gulliver of mars-第3节

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treamschatting　at　the　stalls　and　clustering　round　the　tent　doors　in　soft；　gauzy；　parti…coloured　crowds　in　a　way　both　fascinating　and　　per…　plexing。

I　stared　about　me　like　a　child　at　its　first　pantomime；　dimly　understanding　all　I　saw　was　novel；　but　more　allured　to　the　colour　and　life　of　the　picture　than　concerned　with　its　exact　meaning；　and　while　I　stared　and　turned　my　finger　was　bandaged；　and　my　new　friend　had　been　lisping　away　to　me　without　getting　anything　in　turn　but　a　shake　of　the　head。　　This　made　him　thoughtful；　and　thereon　followed　a　curious　incident　which　I　cannot　explain。　　I　doubt　even　whether　you　will　believe　it；　but　what　am　I　to　do　in　that　case？　　You　have　already　accepted　the　episode　of　my　com…　ing；　or　you　would　have　shut　the　covers　before　arriving　at　this　page　of　my　modest　narrative；　and　this　emboldens　me。　I　may　strengthen　my　claim　on　your　credulity　by　pointing　out　the　extraordinary　marvels　which　science　is　teaching　you　even　on　our　own　little　world。　　To　quote　a　single　instance：　If　any　one　had　declared　ten　years　ago　that　it　would　shortly　be　practicable　and　easy　for　two　persons　to　converse　from　shore　to　shore　across　the　Atlantic　without　any　intervening　medium；　he　would　have　been　laughed　at　as　a　possibly　amusing　but　certainly　extravagant　romancer。　　Yet　that　pic…　turesque　lie　of　yesterday　is　amongst　the　accomplished　facts　of　today！　　Therefore　I　am　encouraged　to　ask　your　in…　dulgence；　in　the　name　of　your　previous　errors；　for　the　following　and　any　other　instances　in　which　I　may　appear　to　trifle　with　strict　veracity。　　There　is　no　such　thing　as　the　impossible　in　our　universe！

When　my　friendly　companion　found　I　could　not　under…　stand　him；　he　looked　serious　for　a　minute　or　two；　then　shortened　his　brilliant　yellow　toga；　as　though　he　had　ar…　rived　at　some　resolve；　and　knelt　down　directly　in　front　of　me。　　He　next　took　my　face　between　his　hands；　and　putting　his　nose　within　an　inch　of　mine；　stared　into　my　eyes　with　all　his　might。　　At　first　I　was　inclined　to　laugh；　but　before　long　the　most　curious　sensations　took　hold　of　me。　They　commenced　with　a　thrill　which　passed　all　up　my　body；　and　next　all　feeling　save　the　consciousness　of　the　loud　beating　of　my　heart　ceased。　　Then　it　seemed　that　boy's　eyes　were　inside　my　head　and　not　outside；　while　along　with　them　an　intangible　something　pervaded　my　brain。　The　sensation　at　first　was　like　the　application　of　ether　to　the　skina　cool；　numbing　emotion。　　It　was　followed　by　a　curious　tingling　feeling；　as　some　dormant　cells　in　my　mind　answered　to　the　thought…transfer；　and　were　filled　and　fertil…　ised！　　My　other　brain…cells　most　distinctly　felt　the　vitalising　of　their　companions；　and　for　about　a　minute　I　experi…　enced　extreme　nausea　and　a　headache　such　as　comes　from　over…study；　though　both　passed　swiftly　off。　　I　presume　that　in　the　future　we　shall　all　obtain　knowledge　in　this　way。　The　Professors　of　a　later　day　will　perhaps　keep　shops　for　the　sale　of　miscellaneous　information；　and　we　shall　drop　in　and　be　inflated　with　learning　just　as　the　bicyclist　gets　his　tire　pumped　up；　or　the　motorist　is　recharged　with　electricity　at　so　much　per　unit。　　Examinations　will　then　become　matters　of　capacity　in　the　real　meaning　of　that　word；　and　we　shall　be　tempted　to　invest　our　pocket…money　by　advertisements　of　〃A　cheap　line　in　Astrology；〃　〃Try　our　double…strength；　two…　minute　course　of　Classics；〃　〃This　is　remnant　day　for　Trig…　onometry　and　Metaphysics；〃　and　so　on。

