gulliver of mars-第5章

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hts；　of　course；

〃It　is　the　wine；　stranger；　the　pink　oblivion；　it　sometimes　makes　one　feel　like　that　until　enough　is　taken；　you　stopped　just　short　of　what　you　should　have　had；　and　the　next　cup　would　have　been　delightI　should　have　told　you。〃

〃Ay；〃　I　answered；　glad　he　should　think　so；　〃it　was　the　wine；　no　doubt；　your　quaint　drink；　sir；　tangled　up　my　senses　for　the　moment；　but　they　are　clearer　now；　and　I　am　eager　past　expression　to　learn　a　little　more　of　this　strange　country　I　have　wandered　into。〃

〃I　would　rather；〃　said　the　boy；　relapsing　again　into　his　state　of　kindly　lethargy；　〃that　you　learnt　things　as　you　went；　for　talking　is　work；　and　work　we　hate；　but　today　we　are　all　new　and　fresh；　and　if　ever　you　are　to　ask　questions　now　is　certainly　the　time。　　Come　with　me　to　the　city　yonder；　and　as　we　go　I　will　answer　the　things　you　wish　to　know；〃　and　I　went　with　him；　for　I　was　humble　and　amazed；　and；　in　truth；　at　that　moment；　had　not　a　word　to　say　for　myself。

All　the　way　from　the　plain　where　I　had　awoke　to　the　walls　of　the　city　stood　booths；　drinking…places；　and　gardens　divided　by　labyrinths　of　canals；　and　embowered　in　shrub…　beries　that　seemed　coming　into　leaf　and　flower　as　we　looked；　so　swift　was　the　process　of　their　growth。　　These　waterways　were　covered　with　skiffs　being　pushed　and　rowed　in　every　direction；　the　cheerful　rowers　calling　to　each　other　through　the　leafy　screens　separating　one　lane　from　another　till　the　place　was　full　of　their　happy　chirruping。　　Every　booth　and　way…side　halting…place　was　thronged　with　these　delicate　and　sprightly　people；　so　friendly；　so　gracious；　and　withal　so　pur…　poseless。

I　began　to　think　we　should　never　reach　the　town　itself；　for　first　my　guide　would　sit　down　on　a　green　stream…bank；　his　feet　a…dangle　in　the　clear　water；　and　bandy　wit　with　a　passing　boat　as　though　there　were　nothing　else　in　the　world　to　think　of。　　And　when　I　dragged　him　out　of　that；　whisper…　ing　in　his　ear；　〃The　town；　my　dear　boy！　the　town！　　I　am　all　agape　to　see　it；〃　he　would　saunter　reluctantly　to　a　booth　a　hundred　yards　further　on　and　fall　to　eating　strange　con…　fections　or　sipping　coloured　wines　with　chance　acquaintances；　till　again　I　plucked　him　by　the　sleeve　and　said：　〃Seth；　good　comradewas　it　not　so　you　called　your　city　just　now？take　me　to　the　gates；　and　I　will　be　grateful　to　you；〃　then　on　again　down　a　flowery　lane；　aimless　and　happy；　wasting　my　time　and　his；　with　placid　civility　I　was　led　by　that　simple　guide。

Wherever　we　went　the　people　stared　at　me；　as　well　they　might；　as　I　walked　through　them　overtopping　the　tallest　by　a　head　or　more。　　The　drinking…cups　paused　half…way　to　their　mouths；　the　jests　died　away　upon　their　lips；　and　the　blinking　eyes　of　the　drinkers　shone　with　a　momentary　sparkle　of　wonder　as　their　minds　reeled　down　those　many…　tinted　floods　to　the　realms　of　oblivion　they　loved。

I　heard　men　whisper　one　to　another；　〃Who　is　he？〃；　〃Whence　does　he　come？〃；　〃Is　he　a　tribute…taker？〃　as　I　strolled　amongst　them；　my　mind　still　so　thrilled　with　doubt　and　wonder　that　to　me　they　seemed　hardly　more　than　painted　puppets；　the　vistas　of　their　lovely　glades　and　the　ivory　town　beyond　only　the　fancy　of　a　dream；　and　their　talk　as　incontinent　as　the　babble　of　a　stream。

Then　happily；　as　I　walked　along　with　bent　head　brood…　ing　over　the　incredible　thing　that　had　happened；　my　com…　panion's　shapely　legs　gave　out；　and　with　a　sigh　of　fatigue　he　suggested　we　should　take　a　skiff　amongst　the　many　ly…　ing　about　upon　the　margins　and　sail　towards　the　town；　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃the　breeze　blows　thitherward；　and　'tis　a　shame　to　use　one's　limbs　when　Nature　will　carry　us　for　nothing！〃

〃But　have　you　a　boat　of　your　own　hereabouts？〃　I　queried；　〃for　to　tell　the　truth　I　came　from　home　myself　somewhat　poorly　provided　with　means　to　buy　or　barter；　and　if　your　purse　be　not　heavier　than　mine　we　must　still　do　as　poor　men　do。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　An；　〃there　is　no　need　to　think　of　that；　no　one　here　to　hire　or　hire　of；　we　will　just　take　the　first　skiff　we　see　that　suits　us。〃

