All went well and we fled down the bitter stream of the Martian gulf1 ata pace leaving me little to do but guide our course just clear of snags andpromontories on the port shore. Just before dawn, however, with a thinmist on the water and flocks of a flamingo-like bird croaking2 as they flewsouthward overhead, we were nearly captured again.
Drifting silently down on a rocky island, I was having a drink at thewater-pitcher at the moment, while Heru, her hair beaded with prismaticmoisture and looking more ethereal than ever, sat in the bows timorouslyinhaling the breath of freedom, when all on a sudden voices invisible inthe mist, came round a corner. It was one of Ar-hap's war-canoes toilingup-stream. Heru and I ducked down into the haze4 like dab-chicks andheld our breath.
Straight on towards us came the toiling3 ship, the dip of oars5 resonant6 inthe hollow fog and a ripple7 babbling8 on her cutwater plainly discernible.
"Oh, oh!
Hoo, hoo!
How high, how high!"sounded the sleepy song of the rowers till they were loom- ing rightabreast and we could smell their damp hides in the morning air. Thenthey stopped suddenly and some one asked,"Is there not something like a boat away on the right?""It is nothing," said another, "but the lees of last night's beer curdlingin your stupid brain.""But I saw it move.""That must have been in dreams.""What is all that talking about?" growled9 a sleepy voice of authorityfrom the stern.
"Bow man, sir, says he can see a boat.""And what does it matter if he can? Are we to delay every time thatlazy ruffian spying a shadow makes it an excuse to stop to yawn andscratch? Go on, you plankful of lubbers, or I'll give you something worththinking about!" And joyfully10, oh, so joyfully, we heard the sullen11 dip of oars commence again.
Nothing more happened after that till the sun at length shone on thelittle harbour town at the estuary12 mouth, making the masts of fishing craftclustering there like a golden reed- bed against the cool, clean blue of thesea beyond.
Right glad we were to see it, and keeping now in shadow of the banks,made all haste while light was faint and mist hung about to reach the town,finally pushing through the boats and gaining a safe hiding-place withouthostile notice before it was clear daylight.
Covering Heru up and knowing well all our chances of escape lay inexpedition, I went at once, in pursuance of a plan made during the night,to the good dame13 at what, for lack of a better name, must still continue tobe called the fish-shop, and finding her alone, frankly14 told her the salientpoints of my story. When she learned I had "robbed the lion of his prey"and taken his new wife singlehanded from the dreaded15 Ar-hap herastonishment was unbounded. Nothing would do but she must look uponthe princess, so back we went to the hiding-place, and when Heru knewthat on this woman depended our lives she stepped ashore16, taking therugged Martian hand in her dainty fingers and begging her help so sweetlythat my own heart was moved, and, thrusting hands in pocket, I went aside,leaving those two to settle it in their own female way.
And when I looked back in five minutes, royal Seth had her armsround the woman's neck, kissing the homely17 cheeks with more thanimperial fervour, so I knew all was well thus far, and stoppedexpectorating at the little fishes in the water below and went over to them.
It was time! We had hardly spoken together a minute when a couple ofwar-canoes filled with men appeared round the nearest promontory,coming down the swift water with arrow-like rapidity.
"Quick!" said the fishwife, "or we are all lost. Into your canoe andpaddle up this creek18. It runs out to the sea behind the town, and at thebar is my man's fishing-boat amongst many others. Lie hidden there tillhe comes if you value your lives." So in we got, and while that goodSamaritan went back to her house we cautiously paddled through adeserted backwater to where it presently turned through low sandbanks to the gulf. There were the boats, and we hid the canoe and lay downamongst them till, soon after, a man, easily recognised as the husband ofour friend, came sauntering down from the village.
At first he was sullen, not unreasonably19 alarmed at the danger intowhich his good woman was running him. But when he set eyes on Heruhe softened20 immediately. Prob- ably that thick-bodied fellow had neverseen so much female loveliness in so small a bulk in all his life, and, beinga man, he surrendered at discretion21.
"In with you, then," he growled, "since I must needs risk my neck for apair of runaways22 who better deserve to be hung than I do. In with youboth into this fishing-cobble of mine, and I will cover you with nets whileI go for a mast and sail, and mind you lie as still as logs. The town isalready full of soldiers looking for you, and it will be short shrift for us allif you are seen."Well aware of the fact and now in the hands of destiny, the princessand I lay down as bidden in the prow23, and the man covered us lightly overwith one of those fine meshed24 seines used by these people to catch thelittle fish I had breakfasted on more than once.
Materially I could have enjoyed the half-hour which fol- lowed, sincesuch rest after exertion25 was welcome, the sun warm, the lapping of sea onshingle infinitely26 soothing27, and, above all, Heru was in my arms! Howsweet and childlike she was! I could feel her little heart beating throughher scanty28 clothing, while every now and then she turned her gazelle eyesto mine with a trust and admiration29 infinitely alluring30. Yes! as far as thatwent I could have lain there with that slip of maiden31 royalty32 for ever, butthe fascination33 of the moment was marred34 by the thought of our danger.
