gulliver of mars-第42章

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rees；　whose　leaves　were　as　thin　as　though　we　had　had　a　six　months'　drought；　the　toucans　and　Martian　parrots　hung　limp　and　fashionless　like　gaudy　rags；　and　in　the　courtyard　ground　the　corn…rats　came　up　from　their　tunnels　in　the　scorching　earth　to　die；　squeaking　in　scores　along　under　the　walls。

Our　common　sorrow　made　us　as　sociable　as　though　I　were　Noah；　and　Ar…hap's　palace　mound　another　Ararat。　Hour　after　hour　I　sat　amongst　all　these　lesser　beasts　in　the　hot　darkness；　waiting　for　the　end。　　Every　now　and　then　the　heavy　clouds　parted；　changing　the　gloom　to　sudden　fiery　daylight　as　the　great　red　eye　in　the　west　looked　upon　us　through　the　crevice；　and；　taking　advantage　of　those　gleams；　I　would　reel　across　to　where；　under　a　spout　leading　from　a　dried　rivulet；　I　had　placed　a　cup　to　collect　the　slow　and　tepid　drops　that　were　all　now　coming　down　the　reed　for　Heru。　　And　as　I　went　back　each　time　with　that　sickly　spoonful　at　the　bottom　of　the　vessel　all　the　dying　beasts　lifted　their　heads　and　watchedthe　thirsty　wolves　shamb…　ling　after　me；　the　boars　half　sat　up　and　grunted　plaintively；　the　panthers；　too　weak　to　rise；　beat　the　dusty　ground　with　their　tails；　and　from　the　portico　the　blue　storks；　with　trailing　wings；　croaked　husky　greeting。

But　slower　and　slower　came　the　dripping　water；　more　and　more　intolerable　the　heat。　　At　last　I　could　stand　it　no　longer。　　What　purpose　did　it　serve　to　lay　gasping　like　this；　dying　cruelly　without　a　hope　of　rescue；　when　a　shorter　way　was　at　my　side？　　I　had　not　drank　for　a　day　and　a　half。　　I　was　past　active　reviling；　my　head　swam；　my　reason　was　clouded。　No！　　I　would　not　stand　it　any　longer。　　Once　more　I　would　take　Heru　and　poor　Si　the　cup　that　was　but　a　mockery　after　all；　then　fix　my　sword　into　the　ground　and　try　what　next　the　Fates　had　in　store　for　me。

So　once　again　the　leathern　mug　was　fetched　and　carried　through　the　prostrate　guards　to　where　the　Martian　girl　lay；　like　a　withered　flower；　upon　her　couch。　　Once　again　I　moistened　those　fair　lips；　while　my　own　tongue　was　black　and　swollen　in　my　throat；　then　told　Si；　who　had　had　none　all　the　afternoon；　to　drink　half　and　leave　half　for　Heru。　　Poor　Si　put　her　aching　lips　to　the　cup　and　tilted　it　a　little；　then　passed　it　to　her　mistress。　　And　Heru　drank　it　all；　and　Si　cried　a　few　hot　tears　behind　her　hands；　FOR　SHE　HAD　TAKEN　NONE；　and　she　knew　it　was　her　life！

Again　picking　a　way　through　the　courtyard；　scarce　notic…　ing　how　the　beasts　lifted　their　heads　as　I　passed；　I　went　instinctively；　cup　in　hand；　to　the　well；　and　then　hesitated。　Was　I　a　coward　to　leave　Heru　so？　　Ought　I　not　to　stay　and　see　it　out　to　the　bitter　end？　　Well；　I　would　compound　with　Fate。　　I　would　give　the　malicious　gods　one　more　chance。　I　would　put　the　cup　down　again；　and　until　seven　drops　had　fallen　into　it　I　would　wait。　　That　there　might　be　no　mistake　about　it；　no　sooner　was　the　mug　in　place　under　the　nozzle　wherefrom　the　moisture　beads　collected　and　fell　with　infinite　slowness；　than　my　sword；　on　which　I　meant　to　throw　my…　self；　was　bared　and　the　hilt　forced　into　a　gaping　crack　in　the　ground；　and　sullenly　contented　to　leave　my　fate　so；　I　sat　down　beside　it。

I　turned　grimly　to　the　spout　and　saw　the　first　drop　fall；　then　another；　and　another　later　on；　but　still　no　help　came。　There　was　a　long　rift　in　the　clouds　now；　and　a　glare　like　that　from　an　open　furnace　door　was　upon　me。　　I　had　noticed　when　I　came　to　the　spring　how　the　comet　which　was　killing　us　hung　poised　exactly　upon　the　point　of　a　dis…　tant　hill。　　If　he　had　passed　his　horrible　meridian；　if　he　was　going　from　us；　if　he　sunk　but　a　hair's　breadth　before　that　seventh　drop　should　fall；　I　could　tell　it　would　mean　salvation。

