the lost continent(消失的大陆)-第13章
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others to a temporary halt。 Again； I appealed to them to desist。 But
they only mistook my solicitude for them for fear； and； with shouts of rage
and derision； leaped forward once again to overwhelm me。
It was now quite evident that I must punish them severely； ormyself
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die and relinquish the girl once more to her captors。 Neither of these
things had I the slightest notion of doing； and so I again stepped from
behind the tree； and； with all the care and deliberation of target practice； I
commenced picking off the foremost of my assailants。
One by one the wild men dropped； yet on came the others； fierce and
vengeful； until； only a few remaining； these seemed to realize the futility
of combating my modern weapon with their primitive spears； and； still
howling wrathfully； withdrew toward the west。
Now； for the first time； I had an opportunity to turn my attention
toward the girl； who had stood； silent and motionless； behind me as I
pumped death into my enemies and hers from my automatic rifle。
She was of medium height； well formed； and with fine； clear… cut
features。 Her forehead was high； and her eyes both intelligent and
beautiful。 Exposure to the sun had browned a smooth and velvety skin to
a shade which seemed to enhance rather than mar an altogether lovely
picture of youthful femininity。
A trace of apprehension marked her expressionI cannot call it fear
since I have learned to know herand astonishment was still apparent in
her eyes。 She stood quite erect； her hands still bound behind her； and met
my gaze with level； proud return。
〃What language do you speak？〃 I asked。 〃Do you understand mine？〃
〃Yes；〃 she replied。 〃It is similar to my own。 I am Grabritin。 What
are you？〃
〃I am a Pan…American；〃 I answered。 She shook her head。 〃What is
that？〃
I pointed toward the west。 〃Far away； across the ocean。〃
Her expression altered a trifle。 A slight frown contracted her brow。
The expression of apprehension deepened。
〃Take off your cap；〃 she said； and when； to humor her strange request；
I did as she bid； she appeared relieved。 Then she edged to one side and
leaned over seemingly to peer behind me。 I turned quickly to see what
she discovered； but finding nothing； wheeled about to see that her
expression was once more altered。
〃You are not from there？〃 and she pointed toward the east。 It was a
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half question。 〃You are not from across the water there？〃
〃No；〃 I assured her。 〃I am from Pan…America； far away to the west。
Have you ever heard of Pan…America？〃
She shook her head in negation。 〃I do not care where you are from；〃
she explained； 〃if you are not from there； and I am sure you are not； for the
men from there have horns and tails。〃
It was with difficulty that I restrained a smile。
〃Who are the men from there？〃 I asked。
〃They are bad men；〃 she replied。 〃Some of my people do not believe
that there are such creatures。 But we have a legenda very old； old
legend； that once the men from there came across to Grabritin。 They
came upon the water； and under the water； and even in the air。 They
came in great numbers； so that they rolled across the land like a great gray
fog。 They brought with them thunder and lightning and smoke that killed；
and they fell upon us and slew our people by the thousands and the
hundreds of thousands。 But at last we drove them back to the water's
edge； back into the sea； where many were drowned。 Some escaped； and
these our people followedmen； women； and even children； we followed
them back。 That is all。 The legend says our people never returned。
Maybe they were all killed。 Maybe they are still there。 But this； also； is
in the legend； that as we drove the men back across the water they swore
that they would return； and that when they left our shores they would leave
no human being alive behind them。 I was afraid that you were from
there。〃
〃By what name were these men called？〃 I asked。
〃We call them only the 'men from there；'〃 she replied； pointing toward
the east。 〃I have never heard that they had another name。〃
In the light of what I knew of ancient history； it was not difficult for
me to guess the nationality of those she described simply as 〃the men from
over there。〃 But what utter and appalling devastation the Great War must
have wrought to have erased not only every sign of civilization from the
face of this great land； but even the name of the enemy from the
knowledge and language of the people。
I could only account for it on the hypothesis that the country had been
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entirely depopulated except for a few scattered and forgotten children；
who； in some marvelous manner； had been preserved by Providence to re…
populate the land。 These children had； doubtless； been too young to
retain in their memories to transmit to their children any but the vaguest
suggestion of the cataclysm which had overwhelmed their parents。
Professor Cortoran； since my return to Pan…America； has suggested
another theory which is not entirely without claim to serious consideration。
He points out that it is quite beyond the pale of human instinct to desert
little children as my theory suggests the ancient English must have done。
He is more inclined to believe that the expulsion of the foe from England
was synchronous with widespread victories by the allies upon the
continent； and that the people of England merely emigrated from their
ruined cities and their devastated； blood…drenched fields to the mainland；
in the hope of finding； in the domain of the conquered enemy； cities and
farms which would replace those they had lost。
The learned professor assumes that while a long…continued war had
strengthened rather than weakened the instinct of paternal devotion； it had
also dulled other humanitarian instincts； and raised to the first magnitude
the law of the survival of the fittest； with the result that when the exodus
took place the strong； the intelligent； and the cunning； together with their
offspring； crossed the waters of the Channel or the North Sea to the
continent； leaving in unhappy England only the helpless inmates of
asylums for the feebleminded and insane。
My objections to this； that the present inhabitants of England are
mentally fit； and could therefore not have descended from an ancestry of
undiluted lunacy he brushes aside with the assertion that insanity is not
necessarily hereditary； and that even though it was； in many cases a return
to natural conditions from the state of high civilization； which is thought
to have induced mental disease in the ancient
