the enchanted island of yew- 第13部分

They　saw　at　first　glance　that　it　was　a　land　of　great　beauty；　but　after　that　one　look　both　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle　paused　and　rubbed　their　eyes；　to　assure　themselves　that　their　vision　was　not　blurred。

Before　them　were　two　trees；　exactly　alike。　　And　underneath　the　trees　two　cows　were　grazingeach　a　perfect　likeness　of　the　other。　　At　their　left　were　two　cottages；　with　every　door　and　window　and　chimney　the　exact　counterpart　of　another。　　Before　these　houses　two　little　boys　were　playing；　evidently　twins；　for　they　not　only　looked　alike　and　dressed　alike；　but　every　motion　one　made　was　also　made　by　the　other　at　the　same　time　and　in　precisely　the　same　way。　　When　one　laughed　the　other　laughed；　and　when　one　stubbed　his　toe　and　fell　down；　the　other　did　likewise；　and　then　they　both　sat　up　and　cried　lustily　at　the　same　time。

At　this　two　womenit　was　impossible　to　tell　one　from　the　otherrushed　out　of　the　two　houses；　caught　up　the　two　boys；　shook　and　dusted　them　in　precisely　the　same　way；　and　led　them　by　their　ears　back　into　the　houses。

Again　the　astonished　travelers　rubbed　their　eyes；　and　then　Prince　Marvel　looked　at　Nerle　and　said：

〃I　thought　at　first　that　I　saw　everything　double；　but　there　seems　to　be　only　one　of　YOU。〃

〃And　of　you；〃　answered　the　boy。　　〃But　see！　there　are　two　hills　ahead　of　us；　and　two　paths　lead　from　the　houses　over　the　hills！　　How　strange　it　all　is！〃

Just　then　two　birds　flew　by；　close　together　and　perfect　mates；　and　the　cows　raised　their　heads　and　〃mooed〃　at　the　same　time；　and　two　menalso　twinscame　over　the　two　hills　along　the　two　paths　with　two　dinner…pails　in　their　hands　and　entered　the　two　houses。　　They　were　met　at　the　doors　by　the　two　women；　who　kissed　them　exactly　at　the　same　time　and　helped　them　off　with　their　coats　with　the　same　motions；　and　closed　the　two　doors　with　two　slams　at　the　same　instant。

Nerle　laughed。　　〃What　sort　of　country　have　we　got　into？〃　he　asked。

〃Let　us　find　out；〃　replied　the　prince；　and　riding　up　to　one　of　the　houses　he　knocked　on　the　door　with　the　hilt　of　his　sword。

Instantly　the　doors　of　both　houses　flew　open；　and　both　men　appeared　in　the　doorways。　　Both　started　back　in　amazement　at　sight　of　the　strangers；　and　both　women　shrieked　and　both　little　boys　began　to　cry。　Both　mothers　boxed　the　children's　ears；　and　both　men　gasped　out：

〃Whowho　are　you？〃

Their　voices　were　exactly　alike；　and　their　words　were　spoken　in　unison。　　Prince　Marvel　replied；　courteously：

〃We　are　two　strangers　who　have　strayed　into　your　country。　　But　I　do　not　understand　why　our　appearance　should　so　terrify　you。〃

〃Whyyou　are　singular！　　There　is　only　half　of　each　of　you！〃　exclaimed　the　two　men；　together。

〃Not　so；〃　said　the　prince；　trying　hard　not　to　laugh　in　their　faces。　〃We　may　be　single；　while　you　appear　to　be　double；　but　each　of　us　is　perfect；　nevertheless。〃

〃Perfect！　　And　only　half　of　you！〃　cried　the　men。　　And　again　the　two　women；　who　were　looking　over　their　husbands'　shoulders；　screamed　at　sight　of　the　strangers；　and　again　the　two　boys；　who　were　clinging　to　their　mothers'　dresses　in　the　same　positions；　began　to　cry。

