gulliver of mars-第27章

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of　a　penny　flute　upon　a　hungry　eagle　as　seek　to　rouse　Ar…hap's　sympathies　for　bereaved　Hath　in　that　way。　　Surely　to　go　forward　would　mean　my　own　certain　destruction；　with　no　advantage；　no　help　to　Heru；　and　if　I　was　ever　to　turn　back　or　stop　in　the　idle　quest；　here　was　the　place　and　time。　　My　Hither　friends　were　behind　the　sea；　to　them　I　could　return　before　it　was　too　late；　and　here　were　the　rough　but　honest　Thither　folk；　who　would　doubtless　let　me　live　amongst　them　if　that　was　to　be　my　fate。　　One　or　other　alternative　were　better　than　going　to　torture　and　death。

〃You　seem　to　take　the　fate　of　that　Hither　girl　of　yours　mightily　to　heart；　stranger；〃　quoth　my　hostess；　with　a　touch　of　feminine　jealousy；　as　she　watched　my　hesitation。　　〃Do　you　know　anything　of　her？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered　gloomily。　　〃I　have　seen　her　once　or　twice　away　in　Seth。〃

〃Ah；　that　reminds　me！　　When　they　brought　her　up　here　from　the　boats　to　dry　her　wet　clothes；　she　cried　and　called　in　her　grief　for　just　such　a　one　as　you；　saying　he　alone　who　struck　down　our　men　at　her　feast　could　rescue　her〃

〃What！　　Heru　here　in　this　room　but　yesterday！　　How　did　she　look？　Was　she　hurt？　How　had　they　treated　her？〃

My　eagerness　gave　me　away。　　The　woman　looked　at　me　through　her　half…shut　eyes　a　space；　and　then　said；　〃Oh！　sits　the　wind　in　THAT　quarter？　So　you　can　love　as　well　as　eat。　I　must　say　you　are　well…conditioned　for　a　spirit。〃

I　got　up　and　walked　about　the　room　a　space；　then；　feeling　very　friendless；　and　knowing　no　woman　was　ever　born　who　was　not　interested　in　another　woman's　loves；　I　boldly　drew　my　hostess　aside　and　told　her　about　Heru；　and　that　I　was　in　pursuit　of　her；　dwelling　on　the　girl's　gentle　helplessness；　my　own　hare…brained　adventure；　and　frankly　asking　what　sort　of　a　sovereign　Ar…hap　was；　what　the　customs　of　his　court　might　be；　and　whether　she　could　suggest　any　means；　tem…　poral　or　spiritual；　by　which　he　might　be　moved　to　give　back　Heru　to　her　kindred。

Nor　was　my　confidence　misplaced。　　The　woman；　as　I　guessed；　was　touched　somewhere　back　in　her　female　heart　by　my　melting　love…tale；　by　my　anxiety　and　Heru's　peril。　Besides；　a　ghost　in　search　of　a　fairy　ladyand　such　the　slender　folk　of　Seth　were　still　considered　to　be　by　the　race　which　had　supplanted　themthis　was　romance　indeed。　To　be　brief；　that　good　woman　proved　invaluable。

She　told　me；　firstly；　that　Ar…hap　was　believed　to　be　away　at　war；　〃weekending〃　as　was　his　custom；　amongst　rebellious　tribes；　and　by　starting　at　once　up　the　water；　I　should　very　probably　get　to　the　town　before　he　did。　　Sec…　ondly；　she　thought　if　I　kept　clear　of　private　brawls　there　was　little　chance　of　my　receiving　injury；　from　the　people　at　all　events；　as　they　were　accustomed　to　strange　visitors；　and　civil　enough　until　they　were　fired　by　war。　　〃Sickle　cold；　sword　hot；〃　was　one　of　their　proverbs；　meaning　thereby　that　in　peaceful　times　they　were　lambs；　however　lionlike　they　might　be　in　contest。

This　was　reassuring；　but　as　to　recovering　the　lady；　that　was　another　matter　over　which　the　good　woman　shook　her　head。　It　was　ill　coming　between　Ar…hap　and　his　tribute；　she　said；　still；　if　I　wanted　to　see　Heru　once　again；　this　was　my　op…　portunity；　and；　for　the　rest；　that　chance；　which　often　favours　the　enamoured；　must　be　my　help。

Briefly；　though　I　should　probably　have　gone　forward　in　any　case　out　of　sheer　obstinacy；　had　it　been　to　certain　destruction；　this　better　aspect　of　the　situation　hastened　my　resolution。　　I　thanked　the　woman　for　help；　and　then　the　man　outside　was　called　in　to　advise　as　to　the　best　and　speediest　way　of　getting　within　earshot　of　his　hairy　sovereignty；　the　monarch　of　Thitherland。




