gulliver of mars-第1部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！




GULLIVER　OF　MARS

by　Edwin　L。　Arnold


Original　Title：　Lieut。　Gulliver　Jones





CHAPTER　I


Dare　I　say　it？　　Dare　I　say　that　I；　a　plain；　prosaic　lieutenant　in　the　republican　service　have　done　the　incredible　things　here　set　out　for　the　love　of　a　womanfor　a　chimera　in　female　shape；　for　a　pale；　vapid　ghost　of　woman…loveliness？　At　times　I　tell　myself　I　dare　not：　that　you　will　laugh；　and　cast　me　aside　as　a　fabricator；　and　then　again　I　pick　up　my　pen　and　collect　the　scattered　pages；　for　I　MUST　write　itthe　pallid　splendour　of　that　thing　I　loved；　and　won；　and　lost　is　ever　before　me；　and　will　not　be　forgotten。　　The　tumult　of　the　struggle　into　which　that　vision　led　me　still　throbs　in　my　mind；　the　soft；　lisping　voices　of　the　planet　I　ransacked　for　its　sake　and　the　roar　of　the　destruction　which　followed　me　back　from　the　quest　drowns　all　other　sounds　in　my　ears！　　I　must　and　will　writeit　relieves　me；　read　and　believe　as　you　list。

At　the　moment　this　story　commences　I　was　thinking　of　grill…　ed　steak　and　tomatoessteak　crisp　and　brown　on　both　sides；　and　tomatoes　red　as　a　setting　sun！

Much　else　though　I　have　forgotten；　THAT　fact　remains　as　clear　as　the　last　sight　of　a　well…remembered　shore　in　the　mind　of　some　wave…tossed　traveller。　　And　the　occasion　which　produced　that　prosaic　thought　was　a　night　well　calculated　to　make　one　think　of　supper　and　fireside；　though　the　one　might　be　frugal　and　the　other　lonely；　and　as　I；　Gulliver　Jones；　the　poor　foresaid　Navy　lieutenant；　with　the　honoured　stars　of　our　Republic　on　my　collar；　and　an　undeserved　snub　from　those　in　authority　rankling　in　my　heart；　picked　my　way　homeward　by　a　short　cut　through　the　dismalness　of　a　New　York　slum　I　longed　for　steak　and　stout；　slippers　and　a　pipe；　with　all　the　pathetic　keenness　of　a　troubled　soul。

It　was　a　wild；　black　kind　of　night；　and　the　weirdness　of　it　showed　up　as　I　passed　from　light　to　light　or　crossed　the　mouths　of　dim　alleys　leading　Heaven　knows　to　what　infernal　dens　of　mystery　and　crime　even　in　this　latter…day　city　of　ours。　The　moon　was　up　as　far　as　the　church　steeples；　large　vapoury　clouds　scudding　across　the　sky　between　us　and　her；　and　a　strong；　gusty　wind；　laden　with　big　raindrops　snarled　angrily　round　corners　and　sighed　in　the　parapets　like　strange　voices　talking　about　things　not　of　human　interest。

It　made　no　difference　to　me；　of　course。　　New　York　in　this　year　of　grace　is　not　the　place　for　the　supernatural　be　the　time　never　so　fit　for　witch…riding　and　the　night　wind　in　the　chimney…stacks　sound　never　so　much　like　the　last　gurgling　cries　of　throttled　men。　　No！　the　world　was　very　matter…of…fact；　and　particularly　so　to　me；　a　poor　younger　son　with　five　dollars　in　my　purse　by　way　of　fortune；　a　packet　of　unpaid　bills　in　my　breastpocket；　and　round　my　neck　a　locket　with　a　portrait　therein　of　that　dear　buxom；　freckled；　stub…nosed　girl　away　in　a　little　southern　seaport　town　whom　I　thought　I　loved　with　a　magnificent　affection。　　Gods！　I　had　not　even　touched　the　fringe　of　that　affliction。

