the coming race-第3部分

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Through　one　of　these　doorways　I　was　conducted　into　a　chamber　fitted　up　with　an　oriental　splendour；　the　walls　were　tesselated　with　spars；　and　metals；　and　uncut　jewels；　cushions　and　divans　abounded；　apertures　as　for　windows　but　unglazed；　were　made　in　the　chamber　opening　to　the　floor；　and　as　I　passed　along　I　15observed　that　these　openings　led　into　spacious　balconies；　and　commanded　views　of　the　illumined　landscape　without。　　In　cages　suspended　from　the　ceiling　there　were　birds　of　strange　form　and　bright　plumage；　which　at　our　entrance　set　up　a　chorus　of　song；　modulated　into　tune　as　is　that　of　our　piping　bullfinches。　　A　delicious　fragrance；　from　censers　of　gold　elaborately　sculptured；　filled　the　air。　　Several　automata；　like　the　one　I　had　seen；　stood　dumb　and　motionless　by　the　walls。　　The　stranger　placed　me　beside　him　on　a　divan　and　again　spoke　to　me；　and　again　I　spoke；　but　without　the　least　advance　towards　understanding　each　other。

But　now　I　began　to　feel　the　effects　of　the　blow　I　had　received　from　the　splinters　of　the　falling　rock　more　acutely　that　I　had　done　at　first。


There　came　over　me　a　sense　of　sickly　faintness；　accompanied　with　acute；　lancinating　pains　in　the　head　and　neck。　　I　sank　back　on　the　seat　and　strove　in　vain　to　stifle　a　groan。　　On　this　the　child；　who　had　hitherto　seemed　to　eye　me　with　distrust　or　dislike；　knelt　by　my　side　to　support　me；　taking　one　of　my　hands　in　both　his　own；　he　approached　his　lips　to　my　forehead；　breathing　on　it　softly。　　In　a　few　moments　my　pain　ceased；　a　drowsy；　heavy　calm　crept　over　me；　I　fell　asleep。

How　long　I　remained　in　this　state　I　know　not；　but　when　I　woke　I　felt　perfectly　restored。　　My　eyes　opened　upon　a　group　of　silent　forms；　seated　around　me　in　the　gravity　and　quietude　of　Orientals…　all　more　or　less　like　the　first　stranger；　the　same　mantling　wings；　the　same　fashion　of　garment；　the　same　sphinx…like　faces；　with　the　deep　dark　eyes　and　red　man's　colour；　above　all；　the　same　type　of　race…　race　akin　to　man's；　but　infinitely　stronger　of　form　and　grandeur　of　aspect…　and　inspiring　the　same　unutterable　feeling　of　dread。　　Yet　each　countenance　was　mild　and　tranquil；　and　even　kindly　in　expression。　　And；　strangely　enough；　it　seemed　to　me　that　in　this　very　calm　and　benignity　consisted　the　secret　of　the　dread　which　the　countenances　inspired。　　They　seemed　as　void　of　the　lines　and　shadows　which　care　and　sorrow；　and　passion　and　sin；　16leave　upon　the　faces　of　men；　as　are　the　faces　of　sculptured　gods；　or　as；　in　the　eyes　of　Christian　mourners；　seem　the　peaceful　brows　of　the　dead。

