When I woke, feeling as refreshed as though I had been dreamingthrough a long night, An, seeing me open-eyed, helped me to my feet, andwhen I had recovered my senses a little, asked if we should go on. I wasmyself again by this time, so willingly took her hand, and soon came outof the tangle into the open spaces. I must have been under the spell ofthe Martian wines longer than it seemed, for already it was late in theafternoon, the shadows of trees were lying deep and far-reaching over themotley crowds of people. Out here as the day waned they had developedsome sort of method in their sports. In front of us was a broad, grassycourse marked off with garlanded finger-posts, and in this space rallies ofworkfolk were taking part in all manner of games under the eyes of a greatconcourse of spectators, doing the Martians' pleasures for them as they didtheir labours. An led me gently on, leaning on my arm heavier, I thought,than she had done in the morning, and ever and anon turning her gazelle-like eyes upon me with a look I could not understand. As we saunteredforward I noticed all about lesser circles where the yellow-girted oneswere drawing delighted laughter from good-tempered crowds by tricks ofsleight-of-hand, and posturing, or toss- ing gilded cups and balls as thoughthey were catering, as indeed they were, for outgrown children. Othersfluted or sang songs in chorus to the slow clapping of hands, while otherswere doing I knew not what, sitting silent amongst si- lent spectators whoevery now and then burst out laughing for no cause that I could see. ButAn would not let me stop, and so we pushed on through the crowd till wecame to the main enclosures where a dozen slaves had run a race for theamusement of those too lazy to race them- selves, and were sitting pantingon the grass.
To give them time to get their breath, perhaps, a man stepped out ofthe crowd dressed in a dark blue tunic, a strange vacuous-looking fellow,and throwing down a sheaf of javelins marched off a dozen paces, then,facing round, called out loudly he would give sixteen suits of "summercloth" to any one who could prick him with a javelin from the heap.
"Why," I said in amazement, "this is the best of fools-- no one could miss from such a distance.""Ay but," replied my guide, "he is a gifted one, versed in mystics."I was just going to say a good javelin, shod with iron, was a strongerargument than any mystic I had ever heard of could stand, when out of thecrowd stepped a youth, and amid the derisive cheers of his friends chose areed from the bundle. He poised it in his hand a minute to get the middle,then turned on the living target. Whatever else they might be, theseMartians were certainly beautiful as the day- time. Never had I seen sucha perfect embodiment of grace and elegance as that boy as he stood therefor a moment poised to the throw; the afternoon sunshine warm and strongon his bunched brown hair, a girlish flush of shyness on his handsome face,and the sleek perfection of his limbs, clear cut against the duskybackground beyond. And now the javelin was going. Surely the mysticwould think better of it at the last moment! No! the initiate held hisground with tight-shut lips and retrospective eyes, and even as I looked theweapon flew upon its errand.
"There goes the soul of a fool!" I exclaimed, and as the words wereuttered the spear struck, or seemed to, between the neck and shoulder, butinstead of piercing rose high into the air, quivering and flashing, andpresently turning over, fell back, and plunged deep into the turf, while alow murmur of indifferent pleasure went round amongst the onlookers.
Thereat An, yawning gently, looked to me and said, "A strong-willedfellow, isn't he, friend?"I hesitated a minute and then asked, "Was it WILL which turned thatshaft?"She answered with simplicity, "Why, of course--what else?"By this time another boy had stepped out, and having chosen a javelin,tested it with hand and foot, then re- tiring a pace or two rushed up to thethrowing mark and flung it straight and true into the bared bosom of theman. And as though it had struck a wall of brass, the shaft leapt backfalling quivering at the thrower's feet. Another and another triedunsuccessfully, until at last, vexed at their futility, I said, "I have asomewhat scanty wardrobe that would be all the better for that fellow'ssummer suiting, by your leave I will venture a throw against him.""It is useless," answered An; "none but one who knows more magicthan he, or is especially befriended by the Fates can touch him through theenvelope he has put on.""Still, I think I will try.""It is hopeless, I would not willingly see you fail," whispered the girl,with a sudden show of friendship.
