gulliver of mars-第24章

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t　complete　nakedness。　　My　first　idea　was　that　they　were　bathing；　and　fixing　my　eyes　on　the　tree…tops　with　great　propriety；　I　gave　a　warning　cough。　　At　that　sound　instead　of　getting　to　cover；　or　clothes；　all　started　up　and　stood　staring　for　a　time　like　a　herd　of　startled　cattle。　It　was　highly　embarrassing；　they　were　right　in　the　path；　a　round　dozen　of　them；　naked　and　so　little　ashamed　that　when　I　edged　away　modestly　they　began　to　run　after　me。　And　the　farther　they　came　forward　the　more　I　retired；　till　we　were　playing　a　kind　of　game　of　hide…and…seek　round　the　tree…stems。　　In　the　middle　of　it　my　heel　caught　in　a　root　and　down　I　went　very　hard　and　very　ignominiously；　whereon　those　laughing；　light…hearted　folk　rushed　in；　and　with　smiles　and　jests　helped　me　to　my　feet。

〃Was　I　the　traveller　who　had　come　from　Seth？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Oh；　then　that　was　well。　　They　had　heard　such　a　traveller　was　on　the　road；　and　had　come　a　little　way　down　the　path；　as　far　as　might　be　without　fatigue；　to　meet　him。〃

〃Would　I　eat　with　them？〃　these　amiable　strangers　asked；　pushing　their　soft　warm　fingers　into　mine　and　ringing　me　round　with　a　circle。　　〃But　firstly　might　they　help　me　out　of　my　clothes？　　It　was　hot；　and　these　things　were　cumber…　some。〃　　As　to　the　eating；　I　was　agreeable　enough　seeing　how　casual　meals　had　been　with　me　lately；　but　my　clothes；　though　Heaven　knows　they　were　getting　horribly　ragged　and　travel…stained；　I　clung　to　desperately。

My　new　friends　shrugged　their　dimpled　shoulders　and；　arguments　being　tedious；　at　once　squatted　round　me　in　the　dappled　shade　of　a　big　tree　and　produced　their　stores　of　never　failing　provisions。　　After　a　pleasant　little　meal　taken　thus　in　the　open　and　with　all　the　simplicity　Martians　de…　light　in；　we　got　to　talking　about　those　yellow　canoes　which　were　bobbing　about　on　the　blue　waters　of　the　bay。

〃Would　you　like　to　see　where　they　are　grown？〃　asked　an　individual　basking　by　my　side。

〃Grown！〃　I　answered　with　incredulity。　　〃Built；　you　mean。　Never　in　my　life　did　I　hear　of　growing　boats。〃

〃But　then；　sir；〃　observed　the　girl　as　she　sucked　the　honey　out　of　the　stalk　of　an　azure　convolvulus　flower　and　threw　the　remains　at　a　butterfly　that　sailed　across　the　sunshine；　〃you　know　so　little！　　You　have　come　from　afar；　from　some　barbarous　and　barren　district。　　Here　we　undoubtedly　grow　our　boats；　and　though　we　know　the　Thither　folk　and　such　uncultivated　races　make　their　craft　by　cumbrous　methods　of　flat　planks；　yet　we　prefer　our　own　way；　for　one　thing　be…　cause　it　saves　trouble；〃　and　as　she　murmured　that　all…　sufficient　reason　the　gentle　damsel　nodded　reflectively。

But　one　of　her　companions；　more　lively　for　the　moment；　tickled　her　with　a　straw　until　she　roused；　and　then　said；　〃Let　us　take　the　stranger　to　the　boat　garden　now。　　The　cur…　rent　will　drift　us　round　the　bay；　and　we　can　come　back　when　it　turns。　　If　we　wait　we　shall　have　to　row　in　both　directions；　or　even　walk；〃　and　again　planetary　slothfulness　carried　the　day。

So　down　to　the　beach　we　strolled　and　launched　one　of　the　golden…hued　skiffs　upon　the　pretty　dancing　wavelets　just　where　they　ran；　lipped　with　jewelled　spray；　on　the　shore；　and　then　only　had　I　a　chance　to　scrutinise　their　material。　　I　patted　that　one　we　were　upon　inside　and　out。　　I　noted　with　a　seaman's　admiration　its　lightness；　elasticity；　and　supreme　sleekness；　its　marvellous　buoyancy　and　fairy…　like　〃lines；〃　and　after　some　minutes'　consideration　it　sud…　denly　flashed　across　me　that　it　was　all　of　gourd　rind。　　And　as　if　to　supply　confirmation；　the　flat　land　we　were　ap…　proaching　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　bay　was　covered　by　the　characteristic　verdure　of　these　plants　with　a　touch　here　and　there　of　splendid　yellow　blossoms；　but　all　of　gigantic　proportions。

〃Ay；〃　said　a　Martian　damsel　lying　on　the　bottom；　and　taking　and　kissing　my　hand　as　she　spoke；　in　the　simple…　hearted　way　of　her　people；　〃I　see　you　have　guessed　how　we　make　our　boats。　　Is　it　the　same　in　your　distant　country？〃

