gulliver of mars-第12章

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〃It　was　none　the　less　wonderful；　I　thought　you　were　a　common　man；　a　prince　mayhap；　come　but　from　over　the　hills；　but　now　something　tells　me　you　are　more　than　that；〃　and　she　lapsed　into　thoughtful　silence　for　a　time。

Neither　of　us　were　wishful　to　go　back　amongst　those　who　were　raising　the　bruised　magician　to　his　legs；　but　wandered　away　instead　through　the　deepening　twilight　towards　the　city　over　meadows　whose　damp；　soft　fragrance　loaded　the　air　with　sleepy　pleasure；　neither　of　us　saying　a　word　till　the　dusk　deepened　and　the　quick　night　descended；　while　we　came　amongst　the　gardened　houses；　the　thousand　lights　of　an　unreal　city　rising　like　a　jewelled　bank　before　us；　and　there　An　said　she　would　leave　me　for　a　time；　meet…　ing　me　again　in　the　palace　square　later　on；　〃To　see　Princess　Heru　read　the　destinies　of　the　year。〃

〃What！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃more　magic？　　I　have　been　brought　up　on　more　substantial　mental　stuff　than　this。〃

〃Nevertheless；　I　would　advise　you　to　come　to　the　square；〃　persisted　my　companion。　　〃It　affects　us　all；　andwho　knows？　may　affect　you　more　than　any。〃

Therein　poor　An　was　unconsciously　wearing　the　cloak　of　prophesy　herself；　and；　shrugging　my　shoulders　good…　humouredly；　I　kissed　her　chin；　little　realising；　as　I　let　her　fingers　slip　from　mine；　that　I　should　see　her　no　more。

Turning　back　alone；　through　the　city；　through　ways　twinkling　with　myriad　lights　as　little　lamps　began　to　blink　out　amongst　garlands　and　flower…decked　booths　on　every　hand；　I　walked　on；　lost　in　varying　thoughts；　until；　fairly　tired　and　hungry；　I　found　myself　outside　a　stall　where　many　Martians　stood　eating　and　drinking　to　their　hearts'　content。　　I　was　known　to　none　of　them；　and；　forgetting　past　experience；　was　looking　on　rather　enviously；　when　there　came　a　touch　upon　my　arm；　and

〃Are　you　hungry；　sir？〃　asked　a　bystander。

〃Ay；〃　I　said；　〃hungry；　good　friend；　and　with　all　the　zest　which　an　empty　purse　lends　to　that　condition。〃

〃Then　here　is　what　you　need；　sir；　even　from　here　the　wine　smells　good；　and　the　fried　fruit　would　make　a　mouse's　eye　twinkle。　　Why　do　you　wait？〃

〃Why　wait？　　Why；　because　though　the　rich　man's　dinner　goes　in　at　his　mouth；　the　poor　man　must　often　be　content　to　dine　through　his　nose。　　I　tell　you　I　have　nothing　to　get　me　a　meal　with。〃

The　stranger　seemed　to　speculate　on　this　for　a　time；　and　then　he　said；　〃I　cannot　fathom　your　meaning；　sir。　Buying　and　selling；　gold　and　money；　all　these　have　no　mean…　ing　to　me。　　Surely　the　twin　blessings　of　an　appetite　and　food　abundant　ready　and　free　before　you　are　enough。〃

〃What！　free　is　itfree　like　the　breakfast　served　out　this　morning？〃

〃Why；　of　course；〃　said　the　youth；　with　mild　depreci…　ation；　〃everything　here　is　free。　　Everything　is　his　who　will　take　it；　without　exception。　　What　else　is　the　good　of　a　co…　herent　society　and　a　Government　if　it　cannot　provide　you　with　so　rudimentary　a　thing　as　a　meal？〃

Whereat　joyfully　I　undid　my　belt；　and；　without　nicely　examining　the　argument；　marched　into　the　booth；　and　there　put　Martian　hospitality　to　the　test；　eating　and　drinking；　but　this　time　with　growing　wisdom；　till　I　was　a　new　man；　and　then；　paying　my　leaving　with　a　wave　of　the　hand　to　the　yellow…girted　one　who　dispensed　the　common　provender；　I　sauntered　on　again；　caring　little　or　nothing　which　way　the　road　went；　and　soon　across　the　current　of　my　medita…　tions　a　peal　of　laughter　broke；　accompanied　by　the　piping　of　a　flute　somewhere　close　at　hand；　and　the　next　minute　I　found　myself　amid　a　ring　of　light…hearted　roisterers　who　were　linking　hands　for　a　dance　to　the　music　a　curly…　headed　fellow　was　making　close　by。

