gulliver of mars-第40章

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Poor　girl！　　When　she　saw　me　stride　into　the　hall　she　rose　swiftly　from　Ar…hap's　side；　clasped　her　pretty　hands；　and　giving　a　cry　of　joy　would　have　rushed　towards　me；　but　the　king　laid　a　mighty　paw　upon　her；　under　which　she　subsided　with　a　shiver　as　though　the　touch　had　blanched　all　the　life　within。

〃Good　morning；　your　majesty；〃　I　said；　walking　boldly　up　to　the　lower　step　of　the　dais。

〃Good　morning；　most　singular…looking　vagrant　from　the　Unknown；〃　answered　the　monarch。　　〃In　what　way　can　I　be　of　service　to　you？''

〃I　have　come　about　that　girl；〃　I　said；　nodding　to　where　Heru　lay　blossoming　in　the　hot　gloom　like　some　night…　flowering　bud。　　〃I　do　not　know　whether　your　majesty　is　aware　how　she　came　here；　but　it　is　a　highly　discreditable　incident　in　what　is　doubtless　your　otherwise　blameless　reign。　　Some　rough　scullions　intrusted　with　the　duty　of　col…　lecting　your　majesty's　customs　asked　Prince　Hath　of　the　Hither　people　to　point　out　the　most　attractive　young　person　at　his　wedding　feast；　and　the　prince　indicated　that　lady　there　at　your　side。　　It　was　a　dirty　trick；　and　all　the　worse　because　it　was　inspired　by　malice；　which　is　the　meanest　of　all　weaknesses。　　I　had　the　pleasure　of　knocking　down　some　of　your　majesty's　representatives；　but　they　stole　the　girl　away　while　I　slept；　and；　briefly；　I　have　come　to　fetch　her　back。〃

The　monarch　had　followed　my　speech；　the　longest　ever　made　in　my　life；　with　fierce；　blinking　eyes；　and　when　it　stopped　looked　at　poor　shrinking　Heru　as　though　for　ex…　planation；　then　round　the　circle　of　his　awestruck　courtiers；　and　reading　dismay　at　my　boldness　in　their　faces；　burst　into　a　guttural　laugh。

〃I　suppose　you　have　the　great　and　puissant　Hither　nation　behind　you　in　this　request；　Mr。　Spirit？〃

〃No；　I　came　alone；　hoping　to　find　justice　here；　and；　if　not；　then　prepared　to　do　all　I　could　to　make　your　majesty　curse　the　day　your　servants　maltreated　my　friends。〃

〃Tall　words；　stranger！　　May　I　ask　what　you　propose　to　do　if　Ar…hap；　in　his　own　palace；　amongst　his　people　and　soldiers；　refuses　to　disgorge　a　pretty　prize　at　the　bidding　of　one　shabby　interlopermuddy　and　friendless？〃

〃What　should　I　do？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　king；　with　a　haughty　frown。　　〃What　would　you　do？〃

I　do　not　know　what　prompted　the　reply。　　For　a　moment　I　was　completely　at　a　loss　what　to　say　to　this　very　obvious　question；　and　then　all　on　a　sudden；　remembering　they　held　me　to　be　some　kind　of　disembodied　spirit；　by　a　happy　inspiration；　fixing　my　eyes　grimly　on　the　king；　I　answered；

〃What　would　I　do？　　Why；　I　WOULD　HAUNT　YOU！〃

It　may　not　seem　a　great　stroke　of　genius　here；　but　the　effect　on　the　Martian　was　instantaneous。　　He　sat　straight　up；　his　hands　tightened；　his　eyes　dilated；　and　then　fidgeting　un…　easily；　after　a　minute　he　beckoned　to　an　over…dressed　in…　dividual；　whom　Heru　afterwards　told　me　was　the　Court　necromancer；　and　began　whispering　in　his　ear。

After　a　minute's　consultation　he　turned　again；　a　rather　frightened　civility　struggling　in　his　face　with　anger；　and　said；　〃We　have　no　wish；　of　course；　stranger；　to　offend　you　or　those　who　had　the　honour　of　your　patronage。　　Perhaps　the　princess　here　was　a　little　roughly　handled；　and；　I　con…　fess；　if　she　were　altogether　as　reluctant　as　she　seems；　a　lesser　maid　would　have　done　as　well。　　I　could　have　wooed　this　one　in　Seth；　where　I　may　shortly　come；　and　our　espousals　would　possibly　have　lent；　in　the　eyes　of　your　friends；　quite　a　cheerful　aspect　to　my　arrival。　　But　my　am…　bassadors　have　had　no　great　schooling　in　diplomacy；　they　have　brought　Princess　Heru　here；　and　how　can　I　hand　her　over　to　one　I　know　nothing　of？　　How　do　I　know　you　are　a　ghost；　after　all？　　How　do　I　know　you　have　anything　but　a　rusty　sword　and　much　impertinence　to　back　your　as…　tounding　claim？〃

〃Oh；　let　it　be　just　as　you　like；〃　I　said；　calmly　shelling　and　eating　a　nut　I　had　picked　up。　　〃Only　if　you　do　not　give　the　maid　back；　why；　then〃　And　I　stopped　as　though　the　sequel　were　too　painful　to　put　into　words。

Again　that　superstitious　monarch　of　a　land　thronged　with　malicious　spirits　called　up　his　magician；　and；　after　they　had　consulted　a　moment；　turned　more　cheerfully　to　me。

