a journey in other worlds-第25节

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gliding　about　on　the　ground；　and　placed　them　where　he　would　find
them　on　awaiting。　　They　then　picked　their　way　carefully　towards
stretches　on　which　the　grass　was　shortest。　　When　they　had　gone
about　two　miles；　and　had　already　reached　higher　ground；　they　came
to　a　ridge　of　rock　running　at　right　angles　to　their　course。　　This
they　climbed；　and　on　looking　over　the　edge　of　the　crest　beheld　a
sight　that　made　their　hearts　stand　still。　　A　monster；　somewhat
resembling　an　alligator；　except　that　the　back　was　arched；　was
waddling　about　perhaps　seventy…　five　yards　from　them。　　It　was
sixty　feet　long；　and　to　the　top　of　its　scales　was　at　least
twenty…five　feet　high。　　It　was　constantly　moving；　and　the
travellers　noticed　with　some　dismay　that　its　motion　was　far　more
rapid　than　they　would　have　supposed　it　could　be。
　　　
〃It　is　also　a　dinosaur；〃　said　the　professor；　watching　it　sharply；
〃and　very　closely　resembles　the　Stegosaurus　ungulatus　restored　in
the　museums。　　The　question　is；　What　shall　we　do　with　the　living
specimen；　now　that　we　have　it？〃
　　　
〃Our　chairman；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃must　find　a　way　to　kill　it；　so
that　we　may　examine　it　closely。〃
　　　
〃The　trouble　is；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃our　bullets　will　explode
before　they　penetrate　the　scales。　　In　the　absence　of　any　way　of
making　a　passage　for　an　explosive　ball　by　means　of　a　solid　one；
we　must　strike　a　vital　spot。　　His　scales　being　no　harder　than　the
trunk　of　a　tree；　we　can　wound　him　terribly　by　touching　him
anywhere；　but　there　is　no　object　in　doing　this　unless　we　can　kill
him；　especially　as　there　is　no　deep　stream；　such　as　would　have
delayed　the　mastodon　in　reaching　us；　to　protect　us　here。　　We　must
spread　out　so　as　to　divert　his　attention　from　one　to　another。〃
　　　
After　some　consultation　it　was　decided　that　Cortlandt；　who　had
only　a　shot…gun；　should　remain　where　they　were；　while　Bearwarden
and　Ayrault　moved　some　distance　to　the　right　and　left。　　At　a
signal　from　Cortlandt；　who　was　to　attract　the　monster's
attention；　the　wings　were　to　advance　simultaneously。　　These
arrangements　they　carried　out　to　the　letter。　　When　Bearwarden　and
Ayrault　had　gone　about　twenty…five　yards　on　either　side；　the
doctor　imitated　the　peculiar　grunting　sound　of　an　alligator；　at
which　the　colossal　monster　turned　and　faced　him；　while　Bearwarden
and　Ayrault　moved　to　the　attack。　　The　plan　of　this　was　good；　for；
with　his　attention　fixed　on　three　objects；　the　dinosaur　seemed
confused；　and　though　Bearwarden　and　Ayrault　had　good　angles　from
which　to　shoot；　there　was　no　possibility　of　their　hitting　each
other。　　They　therefore　advanced　steadily　with　their　rifles　half
up。　　Though　their　own　danger　increased　with　each　step；　in　the
event　of　their　missing；　the　chance　of　their　shooting　wild
decreased；　the　idea　being　to　reach　the　brain　through　the　eye。　
Cortlandt's　part　had　also　its　risks；　for；　being　entirely
defenceless　with　his　shot…gun　against　the　large　creature；　whose
attention　it　was　his　duty　to　attract；　he　staked　all　on　the
marksmanship　of　his　friends。　　Not　considering　this；　however；　he
stood　his　ground；　having　the　thumb…piece　on　his　Winchester
magazine　shoved　up　and　ready　to　make　a　noisy　diversion　if
necessary　in　behalf　of　either　wing。　　Having　aroused　the　monster's
curiosity；　Cortlandt　sprang　up；　waving　his　arms　and　his　gun。　　The
dinosaur　lowered　his　head　as　if　to　charge；　thereby　bringing　it　to
a　level　with　the　rifles；　either　of　which　could　have　given　it　the
fatal　shot。　　But　as　their　fingers　pressed　the　triggers　the
reptile　soared　up　thirty　feet　in　the　air。　　Ayrault　pulled　for　his
first　sight；　shooting　through　the　lower　jaw；　and　shivering　that
member；　while　Bearwarden　changed　his　aim　and　sighted　straight　for
the　heart。　　In　an　instant　the　monster　was　down　again；　just
missing　Ayrault's　head　as　he　stepped　back；　and　Bearwarden's　rifle
poured　a　stream　of　explosive　balls　against　its　side；　rending　and
blowing　away　the　heavy　scales。　　Having　drawn　the　dinosaur's
attention　to　himself；　he　retreated；　while　Ayrault　renewed　the
attack。　　Cortlandt；　seeing　that　the　original　plan　had　miscarried；
poured　showers　of　small　shot　against　the　huge　beast's　face。　
Finally；　one　of　Ayrault's　balls　exploded　in　the　brain；　and　all
was　over。
　　　
〃We　have　killed　it　at　last；〃　said　Bearwarden　〃but　the　first
attack；　though　artistic；　had　not　the　brilliant　results　we
expected。　　These　creatures'　mode　of　fighting　is　doubtless
somewhat　similar　to　that　of　the　kangaroo；　which　it　is　said　puts
its　forepaws　gently；　almost　lovingly；　on　a　man's　shoulders；　and
then　disembowels　him　by　the　rapid　movement　of　a　hind　leg。　　But　we
shall　get　used　to　their　method；　and　can　do　better　next　time。〃
