a journey in other worlds-第42节

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million　miles　beyond　their　earth's　orbit；　and　more　than　eight
hundred　million　from　the　place　where　the　earth　was　then。　　While
they　lay　unconscious；　the　clouds　above　them　froze；　and　before
morning　there　was　a　fall　of　snow　that　covered　the　ground　and　them
as　they　lay　upon　it。　　Soon　three　white　mounds　were　all　that
marked　their　presence；　and　the　cranes　and　eagles；　rising　from
their　roosts　in　response　to　the　coming　day；　looked　unconcernedly
at　all　that　was　human　that　they　had　ever　seen。　　Finally；　wakened
by　the　resounding　cries　of　these　birds；　Bearwarden　and　Cortlandt
arose；　and　meeting　Ayrault；　who　had　already　risen；　mistook　the
snowy　form　before　them　for　the　spirit；　and　thinking　the　dead
bishop　had　revisited　them；　they　were　preparing　to　welcome　him；
and　to　propound　the　questions　they　had　formulated；　when　Ayrault's
familiar　voice　showed　them　their　mistake。
　　　
〃Seeing　your　white　figures；〃　said　he；　〃rise　apparently　in
response　to　those　loud　calls；　reminded　me　of　what　the　spirit　told
us　of　the　last　day；　and　of　the　awakening　and　resurrection　of　the
dead。〃
　　　
The　scene　was　indeed　weird。　　The　east；　already　streaked　with　the
rays　of　the　rising　far…away　sun；　and　the　pale　moons　nearing　the
horizon　in　the　west；　seemed　connected　by　the　huge　bow　of　light。　
The　snow　on　the　dark　evergreens　produced　a　contrast　of　colour；
while　the　other　trees　raised　their　almost　bare　and　whitened
branches　against　the　sky；　as　though　in　supplication　to　the
mysterious　rings；　which　cast　their　light　upon　them　and　on　the
ground。　　As　they　gazed；　however；　the　rings　became　grey；　the　moons
disappeared；　and　another　day　began。　　Feeling　sure　the　snow　must
have　cleared　the　air　of　any　deleterious　substances　it　contained
the　day　before；　they　descended　into　the　neighbouring　valley；
which；　having　a　southerly　exposure；　was　warm　in　comparison　with
the　hills。　　As　they　walked　they　disturbed　a　number　of　small
rodents；　which　quickly　ran　away　and　disappeared　in　their　holes。
　　　
〃Though　we　have　seen　none　of　the　huge　creatures　here；〃　said
Cortlandt；　〃that　were　so　plentiful　on　Jupiter；　these　burrowers
belong　to　a　distinctly　higher　scale　than　those　we　found　there；
from　which　I　take　it　we　may　infer　that　the　evolution　of　the
animal　kingdom　has　advanced　further　on　this　planet　than　on
Jupiter；　which　is　just　what　we　have　a　right　to　expect；　for
Saturn；　in　addition　to　being　the　smaller　and　therefore　more
matured　of　the　two；　has　doubtless　had　a　longer　individual
existence；　being　the　farther　from　the　sun。〃
　　　
Notwithstanding　the　cold　of　the　night；　the　flowers；　especially
the　lilies；　were　as　beautiful　as　ever；　which　surprised　them　not　a
little；　until；　on　examining　them　closely；　they　found　that　the
stems　and　veins　in　the　leaves　were　fluted；　and　therefore　elastic；
so　that；　should　the　sap　freeze；　it　could　expand　without　bursting
the　cells；　thereby　enabling　the　flowers　to　withstand　a　short
frost。　　They　noticed　that　many　of　the　curiously　shaped　birds　they
saw　at　a　distance　from　time　to　time　were　able　to　move　with　great
rapidity　along　the　ground；　and　had　about　concluded　that　they　must
have　four　legs；　being　similar　to　winged　squirrels；　when　a　long；
low　quadruped；　about　twenty…five　feet　from　nostrils　to　tail；
which　they　were　endeavouring　to　stalk；　suddenly　spread　two　pairs
of　wings；　flapping　the　four　at　once；　and　then　soared　off　at　great
speed。
　　　
〃I　hope　we　can　get　one　of　those；　or　at　least　his　photograph；〃
said　Cortlandt。
　　　
〃If　they　go　in　pairs；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃we　may　find　the
companion　near。〃
　　　
At　that　moment　another　great　winged　lizard；　considerably　larger
than　the　first；　rose　with　a　snort；　not　twenty　yards　on　their
left。　　Cortlandt；　who　was　a　good　shot　with　a　gun　at　short　range；
immediately　raised　his　twelve…bore　and　fired　both　barrels　at　the
monster；　but　the　double…B　shots　had　no　more　disabling　effect　than
if　they　had　been　number　eights。　　They；　however；　excited　the
creature's　ire；　for；　sweeping　around　quickly；　it　made　straight
for　Cortlandt；　breathing　at　him　when　near；　and　almost
overpowering　the　three　men　with　the　malodorous；　poisonous　cloud
it　exhaled。　　Instantly　Bearwarden　fired　several　revolver　bullets
down　its　throat；　while　Ayrault　pulled　both　barrels　almost
simultaneously；　with　the　muzzles　but　a　few　inches　from　its　side。　
In　this　case　the　initial　velocity　of　the　heavy　buckshot　was　so
great；　and　they　were　still　so　close　together；　that　they
penetrated　the　leathery　hide；　tearing　a　large　hole。　　With　a　roar
the　wounded　monster　beat　a　retreat；　first　almost　prostrating　them
with　another　blast　of　its　awful　breath。
　　　
