Page 290 - erewhon

fore the arrival of the King and Queen, who were to witness
my ascent. They were not due yet for another two hours,
and during this time a hundred things might happen, any
one of which would undo me.
At last the balloon was full; the pipe which had filled it
was removed, the escape of the gas having been first care-
fully precluded. Nothing remained to hinder the balloon
from ascending but the hands and weight of those who
were holding on to it with ropes. I strained my eyes for the
coming of the King and Queen, but could see no sign of
their approach. I looked in the direction of Mr. Nosnibor’s
house—there was nothing to indicate disturbance, but it
was not yet breakfast time. The crowd began to gather; they
were aware that I was under the displeasure of the court,
but I could detect no signs of my being unpopular. On the
contrary, I received many kindly expressions of regard and
encouragement, with good wishes as to the result of my
journey.
I was speaking to one gentleman of my acquaintance,
and telling him the substance of what I intended to do when
I had got into the presence of the air god (what he thought
of me I cannot guess, for I am sure that he did not believe in
the objective existence of the air god, nor that I myself be-
lieved in it), when I became aware of a small crowd of people
running as fast as they could from Mr. Nosnibor’s house to-
wards the Queen’s workshops. For the moment my pulse
ceased beating, and then, knowing that the time had come
when I must either do or die, I called vehemently to those
who were holding the ropes (some thirty men) to let go at