the coming race-第20章

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transmission；　and　suited　to　the　food　on　which　we　now　exist；　nor　are　even　the　barbarians；　who　adopt　the　turbulent　and　ferocious　institutions　of　Glek…Nas；　devourers　of　flesh　like　beasts　of　prey。

〃In　the　course　of　this　dispute　it　was　proposed　to　dissect　you；　but　Taee　begged　you　off；　and　the　Tur　being；　by　office；　averse　to　all　novel　experiments　at　variance　with　our　custom　of　sparing　life；　except　where　it　is　clearly　proved　to　be　for　the　good　of　the　community　to　take　it；　sent　to　me；　whose　business　it　is；　as　the　richest　man　of　the　state；　to　afford　hospitality　to　strangers　from　a　distance。　　It　was　at　my　option　to　decide　whether　or　not　you　were　a　stranger　whom　I　could　safely　admit。　　Had　I　declined　to　receive　you；　you　would　have　been　handed　over　to　the　College　of　Sages；　and　what　might　there　have　befallen　you　I　do　not　like　to　conjecture。　　Apart　from　this　danger；　you　might　chance　to　encounter　some　child　of　four　years　old；　just　put　in　possession　of　his　vril　staff；　and　who；　in　alarm　at　your　strange　appearance；　and　in　the　impulse　of　the　moment；　might　reduce　you　to　a　cinder。　　Taee　himself　was　about　to　do　so　when　he　first　saw　you；　had　his　father　not　checked　his　hand。　　Therefore　I　say　you　cannot　travel　alone；　but　with　Zee　you　would　be　safe；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　she　would　accompany　you　on　a　tour　round　the　neighbouring　communities　of　Vril…ya　（to　the　savage　states；　No！）：　I　will　ask　her。〃

Now；　as　my　main　object　in　proposing　to　travel　was　to　escape　from　Zee；　I　hastily　exclaimed；　〃Nay；　pray　do　not！　I　relinquish　my　design。　　You　have　said　enough　as　to　its　dangers　to　deter　me　from　it；　and　I　can　scarcely　think　it　right　that　a　young　Gy　of　the　personal　attractions　of　your　lovely　daughter　should　travel　into　other　regions　without　a　better　protector　than　a　Tish　of　my　insignificant　strength　and　stature。〃

Aph…Lin　emitted　the　soft　sibilant　sound　which　is　the　nearest　approach　to　laughter　that　a　full…grown　An　permits　to　himself；　ere　he　replied：　〃Pardon　my　discourteous　but　momentary　indulgence　of　mirth　at　any　observation　seriously　made　by　my　113guest。　　I　could　not　but　be　amused　at　the　idea　of　Zee；　who　is　so　fond　of　protecting　others　that　children　call　her　'THE　GUARDIAN；'　needing　a　protector　herself　against　any　dangers　arising　from　the　audacious　admiration　of　males。　　Know　that　our　Gy…ei；　while　unmarried；　are　accustomed　to　travel　alone　among　other　tribes；　to　see　if　they　find　there　some　An　who　may　please　them　more　than　the　Ana　they　find　at　home。　　Zee　has　already　made　three　such　journeys；　but　hitherto　her　heart　has　been　untouched。〃

Here　the　opportunity　which　I　sought　was　afforded　to　me；　and　I　said；　looking　down；　and　with　faltering　voice；　〃Will　you；　my　kind　host；　promise　to　pardon　me；　if　what　I　am　about　to　say　gives　offence？〃

〃Say　only　the　truth；　and　I　cannot　be　offended；　or；　could　I　be　so；　it　would　not　be　for　me；　but　for　you　to　pardon。〃

〃Well；　then；　assist　me　to　quit　you；　and；　much　as　I　should　have　like　to　witness　more　of　the　wonders；　and　enjoy　more　of　the　felicity；　which　belong　to　your　people；　let　me　return　to　my　own。〃

〃I　fear　there　are　reasons　why　I　cannot　do　that；　at　all　events；　not　without　permission　of　the　Tur；　and　he；　probably；　would　not　grant　it。　　You　are　not　destitute　of　intelligence；　you　may　（though　I　do　not　think　so）　have　concealed　the　degree　of　destructive　powers　possessed　by　your　people；　you　might；　in　short；　bring　upon　us　some　danger；　and　if　the　Tur　entertains

that　idea；　it　would　clearly　be　his　duty；　either　to　put　an　end　to　you；　or　enclose　you　in　a　cage　for　the　rest　of　your　existence。　　But　why　should　you　wish　to　leave　a　state　of　society　which　you　so　politely　allow　to　be　more　felicitous　than　your　own？〃

