the coming race-第5部分

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ained　to　sing　in　artful　tunes；　and　greatly　exceeded　the　skill　of　our　piping　bullfinches；　which　can　rarely　achieve　more　than　two　tunes；　and　cannot；　I　believe；　sing　those　in　concert。　　One　might　have　supposed　one's　self　at　an　opera　in　listening　to　the　voices　in　my　aviary。　　There　were　duets　and　trios；　and　quartetts　and　choruses；　all　arranged　as　in　one　piece　of　music。　　Did　I　want　silence　from　the　birds？　I　had　but　to　draw　a　curtain　over　the　aviary；　and　their　song　hushed　as　they　found　themselves　left　in　the　dark。　　Another　opening　formed　a　window；　not　glazed；　but　on　touching　a　spring；　a　shutter　ascended　from　the　floor；　formed　of　some　substance　less　transparent　than　glass；　but　still　sufficiently　pellucid　to　allow　a　softened　view　of　the　scene　without。　　To　this　window　was　attached　a　balcony；　or　rather　hanging　garden；　wherein　grew　many　graceful　plants　and　brilliant　flowers。　　The　apartment　and　its　appurtenances　had　thus　a　character；　if　strange　in　detail；　still　familiar；　as　a　whole；　to　modern　notions　of　luxury；　and　would　have　excited　admiration　if　found　attached　to　the　apartments　of　an　English　duchess　or　a　fashionable　French　author。　　Before　I　arrived　this　was　Zee's　chamber；　she　had　hospitably　assigned　it　to　me。

Some　hours　after　the　waking　up　which　is　described　in　my　last　chapter；　I　was　lying　alone　on　my　couch　trying　to　fix　my　thoughts　on　conjecture　as　to　the　nature　and　genus　of　the　people　amongst　whom　I　was　thrown；　when　my　host　and　his　daughter　Zee　entered　the　room。　　My　host；　still　speaking　my　native　language；　inquired　with　much　politeness；　whether　it　would　be　agreeable　to　me　to　converse；　or　if　I　preferred　solitude。　　I　replied；　that　I　should　feel　much　honoured　and　obliged　by　the　opportunity　offered　me　to　express　my　gratitude　for　the　hospitality　and　civilities　I　had　received　in　a　country　to　which　I　was　a　stranger；　25and　to　learn　enough　of　its　customs　and　manners　not　to　offend　through　ignorance。

As　I　spoke；　I　had　of　course　risen　from　my　couch：　but　Zee；　much　to　my　confusion；　curtly　ordered　me　to　lie　down　again；　and　there　was　something　in　her　voice　and　eye；　gentle　as　both　were；　that　compelled　my　obedience。　　She　then　seated　herself　unconcernedly　at　the　foot　of　my　bed；　while　her　father　took　his　place　on　a　divan　a　few　feet　distant。

〃But　what　part　of　the　world　do　you　come　from？〃　　asked　my　host；　〃that　we　should　appear　so　strange　to　you　and　you　to　us？　　I　have　seen　individual　specimens　of　nearly　all　the　races　differing　from　our　own；　except　the　primeval　savages　who　dwell　in　the　most　desolate　and　remote　recesses　of　uncultivated　nature；　unacquainted　with　other　light　than　that　they　obtain　from　volcanic　fires；　and　contented　to　grope　their　way　in　the　dark；　as　do　many　creeping；　crawling　and　flying　things。　　But　certainly　you　cannot　be　a　member　of　those　barbarous　tribes；　nor；　on　the　other　hand；　do　you　seem　to　belong　to　any　civilised　people。〃

I　was　somewhat　nettled　at　this　last　observation；　and　replied　that　I　had　the　honour　to　belong　to　one　of　the　most　civilised　nations　of　the　earth；　and　that；　so　far　as　light　was　concerned；　while　I　admired　the　ingenuity　and　disregard　of　expense　with　which　my　host　and　his　fellow…citizens　had　contrived　to　illumine　the　regions　unpenetrated　by　the　rays　of　the　sun；　yet　I　could　not　conceive　how　any　who　had　once　beheld　the　orbs　of　heaven　could　compare　to　their　lustre　the　artificial　lights　invented　by　the　necessities　of　man。　　But　my　host　said　he　had　seen　specimens　of　most　of　the　races　differing　from　his　own；　save　the　wretched　barbarians　he　had　mentioned。　　Now；　was　it　possible　that　he　had　never　been　on　the　surface　of　the　earth；　or　could　he　only　be　referring　to　communities　buried　within　its　entrails？

My　host　was　for　some　moments　silent；　his　countenance　showed　a　degree　of　surprise　which　the　people　of　that　race　very　rarely　26manifest　under　any　circumstances；　howsoever　extraordinary。　　But　Zee　was　more　intelligent；　and　exclaimed；　〃So　you　see；　my　father；　that　there　is　truth　in　the　old　tradition；　there　always　is　truth　in　every　tradition　commonly　believed　in　all　times　and　by　all　tribes。〃

