the coming race-第29节

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ise　by　the　republican　title　of　chief　magistrate。　　But　for　the　sudden　swoop　of　that　horrible　Zee；　this　Royal　Lady　would　have　formally　proposed　to　me；　and　though　it　may　be　very　well　for　Aph…Lin；　who　is　only　a　subordinate　minister；　a　mere　Commissioner　of　Light；　to　threaten　me　with　destruction　if　I　accept　his　daughter's　hand；　yet　a　Sovereign；　whose　word　is　law；　could　compel　the　community　to　abrogate　any　custom　that　forbids　intermarriage　with　one　of　a　strange　race；　and　which　in　itself　is　a　contradiction　to　their　boasted　equality　of　ranks。

〃It　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　his　daughter；　who　spoke　with　such　incredulous　scorn　of　the　interference　of　parents；　would　135not　have　sufficient　influence　with　her　Royal　Father　to　save　me　from　the　combustion　to　which　Aph…Lin　would　condemn　my　form。　　And　if　I　were　exalted　by　such　an　alliance；　who　knows　but　what　the　Monarch　might　elect　me　as　his　successor？　Why　not？　Few　among　this　indolent　race　of　philosophers　like　the　burden　of　such　greatness。　　All　might　be　pleased　to　see　the　supreme　power　lodged　in　the　hands　of　an　accomplished　stranger　who　has　experience　of　other　and　livelier　forms　of　existence；　and　once　chosen；　what　reforms　I　would　institute！　What　additions　to　the　really　pleasant　but　too　monotonous　life　of　this　realm　my　familiarity　with　the　civilised　nations　above　ground　would　effect！　I　am　fond　of　the　sports　of　the　field。　　Next　to　war；　is　not　the　chase　a　king's　pastime？　In　what　varieties　of　strange　game　does　this　nether　world　abound？　How　interesting　to　strike　down　creatures　that　were　known　above　ground　before　the　Deluge！　But　how？　By　that　terrible　vril；　in　which；　from　want　of　hereditary　transmission；　I　could　never　be　a　proficient？　No；　but　by　a　civilised　handy　breech…loader；　which　these　ingenious　mechanicians　could　not　only　make；　but　no　doubt　improve；　nay；　surely　I　saw　one　in　the　Museum。　　Indeed；　as　absolute　king；　I　should　discountenance　vril　altogether；　except　in　cases　of　war。　　Apropos　of　war；　it　is　perfectly　absurd　to　stint　a　people　so　intelligent；　so　rich；　so　well　armed；　to　a　petty　limit　of　territory　sufficing　for　10；000　or　12；000　families。　　Is　not　this　restriction　a　mere　philosophical　crotchet；　at　variance　with　the　aspiring　element　in　human　nature；　such　as　has　been　partially；　and　with　complete　failure；　tried　in　the　upper　world　by　the　late　Mr。　　Robert　Owen？　Of　course　one　would　not　go　to　war　with　the　neighbouring　nations　as　well　armed　as　one's　own　subjects；　but　then；　what　of　those　regions　inhabited　by　races　unacquainted　with　vril；　and　apparently　resembling；　in　their　democratic　institutions；　my　American　countrymen？　One　might　invade　them　without　offence　to　the　vril　nations；　our　allies；　appropriate　their　territories；　extending；　perhaps；　to　the　most　distant　136regions　of　the　nether　earth；　and　thus　rule　over　an　empire　in　which　the　sun　never　sets。　　（I　forgot；　in　my　enthusiasm；　that　over　those　regions　there　was　no　sun　to　set）。　　As　for　the　fantastical　notion　against　conceding　fame　or　renown　to　an　eminent　individual；　because；　forsooth；　bestowal　of　honours　insures　contest　in　the　pursuit　of　them；　stimulates　angry　passions；　and　mars　the　felicity　of　peace…　it　is　opposed　to　the　very　elements；　not　only　of　the　human；　but　of　the　brute　creation；　which　are　all；　if　tamable；　participators　in　the　sentiment　of　praise　and　emulation。　　What　renown　would　be　given　to　a　king　who　thus　extended　his　empire！　I　should　be　deemed　a　demigod。〃　Thinking　of　that；　the　other　fanatical　notion　of　regulating　this　life　by　reference　to　one　which；　no　doubt；　we　Christians　firmly　believe　in；　but　never　take　into　consideration；　I　resolved　that　enlightened　philosophy　compelled　me　to　abolish　a　heathen　religion　so　superstitiously　at　variance　with　modern　thought　and　practical　action。　　Musing　over　these　various　projects；　I　felt　how　much　I　should　have　liked　at　that　moment　to　brighten　my　wits　by　a　good　glass　of　whiskey…and…water。　Not　that　I　am　habitually　a　spirit…drinker；　but　certainly　there　are　times　when　a　little　stimulant　of　alcoholic　nature；　taken　with　a　cigar；　enlivens　the　imagination。　　Yes；　certainly　among　these　herbs　and　fruits　there　would　be　a　liquid　from　which　one　could　extract　a　pleasant　vinous　alcohol；　and　with　a　steak　cut　off　one　of　those　elks　（ah！　what　offence　to　science　to　reject　the　animal　food　which　our　first　medical　men　agree　in　recommending　to　the　gastric　juices　of　mankind！）　one　would　certainly　pass　a　more　exhilirating　hour　of　repast。　　Then；　too；　instead　of　those　antiquated　dramas　performed　by　childish　amateurs；　certainly；　when　I　am　king；　I　will　introduce　our　modern　opera　and　a　'corps　de　ballet；'　for　which　one　might　find；　among　the　nations　I　shall　conquer；　young　females　of　less　formidable　height　and　thews　than　the　Gy…ei…　not　armed　with　vril；　and　not　insisting　upon　one's　marrying　them。

