the coming race-第27章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


or　whether　you　would　not　be　at　once　dissected　for　scientific　purposes。　　Know　that　when　the　Tur　first　took　you　to　his　house；　and　while　you　were　there　put　to　sleep　by　Taee　in　order　to　recover　from　your　previous　pain　or　fatigue；　the　sages　summoned　by　the　Tur　were　divided　in　opinion　whether　you　were　a　harmless　or　an　obnoxious　animal。　　During　your　unconscious　state　your　teeth　were　examined；　and　they　clearly　showed　that　you　were　not　only　graminivorous　but　carnivorous。　　Carnivorous　animals　of　your　size　are　always　destroyed；　as　being　of　savage　and　dangerous　nature。　　Our　teeth；　as　you　have　doubtless　observed；*　are　not　those　of　the　creatures　who　devour　flesh。〃

*　I　never　had　observed　it；　and；　if　I　had；　am　not　physiologist　enough　to　have　distinguished　the　difference。

〃It　is；　indeed；　maintained　by　Zee　and　other　philosophers；　that　as；　in　remote　ages；　the　Ana　did　prey　upon　living　beings　of　the　brute　species；　their　teeth　must　have　been　fitted　for　that　purpose。　　But；　even　if　so；　they　have　been　modified　by　112hereditary　transmission；　and　suited　to　the　food　on　which　we　now　exist；　nor　are　even　the　barbarians；　who　adopt　the　turbulent　and　ferocious　institutions　of　Glek…Nas；　devourers　of　flesh　like　beasts　of　prey。

〃In　the　course　of　this　dispute　it　was　proposed　to　dissect　you；　but　Taee　begged　you　off；　and　the　Tur　being；　by　office；　averse　to　all　novel　experiments　at　variance　with　our　custom　of　sparing　life；　except　where　it　is　clearly　proved　to　be　for　the　good　of　the　community　to　take　it；　sent　to　me；　whose　business　it　is；　as　the　richest　man　of　the　state；　to　afford　hospitality　to　strangers　from　a　distance。　　It　was　at　my　option　to　decide　whether　or　not　you　were　a　stranger　whom　I　could　safely　admit。　　Had　I　declined　to　receive　you；　you　would　have　been　handed　over　to　the　College　of　Sages；　and　what　might　there　have　befallen　you　I　do　not　like　to　conjecture。　　Apart　from　this　danger；　you　might　chance　to　encounter　some　child　of　four　years　old；　just　put　in　possession　of　his　vril　staff；　and　who；　in　alarm　at　your　strange　appearance；　and　in　the　impulse　of　the　moment；　might　reduce　you　to　a　cinder。　　Taee　himself　was　about　to　do　so　when　he　first　saw　you；　had　his　father　not　checked　his　hand。　　Therefore　I　say　you　cannot　travel　alone；　but　with　Zee　you　would　be　safe；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　she　would　accompany　you　on　a　tour　round　the　neighbouring　communities　of　Vril…ya　（to　the　savage　states；　No！）：　I　will　ask　her。〃

Now；　as　my　main　object　in　proposing　to　travel　was　to　escape　from　Zee；　I　hastily　exclaimed；　〃Nay；　pray　do　not！　I　relinquish　my　design。　　You　have　said　enough　as　to　its　dangers　to　deter　me　from　it；　and　I　can　scarcely　think　it　right　that　a　young　Gy　of　the　personal　attractions　of　your　lovely　daughter　should　travel　into　other　regions　without　a　better　protector　than　a　Tish　of　my　insignificant　strength　and　stature。〃

Aph…Lin　emitted　the　soft　sibilant　sound　which　is　the　nearest　approach　to　laughter　that　a　full…grown　An　permits　to　himself；　ere　he　replied：　〃Pardon　my　discourteous　but　momentary　indulgence　of　mirth　at　any　observation　seriously　made　by　my　113guest。　　I　could　not　but　be　amused　at　the　idea　of　Zee；　who　is　so　fond　of　protecting　others　that　children　call　her　'THE　GUARDIAN；'　needing　a　protector　herself　against　any　dangers　arising　from　the　audacious　admiration　of　males。　　Know　that　our　Gy…ei；　while　unmarried；　are　accustomed　to　travel　alone　among　other　tribes；　to　see　if　they　find　there　some　An　who　may　please　them　more　than　the　Ana　they　find　at　home。　　Zee　has　already　made　three　such　journeys；　but　hitherto　her　heart　has　been　untouched。〃

Here　the　opportunity　which　I　sought　was　afforded　to　me；　and　I　said；　looking　down；　and　with　faltering　voice；　〃Will　you；　my　kind　host；　promise　to　pardon　me；　if　what　I　am　about　to　say　gives　offence？〃

〃Say　only　the　truth；　and　I　cannot　be　offended；　or；　could　I　be　so；　it　would　not　be　for　me；　but　for　you　to　pardon。〃

〃Well；　then；　assist　me　to　quit　you；　and；　much　as　I　should　have　like　to　witness　more　of　the　wonders；　and　enjoy　more　of　the　felicity；　which　belong　to　your　people；　let　me　return　to　my　own。〃

