Incredible seem, this interval that I spent in space has no sort of proportion to interval in my life Sometimes it seemed I sat through immeasurable eternities like some god upon lotus leaf, and again momentary pause as I leapt from moon to earth In truth, altogether some weeks of earthly time But I had done with care and anxiety, hunger or fear, space I floated, thinking with strange breadth and freedom of all that we had undergone, and of all my life and motives, secret issues being I seemed to myself grown greater and greater, lost all sense of movement; floating amidst the stars, and always the sense of earth's littleness infinite littleness life upon it, was implicit in my thoughts

't profess to explain the things that happened in my mind all be traced directly or indirectly curious physical conditions under which living I set them down here just for what worth, and without any comment The most prominent quality of pervading doubt own identity I became, if so express it, dissociate from Bedford; I looked down on Bedford as trivial, incidental thing I chanced connected Bedford in many relations - as an ass or as poor beast, where I had hitherto been inclined to regard him with quiet pride as very spirited or rather forcible person him as an ass, but son of many generations of asses I reviewed his school-days early manhood, first encounter with love, as one might review the proceedings of an ant sand Something period of lucidity still hangs about me, and if ever recover the full-bodied self satisfaction early days But the thing was not least painful, because I had that extraordinary persuasion that, as matter of fact, no more Bedford than else, but only mind floating still serenity of space I be disturbed Bedford's shortcomings ? not responsible for him or them

For time I struggled against this really very grotesque delusion I tried to summon the memory of vivid moments, of tender or intense emotions to my assistance; that if recall one genuine twinge of feeling the growing severance stopped But Bedford rushing down Chancery Lane, hat back head, coat tails flying out, en route public examination him dodging and bumping against, and even saluting, other similar little creatures swarming gutter of people Me ? Bedford that same evening sitting-room of certain lady, hat was table beside him, and it wanted brushing badly, and in tears Me ? him lady in various attitudes and emotions - I never felt so detached before . . him hurrying off to Lympne to write play, and accosting Cavor, and shirt sleeves working sphere, and walking out to Canterbury because afraid ! Me ? believe it

I still reasoned that all hallucination due to my solitude, fact that I had lost all weight and sense of resistance I endeavoured to recover that sense by banging myself sphere, by pinching my hands and clasping them together Among other things, I lit the light, captured that torn copy of Lloyd's, and read those convincingly realistic advertisements Cutaway bicycle, gentleman of private means, lady in distress who was selling those "forks and spoons " they existed surely enough, and, said I, " your world, and Bedford, and going back to live among things like that for all the rest of your life " But the doubts within me could still argue: " you reading, Bedford, but Bedford, That's just where the mistake comes in "

"Confound it ! " I cried; "and if not Bedford, what am I ? "

But direction no light was forthcoming, though the strangest fancies came drifting into my brain, queer remote suspicions, like shadows seen from away , I had sort of idea that really something quite outside the world, but all worlds, and out of space and time, and poor Bedford was just peephole through which I looked at life ? .

Bedford ! However I disavowed him, there most certainly bound up , and that wherever or whatever , needs feel the stress desires, and sympathise with all his joys and sorrows until his life should end And dying of Bedford - what then ? .

Enough remarkable phase experiences ! I tell it here simply to show how one's isolation and departure planet touched the functions and feeling of every organ body, but indeed also the very fabric mind, with strange and unanticipated disturbances All major portion vast space journey I hung thinking immaterial things , hung dissociated and apathetic, cloudy megalomaniac, as it were, amidst the stars and planets void of space; and the world returning, but the blue-lit caverns Selenites, their helmet faces, their gigantic and wonderful machines, fate of Cavor, dragged helpless into that world, seemed infinitely minute and altogether trivial things

Until at last I began the pull earth upon my being, drawing me back again life real for men And then, indeed, it grew clearer and clearer that quite certainly Bedford after all, and returning after amazing adventures world of ours, and with life that very likely to lose return I set myself to puzzle out the conditions under which fall to earth

Chapter 21

Mr Bedford at Littlestone

My line of flight was about parallel surface as upper air The temperature of sphere began to rise forthwith it behoved me to drop at once Far below me, in darkling twilight, stretched great expanse of sea I opened every window , and fell - out of sunshine into evening, and out of evening into night Vaster grew the earth and vaster, swallowing up the stars, silvery translucent starlit veil of cloud it wore spread out to catch me At last the world seemed no longer sphere but flat, and then concave no longer planet sky, but the world of Man I shut all but an inch or so of earthward window, and dropped with slackening velocity The broadening water, now so near that I the dark glitter waves, rushed meet me The sphere became very hot I snapped the last strip of window, and sat scowling and biting my knuckles, waiting impact . .

The sphere hit the water with huge splash: it sent it fathoms high splash I flung the Cavorite shutters open Down I went, but slower and slower, and then the sphere pressing against my feet, and so drove up again as bubble drives And last floating and rocking surface sea, and my journey in space was at an end

The night was dark and overcast Two yellow pinpoints far away showed the passing of ship, and nearer was red glare that came and went the electricity glow-lamp exhausted itself, got picked up that night inordinate fatigue beginning , excited now, and for time hopeful, in feverish, impatient way, that so my travelling might end

But at last I ceased to move about, and sat, wrists on knees, staring at distant red light It swayed up and down, rocking, rocking My excitement passed I realised I had yet another night sphere I perceived myself infinitely heavy and fatigued And so I fell asleep

change in my rhythmic motion awakened me I peered refracting glass, and saw that I had come aground upon huge shallow of sand Far away I seemed houses and trees, and seaward curve, vague distortion of ship hung between sea and sky

I stood up and staggered My one desire was to emerge The manhole was upward, and I wrestled screw Slowly I opened the manhole At last the air was singing in again as once it had sung out But wait until the pressure was adjusted In another moment I had the weight window on my hands, and open, wide open, old familiar sky of earth

The air hit me chest I gasped I dropped the glass screw I cried out, put my hands to my chest, and sat down For time in pain Then deep breaths At last rise and move about again