gulliver of mars-第31章

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There　I　was　again；　all　alone；　none　but　my　thoughts　for　companions；　and　nothing　but　youth　to　excuse　the　folly　in　thus　venturing　on　a　reckless　quest！

However；　who　can　gainsay　that　same　youth？　The　very　spice　of　danger　made　my　steps　light　and　the　way　pleasant。　For　a　mile　or　two　the　track　was　plain　enough；　through　an　undulating　country　gradually　becoming　more　and　more　wooded　with　vegetation；　changing　rapidly　from　Alpine　to　sub…tropical。　　The　air　also　grew　warmer；　and　when　the　divid…　ing　ridge　was　crossed　and　a　thick　forest　entered；　the　snows　and　dreadful　region　of　Deadmen's　Ice　already　seemed　leagues　and　leagues　away。

Probably　a　warm　ocean　current　played　on　one　side　of　the　peninsula；　while　a　cold　one　swept　the　other；　but　for　sci…　entific　aspects　of　the　question　I　cared　little　in　my　joy　at　being　anew　in　a　soft　climate；　amongst　beautiful　flowers　and　vivid　life　again。　　Mile　after　mile　slipped　quickly　by　as　I　strode　along；　whistling　〃Yankee　Doodle〃　to　myself　and　revelling　in　the　change。　　At　one　place　I　met　a　rough…looking　Martian　woodcutter；　who　wanted　to　fight　until　he　found　I　also　wanted　to；　when　he　turned　very　civil　and　as　talkative　as　a　solitary　liver　often　is　when　his　tongue　gets　started。　　He　particularly　desired　to　know　where　I　came　from；　and；　as　in　the　case　with　so　many　other　of　his　countrymen；　took　it　for　granted；　and　with　very　little　surprise；　that　I　was　either　a　spirit　or　an　inhabitant　of　another　world。　　With　this　idea　in　his　mind　he　gave　me　a　curious　piece　of　information；　which；　unfortunately；　I　was　never　able　to　follow　up。

〃I　don't　think　you　can　be　a　spirit；〃　he　said；　critically　eyeing　my　clothes；　which　were　now　getting　ragged　and　dirty　beyond　description。　　〃They　are　finer…looking　things　than　you；　and　I　doubt　if　their　toes　come　through　their　shoes　like　yours　do。　　If　you　are　a　wanderer　from　the　stars；　you　are　not　like　that　other　one　we　have　down　yonder；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　southward。

〃What！〃　I　asked；　pricking　my　ears　in　amazement；　〃an…　other　wanderer　from　the　outside　world！　　Does　he　come　from　the　earth？〃using　the　word　An　had　given　me　to　signify　my　own　planet。

〃No；　not　from　there；　from　the　one　that　burns　blue　in　evening　between　sun　and　sea。　　Men　say　he　worked　as　a　stoker　or　something　of　the　kind　when　he　was　at　home；　and　got　trifling　with　a　volcano　tap；　and　was　lapped　in　hot　mud；　and　blown　out　here。　　My　brother　saw　him　about　a　week　ago。〃

〃Now　what　you　say　is　down　right　curious。　　I　thought　I　had　a　monopoly　of　that　kind　of　business　in　this　sphere　of　yours。　　I　should　be　tremendously　interested　to　see　him。〃

〃No　you　wouldn't；〃　briefly　answered　the　woodman。　　〃He　is　the　stupidest　fool　ever　blown　from　one　world　to　another　more　stupid　to　look　at　than　you　are。　　He　is　a　gaseous；　wavey　thing；　so　glum　you　can't　get　two　words　a　week　out　of　him；　and　so　unstable　that　you　never　know　when　you　are　with　him　and　when　the　breeze　has　drifted　him　somewhere　else。〃

I　could　but　laugh　and　insist；　with　all　respect　to　the　woodcutter；　such　an　individual　were　worth　the　knowing　however　unstable　his　constitution；　at　which　the　man　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　changed　the　conversation；　as　though　the　subject　were　too　trivial　to　be　worth　much　consideration。