"And what," I said, bending down, "would you give me if Isucceeded?" Whereat An laughed a little uneasily, and, withdrawing herhand from mine, half turned away. So I pushed through the spectatorsand stepped into the ring. I went straight up to the pile of weapons, andhaving chosen one went over to the mystic. "Good fellow," I cried outos- tentatiously, trying the sharpness of the javelin-point with my finger,"where are all of those sixteen summer suits of yours lying hid?""It matters nothing," said the man, as if he were asleep.
"Ay, but by the stars it does, for it will vex the quiet repose of yoursoul tomorrow if your heirs should swear they could not find them.""It matters nothing," muttered the will-wrapped visionary.
"It will matter something if I take you at your word. Come, friendPurple-jerkin, will you take the council with your legs and run while thereis yet time, or stand up to be thrown at?""I stand here immoveable in the confidence of my initia- tion.""Then, by thunder, I will initiate you into the mysteries of a javelin-end, and your blood be on your head."The Martians were all craning their necks in hushed eagerness as Iturned to the casting-place, and, poising the javelin, faced the magician.
Would he run at the last moment? I half hoped so; for a minute I gavehim the chance, then, as he showed no sign of wavering, I drew my handback, shook the javelin back till it bent like a reed, and hurled it at him.
The Martians' heads turned as though all on one pivot as the spear spedthrough the air, expecting no doubt to see it recoil as others had done.
But it took him full in the centre of his chest, and with a wild wave ofarms and a flutter of purple raiment sent him backwards, and down, andover and over in a shapeless heap of limbs and flying raiment, while a lowmurmur of awed surprise rose from the spectators. They crowded round him in a dense ring, as An came flitting to me with a startled face.
"Oh, stranger," she burst out, "you have surely killed him!" but moreastounded I had broken down his guard than grieved at his injury.
"No," I answered smilingly; "a sore chest he may have tomorrow, butdead he is not, for I turned the lance-point back as I spun it, and it was thebutt-end I threw at him!""It was none the less wonderful; I thought you were a common man, aprince mayhap, come but from over the hills, but now something tells meyou are more than that," and she lapsed into thoughtful silence for a time.
Neither of us were wishful to go back amongst those who were raisingthe bruised magician to his legs, but wandered away instead through thedeepening twilight towards the city over meadows whose damp, softfragrance loaded the air with sleepy pleasure, neither of us saying a wordtill the dusk deepened and the quick night descended, while we cameamongst the gardened houses, the thousand lights of an unreal city risinglike a jewelled bank before us, and there An said she would leave me for atime, meet- ing me again in the palace square later on, "To see PrincessHeru read the destinies of the year.""What!" I exclaimed, "more magic? I have been brought up on moresubstantial mental stuff than this.""Nevertheless, I would advise you to come to the square," persistedmy companion. "It affects us all, and--who knows? --may affect youmore than any."Therein poor An was unconsciously wearing the cloak of prophesyherself, and, shrugging my shoulders good- humouredly, I kissed her chin,little realising, as I let her fingers slip from mine, that I should see her nomore.
Turning back alone, through the city, through ways twinkling withmyriad lights as little lamps began to blink out amongst garlands andflower-decked booths on every hand, I walked on, lost in varying thoughts,until, fairly tired and hungry, I found myself outside a stall where manyMartians stood eating and drinking to their hearts' content. I was knownto none of them, and, forgetting past experience, was looking on ratherenviously, when there came a touch upon my arm, and- "Are you hungry, sir?" asked a bystander.
"Ay," I said, "hungry, good friend, and with all the zest which anempty purse lends to that condition.""Then here is what you need, sir, even from here the wine smells good,and the fried fruit would make a mouse's eye twinkle. Why do youwait?""Why wait? Why, because though the rich man's dinner goes in at hismouth, the poor man must often be content to dine through his nose. Itell you I have nothing to get me a meal with."The stranger seemed to speculate on this for a time, and then he said,"I cannot fathom your meaning, sir. Buying and selling, gold and money,all these have no mean- ing to me. Surely the twin blessings of anappetite and food abundant ready and free before you are enough.""What! free is it--free like the breakfast served out this morning?""Why, of course," said the youth, with mild depreci- ation; "everythinghere is free. Everything is his who will take it, without exception.
