gulliver of mars-第20部分

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t　and　feasting　with　as　good　an　appetite　as　ever　a　man　had　before。

It　was　gloriously　ambrosial；　and　deeper　and　deeper　I　went；　with　the　tall　stalk　of　the　smoke　in　front　growing　from　the　hearth…stones　like　some　strange　new　plant；　the　plea…　sant　sunshine　on　my　back；　and　never　a　thought　for　any…　thing　but　the　task　in　hand。　　Deeper　and　deeper；　oblivious　of　all　else；　until　to　get　the　very　last　drops　I　lifted　the　pipkin　up　and　putting　back　my　head　drank　in　that　fashion。

It　was　only　when　with　a　sigh　of　pleasure　I　lowered　it　slowly　again　that　over　the　rim　as　it　sank　there　dawned　upon　me　the　vision　of　a　Martian　standing　by　an　empty　canoe　on　the　edge　of　the　water　and　regarding　me　with　calm　amaze…　ment。　　I　was；　in　fact；　so　astonished　that　for　a　minute　the　empty　pot　stood　still　before　my　face；　and　over　its　edge　we　stared　at　each　other　in　mute　surprise；　then　with　all　the　dig…　nity　that　might　be　I　laid　the　vessel　down　between　my　feet　and　waited　for　the　newcomer　to　speak。　　She　was　a　girl　by　her　yellow　garb；　a　fisherwoman；　it　seemed；　for　in　the　prow　of　her　craft　was　piled　a　net　upon　which　the　scales　of　fishes　were　twinklinga　Martian；　obviously；　but　something　more　ro…　bust　than　most　of　them；　a　savour　of　honest　work　about　her　sunburnt　face　which　my　pallid　friends　away　yonder　were　lacking　in；　and　when　we　had　stared　at　each　other　for　a　few　moments　in　silence　she　came　forward　a　step　or　two　and　said　without　a　trace　of　fear　or　shyness；　〃Are　you　a　spirit；　sir？

〃Why；〃　I　answered；　〃about　as　much；　no　more　and　no　less；　than　most　of　us。〃

〃Aye；〃　she　said。　　〃I　thought　you　were；　for　none　but　spirits　live　here　upon　this　island；　are　you　for　good　or　evil？〃

〃Far　better　for　the　breakfast　of　which　I　fear　I　have　robbed　you；　but　wandering　along　the　shore　and　finding　this　pot　boiling　with　no　owner；　I　ventured　to　sample　it；　and　it　was　so　good　my　appetite　got　the　better　of　manners。〃

The　girl　bowed；　and　standing　at　a　respectful　distance　asked　if　I　would　like　some　fish　as　well；　she　had　some；　but　not　many；　and　if　I　would　eat　she　would　cook　them　for　me　in　a　minuteit　was　not　often；　she　added　lightly；　she　had　met　one　of　my　kind　before。　　In　fact；　it　was　obvious　that　simple　person　did　actually　take　me　for　a　being　of　another　world；　and　was　it　for　me　to　say　she　was　wrong？　　So　adopt…　ing　a　dignity　worthy　of　my　reputation　I　nodded　gravely　to　her　offer。　　She　fetched　from　the　boat　four　little　fishes　of　the　daintiest　kind　imaginable。　　They　were　each　about　as　big　as　a　hand　and　pale　blue　when　you　looked　down　upon　them；　but　so　clear　against　the　light　that　every　bone　and　vein　in　their　bodies　could　be　traced。　　These　were　wrapped　just　as　they　were　in　a　broad；　green　leaf　and　then　the　Martian；　taking　a　pointed　stick；　made　a　hollow　in　the　white　ashes；　laid　them　in　side　by　side；　and　drew　the　hot　dust　over　again。

