gulliver of mars-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　I　knew　not　what；　and　my　friend's　voice　at　my　elbow　almost　startled　me　as　she　said；　in　a　whisper；　〃The　princess　knows　you　are　in　the　crowd；　and　desires　you　to　go　up　upon　the　steps　near　where　she　will　be。〃

〃Who　brought　her　message？〃　I　asked；　gazing　vaguely　round；　for　none　had　spoken　to　us　for　an　hour　or　more。

〃No　one；〃　said　my　companion；　gently　pushing　me　up　an　open　way　towards　the　palace　steps　left　clear　by　the　sitting　Martians。　　〃It　came　direct　from　her　to　me　this　minute。〃

〃But　how？〃　I　persisted。

〃Nay；〃　said　the　girl；　〃if　we　stop　to　talk　like　this　we　shall　not　be　placed　before　she　comes；　and　thus　throw　a　whole　year's　knowledge　out。〃

So；　bottling　my　speculations；　I　allowed　myself　to　be　led　up　the　first　flight　of　worn；　white　steps　to　where；　on　the　terrace　between　them　and　the　next　flight　leading　directly　to　the　palace　portico；　was　a　flat；　having　a　circle　about　twenty　feet　across；　inlaid　upon　the　marble　with　darker　coloured　blocks。　　Inside　that　circle；　as　I　sat　down　close　by　it　in　the　twilight；　showed　another　circle；　and　then　a　final　one　in　whose　inmost　middle　stood　a　tall　iron　tripod　and　something　atop　of　it　covered　by　a　cloth。　　And　all　round　the　outer　circle　were　magic　symbolsI　started　as　I　recognised　the　meaning　of　some　of　themwithin　these　again　the　inner　circle　held　what　looked　like　the　representations　of　planets；　ending；　as　I　have　said；　in　that　dished　hollow　made　by　countless　dancers'　feet；　and　its　solitary　tripod。　　Back　again；　I　glanced　towards　the　square　where　the　great　concourse　ten　thousand　of　them；　perhapswere　sitting　mute　and　silent　in　the　deepening　shadows；　then　back　to　the　magic　circles；　till　the　silence　and　expectancy　of　a　strange　scene　began　to　possess　me。

Shadow　down　below；　star…dusted　heaven　above；　and　not　a　figure　moving；　when　suddenly　something　like　a　long…　drawn　sigh　came　from　the　lips　of　the　expectant　multitude；　and　I　was　aware　every　eye　had　suddenly　turned　back　to　the　palace　porch；　where；　as　we　looked；　a　figure；　wrapped　in　pale　blue　robes；　appeared　and　stood　for　a　minute；　then　stole　down　the　steps　with　an　eagerness　in　every　movement　holding　us　spellbound。　　I　have　seen　many　splendid　pageants　and　many　sights；　each　of　which　might　be　the　talk　of　a　life…　time；　but　somehow　nothing　ever　so　engrossing；　so　thrilling；　as　that　ghostly　figure　in　flowing　robes　stealing　across　the　piazza　in　starlight　and　silencethe　princess　of　a　broken　kingdom；　the　priestess　of　a　forgotten　faith　coming　to　her　station　to　perform　a　jugglery　of　which　she　knew　not　even　the　meaning。　　It　was　my　versatile　friend　Heru；　and　with　quick；　incisive　steps；　her　whole　frame　ambent　for　the　time　with　the　fervour　of　her　mission；　she　came　swiftly　down　to　within　a　dozen　yards　of　where　I　stood。　　Heru；　indeed；　but　not　the　same　princess　as　in　the　morning；　an　inspired　priestess　rather；　her　slim　body　wrapped　in　blue　and　quiver…　ing　with　emotion；　her　face　ashine　with　Delphic　fire；　her　hair　loose；　her　feet　bare；　until　at　last　when；　as　she　stood　within　the　limit　of　the　magic　circle；　her　white　hands　upon　her　breast；　her　eyes　flashing　like　planets　themselves　in　the　star…　shine　she　looked　so　ghostly　and　unreal　I　felt　for　a　minute　I　was　dreaming。

Then　began　a　strange；　weird　dance　amongst　the　im…　agery　of　the　rings；　over　which　my　earth　planet　was　begin…　ning　to　throw　a　haze　of　light。　　At　first　it　was　hardly　more　than　a　walk；　a　slow　procession　round　the　twin　circumfer…　ences　of　the　centred　tripod。　　But　soon　it　increased　to　an　extraordinary　graceful　measure；　a　cadenced　step　without　music　or　sound　that　riveted　my　eyes　to　the　dancer。　　Pres…　ently　I　saw　those　mystic；　twinkling　feet　of　hersas　the　dance　became　swifterwere　performing　a　measured　round　amongst　the　planet　signsspelling　out　something；　I　knew　not　what；　with　quick；　light　touch　amongst　the　zodiac　figures；　dancing　out　a　soundless　invocation　of　some　kind　as　a　dumb　man　might　spell　a　message　by　touching　letters。　　Quicker　and　quicker；　for　minute　after　minute；　grew　the　dance；　swifter　and　swifter　the　swing　of　the　light　blue　drapery　as　the　priestess；　with　eager　face　and　staring　eyes；　swung　pant…　ing　round　upon　her　orbit；　and　redder　and　redder　over　the　city　tops　rose　the　circumference　of　the　earth。　　It　seemed　to　me　all　the　silent　multitude　were　breathing　heavily　as　we　watched　that　giddy　dance；　and　whatever　THEY　felt；　all　my　own　senses　seemed　to　be　winding　up　upon　that　re…　volving　figure　as　thread　winds　on　a　spindle。

