the land of the changing sun-第7章

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〃Do　you　think　our　people　fine　looking　as　a　rule？〃　asked　the　king；　to　change　the　subject。

〃Decidedly；　I　never　imagined　such　a　race　existed。〃

Again　the　king　was　pleased。　〃That　is　one　of　the　objects　of　our　system。　Generation　after　generation　we　improve　mentally　and　physically。　We　are　the　only　people　who　have　ever　attempted　to　thoroughly　study　the　science　of　living。　Your　medical　men　may　be　numbered　by　the　million；　your　remedies　for　your　ills　change　daily；　what　you　say　is　good　for　the　health　to…day　is　to…　morrow　believed　to　be　poison；　to…day　you　try　to　make　blood　to　give　strength；　and　half　a　century　ago　you　believed　in　taking　it　from　the　weakest　of　your　patients。　With　all　this　fuss　over　health；　you　will　think　nothing　of　allowing　the　son　of　a　man　who　died　with　a　loathsome　hereditary　disease　to　marry　a　woman　whose　family　has　never　had　a　taint　of　blood。　Here　no　such　thing　is　thought　of。　To　begin　with；　no　person　who　is　not　thoroughly　sound　can　remain　with　us。　Every　heart…beat　is　heard　by　our　medical　men　and　every　vein　is　transparent。　You　see　evidences　of　the　benefit　of　our　system　in　the　men　and　women　around　you。　All　our　conveniences；　the　excellence　of　our　products；　our　great　inventions　are　the　result。〃

〃I　have　been　wondering　about　the　size　of　your　country；〃　ventured　Thorndyke　cautiously。

The　king　smiled。　〃That　will　be　one　of　the　things　for　you　to　discover　later；〃　he　returned。　〃But　this；　the　City　of　Moron；　is　the　capital；　our　provinces；　farming　lands；　smaller　cities；　towns　and　hamlets　lie　around　us。　Come　with　me　and　I　will　show　you　something。〃

He　waved　his　hand　and　dismissed　a　number　of　courtiers　who　were　waiting　to　be　called；　and　rose　from　the　throne　and　led　the　two　captives　into　a　large　apartment　adjoining　the　throne…room。　Here　they　found　six　men　in　blue　uniforms　looking　into　a　large　circular　mirror　on　a　table。　They　all　bowed　and　moved　aside　as　the　king　approached。

〃These　men　are　the　municipal　police；〃　explained　the　king；　resting　his　hand　on　the　gold　frame　of　the　glass；　〃they　are　watching　the　city。〃　And　when　the　strangers　drew　nearer　they　were　surprised　to　see　reflected；　in　the　deeply　concave　glass；　the　entire　city　in　miniature；　its　streets；　parks；　public　buildings；　and　moving　populace。　And　what　seemed　to　be　the　most　remarkable　feature　of　the　invention　was；　that　the　instant　the　eye　rested　on　any　particular　portion　of　the　whole　that　part　was　at　once　magnified　so　that　every　detail　of　it　was　clearly　observable。

〃This　is　an　improvement　on　your　police　system；〃　continued　the　king。　〃No　sooner　does　anything　go　wrong　than　a　red　signal　is　given　on　the　spot　of　the　trouble　and　the　attention　of　these　officers　is　immediately　called　to　it。　A　flying　machine　is　sent　out　and　the　offender　is　brought　to　the　police　station；　but　trouble　of　any　nature　rarely　occurs；　and　the　duties　of　our　police　are　merely　nominal；　my　people　live　in　thorough　harmony。　Now；　come　with　me　and　I　will　give　you　an　idea　of　the　surrounding　country。〃

As　the　king　spoke　he　led　them　into　a　circular　room；　the　roof　of　which　was　of　white　glass；　and　the　walls　were　lined　with　large　mirrors。

〃This　is　our　general　observatory　from　which　every　part　of　Alpha　can　be　seen；〃　said　the　king　with　a　touch　of　pride　in　his　tone。　〃Look　at　the　mirror　in　front　of　you。〃

They　did　as　he　requested；　and　at　first　saw　nothing；　but；　as　he　went　to　a　stone　table　in　the　centre　of　the　room　and　touched　an　electric　button；　a　grand　view　of　green　fields；　forests；　streams；　lakes　and　farm…houses　flashed　upon　the　mirror。　The　king　laughed　at　their　surprise　and　touched　another　button。　As　he　did　so　the　scene　shifted　gradually；　the　landscapes　ran　by　like　a　panorama。　A　pretty　village　came　into　sight；　and　passed；　then　a　larger　town　and　still　a　larger；　then　fields；　hills　and　valleys　and　forests　of　giant　trees。

