the coming race-第3章

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tood；　and　I　was　not　mistaken。　　I　comprehended　that　he　inquired　whence　I　came。　　I　extended　my　arm；　and　pointed　towards　the　road　which　had　led　me　from　the　chasm　in　the　rock；　then　an　idea　seized　me。　　I　drew　forth　my　pocket…book；　and　sketched　on　one　of　its　blank　leaves　a　rough　design　of　the　ledge　of　the　rock；　the　rope；　myself　clinging　to　it；　then　of　the　cavernous　rock　below；　the　head　of　the　reptile；　17the　lifeless　form　of　my　friend。　　I　gave　this　primitive　kind　of　hieroglyph　to　my　interrogator；　who；　after　inspecting　it　gravely；　handed　it　to　his　next　neighbour；　and　it　thus　passed　round　the　group。　　The　being　I　had　at　first　encountered　then　said　a　few　words；　and　the　child；　who　approached　and　looked　at　my　drawing；　nodded　as　if　he　comprehended　its　purport；　and；　returning　to　the　window；　expanded　the　wings　attached　to　his　form；　shook　them　once　or　twice；　and　then　launched　himself　into　space　without。　　I　started　up　in　amaze　and　hastened　to　the　window。　　The　child　was　already　in　the　air；　buoyed　on　his　wings；　which　he　did　not　flap　to　and　fro　as　a　bird　does；　but　which　were　elevated　over　his　head；　and　seemed　to　bear　him　steadily　aloft　without　effort　of　his　own。　　His　flight　seemed　as　swift　as　an　eagle's；　and　I　observed　that　it　was　towards　the　rock　whence　I　had　descended；　of　which　the　outline　loomed　visible　in　the　brilliant　atmosphere。　　In　a　very　few　minutes　he　returned；　skimming　through　the　opening　from　which　he　had　gone；　and　dropping　on　the　floor　the　rope　and　grappling…hooks　I　had　left　at　the　descent　from　the　chasm。　　Some　words　in　a　low　tone　passed　between　the　being　present；　one　of　the　group　touched　an　automaton；　which　started　forward　and　glided　from　the　room；　then　the　last　comer；　who　had　addressed　me　by　gestures；　rose；　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　led　me　into　the　corridor。　　There　the　platform　by　which　I　had　mounted　awaited　us；　we　placed　ourselves　on　it　and　were　lowered　into　the　hall　below。　　My　new　companion；　still　holding　me　by　the　hand；　conducted　me　from　the　building　into　a　street　（so　to　speak）　that　stretched　beyond　it；　with　buildings　on　either　side；　separated　from　each　other　by　gardens　bright　with　rich…coloured　vegetation　and　strange　flowers。　　Interspersed　amidst　these　gardens；　which　were　divided　from　each　other　by　low　walls；　or　walking　slowly　along　the　road；　were　many　forms　similar　to　those　I　had　already　seen。　　Some　of　the　passers…by；　on　observing　me；　approached　my　guide；　evidently　by　their　tones；　looks；　and　gestures　addressing　to　him　inquiries　18about　myself。　　In　a　few　moments　a　crowd　collected　around　us；　examining　me　with　great　interest；　as　if　I　were　some　rare　wild　animal。　　Yet　even　in　gratifying　their　curiosity　they　preserved　a　grave　and　courteous　demeanour；　and　after　a　few　words　from　my　guide；　who　seemed　to　me　to　deprecate　obstruction　in　our　road；　they　fell　back　with　a　stately　inclination　of　head；　and　resumed　their　own　way　with　tranquil　indifference。　　Midway　in　this　thoroughfare　we　stopped　at　a　building　that　differed　from　those　we　had　hitherto　passed；　inasmuch　as　it　formed　three　sides　of　a　vast　court；　at　the　angles　of　which　were　lofty　pyramidal　towers；　in　the　open　space　between　the　sides　was　a　circular　fountain　of　colossal　dimensions；　and　throwing　up　a　dazzling　spray　of　what　seemed　to　me　fire。　　We　entered　the　building　through　an　open　doorway　and　came　into　an　enormous　hall；　in　which　were　several　groups　of　children；　all　apparently　employed　in　work　as　at　some　great　factory。　　There　was　a　huge　engine　in　the　wall　which　was　in　full　play；　with　wheels　and　cylinders　resembling　our　own　steam…engines；　except　that　it　was　richly　ornamented　with　precious　stones　and　metals；　and　appeared　to　emanate　a　pale　phosphorescent　atmosphere　of　shifting　light。　　Many　of　the　children　were　at　some　mysterious　work　on　this　machinery；　others　were　seated　before　tables。　　I　was　not　allowed　to　linger　long　enough　to　examine　into　the　nature　of　their　employment。　　Not　one　young　voice　was　heard…　not　one　young　face　turned　to　gaze　on　us。　　They　were　all　still　and　indifferent　as　may　be　ghosts；　through　the　midst　of　which　pass　unnoticed　the　forms　of　the　living。

