gulliver of mars-第8节

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〃No！　now　I　come　to　think　of　it；　it　is　most　natural　things　should　be　much　alike　in　all　the　corners　of　the　universe；　the　splendid　simplicity　that　rules　the　spheres；　works　much　the　same；　no　doubt；　upon　one　side　of　the　sun　as　upon　the　other。　　Yet；　somehowyou　can　hardly　wonder　at　ityes…　terday　I　looked　to　find　your　world；　when　I　realised　where　I　had　tumbled　to；　a　world　of　djin　and　giants；　of　mad　possibilities　over　realised；　and　here　I　see　you　dwellers　by　the　utterly　remote　little　more　marvellous　than　if　I　had　come　amongst　you　on　the　introduction　of　a　cheap　tourist　ticket；　and　round　some　neglected　corner　of　my　own　distant　world！〃

〃I　hardly　follow　your　meaning；　sir。〃

〃No；　no；　of　course　you　cannot。　　I　was　forgetting　you　did　not　know！　　There；　pass　me　the　stuff　on　yonder　platter　that　looks　like　caked　mud　from　an　anchor　fluke；　and　swells　like　breath　of　paradise；　and　let　me　question　you；〃　and　while　I　sat　and　drank　with　that　yellow　servitor　sitting　in　front　of　me；　I　plied　her　with　questions；　just　as　a　baby　might　who　had　come　into　the　world　with　a　full…blown　gift　of　speech。　But　though　she　was　ready　and　willing　enough　to　answer；　and　laughed　gaily　at　my　quaint　ignorance　of　simple　things；　yet　there　was　little　water　in　the　well。

〃Had　they　any　kind　of　crafts　or　science；　any　cult　of　stars　or　figures？〃　　But　again　she　shook　her　head；　and　said；　〃Hath　might　know；　Hath　understood　most　things；　but　her…　self　knew　little　of　either。〃　　〃Armies　or　navies？〃　and　again　the　Martian　shrugged　her　shoulders；　questioning　in　turn

〃What　for？〃

〃What　for！〃　I　cried；　a　little　angry　with　her　engaging　dulness；　〃Why；　to　keep　that　which　the　strong　hand　got；　and　to　get　more　for　those　who　come　next；　navies　to　sweep　yonder　blue　seas；　and　armies　to　ward　what　they　should　bring　home；　or　guard　the　city　walls　against　all　enemies；for　I　suppose；　An；〃　I　said；　putting　down　my　knife　as　the　cheering　thought　came　on　me；〃I　suppose；　An；　you　have　some　en…　emies？　　It　is　not　like　Providence　to　give　such　riches　as　you　possess；　such　lands；　such　cities；　and　not　to　supply　the　anti…　dote　in　some　one　poor　enough　to　covet　them。〃

At　once　the　girl's　face　clouded　over；　and　it　was　obvious　a　tender　subject　had　been　chanced　upon。　　She　waved　her　hand　impatiently　as　though　to　change　the　subject；　but　I　would　not　be　put　off。

〃Come；〃　I　said；　〃this　is　better　than　breakfast。　　It　was　the　one　thingthis　unknown　enemy　of　yourswanting　to　lever　the　dull　mass　of　your　too　peacefulness。　　What　is　he　like？　How　strong？　　How　stands　the　quarrel　between　you？　　I　was　a　soldier　myself　before　the　sea　allured　me；　and　love　horse　and　sword　best　of　all　things。〃

〃You　would　not　jest　if　you　knew　our　enemy！〃

〃That　is　as　it　may　be。　　I　have　laughed　in　the　face　of　many　a　stronger　foe　than　yours　is　like　to　prove；　but　anyhow；　give　me　a　chance　to　judge。　　Come；　who　is　it　that　frightens　all　the　blood　out　of　your　cheeks　by　a　bare　mention　and　may　not　be　laughed　at　even　behind　these　substantial　walls？〃

〃First；　then；　you　know；　of　course；　that　long　ago　this　land　of　ours　was　harried　from　the　West。〃

