gulliver of mars-第4节

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k　tongues　with　the　puddles　the　night…dews　left　in　the　lift　of　our　mainsail。〃

Without　more　words；　being　a　little　awed　of　me；　I　thought；　the　boy　led　me　through　the　good…humoured　crowd　to　where；　facing　the　main　road　to　the　town；　but　a　little　sheltered　by　a　thicket　of　trees　covered　with　gigantic　pink　blossoms；　stood　a　drinking…placea　cluster　of　tables　set　round　an　open　grass…plot。　　Here　he　brought　me　a　platter　of　some　light　inefficient　cakes　which　merely　served　to　make　hunger　more　self…conscious；　and　some　fine　aromatic　wine　contained　in　a　triple…bodied　flask；　each　division　containing　vintage　of　a　separate　hue。　　We　broke　our　biscuits；　sipped　that　mysterious　wine；　and　talked　of　many　things　until　at　last　something　set　us　on　the　subject　of　astronomy；　a　study　I　found　my　dapper　gallant　had　some　knowledge　of　which　was　not　to　be　wondered　at　seeing　he　dwelt　under　skies　each　night　set　thick　above　his　curly　head　with　tawny　planets；　and　glittering　constellations　sprinkled　through　space　like　flowers　in　May　meadows。　　He　knew　what　worlds　went　round　the　sun；　larger　or　lesser；　and　seeing　this　I　be…　gan　to　question　him；　for　I　was　uneasy　in　my　innermost　mind　and；　you　will　remember；　so　far　had　no　certain　knowledge　of　where　I　was；　only　a　dim；　restless　suspicion　that　I　had　come　beyond　the　ken　of　all　men's　knowledge。

Therefore；　sweeping　clear　the　board　with　my　sleeve；　and　breaking　the　wafer　cake　I　was　eating；　I　set　down　one　central　piece　for　the　sun；　and；　〃See　here！〃　I　said；　〃good　fel…　low！　　This　morsel　shall　stand　for　that　sun　you　have　just　been　welcoming　back　with　quaint　ritual。　　Now　stretch　your　starry　knowledge　to　the　utmost；　and　put　down　that　tankard　for　a　moment。　　If　this　be　yonder　sun　and　this　lesser　crumb　be　the　outermost　one　of　our　revolving　system；　and　this　the　next　within；　and　this　the　next；　and　so　on；　now　if　this　be　so　tell　me　which　of　these　fragmentary　orbs　is　ourswhich　of　all　these　crumbs　from　the　hand　of　the　primordial　would　be　that　we　stand　upon？〃　　And　I　waited　with　an　anxiety　a　light　manner　thinly　hid；　to　hear　his　answer。

It　came　at　once。　　Laughing　as　though　the　question　were　too　trivial；　and　more　to　humour　my　wayward　fancy　than　aught　else；　that　boy　circled　his　rosy　thumb　about　a　minute　and　brought　it　down　on　the　planet　Mars！

I　started　and　stared　at　him；　then　all　of　a　tremble　cried；　〃You　trifle　with　me！　　Choose　againthere；　see；　I　will　set　the　symbols　and　name　them　to　you　anew。　　There　now；　on　your　soul　tell　me　truly　which　this　planet　is；　the　one　here　at　our　feet？〃　　And　again　the　boy　shook　his　head；　wondering　at　my　eagerness；　and　pointed　to　Mars；　saying　gently　as　he　did　so　the　fact　was　certain　as　the　day　above　us；　nothing　was　marvellous　but　my　questioning。

Mars！　oh；　dreadful；　tremendous；　unexpected！　　With　a　cry　of　affright；　and　bringing　my　fist　down　on　the　table　till　all　the　cups　upon　it　leapt；　I　told　him　he　liedlied　like　a　simpleton　whose　astronomy　was　as　rotten　as　his　wit　smote　the　table　and　scowled　at　him　for　a　spell；　then　turned　away　and　let　my　chin　fall　upon　my　breast　and　my　hands　upon　my　lap。

