For more than an hour the two wanderers from the far-off Earth stood
motionless and silent, gazing on the indescribable splendours of the
fearfully magnificent spectacle before them. Every mundane thought
seemed burnt out of their souls by the glory and the wonder of it. It
was almost as though they were standing in the very presence of God.
Indeed, were they not witnessing the supreme act of Omnipotence, a new
creation? Their peril, a peril such as had never threatened mortals
before, was utterly forgotten. They had even forgotten each other's
presence. For the time being they existed only to look and to wonder.
They were called at length out of their trance by the matter-of-fact
voice of Murgatroyd saying--
"My Lord, she's back to her course. Will I keep the power on full?"
"Eh! What's that?" exclaimed Redgrave, as they both turned quickly
round. "Oh, it's you, Murgatroyd. The power? Yes, keep it on full till I
have taken the bearings."
"Ay, my Lord, very good," replied the engineer.
As he left the deck Redgrave put his arm round Zaidie and drew her
gently towards him and said, "Zaidie, truly you are favoured among
women! You have seen the beginning of a new creation. You will certainly
be saved somehow after that."
"Yes, and you too, dear," she murmured, as though still half-dreaming.
"It is very glorious and wonderful; but what is it all--I mean, what is
the explanation of it?"
"The merely scientific explanation, dear, is very simple.
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