gulliver of mars-第15章

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　iron；　the　sinews　of　my　neck　and　forearms　a　mass　of　agonies　and　no　more　fit　to　swim　me　to　those　reedy　swamps；　which　now；　as　pain　and　hunger　began　to　tell；　seemed　to　wear　the　aspects　of　paradise。

With　a　groan　I　dropped　back　upon　my　raft　and　watched　the　islands　slipping　by；　while　over　my　feet　the　southern　sky　darkened　to　purple。　　There　was　no　help　there；　but　glanc…　ing　round　away　on　the　left　and　a　few　furlongs　from　me；　I　noticed　on　the　surface　of　the　water　two　converging　strands　of　brightness；　an　angle　the　point　of　which　seemed　to　be　coming　towards　me。　　Nearer　it　came　and　nearer；　right　across　my　road；　until　I　could　see　a　black　dot　at　the　point；　a　head　presently　developed；　then　as　we　approached　the　ears　and　antlers　of　a　swimming　stag。　　It　was　a　huge　beast　as　it　loomed　up　against　the　glow；　bigger　than　any　mortal　stag　ever　wasthe　kind　of　fellow…traveller　no　one　would　willingly　accost；　but　even　if　I　had　wished　to　get　out　of　its　path　I　had　no　power　to　do　so。

Closer　and　closer　we　came；　one　of　us　drifting　helplessly；　and　the　other　swimming　strongly　for　the　islands。　　When　we　were　about　a　furlong　apart　the　great　beast　seemed　to　change　its　course；　mayhap　it　took　the　wreckage　on　which　I　floated　for　an　outlying　shoal；　something　on　which　it　could　rest　a　space　in　that　long　swim。　　Be　this　as　it　may；　the　beast　came　hurtling　down　on　me　lip　deep　in　the　waves；　a　mighty　brown　head　with　pricked　ears　that　flicked　the　water　from　them　now　and　then；　small　bright　eyes　set　far　back；　and　wide　palmated　antlers　on　a　mighty　forehead；　like　the　dead　branches　of　a　tree。　　What　that　Martian　mountain　elk　had　hoped　for　can　only　be　guessed；　what　he　met　with　was　a　tangle　of　floating　finery　carrying　a　numbed　traveller　on　it；　and　with　a　snort　of　disappointment　he　turned　again。

It　was　a　poor　chance；　but　better　than　nothing；　and　as　he　turned　I　tried　to　throw　a　strand　of　silk　I　had　unwound　from　the　sodden　mass　over　his　branching　tines。　　Quick　as　thought　the　beast　twisted　his　head　aside　and　tossed　his　antlers　so　that　the　try　was　fruitless。　　But　was　I　to　lose　my　only　chance　of　shore？　　With　all　my　strength　I　hurled　myself　upon　him；　missing　my　clutch　again　by　a　hair's…breadth　and　going　head…　long　into　the　salt　furrow　his　chest　was　turning　up。　　Happily　I　kept　hold　of　the　web；　for　the　great　elk　then　turned　back；　passing　between　me　and　the　ruck　of　stuff　and　getting　thereby　the　silk　under　his　chin；　and　as　I　came　gasping　to　the　top　once　more　round　came　that　dainty　wreckage　over　his　back；　and　I　clutched　it；　and　sooner　than　it　takes　to　tell　I　was　towing　to　the　shore　as　perhaps　no　one　was　ever　towed　before。

The　big　beast　dragged　the　ruck　like　withered　weed　be…　hind　him；　bellowing　all　the　time　with　a　voice　which　made　the　hills　echo　all　round；　and　then；　when　he　got　his　feet　upon　the　shallows；　rose　dripping　and　mountainous；　a　very　cliff　of　black　hide　and　limb　against　the　night　shine；　and　with　a　single　sweep　of　his　antlers　tore　the　webbing　from　me；　who　lay　prone　and　breathless　in　the　mud；　and；　thinking　it　was　his　enemy；　hurled　the　limp　bundle　on　the　beach；　and　then；　having　pounded　it　with　his　cloven　feet　into　formless　shreds；　bellowed　again　victoriously　and　went　off　into　the　dark…　ness　of　the　forests。




CHAPTER　IX

I　landed；　stiff　enough　as　you　will　guess；　but　pleased　to　be　on　shore　again。　　It　was　a　melancholy　neighbourhood　of　low　islands；　overgrown　with　rank　grass　and　bushes；　salt　water　encircling　them；　and　inside　sandy　dunes　and　hummocks　with　shallow　pools；　gleaming　ghostly　in　the　retreating　daylight；　while　beyond　these　rose　the　black　bosses　of　what　looked　like　a　forest。　　Thither　I　made　my　way；　plunging　uncomfortably　through　shallows；　and　tripping　over　blackened　branches　which；　lying　just　below　the　surface；　quivered　like　snakes　as　the　evening　breeze　ruffled　each　surface；　until　the　ground　hardened　under　foot；　and　presently　I　was　standing；　hungry　and　faint　but　safe；　on　dry　land　again。

