the enchanted island of yew-第16章

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〃Now　that　you　are　here；〃　said　the　twin　Ki；　stroking　their　two　gray　beards　with　their　two　left　hands　in　a　nervous　way；　〃it　must　be　evident　to　you　that　you　do　not　belong　here。　　Therefore　you　must　go　back　through　the　hedge　again　and　stay　on　the　other　side。　　Eh；　Ki…Ki？〃

The　Ki…Ki　still　continued　playing；　but　now　spoke　the　first　words　the　prisoners　had　heard　from　them。

〃They　must　die；〃　said　the　Ki…Ki；　in　soft　and　agreeable　voices。

〃Die！〃　echoed　the　twin　Ki；　〃die？　　Great　Kika…koo！　　And　why　so？〃

〃Because；　if　there　is　a　world　on　the　other　side　of　the　hedge；　they　would　tell　on　their　return　all　about　the　Land　of　Twi；　and　others　of　their　kind　would　come　through　the　hedge　from　curiosity　and　annoy　us。　We　can　not　be　annoyed。　　We　are　busy。〃

Having　delivered　this　speech　both　the　Ki…Ki　went　on　playing　the　new　tune；　as　if　the　matter　was　settled。

〃Nonsense！〃　retorted　the　old　Ki；　angrily。　　〃You　are　getting　more　and　more　bloodthirsty　every　day；　our　sweet　and　gentle　Ki…Ki！　　But　we　are　the　Kiand　we　say　the　prisoners　shall　not　die！〃

〃We　say　they　shall！〃　answered　the　youthful　Ki…Ki；　nodding　their　two　heads　at　the　same　time；　with　a　positive　motion。　　〃You　may　be　the　Ki；　but　we　are　the　Ki…Ki；　and　your　superior。〃

〃Not　in　this　case；〃　declared　the　old　men。　　〃Where　life　and　death　are　concerned　we　have　equal　powers　with　you。〃

〃And　if　we　disagree？〃　asked　the　players；　gently。

〃Great　Kika…koo！　　If　we　disagree　the　High　Ki　must　judge　between　us！〃　roared　the　twin　Ki；　excitedly。

〃Quite　so；〃　answered　the　Ki…Ki。　　〃The　strangers　shall　die。〃

〃They　shall　not　die！〃　stormed　the　old　men；　with　fierce　gestures　toward　the　others；　while　both　pairs　of　black　eyes　flashed　angrily。

〃Then　we　disagree；　and　they　must　be　taken　to　the　High　Ki；〃　returned　the　blond　musicians；　beginning　to　play　another　tune。

The　two　Ki　rose　from　their　thrones；　paced　two　steps　to　the　right　and　three　steps　to　the　left；　and　then　sat　down　again。

〃Very　well！〃　they　said　to　the　captains；　who　had　listened　unmoved　to　the　quarrel　of　the　rulers；　〃keep　these　half…men　safe　prisoners　until　to…morrow　morning；　and　then　the　Ki…Ki　and　we　ourselves　will　conduct　them　to　the　mighty　High　Ki。〃

At　this　command　the　twin　captains　bowed　again　to　both　pairs　of　rulers　and　led　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle　from　the　room。　　Then　they　were　escorted　along　the　streets　to　the　twin　houses　of　the　captains；　and　here　the　officers　paused　and　scratched　their　left　ears　with　uncertain　gestures。

〃There　being　only　half　of　each　of　you；〃　they　said；　〃we　do　not　know　how　to　lock　each　of　you　in　double　rooms。〃

〃Oh；　let　us　both　occupy　the　same　room；〃　said　Prince　Marvel。　　〃We　prefer　it。〃

〃Very　well；〃　answered　the　captains；　〃we　must　transgress　our　usual　customs　in　any　event；　so　you　may　as　well　be　lodged　as　you　wish。〃

So　Nerle　and　the　prince　were　thrust　into　a　large　and　pleasant　room　of　one　of　the　twin　houses；　the　double　doors　were　locked　upon　them　by　twin　soldiers；　and　they　were　left　to　their　own　thoughts。



15。　　The　High　Ki　of　Twi


〃Tell　me；　Prince；　are　we　awake　or　asleep？〃　asked　Nerle；　as　soon　as　they　were　alone。

〃There　is　no　question　of　our　being　awake；〃　replied　the　prince；　with　a　laugh。　　〃But　what　a　curious　country　it　isand　what　a　funny　people！〃

〃We　can't　call　them　odd　or　singular；〃　said　the　esquire；　〃for　everything　is　even　in　numbers　and　double　in　appearance。　　It　makes　me　giddy　to　look　at　them；　and　I　keep　feeling　of　myself　to　make　sure　there　is　still　only　one　of　me。〃

〃You　are　but　half　a　boy！〃　laughed　the　prince〃at　least　so　long　as　you　remain　in　the　Land　of　Twi。〃

〃I'd　like　to　get　out　of　it　in　double…quick　time；〃　answered　Nerle；　〃and　we　should　even　now　be　on　the　other　side　of　the　hedge　were　it　not　for　that　wicked　pair　of　Ki…Ki；　who　are　determined　to　kill　us。〃

〃It　is　strange；〃　said　the　prince；　thoughtfully；　〃that　the　fierce…looking　old　Ki　should　be　our　friends　and　the　gentle　Ki…Ki　our　enemies。　　How　little　one　can　tell　from　appearances　what　sort　of　heart　beats　in　a　person's　body！〃

