the coming race-第36章

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…ei　in　their　manner　towards　our　weaker　sex。

And　here　I　may　observe　that；　though　a　virgin　Gy　is　so　frank　in　her　courtship　to　the　individual　she　favours；　there　is　nothing　that　approaches　to　that　general　breadth　and　loudness　of　manner　which　those　young　ladies　of　the　Anglo…Saxon　race；　to　whom　the　149distinguished　epithet　of　'fast'　is　accorded；　exhibit　towards　young　gentlemen　whom　they　do　not　profess　to　love。　　No；　the　bearing　of　the　Gy…ei　towards　males　in　ordinary　is　very　much　that　of　high…bred　men　in　the　gallant　societies　of　the　upper　world　towards　ladies　whom　they　respect　but　do　not　woo；　deferential；　complimentary；　exquisitely　polished…　what　we　should　call　'chivalrous。'

Certainly　I　was　a　little　put　out　by　the　number　of　civil　things　addressed　to　my　'amour　propre；'　which　were　said　to　me　by　those　courteous　young　Gy…ei。　　In　the　world　I　came　from；　a　man　would　have　thought　himself　aggrieved；　treated　with　irony；　'chaffed'　（if　so　vulgar　a　slang　word　may　be　allowed　on　the　authority　of　the　popular　novelists　who　use　it　so　freely）；　when　one　fair　Gy　complimented　me　on　the　freshness　of　my　complexion；　another　on　the　choice　of　colours　in　my　dress；　a　third；　with　a　sly　smile；　on　the　conquests　I　had　made　at　Aph…Lin's　entertainment。　　But　I　knew　already　that　all　such　language　was　what　the　French　call　'banal；'　and　did　but　express　in　the　female　mouth；　below　earth；　that　sort　of　desire　to　pass　for　amiable　with　the　opposite　sex　which；　above　earth；　arbitrary　custom　and　hereditary　transmission　demonstrate　by　the　mouth　of　the　male。　　And　just　as　a　high…bred　young　lady；　above　earth；　habituated　to　such　compliments；　feels　that　she　cannot；　without　impropriety；　return　them；　nor　evince　any　great　satisfaction　at　receiving　them；　so　I　who　had　learned　polite　manners　at　the　house　of　so　wealthy　and　dignified　a　Minister　of　that　nation；　could　but　smile　and　try　to　look　pretty　in　bashfully　disclaiming　the　compliments　showered　upon　me。　　While　we　were　thus　talking；　Taee's　sister；　it　seems；　had　seen　us　from　the　upper　rooms　of　the　Royal　Palace　at　the　entrance　of　the　town；　and；　precipitating　herself　on　her　wings；　alighted　in　the　midst　of　the　group。

Singling　me　out；　she　said；　though　still　with　the　inimitable　deference　of　manner　which　I　have　called　'chivalrous；'　yet　not　without　a　certain　abruptness　of　tone　which；　as　addressed　to　the　weaker　sex；　Sir　Philip　Sydney　might　have　termed　'rustic；'　〃Why　do　you　never　come　to　see　us？〃　150　While　I　was　deliberating　on　the　right　answer　to　give　to　this　unlooked…for　question；　Taee　said　quickly　and　sternly；　〃Sister；　you　forget…　the　stranger　is　of　my　sex。　　It　is　not　for　persons　of　my　sex；　having　due　regard　for　reputation　and　modesty；　to　lower　themselves　by　running　after　the　society　of　yours。〃

This　speech　was　received　with　evident　approval　by　the　young　Gy…ei　in　general；　but　Taee's　sister　looked　greatly　abashed。　　Poor　thing！…　and　a　PRINCESS　too！

Just　at　this　moment　a　shadow　fell　on　the　space　between　me　and　the　group；　and；　turning　round；　I　beheld　the　chief　magistrate　coming　close　upon　us；　with　the　silent　and　stately　pace　peculiar　to　the　Vril…ya。　　At　the　sight　of　his　countenance；　the　same　terror　which　had　seized　me　when　I　first　beheld　it　returned。　　On　that　brow；　in　those　eyes；　there　was　that　same　indefinable　something　which　marked　the　being　of　a　race　fatal　to　our　own…　that　strange　expression　of　serene　exemption　from　our　common　cares　and　passions；　of　conscious　superior　power；　compassionate　and　inflexible　as　that　of　a　judge　who　pronounces　doom。　　I　shivered；　and；　inclining　low；　pressed　the　arm　of　my　child…friend；　and　drew　him　onward　silently。　　The　Tur　placed　himself　before　our　path；　regarded　me　for　a　moment　without　speaking；　then　turned　his　eye　quietly　on　his　daughter's　face；　and；　with　a　grave　salutation　to　her　and　the　other　Gy…ei；　went　　through　the　midst　of　the　group；…　still　without　a　word。　


Chapter　XXVIII。


When　Taee　and　I　found　ourselves　alone　on　the　broad　road　that　lay　between　the　city　and　the　chasm　through　which　I　had　descended　into　this　region　beneath　the　light　of　the　stars　and　sun；　I　said　under　my　breath；　〃Child　and　friend；　there　is　a　look　151in　your　father's　face　which　appals　me。　　I　feel　as　if；　in　its　awful　tranquillity；　I　gazed　upon　death。〃

