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Ay, thats the point! exclaimed the young comet. What does it all amount to? That is what I am determined to find out. I cannot understand your going on, travelling and travelling, and never finding out why you do it. I shall find out, you may be very sure, before I have finished my first journey.
Better not! better not! answered the old comet. Youll only get into trouble. Nobody knows except the Comet Master and the Sun. The Master would cut you up into inch pieces if you asked him, and the Sun
Well, what about the Sun? asked the young comet, eagerly.
Short-tailed Comet No. 73! rang suddenly, clear and sharp, through the court-yard.
The young comet started as if he had been shot, and in three bounds he stood before the Comet Master, who looked fixedly at him.
You have never been out before, said the Master.
No, sir! replied No. 73; and he knew better than to add another word.
You will go out now, said the Comet Master. You will travel for thirteen weeks and three days, and will then return. You will avoid the neighborhood of the Sun, the Earth, and the planet Bungo. You will turn to the left on meeting other comets, and you are not allowed to speak to meteors. These are your orders. Go!
At the word, the comet shot out of the gate and off into space, his short tail bobbing as he went.
Ah! here was something worth living for. No longer shut up in that tiresome court-yard, waiting for ones tail to grow, but out in the free, open, boundless realm of space, with leave to shoot about here and there and everywhere well, nearly everywhere for thirteen whole weeks! Ah, what a glorious prospect! How swiftly he moved! How well his tail looked, even though it was still rather short! What a fine fellow he was, altogether!
For two or three weeks our comet was the happiest creature in all space; too happy to think of anything except the joy of frisking about. But by-and-by he began to wonder about things, and that is always dangerous for a comet.
I wonder, now, he said, why I may not go near the planet Bungo. I have always heard that he was the most interesting of all the planets. And the Sun! how I should like to know a little more about the Sun! And, by the way, that reminds me that all this time I have never found out why I am travelling. It shows how I have been enjoying myself, that I have forgotten it so long; but now I must certainly make a point of finding out. Hello! there comes Long-Tail No. 45. I mean to ask him.
So he turned out to the left, and waited till No. 45 came along. The latter was a middle-aged comet, very large, and with an uncommonly long tail, quite preposterously long, our little No. 73 thought, as he shook his own tail and tried to make as much of it as possible.
Good morning, Mr. Long-Tail! he said as soon as the other was within speaking distance. Would you be so very good as to tell me what you are travelling for?
For six months, answered No. 45 with a puff and a snort. Started a month ago; five months still to go.
Oh, I dont mean that! exclaimed Short-Tail No. 73. I mean why are you travelling at all?
Comet Master sent me! replied No. 45, briefly.
But what for? persisted the little comet. What is it all about? What good does it do? Why do we travel for weeks and months and years? Thats what I want to find out.
Dont know, Im sure! said the elder, still more shortly. Whats more, dont care!
The little comet fairly shook with amazement and indignation. You dont care! he cried. Is it possible? And how long, may I ask, have you been travelling hither and thither through space, without knowing or caring why?
Long enough to learn not to ask stupid questions! answered Long-Tail No. 45. Good morning to you!
And without another word he was off, with his preposterously long tail spreading itself like a luminous fan behind him. The little comet looked after him for some time in silence. At last he said:
Well, I call that simply disgusting ! An ignorant, narrow-minded old
Hello, cousin! called a clear merry voice just behind him. How goes it with you? Shall we travel together? Our roads seem to go in the same direction.
The comet turned and saw a bright and sparkling meteor. I I must
not speak to you! said No. 73, confusedly.
Not speak to me! exclaimed the meteor, laughing. Why, whats the matter? What have I done? I never saw you before in my life.
N-nothing that I know of, answered No. 73, still more confused.
Then why mustnt you speak to me? persisted the meteor, giving a little skip and jump. Eh? tell me that, will you? Why mustnt you?
I dont know! answered the little comet, slowly, for he was ashamed to say boldly, as he ought to have done, that it was against the orders of the Comet Master.
Oh, gammon! cried the meteor, with another skip. I know! Comet Master, eh? But a fine high-spirited young fellow like you isnt going to be afraid of that old tyrant. Come along, I say! If there were any real reason why you should not speak to me
Thats just what I say, interrupted the comet, eagerly. What IS the reason? Why dont they tell it to me?