the coming race-第3章

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d　led　me　in　silence　to　the　building。　　The　entrance　was　open…　indeed　there　was　no　door　to　it。　　We　entered　an　immense　hall；　lighted　by　the　same　kind　of　lustre　as　in　the　scene　without；　but　diffusing　a　fragrant　odour。　　The　floor　was　in　large　tesselated　blocks　of　precious　metals；　and　partly　covered　with　a　sort　of　matlike　14carpeting。　　A　strain　of　low　music；　above　and　around；　undulated　as　if　from　invisible　instruments；　seeming　to　belong　naturally　to　the　place；　just　as　the　sound　of　murmuring　waters　belongs　to　a　rocky　landscape；　or　the　warble　of　birds　to　vernal　groves。

A　figure　in　a　simpler　garb　than　that　of　my　guide；　but　of　similar　fashion；　was　standing　motionless　near　the　threshold。　　My　guide　touched　it　twice　with　his　staff；　and　it　put　itself　into　a　rapid　and　gliding　movement；　skimming　noiselessly　over　the　floor。　　Gazing　on　it；　I　then　saw　that　it　was　no　living

form；　but　a　mechanical　automaton。　　It　might　be　two　minutes　after　it　vanished　through　a　doorless　opening；　half　screened　by　curtains　at　the　other　end　of　the　hall；　when　through　the　same　opening　advanced　a　boy　of　about　twelve　years　old；　with　features　closely　resembling　those　of　my　guide；　so　that　they　seemed　to　me　evidently　son　and　father。　　On　seeing　me　the　child　uttered　a　cry；　and　lifted　a　staff　like　that　borne　by　my　guide；　as　if　in　menace。　　At　a　word　from　the　elder　he　dropped　it。　　The　two　then　conversed　for　some　moments；　examining　me　while　they　spoke。　　The　child　touched　my　garments；　and　stroked　my　face　with　evident　curiosity；　uttering　a　sound　like　a　laugh；　but　with　an　hilarity　more　subdued　that　the　mirth　of　our　laughter。　　Presently　the　roof　of　the　hall　opened；　and　a　platform　descended；　seemingly　constructed　on　the　same　principle　as　the　'lifts'　used　in　hotels　and　warehouses　for　mounting　from　one　story　to　another。

The　stranger　placed　himself　and　the　child　on　the　platform；　and　motioned　to　me　to　do　the　same；　which　I　did。　　We　ascended　quickly　and　safely；　and　alighted　in　the　midst　of　a　corridor　with　doorways　on　either　side。

Through　one　of　these　doorways　I　was　conducted　into　a　chamber　fitted　up　with　an　oriental　splendour；　the　walls　were　tesselated　with　spars；　and　metals；　and　uncut　jewels；　cushions　and　divans　abounded；　apertures　as　for　windows　but　unglazed；　were　made　in　the　chamber　opening　to　the　floor；　and　as　I　passed　along　I　15observed　that　these　openings　led　into　spacious　balconies；　and　commanded　views　of　the　illumined　landscape　without。　　In　cages　suspended　from　the　ceiling　there　were　birds　of　strange　form　and　bright　plumage；　which　at　our　entrance　set　up　a　chorus　of　song；　modulated　into　tune　as　is　that　of　our　piping　bullfinches。　　A　delicious　fragrance；　from　censers　of　gold　elaborately　sculptured；　filled　the　air。　　Several　automata；　like　the　one　I　had　seen；　stood　dumb　and　motionless　by　the　walls。　　The　stranger　placed　me　beside　him　on　a　divan　and　again　spoke　to　me；　and　again　I　spoke；　but　without　the　least　advance　towards　understanding　each　other。

But　now　I　began　to　feel　the　effects　of　the　blow　I　had　received　from　the　splinters　of　the　falling　rock　more　acutely　that　I　had　done　at　first。


There　came　over　me　a　sense　of　sickly　faintness；　accompanied　with　acute；　lancinating　pains　in　the　head　and　neck。　　I　sank　back　on　the　seat　and　strove　in　vain　to　stifle　a　groan。　　On　this　the　child；　who　had　hitherto　seemed　to　eye　me　with　distrust　or　dislike；　knelt　by　my　side　to　support　me；　taking　one　of　my　hands　in　both　his　own；　he　approached　his　lips　to　my　forehead；　breathing　on　it　softly。　　In　a　few　moments　my　pain　ceased；　a　drowsy；　heavy　calm　crept　over　me；　I　fell　asleep。

How　long　I　remained　in　this　state　I　know　not；　but　when　I　woke　I　felt　perfectly　restored。　　My　eyes　opened　upon　a　group　of　silent　forms；　seated　around　me　in　the　gravity　and　quietude　of　Orientals…　all　more　or　less　like　the　first　stranger；　the　same　mantling　wings；　the　same　fashion　of　garment；　the　same　sphinx…like　faces；　with　the　deep　dark　eyes　and　red　man's　colour；　above　all；　the　same　type　of　race…　race　akin　to　man's；　but　infinitely　stronger　of　form　and　grandeur　of　aspect…　and　inspiring　the　same　unutterable　feeling　of　dread。　　Yet　each　countenance　was　mild　and　tranquil；　and　even　kindly　in　expression。　　And；　strangely　enough；　it　seemed　to　me　that　in　this　very　calm　and　benignity　consisted　the　secret　of　the　dread　which　the　countenances　inspired。　　They　seemed　as　void　of　the　lines　and　shadows　which　care　and　sorrow；　and　passion　and　sin；　16leave　upon　the　faces　of　men；　as　are　the　faces　of　sculptured　gods；　or　as；　in　the　eyes　of　Christian　mourners；　seem　the　peaceful　brows　of　the　dead。

