CHAPTER XVIII
Hotter and hotter grew that stifling spell, more and more languid manand beast, drier and drier the parching earth.
All the water gave out on the morning after I had bearded Ar-hap in hisden, and our strength went with it. No earthly heat was ever like it,and it drank our vitality up from every pore. Water there was downbelow in the bitter, streaming gulf, but so noisome that we dared noteven bathe there; here there was none but the faintest trickle. Alldiscipline was at an end; all desire save such as was born of thirst.Heru I saw as often as I wished as she lay gasping, with poor Si at herfeet, in the women's verandah; but the heat was so tremendous that Igazed at her with lack-lustre eyes, staggering to and fro amongst thecourtyard shadows, without nerve to plot her rescue or strength tocarry out anything my mind might have conceived.
We prayed for rain and respite. Ar-hap had prayed with a wealth ofpicturesque ceremonial. We had all prayed and cursed by turns, butstill the heavens would not relent, and the rain came not.
At last the stifling heat and vapour reached an almost intolerablepitch. The earth reeked with unwholesome humours no common summer coulddraw from it, the air was sulphurous and heavy, while overhead the skyseemed a tawny dome, from edge to edge of angry clouds, parting now andthen to let us see the red disc threatening us.
Hour after hour slipped by until, when evening was upon us, the cloudsdrew together, and thunder, with a continuous low rumble, began to rockfrom sky to sky. Fitful showers of rain, odorous and heavy, butunsatisfying, fell, and birds and beasts of the woodlands came slinkingin to our streets and courtyards. Ever since the sky first darkenedour own animals had become strangely familiar, and now here were thesewild things of the woods slinking in for companionship, sagheaded andfrightened. To me especially they came, until that last evening as Istaggered dying about the streets or sat staring into the remorselesssky from the steps of Heru's prison house, all sorts of beasts drewsoftly in and crowded about, whether I sat or moved, all asking for thehope I had not to give them.
At another time this might have been embarrassing; then it seemed purecommonplace. It was a sight to see them slink in between the uselessshowers, which fell like hot tears upon us--sleek panthers with lollingtongues; russet-red wood dogs; bears and sloths from the dark arcadesof the remote forests, all casting themselves down gasping in thepalace shadows; strange deer, who staggered to the garden plots and laythere heaving their lives out; mighty boars, who came from the rivermarshes and silently nozzled a place amongst their enemies to die in!Even the wolves came off the hills, and, with bloodshot eyes andtongues that dripped foam, flung themselves down in my shadow.
All along the tall stockades apes sat sad and listless, and on theroof-ridges storks were dying. Over the branches of the trees, whoseleaves were as thin as though we had had a six months' drought, thetoucans and Martian parrots hung limp and fashionless like gaudy rags,and in the courtyard ground the corn-rats came up from their tunnels inthe scorching earth to die, squeaking in scores along under the walls.
Our common sorrow made us as sociable as though I were Noah, andAr-hap's palace mound another Ararat. Hour after hour I sat amongstall these lesser beasts in the hot darkness, waiting for the end.Every now and then the heavy clouds parted, changing the gloom tosudden fiery daylight as the great red eye in the west looked upon usthrough the crevice, and, taking advantage of those gleams, I wouldreel across to where, under a spout leading from a dried rivulet, I hadplaced a cup to collect the slow and tepid drops that were all nowcoming down the reed for Heru. And as I went back each time with thatsickly spoonful at the bottom of the vessel all the dying beasts liftedtheir heads and watched--the thirsty wolves shambling after me; theboars half sat up and grunted plaintively; the panthers, too weak torise, beat the dusty ground with their tails; and from the portico theblue storks, with trailing wings, croaked husky greeting.
But slower and slower came the dripping water, more and moreintolerable the heat. At last I could stand it no longer. Whatpurpose did it serve to lay gasping like this, dying cruelly without ahope of rescue, when a shorter way was at my side? I had not drank fora day and a half. I was past active reviling; my head swam; my reasonwas clouded. No! I would not stand it any longer. Once more I wouldtake Heru and poor Si the cup that was but a mockery after all, thenfix my sword into the ground and try what next the Fates had in storefor me.
