gulliver of mars-第36节

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　those　who　had　the　honour　of　your　patronage。　　Perhaps　the　princess　here　was　a　little　roughly　handled；　and；　I　con…　fess；　if　she　were　altogether　as　reluctant　as　she　seems；　a　lesser　maid　would　have　done　as　well。　　I　could　have　wooed　this　one　in　Seth；　where　I　may　shortly　come；　and　our　espousals　would　possibly　have　lent；　in　the　eyes　of　your　friends；　quite　a　cheerful　aspect　to　my　arrival。　　But　my　am…　bassadors　have　had　no　great　schooling　in　diplomacy；　they　have　brought　Princess　Heru　here；　and　how　can　I　hand　her　over　to　one　I　know　nothing　of？　　How　do　I　know　you　are　a　ghost；　after　all？　　How　do　I　know　you　have　anything　but　a　rusty　sword　and　much　impertinence　to　back　your　as…　tounding　claim？〃

〃Oh；　let　it　be　just　as　you　like；〃　I　said；　calmly　shelling　and　eating　a　nut　I　had　picked　up。　　〃Only　if　you　do　not　give　the　maid　back；　why；　then〃　And　I　stopped　as　though　the　sequel　were　too　painful　to　put　into　words。

Again　that　superstitious　monarch　of　a　land　thronged　with　malicious　spirits　called　up　his　magician；　and；　after　they　had　consulted　a　moment；　turned　more　cheerfully　to　me。

〃Look　here；　Mister…from…Nowhere；　if　you　are　really　a　spirit；　and　have　the　power　to　hurt　as　you　say；　you　will　have　the　power　also　to　go　and　come　between　the　living　and　the　dead；　between　the　present　and　the　past。　　Now　I　will　set　you　an　errand；　and　give　you　five　minutes　to　do　it　in。〃

〃Five　minutes！〃　I　exclaimed　in　incautious　alarm。

〃Five　minutes；〃　said　the　monarch　savagely。　　〃And　if　in　that　time　the　errand　is　not　done；　I　shall　hold　you　to　be　an　impostor；　an　impudent　thief　from　some　scoundrel　tribe　of　this　world　of　mine；　and　will　make　of　you　an　example　which　shall　keep　men's　ears　tingling　for　a　century　or　two。〃

Poor　Heru　dropped　in　a　limp　and　lovely　heap　at　that　dire　threat；　while　I　am　bound　to　say　I　felt　somewhat　uncomfortable；　not　unnaturally　when　all　the　circumstances　are　considered；　but　contented　myself　with　remarking；　with　as　much　bravado　as　could　be　managed；

〃And　now　to　the　errand；　Ar…hap。　　What　can　I　do　for　your　majesty？〃

The　king　consulted　with　the　rogue　at　his　elbow；　and　then　nodding　and　chuckling　in　expectancy　of　his　triumph；　addressed　me。

〃Listen；〃　he　cried；　smiting　a　huge　hairy　hand　upon　his　knee；　〃listen；　and　do　or　die。　　My　magician　tells　me　it　is　record…　ed　in　his　books　that　once；　some　five　thousand　years　ago；　when　this　land　belonged　to　the　Hither　people；　there　lived　here　a　king。　　It　is　a　pity　he　died；　for　he　seems　to　have　been　a　jovial　old　fellow；　but　he　did　die；　and；　according　to　their　custom；　they　floated　him　down　the　stream　that　flows　to　the　regions　of　eternal　ice；　where　doubtless　he　is　at　this　present　moment；　caked　up　with　ten　million　of　his　subjects。　　Now　just　go　and　find　that　sovereign　for　me；　oh　you　bold…tongued　dweller　in　other　worlds！〃

〃And　if　I　go　how　am　I　to　know　your　ancient　king；　as　you　say；　amongst　ten　million　others？〃

