A Journey in Other Worlds: A Romance of the Future
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CHAPTER XV.
MOTHER EARTH.
"There is something sad," said Cortlandt, "about the end ofeverything, but I am more sorry to leave Saturn than I have everbeen in taking leave of any other place."
When beyond the limits of the atmosphere they applied the fullcurrent, and were soon once more cleaving the ether at cometaryspeed, their motion towards the sun being aided by that greatbody itself.
They quickly passed beyond the outer edge of the vast silveryrings, and then crossed one after another the orbits of themoons, from the last of which, Iapetus, they obtained their finalcourse in the direction of the earth. They had an acute feelingof homesickness for the mysterious planet on which, while yetmortal, they had found paradise, and had communed with spirits asno modern men ever did.
Without deviating from their almost straight line, they passedwithin a million miles of Jupiter, which had gained in itssmaller orbit on Saturn, and a few days later crossed the trackof Mars.
As the earth had completed nearly half a revolution in its orbitsince their departure, they here turned somewhat to the right byattracting the ruddy planet, in order to avoid passing too nearthe sun.
"On some future expedition," said Ayrault, "and when we have asupply of blue glasses, we can take a trip to Venus, if we canfind a possible season in her year. Compared with this journey,it would be only like going round the block."
Two days later they had rounded the sun, and laid their course inpursuit of the earth.
That the astronomers in the dark hemisphere were at their postsand saw them, was evident; for a brilliant beam of light againflashed forth, this time from a point a little south of thearctic circle, and after shining one minute, telegraphed thismessage: "Rejoiced to see you again. Hope all are well."
Since they were not sufficiently near the moon's shadow, theydirected their light-beam into their own, which trailed off onone side, and answered: "All well, thank you. Have wonderfulthings to relate."
The men at the telescopes then, as before, read the message, andtelephoned the light this next question: "When are you comingdown, that we may notify the newspapers?"
"We wish one more sight of the earth from this height, bydaylight. We are now swinging to get between it and the sun."
"We have erected a monument in Van Cortlandt Park, and engravedupon it, 'At this place James Bearwarden, Henry ChelmsfordCortlandt, and Richard Rokeby Ayrault left earth, December 21, A.D. 2000, to visit Jupiter.'"
"Add to it, 'They returned on the 10th of the following June.'"
Soon the Callisto came nearly between the earth and the sun, whenthe astronomers could see it only through darkened glasses, andit appeared almost as a crescent. The sight the travellers thenbeheld was superb. It was about 11 A. M. in London, and Europewas spread before them like a map. All its peninsulas andislands, enclosed blue seas, and bays came out in clear relief.Gradually Russia, Germany, France, the British Isles, and Spainmoved towards the horizon, as in grand procession, and at thesame time the Western hemisphere appeared. The hour of day atthe longitude above which they hung was about the same as whenthey set out, but the sun shone far more directly upon theNorthern hemisphere than then, and instead of bleak December,this was the leafy month of June.
They were loath to end the lovely scene, and would fain haveremained where they were while the earth revolved again; but,remembering that their friends must by this time be waiting, theyshut off the repulsion from the earth.
"We need not apply the apergy to the earth until quite near,"said Ayrault, "since a great part of the top speed will be takenoff by the resistance of the atmosphere, especially as we go inbase first. We have only to keep a sufficiently strong repulsionon the dome to prevent our turning over, and to see that ourspeed is not great enough to heat the car."
When about fifty miles from the surface they felt the expectedcheck, and concluded they had reached the upper limits of theatmosphere. And this increased, notwithstanding the decrease intheir speed, showing how quickly the air became dense.
When about a mile from the earth they had the Callisto well inhand, and allowed it to descend slowly. The ground was alreadyblack with people, who, having learned where the Callisto was totouch, had hastened to Van Cortlandt Park.
"I am overjoyed to see you," said Sylvia, when she and Ayraultmet. "I had the most dreadful presentiment that something hadgone wrong with you. One afternoon and evening I was soperplexed, and during the night had a series of nightmares that Ishall never forget. I really believed you were near me, but yournature seemed to have changed, for, instead of its making mehappy, I was frightfully distressed. The next day I was veryill, and unable to get up; but during the morning I fell asleepand had another dream, which was intensely realistic and made mebelieve--yes, convinced me--that you were well. After that dreamI soon recovered; but oh, the anguish of the first!"
Ayrault did not tell her then that he had been near her, and ofhis unspeakable suffering, of which hers had been but the echo.
Three weeks later a clergyman tied the knot that was to unitethem forever.
While Sylvia and Ayrault were standing up to receive thecongratulations of their friends, Bearwarden, in shaking hishand, said:
"Remember, we have been to neither Uranus, nor Neptune, norCassandra, which may be as interesting as anything we have seen.Should you want to take another trip, count me as your humbleservant." And Cortlandt, following behind him, said the samething.
Shortly after this, Sylvia went up-stairs to change her dress,and when she came down she and Ayrault set out on their journeytogether through life, amid a chorus of cheers and a shower ofrice.
Cortlandt then returned to his department at Washington, andBearwarden resumed his duties with the Terrestrial AxisStraightening Company, in the presidential chair.