gulliver of mars-第36章

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There　was　also　other　satisfaction　at　hand。　　Not　a　mile　away　lay　a　well…defined　roaddoubtless　the　one　spoken　of　by　the　wood…cutterand　where　the　track　pointed　to　the　seashore　the　low　roofs　and　circling　smoke　of　a　Thither　town…　ship　showed。

There　I　went　hot…footed；　and；　much　too　hungry　to　be　nice　in　formality；　swung　up　to　the　largest　building　on　the　waterside　quay　and　demanded　breakfast　of　the　man　who　was　lounging　by　its　doorway　chewing　a　honey　reed。　　He　looked　me　up　and　down　without　emotion；　then；　falling　into　the　common　mistake；　said；

〃This　is　not　a　hostel　for　ghosts；　sir。　　We　do　not　board　and　lodge　phantoms　here；　this　is　a　dry　fish　shop。〃

〃Thrice　blessed　trade！〃　I　answered。　　〃Give　me　some　dried　fish；　good　fellow；　or；　for　the　matter　of　that；　dried　horse　or　dog；　or　anything　mortal　teeth　can　bite　through；　and　I　will　show　you　my　tastes　are　altogether　mundane。〃

But　he　shook　his　head。　　〃This　is　no　place　for　the　likes　of　you；　who　come；　mayhap；　from　the　city　of　Yang　or　some　other　abode　of　disembodied　spiritsyou；　who　come　for　mischief　and　pay　harbourage　with　mischanceis　it　likely　you　could　eat　wholesome　food？〃

〃Indeed　I　could；　and　plenty　of　it；　seeing　I　have　dined　and　breakfasted　along　the　hedges　with　the　blackbirds　this　two　days。　　Look　here；　I　will　pay　in　advance。　　Will　that　get　me　a　meal？〃　and；　whipping　out　my　knife；　cut　off　another　of　my　fast…receding　coat　buttons。

The　man　took　it　with　great　interest；　as　I　hoped　he　would；　the　yellow　metal　being　apparently　a　very　scarce　commodity　in　his　part　of　the　planet。

〃Gold？〃　he　asked。

〃Wellahem！　　I　forgot　to　ask　the　man　who　sewed　them　on　for　me　what　they　were　exactly；　but　it　looks　like　gold；　doesn't　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　turning　it　to　and　fro　admiringly　in　his　hand；　〃you　are　the　first　ghost　I　ever　knew　to　pay　in　ad…　vance；　and　plenty　of　them　go　to　and　fro　through　here。　　Such　a　pretty　thing　is　well　worth　a　mealif；　indeed；　you　can　stomach　our　rough　fare。　　Here；　you　woman　within；〃　he　called　to　the　lady　whom　I　presume　was　his　wife；　〃here　is　a　gentleman　from　the　nether　regions　who　wants　some　break…　fast　and　has　paid　in　advance。　　Give　him　some　of　your　best；　for　he　has　paid　well。〃

〃And　what；〃　said　a　female　voice　from　inside；　〃what　if　I　refused　to　serve　another　of　these　plaguy　wanderers　you　are　always　foisting　upon　me？〃

〃Don't　mind　her　tongue；　sir。　　It's　the　worst　part　of　her；　though　she　is　mighty　proud　of　it。　　Go　in　and　she　will　see　you　do　not　come　out　hungry；〃　and　the　Thither　man　returned　calmly　to　his　honey　stick。

〃Come　on；　you　Soul…with…a…man's…stomach；〃　growled　the　woman；　and　too　hungry　to　be　particular　about　the　tone　of　invitation；　I　strode　into　the　parlour　of　that　strange　refreshment　place。　　The　woman　was　the　first　I　had　seen　of　the　outer　race；　and　better　than　might　have　been　expected　in　appearance。　　Big；　strong；　and　ruddy；　she　was　a　mental　shock　after　the　slender　slips　of　girlhood　on　the　far　side　of　the　water；　half　a　dozen　of　whom　she　could　have　carried　off　without　effort　in　her　long　arms。　　Yet　there　was　about　her　the　credential　of　rough　health；　the　dignity　of　muscle；　an　upright　carriage；　an　animal　grace　of　movement；　and　withal　a　comely　though　strongly　featured　face；　which　pleased　me　at　once；　and　later　on　I　had　great　cause　to　remember　her　with　gratitude。　　She　eyed　me　sulkily　for　a　minute；　then　her　frown　gradually　softened；　and　the　instinctive　love　of　the　woman　for　the　supernatural　mastered　her　other　feelings。

〃Is　that　how　you　looked　in　another　world？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　exactly；　cap　to　boots。　　What　do　you　think　of　the　attire；　ma'am？〃

〃Not　much；〃　replied　the　good　woman　frankly。　　〃It　could　not　have　been　becoming　even　when　new；　and　you　appear　as　though　you　had　taken　a　muddy　road　since　then。　　What　did　you　die　of？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　so　much　as　this；　madamthat　what　I　am　like　to　die　of　now　is　hunger；　plain；　unvarnished　hunger；　so；　in　Heaven's　name；　get　out　what　you　have　and　let　me　fall…to；　for　my　last　meal　was　yesterday　morning。〃