What else is the good of a co- herent society and a Government if it cannotprovide you with so rudimentary a thing as a meal?"Whereat joyfully I undid my belt, and, without nicely examining theargument, marched into the booth, and there put Martian hospitality to thetest, eating and drinking, but this time with growing wisdom, till I was anew man, and then, paying my leaving with a wave of the hand to theyellow-girted one who dispensed the common provender, I sauntered onagain, caring little or nothing which way the road went, and soon acrossthe current of my medita- tions a peal of laughter broke, accompanied bythe piping of a flute somewhere close at hand, and the next minute I foundmyself amid a ring of light-hearted roisterers who were linking hands for adance to the music a curly- headed fellow was making close by.
They made me join them! One rosey-faced damsel at the hither endof the chain drew up to me, and, without a word, slipped her soft, babyfingers into my hand; on the other side another came with melting eyes,breath like a bed of violets, and banked-up fun puckering her dainty mouth.
What could I do but give her a hand as well? The flute began to gurgleanew, like a drinking spout in spring- time, and away we went, faster and faster each minute, the boys and girls swinging themselves in time to thetune, and capering presently till their tender feet were twinkling over theground in gay confusion. Faster and faster till, as the infection of thedance spread even to the outside groups, I capered too. My word! if theycould have seen me that night from the deck of the old Carolina, how theywould have laughed--sword swinging, coat-tails flying-- faster and faster,round and round we went, till limbs could stand no more; the gaspingpiper blew himself quite out, and the dance ended as abruptly as itcommenced, the dancers melting away to join others or casting themselvespanting on the turf.
Certainly these Martian girls were blessed with an in- gratiatingsimplicity. My new friend of the violet-scented breath hung back a little,then after looking at me de- murely for a minute or two, like a child thatchooses a new playmate, came softly up, and, standing on tiptoe, kissedme on the cheek. It was not unpleasant, so I turned the other, whereon,guessing my meaning, without the smallest hesitation, she reached upagain, and pressed her pretty mouth to my bronzed skin a second time.
Then, with a little sigh of satisfaction, she ran an arm through mine, saying,"Comrade, from what country have you come? I never saw one quite likeyou before.""From what country had I come?" Again the frown dropped downupon my forehead. Was I dreaming--was I mad? Where indeed had Icome from? I stared back over my shoulder, and there, as if in answer tomy thought-- there, where the black tracery of flowering shrubs waved inthe soft night wind, over a gap in the crumbling ivory ramparts, the skywas brightening. As I looked into the centre of that glow, a planet,magnified by the wonderful air, came swinging up, pale but splendid, andmapped by soft colours--green, violet, and red. I knew it on the min- ute,Heaven only knows how, but I knew it, and a des- perate thrill ofloneliness swept over me, a spasm of com- prehension of the horrible voiddividing us. Never did yearn- ing babe stretch arms more wistfully to anunattainable mother than I at that moment to my mother earth. All hermeanness and prosaicness was forgotten, all her im- perfections andshortcomings; it was home, the one tangible thing in the glittering emptiness of the spheres. All my soul went into my eyes, and then Isneezed violently, and turning round, found that sweet damsel whose silkyhead nestled so friendly on my shoulder was tickling my nose with afeather she had picked up.
Womanlike, she had forgotten all about her first question, and nowasked another, "Will you come to supper with me, stranger? 'Tis nearlyready, I think.""To be able to say no to such an invitation, lady, is the first thing ayoung man should learn," I answered lightly; but then, seeing there wasnothing save the most innocent friendliness in those hazel eyes, I went on,"but that stern rule may admit of variance. Only, as it chances, I havejust supped at the public expense. If, instead, you would be a sailor'ssweetheart for an hour, and take me to this show of yours--your princess'sbenefit, or whatever it is-- I shall be obliged; my previous guide is hulldown over the horizon, and I am clean out of my reckoning in this crowd."By way of reply, the little lady, light as an elf, took me by thefingertips, and, gleefully skipping forward, piloted me through the mazesof her city until we came out into the great square fronting on the palace,which rose beyond it like a white chalk cliff in the dull light. Not a tapershowed anywhere round its circumference, but a mysterious kind ofradiance like sea phosphorescence beamed from the palace porch. Allwas in such deathlike silence that the nails in my "ammunition" bootsmade an unpleasant clanking as they struck on the marble pavement; yet,by the uncertain starlight, I saw, to my surprise, the whole square wasthronged with Martians, all facing towards the porch, as still, gravenimages, and as voiceless, for once, as though they had indeed been marble.
