AND THAT HE HAD A BAD HABIT OF USING HIS STOUT SUCKING TUBE TO STING WITH STILL BELOSTOMA DID NOT CARE HE SAID A GIANT WATER BUG DOES NOT ALWAYS LIVE IN THE WATER I SHALL HAVE MY WINGS SOON AND LEAVE THE WATER AND MARRY


AFTER THAT I SHALL FLY AWAY ON MY WEDDING TRIP MISSUS BELOSTOMA MAY GO WITH ME IF SHE FEELS LIKE DOING SO AFTER LAYING HER EGGS HERE I SHALL GO ANYWAY AND I SHALL FLUTTER AND SPRAWL AROUND THE LIGHT AND STING PEOPLE WHO BOTHER ME AND HAVE A HAPPY TIME


THAT WAS BELOSTOMA'S WAY HE WOULD STING PEOPLE WHO BOTHERED HIM BUT THEN HE ALWAYS SAID THAT THEY NEED NOT HAVE BOTHERED HIM AND PERHAPS THAT WAS SO WITH THE WATER ADDERS IT WAS DIFFERENT THEY WERE GOOD NATURED ENOUGH


YET THE MUD TURTLES AND SNAPPING TURTLE WERE THE ONLY ONES WHO EVER CALLED UPON THEM AND FOUND THEM AT HOME THE SMALL PEOPLE WITHOUT SHELLS WERE AFRAID OF THEM AND THE CLAMS AND POND SNAILS NEVER CALLED UPON ANY ONE THE MINNOWS SAID THEY COULD NOT BEAR THE LOOKS OF THE ADDERS


THEY HAD SUCH UGLY MOUTHS AND SUCH QUICK MOTIONS THE LARGER FISHES KEPT AWAY ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR CHILDREN WHO WERE SMALL AND TENDER ONE MIGHT THINK THAT THE SAND HILL CRANES THE FISH HAWKS AND THE OTHER SHORE FAMILIES WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD FRIENDS FOR THEM BUT WHEN THEY CALLED


THE ADDERS WERE ALWAYS AWAY PEOPLE SAID THAT THE ADDERS WERE AFRAID OF THEM THE YELLOW BROWN FROG WISHED THAT THE ADDERS COULD BE SCARED BADLY SCARED SOME TIME SO SCARED THAT A CHILLY FEELING WOULD RUN DOWN THEIR BACKS FROM THEIR HEADS CLEAR TO THE TIPS OF THEIR TAILS


I WISH SAID HE THAT THE CHILLY FEELING WOULD BE BIG ENOUGH TO GO WAY THROUGH TO THEIR BELLIES THEIR BELLIES ARE ONLY THE FRONT SIDE OF THEIR BACKS ANYWAY HE ADDED BECAUSE THEY ARE SO THIN OF COURSE THIS WAS A DREADFUL WISH TO MAKE


BUT PEOPLE SAID THAT ONE OF THE ADDERS HAD FRIGHTENED THE YELLOW BROWN FROG SO THAT HE NEVER GOT OVER IT AND THIS WAS THE REASON HE FELT SO THE WATER ADDERS WERE CERTAINLY THE CLEVEREST PEOPLE IN THE POND


SHE COULD DO ALMOST ANYTHING AND SHE KNEW IT SHE TALKED ABOUT IT TOO AND THAT SHOWED BAD TASTE AND WAS ONE REASON WHY SHE WAS NOT LIKED BETTER SHE COULD SWIM VERY FAST COULD CREEP GLIDE


CATCH HOLD OF THINGS WITH HER TAIL HANG HERSELF FROM THE BRANCH OF A TREE LIFT HER HEAD FAR INTO THE AIR LEAP DART BOUND AND DIVE ALL HER FAMILY COULD DO THESE THINGS BUT SHE COULD DO THEM A LITTLE THE BEST ONE DAY SHE WAS HANGING OVER THE POND IN A VERY GRACEFUL POSITION


WITH HER TAIL TWISTED CARELESSLY AROUND A WILLOW BRANCH THE SNAPPING TURTLE AND A MUD TURTLE FATHER WERE IN THE SHALLOW WATER BELOW HER HER SLENDER FORKED TONGUE WAS DARTING IN AND OUT OF HER OPEN MOUTH


IT IS USEFUL IN FEELING OF THINGS SHE SAID AND THEN I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT IT QUITE BECOMING SHE COULD SEE HERSELF REFLECTED IN THE STILL WATER BELOW HER AND SHE NOTICED HOW PRETTILY THE DARK BROWN OF HER BACK SHADED INTO THE WHITE OF HER BELLY


YOU SEE SHE WAS VAIN AS WELL AS CLEVER THE SNAPPING TURTLE FELT CROSS TO DAY AND HAD COME TO SEE IF A TALK WITH HER WOULD NOT MAKE HIM FEEL BETTER THE MUD TURTLE WAS TIRED OF HAVING THE CHILDREN SPRAWL AROUND HIM


AND OF MISSUS MUD TURTLE TELLING ABOUT THE TROUBLE SHE HAD TO GET THE RIGHT KIND OF FOOD THE CLEVER WATER ADDER SPOKE FIRST OF THE WEATHER IT MUST BE DREADFULLY HOT FOR THE SHORE PEOPLE SHE SAID


AND FLY AROUND IN THE SUNSHINE TO FIND FOOD FOR THEIR CHILDREN AH YES SAID THE MUD TURTLE HOW THEY MUST WISH FOR SHELLS HUMPH SAID THE SNAPPING TURTLE WHAT FOR TO FLY WITH


LET THEM COME IN SWIMMING WITH THEIR CHILDREN IF THEY ARE WARM AND TIRED THE WATER ADDER LAUGHED IN HER SNAKY WAY AND SHOWED HER SHARP TEETH I HAVE HEARD SHE SAID THAT WHEN THE WILD DUCKS BRING THEIR CHILDREN HERE TO SWIM


THEY DO NOT ALWAYS TAKE SO MANY HOME AS THEY BROUGHT THE SNAPPING TURTLE BECAME VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN HIS WARTY RIGHT FORELEG AND DID NOT SEEM TO HEAR WHAT SHE SAID THE MUD TURTLE SMILED I HAVE HEARD SHE WENT ON


THAT WHEN YOUNG DUCKS DIVE HEAD FIRST THEY ARE QUITE SURE TO COME UP AGAIN BUT THAT WHEN THEY DIVE FEET FIRST THEY NEVER COME UP


ASKED THE SNAPPING TURTLE AND HE WAS SNAPPY ABOUT IT OH NOTHING REPLIED THE WATER ADDER SWINGING HER HEAD BACK AND FORTH AND LOOKING AT THE SCALES ON HER BODY I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN SAID THE SNAPPING TURTLE


AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BUT I HAVE TO EAT SOMETHING AND IF I AM SWIMMING UNDER THE WATER AND A DUCKLING PADDLES ALONG JUST ABOVE ME AND STICKS HIS FOOT INTO MY MOUTH I AM LIKELY TO SWALLOW HIM BEFORE I THINK THE WATER ADDER SAW THAT HE WAS PROVOKED BY WHAT SHE HAD SAID SO SHE TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE


I THINK THE DUCKS SPOIL THEIR CHILDREN SAID SHE THEY MAKE SUCH A FUSS OVER THEM AND THEY ARE NOT NEARLY SO BRIGHT AS MY CHILDREN WHY MINE HATCH AS SOON AS THE EGGS ARE LAID AND GO HUNTING AT ONCE THEY ARE NO TROUBLE AT ALL


I NEVER WORRY ABOUT MINE SAID THE MUD TURTLE ALTHOUGH THEIR MOTHER THINKS IT IS NOT SAFE FOR THEM ALL TO SLEEP AT ONCE AS THEY DO ON A LOG IN THE SUNSHINE IT ISN'T SAID THE ADDER DECIDEDLY I NEVER CLOSE MY EYES


MOST OF THEM REMARKED THE TURTLES ALL OF THEM SHE SAID EXCEPT US ADDERS AND THE TURTLES I EVEN THINK THAT SOME OF THE TURTLES ARE A LITTLE QUEER DON'T YOU WE HAVE THOUGHT SO SAID THE MUD TURTLE


THEY CERTAINLY ARE AGREED THE SNAPPING TURTLE WHO WAS BEGINNING TO FEEL MUCH BETTER NATURED WHAT DID YOU SAY ASKED THE ADDER WHO LIKE ALL HER FAMILY WAS A LITTLE DEAF OUCH EXCLAIMED THE SNAPPING TURTLE


OUCH OUCH WHAT IS THE MATTER ASKED THE MUD TURTLE THEN HE BEGAN TO SLAP THE WATER WITH HIS SHORT STOUT TAIL AND SAY OUCH


TWO NAUGHTY YOUNG WATER BOATMEN HAD SWUM QUIETLY UP ON THEIR BACKS AND STUNG THE TURTLES ON THEIR TAILS THEN THEY SWAM AWAY PUSHING THEMSELVES QUICKLY THROUGH THE WATER WITH SWIFT STROKES OF THEIR HAIRY OAR LEGS


AND HE BACKED INTO THE MUD KNOWING THAT FINE SOFT MUD IS THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD FOR STINGS


IF I COULD ONLY REACH MY TAIL WITH MY HEAD OR EVEN WITH ONE OF MY HIND FEET


ASKED THE WATER ADDER IN HER SWEETEST VOICE NOTHING IS EASIER AND SHE WOUND HERSELF AROUND THE WILLOW BRANCH IN ANOTHER GRACEFUL POSITION AND TOOK THE TIP OF HER TAIL DAINTILY BETWEEN HER TEETH HUMPH SAID THE SNAPPING TURTLE


AND HE PULLED HIS TAIL OUT OF THE MUD AND SWAM AWAY


SAID THE MUD TURTLE AND HE SWAM AWAY WITH THE SNAPPING TURTLE WHAT A RUDE PERSON SHE IS THEY SAID ALWAYS TRYING TO SHOW HOW MUCH MORE CLEVER SHE IS THAN OTHER PEOPLE WE WOULD RATHER BE STUPID AND POLITE AFTER A WHILE THE SNAPPING TURTLE SAID