The　forest　was　so　close　to　the　sea；　one　could　not　advance　without　entering　it；　and　once　within　its　dark　arcades　every　way　looked　equally　gloomy　and　hopeless。　　I　struggled　through　tangles　night　made　more　and　more　impenetrable　each　min…　ute；　until　presently　I　could　go　no　further；　and　where　a　dense　canopy　of　trees　overhead　gave　out　for　a　minute　on　the　edge　of　a　swampy　hollow；　I　determined　to　wait　for　daylight。

Never　was　there　a　more　wet　or　weary　traveller；　or　one　more　desperately　lonely　than　he　who　wrapped　himself　up　in　the　miserable　insufficiency　of　his　wet　rags；　and　without　fire　or　supper　crept　amongst　the　exposed　roots　of　a　tree　growing　out　of　a　bank；　and　prepared　to　hope　grimly　for　morning。

Round　and　round　meanwhile　was　drawn　the　close　screen　of　night；　till　the　clearing　in　front　was　blotted　out；　and　only　the　tree…tops；　black　as　rugged　hills　one　behind　the　other；　stood　out　against　the　heavy　purple　of　the　circlet　of　sky　above。　　As　the　evening　deepened　the　quaintest　noises　began　on　every　handnoises　so　strange　and　bewildering　that　as　I　cowered　down　with　my　teeth　chattering；　and　stared　hard　into　the　impenetrable；　they　could　be　likened　to　nothing　but　the　crying　of　all　the　souls　of　dead　things　since　the　beginning。　Never　was　there　such　an　infernal　chorus　as　that　which　played　up　the　Martian　stars。　　Down　there　in　front；　where　hummock　grass　was　growing；　some　beast　squeaked　contin…　uously；　till　I　shouted　at　him；　then　he　stopped　a　minute；　and　began　again　in　entirely　another　note。　　Away　on　the　hills　two　rival　monsters　were　calling　to　each　other　in　tones　so　hollow　they　seemed　as　I　listened　to　penetrate　through　me；　and　echo　out　of　my　heart　again。　　Far　overhead；　gigantic　bats　were　flitting；　the　shadow　of　their　wings　dimming　a　dozen　universes　at　once；　and　crying　to　each　other　in　shrill　tones　that　rent　the　air　like　tearing　silk。

As　I　listened　to　those　vampires　discussing　their　infernal　loves　under　the　stars；　from　a　branch　right　overhead　broke　such　a　deathly　howl　from　the　throat　of　a　wandering　forest　cat　that　everything　else　was　hushed　for　a　moment。　　All　about　a　myriad　insects　were　making　night　giddy　with　their　ghostly　fires；　while　underground　and　from　the　labyrinths　of　mat…　ted　roots　came　quaint　sounds　of　rustling　snakes　and　forest　pigs；　and　all　the　lesser　things　that　dig　and　scratch　and　growl。

Yet　I　was　desperately　sleepy；　my　sword　hung　heavy　as　lead　at　my　side；　my　eyelids　drooped；　and　so　at　last　I　dozed　uneasily　for　an　hour　or　two。　　Then；　all　on　a　sudden；　I　came　wide　awake　with　a　shock。　　The　night　was　quieter　now；　away　in　the　forest　depth　strange　noises　still　arose；　but　close　at　hand　was　a　strange　hush；　like　the　hush　of　expecta…　tion；　and；　listening　wonderingly；　I　was　aware　of　slow；　heavy　footsteps　coming　up　from　the　river；　now　two　or　three　steps　together；　then　a　pause；　then　another　step　or　two；　and　as　I　bent　towards　the　approaching　thing；　staring　into　the　dark…　ness；　my　strained　senses　were　conscious　of　another　approach；　as　like　as　could　be；　coming　from　behind　me。　　On　they　came；　making　the　very　ground　quake　with　their　weight；　till　I　judged　that　both　were　about　on　the　edge　of　the　clearing；　two　vast　rat…like　shadows；　but　as　big　as　elephants；　and　bringing　a　most　intolerable　smell　of　sour　slime　with　them。　　There；　on　the　edge　of　the　amphitheatre；　each　for　the　first　time　ap…　peared　to　become　aware　of　the　other's　presencethe　foot…　steps　stopped　dead。　　I　could　hear　the　water　dripping　from　the　fur　of　those　giant　brutes　amongst　the　shadows　and　the　deep　breathing　of　the　one　nearest　me；　a　scanty　ten　paces　off；　but　not　another　sound　in　the　stillness。