〃It　would　take　a　stronger　light　than　we　get　here；〃　said
Bearwarden；　〃to　impress　a　negative　through　that　haze。　　I　think；〃
he　continued；　〃I　know　a　trick　that　will　do　the　business；　if　we
see　any　more　of　these　dragons。〃　　Saying　which；　he　withdrew　the
cartridges　from　his　gun；　and　with　his　hunting…knife　cut　the　tough
paper　shell　nearly　through　between　the　wads　separating　the　powder
from　the　shot；　drawing　his　knife　entirely　around。
　　　
〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃when　I　fire　those；　the　entire　forward　end　of　the
cartridge　will　go　out；　keeping　the　fifteen　buckshot　together　like
a　slug；　and　with　such　penetration　that　it　will　go　through　a
two…inch　plank。　　It　is　a　trick　I　learned　from　hunters；　and；
unless　your　guns　are　choke…bore；　in　which　case　it　might　burst　the
barrel；　I　advise　you　to　follow　suit。〃
　　　
Finding　they　had　brought　straight…bored　guns；　they　arranged　their
cartridges　similarly；　and　set　out　in　the　direction　in　which　the
winged　lizards　or　dragons　had　gone。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IV。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　PROVIDENTIAL　INTERVENTION。

The　valley　narrowed　as　they　advanced；　the　banks　rising　gently　on
both　sides。　　Both　dragons　had　flown　straight　to　a　grove　of　tall；
spreading　trees。　　On　coming　near　to　this；　they　noticed　a　faint
smell　like　that　of　the　dragon；　and　also　like　the　trace　they　found
in　the　air　on　leaving　the　Callisto　the　day　before；　after　they　had
sought　safety　within　it。　　Soon　it　almost　knocked　them　down。
　　　
〃We　must　get　to　windward；〃　said　Cortlandt。　　〃I　already　feel
faint；　and　believe　those　dragons　could　kill　a　man　by　breathing　on
him。〃
　　　
Accordingly；　they　skirted　around　the　grove；　and　having　made　a
quarter　circlefor　they　did　not　wish　the　dragons　to　wind
themagain　drew　nearer。　　Tree　after　tree　was　passed；　and　finally
they　saw　an　open　space　twelve　or　fifteen　acres　in　area　at　the
centre　of　the　grove；　when　they　were　arrested　by　a　curious　sound
of　munching。　　Peering　among　the　trunks　of　the　huge　trees；　they
advanced　cautiously；　but　stopped　aghast。　　In　the　opening　were　at
least　a　hundred　dragons　devouring　the　toadstools　with　which　the
ground　was　covered。　　Many　of　them　were　thirty　to　forty　feet　long；
with　huge　and　terribly　long；　sharp　claws；　and　jaws　armed　with
gleaming　batteries　of　teeth。　　Though　they　had　evidently　lungs；
and　the　claws　and　mouth　of　an　animal；　they　reminded　the　observers
in　many　respects　of　insects　enormously　exaggerated；　for　their
wings；　composed　of　a　sort　of　transparent　scale；　were　small；　and
moved；　as　they　had　already　seen；　at　far　greater　speed　than　those
of　a　bird。　　Their　projecting　eyes　were　also　set　rigidly　in　their
heads　instead　of　turning；　and　consisted　of　a　number　of　flat
surfaces　or　facets；　like　a　fly's　eye；　so　that　they　could　see
backward　and　all　around；　each　facet　seeing　anything　the　rays　from
which　came　at　right　angles　to　its　surface。　　This　beautiful　grove
was　doubtless　their　feeding…ground；　and；　as　such；　was　likely　to
be　visited　by　many　more。　　Concluding　it　would　be　wise　to　let
their　wounded　game　escape；　the　three　men　were　about　to　retreat；
having　found　it　difficult　to　breathe　the　air　even　at　that
distance　from　the　monsters；　when　the　wounded　dragon　that　they　had
observed　moving　about　in　a　very　restless　manner；　and　evidently
suffering　a　good　deal　from　the　effect　of　its　wounds；　espied　them；
and；　with　a　roar　that　made　the　echoes　ring；　started　towards　them
slowly　along　the　ground；　followed　by　the　entire　herd；　the　nearer
of　which　now　also　saw　them。　　Seeing　that　their　lives　were　in
danger；　the　hunters　quickly　regained　the　open；　and　then　stretched
their　legs　against　the　wind。　　The　dragons　came　through　the　trees
on　the　ground；　and　then；　raising　themselves　by　their　wings；　the
whole　swarm；　snorting；　and　darkening　the　air　with　their　deadly
breath；　made　straight　for　the　men；　who　by　comparison　looked　like
Lilliputians。　　With　the　slug　from　his　right　barrel　Bearwarden
ended　the　wounded　dragon's　career　by　shooting　him　through　the
head；　and　with　his　left　laid　low　the　one　following。　　Ayrault　also
killed　two　huge　monsters；　and　Cortlandt　killed　one　and　wounded
another。　　Their　supply　of　prepared　cartridges　was　then　exhausted；
and　they　fell　back　on　their　revolvers　and　ineffective　spreading
shot。　　Resolved　to　sell　their　lives　dearly；　they　retreated；
keeping　their　backs　to　the　wind；　with　the　poisonous　dragons　in
front。　　But　the　breeze　was　very　slight；　and　they　were　being
rapidly　blinded　and　asphyxiated　by　the　loathsome　fumes；　and
deafened　by　the　hideous　roaring　and　snapping　of　the　dragons'
jaws。　　Realizing　that　they　could　not　much　longer　reply　to　the
diabolical　host　with　lead；　they　believed　their　last　hour　had
come；　w