CHAPTER　XVI

The　Martian　told　me　of　a　merchant　boat　with　ten　rowers　which　was　going　up　to　the　capital　in　a　couple　of　hours；　and　as　the　skipper　was　a　friend　of　his　they　would　no　doubt　take　me　as　supercargo；　thereby　saving　the　necessity　of　passenger　fees；　which　was　obviously　a　consideration　with　me。　　It　was　not　altogether　a　romantic　approach　to　the　dungeon　of　an　imprisoned　beauty；　but　it　was　practical；　which　is　often　better　if　not　so　pleasant。　　So　the　offer　was　gladly　closed　with；　and　curling　myself　in　a　rug　of　foxskins；　for　I　was　tired　with　much　walking；　sailors　never　being　good　foot…　gangers；　I　slept　soundly　fill　they　came　to　tell　me　it　was　time　to　go　on　board。

The　vessel　was　more　like　a　canal　barge　than　anything　else；　lean　and　long；　with　the　cargo　piled　in　a　ridge　down　the　centre　as　farmers　store　their　winter　turnips；　the　rowers　sitting　on　either　side　of　this　plying　oars　like　dessert…spoons　with　long　handles；　while　they　chanted　a　monotonous　cadence　of　monosyllables：


　　　　　Oh；　ho；　oh；

　　　　　Oh；　ho；　oh；

　　　　　　　　　　How　high；　how　high。

and　then　again　after　a　pause


　　　　　　　　　　How　high；　how　high　

　　　　　Oh；　ho；　oh；

　　　　　Oh；　ho；　oh。

the　which　was　infinitely　sleep…provoking　if　not　a　refrain　of　a　high　intellectual　order。

I　shut　my　eyes　as　we　pulled　away　from　the　wharfs　of　that　nameless　emporium　and　picked　a　passage　through　a　crowd　of　quaint　shipping；　wondering　where　I　was；　and　asking　myself　whether　I　was　mentally　rising　equal　to　my　extraordinary　surroundings；　whether　I　adequately　appreci…　ated　the　immensity　of　my　remove　from　those　other　seas　on　which　I　had　last　travelled；　tiller…ropes　in　hand；　piloting　a　captain's　galley　from　a　wharf。　　Good　heavens；　what　would　my　comrades　on　my　ship　say　if　they　could　see　me　now　steer…　ing　a　load　of　hairy　savages　up　one　of　those　waterways　which　our　biggest　telescopes　magnify　but　to　the　thickness　of　an　indication？　　No；　I　was　not　rising　equal　to　the　oc…　casion；　and　could　not。　　The　human　mind　is　of　but　limited　capacity　after　all；　and　such　freaks　of　fortune　are　beyond　its　conception。　　I　knew　I　was　where　I　was；　but　I　knew　I　should　probably　never　get　the　chance　of　telling　of　it；　and　that　no　one　would　ever　believe　me　if　I　did；　and　I　re…　signed　myself　to　the　inevitable　with　sullen　acquiescence；　smothering　the　wonder　that　might　have　been　overwhelming　in　passing　interests　of　the　moment。

There　is　little　to　record　of　that　voyage。　　We　passed　through　a　fleet　of　Ar…hap's　warships；　empty　and　at　anchor　in　double　line；　serviceable　half…decked　cutters；　built　of　solid　timber；　not　pumpkin　rind　it　was　pleasant　to　notice；　and　then　the　town　dropped　away　as　we　proceeded　up　a　stream　about　as　broad　as　the　Hudson　at　its　widest；　and　profusely　studded　with　islands。　　This　water　was　bitterly　salt　and　joined　an…　other　sea　on　the　other　side　of　the　Martian　continent。　　Yet　it　had　a　pronounced　flow　against　us　eastward；　this　tide　running　for　three　spring　months　and　being　followed；　I　learned；　as　ocean　temperatures　varied；　by　a　flow　in　the　opposite　direction　throughout　the　summer。

Just　at　present　the　current　was　so　strong　eastwards；　the　moisture　beaded　upon　my　rowers'　tawny　hides　as　they　strug…　gled　against　it；　and　their　melancholy　song　dawdled　in　〃linked　sweetness　long　drawn　out；〃　while　the　swing　of　their　oars　grew　longer　and　longer。　　Truly　it　was　very　hot；　far　hotter　than　was　usual　for　the　season；　these　men　declared；　and　pos…　sibly　this　robbed　me　of　my　wonted　energy；　and　you；　gentle　reader；　of　a　description　of　all　the　strange　things　we　passed　upon　that　highway。

Suffice　it　to　say　we　spent　a　scorching　afternoon；　the　greater　part　of　a　stifling　night　moored　under　a　mud…bank　with　a　grove　of　trees　on　top　from　which　gigantic　fire…flies　hung　as　though　the　place　were　illuminated　for　a　garden　fete；　and　then；　rowing　on　again　in　the　comparatively　cool　hours　before　dawn；　turned　into　a　backwater　at　cock…crow。

