gulliver of mars-第37章
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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 peril。 Besides; a ghost in search of a fairy ladyand such the slender folk of Seth were still considered to be by the race which had supplanted themthis was romance indeed。 To be brief; that good woman proved invaluable。
She told me; firstly; that Ar…hap was believed to be away at war; 〃weekending〃 as was his custom; amongst rebellious tribes; and by starting at once up the water; I should very probably get to the town before he did。 Sec… ondly; she thought if I kept clear of private brawls there was little chance of my receiving injury; from the people at all events; as they were accustomed to strange visitors; and civil enough until they were fired by war。 〃Sickle cold; sword hot;〃 was one of their proverbs; meaning thereby that in peaceful times they were lambs; however lionlike they might be in contest。
This was reassuring; but as to recovering the lady; that was another matter over which the good woman shook her head。 It was ill coming between Ar…hap and his tribute; she said; still; if I wanted to see Heru once again; this was my op… portunity; and; for the rest; that chance; which often favours the enamoured; must be my help。
Briefly; though I should probably have gone forward in any case out of sheer obstinacy; had it been to certain destruction; this better aspect of the situation hastened my resolution。 I thanked the woman for help; and then the man outside was called in to advise as to the best and speediest way of getting within earshot of his hairy sovereignty; the monarch of Thitherland。
CHAPTER XVI
The Martian told me of a merchant boat with ten rowers which was going up to the capital in a couple of hours; and as the skipper was a friend of his they would no doubt take me as supercargo; thereby saving the necessity of passenger fees; which was obviously a consideration with me。 It was not altogether a romantic approach to the dungeon of an imprisoned beauty; but it was practical; which is often better if not so pleasant。 So the offer was gladly closed with; and curling myself in a rug of foxskins; for I was tired with much walking; sailors never being good foot… gangers; I slept soundly fill they came to tell me it was time to go on board。
The vessel was more like a canal barge than anything else; lean and long; with the cargo piled in a ridge down the centre as farmers store their winter turnips; the rowers sitting on either side of this plying oars like dessert…spoons with long handles; while they chanted a monotonous cadence of monosyllables:
Oh; ho; oh;
Oh; ho; oh;
How high; how high。
and then again after a pause
How high; how high
Oh; ho; oh;
Oh; ho; oh。
the which was infinitely sleep…provoking if not a refrain of a high intellectual order。
I shut my eyes as we pulled away from the wharfs of that nameless emporium and picked a passage through a crowd of quaint shipping; wondering where I was; and asking myself whether I was mentally rising equal to my extraordinary surroundings; whether I adequately appreci… ated the immensity of my remove from those other seas on which I had last travelled; tiller…ropes in hand; piloting a captain's galley from a wharf。 Good heavens; what would my comrades on my ship say if they could see me now steer… ing a load of hairy savages up one of those waterways which our biggest telescopes magnify but to the thickness of an indication? No; I was not rising equal to the oc… casion; and could not。 The human mind is of but limited capacity after all; and such freaks of fortune are beyond its conception。 I knew I was where I was; but I knew I should probably never get the chance of telling of it; and that no one would ever believe me if I did; and I re… signed myself to the inevitable with sullen acquiescence; smothering the wonder that might have been overwhelming in passing interests of the moment。
There is little to record of that voyage。 We passed through a fleet of Ar…hap's warships; empty and at anchor in double line; serviceable half…decked cutters; built of solid timber; not pumpkin rind it was pleasant to notice; and then the town dropped away as we proceeded up a stream about as broad as the Hudson at its widest; and profusely studded with islands。 This water was bitterly salt and joined an… other sea on the other side of the Martian continent。 Yet it had a pronounced flow against us eastward; this tide running for three spring months and being followed; I learned; as ocean temperatures varied; by a flow in the opposite direction throughout the summer。
Just at present the current was so strong eastwards; the moisture beaded upon my rowers' tawny hides as they strug… gled against it; and their melancholy song dawdled in 〃linked sweetness long drawn out;〃 while the swing of their oars grew longer and longer。 Truly it was very hot; far hotter than was usual for the season; these men declared; and pos… sibly this robbed me of my wonted energy; and you; gentle reader; of a description of all the strange things we passed upon that highway。
Suffice it to say we spent a scorching afternoon; the greater part of a stifling night moored under a mud…bank with a grove of trees on top from which gigantic fire…flies hung as though the place were illuminated for a garden fete; and then; rowing on again in the comparatively cool hours before dawn; turned into a backwater at cock…crow。
The skipper of our cargo boat roused me just as we turned; putting under my sleepy nostrils a handful of toasted beans on a leaf; and a small cup full of something that was not coffee; but smelt as good as that matutinal beverage always does to the tired traveller。
Over our prow was an immense arch of foliage; and under… neath a long arcade of cool black shadows; sheltering still water; till water and shadow suddenly ended a quarter of a mile down in a patch of brilliant colour。 It was as peaceful as could be in the first morning light; and to me over all there was the inexpressible attraction of the unknown。
As our boat slipped silently forward up this leafy lane; a thin white 〃feather〃 in her mouth alone breaking the steely surface of the stream; the men rested from their work and began; as sailors will; to put on their shore…going clothes; the while they chatted in low tones over the profits of the voyage。 Overhead flying squirrels were flitting to and fro like bats; or shelling fruit whereof the husks fell with a pleasant splash about us; and on one bank a couple of early mothers were washing their babies; whose smothered protests were almost the only sound in this morning world。
Another silent dip or two of the oars and the colour ahead crystallised into a town。 If I said it was like an African village on a large scale; I should probably give you the best description in the fewest words。 From the very water's edge up to the crown of a low hill inland; extended a mass of huts and wooden buildings; embowered and partly hidden in bright green foliage; with here and there patches of millet; or some such food plant; and the flowers that grow everywhere so abundantly in this country。 It was all Arcadian and peaceful enough at the moment; and as we drew near the men were just coming out to the quays along the har… bour front; the streets filling and the town waking to busy life。
A turn to the left through a watergate defended by towers of wood and mud; and we were in the city harbour itself; boats of many kinds moored on every side; quaint craft from the gulfs and bays of Nowhere; full of unheard…of merch… andise; and manned by strange…faced crews; every vessel a romance of nameless seas; an epitome of an undiscovered world; and every moment the scene grew busier as the breakfast smoke arose; and wharf and gangway set to work upon the day's labours。
Our boatloaded; as it turned out; with spoil from Seth was run to a place of honour at the bottom of the town square; and was an object of much curiosity to a small crowd which speedily collected and lent a hand with the mooring ropes; the while chatting excitedly with the crew a