gulliver of mars-第22节

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　in；　and　when　the　young　fruit　was　of　the　bigness　of　an　ordinary　bolster；　how　they　slipped　it　into　a　double　mould　of　open　reed…work　something　like　the　two　halves　of　a　walnut…　shell；　and　how；　growing　day　by　day　in　this；　it　soon　took　every　curve　and　line　they　chose　to　give　it；　even　the　hanging　keel　below；　the　strengthened　bulwarks；　and　tall　prow…piece。　It　was　so　ingenious；　yet　simple；　and　I　confess　I　laughed　over　my　first　skiff　〃on　the　stalk；〃　and　fell　to　bantering　the　Martians；　asking　whether　it　was　a　good　season　for　navies；　whether　their　Cunarders　were　spreading　nicely；　if　they　could　give　me　a　pinch　of　barge　seed；　or　a　yacht　in　bud　to　show　to　my　friends　at　home。

But　those　lazy　people　took　the　matter　seriously　enough。　They　led　me　down　green　alleys　arched　over　with　huge　melon…like　leaves；　they　led　me　along　innumerable　byways；　making　me　peep　and　peer　through　the　chequered　sunlight　at　ocean…growing　craft；　that　had　budded　twelve　months　before；　already　filling　their　moulds　to　the　last　inch　of　space。　They　told　me　that　when　the　growing　process　was　sufficiently　advanced；　they　loosened　the　casing；　and　cutting　a　hole　into　the　interior　of　each　giant　fruit；　scooped　out　all　its　seed；　thereby　checking　more　advance；　and　throwing　into　the　rind　strength　that　would　otherwise　have　gone　to　reproductive…　ness。　　They　said　each　fruit　made　two　vessels；　but　the　upper　half　was　always　best　and　used　for　long　salt…water　jour…　neys；　the　lower　piece　being　but　for　punting　or　fishing　on　their　lakes。　　They　cut　them　in　half　while　still　green；　scraped　out　the　light　remaining　pulp　when　dry；　and　dragged　them　down　with　the　minimum　of　trouble；　light　as　feathers；　ten…　acious　as　steel　plate；　and　already　in　the　form　and　fashion　of　dainty　craft　from　five　to　twenty　feet　in　length；　when　the　process　was　completed。

By　the　time　we　had　explored　this　strangest　of　ship…　building　yards；　and　I　had　seen　last　year's　crop　on　the　stocks　being　polished　and　fitted　with　seats　and　gear；　the　sun　was　going　down；　and　the　Martian　twilight；　owing　to　the　comparative　steepness　of　the　little　planet's　sides；　being　brief；　we　strolled　back　to　the　village；　and　there　they　gave　me　harbourage　for　the　night；　ambrosial　supper；　and　a　deep　draught　of　the　wine　of　Forgetfulness；　under　the　gauzy　spell　of　which　the　real　and　unreal　melted　into　the　vistas　of　rosy　oblivion；　and　I　slept。




CHAPTER　XI

With　the　new　morning　came　fresh　energy　and　a　spasm　of　conscience　as　I　thought　of　poor　Heru　and　the　shabby　sort　of　rescuer　I　was　to　lie　about　with　these　pretty　triflers　while　she　remained　in　peril。

So　I　had　a　bath　and　a　swim；　a　breakfast；　and；　to　my　shame　be　it　acknowledged；　a　sort　of　farewell　merry…go…　round　dance　on　the　yellow　sands　with　a　dozen　young　persons　all　light…hearted　as　the　morning；　beautiful　as　the　flowers　that　bound　their　hair；　and　in　the　extremity　of　statuesque　attire。

Then　at　last　I　got　them　to　give　me　a　sea…going　canoe；　a　stock　of　cakes　and　fresh　water；　and　with　many　parting　in…　junctions　how　to　find　the　Woodman　trail；　since　I　would　not　listen　to　reason　and　lie　all　the　rest　of　my　life　with　them　in　the　sunshine；　they　pushed　me　off　on　my　lonely　voyage。

