gulliver of mars-第39节

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　Jones；　a　much　under…　paid　lieutenant　in　the　glorious　United　States　navy；　with　a　packet　of　overdue　tailors'　bills　in　my　pocket；　and　nothing　lovable　about　me　save　a　partiality　for　meddling　with　other　people's　affairs。

This　is　how　it　might　have　been；　but　I　spoiled　a　pretty　fairy　story　and　changed　the　whole　course　of　Martian　history　by　going　back　at　that　moment　in　search　of　a　wrap　for　my　prize。　　Right　on　top　of　the　steps　was　a　man　with　a　lantern；　and　half　a　glance　showed　me　it　was　the　harbour　master　met　with　on　my　first　landing。

〃Good　evening；〃　he　said　suspiciously。　　〃May　I　ask　what　you　are　doing　on　the　quay　at　such　an　hour　as　this？〃

〃Doing？　　Oh；　nothing　in　particular；　just　going　out　for　a　little　fishing。〃

〃And　your　companion　the　ladyis　she　too　fond　of　fishing？〃

I　swore　between　my　teeth；　but　could　not　prevent　the　fel…　low　walking　to　the　quay　edge　and　casting　his　light　full　upon　the　figure　of　the　girl　below。　　I　hate　people　who　interfere　with　other　people's　business！

〃Unless　I　am　very　much　mistaken　your　fishing　friend　is　the　Hither　woman　brought　here　a　few　days　ago　as　tribute　to　Ar…hap。〃

〃Well；〃　I　answered；　getting　into　a　nice　temper；　for　I　had　been　very　much　harrassed　of　late；　〃put　it　at　that。　　What　would　you　do　if　it　were　so？〃

〃Call　up　my　rain…drunk　guards；　and　give　you　in　charge　as　a　thief　caught　meddling　with　the　king's　property。〃

〃Thanks；　but　as　my　interviews　with　Ar…hap　have　al…　ready　begun　to　grow　tedious；　we　will　settle　this　little　matter　here　between　ourselves　at　once。〃　　And　without　more　to…do　I　closed　with　him。　　There　was　a　brief　scuffle　and　then　I　got　in　a　blow　upon　his　jaw　which　sent　the　harbour　master　flying　back　head　over　heels　amongst　the　sugar　bales　and　potatoes。

Without　waiting　to　see　how　he　fared　I　ran　down　the　steps；　jumped　on　board；　loosened　the　rope；　and　pushed　out　into　the　river。　　But　my　heart　was　angry　and　sore；　for　I　knew；　as　turned　out　to　be　the　case；　that　our　secret　was　one　no　more；　in　a　short　time　we　should　have　the　savage　king　in　pursuit；　and　now　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　headlong　flight　with　only　a　small　chance　of　getting　away　to　distant　Seth。

Luckily　the　harbour　master　lay　insensible　until　he　was　found　at　dawn；　so　that　we　had　a　good　start；　and　the　moment　the　canoe　passed　from　the　arcade…like　approach　to　the　town　the　current　swung　her　head　automatically　seaward；　and　away　we　went　down　stream　at　a　pace　once　more　filling　me　with　hope。




CHAPTER　XIX

All　went　well　and　we　fled　down　the　bitter　stream　of　the　Martian　gulf　at　a　pace　leaving　me　little　to　do　but　guide　our　course　just　clear　of　snags　and　promontories　on　the　port　shore。　　Just　before　dawn；　however；　with　a　thin　mist　on　the　water　and　flocks　of　a　flamingo…like　bird　croaking　as　they　flew　southward　overhead；　we　were　nearly　captured　again。

Drifting　silently　down　on　a　rocky　island；　I　was　having　a　drink　at　the　water…pitcher　at　the　moment；　while　Heru；　her　hair　beaded　with　prismatic　moisture　and　looking　more　ethereal　than　ever；　sat　in　the　bows　timorously　inhaling　the　breath　of　freedom；　when　all　on　a　sudden　voices　invisible　in　the　mist；　came　round　a　corner。　　It　was　one　of　Ar…hap's　war…canoes　toiling　up…stream。　　Heru　and　I　ducked　down　into　the　haze　like　dab…chicks　and　held　our　breath。