The　skipper　of　our　cargo　boat　roused　me　just　as　we　turned；　putting　under　my　sleepy　nostrils　a　handful　of　toasted　beans　on　a　leaf；　and　a　small　cup　full　of　something　that　was　not　coffee；　but　smelt　as　good　as　that　matutinal　beverage　always　does　to　the　tired　traveller。

Over　our　prow　was　an　immense　arch　of　foliage；　and　under…　neath　a　long　arcade　of　cool　black　shadows；　sheltering　still　water；　till　water　and　shadow　suddenly　ended　a　quarter　of　a　mile　down　in　a　patch　of　brilliant　colour。　　It　was　as　peaceful　as　could　be　in　the　first　morning　light；　and　to　me　over　all　there　was　the　inexpressible　attraction　of　the　unknown。

As　our　boat　slipped　silently　forward　up　this　leafy　lane；　a　thin　white　〃feather〃　in　her　mouth　alone　breaking　the　steely　surface　of　the　stream；　the　men　rested　from　their　work　and　began；　as　sailors　will；　to　put　on　their　shore…going　clothes；　the　while　they　chatted　in　low　tones　over　the　profits　of　the　voyage。　　Overhead　flying　squirrels　were　flitting　to　and　fro　like　bats；　or　shelling　fruit　whereof　the　husks　fell　with　a　pleasant　splash　about　us；　and　on　one　bank　a　couple　of　early　mothers　were　washing　their　babies；　whose　smothered　protests　were　almost　the　only　sound　in　this　morning　world。

Another　silent　dip　or　two　of　the　oars　and　the　colour　ahead　crystallised　into　a　town。　　If　I　said　it　was　like　an　African　village　on　a　large　scale；　I　should　probably　give　you　the　best　description　in　the　fewest　words。　　From　the　very　water's　edge　up　to　the　crown　of　a　low　hill　inland；　extended　a　mass　of　huts　and　wooden　buildings；　embowered　and　partly　hidden　in　bright　green　foliage；　with　here　and　there　patches　of　millet；　or　some　such　food　plant；　and　the　flowers　that　grow　everywhere　so　abundantly　in　this　country。　　It　was　all　Arcadian　and　peaceful　enough　at　the　moment；　and　as　we　drew　near　the　men　were　just　coming　out　to　the　quays　along　the　har…　bour　front；　the　streets　filling　and　the　town　waking　to　busy　life。

A　turn　to　the　left　through　a　watergate　defended　by　towers　of　wood　and　mud；　and　we　were　in　the　city　harbour　itself；　boats　of　many　kinds　moored　on　every　side；　quaint　craft　from　the　gulfs　and　bays　of　Nowhere；　full　of　unheard…of　merch…　andise；　and　manned　by　strange…faced　crews；　every　vessel　a　romance　of　nameless　seas；　an　epitome　of　an　undiscovered　world；　and　every　moment　the　scene　grew　busier　as　the　breakfast　smoke　arose；　and　wharf　and　gangway　set　to　work　upon　the　day's　labours。

Our　boatloaded；　as　it　turned　out；　with　spoil　from　Seth　was　run　to　a　place　of　honour　at　the　bottom　of　the　town　square；　and　was　an　object　of　much　curiosity　to　a　small　crowd　which　speedily　collected　and　lent　a　hand　with　the　mooring　ropes；　the　while　chatting　excitedly　with　the　crew　about　further　tribute　and　the　latest　news　from　overseas。　　At　the　same　time　a　swarthy　barbarian；　whose　trappings　showed　him　to　be　some　sort　of　functionary；　came　down　to　our　〃captain；〃　much　wagging　of　heads　and　counting　of　notched　sticks　taking　place　between　them。

I；　indeed；　was　apparently　the　least　interesting　item　of　the　cargo；　and　this　was　embarrassing。　　No　hero　likes　to　be　ne…　glected；　it　is　fatal　to　his　part。　　I　had　said　my　prayers　and　steeled　myself　to　all　sorts　of　fine　endurance　on　the　way　up；　and　here；　when　it　came　to　the　crisis；　no　one　was　anxious　to　play　the　necessary　villain。　　They　just　helped　me　ashore　civilly　enough；　the　captain　nodded　his　head　at　me；　mutter…　ing　something　in　an　indifferent　tone　to　the　functionary　about　a　ghost　who　had　wandered　overseas　and　begged　a　passage　up　the　canal；　the　group　about　the　quay　stared　a　little；　but　that　was　all。

Once　I　remember　seeing　a　squatting；　life…size　heathen　idol　hoisted　from　a　vessel's　hold　and　deposited　on　a　sugar…box　on　a　New　York　quay。　　Some　ribald　passer…by　put　a　battered　felt　hat　upon　Vishnu's　sacred　curls；　and　there　the　poor　imag