第58章

wasn’twrappedinflames。Ioughttohaverealisedinstantlyitwasn’tthat。Idid，atanyrate，whateverotherimpressionstherewere，releasethewindingoftheouternetandlettheballoonexpandagain，andthatnodoubtdidsomethingtobreakmyfall。Idon’trememberdoingthat。Indeed，allIdorememberisthegiddyeffectuponthelandscapeoffallingswiftlyuponitdownaflatspiral，thehurriedrushoffieldsandtreesandcottagesonmyleftshoulderandtheoverhungfeelingasifthewholeapparatuswaspressingdownthetopofmyhead。Ididn’tstoporattempttostopthescrew。Thatwasgoingon，swish，swish，swishallthetime。

CothopereallyknowsmoreaboutthefallthanIdo。Hedescribestheeasterlystart，thetilt，andtheappearanceandburstingofasortofbladderaft。ThendownIswooped，veryswiftly，butnotnearlysosteeplyasIimaginedIwasdoing。“Fifteenortwentydegrees。”saidCothope，“tobeexact。”FromhimitwasthatIlearntthatIletthenetslooseagain，andsoarrestedmyfall。HethinksIwasmoreincontrolofmyselfthanIremember。

ButIdonotseewhyIshouldhaveforgottensoexcellentaresolution。HisimpressionisthatIwasreallysteeringandtryingtodropintotheFarthingDownbeeches。“Youhitthetrees。”hesaid，“andthewholeaffairstoodonitsnoseamongthem，andthenveryslowlycrumpledup。Isawyou’dbeenjerkedout，asIthought，andIdidn’tstayformore。Irushedformybicycle。”

Asamatteroffact，itwaspurelyaccidentalthatIcamedowninthewoods。IamreasonablycertainthatIhadnomorecontrolthenthanathinginaparcel。IrememberIfeltasortofwincing，“Nowitcomes！”asthetreesrusheduptome。IfI

rememberthat，Ishouldremembersteering。Thenthepropellersmashed，everythingstoppedwithajerk，andIwasfallingintoamassofyellowingleaves，andLordRobertsA，soitseemedtome，wasgoingbackintothesky。

Ifelttwigsandthingshitmeintheface，butIdidn’tfeelinjuredatthetime；Iclutchedatthingsthatbroke，tumbledthroughafrothofgreenandyellowintoashadowyworldofgreatbark-coveredarms，andthere，snatchingwildly，gotagriponafairroundbranch，andhung。

Ibecameintenselyalertandclear-headed。Iheldbythatbranchforamomentandthenlookedaboutme，andcaughtatanother，andthenfoundmyselfholdingtoapracticablefork。I

swungforwardtothatandgotalegarounditbelowitsjunction，andsowasablepresentlytoclamberdown，climbingverycoollyanddeliberately。Idroppedtenfeetorsofromthelowestbranchandfellonmyfeet。“That’sallright。”Isaid，andstaredupthroughthetreetoseewhatIcouldofthedeflatedandcrumpledremainsthathadoncebeenLordRobertsAfestoonedonthebranchesithadbroken。“Gods！”Isaid，“whatatumble！”

Iwipedsomethingthattrickledfrommyfaceandwasshockedtoseemyhandcoveredwithblood。Ilookedatmyselfandsawwhatseemedtomeanastonishingquantityofbloodrunningdownmyarmandshoulder。Iperceivedmymouthwasfullofblood。It’saqueermomentwhenonerealisesoneishurt，andperhapsbadlyhurt，andhasstilltodiscoverjusthowfaroneishurt。I

exploredmyfacecarefullyandfoundunfamiliarcontoursontheleftside。Thebrokenendofabranchhaddrivenrightthroughmycheek，damagingmycheekandteethandgums，andleftasplinterofitselfstuck，likeanexplorer’sfartherest-pointflag，intheuppermaxillary。Thatandasprainedwristwereallmydamage。ButIbledasthoughIhadbeenchoppedtopieces，anditseemedtomethatmyfacehadbeendrivenin。Ican’tdescribejustthehorribledisgustIfeltatthat。

“Thisbloodmustbestopped，anyhow。”Isaid，thickheadedly。

“Iwonderwherethere’saspider’swe