Straight　on　towards　us　came　the　toiling　ship；　the　dip　of　oars　resonant　in　the　hollow　fog　and　a　ripple　babbling　on　her　cutwater　plainly　discernible。


　　　　　　　　　　〃Oh；　oh！

　　　　　　　　　　　Hoo；　hoo！

　　　　　　　　　　　How　high；　how　high！〃

sounded　the　sleepy　song　of　the　rowers　till　they　were　loom…　ing　right　abreast　and　we　could　smell　their　damp　hides　in　the　morning　air。　　Then　they　stopped　suddenly　and　some　one　asked；

〃Is　there　not　something　like　a　boat　away　on　the　right？〃

〃It　is　nothing；〃　said　another；　〃but　the　lees　of　last　night's　beer　curdling　in　your　stupid　brain。〃

〃But　I　saw　it　move。〃

〃That　must　have　been　in　dreams。〃

〃What　is　all　that　talking　about？〃　growled　a　sleepy　voice　of　authority　from　the　stern。

〃Bow　man；　sir；　says　he　can　see　a　boat。〃

〃And　what　does　it　matter　if　he　can？　　Are　we　to　delay　every　time　that　lazy　ruffian　spying　a　shadow　makes　it　an　excuse　to　stop　to　yawn　and　scratch？　　Go　on；　you　plankful　of　lubbers；　or　I'll　give　you　something　worth　thinking　about！〃　And　joyfully；　oh；　so　joyfully；　we　heard　the　sullen　dip　of　oars　commence　again。

Nothing　more　happened　after　that　till　the　sun　at　length　shone　on　the　little　harbour　town　at　the　estuary　mouth；　making　the　masts　of　fishing　craft　clustering　there　like　a　golden　reed…　bed　against　the　cool；　clean　blue　of　the　sea　beyond。

Right　glad　we　were　to　see　it；　and　keeping　now　in　shadow　of　the　banks；　made　all　haste　while　light　was　faint　and　mist　hung　about　to　reach　the　town；　finally　pushing　through　the　boats　and　gaining　a　safe　hiding…place　without　hostile　notice　before　it　was　clear　daylight。

Covering　Heru　up　and　knowing　well　all　our　chances　of　escape　lay　in　expedition；　I　went　at　once；　in　pursuance　of　a　plan　made　during　the　night；　to　the　good　dame　at　what；　for　lack　of　a　better　name；　must　still　continue　to　be　called　the　fish…shop；　and　finding　her　alone；　frankly　told　her　the　salient　points　of　my　story。　　When　she　learned　I　had　〃robbed　the　lion　of　his　prey〃　and　taken　his　new　wife　singlehanded　from　the　dreaded　Ar…hap　her　astonishment　was　unbounded。　Nothing　would　do　but　she　must　look　upon　the　princess；　so　back　we　went　to　the　hiding…place；　and　when　Heru　knew　that　on　this　woman　depended　our　lives　she　stepped　ashore；　taking　the　rugged　Martian　hand　in　her　dainty　fingers　and　begging　her　help　so　sweetly　that　my　own　heart　was　moved；　and；　thrusting　hands　in　pocket；　I　went　aside；　leaving　those　two　to　settle　it　in　their　own　female　way。

And　when　I　looked　back　in　five　minutes；　royal　Seth　had　her　arms　round　the　woman's　neck；　kissing　the　homely　cheeks　with　more　than　imperial　fervour；　so　I　knew　all　was　well　thus　far；　and　stopped　expectorating　at　the　little　fishes　in　the　water　below　and　went　over　to　them。　　It　was　time！　　We　had　hardly　spoken　together　a　minute　when　a　couple　of　war…canoes　filled　with　men　appeared　round　the　nearest　promontory；　coming　down　the　swift　water　with　arrow…like　rapidity。

