The Celestial Omnibus, and Other StoriesForster, E. M. (Edward Morgan)
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The Celestial Omnibus, and Other Stories
Forster, E. M. (Edward Morgan)
English fiction -- 20th century; Short stories, English
And on the morrow evening, though it was pouring with rain, Mr. Bons did
not omit to call at Agathox Lodge.
The boy was ready, bubbling with excitement, and skipping about in a way
that rather vexed the President of the Literary Society. They took a
turn down Buckingham Park Road, and then--having seen that no one was
watching them--slipped up the alley. Naturally enough (for the sun was
setting) they ran straight against the omnibus.
"Good heavens!" exclaimed Mr. Bons. "Good gracious heavens!"
It was not the omnibus in which the boy had driven first, nor yet that
in which he had returned. There were three horses--black, gray, and
white, the gray being the finest. The driver, who turned round at the
mention of goodness and of heaven, was a sallow man with terrifying jaws
and sunken eyes. Mr. Bons, on seeing him, gave a cry as if of
recognition, and began to tremble violently.
The boy jumped in.
"Is it possible?" cried Mr. Bons. "Is the impossible possible?"
"Sir; come in, sir. It is such a fine omnibus. Oh, here is his name--Dan
some one."
Mr. Bons sprang in too. A blast of wind immediately slammed the omnibus
door, and the shock jerked down all the omnibus blinds, which were very
weak on their springs.
"Dan.... Show me. Good gracious heavens! we're moving."
"Hooray!" said the boy.
Mr. Bons became flustered. He had not intended to be kidnapped. He could
not find the door-handle, nor push up the blinds. The omnibus was quite
dark, and by the time he had struck a match, night had come on outside
also. They were moving rapidly.
"A strange, a memorable adventure," he said, surveying the interior of
the omnibus, which was large, roomy, and constructed with extreme
regularity, every part exactly answering to every other part. Over the
door (the handle of which was outside) was written, "Lasciate ogni
baldanza voi che entrate"--at least, that was what was written, but Mr.
Bons said that it was Lashy arty something, and that baldanza was a
mistake for speranza. His voice sounded as if he was in church.
Meanwhile, the boy called to the cadaverous driver for two return
tickets. They were handed in without a word. Mr. Bons covered his face
with his hand and again trembled. "Do you know who that is!" he
whispered, when the little window had shut upon them. "It is the
impossible."
"Well, I don't like him as much as Sir Thomas Browne, though I shouldn't
be surprised if he had even more in him."
"More in him?" He stamped irritably. "By accident you have made the
greatest discovery of the century, and all you can say is that there is
more in this man. Do you remember those vellum books in my library,
stamped with red lilies? This--sit still, I bring you stupendous
news!--_this is the man who wrote them_."
The boy sat quite still. "I wonder if we shall see Mrs. Gamp?" he asked,
after a civil pause.
"Mrs. ----?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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