I　was　so　completely　rapt　in　these　and　similar　reforms；　137political；　social；　and　moral；　calculated　to　bestow　on　the　people　of　the　nether　world　the　blessings　of　a　civilisation　known　to　the　races　of　the　upper；　that　I　did　not　perceive　that　Zee　had　entered　the　chamber　till　I　heard　a　deep　sigh；　and；　raising　my　eyes；　beheld　her　standing　by　my　couch。

I　need　not　say　that；　according　to　the　manners　of　this　people；　a　Gy　can；　without　indecorum；　visit　an　An　in　his　chamber；　although　an　An　would　be　considered　forward　and　immodest　to　the　last　degree　if　he　entered　the　chamber　of　a　Gy　without　previously　obtaining　her　permission　to　do　so。　　Fortunately　I　was　in　the　full　habiliments　I　had　worn　when　Zee　had　deposited　me　on　the　couch。　　Nevertheless　I　felt　much　irritated；　as　well　as　shocked；　by　her　visit；　and　asked　in　a　rude　tone　what　she　wanted。

〃Speak　gently；　beloved　one；　I　entreat　you；〃　said　she；　〃for　I　am　very　unhappy。　　I　have　not　slept　since　we　parted。〃

〃A　due　sense　of　your　shameful　conduct　to　me　as　your　father's　guest　might　well　suffice　to　banish　sleep　from　your　eyelids。　　Where　was　the　affection　you　pretend　to　have　for　me；　where　was　even　that　politeness　on　which　the　Vril…ya　pride　themselves；　when；　taking　advantage　alike　of　that　physical　strength　in　which　your　sex；　in　this　extraordinary　region；　excels　our　own；　and　of　those　detestable　and　unhallowed　powers　which　the　agencies　of　vril　invest　in　your　eyes　and　finger…ends；　you　exposed　me　to　humiliation　before　your　assembled　visitors；　before　Her　Royal　Highness…　I　mean；　the　daughter　of　your　own　chief　magistrate；…　carrying　me　off　to　bed　like　a　naughty　infant；　and　plunging　me　　into　sleep；　without　asking　my　consent？〃　

