the coming race-第31章

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The　young　An　replied　with　a　sigh；　〃Gentle　Tish；　the　greatest　misfortune　in　life　is　to　marry　one　Gy　if　you　are　in　love　with　another。〃

〃Oh！　　You　are　in　love　with　another？〃

〃Alas！　　Yes。〃

〃And　she　does　not　return　your　love？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　Sometimes　a　look；　a　tone；　makes　me　hope　so；　but　she　has　never　plainly　told　me　that　she　loves　me。〃

〃Have　you　not　whispered　in　her　own　ear　that　you　love　her？〃

〃Fie！　What　are　you　thinking　of？　　What　world　do　you　come　from？　Could　I　so　betray　the　dignity　of　my　sex？　　Could　I　be　so　un…Anly…　so　lost　to　shame；　as　to　own　love　to　a　Gy　who　has　not　first　owned　hers　to　me？〃

〃Pardon：　I　was　not　quite　aware　that　you　pushed　the　modesty　of　your　sex　so　far。　　But　does　no　An　ever　say　to　a　Gy；　'I　love　you；'　till　she　says　it　first　to　him？〃

〃I　can't　say　that　no　An　has　ever　done　so；　but　if　he　ever　does；　he　is　disgraced　in　the　eyes　of　the　Ana；　and　secretly　despised　by　the　Gy…ei。　　No　Gy；　well　brought　up；　would　listen　to　him；　she　would　consider　that　he　audaciously　infringed　on　the　rights　of　her　sex；　while　outraging　the　modesty　which　dignifies　his　own。　　It　is　very　provoking；〃　continued　the　An；　〃for　she　whom　I　love　has　certainly　courted　no　one　else；　and　I　cannot　but　think　she　likes　me。　　Sometimes　I　suspect　that　she　does　not　court　me　because　she　fears　I　would　ask　some　unreasonable　settlement　as　129to　the　surrender　of　her　rights。　　But　if　so；　she　cannot　really　love　me；　for　where　a　Gy　really　loves　she　forgoes　all　rights。〃

〃Is　this　young　Gy　present？〃

〃Oh　yes。　　She　sits　yonder　talking　to　my　mother。〃

I　looked　in　the　direction　to　which　my　eyes　were　thus　guided；　and　saw　a　Gy　dressed　in　robes　of　bright　red；　which　among　this　people　is　a　sign　that　a　Gy　as　yet　prefers　a　single　state。　　She　wears　gray；　a　neutral　tint；　to　indicate　that　she　is　looking　about　for　a　spouse；　dark　purple　if　she　wishes　to　intimate　that　she　has　made　a　choice；　purple　and　orange　when　she　is　betrothed　or　married；　light　blue　when　she　is　divorced　or　a　widow；　and　would　marry　again。　　Light　blue　is　of　course　seldom　seen。

Among　a　people　where　all　are　of　so　high　a　type　of　beauty；　it　is　difficult　to　single　out　one　as　peculiarly　handsome。　　My　young　friend's　choice　seemed　to　me　to　possess　the　average　of　good　looks；　but　there　was　an　expression　in　her　face　that　pleased　me　more　than　did　the　faces　of　the　young　Gy…ei　generally；　because　it　looked　less　bold…　less　conscious　of　female　rights。　　I　observed　that；　while　she　talked　to　Bra；　she　glanced；　from　time　to　time；　sidelong　at　my　young　friend。

〃Courage；〃　said　I；　〃that　young　Gy　loves　you。〃

〃Ay；　but　if　she　shall　not　say　so；　how　am　I　the　better　for　her　love？〃

〃Your　mother　is　aware　of　your　attachment？〃

〃Perhaps　so。　　I　never　owned　it　to　her。　　It　would　be　un…Anly　to　confide　such　weakness　to　a　mother。　　I　have　told　my　father；　he　may　have　told　it　again　to　his　wife。〃

〃Will　you　permit　me　to　quit　you　for　a　moment　and　glide　behind　your　mother　and　your　beloved？　I　am　sure　they　are　talking　about　you。　　Do　not　hesitate。　　I　promise　that　I　will　not　allow　myself　to　be　questioned　till　I　rejoin　you。〃

The　young　An　pressed　his　hand　on　his　heart；　touched　me　lightly　on　the　head；　and　allowed　me　to　quit　his　side。　　I　stole　unobserved　behind　his　mother　and　his　beloved。　　I　overheard　their　talk。　130　Bra　was　speaking；　said　she；　〃There　can　be　no　doubt　of　this：　either　my　son；　who　is　of　marriageable　age；　will　be　decoyed　into　marriage　with　one　of　his　many　suitors；　or　he　will　join　those　who　emigrate　to　a　distance　and　we　shall　see　him　no　more。　　If　you　really　care　for　him；　my　dear　Lo；　you　should　propose。〃

〃I　do　care　for　him；　Bra；　but　I　doubt　if　I　could　really　ever　win　his　affections。　　He　is　fond　of　his　inventions　and　timepieces；　and　I　am　not　like　Zee；　but　so　dull　that　I　fear　I　could　not　enter　into　his　favourite　pursuits；　and　then　he　would　get　tired　of　me；　and　at　the　end　of　three　years　divorce　me；　and　I　could　never　marry　another…　never。〃

