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Page 31
"Now, sirs, if that is what you wanted you can reply." Then, leaning
over the rail, he remained absorbed in contemplation.
When he raised his head the president and secretary of the Weldon
Institute stood by his side.
"Engineer Robur," said Uncle Prudent, in vain endeavoring to control
himself, "we have nothing to ask about what you seem to believe, but
we wish to ask you a question which we think you would do well to
answer."
"Speak."
"By what right did you attack us in Philadelphia in Fairmount Park?
By what right did you shut us up in that prison? By what right have
you brought us against our will on board this flying machine?"
"And by what right, Messieurs Balloonists, did you insult and
threaten me in your club in such a way that I am astonished I came
out of it alive?"
"To ask is not to answer," said Phil Evans, "and I repeat, by what
right?"
"Do you wish to know?"
"If you please."
"Well, by the right of the strongest!"
"That is cynical."
"But it is true."
"And for how long, citizen engineer," asked Uncle Prudent, who was
nearly exploding, "for how long do you intend to exercise that right?"
"How can you?" said Robur, ironically, "how can you ask me such a
question when you have only to cast down your eyes to enjoy a
spectacle unparalleled in the world?"
The "Albatross" was then sweeping across the immense expanse of Lake
Ontario. She had just crossed the country so poetically described by
Cooper. Then she followed the southern shore and headed for the
celebrated river which pours into it the waters of Lake Erie,
breaking them to powder in its cataracts.
In an instant a majestic sound, a roar as of the tempest, mounted
towards them and, as if a humid fog had been projected into the air,
the atmosphere sensibly freshened. Below were the liquid masses. They
seemed like an enormous flowing sheet of crystal amid a thousand
rainbows due to refraction as it decomposed the solar rays. The sight
was sublime.
Before the falls a foot-bridge, stretching like a thread, united one
bank to the other. Three miles below was a suspension-bridge, across
which a train was crawling from the Canadian to the American bank.
"The falls of Niagara!" exclaimed Phil Evans. And as the exclamation
escaped him, Uncle Prudent was doing all could do to admire nothing
of these wonders.
A minute afterwards the "Albatross" had crossed the river which
separates the United States from Canada, and was flying over the vast
territories of the West.
Chapter IX
ACROSS THE PRAIRIE
In one, of the cabins of the after-house Uncle Prudent and Phil Evans
had found two excellent berths, with clean linen, change of clothes,
and traveling-cloaks and rugs. No Atlantic liner could have offered
them more comfort. If they did not sleep soundly it was that they did
not wish to do so, or rather that their very real anxiety prevented
them. In what adventure had they embarked? To what series of
experiments had they been invited? How would the business end? And
above all, what was Robur going to do with them?
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