Taee　did　not　immediately　reply。　　He　seemed　agitated；　and　as　if　debating　with　himself　by　what　words　to　soften　some　unwelcome　intelligence。　　At　last　he　said；　〃None　of　the　Vril…ya　fear　death：　do　you？〃

〃The　dread　of　death　is　implanted　in　the　breasts　of　the　race　to　which　I　belong。　　We　can　conquer　it　at　the　call　of　duty；　of　honour；　of　love。　　We　can　die　for　a　truth；　for　a　native　land；　for　those　who　are　dearer　to　us　than　ourselves。　　But　if　death　do　really　threaten　me　now　and　here；　where　are　such　counteractions　to　the　natural　instinct　which　invests　with　awe　and　terror　the　contemplation　of　severance　between　soul　and　body？〃

Taee　looked　surprised；　but　there　was　great　tenderness　in　his　voice　as　he　replied；　〃I　will　tell　my　father　what　you　say。　　I　will　entreat　him　to　spare　your　life。〃

〃He　has；　then；　already　decreed　to　destroy　it？〃

〃'Tis　my　sister's　fault　or　folly；〃　said　Taee；　with　some　petulance。　　〃But　she　spoke　this　morning　to　my　father；　and；　after　she　had　spoken；　he　summoned　me；　as　a　chief　among　the　children　who　are　commissioned　to　destroy　such　lives　as　threaten　the　community；　and　he　said　to　me；　'Take　thy　vril　staff；　and　seek　the　stranger　who　has　made　himself　dear　to　thee。　　Be　his　end　painless　and　prompt。'〃

〃And；〃　I　faltered；　recoiling　from　the　child…　〃and　it　is；　then；　for　my　murder　that　thus　treacherously　thou　hast　invited　me　forth？　　No；　I　cannot　believe　it。　　I　cannot　think　thee　guilty　of　such　a　crime。〃

〃It　is　no　crime　to　slay　those　who　threaten　the　good　of　the　community；　it　would　be　a　crime　to　slay　the　smallest　insect　that　cannot　harm　us。〃

〃If　you　mean　that　I　threaten　the　good　of　the　community　because　your　sister　honours　me　with　the　sort　of　preference　which　a　child　may　feel　for　a　strange　plaything；　it　is　not　necessary　to　kill　me。　　Let　me　return　to　the　people　I　have　left；　and　by　the　chasm　through　which　I　descended。　　With　a　slight　help　from　you　I　152might　do　so　now。　　You；　by　the　aid　of　your　wings；　could　fasten　to　the　rocky　ledge　within　the　chasm　the　cord　that　you　found；　and　have　no　doubt　preserved。　　Do　but　that；　assist　me　but　to　the　spot　from　which　I　alighted；　and　I　vanish　from　your　world　for　ever；　and　as　surely　as　if　I　were　among　the　dead。〃

〃The　chasm　through　which　you　descended！　　Look　round；　we　stand　now　on　the　very　place　where　it　yawned。　　What　see　you？　　Only　solid　rock。　　The　chasm　was　closed；　by　the　orders　of　Aph…Lin；　as　soon　as　communication　between　him　and　yourself　was　established　in　your　trance；　and　he　learned　from　your　own　lips　the　nature　of　the　world　from　which　you　came。　　Do　you　not　remember　when　Zee　bade　me　not　question　you　as　to　yourself　or　your　race？　　On　quitting　you　that　day；　Aph…Lin　accosted　me；　and　said；　'No　path　between　the　stranger's　home　and　ours　should　be　left　unclosed；　or　the　sorrow　and　evil　of　his　home　may　descend　to　ours。　　Take　with　thee　the　children　of　thy　band；　smite　the　sides　of　the　cavern　with　your　vril　staves　till　the　fall　of　their　fragments　fills　up　every　chink　through　which　a　gleam　of　our　lamps　could　force　its　way。'〃

As　the　child　spoke；　I　stared　aghast　at　the　blind　rocks　before　me。　　Huge　and　irregular；　the　granite　masses；　showing　by　charred　discolouration　where　they　had　been　shattered；　rose　from　footing　to　roof…top；　not　a　cranny！

〃All　hope；　then；　is　gone；〃　I　murmured；　sinking　down　on　the　craggy　wayside；　〃and　I　shall　nevermore　see　the　sun。〃　I　covered　my　face　with　my　hands；　and　prayed　to　Him　whose　presence　I　had　so　often　forgotten　when　the　heavens　had　declared　His　handiwork。　　I　felt　His　presence　in　the　depths　of　the　nether　earth；　and　amidst　the　world　of　the　grave。　　I　looked　up；　taking　comfort　and　courage　from　my　prayers；　and；　gazing　with　a　quiet　smile　into　the　face　of　the　child；　said；　〃Now；　if　thou　must　slay　me；　strike。〃

Taee　shook　his　head　gently。　　〃Nay；〃　he　said；　〃my　father's　request　is　not　so　formally　made　as　to　leave　me　no　choice。　　I　will　speak　with　him；　and　may　prevail　to　save　thee。　　Strange　153that　thou　shouldst　have　that　fear　of　death　which　we　thought　was　only　the　instinct　of　the　inferior　creatures；　to　whom　the　convictions　of　another　life　h