the coming race-第33章

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e　a　liquid　from　which　one　could　extract　a　pleasant　vinous　alcohol；　and　with　a　steak　cut　off　one　of　those　elks　（ah！　what　offence　to　science　to　reject　the　animal　food　which　our　first　medical　men　agree　in　recommending　to　the　gastric　juices　of　mankind！）　one　would　certainly　pass　a　more　exhilirating　hour　of　repast。　　Then；　too；　instead　of　those　antiquated　dramas　performed　by　childish　amateurs；　certainly；　when　I　am　king；　I　will　introduce　our　modern　opera　and　a　'corps　de　ballet；'　for　which　one　might　find；　among　the　nations　I　shall　conquer；　young　females　of　less　formidable　height　and　thews　than　the　Gy…ei…　not　armed　with　vril；　and　not　insisting　upon　one's　marrying　them。

I　was　so　completely　rapt　in　these　and　similar　reforms；　137political；　social；　and　moral；　calculated　to　bestow　on　the　people　of　the　nether　world　the　blessings　of　a　civilisation　known　to　the　races　of　the　upper；　that　I　did　not　perceive　that　Zee　had　entered　the　chamber　till　I　heard　a　deep　sigh；　and；　raising　my　eyes；　beheld　her　standing　by　my　couch。

I　need　not　say　that；　according　to　the　manners　of　this　people；　a　Gy　can；　without　indecorum；　visit　an　An　in　his　chamber；　although　an　An　would　be　considered　forward　and　immodest　to　the　last　degree　if　he　entered　the　chamber　of　a　Gy　without　previously　obtaining　her　permission　to　do　so。　　Fortunately　I　was　in　the　full　habiliments　I　had　worn　when　Zee　had　deposited　me　on　the　couch。　　Nevertheless　I　felt　much　irritated；　as　well　as　shocked；　by　her　visit；　and　asked　in　a　rude　tone　what　she　wanted。

〃Speak　gently；　beloved　one；　I　entreat　you；〃　said　she；　〃for　I　am　very　unhappy。　　I　have　not　slept　since　we　parted。〃

〃A　due　sense　of　your　shameful　conduct　to　me　as　your　father's　guest　might　well　suffice　to　banish　sleep　from　your　eyelids。　　Where　was　the　affection　you　pretend　to　have　for　me；　where　was　even　that　politeness　on　which　the　Vril…ya　pride　themselves；　when；　taking　advantage　alike　of　that　physical　strength　in　which　your　sex；　in　this　extraordinary　region；　excels　our　own；　and　of　those　detestable　and　unhallowed　powers　which　the　agencies　of　vril　invest　in　your　eyes　and　finger…ends；　you　exposed　me　to　humiliation　before　your　assembled　visitors；　before　Her　Royal　Highness…　I　mean；　the　daughter　of　your　own　chief　magistrate；…　carrying　me　off　to　bed　like　a　naughty　infant；　and　plunging　me　　into　sleep；　without　asking　my　consent？〃　

〃Ungrateful！　　Do　you　reproach　me　for　the　evidences　of　my　love？　Can　you　think　that；　even　if　unstung　by　the　jealousy　which　attends　upon　love　till　it　fades　away　in　blissful　trust　when　we　know　that　the　heart　we　have　wooed　is　won；　I　could　be　indifferent　to　the　perils　to　which　the　audacious　overtures　of　that　silly　little　child　might　expose　you？〃

138〃Hold！　Since　you　introduce　the　subject　of　perils；　it　perhaps　does　not　misbecome　me　to　say　that　my　most　imminent　perils　come　from　yourself；　or　at　least　would　come　if　I　believed　in　your　love　and　accepted　your　addresses。　　Your　father　has　told　me　plainly　that　in　that　case　I　should　be　consumed　into　a　cinder　with　as　little　compunction　as　if　I　were　the　reptile　whom　Taee　blasted　into　ashes　with　the　flash　of　his　wand。〃

〃Do　not　let　that　fear　chill　your　heart　to　me；〃　exclaimed　Zee；　dropping　on　her　knees　and　absorbing　my　right　hand　in　the　space　of　her　ample　palm。　　〃It　is　true；　indeed；　that　we　two　cannot　wed　as　those　of　the　same　race　wed；　true　that　the　love　between　us　must　be　pure　as　that　which；　in　our　belief；　exists　between　lovers　who　reunite　in　the　new　life　beyond　that　boundary　at　which　the　old　life　ends。　　But　is　it　not　happiness　enough　to　be　together；　wedded　in　mind　and　in　heart？　　Listen：　I　have　just　left　my　father。　　He　consents　to　our　union　on　those　terms。　　I　have　sufficient　influence　with　the　College　of　Sages　to　insure　their　request　to　the　Tur　not　to　interfere　with　the　free　choice　of　a　Gy；　provided　that　her　wedding　with　one　of　another　race　be　but　the　wedding　of　souls。　　Oh；　think　you　that　true　love　needs　ignoble　union？　　It　is　not　that　I　yearn　only　to　be　by　your　side　in　this　life；　to　be　part　and　parcel　of　your　joys　and　sorrows　here：　I　ask　here　for　a　tie　which　will　bind　us　for　ever　and　for　ever　in　the　world　of　immortals。　　Do　you　reject　me？〃