But　the　fourth　drop　fell；　and　he　was　big　as　ever。　　The　fifth　drop　fell；　and　a　hot；　pleasing　nose　was　thrust　into　my　hand；　and　looking　down　I　saw　a　grey　wolf　had　dragged　herself　across　the　court　and　was　asking　with　eloquent　eyes　for　the　help　I　could　not　give。　　The　sixth　drop　gathered；　and　fell；　already　the　seventh　was　like　a　seedling　pearl　in　its　place。　The　dying　wolf　yanked　affectionately　at　my　hand；　but　I　put　her　by　and　undid　my　tunic。　　Big　and　bright　that　drop　hung　to　the　spout　lip；　another　minute　and　it　would　fall。　　A　beauti…　ful　drop；　I　laughed；　peering　closely　at　it；　many…coloured；　prismatic；　flushing　red　and　pink；　a　tiny　living　ruby；　hanging　by　a　touch　to　the　green　rim　above；　enough！　enough！　　The　quiver　of　an　eyelash　would　unhinge　it　now；　and　angry　with　the　life　I　already　felt　was　behind　me；　and　turning　in　defiant　expectation　to　the　new　to　come；　I　rose；　saw　the　red　gleam　of　my　sword　jutting　like　a　fiery　spear　from　the　cracking　soil　where　I　had　planted　it；　then　looked　once　more　at　the　drop　and　glanced　for　the　last　time　at　the　sullen　red　terror　on　the　hill。

Were　my　eyes　dazed；　my　senses　reeling？　　I　said　a　space　ago　that　the　meteor　stood　exactly　on　the　mountain…top　and　if　it　sunk　a　hair's　breadth　I　should　note　it；　and　now；　why；　there　WAS　a　flaw　in　its　lower　margin；　a　flattening　of　the　great　red　foot　that　before　had　been　round　and　perfect。　　I　turned　my　smarting　eyes　away　a　minute；saw　the　seventh　drop　fall　with　a　melodious　tingle　into　the　cup；　then　back　again；　there　was　no　mistakethe　truant　fire　was　a　fraction　less；　it　had　shrunk　a　fraction　behind　the　hill　even　since　I　looked；　and　thereon　all　my　life　ran　back　into　its　channels；　the　world　danced　before　me；　and　〃Heru！〃　I　shouted　hoarsely；　reeling　back　towards　the　palace；　〃Heru；　'tis　well；　the　worst　is　past！〃

But　the　little　princess　was　unconscious；　and　at　her　feet　was　poor　Si；　quite　dead；　still　reclining　with　her　head　in　her　hands　just　as　I　had　left　her。　　Then　my　own　senses　gave　out；　and　dropping　down　by　them　I　remembered　no　more。

I　must　have　lain　there　an　hour　or　two；　for　when　con…　sciousness　came　again　it　was　nightblack；　cool；　profound　night；　with　an　inky　sky　low　down　upon　the　tree…tops；　and　out　of　it　such　a　glorious　deluge　of　rain　descending　swiftly　and　silently　as　filled　my　veins　even　to　listen　to。　　Eagerly　I　shuffled　away　to　the　porch　steps；　down　them　into　the　swimming　courtyard；　and　ankle…deep　in　the　glorious　flood；　set　to　work　lapping　furiously　at　the　first　puddle；　drinking　with　gasps　of　pleasure；　gasping　and　drinking　again；　feeling　my　body　filling　out　like　the　thirsty　steaming　earth　below　me。　　Then；　as　I　still　drank　insatiably；　there　came　a　gleam　of　lightning　out　of　the　gloom　overhead；　a　brilliant　yellow　blaze；　and　by　it　I　saw　a　few　yards　away　a　panther　drinking　at　the　same　pool　as　myself；　his　gleaming　eyes　low　down　like　mine　upon　the　water；　and　by　his　side　two　apes；　the　black　water　running　in　at　their　gaping　mouths；　while　out　beyond　were　more　pools；　more　drinking　animals。　　Everything　was　drinking。　　I　saw　their　outlined　forms；　the　gleam　shining　on　wet　skins　as　though　they　were　cut　out　in　silver　against　the　darkness；　each　beast　steaming　like　a　volcano　as　the　Heaven…sent　rain　smoked　from　his　fevered　hide；　all　drinking　for　their　lives；　heedless　of　aught　elseand　then　came　the　thunder。

It　ran　across　the　cloudy　vault　as　though　the　very　sky　were　being　ripped　apart；　rolling　in　mighty　echoes　here　and　there　before　it　died　away。　　As　it　stopped；　the　rain　also　fell　less　heavily　for　a　minute；　and　as　I　lay　with　my　face　low　down　I　heard　the　low；　contented　lapping　of　numberless　tongues　unceasing；　insatiable。　　Then　came　the　lightning　again；　lighting　up　everything　as　though　it　were　daytime。　　The　twin　black　apes　were　still　drinking；　but　the　panther　across　the　puddle　had　had　enough；　I　saw　him　lift　his　grateful　head　up　to　the　flare；　saw　the　limp　red　tongue　licking　the　black　nose；　the　green　eyes　shining　like　opals；　the　water　dripping　in　threads　of　diamonds　from　the　hairy　tag　under　his　chin　and　every　tuft　upon　his　chestthen　darkness　again。

To　and　fro　the　green　blaze　rocked　between　the　thunder　crashes。　　It　struck　a　house　a　hundred　yards　away；　stripping　every　shingle　from　the　roof　better　than　a　master　builder　could　in　a　week。　　It　fell　a　minute　after　on　a　tall　tree　by　the　courtyard　gate；　and　as　the　trunk　burst　into　white　splin…　ters　I　saw　every　leaf　upon　the　feathery　top　turn　light　side　up　against　the　violet　reflection　in　the　sky　beyond；　and　then　the　whole　mass　came　down　to　earth　with　a　thud　that　crushed　the　courtyard　palings　into　nothing　for　twenty　yards　and　shook　me　even