the coming race-第28章

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ch；　here；　the　metallic　surfaces　were　slided　back；　commanded　various　views；　some；　of　the　wide　landscape　with　its　lakes　and　rocks；　some；　of　small　limited　expanses　answering　to　our　conservatories；　filled　with　tiers　of　flowers。　　Along　the　sides　of　the　room　were　flower…beds；　interspersed　with　cushions　for　repose。　　In　the　centre　of　the　floor　was　a　cistern　and　a　fountain　of　that　liquid　light　which　I　have　presumed　to　be　naphtha。　　It　was　luminous　and　of　a　roseate　hue；　it　sufficed　without　lamps　to　light　up　the　room　with　a　subdued　radiance。　　All　around　the　fountain　was　carpeted　with　a　soft　deep　lichen；　not　green　（I　have　never　seen　that　colour　in　the　vegetation　of　116this　country）；　but　a　quiet　brown；　on　which　the　eye　reposes　with　the　same　sense　of　relief　as　that　with　which　in　the　upper　world　it　reposes　on　green。　　In　the　outlets　upon　flowers　（which　I　have　compared　to　our　conservatories）　there　were　singing　birds　innumerable；　which；　while　we　remained　in　the　room；　sang　in　those　harmonies　of　tune　to　which　they　are；　in　these　parts；　so　wonderfully　trained。　　The　roof　was　open。　　The　whole　scene　had　charms　for　every　sense…　music　form　the　birds；　fragrance　from　the　flowers；　and　varied　beauty　to　the　eye　at　every　aspect。　　About　all　was　a　voluptuous　repose。　　What　a　place；　methought；　for　a　honeymoon；　if　a　Gy　bride　were　a　little　less　formidably　armed　not　only　with　the　rights　of　woman；　but　with　the　powers　of　man！　But　when　one　thinks　of　a　Gy；　so　learned；　so　tall；　so　stately；　so　much　above　the　standard　of　the　creature　we　call　woman　as　was　Zee；　no！　even　if　I　had　felt　no　fear　of　being　reduced　to　a　cinder；　it　is　not　of　her　I　should　have　dreamed　in　that　bower　so　constructed　for　dreams　of　poetic　love。

The　automata　reappeared；　serving　one　of　those　delicious　liquids　which　form　the　innocent　wines　of　the　Vril…ya。

〃Truly；〃　said　I；　〃this　is　a　charming　residence；　and　I　can　scarcely　conceive　why　you　do　not　settle　yourself　here　instead　of　amid　the　gloomier　abodes　of　the　city。〃

〃As　responsible　to　the　community　for　the　administration　of　light；　I　am　compelled　to　reside　chiefly　in　the　city；　and　can　only　come　hither　for　short　intervals。〃

〃But　since　I　understand　from　you　that　no　honours　are　attached　to　your　office；　and　it　involves　some　trouble；　why　do　you　accept　it？〃

〃Each　of　us　obeys　without　question　the　command　of　the　Tur。　　He　said；　'Be　it　requested　that　Aph…Lin　shall　be　the　Commissioner　of　Light；'　so　I　had　no　choice；　but　having　held　the　office　now　for　a　long　time；　the　cares；　which　were　at　first　unwelcome；　have　become；　if　not　pleasing；　at　least　endurable。　　We　are　all　formed　by　custom…　even　the　difference　of　our　race　from　the　savage　is　but　the　transmitted　continuance　of　custom；　which　becomes；　117through　hereditary　descent；　part　and　parcel　of　our　nature。　　You　see　there　are　Ana　who　even　reconcile　themselves　to　the　responsibilities　of　chief　magistrate；　but　no　one　would　do　so　if　his　duties　had　not　been　rendered　so　light；　or　if　there　were　any　questions　as　to　compliance　with　his　requests。〃

〃Not　even　if　you　thought　the　requests　unwise　or　unjust？〃

〃We　do　not　allow　ourselves　to　think　so；　and；　indeed；　everything　goes　on　as　if　each　and　all　governed　themselves　according　to　immemorial　custom。〃

〃When　the　chief　magistrate　dies　or　retires；　how　do　you　provide　for　his　successor？〃

〃The　An　who　has　discharged　the　duties　of　chief　magistrate　for　many　years　is　the　best　person　to　choose　one　by　whom　those　duties　may　be　understood；　and　he　generally　names　his　successor。〃

〃His　son；　perhaps？〃

〃Seldom　that；　for　it　is　not　an　office　any　one　desires　or　seeks；　and　a　father　naturally　hesitates　to　constrain　his　son。　　But　if　the　Tur　himself　decline　to　make　a　choice；　for　fear　it　might　be　supposed　that　he　owed　some　grudge　to　the　person　on　whom　his　choice　would　settle；　then　there　are　three　of　the　College　of　Sages　who　draw　lots　among　themselves　which　shall　have　the　power　to　elect　the　chief。　　We　consider　that　the　judgment　of　one　An　of　ordinary　capacity　is　better　than　the　judgment　of　three　or　more；　however　wise　they　may　be；　for　among　three　there　would　probably　be　disputes；　and　where　there　are　disputes；　passion　clouds　judgment。　　The　worst　choice　made　by　one　who　has　no　motive　in　choosing　wrong；　is　better　than　the　best　choice　made　by　many　who　have　many　motives　for　not　choosing　right。〃

