the land of the changing sun-第14章

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o　eat　the　provisions　with　which　they　were　supplied。　Indeed；　the　very　air　seemed　permeated　with　a　subtle　quality　that　gave　them　strength　and　energy　of　mind　and　body。

〃Finally；　when；　after　a　month　had　passed；　and　they　returned　to　their　anxious　friends；　these　people　overwhelmed　them　with　exclamations　of　surprise　over　their　appearance。　And　in　the　light　of　day　the　explorers　looked　at　one　another　in　astonishment；　for；　in　the　dim　light　of　the　lanterns　they　had　carried；　they　had　not　noticed　the　great　change　that　had　come　over　them。　They　had　all　become　the　finest　specimens　of　physical　health　that　could　be　imagined。　Their　bodies　had　filled　out；　they　were　remarkably　strong；　their　skins　shone　with　healthful　color　and　their　eyes　sparkled　with　intellectual　energy；　and　their　minds；　even　to　the　humblest　burden…carrier；　were　astonishingly　acute　and　active。

〃My　ancestor　was　a　remarkable　man；　and　he　had　hitherto　shown　much　inventive　ability；　but　in　that　month　in　the　cave　he　had　developed　into　an　intellectual　giant。　After　mature　deliberation；　he　proposed　a　prodigious　scheme　to　his　followers。　He　explained　that；　while　they　might；　by　using　the　utmost　discretion；　hold　the　financial　world　in　their　power　by　means　of　their　inexhaustible　wealth；　that　the　laws　and　restrictions　of　different　countries　prevented　men　of　vast　wealth　from　really　enjoying　more　privileges　than　men　of　moderate　means。　He　grew　eloquent　in　speaking　of　the　underground　atmosphere；　and　proposed　that　they　light　the　great　cavern　from　end　to　end　and　make　it　an　ideal　place　where　they　could　live　as　it　suited　them。

〃I　see　that　you　guess　the　end。　My　ancestor　was　a　great　student　of　the　sciences　and　had　already　thought　of　putting　electricity　to　practical　use。　You　are　surprised？　Yes；　it　has　been　applied　to　our　purposes　for　two　hundred　years；　while　your　people　have　understood　its　use　such　a　short　time。〃

〃Great　heavens！〃　exclaimed　the　Englishman。　〃I　see　it　all；　the　sun　is　an　electric　one！〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　it　runs　mechanically　over　its　great　course　as　regularly　as　clock…work。〃

〃More　accurately；　I　assure　you；　but　there　probably　never　was　a　greater　mathematical　problem　than　they　solved　in　deciding　on　the　size　the　sun　should　be　and　amount　of　light　necessary　to　fill　up　all　the　recesses　of　the　great　vacancy。　It　was　all　very　crude　at　the　start；　for　years　a　great　electric　light　was　simply　suspended　in　the　centre　of　the　cavern's　roof　and　the　light　did　not　vary　in　color。　A　son　of　the　first　king　suggested　the　plan　of　giving　the　sun　diurnal　movement　and　the　changing　light。　The　moon　and　stars　were　a　later　development。　They　found；　too；　that　the　light　could　not　be　made　to　reach　certain　recesses　in　the　cavern　where　the　roof　approached　the　earth；　so　they　finally　built　a　great　wall　to　keep　the　inhabitants　within　proscribed　boundaries；　and　to　prevent　them　from　understanding　the　machinery　of　the　heavens。〃

〃Wonderful！〃　exclaimed　Thorndyke。　〃But　the　temperature　of　the　atmosphere；　how　does　that　happen　to　be　so　delightful　and　beneficial？〃

〃I　believe　they　do　not　themselves　thoroughly　comprehend　that。　The　heat　comes　from　the　internal　fires；　and　the　fresh　air　from　without　in　some　mysterious　way。　At　first；　in　a　few　places；　the　heat　was　too　severe；　but　the　scientific　men　among　the　first　settlers　obviated　this　difficulty　by　closing　up　the　hottest　of　the　fissures　and　opening　others　in　the　cooler　parts　of　the　cavern。〃

〃And　the　people；　where　did　they　come　from？〃

〃From　all　parts　of　the　earth。　We　had　agents　outside　who　selected　such　men　and　women　that　were　willing　to　come；　and　who　filled　all　the　requirements；　mentally　and　physically。〃

〃But　why　do　they　desire　to　live　here　instead　of　out　in　the　world；　when　they　have　all　the　wealth　that　they　need　to　assure　every　advantage。〃

〃They　dread　death；　and　it　is　undoubtedly　true　that　life　is　prolonged　here；　our　medical　men　declare　that　the　longevity　of　every　generation　is　improved。〃

〃Is　it　possible？　But　tell　me　about　the　sun；　when　it　sets；　what　becomes　of　it？〃

〃It　goes　back　to　its　place　of　rising　through　a　great　tunnel　beneath　us。〃

Thorndyke　sat　in　deep　thought　for　a　moment；　then　he　looked　so　steadily　and　so　admiringly　into　Bernardino's　eyes　that　she　grew　red　with　confusion。　〃But　you；　yourself；　are　you　thoroughly　content　here？〃