〃No；　my　girl；　and　what's　more；　I　am　a　bit　uneasy　as　to　what　the　fellows　on　the　Carolina　will　say　if　they　ever　hear　I　went　to　sea　in　a　hollowed…out　pumpkin；　and　with　a　young　ladywell；　dressed　as　you　arefor　crew。　　Even　now　I　can…　not　imagine　how　you　get　your　ships　so　trim　and　shapely　there　is　not　a　seam　or　a　patch　anywhere；　it　looks　as　if　you　had　run　them　into　a　mould。〃

〃That's　just　what　we　have　done；　sir；　and　now　you　will　witness　the　moulds　at　work；　for　here　we　are；〃　and　the　little　skiff　was　pulled　ashore　and　the　Martians　and　I　jumped　out　on　the　shelving　beach；　hauled　our　boat　up　high　and　dry；　and　there　right　over　us；　like　great　green　umbrellas；　spread　the　fronds　of　the　outmost　garden　of　this　strangest　of　all　ship…　building　yards。　　Briefly；　and　not　to　make　this　part　of　my　story　too　long；　those　gilded　boys　and　girls　took　me　ashore；　and　chattering　like　finches　in　the　evening；　showed　how　they　planted　their　gourd　seed；　nourished　the　gigantic　plants　as　they　grew　with　brackish　water　and　the　burnt　ashes；　then；　when　they　flowered；　mated　the　male　and　female　blossoms；　glorious　funnels　of　golden　hue　big　enough　for　one　to　live　in；　and　when　the　young　fruit　was　of　the　bigness　of　an　ordinary　bolster；　how　they　slipped　it　into　a　double　mould　of　open　reed…work　something　like　the　two　halves　of　a　walnut…　shell；　and　how；　growing　day　by　day　in　this；　it　soon　took　every　curve　and　line　they　chose　to　give　it；　even　the　hanging　keel　below；　the　strengthened　bulwarks；　and　tall　prow…piece。　It　was　so　ingenious；　yet　simple；　and　I　confess　I　laughed　over　my　first　skiff　〃on　the　stalk；〃　and　fell　to　bantering　the　Martians；　asking　whether　it　was　a　good　season　for　navies；　whether　their　Cunarders　were　spreading　nicely；　if　they　could　give　me　a　pinch　of　barge　seed；　or　a　yacht　in　bud　to　show　to　my　friends　at　home。

But　those　lazy　people　took　the　matter　seriously　enough。　They　led　me　down　green　alleys　arched　over　with　huge　melon…like　leaves；　they　led　me　along　innumerable　byways；　making　me　peep　and　peer　through　the　chequered　sunlight　at　ocean…growing　craft；　that　had　budded　twelve　months　before；　already　filling　their　moulds　to　the　last　inch　of　space。　They　told　me　that　when　the　growing　process　was　sufficiently　advanced；　they　loosened　the　casing；　and　cutting　a　hole　into　the　interior　of　each　giant　fruit；　scooped　out　all　its　seed；　thereby　checking　more　advance；　and　throwing　into　the　rind　strength　that　would　otherwise　have　gone　to　reproductive…　ness。　　They　said　each　fruit　made　two　vessels；　but　the　upper　half　was　always　best　and　used　for　long　salt…water　jour…　neys；　the　lower　piece　being　but　for　punting　or　fishing　on　their　lakes。　　They　cut　them　in　half　while　still　green；　scraped　out　the　light　remaining　pulp　when　dry；　and　dragged　them　down　with　the　minimum　of　trouble；　light　as　feathers；　ten…　acious　as　steel　plate；　and　already　in　the　form　and　fashion　of　dainty　craft　from　five　to　twenty　feet　in　length；　when　the　process　was　completed。

By　the　time　we　had　explored　this　strangest　of　ship…　building　yards；　and　I　had　seen　last　year's　crop　on　the　stocks　being　polished　and　fitted　with　seats　and　gear；　the　sun　was　going　down；　and　the　Martian　twilight；　owing　to　the　comparative　steepness　of　the　little　planet's　sides；　being　brief；　we　strolled　back　to　the　village；　and　there　they　gave　me　harbourage　for　the　night；　ambrosial　supper；　and　a　deep　draught　of　the　wine　of　Forgetfulness；　under　the　gauzy　spell　of　which　the　real　and　unreal　melted　into　the　vistas　of　rosy　oblivion；　and　I　slept。




CHAPTER　XI

With　the　new　morning　came　fresh　energy　and　a　spasm　of　conscience　as　I　thought　of　poor　Heru　and　the　shabby　sort　of　rescuer　I　was　to　lie　about　with　these　pretty　triflers　while　she　remained　in　peril。

So　I　had　a　bath　and　a　swim；　a　breakfast；　and；　to　my　shame　be　it　acknowledged；　a　sort　of　farewell　merry…go…　round　dance　on　the　yellow　sands　with　a　dozen　young　persons　all　light…hearted　as　the　morning；　beautiful　as　the　flowers　that　bound　their　hair；　and　in　the　extremity　of　statuesque　attire。

Then　at　last　I　got　them　to　give　me　a　sea…going　canoe；　a　stock　of　cakes　and　fresh　water；　and　with　many　parting　in…　junctions　how　to　find　the　Woodman　trail；　since　I　would　not　listen　to　reason　and　lie　all　the　rest　of　my　life　with　them　in　the　sunshine；　they　pushed　me　off　on　my　lonely　voyage。

〃Over　the　blue　wa