gulliver of mars-第25章
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rned out； the morning's haze developed a strong mist ere the afternoon was half gone； through which it was impossible to see more than twenty yards。 My hill loomed gigantic for a time with a tantalising appearance of being only a mile or two ahead； then wavered； became visionary； and finally disap… peared as completely as though the forest mist had drunk it up bodily。
There was still the road to guide me； a fairly well… beaten track twining through the glades； but even the best of highways are difficult in fog； and this one was compli… cated by various side paths； made probably by hunters or bark…cutters； and without compass or guide marks it was necessary to advance with extreme caution； or get helplessly mazed。
An hour's steady tramping brought me nowhere in particu… lar； and stopping for a minute to consider； I picked a few wild fruit； such as my wood…cutter friend had eaten； from an overhanging bush； and in so doing slipped； the soil having now become damp； and in falling broke a branch off。 The incident was only important from what follows。 Picking myself up； perhaps a little shaken by the jolt； I set off again upon what seemed the plain road； and being by this time displeased by my surroundings； determined to make a push for 〃civilization〃 before the rapidly gathering darkness set… tled down。
Hands in pockets and collar up； I marched forward at a good round pace for an hour； constantly straining eyes for a sight of the hill and ears for some indications of living beings in the deathly hush of the shrouded woods； and at the end of that time； feeling sure habitations must now be near； arrived at what looked like a little open space； some… how seeming rather familiar in its vague outlines。
Where had I seen such a place before？ Sauntering round the margin； a bush with a broken branch sud… denly attracted my attentiona broken bush with a long slide in the mud below it； and the stamp of Navy boots in the soft turf！ I glared at those signs for a moment； then with an exclamation of chagrin recognised them only too wellit was the bush whence I had picked the fruit； and the mark of my fall。 An hour's hard walking round some accursed woodland track had brought me exactly back to the point I had started fromI was lost！
It really seemed to get twenty per cent darker as I made that abominable discovery； and the position dawned in all its uncomfortable intensity。 There was nothing for it but to start off again； this time judging my direction only by a light breath of air drifting the mist tangles before it； and therein I made a great mistake； for the breeze had shifted several points from the quarter whence it blew in the morning。
Knowing nothing of this； I went forward with as much lightheartedness as could be managed； humming a song to myself； and carefully putting aside thoughts of warmth and supper； while the dusk increased and the great forest vegetation seemed to grow ranker and closer at every step
Another disconcerting thing was that the ground sloped gradually downwards； not upwards as it should have done； till it seemed the path lay across the flats of a forest…covered plain； which did not conform to my wish of striking a road on the foot…hills of the mountain。 However； I plodded on； drawing some small comfort from the fact that as darkness came the mist rose from the ground and appeared to con… dense in a ghostly curtain twenty feet overhead； where it hung between me and a clear night sky； presently illum… ined by starlight with the strangest effect。
Tired； footsore； and dejected； I struggled on a little further。 Oh for a cab； I laughed bitterly to myself。 Oh for even the humble necessary omnibus of civilisation。 Oh for the humblest tuck…shop where a mug of hot coffee and a snack could be had by a homeless wanderer； and as I thought and plodded savagely on； collar up； hands in pockets； through the black tangles of that endless wood； suddenly the sound of wailing children caught my ear！
It was the softest； saddest music ever mortal listened to。 It was as though scores of babes in pain were dropping to sleep on their mothers' breasts； and all hushing their sor… rows with one accord in a common melancholy chorus。 I stood spell…bound at that elfin wailing； the first sound to break the deathly stillness of the road for an hour or more； and my blood tingled as I listened to it。 Nevertheless； here was what I was looking for； where there were weeping children there must be habitations； and shelter； andsplendid thought！supper。 Poor little babes！ their crying was the deadliest； sweetest thing in sorrows I ever listened to。 If it was cholicwhy； I knew a little of medicine； and in gratitude for that prospective supper； I had a soul big enough to cure a thousand； and if they were in disgrace； and by some quaint Martian fashion had suffered simul… taneous punishment for baby offences； I would plead for them。
In fact； I fairly set off at the run towards the sobbing； in the black； wet； night air ahead； and； tripping as I ran； looked down and saw in the filtering starlight that the forest grass had given place to an ancient roadway； paved with moss…grown flag…stones； such as they still used in Seth。
Without stopping to think what that might mean I hur… ried on； the wailing now right ahead； a tremulous tumult of gentle grief rising and falling on the night air like the sound of a sea after a storm； and so； presently； in a minute or two； came upon a ruined archway spanning the lonely road； held together by great masses of black…fingered creep… ers； gaunt and ghostly in the shadows； an extraordinary and unexpected vision； and as I stopped with a jerk under that forbidding gateway and glared at its tumbled masonry and great portals hanging rotten at their hinges； suddenly the truth flashed upon me。 I had taken the forbidden road after all。 I was in the ancient； ghost…haunted city of Queen Yang！