BUT THEN YOU KNOW WE ARE NOT STUPID OF COURSE NOT REPLIED THE MUD TURTLE


A CONTEMPORARY POET OF THE COUNTRY KING MERRIWIG THE FIRST RODE BACK FROM WAR AS MANY OTHER KINGS HAD DONE BEFORE FIVE HUNDRED MEN BEHIND HIM WERE IN SIGHT LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT


SO FAR AS IS KNOWN THIS WAS HER ONLY WORK BUT SHE BUILT UP SOME REPUTATION ON IT AND BELVANE WHO WAS A GOOD JUDGE HAD A HIGH OPINION OF HER GENIUS TO BE EXACT THERE WERE ONLY FOUR HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE MEN


HENRY SMALLNOSE A BOWMAN OF CONSIDERABLE PROMISE HAD BEEN LEFT BEHIND IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY THE ONE CASUALTY OF WAR WHILE SPYING OUT THE LAND IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE INVASION


HE HAD BEEN DISCOVERED BY THE CHIEF ARMOURER OF BARODIA AT FULL LENGTH ON THE WET GRASS SEARCHING FOR TRACKS THE CHIEF ARMOURER A KINDLY MAN


HENRY HAVING CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF THE CHIEF ARMOURER'S DAUGHTER HAD ACCEPTED WITHOUT ANY FALSE PRIDE AND HAD FREQUENTLY DROPPED IN TO SUPPER THEREAFTER NOW THAT THE WAR WAS OVER HE FOUND THAT HE COULD NOT TEAR HIMSELF AWAY


WITH KING MERRIWIG'S PERMISSION HE WAS SETTLING IN BARODIA AND WITH THE CHIEF ARMOURER'S PERMISSION HE WAS STARTING ON HIS NEW LIFE AS A MARRIED MAN AS THE TOWERS OF THE CASTLE CAME IN SIGHT MERRIWIG DREW A DEEP BREATH OF HAPPINESS HOME AGAIN


WERE IN HIS POCKET DAYS OF HONOURED LEISURE WERE WAITING FOR HIM HE GAZED AT EACH REMEMBERED LANDMARK OF HIS OWN BELOVED COUNTRY HIS HEART OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS NEVER AGAIN WOULD HE LEAVE EURALIA HOW GOOD TO SEE HYACINTH AGAIN


POOR LITTLE HYACINTH LEFT ALL ALONE BUT THERE SHE HAD HAD THE COUNTESS BELVANE A WOMAN OF GREAT EXPERIENCE TO HELP HER BELVANE SHOULD HE RISK IT HOW MUCH HAD SHE THOUGHT OF HIM WHILE HE WAS AWAY


HYACINTH WOULD BE GROWING UP AND GETTING MARRIED SOON LIFE WOULD BE LONELY IN EURALIA THEN UNLESS SHOULD HE RISK IT


HE MUST BE LONGING TO TELL YOU THAT OH HE'LL HAVE A HUNDRED THINGS TO TELL YOU FIRST BUT THEN WHEN HE SAYS AND WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING HERE WHILE I'VE BEEN AWAY NOTHING MUCH I SUPPOSE THEN YOU CAN SAY


THEN I SHALL SAY NOTHING MUCH ONLY CORONEL AND SUCH A CLEVER OH I HAVE MY IDEAS SAID CORONEL WELL I'LL BE OUT OF THE WAY SOMEWHERE I THINK I'LL GO FOR A WALK IN THE FOREST


OR SHALL I STAY HERE IN THE COUNTESS'S GARDEN AND AMUSE MYSELF WITH UDO ANYHOW I'LL GIVE YOU AN HOUR ALONE TOGETHER FIRST THE CAVALCADE DREW UP IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE HANDKERCHIEFS FLUTTERED TO THEM FROM THE WALLS TRUMPETS WERE BLOWN HOUNDS BAYED


DOWN THE STEPS CAME HYACINTH ALL BLUE AND GOLD AND FLUNG HERSELF INTO HER FATHER'S ARMS MY DEAR CHILD SAID MERRIWIG AS HE PATTED HER SOOTHINGLY THERE THERE IT'S YOUR OLD FATHER COME BACK AGAIN H'R'M THERE THERE


HE PATTED HER AGAIN AS THOUGH IT WERE SHE AND NOT HIMSELF WHO WAS IN DANGER OF BREAKING DOWN MY LITTLE HYACINTH MY OWN LITTLE GIRL OH FATHER I AM GLAD TO HAVE YOU BACK THERE THERE MY CHILD


HE TOOK A STEP FORWARD AND ADDRESSED HIS TROOPS MEN OF EURALIA CHEERS WE HAVE RETURNED FROM A LONG AND ARDUOUS CONFLICT CHEERS TO THE EMBRACES LOUD CHEERS


OF OUR MOTHERS AND WIVES AND DAUGHTERS PROLONGED CHEERING AS THE CASE MAY BE HEAR HEAR


IN HONOUR OF OUR GREAT VICTORY I DECREE THAT FROM NOW ONWARDS TO MORROW SHALL BE OBSERVED AS A HOLIDAY THROUGHOUT EURALIA TERRIFIC CHEERING


HERE HE TURNED AND EMBRACED HIS DAUGHTER AGAIN AND IF HIS EYE TRAVELLED OVER HER SHOULDER IN THE DIRECTION OF BELVANE'S GARDEN IT IS A SMALL MATTER AND ONE FOR WHICH THE ARCHITECT OF THE CASTLE NO DOUBT WAS PRINCIPALLY TO BLAME


THERE WAS ANOTHER STORM OF CHEERS THE BATTLE CRY OF EURALIA HO HO MERRIWIG WAS SHOUTED FROM FIVE HUNDRED THROATS AND THE MEN DISPERSED HAPPILY TO THEIR HOMES HYACINTH AND MERRIWIG WENT INTO THE PALACE


NOW FATHER SAID HYACINTH LATER ON WHEN MERRIWIG HAD CHANGED HIS CLOTHES AND REFRESHED HIMSELF YOU'VE GOT TO TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT'S REALLY OVER YES YES IT'S ALL OVER


SAID MERRIWIG HEARTILY WE SHAN'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE IN THAT DIRECTION AGAIN I FANCY DO TELL ME DID THE KING OF BARODIA APOLOGISE HE DID BETTER THAN THAT HE ABDICATED WHY


WELL SAID MERRIWIG REMEMBERING JUST IN TIME I ER KILLED HIM OH FATHER HOW ROUGH OF YOU I DON'T THINK IT HURT HIM VERY MUCH MY DEAR


SEE I HAVE BROUGHT THESE HOME FOR YOU HE PRODUCED FROM HIS POCKET A SMALL PACKET IN TISSUE PAPER OH HOW EXCITING WHATEVER CAN IT BE MERRIWIG UNWRAPPED THE PAPER AND DISCLOSED A COUPLE OF GINGER WHISKERS


NEATLY TIED UP WITH BLUE RIBBON FATHER HE PICKED OUT THE LEFT ONE FONS ET ORIGO IF HE HAD KNOWN ANY LATIN OF THE WAR AND HELD IT UP FOR HYACINTH'S INSPECTION THERE YOU CAN SEE THE PLACE WHERE HENRY SMALLNOSE'S ARROW BENT IT


BY THE WAY HE ADDED HENRY IS MARRYING AND SETTLING DOWN IN BARODIA IT IS CURIOUS HE WENT ON HOW AFTER A WAR ONE'S THOUGHTS TURN TO MATRIMONY HE GLANCED AT HIS DAUGHTER TO SEE HOW SHE WOULD TAKE THIS


BUT SHE WAS STILL ENGROSSED WITH THE WHISKERS


I CAN'T PLANT THEM IN THE GARDEN I THOUGHT WE MIGHT RUN THEM UP THE FLAGSTAFF AS WE DID IN BARODIA ISN'T THAT A LITTLE UNKIND NOW THAT THE POOR MAN'S DEAD MERRIWIG LOOKED ROUND HIM TO SEE THAT THERE WERE NO EAVESDROPPERS


CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET HE ASKED MYSTERIOUSLY OF COURSE SAID HYACINTH DECIDING AT ONCE THAT IT WOULD NOT MATTER IF SHE ONLY TOLD CORONEL WELL THEN LISTEN


HE TOLD HER OF HIS SECRET JOURNEY TO THE KING OF BARODIA'S TENT HE TOLD HER OF THE KING OF BARODIA'S LETTER


AND HIS BOYISH PLEASURE IN IT ALL WAS SO EVIDENT AND SO INNOCENT


TO HYACINTH HE SEEMED THE DEAREST OF FATHERS AND THE MOST WONDERFUL OF KINGS AND BY AND BY THE MOMENT CAME OF WHICH CORONEL HAD SPOKEN AND NOW SAID MERRIWIG


NOTHING MUCH I SUPPOSE HE WAITED NERVOUSLY WONDERING IF HYACINTH WOULD REALISE THAT ALL WAS MEANT TO INCLUDE MORE PARTICULARLY BELVANE HYACINTH DREW A STOOL UP TO HER FATHER'S CHAIR AND SAT DOWN VERY CLOSE TO HIM


FATHER SHE SAID STROKING HIS HAND WHERE IT RESTED ON HIS KNEE I HAVE GOT SOME NEWS FOR YOU NOTHING ABOUT THE COUN NOTHING SERIOUS I HOPE SAID MERRIWIG IN ALARM


IT'S RATHER SERIOUS BUT IT'S RATHER NICE FATHER DEAR WOULD YOU MIND VERY MUCH IF I GOT MARRIED SOON MY DEAR YOU SHALL GET MARRIED AS SOON AS YOU LIKE LET ME SEE THERE WERE SIX OR SEVEN PRINCES WHO CAME ABOUT IT ONLY THE OTHER DAY


I SENT THEM OFF ON ADVENTURES OF SOME KIND BUT DEAR ME YES THEY OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN BACK BY NOW I SUPPOSE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING OF THEM NO FATHER SAID HYACINTH WITH A LITTLE SMILE AH WELL NO DOUBT THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL


