a journey in other worlds-第15章

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〃I　see　you　know　his　ways；〃　said　Stillman　to　Bearwarden；　drooping
his　eyes　in　Deepwaters's　direction。
　　　
〃Oh；　yes；　I've　been　here　before；〃　replied　Deepwaters。　　〃You　see；
we　navy　men　have　to　hustle　now…a…days；　and　can't　pass　our　time　in
a　high…backed　chair；　talking　platitudes。〃
　　　
At　this　moment　there　was　a　slight　rumbling；　and　eight　champagne
cocktails；　with　the　froth　still　on；　and　straws　on　a　separate
plate；　shot　in　and　landed　on　a　corner　of　the　desk。
　　　
〃Help　yourselves；　gentlemen；〃　said　Bearwarden；　placing　them　on　a
table；　〃I　hope　we　shall　find　them　cold。〃
　　　
〃Do　you　know；〃　said　Deepwaters　to　Ayrault；　while　rapidly　making
his　cocktail　disappear；　〃the　Callisto's　cost　with　its　outfit　will
be　very　great；　especially　if　you　use　glucinum；　which；　though　the
ideal　metal　for　the　purpose；　comes　pretty　high？　　I　suggest　that
you　apply　to　Congress　for　an　appropriation。　　This　experiment
comes　under　the　'Promotion　of　Science　Act；'　and　any　bill　for　it
would　certainly　pass。〃
　　　
〃No；　indeed；〃　replied　Ayrault；　〃the　Callisto　trip　will　be　a
privilege　and　glory　I　would　not　miss；　and　building　her　will　be　a
part　of　it。　　I　shall　put　in　everything　conducive　to　success；　but
will　come　to　the　Government　only　for　advice。〃
　　　
〃I　will　send　a　letter　to　all　our　ambassadors　and　consuls；〃　said
Stillman；　〃to　telegraph　the　department　anything　they　may　know　or
learn　that　will　be　of　use　in　adjusting　the　batteries；　controlling
the　machine；　or　anything　else；　and　will　turn　over　to　you　in　a
succinct　form　all　information　that　may　be　relevant；　for　without
such　sorting　you　would　be　overwhelmed。〃
　　　
〃And　I；〃　said　Deepwaters；　〃will　order　the　commanders　of　our
vessels　to　give　you　a　farewell　salute　at　starting；　and　to　pick
you　up　in　case　you　fail。　　When　you　have　demonstrated　the
suitability　of　apergy；〃　he　continued；　〃and　the　habitability　of
Jupiter　and　Saturn；which；　with　their　five　and　eight　moons；
respectively；　and　rings　thrown　in；　must　both　be　vastly　superior
to　our　little　second…rate　globewe　will　see　what　can　be　done
towards　changing　our　orbit；　and　if　we　cannot　swing　a　little
nearer　to　our　new　world　or　worlds。　　Then　we'll　lower；　or　rather
raise；　the　boats　in　the　shape　of　numerous　Callistos；　and　have　a
landing…party　ready　at　each　opposition；　while　a　man　or　two　can　be
placed　in　charge　of　each　projectile　to　bring　it　back　in　ballast。　
Thus　we　may　soon　have　regular　interplanetary　lines。〃
　　　
〃As　every　place　seems　to　have　been　settled　from　some　other；〃　said
Cortlandt；　〃I　do　not　see　why；　with　increased　scientific
facilities；　history　should　not　repeat　itself；　and　this　be　the
point　from　which　to　colonize　the　solar　system；　for；　for　the
present　at　least；　it　would　seem　that　we　could　not　get　beyond
that。〃
　　　
〃As　it　will　be　quite　an　undertaking　to　change　the　orbit；　said
Deepwaters；　〃we　shall　have　time　meanwhile　to　absorb　or　run　out
all　inferior　races；　so　that　we　shall　not　make　the　mistake　of
extending　the　Tower　of　Babel。〃
　　　
〃He　is　putting　on　his　war…paint；〃　said　Stillman；　〃and　will　soon
want　a　planet　to　himself。〃
　　　
〃I　see　no　necessity　for　even　changing　the　orbit；〃　said
Bearwarden；　〃except　for　the　benefit　of　those　that　remain。　　If
this　attempt　succeeds；　it　can　doubtless　be　repeated。　　An　increase
in　eccentricity　would　merely　shorten　the　journey；　if　aphelion
always　coincided　with　opposition；　which　it　would　not。〃
　　　
〃Let　us　know　how　you　are　getting　on；〃　said　Deepwaters　to　Ayrault；
〃and　be　sure　you　have　the　Callisto　properly　christened。　　Step
lively　there；　landlubbers！〃　he　called　to　Stillman；　〃I　have　an
appointment　at　Washington　at　one；　and　it　is　now　twenty　minutes
past　twelve。　　We　can　lunch　on　the　way。〃
　　　
Ayrault　immediately　advertised　for　bids　for　the　construction　of　a
glucinum　cylinder　twenty…five　feet　in　diameter；　fifteen　feet　high
at　the　sides；　with　a　domed　roof；　bringing　up　the　total　height　to
twenty…one　feet；　and　with　a　small　gutter　about　it　to　catch　the
rain　on　Jupiter　or　any　other　planet　they　might　visit。　　The　sides；
roof；　and　floor　were　to　consist　of　two　sheets；　each　one　third　of
an　inch　thick　and　six　inches　apart；　the　space　between　to　be
filled　with　mineral　wool；　as　a　protection　against　the　intense
cold　of　space。　　There　were　also　to　be　several　keels　and　supports
underneath；　on　which　the　car　should　rest。　　Large；　toughened
plate…glass　windows　were　to　be　let　into　the　roof　and　sides；　and
smaller　ones　in　the　floor；　all　to　be　furnished　with　thick　shades
and　curtains。　　Ayrault　also　decided　to　have　it　divided　into　two
stories；　with　ceilings　six　and　a　half　to　seven　and　a　half　feet
high；　respectively；　with　a　sort　of　crow's　nest　or　observatory　at
the　top；　the　floors　to　be　lattice…　work；　like　those　in　the
engine…room　of　a　steamer；　so　that　when　the　carpets　were　rolled　up
they　should　not　greatly　obstruct　the　view。　　The　wide；　flat　base
and　the　low　centre　of　gravity　would；　he　saw；　be　of　use　in
withstanding　the　high　winds　that　he　knew　often　prevailed　on
Jupiter。
　　　
As　soon　as　possible　he　awarded　the　contract；　and　then　entering
his　smart　electric　trap；　steered　for　Vassar　University　along　what
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