〃Over　the　blue　waters！〃　they　shouted　in　chorus　as　I　dipped　my　paddle　into　the　diamond…crested　wavelets。　　〃Six　hours；　adventurous　stranger；　with　the　sun　behind　you！　　Then　into　the　broad　river　behind　the　yellow　sand…bar。　　But　not　the　black　northward　river！　　Not　the　strong；　black　river；　above　all　things；　stranger！　　For　that　is　the　River　of　the　Dead；　by　which　many　go　but　none　come　back。　　Goodbye！〃　　And　waving　them　adieu；　I　sternly　turned　my　eyes　from　delights　behind　and　faced　the　fascination　of　perils　in　front。

In　four　hours　（for　the　Martians　had　forgotten　in　their　calculations　that　my　muscles　were　something　better　than　theirs）　I　〃rose〃　the　further　shore；　and　then　the　question　was；　Where　ran　that　westward　river　of　theirs？

It　turned　out　afterwards　that；　knowing　nothing　of　their　tides；　I　had　drifted　much　too　far　to　northward；　and　con…　sequently　the　coast　had　closed　up　the　estuary　mouth　I　should　have　entered。　　Not　a　sign　of　an　opening　showed　any…　where；　and　having　nothing　whatever　for　guidance　I　turned　northward；　eagerly　scanning　an　endless　line　of　low　cliffs；　as　the　day　lessened；　for　the　promised　sand…bar　or　inlet。

About　dusk　my　canoe；　flying　swiftly　forward　at　its　own　sweet　will；　brought　me　into　a　bight；　a　bare；　desolate…looking　country　with　no　vegetation　save　grass　and　sedge　on　the　near　marshes　and　stony　hills　rising　up　beyond；　with　others　beyond　them　mounting　step　by　step　to　a　long　line　of　ridges　and　peaks　still　covered　in　winter　snow。

The　outlook　was　anything　but　cheering。　　Not　a　trace　of　habitation　had　been　seen　for　a　long　time；　not　a　single　living　being　in　whose　neighbourhood　I　could　land　and　ask　the　way；　nothing　living　anywhere　but　a　monstrous　kind　of　sea…　slug；　as　big　as　a　dog；　battening　on　the　waterside　garbage；　and　gaunt　birds　like　vultures　who　croaked　on　the　mud…flats；　and　half…spread　wings　of　funereal　blackness　as　they　gam…　bolled　here　and　there。　　Where　was　poor　Heru？　　Where　pink…　shouldered　An？　　Where　those　wild　men　who　had　taken　the　princess　from　us？　　Lastly；　but　not　least；　where　was　I？

All　the　first　stars　of　the　Martian　sky　were　strange　to　me；　and　my　boat　whirling　round　and　round　on　the　current　con…　fused　what　little　geography　I　might　otherwise　have　retained。　It　was　a　cheerless　look　out；　and　again　and　again　I　cursed　my　folly　for　coming　on　such　a　fool's　errand　as　I　sat；　chin　in　hand；　staring　at　a　landscape　that　grew　more　and　more　de…　pressing　every　mile。　　To　go　on　looked　like　destruction；　to　go　back　was　almost　impossible　without　a　guide；　and　while　I　was　still　wondering　which　of　the　two　might　be　the　lesser　evil；　the　stream　I　was　on　turned　a　corner；　and　in　a　moment　we　were　upon　water　which　ran　with　swift；　oily　smoothness　straight　for　the　snow…ranges　now　beginning　to　loom　un…　pleasantly　close　ahead。

By　this　time　the　night　was　coming　on　apace；　the　last　of　the　evil…looking　birds　had　winged　its　way　across　the　red　sunset　glare；　and　though　it　was　clear　enough　in　mid…river　under　the　banks；　now　steep　and　unclimbable；　it　was　already　evening。