NO MATTER DEAR WE CAN EASILY FIND YOU PLENTY MORE SUITORS INDEED THE SUBJECT HAS BEEN VERY NEAR MY THOUGHTS LATELY WE'LL ARRANGE A LITTLE COMPETITION AND LET THEM KNOW IN THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES THERE'LL BE NO LACK OF CANDIDATES


LET ME SEE THERE'S THAT SEVEN HEADED BULL HE'S GETTING A LITTLE OLD NOW BUT HE WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE LAST ONE WE MIGHT I DON'T WANT A SUITOR SAID HYACINTH SOFTLY I HAVE ONE MERRIWIG LEANT FORWARD WITH EAGERNESS


MY DEAR THIS IS INDEED NEWS TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT UPON WHAT QUEST DID YOU SEND HIM HYACINTH HAD FELT THIS COMING


WHAT IS HIS INCOME A MAN MUST PROVE HIS WORTH IN SOME WAY I HAVEN'T SENT HIM AWAY AT ALL YET SHE SAID HE'S ONLY JUST COME HE'S BEEN VERY KIND TO ME AND I'M SURE YOU'LL LOVE HIM WELL WELL WE'LL ARRANGE SOMETHING FOR HIM


BY THE WAY WHO IS HE HE COMES FROM ARABY AND HIS NAME IS UDO OF COURSE WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF HIM AN EXCELLENT ARRANGEMENT MY DEAR IT ISN'T UDO I'M AFRAID FATHER IT'S CORONEL


AND WHO MIGHT CORONEL BE SAID THE KING RATHER STERNLY HE'S HE'S WELL HE'S HERE HE IS FATHER SHE RAN UP TO HIM IMPULSIVELY AS HE CAME IN AT THE DOOR


OH CORONEL YOU'RE JUST IN TIME DO TELL FATHER WHO YOU ARE CORONEL BOWED PROFOUNDLY TO THE KING BEFORE I EXPLAIN MYSELF YOUR MAJESTY HE SAID


MAY I CONGRATULATE YOUR MAJESTY ON YOUR WONDERFUL VICTORY OVER THE BARODIANS FROM THE LITTLE I HAVE GATHERED OUTSIDE IT IS THE MOST REMARKABLE VICTORY THAT HAS EVER OCCURRED BUT OF COURSE I AM LONGING TO HEAR THE FULL STORY FROM YOUR MAJESTY'S OWN LIPS


IS IT A FACT THAT YOUR MAJESTY MADE HIS WAY AT DEAD OF NIGHT TO THE KING OF BARODIA'S OWN TENT AND CHALLENGED HIM TO MORTAL COMBAT AND SLEW HIM THERE WAS AN EAGERNESS VERY WINNING IN HIS EYES AS HE ASKED IT


HE SEEMED TO BE ENVYING THE KING SUCH AN ADVENTURE AN ADVENTURE AFTER HIS OWN HEART MERRIWIG WAS IN AN AWKWARD POSITION HE WONDERED FOR A MOMENT WHETHER TO ORDER HIS DAUGHTER OUT OF THE ROOM LEAVE US MY CHILD


HE WOULD SAY THESE ARE MATTERS FOR MEN TO DISCUSS BUT HYACINTH WOULD KNOW QUITE WELL WHY SHE HAD BEEN SENT OUT AND WOULD CERTAINLY TELL CORONEL THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER AFTERWARDS IT REALLY LOOKED AS IF CORONEL WOULD HAVE TO BE LET INTO THE SECRET TOO


THERE ARE CERTAIN STATE REASONS HE SAID WITH DIGNITY WHY THAT STORY HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO GET ABOUT PARDON YOUR MAJESTY I HAVE NO WISH TO BUT AS YOU KNOW SO MUCH YOU MAY AS WELL KNOW ALL


IT HAPPENED LIKE THIS ONCE MORE HE TOLD THE STORY OF HIS MIDNIGHT VISIT AND OF THE KING'S LETTER TO HIM BUT YOUR MAJESTY CRIED CORONEL


SO YOU LIKE IT SAID MERRIWIG TRYING TO LOOK MODEST I LOVE IT I KNEW HE'D LOVE IT PUT IN HYACINTH IT'S JUST THE SORT OF STORY THAT CORONEL WOULD LOVE


TELL HIM ABOUT HOW YOU FOUGHT THE KING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR AND HOW YOU PRETENDED TO BE A SWINEHERD AND HOW COULD ANY FATHER HAVE RESISTED IN A LITTLE WHILE HYACINTH AND CORONEL WERE SEATED EAGERLY AT HIS FEET


AND HE WAS TELLING ONCE MORE THE GREAT STORY OF HIS ADVENTURES WELL WELL SAID THE KING AT THE END OF IT WHEN HE HAD RECEIVED THEIR TRIBUTE OF ADMIRATION THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE LITTLE ADVENTURES THAT HAPPEN IN WAR TIME HE TURNED TO CORONEL


AND SO YOU I UNDERSTAND WISH TO MARRY MY DAUGHTER DOES THAT SURPRISE YOUR MAJESTY WELL NO IT DOESN'T AND SHE I UNDERSTAND WISHES TO MARRY YOU YES PLEASE FATHER


THAT SAID CORONEL SIMPLY IS MUCH MORE SURPRISING MERRIWIG HOWEVER WAS NOT SO SURE OF THAT HE LIKED THE LOOK OF CORONEL HE LIKED HIS MANNER


AND HE SAW AT ONCE THAT HE KNEW A GOOD STORY WHEN HE HEARD ONE OF COURSE HE SAID YOU'LL HAVE TO WIN HER ANYTHING YOUR MAJESTY SETS ME TO DO IT'S AS WELL HE ADDED WITH A DISARMING SMILE


THAT YOU CANNOT ASK FOR THE WHISKERS OF THE KING OF BARODIA THERE IS ONLY ONE MAN WHO COULD HAVE GOT THOSE TRULY AN EXCELLENT YOUNG MAN WELL WE'LL ARRANGE SOMETHING SAID MERRIWIG LOOKING PLEASED


PERHAPS YOUR PRINCE UDO WOULD CARE TO BE A COMPETITOR TOO HYACINTH AND CORONEL INTERCHANGED A SMILE ALAS FATHER SHE SAID HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS IS NOT ATTRACTED BY MY POOR CHARMS


WAIT TILL HE HAS SEEN THEM MY DEAR SAID MERRIWIG WITH A CHUCKLE HE HAS SEEN THEM FATHER WHAT YOU INVITED HIM HERE


HE CAME TO STAY WITH YOU AND HE NEVER HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PUT IN CORONEL HAS GIVEN HIS AFFECTIONS TO ANOTHER AHA SO THAT'S THE SECRET NOW I WONDER IF I CAN GUESS WHO SHE IS


WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE PRINCESS ELVIRA OF TREGONG I KNOW HIS FATHER HAD HOPES IN THAT DIRECTION HYACINTH LOOKED ROUND AT CORONEL AS IF APPEALING FOR HIS SUPPORT HE TOOK A STEP TOWARDS HER


NO IT'S NOT THE PRINCESS ELVIRA SAID HYACINTH A LITTLE NERVOUSLY THE KING LAUGHED GOOD HUMOUREDLY AH WELL YOU MUST TELL ME HE SAID


HYACINTH PUT OUT HER HAND AND CORONEL PRESSED IT ENCOURAGINGLY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE UDO SHE SAID


AND NOW SAID CORONEL WE'D BETTER DECIDE WHAT TO DO BUT I DON'T MIND WHAT WE DO NOW SAID HYACINTH HAPPILY SHE MAY HAVE THE THRONE AND FATHER AND UDO AND


THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO JOLLY WE CAN DO WHAT WE LIKE AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT DOESN'T COME OFF SO JUST FOR FUN LET'S THINK OF SOMETHING TO PAY HER OUT I FEEL I DON'T WANT TO HURT ANYBODY TO DAY ALL RIGHT WE WON'T HURT HER WE'LL HUMOUR HER


WE WILL BE HER MOST HUMBLE OBEDIENT SERVANTS SHE SHALL HAVE EVERYTHING SHE WANTS INCLUDING PRINCE UDO SMILED HYACINTH THAT'S A SPLENDID IDEA WE'LL MAKE HER HAVE UDO


IT WILL ANNOY YOUR FATHER BUT ONE CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY OH I CAN SEE MYSELF ENJOYING THIS THEY GOT UP AND WANDERED BACK ALONG WIGGS'S PATH HAND IN HAND I'M ALMOST AFRAID TO LEAVE THE FOREST SAID HYACINTH


IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN I DON'T KNOW BUT ALL OUR LIFE TOGETHER HAS BEEN IN THE FOREST AND I'M JUST A LITTLE AFRAID OF THE WORLD


BE VERY CLOSE CORONEL SHE WHISPERED AND THEN THEY WALKED OUT TOGETHER IF ANY OF THE SERVANTS AT THE PALACE WERE SURPRISED TO SEE CORONEL THEY DID NOT SHOW IT AFTER ALL THAT WAS THEIR BUSINESS


PRINCE CORONEL WILL BE STAYING HERE SAID THE PRINCESS PREPARE A ROOM FOR HIM AND SOME REFRESHMENT FOR US BOTH AND IF THEY DISCUSSED THOSE THINGS IN THE SERVANTS HALLS OF THOSE DAYS


NO DOUBT THEY TOLD EACH OTHER THAT THE PRINCESS HYACINTH BLESS HER PRETTY FACE HAD FOUND HER MAN AT LAST


BUT I GET NO ASSISTANCE FROM ROGER AT THIS POINT HE PRETENDS THAT HE HAS A MIND FAR ABOVE THE GOSSIP OF THE LOWER ORDERS I SAY SAID CORONEL AS THEY WENT UP THE GRAND STAIRCASE I AM NOT A PRINCE YOU KNOW DON'T SAY I HAVE DECEIVED YOU


YOU ARE MY PRINCE SAID HYACINTH PROUDLY MY DEAR I AM A KING AMONG MEN TO DAY AND YOU ARE MY QUEEN BUT THAT'S IN OUR OWN SPECIAL COUNTRY OF TWO IF YOU ARE SO PARTICULAR SAID HYACINTH WITH A SMILE