〃Ungrateful！　　Do　you　reproach　me　for　the　evidences　of　my　love？　Can　you　think　that；　even　if　unstung　by　the　jealousy　which　attends　upon　love　till　it　fades　away　in　blissful　trust　when　we　know　that　the　heart　we　have　wooed　is　won；　I　could　be　indifferent　to　the　perils　to　which　the　audacious　overtures　of　that　silly　little　child　might　expose　you？〃

138〃Hold！　Since　you　introduce　the　subject　of　perils；　it　perhaps　does　not　misbecome　me　to　say　that　my　most　imminent　perils　come　from　yourself；　or　at　least　would　come　if　I　believed　in　your　love　and　accepted　your　addresses。　　Your　father　has　told　me　plainly　that　in　that　case　I　should　be　consumed　into　a　cinder　with　as　little　compunction　as　if　I　were　the　reptile　whom　Taee　blasted　into　ashes　with　the　flash　of　his　wand。〃

〃Do　not　let　that　fear　chill　your　heart　to　me；〃　exclaimed　Zee；　dropping　on　her　knees　and　absorbing　my　right　hand　in　the　space　of　her　ample　palm。　　〃It　is　true；　indeed；　that　we　two　cannot　wed　as　those　of　the　same　race　wed；　true　that　the　love　between　us　must　be　pure　as　that　which；　in　our　belief；　exists　between　lovers　who　reunite　in　the　new　life　beyond　that　boundary　at　which　the　old　life　ends。　　But　is　it　not　happiness　enough　to　be　together；　wedded　in　mind　and　in　heart？　　Listen：　I　have　just　left　my　father。　　He　consents　to　our　union　on　those　terms。　　I　have　sufficient　influence　with　the　College　of　Sages　to　insure　their　request　to　the　Tur　not　to　interfere　with　the　free　choice　of　a　Gy；　provided　that　her　wedding　with　one　of　another　race　be　but　the　wedding　of　souls。　　Oh；　think　you　that　true　love　needs　ignoble　union？　　It　is　not　that　I　yearn　only　to　be　by　your　side　in　this　life；　to　be　part　and　parcel　of　your　joys　and　sorrows　here：　I　ask　here　for　a　tie　which　will　bind　us　for　ever　and　for　ever　in　the　world　of　immortals。　　Do　you　reject　me？〃

As　she　spoke；　she　knelt；　and　the　whole　character　of　her　face　was　changed；　nothing　of　sternness　left　to　its　grandeur；　a　divine　light；　as　that　of　an　immortal；　shining　out　from　its　human　beauty。　　But　she　rather　awed　me　as　an　angel　than　moved　me　as　a　woman；　and　after　an　embarrassed　pause；　I　faltered　forth　evasive　expressions　of　gratitude；　and　sought；　as　delicately　as　I　could；　to　point　out　how　humiliating　would　be　my　position　amongst　her　race　in　the　light　of　a　husband　who　might　never　be　permitted　the　name　of　father。

〃But；〃　said　Zee；　〃this　community　does　not　constitute　the　whole　world。　　No；　nor　do　all　the　populations　comprised　in　the　league　139of　the　Vril…ya。　　For　thy　sake　I　will　renounce　my　country　and　my　people。　　We　will　fly　together　to　some　region　where　thou　shalt　be　safe。　　I　am　strong　enough　to　bear　thee　on　my　wings　across　the　deserts　that　intervene。　　I　am　skilled　enough　to　cleave　open；　amidst　the　rocks；　valleys　in　which　to　build　our　home。　　Solitude　and　a　hut　with　thee　would　be　to　me　society　and　the　universe。　　Or　wouldst　thou　return　to　thine　ow