The Goddess of Atvatabar by William Richard Bradshaw
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE BANQUET ON THE AERIAL SHIP.
The saloon, which was also the _salle a manger_, was situated in thecentre of the ship. Thus the entire travellers could assemble togetherwithout disturbing the centre of gravity of the structure.
The saloon was composed of woven cane, and ornamented with a dado ofsage-green silk, on which were embroidered storks, pheasants andeagles flying through space. An elongated table, also of wicker work,contained a sumptuous repast.
The goddess congratulated the guests on their safety, which provedthat the skill that produced the _Aeropher_ had successfully grappledwith the difficult problem of aerial navigation.
The inventor of the _Aeropher_ said it was the apex of mechanicalskill. Invention had raised humanity from the depths of slavery,ignorance, and weakness to a height of empire undreamed of in earlierages. Such material greatness expands the soul with godlikeattributes. The ideal, inventive soul, the typical soul, was a god.
The poet said that the _Aeropher_ was the symbol of that kind ofpoetry in which energy and art were in equipoise. It glorifiedmechanical skill. It had been prophesied that as civilization advancedpoetry would decline. There was a period in the history of Atvatabarin which matters of taste, imagination and intellectual emotion hadbeen utterly neglected by a universal preference for scientific andmechanical pursuits. The country was overrun with reasoners, debaters,metaphysicians, scientists and mechanical artists, but there were nopoets. Such mechanical civilization was unfavorable to theirdevelopment. The founding of such institutions as the art palace ofGnaphisthasia and the spiritual palace of Egyplosis had grafted ontheir modern life the soul life of more ancient times, untilsoul-worship had become the universal religion.
The goddess said that the aerial ship was the symbol of an ideal andpassionate temperament resolved on discovering new spheres ofspiritual beauty, so as to spiritualize the race. Such a soul ought tobe free to surround itself with that atmosphere from which it absorbslife. It must choose its own weapons and armor, so as to be adequatelyequipped for the battle. In its eagerness to climb on discoveringwings it must be accompanied by its own retinue of spirits, byenthusiastic and lasting friendships so consoling to its nature. Suchwas the idea of Egyplosis.
Captain Lavornal at this point stated that when the company regainedthe deck he would put the rotating wheel, placed at the stern of theship, in motion, so as to produce the combination of a revolving aswell as an onward flight.
"These wheels," said he, "will spin us around, and by means of ourdouble rudder we produce both vertical and lateral undulations, which,combined with the rotary movement of the deck, will produce adelirious sensation. All the abandon of great and strong birds areours. We can imitate the sonorous sweep of the seemorgh, who plungeswith supreme majesty in the abyss of air."
"These elaborations of flight," said Lyone, "are not pursued merelyfor physical pleasure, but in a mysterious way they are the mouldersof the soul itself. That essence, re-enforced with such subtle andpowerful enthusiasm, develops sensibility and assumes a grandeur andecstasy unknown to those who merely travel on the earth. Each gestureof flight is a stride nearer omnipotence, an attribute more godlike byreason of its supremacy over those obstacles that crush andoverwhelm."
I shared the same seat with Lyone at the prow of the vessel.
The scenery had in our absence developed into more marked grandeur.Under the spell of an eternal morning, of such light as poets onlydream of, there rose on either side of us consummate rocks andcataracts that signalled heaven. The swinging pillars of incrediblestreams leaped thousands of feet into the gulf beneath. They charmedus like glittering serpents. The gorge, the rocks, the cataracts, theheavens of the earth above us were a prodigal feast to which naturehad bidden us.
THEN THE SHIP ROSE AGAIN TOWARD THE MAMMOTH ROCKS,ADORNED WITH THE TAPESTRIES OF FALLING WAVE.]
As we explored the depths of the gulf the _Aeropher_ assumed anundulating motion. For several miles the vessel kept descending,until we swept through an overwhelming jungle of wild flowers. Therewere acres of roses riotous in bloom, there was the trailing of wildpeas sweet as honey, the blue of larkspurs, the fragrance of muskflowers, and the swaying cups of scarlet poppies.
Then the ship rose again toward the mammoth rocks that shimmered inthe sunlight adorned with the tapestries of falling wave. Still upwardwe rose into the spell-bound sky, feeding on the savage sweets ofnature, the rhythm of the golden cliffs, the echoes of the waterfalls.We were the associates of mighty pines that on the Theban peaks spreadincomparable solaces for mind and heart. Then, as we descended fromour extreme altitude, we began also to revolve with a splendid sweepof motion, until the landscape swam around us like a dream.
It was a delirious phantasy of airy clouds, fluttering leaves, songsof birds, milky avalanches, balsamic forests, and the awe-inspiringsilences of revolving walls!
The intoxication of such wheeling flight filled us with a strange joy.Our journey became wistful, eager, breathless. We became poets, andthe soul of a poet is a chameleon that takes its glow and color fromthe surrounding infection. The motion that bore us in daring circlesproduced a euthanasia of mind and an exaltation of soul. The juggleryof flight under such conditions produced a Nirvana of soul and aDharana of body. An exquisitely sweet whirlwind of emotion sweptthrough I know not how many souls on the _Aeropher_, but certainlythrough the souls of Lyone and myself.
We both flew round and round like birds in intoxicating converse.During the progress of the flight, intellect, will and memoryslumbered. I was deprived of the use of all external faculties, whilethose of the soul were correspondingly increased. Imagination andemotion were excited with rapturous energy. Lyone's eyes sparkled witha celestial joy. She was again the goddess in her ecstasy!