What was to prevent these new friends giving us away? They knew wehad no money to recompense them for the risk they were running. Theywere poor, and a splendid reward, wealth itself to them, would doubtlessbe theirs if they betrayed us even by a look. Yet somehow I trusted themas I have trusted the poor before with the happiest results, and tellingmyself this and comforting Heru, I lis- tened and waited.
Minute by minute went by. It seemed an age since the fisherman hadgone, but presently the sound of voices inter- rupted the sea's murmur35.
Cautiously stealing a glance through a chink imagine my feelings onperceiving half a dozen of Ar-hap's soldiers coming down the beachstraight towards us! Then my heart was bitter within me, and I tasted ofdefeat, even with Heru in my arms. Luckily even in that moment ofagony I kept still, and another peep showed the men were now wanderingabout rather aimlessly. Perhaps after all they did not know of our nearness?
Then they took to horseplay, as idle soldiers will even in Mars, peltingeach other with bits of wood and dead fish, and thereon I breathed again.
Nearer they came and nearer, my heart beating fast as they strolledamongst the boats until they were actually "larking36" round the one next toours. A minute or two of this, and another footstep crunched37 on thepebbles, a quick, nervous one, which my instinct told me was that of ourreturning friend.
"Hullo old sprat-catcher! Going for a sail?" called out a soldier, and Iknew that the group were all round our boat, Heru trembling so violentlyin my breast that I thought she would make the vessel39 shake.
"Yes," said the man gruffly.
"Let's go with him," cried several voices. "Here, old dried haddock,will you take us if we help haul your nets for you?""No, I won't. Your ugly faces would frighten all the fish out of thesea.""And yours, you old chunk40 of dried mahogany, is meant to attract themno doubt.""Let's tie him to a post and go fishing in his boat ourselves," some onesuggested. Meanwhile two of them began rocking the cobble violentlyfrom side to side. This was awful, and every moment I expected the netand the sail which our friend had thrown down unceremoniously upon uswould roll off.
"Oh, stop that," said the Martian, who was no doubt quite as wellaware of the danger as we were. "The tide's full, the shoals are in thebay--stop your nonsense, and help me launch like good fellows.""Well, take two of us, then. We will sit on this heap of nets as quietas mice, and stand you a drink when we get back.""No, not one of you," quoth the plucky41 fellow, "and here's my staff in my hand, and if you don't leave my gear alone I will crack some of yourugly heads.""That's a pity," I thought to myself, "for if they take to fighting it willbe six to one--long odds42 against our chances." There was indeed ascuffle, and then a yell of pain, as though a soldier had been hit across theknuckles; but in a minute the best disposed called out, "Oh, cease your fun,boys, and let the fellow get off if he wants to. You know the fleet will bedown directly, and Ar-hap has promised something worth having to theman who can find that lost bit of crackling of his. It's my opinion she's inthe town, and I for one would rather look for her than go haddock fishingany day.""Right you are, mates," said our friend with visible relief. "And, what'smore, if you help me launch this boat and then go to my missus and tellher what you've done, she'll understand, and give you the biggestpumpkinful of beer in the place. Ah, she will understand, and bless yoursoft hearts and heads while you drink it--she's a cute one is my missus.""And aren't you afraid to leave her with us?""Not I, my daisy, unless it were that a sight of your pretty face mightgive her hysterics. Now lend a hand, your accursed chatter43 has alreadycost me half an hour of the best fishing time.""In with you, old buck44!" shouted the soldiers; I felt the fisherman stepin, as a matter of fact he stepped in on to my toes; a dozen hands were onthe gunwales: six soldier yells resounded45, it seemed, in my very ears: therewas the grit46 and rush of pebbles38 under the keel: a sudden lurch47 up of thebows, which brought the fairy lady's honey- scented48 lips to mine, and thenthe gentle lapping of deep blue waters underneath49 us!
There is little more to be said of that voyage. We pulled until out ofsight of the town, then hoisted50 sail, and, with a fair wind, held upon onetack until we made an island where there was a small colony of Hitherfolk.
Here our friend turned back. I gave him another gold button from mycoat, and the princess a kiss upon either cheek, which he seemed to likeeven more than the button. It was small payment, but the best we had.
Doubtless he got safely home, and I can but hope that Providence somehow or other paid him and his wife for a good deed bravely done.
Those islanders in turn lent us another boat, with a guide, who hadbusiness in the Hither capital, and on the evening of the second day, thedirect route being very short in com- parison, we were under thecrumbling marble walls of Seth.
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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croaking
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| v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说 | |
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toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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resonant
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| adj.(声音)洪亮的，共鸣的 | |
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ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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babbling
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| n.胡说，婴儿发出的咿哑声adj.胡说的v.喋喋不休( babble的现在分词 )；作潺潺声（如流水）；含糊不清地说话；泄漏秘密 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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estuary
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| n.河口，江口 | |
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dame
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| n.女士 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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unreasonably
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| adv. 不合理地 | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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runaways
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| （轻而易举的）胜利( runaway的名词复数 ) | |
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prow
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| n.(飞机)机头，船头 | |
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meshed
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| 有孔的，有孔眼的，啮合的 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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alluring
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| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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marred
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| adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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larking
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| v.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的现在分词 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了 | |
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crunched
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的过去式和过去分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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chunk
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| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
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plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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45
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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47
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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48
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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49
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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50
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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