Fantasy fiction; Science fiction; Utopias -- Fiction
"Bloxhame interrogated Secretary to the Board of Trade, who replied it
was perfectly true that the towers were built to the order of Gideon
Morse and were his property. Morse has entered into an agreement with
the Government engaging not to use the towers for wireless telegraphy or
for any other purpose than a strictly private one, which appears to be
that he intends to live on the platforms on the top. At his death the
whole property will pass into possession of the Government, to be used
for wireless purposes, or for the principal aeroplane station between
England and the Continent. Aeroplanes, when the existing buildings are
removed, will be able to alight from the platforms in numbers.
Expenditure from first to last, Board of Trade estimates at seven
millions. Feeling of House at such a magnificent gift to the Nation,
which is bound to fall in within twenty years or so, friendly and
satisfactory. In answer to a question from Commander Crosman, M.P. for
Rodwell, President Board of Aerial Control announces that strict orders
have been issued that aeroplanes are not to circle round the towers or
in any way annoy present proprietor. The House is greatly amused and
interested at this romantic news."
Williams departed to issue another "Extra Special," and I was once more
left alone. Obviously the secret was out, it was startling enough in all
conscience, and, as I thought, merely the whim of a madman. And yet
there were aspects of it which were inexplicable. There could be no
doubt whatever that Gideon Morse had flouted English society, which had
treated him with extreme kindness, in a way that it would never forget.
That surely was not the action of a sane man. If he had wanted to build
for himself a lordly "pleasure house" to which he might retire upon
occasions, a sane man would have arranged things very differently.
Certainly, and this was not without some bitter satisfaction to me, he
had ruined his daughter's chances of a brilliant marriage--for a long
time at any rate. I saw that secrecy had been necessary, though it had
been carried to an extreme degree; but why had he fooled me under the
guise of friendship? Surely he could have trusted my word.
I was furious as I thought of the way I had been done. I was furious
also, and worse than furious, alarmed, when I thought of Juanita. Had
she been in the plot the whole time? Did she like being spirited away
from all that could make a young girl's life bright and happy? What
_was_ at the bottom of it all?
The only thing to do was to try and keep ahead, or level, with my rival
contemporaries in the matter of news, and privately to wait on events,
and think the matter out definitely. For the next few days, weeks
perhaps, some of the acutest brains in England would be puzzled over
this problem, and if there was really anything more in it than the freak
of a colossal egotist, who thus, with a superb gesture, signified his
scorn of the world, then some light might come.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account