I　felt　a　warm　hand　on　my　shoulder；　it　was　the　child's。　　In　his　eyes　there　was　a　sort　of　lofty　pity　and　tenderness；　such　as　that　with　which　we　may　gaze　on　some　suffering　bird　or　butterfly。　　I　shrank　from　that　touch…　I　shrank　from　that　eye。　　I　was　vaguely　impressed　with　a　belief　that；　had　he　so　pleased；　that　child　could　have　killed　me　as　easily　as　a　man　can　kill　a　bird　or　a　butterfly。　　The　child　seemed　pained　at　my　repugnance；　quitted　me；　and　placed　himself　beside　one　of　the　windows。　　The　others　continued　to　converse　with　each　other　in　a　low　tone；　and　by　their　glances　towards　me　I　could　perceive　that　I　was　the　object　of　their　conversation。　　One　in　especial　seemed　to　be　urging　some　proposal　affecting　me　on　the　being　whom　I　had　first　met；　and　this　last　by　his　gesture　seemed　about　to　assent　to　it；　when　the　child　suddenly　quitted　his　post　by　the　window；　placed　himself　between　me　and　the　other　forms；　as　if　in　protection；　and　spoke　quickly　and　eagerly。　　By　some　intuition　or　instinct　I　felt　that　the　child　I　had　before　so　dreaded　was　pleading　in　my　behalf。　　Ere　he　had　ceased　another　stranger　entered　the　room。　　He　appeared　older　than　the　rest；　though　not　old；　his　countenance　less　smoothly　serene　than　theirs；　though　equally　regular　in　its　features；　seemed　to　me　to　have　more　the　touch　of　a　humanity　akin　to　my　own。　　He　listened　quietly　to　the　words　addressed　to　him；　first　by　my　guide；　next　by　two　others　of　the　group；　and　lastly　by　the　child；　then　turned　towards　myself；　and　addressed　me；　not　by　words；　but　by　signs　and　gestures。　　These　I　fancied　that　I　perfectly　understood；　and　I　was　not　mistaken。　　I　comprehended　that　he　inquired　whence　I　came。　　I　extended　my　arm；　and　pointed　towards　the　road　which　had　led　me　from　the　chasm　in　the　rock；　then　an　idea　seized　me。　　I　drew　forth　my　pocket…book；　and　sketched　on　one　of　its　blank　leaves　a　rough　design　of　the　ledge　of　the　rock；　the　rope；　myself　clinging　to　it；　then　of　the　cavernous　rock　below；　the　head　of　the　reptile；　17the　lifeless　form　of　my　friend。　　I　gave　this　primitive　kind　of　hieroglyph　to　my　interrogator；　who；　after　inspecting　it　gravely；　handed　it　to　his　next　neighbour；　and　it　thus　passed　round　the　group。　　The　being　I　had　at　first　encountered　then　said　a　few　words；　and　the　child；　who　approached　and　looked　at　my　drawing；　nodded　as　if　he　comprehended　its　purport；　and；　returning　to　the　window；　expanded　the　wings　attached　to　his　form；　shook　them　once　or　twice；　and　then　launched　himself　into　space　without。　　I　started　up　in　amaze　and　hastened　to　the　window。　　The　child　was　already　in　the　air；　buoyed　on　his　wings；　which　he　did　not　flap　to　and　fro　as　a　bird　does；　but　which　were　elevated　over　his　head；　and　seemed　to　bear　him　steadily　aloft　without　effort　of　his　own。　　His　flight　seemed　as　swift　as　an　eagle's；　and　I　observed　that　it　was　towards　the　rock　whence　I　had　descended；　of　which　the　outline　loomed　visible　in　the　brilliant　atmosphere。　　In　a　very　few　minutes　he　returned；　skimming　through　the　opening　from　which　he　had　gone；　and　dropping　on　the　floor　the　rope　and　grappling…hooks　I　had　left　at　the　descent　from　the　chasm。　　Some　words　in　a　low　tone　passed　between　the　being　present；　one　of　the　group　touched　an　automaton；　which　started　forward　and　glided　from　the　room；　then　the　last　comer；　who　had　addressed　me　by　gestures；　rose；　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　led　me　into　the　corridor。　　There　the　platform　by　which　I　had　mounted　awaited　us；　we　placed　ourselves　on　it　and　were　lowered　into　the　hall　below。　　My　new　companion；　still　holding　me　by　the　hand；　conducted　me　from　the　building　into　a　street　（so　to　speak）　that　stretched　beyond　it；　with　buildings　on　either　side；　separated　from　each　other　by　gardens　bright　with　rich…coloured　vegetation　and　stran