the coming race- 第28部分

The　young　An　pressed　his　hand　on　his　heart；　touched　me　lightly　on　the　head；　and　allowed　me　to　quit　his　side。　　I　stole　unobserved　behind　his　mother　and　his　beloved。　　I　overheard　their　talk。　130　Bra　was　speaking；　said　she；　〃There　can　be　no　doubt　of　this：　either　my　son；　who　is　of　marriageable　age；　will　be　decoyed　into　marriage　with　one　of　his　many　suitors；　or　he　will　join　those　who　emigrate　to　a　distance　and　we　shall　see　him　no　more。　　If　you　really　care　for　him；　my　dear　Lo；　you　should　propose。〃

〃I　do　care　for　him；　Bra；　but　I　doubt　if　I　could　really　ever　win　his　affections。　　He　is　fond　of　his　inventions　and　timepieces；　and　I　am　not　like　Zee；　but　so　dull　that　I　fear　I　could　not　enter　into　his　favourite　pursuits；　and　then　he　would　get　tired　of　me；　and　at　the　end　of　three　years　divorce　me；　and　I　could　never　marry　another…　never。〃

〃It　is　not　necessary　to　know　about　timepieces　to　know　how　to　be　so　necessary　to　the　happiness　of　an　An；　who　cares　for　timepieces；　that　he　would　rather　give　up　the　timepieces　than　divorce　his　Gy。　　You　see；　my　dear　Lo；〃　continued　Bra；　〃that　precisely　because　we　are　the　stronger　sex；　we　rule　the　other　provided　we　never　show　our　strength。　　If　you　were　superior　to　my　son　in　making　timepieces　and　automata；　you　should；　as　his　wife；　always　let　him　suppose　you　thought　him　superior　in　that　art　to　yourself。　　The　An　tacitly　allows　the　pre…eminence　of　the　Gy　in　all　except　his　own　special　pursuit。　　But　if　she　either　excels　him　in　that；　or　affects　not　to　admire　him　for　his　proficiency　in　it；　he　will　not　love　her　very　long；　perhaps　he　may　even　divorce　her。　　But　where　a　Gy　really　loves；　she　soon　learns　to　love　all　that　the　An　does。〃

The　young　Gy　made　no　answer　to　this　address。　　She　looked　down　musingly；　then　a　smile　crept　over　her　lips；　and　she　rose；　still　silent；　and　went　through　the　crowd　till　she　paused　by　the　young　An　who　loved　her。　　I　followed　her　steps；　but　discreetly　stood　at　a　little　distance　while　I　watched　them。　　Somewhat　to　my　surprise；　till　I　recollected　the　coy　tactics　among　the　Ana；　the　lover　seemed　to　receive　her　advances　with　an　air　of　indifference。　　He　even　moved　away；　but　she　pursued　his　steps；　131and；　a　little　time　after；　both　spread　their　wings　and　vanished　amid　the　luminous　space　above。

Just　then　I　was　accosted　by　the　chief　magistrate；　who　mingled　with　the　crowd　distinguished　by　no　signs　of　deference　or　homage。　　It　so　happened　that　I　had　not　seen　this　great　dignitary　since　the　day　I　had　entered　his　dominions；　and　recalling　Aph…Lin's　words　as　to　his　terrible　doubt　whether　or　not　I　should　be　dissected；　a　shudder　crept　over　me　at　the　sight　of　his　tranquil　countenance。

〃I　hear　much　of　you；　stranger；　from　my　son　Taee；〃　said　the　Tur；　laying　his　hand　politely　on　my　bended　head。　　〃He　is　very　fond　of　your　society；　and　I　trust　you　are　not　displeased　with　the　customs　of　our　people。〃

