the virgin of the sun-第27章

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these　trees　appeared）。

Noting　these　and　the　creeping　plants　with　beautiful　flowers；　such　as　I
had　never　seen；　that　climbed　up　them；　and　the　sweet　scents　that
floated　on　the　air；　and　the　clear　light；　now　I　grew　sure　that　I　was
dead　and　had　reached　Paradise。　Only　then　how　came　it　that　I　still　lay
on　the　ship；　for　never　had　I　heard　that　such　things　also　went　to
Paradise？　Nay；　I　must　dream；　it　was　nothing　but　a　dream　that　I　wished
were　true；　remembering　as　I　did　the　terrors　of　that　gale…tossed　sea。
Or；　if　I　did　not　dream；　then　I　was　in　some　new　world。

While　I　mused　thus　I　heard　a　sound　of　soft　footsteps　and　presently　saw
a　figure　bending　over　me。　It　was　Kari；　very　thin　and　hollow…eyed；
much；　indeed；　as　he　had　been　when　I　found　him　on　the　quay　in　London；
but　still　Kari　without　doubt。　He　looked　at　me　in　his　grave　fashion；
then　said　softly：

〃Master　awake？〃

〃Yes；　Kari；〃　I　said；　〃but　tell　me；　where　am　I？〃

He　did　not　answer　at　once　but　went　away　and　returned　presently　with　a
bowl　from　which　he　bade　me　drink；　holding　it　to　my　lips。　I　did　so；
swallowing　what　seemed　to　be　broth　though　I　thought　it　strangely
flavoured；　after　which　I　felt　much　stronger；　for　whatever　was　in　that
broth　ran　through　my　veins　like　wine。　At　last　he　spoke　in　his　queer
English。

〃Master；〃　he　said；　〃when　we　still　in　Thames　River；　you　ask　me　whether
we　should　run　ashore　into　the　hands　of　the　hunters　who　try　to　catch
us；　or　sail　on。　I　answer；　'You　have　God　and　I　have　God　and　better　fall
into　hands　of　gods　than　into　hands　of　men。'　So　we　sail　on　into　the　big
storm。　For　long　we　sail；　and　though　once　it　turn；　always　the
great　wind　blew；　behind　us。　You　grow　weak　and　your　mind　leave　you；　but
I　keep　you　alive　with　medicine　that　I　have　and　for　many　days　I　stay
awake　and　steer。　Then　at　last　my　mind　leave　me；　too；　and　I　know　no
more。　Three　days　ago　I　wake　up　and　find　the　ship　in　this　place。　Then　I
eat　more　medicine　and　get　strength；　also　food　from　people　on　the　shore
who　think　us　gods。　That　all　the　story；　except　that　you　live；　not　die。
Your　God　and　my　God　bring　us　here　safe。〃

〃Yes；　Kari；　but　where　are　we？〃

〃Master；　I　think　in　that　country　from　which　I　come；　not　in　my　own　land
which　is　still　far　away；　but　still　in　that　country。　You　remember；〃　he
added　with　a　flash　of　his　dark　eyes；　〃I　always　say　that　you　and　I　go
there　together　one　day。〃

〃But　what　is　the　country；　Kari？〃

〃Master；　not　know　its　name。　It　big　and　have　many　names；　but　you　first
white　man　who　ever　come　here；　that　why　people　think　you　God。　Now　you
go　sleep　again；　to…morrow　we　talk。〃

I　shut　my　eyes；　being　so　very　tired；　and　as　I　learned　afterwards；
slept　for　twelve　hours　or　more；　to　awake　on　the　morning　of　the
following　day；　feeling　wonderfully　stronger　and　able　to　eat　with
appetite。　Also　Kari　brought　me　water　and　washed　me；　and　clean　clothes
which　he　had　found　in　the　ship　that　I　put　on。

Thus　it　went　on　for　a　long　while　and　day　by　day　I　recovered　strength
till　at　length　I　was　almost　as　I　had　been　when　I　married　Blanche　Aleys
in　the　church　of　St。　Margaret　at　Westminster。　Only　now　sorrow　had
changed　me　within　and　without　my　face　had　grown　more　serious；　while　to
it　hung　a　short　yellow　beard　which；　when　I　looked　at　my　reflection；
seemed　to　become　me　well　enough。　That　beard　puzzled　me　much；　since
such　are　not　grown　in　a　day；　although　it　is　true　that　as　yet　it　was
not　over…long。　Weeks　must　have　passed　since　it　began　to　sprout　upon　my
chin　and　as　we　had　been　but　three　days　in　this　place　when　I　woke　up；
those　weeks　without　doubt　were　spent　upon　the　sea。

