Force" would be gradually brought into play
in order to avert the unpleasant consequences of a fall of some forty
odd thousand miles.
Andrew Murgatroyd, relieved from his duties in the wheel-house, made a
careful inspection of the auxiliary machinery, which was under his
special charge, and then retired to his quarters in the after end of the
vessel to prepare his own evening meal.
Meanwhile, her Ladyship, with the help of the ingenious contrivances
with which the kitchen of the _Astronef_ was stocked, had prepared a
dainty little _souper a deux_. Her husband opened a bottle of the finest
champagne that the cellars of Smeaton could supply, to drink to the
prosperity of the voyage, and the health of his beautiful
fellow-voyager. When he had filled the two tall glasses the wine began
to run over the side which was toward the stern of the vessel. They took
no notice of this at first, but when Zaidie put her glass down she
stared at it for a moment, and said, in a half-frightened voice:
"Why, what's the matter, Lenox? look at the wine! It won't keep
straight, and yet the table's perfectly level--and see! the water in the
jug looks as though it were going to run up the side."
Redgrave took up the glass and held it balanced in his hand. When he had
got the surface of the wine level the glass was no longer perpendicular
to the table.
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