the land of the changing sun-第1章

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The　Land　of　the　Changing　Sun

by　William　N。　Harben








Chapter　I。

The　balloon　seemed　scarcely　to　move；　though　it　was　slowly　sinking　toward　the　ocean　of　white　clouds　which　hung　between　it　and　the　earth。

The　two　inmates　of　the　car　were　insensible；　their　faces　were　bloodless；　their　cheeks　sunken。　They　were　both　young　and　handsome。　Harry　Johnston；　an　American；　was　as　dark　and　sallow　as　a　Spaniard。　Charles　Thorndyke；　an　English　gentleman；　had　yellow　hair　and　mustache；　blue　eyes　and　a　fine　intellectual　face。　Both　were　tall；　athletic　in　build　and　well…proportioned。

Johnston　was　the　first　to　come　to　consciousness　as　the　balloon　sank　into　less　rarefied　atmosphere。　He　opened　his　eyes　dreamily　and　looked　curiously　at　the　white　face　of　his　friend　in　his　lap。　Then　he　shook　him　and　tried　to　call　his　name；　but　his　lips　made　no　sound。　Drawing　himself　up　a　little　with　a　hand　on　the　edge　of　the　basket；　he　reached　for　a　water…jug　and　sprinkled　Thorndyke's　face。　In　a　moment　he　was　rewarded　by　seeing　the　eyes　of　the　latter　slowly　open。

〃Where　are　we？〃　asked　Thorndyke　in　a　whisper。

〃I　don't　know；〃　Johnston　answered；　〃getting　nearer　to　the　earth；　for　we　can　breathe　more　easily。　I　can't　remember　much　after　the　professor　fell　from　the　car。　My　God；　old　man！　I　shall　never　forget　the　horror　in　the　poor　fellow's　eyes　as　he　clung　to　the　rope　down　there　and　begged　us　to　save　him。　I　tried　to　get　you　to　look；　but　you　were　dozing　off。　I　attempted　to　draw　him　up；　but　the　rope　on　the　edge　of　the　basket　was　tipping　it；　and　both　you　and　I　came　near　following　him。　I　tried　to　keep　from　seeing　his　horrible　face　as　the　rope　began　to　slip　through　his　fingers。　I　knew　the　instant　he　let　go　by　our　shooting　upward。〃

〃I　came　to　myself　and　looked　over　when　the　basket　tipped；〃　replied　the　Englishman；　〃I　thought　I　was　going　too；　but　I　could　not　stir　a　muscle　to　prevent　it。　He　said　something　desperately；　but　the　wind　blew　it　away　and　covered　his　face　with　his　beard；　so　that　I　could　not　see　the　movement　of　his　lips。〃

〃It　may　have　been　some　instructions　to　us　about　the　management　of　the　balloon。〃

〃I　think　notperhaps　a　good…bye；　or　a　message　to　his　wife　and　child。　Poor　fellow！〃

〃How　long　have　we　been　out　of　our　heads？〃　and　Johnston　looked　over　the　side　of　the　car。

〃I　have　not　the　slightest　idea。　Days　and　nights　may　have　passed　since　he　fell。〃

〃That　is　true。　I　remember　coming　to　myself　for　an　instant；　and　it　seemed　that　we　were　being　jerked　along　at　the　rate　of　a　gunshot。　My　God；　it　was　awful！　It　was　as　black　as　condensed　midnight。　I　felt　your　warm　body　against　me　and　was　glad　I　was　not　alone。　Then　I　went　off　again；　but　into　a　sort　of　nightmare。　I　thought　I　was　in　Hell；　and　that　you　were　with　me；　and　that　Professor　Helmholtz　was　Satan。〃

〃Where　can　we　be？〃　asked　Thorndyke。

〃I　don't　know；　I　can't　tell　what　is　beneath　those　clouds。　It　may　be　earth；　sea　or　ocean；　we　were　evidently　whisked　along　in　a　storm　while　we　were　out　of　our　heads。　If　we　are　above　the　ocean　we　are　lost。〃

Thorndyke　looked　over　the　edge　of　the　car　long　and　attentively；　then　he　exclaimed　suddenly：

〃I　believe　it　is　the　ocean。〃

〃What　makes　you　think　so？〃

〃It　reflects　the　sunlight。　It　is　too　bright　for　land。　When　we　got　above　the　clouds　at　the　start　it　looked　darker　below　than　it　does　now；　we　may　be　over　the　middle　of　the　Atlantic。〃

〃We　are　going　down；〃　said　Johnston　gloomily。

〃That　we　are；　and　it　means　something　serious。〃

Johnston　made　no　answer。　Half…an…hour　went　by。　Thorndyke　looked　at　the　sun。

〃If　the　professor　had　not　dropped　the　compass；　we　could　find　our　bearings；〃　he　sighed。

Johnston　pointed　upward。　Thin　clouds　were　floating　above　them。　〃We　are　almost　down；〃　he　said；　and　as　they　looked　over　the　sides　of　the　car　they　saw　the　reflection　of　the　sun　on　the　bosom　of　the　ocean；　and；　a　moment　later；　they　caught　sight　of　the　blue　billows　rising　and　falling。

〃I　see　something　that　looks　like　an　island；〃　observed　Thorndyke；　looking　in　the　direction　toward　which　the　balloon　seemed　to　be　drifting。　〃It　is　dark　and　is　surrounded　by　light。　It　is　far　away；　but　we　may　reach　it　if　we　do　not　descend　too　rapidly。〃

