gulliver of mars-第20章

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The　matter　was　simple　enough　when　you　came　to　look　at　it　with　philosophy。　　The　Martians　had　sent　their　dead　down　here　for　many　thousand　years　and　as　they　came　they　were　frozen　in；　the　bands　and　zones　in　which　they　sat　indicating　perhaps　alternating　seasons。　　Then　after　Nature　had　been　storing　them　like　that　for　long　ages　some　up…　heaval　happened；　and　this　cleft　and　lake　opened　through　the　heart　of　the　preserve。　　Probably　the　river　once　ran　far　up　there　where　the　starlight　was　crowning　the　blue　cliffs　with　a　silver　diadem　of　light；　only　when　this　hollow　opened　did　it　slowly　deepen　a　lower　course；　spreading　out　in　a　lake；　and　eventually　tumbling　down　those　icy　steps　lose　itself　in　the　dark　roots　of　the　hills。　　It　was　very　simple；　no　doubt；　but　incredibly　weird　and　wonderful　to　me　who　stood；　the　sole　living　thing　in　that　immense　concourse　of　dead　humanity。

Look　where　I　would　it　was　the　same　everywhere。　　Those　endless　rows　of　frozen　bodies　lying；　sitting；　or　standing　stared　at　me　from　every　niche　and　cornice。　　It　almost　seemed；　as　the　light　veered　slowly　round；　as　though　they　smiled　and　frowned　at　times；　but　never　a　word　was　there　amongst　those　millions；　the　silence　itself　was　audible；　and　save　the　dull　low　thunder　of　the　fall；　so　monotonous　the　ear　be…　came　accustomed　to　and　soon　disregarded　it；　there　was　not　a　sound　anywhere；　not　a　rustle；　not　a　whisper　broke　the　eternal　calm　of　that　great　caravansary　of　the　dead。

The　very　rattle　of　the　shingle　under　my　feet　and　the　jingle　of　my　navy　scabbard　seemed　offensive　in　the　perfect　hush；　and；　too　awed　to　be　frightened；　I　presently　turned　away　from　the　dreadful　shine　of　those　cliffs　and　felt　my　way　along　the　base　of　the　wall　on　my　own　side。　　There　was　no　means　of　escape　that　way；　and　presently　the　shingle　beach　itself　gave　out　as　stated；　where　the　cliff　wall　rose　straight　from　the　surface　of　the　lake；　so　I　turned　back；　and　finding　a　grotto　in　the　ice　determined　to　make　myself　as　comfortable　as　might　be　until　daylight　came。




CHAPTER　XII

Fortunately　there　was　a　good　deal　of　broken　timber　thrown　up　at　〃high…water〃　mark；　and　with　a　stack　of　this　at　the　mouth　of　the　little　cave　a　pleasant　fire　was　soon　made　by　help　of　a　flint　pebble　and　the　steel　back　of　my　sword。　　It　was　a　hearty　blaze　and　lit　up　all　the　near　cliffs　with　a　ruddy　jumping　glow　which　gave　their　occu…　pants　a　marvellous　appearance　of　life。　　The　heat　also　brought　off　the　dull　rime　upon　the　side　of　my　recess；　leaving　it　clear　as　polished　glass；　and　I　was　a　little　startled　to　see；　only　an　inch　or　so　back　in　the　ice　and　standing　as　erect　as　ever　he　had　been　in　life；　the　figure　of　an　imposing　grey　clad　man。　　His　arms　were　folded；　his　chin　dropped　upon　his　chest；　his　robes　of　the　finest　stuff；　the　very　flowers　they　had　decked　his　head　with　frozen　with　immortality；　and　under　them；　round　his　crisp　and　iron…grey　hair；　a　simple　band　of　gold　with　strange　runes　and　figures　engraved　upon　it。

There　was　something　very　simple　yet　stately　about　him；　though　his　face　was　hidden　and　as　I　gazed　long　and　in…　tently　the　idea　got　hold　of　me　that　he　had　been　a　king　over　an　undegenerate　Martian　race；　and　had　stood　waiting　for　the　Dawn　a　very；　very　long　time。

I　wished　a　little　that　he　had　not　been　quite　so　near　the　glassy　surface　of　the　ice　down　which　the　warmth　was　bringing　quick　moisture　drops。　　Had　he　been　back　there　in　the　blue　depths　where　others　were　sitting　and　crouching　it　would　have　been　much　more　comfortable。　　But　I　was　a　sailor；　and　misfortune　makes　strange　companions；　so　I　piled　up　the　fire　again；　and　lying　down　presently　on　the　dry　shingle　with　my　back　to　him　stared　moodily　at　the　blaze　till　slowly　the　fatigues　of　the　day　told；　my　eyelids　dropped　and；　with　many　a　fitful　start　and　turn；　at　length　I　slept。