And　yet；　and　yet；　it　might　be　so！　　Everything　about　me　was　new　and　strange；　the　crisp；　thin　air　I　breathed　was　new；　the　lukewarm　sunshine　new；　the　sleek；　long；　ivory　faces　of　the　people　new！　　Yesterdaywas　it　yesterday？I　was　back　thereaway　in　a　world　that　pines　to　know　of　other　worlds；　and　one　fantastic　wish　of　mine；　backed　by　a　hideous；　infernal　chance；　had　swung　back　the　doors　of　space　and　shot　meif　that　boy　spoke　trueinto　the　outer　void　where　never　living　man　had　been　before：　all　my　wits　about　me；　all　the　horrible　bathos　of　my　earthly　clothing　on　me；　all　my　terrestrial　hungers　in　my　veins！

I　sprang　to　my　feet　and　swept　my　hands　across　my　eyes。　Was　that　a　dream；　or　this？　　No；　no；　both　were　too　real。　The　hum　of　my　faraway　city　still　rang　in　my　ears：　a　swift　vision　of　the　girl　I　had　loved；　of　the　men　I　had　hated；　of　the　things　I　had　hoped　for　rose　before　me；　still　dazing　my　inner　eye。　　And　these　about　me　were　real　people；　too；　it　was　real　earth；　real　skies；　trees；　and　rockshad　the　infernal　gods　indeed　heard；　I　asked　myself；　the　foolish　wish　that　started　from　my　lips　in　a　moment　of　fierce　discontent；　and　swept　me　into　another　sphere；　another　existence？　　I　looked　at　the　boy　as　though　he　could　answer　that　question；　but　there　was　nothing　in　his　face　but　vacuous　wonder；　I　clapped　my　hands　together　and　beat　my　breast；　it　was　true；　my　soul　within　me　said　it　was　true；　the　boy　had　not　lied；　the　djins　had　heard；　I　was　just　in　the　flesh　I　had；　my　common　human　hungers　still　unsatisfied　where　never　mortal　man　had　hungered　before；　and　scarcely　knowing　whether　I　feared　or　not；　whether　to　laugh　or　cry；　but　with　all　the　wonder　and　terror　of　that　great　remove　sweeping　suddenly　upon　me　I　staggered　back　to　my　seat；　and　dropping　my　arms　upon　the　table；　leant　my　head　heavily　upon　them　and　strove　to　choke　back　the　passion　which　beset　me。




CHAPTER　III

It　was　the　light　touch　of　the　boy　An　upon　my　shoulder　which　roused　me。　　He　was　bending　down；　his　pretty　face　full　of　concernful　sympathy；　and　in　a　minute　saidknow…　ing　nothing　of　my　thoughts；　of　course；

〃It　is　the　wine；　stranger；　the　pink　oblivion；　it　sometimes　makes　one　feel　like　that　until　enough　is　taken；　you　stopped　just　short　of　what　you　should　have　had；　and　the　next　cup　would　have　been　delightI　should　have　told　you。〃

〃Ay；〃　I　answered；　glad　he　should　think　so；　〃it　was　the　wine；　no　doubt；　your　quaint　drink；　sir；　tangled　up　my　senses　for　the　moment；　but　they　are　clearer　now；　and　I　am　eager　past　expression　to　learn　a　little　more　of　this　strange　country　I　have　wandered　into。〃

〃I　would　rather；〃　said　the　boy；　relapsing　again　into　his　state　of　kindly　lethargy；　〃that　you　learnt　things　as　you　went；　for　talking　is　work；　and　work　we　hate；　but　today　we　are　all　new　and　fresh；　and　if　ever　you　are　to　ask　questions　now　is　certainly　the　time。　　Come　with　me　to　the　city　yonder；　and　as　we　go　I　will　answer　the　things　you　wish　to　know；〃　and　I　went　with　him；　for　I　was　humble　and　amazed；　and；　in　truth；　at　that　moment；　had　not　a　word　to　say　for　myself。

