the lost continent(消失的大陆)-第12节
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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
39
… Page 40…
THE LOST CONTINENT
half question。 〃You are not from across the water there？〃
〃No；〃 I assured her。 〃I am from Pan…America； far away to the west。
Have you ever heard of Pan…America？〃
She shook her head in negation。 〃I do not care where you are from；〃
she explained； 〃if you are not from there； and I am sure you are not； for the
men from there have horns and tails。〃
It was with difficulty that I restrained a smile。
〃Who are the men from there？〃 I asked。
〃They are bad men；〃 she replied。 〃Some of my people do not believe
that there are such creatures。 But we have a legenda very old； old
legend； that once the men from there came across to Grabritin。 They
came upon the water； and under the water； and even in the air。 They
came in great numbers； so that they rolled across the land like a great gray
fog。 They brought with them thunder and lightning and smoke that killed；
and they fell upon us and slew our people by the thousands and the
hundreds of thousands。 But at last we drove them back to the water's
edge； back into the sea； where many were drowned。 Some escaped； and
these our people followedmen； women； and even children； we followed
them back。 That is all。 The legend says our people never returned。
Maybe they were all killed。 Maybe they are still there。 But this； also； is
in the legend； that as we drove the men back across the water they swore
that they would return； and that when they left our shores they would leave
no human being alive behind them。 I was afraid that you were from
there。〃
〃By what name were these men called？〃 I asked。
〃We call them only the 'men from there；'〃 she replied； pointing toward
the east。 〃I have never heard that they had another name。〃
In the light of what I knew of ancient history； it was not difficult for
me to guess the nationality of those she described simply as 〃the men from
over there。〃 But what utter and appalling devastation the Great War must
have wrought to have erased not only every sign of civilization from the
face of this great land； but even the name of the enemy from the
knowledge and language of the people。
I could only account for it on the hypothesis that the country had been
40
… Page 41…
THE LOST CONTINENT
entirely depopulated except for a few scattered and forgotten children；
who； in some marvelous manner； had been preserved by Providence to re…
populate the land。 These children had； doubtless； been too young to
retain in their memories to transmit to their children any but the vaguest
suggestion of the cataclysm which had overwhelmed their parents。
Professor Cortoran； since my return to Pan…America； has suggested
another theory which is not entirely without claim to serious consideration。
He points out that it is quite beyond the pale of human instinct to desert
little children as my theory suggests the ancient English must have done。
He is more inclined to believe that the expulsion of the foe from England
was synchronous with widespread victories by the allies upon the
continent； and that the people of England merely emigrated from their
ruined cities and their devastated； blood…drenched fields to the mainland；
in the hope of finding； in the domain of the conquered enemy； cities and
farms which would replace those they had lost。
The learned professor assumes that while a long…continued war had
strengthened rather than weakened the instinct of paternal devotion； it had
also dulled other humanitarian instincts； and raised to the first magnitude
the law of the survival of the fittest； with the result that when the exodus
took place the strong； the intelligent； and the cunning； together with their
offspring； crossed the waters of the Channel or the North Sea to the
continent； leaving in unhappy England only the helpless inmates of
asylums for the feebleminded and insane。
My objections to this； that the present inhabitants of England are
mentally fit； and could therefore not have descended from an ancestry of
undiluted lunacy he brushes aside with the assertion that insanity is not
necessarily hereditary； and that even though it was； in many cases a return
to natural conditions from the state of high civilization； which is thought
to have induced mental disease in the ancient world； would； after several
generations； have thoroughly expunged every trace of the affliction from
the brains and nerves of the descendants of the original maniacs。
Personally； I do not place much stock in Professor Cortoran's theory；
though I admit that I am prejudiced。 Naturally one does not care to believe
that the object of his greatest affection is descended from a gibbering idiot
41
… Page 42…
THE LOST CONTINENT
and a raving maniac。
But I am forgetting the continuity of my narrativea continuity which
I desire to maintain； though I fear that I shall often be led astray； so
numerous and varied are the bypaths of speculation which lead from the
present day story of the Grabritins into the mysterious past of their
forbears。
As I stood talking with the girl I presently recollected that she still was
bound； and with a word of apology； I drew my knife and cut the rawhide
thongs which confined her wrists at her back。
She thanked me； and with such a sweet smile that I should have been
amply repaid by it for a much more arduous service。
〃And now；〃 I said； 〃let me accompany you to your home and see you
safely again under the protection of your friends。〃
〃No；〃 she said； with a hint of alarm in her voice； 〃you must not come
with meBuckingham will kill you。〃
Buckingham。 The name was famous in ancient English history。 Its
survival； with many other illustrious names； is one of the strongest
arguments in refutal of Professor Cortoran's theory； yet it opens no new
doors to the past； and； on the whole； rather adds to than dissipates the
mystery。
〃And who is Buckingham；〃 I asked； 〃and why should he wish to kill
me？〃
〃He would think that you had stolen me；〃 she replied； 〃and as he
wishes me for himself； he will kill any other whom he thinks desires me。
He killed Wettin a few days ago。 My mother told me once that Wettin
was my father。 He was king。 Now Buckingham is king。〃
Here； evidently； were a people slightly superior to those of the Isle of
Wight。 These must have at least the rudiments of civilized government
since they recognized one among them as ruler； with the title； king。 Also；
they retained the word father。 The girl's pronunciation； while far from
identical with ours； was much closer than the tortured dialect of the
Eastenders of the Isle of Wight。 The longer I talked with her the more
hopeful I became of finding here； among her people； some records； or
traditions； which might assist in clearing up the historic enigma of the past
42
… Page 43…
THE LOST CONTINENT
two centuries。 I asked her if we were far from the city of London； but
she did not know what I meant。 When I tried to explain； describing
mighty buildings of stone and brick； broad avenues； parks； palaces； and
countless people； she but shook her head sadly。
〃There is no such place near by；〃 she said。 〃Only the Camp of the
Lions has places of stone where the beasts lair； but there are no people in
the Camp of the Lions。 Who would dare go there！〃 And she shuddered。
〃The Camp of the Lions；〃 I repeated。 〃And where is that； and what？〃
〃It is there；〃 she said； pointing up the river toward the west。 〃I have
seen it from a great distance； but I have never been there。 We are much
afraid of the lions； for this