I　muttered　some　unintelligible　answer；　which　I　intended　to　be　an　assurance　of　my　gratitude　for　the　kindness　I　had　received　from　the　Tur；　and　my　admiration　of　his　countrymen；　but　the　dissecting…knife　gleamed　before　my　mind's　eye　and　choked　my　utterance。　　A　softer　voice　said；　〃My　brother's　friend　must　be　dear　to　me。〃　And　looking　up　I　saw　a　young　Gy；　who　might　be　sixteen　years　old；　standing　beside　the　magistrate　and　gazing　at　me　with　a　very　benignant　countenance。　　She　had　not　come　to　her　full　growth；　and　was　scarcely　taller　than　myself　（viz。；　about　5　feet　10　inches）；　and；　thanks　to　that　comparatively　diminutive　stature；　I　thought　her　the　loveliest　Gy　I　had　hitherto　seen。　　I　suppose　something　in　my　eyes　revealed　that　impression；　for　her　countenance　grew　yet　more　benignant。　〃Taee　tells　me；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　have　not　yet　learned　to　accustom　yourself　to　wings。　　That　grieves　me；　for　I　should　have　liked　to　fly　with　you。〃

〃Alas！〃　I　replied；　〃I　can　never　hope　to　enjoy　that　happiness。　　I　am　assured　by　Zee　that　the　safe　use　of　wings　is　a　hereditary　gift；　and　it　would　take　generations　before　one　of　my　race　could　poise　himself　in　the　air　like　a　bird。〃

132〃Let　not　that　thought　vex　you　too　much；〃　replied　this　amiable　Princess；　〃for；　after　all；　there　must　come　a　day　when　Zee　and　myself　must　resign　our　wings　forever。　　Perhaps　when　that　day　comes　we　might　be　glad　if　the　An　we　chose　was　also　without　wings。〃

The　Tur　had　left　us；　and　was　lost　amongst　the　crowd。　　I　began　to　feel　at　ease　with　Taee's　charming　sister；　and　rather　startled　her　by　the　boldness　of　my　compliment　in　replying；　〃that　no　An　she　could　choose　would　ever　use　his　wings　to　fly　away　from　her。〃　It　is　so　against　custom　for　an　An　to　say　such　civil　things　to　a　Gy　till　she　has　declared　her　passion　for　him；　and　been　accepted　as　his　betrothed；　that　the　young　maiden　stood　quite　dumbfounded　for　a　few　moments。　　Nevertheless　she　did　not　seem　displeased。　　At　last　recovering　herself；　she　invited　me　to　accompany　her　into　one　of　the　less　crowded　rooms　and　listen　to　the　songs　of　the　birds。　　I　followed　her　steps　as　she　glided　before　me；　and　she　led　me　into　a　chamber　almost　deserted。　　A　fountain　of　naphtha　was　playing　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　round　it　were　ranged　soft　divans；　and　the　walls　of　the　room　were　open　on　one　side　to　an　aviary　in　which　the　birds　were　chanting　their　artful　chorus。　　The　Gy　seated　herself　on　one　of　the　divans；　and　I　placed　myself　at　her　side。　　〃Taee　tells　me；〃　she　said；　〃that　Aph…Lin　has　made　it　the　law*　of　his　house　that　you　are　not　to　be　questioned　as　to　the　country　you　come　from　or　the　reason　why　you　visit　us。　　Is　it　so？〃

*　Literally　〃has　said；　In　this　house　be　it　requested。〃　Words　synonymous　with　law；　as　implying　forcible　obligation；　are　　avoided　by　this　singular　people。　　Even　had　it　been　decreed　by　　the　Tur　that　his　College　of　Sages　should　dissect　me；　the　decree　　would　have　ran　blandly　thus；…　〃Be　it　requested　that；　for　the　　good　of　the　community；　the　carnivorous　Tish　be　requested　to　　submit　himself　to　dissection。〃

〃It　is。〃

〃May　I；　at　least；　without　sinning　against　that　law；　ask　at　least　if　the　Gy…ei　in　your　country　are　of　the　same　pale　colour　as　yourself；　and　no　taller？〃

〃I　do　not　think；　O　beautiful　Gy；　that　I　infringe　the　law　of　Aph…Lin；　which　is　more　binding　on　myself　than　any　one；　if　I　133answer　questions　so　innocent。　　The　Gy…ei　in　my　country　are　much　fairer　of　hue　than　I　am；　and　their　average　height　is　at　least　a　head　shorter　than　mine。〃