〃And　what　if　the　owner　should　come　along　and　find　his　boat　gone？〃

〃Why；　what　should　he　do　but　take　the　next　along　the　bank；　and　the　master　of　that　the　next　againhow　else　could　it　be？〃　said　the　Martian；　and　shrugging　my　shoulders；　for　I　was　in　no　great　mood　to　argue；　we　went　down　to　the　waterway；　through　a　thicket　of　budding　trees　underlaid　with　a　carpet　of　small　red　flowers　filling　the　air　with　a　scent　of　honey；　and　soon　found　a　diminutive　craft　pulled　up　on　the　bank。　　There　were　some　dainty　cloaks　and　wraps　in　it　which　An　took　out　and　laid　under　a　tree。　　But　first　he　felt　in　the　pouch　of　one　for　a　sweetmeat　which　his　fine　nostrils；　acute　as　a　squirrel's；　told　him　was　there；　and　taking　the　lump　out　bit　a　piece　from　it；　afterwards　replacing　it　in　the　owner's　pocket　with　the　frankest　simplicity。

Then　we　pushed　off；　hoisted　the　slender　mast；　set　the　smallest　lug…sail　that　ever　a　sailor　smiled　at；　and；　myself　at　the　helm；　and　that　golden　youth　amidships；　away　we　drifted　under　thickets　of　drooping　canes　tasselled　with　yel…　low　catkin…flowers；　up　the　blue　alley　of　the　water　into　the　broader　open　river　beyond　with　its　rapid　flow　and　crowd…　ing　boats；　the　white　city　front　now　towering　clear　before　us。

The　air　was　full　of　sunshine　and　merry　voices；　birds　were　singing；　trees　were　budding；　only　my　heart　was　heavy；　my　mind　confused。　　Yet　why　should　I　be　sad；　I　said　to　myself　presently？　　Life　beat　in　my　pulses；　what　had　I　to　fear？　This　world　I　had　tumbled　into　was　new　and　strange；　no　doubt；　but　tomorrow　it　would　be　old　and　familiar；　it　dis…　credited　my　manhood　to　sit　brow…bent　like　that；　so　with　an　effort　I　roused　myself。

〃Old　chap！〃　I　said　to　my　companion；　as　he　sat　astride　of　a　thwart　slowly　chewing　something　sticky　and　eyeing　me　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eyes　with　vapid　wonder；　〃tell　me　something　of　this　land　of　yours；　or　something　about　yourselfwhich　reminds　me　I　have　a　question　to　ask。　　It　is　a　bit　delicate；　but　you　look　a　sensible　sort　of　fellow；　and　will　take　no　offence。　　The　fact　is；　I　have　noticed　as　we　came　along　half　your　population　dresses　in　all　the　colours　of　the　rainbow'fancy　suitings'　our　tailors　could　call　it　at　homeand　this　half　of　the　census　are　undoubtedly　men　and　women。　　The　rub　is　that　the　other　half；　to　which　you　be…　long；　all　dress　alike　in　YELLOW；　and　I　will　be　fired　from　the　biggest　gun　on　the　Carolina's　main　deck　if　I　can　tell　what　sex　you　belong　to！　　I　took　you　for　a　boy　in　the　begin…　ning；　and　the　way　you　closed　with　the　idea　of　having　a　drink　with　me　seemed　to　show　I　was　dead　on　the　right　course。　　Then　a　little　later　on　I　heard　you　and　a　friend　abusing　our　sex　from　an　outside　point　of　view　in　a　way　which　was　very　disconcerting。　　This；　and　some　other　things；　have　set　me　all　abroad　again；　and　as　fate　seems　determined　to　make　us　chums　for　this　voyagewhywell；　frankly；　I　should　be　glad　to　know　if　you　be　boy　or　girl？　　If　you　are　as　I　am；　no　more　nor　less　thenfor　I　like　youthere's　my　hand　in　comradeship。　　If　you　are　otherwise；　as　those　sleek　outlines　seem　to　promisewhy；　here's　my　hand　again！　　But　man　or　woman　you　must　become；　which　is　it？〃

If　I　had　been　perplexed　before；　to　watch　that　boy　now　was　more　curious　than　ever。　　He　drew　back　from　me　with　a　show　of　wounded　dignity；　then　bit　his　lips；　and　sighed；　and　stared；　and　frowned。　　〃Come；〃　I　said　laughingly；　〃speak！　it　engenders　ambiguity　to　be　so　ambiguous　of　gender！　　'Tis　no　great　matter；　yes　or　no；　a　plain　answer　will　set　us　fairly　in　our　friendship；　if　it　is　comrade；　then　comrade　let　it　be；　if　maid；　why；　I　shall　not　quarrel　with　that；　though　it　cost　me　a　likely　messmate。〃

〃You　mock　me。〃

〃Not　I；　I　never　mocked　any　one。〃

〃And　does　my　robe　tell　you　nothing？〃

〃Nothing　so　much；　a　yellow　tunic　and　becoming　enough；　but　nothing　about　it　to　hang　a　deduction　on。　　Come！　　Are　you　a　girl；　after　all？〃

〃I　do　not　count　myself　a　girl。〃

〃Why；　then；　you　are　the　most　blooming　boy　that　ever　eyes　were　set　upon；　and　though　'tis　with　some　tinge　of　regret；　yet　cheerfully　I　welcome　you　into　the　ranks　of　man…　hood。〃

〃I　hate　your　manhood；　send　it　after　the　maidhood；　it　fits　me　just　as　badly。〃

〃But　An；　be　reasonable；　man　or　maid　you　must　be。〃

〃Must　be；　why？〃

〃Why？〃　　Was　ever　such　a　question　put　to　a　sane　mor