gulliver of mars-第6章

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

〃Must　be；　why？〃

〃Why？〃　　Was　ever　such　a　question　put　to　a　sane　mortal　before？　　I　stared　at　that　ambiguous　thing　before　me；　and　then；　a　little　wroth　to　be　played　with；　growled　out　some…　thing　about　Martians　being　all　drunk　or　mad。

〃'Tis　you　yourself　are　one　or　other；〃　said　that　individual；　by　this　time　pink　with　anger；　〃and　if　you　think　because　I　am　what　I　am　you　can　safely　taunt　me；　you　are　wrong。　See！　　I　have　a　sting；〃　and　like　a　thwarted　child　my　com…　panion　half　drew　from　the　folds　of　the　yellow　tunic…dress　the　daintiest；　most　harmless…looking　little　dagger　that　was　ever　seen。

〃Oh；　if　it　comes　to　that；〃　I　answered；　touching　the　Navy　scabbard　still　at　my　hip；　and　regaining　my　temper　at　the　sight　of　hers；　〃why；　I　have　a　sting　alsoand　twice　as　long　as　yours！　　But　in　truth；　An；　let　us　not　talk　of　these　things；　if　something　in　what　I　have　said　has　offended　nice　Martian　scruples　I　am　sorry；　and　will　question　no　more；　leaving　my　wonder　for　time　to　settle。〃

〃No；〃　said　the　other；　〃it　was　my　fault　to　be　hasty　of　offence；　I　am　not　so　angered　once　a　year。　　But　in　truth　your　question　moves　us　yellow　robes　deeply。　　Did　you　not　really　know　that　we　who　wear　this　saffron　tunic　are　slaves；　a　race　apart；　despised　by　all。〃

〃'Slaves；'　no；　how　should　I　know　it？〃

〃I　thought　you　must　understand　a　thing　so　fundamental；　and　it　was　that　thought　which　made　your　questions　seem　unkind。　　But　if　indeed　you　have　come　so　far　as　not　to　under…　stand　even　this；　then　let　me　tell　you　once　we　of　this　garb　were　womenpriestesses　of　the　immaculate　conceptions　of　humanity；　guardians　of　those　great　hopes　and　longings　which　die　so　easily。　　And　because　we　forgot　our　high　station　and　took　to　aping　another　sex　the　gods　deserted　and　men　despised　us；　giving　us；　in　the　fierceness　of　their　contempt；　what　we　asked　for。　　We　are　the　slave　ants　of　the　nest；　the　work…bees　of　the　hive；　come；　in　truth；　of　those　here　who　still　be　men　and　women　of　a　sort；　but　toilers　only；　un…　known　in　love；　unregretted　in　deaththose　who　dangle　all　children　but　their　ownslaves　cursed　with　the　accomplish…　ment　of　their　own　ambition。〃

There　was　no　doubt　poor　An　believed　what　she　said；　for　her　attitude　was　one　of　extreme　dejection　while　she　spoke；　and　to　cheer　her　I　laughed。

〃Oh！　come；　it　can't　be　as　bad　as　that。　　Surely　sometimes　some　of　you　win　back　to　womanhood？　　You　yourself　do　not　look　so　far　gone　but　what　some　deed　of　abnegation；　some　strong　love　if　you　could　but　conceive　it　would　set　you　right　again。　　Surely　you　of　the　primrose　robes　can　sometimes　love？〃

Whereat　unwittingly　I　troubled　the　waters　in　the　placid　soul　of　that　outcast　Martian！　　I　cannot　exactly　describe　how　it　was；　but　she　bent　her　head　silently　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　then；　with　a　sigh；　lifting　her　eyes　suddenly　to　mine；　said　quietly；　〃Yes；　sometimes；　sometimesbut　very　sel…　dom；〃　while　for　an　instant　across　her　face　there　flashed　the　summer　lightning　of　a　new　hope；　a　single　transient　glance　of　wistful；　timid　entreaty；　of　wonder　and　delight　that　dared　not　even　yet　acknowledge　itself。

Then　it　was　my　turn　to　sit　silent；　and　the　pause　was　so　awkward　that　in　a　minute；　to　break　it；　I　exclaimed

〃Let's　drop　personalities；　old　chapI　mean　my　dear　Miss　An。　　Tell　me　something　about　your　people；　and　let　us　begin　properly　at　the　top：　have　you　got　a　king；　for　instance？〃

To　this　the　girl；　pulling　herself　out　of　the　pleasant　slough　of　her　listlessness；　and　falling　into　my　vein；　answered

〃Both　yes　and　no；　sir　traveller　from　afarno　chiefly；　and　yet　perhaps　yes。　　If　it　were　no　then　it　were　so；　and　if　yes　then　Hath　were　our　king。〃

〃A　mild　king　I　should　judge　by　your　uncertainty。　　In　the　place　where　I　came　from　kings　press　their　individualities　somewhat　more　clearly　on　their　subjects'　minds。　　Is　Hath　here　in　the　city？　　Does　he　come　to　your　feasts　today？〃

An　nodded。　　Hath　was　on　the　river；　he　had　been　to　see　the　sunrise；　even　now　she　thought　the　laughter　and　singing　down　behind　the　bend　might　be　the　king's　barge　coming　up　citywards。　　〃He　will　not　be　late；〃　said　my　companion；　〃because　the　marriage…feast　is　set　for　tomorrow　in　the　palace。〃

