gulliver of mars-第5节

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〃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　againhow　else　could　it　be？〃　said　the　Martian；　and　shrugging　my　shoulders；　for　I　was　in　no　great　mood　to　argue；　we　went　down　to　the　waterway；　through　a　thicket　of　budding　trees　underlaid　with　a　carpet　of　small　red　flowers　filling　the　air　with　a　scent　of　honey；　and　soon　found　a　diminutive　craft　pulled　up　on　the　bank。　　There　were　some　dainty　cloaks　and　wraps　in　it　which　An　took　out　and　laid　under　a　tree。　　But　first　he　felt　in　the　pouch　of　one　for　a　sweetmeat　which　his　fine　nostrils；　acute　as　a　squirrel's；　told　him　was　there；　and　taking　the　lump　out　bit　a　piece　from　it；　afterwards　replacing　it　in　the　owner's　pocket　with　the　frankest　simplicity。

Then　we　pushed　off；　hoisted　the　slender　mast；　set　the　smallest　lug…sail　that　ever　a　sailor　smiled　at；　and；　myself　at　the　helm；　and　that　golden　youth　amidships；　away　we　drifted　under　thickets　of　drooping　canes　tasselled　with　yel…　low　catkin…flowers；　up　the　blue　alley　of　the　water　into　the　broader　open　river　beyond　with　its　rapid　flow　and　crowd…　ing　boats；　the　white　city　front　now　towering　clear　before　us。

The　air　was　full　of　sunshine　and　merry　voices；　birds　were　singing；　trees　were　budding；　only　my　heart　was　heavy；　my　mind　confused。　　Yet　why　should　I　be　sad；　I　said　to　myself　presently？　　Life　beat　in　my　pulses；　what　had　I　to　fear？　This　world　I　had　tumbled　into　was　new　and　strange；　no　doubt；　but　tomorrow　it　would　be　old　and　familiar；　it　dis…　credited　my　manhood　to　sit　brow…bent　like　that；　so　with　an　effort　I　roused　myself。

〃Old　chap！〃　I　said　to　my　companion；　as　he　sat　astride　of　a　thwart　slowly　chewing　something　sticky　and　eyeing　me　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eyes　with　vapid　wonder；　〃tell　me　something　of　this　land　of　yours；　or　something　about　yourselfwhich　reminds　me　I　have　a　question　to　ask。　　It　is　a　bit　delicate；　but　you　look　a　sensible　sort　of　fellow；　and　will　take　no　offence。　　The　fact　is；　I　have　noticed　as　we　came　along　half　your　population　dresses　in　all　the　colours　of　the　rainbow'fancy　suitings'　our　tailors　could　call　it　at　homeand　this　half　of　the　census　are　undoubtedly　men　and　women。　　The　rub　is　that　the　other　half；　to　which　you　be…　long；　all　dress　alike　in　YELLOW；　and　I　will　be　fired　from　the　biggest　gun　on　the　Carolina's　main　deck　if　I　can　tell　what　sex　you　belong　to！　　I　took　you　for　a　boy　in　the　begin…　ning；　and　the　way　you　closed　with　the　idea　of　having　a　drink　with　me　seemed　to　show　I　was　dead　on　the　right　course。　　Then　a　little　later　on　I　heard　you　and　a　friend　abusing　our　sex　from　an　outside　point　of　view　in　a　way　which　was　very　disconcerting。　　This；　and　some　other　things；　have　set　me　all　abroad　again；　and　as　fate　seems　determined　to　make　us　chums　for　this　voyagewhywell；　frankly；　I　should　be　glad　to　know　if　you　be　boy　or　girl？　　If　you　are　as　I　am；　no　more　nor　less　thenfor　I　like　youthere's　my　hand　in　comradeship。　　If　you　are　otherwise；　as　those　sleek　outlines　seem　to　promisewhy；　here's　my　hand　again！　　But　man　or　woman　you　must　become；　which　is　it？〃