As　she　spoke；　she　knelt；　and　the　whole　character　of　her　face　was　changed；　nothing　of　sternness　left　to　its　grandeur；　a　divine　light；　as　that　of　an　immortal；　shining　out　from　its　human　beauty。　　But　she　rather　awed　me　as　an　angel　than　moved　me　as　a　woman；　and　after　an　embarrassed　pause；　I　faltered　forth　evasive　expressions　of　gratitude；　and　sought；　as　delicately　as　I　could；　to　point　out　how　humiliating　would　be　my　position　amongst　her　race　in　the　light　of　a　husband　who　might　never　be　permitted　the　name　of　father。

〃But；〃　said　Zee；　〃this　community　does　not　constitute　the　whole　world。　　No；　nor　do　all　the　populations　comprised　in　the　league　139of　the　Vril…ya。　　For　thy　sake　I　will　renounce　my　country　and　my　people。　　We　will　fly　together　to　some　region　where　thou　shalt　be　safe。　　I　am　strong　enough　to　bear　thee　on　my　wings　across　the　deserts　that　intervene。　　I　am　skilled　enough　to　cleave　open；　amidst　the　rocks；　valleys　in　which　to　build　our　home。　　Solitude　and　a　hut　with　thee　would　be　to　me　society　and　the　universe。　　Or　wouldst　thou　return　to　thine　own　world；　above　the　surface　of　this；　exposed　to　the　uncertain　seasons；　and　lit　but　by　the　changeful　orbs　which　constitute　by　thy　description　the　fickle　character　of　those　savage　regions？　I　so；　speak　the　word；　and　I　will　force　the　way　for　thy　return；　so　that　I　am　thy　companion　there；　though；　there　as　here；　but　partner　of　thy　soul；　and　fellow　traveller　with　thee　to　the　world　in　which　there　is　no　parting　and　no　death。〃

I　could　not　but　be　deeply　affected　by　the　tenderness；　at　once　so　pure　and　so　impassioned；　with　which　these　words　were　uttered；　and　in　a　voice　that　would　have　rendered　musical　the　roughest　sounds　in　the　rudest　tongue。　　And　for　a　moment　it　did　occur　to　me　that　I　might　avail　myself　of　Zee's　agency　to　effect　a　safe　and　speedy　return　to　the　upper　world。　　But　a　very　brief　space　for　reflection　sufficed　to　show　me　how　dishonourable　and　base　a　return　for　such　devotion　it　would　be　to　allure　thus　away；　from　her　own　people　and　a　home　in　which　I　had　been　so　hospitably　treated；　a　creature　to　whom　our　world　would　be　so　abhorrent；　and　for　whose　barren；　if　spiritual　love；　I　could　not　reconcile　myself　to　renounce　the　more　human　affection　of　mates　less　exalted　above　my　erring　self。　　With　this　sentiment　of　duty　towards　the　Gy　combined　another　of　duty　towards　the　whole　race　I　belonged　to。　　Could　I　venture　to　introduce　into　the　upper　world　a　being　so　formidably　gifted…　a　being　that　with　a　movement　of　her　staff　could　in　less　than　an　hour　reduce　New　York　and　its　glorious　Koom…Posh　into　a　pinch　of　snuff？　　Rob　her　of　her　staff；　with　her　science　she　could　easily　construct　another；　and　with　the　deadly　lightnings　that　armed　the　slender　engine　her　whole　frame　was　charged。　　If　thus　dangerous　to　the　140cities　and　populations　of　the　whole　upper　earth；　could　she　be　a　safe　companion　to　myself　in　case　her　affection　should　be　subjected　to　change　or　embittered　by　jealousy？　　These　thoughts；　which　it　takes　so　many　words　to　express；　passed　rapidly　through　my　brain　and　decided　my　answer。

〃Zee；〃　I　said；　in　the　softest　tones　I　could　command　and　pressing　respectful　lips　on　the　hand　into　whose　clasp　mine　vanished…　〃Zee；　I　can　find　no　words　to　say　how　deeply　I　am　touched；　and　how　highly　I　am　honoured；　by　a　love　so　disinterested　and　self…immolating。　　My　best　return　to　it　is　perfect　frankness。　　Each　nation　has　its　customs。　　The　customs　of　yours　do　not　allow　you　to　wed　me；　the　customs　of　mine　are　equally　opposed　to　such　a　union　between　those　of　races　so　widely　differing。　　On　the　other　hand；　though　not　deficient　in　courage　among　my　own　people；　or　amid　dangers　with　which　I　am　familiar；　I　cannot；　without　a　shudder　of　horror；　think　of　constructing　a　bridal　home　in　the　heart　of　some　dismal　chaos；　with　all　the　elements　of　nature；　fire　and　water；　and　mephitic　gases；　at　war　with　each　other；　and　with　the　probability　that　at　some　moment；　while　you　were　busied　in　cleaving　rocks　or　conveying　vril　into　lamps；　I　should　be　devoured　by　a　krek　which　your　operations　disturbed　from　its　hiding…place。　　I；　a　mere　　Tish；　do　not　deserve　the　love　of　a　Gy；　so　brilliant；　so　l