wide, treeless plain at a speed of fully29 two hundred miles an hour.
As the search-lights of the aerial vessel30 flashed along the windows of the cars, the blinds, which had been drawn31 down at nightfall, were sprung up again by the passengers, who were all eager to get a glimpse of one of the marvellous vessels33 which so rarely came within close view of the dwellers34 upon earth.
The air-ship, on which all eyes were now bent with such intense curiosity, was a beautifully-proportioned vessel, built chiefly of some unknown metal, which shone with a brilliant, pale-blue lustre35. Her hull36 was about two hundred feet from stem to stern, not counting a long, ramlike projection37 which stretched some twenty-five feet in front of the stem, with its point level with the keel, or rather, with the three keels,—the centre one shallow and the two others very deep,—which were obviously shaped so as to enable the craft either to stand upright on land or to sail upon the water if desired.
From each of her sides spread out two great wings, not unlike palm-leaves in shape, measuring some hundred feet from point to point, and about twice the width of the vessel’s deck, which was, as nearly as could be judged, twenty feet amidships.
These wings were made of some white, lustrous38 material, which shone with a somewhat more metallic39 sheen than silk would have done, and were divided into a vast number of sections by transverse ribs40. These sections vibrated and undulated rhythmically41 from front to rear with enormous[51] rapidity, and evidently not only sustained the vessel in the air, but also aided in her propulsion.
Three seemingly solid discs, which glittered brilliantly in the light from the train, marked the positions of the air-ship’s propellers42, of which one revolved43 on a shaft44 in a straight line with the centre of the deck, while the shafts45 of the other two were inclined outwards46 at a slight angle from the middle line. From the deck rose three slender, raking masts, apparently47 placed there for ornament48 rather than use, unless indeed they were employed for signalling purposes.
The whole deck was covered completely from end to end by a curved roof of glass, and formed a spacious49 chamber50 pervaded51 by a soft, diffused52 light, the origin of which was invisible, and which showed about half a dozen figures clad in the graceful53 costume of the Aerians, and all wearing the headdress with golden wings. From under the domed54, crystal roof projected ten long, slender guns,—two over the bows, two over the stern, and three over each side, at equal intervals55.
Such was the wonderful craft which swept down from the darkness of the wintry sky, in full view of the passengers in the cars, and lighted up the snowy landscape for three or four miles ahead and astern with the dazzling rays of her two search-lights.
Although, as has been said, the express was moving at quite two hundred miles an hour, the air-ship swept up alongside it with as much apparent ease as though it had been stationary56. Amid the murmurs57 of irrepressible admiration58 which greeted it from the passengers, it glided smoothly59 nearer and nearer, until the side of one of its wings was within ten feet of the car windows.
Alan and Alexis stood up and saluted61 their comrades on the deck, then a few rapid, unintelligible62 signals made with the hand passed between them, a parting salute60 was waved from the air-ship to the express; and then, with a speed that seemed to rival that of the lightning-bolt, the cruiser of the air darted63 forward and upward, and in ten seconds was lost beyond the clouds.
“Well, now that you have seen one of our aerial fleet at[52] close quarters,” said Alan, turning to Olga and Serge, “what do you think of her?”
“A miracle!” they both exclaimed in one breath; and then Olga went on, her voice trembling with an irresistible64 agitation—
“I can hardly believe that such a marvel32 is the creation of merely human genius. There is something appalling65 in the very idea of the awful power lying in the hands of those who can create and command such a vessel as that. You Aerians may well look down on us poor earth-dwellers, for truly you have made yourselves as gods.”
She spoke16 earnestly, and for once with absolute honesty, for the vision of the air-ship had awed66 her completely for the time being. Alan appeared for the moment as a god in her eyes, until she saw his lips curve in a very human smile, and heard his voice say, without the slightest assumption of superiority in its tone—
“No, not as gods; but only as men who have developed under the most favourable67 circumstances possible, and who have known how to make the best of their advantages.”
“God or man,” said Olga in her soul, while her lips were smiling acknowledgment of his modesty68, “by this time to-morrow you shall be my slave, and I will be mistress both of you and your air-ship!”
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1
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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postponing
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| v.延期，推迟( postpone的现在分词 ) | |
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loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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postpone
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| v.延期，推迟 | |
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bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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8
tyrants
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| 专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物 | |
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9
friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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13
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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14
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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15
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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16
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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17
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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18
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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19
majesties
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| n.雄伟( majesty的名词复数 )；庄严；陛下；王权 | |
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20
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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21
bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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22
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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23
spurning
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| v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的现在分词 ) | |
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24
debtor
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| n.借方，债务人 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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prettily
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| adv.优美地；可爱地 | |
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27
atones
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| v.补偿，赎（罪）( atone的第三人称单数 )；补偿，弥补，赎回 | |
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28
swooping
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的现在分词 ) | |
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29
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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30
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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31
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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32
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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33
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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34
dwellers
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| n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 ) | |
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35
lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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36
hull
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| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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projection
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| n.发射，计划，突出部分 | |
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38
lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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39
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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40
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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41
rhythmically
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| adv.有节奏地 | |
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42
propellers
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| n.螺旋桨，推进器( propeller的名词复数 ) | |
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43
revolved
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| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
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44
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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45
shafts
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| n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等） | |
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46
outwards
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| adj.外面的，公开的，向外的；adv.向外；n.外形 | |
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47
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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48
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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49
spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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50
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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51
pervaded
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
diffused
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| 散布的，普及的，扩散的 | |
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53
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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54
domed
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| adj. 圆屋顶的, 半球形的, 拱曲的 动词dome的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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55
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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56
stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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57
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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58
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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59
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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60
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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61
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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62
unintelligible
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| adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的 | |
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63
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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64
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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65
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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66
awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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68
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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