the coming race-第26章

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love。　Is　it　that；　among　the　race　I　belong　to；　man's　pride　so　far　influences　his　passions　that　woman　loses　to　him　her　special　charm　of　woman　if　he　feels　her　to　be　in　all　things　eminently　superior　to　himself？　　But　by　what　strange　infatuation　could　this　peerless　daughter　of　a　race　which；　in　the　supremacy　of　its　powers　and　the　felicity　of　its　conditions；　ranked　all　other　races　in　the　category　of　barbarians；　have　deigned　to　honour　me　with　her　preference？　In　personal　qualifications；　though　I　passed　for　good…looking　amongst　the　people　I　came　from；　the　handsomest　of　my　countrymen　might　have　seemed　insignificant　and　homely　beside　the　grand　and　serene　type　of　beauty　which　characterised　the　aspect　of　the　Vril…ya。

That　novelty；　the　very　difference　between　myself　and　those　to　whom　Zee　was　accustomed；　might　serve　to　bias　her　fancy　was　probable　enough；　and　as　the　reader　will　see　later；　such　a　cause　might　suffice　to　account　for　the　predilection　with　which　I　was　distinguished　by　a　young　Gy　scarcely　out　of　her　childhood；　and　very　inferior　in　all　respects　to　Zee。　　But　whoever　will　consider　those　tender　characteristics　which　I　have　just　ascribed　to　the　daughter　of　Aph…Lin；　may　readily　conceive　that　the　main　cause　of　my　attraction　to　her　was　in　her　instinctive　desire　to　cherish；　to　comfort；　to　protect；　and；　in　protecting；　to　sustain　and　to　exalt。　　Thus；　when　I　look　back；　I　account　for　the　only　weakness　unworthy　of　her　lofty　nature；　which　bowed　the　daughter　of　the　Vril…ya　to　a　woman's　affection　for　one　so　inferior　to　herself　as　was　her　father's　guest。　　But　be　the　cause　what　it　may；　the　consciousness　that　I　had　inspired　such　108affection　thrilled　me　with　awe…　a　moral　awe　of　her　very　imperfections；　of　her　mysterious　powers；　of　the　inseparable　distinctions　between　her　race　and　my　own；　and　with　that　awe；　I　must　confess　to　my　shame；　there　combined　the　more　material　and　ignoble　dread　of　the　perils　to　which　her　preference　would　expose　me。

Under　these　anxious　circumstances；　fortunately；　my　conscience　and　sense　of　honour　were　free　from　reproach。　　It　became　clearly　my　duty；　if　Zee's　preference　continued　manifest；　to　intimate　it　to　my　host；　with；　of　course；　all　the　delicacy　which　is　ever　to　be　preserved　by　a　well…bred　man　in　confiding　to　another　any　degree　of　favour　by　which　one　of　the　fair　sex　may　condescend　to　distinguish　him。　　Thus；　at　all　events；　I　should　be　freed　from　responsibility　or　suspicion　of　voluntary　participation　in　the　sentiments　of　Zee；　and　the　superior　wisdom　of　my　host　might　probably　suggest　some　sage　extrication　from　my　perilous　dilemma。　　In　this　resolve　I　obeyed　the　ordinary　instinct　of　civilised　and　moral　man；　who；　erring　though　he　be；　still　generally　prefers　the　right　course　in　those　cases　where　it　is　obviously　against　his　inclinations；　his　interests；　and　his　safety　to　elect　the　wrong　one。


Chapter　XXII。


As　the　reader　has　seen；　Aph…Lin　had　not　favoured　my　general　and　unrestricted　intercourse　with　his　countrywomen。　　Though　relying　on　my　promise　to　abstain　from　giving　any　information　as　to　the　109world　I　had　left；　and　still　more　on　the　promise　of　those　to　whom　had　been　put　the　same　request；　not　to　question　me；　which　Zee　had　exacted　from　Taee；　yet　he　did　not　feel　sure　that；　if　I　were　allowed　to　mix　with　the　strangers　whose　curiosity　the　sight　of　me　had　aroused；　I　could　sufficiently　guard　myself　against　their　inquiries。　　When　I　went　out；　therefore；　it　was　never　alone；　I　was　always　accompanied　either　by　one　of　my　host's　family；　or　my　child…friend　Taee。　　Bra；　Aph…Lin's　wife；　seldom　stirred　beyond　the　gardens　which　surrounded　the　house；　and　was　fond　of　reading　the　ancient　literature；　which　contained　something　of　romance　and　adventure　not　to　be　found　in　the　writings　of　recent　ages；　and　presented　pictures　of　a　life　unfamiliar　to　her　experience　and　interesting　to　her　imagination；　pictures；　indeed；　of　a　life　more　resembling　that　which　we　lead　every　day　above　ground；　coloured　by　our　sorrows；　sins；　passions；　and　much　to　her　what　the　tales　of　the　Genii　or　the　Arabian　Nights　are　to　us。　　But　her　love　of　reading　did　not　prevent　Bra　from　the　discharge　of　her　duties　as　mistress　of　the　largest　household　in　the　city。　　She　went　daily　the　round　of　the　chambers；　and　saw　that　the　automata　and　other　mechanical　contrivances　were　in　order；　that　the　numerous　children　employed　by　Aph…Lin；　whether　in　his　private　or　public　capacity；　were　carefully　tended。　　Bra　also　inspected　the　accounts　of　the　whole　estate；　and　it　was　her　great　delight　to　assist　her　husband　in　the　business　connected　with　his　office　as　chief　administrator　of　the　Lighting　Department；　so　that　her　avocations　necessarily　kept　her　much　within　doors。　　The　two　sons　were　both　completing