If　I　had　been　perplexed　before；　to　watch　that　boy　now　was　more　curious　than　ever。　　He　drew　back　from　me　with　a　show　of　wounded　dignity；　then　bit　his　lips；　and　sighed；　and　stared；　and　frowned。　　〃Come；〃　I　said　laughingly；　〃speak！　it　engenders　ambiguity　to　be　so　ambiguous　of　gender！　　'Tis　no　great　matter；　yes　or　no；　a　plain　answer　will　set　us　fairly　in　our　friendship；　if　it　is　comrade；　then　comrade　let　it　be；　if　maid；　why；　I　shall　not　quarrel　with　that；　though　it　cost　me　a　likely　messmate。〃

〃You　mock　me。〃

〃Not　I；　I　never　mocked　any　one。〃

〃And　does　my　robe　tell　you　nothing？〃

〃Nothing　so　much；　a　yellow　tunic　and　becoming　enough；　but　nothing　about　it　to　hang　a　deduction　on。　　Come！　　Are　you　a　girl；　after　all？〃

〃I　do　not　count　myself　a　girl。〃

〃Why；　then；　you　are　the　most　blooming　boy　that　ever　eyes　were　set　upon；　and　though　'tis　with　some　tinge　of　regret；　yet　cheerfully　I　welcome　you　into　the　ranks　of　man…　hood。〃

〃I　hate　your　manhood；　send　it　after　the　maidhood；　it　fits　me　just　as　badly。〃

〃But　An；　be　reasonable；　man　or　maid　you　must　be。〃

〃Must　be；　why？〃

〃Why？〃　　Was　ever　such　a　question　put　to　a　sane　mortal　before？　　I　stared　at　that　ambiguous　thing　before　me；　and　then；　a　little　wroth　to　be　played　with；　growled　out　some…　thing　about　Martians　being　all　drunk　or　mad。

〃'Tis　you　yourself　are　one　or　other；〃　said　that　individual；　by　this　time　pink　with　anger；　〃and　if　you　think　because　I　am　what　I　am　you　can　safely　taunt　me；　you　are　wrong。　See！　　I　have　a　sting；〃　and　like　a　thwarted　child　my　com…　panion　half　drew　from　the　folds　of　the　yellow　tunic…dress　the　daintiest；　most　harmless…looking　little　dagger　that　was　ever　seen。

〃Oh；　if　it　comes　to　that；〃　I　answered；　touching　the　Navy　scabbard　still　at　my　hip；　and　regaining　my　temper　at　the　sight　of　hers；　〃why；　I　have　a　sting　alsoand　twice　as　long　as　yours！　　But　in　truth；　An；　let　us　not　talk　of　these　things；　if　something　in　what　I　have　said　has　offended　nice　Martian　scruples　I　am　sorry；　and　will　question　no　more；　leaving　my　wonder　for　time　to　settle。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　other；　〃it　was　my　fault　to　be　hasty　of　offence；　I　am　not　so　angered　once　a　year。　　But　in　truth　your　question　moves　us　yellow　robes　deeply。　　Did　you　not　really　know　that　we　who　wear　this　saffron　tunic　are　slaves；　a　race　apart；　despised　by　all。〃

〃'Slaves；'　no；　how　should　I　know　it？〃

〃I　thought　you　must　understand　a　thing　so　fundamental；　and　it　was　that　thought　which　made　your　questions　seem　unkind。　　But　if　indeed　you　have　come　so　far　as　not　to　under…　stand　even　this；　then　let　me　tell　you　once　we　of　this　garb　were　womenpriestesses　of　the　immaculate　conceptions　of　humanity；　guardians　of　those　great　hopes　and　longings　which　die　so　easily。　　And　because　we　forgot　our　high　station　and　took　to　aping　another　sex　the　gods　deserted　and　men　despised　us；　giving　us；　in　the　fierceness　of　their　contempt；　what　we　asked　for。　　We　are　the　slave　ants　of　the　nest；　the　work…bees　of　the　hive；　come；　in　truth；　of　those　here　who　still　be　men　and　women　of　a　sort；　but　toilers　only；　un…　known　in　love；　unregretted　in　deaththose　who　dangle　all　children　but　their　ownslaves　cursed　with　the　accomplish…　ment　of　their　own　ambition。〃

