gulliver of mars(火星上的格列弗)-第37章
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of the glorious wealth of parti…coloured vege… tation my eyes had been
accustomed to lately； here they rested on infertile stretches of marshland
intersected by moss…covered gravel shoots； looking as though they had
been pushed into the plains in front of extinct glaciers coming down from
the region behind us。 On the low hills away from the sea those sombre
evergreen forests with an undergrowth of moss and red lichens were more
variegated with light foliage； and indeed the pines proved to be but a
fringe to the Arctic ice； giving way rapidly to more typical Martian
vegetation each mile we marched to the southward。
As for the inhabitants； they seemed； like my guide； rough； uncouth
fellows； but honest enough when you came to know them。 An
introduction； however； was highly desirable。 I chanced upon the first
native as he was gathering reindeer… moss。 My companion was some
little way behind at the moment； and when the gentle aborigine saw the
stranger he stared hard for a moment； then； turning on his heels； with
extraordinary swiftness flung at me half a pound of hard flint stone。 Had
his aim been a little more careful this humble narrative had never appeared
on the Broadway bookstalls。 As it was； the pebble； missing my head by
an inch or two； splintered into a hundred fragments on a rock behind； and
while I was debating whether a revengeful rush at the slinger or a strategic
advance to the rear were more advisable； my guide called out to his
countryman
〃Ho！ you base prowler in the morasses； you eater of un… clean
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vegetation； do you not see this is a ghost I am con… ducting； a dweller in
the ice cliffs； a spirit ten thousand years old？ Put by your sling lest he
wither you with a glance。〃 And； very reasonably； surprised； the aborigine
did as he was bid and cautiously advanced to inspect me。
The news soon spread over the countryside that my jewel… hunter was
bringing a live 〃spook〃 along with him； con… siderable curiosity mixed
with an awe all to my advantage characterising the people we met
thereafter。 Yet the won… der was not so great as might have been
expected； for these people were accustomed to meeting the tags of lost
races； and though they stared hard； their interest was chiefly in hearing
how； when； and where I had been found； whether I bit or kicked； or had
any other vices； and if I possessed any commercial value。
My guide's throat must have ached with the repetition of the narrative；
but as he made the story redound greatly to his own glory； he put up
cheerfully with the hoarseness。 In this way； walking and talking alternately；
we travelled during daylight through a country which slowly lost its
rugged features and became more and more inhabited； the hardy people
living in scattered villages in contradiction to the debased city…loving
Hither folk。
About nightfall we came to a sea…fishers' hamlet； where； after the old
man had explained my exalted nature and ven… erable antiquity； I was
offered shelter for the night。
My host was the headman； and I must say his bearing towards the
supernatural was most unaffected。 If it had been an Avenue hotel I could
not have found more handsome treatment than in that reed…thatched hut。
They made me wash and rest； and then were all agog for my history； but
that I postponed； contenting myself with telling them I had been lately in
Seth； and had come thence to see them via the ice valleyto all of which
they listened with the simplicity of children。 Afterwards I turned on
them； and openly mar… velled that so small a geographical distance as there
was between that land and this could make so vast a human difference。
〃The truth； O dweller in blue shadows of primordial ice； is；〃 said the most
intelligent of the Thither folk as we sat over fried deer…steak in his hut that
evening； 〃we who are MEN； not Peri…zad； not overstayed fairies like those
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you have been amongst； are newcomers here on this shore。 We came but
a few generations ago from where the gold curtains of the sun lie behind
the westward pine…trees； and as we came we drove； year by year； those
fays； those spent triflers； back before us。 All this land was theirs once；
and more and more towards our old home。 You may still see traces of
harbours dug and cities built thousands of years ago； when the Hither folk
were living men and women not their shadows。 The big water outside
stops us for a space； but；〃 he added； laughing gruffly and taking a draught
of a strong beer he had been heating by the fire； 〃King Ar…hap has their
pretty noses between his fingers； he takes tribute and girls while he gets
readythey say he is nearly ready this summer； and if he is； it will not be
much of an excuse he will need to lick up the last of those triflers； those
pretences of manhood。〃
Then we fell to talking of Ar…hap； his subjects and town； and I learned
the tides had swept me a long way to the northward of the proper route
between the capitals of the two races； that day they carried me into the
Dead…Men's Ice； as these entertainers of mine called the northern snows。
To get back to the place previously aimed at； where the woodmen road
came out on the seashore； it was necessary to go either by boat； a
roundabout way through a maze of channels； 〃as tangled as the grass roots
in autumn〃； or； secondly； by a couple of days' marching due southward
across the base of the great peninsula we were on； and so strike blue water
again at the long…sought…for harbour。
As I lay dozing and dreaming on a pile of strange furs in the corner of
the hut that evening I made up my mind for the land journey tomorrow；
having had enough for the mo… ment of nautical Martian adventures； and
this point settled； fell again to wondering what made me follow so reckless
a quest in the way I was doing； asking myself again and again what was
gazelle…eyed Heru to me after all； and why should it matter even as much
as the value of a brass waist… coat button whether Hath had her or Ar…hap？
What a fool I was to risk myself day by day in quaint and dangerous
adventures； wearing out good Government shoe…leather in other men's
quarrels； all for a silly slip of royal girlhood who； by this time； was
probably making herself comfortable and forgetting both Hath and me in
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the arms of her rough new lord。
And from Heru my mind drifted back dreamily to poor An； and Seth；
the city of fallen magnificence； where the spent masters of a strange planet
now lived on suffer… ancethe ghosts of their former selves。 Where was
An； where the revellers on the m