〃That　is　easy　enough；〃　quoth　Ar…hap　lightly。　　〃You　have　only　to　pass　to　and　fro　through　the　ice　mountains；　opening　the　mouths　of　the　dead　men　and　women　you　meet；　and　when　you　come　to　a　middle…sized　man　with　a　fillet　on　his　head　and　a　jaw　mended　with　gold；　that　will　be　he　whom　you　look　for。　　Bring　me　that　fillet　here　within　five　minutes　and　the　maid　is　yours。〃

I　started；　and　stared　hard　in　amazement。　　Was　this　a　dream？　　Was　the　royal　savage　in　front　playing　with　me？　　By　what　incredible　chance　had　he　hit　upon　the　very　errand　I　could　answer　to　best；　the　very　trophy　I　had　brought　away　from　the　grim　valley　of　ice　and　death；　and　had　still　in　my　shoulder…bag？　　No；　he　was　not　playing；　he　was　staring　hard　in　turn；　joying　in　my　apparent　confusion；　and　clearly　thinking　he　had　cornered　me　beyond　hope　of　redemption。

〃Surely　your　mightiness　is　not　daunted　by　so　simple　a　task；〃　scowled　the　sovereign；　playing　with　the　hilt　of　his　huge　hunting…knife；　〃and　all　amongst　your　friends'　kindred　too。　　On　a　hot　day　like　this　it　ought　to　be　a　pleasant　saunter　for　a　spirit　such　as　yourself。〃

〃Not　daunted；〃　I　answered　coldly；　turning　on　my　heels　towards　the　door；　〃only　marvelling　that　your　majesty's　skull　and　your　necromancer's　could　not　between　them　have　de…　vised　a　harder　task。〃

Out　into　the　courtyard　I　went；　with　my　heart　beating　finely　in　spite　of　my　assumed　indifference；　got　the　bag　from　a　peg　in　my　sleeping…room；　and　was　back　before　the　log　throne　ere　four　minutes　were　gone。

〃The　old　Hither　king's　compliments　to　your　majesty；〃　I　said；　bowing；　while　a　deathly　hush　fell　on　all　the　assembly；　〃and　he　says　though　your　ancestors　little　liked　to　hear　his　voice　while　alive；　he　says　he　has　no　objection　to　giving　you　some　jaw　now　he　is　dead；〃　and　I　threw　down　on　the　floor　the　golden　circlet　of　the　frozen　king。

Ar…hap's　eyes　almost　started　from　his　head　as；　with　his　courtiers；　he　glared　in　silent　amazement　at　that　shining　thing　while　the　great　drops　of　fear　and　perspiration　trickled　down　his　forehead。　　As　for　poor　Heru；　she　rose　like　a　spirit　behind　them；　gazed　at　the　jaw…bone　of　her　mythical　an…　cestor；　and　then　suddenly　realising　my　errand　was　done　and　she　apparently　free；　held　out　her　hands；　and；　with　a　tremulous　cry；　would　have　come　to　me。

But　Ar…hap　was　too　quick　for　her。　　All　the　black　savage　blood　swelled　into　his　veins　as　he　swept　her　away　with　one　great　arm；　and　then　with　his　foot　gave　the　luckless　jaw　a　kick　that　sent　it　glittering　and　spinning　through　the　far　doorway　out　into　the　sunshine。

〃Sit　down；〃　he　roared；　〃you　brazen　wench；　who　are　so　eager　to　leave　a　king's　side　for　a　nameless　vagrant's　care！　And　you；　sir；〃　turning　to　me；　and　fairly　trembling　with　rage　and　dread；　〃I　will　not　gainsay　that　you　have　done　the　errand　set　you；　but　it　might　this　once　be　chance　that　got　you　that　cursed　token；　some　one　happy　turn　of　luck。　　I　will　not　yield　my　prize　on　one　throw　of　the　dice。　　Another　task　you　must　do。　　Once　might　be　chance；　but　such　chance　comes　not　twice。〃

〃You　swore　to　give　me　the　maid　this　time。〃

〃And　why　should　I　keep　my　word　to　a　half…proved　spirit　such　as　you？〃

〃There　are　some　particularly　good　reasons　why　you　should；〃　I　said；　striking　an　attitude　which　I　had　once　seen　a　music…hall　dramatist　take　when　he　was　going　to　blast　somebody's　futurea　stick　with　a　star　on　top　of　it　in　his　hand　and　forty　lines　of　blank　verse　in　his　mouth。

