A Few Hours in a Far-Off Age/Chapter 15
CHAPTER XV.
THIS is delightful! High in the air, flying along at the rate of about 80 miles an hour.
After having left their parents at the Senate Palace, the children and I are fairly on our journey. Frederick guides, while Veritée has charge of the repellor, which is the really onerous care—for a mistake with steerer would only change their course; but neglect of the repellor might result in loss of life, and life is sacred in this age.
Onward we go! The exciting swiftness arouses very strange sensations. For some minutes I could notice nothing distinctly—our present speed is so much greater than that on return from gallery lecture. All is so new and wonder-rousing to a most bewildering degree. Hills, valleys, plains, lakes, all things appear to be rushing madly towards us, while we await their coming.
Now a mountain passes under us, within a few feet of our vehicle, chilling us with its snow and glaciers. Now a tumbled mass of hills, rocks and streams fly along far below us—an awful depth! Wonders and grandeurs everywhere!
Strangely and sweetly contrasting with this furious race of inanimate objects there comes a sound, which I think would be powerful to save even a breaking reason—simply a song from the occupants of an advancing car. Who has never heard this entrancing music cannot imagine it. It absorbs all thought. One feels it is everything! and one wishes for nothing else. When the last notes have faded away, the mind has calmed, and the rushing world seems more orderly in its progress. After more than an hour of this travelling we slacken speed. Beneath us pass along enormous boulders, rocks, precipices and high cliffs. A broad white beach, miles in length, rises to us and gently receives our carriage.
A few other carriages are here also. My darlings alight, and joyfully meet some young friends, among whom are their cousins, Carl and Justina, who, I hear, are coming to practise glees this evening.
They all roam gaily about the beach. Some have brought bathing-dresses—and merry parties of maidens and youths are dancing in the bright sea.
Here are some extraordinarily beautiful rock formations—nature's sculpture! grandest of all!
But I shall remain in the carriage, and reflect over what has already been taught me.