the coming race-第5章

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nd　followed　him　as　a　bird　sportively　follows　a　bird。　　My　eyes；　dazzled　with　the　lights　and　bewildered　by　the　throngs；　ceased　to　distinguish　the　gyrations　and　evolutions　of　these　winged　playmates；　till　presently　my　host　re…emerged　from　the　crowd　and　alighted　at　my　side。

The　strangeness　of　all　I　had　seen　began　now　to　operate　fast　on　my　senses；　my　mind　itself　began　to　wander。　　Though　not　inclined　22to　be　superstitious；　nor　hitherto　believing　that　man　could　be　brought　into　bodily　communication　with　demons；　I　felt　the　terror　and　the　wild　excitement　with　which；　in　the　Gothic　ages；　a　traveller　might　have　persuaded　himself　that　he　witnessed　a　'sabbat'　of　fiends　and　witches。　　I　have　a　vague　recollection　of　having　attempted　with　vehement　gesticulation；　and　forms　of　exorcism；　and　loud　incoherent　words；　to　repel　my　courteous　and　indulgent　host；　of　his　mild　endeavors　to　calm　and　soothe　me；　of　his　intelligent　conjecture　that　my　fright　and　bewilderment　were　occasioned　by　the　difference　of　form　and　movement　between　us　which　the　wings　that　had　excited　my　marvelling　curiosity　had；　in　exercise；　made　still　more　strongly　perceptible；　of　the　gentle　smile　with　which　he　had　sought　to　dispel　my　alarm　by　dropping　the　wings　to　the　ground　and　endeavouring　to　show　me　that　they　were　but　a　mechanical　contrivance。　　That　sudden　transformation　did　but　increase　my　horror；　and　as　extreme　fright　often　shows　itself　by　extreme　daring；　I　sprang　at　his　throat　like　a　wild　beast。　　On　an　instant　I　was　felled　to　the　ground　as　by　an　electric　shock；　and　the　last　confused　images　floating　before　my　sight　ere　I　became　wholly　insensible；　were　the　form　of　my　host　kneeling　beside　me　with　one　hand　on　my　forehead；　and　the　beautiful　calm　face　of　his　daughter；　with　large；　deep；　inscrutable　eyes　intently　fixed　upon　my　own。


Chapter　VI。


I　remained　in　this　unconscious　state；　as　I　afterwards　learned；　for　many　days；　even　for　some　weeks　according　to　our　computation　of　time。　　When　I　recovered　I　was　in　a　strange　room；　my　host　and　all　his　family　were　gathered　round　me；　and　to　my　utter　amaze　my　host's　daughter　accosted　me　in　my　own　language　with　a　slightly　foreign　accent。

〃How　do　you　feel？〃　　she　asked。

23It　was　some　moments　before　I　could　overcome　my　surprise　enough　to　falter　out；　〃You　know　my　language？　　How？　　Who　and　what　are　you？〃

My　host　smiled　and　motioned　to　one　of　his　sons；　who　then　took　from　a　table　a　number　of　thin　metallic　sheets　on　which　were　traced　drawings　of　various　figures…　a　house；　a　tree；　a　bird；　a　man；　&c。

In　these　designs　I　recognised　my　own　style　of　drawing。　　Under　each　figure　was　written　the　name　of　it　in　my　language；　and　in　my　writing；　and　in　another　handwriting　a　word　strange　to　me　beneath　it。

Said　the　host；　〃Thus　we　began；　and　my　daughter　Zee；　who　belongs　to　the　College　of　Sages；　has　been　your　instructress　and　ours　too。〃

Zee　then　placed　before　me　other　metallic　sheets；　on　which；　in　my　writing；　words　first；　and　then　sentences；　were　inscribed。　　Under　each　word　and　each　sentence　strange　characters　in　another　hand。　　Rallying　my　senses；　I　comprehended　that　thus　a　rude　dictionary　had　been　effected。　　Had　it　been　done　while　I　was　dreaming？　〃That　is　enough　now；〃　said　Zee；　in　a　tone　of　command。　　〃Repose　and　take　food。〃


Chapter　VII。


A　room　to　myself　was　assigned　to　me　in　this　vast　edifice。　　It　was　prettily　and　fantastically　arranged；　but　without　any　of　the　splendour　of　metal…work　or　gems　which　was　displayed　in　the　more　public　apartments。　　The　walls　were　hung　with　a　variegated　matting　made　from　the　stalks　and　fibers　of　plants；　and　the　floor　carpeted　with　the　same。