〃It　is　that　way　all　over　my　kingdom；〃　said　the　king；　〃in　an　hour　I　can　inspect　it　all。〃

〃But　how　is　it　done？〃　asked　Thorndyke；　forgetting　himself　in　wonder。

〃Through　a　telescopic　invention；　aided　by　electricity　and　the　clearness　of　our　atmosphere；〃　replied　the　king。　〃It　would　take　too　long　to　go　into　the　details。　The　views；　however；　are　reflected　to　this　point　from　various　observatories　throughout　the　land。　Such　a　system　would　be　impossible　in　any　other　country　on　account　of　the　clouds　and　atmospheric　changes；　but　here　we　control　everything。〃

〃I　noticed；〃　returned　the　Englishman；　〃that　green　fields　lie　beside　ripening　ones　and　those　in　which　the　grain　is　being　harvested。〃

〃We　have　no　change　of　seasons；〃　answered　the　king。　〃Change　of　seasons　may　be　according　to　nature；　but　it　is　in　the　province　of　man's　intellect　to　improve　on　nature。　But　I　must　leave　you　now；　I　shall　summon　you　again　when　I　have　the　leisure　to　continue　our　conversation。〃

〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　it？〃　asked　Johnston；　as　the　king　disappeared　behind　a　curtain　in　the　direction　of　the　audience　chamber。

〃I　give　it　up；　I　only　know　that　the　old　fellow's　daughter；　the　Princess　Bernardino　is　the　most　beautiful；　the　most　bewitching　creature　that　ever　breathed。　Did　you　notice　her　eyes　and　form？　Great　heavens！　was　there　ever　such　a　vision　of　human　loveliness？　Her　grace；　her　voice；　her　glances　drove　me　wild　with　delight。〃

〃You　are　dead　gone；〃　grumbled　the　American　despondently；　〃we'll　never　get　away　from　here　in　the　world。　I　can　see　that。〃

〃I　gave　up　all　hope　in　that　direction　some　time　ago；〃　said　Thorndyke；　〃and　why　should　we　care？　We　were　awfully　bored　with　life　before　we　came；　for　my　part　I'd　as　soon　end　mine　up　here　as　anywhere　else。　Besides；　didn't　his　majesty　say　that　they　live　longer　under　his　system　than　we　do？〃

〃I　don't　take　stock　in　all　he　says；〃　growled　the　American；　〃he　talks　like　a　Chicago　real　estate　agent　who　wants　to　sell　a　lot。　Why　doesn't　he　chop　off　our　heads　and　be　done　with　it？〃

Thorndyke　burst　into　a　jovial　laugh。　〃You　are　coming　round　all　right；　that　is　the　first　joke　you　have　got　off　since　we　came　here；　his　royal　Nibs　may　need　a　court…jester　and　give　you　a　job。〃

〃There　goes　that　blamed　sunlight　again；〃　exclaimed　Johnston；　grasping　his　companion's　arm；　〃don't　you　see　it　changing？〃

〃Yes；　and　this　time　it　is　white；　like　old　Sol's　natural　smile；　but　isn't　it　clear？　It　seems　to　me　that　I　could　see　to　the　end　of　the　earth　in　that　light。　I　want　to　know　how　he　does　it。〃

〃How　who　does　it？〃

〃Why；　the　king；　of　course；　it　is　his　worksome　sort　of　invention；　but　we　must　keep　civil　tongues　in　our　heads　when　we　are　dealing　with　a　man　who　can　color　the　very　light　of　the　sun。〃

They　were　walking　back　toward　the　great　rotunda；　and；　as　they　entered　the　conservatory；　the　crowds　of　men　and　women　stared　at　them　curiously。　They　had　paused　to　inspect　the　statue　of　a　massive　stone　dragon　when　a　young　officer　in　glittering　uniform　approached　and　addressed　Johnston。

〃Follow　me；〃　he　said　simply；　〃it　is　the　king's　command。〃

The　American　started　and　looked　at　Thorndyke　apprehensively。

〃Go；〃　said　the　latter；　〃don't　hesitate　an　instant。〃

Poor　Johnston　had　turned　white。　He　held　out　his　hand　to　Thorndyke；　〃Shake；〃　he　said　in　a　whisper；　not　intended　for　the　ears　of　the　officer；　〃I　don't　believe　that　we　shall　meet　again。　I　felt　that　we　were　to　be　parted　ever　since　that　medical　examination。〃

Thorndyke's　face　had　altered；　an　angry　flush　came　in　his　face　and　his　eyes　flashed；　but　with　an　effort　he　controlled　himself。

〃Tut；　tut；　don't　be　silly。　I　shall　wait　for　you　round　here；　if　there　is　any　foul　play　I　shall　make　some　one　suffer　for　it。　You　can　depend　on　me　to　the　end；　we　are　hand　in　hand　in　this　adventure；　old　man。〃