〃They　cannot　then　be　so　strong　as　the　Ana　amongst　you？　　But　I　suppose　their　superior　vril　force　makes　up　for　such　extraordinary　disadvantage　of　size？〃

〃They　do　not　profess　the　vril　force　as　you　know　it。　　But　still　they　are　very　powerful　in　my　country；　and　an　An　has　small　chance　of　a　happy　life　if　he　be　not　more　or　less　governed　by　his　Gy。〃

〃You　speak　feelingly；〃　said　Taee's　sister；　in　a　tone　of　voice　half　sad；　half　petulant。　　〃You　are　married；　of　course。〃

〃No…　certainly　not。〃

〃Nor　betrothed？〃

〃Nor　betrothed。〃

〃Is　it　possible　that　no　Gy　has　proposed　to　you？〃　

〃In　my　country　the　Gy　does　not　propose；　the　An　speaks　first。〃

〃What　a　strange　reversal　of　the　laws　of　nature！〃　said　the　maiden；　〃and　what　want　of　modesty　in　your　sex！　　But　have　you　never　proposed；　never　loved　one　Gy　more　than　another？〃

I　felt　embarrassed　by　these　ingenious　questionings；　and　said；　〃Pardon　me；　but　I　think　we　are　beginning　to　infringe　upon　Aph…Lin's　injunction。　　This　much　only　will　I　answer；　and　then；　I　implore　you；　ask　no　more。　　I　did　once　feel　the　preference　you　speak　of；　I　did　propose；　and　the　Gy　would　willingly　have　accepted　me；　but　her　parents　refused　their　consent。〃

〃Parents！　Do　you　mean　seriously　to　tell　me　that　parents　can　interfere　with　the　choice　of　their　daughters？〃

〃Indeed　they　can；　and　do　very　often。〃

〃I　should　not　like　to　live　in　that　country；　said　the　Gy　simply；　〃but　I　hope　you　will　never　go　back　to　it。〃

I　bowed　my　head　in　silence。　　The　Gy　gently　raised　my　face　with　her　right　hand；　and　looked　into　it　tenderly。　　〃Stay　with　us；〃　she　said；　〃stay　with　us；　and　be　loved。〃　134　What　I　might　have　answered；　what　dangers　of　becoming　a　cinder　I　might　have　encountered；　I　still　trouble　to　think；　when　the　light　of　the　naphtha　fountain　was　obscured　by　the　shadow　of　wings；　and　Zee；　flying　though　the　open　roof；　alighted　beside　us。　　She　said　not　a　word；　but；　taking　my　arm　with　her　mighty　hand；　she　drew　me　away；　as　a　mother　draws　a　naughty　child；　and　led　me　through　the　apartments　to　one　of　the　corridors；　on　which；　by　the　mechanism　they　generally　prefer　to　stairs；　we　ascended　to　my　own　room。　　This　gained；　Zee　breathed　on　my　forehead；　touched　my　breast　with　her　staff；　and　I　was　instantly　plunged　into　a　profound　sleep。

When　I　awoke　some　hours　later；　and　heard　the　songs　of　the　birds　in　the　adjoining　aviary；　the　remembrance　of　Taee's　sister；　her　gentle　looks　and　caressing　words；　vividly　returned　to　me；　and　so　impossible　is　it　for　one　born　and　reared　in　our　upper　world's　state　of　society　to　divest　himself　of　ideas　dictated　by　vanity　and　ambition；　that　I　found　myself　instinctively　building　proud　castles　in　the　air。

〃Tish　though　I　be；〃　thus　ran　my　meditations…　〃Tish　though　I　be；　it　is　then　clear　that　Zee　is　not　the　only　Gy　whom　my　appearance　can　captivate。　　Evidently　I　am　loved　by　A　PRINCESS；　the　first　maiden　of　this　land；　the　daughter　of　the　absolute　Monarch　whose　autocracy　they　so　idly　seek　to　disguise　by　the