It was strange to see them sitting there in the twilight, waiting for I knewnot what, and my friend's voice at my elbow almost startled me as she said,in a whisper, "The princess knows you are in the crowd, and desires you togo up upon the steps near where she will be.""Who brought her message?" I asked, gazing vaguely round, for nonehad spoken to us for an hour or more.
"No one," said my companion, gently pushing me up an open waytowards the palace steps left clear by the sitting Martians. "It came direct from her to me this minute.""But how?" I persisted.
"Nay," said the girl, "if we stop to talk like this we shall not be placedbefore she comes, and thus throw a whole year's knowledge out."So, bottling my speculations, I allowed myself to be led up the firstflight of worn, white steps to where, on the terrace between them and thenext flight leading directly to the palace portico, was a flat, having a circleabout twenty feet across, inlaid upon the marble with darker colouredblocks. Inside that circle, as I sat down close by it in the twilight,showed another circle, and then a final one in whose inmost middle stooda tall iron tripod and something atop of it covered by a cloth. And allround the outer circle were magic symbols--I started as I recognised themeaning of some of them--within these again the inner circle held whatlooked like the representations of planets, ending, as I have said, in thatdished hollow made by countless dancers' feet, and its solitary tripod.
Back again, I glanced towards the square where the great concourse-- tenthousand of them, perhaps--were sitting mute and silent in the deepeningshadows, then back to the magic circles, till the silence and expectancy ofa strange scene began to possess me.
Shadow down below, star-dusted heaven above, and not a figuremoving; when suddenly something like a long- drawn sigh came from thelips of the expectant multitude, and I was aware every eye had suddenlyturned back to the palace porch, where, as we looked, a figure, wrapped inpale blue robes, appeared and stood for a minute, then stole down the stepswith an eagerness in every movement holding us spellbound. I have seenmany splendid pageants and many sights, each of which might be the talkof a life- time, but somehow nothing ever so engrossing, so thrilling, asthat ghostly figure in flowing robes stealing across the piazza in starlightand silence--the princess of a broken kingdom, the priestess of a forgottenfaith coming to her station to perform a jugglery of which she knew noteven the meaning. It was my versatile friend Heru, and with quick,incisive steps, her whole frame ambent for the time with the fervour of hermission, she came swiftly down to within a dozen yards of where I stood.
Heru, indeed, but not the same princess as in the morning; an inspired priestess rather, her slim body wrapped in blue and quiver- ing withemotion, her face ashine with Delphic fire, her hair loose, her feet bare,until at last when, as she stood within the limit of the magic circle, herwhite hands upon her breast, her eyes flashing like planets themselves inthe star- shine she looked so ghostly and unreal I felt for a minute I wasdreaming.
Then began a strange, weird dance amongst the im- agery of the rings,over which my earth planet was begin- ning to throw a haze of light. Atfirst it was hardly more than a walk, a slow procession round the twincircumfer- ences of the centred tripod. But soon it increased to anextraordinary graceful measure, a cadenced step without music or soundthat riveted my eyes to the dancer. Pres- ently I saw those mystic,twinkling feet of hers--as the dance became swifter--were performing ameasured round amongst the planet signs--spelling out something, I knewnot what, with quick, light touch amongst the zodiac figures, dancing out asoundless invocation of some kind as a dumb man might spell a messageby touching letters. Quicker and quicker, for minute after minute, grewthe dance, swifter and swifter the swing of the light blue drapery as thepriestess, with eager face and staring eyes, swung pant- ing round uponher orbit, and redder and redder over the city tops rose the circumferenceof the earth. It seemed to me all the silent multitude were breathingheavily as we watched that giddy dance, and whatever THEY felt, all myown senses seemed to be winding up upon that re- volving figure as threadwinds on a spindle.
"When will she stop?" I whispered to my friend under my breath.
"When the earth-star rests in the roof-niche of the temple it isclimbing," she answered back.
