gulliver of mars-第37部分

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　and　the　procession　anxiously　awaiting　him。

Whereon　Ar…hap；　obviously　very　well　content　to　change　the　subject；　rose；　and；　coming　down　from　the　dais；　gave　me　his　hand。　　He　was　a　fine　fellow；　as　I　have　said；　strong　and　bold；　and　had　not　behaved　badly　for　an　autocrat；　so　that　I　gripped　his　mighty　fist　with　great　pleasure。

〃I　cannot　deny；　stranger；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　have　done　all　that　has　been　asked　of　you；　and　the　maid　is　fairly　yours。　Yet　before　you　take　away　the　prize　I　must　have　some　as…　surance　of　what　you　yourself　will　do　with　her。　　Therefore；　for　the　moment；　until　this　horrible　thing　in　the　sky　which　threatens　my　people　with　destruction　has　gone；　let　it　be　truce　between　usyou　to　your　lodgings；　and　the　princess　back；　unharmed；　amongst　my　women　till　we　meet　again。〃

〃But〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　king；　waving　his　hand。　　〃Be　content　with　your　advantage。　　And　now　to　business　more　important　than　ten　thousand　silly　wenches；〃　and　gathering　up　his　robes　over　his　splendid　war…gear　the　wood　king　stalked　haughtily　from　the　hall。




CHAPTER　XVIII

Hotter　and　hotter　grew　that　stifling　spell；　more　and　more　languid　man　and　beast；　drier　and　drier　the　parching　earth。

All　the　water　gave　out　on　the　morning　after　I　had　bearded　Ar…hap　in　his　den；　and　our　strength　went　with　it。　No　earthly　heat　was　ever　like　it；　and　it　drank　our　vitality　up　from　every　pore。　　Water　there　was　down　below　in　the　bitter；　streaming　gulf；　but　so　noisome　that　we　dared　not　even　bathe　there；　here　there　was　none　but　the　faintest　trickle。　All　discipline　was　at　an　end；　all　desire　save　such　as　was　born　of　thirst。　　Heru　I　saw　as　often　as　I　wished　as　she　lay　gasping；　with　poor　Si　at　her　feet；　in　the　women's　verandah；　but　the　heat　was　so　tremendous　that　I　gazed　at　her　with　lack…lustre　eyes；　staggering　to　and　fro　amongst　the　court…　yard　shadows；　without　nerve　to　plot　her　rescue　or　strength　to　carry　out　anything　my　mind　might　have　conceived。

We　prayed　for　rain　and　respite。　　Ar…hap　had　prayed　with　a　wealth　of　picturesque　ceremonial。　　We　had　all　prayed　and　cursed　by　turns；　but　still　the　heavens　would　not　relent；　and　the　rain　came　not。

At　last　the　stifling　heat　and　vapour　reached　an　almost　intolerable　pitch。　　The　earth　reeked　with　unwholesome　hum…　ours　no　common　summer　could　draw　from　it；　the　air　was　sulphurous　and　heavy；　while　overhead　the　sky　seemed　a　tawny　dome；　from　edge　to　edge　of　angry　clouds；　parting　now　and　then　to　let　us　see　the　red　disc　threatening　us。

Hour　after　hour　slipped　by　until；　when　evening　was　upon　us；　the　clouds　drew　together；　and　thunder；　with　a　continu…　ous　low　rumble；　began　to　rock　from　sky　to　sky。　　Fitful　showers　of　rain；　odorous　and　heavy；　but　unsatisfying；　fell；　and　birds　and　beasts　of　the　woodlands　came　slinking　in　to　our　streets　and　courtyards。　　Ever　since　the　sky　first　darkened　our　own　animals　had　become　strangely　familiar；　and　now　here　were　these　wild　things　of　the　woods　slinking　in　for　companion…　ship；　sagheaded　and　frightened。　　To　me　especially　they　came；　until　that　last　evening　as　I　staggered　dying　about　the　streets　or　sat　staring　into　the　remorseless　sky　from　the　steps　of　Heru's　prison　house；　all　sorts　of　beasts　drew　softly　in　and　crowded　about；　whether　I　sat　or　moved；　all　asking　for　the　hope　I　had　not　to　give　them。