Whither；　then；　had　we　come？　Driving　all　the　while　before　a　great　gale；
that　for　most　of　our　voyage　had　blown　from　the　east；　as；　if　Kari　were
right；　we　had　done；　this　country　must　be　very　far　away　from　England。
That　it　was　so；　indeed　there　could　be　no　doubt；　since　here　everything
was　different。　For　example；　having　been　a　mariner　from　my　childhood；　I
had　been　taught　and　observed　something　of　the　stars；　and　noted　that
the　constellations　had　changed　their　places　in　the　heavens；　also　that
some　with　which　I　was　familiar　were　missing；　while　other　new　ones　had
appeared。　Further；　the　heat　was　great　and　constant；　even　at　night
being　more　than　that　of　our　hottest　summer　day；　and　the　air　was　full
of　stinging　insects；　which　at　first　troubled　me　much；　though
afterwards　I　grew　hardened　to　them。　In　short；　everything　was　changed；
and　I　was　indeed　in　a　new　world　that　was　not　told　of　in　Europe；　but
what　world？　What　world？　At　least　the　sea　joined　it　to　the　old；　for
beneath　me　was　still　the　/Blanche/；　which　timber　by　timber　I　had　seen
built　up　upon　the　shores　of　Thames　from　oaks　cut　in　my　own　woods。

As　soon　as　I　was　strong　enough；　I　went　over　the　ship；　or　what　was　left
of　her。　It　was　a　marvel　that　she　had　floated　for　so　long；　since　her
hull　was　shattered。　Indeed；　I　do　not　think　she　could　have　done　so；
save　for　the　fine　wool　that　was　packed　into　the　lower　part　of　her；
which　wool　seemed　to　have　swollen　when　it　grew　wet　and　to　have　kept
the　water　out。　For　the　rest　she　was　but　a　hulk；　since　both　her　masts
were　gone；　and　much　of　the　deck　with　them。　Still　she　had　kept　afloat
and　driving　into　this　creek；　had　beached　herself　upon　the　mud　as
though　it　were　the　harbour　that　she　sought。

How　had　we　lived　through　such　a　journey？　The　answer　seemed　to　be；
after　we　were　too　weak　to　find　or　take　food；　by　means　of　the　drug　that
Kari　cherished　in　his　skin　bag；　and　water　of　which　there　was　plenty
left　at　hand　in　barrels；　since　the　/Blanche/　had　been　provisioned　for
a　long　voyage　to　Italy　and　farther。　At　least　we　had　lived　for　weeks；
and　weeks；　being　still　young　and　very　strong；　and　not　having　been
called　upon　to　suffer　great　cold；　since　it　would　appear　that　although
the　gale　continued　after　the　first　few　days　of　our　flight　before　it；
the　weather　had　turned　warm。

During　this　time　of　my　recovery；　every　morning　Kari　would　go　ashore；
which　he　did　by　means　of　planks　set　upon　the　mud；　since　we　were　within
a　few　feet　of　the　bank　of　the　creek　into　which　a　streamlet　ran。　Later
he　would　return；　bringing　with　him　fish　and　wildfowl；　and　corn　of　a
sort　that　I　did　not　know；　for　its　grains　were　a　dozen　times　the　size
of　wheat；　flat…sided；　and　if　ripe；　of　a　yellow　colour；　which　he　said
he　had　purchased　from　those　who　dwelt　upon　the　land。　On　this　good　food
I　feasted；　washing　it　down　with　ale　and　wine　from　the　ship's　stores；
indeed　never　before　did　I　eat　so　much；　not　even　when　I　was　a　boy。

At　length；　one　morning　Kari　made　me　put　on　my　armour；　the　same　which　I
had　taken　from　the　French　knight；　and　fled　in　from　London；　that　he　had
burnished　till　it　shone　like　silver；　and　seat　myself　in　a　chair　upon
what　remained　of　the　poop　of　the　ship。　When　I　asked　him　why；　he
answered　in　order　that　he　might　show　me　to　the　inhabitants　of　that
land。　In　this　chair　he　bade　me　sit　and　wait；　holding　the　shield　upon
my　arm　and　the　bare　sword　in　my　right　hand。

As　I　had　come　to　know　that　Kari　never　did　anything　without　a　reason
and　remembered　that　I　was　in　a　strange　country　where；　lacking　him；　I
should　not　have　lived　or　could　continue　to　do　so；　I　fell　into　his
humour。　Moreover；　I　promised　that　I　would　remain　still　and　neither
speak；　nor　smile；　nor　rise　from　my　chair　unless　he　bade　me。　So　there　I
sat　glittering　in　the　hot　sunshine　which　burned　me　through　the　armour。

Then　Kari　went　ashore　and　was　absent　for　some　time。　At　length　among
the　trees　and　undergrowth　I　heard　the　sound　of　people　talking　in　a
strange　tongue。　Presently　they　appeared　on　the　bank　of　the　creek；　a
great　number　of　them；　very　curious　people；　brown…skinned　with　long；
lank　black　hair　and　large　eyes；　but　not　over…tall　in　stature；　men；
women　and　children　together。

Among　them　were　some　who　wore　white　robes　whom　I　took　to　be　their
gentlefolk；　but　the　most　of　them　had　only　cloths　or　girdles　about
their　middles。　Leading　the　throng　was　Kari；　who；　as　it　appeared　from
the　bushes；　waved　his　hand　and　pointed　me　out　seated　in　the　shining
armour　on　the　ship；　the　visor　up　to　show　my　face　and　the　long　sword　in
my　hand。　They　stared；　then；　with　a　low；　sighing　exclamation；　one　and
all　fell　upon　their　faces　and　rubbed　their　brows　upon　the　ground。

As　they　lay　ther