the coming race-第2章

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de　of　transit　was　more　familiar　to　me　than　to　him。　　In　a　whisper　I　claimed　the　precedence；　so　that　when　I　gained　the　ground　I　might　serve　to　hold　the　rope　more　steady　for　his　descent。　　I　got　safely　to　the　ground　beneath；　and　the　engineer　now　began　to　lower　himself。　　But　he　had　scarcely　accomplished　ten　feet　of　the　descent；　when　the　fastenings；　which　we　had　fancied　so　secure；　gave　way；　or　rather　the　rock　itself　proved　treacherous　and　crumbled　beneath　the　strain；　and　the　unhappy　man　was　precipitated　to　the　bottom；　falling　just　at　my　feet；　and　bringing　down　with　his　fall　splinters　of　the　rock；　one　of　which；　fortunately　but　a　small　one；　struck　and　for　the　time　stunned　me。　　When　I　recovered　my　senses　I　saw　my　companion　an　inanimate　mass　beside　me；　life　utterly　extinct。　　While　I　was　bending　over　his　corpse　in　grief　and　horror；　I　heard　close　at　hand　a　strange　sound　between　a　snort　and　a　hiss；　and　turning　instinctively　to　the　quarter　from　10which　it　came；　I　saw　emerging　from　a　dark　fissure　in　the　rock　a　vast　and　terrible　head；　with　open　jaws　and　dull；　ghastly；　hungry　eyes…　the　head　of　a　monstrous　reptile　resembling　that　of　the　crocodile　or　alligator；　but　infinitely　larger　than　the　largest　creature　of　that　kind　I　had　ever　beheld　in　my　travels。　I　started　to　my　feet　and　fled　down　the　valley　at　my　utmost　speed。　　I　stopped　at　last；　ashamed　of　my　panic　and　my　flight；　and　returned　to　the　spot　on　which　I　had　left　the　body　of　my　friend。　　It　was　gone；　doubtless　the　monster　had　already　drawn　it　into　its　den　and　devoured　it。　　the　rope　and　the　grappling…　hooks　still　lay　where　they　had　fallen；　but　they　afforded　me　no　chance　of　return；　it　was　impossible　to　re…attach　them　to　the　rock　above；　and　the　sides　of　the　rock　were　too　sheer　and　smooth　for　human　steps　to　clamber。　　I　was　alone　in　this　strange　world；　amidst　the　bowels　of　the　earth。



Chapter　III。


Slowly　and　cautiously　I　went　my　solitary　way　down　the　lamplit　road　and　towards　the　large　building　I　have　described。　　The　road　itself　seemed　like　a　great　Alpine　pass；　skirting　rocky　mountains　of　which　the　one　through　whose　chasm　I　had　descended　formed　a　link。　　Deep　below　to　the　left　lay　a　vast　valley；　which　presented　to　my　astonished　eye　the　unmistakeable　evidences　of　art　and　culture。　　There　were　fields　covered　with　a　strange　vegetation；　similar　to　none　I　have　seen　above　the　earth；　the　colour　of　it　not　green；　but　rather　of　a　dull　and　leaden　hue　or　of　a　golden　red。

There　were　lakes　and　rivulets　which　seemed　to　have　been　curved　into　artificial　banks；　some　of　pure　water；　others　that　shone　like　pools　of　naphtha。　　At　my　right　hand；　ravines　and　defiles　opened　amidst　the　rocks；　with　passes　between；　evidently　constructed　by　art；　and　bordered　by　trees　resembling；　for　the　11most　part；　gigantic　ferns；　with　exquisite　varieties　of　feathery　foliage；　and　stems　like　those　of　the　palm…tree。　　Others　were　more　like　the　cane…plant；　but　taller；　bearing　large　clusters　of　flowers。　　Others；　again；　had　the　form　of　enormous　fungi；　with　short　thick　stems　supporting　a　wide　dome…like　roof；　from　which　either　rose　or　drooped　long　slender　branches。　　The　whole　scene　behind；　before；　and　beside　me　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　was　brilliant　with　innumerable　lamps。　　The　world　without　a　sun　was　bright　and　warm　as　an　Italian　landscape　at　noon；　but　the　air　less　oppressive；　the　heat　softer。　　Nor　was　the　scene　before　me　void　of　signs　of　habitation。　　I　could　distinguish　at　a　distance；　whether　on　the　banks　of　the　lake　or　rivulet；　or　half…way　upon　eminences；　embedded　amidst　the　vegetation；　buildings　that　must　surely　be　the　homes　of　men。　　I　could　even　discover；　though　far　off；　forms　that　appeared　to　me　human　moving　amidst　the　landscape。　　As　I　paused　to　gaze；　I　saw　to　the　right；　gliding　quickly　through　the　air；　what　appeared　a　small　boat；　impelled　by　sails　shaped　like　wings。　　It　soon　passed　out　of　sight；　descending　amidst　the　shades　of　a　forest。　　Right　above　me　there　was　no　sky；　but　only　a　cavernous　roof。　　This　roof　grew　higher　and　higher　at　the　distance　of　the　landscapes　beyond；　till　it　became　imperceptible；　as　an　atmosphere　of　haze　formed　itself　beneath。