The　king　writhed；　and　begged　me　with　a　sign　to　desist。

〃We　have　no　wish　to　anger　you。　　Do　us　this　other　task　and　none　will　doubt　that　you　are　a　potent　spirit；　and　even　I；　Ar…hap；　will　listen　to　you。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　I　answered　sulkily；　〃what　is　it　to　be　this　time？〃

After　a　minute's　consultation；　and　speaking　slowly　as　though　conscious　of　how　much　hung　on　his　words；　the　king　said；

〃Listen！　　My　soothsayer　tells　me　that　somewhere　there　is　a　city　lost　in　a　forest；　and　a　temple　lost　in　the　city；　and　a　tomb　lost　in　the　temple；　a　city　of　ghosts　and　djins　given　over　to　bad　spirits；　wherefore　all　human　men　shun　it　by　day　and　night。　　And　on　the　tomb　is　she　who　was　once　queen　there；　and　by　her　lies　her　crown。　　Quick！　oh　you　to　whom　all　dis…　tances　are　nothing；　and　who　see；　by　your　finer　essence；　into　all　times　and　places。　　Away　to　that　city！　　Jostle　the　memories　of　the　unclean　things　that　hide　in　its　shadows；　ask　which　amongst　them　knows　where　dead　Queen　Yang　still　lies　in　dusty　state。　　Get　guides　amongst　your　comrade　ghosts。　　Find　Queen　Yang；　and　bring　me　here　in　five　minutes　the　bloody　circlet　from　her　hair。〃

Then；　and　then　for　the　first　time；　I　believed　the　planet　was　haunted　indeed；　and　I　myself　unknowingly　under　some　strange　and　watchful　influence。　　Spirits；　demons！　　Oh！　what　but　some　incomprehensible　power；　some　unseen　influence　shap…　ing　my　efforts　to　its　ends；　could　have　moved　that　hairy　barbarian　to　play　a　second　time　into　my　hands　like　this；　to　choose　from　the　endless　records　of　his　world　the　second　of　the　two　incidents　I　had　touched　in　hasty　travel　through　it？　I　was　almost　overcome　for　a　minute；　then；　pulling　myself　together；　strode　forward　fiercely；　and；　speaking　so　that　all　could　hear　me；　cried；　〃Base　king；　who　neither　knows　the　capacities　of　a　spirit　nor　has　learned　as　yet　to　dread　its　anger；　see！　your　commission　is　executed　in　a　thought；　just　as　your　punishment　might　be。　　Heru；　come　here。〃　　And　when　the　girl；　speechless　with　amazement；　had　risen　and　slipped　over　to　me；　I　straightened　her　pretty　hair　from　her　fore…　head；　and　then；　in　a　way　which　would　make　my　fortune　if　I　could　repeat　it　at　a　conjuror's　table；　whipped　poor　Yang's　gemmy　crown　from　my　pocket；　flashed　its　baleful　splendour　in　the　eyes　of　the　courtiers；　and　placed　it　on　the　tresses　of　the　first　royal　lady　who　had　worn　it　since　its　rightful　owner　died　a　hundred　years　before。

A　heavy　silence　fell　on　the　hall　as　I　finished；　and　nothing　was　heard　for　a　time　save　Heru　sobbing　on　my　breast　and　a　thirsty　baby　somewhere　outside　calling　to　its　mother　for　the　water　that　was　not　to　be　had。　　But　presently　on　those　sounds　came　the　fall　of　anxious　feet；　and　a　messenger；　entering　the　doorway；　approached　the　throne；　laid　him…　self　out　flat　twice；　after　which　obeisance　he　proceeded　to　remind　the　king　of　the　morning's　ceremonial　on　a　distant　hill　to　〃pray　away　the　comet；〃　telling　his　majesty　that　all　was　ready　and　the　procession　anxiously　awaiting　him。

Whereon　Ar…hap；　obviously　very　well　content　to　change