〃Not　I。〃

〃No！〃　said　An；　with　a　little　warmth。　　〃If　it　comes　to　that；　you　know　nothing。〃

Whereat　I　laughed；　and；　saying　the　reply　was　just；　vowed　I　would　not　interrupt　again；　so　she　wont　on　saying　how　Haththat　interminable　Hath！would　know　it　all　better　than　she　did；　but　long　ago　the　land　was　overrun　by　a　people　from　beyond　the　broad；　blue　waters　outside；　a　people　huge　of　person；　hairy　and　savage；　uncouth；　unlettered；　and　poor　An's　voice　trembled　even　to　describe　them；　a　people　without　mercy　or　compunction；　dwellers　in　woods；　eaters　of　flesh；　who　burnt；　plundered；　and　destroyed　all　before　them；　and　had　toppled　over　this　city　along　with　many　others　in　an　ancient　foray；　the　horrors　of　which；　still　burnt　lurid　in　her　people's　minds。

〃Ever　since　then；〃　went　on　the　girl；　〃these　odious　terrors　of　the　outer　land　have　been　a　nightmare　to　us；　making　hectic　our　pleasures；　and　filling　our　peace　with　horrid　thoughts　of　what　might　be；　should　they　chance　to　come　again。〃

〃'Tis　unfortunate；　no　doubt；　lady；〃　I　answered。　　〃Yet　it　was　long　ago；　and　the　plunderers　are　far　away。　　Why　not　rise　and　raid　them　in　turn？　　To　live　under　such　a　nightmare　is　miserable；　and　a　poet　on　my　side　of　the　ether　has　said


　　　　　〃'He　either　fears　his　fate　too　much；

　　　　　　　　　　Or　his　deserts　are　small；

　　　　　Who　will　not　put　it　to　the　touch；

　　　　　　　　　　To　win　or　lose　it　all。'

It　seems　to　me　you　must　either　bustle　and　fight　again；　or　sit　tamely　down；　and　by　paying　the　coward's　fee　for　peace；　buy　at　heavy　price；　indulgence　from　the　victor。〃

〃We；〃　said　An　simply；　and　with　no　show　of　shame；　〃would　rather　die　than　fight；　and　so　we　take　the　easier　way；　though　a　heavy　one　it　is。　　Look！〃　she　said；　drawing　me　to　the　broad　window　whence　we　could　get　a　glimpse　of　the　westward　town　and　the　harbour　out　beyond　the　walls。　〃Look！　see　yonder　long　row　of　boats　with　brown　sails　hanging　loose　reefed　from　every　yard　ranged　all　along　the　quay。　　Even　from　here　you　can　make　out　the　thin　stream　of　porter　slaves　passing　to　and　fro　between　them　and　the　granaries　like　ants　on　a　sunny　path。　　Those　are　our　tax…men's　ships；　they　came　yesterday　from　far　out　across　the　sea；　as　punctual　as　fate　with　the　first　day　of　spring；　and　two　or　three　nights　hence　we　trust　will　go　again：　and　glad　shall　we　be　to　see　them　start；　although　they　leave　scupper　deep　with　our　cloth；　our　corn；　and　gold。〃

〃Is　that　what　they　take　for　tribute？〃

〃That　and　one　girlthe　fairest　they　can　find。〃

〃Oneonly　one！　　'Tis　very　moderate；　all　things　considered。〃

〃She　is　for　the　thither　king；　Ar…hap；　and　though　only　one　as　you　say；　stranger；　yet　he　who　loses　her　is　apt　sometimes　to　think　her　one　too　many　lost。〃

〃By　Jupiter　himself　it　is　well　said！　　If　I　were　that　man　I　would　stir　up　heaven　and　hell　until　I　got　her　back；　neither　man；　nor　beast；　nor　devil　should　stay　me　in　my　quest！〃　　As　I　spoke　I　thought　for　a　minute　An's　fingers　trembled　a　little　as　she　fixed　a　flower　upon　my　coat；　while　there　was　something　like　a　sigh　in　her　voice　as　she　said

