accepted as a fact. The copper cloud was tumbling down towards
the earth, like some gigantic leaf from the copper beeches. And
as it came nearer it was evident, first, that it was not a cloud,
and, second, that it was not itself of the colour of copper;
only, being burnished like a mirror, it had reflected the
red-brown colours of the burning clouds. As the thing whirled
like a windswept leaf down towards the wall of the garden it was
clear that it was some sort of air-ship made of metal, and
slapping the air with big broad fins of steel. When it came about
a hundred feet above the garden, a shaggy, lean figure leapt up
in it, almost black against the bronze and scarlet of the west,
and, flinging out a kind of hook or anchor, caught on to the
green apple-tree just under the wall; and from that fixed holding
ground the ship swung in the red tempest like a captive balloon.

While our friend stood frozen for an instant by his astonishment,
the queer figure in the airy car tipped the vehicle almost upside
down by leaping over the side of it, seemed to slide or drop down
the rope like a monkey, and alighted (with impossible precision
and placidity) seated on the edge of the wall, over which he
kicked and dangled his legs as he grinned at Turnbull. The wind
roared in the trees yet more ruinous and desolate, the red tails
of the sunset were dragged downward like red dragons sucked down
to death, and still on the top of the asylum wall sat the
sinister figure with the grimace, swinging his feet in tune with
the tempest; while above him, at the end of its tossing or
tightened cord, the enormous iron air-ship floated as light and
as little noticed as a baby's balloon upon its string.

Turnbull's first movement after sixty motionless seconds was to