gulliver of mars(火星上的格列弗)-第37章
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necromancer； and began whispering in his ear。
After a minute's consultation he turned again； a rather frightened
civility struggling in his face with anger； and said； 〃We have no wish； of
course； stranger； to offend you or 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
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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
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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
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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
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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 anxio