They　made　me　join　them！　　One　rosey…faced　damsel　at　the　hither　end　of　the　chain　drew　up　to　me；　and；　without　a　word；　slipped　her　soft；　baby　fingers　into　my　hand；　on　the　other　side　another　came　with　melting　eyes；　breath　like　a　bed　of　violets；　and　banked…up　fun　puckering　her　dainty　mouth。　　What　could　I　do　but　give　her　a　hand　as　well？　　The　flute　began　to　gurgle　anew；　like　a　drinking　spout　in　spring…　time；　and　away　we　went；　faster　and　faster　each　minute；　the　boys　and　girls　swinging　themselves　in　time　to　the　tune；　and　capering　presently　till　their　tender　feet　were　twinkling　over　the　ground　in　gay　confusion。　　Faster　and　faster　till；　as　the　infection　of　the　dance　spread　even　to　the　outside　groups；　I　capered　too。　　My　word！　if　they　could　have　seen　me　that　night　from　the　deck　of　the　old　Carolina；　how　they　would　have　laughedsword　swinging；　coat…tails　flying　faster　and　faster；　round　and　round　we　went；　till　limbs　could　stand　no　more；　the　gasping　piper　blew　himself　quite　out；　and　the　dance　ended　as　abruptly　as　it　commenced；　the　dancers　melting　away　to　join　others　or　casting　themselves　panting　on　the　turf。

Certainly　these　Martian　girls　were　blessed　with　an　in…　gratiating　simplicity。　　My　new　friend　of　the　violet…scented　breath　hung　back　a　little；　then　after　looking　at　me　de…　murely　for　a　minute　or　two；　like　a　child　that　chooses　a　new　playmate；　came　softly　up；　and；　standing　on　tiptoe；　kissed　me　on　the　cheek。　　It　was　not　unpleasant；　so　I　turned　the　other；　whereon；　guessing　my　meaning；　without　the　smallest　hesitation；　she　reached　up　again；　and　pressed　her　pretty　mouth　to　my　bronzed　skin　a　second　time。　　Then；　with　a　little　sigh　of　satisfaction；　she　ran　an　arm　through　mine；　saying；　〃Comrade；　from　what　country　have　you　come？　I　never　saw　one　quite　like　you　before。〃

〃From　what　country　had　I　come？〃　　Again　the　frown　dropped　down　upon　my　forehead。　　Was　I　dreamingwas　I　mad？　　Where　indeed　had　I　come　from？　　I　stared　back　over　my　shoulder；　and　there；　as　if　in　answer　to　my　thought　there；　where　the　black　tracery　of　flowering　shrubs　waved

in　the　soft　night　wind；　over　a　gap　in　the　crumbling　ivory　ramparts；　the　sky　was　brightening。　　As　I　looked　into　the　centre　of　that　glow；　a　planet；　magnified　by　the　wonderful　air；　came　swinging　up；　pale　but　splendid；　and　mapped　by　soft　coloursgreen；　violet；　and　red。　　I　knew　it　on　the　min…　ute；　Heaven　only　knows　how；　but　I　knew　it；　and　a　des…　perate　thrill　of　loneliness　swept　over　me；　a　spasm　of　com…　prehension　of　the　horrible　void　dividing　us。　　Never　did　yearn…　ing　babe　stretch　arms　more　wistfully　to　an　unattainable　mother　than　I　at　that　moment　to　my　mother　earth。　　All　her　meanness　and　prosaicness　was　forgotten；　all　her　im…　perfections　and　shortcomings；　it　was　home；　the　one　tangible　thing　in　the　glittering　emptiness　of　the　spheres。　　All　my　soul　went　into　my　eyes；　and　then　I　sneezed　violently；　and　turning　round；　found　that　sweet　damsel　whose　silky　head　nestled　so　friendly　on　my　shoulder　was　tickling　my　nose　with　a　feather　she　had　picked　up。

Womanlike；　she　had　forgotten　all　about　her　first　question；　and　now　asked　another；　〃Will　you　come　to　supper　with　me；　stranger？　　'Tis　nearly　ready；　I　think。〃

〃To　be　able　to　say　no　to　such　an　invitation；　lady；　is　the　first　thing　a　young　man　should　learn；〃　I　answered　lightly；　but　then；　seeing　there　was　nothing　save　the　most　innocent　friendliness　in　those　hazel　eyes；　I　went　on；　〃but　that　stern　rule　may　admit　of　variance。　　Only；　as　it　chances；　I　have　just　supped　at　the　public　expense。　　If；　instead；　you　would　be　a　sailor's　sweetheart　for　an　hour；　and　take　me　to　this　show　of　yoursyour　princess's　benefit；　or　whatever　it　is　I　shall　be　obliged；　my　previous　guide　is　hull　down　over　the　horizon；　and　I　am　clean　out　of　my　reckoning　in　this　crowd。〃

By　way　of　reply；　the　little　lady；　light　as　an　elf；　took　me　by　the　fingertips；　and；　gleefully　skipping　forward；　piloted　me　through　the　mazes　of　her　city　until　we　came　out　into　the　great　square　fronting　on　the　palace；　which　rose　beyond　it　like　a　white　chalk　cliff　in　the　dull　light。　　Not　a　taper　showed　anywhere　round　its　circumference；　but　a　mysterious　kind　of　radiance　like　sea　phosphorescence　beamed　from　the　palace　porch。　　All　was　in　such　deathlike　silence　that　the　nails　in　my　〃ammunition〃　boots　made　an　unpleasant　clanking　as　they　struck　on　the　marble　pavement；　yet；　by　the　uncertain　starlight；　I　saw；　to　my　surprise；　the　whole　square　was　thronged　with　Martians；　all　facing　towards　the　porch；　as　still；　graven　images；　and　as　voiceless；　for　once；　as　though　they　had　indeed　been　marble。　　It　was　strange　to　see　them　sitting　there　in　the　twilight；　waiting　for　I　knew　not　what；　and　my　friend's　voice　at　my