〃Oh；　Aph…Lin！　　My　answer　is　plain。　　Lest　in　naught；　and　unwittingly；　I　should　betray　your　hospitality；　lest；　in　the　caprice　of　will　which　in　our　world　is　proverbial　among　the　other　sex；　and　from　which　even　a　Gy　is　not　free；　your　adorable　daughter　should　deign　to　regard　me；　though　a　Tish；　as　if　I　were　a　civilised　An；　and…　and…　and…〃　114　〃Court　you　as　her　spouse；〃　put　in　Aph…Lin；　gravely；　and　without　any　visible　sign　of　surprise　or　displeasure。

〃You　have　said　it。〃

〃That　would　be　a　misfortune；〃　resumed　my　host；　after　a　pause；　〃and　I　feel　you　have　acted　as　you　ought　in　warning　me。　　It　is；　as　you　imply；　not　uncommon　for　an　unwedded　Gy　to　conceive　tastes　as　to　the　object　she　covets　which　appear　whimsical　to　others；　but　there　is　no　power　to　compel　a　young　Gy　to　any　course　opposed　to　that　which　she　chooses　to　pursue。　　All　we　can　to　is　to　reason　with　her；　and　experience　tells　us　that　the　whole　College　of　Sages　would　find　it　vain　to　reason　with　a　Gy　in　a　matter　that　concerns　her　choice　in　love。　　I　grieve　for　you；　because　such　a　marriage　would　be　against　the　A…glauran；　or　good　of　the　community；　for　the　children　of　such　a　marriage　would　adulterate　the　race：　they　might　even　come　into　the　world　with　the　teeth　of　carnivorous　animals；　this　could　not　be　allowed：　Zee；　as　a　Gy；　cannot　be　controlled；　but　you；　as　a　Tish；　can　be　destroyed。　　I　advise　you；　then；　to　resist　her　addresses；　to　tell　her　plainly　that　you　can　never　return　her　love。　　This　happens　constantly。　　Many　an　An；　however；　ardently　wooed　by　one　Gy；　rejects　her；　and　puts　an　end　to　her　persecution　by　wedding　another。　　The　same　course　is　open　to　you。〃

〃No；　for　I　cannot　wed　another　Gy　without　equally　injuring　the　community；　and　exposing　it　to　the　chance　of　rearing　carnivorous　children。〃

〃That　is　true。　　All　I　can　say；　and　I　say　it　with　the　tenderness　due　to　a　Tish；　and　the　respect　due　to　a　guest；　is　frankly　this…　if　you　yield；　you　will　become　a　cinder。　　I　must　leave　it　to　you　to　take　the　best　way　you　can　to　defend　yourself。　　Perhaps　you　had　better　tell　Zee　that　she　is　ugly。　　That　assurance　on　the　lips　of　him　she　woos　generally　suffices　to　chill　the　most　ardent　Gy。　　Here　we　are　at　my　country…house。〃　115

Chapter　XXIII。


I　confess　that　my　conversation　with　Aph…Lin；　and　the　extreme　coolness　with　which　he　stated　his　inability　to　control　the　dangerous　caprice　of　his　daughter；　and　treated　the　idea　of　the　reduction　into　a　cinder　to　which　her　amorous　flame　might　expose　my　too　seductive　person；　took　away　the　pleasure　I　should　otherwise　have　had　in　the　contemplation　of　my　host's　country…seat；　and　the　astonishing　perfection　of　the　machinery　by　which　his　farming　operations　were　conducted。　　The　house　differed　in　appearance　from　the　massive　and　sombre　building　which　Aph…Lin　inhabited　in　the　city；　and　which　seemed　akin　to　the　rocks　out　of　which　the　city　itself　had　been　hewn　into　shape。　　The　walls　of　the　country…seat　were　composed　by　trees　placed　a　few　feet　apart　from　each　other；　the　interstices　being　filled　in　with　the　transparent　metallic　substance　which　serves　the　purpose　of　glass　among　the　Ana。　　These　trees　were　all　in　flower；　and　the　effect　was　very　pleasing；　if　not　in　the　best　taste。　　We　were　received　at　the　porch　by　life…like　automata；　who　conducted　us　into　a　chamber；　the　like　to　which　I　never　saw　before；　but　have　often　on　summer　days　dreamily　imagined。　　It　was　a　bower…　half　room；　half　garden。　　The　walls　were　one　mass　of　climbing　flowers。　　The　open　spaces；　which　we　call　windows；　and　in　which；　here；　the　metallic　surfaces　were　slided　back；　commanded　various　views；　some；　of　the　wide　landscape　with　its　lakes　and　rocks；　some；　of　small　limited　expanses　answering　to　our　conservatories；　filled　with　tiers　of　flowers。　　Along　the　sides　of　the　room　were　flower…beds；　interspersed　with　cushions　for　repose。　　In　the　centre　of　the　floor　was　a　cistern　and　a　fountain　of　that　liquid　light　which　I　have　presumed　to　be　naphtha。　　It　was　luminous　and　of　a　roseate　hue；　it　sufficed　without　lamps　to　light　up　the　room　with　a　subdued　radiance。　　All　around　the　fountain　was　carpeted　with　a　soft　deep　lichen；　not　green　（I　have　never　seen　that　colour　in　the　vegetation　of　116this　country）；　but　a　quiet　brown；　on　which　the　eye　reposes　with　the　same　sense　of　relief　as　that　with　which　in　the　upper　world　it　reposes　on　green。　　In　the　outlets　upon　flowers　（which　I　have　compared　to　our　conservatories）　there　were　singing　birds　innumerable；　which；　while　we　remained　in　the　room；　sang　in　those　harmonies　of　tune　to　which　they　are；　in　these　parts；　so　wonderfully　trained。　　The　roof　was　open。　　The　whole　scene　had　charms　for　every　sense…　music　form　the　birds；　fragrance　from　the　flowers；　and　varied　beauty　to　the　eye　at　every　aspect。　　About　all　was　a　voluptuous　repose。　　What　a　place；　methought；　for　a　honeymoon；　if　a　Gy　bride　were　a　little　less　formidably　armed　not　only　with　the　rights　of　woman；　but　with　the　powers　of　man！　But　when　one　thinks　of　a　Gy；　so　learned；　so　tall；　so　stately；　so　much　above　the　standard　of　the　creature　we　call　woman　as　was　Zee；　no！　even　if　I　had　felt　no　fear　of　being　reduced　to　a　cinder；　it　is　not　of　her　I　should　have　dreamed　in　that　bower　so　constructed　for　dreams　of　poetic　love。

