the enchanted island of yew-第15章

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〃We　are　Twis；〃　they　answered。

〃Twice？〃

〃Twisinhabitants　of　Twi。〃

〃It's　the　same　thing；〃　laughed　Nerle。　　〃You　see　everything　twice　in　this　land。〃

〃Are　none　of　your　people　single？〃　asked　Prince　Marvel。

〃Single；〃　returned　the　men；　as　if　perplexed。　　〃We　don't　understand。〃

〃Are　you　all　double？or　are　some　of　you　just　one？〃　said　the　prince；　who　found　it　difficult　to　put　his　question　plainly。

〃What　does　'one'　mean？〃　asked　the　men。　　〃There　is　no　such　word　as　'one'　in　our　language。〃

〃They　have　no　need　of　such　a　word；〃　declared　Nerle。

〃We　are　only　poor　laborers；〃　explained　the　men。　　〃But　over　the　hills　lie　the　cities　of　Twi；　where　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　dwell；　and　also　the　High　Ki。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Marvel；　〃I've　heard　of　your　High　Ki。　　Who　is　he？〃

The　men　shook　their　heads；　together　and　with　the　same　motion。

〃We　have　never　seen　the　glorious　High　Ki；〃　they　answered。　　〃The　sight　of　their　faces　is　forbidden。　　None　but　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　has　seen　the　Supreme　Rulers　and　High　Ki。〃

〃I'm　getting　mixed；〃　said　Nerle。　　〃All　this　about　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　and　the　High　Ki　makes　me　dizzy。　　Let's　go　on　to　the　city　and　explore　it。〃

〃That　is　a　good　suggestion；〃　replied　the　prince。　　〃Good　by；　my　friends；〃　he　added；　addressing　the　men。

They　both　bowed；　and　although　they　still　seemed　somewhat　frightened　they　answered　him　civilly　and　in　the　same　words；　and　closed　their　doors　at　the　same　time。

So　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle　rode　up　the　double　path　to　the　hills；　and　the　two　cows　became　frightened　and　ran　away　with　the　same　swinging　step；　keeping　an　exact　space　apart。　　And　when　they　were　a　safe　distance　they　both　stopped；　looked　over　their　right　shoulders；　and　〃mooed〃　at　the　same　instant。



14。　　The　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki


From　the　tops　of　the　hills　the　travelers　caught　their　first　glimpse　of　the　wonderful　cities　of　Twi。　　Two　walls　surrounded　the　cities；　and　in　the　walls　were　two　gates　just　alike。　　Within　the　inclosures　stood　many　houses；　but　all　were　built　in　pairs；　from　the　poorest　huts　to　the　most　splendid　palaces。　　Every　street　was　double；　the　pavements　running　side　by　side。　　There　were　two　lamp…posts　on　every　corner；　and　in　the　dim　twilight　that　existed　these　lamp…posts　were　quite　necessary。　　If　there　were　trees　or　bushes　anywhere；　they　invariably　grew　in　pairs；　and　if　a　branch　was　broken　on　one　it　was　sure　to　be　broken　on　the　other；　and　dead　leaves　fell　from　both　trees　at　identically　the　same　moment。

Much　of　this　Marvel　and　Nerle　learned　after　they　had　entered　the　cities；　but　the　view　from　the　hills　showed　plainly　enough　that　the　〃double〃　plan　existed　everywhere　and　in　every　way　in　this　strange　land。

They　followed　the　paths　down　to　the　gates　of　the　walls；　where　two　pairs　of　soldiers　rushed　out　and　seized　their　horses　by　the　bridles。　These　soldiers　all　seemed　to　be　twins；　or　at　least　mates；　and　each　one　of　each　pair　was　as　like　the　other　as　are　two　peas　growing　in　the　same　pod。　　If　one　had　a　red　nose　the　other's　was　red　in　the　same　degree；　and　the　soldiers　that　held　the　bridles　of　Nerle's　horse　both　had　their　left　eyes　bruised　and　blackened；　as　from　a　blow　of　the　same　force。

These　soldiers；　as　they　looked　upon　Nerle　and　the　prince；　seemed　fully　as　much　astonished　and　certainly　more　frightened　than　their　prisoners。　They　were　dressed　in　bright　yellow　uniforms　with　green　buttons；　and　the　soldiers　who　had　arrested　the　prince　had　both　torn　their　left　coat…sleeves　and　had　patches　of　the　same　shape　upon　the　seats　of　their　trousers。

〃How　dare　you　stop　us；　fellows？〃　asked　the　prince；　sternly。

The　soldiers　holding　his　horse　both　turned　and　looked　inquiringly　at　the　soldiers　holding　Nerle's　horse；　and　these　turned　to　look　at　a　double　captain　who　came　out　of　two　doors　in　the　wall　and　walked　up　to　them。

〃Such　things　were　never　before　heard　of！〃　said　the　two　captains；　their　startled　eyes　fixed　upon　the　prisoners。　　〃We　must　take　them　to　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki。〃

〃Why　so？〃　asked　Prince　Marvel。

〃Because；〃　replied　the　officers；　〃they　are　our　rulers；　under　grace　of　the　High　Ki；　and　all　unusual　happenings　must　be　brought　to　their　notice。　　It　is　our　law；　you　knowthe　law　of　the　Kingdom　of　Twi。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Marvel；　quietly；　〃take　us　where　you　will；　but　if　any　harm　is　intended　us　you　will　be　made　to　regret　it。〃