〃We　did　not　know　such　strange　people　existed！〃　said　the　two　men；　both　staring　at　the　strangers　and　then　wiping　the　beads　of　perspiration　from　their　two　brows　with　two　faded　yellow　handkerchiefs。

〃Nor　did　we！〃　retorted　the　prince。　　〃I　assure　you　we　are　as　much　surprised　as　you　are。〃

Nerle　laughed　again　at　this；　and　to　hear　only　one　of　the　strangers　speak　and　the　other　only　laugh　seemed　to　terrify　the　double　people　anew。　　So　Prince　Marvel　quickly　asked：

〃Please　tell　us　what　country　this　is？〃

〃The　Land　of　Twi；〃　answered　both　men；　together。

〃Oh！　the　Land　of　Twi。　　And　why　is　the　light　here　so　dim？〃　continued　the　prince。

〃Dim？〃　repeated　the　men；　as　if　surprised；　〃why；　this　is　twilight；　of　course。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Nerle。　　〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that。　　We　are　in　the　long　hidden　Land　of　Twi；　which　all　men　have　heard　of；　but　no　man　has　found　before。〃

〃And　who　may　you　be？〃　questioned　the　prince；　looking　from　one　man　to　the　other；　curiously。

〃We　are　Twis；〃　they　answered。

〃Twice？〃

〃Twisinhabitants　of　Twi。〃

〃It's　the　same　thing；〃　laughed　Nerle。　　〃You　see　everything　twice　in　this　land。〃

〃Are　none　of　your　people　single？〃　asked　Prince　Marvel。

〃Single；〃　returned　the　men；　as　if　perplexed。　　〃We　don't　understand。〃

〃Are　you　all　double？or　are　some　of　you　just　one？〃　said　the　prince；　who　found　it　difficult　to　put　his　question　plainly。

〃What　does　'one'　mean？〃　asked　the　men。　　〃There　is　no　such　word　as　'one'　in　our　language。〃

〃They　have　no　need　of　such　a　word；〃　declared　Nerle。

〃We　are　only　poor　laborers；〃　explained　the　men。　　〃But　over　the　hills　lie　the　cities　of　Twi；　where　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　dwell；　and　also　the　High　Ki。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Marvel；　〃I've　heard　of　your　High　Ki。　　Who　is　he？〃

The　men　shook　their　heads；　together　and　with　the　same　motion。

〃We　have　never　seen　the　glorious　High　Ki；〃　they　answered。　　〃The　sight　of　their　faces　is　forbidden。　　None　but　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　has　seen　the　Supreme　Rulers　and　High　Ki。〃

〃I'm　getting　mixed；〃　said　Nerle。　　〃All　this　about　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　and　the　High　Ki　makes　me　dizzy。　　Let's　go　on　to　the　city　and　explore　it。〃

〃That　is　a　good　suggestion；〃　replied　the　prince。　　〃Good　by；　my　friends；〃　he　added；　addressing　the　men。

They　both　bowed；　and　although　they　still　seemed　somewhat　frightened　they　answered　him　civilly　and　in　the　same　words；　and　closed　their　doors　at　the　same　time。

So　Prince　Marvel　and　Nerle　rode　up　the　double　path　to　the　hills；　and　the　two　cows　became　frightened　and　ran　away　with　the　same　swinging　step；　keeping　an　exact　space　apart。　　And　when　they　were　a　safe　distance　they　both　stopped；　looked　over　their　right　shoulders；　and　〃mooed〃　at　the　same　instant。