Minute　after　minute　passed；　yet　neither　moved。　　A　half…　hour　grew　to　a　full　hour；　and　that　hour　lengthened　amid　the　keenest　tension　till　my　ears　ached　with　listening；　and　my　eyes　were　sore　with　straining　into　the　blackness。　　At　last　I　began　to　wonder　whether　those　earth…shaking　beasts　had　not　been　an　evil　dream；　and　was　just　venturing　to　stretch　out　a　cramped　leg；　and　rally　myself　upon　my　cowardice；　when；　without　warning；　at　my　elbow　rose　the　most　ear…　piercing　scream　of　rage　that　ever　came　from　a　living　throat。　There　was　a　sweeping　rush　in　the　darkness　which　I　could　feel　but　not　see；　and　with　a　shock　the　two　gladiators　met　in　the　midst　of　the　arena。　　Over　and　over　they　went　screaming　and　struggling；　and　slipping　and　plunging。　　I　could　hear　them　tearing　at　each　other；　and　the　sharp　cries　of　pain；　first　one　and　then　another　gave　as　claw　or　tooth　got　home；　and　all　the　time；　though　the　ground　was　quaking　under　their　struggles　and　the　air　full　of　horrible　uproar；　not　a　thing　was　to　be　seen。　　I　did　not　even　know　what　manner　of　beasts　they　were　who　rocked　and　rolled　and　tore　at　each　other's　throats；　but　I　heard　their　teeth　snapping；　and　their　fierce　breath　in　the　pauses　of　the　struggle；　and　could　but　wait　in　a　huddle　amongst　the　roots　until　it　was　over。　　To　and　fro　they　went；　now　at　the　far　side　of　the　dark　clearing；　now　so　close　that　hot　drops　of　blood　from　their　jaws　fell　on　my　face　like　rain　in　the　darkness。　　It　seemed　as　though　the　fight　would　never　end；　but　presently　there　was　more　of　worrying　in　it　and　less　of　snapping；　it　was　clear　one　or　the　other　had　had　enough　and　as　I　marked　this　those　black　shad…　ows　came　gasping　and　struggling　towards　me。　　There　was　a　sudden　sharp　cry；　a　desperate　final　tusslebefore　which　strong　trees　snapped　and　bushes　were　flattened　out　like　grass；　not　twenty　yards　awayand　then　for　a　minute　all　was　silent。

One　of　them　had　killed；　and　as　I　sat　rooted　to　the　spot　I　was　forced　to　listen　while　his　enemy　tore　him　up　and　ate　him。　　Many　a　banquet　have　I　been　at；　but　never　an　uglier　one　than　that。　　I　sat　in　the　darkness　while　the　unknown　thing　at　my　feet　ripped　the　flesh　from　his　half…dead　rival　in　strips；　and　across　the　damp　night　wind　came　the　reek　of　that　abominable　feastthe　reek　of　blood　and　spilt　en…　trailsuntil　I　turned　away　my　face　in　loathing；　and　was　nearly　starting　to　my　feet　to　venture　a　rush　into　the　forest　shadows。　　But　I　was　spellbound；　and　remained　listening　to　the　heavy　munch　of　blood…stained　jaws　until　presently　I　was　aware　other　and　lesser　feasters　were　coming。　　There　was　a　twinkle　of　hungry　eyes　all　about　the　limits　of　the　area；　the　shine　of　green　points　of　envious　fire　that　circled　round　in　decreasing　orbits；　as　the　little　foxes　and　jackals　came　crowding　in。　　One　fellow　took　me　for　a　rock；　so　still　I　sat；　putting　his　hot；　soft　paws　upon　my　knee　for　a　space；　and　others　passed　me　so　near　I　could　all　but　touch　them。

The　big　beast　had　taken　himself　off　by　this　time；　and　there　must　have　been　several　hundreds　of　these　newcomers。　A　merry　time　they　had　of　it；　the　whole　place　was　full　of　the　green；　hurrying　eyes；　and　amidst　the　snap　of　teeth　and　yapping　and　quarrelling　I　could　hear　the　flesh　being　torn　from　the　red　bones　in　every　direction。　　One　wolf…like　individual　brought　a　mass　of　hot　liver　to　eat　between　my　feet；　but　I　gave　him　a　kick；　and　sent　him　away　much　to　his　surprise。　Gradually；　however；　the　sound　of　this　unholy　feast　died　away；　and；　though　you　may　hardly　believe　it；　I　fell　off　into　a　doze。　　It　was　not　sleep；　but　it　served　the　purpose；　and　when　in　an　hour　or　two　a　draught　of　cool　air　roused　me；　I　awoke；　feeling　more　myself　again。

Slowly　morning　came；　and　the　black　wall　of　forest　around　became　full　of　purple　interstices　as　the　east　brightened。　　Those　glimmers　of　light　between　bough　and　trunk　turned　to　yellow　and　red；　the　da