CHAPTER VII
It was only at moments like these I had any time to reflect on mycircumstances or that giddy chance which had shot me into space in thisfashion, and, frankly, the opportunities, when they did come, broughtsuch an extraordinary depressing train of thought, I by no meansinvited them. Even with the time available the occasion was alwaysawry for such reflection. These dainty triflers made sulking asimpossible amongst them as philosophy in a ballroom. When I stalkedout like that from the library in fine mood to moralise andapostrophise heaven in a way that would no doubt have looked fine uponthese pages, one sprightly damsel, just as the gloomy rhetoric wasbursting from my lips, thrust a flower under my nose whose scentbrought on a violent attack of sneezing, her companions joining handsand dancing round me while they imitated my agony. Then, when I burstaway from them and rushed down a narrow arcade of crumbling mansions,another stopped me in mid-career, and taking the honey-stick she wassucking from her lips, put it to mine, like a pretty, playful child.Another asked me to dance, another to drink pink oblivion with her, andso on. How could one lament amongst all this irritating cheerfulness?
An might have helped me, for poor An was intelligent for a Martian, butshe had disappeared, and the terrible vacuity of life in the planet wasforced upon me when I realised that possessing no cognomen, no fixedaddress, or rating, it would be the merest chance if I ever came acrossher again.
Looking for my friendly guide and getting more and more at sea amongsta maze of comely but similar faces, I made chance acquaintance withanother of her kind who cheerfully drank my health at the Government'sexpense, and chatted on things Martian. She took me to see a funeralby way of amusement, and I found these people floated their dead off onflower-decked rafts instead of burying them, the send-offs all takingplace upon a certain swift-flowing stream, which carried the dead awayinto the vast region of northern ice, but more exactly whither myinformant seemed to have no idea. The voyager on this occasion wasold, and this brought to my mind the curious fact that I had observedfew children in the city, and no elders, all, except perhaps Hath,being in a state of sleek youthfulness. My new friend explained thepeculiarity by declaring Martians ripened with extraordinary rapidityfrom infancy to the equivalent of about twenty-five years of age, withus, and then remained at that period however long they might live; Onlywhen they died did their accumulated seasons come upon them; the girlturning pale, and wringing her pretty hands in sympathetic concern whenI told her there was a land where decrepitude was not so happilypostponed. The Martians, she said, arranged their calendar by thevarying colours of the seasons, and loved blue as an antidote to thegenerally red and rusty character of their soil.
Discussing such things as these we lightly squandered the day away, andI know of nothing more to note until the evening was come again: thatwonderful purple evening which creeps over the outer worlds at sunset,a seductive darkness gemmed with ten thousand stars riding so low inthe heaven they seem scarcely more than mast high. When that hour wascome my friend tiptoed again to my cheek, and then, pointing to thepalace and laughingly hoping fate would send me a bride "as soft ascatkin and as sweet as honey," slipped away into the darkness.
Then I remembered all on a sudden this was the connubial evening of mysprightly friends--the occasion when, as An had told me, the Governmentconstituted itself into a gigantic matrimonial agency, and, with thecheerful carelessness of the place, shuffled the matrimonial pack anew,and dealt a fresh hand to all the players. Now I had no wish to availmyself of a sailor's privilege of a bride in every port, but surelythis game would be interesting enough to see, even if I were but adisinterested spectator. As a matter of fact I was something more thanthat, and had been thinking a good deal of Heru during the day. I donot know whether I actually aspired to her hand--that were a largeorder, even if there had been no suspicion in my mind she was alreadybespoke in some vague way by the invisible Hath, most abortive ofprinces. But she was undeniably a lovely girl; the more one thought ofher the more she grew upon the fancy, and then the preference she hadshown myself was very gratifying. Yes, I would certainly see thisquaint ceremonial, even if I took no leading part in it.