Whereat；　with　a　shrug　of　her　shoulders　at　the　eccentric…　ities　of　nether　folk；　the　woman　went　to　the　rear　of　the　house；　and　presently　came　back　with　a　meal　which　showed　her　husband　had　done　scant　justice　to　the　establishment　by　calling　it　a　dry　fish　shop。　　It　is　true；　fish　supplied　the　staple　of　the　repast；　as　was　inevitable　in　a　seaport；　but；　like　all　Martian　fish；　it　was　of　ambrosial　kind；　with　a　savour　about　it　of　wine　and　sunshine　such　as　no　fish　on　our　side　of　space　can　boast　of。　　Then　there　were　cakes；　steaming　and　hot；　vegetables　which　fitted　into　the　previous　course　with　exquisite　nicety；　and；　lastly；　a　wooden　tankard　of　the　in…　variable　Thither　beer　to　finish　off。　　Such　a　meal　as　a　hungry　man　might　consider　himself　fortunate　to　meet　with　any　day。

The　woman　watched　me　eat　with　much　satisfaction；　and　when　I　had　answered　a　score　of　artless　questions　about　my　previous　state；　or　present　condition　and　prospects；　more　or　less　to　her　satisfaction；　she　supplied　me　in　turn　with　some　information　which　was　really　valuable　to　me　just　then。

First　I　learned　that　Ar…hap's　men；　with　the　abducted　Heru；　had　passed　through　this　very　port　two　days　before；　and　by　this　time　were　probably　in　the　main　town；　which；　it　appeared；　was　only　about　twelve　hours'　rowing　up　the　salt…　water　estuary　outside。　　Here　was　news！　　Heru；　the　prize　and　object　of　my　wild　adventure；　close　at　hand　and　well。　　It　brought　a　whole　new　train　of　thoughts；　for　the　last　few　days　had　been　so　full　of　the　stress　of　travel；　the　bare；　hard　necessity　of　getting　forward；　that　the　object　of　my　quest；　illogical　as　it　may　seem；　had　gone　into　the　background　before　these　things。　　And　here　again；　as　I　finished　the　last　cake　and　drank　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　ale　tankard；　the　extreme　folly　of　the　venture　came　upon　me；　the　madness　of　venturing　single…handed　into　the　den　of　the　Wood　King。　What　had　I　to　hope　for？　What　chance；　however　remote；　was　there　of　successfully　wresting　that　blooming　prize　from　the　arms　of　her　captor？　Force　was　out　of　the　question；　stealth　was　utterly　impractical；　as　for　cajolery；　apparently　the　sole　remaining　means　of　winning　back　the　Princesswhy；　one　might　as　well　try　the　persuasion　of　a　penny　flute　upon　a　hungry　eagle　as　seek　to　rouse　Ar…hap's　sympathies　for　bereaved　Hath　in　that　way。　　Surely　to　go　forward　would　mean　my　own　certain　destruction；　with　no　advantage；　no　help　to　Heru；　and　if　I　was　ever　to　turn　back　or　stop　in　the　idle　quest；　here　was　the　place　and　time。　　My　Hither　friends　were　behind　the　sea；　to　them　I　could　return　before　it　was　too　late；　and　here　were　the　rough　but　honest　Thither　folk；　who　would　doubtless　let　me　live　amongst　them　if　that　was　to　be　my　fate。　　One　or　other　alternative　were　better　than　going　to　torture　and　death。

〃You　seem　to　take　the　fate　of　that　Hither　girl　of　yours　mightily　to　heart；　stranger；〃　quoth　my　hostess；　with　a　touch　of　feminine　jealousy；　as　she　watched　my　hesitation。　　〃Do　you　know　anything　of　her？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered　gloomily。　　〃I　have　seen　her　once　or　twice　away　in　Seth。〃

〃Ah；　that　reminds　me！　　When　they　brought　her　up　here　from　the　boats　to　dry　her　wet　clothes；　she　cried　and　called　in　her　grief　for　just　such　a　one　as　you；　saying　he　alone　who　struck　down　our　men　at　her　feast　could　rescue　her〃

〃What！　　Heru　here　in　this　room　but　yesterday！　　How　did　she　look？　Was　she　hurt？　How　had　they　treated　her？〃

My　eagerness　gave　me　away。　　The　woman　looked　at　me　through　her　half…shut　eyes　a　space；　and　then　said；　〃Oh！　sits　the　wind　in　THAT　quarter？　So　you　can　love　as　well　as　eat。　I　must　say　you　are　well…conditioned　for　a　spirit。〃

I　got　up　and　walked　about　the　room　a　space；　then；　feeling　very　friendless；　and　knowing　no　woman　was　ever　born　who　was　not　interested　in　another　woman's　loves；　I　boldly　drew　my　hostess　aside　and　told　her　about　Heru；　and　that　I　was　in　pursuit　of　her；　dwelling　on　the　girl's　gentle　helplessness；　my　own　hare…brained　adventure；　and　frankly　asking　what　sort　of　a　sovereign　Ar…hap　was；　what　the　customs　of　his　court　might　be；　and　whether　she　could　suggest　any　means；　tem…　poral　or　spiritual；　by　which　he　might　be　moved　to　give　back　Heru　to　her　kindred。

Nor　was　my　confidence　misplaced。　　The　woman；　as　I　guessed；　was　touched　somewhere　back　in　her　female　heart　by　my　melting　love…tale；　by　my　anxiety　and　Heru's