〃Zee；〃　said　my　host　mildly；　〃you　belong　to　the　College　of　Sages；　and　ought　to　be　wiser　than　I　am；　but；　as　chief　of　the　Light…preserving　Council；　it　is　my　duty　to　take　nothing　for　granted　till　it　is　proved　to　the　evidence　of　my　own　senses。〃　Then；　turning　to　me；　he　asked　me　several　questions　about　the　surface　of　the　earth　and　the　heavenly　bodies；　upon　which；　though　I　answered　him　to　the　best　of　my　knowledge；　my　answers　seemed　not　to　satisfy　nor　convince　him。　　He　shook　his　head　quietly；　and；　changing　the　subject　rather　abruptly；　asked　how　I　had　come　down　from　what　he　was　pleased　to　call　one　world　to　the　other。　　I　answered；　that　under　the　surface　of　the　earth　there　were　mines　containing　minerals；　or　metals；　essential　to　our　wants　and　our　progress　in　all　arts　and　industries；　and　I　then　briefly　explained　the　manner　in　which；　while　exploring　one　of　those　mines；　I　and　my　ill…fated　friend　had　obtained　a　glimpse　of　the　regions　into　which　we　had　descended；　and　how　the　descent　had　cost　him　his　life；　appealing　to　the　rope　and　grappling…　hooks　that　the　child　had　brought　to　the　house　in　which　I　had　been　at　first　received；　as　a　witness　of　the　truthfulness　of　my　story。

My　host　then　proceeded　to　question　me　as　to　the　habits　and　modes　of　life　among　the　races　on　the　upper　earth；　more　especially　among　those　considered　to　be　the　most　advanced　in　that　civilisation　which　he　was　pleased　to　define　〃the　art　of　diffusing　throughout　a　community　the　tranquil　happiness　which　belongs　to　a　virtuous　and　well…ordered　household。〃　Naturally　desiring　to　represent　in　the　most　favourable　colours　the　world　from　which　I　came；　I　touched　but　slightly；　though　indulgently；　on　the　antiquated　and　decaying　institutions　of　Europe；　in　order　27to　expatiate　on　the　present　grandeur　and　prospective　pre…eminence　of　that　glorious　American　Republic；　in　which　Europe　enviously　seeks　its　model　and　tremblingly　foresees　its　doom。　　Selecting　for　an　example　of　the　social　life　of　the　United　States　that　city　in　which　progress　advances　at　the　fastest　rate；　I　indulged　in　an　animated　description　of　the　moral　habits　of　New　York。　　Mortified　to　see；　by　the　faces　of　my　listeners；　that　I　did　not　make　the　favourable　impression　I　had　anticipated；　I　elevated　my　theme；　dwelling　on　the　excellence　of　democratic　institutions；　their　promotion　of　tranquil　happiness　by　the　government　of　party；　and　the　mode　in　which　they　diffused　such　happiness　throughout　the　community　by　preferring；　for　the　exercise　of　power　and　the　acquisition　of　honours；　the　lowliest　citizens　in　point　of　property；　education；　and　character。　　Fortunately　recollecting　the　peroration　of　a　speech；　on　the　purifying　influences　of　American　democracy　and　their　destined　spread　over　the　world；　made　by　a　certain　eloquent　senator　（for　whose　vote　in　the　Senate　a　Railway　Company；　to　which　my　two　brothers　belonged；　had　just　paid　20；000　dollars）；　I　wound　up　by　repeating　its　glowing　predictions　of　the　magnificent　future　that　smiled　upon　mankind…　when　the　flag　of　freedom　should　float　over　an　entire　continent；　and　two　hundred　millions　of　intelligent　citizens；　accustomed　from　infancy　to　the　daily　use　of　revolvers；　should　apply　to　a　cowering　universe　the　doctrine　of　the　Patriot　Monroe。

When　I　had　concluded；　my　host　gently　shook　his　head；　and　fell　into　a　musing　study；　making　a　sign　to　me　and　his　daughter　to　remain　silent　while　he　reflected。　　And　after　a　time　he　said；　in　a　very　earnest　and　solemn　tone；　〃If　you　think　as　you　say；　that　you；　though　a　stranger；　have　received　kindness　at　the　hands　of　me　and　mine；　I　adjure　you　to　reveal　nothing　to　any　other　of　our　people　respecting　the　world　from　which　you　came；　unless；　on　consideration；　I　give　you　permission　to　do　so。　　Do　you　consent　to　this　request？〃

28〃Of　course　I　pledge　my　word；　to　it；〃　said　I；　somewhat　amazed；　and　I　extended　my　right　hand　to　grasp　his。　　But　he　placed　my　hand　gently　on　his　forehead　and　his　own　right　hand　on　my　breast；　which　is　the　custom　amongst　this　race　in　all　matters　of　promise　or　verbal　obligations。　　Then　turning　to　his　daughter；　he　said；　〃And　you；　Zee；　will　not　repeat　to　any　one　what　the　stranger　has　said；　or　may　say；　to　me　or　to　you；　of　a　world　other　than　our　own。〃　Zee　rose　and　kissed　her　father　on　the　temples；　saying；　with　a　smile；　〃A　Gy's　tongue　is　wanton；　but　love　can　fetter　it　fast。　　And　if；　my　father；　you　fear　lest　a　chance　word　from　me　or　yourself　could　expose　our　community　to　danger；　by　a　desire　to　explore　a　world　beyond　us；　will　not　a　wave　of　the　'vril；'　properly　impelled；　wash　even　the　memory　of　what　we　have　heard　the　stranger　say　out　of　the　tablets　of　the　brain？〃

〃What　is　the　vril？〃　　I　asked。

Therewith　Zee　began　to　enter　into　an　explanation　of　which　I　understood　very　little；　for　there　is　no　word　in　any　language　I　know　which　is　an　exact　synonym　for　vril。　　I　should　call　it　electricity；　except　that　it　comprehends　in　its　manifold　branches　other　forces　of　nature；　to　which；　in　our　scientific　nomenclature；　differing　names　are　assigned；　such　as　magnetism；　galvanism；　&c。　　These　people　consider　that　in　vril　they　have　arrived　at　the　unity　in　natural　energetic　agencies；　which　has　been　conjectured　by　many　philosophers　above　ground；　and　which　Faraday　thus　intimates　under　the　more　cautious　term　of　correlation：…