The　automata　reappeared；　serving　one　of　those　delicious　liquids　which　form　the　innocent　wines　of　the　Vril…ya。

〃Truly；〃　said　I；　〃this　is　a　charming　residence；　and　I　can　scarcely　conceive　why　you　do　not　settle　yourself　here　instead　of　amid　the　gloomier　abodes　of　the　city。〃

〃As　responsible　to　the　community　for　the　administration　of　light；　I　am　compelled　to　reside　chiefly　in　the　city；　and　can　only　come　hither　for　short　intervals。〃

〃But　since　I　understand　from　you　that　no　honours　are　attached　to　your　office；　and　it　involves　some　trouble；　why　do　you　accept　it？〃

〃Each　of　us　obeys　without　question　the　command　of　the　Tur。　　He　said；　'Be　it　requested　that　Aph…Lin　shall　be　the　Commissioner　of　Light；'　so　I　had　no　choice；　but　having　held　the　office　now　for　a　long　time；　the　cares；　which　were　at　first　unwelcome；　have　become；　if　not　pleasing；　at　least　endurable。　　We　are　all　formed　by　custom…　even　the　difference　of　our　race　from　the　savage　is　but　the　transmitted　continuance　of　custom；　which　becomes；　117through　hereditary　descent；　part　and　parcel　of　our　nature。　　You　see　there　are　Ana　who　even　reconcile　themselves　to　the　responsibilities　of　chief　magistrate；　but　no　one　would　do　so　if　his　duties　had　not　been　rendered　so　light；　or　if　there　were　any　questions　as　to　compliance　with　his　requests。〃

〃Not　even　if　you　thought　the　requests　unwise　or　unjust？〃

〃We　do　not　allow　ourselves　to　think　so；　and；　indeed；　everything　goes　on　as　if　each　and　all　governed　themselves　according　to　immemorial　custom。〃

〃When　the　chief　magistrate　dies　or　retires；　how　do　you　provide　for　his　successor？〃

〃The　An　who　has　discharged　the　duties　of　chief　magistrate　for　many　years　is　the　best　person　to　choose　one　by　whom　those　duties　may　be　understood；　and　he　generally　names　his　successor。〃

〃His　son；　perhaps？〃

〃Seldom　that；　for　it　is　not　an　office　any　one　desires　or　seeks；　and　a　father　naturally　hesitates　to　constrain　his　son。　　But　if　the　Tur　himself　decline　to　make　a　choice；　for　fear　it　might　be　supposed　that　he　owed　some　grudge　to　the　person　on　whom　his　choice　would　settle；　then　there　are　three　of　the　College　of　Sages　who　draw　lots　among　themselves　which　shall　have　the　power　to　elect　the　chief。　　We　consider　that　the　judgment　of　one　An　of　ordinary　capacity　is　better　than　the　judgment　of　three　or　more；　however　wise　they　may　be；　for　among　three　there　would　probably　be　disputes；　and　where　there　are　disputes；　passion　clouds　judgment。　　The　worst　choice　made　by　one　who　has　no　motive　in　ch