〃You　reverse　in　your　policy　the　maxims　adopted　in　my　country。〃

〃Are　you　all；　in　your　country；　satisfied　with　your　governors？〃

〃All！　　Certainly　not；　the　governors　that　most　please　some　are　sure　to　be　those　most　displeasing　to　others。〃

〃Then　our　system　is　better　than　yours。〃　118　〃For　you　it　may　be；　but　according　to　our　system　a　Tish　could　not　be　reduced　to　a　cinder　if　a　female　compelled　him　to　marry　her；　and　as　a　Tish　I　sigh　to　return　to　my　native　world。〃

〃Take　courage；　my　dear　little　guest；　Zee　can't　compel　you　to　marry　her。　　She　can　only　entice　you　to　do　so。　　Don't　be　enticed。　　Come　and　look　round　my　domain。〃

We　went　forth　into　a　close；　bordered　with　sheds；　for　though　the　Ana　keep　no　stock　for　food；　there　are　some　animals　which　they　rear　for　milking　and　others　for　shearing。　　The　former　have　no　resemblance　to　our　cows；　nor　the　latter　to　our　sheep；　nor　do　I　believe　such　species　exist　amongst　them。　　They　use　the　milk　of　three　varieties　of　animal：　one　resembles　the　antelope；　but　is　much　larger；　being　as　tall　as　a　camel；　the　other　two　are　smaller；　and；　though　differing　somewhat　from　each　other；　resemble　no　creature　I　ever　saw　on　earth。　　They　are　very　sleek　and　of　rounded　proportions；　their　colour　that　of　the　dappled　deer；　with　very　mild　countenances　and　beautiful　dark　eyes。　　The　milk　of　these　three　creatures　differs　in　richness　and　taste。　　It　is　usually　diluted　with　water；　and　flavoured　with　the　juice　of　a　peculiar　and　perfumed　fruit；　and　in　itself　is　very　nutritious　and　palatable。　　The　animal　whose　fleece　serves　them　for　clothing　and　many　other　purposes；　is　more　like　the　Italian　she…goat　than　any　other　creature；　but　is　considerably　larger；　has　no　horns；　and　is　free　from　the　displeasing　odour　of　our　goats。　　Its　fleece　is　not　thick；　but　very　long　and　fine；　it　varies　in　colour；　but　is　never　white；　more　generally　of　a　slate…like　or　lavender　hue。　　For　clothing　it　is　usually　worn　dyed　to　suit　the　taste　of　the　wearer。　　These　animals　were　exceedingly　tame；　and　were　treated　with　extraordinary　care　and　affection　by　the　children　（chiefly　female）　who　tended　them。

We　then　went　through　vast　storehouses　filled　with　grains　and　fruits。　　I　may　here　observe　that　the　main　staple　of　food　among　these　people　consists…　firstly；　of　a　kind　of　corn　much　larger　119in　ear　than　our　wheat；　and　which　by　culture　is　perpetually　being　brought　into　new　varieties　of　flavour；　and；　secondly；　of　a　fruit　of　about　the　size　of　a　small　orange；　which；　when　gathered；　is　hard　and　bitter。　　It　is　stowed　away　for　many　months　in　their　warehouses；　and　then　becomes　succulent　and　tender。　　Its　juice；　which　is　of　dark…red　colour；　enters　into　most　of　their　sauces。　　They　have　many　kinds　of　fruit　of　the　nature　of　the　olive；　from　which　delicious　oils　are　extracted。　　They　have　a　plant　somewhat　resembling　the　sugar…cane；　but　its　juices　are　less　sweet　and　of　a　delicate　perfume。　　They　have　no　bees　nor　honey…making　insects；　but　they　make　much　use　of　a　sweet　gum　that　oozes　from　a　coniferous　plant；　not　unlike　the　araucaria。　　Their　soil　teems　also　with　esculent　roots　and　vegetables；　which　it　is　the　aim　of　their　culture　to　improve　and　vary　to　the　utmost。　　And　I　never　remember　any　meal　among　this　people；　however　it　might　be　confined　to　the　family　household；　in　which　some　delicate　novelty　in　such　articles　of　food　was　not　introduced。　　In　fine；　as　I　before　observed；　their　cookery　is　exquisite；　so　diversified　and　nutritious　that　one　does　not　miss　animal　food；　and　their　own　physical　forms　suffice　to　show　that　with　them；　at　least；　meat　is　not　required　for　superior　production　of　muscular　fibre。　　They　have　no　grapes…　the　drinks　extracted　from　their　fruits　are　innocent　and　refreshing。　　Their　staple　beverage；　however；　is　water；　in　the　choice　of　which　they　are　very　fastidious；　distinguishing　at　once　the　slightest　impurity。

〃My　younger　son　takes　great　pleasure　in　augmenting　our　produce；〃　said　Aph…Lin　as　we　passed　through　the　storehouses；　〃and　therefore　will　inherit　these　lands；