〃I　know　nothing　else；〃　she　continued。　〃I　have　heard　little　about　your　world　except　that　your　people　are　discontented；　weak　and　insane；　and　that　your　changeable　weather　and　your　careless　laws　regarding　marriage　and　heredity　produce　perpetual　and　innumerable　diseases；　that　your　people　are　not　well　developed　and　beautiful；　that　you　war　with　one　another；　and　that　one　tears　down　what　another　builds。　I　have；　too；　always　been　happy；　and　since　you　came　I　am　happier　still。　I　don't　know　what　it　means。　I　have　never　been　so　much　interested　in　any　one　before。〃

〃It　is　love　on　the　part　of　both　of　us；〃　replied　the　Englishman　impulsively；　taking　her　hand。　〃I　never　was　content　before。　I　went　roving　over　the　earth　trying　to　end　my　life　at　sea　or　in　balloon　voyages；　but　now　I　only　want　to　be　with　you。　I　have　never　dreamed　that　I　could　be　so　happy　or　that　I　would　meet　any　one　so　beautiful　as　you　are。〃

Bernardino's　delight　showed　itself　in　blushes　on　her　face；　and　Thorndyke；　unable　to　restrain　himself；　put　his　arm　around　her　and　drew　her　to　his　breast　and　kissed　her。

She　sprang　up　quickly　and　he　saw　that　she　was　trembling　and　that　all　the　color　had　fled　from　her　face。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　asked；　in　alarm。

At　first　she　did　not　answer；　but　only　looked　at　him　half…　frightened；　and　then　covered　her　face　with　her　hands。　He　drew　them　from　her　face　and　compelled　her　to　look　at　him。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　repeated；　a　strange　fear　at　his　heart。

〃You　have　broken　one　of　the　most　sacred　laws　of　our　country；〃　she　faltered；　in　great　embarrassment；　〃my　father　would　punish　me　very　severely　if　he　knew　of　it；　and　he　would　banish　you；　for；　to　treat　me　in　that　manner；　as　his　daughter；　is　regarded　as　an　insult　to　him。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon　most　humbly；〃　said　the　contrite　Englishman。　〃It　was　all　on　account　of　my　ignorance　of　your　customs　and　my　impulsiveness。　It　shall　never　happen　again；　I　promise　you。〃

Her　face　brightened　a　little　and　the　color　came　back　slowly。　She　sat　down　again；　but　not　so　near　Thorndyke；　and　seemed　desirous　of　changing　the　subject。

〃And　do　you　love　the　man　my　father　has　transported？〃　she　questioned。

〃Yes；　he　is　a　good；　faithful　fellow；　and　it　is　hard　to　die　so　far　away　from　friends。〃

〃We　must　try　to　save　him；　but　I　cannot　now　think　of　a　safe　plan。　The　police　are　very　vigilant。〃

〃Where　was　he　taken？〃

〃Into　the　darkness　behind　the　sunbeyond　the　wall　of　which　I　spoke。〃

A　flush　of　shame　came　into　Thorndyke's　face　over　the　remembrance　that　he　had　made　no　effort　to　aid　poor　Johnston；　and　was　sitting　listening　with　delight　to　the　conversation　of　Bernardino。　He　rose　suddenly。

〃I　must　be　doing　something　to　aid　him；〃　he　said。　〃I　cannot　sit　here　inactive　while　he　is　in　danger。〃

〃Be　patient；〃　she　advised；　looking　at　him　admiringly；　〃it　is　near　night；　see；　it　is　the　gray　light　of　dusk；　the　sun　is　out　of　sight。　To…night；　if　possible；　I　shall　come　to　you。　Perhaps　I　shall　approach　you　without　disguise　if　you　are　in　the　throne…room　and　my　father　does　not　object　to　my　entertaining　you；　but　for　the　present　we　must　separate。　Adieu。〃

He　bowed　low　as　she　turned　away；　and　joined　the　throng　that　was　passing　along　outside。　An　officer　approached　him。　It　was　Captain　Tradmos；　who　bowed　and　smiled　pleasantly。

〃I　congratulate　you；〃　he　said；　with　suave　pleasantness。

〃Upon　what？〃　Thorndyke　was　on　his　guard　at　once。

〃Upon　having　pleased　the　king　so　thoroughly。　No　stranger；　in　my　memory；　has　ever　been　treated　so　courteously。　Every　other　new…　comer　is　put　under　surveillance；　but　you　are　left　unwatched。〃

〃He　is　easily　pleased；〃　said　the　Englishman；　〃for　I　have　done　nothing　to　gratify　him。〃

〃I　thought　he　would　like　you；　and　I　felt　that　your　friend　would　have　to　suffer；　but　I　could　not　help　him。〃

〃He　shall　not　suffer　if　I　can　prevent　it。〃

〃Shbe　cautious。　Those　words；　implying　an　inclination　to　treason；　if　spoken　to　any　other　officer　would　place　you　under　immediate　arrest。　I　like　you；　therefore　I　want　to　warn　you　ag