And　with　the　darkness　came　a　wondrous　cold　breath　from　off　the　ice…fields；　blowing　through　my　lowland　wrap…　pings　as　though　they　were　but　tissue。　　I　munched　a　bit　of　honey…cake；　took　a　cautious　sip　of　wine；　and　though　I　will　not　own　I　was　frightened；　yet　no　one　will　deny　that　the　cir…　cumstances　were　discouraging。

Standing　up　in　the　frail　canoe　and　looking　around；　at　the　second　glance　an　object　caught　my　eye　coming　with　the　stream；　and　rapidly　overtaking　me　on　a　strong　sluice　of　water。　　It　was　a　raft　of　some　sort；　and　something　extra…　ordinarily　like　a　sitting　Martian　on　it！　　Nearer　and　nearer　it　came；　bobbing　to　the　rise　and　fall　of　each　wavelet　with　the　last　icy　sunlight　touching　it　up　with　reds　and　golds；　nearer　and　nearer　in　the　deadly　hush　of　that　forsaken　region；　and　then　at　last　so　near　it　showed　quite　plainly　on　the　purple　water；　a　raft　with　some　one　sitting　under　a　canopy。

With　a　thrill　of　delight　I　waved　my　cap　aloft　and　shouted

〃Ship…ahoy！　　Hullo；　messmate；　where　are　we　bound　to？〃

But　never　an　answer　came　from　that　swiftly…passing　stranger；　so　again　I　hailed

〃Put　up　your　helm；　Mr。　Skipper；　I　have　lost　my　bearings；　and　the　chronometer　has　run　down；〃　but　without　a　pause　or　sound　that　strange　craft　went　slipping　by。

That　silence　was　more　than　I　could　stand。　　It　was　against　all　sea　courtesies；　and　the　last　chance　of　learning　where　I　was　passing　away。　　So；　angrily　the　paddle　was　snatched　from　the　canoe　bottom；　and　roaring　out　again

〃Stop；　I　say；　you　d…　lubber；　stop；　or　by　all　the　gods　I　will　make　you！〃　　I　plunged　the　paddle　into　the　water　and　shot　my　little　craft　slantingly　across　the　stream　to　inter…　cept　the　newcomer。　　A　single　stroke　sent　me　into　mid…stream；　a　second　brought　me　within　touch　of　that　strange　craft。　　It　was　a　flat　raft；　undoubtedly；　though　so　disguised　by　flowers　and　silk　trailers　that　its　shape　was　difficult　to　make　out。　　In　the　centre　was　a　chair　of　ceremony　bedecked　with　greenery　and　great　pale　buds；　hardly　yet　witheredoh；　where　had　I　seen　such　a　chair　and　such　a　raft　before？

And　the　riddle　did　not　long　remain　unanswered。　　Upon　that　seat；　as　I　swept　up　alongside　and　laid　a　sunburnt　hand　upon　its　edge；　was　a　girl；　and　another　look　told　me　she　was　dead！

Such　a　sweet；　pallid；　Martian　maid；　her　fair　head　lolling　back　against　the　rear　of　the　chair　and　gently　moving　to　and　fro　with　the　rise　and　fall　of　her　craft。　　Her　face　in　the　pale　light　of　the　evening　like　carved　ivory；　and　not　less　passion…　less　and　still；　her　arms　bare；　and　her　poor　fingers　still　closed　in　her　lap　upon　the　beautiful　buds　they　had　put　into　them。　　I　fairly　gasped　with　amazement　at　the　dreadful　sweetness　of　that　solitary　lady；　and　could　hardly　believe　she　was　really　a　corpse！　　But；　alas！　there　was　no　doubt　of　it；　and　I　stared　at　her；　half　in　admiration　and　half　in　fear；　noting　how　the　last　sunset　flush　lent　a　hectic　beauty　to　her　face　for　a　moment；　and　then　how　fair　and　ghostly　she　stood　out　against　the　purpling　sky；　how　her　light　drapery　lifted　to　the　icy　wind；　and　how　dreadfully　strange　all　those　soft…　scented　flowers　and　trappings　seemed　as　we　sped　along　side　by　side　into