There　was　no　doubt　poor　An　believed　what　she　said；　for　her　attitude　was　one　of　extreme　dejection　while　she　spoke；　and　to　cheer　her　I　laughed。

〃Oh！　come；　it　can't　be　as　bad　as　that。　　Surely　sometimes　some　of　you　win　back　to　womanhood？　　You　yourself　do　not　look　so　far　gone　but　what　some　deed　of　abnegation；　some　strong　love　if　you　could　but　conceive　it　would　set　you　right　again。　　Surely　you　of　the　primrose　robes　can　sometimes　love？〃

Whereat　unwittingly　I　troubled　the　waters　in　the　placid　soul　of　that　outcast　Martian！　　I　cannot　exactly　describe　how　it　was；　but　she　bent　her　head　silently　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　then；　with　a　sigh；　lifting　her　eyes　suddenly　to　mine；　said　quietly；　〃Yes；　sometimes；　sometimesbut　very　sel…　dom；〃　while　for　an　instant　across　her　face　there　flashed　the　summer　lightning　of　a　new　hope；　a　single　transient　glance　of　wistful；　timid　entreaty；　of　wonder　and　delight　that　dared　not　even　yet　acknowledge　itself。

Then　it　was　my　turn　to　sit　silent；　and　the　pause　was　so　awkward　that　in　a　minute；　to　break　it；　I　exclaimed

〃Let's　drop　personalities；　old　chapI　mean　my　dear　Miss　An。　　Tell　me　something　about　your　people；　and　let　us　begin　properly　at　the　top：　have　you　got　a　king；　for　instance？〃

To　this　the　girl；　pulling　herself　out　of　the　pleasant　slough　of　her　listlessness；　and　falling　into　my　vein；　answered

〃Both　yes　and　no；　sir　traveller　from　afarno　chiefly；　and　yet　perhaps　yes。　　If　it　were　no　then　it　were　so；　and　if　yes　then　Hath　were　our　king。〃

〃A　mild　king　I　should　judge　by　your　uncertainty。　　In　the　place　where　I　came　from　kings　press　their　individualities　somewhat　more　clearly　on　their　subjects'　minds。　　Is　Hath　here　in　the　city？　　Does　he　come　to　your　feasts　today？〃

An　nodded。　　Hath　was　on　the　river；　he　had　been　to　see　the　sunrise；　even　now　she　thought　the　laughter　and　singing　down　behind　the　bend　might　be　the　king's　barge　coming　up　citywards。　　〃He　will　not　be　late；〃　said　my　companion；　〃because　the　marriage…feast　is　set　for　tomorrow　in　the　palace。〃

I　became　interested。　　Kings；　palaces；　marriage…feastswhy；　here　was　something　substantial　to　go　upon；　after　all　these　gauzy　folk　might　turn　out　good　fellows；　jolly　com…　rades　to　sojourn　amongstand　marriage…feasts　reminded　me　again　I　was　hungry。

〃Who　is　it；〃　I　asked；　with　more　interest　in　my　tone；　〃who　gets　married？is　it　your　ambiguous　king　himself？〃

Whereat　An's　purple　eyes　broadened　with　wonder：　then　as　though　she　would　not　be　uncivil　she　checked　herself；　and　answered　with　smothered　pity　for　my　ignorance；　〃Not　only　Hath　himself；　but　every　one；　stranger；　they　are　all　married　tomorrow；　you　would　not　have　them　married　one　at　a　time；　would　you？〃this　with　inexpressible　derision。

I　said；　with　humility；　something　like　that　happened　in　the　place　I　came　from；　asking　her　how　it　chanced　the　convenience　of　so　many　came　to　one　climax　at　the　same　mo…　ment。　　〃Surely；　An；　this　is　a　marvel　of　arrangement。　　Where　I　dwelt　wooings　would　sometimes　be　long　or　sometimes　short；　and　all　mai