While　they　cooked　we　chatted　as　though　the　acquaintance　were　the　most　casual　thing　in　the　world；　and　I　found　it　was　indeed　an　island　we　were　on　and　not　the　mainland；　as　I　had　hoped　at　first。　　Seth；　she　told　me；　was　far　away　to　the　eastward；　and　if　the　woodmen　had　gone　by　in　their　ships　they　would　have　passed　round　to　the　north…west　of　where　we　were。

I　spent　an　hour　or　two　with　that　amiable　individual；　and；　it　is　to　be　hoped；　sustained　the　character　of　a　spiritual　visitant　with　considerable　dignity。　　In　one　particular　at　least；　that；　namely；　of　appetite；　I　did　honour　to　my　supposed　source；　and　as　my　entertainer　would　not　hear　of　payment　in　material　kind；　all　I　could　do　was　to　show　her　some　conjuring　tricks；　which　greatly　increased　her　belief　in　my　supernatural　origin；　and　to　teach　her　some　new　hitches　and　knots；　using　her　fishing…line　as　a　means　of　illustration；　a　demonstration　which　called　from　her　the　natural　observation　that　we　must　be　good　sailors　〃up　aloft〃　since　we　knew　so　much　about　cordage；　then　we　parted。

She　had　seen　nothing　of　the　woodmen；　though　she　had　heard　they　had　been　to　Seth　and　thought；　from　some　niceties　of　geographical　calculation　which　I　could　not　follow；　they　would　have　crossed　to　the　north；　as　just　stated；　of　her　island。　There　she　told　me；　with　much　surprise　at　my　desire　for　the　information；　how　I　might；　by　following　the　forest　track　to　the　westward　coast；　make　my　way　to　a　fishing　village；　where　they　would　give　me　a　canoe　and　direct　me；　since　such　was　my　extraordinary　wish；　to　the　place　where；　if　anywhere；　the　wild　men　had　touched　on　their　way　home。

She　filled　my　wallet　with　dried　honey…cakes　and　my　mouth　with　sugar　plums　from　her　little　store；　then　down　on　her　knees　went　that　poor　waif　of　a　worn…out　civilisation　and　kissed　my　hands　in　humble　farewell；　and　I；　blushing　to　be　so　saluted；　and　after　all　but　a　sailor；　got　her　by　the　rosy　fingers　and　lifted　her　up　shoulder　high；　and　getting　one　hand　under　her　chin　and　the　other　behind　her　head　kissed　her　twice　upon　her　pretty　cheeks；　and　so；　I　say；　we　parted。




CHAPTER　X

Off　into　the　forest　I　went；　feeling　a　boyish　elation　to　be　so　free　nor　taking　heed　or　count　of　the　reckless　adventure　before　me。　　The　Martian　weather　for　the　moment　was　lovely　and　the　many…coloured　grass　lush　and　soft　under　foot。　　Mile　after　mile　I　went；　heeding　the　distance　lightly；　the　air　was　so　elastic。　　Now　pressing　forward　as　the　main　interest　of　my　errand　took　the　upper　hand；　and　remembrance　of　poor　Heru　like　a　crushed　white　flower　in　the　red　grip　of　those　cruel　ravishers　came　upon　me；　and　then　pausing　to　sigh　with　pleasure　or　stand　agapeforgetful　even　of　herin　wonder　of　the　unknown　loveliness　about　me。

