I tilted up her nose
at the right moment, levelled again and grounded like a snowflake on a
windless day. I lay flat for an instant and then knelt up and got on my
feet atremble, but very satisfied with myself. Cothope was running down
the hill to me. ...
But from that day I went into training, and I kept myself in training
for many months. I had delayed my experiments for very nearly six weeks
on various excuses because of my dread of this first flight, because of
the slackness of body and spirit that had come to me with the business
life. The shame of that cowardice spurred me none the less because it
was probably altogether my own secret. I felt that Cothope at any rate
might suspect. Well,--he shouldn't suspect again.
It is curious that I remember that shame and self accusation and its
consequences far more distinctly than I recall the weeks of vacillation
before I soared. For a time I went altogether without alcohol, I stopped
smoking altogether and ate very sparingly, and every day I did something
that called a little upon my nerves and muscles.
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