Chapter　VII。

Johnston　followed　his　guide　to　a　flying　machine　outside。　He　hesitated　an　instant；　as　the　officer　was　holding　the　door　open；　and　looked　back　toward　the　conservatory；　but　he　could　not　see　Thorndyke。

〃Where　are　you　taking　me？〃　he　asked　desperately。　But　the　officer　did　not　seem　to　hear　the　question。　He　was　motioning　to　a　tall　man　of　athletic　build　who　wore　a　dark　blue　uniform　and　who　came　hastily　forward　and　pushed　the　American　into　the　machine。　Through　the　open　door　Johnston　saw　Thorndyke's　anxious　face　as　the　Englishman　emerged　from　the　conservatory　and　strode　toward　them。　The　two　officers　entered　and　closed　the　glass　door。

Then　the　machine　rose　and　Johnston's　spirits　sank　as　they　shot　upward　and　floated　easily　over　the　humming　crowd　into　the　free　white　light　above　the　smokeless　city。　The　poor　captive　leaned　on　the　window…sill　and　looked　out。　There　was　no　breeze；　and　no　current　of　air　except　that　caused　by　their　rapid　passage　through　the　atmosphere。

Up；　up；　they　went；　till　the　city　seemed　a　blur　of　mingled　white　and　gray；　and　then　the　color　below　changed　to　a　vague　blue　as　they　flew　over　the　fields　of　the　open　country。

The　first　officer　took　a　glass　and　a　decanter　from　a　receptacle　under　a　seat；　and；　pouring　a　little　red　fluid　into　the　glass；　offered　it　to　the　American。

〃Drink　it；〃　he　said；　〃it　will　put　you　to　sleep　for　a　time。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　be　drugged。〃

〃The　journey　will　try　your　nerves。　It　is　harmless。〃

〃I　don't　want　it；　if　I　take　it；　you　will　have　to　pour　it　down　my　throat。〃

The　officer　smiled　as　he　put　the　glass　and　decanter　away。　Faster　and　faster　flew　the　machine。　They　had　to　put　the　window　down；　for　the　current　of　air　had　become　too　strong　and　cool　to　be　pleasant。　The　color　of　the　sunlight　changed　to　green；　and　then　at　noon；　from　the　zenith；　a　glorious　red　light　shimmered　down　and　veiled　the　earth　with　such　a　beautiful　translucent　haze　that　the　poor　American　for　a　moment　almost　forgot　his　trouble。

The　afternoon　came　on。　The　sunlight　became　successively　green；　white；　blue；　lavender；　rose　and　gray。　The　sun　was　no　longer　in　sight　and　the　gray　in　the　west　was　darkening　into　purple；　the　last　hour　of　the　day。　Night　was　at　hand。　Johnston's　limbs　were　growing　stiff　from　inaction；　and　he　had　a　strong　desire　to　speak　or　to　hear　one　of　the　officers　say　something；　but　they　were　dozing　in　their　respective　corners。　The　moon　had　risen　and　hung　far　out　in　space　overhead；　but　they　seemed　to　be　leaving　it　behind。　Later　he　felt　sure　of　this；　for　its　light　gradually　became　dimmer　and　dimmer　till　at　last　they　were　in　total　darknessdarkness　pierced　only　by　the　powerful　search…light　which　threw　its　dazzling；　trumpet…shaped　rays　far　ahead。　But；　search　as　he　would　in　the　direction　they　were　going；　the　unfortunate　American　could　see　nothing　but　the　ever…receding　wall　of　blackness。

Suddenly　they　began　to　descend。　The　officers　awoke　and　stretched　themselves　and　yawned。　One　of　them　opened　the　window　and　Johnston　heard　a　far…off；　roaring　sound　like　that　of　a　multitude　of　skaters　on　a　vast　sheet　of　ice。

Down；　down；　they　dropped。　Johnston's　heart　was　in　his　mouth。

The　machine　suddenly　slackened　in　its　speed　and　then　hung　poised　in　mid…air。　The　rays　of　the　search…light　were　directed　downward　and　slowly　shifted　from　point　to　point。　Looking　down；　the　American　caught　glimpses　of　rugged　rocks；　sharp　cliffs　and　yawning　chasms。

〃How　is　it？〃　asked　the　first　officer；　through　a　speaking…tube；　of　the　driver。

〃A　good　landing！〃　was　the　reply。

〃Well；　go　down。〃　And　a　moment　later　the　machine　settled　on　the　uneven　ground。

The　same　officer　opened　the　door；　and　gently　pushed　Johnston　out。　Johnston　expected　them　to　follow　him；　but　the　door　of　the　machine　closed　behind