The　bed　was　without　curtains；　its　supports　of　iron　resting　on　balls　of　crystal；　the　coverings；　of　a　thin　white　substance　resembling　cotton。　　There　were　sundry　shelves　containing　books。　　24A　curtained　recess　communicated　with　an　aviary　filled　with　singing…　birds；　of　which　I　did　not　recognise　one　resembling　those　I　have　seen　on　earth；　except　a　beautiful　species　of　dove；　though　this　was　distinguished　from　our　doves　by　a　tall　crest　of　bluish　plumes。　　All　these　birds　had　been　trained　to　sing　in　artful　tunes；　and　greatly　exceeded　the　skill　of　our　piping　bullfinches；　which　can　rarely　achieve　more　than　two　tunes；　and　cannot；　I　believe；　sing　those　in　concert。　　One　might　have　supposed　one's　self　at　an　opera　in　listening　to　the　voices　in　my　aviary。　　There　were　duets　and　trios；　and　quartetts　and　choruses；　all　arranged　as　in　one　piece　of　music。　　Did　I　want　silence　from　the　birds？　I　had　but　to　draw　a　curtain　over　the　aviary；　and　their　song　hushed　as　they　found　themselves　left　in　the　dark。　　Another　opening　formed　a　window；　not　glazed；　but　on　touching　a　spring；　a　shutter　ascended　from　the　floor；　formed　of　some　substance　less　transparent　than　glass；　but　still　sufficiently　pellucid　to　allow　a　softened　view　of　the　scene　without。　　To　this　window　was　attached　a　balcony；　or　rather　hanging　garden；　wherein　grew　many　graceful　plants　and　brilliant　flowers。　　The　apartment　and　its　appurtenances　had　thus　a　character；　if　strange　in　detail；　still　familiar；　as　a　whole；　to　modern　notions　of　luxury；　and　would　have　excited　admiration　if　found　attached　to　the　apartments　of　an　English　duchess　or　a　fashionable　French　author。　　Before　I　arrived　this　was　Zee's　chamber；　she　had　hospitably　assigned　it　to　me。

Some　hours　after　the　waking　up　which　is　described　in　my　last　chapter；　I　was　lying　alone　on　my　couch　trying　to　fix　my　thoughts　on　conjecture　as　to　the　nature　and　genus　of　the　people　amongst　whom　I　was　thrown；　when　my　host　and　his　daughter　Zee　entered　the　room。　　My　host；　still　speaking　my　native　language；　inquired　with　much　politeness；　whether　it　would　be　agreeable　to　me　to　converse；　or　if　I　preferred　solitude。　　I　replied；　that　I　should　feel　much　honoured　and　obliged　by　the　opportunity　offered　me　to　express　my　gratitude　for　the　hospitality　and　civilities　I　had　received　in　a　country　to　which　I　was　a　stranger；　25and　to　learn　enough　of　its　customs　and　manners　not　to　offend　through　ignorance。

As　I　spoke；　I　had　of　course　risen　from　my　couch：　but　Zee；　much　to　my　confusion；　curtly　ordered　me　to　lie　down　again；　and　there　was　something　in　her　voice　and　eye；　gentle　as　both　were；　that　compelled　my　obedience。　　She　then　seated　herself　unconcernedly　at　the　foot　of　my　bed；　while　her　father　took　his　place　on　a　divan　a　few　feet　distant。

〃But　what　part　of　the　world　do　you　come　from？〃　　asked　my　host；　〃that　we　should　appear　so　strange　to　you　and　you　to　us？　　I　have　seen　individual　specimens　of　nearly　all　the　races　differing　from　our　own；　except　the　primeval　savages　who　dwell　in　the　most　desolate　and　remote　recesses　of　uncultivated　nature；　unacquainted　with　other　light　than　that　they　obtain　from　volcanic　fires；　and　contented　to　grope　their　way　in　the　dark；　as　do　many　creeping；　crawling　and　flying　things。　　But　certainly　you　cannot　be　a　member　of　those　barbarous　tribes；　nor；　on　the　other　hand；　do　you　seem　to　belong　to　any　civilised　people。〃

I　was　somewhat　nettled　at　this　last　observation；　and　replied　that　I　had　the　honour　to　belong　to　one　of　the　most　civilised　nations　of　the　earth；　and　that；　so　far　as　light　was　concerned；　while　I　admired　the　ingenuity　and　disregard　of　expense　with　which　my　host　and　his　fellow…citizens　had　contrived　to　illumine　the　regions　unpenetrated　by　the　rays　of　the　sun；　yet　I　could　not　conceive　how　any　who　had　once　beheld　the　orbs　of　heaven　could　compare　to　their　lustre　the　artificial　lights　invented　by　the　necessities　of　man。　　But　my　host　said　he　had　seen　specimens　of　most　of　the　races　differing　from　his　own；　save　the　wretched　barbarians　he　had　mentioned。　　Now；　was　it　possible　that　he　had　never　been　on　the　surface　of　the　earth；　or　could　he　only　be　referring　to　communities　buried　within　its　entrails？

My　host　was　for　some　moments　silent；　his　countenance　showed　a　degree　of　surprise　which　the　people　of　that　race　very　rarely　26manifest　under　any　circumstances；　howsoever　extraordinary。　　But　Zee　was　more　intelligent；　and　exclaimed；　〃So　you　see；　my　father；　that　there　is　truth　in　the　old　tradition；　there　always　is　truth　in　every　tradition　commonly　believed　in　all　times　and　by　all　tribes。〃

〃Zee；〃　said　my　host　mildly；　〃you　belong　to　the　College　of　Sages；　and　ought　to　be　wiser　than　I　am；　but；　as　chief　of　the　Light…preservi