The great centre hall of the palace was full of a radiant lightbringing up its ruined columns and intruding creepers to the besteffect when I entered. Dinner also was just being served, as theywould say in another, and alas! very distant place, and the wholebuilding thronged with folk. Down the centre low tables with room forfour hundred people were ranged, but they looked quaint enough sincebut two hundred were sitting there, all brand-new bachelors about to beturned into brand new Benedicts, and taking it mightily calmly itseemed. Across the hall-top was a raised table similarly arranged andornamented; and entering into the spirit of the thing, and littleguessing how stern a reality was to come from the evening, I sat downin a vacant place near to the dais, and only a few paces from where thepale, ghost-eyed Hath was already seated.
Almost immediately afterwards music began to buzz all about thehall--music of the kind the people loved which always seemed to me asthough it were exuding from the tables and benches, so disembodied anddifficult it was to locate; all the sleepy gallants raised theirflower-encircled heads at the same time, seizing their wine-cups,already filled to the brim, and the door at the bottom of the hallopening, the ladies, preceded by one carrying a mysterious vase coveredwith a glittering cloth, came in.
Now, being somewhat thirsty, I had already drunk half the wine in mybeaker, and whether it was that draught, drugged as all Martian winesare, or the sheer loveliness of the maids themselves, I cannot say, butas the procession entered, and, dividing, circled round under thecolonnades of the hall, a sensation of extraordinary felicity came overme--an emotion of divine contentment purged of all grossness--and Istared and stared at the circling loveliness, gossamer-clad,flower-girdled, tripping by me with vapid delight. Either the wine wasbudding in my head, or there was little to choose from amongst them,for had any of those ladies sat down in the vacant place beside me, Ishould certainly have accepted her as a gift from heaven, withoutquestion or cavil. But one after another they slipped by, modestlytaking their places in the shadows until at last came Princess Heru,and at the sight of her my soul was stirred.
She came undulating over the white marble, the loveliness of her fairyperson dimmed but scarcely hidden by a robe of softest lawn in colourlike rose-petals, her eyes aglitter with excitement and a charmingblush upon her face.
She came straight up to me, and, resting a dainty hand upon myshoulder, whispered, "Are you come as a spectator only, dear Mr. Jones,or do you join in our custom tonight?"
"I came only as a bystander, lady, but the fascination of theopportunity is deadly--"
"And have you any preference?"--this in the softest little voice fromsomewhere in the nape of my neck. "Strangers sometimes say there arefair women in Seth."
"None--till you came; and now, as was said a long time ago, 'All isdross that is not Helen.' Dearest lady," I ran on, detaining her bythe fingertips and gazing up into those shy and star-like eyes, "must Iindeed put all the hopes your kindness has roused in me these last fewdays to a shuffle in yonder urn, taking my chance with all these lazyfellows? In that land whereof I was, we would not have had it so, weloaded our dice in these matters, a strong man there might have awilling maid though all heaven were set against him! But give meleave, sweet lady, and I will ruffle with these fellows; give me aglance and I will barter my life for your billet when it is drawn, butto stand idly by and see you won by a cold chance, I cannot do it."
That lady laughed a little and said, "Men make laws, dear Jones, forwomen to keep. It is the rule, and we must not break it." Then,gently tugging at her imprisoned fingers and gathering up her skirts togo, she added, "But it might happen that wit here were better thansword." Then she hesitated, and freeing herself at last slipped from myside, yet before she was quite gone half turned again and whispered solow that no one but I could hear it, "A golden pool, and a silver fish,
and a line no thicker than a hair!" and before I could beg a meaning ofher, had passed down the hall and taken a place with the otherexpectant damsels.
"A golden pool," I said to myself, "a silver fish, and a line of hair."What could she mean? Yet that she meant something, and somethingclearly of importance, I could not doubt. "A golden pool, and a silverfish--" I buried my chin in my chest and thought deeply but withouteffect while the preparations were made and the fateful urn, each maidhaving slipped her name tablet within, was brought down to us, coveredin a beautiful web of rose-coloured tissue, and commenced its round,passing slowly from hand to hand as each of those handsome, impassive,fawn-eyed gallants lifted a corner of the web in turn and helpedthemselves to fate.
