Read Online The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amy Brill
Tags: Historical
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Pollux again sighted the nebulae around what may be a double-star, though I could not find it in the catalogue. Yesterday I did not see it. It will require further observations to determine. No wanderers sighted. My student, Isaac Martin, did have his first taste of the Heavens this night, and was suitably dazzled. He is humble, but observant. Whether he will have the diligence necessary to succeed in his work is as yet unclear.
. 6 . Nathaniel’s plan
I
f you could take a seat, for a moment,” Hannah said the following week, without looking up, when she heard the door to the walk shudder and squawk. The nebula she’d been observing would not resolve; it seemed to slip in and out of her field, a silken fog speckled with distant stars like a celestial egg. “I’m still trying to get a clear look at this nebula. Until it’s risen a bit higher, though, I doubt I’ll be able to see what I’m looking at.”
When Isaac didn’t answer, she raised her voice, but not her head.
“I left the beginning of the lesson on the desk downstairs; you may start on it if you wish.”
“May I?” her father answered.
“Oh!” Hannah bobbed up like a buoy at the sound of his voice and swiveled around. “Hello. I didn’t—I mean, I wasn’t expecting thee.” Her stomach twisted with unexpected fear. She hadn’t yet mentioned Isaac to her father, but he’d barely been home in weeks.
“So I guessed. Who’s the beneficiary of thy lessons?”
“A new student. In navigation.” She instinctively omitted the details. She didn’t think the color of Isaac’s skin would bother him, but she still knew little about her student. He claimed to be temperate, but she couldn’t prove it. She didn’t know where he lived or what his history was.
Isaac could be dangerous, she supposed. But he’d shown such reverence when he looked through the telescope. He might not be religious, but he’d been moved by the beauty of their Creator’s design. That was surely a mark in favor of his character. And in any case, she’d convinced him that he could learn; now she had to keep teaching him.
Glancing back at the telescope, she rubbed her bare hands together to warm them.
“I’m glad it’s you, though. Maybe you can resolve more of this nebula than I can. If indeed it is a nebula. I thought I detected some motion from a few nights ago.”
He stepped closer, the familiar high ridge of his forehead emerging out of the dark, and she scrambled off the stool so he could look.
“I came up to ask about the ledgers,” he said, but eased himself onto the small seat. “Now, don’t keep thy father in suspense. What am I looking at? Are you readying a challenge to Mr. Adams’ conclusions?”
“Do you see the body just a few degrees north of Antares, near that second-magnitude star? It’s nearly in the crosshairs, and there’s a fair bit of nebulosity. I’m unsure if it’s the same body I saw a few nights ago.” She paused while he looked. “Though, on the topic of Mr. Adams, George just sent the latest summary of his findings.”
Hannah sat down on the cold walk and tucked her knees in close to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and when her father didn’t answer, she lay down on her back and watched the stars. Giving the weight of her calves and shoulder blades and head to the hard wood planks made her feel like a child again. Her eyes watered from the cold; her hands were stiff as old leather. But she felt happy. This was what she’d wanted. To work together, as they always had. To talk about what mattered.
The only thing missing was Edward. But the last frost was coming: Hannah had smelled Spring in the air the last few mornings, even as she tapped through the ice in the basin to wash her face. The Regiment would be home by shearing, in June, Edward had written; that was only two months away.
Her nose was running. Twin streams of salty tears ran from her eyes toward her ears.
“I believe what thee is looking at here is a portion of
. 6 . Nathaniel’s plan
I
f you could take a seat, for a moment,” Hannah said the following week, without looking up, when she heard the door to the walk shudder and squawk. The nebula she’d been observing would not resolve; it seemed to slip in and out of her field, a silken fog speckled with distant stars like a celestial egg. “I’m still trying to get a clear look at this nebula. Until it’s risen a bit higher, though, I doubt I’ll be able to see what I’m looking at.”
When Isaac didn’t answer, she raised her voice, but not her head.
“I left the beginning of the lesson on the desk downstairs; you may start on it if you wish.”
“May I?” her father answered.
“Oh!” Hannah bobbed up like a buoy at the sound of his voice and swiveled around. “Hello. I didn’t—I mean, I wasn’t expecting thee.” Her stomach twisted with unexpected fear. She hadn’t yet mentioned Isaac to her father, but he’d barely been home in weeks.
“So I guessed. Who’s the beneficiary of thy lessons?”
“A new student. In navigation.” She instinctively omitted the details. She didn’t think the color of Isaac’s skin would bother him, but she still knew little about her student. He claimed to be temperate, but she couldn’t prove it. She didn’t know where he lived or what his history was.
Isaac could be dangerous, she supposed. But he’d shown such reverence when he looked through the telescope. He might not be religious, but he’d been moved by the beauty of their Creator’s design. That was surely a mark in favor of his character. And in any case, she’d convinced him that he could learn; now she had to keep teaching him.
Glancing back at the telescope, she rubbed her bare hands together to warm them.
“I’m glad it’s you, though. Maybe you can resolve more of this nebula than I can. If indeed it is a nebula. I thought I detected some motion from a few nights ago.”
He stepped closer, the familiar high ridge of his forehead emerging out of the dark, and she scrambled off the stool so he could look.
“I came up to ask about the ledgers,” he said, but eased himself onto the small seat. “Now, don’t keep thy father in suspense. What am I looking at? Are you readying a challenge to Mr. Adams’ conclusions?”
“Do you see the body just a few degrees north of Antares, near that second-magnitude star? It’s nearly in the crosshairs, and there’s a fair bit of nebulosity. I’m unsure if it’s the same body I saw a few nights ago.” She paused while he looked. “Though, on the topic of Mr. Adams, George just sent the latest summary of his findings.”
Hannah sat down on the cold walk and tucked her knees in close to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, and when her father didn’t answer, she lay down on her back and watched the stars. Giving the weight of her calves and shoulder blades and head to the hard wood planks made her feel like a child again. Her eyes watered from the cold; her hands were stiff as old leather. But she felt happy. This was what she’d wanted. To work together, as they always had. To talk about what mattered.
The only thing missing was Edward. But the last frost was coming: Hannah had smelled Spring in the air the last few mornings, even as she tapped through the ice in the basin to wash her face. The Regiment would be home by shearing, in June, Edward had written; that was only two months away.
Her nose was running. Twin streams of salty tears ran from her eyes toward her ears.
“I believe what thee is looking at here is a portion of
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