It　was　an　hour　before　dawn；　the　fire　had　burnt　low　and　I　was　dreaming　of　an　angry　discussion　with　my　tailor　in　New　York　as　to　the　sit　of　my　last　new　trousers　when　a　faint　sound　of　moving　shingle　caught　my　quick　seaman　ear；　and　before　I　could　raise　my　head　or　lift　a　hand；　a　man's　weight　was　on　mea　heavy；　strong　man　who　bore　me　down　with　irresistible　force。　　I　felt　the　slap　of　his　ice…cold　hand　upon　my　throat　and　his　teeth　in　the　back　of　my　neck！　　In　an　instant；　though　but　half　awake；　with　a　yell　of　surprise　and　anger　I　grappled　with　the　enemy；　and　exerting　all　my　strength　rolled　him　over。　　Over　and　over　we　went　struggling　to…　wards　the　fire；　and　when　I　got　him　within　a　foot　or　so　of　it　I　came　out　on　top；　and；　digging　my　knuckles　into　his　throttle；　banged　his　head　upon　the　stony　floor　in　reckless　rage；　until　all　of　a　sudden　it　seemed　to　me　he　was　done　for。　I　relaxed　my　grip；　but　the　other　man　never　moved。　　I　shook　him　again；　like　a　terrier　with　a　rat；　but　he　never　resented　it。　　Had　I　killed　him？　How　limp　and　cold　he　was！　　And　then　all　of　a　sudden　an　uneasy　feeling　came　upon　me。　　I　reached　out；　and　throwing　a　handful　of　dried　stuff　upon　the　embers　the　fire　danced　gaily　up　into　the　air；　and　the　blaze　showed　me　I　was　savagely　holding　down　to　the　gravel　and　kneeling　on　the　chest　of　that　long…dead　king　from　my　grotto　wall！

It　was　the　man　out　of　the　ice　without　a　doubt。　　There　was　the　very　niche　he　had　fallen　from　under　the　influence　of　the　fire　heat；　the　very　recess；　exactly　in　his　shape　in　every　detail；　whence　he　had　stood　gazing　into　vacuity　all　those　years。　　I　left　go　my　hold；　and　after　the　flutter　in　my　heart　had　gone　down；　apologetically　set　him　up　against　the　wall　of　the　cavern　whence　he　had　fallen；　then　built　up　the　fire　until　twirling　flames　danced　to　the　very　roof　in　the　blue　light　of　dawn；　and　hobgoblin　shadows　leapt　and　capered　about　us。　　Then　once　more　I　sat　down　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　blaze；　resting　my　chin　upon　my　hands；　and　stared　into　the　frozen　eyes　of　that　grim　stranger；　who；　with　his　chin　upon　his　knees；　stared　back　at　me　with　irresistible；　remorseless　steadfastness。

He　was　as　fresh　as　if　he　had　died　but　yesterday；　yet　by　his　clothing　and　something　in　his　appearance；　which　was　not　that　of　the　Martian　of　to…day；　I　knew　he　might　be　many　thousand　years　old。　　What　things　he　had　seen；　what　wonders　he　knew！　　What　a　story　might　be　put　into　his　mouth　if　I　were　a　capable　writer　gifted　with　time　and　imagination　instead　of　a　poor　outcast；　ill…paid　lieutenant　whose　literary　wit　is　often　taxed　hardly　to　fill　even　a　log…　book　entry！　　I　stared　at　him　so　long　and　hard；　and　he　at　me　through　the　blinking　flames；　that　again　I　dozedand　dozed　and　dozed　again　until　at　last　when　I　woke　in　good　earnest　it　was　daylight。

By　this　time　hunger　was　very　aggressive。　　The　fire　was　naught　but　a　circlet　of　grey　ashes；　the　dead　king；　still　sitting　against　the　cave…side；　looked　very　blue　and　cold；　and　with　an　uncomfortable　realisation　of　my　position　I　shook　myself　together；　picked　up　and　pocketed　without　much　thought　the　queer　gold　circlet　that　had　dropped　from　his　forehead；　and　went　outside　to　see　what　prospect　of　escape　the　new　day　had　brought。

It　was　not　much。　　Upriver　there　was　not　the　remotest　chance。　　Not　even　a　Niagara　steamer　could　have　forged　back　against　the　sluice　coming　down　from　the　gulch　there。　Looking　round；　the　sides　of　the　icy　amphitheatrejust　lighting　up　now　with　glorious　gold　and　crimson　glimmers　of　morningwere　as　steep　as　a　wall　face；　only　back　towards　the　falls　was　there　a　possibility　of　getting　out　of　the　dreadful　trap；　so　thither　I　went；　after　a　last　look　at　the　poor　old　king；　along　my　narrow　beach　with　all　the　eagerness　begotten　of　a　final　chance。　　Up　to　the　very　brink　it　looked　hopeless　enough；　but；　looking　downwards　when　that　was　reached；　instead　of　a　sheer　drop　the　slope　seemed　to　be　a　wild　〃staircase〃　of　rocks　and　icy　ledges　with　here　and　there　a　little　patch　of　sand　on　a　cornice；　and　far　below；　five　hundred　feet　or　so；　a　good　big　spread　of　gravel　an　acre　or　two　in　extent　close　by　where　the　river　plunged　out　of　sight　into　the　nethermost　cavern　mouth。