My　friend　did　not　get　as　far　as　that。　　With　him　the　process　did　not　take　more　than　a　minute；　but　it　was　startling　in　its　results；　and　reduced　me　to　an　extraordinary　state　of　hypnotic　receptibility。　　When　it　was　over　my　instructor　tapped　with　a　finger　on　my　lips；　uttering　aloud　as　he　did　so　the　words

〃Know　none；　know　some；　know　little；　know　morel〃　again　　and　again；　and　the　strangest　part　of　it　is　that　as　he　spoke　I　did　know　at　first　a　little；　then　more；　and　still　more；　by　swift　accumulation；　of　his　speech　and　meaning。　　In　fact；　when　pre…　sently　he　suddenly　laid　a　hand　over　my　eyes　and　then　let　go　of　my　head　with　a　pleasantly　put　question　as　to　how　I　felt；　I　had　no　difficulty　whatever　in　answering　him　in　his　own　tongue；　and　rose　from　the　ground　as　one　gets　from　a　hair…dresser's　chair；　with　a　vague　idea　of　looking　round　for　my　hat　and　offering　him　his　fee。

〃My　word；　sir！〃　I　said；　in　lisping　Martian；　as　I　pulled　down　my　cuffs　and　put　my　cravat　straight；　〃that　was　a　quick　process。　　I　once　heard　of　a　man　who　learnt　a　language　in　the　moments　he　gave　each　day　to　having　his　boots　blacked；　but　this　beats　all。　　I　trust　I　was　a　docile　pupil？〃

〃Oh；　fairly；　sir；〃　answered　the　soft；　musical　voice　of　the　strange　being　by　me；　〃but　your　head　is　thick　and　your　brain　tough。　　I　could　have　taught　another　in　half　the　time。〃

〃Curiously　enough；〃　was　my　response；　〃those　are　almost　the　very　words　with　which　my　dear　old　tutor　dismissed　me　the　morning　I　left　college。　　Never　mind；　the　thing　is　done。　　Shall　I　pay　you　anything？〃

〃I　do　not　understand。〃

〃Any　honorarium；　then？　　Some　people　understand　one　word　and　not　the　other。〃　　But　the　boy　only　shook　his　head　in　answer。

Strangely　enough；　I　was　not　greatly　surprised　all　this　time　either　at　the　novelty　of　my　whereabouts　or　at　the　hypnotic　instruction　in　a　new　language　just　received。　　Per…　haps　it　was　because　my　head　still　spun　too　giddily　with　that　flight　in　the　old　rug　for　much　thought；　perhaps　be…　cause　I　did　not　yet　fully　realise　the　thing　that　had　happened。　But；　anyhow；　there　is　the　fact；　which；　like　so　many　others　in　my　narrative；　must；　alas！　remain　unexplained　for　the　moment。　　The　rug；　by　the　way；　had　completely　disap…　peared；　my　friend　comforting　me　on　this　score；　however；　by　saying　he　had　seen　it　rolled　up　and　taken　away　by　one　whom　he　knew。

〃We　are　very　tidy　people　here；　stranger；〃　he　said；　〃and　everything　found　Lying　about　goes　back　to　the　Palace　store…　rooms。　　You　will　laugh　to　see　the　lumber　there；　for　few　of　us　ever　take　the　trouble　to　reclaim　our　property。〃