〃It　is　not　necessary　to　know　about　timepieces　to　know　how　to　be　so　necessary　to　the　happiness　of　an　An；　who　cares　for　timepieces；　that　he　would　rather　give　up　the　timepieces　than　divorce　his　Gy。　　You　see；　my　dear　Lo；〃　continued　Bra；　〃that　precisely　because　we　are　the　stronger　sex；　we　rule　the　other　provided　we　never　show　our　strength。　　If　you　were　superior　to　my　son　in　making　timepieces　and　automata；　you　should；　as　his　wife；　always　let　him　suppose　you　thought　him　superior　in　that　art　to　yourself。　　The　An　tacitly　allows　the　pre…eminence　of　the　Gy　in　all　except　his　own　special　pursuit。　　But　if　she　either　excels　him　in　that；　or　affects　not　to　admire　him　for　his　proficiency　in　it；　he　will　not　love　her　very　long；　perhaps　he　may　even　divorce　her。　　But　where　a　Gy　really　loves；　she　soon　learns　to　love　all　that　the　An　does。〃

The　young　Gy　made　no　answer　to　this　address。　　She　looked　down　musingly；　then　a　smile　crept　over　her　lips；　and　she　rose；　still　silent；　and　went　through　the　crowd　till　she　paused　by　the　young　An　who　loved　her。　　I　followed　her　steps；　but　discreetly　stood　at　a　little　distance　while　I　watched　them。　　Somewhat　to　my　surprise；　till　I　recollected　the　coy　tactics　among　the　Ana；　the　lover　seemed　to　receive　her　advances　with　an　air　of　indifference。　　He　even　moved　away；　but　she　pursued　his　steps；　131and；　a　little　time　after；　both　spread　their　wings　and　vanished　amid　the　luminous　space　above。

Just　then　I　was　accosted　by　the　chief　magistrate；　who　mingled　with　the　crowd　distinguished　by　no　signs　of　deference　or　homage。　　It　so　happened　that　I　had　not　seen　this　great　dignitary　since　the　day　I　had　entered　his　dominions；　and　recalling　Aph…Lin's　words　as　to　his　terrible　doubt　whether　or　not　I　should　be　dissected；　a　shudder　crept　over　me　at　the　sight　of　his　tranquil　countenance。

〃I　hear　much　of　you；　stranger；　from　my　son　Taee；〃　said　the　Tur；　laying　his　hand　politely　on　my　bended　head。　　〃He　is　very　fond　of　your　society；　and　I　trust　you　are　not　displeased　with　the　customs　of　our　people。〃

I　muttered　some　unintelligible　answer；　which　I　intended　to　be　an　assurance　of　my　gratitude　for　the　kindness　I　had　received　from　the　Tur；　and　my　admiration　of　his　countrymen；　but　the　dissecting…knife　gleamed　before　my　mind's　eye　and　choked　my　utterance。　　A　softer　voice　said；　〃My　brother's　friend　must　be　dear　to　me。〃　And　looking　up　I　saw　a　young　Gy；　who　might　be　sixteen　years　old；　standing　beside　the　magistrate　and　gazing　at　me　with　a　very　benignant　countenance。　　She　had　not　come　to　her　full　growth；　and　was　scarcely　taller　than　myself　（viz。；　about　5　feet　10　inches）；　and；　thanks　to　that　comparatively　diminutive　stature；　I　thought　her　the　loveliest　Gy　I　had　hitherto　seen。　　I　suppose　something　in　my　eyes　revealed　that　impression；　for　her　countenance　grew　yet　more　benignant。　〃Taee　tells　me；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　have　not　yet　learned　to　accustom　yourself　to　wings。　　That　grieves　me；　for　I　should　have　liked　to　fly　with　you。〃

〃Alas！〃　I　replied；　〃I　can　never　hope　to　enjoy　that　happiness。　　I　am　assured　by　Zee　that　the　safe　use　of　wings　is　a　hereditary　gift；　and　it　would　take　generations　before　one　of　my　race　could　poise　himself　in　the　air　like　a　bird。〃

132〃Let　not　that　thought　vex　you　too　much；〃　replied　this　amiable　Princess；　〃for；　after　all；　there　must　come　a　day　when　Zee　and　myself　must　resign　our　wings　forever。　　Perhaps　when　that　day　comes　we　might　be　glad　if　the　An　we　chose　was　also　without　wings。〃

The　Tur　had　left　us；　and　was　lost　amongst　the　crowd。　　I　began　to　feel　at　ease　with　Taee's　charming　sister；　and　rather　startled　her　by　the　boldness　of　my　compliment　in　replying；　〃that　no　An　she　could　choose　would　ever　use　his　wings　to　fly　away　from　her。〃　It　is　so　against　custom　for　an　An　to　say　such　civil　things　to　a　Gy　till　she　has　declared　her　passion　for　him；　and　been　accepted　as　his　betrothed；　that　the　young　maiden　stood　quite　dumbfounded　for　a　few　moments。　　Nevertheless　she　did　not　seem　displeased。　　At　last　recovering　herself；　she　invited　me　to　accompany　her　into　one　of　the　less　crowded　rooms　and　listen　to　the　songs　of　the　birds。　　I　followed　her　steps　as　she　glided　before　me；　and　she　led　me　into　a　chamber　almost　deserted。　　A　fountain　of　naphtha　was　playing　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　round　it　were　ranged　soft　divans；　and　the　walls　of　the　room　were　open　on　one　side　to　an　aviary　in　which　the　birds　were　chanting　t