〃The　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　will　decide；〃　returned　the　captains　gravely；　their　words　sounding　at　the　same　instant。

And　then　the　two　pairs　of　soldiers　led　the　horses　through　the　double　streets；　the　captains　marching　ahead　with　drawn　swords；　and　crowds　of　twin　men　and　twin　women　coming　from　the　double　doors　of　the　double　houses　to　gaze　upon　the　strange　sight　of　men　and　horses　who　were　not　double。

Presently　they　came　upon　a　twin　palace　with　twin　turrets　rising　high　into　the　air；　and　before　the　twin　doors　the　prisoners　dismounted。　Marvel　was　escorted　through　one　door　and　Nerle　through　another；　and　then　they　saw　each　other　going　down　a　double　hallway　to　a　room　with　a　double　entrance。

Passing　through　this　they　found　themselves　in　a　large　hall　with　two　domes　set　side　by　side　in　the　roof。　　The　domes　were　formed　of　stained　glass；　and　the　walls　of　the　hall　were　ornamented　by　pictures　in　pairs；　each　pair　showing　identically　the　same　scenes。　　This；　was；　of　course；　reasonable　enough　in　such　a　land；　where　two　people　would　always　look　at　two　pictures　at　the　same　time　and　admire　them　in　the　same　way　with　the　same　thoughts。

Beneath　one　of　the　domes　stood　a　double　throne；　on　which　sat　the　Ki　of　Twia　pair　of　gray…bearded　and　bald…headed　men　who　were　lean　and　lank　and　stoop…shouldered。　　They　had　small　eyes；　black　and　flashing；　long　hooked　noses；　great　pointed　ears；　and　they　were　smoking　two　pipes　from　which　the　smoke　curled　in　exactly　the　same　circles　and　clouds。

Beneath　the　other　dome　sat　the　Ki…Ki　of　Twi；　also　on　double　thrones；　similar　to　those　of　the　Ki。　　The　Ki…Ki　were　two　young　men；　and　had　golden　hair　combed　over　their　brows　and　〃banged〃　straight　across；　and　their　eyes　were　blue　and　mild　in　expression；　and　their　cheeks　pink　and　soft。　　The　Ki…Ki　were　playing　softly　upon　a　pair　of　musical　instruments　that　resembled　mandolins；　and　they　were　evidently　trying　to　learn　a　new　piece　of　music；　for　when　one　Ki…Ki　struck　a　false　note　the　other　Ki…Ki　struck　the　same　false　note　at　the　same　time；　and　the　same　expression　of　annoyance　came　over　the　two　faces　at　the　same　moment。

When　the　prisoners　entered；　the　pairs　of　captains　and　soldiers　bowed　low　to　the　two　pairs　of　rulers；　and　the　Ki　exclaimedboth　in　the　same　voice　of　surprise：

〃Great　Kika…koo！　what　have　we　here？〃

〃Most　wonderful　prisoners；　your　Highnesses；〃　answered　the　captains。　〃We　found　them　at　your　cities'　gates　and　brought　them　to　you　at　once。　They　are；　as　your　Highnesses　will　see；　each　singular；　and　but　half　of　what　he　should　be。〃

〃'Tis　so！〃　cried　the　double　Ki；　in　loud　voices；　and　slapping　their　right　thighs　with　their　right　palms　at　the　same　time。　　〃Most　remarkable！　　Most　remarkable！〃

〃I　don't　see　anything　remarkable　about　it；〃　returned　Prince　Marvel；　calmly。　　〃It　is　you；　who　are　not　singular；　but　double；　that　seem　strange　and　outlandish。〃

〃Perhapsperhaps！〃　said　the　two　old　men；　thoughtfully。　　〃It　is　what　we　are　not　accustomed　to　that　seems　to　us　remarkable。　　Eh；　Ki…Ki？〃　they　added；　turning　to　the　other　rulers。

The　Ki…Ki；　who　had　not　spoken　a　word　but　continued　to　play　softly；　simply　nodded　their　blond　heads　carelessly；　so　the　Ki　looked　again　at　the　prisoners　and　asked：

〃How　did　you　get　here？〃

〃We　cut　a　hole　through　the　prickly　hedge；〃　replied　Prince　Marvel。

〃A　hole　through　the　hedge！　　Great　Kika…koo！〃　cried　the　gray…bearded　Ki；　〃is　there；　then；　anything　or　any　place　on　the　other　side　of　the　hedge？〃

〃Why；　of　course！　　The　world　is　there；〃　returned　the　prince；　laughing。

The　old　men　looked　puzzled；　and　glanced　sharply　from　their　little　black　eyes　at　their　prisoners。

〃We　thought　nothing　existed　outside　the　hedge　of　Twi；〃　they　answered；　simply。　　〃But　your　presence　here　proves　we　were　wrong。　　Eh！　Ki…Ki？〃

This　last　was　again　directed　toward　the　pair　of　musicians；　who　continued　to　play　and　only　nodded　quietly；　as　before。

〃Now　that　you　are　here；〃　said　the　twin　Ki；　stroking　their　two　gray　beards　with　their　two　left　hands　in　a