It was the Sun; the Sun shining in the midst of
airless Space.
The tiny atmosphere enclosed in the glass-domed deck-space was lighted
brilliantly, but it was not perceptibly warmer, though Redgrave warned
her not to touch anything upon which the sun's rays fell directly, as
she might find it uncomfortably hot. On the other side was the same
black immensity which she had seen the night before, an ocean of
darkness clustered with islands of light. High above in the zenith
floated the great silver-grey disc of earth, a good deal smaller now.
But there was another object beneath them which was at present of far
more interest to her.
Looking down to the left, she saw a vast semi-luminous area in which not
a star was to be seen. It was the earth-lit portion of the long familiar
and yet mysterious orb which was to be their resting place for the next
few hours.
"The sun hasn't risen over there yet," said Redgrave, as she was peering
down into the void. "It's earth-light still. Now look at the other
side."
She crossed the deck, and saw the strangest scene she had yet beheld.
Apparently only a few miles below her was a huge crescent-shaped plain
arching away for hundreds of miles on either side. The outer edge had a
ragged look, and little excrescences, which soon took the shape of
flat-topped mountains, projected from it and stood out bright and sharp
against the black void beneath, out of which the stars shone up, as it
seemed, a few feet beyond the edge of the disc.
Pages:
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82