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Chapter 20 — Mr. Bedford in Infinite Space
ButwhetherIshouldeverreachtheearthbythatdevice,orwhetherImightnotsimplyfindmyselfspinningaboutitinsomehyperbolicorparaboliccurveorother,Icouldnottell.LaterIhadahappyinspiration,andbyopeningcertainwindowstothemoon,whichhadappearedintheskyinfrontoftheearth,Iturnedmycourseasidesoastoheadofftheearth,whichithadbecomeevidenttomeImustpassbehindwithoutsomesuchexpedient.Ididaverygreatdealofcomplicatedthinkingovertheseproblems—forIamnomathematician—andintheendIamcertainitwasmuchmoremygoodluckthanmyreasoningthatenabledmetohittheearth.HadIknownthen,asIknownow,themathematicalchancestherewereagainstme,IdoubtifIshouldhavetroubledeventotouchthestudstomakeanyattempt.AndhavingpuzzledoutwhatIconsideredtobethethingtodo,Iopenedallmymoonwardwindows,andsquatteddown—theeffortliftedmeforatimesomefeetorsointotheair,andIhungthereintheoddestway—andwaitedforthecrescenttogetbiggerandbiggeruntilIfeltIwasnearenoughforsafety.ThenIwouldshutthewindows,flypastthemoonwiththevelocityIhadgotfromit—ifIdidnotsmashuponit—andsogoontowardstheearth.
AndthatiswhatIdid.
AtlastIfeltmymoonwardstartwassufficient.Ishutoutthesightofthemoonfrommyeyes,andinastateofmindthatwas,Inowrecall,incrediblyfreefromanxietyoranydistressfulquality,IsatdowntobeginavigilinthatlittlespeckofmatterininfinitespacethatwouldlastuntilIshouldstriketheearth.