FATHER WILL MAKE YOU A PROPER PRINCE DIRECTLY HE COMES BACK WILL HE THAT'S WHAT I'M WONDERING YOU SEE HE DOESN'T KNOW YET ABOUT OUR LITTLE PRESENT TO THE COUNTESS BUT IT IS QUITE TIME WE GOT BACK TO BELVANE WE HAVE LEFT HER ALONE TOO LONG


IT WAS MORE THAN UDO DID JUST NOW HE WAS WITH HER IN HER GARDEN TELLING HER FOR THE FIFTH TIME AN EXTRAORDINARILY DULL STORY ABOUT AN ENCOUNTER OF HIS WITH A DRAGON APPARENTLY IN ITS DOTAGE TO WHICH BELVANE WAS LISTENING WITH AN INTEREST WHICH SURPRISED EVEN THE NARRATOR


AND THEN SAID UDO I JUMPED QUICKLY TO THE RIGHT AND WHIRLING MY NO WAIT A BIT THAT WAS LATER I JUMPED QUICKLY TO MY LEFT YES I REMEMBER IT NOW IT WAS MY LEFT I JUMPED QUICKLY TO MY LEFT AND WHIRLING MY


HE STOPPED SUDDENLY AT THE EXPRESSION ON BELVANE'S FACE SHE WAS LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER AT SOMETHING BEHIND HIM WHY WHOEVER IS THIS SHE SAID GETTING TO HER FEET BEFORE UDO HAD COMPLETELY CLEARED HIS MIND OF HIS DRAGON


THE PRINCESS AND CORONEL WERE UPON THEM AH COUNTESS I THOUGHT WE SHOULD FIND YOU TOGETHER SAID HYACINTH ARCHLY LET ME PRESENT TO YOU MY FRIEND THE DUKE CORONEL


UDO IS ONE OF MY OLDEST FRIENDS HE TURNED AND CLAPPED THAT BEWILDERED HIGHNESS ON THE BACK AREN'T YOU UDO AND I CAN THINK OF NO ONE MORE SUITABLE IN EVERY WAY HE BOWED AGAIN AND TURNED BACK TO THE PRINCE WELL UDO YOU'RE LOOKING SPLENDID


A DIFFERENT THING COUNTESS FROM WHEN I LAST SAW HIM


AH WHAT A MIRACLE WORKER TRUE LOVE IS I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WHICH MADE BELVANE SO REMARKABLE WAS THAT SHE WAS NEVER AFRAID OF REMAINING SILENT WHEN SHE WAS NOT QUITE SURE WHAT TO SAY


MEANWHILE UDO OF COURSE BLUNDERED ALONG GAILY WE AREN'T EXACTLY PRINCESS I MEAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE CORONEL I DIDN'T KNOW PRINCESS THAT YOU


THE COUNTESS AND I WERE JUST HAVING A LITTLE I WAS JUST TELLING HER WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT HOW DID YOU GET HERE CORONEL SHALL WE TELL HIM SAID CORONEL WITH A SMILE AT HYACINTH HYACINTH NODDED


I RODE SAID CORONEL IT'S A SECRET HE ADDED


EXPLAINED HYACINTH AND HEARING THAT THERE WAS TO BE A WEDDING ADDED CORONEL BELVANE MADE UP HER MIND CORONEL WAS EVIDENTLY A VERY DIFFERENT MAN FROM UDO IF HE STAYED IN EURALIA AS ADVISER


MORE THAN ADVISER SHE GUESSED TO HYACINTH HER OWN POSITION WOULD NOT BE IN MUCH DOUBT AND AS FOR THE KING IT MIGHT BE MONTHS BEFORE HE CAME BACK AND WHEN HE DID COME WOULD HE REMEMBER HER


WE DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE KNOWN YET SHE SAID SHYLY BUT YOU HAVE GUESSED OUR SECRET YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS SHE LOOKED MODESTLY AT THE GROUND AND FEELING FOR HER RELUCTANT LOVER'S HAND WENT ON


UDO AND I HERE SHE SQUEEZED THE HAND AND FINDING IT WAS CORONEL'S TOOK UDO'S BOLDLY WITHOUT ANY MORE MAIDENLY NONSENSE UDO AND I LOVE EACH OTHER SAY SOMETHING UDO


PROMPTED CORONEL ER YES SAID UDO VERY UNWILLINGLY AND DECIDING HE WOULD EXPLAIN IT ALL AFTERWARDS WHATEVER HIS FEELINGS FOR THE COUNTESS HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE RUSHED INTO A MARRIAGE OH I'M SO GLAD


SAID HYACINTH I FELT SOMEHOW THAT IT MUST BE COMING BECAUSE YOU'VE SEEN SO MUCH OF EACH OTHER LATELY WIGGS AND I HAVE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT IT TOGETHER WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE CHILD THOUGHT BELVANE SHE ISN'T A CHILD AT ALL SHE'S GROWN UP


THERE'S NO HOLDING UDO ONCE HE BEGINS VOLUNTEERED CORONEL HE'S THE MOST DESPERATE LOVER IN ARABY MY FATHER WILL BE SO EXCITED WHEN HE HEARS SAID HYACINTH


YOU KNOW OF COURSE THAT HIS MAJESTY COMES BACK TO MORROW WITH ALL HIS ARMY SHE DID NOT SWOON OR UTTER A CRY SHE DID NOT PLEAD THE VAPOURS OR THE MEGRIMS


SHE TOOK UNFLINCHING WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST SHOCK IN HER LIFE THEN PERHAPS I HAD BETTER SEE THAT EVERYTHING IS READY IN THE PALACE SHE SAID IF YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS WILL EXCUSE ME


AND WITH A CURTSEY SHE WAS GONE CORONEL EXCHANGED A GLANCE WITH HYACINTH I'M ENJOYING THIS HE SEEMED TO SAY WELL SHE ANNOUNCED I MUST BE GOING IN TOO THERE'LL BE MUCH TO SEE ABOUT


AND NOW SAID THE PRINCE TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING HERE CORONEL PUT HIS ARM IN UDO'S AND WALKED HIM UP AND DOWN THE FLAGGED PATH YOUR APPROACHING MARRIAGE


HE SAID IS THE TALK OF ARABY NATURALLY I HAD TO COME HERE TO SEE FOR MYSELF WHAT SHE WAS LIKE MY DEAR UDO SHE'S CHARMING I CONGRATULATE YOU DON'T BE A FOOL CORONEL I HAVEN'T THE SLIGHTEST INTENTION OF MARRYING HER


THERE HASN'T BEEN A SINGLE WORD ABOUT IT MENTIONED UNTIL YOU PUSHED YOUR WAY IN JUST NOW


YES I THINK YOU MAY TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT THAT IT'S TRUE I HAVEN'T THE SLIGHTEST INTENTION WHAT DO YOU KEEP CLINGING TO MY ARM LIKE THIS FOR


OH VERY WELL IF YOU'RE GOING TO DROP ALL YOUR FORMER FRIENDS GO ON THEN BUT WHEN I'M MARRIED THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A PLACE FOR UNDERSTAND ONCE AND FOR ALL SAID UDO ANGRILY THAT I AM NOT GETTING MARRIED NO DON'T TAKE MY ARM


WE CAN TALK QUITE WELL LIKE THIS I AM SORRY UDO SAID CORONEL MEEKLY WE SEEM TO HAVE MADE A MISTAKE BUT YOU MUST ADMIT WE FOUND YOU IN A VERY COMPROMISING POSITION IT WASN'T IN THE LEAST COMPROMISING


PROTESTED UDO INDIGNANTLY


AH AND WHO WOULD LISTEN TO A HOPELESS STORY LIKE THAT


ONCE MORE I AM NOT GOING TO MARRY HER WELL YOU MUST PLEASE YOURSELF BUT YOU HAVE COMPROMISED HER SEVERELY WITH THAT STORY POOR INNOCENT GIRL WELL LET'S FORGET ABOUT IT AND NOW TELL ME HOW DO YOU LIKE EURALIA


SAID UDO STIFFLY WELL PERHAPS YOU'RE RIGHT I HOPE THAT NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO YOU ON THE WAY UDO WHO WAS ABOUT TO ENTER THE PALACE TURNED ROUND WITH A STARTLED LOOK WHAT DO YOU MEAN


YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOUR PRECIOUS COUNTESS WHOM YOU EXPECT ME TO MARRY HOW VERY UNKIND OF HER A NASTY PERSON TO ANNOY HE WAS SILENT FOR A MOMENT AND THEN ADDED THOUGHTFULLY


UDO EVIDENTLY HADN'T THOUGHT OF THIS HE TRIED TO SHOW THAT HE WAS NOT IN THE LEAST FRIGHTENED SHE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING


YES BUT OF COURSE THE CHANCE MIGHT COME AGAIN YOU'D HAVE THE THING HANGING OVER YOU ALWAYS SHE'S CLEVER YOU KNOW AND I SHOULD NEVER FEEL QUITE SAFE IF SHE WERE MY ENEMY LOVELY FLOWERS AREN'T THEY WHAT'S THE NAME OF THIS ONE


UDO DROPPED UNDECIDEDLY INTO A SEAT THIS WANTED THINKING OUT THE COUNTESS WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HER AFTER ALL AND SHE EVIDENTLY ADORED HIM OF COURSE THAT WAS NOT SURPRISING THE QUESTION WAS


WAS IT FAIR TO DISAPPOINT ONE WHO HAD PERHAPS SOME LITTLE GROUNDS FOR AFTER ALL HE HAD BEEN NO MORE GALLANT THAN WAS CUSTOMARY FROM A PRINCE AND A GENTLEMAN TO A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IT WAS HER OWN FAULT IF SHE HAD MISTAKEN HIS INTENTIONS


OF COURSE HE OUGHT TO HAVE LEFT EURALIA LONG AGO BUT HE HAD STAYED ON AND WELL DECIDEDLY SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL PERHAPS HE HAD PAID RATHER TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THAT AND HE HAD CERTAINLY NEGLECTED THE PRINCESS A LITTLE