So once again the leathern mug was fetched and carried through theprostrate guards to where the Martian girl lay, like a withered flower,upon her couch. Once again I moistened those fair lips, while my owntongue was black and swollen in my throat, then told Si, who had hadnone all the afternoon, to drink half and leave half for Heru. Poor Siput her aching lips to the cup and tilted it a little, then passed itto her mistress. And Heru drank it all, and Si cried a few hot tearsbehind her hands, FOR SHE HAD TAKEN NONE, and she knew it was her life!
Again picking a way through the courtyard, scarce noticing how thebeasts lifted their heads as I passed, I went instinctively, cup inhand, to the well, and then hesitated. Was I a coward to leave Heruso? Ought I not to stay and see it out to the bitter end? Well, Iwould compound with Fate. I would give the malicious gods one morechance. I would put the cup down again, and until seven drops hadfallen into it I would wait. That there might be no mistake about it,no sooner was the mug in place under the nozzle wherefrom the moisturebeads collected and fell with infinite slowness, than my sword, onwhich I meant to throw myself, was bared and the hilt forced into agaping crack in the ground, and sullenly contented to leave my fate so,I sat down beside it.
I turned grimly to the spout and saw the first drop fall, then another,and another later on, but still no help came. There was a long rift inthe clouds now, and a glare like that from an open furnace door wasupon me. I had noticed when I came to the spring how the comet whichwas killing us hung poised exactly upon the point of a distant hill. Ifhe had passed his horrible meridian, if he was going from us, if hesunk but a hair's breadth before that seventh drop should fall, I couldtell it would mean salvation.
But the fourth drop fell, and he was big as ever. The fifth drop fell,and a hot, pleasing nose was thrust into my hand, and looking down Isaw a grey wolf had dragged herself across the court and was askingwith eloquent eyes for the help I could not give. The sixth dropgathered, and fell; already the seventh was like a seedling pearl inits place. The dying wolf yanked affectionately at my hand, but I puther by and undid my tunic. Big and bright that drop hung to the spoutlip; another minute and it would fall. A beautiful drop, I laughed,peering closely at it, many-coloured, prismatic, flushing red and pink,a tiny living ruby, hanging by a touch to the green rim above; enough!enough! The quiver of an eyelash would unhinge it now; and angry withthe life I already felt was behind me, and turning in defiantexpectation to the new to come, I rose, saw the red gleam of my swordjutting like a fiery spear from the cracking soil where I had plantedit, then looked once more at the drop and glanced for the last time atthe sullen red terror on the hill.
Were my eyes dazed, my senses reeling? I said a space ago that themeteor stood exactly on the mountain-top and if it sunk a hair'sbreadth I should note it; and now, why, there WAS a flaw in its lowermargin, a flattening of the great red foot that before had been roundand perfect. I turned my smarting eyes away a minute,--saw the seventhdrop fall with a melodious tingle into the cup, then back again,--therewas no mistake--the truant fire was a fraction less, it had shrunk afraction behind the hill even since I looked, and thereon all my liferan back into its channels, the world danced before me, and "Heru!" Ishouted hoarsely, reeling back towards the palace, "Heru, 'tis well;the worst is past!"
But the little princess was unconscious, and at her feet was poor Si,quite dead, still reclining with her head in her hands just as I hadleft her. Then my own senses gave out, and dropping down by them Iremembered no more.
I must have lain there an hour or two, for when consciousness cameagain it was night--black, cool
, profound night, with an inky sky lowdown upon the tree-tops, and out of it such a glorious deluge of raindescending swiftly and silently as filled my veins even to listen to.Eagerly I shuffled away to the porch steps, down them into the swimmingcourtyard, and ankle-deep in the glorious flood, set to work lappingfuriously at the first puddle, drinking with gasps of pleasure, gaspingand drinking again, feeling my body filling out like the thirstysteaming earth below me. Then, as I still drank insatiably, there camea gleam of lightning out of the gloom overhead, a brilliant yellowblaze, and by it I saw a few yards away a panther drinking at the samepool as myself, his gleaming eyes low down like mine upon the water,and by his side two apes, the black water running in at their gapingmouths, while out beyond were more pools, more drinking animals.Everything was drinking. I saw their outlined forms, the gleam shiningon wet skins as though they were cut out in silver against thedarkness, each beast steaming like a volcano as the Heaven-sent rainsmoked from his fevered hide, all drinking for their lives, heedless ofaught else--and then came the thunder.
