the coming race-第4部分

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　of　art。

We　now　came　into　a　room　of　moderate　size；　in　which　was　assembled　what　I　afterwards　knew　to　be　the　family　of　my　guide；　seated　at　a　table　spread　as　for　repast。　　The　forms　thus　grouped　were　those　of　my　guide's　wife；　his　daughter；　and　two　sons。　　I　recognised　at　once　the　difference　between　the　two　sexes；　though　the　two　females　were　of　taller　stature　and　ampler　proportions　than　the　males；　and　their　countenances；　if　still　more　symmetrical　in　outline　and　contour；　were　devoid　of　the　softness　and　timidity　of　expression　which　give　charm　to　the　face　of　woman　as　seen　on　the　earth　above。　　The　wife　wore　no　wings；　the　daughter　wore　wings　longer　than　those　of　the　males。

My　guide　uttered　a　few　words；　on　which　all　the　persons　seated　rose；　and　with　that　peculiar　mildness　of　look　and　manner　which　I　have　before　noticed；　and　which　is；　in　truth；　the　common　attribute　of　this　formidable　race；　they　saluted　me　according　to　their　fashion；　which　consists　in　laying　the　right　hand　very　gently　on　the　head　and　uttering　a　soft　sibilant　monosyllable…　S。Si；　equivalent　to　〃Welcome。〃

The　mistress　of　the　house　then　seated　me　beside　her；　and　heaped　a　golden　platter　before　me　from　one　of　the　dishes。

While　I　ate　（and　though　the　viands　were　new　to　me；　I　marvelled　more　at　the　delicacy　than　the　strangeness　of　their　flavour）；　my　companions　conversed　quietly；　and；　so　far　as　I　could　detect；　with　polite　avoidance　of　any　direct　reference　to　myself；　or　any　20obtrusive　scrutiny　of　my　appearance。　　Yet　I　was　the　first　creature　of　that　variety　of　the　human　race　to　which　I　belong　that　they　had　ever　beheld；　and　was　consequently　regarded　by　them　as　a　most　curious　and　abnormal　phenomenon。　　But　all　rudeness　is　unknown　to　this　people；　and　the　youngest　child　is　taught　to　despise　any　vehement　emotional　demonstration。　　when　the　meal　was　ended；　my　guide　again　took　me　by　the　hand；　and；　re…entering　the　gallery；　touched　a　metallic　plate　inscribed　with　strange　figures；　and　which　I　rightly　conjectured　to　be　of　the　nature　of　our　telegraphs。　　A　platform　descended；　but　this　time　we　mounted　to　a　much　greater　height　than　in　the　former　building；　and　found　ourselves　in　a　room　of　moderate　dimensions；　and　which　in　its　general　character　had　much　that　might　be　familiar　to　the　associations　of　a　visitor　from　the　upper　world。　　There　were　shelves　on　the　wall　containing　what　appeared　to　be　books；　and　indeed　were　so；　mostly　very　small；　like　our　diamond　duodecimos；　shaped　in　the　fashion　of　our　volumes；　and　bound　in　sheets　of　fine　metal。　　There　were　several　curious…looking　pieces　of　mechanism　scattered　about；　apparently　models；　such　as　might　be　seen　in　the　study　of　any　professional　mechanician。　　Four　automata　（mechanical　contrivances　which；　with　these　people；　answer　the　ordinary　purposes　of　domestic　service）　stood　phantom…like　at　each　angle　in　the　wall。　　In　a　recess　was　a　low　couch；　or　bed　with　pillows。　　A　window；　with　curtains　of　some　fibrous　material　drawn　aside；　opened　upon　a　large　balcony。　　My　host　stepped　out　into　the　balcony；　I　followed　him。　　We　were　on　the　uppermost　story　of　one　of　the　angular　pyramids；　the　view　beyond　was　of　a　wild　and　solemn　beauty　impossible　to　describe：…　the　vast　ranges　of　precipitous　rock　which　formed　the　distant　background；　the　intermediate　valleys　of　mystic　many…coloured　herbiage；　the　flash　of　waters；　many　of　them　like　streams　of　roseate　flame；　the　serene　lustre　diffused　over　all　by　myriads　of　lamps；　combined　to　form　a　whole　of　which　no　words　of　mine　21can　convey　adequate　description；　so　splendid　was　it；　yet　so　sombre；　so　lovely；　yet　so　awful。

But　my　attention　was　soon　diverted　from　these　nether　landscapes。　　Suddenly　there　arose；　as　from　the　streets　below；　a　burst　of　joyous　music；　then　a　winged　form　soared　into　the　space；　another　as　if　in　chase　of　the　first；　another　and　another；　others　after　others；　till　the　crowd　grew　thick　and　the　number　countless。　　But　how　describe　the　fantastic　grace　of　these　forms　in　their　undulating　movements！　They　appeared　engaged　in　some　sport　or　amusement；　now　forming　into　opposite　squadrons；　now　scattering；　now　each　group　threading　the　other；　soaring；　descending；　interweaving；　severing；　all　in　measured　time　to　the　music　below；　as　if　in　the　dance　of　the　fabled　Peri。

