style="font-size:15px;"> The balloonist smiled at her. ‘She has courage, that one,’ he said to Felix.
‘Yes, she has.’
Higher and higher they went. Noticing she was shivering in the cold air, he took off his coat and put it round her shoulders. He did not take his hand away, but kept it across her shoulders, steadying her, as he listened to the aeronaut explaining the technicalities of ballooning, the size of the balloon, the weight in the basket, the height they had attained, the rate of ascent and descent, all of which he found fascinating. ‘When we take passengers, we remain tethered, not only to give them peace of mind but in order to return to the spot from which we started,’ he said. ‘When we fly free, we are looking for wind and currents of air to carry us along.’
‘I should like to try that some time,’ Felix said.
‘How far can you go that way?’ Esme asked. With Felix beside her and the confident tones of the balloonist explaining everything she did not feel afraid. She felt exhilarated. But the ground was an awfully long way down and she hoped the mooring ropes would hold.
‘Flights have already been made between England, France and Germany,’ he said. ‘Perhaps, who knows, one day a balloon will circle the earth.’
They were no longer rising, but suspended in space. For a few minutes they enjoyed the view of London and even some of the surrounding countryside spread out beneath them. ‘It makes me feel humble,’ she whispered. ‘Human beings are such small things when you think of the vastness of the universe.’
‘Yes, but small does not mean insignificant. The human race and its endeavours are what makes the world go round. It is the men of vision that keep us moving forward.’
‘Yes, I can understand why you and others like you are so keen on the Exhibition.’ She was aware of his hand on her shoulder and knew she ought to object to his impertinence, but it was reassuring to have it there and she let it lie.
It was only when the balloonist busied himself with the descent that she began to worry about what Rosemary would say. The nearer they came to the ground, the more apprehensive she became. But it wasn’t only Rosemary she had to face—it was a battery of reporters who circled the descending balloon. ‘Oh, dear, I did not expect that,’ she said. The balloon touched down with a jolt that sent her into the arms of Felix as the basket tipped over.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