CHAPTER XV
The dark forest seemed to shut behind as I entered the gateway of the deserted Hither town； against which my wood…cutter friend had warned me； while inside the soft mist hung in the starlight like grey drapery over endless vistas of ruins。 What was I to do？ Without all was black and cheerless； inside there was at least shelter。 Wet and cold； my courage was not to be put down by the stories of a silly savage； I would go on whatever happened。 Besides； the soft sound of crying； now apparently all about； seemed companionable； and I had heard so much of ghosts of late； the sharp edge of fear at their presence was wearing off。
So in I went： up a broad； decayed street； its flagstones heaved everywhere by the roots of gnarled trees； and finding nothing save ruin； tried to rest under a wall。 But the night air was chilly and the shelter poor； so out I came again； with the wailing in the shadows so close about now that I stopped； and mustering up courage called aloud：
〃Hullo； you who weep there in the dark； are you living or dead？〃 And after a minute from the hollows of the empty hearths around came the sad little responsive echo：
〃Are you living or dead？〃 It was very delusive and un… satisfactory； and I was wondering what to do next when a slant of warmer wind came up behind me under the mist； and immediately little tongues of blue flame blossomed with… out visible cause in every darksome crevice； pale flickers of miasmic light rising pallid from every lurking nook and corner in the black desolation as though a thousand lamps were lit by unseen fingers； and； knee high； floated out into the thoroughfare where they oscillated gently in airy grace； and then； forming into procession； began drifting be… fore the tepid air towards the city centre。 At once I thought of what the woodcutter had seen； but was too wet and sulky by this time to care。 The fascination of the place was on me； and dropping into rear of the march； I went forward with it。 By this time the wailing had stopped； though now and then it seemed a dark form moved in the empty door… ways on either hand； while the mist； parting into gossamers before the wind； took marvellously human forms in every alley and lane we passed。
Thus I； a sodden giant； led by those elfin torches； paced through the city until we came to an open square with a great lumber of ruins in the centre all marred and spoiled by vegetation； and here the lights wavered； and went out by scores and hundreds； just as the petals drop from spent flowers； while it seemed； though it may have been only wind in the rank grass； that the air was full of most plaintive sighs as each little lamp slipped into oblivion。
The big pile was a mass of fallen masonry； which； from the broken pillars all about； might have been a palace or temple once。 I pushed in； but it was as dark as Hades here； so； after struggling for a time in a labyrinth of chambers； chose a sandy recess； with some dry herbage by way of bedding in a corner； and there； thankful at least for shel… ter； my night's wanderings came to an end and I coiled myself down； ate a last handful of dry fruit； and； strange as it may seem； was soon sleeping peacefully。
I dreamed that night that a woman； with a face as white as ivory； came and bent over me。 She led a babe by either hand； while behind her were scores of other ones； with lovely faces； but all as pale as the stars themselves； who looked and sighed； but said nothing； and when they had stared their fill； dropped out one by one； leaving a wonderful blank in the monotony where they had been； but beyond that dream nothing happened。
It was a fine morning when I woke again； and ob… viously broad day outside； the sunshine coming down through cracks in the old palace roof； and lying in golden pools on the floor with dazzling effect。
Rubbing my eyes and sitting up； it took me some time to get my senses together； and at first an uneasy feeling possessed me that I was somehow dematerialised and in an unreal world。 But a twinge of cramp in my left arm； and a healthy sneeze； which frightened a score of bats overhead nearly out of their senses； was reassuring on this point； and rubbing away the cramp and staggering to my feet； I looked about at the strange surroundings。 It was cavernous chaos on every side： magnificent architecture reduced to the confusion of a debris…heap； only the hollow chambers being here and there preserved by massive columns meeting overhead。 Into these the yellow light filtered wher… ever a rent in a cupola or side…wall admitted it； and allured by the vision of corridors one beyond the other； I presently set off on a tour of discovery。
Twenty minutes' scrambling brought me to a place where the fallen jambs of a fine doorway lay so close together that there was barely room to pass between them。 However； seeing light beyond； I squeezed through； and I found my… self in the best…preserved chamber of alla wide； roomy hall with a domed roof； a haze of mural paintings on the walls； and a marble floor nearly hidden in a century of fallen dust。 I stumbled over something at the threshold； and picking it up； found it was a baby's skull！ And there were more of them now that my eyes became accustomed to the light。 The whole floor was mottled with themscores and hundreds of bones and those poor little relics of humanity jutting out of the sand everywhere。
