wasn’twrappedinflames。Ioughttohaverealisedinstantlyitwasn’tthat。Idid，atanyrate，whateverotherimpressionstherewere，releasethewindingoftheouternetandlettheballoonexpandagain，andthatnodoubtdidsomethingtobreakmyfall。Idon’trememberdoingthat。Indeed，allIdorememberisthegiddyeffectuponthelandscapeoffallingswiftlyuponitdownaflatspiral，thehurriedrushoffieldsandtreesandcottagesonmyleftshoulderandtheoverhungfeelingasifthewholeapparatuswaspressingdownthetopofmyhead。Ididn’tstoporattempttostopthescrew。Thatwasgoingon，swish，swish，swishallthetime。
CothopereallyknowsmoreaboutthefallthanIdo。Hedescribestheeasterlystart，thetilt，andtheappearanceandburstingofasortofbladderaft。ThendownIswooped，veryswiftly，butnotnearlysosteeplyasIimaginedIwasdoing。“Fifteenortwentydegrees。”saidCothope，“tobeexact。”FromhimitwasthatIlearntthatIletthenetslooseagain，andsoarrestedmyfall。HethinksIwasmoreincontrolofmyselfthanIremember。
ButIdonotseewhyIshouldhaveforgottensoexcellentaresolution。HisimpressionisthatIwasreallysteeringandtryingtodropintotheFarthingDownbeeches。“Youhitthetrees。”hesaid，“andthewholeaffairstoodonitsnoseamongthem，andthenveryslowlycrumpledup。Isawyou’dbeenjerkedout，asIthought，andIdidn’tstayformore。Irushedformybicycle。”
Asamatteroffact，itwaspurelyaccidentalthatIcamedowninthewoods。IamreasonablycertainthatIhadnomorecontrolthenthanathinginaparcel。IrememberIfeltasortofwincing，“Nowitcomes！”asthetreesrusheduptome。IfI
rememberthat，Ishouldremembersteering。Thenthepropellersmashed，everythingstoppedwithajerk，andIwasfallingintoamassofyellowingleaves，andLordRobertsA，soitseemedtome，wasgoingbackintothesky。