〃Quick！〃　said　the　fishwife；　〃or　we　are　all　lost。　　Into　your　canoe　and　paddle　up　this　creek。　　It　runs　out　to　the　sea　behind　the　town；　and　at　the　bar　is　my　man's　fishing…boat　amongst　many　others。　　Lie　hidden　there　till　he　comes　if　you　value　your　lives。〃　　So　in　we　got；　and　while　that　good　Samaritan　went　back　to　her　house　we　cautiously　paddled　through　a　deserted　backwater　to　where　it　presently　turned　through　low　sandbanks　to　the　gulf。　　There　were　the　boats；　and　we　hid　the　canoe　and　lay　down　amongst　them　till；　soon　after；　a　man；　easily　recognised　as　the　husband　of　our　friend；　came　sauntering　down　from　the　village。

At　first　he　was　sullen；　not　unreasonably　alarmed　at　the　danger　into　which　his　good　woman　was　running　him。　　But　when　he　set　eyes　on　Heru　he　softened　immediately。　　Prob…　ably　that　thick…bodied　fellow　had　never　seen　so　much　female　loveliness　in　so　small　a　bulk　in　all　his　life；　and；　being　a　man；　he　surrendered　at　discretion。

〃In　with　you；　then；〃　he　growled；　〃since　I　must　needs　risk　my　neck　for　a　pair　of　runaways　who　better　deserve　to　be　hung　than　I　do。　　In　with　you　both　into　this　fishing…cobble　of　mine；　and　I　will　cover　you　with　nets　while　I　go　for　a　mast　and　sail；　and　mind　you　lie　as　still　as　logs。　　The　town　is　already　full　of　soldiers　looking　for　you；　and　it　will　be　short　shrift　for　us　all　if　you　are　seen。〃

Well　aware　of　the　fact　and　now　in　the　hands　of　destiny；　the　princess　and　I　lay　down　as　bidden　in　the　prow；　and　the　man　covered　us　lightly　over　with　one　of　those　fine　meshed　seines　used　by　these　people　to　catch　the　little　fish　I　had　breakfasted　on　more　than　once。

Materially　I　could　have　enjoyed　the　half…hour　which　fol…　lowed；　since　such　rest　after　exertion　was　welcome；　the　sun　warm；　the　lapping　of　sea　on　shingle　infinitely　soothing；　and；　above　all；　Heru　was　in　my　arms！　　How　sweet　and　childlike　she　was！　　I　could　feel　her　little　heart　beating　through　her　scanty　clothing；　while　every　now　and　then　she　turned　her　gazelle　eyes　to　mine　with　a　trust　and　admiration　infinitely　alluring。　　Yes！　as　far　as　that　went　I　could　have　lain　there　with　that　slip　of　maiden　royalty　for　ever；　but　the　fascination　of　the　moment　was　marred　by　the　thought　of　our　danger。　What　was　to　prevent　these　new　friends　giving　us　away？　They　knew　we　had　no　money　to　recompense　them　for　the　risk　they　were　running。　　They　were　poor；　and　a　splendid　reward；　wealth　itself　to　them；　would　doubtless　be　theirs　if　they　betrayed　us　even　by　a　look。　　Yet　somehow　I　trusted　them　as　I　have　trusted　the　poor　before　with　the　happiest　results；　and　telling　myself　this　and　comforting　Heru；　I　lis…　tened　and　waited。

Minute　by　minute　went　by。　　It　seemed　an　age　since　the　fisherman　had　gone；　but　presently　the　sound　of　voices　inter…　rupted　the　sea's　murmur。　　Cautiously　stealing　a　glance　through　a　chink　imagine　my　feelings　on　perceiving　half　a　dozen　of　Ar…hap's　soldiers　coming　down　the　beach　straight　towards　us！　　Then　my　heart　was　bitter　within　me；　and　I　tasted　of　defeat；　even　with　Heru　in　my　arms。　　Luckily　even　in　that　moment　of　agony　I　kept　still；　and　another　peep　showed　the　men　were　now　wandering　about　rather　aimlessly。　Perhaps　after　all　they　did　not　know