Before　Nerle　could　answer　the　two　doors　opened　and　two　pairs　of　soldiers　entered。　　They　drew　two　small　tables　before　the　prince　and　two　before　Nerle；　and　then　other　pairs　of　twin　soldiers　came　and　spread　cloths　on　the　tables　and　set　twin　platters　of　meat　and　bread　and　fruit　on　each　of　the　tables。　　When　the　meal　had　been　arranged　the　prisoners　saw　that　there　was　enough　for　four　people　instead　of　two；　and　the　soldiers　realized　this　also；　for　they　turned　puzzled　looks　first　on　the　tables　and　then　on　the　prisoners。　　Then　they　shook　all　their　twin　heads　gravely　and　went　away；　locking　the　twin　doors　behind　them。

〃We　have　one　advantage　in　being　singular；〃　said　Nerle；　cheerfully；　〃and　that　is　we　are　not　likely　to　starve　to　death。　　For　we　can　eat　the　portions　of　our　missing　twins　as　well　as　our　own。〃

〃I　should　think　you　would　enjoy　starving；〃　remarked　the　prince。

〃No；　I　believe　I　have　more　exquisite　suffering　in　store　for　me；　since　I　have　met　that　gentle　pair　of　Ki…Ki；〃　said　Nerle。

While　they　were　eating　the　two　captains　came　in　and　sat　down　in　two　chairs。　　These　captains　seemed　friendly　fellows；　and　after　watching　the　strangers　for　a　while　they　remarked：

〃We　are　glad　to　see　you　able　to　eat　so　heartily；　for　to…morrow　you　will　probably　die。〃

〃That　is　by　no　means　certain；〃　replied　Marvel；　cutting　a　piece　from　one　of　the　twin　birds　on　a　platter　before　himto　the　extreme　surprise　of　the　captains；　who　had　always　before　seen　both　birds　carved　alike　at　the　same　time。　　〃Your　gray…bearded　old　Ki　say　we　shall　not　die。〃

〃True；〃　answered　the　captains。　　〃But　the　Ki…Ki　have　declared　you　shall。〃

〃Their　powers　seem　to　be　equal；〃　said　Nerle；　〃and　we　are　to　be　taken　before　the　High　Ki　for　judgment。〃

〃Therein　lies　your　danger；〃　returned　the　captains；　speaking　in　the　same　tones　and　with　the　same　accents　on　their　words。　　〃For　it　is　well　known　the　Ki…Ki　has　more　influence　with　the　High　Ki　than　the　Ki　has。〃

〃Hold　on！〃　cried　Nerle；　〃you　are　making　me　dizzy　again。　　I　can't　keep　track　of　all　these　Kis。〃

〃What　is　the　High　Ki　like？〃　asked　Prince　Marvel；　who　was　much　interested　in　the　conversation　of　the　captains。　　But　this　question　the　officers　seemed　unable　to　answer。　　They　shook　their　heads　slowly　and　said：

〃The　High　Ki　are　not　visible　to　the　people　of　Twi。　　Only　in　cases　of　the　greatest　importance　are　the　High　Ki　ever　bothered　or　even　approached　by　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki；　who　are　supposed　to　rule　the　land　according　to　their　own　judgment。　　But　if　they　chance　to　disagree；　then　the　matter　is　carried　before　the　High　Ki；　who　live　in　a　palace　surrounded　by　high　walls；　in　which　there　are　no　gates。　　Only　these　rulers　have　ever　seen　the　other　side　of　the　walls；　or　know　what　the　High　Ki　are　like。〃

〃That　is　strange；〃　said　the　prince。　　〃But　we；　ourselves；　it　seems；　are　to　see　the　High　Ki　to…morrow；　and　whoever　they　may　chance　to　be；　we　hope　to　remain　alive　after　the　interview。〃

〃That　is　a　vain　hope；〃　answered　the　captains；　〃for　it　is　well　known　that　the　High　Ki　usually　decide　in　favor　of　the　Ki…Ki；　and　against　the　wishes　of　the　old　Ki。〃

〃That　is　certainly　encouraging；〃　said　Nerle。

When　the　captains　had　gone　and　left　them　to　themselves；　the　esquire　confided　to　his　master　his　expectations　in　the　following　speech：

〃This　High　Ki　sounds　something　terrible　and　fierce　in　my　ears；　and　as　they　are　doubtless　a　pair；　they　will　be　twice　terrible　and　fierce。　Perhaps　his　royal　doublets　will　torture　me　most　exquisitely　before　putting　me　to　death；　and　then　I　shall　feel　that　I　have　not　lived　in　vain。〃

They　slept　in　comfortable　beds　that　night；　although　an　empty　twin　bed　stood　beside　each　one　they　occupied。　　And　in　the　morning　they　were　served　another　excellent　meal；　after　which　the　captains　escorted　them　again　to　the　twin　palaces　of　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki。

There　the　two　pairs　of　rulers　met　them　and　headed　the　long　procession　of　soldiers　toward　the　palace　of　the　High　Ki。　　First　came　a　band　of　music；　in　which　many　queer　sorts　of　instruments　were　played　in　pairs　by　twin　musicians；　and　it　was　amusing　to　Nerle　to　see　the　twin　drummers　roll　their　twin　drums　exactly　at　the　same　time　and　the　twin　trumpets　peal　out　twin　notes。　　After　the　band　marched　the　double　Ki…Ki　and　the　double　Ki；　their　four　bodies　side　by　side　in　a　straight