"A golden pool," I muttered, "and a silver fish"--so absorbed in my ownthoughts I hardly noticed the great cup begin its journey, but when ithad gone three or four places the glitter of the lights upon it caughtmy eye. It was of pure gold, round-brimmed, and circled about with astring of the blue convolvulus, which implies delight to these people.Ay! and each man was plunging his hand into the dark and taking in histurn a small notch-edged mother-of-pearl billet from it that flashedsoft and silvery as he turned it in his hand to read the name engravedin unknown characters thereon. "Why," I said, with a start, "surelyTHIS might be the golden pool and these the silver fish--but thehair-fine line?" And again I meditated deeply, with all my senses onthe watch.
Slowly the urn crept round, and as each man took a ticket from it, andpassed it, smiling, to the seneschal behind him, that official read outthe name upon it, and a blushing damsel slipped from the crowd above,crossing over to the side of the man with whom chance had thus lightlylinked her for the brief Martian year, and putting her hands in histhey kissed before all the company, and sat down to their places at thetable as calmly as country folk might choose partners at a village fairin hay-time.
But not so with me. Each time a name was called I started and staredat the drawer in a way which should have filled him with alarm hadalarm been possible to the peace-soaked triflers, then turned to glanceto where, amongst the women, my tender little princess was leaningagainst a pillar, with drooping head, slowly pulling a convolvulus budto pieces. None drew, though all were thinking of her, as I could tellin my fingertips. Keener and keener grew the suspense as name aftername was told and each slim white damsel skipped to the place allottedher. And all the time I kept muttering to myself about that "goldenpool," wondering and wondering until the urn had passed half round thetables and was only some three men up from me--and then an idea flashedacross my mind. I dipped my fingers in the scented water-basin on thetable, drying them carefully on a napkin, and waiting, outwardly ascalm as any, yet inwardly wrung by those tremors which beset all malecreation in such circumstances.
And now at last it was my turn. The great urn, blazing golden, throughits rosy covering, was in front, and all eyes on me. I clapped asunburnt hand upon its top as though I would take all remaining in itto myself and stared round at that company--only her herself I durstnot look at! Then, with a beating heart, I lifted a corner of the weband slipped my hand into the dark inside, muttering to myself as I didso, "A golden pool, and a silver fish, and a line no thicker than ahair." I touched in turn twenty perplexing tablets and was no whit thewiser, and felt about the sides yet came to nothing, groping here andthere with a rising despair, until as my fingers, still damp and fineof touch, went round the sides a second time, yes! there was something,something in the hollow of the fluting, a thought, a thread, and yetenough. I took it unseen, lifting it with infinite forbearance, andthe end was weighted, the other tablets slipped and rattled as fromtheir midst, hanging to that one fine virgin hair, up came a pearlybillet. I doubted no longer, but snapped the thread, and showed thetablet, heard Heru's name, read from it amongst the soft applause ofthat luxurious company with all the unconcern I could muster.
There she was in a moment, lip to lip with me, before them all, hereyes more than ever like planets from her native skies, and only thequick heave of her bosom, slowly subsiding like a ground swell after astorm, remaining to tell that even Martian blood could sometimes beatquicker than usual! She sat down in her place by me in the simplestway, and soon everything was as merry as could be. The main meal cameon now, and as far as I could see those Martian gallants had extremelygood appetites, though they drank at first but little, wiselyremembering the strength of their wines. As for me, I ate of fishesthat never swam in earthly seas, and of strange fowl that never flappeda way through thick terrestrial air, ate and drank as happy as a king,and falling each moment more and more in love with the wonderfullybeautiful girl at my side who was a real woman of flesh and blood Iknew, yet somehow so dainty, so pink and white, so unlike other girlsin the smoothness of her outlines, in the subtle grace of eachunthinking attitude, that again and again I looked at her over the rimof my tankard half fearing she might dissolve into nothing, being thehalf-fairy which she was.
Presently she asked, "Did that deed of mine, the hair in the urn,offend you, stranger?"