Thus　sauntering　along　moodily；　my　chin　on　my　chest　and　much　too　absorbed　in　reflection　to　have　any　nice　apprecia…　tion　of　what　was　happening　about　me；　I　was　crossing　in　front　of　a　dilapidated　block　of　houses；　dating　back　nearly　to　the　time　of　the　Pilgrim　Fathers；　when　I　had　a　vague　consciousness　of　something　dark　suddenly　sweeping　by　me　a　thing　like　a　huge　bat；　or　a　solid　shadow；　if　such　a　thing　could　be；　and　the　next　instant　there　was　a　thud　and　a　bump；　a　bump　again；　a　half…stifled　cry；　and　then　a　hurried　vision　of　some　black　carpeting　that　flapped　and　shook　as　though　all　the　winds　of　Eblis　were　in　its　folds；　and　then　apparently　disgorged　from　its　inmost　recesses　a　little　man。

Before　my　first　start　of　half…amused　surprise　was　over　I　saw　him　by　the　flickering　lamp…light　clutch　at　space　as　he　tried　to　steady　himself；　stumble　on　the　slippery　curb；　and　the　next　moment　go　down　on　the　back　of　his　head　with　a　most　ugly　thud。

Now　I　was　not　destitute　of　feeling；　though　it　had　been　my　lot　to　see　men　die　in　many　ways；　and　I　ran　over　to　that　motionless　form　without　an　idea　that　anything　but　an　ordinary　accident　had　occurred。　　There　he　lay；　silent　and；　as　it　turned　out　afterwards；　dead　as　a　door…nail；　the　strangest　old　fellow　ever　eyes　looked　upon；　dressed　in　shabby　sorrel…　coloured　clothes　of　antique　cut；　with　a　long　grey　beard　upon　his　chin；　pent…roof　eyebrows；　and　a　wizened　complexion　so　puckered　and　tanned　by　exposure　to　Heaven　only　knew　what　weathers　that　it　was　impossible　to　guess　his　nationality。

I　lifted　him　up　out　of　the　puddle　of　black　blood　in　which　he　was　lying；　and　his　head　dropped　back　over　my　arm　as　though　it　had　been　fixed　to　his　body　with　string　alone。　　There　was　neither　heart…beat　nor　breath　in　him；　and　the　last　flicker　of　life　faded　out　of　that　gaunt　face　even　as　I　watched。　　It　was　not　altogether　a　pleasant　situation；　and　the　only　thing　to　do　appeared　to　be　to　get　the　dead　man　into　proper　care　（though　little　good　it　could　do　him　now！）　as　speedily　as　possible。　　So；　sending　a　chance　passer…by　into　the　main　street　for　a　cab；　I　placed　him　into　it　as　soon　as　it　came；　and　there　being　nobody　else　to　go；　got　in　with　him　myself；　telling　the　driver　at　the　same　time　to　take　us　to　the　nearest　hospital。

〃Is　this　your　rug；　captain？〃　asked　a　bystander　just　as　we　were　driving　off。

〃Not　mine；〃　I　answered　somewhat　roughly。　　〃You　don't　suppose　I　go　about　at　this　time　of　night　with　Turkey　carpets　under　my　arm；　do　you？　　It　belongs　to　this　old　chap　here　who　has　just　dropped　out　of　the　skies　on　to　his　head；　chuck　it　on　top　and　shut　the　door！〃　　And　that　rug；　the　very　main…　spring　of　the　startling　things　which　followed；　was　thus　care…　lessly　thrown　on　to　the　carriage；　and　off　we　went。

Well；　to　be　brief；　I　handed　in　that　stark　old　traveller　from　nowhere　at　the　hospital；　and　as　a　matter　of　curiosity　sat　in　the　waiting…room　while　they　examined　him。　　In　five　minutes　the　house…surgeon　on　duty　came　in　to　see　me；　and　with　a　shake　of　his　head　said　briefly

〃Gone；　sirclean　gone！　　Broke　his　neck　like　a　pipe…stem。　Most　strange…looking　man；　and　none　of　us　can　even　guess　at　his　age。　　Not　a　friend　of　yours；　I　suppose？〃