"And then?""On the tripod is a globe of water. In it she will see the destiny of theyear, and will tell us. The whiter the water stays, the better for us; itnever varies from white. But we must not talk; see! she is stopping."And as I looked back, the dance was certainly ebbing now with suchsmoothly decreasing undulations, that every heart began to beat calmer inresponse. There was a minute or two of such slow cessation, and then to say she stopped were too gross a description. Motion rather died awayfrom her, and the priestess grounded as smoothly as a ship grounds in fineweather on a sandy bank. There she was at last, crouched behind thetripod, one corner of the cloth covering it grasped in her hand, and hereyes fixed on the shining round just poised upon the distant run.
Keenly the girl watched it slide into zenith, then the cloth wassnatched from the tripod-top. As it fell it un- covered a beautiful andperfect globe of clear white glass, a foot or so in diameter, and obviouslyfilled with the thin- nest, most limpid water imaginable. At first itseemed to me, who stood near to the priestess of Mars, with that beamingsphere directly between us, and the newly risen world, that its smooth andflawless face was absolutely devoid of sign or colouring. Then, as thedistant planet became stronger in the magnifying Martian air, or my eyesbetter accustomed to that sudden nucleus of brilliancy, a delicate and infinitely lovely network of colours came upon it. They were like theradiant prisms that sometimes flush the surface of a bubble more thanaught else for a time. But as I watched that mosaic of yellow and purplecreep softly to and fro upon the globe it seemed they slowly took form andmeaning. Another minute or two and they had certainly con- gealed intoa settled plan, and then, as I stared and wondered, it burst upon me in aminute that I was looking upon a picture, faithful in every detail, of theworld I stood on; all its ruddy forests, its sapphire sea, both broad andnarrow ones, its white peaked mountains, and unnumbered islands beingmapped out with startling clearness for a spell upon that beaming orb.
Then a strange thing happened. Heru, who had been crouching in atremulous heap by the tripod, rose stealthily and passed her hands a fewtimes across the sphere. Colour and picture vanished at her touch likebreath from a mirror. Again all was clear and pellucid.
"Now," said my companion, "now listen! For Heru reads the destiny;the whiter the globe stays the better for us--" and then I felt her handtighten on mine with a startled grasp as the words died away upon her lips.
Even as the girl spoke, the sphere, which had been beam- ing in thecentre of the silent square like a mighty white jewel, began to flush withangry red. Redder and redder grew the gleam--a fiery glow which seemed curdling in the interior of the round as though it were filled withflame; redder and redder, until the princess, staring into it, seemed turnedagainst the jet-black night behind, into a form of molten metal. A spasmof terror passed across her as she stared; her limbs stiffened; her frightenedhands were clutched in front, and she stood cowering under that greatcrimson nucleus like one bereft of power and life, and lost to every sensebut that of agony. Not a syllable came from her lips, not a movementstirred her body, only that dumb, stupid stare of horror, at the somethingshe saw in the globe. What could I do? I could not sit and see her soulcome out at her frightened eyes, and not a Martian moved a finger to herrescue; the red shine gleamed on empty faces, tier above tier, and flung itsbroad flush over the endless rank of open-mouthed spectators, then back Ilooked to Heru--that winsome little lady for whom, you will re- member, Ihad already more than a passing fancy--and saw with a thrill of emotionthat while she still kept her eyes on the flaming globe like one in a horribledream her hands were slowly, very slowly, rising in supplication to ME! Itwas not vanity. There was no mistaking the direction of that silent,imploring appeal.
Not a man of her countrymen moved, not even black Hath! Therewas not a sound in the world, it seemed, but the noisy clatter of my ownshoenails on the marble flags. In the great red eye of that unholy globethe Martians glimmered like a picture multitude under the red cliff of theirruined palace. I glared round at them with contempt for a minute, thensprang forward and snatched the prin- cess up. It was like pulling aflower up by the roots. She was stiff and stark when I lay hold of her, butwhen I tore her from the magic ground she suddenly gave a piercingshriek, and fainted in my arms.
Then as I turned upon my heels with her upon my breast my footcaught upon the cloths still wound about the tripod of the sphere. Overwent that implement of a thousand years of sorcery, and out went the redfire. But little I cared--the princess was safe! And up the palace steps,amidst a low, wailing hum of consternation from the re- covering Martians,I bore that bundle of limp and senseless loveliness up into the pale shine ofher own porch, and there, laying her down upon a couch, watched her recover presently amongst her women with a varied assortment ofemotions tingling in my veins.