AFTER ALL AGAIN WHY NOT MARRY THE COUNTESS IT WAS ABSURD TO SUPPOSE THERE WAS ANYTHING IN CORONEL'S NONSENSE BUT ONE NEVER KNEW NOT THAT HE WAS MARRYING HER OUT OF FEAR NO CERTAINLY NOT IT WAS SIMPLY A CHIVALROUS WHIM ON HIS PART


THE POOR WOMAN HAD MISUNDERSTOOD HIM AND SHE SHOULD NOT BE DISAPPOINTED SHE SEEMS FOND OF FLOWERS SAID CORONEL YOU OUGHT TO MAKE THE PALACE GARDEN LOOK BEAUTIFUL BETWEEN YOU NOW UNDERSTAND CLEARLY CORONEL


I'M NOT IN THE LEAST FRIGHTENED BY THE COUNTESS MY DEAR UDO WHAT A SPEECH FOR A LOVER OF COURSE YOU'RE NOT AFTER ALL WHAT YOU BORE WITH SUCH PATIENCE AND DIGNITY ONCE YOU CAN BEAR AGAIN


I MUST ASK YOU NOT TO REFER TO IT IF I MARRY THE COUNTESS YOU'LL BE A VERY LUCKY MAN PUT IN CORONEL I HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT THE KING OF EURALIA HOWEVER SHE'S CHOSEN YOU IT SEEMS


PERSONALLY I CAN'T MAKE OUT WHAT SHE SEES IN YOU WHAT IS IT I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS QUITE OBVIOUS SAID UDO WITH DIGNITY WELL CORONEL I THINK PERHAPS YOU ARE RIGHT AND THAT IT'S MY DUTY TO MARRY HER


CORONEL SHOOK HIM SOLEMNLY BY THE HAND I CONGRATULATE YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS I WILL ANNOUNCE YOUR DECISION TO THE PRINCESS SHE WILL BE MUCH AMU MUCH DELIGHTED AND HE TURNED INTO THE PALACE


CHAPTER SIXTEEN SHORTAGE OF AIR CONSEQUENTLY ABOVE BELOW AND AROUND THE NAUTILUS THERE WERE IMPENETRABLE FROZEN WALLS WE WERE THE ICE BANK'S PRISONERS THE CANADIAN BANGED A TABLE WITH HIS FEARSOME FIST


CONSEIL KEPT STILL I STARED AT THE CAPTAIN HIS FACE HAD RESUMED ITS USUAL EMOTIONLESSNESS HE CROSSED HIS ARMS HE PONDERED THE NAUTILUS DID NOT STIR THE CAPTAIN THEN BROKE INTO SPEECH GENTLEMEN


HE SAID IN A CALM VOICE THERE ARE TWO WAYS OF DYING UNDER THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH WE'RE PLACED THIS INEXPLICABLE INDIVIDUAL ACTED LIKE A MATHEMATICS PROFESSOR WORKING OUT A PROBLEM FOR HIS PUPILS THE FIRST WAY HE WENT ON


IS DEATH BY CRUSHING THE SECOND IS DEATH BY ASPHYXIATION I DON'T MENTION THE POSSIBILITY OF DEATH BY STARVATION BECAUSE THE NAUTILUS'S PROVISIONS WILL CERTAINLY LAST LONGER THAN WE WILL


THEREFORE LET'S CONCENTRATE ON OUR CHANCES OF BEING CRUSHED OR ASPHYXIATED AS FOR ASPHYXIATION CAPTAIN I REPLIED THAT ISN'T A CAUSE FOR ALARM BECAUSE THE AIR TANKS ARE FULL TRUE


BUT THEY'LL SUPPLY AIR FOR ONLY TWO DAYS NOW THEN WE'VE BEEN BURIED BENEATH THE WATERS FOR THIRTY SIX HOURS AND THE NAUTILUS'S HEAVY ATMOSPHERE ALREADY NEEDS RENEWING IN ANOTHER FORTY EIGHT HOURS OUR RESERVE AIR WILL BE USED UP


WELL THEN CAPTAIN LET'S FREE OURSELVES WITHIN FORTY EIGHT HOURS WE'LL TRY TO AT LEAST BY CUTTING THROUGH ONE OF THESE WALLS SURROUNDING US WHICH ONE I ASKED BORINGS WILL TELL US THAT


I'M GOING TO GROUND THE NAUTILUS ON THE LOWER SHELF THEN MY MEN WILL PUT ON THEIR DIVING SUITS AND ATTACK THE THINNEST OF THESE ICE WALLS CAN THE PANELS IN THE LOUNGE BE LEFT OPEN WITHOUT ILL EFFECT WE'RE NO LONGER IN MOTION


HISSING SOUNDS SOON TOLD ME THAT WATER WAS BEING ADMITTED INTO THE BALLAST TANKS THE NAUTILUS SLOWLY SETTLED AND RESTED ON THE ICY BOTTOM AT A DEPTH OF THREE HUNDRED FIFTY METERS THE DEPTH AT WHICH THE LOWER SHELF OF ICE LAY SUBMERGED


MY FRIENDS I SAID WE'RE IN A SERIOUS PREDICAMENT BUT I'M COUNTING ON YOUR COURAGE AND ENERGY SIR THE CANADIAN REPLIED THIS IS NO TIME TO BORE YOU WITH MY COMPLAINTS


HE CAN USE ME ANY WAY HE WANTS HE WON'T TURN DOWN YOUR ASSISTANCE COME ALONG NED I LED THE CANADIAN TO THE ROOM WHERE THE NAUTILUS'S MEN WERE PUTTING ON THEIR DIVING SUITS I INFORMED THE CAPTAIN OF NED'S PROPOSITION


WHICH WAS PROMPTLY ACCEPTED THE CANADIAN GOT INTO HIS UNDERWATER COSTUME AND WAS READY AS SOON AS HIS FELLOW WORKERS


AFTER NED WAS DRESSED I REENTERED THE LOUNGE WHOSE WINDOWS HAD BEEN UNCOVERED STATIONED NEXT TO CONSEIL I EXAMINED THE STRATA SURROUNDING AND SUPPORTING THE NAUTILUS SOME MOMENTS LATER WE SAW A DOZEN CREWMEN SET FOOT ON THE SHELF OF ICE


BEFORE DIGGING INTO THE ICE THE CAPTAIN HAD TO OBTAIN BORINGS TO INSURE WORKING IN THE BEST DIRECTION LONG BORES WERE DRIVEN INTO THE SIDE WALLS BUT AFTER FIFTEEN METERS THE INSTRUMENTS WERE STILL IMPEDED BY THE THICKNESS OF THOSE WALLS


MORE THAN FOUR HUNDRED METERS HIGH


THERE WE WERE SEPARATED FROM THE SEA BY A TEN METER BARRIER THAT'S HOW THICK THE ICEBERG WAS FROM THIS POINT ON IT WAS AN ISSUE OF CUTTING OUT A PIECE EQUAL IN SURFACE AREA TO THE NAUTILUS'S WATERLINE THIS MEANT DETACHING ABOUT


SIX THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED CUBIC METERS TO DIG A HOLE THROUGH WHICH THE SHIP COULD DESCEND BELOW THIS TRACT OF ICE WORK BEGAN IMMEDIATELY AND WAS CARRIED ON WITH TIRELESS TENACITY INSTEAD OF DIGGING ALL AROUND THE NAUTILUS WHICH WOULD HAVE ENTAILED EVEN GREATER DIFFICULTIES


THEN HIS MEN SIMULTANEOUSLY STAKED IT OFF AT SEVERAL POINTS AROUND ITS CIRCUMFERENCE SOON THEIR PICKS WERE VIGOROUSLY ATTACKING THIS COMPACT MATTER AND HUGE CHUNKS WERE LOOSENED FROM ITS MASS


THESE CHUNKS WEIGHED LESS THAN THE WATER AND BY AN UNUSUAL EFFECT OF SPECIFIC GRAVITY EACH CHUNK TOOK WING AS IT WERE TO THE ROOF OF THE TUNNEL


BUT THIS HARDLY MATTERED SO LONG AS THE LOWER SURFACE KEPT GROWING THINNER AFTER TWO HOURS OF ENERGETIC WORK NED LAND REENTERED EXHAUSTED HE AND HIS COMPANIONS WERE REPLACED BY NEW WORKMEN INCLUDING CONSEIL AND ME


THE NAUTILUS'S CHIEF OFFICER SUPERVISED US THE WATER STRUCK ME AS UNUSUALLY COLD BUT I WARMED UP PROMPTLY WHILE WIELDING MY PICK MY MOVEMENTS WERE QUITE FREE ALTHOUGH THEY WERE EXECUTED UNDER A PRESSURE OF THIRTY ATMOSPHERES


AND THE NAUTILUS'S ATMOSPHERE WHICH WAS ALREADY CHARGED WITH CARBON DIOXIDE THE AIR HADN'T BEEN RENEWED IN FORTY EIGHT HOURS AND ITS LIFE GIVING QUALITIES WERE CONSIDERABLY WEAKENED MEANWHILE


AFTER TWELVE HOURS HAD GONE BY WE HAD REMOVED FROM THE OUTLINED SURFACE AREA A SLICE OF ICE ONLY ONE METER THICK HENCE ABOUT SIX HUNDRED CUBIC METERS ASSUMING THE SAME WORK WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED EVERY TWELVE HOURS


BEFORE THE NAUTILUS COULD RETURN TO THE SURFACE OF THE WAVES COULDN'T WE ALL DIE OF ASPHYXIATION WERE THIS SHIP AND EVERYONE ON BOARD DOOMED TO PERISH IN THIS TOMB OF ICE IT WAS A DREADFUL STATE OF AFFAIRS BUT WE FACED IT HEAD ON


EACH ONE OF US DETERMINED TO DO HIS DUTY TO THE END DURING THE NIGHT IN LINE WITH MY FORECASTS A NEW ONE METER SLICE WAS REMOVED FROM THIS IMMENSE SOCKET BUT IN THE MORNING WEARING MY DIVING SUIT