And　well　might　I　stare！　　Everything　in　that　forest　was　wonderful！　　There　were　plants　which　turned　from　colour　to　colour　with　the　varying　hours　of　the　day。　　While　others　had　a　growth　so　swift　it　was　dangerous　to　sit　in　their　neighbour…　hood　since　the　long；　succulent　tendrils　clambering　from　the　parent　stem　would　weave　you　into　a　helpless　tangle　while　you　gazed；　fascinated；　upon　them。　　There　were　plants　that　climbed　and　walked；　sighing　plants　who　called　the　winged　things　of　the　air　to　them　with　a　noise　so　like　to　a　girl　sobbing　that　again　and　again　I　stopped　in　the　tangled　path　to　listen。　　There　were　green　bladder…mosses　which　swam　about　the　surface　of　the　still　pools　like　gigantic　frog…broods。　　There　were　on　the　ridges　warrior　trees　burning　in　the　vindictiveness　of　a　long　forgotten　causea　blaze　of　crimson　scimitar　thorns　from　root　to　topmost　twig；　and　down　again　in　the　cool　hollows　were　lady…bushes　making　twilight　of　the　green　gloom　with　their　cloudy　ivory　blos…　soms　and　filling　the　shadows　with　such　a　heavy　scent　that　head　and　heart　reeled　with　fatal　pleasure　as　one　pushed　aside　their　branches。　　Every　river…bed　was　full　of　mighty　reeds；　whose　stems　clattered　together　when　the　wind　blew　like　swords　on　shields；　and　every　now　and　then　a　bit　of　forest　was　woven　together　with　the　ropey　stems　of　giant　creepers　till　no　man　or　beast　could　have　passed　save　for　the　paths　which　constant　use　had　kept　open　through　the　mazes。

All　day　long　I　wandered　on　through　those　wonderful　woodlands；　and　in　fact　loitered　so　much　over　their　infinite　marvels　that　when　sundown　came　all　too　soon　there　was　still　undulating　forest　everywhere；　vistas　of　fairy　glades　on　every　hand；　peopled　with　incredible　things　and　echoing　with　sounds　that　excited　the　ears　as　much　as　other　things　fascinated　the　eyes；　but　no　sign　of　the　sea　or　my　fishing　village　anywhere。

It　did　not　matter；　a　little　of　the　Martian　leisureliness　was　getting　into　my　blood：　〃If　not　today；　why　then　tomorrow；〃　as　An　would　have　said；　and　with　this　for　comfort　I　selected　a　warm；　sandy　hollow　under　the　roots　of　a　big　tree；　made　my　brief　arrangements　for　the　night；　ate　some　honey　cakes；　and　was　soon　sleeping　blissfully。

I　woke　early　next　morning；　after　many　hours　of　interrupted　dreams；　and　having　nothing　to　do　till　the　white　haze　had　lifted　and　made　it　possible　to　start　again；　rested　idly　a　time　on　my　elbow　and　watched　the　sunshine　filter　into　the　recesses。

Very　pretty　it　was　to　see　the　thick　canopy　overhead；　by　star…light　so　impenetrable；　open　its　chinks　and　fissures　as　the　searching　sun　came　upon　it；　to　see　the　pin…hole　gaps　shine　like　spangles　presently；　the　spaces　broaden　into　lesser　suns；　and　even　the　thick　leafage　brighten　and　shine　down　on　me　with　a　soft　sea…green　radiance。　　The　sunward　sides　of　the　tree…stems　took　a　glow；　and　the　dew　that　ran　dripping　down　their　mossy　sides　trickled　blood…red　to　earth。　　Else…　where　the　shadows　were　still　black；　and　strange　things　began　to　move　in　themthings　we　in　our　middle…aged　world　have　never　seen　the　likeness　of：　beasts　half　birds；　birds　half　creeping　things；　and　creeping　things　which　it　seemed　to　me　passed　through　lesser　creations　down　to　the　basest　life　that　crawls　without　interruption　or　division。

It　was　not　for　me；　a　sailor；　to　know　much　of　such　things；　yet　some　I　could　not　fail　to　notice。　　On　one　grey　branch　overhead；　jutting　from　a　tree…stem　where　a　patch　of　velvet　moss　made　in　the　morning　glint　a　fairy　bed；　a　won…　derful　flower　unfolded。　　It　was　a　splendid　bud；　ivory　white；　cushioned　in　leaves；　and　secured　to　its　place　by　naked　white　roots　that　clipped　the　branch　like　fingers　of　a　lady's　hand。　Even　as　I　looked　it　opened；　a　pale　white　star；　and　hung　pensive　and　inviting　on　its　mossy　cushion。　　From　it　came　such　a　ravishing　odour　t