All　the　way　from　the　plain　where　I　had　awoke　to　the　walls　of　the　city　stood　booths；　drinking…places；　and　gardens　divided　by　labyrinths　of　canals；　and　embowered　in　shrub…　beries　that　seemed　coming　into　leaf　and　flower　as　we　looked；　so　swift　was　the　process　of　their　growth。　　These　waterways　were　covered　with　skiffs　being　pushed　and　rowed　in　every　direction；　the　cheerful　rowers　calling　to　each　other　through　the　leafy　screens　separating　one　lane　from　another　till　the　place　was　full　of　their　happy　chirruping。　　Every　booth　and　way…side　halting…place　was　thronged　with　these　delicate　and　sprightly　people；　so　friendly；　so　gracious；　and　withal　so　pur…　poseless。

I　began　to　think　we　should　never　reach　the　town　itself；　for　first　my　guide　would　sit　down　on　a　green　stream…bank；　his　feet　a…dangle　in　the　clear　water；　and　bandy　wit　with　a　passing　boat　as　though　there　were　nothing　else　in　the　world　to　think　of。　　And　when　I　dragged　him　out　of　that；　whisper…　ing　in　his　ear；　〃The　town；　my　dear　boy！　the　town！　　I　am　all　agape　to　see　it；〃　he　would　saunter　reluctantly　to　a　booth　a　hundred　yards　further　on　and　fall　to　eating　strange　con…　fections　or　sipping　coloured　wines　with　chance　acquaintances；　till　again　I　plucked　him　by　the　sleeve　and　said：　〃Seth；　good　comradewas　it　not　so　you　called　your　city　just　now？take　me　to　the　gates；　and　I　will　be　grateful　to　you；〃　then　on　again　down　a　flowery　lane；　aimless　and　happy；　wasting　my　time　and　his；　with　placid　civility　I　was　led　by　that　simple　guide。

Wherever　we　went　the　people　stared　at　me；　as　well　they　might；　as　I　walked　through　them　overtopping　the　tallest　by　a　head　or　more。　　The　drinking…cups　paused　half…way　to　their　mouths；　the　jests　died　away　upon　their　lips；　and　the　blinking　eyes　of　the　drinkers　shone　with　a　momentary　sparkle　of　wonder　as　their　minds　reeled　down　those　many…　tinted　floods　to　the　realms　of　oblivion　they　loved。

I　heard　men　whisper　one　to　another；　〃Who　is　he？〃；　〃Whence　does　he　come？〃；　〃Is　he　a　tribute…taker？〃　as　I　strolled　amongst　them；　my　mind　still　so　thrilled　with　doubt　and　wonder　that　to　me　they　seemed　hardly　more　than　painted　puppets；　the　vistas　of　their　lovely　glades　and　the　ivory　town　beyond　only　the　fancy　of　a　dream；　and　their　talk　as　incontinent　as　the　babble　of　a　stream。

Then　happily；　as　I　walked　along　with　bent　head　brood…　ing　over　the　incredible　thing　that　had　happened；　my　com…　panion's　shapely　legs　gave　out；　and　with　a　sigh　of　fatigue　he　suggested　we　should　take　a　skiff　amongst　the　many　ly…　ing　about　upon　the　margins　and　sail　towards　the　town；　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃the　breeze　blows　thitherward；　and　'tis　a　shame　to　use　one's　limbs　when　Nature　will　carry　us　for　nothing！〃

〃But　have　you　a　boat　of　your　own　hereabouts？〃　I　queried；　〃for　to　tell　the　truth　I　came　from　home　myself　somewhat　poorly　provided　with　means　to　buy　or　barter；　and　if　your　purse　be　not　heavier　than　mine　we　must　still　do　as　poor　men　do。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　An；　〃there　is　no　need　to　think　of　that；　no　one　here　to　hire　or　hire　of；　we　will　just　take　the　first　skiff　we　see　that　suits　us。〃

〃And　what　if　the　owner　should　come　along　and　find　his　boat　gone？〃

〃Why；　what　should　he　do　but　take　the　next　along　the　bank；　and　the　master　of　that　the　next　againho