〃When　will　she　stop？〃　I　whispered　to　my　friend　under　my　breath。

〃When　the　earth…star　rests　in　the　roof…niche　of　the　temple　it　is　climbing；〃　she　answered　back。

〃And　then？〃

〃On　the　tripod　is　a　globe　of　water。　　In　it　she　will　see　the　destiny　of　the　year；　and　will　tell　us。　　The　whiter　the　water　stays；　the　better　for　us；　it　never　varies　from　white。　　But　we　must　not　talk；　see！　she　is　stopping。〃

And　as　I　looked　back；　the　dance　was　certainly　ebbing　now　with　such　smoothly　decreasing　undulations；　that　every　heart　began　to　beat　calmer　in　response。　　There　was　a　minute　or　two　of　such　slow　cessation；　and　then　to　say　she　stopped　were　too　gross　a　description。　　Motion　rather　died　away　from　her；　and　the　priestess　grounded　as　smoothly　as　a　ship　grounds　in　fine　weather　on　a　sandy　bank。　　There　she　was　at　last；　crouched　behind　the　tripod；　one　corner　of　the　cloth　covering　it　grasped　in　her　hand；　and　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　shining　round　just　poised　upon　the　distant　run。

Keenly　the　girl　watched　it　slide　into　zenith；　then　the　cloth　was　snatched　from　the　tripod…top。　　As　it　fell　it　un…　covered　a　beautiful　and　perfect　globe　of　clear　white　glass；　a　foot　or　so　in　diameter；　and　obviously　filled　with　the　thin…　nest；　most　limpid　water　imaginable。　　At　first　it　seemed　to　me；　who　stood　near　to　the　priestess　of　Mars；　with　that　beaming　sphere　directly　between　us；　and　the　newly　risen　world；　that　its　smooth　and　flawless　face　was　absolutely　devoid　of　sign　or　colouring。　　Then；　as　the　distant　planet　became　stronger　in　the　magnifying　Martian　air；　or　my　eyes　better　accustomed　to　that　sudden　nucleus　of　brilliancy；　a　delicate　and　in…　finitely　lovely　network　of　colours　came　upon　it。　　They　were　like　the　radiant　prisms　that　sometimes　flush　the　surface　of　a　bubble　more　than　aught　else　for　a　time。　　But　as　I　watched　that　mosaic　of　yellow　and　purple　creep　softly　to　and　fro　upon　the　globe　it　seemed　they　slowly　took　form　and　meaning。　　Another　minute　or　two　and　they　had　certainly　con…　gealed　into　a　settled　plan；　and　then；　as　I　stared　and　wondered；　it　burst　upon　me　in　a　minute　that　I　was　looking　upon　a　picture；　faithful　in　every　detail；　of　the　world　I　stood　on；　all　its　ruddy　forests；　its　sapphire　sea；　both　broad　and　narrow　ones；　its　white　peaked　mountains；　and　unnumbered　islands　being　mapped　out　with　startling　clearness　for　a　spell　upon　that　beaming　orb。

Then　a　strange　thing　happened。　　Heru；　who　had　been　crouching　in　a　tremulous　heap　by　the　tripod；　rose　stealthily　and　passed　her　hands　a　few　times　across　the　sphere。　　Colour　and　picture　vanished　at　her　touch　like　breath　from　a　mirror。　Again　all　was　clear　and　pellucid。

〃Now；〃　said　my　companion；　〃now　listen！　　For　Heru　reads　the　destiny；　the　whiter　the　globe　stays　the　better　for　us〃　and　then　I　felt　her　hand　tighten　on　mine　with　a　startled　grasp　as　the　words　died　away　upon　her　lips。

Even　as　the　girl　spoke；　the　sphere；　which　had　been　beam…　ing　in　the　centre　of　the　silent　square　like　a　mighty　white　jewel；　began　to　flush　with　angry　red。　　Redder　and　redder　grew　the　gleama　fiery　glow　which　seemed　curdling　in　the　interior　of　the　round　as　though　it　were　filled　with　flame；　redder　and　redder；　until　the　princess；　staring　into　it；　seemed　turned　against　the　jet…black　night　behind；　into　a　form　of　molten　metal。　　A　spasm　of　terror　passed　across　her　as　she　stared；　her　limbs　stiffened；　her　frightened　hands　were　clutched　in　front；　and　she　stood　cowering　under　that　great　crimson　nucleus　like　one　bereft　of　power　and　life；　and　lost　to　every　sense　but　that　of　agony。　　Not　a　syllable　came　from　her　lips；　not　a　movement　stirred　her　body；　only　that　dumb；　stupid　stare　of　horror；　at　the　something　she　saw　in　the　globe。　What　could　I　do？　　I　could　not　sit　and　see　her　soul　come　out　at　her　frightened　eyes；　and　not　a　Martian　moved　a　finger　to　her　rescue；　the　red　shine　gleamed　on　empty　faces；　tier　above　tier；　and　flung　its　broa