I　turned　my　gaze　on　my　host　in　a　feverish　wonder。　　I　ventured　to　place　my　hand　on　the　large　wings　that　lay　folded　on　his　breast；　and　in　doing　so　a　slight　shock　as　of　electricity　passed　through　me。　　I　recoiled　in　fear；　my　host　smiled；　and　as　if　courteously　to　gratify　my　curiosity；　slowly　expanded　his　pinions。　　I　observed　that　his　garment　beneath　them　became　dilated　as　a　bladder　that　fills　with　air。　　The　arms　seemed　to　slide　into　the　wings；　and　in　another　moment　he　had　launched　himself　into　the　luminous　atmosphere；　and　hovered　there；　still；　and　with　outspread　wings；　as　an　eagle　that　basks　in　the　sun。　　Then；　rapidly　as　an　eagle　swoops；　he　rushed　downwards　into　the　midst　of　one　of　the　groups；　skimming　through　the　midst；　and　as　suddenly　again　soaring　aloft。　　Thereon；　three　forms；　in　one　of　which　I　thought　to　recognise　my　host's　daughter；　detached　themselves　from　the　rest；　and　followed　him　as　a　bird　sportively　follows　a　bird。　　My　eyes；　dazzled　with　the　lights　and　bewildered　by　the　throngs；　ceased　to　distinguish　the　gyrations　and　evolutions　of　these　winged　playmates；　till　presently　my　host　re…emerged　from　the　crowd　and　alighted　at　my　side。

The　strangeness　of　all　I　had　seen　began　now　to　operate　fast　on　my　senses；　my　mind　itself　began　to　wander。　　Though　not　inclined　22to　be　superstitious；　nor　hitherto　believing　that　man　could　be　brought　into　bodily　communication　with　demons；　I　felt　the　terror　and　the　wild　excitement　with　which；　in　the　Gothic　ages；　a　traveller　might　have　persuaded　himself　that　he　witnessed　a　'sabbat'　of　fiends　and　witches。　　I　have　a　vague　recollection　of　having　attempted　with　vehement　gesticulation；　and　forms　of　exorcism；　and　loud　incoherent　words；　to　repel　my　courteous　and　indulgent　host；　of　his　mild　endeavors　to　calm　and　soothe　me；　of　his　intelligent　conjecture　that　my　fright　and　bewilderment　were　occasioned　by　the　difference　of　form　and　movement　between　us　which　the　wings　that　had　excited　my　marvelling　curiosity　had；　in　exercise；　made　still　more　strongly　perceptible；　of　the　gentle　smile　with　which　he　had　sought　to　dispel　my　alarm　by　dropping　the　wings　to　the　ground　and　endeavouring　to　show　me　that　they　were　but　a　mechanical　contrivance。　　That　sudden　transformation　did　but　increase　my　horror；　and　as　extreme　fright　often　shows　itself　by　extreme　daring；　I　sprang　at　his　throat　like　a　wild　beast。　　On　an　instant　I　was　felled　to　the　ground　as　by　an　electric　shock；　and　the　last　confused　images　floating　before　my　sight　ere　I　became　wholly　insensible；　were　the　form　of　my　host　kneeling　beside　me　with　one　hand　on　my　forehead；　and　the　beautiful　calm　face　of　his　daughter；　with　large；　deep；　inscrutable　eyes　intently　fixed　upon　my　own。


Chapter　VI。


I　remained　in　this　unconscious　state；　as　I　afterwards　learned；　for　many　days；　even　for　some　weeks　according　to　our　computation　of　time。　　When　I　recovered　I　was　in　a　strange　room；　my　host　and　all　his　family　were　gathered　round　me；　and　to　my　utter　amaze　my　host's　daughter　accosted　me　in　my　own　language　with　a　slightly　foreign　accent。

〃How　do　you　feel？〃　　she　asked。

23It　was　some　moments　before　I　could　overcome　my　surprise　enough　to　falter　out；　〃You　know　my　language？　　How？　　Who　and　what　are　you？〃

My　host　smiled　and　motioned　to　one　of　his　sons；　who　then　took　from　a　table　a　number　of　thin　metallic　sheets　on　which　were　traced　drawings　of　various　figures…　a　house；　a　tree；　a　bird；　a　man；　&c。

In　these　designs　I　recognised　my　own　style　of　drawing。　　Under　each　figure　was　written　the　name　of　it　in　my　language；　and　in　my　writing；　and　in　another　handwriting　a　word　strange　to　me　beneath　it。

Said　the　host；　〃Thus　we　began；　and　my　daughter　Zee；　who　belongs　to　the　College　of　Sages；　has　been　your　instructress　and　ours　too。〃

Zee　then　placed　before　me　other　metallic　sheets；　on　which；　in　my　writing；　words　first；　and　then　sentences；　were　inscribed。　　Under　each　word　and　each　sentence　strange　characters　in　another　hand。　　Rallying　my　senses；　I　comprehended　that　thus　a　rude　dictionary　had　been　effected。　　Had　it　been　done　while　I　was　dreaming？　〃That　is　enough　now；〃　said　Zee；　in　a　tone　of　command。　　〃Repose　and　take　food。〃


Chapter　VII。


A　room　to　myself　was　assigned　to　me　in　this　vast　edifice。　　It　was　prettily　and　fantastically　arranged；　but　without　any　of　the　splendour　of　metal…work　or　gems　which　was　displayed　in　the　more　public　apartments。　　The　walls　were　hung　with　a　variegated　matting　made　from　the　stalks　and　fibers　of　plants；　and　the　floor　carpeted　with　the　same。

The　bed　was　without　curtains；　its　supports　of　iron　resting　on　balls　of　crystal；　the　coverings；　of　a　thin　white　substance　resembling　cotton。　　There　were　sundry　shelves　containing　books。　　24A　curtained　recess　communicated　with　an　aviary　filled　with　singing…　birds；　of　which　I　did　not　recognise　one　resembling　those　I　have　seen　on　earth；　except　a　beautiful　species　of　dove；　though　this　was　distinguished　from　our　doves　by　a　tall　crest　of　bluish　plumes。　　All　these　birds　had　been　trained　to　sing　in　artful　tunes；　and　greatly　exceeded　the　skill　of　our　piping　bullfinches；　which　can　r