It　was　so　hopeless　up　above　it；　it　could　not　possibly　be　worse　further　down；　and　there　was　the　ugly　black　flood　running　into　the　hole　to　trust　myself　to　as　a　last　resource；　so　slipping　and　sliding　I　began　the　descent。

Had　I　been　a　schoolboy　with　a　good　breakfast　ahead　the　incident　might　have　been　amusing　enough。　　The　travel…　ling　was　mostly　done　on　the　seat　of　my　trousers；　which　consequently　became　caked　with　mud　and　glacial　loam。　Some　was　accomplished　on　hands　and　knees；　with　now　and　then　a　bit　down　a　snow　slope；　in　good；　honest　head…over…　heels　fashion。　　The　result　was　a　fine　appetite　for　the　next　meal　when　it　should　please　providence　to　send　it；　and　an　abrupt　arrival　on　the　bottom　beach　about　five　minutes　after　leaving　the　upper　circles。

I　came　to　behind　a　cluster　of　breast…high　rocks；　and　before　moving　took　a　look　round。　　Judge　then　of　my　as…　tonishment　and　delight　at　the　second　glance　to　perceive　about　a　hundred　yards　away　a　brown　object；　looking　like　an　ape　in　the　half　light；　meandering　slowly　up　the　margin　of　the　water　towards　me。　　Every　now　and　then　it　stopped；　stooping　down　to　pick　up　something　or　other　from　the　scum　along　the　torrent；　and　it　was　the　fact　that　these　trifles；　whatever　they　were；　were　put　into　a　wallet　by　the　vision's　sidenot　into　his　mouthwhich　first　made　me　understand　with　a　joyful　thrill　that　it　was　a　MAN　before　mea　real；　living　man　in　this　huge　chamber　of　dead　horrors！　　Then　again　it　flashed　across　my　mind　in　a　luminous　moment　that　where　one　man　could　come；　or　go；　or　live；　another　could　do　likewise；　and　never　did　cat　watch　mouse　with　more　con…　centrated　eagerness　than　I　that　quaint；　bent…shouldered　thing　hobbling　about　in　the　blue　morning　shadows　where　all　else　was　silence。

Nearer　and　nearer　he　came；　till　so　close　face　and　garb　were　discernible；　and　then　there　could　no　longer　be　any　doubt；　it　was　a　woodman；　an　old　man；　with　grizzled　monkey…face；　stooping　gait；　and　a　shaggy　fur　cloak；　utterly　unlike　the　airy　garments　of　my　Hither　folk；　who　now　stood　before　me。　　It　gave　me　quite　a　start　to　recognise　him　there；　for　it　showed　I　was　in　a　new　land；　and　since　he　was　going　so　cheerfully　about　his　business；　whatever　it　might　chance　to　be；　there　must　be　some　way　out　of　this　accursed　pit　in　which　I　had　fallen。　　So　very　cautiously　I　edged　out；　taking　advantage　of　all　the　cover　possible　until　we　were　only　twenty　yards　apart；　and　then　suddenly　standing　up；　and　putting　on　the　most　affable　smile；　I　called　out

〃Hullo；　mess…mate！〃

The　effect　was　electrical。　　That　quaint　old　fellow　sprang　a　yard　into　air　as　though　a　spring　had　shot　him　up。　　Then；　coming　down；　he　stood　transfixed　at　his　full　height　as　stiff　as　a　ramrod；　staring　at　me　with　incredible　wonder。　　He　looked　so　funny　that　in　spite　of　hunger　and　loneliness　I　burst　out　laughing；　whereat　the　woodman；　suddenly　recovering　his　senses；　turned　on　his　heels　and　set　off　at　his　best　pace　in　the　opposite　direction。　　This　would　never　do！　　I　wanted　him　to　be　my　guide；　philosopher；　and　friend。　　He　was　my　sole　visible　link　with　the　outside　world；　so　after　him　I　went　at　tip…top　speed；　and　catching　him　up　in　fifty　yards　along　the　shingle　laid　hold　of　his　nether　garments。　　Whereat　the　old　fellow　stopping　suddenly　I　shot　clean　over　his　back；　coming　down　on　my　shoulder　in　the　gravel。

But　I　was　much　younger　than　he；　and　in　a　minute　was　in　chase　again。　　This　time　I　laid　hold　of　his　cloak；　and　the　momen