This　individual　gave　me　the　pleasure　of　his　company　until　nearly　sundown；　and　finding　I　took　an　interest　in　things　of　the　forest；　pointed　out　more　curious　plants　and　trees　than　I　have　space　to　mention。　　Two　of　them；　however；　cling　to　my　memory　very　tenaciously。　　One　was　a　very　Circe　amongst　plants；　the　horrible　charm　of　which　can　never　be　forgotten。　We　were　going　down　a　glade　when　a　most　ravishing　odour　fell　upon　my　nostrils。　　It　was　heavenly　sweet　yet　withal　there　lurked　an　incredibly；　unexpressibly　tempting　spice　of　wickedness　in　it。　　The　moment　he　caught　that　ambrosial　invitation　in　the　air　my　woodman　spit　fiercely　on　the　ground；　and　taking　a　plug　of　wool　from　his　pouch　stuffed　his　nostrils　up。　　Then　he　beckoned　me　to　come　away。　　But　the　odour　was　too　ravishing；　I　was　bound　to　see　whence　it　arose；　and　finding　me　deaf　to　all　warnings；　the　man　reluctantly　turned　aside　down　the　enticing　trail。　　We　pushed　about　a　hundred　yards　through　bushes　until　we　came　to　a　little　arena　full　in　sunshine　where　there　were　neither　birds　nor　butterflies；　but　a　death…like　hush　upon　everything。　　Indeed；　the　place　seemed　shunned　in　spite　of　the　sodden　loveliness　of　that　scent　which　monopolised　and　mounted　to　my　brain　until　I　was　beginning　to　be　drunk　with　the　sheer　pleasure　of　it。　　And　there　in　the　centre　of　the　space　stood　a　plant　not　unlike　a　tree　fern；　about　six　feet　high；　and　crowned　by　one　huge　and　lovely　blossom。　　It　resembled　a　vast　passion…flower　of　incredible　splendour。　　There　were　four　petals；　with　points　resting　on　the　ground；　each　six　feet　long；　ivory…white　inside；　exquisitely　patterned　with　glittering　silver　veins。　　From　the　base　of　these　rose　upright　a　gauzy　veil　of　azure　filaments　of　the　same　length　as　the　petals；　wirelike；　yet　soft　as　silk；　and　inside　them　again　rested　a　chalice　of　silver　holding　a　tiny　pool　of　limpid　golden　honey。　　Circe；　indeed！　　It　was　from　that　cup　the　scent　arose；　and　my　throat　grew　dry　with　longing　as　I　looked　at　it；　my　eyes　strained　through　the　blue　tendrils　towards　that　liquid　nectar；　and　my　giddy　senses　felt　they　must　drink　or　die！　　I　glanced　at　the　woodman　with　a　smile　of　drunken　happiness；　then　turned　tottering　legs　towards　the　blossom。　　A　stride　up　the　smooth　causeway　of　white　petals；　a　push　through　the　azure　haze；　and　the　wine　of　the　wood　enchantress　would　be　minemolten　am…　ber　wine；　hotter　and　more　golden　than　the　sunshine；　the　fire　of　it　was　in　my　veins；　the　recklessness　of　intoxication　was　on　me；　life　itself　as　nothing　compared　to　a　sip　from　that　chalice；　my　lips　must　taste　or　my　soul　would　die；　and　with　trembling　hand　and　strained　face　I　began　to　climb。

But　the　woodman　pulled　me　back。

〃Back；　stranger！〃　he　cried。　　〃Those　who　drink　there　never　live　again。〃

〃Blessed　oblivion！　　If　I　had　a　thousand　lives　the　price　were　still　too　cheap；〃　and　once　more　I　essayed　to　scramble　up。

But　the　man　was　a　big　fellow；　and　with　nostrils　plugged；　and　eyes　averted　from　the　deadly　glamour；　he　seized　me　by　the　collar　and　threw　me　back。　　Three　times　I　tried；　three　times　he　hurled　me　down；　far　too　faint　and　absorbed　to　heed　the　personal　violence。　　Then　standing　between　us；　〃Look；〃　he　said；　〃look　and　learn。〃

He　had　killed　a　small　ape　that　morning；　meaning　later　on　to　take　its　fur　for　clothing；　and　this　he　now　unslung　from　his　shoulder；　and　hitching　the　handle　of　his　axe　into　the　loose　skin　at　the　back　of　its　neck；　cautiously　advanced　to　the　witch　plant；　and　gently　hoisted　the　monkey　over　the　blue　palings。　　The　moment　its　limp；　dead　feet　touched　the　golden　pool　a　shudder　passed　through　the　plant；　and　a　bird　some…　where　far　back　in　the　forest　cried　out　in　horror。　　Quick　as　thought；　a　spasm　of　life　shot　up　the　tendrils；　and　like　tongues　of　blue　flame　they　closed　round　the　victim；　lapping　his　miserable　body　in　their　embrace。　　At　the　same　time　the　petals　began　to　rise；　showing　as　they　did　so　hard；　leathery；　un…　lovely　outer　rinds；　and　by　the　time　the　woodman　was　back　at　my　side　the　flower　was　closed。

Closer　and　closer　wound　the　blue　tendrils；　tighter　and　tighter　closed　the　cruel　petals　with　their　iron　grip；　until　at　last　we　heard　the　ape's　bones　crackling　like　dry　firewood；　then　next　his　head　burst；　his　brains　came　oozing　through　the　crevices；　while　blood　and　entrails　followed　them　through　every　cranny；　and　the　horrible　mess　with　the　overflow　of　the　chalice　curled　down　the　stem　in　a　hundred　steaming　rills；　till　at　last　the　petals　locked　with　an　ugly　snap　upon　their　ghastly　meal；　and　I　turned　away　from　the　sight　in　dread　and　loathing。

That　was　plant　Number　One。

Plant　Number　Two　was　of　milder　disposition；　and　won　a　hearty　laugh　for　my　friendly　woodman。　　In　fact；　being　of　a　childlike　nature；　his　success　as　a　professor　of　botany　quite　pleased　him；　and　not　content　with　answering　my　questions；　he　set　to　work　to　find　new　vegetable　surprises；　greatly　enjoying　my　wonder　and　the　sense　of　importance　it　gave　him。

In　this　way　we　came；　later　on　in　the　day；　to　a　spot　where　herbage　was　somewhat　scantier；　the　grass　coarse；　and　soil　shallow。　　Here　I　espied　a　tree　of　small　size；　appar