Quitting　this　hall；　my　guide　led　me　through　a　gallery　richly　painted　in　compartments；　with　a　barbaric　mixture　of　gold　in　the　colours；　like　pictures　by　Louis　Cranach。　　The　subjects　described　on　these　walls　appeared　to　my　glance　as　intended　to　illustrate　events　in　the　history　of　the　race　amidst　which　I　was　admitted。　　In　all　there　were　figures；　most　of　them　like　the　manlike　creatures　I　had　seen；　but　not　all　in　the　same　fashion　of　garb；　nor　all　with　wings。　　There　were　also　the　effigies　of　19various　animals　and　birds；　wholly　strange　to　me；　with　backgrounds　depicting　landscapes　or　buildings。　　So　far　as　my　imperfect　knowledge　of　the　pictorial　art　would　allow　me　to　form　an　opinion；　these　paintings　seemed　very　accurate　in　design　and　very　rich　in　colouring；　showing　a　perfect　knowledge　of　perspective；　but　their　details　not　arranged　according　to　the　rules　of　composition　acknowledged　by　our　artists…　wanting；　as　it　were；　a　centre；　so　that　the　effect　was　vague；　scattered；　confused；　bewildering…　they　were　like　heterogeneous　fragments　of　a　dream　of　art。

We　now　came　into　a　room　of　moderate　size；　in　which　was　assembled　what　I　afterwards　knew　to　be　the　family　of　my　guide；　seated　at　a　table　spread　as　for　repast。　　The　forms　thus　grouped　were　those　of　my　guide's　wife；　his　daughter；　and　two　sons。　　I　recognised　at　once　the　difference　between　the　two　sexes；　though　the　two　females　were　of　taller　stature　and　ampler　proportions　than　the　males；　and　their　countenances；　if　still　more　symmetrical　in　outline　and　contour；　were　devoid　of　the　softness　and　timidity　of　expression　which　give　charm　to　the　face　of　woman　as　seen　on　the　earth　above。　　The　wife　wore　no　wings；　the　daughter　wore　wings　longer　than　those　of　the　males。

My　guide　uttered　a　few　words；　on　which　all　the　persons　seated　rose；　and　with　that　peculiar　mildness　of　look　and　manner　which　I　have　before　noticed；　and　which　is；　in　truth；　the　common　attribute　of　this　formidable　race；　they　saluted　me　according　to　their　fashion；　which　consists　in　laying　the　right　hand　very　gently　on　the　head　and　uttering　a　soft　sibilant　monosyllable…　S。Si；　equivalent　to　〃Welcome。〃

The　mistress　of　the　house　then　seated　me　beside　her；　and　heaped　a　golden　platter　before　me　from　one　of　the　dishes。

While　I　ate　（and　though　the　viands　were　new　to　me；　I　marvelled　more　at　the　delicacy　than　the　strangeness　of　their　flavour）；　my　companions　conversed　quietly；　and；　so　far　as　I　could　detect；　with　polite　avoidance　of　any　direct　reference　to　myself；　or　any　20obtrusive　scrutiny　of　my　appearance。　　Yet　I　was　the　first　creature　of　that　variety　of　the　human　race　to　which　I　belong　that　they　had　ever　beheld；　and　was　consequently　regarded　by　them　as　a　most　curious　and　abnormal　phenomenon。　　But　all　rudeness　is　unknown　to　this　people；　and　the　youngest　child　is　taught　to　despise　any　vehement　emotional　demonstration。　　when　the　meal　was　ended；　my　guide　again　took　me　by　the　hand；　and；　re…entering　the　gallery；　touched　a　metallic　plate　inscribed　with　strange　figures；　and　which　I　rightly　conjectured　to　be　of　the　nature　of　our　telegraphs。　　A　platform　descended；　but　this　time　we　mounted　to　a　much　greater　height　than　in　the　former　building；　and　found　ourselves　in　a　room　of　moderate　dimensions；　and　which　in　its　general　character　had　much　that　might　be　familiar　to　the　associations　of　a　visitor　from　the　upper　world。　　There　were　shelves　on　the　wall　containing　what　appeared　to　be　books；　and　indeed　were　so；　mostly　very　small；　like　our　diamond　duodecimos；　shaped　in　the　fashion　of　our　volumes；　and　bound　in　sheets　of　fine　metal。　　There　were　several　curious…looking　pieces　of　mechanism　scattered　about；　apparently　models；　such　as　might　be　seen　in　the　study　of　any　professional　mechanician。　　Four　automata　（mechanical　contrivances　which；　with　these　people；　answer　the　ordinary　purposes　of　domestic　service）　stood　phantom…like　at　each　angle　in　the　wall。　　In　a　recess　was　a　low　couch；　or　bed　with　pillows。　　A　window；　with　curtains　of　some　fibrous　material　drawn　aside；　opened　upon　a　large　balcony。　　My　host　stepped　out　into　the　balcony；　I　followed　him。　　We　were　on　the　uppermost　story　of　one　of　the　angular　pyramids；　the　view　beyond　was　of　a　wild　and　solemn　beauty　impossible　to　describe：…　the　vast　ranges　of　precipitous　rock　which　formed　the　distant　background；　the　intermediate　valleys　of　mystic　many…coloured　herbiage；　the　flash　of　waters；　many　of　them　like　streams　of　roseate　flame；　the　serene　lustre　diffused　over　all　by　myriads　of　lamps；　combined　to　form　a　whole　of　which　no　words　of　mine　21can　convey　adequate　description；　so　splendid　was　it；　yet　so　sombre；　so　lovely；　yet　so　awful。