Continuing　my　walk；　I　started；…　from　a　bush　that　resembled　a　great　tangle　of　sea…weeds；　interspersed　with　fern…like　shrubs　and　plants　of　large　leafage　shaped　like　that　of　the　aloe　or　prickly…pear；…　a　curious　animal　about　the　size　and　shape　of　a　deer。　　But　as；　after　bounding　away　a　few　paces；　it　turned　round　and　gazed　at　me　inquisitively；　I　perceived　that　it　was　not　like　any　species　of　deer　now　extant　above　the　earth；　but　it　brought　instantly　to　my　recollection　a　plaster　cast　I　had　seen　in　some　museum　of　a　variety　of　the　elk　stag；　said　to　have　existed　before　the　Deluge。　　The　creature　seemed　tame　enough；　and；　after　inspecting　me　a　moment　or　two；　began　to　graze　on　the　singular　herbiage　around　undismayed　and　careless。


12　Chapter　IV。


I　now　came　in　full　sight　of　the　building。　　Yes；　it　had　been　made　by　hands；　and　hollowed　partly　out　of　a　great　rock。　　I　should　have　supposed　it　at　the　first　glance　to　have　been　of　the　earliest　form　of　Egyptian　architecture。　　It　was　fronted　by　huge　columns；　tapering　upward　from　massive　plinths；　and　with　capitals　that；　as　I　came　nearer；　I　perceived　to　be　more　ornamental　and　more　fantastically　graceful　that　Egyptian　architecture　allows。　　As　the　Corinthian　capital　mimics　the　leaf　of　the　acanthus；　so　the　capitals　of　these　columns　imitated　the　foliage　of　the　vegetation　neighbouring　them；　some　aloe…like；　some　fern…like。　　And　now　there　came　out　of　this　building　a　form…　human；…　was　it　human？　It　stood　on　the　broad　way　and　looked　around；　beheld　me　and　approached。　　It　came　within　a　few　yards　of　me；　and　at　the　sight　and　presence　of　it　an　indescribable　awe　and　tremor　seized　me；　rooting　my　feet　to　the　ground。　　It　reminded　me　of　symbolical　images　of　Genius　or　Demon　that　are　seen　on　Etruscan　vases　or　limned　on　the　walls　of　Eastern　sepulchres…　images　that　borrow　the　outlines　of　man；　and　are　yet　of　another　race。　　It　was　tall；　not　gigantic；　but　tall　as　the　tallest　man　below　the　height　of　giants。

Its　chief　covering　seemed　to　me　to　be　composed　of　large　wings　folded　over　its　breast　and　reaching　to　its　knees；　the　rest　of　its　attire　was　composed　of　an　under　tunic　and　leggings　of　some　thin　fibrous　material。　　It　wore　on　its　head　a　kind　of　tiara　that　shone　with　jewels；　and　carried　in　its　right　hand　a　slender　staff　of　bright　metal　like　polished　steel。　　But　the　face！　it　was　that　which　inspired　my　awe　and　my　terror。　　It　was　the　face　of　man；　but　yet　of　a　type　of　man　distinct　from　our　known　extant　races。　　The　nearest　approach　to　it　in　outline　and　expression　is　the　face　of　the　sculptured　sphinx…　so　regular　in　its　calm；　intellectual；　mysterious　beauty。　　Its　colour　was　peculiar；　more　13like　that　of　the　red　man　than　any　other　variety　of　our　species；　and　yet　different　from　it…　a　richer　and　a　softer　hue；　with　large　black　eyes；　deep　and　brilliant；　and　brows　arched　as　a　semicircle。　　The　face　was　beardless；　but　a　nameless　something　in　the　aspect；　tranquil　though　the　expression；　and　beauteous　though　the　features；　roused　that　instinct　of　danger　which　the　sight　of　a　tiger　or　serpent　arouses。　　I　felt　that　this　manlike　image　was　endowed　with　forces　inimical　to　man。　　As　it　drew　near；　a　cold　shudder　came　over　me。　　I　fell　on　my　knees　and　covered　my　face　with　my　hands。


Chapter　V。


A　voice　accosted　me…　a　very　quiet　and　very　musical　key　of　voice…　in　a　language　of　which　I　could　not　understand　a　word；　but　it　served　to　dispel　my　fear。　　I　uncovered　my　face　and　looked　up。　　The　stranger　（I　could　scarcely　bring　myself　to　call　him　man）　surveyed　me　with　an　eye　that　seemed　to　read　to　the　very　depths　of　my　heart。　　He　then　placed　his　left　hand　on　my　forehead；　and　with　the　staff　in　his　right；　gently　touched　my　shoulder。　　The　effect　of　this　double　contact　was　magical。　　In　place　of　my　former　terror　there　passed　into　me　a　sense　of　contentment；　of　joy；　of　confidence　in　myself　and　in　the　being　before　me。　　I　rose　and　spoke　in　my　own　language。　　He　listened　to　me　with　apparent　attention；　but　with　a　slight　surprise　in　his　looks；　and　shook　his　head；　as　if　to　signify　that　I　was　not　understood。　　He　then　took　me　by　the　hand　and　led　me　in　silence　to　the　building。　　The　entrance　was　open…　indeed　there　was　no　door　to　it。　　We　ent