gulliver of mars-第32章

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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；　apparently　withered；　but　still　bearing　a　few　parched　leaves　on　its　upper…　most　twigs。

〃Now　that；〃　quoth　the　professor；　〃is　a　highly　curious　tree；　and　I　should　like　you　to　make　a　close　acquaintance　with　it。　It　grows　from　a　seed　in　the　course　of　a　single　springtime；　perishes　in　the　summer；　but　a　few　specimens　stand　through…　out　the　winter；　provided　the　situation　is　sheltered；　as　this　one　has　done。　　If　you　will　kindly　go　down　and　shake　its　stem　I　believe　you　will　learn　something　interesting。〃

So；　very　willing　to　humour　him；　away　I　went　to　the　tree；　which　was　perfect　in　every　detail；　but　apparently　very　dry；　clasped　it　with　both　hands；　and；　pulling　myself　to…　gether；　gave　it　a　mighty　shake。　　The　result　was　instantaneous。　The　whole　thing　was　nothing　but　a　skin　of　dust；　whence　all　fibre　and　sap　had　gone；　and　at　my　touch　it　dissolved　into　a　cloud　of　powder；　a　huge　puff　of　white　dust　which　descended　on　me　as　though　a　couple　of　flour…bags　had　been　inverted　over　my　head；　and　as　I　staggered　out　sneez…　ing　and　blinking；　white　as　a　miller　from　face　to　foot；　the　Martian　burst　into　a　wild；　joyous　peal　of　laughter　that　made　the　woods　ring　again。　　His　merriment　was　so　sincere　I　had　not　the　heart　to　be　angry；　and　soon　laughed　as　loud　as　he　did；　though；　for　the　future；　I　took　his　botanical　es…　says　with　a　little　more　caution。




CHAPTER　XIV

That　woodman　friend　of　mine　proved　so　engaging　it　was　difficult　to　get　away；　and　thus　when；　dusk　upon　us；　and　my　object　still　a　long　distance　off；　he　asked　me　to　spend　the　night　at　his　hut；　I　gladly　assented。

We　soon　reached　the　cabin　where　the　man　lived　by　himself　whilst　working　in　the　forest。　　It　was　a　picturesque　little　place　on　a　tree…overhung　lagoon；　thatched；　wattled；　and　all　about　were　piles　of　a　pleasant…scented　bark；　collected　for　the　purpose　of　tanning　hides；　and　I　could　not　but　marvel　that　such　a　familiar　process　should　be　practised　identically　on　two　sides　of　the　universal　ether。　　But　as　a　matter　of　fact　the　similarity　of　many　details　of　existence　here　and　there　was　the　most　striking　of　the　things　I　learned　whilst　in　the　red　planet。

Within　the　hut　stood　a　hearth　in　the　centre　of　the　floor；　whereon　a　comfortable　blaze　soon　sparkled；　and　upon　the　walls　hung　various　implements；　hides；　and　a　store　of　dried　fruits　of　various　novel　kinds。　　My　host；　when　he　had　somewhat　disdainfully　watched　me　wash　in　a　rill　of　water　close　by；　suggested　supper；　and　I　agreed　with　heartiest　good　will。

〃Nothing　wonderful！　　Oh；　Mr。　Blue…coat！〃　he　said；　pranc…　ing　about　as　he　made　his　hospitable　arrangements。　　〃No　fine　meat　or　scented　wine　to　unlock；　one　by　one；　all　the　doors　of　paradise；　such　as　I　have　heard　they　have　in　lands　be…　yond　the　sea；　but　fare　good　enough　for　plain　men　who　eat　but　to　live。　　So！　reach　me　down　yonder　bunch　of　yellow　aru　fruit；　and　don't　upset　that　calabash；　for　all　my　funniest　stories　lurk　at　the　bottom　of　it。〃

I　did　as　he　bid；　and　soon　we　were　squatting　by　the　fire　toasting　arus　on　pointed　sticks；　the　doorway　closed　with　a　wattle　hurdle；　and　the　black　and　gold　firelight　filling　the　hut　with　fantastic　shadows。　　Then　when　the　banana…like　fruit　was　ready；　the　man　fetched　from　a　recess　a　loaf　of　bread　savoured　with　the　dust　of　dried　and　pounded　fish；　put　the　foresaid　calabash　of　strong　ale　to　warm；　and　down　we　sat　to　supper　with　real　woodman　appetites。　　Seldom　have　I　enjoyed　a　meal　so　much；　and　when　we　had　finished　the　fruit　and　the　wheat　cake　my　guide　snatched　up　the　great　gourd　of　ale；　and　putting　it　to　his　lips　called　out：

〃Here's　to　you；　stranger；　here's　to　your　country；　here's　to　your　girl；　if　you　have　one；　and　death　to　your　enemies！〃　　Then　he　drank　deep　and　long；　and；　passed　the　stuff　to　me。

〃Here's　to　you；　bully　host；　and　the　missus；　and　the　children；　if　there　are　any；　and　more　power　to　your　el…　bow！〃the　which　gratified　him　greatly；　though　probably　he　had　small　idea　of　my　meaning。