　　　
They　then　reloaded　their　weapons　and；　while　Cortlandt　examined
their　victim　from　a　naturalist's　point　of　view；　Bearwarden　and
Ayrault　secured　the　heart；　which　they　thought　would　be　the　most
edible　part；　the　operation　being　rendered　possible　by　the　amount
of　armour　the　explosive　balls　had　stripped　off。
　　　
〃To…morrow；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃we　must　make　it　a　point　to　get
some　well…fed　birds；　for　I　can　roast；　broil；　or　fricassee　them　to
a　turn。　　Life　is　too　short　to　live　on　this　meat　in　such　a
sportsman's　paradise。　　In　any　case　there　can　be　no　end　of
mastodons；　mammoths；　woolly　rhinoceroses；　moa　birds；　and　all　such
shooting。〃
　　　
As　the　sun　was　already　near　the　horizon；　they　chose　a　dry；　sandy
place；　to　secure　as　much　immunity　as　possible　from　nocturnal
visits；　and；　after　procuring　a　supply　of　water　from　a　pool；
proceeded　to　arrange　their　camp　for　the　night。　　They　first　laid
out　the　protection…　wires；　setting　them　while　the　sun　still
shone。　　Next　they　built　a　fire　and　prepared　their　evening　meal。　
While　they　ate　it；　twilight　became　night；　and　the　fire…flies；
twinkling　in　legions　in　the　neighbouring　valley；　seemed　like　the
lamps　of　a　great　city。
　　　
〃Their　lights；〃　said　Bearwarden；　pointing　to　them；　〃are　not　as
fine　as　the　jelly…fish　Will…o'…the　wisps　were　last　night；　but
they　are　not　so　dangerous。　　No　gymnotus　or　electric　eel　that　I
have　ever　seen　compared　with　them；　and　I　am　convinced　that　any
one　of　us　they　might　have　touched　would　have　been　in　kingdom
come。〃
　　　
The　balmy　air　soothed　the　travellers'　brows　as　they　reclined
against　mounds　of　sand；　while　the　flowers　in　the　valley　sent　up
their　dying　notes。　　One　by　one　the　moons　arose；　till　fouramong
them　the　Lilliputian；　discovered　by　Prof。　Barnard　in　1893were
in　the　sky；　flooding　the　landscape　with　their　silvery　light；　and
something　in　the　surroundings　touched　a　sympathetic　cord　in　the
men。
　　　
〃Oh　that　I　were　young　again；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃and　had　life
before　me！　　I　should　like　to　remain　here　and　grow　up　with　this
planet；　in　which　we　already　perceive　the　next　New　World。　　The
beauties　of　earth　are　barren　compared　with　the　scenes　we　have
here。〃
　　　
〃You　remember；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃how　Cicero　defends　old　age
in　his　De　Senectute；　and　shows　that　while　it　has　almost
everything　that　youth　has；　it　has　also　a　sense　of　calm　and　many
things　besides。〃
　　　
〃Yes；〃　answered　Cortlandt；　〃but；　while　plausible；　it　does　not
convince。　　The　pleasures　of　age　are　largely　negative；　the　old
being　happy　when　free　from　pain。〃
　　　
〃Since　the　highest　joy　of　life；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃is　coming　to　know
our　Creator；　I　should　say　the　old；　being　further　advanced；　would
be　the　happier　of　the　two。　　I　should　never　regard　this　material
life　as　greatly　to　be　prized　for　itself。　　You　remember　the　old　
song：
　　　　　　　　　　　〃'O　Youth！　　When　we　come　to　consider
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　pain；　the　toil；　and　the　strife；
　　　　　　　　　　　The　happiest　man　of　all　is
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　one　who　has　finished　his　life。'

　　　
〃I　suspect；〃　continued　Ayrault；　〃that　the　man　who　reaches　even
the　lowest　plane　in　paradise　will　find　far　more　beautiful　visions
than　any　we　have　here。〃
　　　
As　they　had　but　little　rest　the　night　before；　they　were　all
tired。　　The　warm　breeze　swayed　the　long　dry　grass；　causing　it　to
give　out　a　soft　rustle；　all　birds　except　the　flitting　bats　were
asleep　among　the　tall　ferns　or　on　the　great　trees　that　spread
their　branches　towards　heaven。　　There　was　nothing　to　recall　a
picture　of　the　huge　monsters　they　had　seen　that　day；　or　of　the
still　more　to　be　dreaded　terror　these　had　borne　witness　to。　　Thus
night　closes　the　activities　of　the　day；　and　in　its　serene
grandeur　the　soul　has　time　to　think。　　While　they　thought；
however；　drowsiness　overcame　them；　and　in　a　little　while　all　were
asleep。
　　　
The　double　line　of　protection…wires　encircled　them　like　a　silent
guard；　while　the　methodical　ticking　of　the　alarm…clock　that　was
to　wake　them　at　the　approach　of　danger；　and　register　the　hour　of
interruption；　formed　a　curious　contrast　to　the　irregular　cries　of
the　night…hawks　in　the　distance。　　Time　and　again　some　huge
iguanodon　or　a　hipsohopus　would　pass；　shaking　the　ground　with　its
tread；　but　so　implicit　was　the　travellers'　trust　in　the　vigilance
of　their　mechanical　and　tireless　watch；　that　they　slept　on　as
calmly　and　unconcernedly　as　though　they　had　been　in　their　beds　at
home；　while　the　tick　was　as　constant　and　regular　as　a　sentry's
march。　　The　wires　of　course　did　not　protect　them　from　creatures
having　wings；　and　they　ran　some　risk　of　a　visitation　from　the
blood…suckin