I　became　interested。　　Kings；　palaces；　marriage…feastswhy；　here　was　something　substantial　to　go　upon；　after　all　these　gauzy　folk　might　turn　out　good　fellows；　jolly　com…　rades　to　sojourn　amongstand　marriage…feasts　reminded　me　again　I　was　hungry。

〃Who　is　it；〃　I　asked；　with　more　interest　in　my　tone；　〃who　gets　married？is　it　your　ambiguous　king　himself？〃

Whereat　An's　purple　eyes　broadened　with　wonder：　then　as　though　she　would　not　be　uncivil　she　checked　herself；　and　answered　with　smothered　pity　for　my　ignorance；　〃Not　only　Hath　himself；　but　every　one；　stranger；　they　are　all　married　tomorrow；　you　would　not　have　them　married　one　at　a　time；　would　you？〃this　with　inexpressible　derision。

I　said；　with　humility；　something　like　that　happened　in　the　place　I　came　from；　asking　her　how　it　chanced　the　convenience　of　so　many　came　to　one　climax　at　the　same　mo…　ment。　　〃Surely；　An；　this　is　a　marvel　of　arrangement。　　Where　I　dwelt　wooings　would　sometimes　be　long　or　sometimes　short；　and　all　maids　were　not　complacent　by　such　universal　agree…　ment。〃

The　girl　was　clearly　perplexed。　　She　stared　at　me　a　space；　then　said；　〃What　have　wooings　long　or　short　to　do　with　weddings？　　You　talk　as　if　you　did　your　wooing　first　and　then　came　to　marriagewe　get　married　first　and　woo　after…　wards！〃

〃'Tis　not　a　bad　idea；　and　I　can　see　it　might　lend　an　ease　and　certainty　to　the　pastime　which　our　method　lacks。　But　if　the　woman　is　got　first　and　sued　subsequently；　who　brings　you　together？　　Who　sees　to　the　essential　preliminaries　of　assortment？〃

An；　looking　at　my　shoes　as　though　she　speculated　on　the　remoteness　of　the　journey　I　had　come　if　it　were　measured　by　my　ignorance；　replied；　〃The　urn；　stranger；　the　urn　does　thatwhat　else？　　How　it　may　be　in　that　out…fashioned　region　you　have　come　from　I　cannot　tell；　but　here'tis　so　commonplace　I　should　have　thought　you　must　have　known　itwe　put　each　new　year　the　names　of　all　womenkind　into　an　urn　and　the　men　draw　for　them；　each　town；　each　village　by　itself；　and　those　they　draw　are　theirs；　is　it　conceivable　your　race　has　other　methods？〃

I　told　her　it　was　sowe　picked　and　chose　for　ourselves；　beseeching　the　damsels；　fighting　for　them；　and　holding　the　sun　of　romance　was　at　its　setting　just　where　the　Martians　held　it　to　rise。　　Whereat　An　burst　out　laughinga　clear；　ringing　laugh　that　set　all　the　light…hearted　folk　in　the　nearest　boats　laughing　in　sympathy。　　But　when　the　grotesqueness　of　the　idea　had　somewhat　worn　off；　she　turned　grave　and　asked　me　if　such　a　fancy　did　not　lead　to　spite；　envy；　and　bickerings。　〃Why；　it　seems　to　me；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　curly　head；　〃such　a　plan　might　fire　cities；　desolate　plains；　and　empty　palaces〃

〃Such　things　have　been。〃

〃Ah！　our　way　is　much　the　better。　　See！〃　quoth　that　gentle　philosopher。　　〃'Here；'　one　of　our　women　would　say；　'am　I　to…day；　unwed；　as　free　of　thought　as　yonder　bird　chasing　the　catkin　down；　tomorrow　I　shall　be　married；　with　a　whole　summer　to　make　love　in；　relieved　at　one　bound　of　all　those　uncertainties　you　acknowledge　to；　with　nothing　to　do　but　lie　about　on　sunny　banks　with　him　whom　chance　sends　me；　come　to　the　goal　of　love　without　any　travelling　to　get　there。'　　Why；　you　must　acknowledge　this　is　the　per…　fection　of　ease。〃

〃But　supposing；〃　I　said；　〃chance　dealt　unkindly　to　you　from　your　nuptial　urn；　supposing　the　man　was　not　to　your　liking；　or　another　coveted　him？〃　　To　which　An　answered；　with　some　shrewdness

〃In　the　first　case　we　should　do　what　we　might；　being　no　worse　off　than　those　in　your　land　who　had　played　ill　providence　to　themselves。　　In　the　second；　no　maid　would　covet　him　whom　fate　had　given　to　another；　it　were　too　fatiguing；　or　if　such　a　thing　DID　happen；　then　one　of　them　would　waive　his　claims；　for　no　man　or　woman　ever　born　was　worth　a　wrangle；　and　it　is　allowed　us　to　barter　and　change　a　little。〃

All　this　was　strange　enough。　　I　could　not　but　laugh；　while　An　laughed　at　the　lightest　invitation；　and　thus　chatting　and　deriding　each　other's　social　arrangements　we　floated　idly　townwards　and　presently　came　out　into　the　main　waterway　perhaps　a　mile　wide　and　flowing