And　right　merry　we　were　that　evening。　　The　host　was　a　jolly　good　fellow；　and　his　ale；　with　a　pleasant　savour　of　mint　in　it；　was　the　heartiest　drink　I　ever　set　lips　to。　　We　talked　and　laughed　till　the　very　jackals　yapped　in　sympathy　outside。　　And　when　he　had　told　a　score　of　wonderful　wood　stories　as　pungent　of　the　life　of　these　fairy　forests　as　the　aromatic　scent　of　his　bark…heaps　outside；　as　iridescent　with　the　colours　of　another　world　as　the　rainbow　bubbles　rid…　ing　down　his　starlit　rill；　I　took　a　turn；　and　told　him　of　the　commonplaces　of　my　world　so　far　away；　whereat　he　laughed　gloriously　again。　　The　greater　the　commonplace　the　larger　his　joy。　　The　humblest　story；　hardly　calculated　to　impress　a　griffin　between　watches　on　the　main…deck；　was　a　masterpiece　of　wit　to　that　gentle　savage；　and　when　I　〃took　off〃　the　tricks　and　foibles　of　some　of　my　superiorsHeaven　forgive　me　for　such　treason！he　listened　with　the　exquisite　open…　mouthed　delight　of　one　who　wanders　in　a　brand…new　world　of　mirth。

We　drank　and　laughed　over　that　strong　beer　till　the　little　owls　outside　raised　their　voice　in　combined　accord；　and　then　the　woodman；　shaking　the　last　remnant　of　his　sleepy　wits　together；　and　giving　a　reproachful　look　at　me　for　finally　passing　him　the　gourd　empty　to　the　last　drop；　rose；　threw　a　fur　on　a　pile　of　dead　grass　at　one　side　of　the　hut；　and　bid　me　sleep；　〃for　his　brain　was　giddy　with　the　wonders　of　the　incredible　and　ludicrous　sphere　which　I　had　lately　in…　habited。〃

Slowly　the　fire　died　away；　slowly　the　quivering　gold　and　black　arabesques　on　the　walls　merged　in　a　red　haze　as　the　sticks　dropped　into　tinder；　and　the　great　black　outline　of　the　hairy　monster　who　had　thrown　himself　down　by　the　embers　rose　up　the　walls　against　that　flush　like　the　outline　of　a　range　of　hills　against　a　sunset　glow。　　I　listened　drowsily　for　a　space　to　his　snoring　and　the　laughing　answer　of　the　brook　outside；　and　then　that　ambrosial　sleep　which　is　the　gentle　attendant　of　hardship　and　danger　touched　my　tired　eyelids；　and　I；　too；　slept。

My　friend　was　glum　the　next　morning；　as　they　who　stay　over…long　at　the　supper　flagon　are　apt　to　be。　　He　had　been　at　work　an　hour　on　his　bark…heaps　when　I　came　out　into　the　open；　and　it　was　only　by　a　good　deal　of　diplomacy　and　some　material　help　in　sorting　his　faggots　that　he　was　got　into　a　better　frame　of　mind。　　I　could　not；　however；　trust　his　mood　completely；　and　as　I　did　not　want　to　end　so　jovial　a　friendship　with　a　quarrel；　I　hurried　through　our　breakfast　of　dry　bread；　with　hard…boiled　lizard　eggs；　and　then　settling　my　reckoning　with　one　of　the　brass　buttons　from　my　coat；　which　he　immediately　threaded；　with　every　evidence　of　ex…　treme　gratification；　on　a　string　of　trinkets　hanging　round　his　neck；　asked　him　the　way　to　Ar…hap's　capital。

〃Your　way　is　easy；　friend；　as　long　as　you　keep　to　the　straight　path　and　have　yonder　two…humped　mountain　in　front。　　To　the　left　is　the　sea；　and　behind　the　hill　runs　the　canal　and　road　by　which　all　traffic　comes　or　goes　to　Ar…hap。　But　above　all　things　pass　not　to　the　hills　right；　for　no　man　goes　there；　there　away　the　forests　are　thick　as　night；　and　in　their　perpetual　shadows　are　the　ruins　of　a　Hither　city；　a　haunted　fairy　town　to　which　some　travellers　have　been；　but　whence　none　ever　returned　alive。〃

〃By　the　great　Jove；　that　sounds　promising！　　I　would　like　to　see　that　town　if　my　errand　were　not　so　urgent。〃

But　the　old　fellow　shook　his　shaggy　head　and　turned　a　shade　yellower。　　〃It　is　no　place　for　decent　folk；〃　he　growled。　〃I　myself　once　passed　within　a　mile　of　its　outskirts　at　dusk；　and　saw　the　unholy　little　people's　lanterned　processions　starting　for　the　shrine　of　Queen　Yang；　who；　tradition　says；　killed　herself　and　a　thousand　babies　with　her　when　we　took　this　land。〃

〃My　word；　that　was　a　holocaust！　　Couldn't　I　drop　in　there　to　lunch？　It　would　make　a　fine　paper　for　an　anti…　quarian　society。〃

Again　the　woodman　frowned。　　〃Do　as　I　bid　you；　son。　You　are　too　young　and　green　to　go　on　ventures　by　yourself。　Keep　to　the　straight　road：　shun　the　swamps　and　the　fairy　forest；　else　will　you　never　see　Ar…hap。〃

〃And　as　I　have　very　urgent　and　very　important　business　with　him；　comrade；　no　doubt　your