〃Nothing　whatever　to　do　with　me；　sir。　　He　slipped　on　the　pavement　and　fell　in　front　of　me　just　now；　and　as　a　mat…　ter　of　common　charity　I　brought　him　in　here。　　Were　there　any　means　of　identification　on　him？〃

〃None　whatever；〃　answered　the　doctor；　taking　out　his　notebook　and；　as　a　matter　of　form；　writing　down　my　name　and　address　and　a　few　brief　particulars；　〃nothing　what…　ever　except　this　curious…looking　bead　hung　round　his　neck　by　a　blackened　thong　of　leather；〃　and　he　handed　me　a　thing　about　as　big　as　a　filbert　nut　with　a　loop　for　suspension　and　apparently　of　rock　crystal；　though　so　begrimed　and　dull　its　nature　was　difficult　to　speak　of　with　certainty。　　The　bead　was　of　no　seeming　value　and　slipped　unintentionally　into　my　waistcoat　pocket　as　I　chatted　for　a　few　minutes　more　with　the　doctor；　and　then；　shaking　hands；　I　said　goodbye；　and　went　back　to　the　cab　which　was　still　waiting　outside。

It　was　only　on　reaching　home　I　noticed　the　hospital　porters　had　omitted　to　take　the　dead　man's　carpet　from　the　roof　of　the　cab　when　they　carried　him　in；　and　as　the　cab…　man　did　not　care　about　driving　back　to　the　hospital　with　it；　and　it　could　not　well　be　left　in　the　street；　I　somewhat　reluctantly　carried　it　indoors　with　me。

Once　in　the　shine　of　my　own　lamp　and　a　cigar　in　my　mouth　I　had　a　closer　look　at　that　ancient　piece　of　art　work　from　heaven；　or　the　other　place；　only　knows　what　ancient　loom。

A　big；　strong　rug　of　faded　Oriental　colouring；　it　covered　half　the　floor　of　my　sitting…room；　the　substance　being　of　a　material　more　like　camel's　hair　than　anything　else；　and　run…　ning　across；　when　examined　closely；　were　some　dark　fibres　so　long　and　fine　that　surely　they　must　have　come　from　the　tail　of　Solomon's　favourite　black　stallion　itself。　　But　the　strangest　thing　about　that　carpet　was　its　pattern。　　It　was　threadbare　enough　to　all　conscience　in　places；　yet　the　design　still　lived　in　solemn；　age…wasted　hues；　and；　as　I　dragged　it　to　my　stove…front　and　spread　it　out；　it　seemed　to　me　that　it　was　as　much　like　a　star　map　done　by　a　scribe　who　had　lately　recovered　from　delirium　tremens　as　anything　else。　　In　the　centre　appeared　a　round　such　as　might　be　taken　for　the　sun；　while　here　and　there；　〃in　the　field；〃　as　heralds　say；　were　lesser　orbs　which　from　their　size　and　position　could　represent　smaller　worlds　circling　about　it。　　Between　these　orbs　were　dotted　lines　and　arrow…heads　of　the　oldest　form　pointing　in　all　directions；　while　all　the　intervening　spaces　were　filled　up　with　woven　characters　half…way　in　appearance　between　Runes　and　Cryptic…Sanskrit。　　Round　the　borders　these　characters　ran　into　a　wild　maze；　a　perfect　jungle　of　an　alphabet　through　which　none　but　a　wizard　could　have　forced　a　way　in　search　of　meaning。

Altogether；　I　thought　as　I　kicked　it　out　straight　upon　my　　floor；　it　was　a　strange　and　not　unhandsome　article　of　furnitureit　would　do　nicely　for　the　mess…room　on　the　　Carolina；　and　if　any　representatives　of　yonder　poor　old　fel…　low　turned　up　tomorrow；　why；　I　would　give　them　a　couple　of　dollars　for　it。　　Little　did　I　guess　how　dear　it　would　be　at　any　price！

Meanwhile　that　st