〃Throw　out　the　last　bag　of　sand；〃　suggested　the　American；　〃we　need　it　as　little　now　as　we　ever　shall。〃

Thorndyke　cut　the　bag　with　his　knife　and　watched　the　sand　filter　through　the　bottom　of　the　basket　and　trail　along　in　a　graceful　stream　behind　the　balloon。　The　great　flabby　bag　overhead　steadied　itself；　rose　slightly　and　drifted　on　toward　the　dark　spot　on　the　vast　expanse　of　sunlit　water。　They　could　now　clearly　see　that　it　was　a　small　island；　not　more　than　a　mile　in　circumference。

〃How　far　is　it？〃　asked　Thorndyke。

〃About　two　miles；〃　answered　the　American　laconically；　〃it　is　a　chance　for　us；　but　a　slim　one。〃

The　balloon　gradually　sank。　For　twenty　minutes　the　car　glided　along　not　more　than　two　hundred　feet　above　the　waves。　The　island　was　now　quite　near。　It　was　a　barren　mound　of　stone；　worn　into　gullies　and　sharp　precipices　by　the　action　of　the　waves　and　rain。　Hardly　a　tree　or　a　shrub　was　in　sight。

〃It　looks　like　the　rocky　crown　of　a　great　stone　mountain　hidden　in　the　ocean；〃　said　the　Englishman；　〃half　a　mile　to　the　shore；　a　hundred　feet　to　the　water；　at　this　rate　of　speed　the　wind　would　smash　us　against　those　rocks　like　a　couple　of　bird's　eggs　dropped　from　the　clouds。　We　must　fall　into　the　water　and　swim　ashore。　There　is　no　use　trying　to　save　the　balloon。〃

〃We　had　better　be　about　it；　then；〃　said　Johnston；　rising　stiffly　and　holding　to　the　ropes。　〃If　we　should　go　down　in　the　water　with　the　balloon　we　would　get　tangled　in　the　ropes　and　get　asphyxiated　with　the　gas。　We　had　better　hang　down　under　the　basket　and　let　go　at　exactly　the　same　time。〃

The　water　was　not　more　than　forty　feet　beneath；　and　the　island　was　getting　nearer　every　instant。　The　two　aeronauts　swung　over　on　opposite　sides　of　the　car　and；　face　to　face；　hung　by　their　hands　beneath。

〃I　dread　the　plunge；〃　muttered　Thorndyke；　〃I　feel　as　weak　as　a　sick　kitten；　I　am　not　sure　that　I　can　swim　that　distance；　but　the　water　looks　still　enough。〃

〃I　am　played　out　too；〃　grunted　the　American；　red　in　the　face；　〃but　it　looks　like　our　only　chance。　Ugh！　she　made　a　big　dip　then。　We'd　better　let　go。　I'll　count　three；　and　three　is　the　signal。　Now　ready。　One；　two；　three！〃

Down　shot　the　balloonists　and　up　bounded　the　great　liberated　bag　of　gas；　the　basket　and　dangling　ropes　swung　wildly　from　side　to　side。　The　aeronauts　touched　the　water　feet　foremost　at　the　same　instant；　and　in　half　a　minute　they　rose；　not　ten　feet　apart。

〃Now　for　it；〃　sputtered　Johnston；　shaking　his　bushy　head　like　a　swimming　dog。　〃Look；　the　shore　is　not　very　far。〃　Thorndyke　was　saving　his　wind；　and　said　nothing；　but　accommodated　his　stroke　to　that　of　his　companion；　and　thus　they　breasted　the　gently…　rolling　billows　until　finally；　completely　exhausted；　they　climbed　up　the　shelving　rocks　and　lay　down　in　the　warm　sunshine。

〃Not　a　very　encouraging　outlook；〃　said　Johnston；　rising　when　his　clothing　was　dry　and　climbing　a　slight　elevation。　〃There　is　nothing　in　sight　except　a　waste　of　stone。　Let's　go　up　to　that　point　and　look　around。〃

The　ascent　was　exceedingly　trying；　for　the　incline　was　steep　and　it　was　at　times　difficult　to　get　a　firm　footing。　But　they　were　repaid　for　the　exertion；　for　they　had　reached　the　highest　point　of　the　island　and　could　see　all　over　it。　As　far　as　their　vision　reached　there　was　nothing　beyond　the　little　island　except　the　glistening　waves　that　reached　out　till　they　met　the　sky　in　all　directions。　High　up　in　the　clouds　they　saw　the　balloon；　now　steadily　drifting　with　the　wind　toward　the　south。

〃We　might　as　well　be　dead　and　done　with　it；〃　grumbled　Thorndyke。　〃Ships　are　not　apt　to　approach　this　isolated　spot；　and　even　if　they　did；　how　could　we　give　a　signal　of　distress？〃

Johnston　stroked　his　dark　beard　thoughtfully；　then　he　pointed　toward　the　shore。

〃There　are　some　driftwood　and　seaweed；〃　he　said；　〃with　my　sun…　glass　I　can　soon　have　a　bonfire。〃　He　took　a　piece　of　punk　from　a　waterproof　box　that　he　carried　in　his　pocket　and　focussed　the　sun's　rays　on　it。　〃Run　down　and　bring　me　an　armful　of　dry　seaweed　and　wood；〃　he　added；　intent　on　his　work。

Thorndyke　clambered　down　to　th