Heaven　knows　I　was　in　no　laughing　mood　when　I　saw　that　enchanted　web　again！

When　I　had　lain　and　watched　the　brightening　scene　for　a　time；　I　got　up；　and　having　stretched　and　shaken　my　clothes　into　some　sort　of　order；　we　strolled　down　the　hill　and　joined　the　light…hearted　crowds　that　twined　across　the　plain　and　through　the　streets　of　their　city　of　booths。　　They　were　the　prettiest；　daintiest　folk　ever　eyes　looked　upon；　well…formed　and　like　to　us　as　could　be　in　the　main；　but　slender　and　willowy；　so　dainty　and　light；　both　the　men　and　the　women；　so　pretty　of　cheek　and　hair；　so　mild　of　aspect；　I　felt；　as　I　strode　amongst　them；　I　could　have　plucked　them　like　flowers　and　bound　them　up　in　bunches　with　my　belt。　And　yet　somehow　I　liked　them　from　the　first　minute；　such　a　happy；　careless；　light…hearted　race；　again　I　say；　never　was　seen　before。　　There　was　not　a　stain　of　thought　or　care　on　a　single　one　of　those　white　foreheads　that　eddied　round　me　under　their　peaked；　blossom…like　caps；　the　perpetual　smile　their　faces　wore　never　suffered　rebuke　anywhere；　their　very　movements　were　graceful　and　slow；　their　laughter　was　low　and　musical；　there　was　an　odour　of　friendly；　slothful　happiness　about　them　that　made　me　admire　whether　I　would　or　no。

Unfortunately　I　was　not　able　to　live　on　laughter；　as　they　appeared　to　be；　so　presently　turning　to　my　acquaintance；　who　had　told　me　his　name　was　the　plain　monosyllabic　An；　and　clapping　my　hand　on　his　shoulder　as　he　stood　lost　in　sleepy　reflection；　said；　in　a　good；　hearty　way；　〃Hullo；　friend　Yellow…jerkin！　　If　a　stranger　might　set　himself　athwart　the　cheerful　current　of　your　meditations；　may　such　a　one　ask　how　far　'tis　to　the　nearest　wine…shop　or　a　booth　where　a　thirsty　man　may　get　a　mug　of　ale　at　a　moderate　reckoning？〃

That　gilded　youth　staggered　under　my　friendly　blow　as　though　the　hammer　of　Thor　himself　had　suddenly　lit　upon　his　shoulder；　and　ruefully　rubbing　his　tender　skin；　he　turned　on　me　mild；　handsome　eyes；　answering　after　a　moment；　dur…　ing　which　his　native　mildness　struggled　with　the　pain　I　had　unwittingly　given　him

〃If　your　thirst　be　as　emphatic　as　your　greeting；　friend　Heavy…fist；　it　will　certainly　be　a　kindly　deed　to　lead　you　to　the　drinking…place。　　My　shoulder　tingles　with　your　good…　fellowship；〃　he　added；　keeping　two　arms'…lengths　clear　of　me。　〃Do　you　wish；〃　he　said；　〃merely　to　cleanse　a　dusty　throat；　or　for　blue　or　pink　oblivion？〃

〃Why；〃　I　answered　laughingly；　〃I　have　come　a　longish　journey　since　yesterday　nighta　journey　out　of　count　of　all　reasonable　mileageand　I　might　fairly　plead　a　dusty　throat　as　excuse　for　a　beginning；　but　as　to　the　other　things　mentioned；　those　tinted　forgetfulnesses；　I　do　not　even　know　what　you　mean。〃

〃Undoubtedly　you　are　a　stranger；〃　said　the　friendly　youth；　eyeing　me　from　top　to　toe　with　renewed　wonder；　〃and　by　your　unknown　garb　one　from　afar。〃

〃From　how　far　no　man　can　saynot　even　Ibut　from　very　far；　in　truth。　　Let　that　stay　your　curiosity　for　the　time。　And　now　to　bench　and　ale…mug；　on　good　fellow！the　short…　est　way。　　I　was　never　so　thirsty　as　this　since　our　water…butts　went　overboard　when　I　sailed　the　southern　seas　as　a　tramp　apprentice；　and　for　three　days　we　had　to　damp　our　black　tongues　with　the　puddles　the　night…dews　left　in　the　lift　of　our　mainsail。〃

Without　more　words；