〃Look　here；　Mister…from…Nowhere；　if　you　are　really　a　spirit；　and　have　the　power　to　hurt　as　you　say；　you　will　have　the　power　also　to　go　and　come　between　the　living　and　the　dead；　between　the　present　and　the　past。　　Now　I　will　set　you　an　errand；　and　give　you　five　minutes　to　do　it　in。〃

〃Five　minutes！〃　I　exclaimed　in　incautious　alarm。

〃Five　minutes；〃　said　the　monarch　savagely。　　〃And　if　in　that　time　the　errand　is　not　done；　I　shall　hold　you　to　be　an　impostor；　an　impudent　thief　from　some　scoundrel　tribe　of　this　world　of　mine；　and　will　make　of　you　an　example　which　shall　keep　men's　ears　tingling　for　a　century　or　two。〃

Poor　Heru　dropped　in　a　limp　and　lovely　heap　at　that　dire　threat；　while　I　am　bound　to　say　I　felt　somewhat　uncomfortable；　not　unnaturally　when　all　the　circumstances　are　considered；　but　contented　myself　with　remarking；　with　as　much　bravado　as　could　be　managed；

〃And　now　to　the　errand；　Ar…hap。　　What　can　I　do　for　your　majesty？〃

The　king　consulted　with　the　rogue　at　his　elbow；　and　then　nodding　and　chuckling　in　expectancy　of　his　triumph；　addressed　me。

〃Listen；〃　he　cried；　smiting　a　huge　hairy　hand　upon　his　knee；　〃listen；　and　do　or　die。　　My　magician　tells　me　it　is　record…　ed　in　his　books　that　once；　some　five　thousand　years　ago；　when　this　land　belonged　to　the　Hither　people；　there　lived　here　a　king。　　It　is　a　pity　he　died；　for　he　seems　to　have　been　a　jovial　old　fellow；　but　he　did　die；　and；　according　to　their　custom；　they　floated　him　down　the　stream　that　flows　to　the　regions　of　eternal　ice；　where　doubtless　he　is　at　this　present　moment；　caked　up　with　ten　million　of　his　subjects。　　Now　just　go　and　find　that　sovereign　for　me；　oh　you　bold…tongued　dweller　in　other　worlds！〃

〃And　if　I　go　how　am　I　to　know　your　ancient　king；　as　you　say；　amongst　ten　million　others？〃

〃That　is　easy　enough；〃　quoth　Ar…hap　lightly。　　〃You　have　only　to　pass　to　and　fro　through　the　ice　mountains；　opening　the　mouths　of　the　dead　men　and　women　you　meet；　and　when　you　come　to　a　middle…sized　man　with　a　fillet　on　his　head　and　a　jaw　mended　with　gold；　that　will　be　he　whom　you　look　for。　　Bring　me　that　fillet　here　within　five　minutes　and　the　maid　is　yours。〃

I　started；　and　stared　hard　in　amazement。　　Was　this　a　dream？　　Was　the　royal　savage　in　front　playing　with　me？　　By　what　incredible　chance　had　he　hit　upon　the　very　errand　I　could　answer　to　best；　the　very　trophy　I　had　brought　away　from　the　grim　valley　of　ice　and　death；　and　had　still　in　my　shoulder…bag？　　No；　he　was　not　playing；　he　was　staring　hard　in　turn；　joying　in　my　apparent　confusion；　and　clearly　thinking　he　had　cornered　me　beyond　hope　of　redemption。

〃Surely　your　mightiness　is　not　daunted　by　so　simple　a　task；〃　scowled　the　sovereign；　playing　with　the　hilt　of　his　huge　hunting…knife；　〃and　all　amongst　your　friends'　kindred　too。　　On　a　hot　day　like　this　it　ought　to　be　a　pleasant　saunter　for　a　spirit　such　as　yourself。〃

〃Not　daunted；〃　I　answered　coldly；　turning　on　my　heels　towards　the　door；　〃only　marvelling　that　your　majesty's　skull　and　your　necromancer's　could　not　between　them　have　de…　vised　a　harder　task。〃

Out　into　the　courtyard　I　went；　with　my　heart　beating　finely　in　spite　of　my　assumed　indifference；　got　the　bag　from　a　peg　in　my　sleeping…room；　and　was　back　before　the　log　throne　ere　four　minutes　were　gone。

〃The　old　Hither　king's　compliments　to　your　majesty；〃　I　said；　bowing；　while　a　deathly　hush　fell　on　all　the　assembly；　〃and　he　says　though　your　ancestors　little　liked　to　hear　his　voice　while　alive；　he　says　he　has　no　objection　to　giving　you　some　jaw　now　he　is　dead；〃　and　I　threw　down　on　the　floor　the　golden　circlet　of　the　frozen　king。

Ar…hap's　eyes　almost　started　from　his　head　as；　with　his　courtiers；　he　glared　in　silent　amazement　at　that　shining　thing　while　the　great　drops　of　fear　and　perspiration　trickled　down　his　forehead。　　As　for　poor　Heru；　she　rose　like　a　spirit　behind　them；　gazed　at　the　jaw…bone　of　her　mythical　an…　cestor；　and　then　suddenly　realising　my　errand　was　done　and　she　apparently　free；　held　out　her　hands；　and；　with　a　tremulous　cry；　would　have　come　to　me。

But　Ar…hap　was　too　quick　for　her。　　All　the　black　sav