Page 93 - BRAVE NEW WORLD By Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)

Brave New World By Aldous Huxley

huge fleshy clouds lolled on the blue air above their

heads. Out of one of them suddenly dropped a small

scarlet insect, buzzing as it fell.

"There's the Red Rocket," said Henry, "just

come in from New York." Looking at his watch.

"Seven minutes behind time," he added, and shook

his head. "These Atlantic services–they're really

scandalously unpunctual."

He took his foot off the accelerator. The

humming of the screws overhead dropped an octave

and a half, back through wasp and hornet to

bumble bee, to cockchafer, to stag-beetle. The

upward rush of the machine slackened off; a

moment later they were hanging motionless in the

air. Henry pushed at a lever; there was a click.

Slowly at first, then faster and faster, till it was a

circular mist before their eyes, the propeller in front

of them began to revolve. The wind of a horizontal

speed whistled ever more shrilly in the stays. Henry

kept his eye on the revolution-counter; when the

needle touched the twelve hundred mark, he threw

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