It ran across the cloudy vault as though the very sky were being rippedapart, rolling in mighty echoes here and there before it died away. Asit stopped, the rain also fell less heavily for a minute, and as I laywith my face low down I heard the low, contented lapping of numberlesstongues unceasing, insatiable. Then came the lightning again, lightingup everything as though it were daytime. The twin black apes werestill drinking, but the panther across the puddle had had enough; I sawhim lift his grateful head up to the flare; saw the limp red tonguelicking the black nose, the green eyes shining like opals, the waterdripping in threads of diamonds from the hairy tag under his chin andevery tuft upon his chest--then darkness again.
To and fro the green blaze rocked between the thunder crashes. Itstruck a house a hundred yards away, stripping every shingle from theroof better than a master builder could in a week. It fell a minuteafter on a tall tree by the courtyard gate, and as the trunk burst intowhite splinters I saw every leaf upon the feathery top turn light sideup against the violet reflection in the sky beyond, and then the wholemass came down to earth with a thud that crushed the courtyard palingsinto nothing for twenty yards and shook me even across the square.
Another time I might have stopped to marvel or to watch, as I haveoften watched with sympathetic pleasure, the gods thus at play; buttonight there were other things on hand. When I had drunk, I picked upan earthen crock, filled it, and went to Heru. It was a roughdrinking-vessel for those dainty lips, and an indifferent draught,being as much mud as aught else, but its effect was wonderful. At thefirst touch of that turgid stuff a shiver of delight passed through thedrowsy lady. At the second she gave a sigh, and her hand tightened onmy arm. I fetched another crockful, and by the flickering lightrocking to and fro in the sky, took her head upon my shoulder, like aprodigal new come into riches, squandering the stuff, giving her todrink and bathing face and neck till presently, to my delight, theprincess's eyes opened. Then she sat up, and taking the basin from medrank as never lady drank before, and soon was almost herself again.
I went out into the portico, there snuffing the deep, strong breath ofthe fragrant black earth receiving back into its gaping self what thelast few days had taken from it, while quick succeeding thoughts ofescape and flight passed across my brain. All through the fiery timewe had just had the chance of escaping with the fair booty yonder hadbeen present. Without her, flight would have been easy enough, but thatwas not worth considering for a moment. With her it was moredifficult, yet, as I had watched the woodmen, accustomed to cool forestshades, faint under the fiery glare of the world above, to make a dashfor liberty seemed each hour more easy. I had seen the men in thestreets drop one by one, and the spears fall from the hands of guardsabout the pallisades; I had seen messengers who came to and frocollapse before their errands were accomplished, and the forest women,who were Heru's gaolers, groan and drop across the thresholds of herprison, until at length the way was clear--a babe might have taken whathe would from that half-scorched town and asked no man's leave. Yetwhat did it avail me? Heru was helpless, my own spirit burnt in anerveless frame, and so we stayed.
But with rain strength came back to both of us. The guards, lyingabout like black logs, were only slowly returning to consciousness; thetown still slept, and darkness favoured; before they missed us in themorning light we might be far on the way back to Seth--a dangerous waytruly, but we were like to tread a rougher one if we stayed. In fact,directly my strength returned with the cooler air, I made up my mind tothe venture and went to Heru, who by this time was much recovered. Toher I whispered my plot, and that gentle lady, as was only natural,trembled at its dangers. But I put it to her that no time could bebetter than the present: the storm was going over; morning would "linethe black mantle of the night with a pink dawn of promise"; before anyone stirred we might be far off, shaping a course by our luck and thestars for her kindred, at whose name she sighed. If we stayed, Iargued, and the king changed his mind, then death for me, and for Heruthe arms of that surly monarch, and all the rest of her life caged inthese pallisades amongst the uncouth forms about us.