WHEN I NOTED THAT LITTLE BY LITTLE THE SIDE WALLS WERE CLOSING IN ON EACH OTHER THE LIQUID STRATA FARTHEST FROM THE TRENCH NOT WARMED BY THE MOVEMENTS OF WORKMEN AND TOOLS WERE SHOWING A TENDENCY TO SOLIDIFY IN THE FACE OF THIS IMMINENT NEW DANGER


THERE WAS NO POINT IN DAMPENING THE ENERGY THEY WERE PUTTING INTO OUR ARDUOUS RESCUE WORK BUT WHEN I RETURNED ON BOARD


I KNOW HE TOLD ME IN THAT CALM TONE THE MOST DREADFUL OUTLOOK COULDN'T CHANGE IT'S ONE MORE DANGER BUT I DON'T KNOW ANY WAY OF WARDING IT OFF OUR SOLE CHANCE FOR SALVATION


IS TO WORK FASTER THAN THE WATER SOLIDIFIES WE'VE GOT TO GET THERE FIRST THAT'S ALL GET THERE FIRST BY THEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO THIS TYPE OF TALK FOR SEVERAL HOURS THAT DAY I WIELDED MY PICK DOGGEDLY


THE WORK KEPT ME GOING BESIDES WORKING MEANT LEAVING THE NAUTILUS WHICH MEANT BREATHING THE CLEAN OXYGEN DRAWN FROM THE AIR TANKS AND SUPPLIED BY OUR EQUIPMENT WHICH MEANT LEAVING THE THIN FOUL AIR BEHIND


NEAR EVENING ONE MORE METER HAD BEEN DUG FROM THE TRENCH WHEN I RETURNED ON BOARD I WAS WELLNIGH ASPHYXIATED BY THE CARBON DIOXIDE SATURATING THE AIR OH IF ONLY WE HAD THE CHEMICAL METHODS THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO DRIVE OUT THIS NOXIOUS GAS


THERE WAS NO LACK OF OXYGEN ALL THIS WATER CONTAINED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT


THIS LIFE GIVING ELASTIC FLUID COULD HAVE BEEN RESTORED TO US I HAD THOUGHT IT ALL OUT BUT TO NO AVAIL BECAUSE THE CARBON DIOXIDE PRODUCED BY OUR BREATHING PERMEATED EVERY PART OF THE SHIP TO ABSORB IT WE WOULD NEED TO FILL CONTAINERS WITH POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE


AND SHAKE THEM CONTINUALLY BUT THIS SUBSTANCE WAS MISSING ON BOARD AND NOTHING ELSE COULD REPLACE IT


WITHOUT THIS PRECAUTION WE WOULDN'T HAVE AWAKENED THE FOLLOWING MORNING THE NEXT DAY MARCH TWENTY SIXTH I RETURNED TO MY MINER'S TRADE WORKING TO REMOVE THE FIFTH METER THE ICE BANK'S SIDE WALLS AND UNDERBELLY HAD VISIBLY THICKENED


OBVIOUSLY THEY WOULD COME TOGETHER BEFORE THE NAUTILUS COULD BREAK FREE FOR AN INSTANT I WAS GRIPPED BY DESPAIR MY PICK NEARLY SLIPPED FROM MY HANDS WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS DIGGING IF I WAS TO DIE SMOTHERED AND CRUSHED BY THIS WATER TURNING TO STONE


A TORTURE UNDREAMED OF BY EVEN THE WILDEST SAVAGES I FELT LIKE I WAS LYING IN THE JAWS OF A FEARSOME MONSTER JAWS IRRESISTIBLY CLOSING SUPERVISING OUR WORK


WORKING HIMSELF CAPTAIN NEMO PASSED NEAR ME JUST THEN I TOUCHED HIM WITH MY HAND AND POINTED TO THE WALLS OF OUR PRISON THE STARBOARD WALL HAD MOVED FORWARD TO A POINT LESS THAN FOUR METERS FROM THE NAUTILUS'S HULL


THE CAPTAIN UNDERSTOOD AND GAVE ME A SIGNAL TO FOLLOW HIM WE RETURNED ON BOARD MY DIVING SUIT REMOVED I WENT WITH HIM TO THE LOUNGE PROFESSOR ARONNAX HE TOLD ME THIS CALLS FOR HEROIC MEASURES


OR WE'LL BE SEALED UP IN THIS SOLIDIFIED WATER AS IF IT WERE CEMENT YES I SAID BUT WHAT CAN WE DO OH HE EXCLAIMED


IF ONLY MY NAUTILUS WERE STRONG ENOUGH TO STAND THAT MUCH PRESSURE WITHOUT BEING CRUSHED WELL I ASKED NOT CATCHING THE CAPTAIN'S MEANING DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND HE WENT ON THAT THE CONGEALING OF THIS WATER


COULD COME TO OUR RESCUE DON'T YOU SEE THAT BY SOLIDIFYING IT COULD BURST THESE TRACTS OF ICE IMPRISONING US JUST AS ITS FREEZING CAN BURST THE HARDEST STONES AREN'T YOU AWARE THAT THIS FORCE COULD BE THE INSTRUMENT OF OUR SALVATION RATHER THAN OUR DESTRUCTION


I KNOW IT SIR SO WE CAN'T RELY ON NATURE TO RESCUE US ONLY OUR OWN EFFORTS WE MUST COUNTERACT THIS SOLIDIFICATION WE MUST HOLD IT IN CHECK NOT ONLY ARE THE SIDE WALLS CLOSING IN


BUT THERE AREN'T TEN FEET OF WATER AHEAD OR ASTERN OF THE NAUTILUS ALL AROUND US THIS FREEZE IS GAINING FAST HOW LONG I ASKED WILL THE OXYGEN IN THE AIR TANKS ENABLE US TO BREATHE ON BOARD THE CAPTAIN LOOKED ME STRAIGHT IN THE EYE


IT WAS NOW THE TWENTY SIXTH WE HAD LIVED OFF THE SHIP'S STORES FOR FIVE DAYS AND ALL REMAINING BREATHABLE AIR HAD TO BE SAVED FOR THE WORKMEN EVEN TODAY AS I WRITE THESE LINES MY SENSATIONS ARE SO INTENSE


THAT AN INVOLUNTARY TERROR SWEEPS OVER ME AND MY LUNGS STILL SEEM SHORT OF AIR MEANWHILE


BOILING WATER I EXCLAIMED YES SIR WE'RE SHUT UP IN A RELATIVELY CONFINED AREA IF THE NAUTILUS'S PUMPS CONTINUALLY INJECTED STREAMS OF BOILING WATER INTO THIS SPACE WOULDN'T THAT RAISE ITS TEMPERATURE AND DELAY ITS FREEZING


IT'S WORTH TRYING I SAID RESOLUTELY SO LET'S TRY IT PROFESSOR


CAPTAIN NEMO LED ME TO THE GALLEY WHERE A HUGE DISTILLING MECHANISM WAS AT WORK SUPPLYING DRINKING WATER VIA EVAPORATION THE MECHANISM WAS LOADED WITH WATER AND THE FULL ELECTRIC HEAT OF OUR BATTERIES WAS THROWN INTO COILS AWASH IN LIQUID


IN A FEW MINUTES THE WATER REACHED ONE HUNDRED DEGREES CENTIGRADE IT WAS SENT TO THE PUMPS WHILE NEW WATER REPLACED IT IN THE PROCESS THE HEAT GENERATED BY OUR BATTERIES WAS SO INTENSE THAT AFTER SIMPLY GOING THROUGH THE MECHANISM WATER DRAWN COLD FROM THE SEA ARRIVED


BOILING HOT AT THE BODY OF THE PUMP THE STEAMING WATER WAS INJECTED INTO THE ICY WATER OUTSIDE AND AFTER THREE HOURS HAD PASSED


THAT WAS ONE DEGREE GAINED


AFTER I MONITORED THE OPERATION'S PROGRESS DOUBLE CHECKING IT WITH MANY INSPECTIONS I TOLD THE CAPTAIN IT'S WORKING I THINK SO HE ANSWERED ME WE'VE ESCAPED BEING CRUSHED NOW WE HAVE ONLY ASPHYXIATION TO FEAR


THE INJECTIONS COULDN'T GET IT TO GO A SINGLE DEGREE HIGHER


I WAS FINALLY ASSURED THAT THERE WAS NO DANGER OF IT SOLIDIFYING BY THE NEXT DAY MARCH TWENTY SEVENTH SIX METERS OF ICE HAD BEEN TORN FROM THE SOCKET ONLY FOUR METERS WERE LEFT TO BE REMOVED THAT STILL MEANT FORTY EIGHT HOURS OF WORK


THE AIR COULDN'T BE RENEWED IN THE NAUTILUS'S INTERIOR ACCORDINGLY THAT DAY IT KEPT GETTING WORSE AN UNBEARABLE HEAVINESS WEIGHED ME DOWN NEAR THREE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON THIS AGONIZING SENSATION AFFECTED ME TO AN INTENSE DEGREE


YAWNS DISLOCATED MY JAWS MY LUNGS WERE GASPING IN THEIR QUEST FOR THAT ENKINDLING ELASTIC FLUID REQUIRED FOR BREATHING NOW GROWING SCARCER AND SCARCER MY MIND WAS IN A DAZE I LAY OUTSTRETCHED STRENGTH GONE


NEARLY UNCONSCIOUS MY GALLANT CONSEIL FELT THE SAME SYMPTOMS SUFFERED THE SAME SUFFERINGS YET NEVER LEFT MY SIDE HE HELD MY HAND HE KEPT ENCOURAGING ME AND I EVEN HEARD HIM MUTTER


TO LEAVE MORE AIR FOR MASTER IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES TO HEAR HIM SAY THESE WORDS SINCE CONDITIONS INSIDE WERE UNIVERSALLY UNBEARABLE


PICKS RANG OUT ON THAT BED OF ICE ARMS GREW WEARY HANDS WERE RUBBED RAW BUT WHO CARED ABOUT EXHAUSTION WHAT DIFFERENCE WERE WOUNDS LIFE SUSTAINING AIR REACHED OUR LUNGS WE COULD BREATHE WE COULD BREATHE