〃I　fear　there　are　reasons　why　I　cannot　do　that；　at　all　events；　not　without　permission　of　the　Tur；　and　he；　probably；　would　not　grant　it。　　You　are　not　destitute　of　intelligence；　you　may　（though　I　do　not　think　so）　have　concealed　the　degree　of　destructive　powers　possessed　by　your　people；　you　might；　in　short；　bring　upon　us　some　danger；　and　if　the　Tur　entertains

that　idea；　it　would　clearly　be　his　duty；　either　to　put　an　end　to　you；　or　enclose　you　in　a　cage　for　the　rest　of　your　existence。　　But　why　should　you　wish　to　leave　a　state　of　society　which　you　so　politely　allow　to　be　more　felicitous　than　your　own？〃

〃Oh；　Aph…Lin！　　My　answer　is　plain。　　Lest　in　naught；　and　unwittingly；　I　should　betray　your　hospitality；　lest；　in　the　caprice　of　will　which　in　our　world　is　proverbial　among　the　other　sex；　and　from　which　even　a　Gy　is　not　free；　your　adorable　daughter　should　deign　to　regard　me；　though　a　Tish；　as　if　I　were　a　civilised　An；　and…　and…　and…〃　114　〃Court　you　as　her　spouse；〃　put　in　Aph…Lin；　gravely；　and　without　any　visible　sign　of　surprise　or　displeasure。

〃You　have　said　it。〃

〃That　would　be　a　misfortune；〃　resumed　my　host；　after　a　pause；　〃and　I　feel　you　have　acted　as　you　ought　in　warning　me。　　It　is；　as　you　imply；　not　uncommon　for　an　unwedded　Gy　to　conceive　tastes　as　to　the　object　she　covets　which　appear　whimsical　to　others；　but　there　is　no　power　to　compel　a　young　Gy　to　any　course　opposed　to　that　which　she　chooses　to　pursue。　　All　we　can　to　is　to　reason　with　her；　and　experience　tells　us　that　the　whole　College　of　Sages　would　find　it　vain　to　reason　with　a　Gy　in　a　matter　that　concerns　her　choice　in　love。　　I　grieve　for　you；　because　such　a　marriage　would　be　against　the　A…glauran；　or　good　of　the　community；　for　the　children　of　such　a　marriage　would　adulterate　the　race：　they　might　even　come　into　the　world　with　the　teeth　of　carnivorous　animals；　this　could　not　be　allowed：　Zee；　as　a　Gy；　cannot　be　controlled；　but　you；　as　a　Tish；　can　be　destroyed。　　I　advise　you；　then；　to　resist　her　addresses；　to　tell　her　plainly　that　you　can　never　return　her　love。　　This　happens　constantly。　　Many　an　An；　however；　ardently　wooed　by　one　Gy；　rejects　her；　and　puts　an　end　to　her　persecution　by　wedding　another。　　The　same　course　is　open　to　you。〃

〃No；　for　I　cannot　wed　another　Gy　without　equally　injuring　the　community；　and　exposing　it　to　the　chance　of　rearing　carnivorous　children。〃

〃That　is　true。　　All　I　can　say；　and　I　say　it　with　the　tenderness　due　to　a　Tish；　and　the　respect　due　to　a　guest；　is　frankly　this…　if　you　yield；　you　will　become　a　cinder。　　I　must　leave　it　to　you　to　take　the　best　way　you　can　to　defend　yourself。　　Perhaps　you　had　better　tell　Zee　that　she　is　ugly。　　That　assurance　on　the　lips　of　him　she　woos　generally　suffices　to　chill　the　most　ardent　Gy。　　Here　we　are　at　my　country…house。〃　115

Chapter　XXIII。


I　confess　that　my　conversation　with　Aph…Lin；　and　the　extreme　coolness　with　which　he　stated　his　inability　to　control　the　dangerous　caprice　of　his　daughter；　and　treated　the　idea　of　the　reduction　into　a　cinder　to　which　her　amorous　flame　might　expose　my　too　seductive　person；　took　away　the　pleasure　I　should　otherwise　have　had　in　the　contemplation　of　my　host's　country…seat；　and　the　astonishing　perfection　of　the　machinery　by　which　his　farming　operations　were　conducted。　　The　house　differed　in　appearance　from　the　massive　and　sombre　building　which　Aph…Lin　inhabited　in　the　city；　and　which　seemed　akin　to　the　rocks　out　of　which　the　city　itself　had　been　hewn　into　shape。　　The　walls　of　the　country…seat　were　composed　by　trees　placed　a　few　feet　apart　from　each　other；　the　interstices　being　filled　in　with　the　transparent　metallic　substance　which　serves　the　purpose　of　glass　among　the　Ana。　　These　trees　were　all　in　flower；　and　the　effect　was　very　pleasing；　if　not　in　the　best　taste。　　We　were　received　at　the　porch　by　life…like　automata；　who　conducted　us　into　a　chamber；　the　like　to　which　I　never　saw　before；　but　have　often　on　summer　days　dreamily　imagined。　　It　was　a　bower…　half　room；　half　garden。　　The　walls　were　one　mass　of　climbing　flowers。　　The　open　spaces；　which　we　call　windows；　and　in　which；　here；　the　metallic　surfaces　were　slided　back；　commanded　various　views；　some；　of　the　wide　landsca