"Offend me, lady!" I laughed. "Why, had it been the blackest crimethat ever came out of a perverse imagination it would have brought itsown pardon with it; I, least of all in this room, have least cause tobe offended."
"I risked much for you and broke our rules."
"Why, no doubt that was so, but 'tis the privilege of your kind to havesome say in this little matter of giving and taking in marriage. I onlymarvel that your countrywomen submit so tamely to the quaintest game ofchance I ever played at.
"Ay, and it is women's nature no doubt to keep the laws which othersmake, as you have said yourself. Yet this rule, lady, is one brokenwith more credit than kept, and if you have offended no one more thanme, your penance is easily done."
"But I have offended some one," she said, laying her hand on mine withgentle nervousness in its touch, "one who has the power to hurt, andenough energy to resent. Hath, up there at the cross-table, have Ioffended deeply tonight, for he hoped to have me, and would havecompelled any other man to barter me for the maid chance assigned tohim; but of you, somehow, he is afraid--I have seen him staring at you,and changing colour as though he knew something no one else knows--"
"Briefly, charming girl," I said, for the wine was beginning to sing inmy head, and my eyes were blinking stupidly--"briefly, Hath hath theenot, and there's an end of it. I would spit a score of Haths, as thesefigs are spit on this golden skewer, before I would relinquish a hairof your head to him, or to any man," and as everything about the greathall began to look gauzy and unreal through the gathering fumes of myconfusion, I smiled on that gracious lady, and began to whisper I knownot what to her, and whisper and doze, and doze--
I know not how long afterwards it was, whether a minute or an hour, butwhen I lifted my head suddenly from the lady's shoulder all the placewas in confusion, every one upon their feet, the talk and the drinkingceased, and all eyes turned to the far doorway where the curtains werejust dropping again as I looked, while in front of them were standingthree men.
These newcomers were utterly unlike any others--a frightful vision ofugly strength amidst the lolling loveliness all about. Low of stature,broad of shoulder, hairy, deep-chested, with sharp, twinkling eyes, setfar back under bushy eyebrows, retreating foreheads, and flat noses infaces tanned to a dusky copper hue by exposure to every kind of weatherthat racks the extreme Martian climate they were so opposite to allabout me, so quaint and grim amongst those mild, fair-skinned folk,that at first I thought they were but a disordered creation of my fancy.
I rubbed my eyes and stared and blinked, but no! they were real men, offlesh and blood, and now they had come down with as much stateliness astheir bandy legs would admit of, into the full glare of the lights tothe centre table where Hath sat. I saw their splendid apparel, thegreat strings of rudely polished gems hung round their hairy necks andwrists, the cunningly dyed skins of soft-furred animals, green and redand black, wherewith their limbs were swathed, and
then I heard someone by me whisper in a frightened tone, "The envoys from over seas."
"Oh," I thought sleepily to myself, "so these are the ape-men of thewestern woods, are they? Those who long ago vanquished mywhite-skinned friends and yearly come to claim their tribute. Jove,what hay they must have made of them! How those peach-skinned girlsmust have screamed and the downy striplings by them felt their dimpledknees knock together, as the mad flood of barbarians came pouring overfrom the forest, and long ago stormed their citadels like a stream ofred lava, as deadly, as irresistible, as remorseless!" And I layasprawl upon my arms on the table watching them with the stupidindifference I thought I could so well afford.
Meanwhile Hath was on foot, pale and obsequious like others in thepresence of those dread ambassadors, but more collected, I thought.With the deepest bows he welcomed them, handing them drink in a goldenState cup, and when they had drunk (I heard the liquor running downtheir great throats, in the frightened hush, like water in a runnel ona wet day), they wiped their fierce lips upon their furry sleeves, andthe leader began reciting the tribute for the year. So much corn, somuch wine--and very much it was--so many thousands ells of cloth andwebbing, and so much hammered gold, and sinah and lar, precious metalof which I knew nothing as yet; and ever as he went growling throughthe list in his harsh animal voice, he refreshed his memory with acoloured stick whereon a notch was made for every item, the woodmen nothaving come as yet, apparently, to the gentler art of written signs andsymbols. Longer and longer that caravan of unearned wealth stretchedout before my fancy, but at last it was done, or all but done, and thehead envoy, passing the painted stick to a man behind, folded his bare,sinewy arms, upon which the red fell bristles as it does upon agorilla's, across his ample chest, and, including us all in one generalscowl, turned to Hath as he said--
"All this for Ar-hap, the wood-king, my master and yours; all this, andthe most beautiful woman here tonight at your tables!"