AND YET NOBODY PROLONGED HIS UNDERWATER WORK BEYOND THE TIME ALLOTTED HIM HIS SHIFT OVER EACH MAN SURRENDERED TO A GASPING COMPANION THE AIR TANK THAT WOULD REVIVE HIM


WHEN HIS TIME WAS UP HE YIELDED HIS EQUIPMENT TO ANOTHER AND REENTERED THE FOUL AIR ON BOARD ALWAYS CALM UNFLINCHING AND UNCOMPLAINING THAT DAY THE USUAL WORK WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH EVEN GREATER ENERGY


OVER THE WHOLE SURFACE AREA ONLY TWO METERS WERE LEFT TO BE REMOVED ONLY TWO METERS SEPARATED US FROM THE OPEN SEA BUT THE SHIP'S AIR TANKS WERE NEARLY EMPTY THE LITTLE AIR THAT REMAINED HAD TO BE SAVED FOR THE WORKMEN NOT AN


ATOM FOR THE NAUTILUS WHEN I RETURNED ON BOARD I FELT HALF SUFFOCATED WHAT A NIGHT I'M UNABLE TO DEPICT IT SUCH SUFFERINGS ARE INDESCRIBABLE THE NEXT DAY I WAS SHORT WINDED


HEADACHES AND STAGGERING FITS OF DIZZINESS MADE ME REEL LIKE A DRUNK MY COMPANIONS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS SOME CREWMEN WERE AT THEIR LAST GASP


AND HE DECIDED TO CRUSH THIS LAYER THE MAN HAD KEPT HIS ENERGY AND COMPOSURE HE HAD SUBDUED PHYSICAL PAIN WITH MORAL STRENGTH HE COULD STILL THINK PLAN AND ACT AT HIS ORDERS THE CRAFT WAS EASED OFF


IN OTHER WORDS IT WAS RAISED FROM ITS ICY BED BY A CHANGE IN ITS SPECIFIC GRAVITY WHEN IT WAS AFLOAT THE CREW TOWED IT LEADING IT RIGHT ABOVE THE IMMENSE TRENCH OUTLINED TO MATCH THE SHIP'S WATERLINE NEXT THE BALLAST TANKS FILLED WITH WATER


THE BOAT SANK AND WAS FITTED INTO ITS SOCKET JUST THEN THE WHOLE CREW RETURNED ON BOARD AND THE DOUBLE OUTSIDE DOOR WAS CLOSED BY THIS POINT THE NAUTILUS WAS RESTING ON A BED OF ICE ONLY ONE METER THICK


WE LISTENED WE FORGOT OUR SUFFERINGS WE HOPED ONCE MORE WE HAD STAKED OUR SALVATION ON THIS ONE LAST GAMBLE DESPITE THE BUZZING IN MY HEAD I SOON COULD HEAR VIBRATIONS UNDER THE NAUTILUS'S HULL WE TILTED


THE ICE CRACKED WITH AN ODD RIPPING SOUND LIKE PAPER TEARING AND THE NAUTILUS BEGAN SETTLING DOWNWARD WE'RE GOING THROUGH CONSEIL MUTTERED IN MY EAR I COULDN'T ANSWER HIM I CLUTCHED HIS HAND


I SQUEEZED IT IN AN INVOLUNTARY CONVULSION ALL AT ONCE CARRIED AWAY BY ITS FRIGHTFUL EXCESS LOAD THE NAUTILUS SANK INTO THE WATERS LIKE A CANNONBALL IN OTHER WORDS DROPPING AS IF IN A VACUUM


OUR FULL ELECTRIC POWER WAS THEN PUT ON THE PUMPS WHICH INSTANTLY BEGAN TO EXPEL WATER FROM THE BALLAST TANKS AFTER A FEW MINUTES WE HAD CHECKED OUR FALL THE PRESSURE GAUGE SOON INDICATED AN ASCENDING MOVEMENT


BROUGHT TO FULL SPEED THE PROPELLER MADE THE SHEET IRON HULL TREMBLE DOWN TO ITS RIVETS AND WE SPED NORTHWARD BUT HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO NAVIGATE UNDER THE ICE BANK TO THE OPEN SEA ANOTHER DAY I WOULD BE DEAD FIRST


MY MUSCLES HAD NO POWER TO CONTRACT I'M UNABLE TO ESTIMATE THE HOURS THAT PASSED IN THIS WAY BUT I WAS AWARE THAT MY DEATH THROES HAD BEGUN I REALIZED THAT I WAS ABOUT TO DIE SUDDENLY I REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS


A FEW WHIFFS OF AIR HAD ENTERED MY LUNGS HAD WE RISEN TO THE SURFACE OF THE WAVES HAD WE CLEARED THE ICE BANK NO NED AND CONSEIL MY TWO GALLANT FRIENDS WERE SACRIFICING THEMSELVES TO SAVE ME


INSTEAD OF BREATHING IT THEMSELVES THEY HAD SAVED IT FOR ME AND WHILE THEY WERE SUFFOCATING THEY POURED LIFE INTO ME DROP BY DROP I TRIED TO PUSH THE DEVICE AWAY THEY HELD MY HANDS AND FOR A FEW MOMENTS I COULD BREATHE LUXURIOUSLY


MY EYES FLEW TOWARD THE CLOCK IT WAS ELEVEN IN THE MORNING IT HAD TO BE MARCH TWENTY EIGHTH THE NAUTILUS WAS TRAVELING AT THE FRIGHTFUL SPEED OF FORTY MILES PER HOUR IT WAS WRITHING IN THE WATERS


HAD HE PERISHED HAD HIS COMPANIONS DIED WITH HIM


SEPARATING US FROM THE OPEN AIR WAS A MERE TRACT OF ICE COULD WE BREAK THROUGH IT


FROM CAPE HORN TO THE AMAZON HOW I GOT ONTO THE PLATFORM I'M UNABLE TO SAY PERHAPS THE CANADIAN TRANSFERRED ME THERE BUT I COULD BREATHE I COULD INHALE THE LIFE GIVING SEA AIR


NEXT TO ME MY TWO COMPANIONS WERE GETTING TIPSY ON THE FRESH OXYGEN PARTICLES POOR SOULS WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM LONG STARVATION MUSTN'T POUNCE HEEDLESSLY ON THE FIRST FOOD GIVEN THEM WE ON THE OTHER HAND DIDN'T HAVE TO PRACTICE SUCH MODERATION


WE COULD SUCK THE ATOMS FROM THE AIR BY THE LUNGFUL AND IT WAS THE BREEZE THE BREEZE ITSELF THAT POURED INTO US THIS LUXURIOUS INTOXICATION AHHH CONSEIL WAS PUTTING IN


WHAT FINE OXYGEN LET MASTER HAVE NO FEARS ABOUT BREATHING THERE'S ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE AS FOR NED LAND HE DIDN'T SAY A WORD BUT HIS WIDE OPEN JAWS WOULD HAVE SCARED OFF A SHARK


AND WHAT POWERFUL INHALATIONS THE CANADIAN DREW LIKE A FURNACE GOING FULL BLAST OUR STRENGTH RETURNED PROMPTLY AND WHEN I LOOKED AROUND I SAW THAT WE WERE ALONE ON THE PLATFORM NO CREWMEN


THOSE STRANGE SEAMEN ON THE NAUTILUS WERE CONTENT WITH THE OXYGEN CIRCULATING INSIDE NOT ONE OF THEM HAD COME UP TO ENJOY THE OPEN AIR THE FIRST WORDS I PRONOUNCED WERE WORDS OF APPRECIATION


AND GRATITUDE TO MY TWO COMPANIONS NED AND CONSEIL HAD KEPT ME ALIVE DURING THE FINAL HOURS OF OUR LONG DEATH THROES BUT NO EXPRESSION OF THANKS COULD REPAY THEM FULLY FOR SUCH DEVOTION


GOOD LORD PROFESSOR NED LAND ANSWERED ME DON'T MENTION IT WHAT DID WE DO THAT'S SO PRAISEWORTHY NOT A THING IT WAS A QUESTION OF SIMPLE ARITHMETIC YOUR LIFE IS WORTH MORE THAN OURS SO WE HAD TO SAVE IT


AND YOU MY GALLANT CONSEIL YOU SUFFERED A GREAT DEAL NOT TOO MUCH TO BE CANDID WITH MASTER I WAS LACKING A FEW THROATFULS OF AIR BUT I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN BY


IT TOOK MY BREATH AWAY IN A MANNER OF CONFOUNDED BY THIS LAPSE INTO BANALITY CONSEIL LEFT HIS SENTENCE HANGING MY FRIENDS I REPLIED VERY MOVED


WE'RE BOUND TO EACH OTHER FOREVER AND I'M DEEPLY INDEBTED TO YOU WHICH I'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CANADIAN SHOT BACK


CONSEIL PUT IN YES NED LAND WENT ON YOU CAN REPAY YOUR DEBT BY COMING WITH ME WHEN I LEAVE THIS INFERNAL NAUTILUS BY THE WAY CONSEIL SAID ARE WE GOING IN A FAVORABLE DIRECTION


YES I REPLIED BECAUSE WE'RE GOING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SUN AND HERE THE SUN IS DUE NORTH SURE NED LAND WENT ON BUT IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER WE'LL MAKE FOR THE ATLANTIC OR THE PACIFIC


BUT IF WE RETURNED TO THE PACIFIC FAR FROM EVERY POPULATED SHORE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO NED LAND'S PLANS WE WOULD SOON SETTLE THIS IMPORTANT POINT THE NAUTILUS TRAVELED SWIFTLY


SOON WE HAD CLEARED THE ANTARCTIC CIRCLE PLUS THE PROMONTORY OF CAPE HORN


BY THEN ALL OUR PAST SUFFERINGS WERE FORGOTTEN THE MEMORY OF THAT IMPRISONMENT UNDER THE ICE FADED FROM OUR MINDS WE HAD THOUGHTS ONLY OF THE FUTURE


NOW THEN THAT EVENING IT BECAME OBVIOUS MUCH TO MY SATISFACTION THAT WE WERE RETURNING NORTH BY THE ATLANTIC ROUTE I SHARED THE RESULTS OF MY OBSERVATIONS WITH THE CANADIAN AND CONSEIL