〃The　maids　of　this　country　are　not　accustomed；　sir；　to　be　so　strongly　loved。〃

By　this　time；　breakfasted　and　rehabilitated；　I　was　ready　to　go　forth。　　The　girl　swung　back　the　heavy　curtain　that　served　in　place　of　door　across　the　entrance　of　my　chamber；　and　leading　the　way　by　a　corridor　and　marble　steps　while　I　followed；　and　whether　it　was　the　Martian　air　or　the　meal　I　know　not；　but　thinking　mighty　well　of　myself　until　we　came　presently　onto　the　main　palace　stairs；　which　led　by　stately　flights　from　the　upper　galleries　to　the　wide　square　below。

As　we　passed　into　the　full　sunshineand　no　sunshine　is　so　crisply　golden　as　the　Martianamongst　twined　flowers　and　shrubs　and　gay；　quaint　birds　building　in　the　cornices；　a　sleek　youth　rose　slowly　from　where　he　had　spread　his　cloak　as　couch　upon　a　step　and　approaching　asked

〃You　are　the　stranger　of　yesterday？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered。

〃Then　I　bring　a　message　from　Prince　Hath；　saying　it　would　pleasure　him　greatly　if　you　would　eat　the　morning　meal　with　him。〃

〃Why；〃　I　answered；　〃it　is　very　civil　indeed；　but　I　have　breakfasted　already。〃

〃And　so　has　Hath；〃　said　the　boy；　gently　yawning。　　〃You　see　I　came　here　early　this　morning；　but　knowing　you　would　pass　sooner　or　later　I　thought　it　would　save　me　the　trouble　if　I　lay　down　till　you　camethose　quaint　people　who　built　these　places　were　so　prodigal　of　steps；〃　and　smiling　apologetically　he　sank　back　on　his　couch　and　began　toying　with　a　leaf。

〃Sweet　fellow；〃　I　said；　and　you　will　note　how　I　was　getting　into　their　style　of　conversation；　〃get　back　to　Hath　when　you　have　rested；　give　him　my　most　gracious　thanks　for　the　intended　courtesy；　but　tell　him　the　invitation　should　have　started　a　week　earlier；　tell　him　from　me；　you　nimble…　footed　messenger；　that　I　will　post…date　his　kindness　and　come　tomorrow；　say　that　meanwhile　I　pray　him　to　send　any　ill　news　he　has　for　me　by　you。　　Is　the　message　too　bulky　for　your　slender　shoulders？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　boy；　rousing　himself　slowly；　〃I　will　take　it；〃　and　then　he　prepared　to　go。　　He　turned　again　and　said；　without　a　trace　of　incivility；　〃But　indeed；　stranger；　I　wish　you　would　take　the　message　yourself。　　This　is　the　third　flight　of　stairs　I　have　been　up　today。〃

Everywhere　it　was　the　same　friendly　indolence。　　Half　the　breakfasters　were　lying　on　coloured　shawls　in　groups　about　the　square；　the　other　half　were　strolling　offall　in　one　direction；　I　noticedas　slowly　as　could　be　towards　the　open　fields　beyond；　no　one　was　active　or　had　anything　to　do　save　the　yellow　folk　who　flitted　to　and　fro　fostering　the　others；　and　doing　the　city　work　as　though　it　were　their　only　thought　in　life。　　There　were　no　shops　in　that　strange　city；　for　there　were　no　needs；　some　booths　I　saw　indeed；　and　temple…like　places；　but　hollow；　and　used　for　birds　and　beaststhings　these　lazy　Martians　love。　　There　was　no　tramp　of　busy　feet；　for　no　one　was　busy；　no　clank　of　swords　or　armour　in　those　peaceful　streets；　for　no　one　was　warlike；　no　hustle；　for　no　one　hurried；　no　wide…packed　asses　nodding　down　the　lanes；　for　there　was　nothing　to　fill　their　packs　with；　and　though　a　cart　sometimes　came　by　with　a　load　of　lolling　men　and　maids；　or　a　small　horse；　for　horses　they　had；　paced　along；　itse