erewhon-第54章

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charity。

I　had　already　gained　the　ear　of　the　Queen；　and　had　so　worked　upon
her　curiosity　that　she　promised　to　get　leave　for　me　to　have　a
balloon　made　and　inflated；　I　pointed　out　to　her　that　no　complicated
machinery　would　be　wantednothing；　in　fact；　but　a　large　quantity
of　oiled　silk；　a　car；　a　few　ropes；　&c。；　&c。；　and　some　light　kind　of
gas；　such　as　the　antiquarians　who　were　acquainted　with　the　means
employed　by　the　ancients　for　the　production　of　the　lighter　gases
could　easily　instruct　her　workmen　how　to　provide。　　Her　eagerness　to
see　so　strange　a　sight　as　the　ascent　of　a　human　being　into　the　sky
overcame　any　scruples　of　conscience　that　she　might　have　otherwise
felt；　and　she　set　the　antiquarians　about　showing　her　workmen　how　to
make　the　gas；　and　sent　her　maids　to　buy；　and　oil；　a　very　large
quantity　of　silk　（for　I　was　determined　that　the　balloon　should　be　a
big　one）　even　before　she　began　to　try　and　gain　the　King's
permission；　this；　however；　she　now　set　herself　to　do；　for　I　had
sent　her　word　that　my　prosecution　was　imminent。

As　for　myself；　I　need　hardly　say　that　I　knew　nothing　about
balloons；　nor　did　I　see　my　way　to　smuggling　Arowhena　into　the　car；
nevertheless；　knowing　that　we　had　no　other　chance　of　getting　away
from　Erewhon；　I　drew　inspiration　from　the　extremity　in　which　we
were　placed；　and　made　a　pattern　from　which　the　Queen's　workmen　were
able　to　work　successfully。　　Meanwhile　the　Queen's　carriage…builders
set　about　making　the　car；　and　it　was　with　the　attachments　of　this
to　the　balloon　that　I　had　the　greatest　difficulty；　I　doubt；　indeed；
whether　I　should　have　succeeded　here；　but　for　the　great
intelligence　of　a　foreman；　who　threw　himself　heart　and　soul　into
the　matter；　and　often　both　foresaw　requirements；　the　necessity　for
which　had　escaped　me；　and　suggested　the　means　of　providing　for
them。

It　happened　that　there　had　been　a　long　drought；　during　the　latter
part　of　which　prayers　had　been　vainly　offered　up　in　all　the　temples
of　the　air　god。　　When　I　first　told　her　Majesty　that　I　wanted　a
balloon；　I　said　my　intention　was　to　go　up　into　the　sky　and　prevail
upon　the　air　god　by　means　of　a　personal　interview。　　I　own　that　this
proposition　bordered　on　the　idolatrous；　but　I　have　long　since
repented　of　it；　and　am　little　likely　ever　to　repeat　the　offence。
Moreover　the　deceit；　serious　though　it　was；　will　probably　lead　to
the　conversion　of　the　whole　country。

When　the　Queen　told　his　Majesty　of　my　proposal；　he　at　first　not
only　ridiculed　it；　but　was　inclined　to　veto　it。　　Being；　however；　a
very　uxorious　husband；　he　at　length　consentedas　he　eventually
always　did　to　everything　on　which　the　Queen　had　set　her　heart。　　He
yielded　all　the　more　readily　now；　because　he　did　not　believe　in　the
possibility　of　my　ascent；　he　was　convinced　that　even　though　the
balloon　should　mount　a　few　feet　into　the　air；　it　would　collapse
immediately；　whereon　I　should　fall　and　break　my　neck；　and　he　should
be　rid　of　me。　　He　demonstrated　this　to　her　so　convincingly；　that
she　was　alarmed；　and　tried　to　talk　me　into　giving　up　the　idea；　but
on　finding　that　I　persisted　in　my　wish　to　have　the　balloon　made；
she　produced　an　order　from　the　King　to　the　effect　that　all
facilities　I　might　require　should　be　afforded　me。

At　the　same　time　her　Majesty　told　me　that　my　attempted　ascent　would
be　made　an　article　of　impeachment　against　me　in　case　I　did　not
succeed　in　prevailing　on　the　air　god　to　stop　the　drought。　　Neither
King　nor　Queen　had　any　idea　that　I　meant　going　right　away　if　I
could　get　the　wind　to　take　me；　nor　had　he　any　conception　of　the
existence　of　a　certain　steady　upper　current　of　air　which　was　always
setting　in　one　direction；　as　could　be　seen　by　the　shape　of　the
higher　clouds；　which　pointed　invariably　from　south…east　to　north…
west。　　I　had　myself　long　noticed　this　peculiarity　in　the　climate；
and　attributed　it；　I　believe　justly；　to　a　trade…wind　which　was
constant　at　a　few　thousand　feet　above　the　earth；　but　was　disturbed
by　local　influences　at　lower　elevations。

