Wings of the Morning explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Surveillance and Paranoia

  Lanyard's constant fear of pursuit and espionage, exemplified by the monoplane's chase and the Pack's ability to track their movements.

• Fate and Chance

  The uncertain outcome of the flight, the unpredictable timing of the pursuit, and the narrow escape from gunfire highlight the role of chance.

Characters to notice

• Michael Lanyard

  The protagonist, flying with Lucy Shannon, remains calm yet anxious about the pursuit by the Valkyr monoplane.

• Lucy Shannon

  Accompanies Lanyard on the flight, showing courage and high spirits despite the danger.

• Captain Vauquelin

  The pilot of the Parrott biplane, wounded in the arm by gunfire from the pursuing monoplane.

• Monsieur Hector Ducroy

  The Minister of War, overseeing the departure at Port Aviation and bidding farewell to Lanyard and Lucy.

• Comte Remy de Morbihan

  Implied as the owner of the pursuing Valkyr monoplane, though not directly present.

• Adolph Ekstrom

  Suspected by Lanyard as a possible pilot of the pursuing monoplane.

Key passages

• “untempered wonder the fact of his equanimity: there seemed nothing at all strange in this extraordinary experience; he was by no means excited, remained merely if deeply interested.”

  Lanyard felt surprisingly calm and unexcited, as if the extraordinary flight was perfectly ordinary.

  Describes Lanyard's unusual composure during the flight.

• “But the pace was now so fast and their elevation so great that the landscape swimming beneath his vision was no more than a brownish plain fugitively maculated with blots of contrasting colour.”

  The speed and altitude made the ground below look like a blurry brown patchwork.

  Illustrates the disorienting view from the aircraft.

• “The reason why he had been able to perceive no real rim to the world was that the earth was all a-steam from the recent heavy rains; all the more remote distances were veiled with rising vapour.”

  The horizon was obscured by mist rising from the rain-soaked ground.

  Explains the foggy conditions affecting visibility.

• “Behind them, at a distance which he calculated roughly as two miles, the silhouette of a monoplane hung against the brilliant firmament, resembling, with its single spread of wings, more a solitary, soaring gull than any man-directed mechanism.”

  A monoplane was following them, looking like a bird in the sky.

  Describes the appearance of the pursuing aircraft.

• “The eyes of the aviator, lifting from the perforation to meet Lanyard's stare, were clouded with consternation.”

  Vauquelin looked shocked when he saw the bullet hole in his sleeve.

  Reveals the pilot's alarm at being shot.