Chapter 20 — Mr. Bedford in Infinite Space

           ItwasalmostasthoughIhadbeenkilled.Indeed,IcouldimagineamansuddenlyandviolentlykilledwouldfeelverymuchasIdid.Onemoment,apassionofagonisingexistenceandfear;thenext,darknessandstillness,neitherlightnorlifenorsun,moonnorstars,theblankinfinite.Althoughthethingwasdonebymyownact,althoughIhadalreadytastedthisveryofeffectinCavor’scompany,Ifeltastonished,dumbfounded,andoverwhelmed.Iseemedtobeborneupwardintoanenormousdarkness.Myfingersfloatedoffthestuds,IhungasifIwereannihilated,andatlastverysoftlyandgentlyIcameagainstthebaleandthegoldenchain,andthecrowbarsthathaddriftedtothemiddleofthesphere.

           Idonotknowhowlongthatdriftingtook.Inthesphereofcourse,evenmorethanonthemoon,one’searthlytimesensewasineffectual.AtthetouchofthebaleitwasasifIhadawakenedfromadreamlesssleep.IimmediatelyperceivedthatifIwantedtokeepawakeandaliveImustgetalightoropenawindow,soastogetagripofsomethingwithmyeyes.Andbesides,Iwascold.Ikickedofffromthebale,therefore,clawedontothethincordswithintheglass,crawledalonguntilIgottothemanholerim,andsogotmybearingsforthelightandblindstuds,tookashoveoff,andflyingonceroundthebale,andgettingascarefromsomethingbigandflimsythatwasdriftingloose,Igotmyhandonthecordquiteclosetothestuds,andreachedthem.