14。　　The　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki


From　the　tops　of　the　hills　the　travelers　caught　their　first　glimpse　of　the　wonderful　cities　of　Twi。　　Two　walls　surrounded　the　cities；　and　in　the　walls　were　two　gates　just　alike。　　Within　the　inclosures　stood　many　houses；　but　all　were　built　in　pairs；　from　the　poorest　huts　to　the　most　splendid　palaces。　　Every　street　was　double；　the　pavements　running　side　by　side。　　There　were　two　lamp…posts　on　every　corner；　and　in　the　dim　twilight　that　existed　these　lamp…posts　were　quite　necessary。　　If　there　were　trees　or　bushes　anywhere；　they　invariably　grew　in　pairs；　and　if　a　branch　was　broken　on　one　it　was　sure　to　be　broken　on　the　other；　and　dead　leaves　fell　from　both　trees　at　identically　the　same　moment。

Much　of　this　Marvel　and　Nerle　learned　after　they　had　entered　the　cities；　but　the　view　from　the　hills　showed　plainly　enough　that　the　〃double〃　plan　existed　everywhere　and　in　every　way　in　this　strange　land。

They　followed　the　paths　down　to　the　gates　of　the　walls；　where　two　pairs　of　soldiers　rushed　out　and　seized　their　horses　by　the　bridles。　These　soldiers　all　seemed　to　be　twins；　or　at　least　mates；　and　each　one　of　each　pair　was　as　like　the　other　as　are　two　peas　growing　in　the　same　pod。　　If　one　had　a　red　nose　the　other's　was　red　in　the　same　degree；　and　the　soldiers　that　held　the　bridles　of　Nerle's　horse　both　had　their　left　eyes　bruised　and　blackened；　as　from　a　blow　of　the　same　force。

These　soldiers；　as　they　looked　upon　Nerle　and　the　prince；　seemed　fully　as　much　astonished　and　certainly　more　frightened　than　their　prisoners。　They　were　dressed　in　bright　yellow　uniforms　with　green　buttons；　and　the　soldiers　who　had　arrested　the　prince　had　both　torn　their　left　coat…sleeves　and　had　patches　of　the　same　shape　upon　the　seats　of　their　trousers。

〃How　dare　you　stop　us；　fellows？〃　asked　the　prince；　sternly。

The　soldiers　holding　his　horse　both　turned　and　looked　inquiringly　at　the　soldiers　holding　Nerle's　horse；　and　these　turned　to　look　at　a　double　captain　who　came　out　of　two　doors　in　the　wall　and　walked　up　to　them。

〃Such　things　were　never　before　heard　of！〃　said　the　two　captains；　their　startled　eyes　fixed　upon　the　prisoners。　　〃We　must　take　them　to　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki。〃

〃Why　so？〃　asked　Prince　Marvel。

〃Because；〃　replied　the　officers；　〃they　are　our　rulers；　under　grace　of　the　High　Ki；　and　all　unusual　happenings　must　be　brought　to　their　notice。　　It　is　our　law；　you　knowthe　law　of　the　Kingdom　of　Twi。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Marvel；　quietly；　〃take　us　where　you　will；　but　if　any　harm　is　intended　us　you　will　be　made　to　regret　it。〃

〃The　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　will　decide；〃　returned　the　captains　gravely；　their　words　sounding　at　the　same　instant。

And　then　the　two　pairs　of　soldiers　led　the　horses　through　the　double　streets；　the　captains　marching　ahead　with　drawn　swords；　and　crowds　of　twin　men　and　twin　women　coming　from　the　double　doors　of　the　double　houses　to　gaze　upon　the　strange　sight　of　men　and　horses　who　were　not　double。

Presently　they　came　upon　a　twin　palace　with　twin　turrets　rising　high　into　the　air；　and　before　the　twin　doors　the　prisoners　dismounted。　Marvel　was　escorted　through　one　door　and　Nerle　through　another；　and　then　they　saw　each　other　going　down　a　double　hallway　to　a　room　with　a　double　entrance。

Passing　through　this　they　found　themselves　in　a　large　hall　with　two　domes　set　side　by　side　in　the　roof。　　The　domes　were　formed　of　stained　glass；　and　the　walls　of　the　hall　were　ornamented　by　pictures　in　pairs；　each　pair　show