"An item," I smiled stupidly to myself, for indeed I was very sleepyand had no nice perception of things, "which shows his majesty with thetwo-pronged name is a jolly fellow after all, and knows wealth isincomplete without the crown and priming of all riches. I wonder howthe Martian boys will like this postscript," and chin on hand, and eyesthat would hardly stay open, I watched to see what would happen next.There was a little conversation between the prince and the ape-man;then I saw Hath the traitor point in my direction and say--
"Since you ask and will be advised, then, mighty sir, there can be nodoubt of it, the most beautiful woman here tonight is undoubtedly shewho sits yonder by him in blue."
"A very pretty compliment!" I thought, too dull to see what was comingquickly, "and handsome of Hath, all things considered."
And so I dozed and dozed, and then started, and stared! Was I in mysenses? Was I mad, or dreaming? The drunkenness dropped from me likea mantle; with a single, smothered cry I came to myself and saw that itwas all too true. The savage envoy had come down the hall at Hath'svindictive prompting, had lifted my fair girl to her feet, and there,even as I looked, had drawn her, white as death, into the red circle ofhis arm, and with one hand under her chin had raised her sweet face towithin an inch of his, and was staring at her with small, ugly eyes.
"Yes," said the enjoy, more interestedly than he had spoken yet, "itwill do; the tribute is accepted--for Ar-hap, my master!" And takingshrinking Heru by the wrist, and laying a heavy hand upon her shoulder,he was about to lead her up the hall.
I was sober enough then. I was on foot in an instant, and before allthe glittering company, before those simpering girls and pale Martianyouths, who sat mumbling their fingers, too frightened to lift theireyes from off their half-finished dinners, I sprang at the envoy. Istruck him with my clenched fist on the side of his bullet head, and helet go of Heru, who slipped insensible from his hairy chest like awhite cloud slipping down the slopes of a hill at sunrise, and turnedon me with a snort of rage. We stared at each other for a minute, andthen I felt the wine fumes roaring in my head; I rushed at him andclosed. It was like embracing a mountain bull, and he responded with ahug that made my ribs crackle. For a minute we were locked togetherlike that, swinging here and there, and then getting a hand loose, Ibelaboured him so unmercifully that he put his head down, and that waswhat I wanted. I got a new hold of him as we staggered and plunged,roaring the while like the wild beasts we were, the teeth chattering inthe Martian heads as they watched us, and then, exerting all mystrength, lifted him fairly from his feet and with supreme effort swunghim up, shoulder high, and with a mighty heave hurled him across thetables, flung that ambassador, whom no Martian dared look upon,crashing and sprawling through the gold and silver of the feast,whirled him round with such a splendid send that bench and trestle,tankards and flagons, chairs and cloths and candelabras all went downinto thundering chaos with him, and the envoy only stayed when hissacred person came to harbour amongst the westral odds and ends, thesoiled linen, and dirty platters of our wedding feast.
I remember seeing him there on hands and knees, and then the liquor Ihad had would not be denied. In vain I drew my hands across mydrooping eyelids, in vain I tried to master my knees that knockedtogether. The spell of the love-drink that Heru, blushing, had held tomy lips was on me. Its soft, overwhelming influence rose like aprismatic fog between me and my enemy, everything again became hazy anddreamlike, and feebly calling on Heru, my chin dropped upon my chest,my limbs relaxed, and I slipped down in drowsy oblivion before my rival.
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