their　education　at　the　College　of　Sages；　and　the　elder；　who　had　a　strong　passion　for　mechanics；　and　especially　for　works　connected　with　the　machinery　of　timepieces　and　automata；　had　decided　on　devoting　himself　to　these　pursuits；　and　was　now　occupied　in　constructing　a　shop　or　warehouse；　at　which　his　inventions　could　be　exhibited　and　sold。　　The　younger　son　110preferred　farming　and　rural　occupations；　and　when　not　attending　the　College；　at　which　he　chiefly　studied　the　theories　of　agriculture；　was　much　absorbed　by　his　practical　application　of　that　science　to　his　father's　lands。　　It　will　be　seen　by　this　how　completely　equality　of　ranks　is　established　among　this　people…　a　shopkeeper　being　of　exactly　the　same　grade　in　estimation　as　the　large　landed　proprietor。　　Aph…Lin　was　the　wealthiest　member　of　the　community；　and　his　eldest　son　preferred　keeping　a　shop　to　any　other　avocation；　nor　was　this　choice　thought　to　show　any　want　of　elevated　notions　on　his　part。

This　young　man　had　been　much　interested　in　examining　my　watch；　the　works　of　which　were　new　to　him；　and　was　greatly　pleased　when　I　made　him　a　present　of　it。　　Shortly　after；　he　returned　the　gift　with　interest；　by　a　watch　of　his　own　construction；　marking　both　the　time　as　in　my　watch　and　the　time　as　kept　among　the　Vril…ya。　　I　have　that　watch　still；　and　it　has　been　much　admired　by　many　among　the　most　eminent　watchmakers　of　London　and　Paris。　　It　is　of　gold；　with　diamond　hands　and　figures；　and　it　plays　a　favorite　tune　among　the　Vril…ya　in　striking　the　hours：　it　only　requires　to　be　wound　up　once　in　ten　months；　and　has　never　gone　wrong　since　I　had　it。　　These　young　brothers　being　thus　occupied；　my　usual　companions　in　that　family；　when　I　went　abroad；　were　my　host　or　his　daughter。　　Now；　agreeably　with　the　honourable　conclusions　I　had　come　to；　I　began　to　excuse　myself　from　Zee's　invitations　to　go　out　alone　with　her；　and　seized　an　occasion　when　that　learned　Gy　was　delivering　a　lecture　at　the　College　of　Sages　to　ask　Aph…Lin　to　show　me　his　country…seat。　　As　this　was　at　some　little　distance；　and　as　Aph…Lin　was　not　fond　of　walking；　while　I　had　discreetly　relinquished　all　attempts　at　flying；　we　proceeded　to　our　destination　in　one　of　the　aerial　boats　belonging　to　my　host。　　A　child　of　eight　years　old；　in　his　employ；　was　our　conductor。　　My　host　and　myself　reclined　on　cushions；　and　I　found　the　movement　very　easy　and　luxurious。

111〃Aph…Lin；〃　said　I；　〃you　will　not；　I　trust；　be　displeased　with　me；　if　I　ask　your　permission　to　travel　for　a　short　time；　and　visit　other　tribes　or　communities　of　your　illustrious　race。　　I　have　also　a　strong　desire　to　see　those　nations　which　do　not　adopt　your　institutions；　and　which　you　consider　as　savages。　　It　would　interest　me　greatly　to　notice　what　are　the　distinctions　between　them　and　the　races　whom　we　consider　civilised　in　the　world　I　have　left。〃

〃It　is　utterly　impossible　that　you　should　go　hence　alone；〃　said　Aph…Lin。　　〃Even　among　the　Vril…ya　you　would　be　exposed　to　great　dangers。　　Certain　peculiarities　of　formation　and　colour；　and　the　extraordinary　phenomenon　of　hirsute　bushes　upon　your　cheeks　and　chin；　denoting　in　you　a　species　of　An　distinct　alike　from　our　own　race　and　any　known　race　of　barbarians　yet　extant；　would　attract；　of　course；　the　special　attention　of　the　College　of　Sages　in　whatever　community　of　Vril…ya　you　visited；　and　it　would　depend　upon　the　individual　temper　of　some　individual　sage　whether　you　would　be　received；　as　you　have　been　here；　hospitably；　or　whether　you　would　not　be　at　once　dissected　for　scientific　purposes。　　Know　that　when　the　Tur　first