HeleftBertonhiswall，graveandpensive，withhiscaponthebackofhishead，andacigarettesmoulderinginthecornerofhismouth。
\"Ifwhathesaysistrue，\"saidBert，\"meandGrubb，webeenwastingourblessedoldtime。Besidesincurringexpensewiththetgreen—’ouse。\"
5
ItwaswhilethismysterioustalkwiththesoldierstillstirredinBertSmallways’imaginationthatthemostastoundingincidentinthewholeofthatdramaticchapterofhumanhistory，thecomingofflying，occurred。Peopletalkgliblyenoughofepoch—makingevents;thiswasanepoch—makingevent。ItwastheunanticipatedandentirelysuccessfulflightofMr。AlfredButteridgefromtheCrystalPalacetoGlasgowandbackinasmallbusinesslike—lookingmachineheavierthanair——anentirelymanageableandcontrollablemachinethatcouldflyaswellasapigeon。
Itwasn’t，onefelt，afreshstepforwardinthemattersomuchasagiantstride，aleap。Mr。Butteridgeremainedintheairaltogetherforaboutninehours，andduringthattimeheflewwiththeeaseandassuranceofabird。Hismachinewas，howeverneitherbird—likenorbutterfly—like，norhaditthewide，lateralexpansionoftheordinaryaeroplane。Theeffectupontheobserverwasrathersomethinginthenatureofabeeorwasp。