ined my air-ship!" said Morgana,
suddenly--"He was perhaps dreaming vaguely of something like it when he
wrote about--"

'A winged messenger of heaven
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air!'

"The 'White Eagle' sails upon the bosom of the air!"

"Quite true"--said the Marchese Rivardi, looking at her as she stood,
bathed in the moonlight, a nymph-like figure of purely feminine charm,
as unlike the accepted idea of a "science" scholar as could well be
imagined--"And the manner of its sailing is a mystery which you only
can explain! Surely you will reveal this secret?--especially when so
many rush into the air-craft business without any idea of the
scientific laws by which you uphold your great design? Much has been
said and written concerning new schemes for air-vessels moved by
steam--"

"That is so like men!" interrupted Morgana, with a laugh--"They will
think of steam power when they are actually in possession of
electricity!--and they will stick to electricity without moving the one
step further which would give them the full use of radio-activity! They
will 'bungle' to the end!--and their bungling is always brought about
by an ineffable conceit of their own so-called 'logical' conclusions!
Poor dears!--they 'get there' at last--and in the course of centuries
find out what they could have discovered in a month if they had opened
their minds as well as their eyes!"

"Well, then,--help them now," said Rivardi--"Give them the chance to
learn your secret!"

Morgana moved away from the column where she had leaned, and came more
fully into the broad moonlight.

"My dear Marchese Giulio!" she said, indulgently, "You really are a
positive child in your very optimistic look-out on the world of to-day!
Suppose I were to 'give them the chance,' as you suggest, to learn my
secret, how do you think I should be received? I might go to the great
scientific institutions of London and Paris and I might ask to be
heard--I might offer to give a 'demonstration,'" here she began to
laugh; "Oh dear!--it would never do for a woman to 'demonstrate' and
terrify all the male professors, would it! No!--well, I should probably
have to wait months before being 'heard,'--then I should probably meet
with the chill repudiation dealt out to that wonderful Hindu scientist,
Jagadis Bose, by Burdon Sanderson when the brilliant Indian savant
tried to teach men what they never knew before