But　my　attention　was　soon　diverted　from　these　nether　landscapes。　　Suddenly　there　arose；　as　from　the　streets　below；　a　burst　of　joyous　music；　then　a　winged　form　soared　into　the　space；　another　as　if　in　chase　of　the　first；　another　and　another；　others　after　others；　till　the　crowd　grew　thick　and　the　number　countless。　　But　how　describe　the　fantastic　grace　of　these　forms　in　their　undulating　movements！　They　appeared　engaged　in　some　sport　or　amusement；　now　forming　into　opposite　squadrons；　now　scattering；　now　each　group　threading　the　other；　soaring；　descending；　interweaving；　severing；　all　in　measured　time　to　the　music　below；　as　if　in　the　dance　of　the　fabled　Peri。

I　turned　my　gaze　on　my　host　in　a　feverish　wonder。　　I　ventured　to　place　my　hand　on　the　large　wings　that　lay　folded　on　his　breast；　and　in　doing　so　a　slight　shock　as　of　electricity　passed　through　me。　　I　recoiled　in　fear；　my　host　smiled；　and　as　if　courteously　to　gratify　my　curiosity；　slowly　expanded　his　pinions。　　I　observed　that　his　garment　beneath　them　became　dilated　as　a　bladder　that　fills　with　air。　　The　arms　seemed　to　slide　into　the　wings；　and　in　another　moment　he　had　launched　himself　into　the　luminous　atmosphere；　and　hovered　there；　still；　and　with　outspread　wings；　as　an　eagle　that　basks　in　the　sun。　　Then；　rapidly　as　an　eagle　swoops；　he　rushed　downwards　into　the　midst　of　one　of　the　groups；　skimming　through　the　midst；　and　as　suddenly　again　soaring　aloft。　　Thereon；　three　forms；　in　one　of　which　I　thought　to　recognise　my　host's　daughter；　detached　themselves　from　the　rest；　and　followed　him　as　a　bird　sportively　follows　a　bird。　　My　eyes；　dazzled　with　the　lights　and　bewildered　by　the　throngs；　ceased　to　distinguish　the　gyrations　and　evolutions　of　these　winged　playmates；　till　presently　my　host　re…emerged　from　the　crowd　and　alighted　at　my　side。

The　strangeness　of　all　I　had　seen　began　now　to　operate　fast　on　my　senses；　my　mind　itself　began　to　wander。　　Though　not　inclined　22to　be　superstitious；　nor　hitherto　believing　that　man　could　be　brought　into　bodily　communication　with　demons；　I　felt　the　terror　and　the　wild　excitement　with　which；　in　the　Gothic　ages；　a　traveller　might　have　persuaded　himself　that　he　witnessed　a　'sabbat'　of　fiends　and　witches。　　I　have　a　vague　recollection　of　having　attempted　with　vehement　gesticulation；　and　forms　of　exorcism；　and　loud　incoherent　words；　to　repel　my　courteous　and　indulgent　host；　of　his　mild　endeavors　to　calm　and　soothe　me；　of　his　intelligent　conjecture　that　my　fright　and　bewilderment　were　occasioned　by　the　difference　of　form　and　movement　between　us　which　the　wings　that　had　excited　my　marvelling　curiosity　had；　in　exercise；　made　still　more　strongly　per