At　another　time　this　might　have　been　embarrassing；　then　it　seemed　pure　commonplace。　　It　was　a　sight　to　see　them　slink　in　between　the　useless　showers；　which　fell　like　hot　tears　upon　ussleek　panthers　with　lolling　tongues；　russet…red　wood　dogs；　bears　and　sloths　from　the　dark　arcades　of　the　remote　forests；　all　casting　themselves　down　gasping　in　the　palace　shadows；　strange　deer；　who　staggered　to　the　garden　plots　and　lay　there　heaving　their　lives　out；　mighty　boars；　who　came　from　the　river　marshes　and　silently　nozzled　a　place　amongst　their　enemies　to　die　in！　　Even　the　wolves　came　off　the　hills；　and；　with　bloodshot　eyes　and　tongues　that　dripped　foam；　flung　themselves　down　in　my　shadow。

All　along　the　tall　stockades　apes　sat　sad　and　listless；　and　on　the　roof…ridges　storks　were　dying。　　Over　the　branches　of　the　trees；　whose　leaves　were　as　thin　as　though　we　had　had　a　six　months'　drought；　the　toucans　and　Martian　parrots　hung　limp　and　fashionless　like　gaudy　rags；　and　in　the　courtyard　ground　the　corn…rats　came　up　from　their　tunnels　in　the　scorching　earth　to　die；　squeaking　in　scores　along　under　the　walls。

Our　common　sorrow　made　us　as　sociable　as　though　I　were　Noah；　and　Ar…hap's　palace　mound　another　Ararat。　Hour　after　hour　I　sat　amongst　all　these　lesser　beasts　in　the　hot　darkness；　waiting　for　the　end。　　Every　now　and　then　the　heavy　clouds　parted；　changing　the　gloom　to　sudden　fiery　daylight　as　the　great　red　eye　in　the　west　looked　upon　us　through　the　crevice；　and；　taking　advantage　of　those　gleams；　I　would　reel　across　to　where；　under　a　spout　leading　from　a　dried　rivulet；　I　had　placed　a　cup　to　collect　the　slow　and　tepid　drops　that　were　all　now　coming　down　the　reed　for　Heru。　　And　as　I　went　back　each　time　with　that　sickly　spoonful　at　the　bottom　of　the　vessel　all　the　dying　beasts　lifted　their　heads　and　watchedthe　thirsty　wolves　shamb…　ling　after　me；　the　boars　half　sat　up　and　grunted　plaintively；　the　panthers；　too　weak　to　rise；　beat　the　dusty　ground　with　their　tails；　and　from　the　portico　the　blue　storks；　with　trailing　wings；　croaked　husky　greeting。

But　slower　and　slower　came　the　dripping　water；　more　and　more　intolerable　the　heat。　　At　last　I　could　stand　it　no　longer。　　What　purpose　did　it　serve　to　lay　gasping　like　this；　dying　cruelly　without　a　hope　of　rescue；　when　a　shorter　way　was　at　my　side？　　I　had　not　drank　for　a　day　and　a　half。　　I　was　past　active　reviling；　my　head　swam；　my　reason　was　clouded。　No！　　I　would　not　stand　it　any　longer。　　Once　more　I　would　take　Heru　and　poor　Si　the　cup　that　was　but　a　mockery　after　all；　then　fix　my　sword　into　the　ground　and　try　what　next　the　Fates　had　in　store　for　me。

So　once　again　the　leathern　mug　was　fetched　and　carried　through　the　prostrate　guards　to　where　the　Martian　girl　lay；　like　a　withered　flower；　upon　her　couch。　　Once　again　I　moistened　those　fair　lips；　while　my　own　tongue　was　black　and　swollen　in　my　throat；　then　told　Si；　who　had　had　none　all　the　afternoon；　to　drink　half　and　leave　half　for　Heru。　　Poor　Si　put　her　aching　lips　to　the　cup　and　tilted　it　a　little；　then　passed　it　to　her　mistress。　　And　Heru　drank　it　all；　and　Si　cried　a　few　hot　tears　behind　her　hands；　FOR　SHE　HAD　TAKEN　NONE；　and　she　knew　it　was　her　life！