I　felt　a　warm　hand　on　my　shoulder；　it　was　the　child's。　　In　his　eyes　there　was　a　sort　of　lofty　pity　and　tenderness；　such　as　that　with　which　we　may　gaze　on　some　suffering　bird　or　butterfly。　　I　shrank　from　that　touch…　I　shrank　from　that　eye。　　I　was　vaguely　impressed　with　a　belief　that；　had　he　so　pleased；　that　child　could　have　killed　me　as　easily　as　a　man　can　kill　a　bird　or　a　butterfly。　　The　child　seemed　pained　at　my　repugnance；　quitted　me；　and　placed　himself　beside　one　of　the　windows。　　The　others　continued　to　converse　with　each　other　in　a　low　tone；　and　by　their　glances　towards　me　I　could　perceive　that　I　was　the　object　of　their　conversation。　　One　in　especial　seemed　to　be　urging　some　proposal　affecting　me　on　the　being　whom　I　had　first　met；　and　this　last　by　his　gesture　seemed　about　to　assent　to　it；　when　the　child　suddenly　quitted　his　post　by　the　window；　placed　himself　between　me　and　the　other　forms；　as　if　in　protection；　and　spoke　quickly　and　eagerly。　　By　some　intuition　or　instinct　I　felt　that　the　child　I　had　before　so　dreaded　was　pleading　in　my　behalf。　　Ere　he　had　ceased　another　stranger　entered　the　room。　　He　appeared　older　than　the　rest；　though　not　old；　his　countenance　less　smoothly　serene　than　theirs；　though　equally　regular　in　its　features；　seemed　to　me　to　have　more　the　touch　of　a　humanity　akin　to　my　own。　　He　listened　quietly　to　the　words　addressed　to　him；　first　by　my　guide；　next　by　two　others　of　the　group；　and　lastly　by　the　child；　then　turned　towards　myself；　and　addressed　me；　not　by　words；　but　by　signs　and　gestures。　　These　I　fancied　that　I　perfectly　understood；　and　I　was　not　mistaken。　　I　comprehended　that　he　inquired　whence　I　came。　　I　extended　my　arm；　and　pointed　towards　the　road　which　had　led　me　from　the　chasm　in　the　rock；　then　an　idea　seized　me。　　I　drew　forth　my　pocket…book；　and　sketched　on　one　of　its　blank　leaves　a　rough　design　of　the　ledge　of　the　rock；　the　rope；　myself　clinging　to　it；　then　of　the　cavernous　rock　below；　the　head　of　the　reptile；　17the　lifeless　form　of　my　friend。　　I　gave　this　primitive　kind　of　hieroglyph　to　my　interrogator；　who；　after　inspecting　it　gravely；　handed　it　to　his　next　neighbour；　and　it　thus　passed　round　the　group。　　The　being　I　had　at　first　encountered　then　said　a　few　words；　and　the　child；　who　approached　and　looked　at　my　drawing；　nodded　as　if　he　comprehended　its　purport；　and；　returning　to　the　window；　expanded　the　wings　attached　to　his　form；　shook　them　once　or　twice；　and　then　launched　himself　into　space　without。　　I　started　up　in　amaze　and　hastened　to　the　window。　　The　child　was　already　in　the　air；　buoyed　on　his　wings；　which　he　did　not　flap　to　and　fro　as　a　bird　does；　but　which　were　elevated　over　his　head；　and　seemed　to　bear　him　steadily　aloft　without　effort　of　his　own。　　His　flight　seemed　as　swift　as　an　eagle's；　and　I　observed　that　it　was　towards　the　rock　whence　I　had　descended；　of　which　the　outline　loomed　visible　in　the　brilliant　atmosphere。　　In　a　very　few　minutes　he　returned；　skimming　through　the　opening　from　which　he　had　gone；　and　dropping　on　the　floor　the　rope　and　grappling…hooks　I　had　left　at　the　descent　from　the　chasm。　　Some　words　in　a　low　tone　passed　between　the　being　present；　one　of　the　group　touched　an　automaton；　which　started　forward　and　glided　from　the　room；　then　the　last　comer；　who　had　addressed　me　by　gestures；　rose；　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　led　me　into　the　corridor。　　There　the　platform　by　which　I　had　mounted　awaited　us；　we　placed　ourselves　on　it　and　were　lowered　into　the　hall　below。　　My　new　companion；　still　holding　me　by　the　hand；　conducted　me　from　the　building　into　a　street　（so　to　speak）　that　stretched　beyond　it；　with　buildings　on　either　side；　separated　from　each　other　by　gardens　bright　with　rich…coloured　vegetation　and　strange　flowers。　　Interspersed　amidst　these　gardens；　which　were　divided　from　each　other　by　low　walls；　or　walking　slowly　along　the　road；　were　many　forms　similar　to　those　I　had　already　seen。　　Some　of　the　passers…by；　on　observing　me；　approached　my　guide；　evidently　by　their　tones；　looks；　and　gestures　addressing　to　him　inquiries　18about　myself。　　In　a　few　moments　a　crowd　collected　around　us；　examining　me　with　great　interest；　as　if　I　were　some　rare　wild　animal。　　Yet　even　in　gratifying　their　curiosity　they　preserved　a　grave　and　courteous　demeanour；　and　after　a　few　words　from　my　guide；　who　seemed　to　me　to　deprecate　obstruction　in　our　road；　they　fell　back　with　a　stately　inclination　of　head；　and　resumed　their　own　way　with　tranquil　indifference。　　Midway　in　this　thoroughfare　we　stopped　at　a　building　that　differed　from　those　we　had　hitherto　passed；　inasmuch　as　it　formed　three　sides　of　a　vast　court；　at　the　angles　of　which　were　lofty　pyramidal　towers；　in　the　open　space　between　the　sides　was　a　circular　fountain　of　colossal　dimensions；　and　throwing　up　a　dazzling　spray　of　what　seemed　to　me　fire。　　We　entered　the　building　through　an　open　doorway　and　came　into　an　enormous　hall；　in　which　were　several　groups　of　children；　all　apparently　employed　in　work　as　at　some　great　factory。　　There　was　a　huge　engine　in　the　wall　which　was　in　full　play；　with　wheels　and　cylinders　resembling　our　own　steam…engines；　except　that　it　was　richly　ornamented　with　precious　stones　and　metals；　and　appeared　to　emanate　a　pale　phosphorescent　atmosphere　of　shifting　light。　　Many　of　the　children　were　at　some　mysterious　work　on　this　machinery；　others　were　seated　before　tables。　　I　was　not　allowed　to　linger　long　enough　to　examine　into　the　nature　of　their　employment。　　Not　one　young　voice　was　heard…　not　one　young　face　turned　to　gaze　on　us。　　They　were　all　still　and　indifferent　as　may　be　ghosts；　through　the　midst　of　which　pass　unnoticed　the　forms　of　the　living。

Quitting　this　hall；　my　guide　led　me　through　a　gallery　richly　painted　in　compartments；　with　a　barbaric　mixture　of　gold　in　the　colours；　like　pictures　by　Louis　Cranach。　　The　subjects　described　on　these　walls　appeared　to　my　glance　as　intended　to　illustrate　events　in　the　history　of　the　race　amidst　which　I　was　admitted。　　In　all　there　were　figures；　most　of　them　like　the　manlike　creatures　I　had　seen；　but　not　all　in　the　same　fashion　of　garb；　nor　all　with　wings。　　There　were　also　the　effigies　of　19various　animals　and　birds；　wholly　strange　to　me；　with　backgrounds　depicting　landscapes　or　buildings。　　So　far　as　my　imperfect　knowledge　of　the　pictorial　art　would　allow　me　to　form　an　opinion；　these　paintings　seemed　very　accurate　in　design　and　very　rich　in　colouring；　showing　a　perfect　knowledge　of　perspective；　but　their　details　not　arranged　according　to　the　rules　of　composition　acknowledged　by　our　artists…　wanting；　as　it　were；　a　centre；　so　that　the　effect　was　vague；　scattered；　confused；　bewildering…　they　were　like　heterogeneous　fragments　of　a　dream　of　art。

We　now　came　into　a　room　of　moderate　size；　in　which