a journey in other worlds-第16章

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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
Ayrault；　to　avoid　the　crowd；　had　come　to　the　Callisto　early；　and
was　showing　the　interior　arrangements　to　Sylvia；　who　had
accompanied　him。　　She　was　somewhat　piqued　because　at　the　last
moment　he　had　not　absolutely　insisted　on　carrying　her　off；　or
offered；　if　necessary；　to　displace　his　presidential　and
Doctor…of…Laws　friends　in　order　to　make　room。
　　　
〃You　will　have　an　ideal　trip；〃　she　said；　looking　over　some
astronomical　star…charts　and　photographic　maps　of　Jupiter　and
Saturn　that　lay　on　the　table；　with　a　pair　of　compasses；　〃and　I
hope　you　won't　lose　your　way。〃
　　　
〃I　shall　need　no　compass　to　find　my　way　back；〃　replied　Ayrault；
〃if　I　ever　succeed　in　leaving　this　planet；　neither　will
star…charts　be　necessary；　for　you　will　be　a　magnet　stronger　than
any　compass；　and；　compared　with　my　star；　all　others　are　dim。〃
　　　
〃You　should　write　a　book；〃　said　Sylvia；　〃and　put　some　of　those
things　in　it。〃　　She　was　wearing　a　bunch　of　forget…me…nots　and
violets　that　she　had　cut　from　a　small　flower…garden　of　potted
plants　Ayrault　had　sent　her；　which　she　had　placed　in　her　father's
conservatory。
　　　
At　this　moment　the　small　chime　clock　set　in　the　Callisto's
wood…work　rang　out　quarter　to　eleven。　　As　the　sounds　died　away；
Sylvia　became　very　pale；　and　began　to　regret　in　her　womanly　way
that　she　had　allowed　her　hero　to　attempt　this　experiment。
　　　
〃Oh；〃　she　said；　clinging　to　his　arm；　〃it　was　very　wrong　of　me　to
let　you　begin　this。　　I　was　so　dazzled　by　the　splendour　of　your
scheme　when　I　heard　it；　and　so　anxious　that　you　should　have　the
glory　of　being　the　first　to　surpass　Columbus；　that　I　did　not
realize　the　full　meaning。　　I　thought；　also；　you　seemed　rather
ready　to　leave　me；〃　she　added　gently；　〃and　so　said　little；　you　do
not　know　how　it　almost　breaks　my　heart　now　that　I　am　about　to
lose　you。　　It　was　quixotic　to　let　you　undertake　this　journey。〃
　　　
〃An　undertaker　would　have　given　me　his　kind　offices　for　one　even
longer；　had　I　remained　here；〃　replied　Ayrault。　　〃I　cannot　live　in