Again　picking　a　way　through　the　courtyard；　scarce　notic…　ing　how　the　beasts　lifted　their　heads　as　I　passed；　I　went　instinctively；　cup　in　hand；　to　the　well；　and　then　hesitated。　Was　I　a　coward　to　leave　Heru　so？　　Ought　I　not　to　stay　and　see　it　out　to　the　bitter　end？　　Well；　I　would　compound　with　Fate。　　I　would　give　the　malicious　gods　one　more　chance。　I　would　put　the　cup　down　again；　and　until　seven　drops　had　fallen　into　it　I　would　wait。　　That　there　might　be　no　mistake　about　it；　no　sooner　was　the　mug　in　place　under　the　nozzle　wherefrom　the　moisture　beads　collected　and　fell　with　infinite　slowness；　than　my　sword；　on　which　I　meant　to　throw　my…　self；　was　bared　and　the　hilt　forced　into　a　gaping　crack　in　the　ground；　and　sullenly　contented　to　leave　my　fate　so；　I　sat　down　beside　it。

I　turned　grimly　to　the　spout　and　saw　the　first　drop　fall；　then　another；　and　another　later　on；　but　still　no　help　came。　There　was　a　long　rift　in　the　clouds　now；　and　a　glare　like　that　from　an　open　furnace　door　was　upon　me。　　I　had　noticed　when　I　came　to　the　spring　how　the　comet　which　was　killing　us　hung　poised　exactly　upon　the　point　of　a　dis…　tant　hill。　　If　he　had　passed　his　horrible　meridian；　if　he　was　going　from　us；　if　he　sunk　but　a　hair's　breadth　before　that　seventh　drop　should　fall；　I　could　tell　it　would　mean　salvation。

But　the　fourth　drop　fell；　and　he　was　big　as　ever。　　The　fifth　drop　fell；　and　a　hot；　pleasing　nose　was　thrust　into　my　hand；　and　looking　down　I　saw　a　grey　wolf　had　dragged　herself　across　the　court　and　was　asking　with　eloquent　eyes　for　the　help　I　could　not　give。　　The　sixth　drop　gathered；　and　fell；　already　the　seventh　was　like　a　seedling　pearl　in　its　place。　The　dying　wolf　yanked　affectionately　at　my　hand；　but　I　put　her　by　and　undid　my　tunic。　　Big　and　bright　that　drop　hung　to　the　spout　lip；　another　minute　and　it　would　fall。　　A　beauti…　ful　drop；　I　laughed；　peering　closely　at　it；　many…coloured；　prismatic；　flushing　red　and　pink；　a　tiny　living　ruby；　hanging　by　a　touch　to　the　green　rim　above；　enough！　enough！　　The　quiver　of　an　eyelash　would　unhinge　it　now；　and　angry　with　the　life　I　already　felt　was　behind　me；　and　turning　in　defiant　expectation　to　the　new　to　come；　I　rose；　saw　the　red　gleam　of　my　sword　jutting　like　a　fiery　spear　from　the　cracking　soil　where　I　had　planted　it；　then　looked　once　more　at　the　drop　and　glanced　for　the　last　time　at　the　sullen　red　terror　on　the　hill。

Were　my　eyes　dazed；　my　senses　reeling？　　I　said　a　space　ago　that　the　meteor　stood　exactly　on　the　mountain…top　and　if　it　sunk　a　hair's　breadth　I　should　note　it；　and　now；　why；　there　WAS　a　flaw　in　its　lower　margin；　a　flattening　of　the　great　red　foot　that　before　had　been　round　and　perfect。　　I　turned　my　smarting　eyes　away　a　minute；saw　the　seventh　drop　fall　with　a　melodious　tingle　into　the　cup；　then　back　again；　there　was　no　mistakethe　truant　fire　was　a