The lady gave a frightened little shiver at the picture, but after amoment, laying her head upon my shoulder, answered, "Oh, my guardianspirit and helper in adversity, I too have thought of tomorrow, anddoubt whether that horror, that great swine who has me, will not inventan excuse for keeping me. Therefore, though the forest roads aredreadful, and Seth very far away, I will come; I give myself into yourhands. Do what you will with me."
"Then the sooner the better, princess. How soon can you be prepared?"
She smiled, and stooping picked up her slippers, saying as she did so,"I am ready!"
There were no arrangements to be made. Every instant was of value. So,to be brief, I threw a dark cloak over the damsel's shoulders, forindeed she was clad in little more than her loveliness and the gauziestfilaments of a Hither girl's underwear, and hand in hand led her downthe log steps, over the splashing, ankle-deep courtyard, and into theshadows of the gateway beyond.
Down the slope we went; along towards the harbour, through a score ofdeserted lanes where nothing was to be heard but the roar of rain andthe lapping of men and beasts, drinking in the shadows as though theynever would stop, and so we came at last unmolested to the wharf.There I hid royal Seth between two piles of merchandise, and went tolook for a boat suitable to our needs. There were plenty of smallcraft moored to rings along the quay, and selecting a canoe--it was notime to stand on niceties of property--easily managed by a singlepaddle, I brought it round to the steps, put in a fresh water-pot, andwent for the princess.
With her safely stowed in the prow, a helpless, sodden little morsel offeminine loveliness, things began to appear more hopeful and an escapedown to blue water, my only idea, for the first time possible. Yet Imust needs go and well nigh spoil everything by over-solicitude for mycharge.
Had we pushed off at once there can be no doubt my credit as a spiritwould have been established for all time in the Thither capital, andthe belief universally held that Heru had been wafted away by myenchantment to the regions of the unknown. The idea would havegradually grown into a tradition, receiving embellishments insucceeding generations, until little wood children at their mother'sknees came to listen in awe to the story of how, once upon a time, theSun-god loved a beautiful maiden, and drove his fiery chariot acrossthe black night-fields to her prison door, scorching to death all whostrove to gainsay him. How she flew into his arms and drove awaybefore all men's eyes, in his red car, into the west, and was neverseen again--the foresaid Sun-god being I, Gulliver Jones, a muchunder-paid lieutenant in the glorious United States navy, with a packetof overdue tailors' bills in my pocket, and nothing lovable about mesave a partiality for meddling with other people's affairs.
This is how it might have been, but I spoiled a pretty fairy story andchanged the whole course of Martian history by going back at thatmoment in search of a wrap for my prize.
Right on top of the steps wasa man with a lantern, and half a glance showed me it was the harbourmaster met with on my first landing.
"Good evening," he said suspiciously. "May I ask what you are doing onthe quay at such an hour as this?"
"Doing? Oh, nothing in particular, just going out for a littlefishing."
"And your companion the lady--is she too fond of fishing?"
I swore between my teeth, but could not prevent the fellow walking tothe quay edge and casting his light full upon the figure of the girlbelow. I hate people who interfere with other people's business!
"Unless I am very much mistaken your fishing friend is the Hither womanbrought here a few days ago as tribute to Ar-hap."
"Well," I answered, getting into a nice temper, for I had been verymuch harrassed of late, "put it at that. What would you do if it wereso?"
"Call up my rain-drunk guards, and give you in charge as a thief caughtmeddling with the king's property."
"Thanks, but as my interviews with Ar-hap have already begun to growtedious, we will settle this little matter here between ourselves atonce." And without more to-do I closed with him. There was a briefscuffle and then I got in a blow upon his jaw which sent the harbourmaster flying back head over heels amongst the sugar bales and potatoes.
Without waiting to see how he fared I ran down the steps, jumped onboard, loosened the rope, and pushed out into the river. But my heartwas angry and sore, for I knew, as turned out to be the case, that oursecret was one no more; in a short time we should have the savage kingin pursuit, and now there was nothing for it but headlong flight withonly a small chance of getting away to distant Seth.
Luckily the harbour master lay insensible until he was found at dawn,so that we had a good start, and the moment the canoe passed from thearcade-like approach to the town the current swung her headautomatically seaward, and away we went down stream at a pace once morefilling me with hope.
Gulliver of Mars Page 18