My　next　business　was　to　break　the　plan　to　Arowhena；　and　to　devise
the　means　for　getting　her　into　the　car。　　I　felt　sure　that　she　would
come　with　me；　but　had　made　up　my　mind　that　if　her　courage　failed
her；　the　whole　thing　should　come　to　nothing。　　Arowhena　and　I　had
been　in　constant　communication　through　her　maid；　but　I　had　thought
it　best　not　to　tell　her　the　details　of　my　scheme　till　everything
was　settled。　　The　time　had　now　arrived；　and　I　arranged　with　the
maid　that　I　should　be　admitted　by　a　private　door　into　Mr。
Nosnibor's　garden　at　about　dusk　on　the　following　evening。

I　came　at　the　appointed　time；　the　girl　let　me　into　the　garden　and
bade　me　wait　in　a　secluded　alley　until　Arowhena　should　come。　　It
was　now　early　summer；　and　the　leaves　were　so　thick　upon　the　trees
that　even　though　some　one　else　had　entered　the　garden　I　could　have
easily　hidden　myself。　　The　night　was　one　of　extreme　beauty；　the　sun
had　long　set；　but　there　was　still　a　rosy　gleam　in　the　sky　over　the
ruins　of　the　railway　station；　below　me　was　the　city　already
twinkling　with　lights；　while　beyond　it　stretched　the　plains　for
many　a　league　until　they　blended　with　the　sky。　　I　just　noted　these
things；　but　I　could　not　heed　them。　　I　could　heed　nothing；　till；　as
I　peered　into　the　darkness　of　the　alley；　I　perceived　a　white　figure
gliding　swiftly　towards　me。　　I　bounded　towards　it；　and　ere　thought
could　either　prompt　or　check；　I　had　caught　Arowhena　to　my　heart　and
covered　her　unresisting　cheek　with　kisses。

So　overjoyed　were　we　that　we　knew　not　how　to　speak；　indeed　I　do　not
know　when　we　should　have　found　words　and　come　to　our　senses；　if　the
maid　had　not　gone　off　into　a　fit　of　hysterics；　and　awakened　us　to
the　necessity　of　self…control；　then；　briefly　and　plainly；　I
unfolded　what　I　proposed；　I　showed　her　the　darkest　side；　for　I　felt
sure　that　the　darker　the　prospect　the　more　likely　she　was　to　come。
I　told　her　that　my　plan　would　probably　end　in　death　for　both　of　us；
and　that　I　dared　not　press　itthat　at　a　word　from　her　it　should　be
abandoned；　still　that　there　was　just　a　possibility　of　our　escaping
together　to　some　part　of　the　world　where　there　would　be　no　bar　to
our　getting　married；　and　that　I　could　see　no　other　hope。

She　made　no　resistance；　not　a　sign　or　hint　of　doubt　or　hesitation。
She　would　do　all　I　told　her；　and　come　whenever　I　was　ready；　so　I
bade　her　send　her　maid　to　meet　me　nightlytold　her　that　she　must
put　a　good　face　on；　look　as　bright　and　happy　as　she　could；　so　as　to
make　her　father　and　mother　and　Zulora　think　that　she　was　forgetting
meand　be　ready　at　a　moment's　notice　to　come　to　the　Queen's
workshops；　and　be　concealed　among　the　ballast　and　under　rugs　in　the
car　of　the　balloon；　and　so　we　parted。

I　hurried　my　preparations　forward；　for　I　feared　rain；　and　also　that
the　King　might　change　his　mind；　but　the　weather　continued　dry；　and
in　another　week　the　Queen's　workmen　had　finished　the　balloon　and
car；　while　the　gas　was　ready　to　be　turned　on　into　the　balloon　at
any　moment。　　All　being　now　prepared　I　was　to　ascend　on　the
following　morning。　　I　had　stipulated　for　being　allowed　to　take
abundance　of　rugs　and　wrappings　as　protection　from　the　cold　of　the
upper　atmosphere；　and　also　ten　or　a　dozen　good…sized　bags　of
ballast。

I　had　nearly　a　quarter's　pension　in　hand；　and　with　this　I　fee'd
Arowhena's　maid；　and　bribed　the　Queen's　foremanwho　would；　I
believe；　have　given　me　assistance　even　without　a　bribe。　　He　helped
me　to　secrete　food　and　wine　in　the　bags　of　ballast；　and　on　the
morning　of　my　ascent　he　kept　the　other　workmen　out　of　the　way　while
I　got　Arowhena　into　the　car。　　She　came　with　early　dawn；　muffled　up；
and　in　her　maid's　dress。　　She　was　supposed　to　be　gone　to　an　early
performance　at　one　of　the　Musical　Banks；　and　told　me　that　she
should　not　be　missed　till　breakfast；　but　that　her　absence　must　then
be　discovered。　　I　arranged　the　ballast　about　her　so　that　it　should
conceal　her　as　she　lay　at　the　bottom　of　the　car；　and　covered　her
with　wrappings。　　Although　it　still　wanted　some　hours　of　the　time
fixed　for　my　ascent；　I　could　not　trust　myself　one　moment　from　the
car；　so　I　got　into　it　at　once；　and　watched　the　gradual　inflation　of
the　balloon。　　Luggage　I　had　none