THAT'S GOOD NEWS THE CANADIAN REPLIED BUT WHERE'S THE NAUTILUS GOING I'M UNABLE TO SAY NED AFTER THE SOUTH POLE


WE'LL NEVER REGRET HAVING KNOWN HIM ESPECIALLY ONCE WE'VE LEFT HIM NED LAND SHOT BACK THE NEXT DAY


WHEN THE NAUTILUS ROSE TO THE SURFACE OF THE WAVES A FEW MINUTES BEFORE NOON WE RAISED LAND TO THE WEST


THE LAND OF FIRE A NAME GIVEN IT BY EARLY NAVIGATORS AFTER THEY SAW NUMEROUS CURLS OF SMOKE RISING FROM THE NATIVES HUTS THIS LAND OF FIRE FORMS A HUGE CLUSTER OF ISLANDS OVER THIRTY LEAGUES LONG AND EIGHTY LEAGUES WIDE


ITS COASTLINE LOOKED FLAT BUT HIGH MOUNTAINS ROSE IN THE DISTANCE I EVEN THOUGHT I GLIMPSED MT SARMIENTO


A PYRAMID SHAPED BLOCK OF SHALE WITH A VERY SHARP SUMMIT WHICH DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT'S CLEAR OR VEILED IN VAPOR PREDICTS FAIR WEATHER OR FOUL AS NED LAND TOLD ME A FIRST CLASS BAROMETER MY FRIEND


YES SIR A NATURAL BAROMETER THAT DIDN'T LET ME DOWN WHEN I NAVIGATED THE NARROWS OF THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN JUST THEN ITS PEAK APPEARED BEFORE US STANDING OUT DISTINCTLY AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THE SKIES THIS FORECAST FAIR WEATHER


BULB BEARING SEAWEED OF WHICH THE OPEN SEA AT THE POLE HAD REVEALED A FEW SPECIMENS WITH THEIR SMOOTH VISCOUS FILAMENTS THEY MEASURED AS MUCH AS THREE HUNDRED METERS LONG GENUINE CABLES MORE THAN AN INCH THICK AND VERY TOUGH


IT SERVED AS BOTH NEST AND NOURISHMENT FOR MYRIADS OF CRUSTACEANS AND MOLLUSKS FOR CRABS AND CUTTLEFISH HERE SEALS AND OTTERS COULD INDULGE IN A SUMPTUOUS MEAL MIXING MEAT FROM FISH


WITH VEGETABLES FROM THE SEA LIKE THE ENGLISH WITH THEIR IRISH STEWS THE NAUTILUS PASSED OVER THESE LUSH LUXURIANT DEPTHS WITH TREMENDOUS SPEED


IN THESE WATERWAYS OUR NETS BROUGHT UP FINE SAMPLES OF ALGAE IN PARTICULAR CERTAIN FUCUS PLANTS WHOSE ROOTS WERE LADEN WITH THE WORLD'S BEST MUSSELS


AS FOR FISH I SPECIFICALLY OBSERVED SOME BONY FISH BELONGING TO THE GOBY GENUS ESPECIALLY SOME GUDGEON TWO DECIMETERS LONG SPRINKLED WITH WHITISH AND YELLOW SPOTS


I LIKEWISE MARVELED AT THE NUMEROUS MEDUSAS INCLUDING THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF THEIR BREED THE COMPASS JELLYFISH UNIQUE TO THE FALKLAND SEAS


SOME OF THESE JELLYFISH WERE SHAPED LIKE VERY SMOOTH SEMISPHERIC PARASOLS WITH RUSSET STRIPES AND FRINGES OF TWELVE NEAT FESTOONS OTHERS LOOKED LIKE


UPSIDE DOWN BASKETS FROM WHICH WIDE LEAVES AND LONG RED TWIGS WERE GRACEFULLY TRAILING THEY SWAM WITH QUIVERINGS OF THEIR FOUR LEAFLIKE ARMS LETTING THE OPULENT TRESSES OF THEIR TENTACLES DANGLE IN THE DRIFT


SHADOWS ILLUSIONS MELTING AND EVAPORATING OUTSIDE THEIR NATIVE ELEMENT WHEN THE LAST TIPS OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS HAD DISAPPEARED BELOW THE HORIZON


BETWEEN TWENTY AND TWENTY FIVE METERS AND WENT ALONG THE SOUTH AMERICAN COAST


DIDN'T PUT IN AN APPEARANCE


KEEPING TO ITS NORTHERLY HEADING IT FOLLOWED THE LONG WINDINGS OF SOUTH AMERICA BY THEN WE HAD FARED SIXTEEN THOUSAND LEAGUES SINCE COMING ON BOARD IN THE SEAS OF JAPAN


NEAR ELEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING WE CUT THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN ON THE THIRTY SEVENTH MERIDIAN PASSING WELL OUT FROM CAPE FRIO MUCH TO NED LAND'S DISPLEASURE


CAPTAIN NEMO HAD NO LIKING FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF BRAZIL'S POPULOUS SHORES BECAUSE HE SHOT BY WITH DIZZYING SPEED


I WAS I THINK OF THE PLANETARA'S OFFICERS THE MOST EXPERT HANDLER OF THE MATHEMATICAL CALCULATORS THE LOCATING OF OUR POSITION AND CHARTING THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR COURSE WAS UNDER ORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES ABOUT ALL I HAD TO DO


AND IT TOOK ONLY A FEW MINUTES EVERY TWELVE HOURS I HAD A MOMENT WITH CARTER IN THE ISOLATION OF HIS CHART ROOM THIS VOYAGE GREGG I'M GETTING LIKE YOU TOO FANCIFUL WE'VE A NORMAL GROUP OF PASSENGERS APPARENTLY


BUT I DON'T LIKE THE LOOK OF ANY OF THEM THAT OB HAHN AT YOUR TABLE SNAKY LOOKING FELLOW I COMMENTED HE AND THE ENGLISHMAN ARE GREAT ON ARGUMENTS DID YOU HAVE PRINCES CABIN SEARCHED MY BREATH HUNG ON HIS ANSWER YES


NOTHING UNUSUAL AMONG HIS THINGS WE SEARCHED BOTH HIS ROOM AND HIS SISTER'S I DID NOT FOLLOW THAT UP INSTEAD I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE BURN ON MIKO'S THICK ARM HE STARED I WISH WE WERE AT FERROK SHAHN GREGG


TONIGHT WHEN THE PASSENGERS ARE ASLEEP COME HERE TO ME SNAP WILL BE HERE AND DOCTOR FRANK WE CAN TRUST HIM HE KNOWS ABOUT ABOUT THE GRANTLINE TREASURE YES AND SO DO BALCH AND BLACKSTONE BALCH AND BLACKSTONE WERE OUR FIRST AND SECOND OFFICERS


WE'LL ALL MEET HERE GREGG SAY ABOUT THE ZERO HOUR WE MUST TAKE SOME PRECAUTIONS THEN HE DISMISSED ME I FOUND VENZA SEATED ALONE IN A STARLIT CORNER OF THE SECLUDED DECK A PORTHOLE


WITH THE BLACK HEAVENS AND THE BLAZING STARS WAS BEFORE HER THERE WAS AN EMPTY SEAT NEARBY SHE GREETED ME WITH THE VENUS FORM OF JOCULAR INTIMATE GREETING HOLA LO GREGG SIT HERE WITH ME


I HAVE BEEN WONDERING WHEN YOU WOULD COME AFTER ME I SAT DOWN BESIDE HER WHY ARE YOU GOING TO MARS VENZA I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU MANY THANKS BUT I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU GREGG SO HANDSOME A MAN DO YOU KNOW FROM VENUS TO EARTH


NO MAN WILL PLEASE ME MORE


DON'T BE SILLY VENZA I ENJOYED HER I GAZED AT HER SMALL SLIM FIGURE RECLINING IN THE DECK CHAIR HER LONG GRAY ROBE PARTED BY DESIGN I HAVE NO DOUBT TO DISPLAY HER SHAPELY SATIN SHEATHED LEGS


HER BLACK HAIR WAS COILED IN A HEAVY KNOT AT THE BACK OF HER NECK HER CARMINE LIPS WERE PARTED WITH A MOCKING ALLURING SMILE THE EXOTIC PERFUME OF HER ENVELOPED ME SHE GLANCED AT ME SIDEWISE FROM BENEATH HER SWEEPING BLACK LASHES


BE SERIOUS I ADDED I AM SERIOUS SOBER INTOXICATED BY YOU BUT SOBER I SAID WHAT SORT OF A CONTRACT A THEATER IN FERROK SHAHN GOOD MONEY GREGG


SHE SAT UP TO FACE ME THERE'S A FELLOW HERE ON THE PLANETARA RANCE RANKIN HE CALLS HIMSELF AT OUR TABLE A BIG GOOD LOOKING BLOND AMERICAN HE SAYS HE IS A MAGICIAN EVER HEAR OF HIM


THAT'S WHAT HE TOLD ME NO I NEVER HEARD OF HIM NOR DID I AND I THOUGHT I HAD HEARD OF EVERYONE OF IMPORTANCE HE IS LISTED FOR THE SAME THEATER I AM NICE SORT OF FELLOW SHE PAUSED THEN ADDED


IF HE'S A PROFESSIONAL ENTERTAINER I'M A MOTOR OILER IT STARTLED ME WHY DO YOU SAY THAT INSTINCTIVELY MY GAZE SWEPT THE DECK AN EARTH WOMAN AND CHILD


BUT NOT WITHIN EARSHOT WHY DO YOU LOOK SO FURTIVE SHE RETORTED GREGG THERE'S SOMETHING STRANGE ABOUT THIS VOYAGE


SO YOU MUST KNOW IT AS WELL AS I DO RANCE RANKIN I PROMPTED SHE LEANED CLOSER TOWARD ME HE COULD FOOL YOU BUT NOT ME I'VE KNOWN TOO MANY MAGICIANS SHE GRINNED I CHALLENGED HIM TO TRICK ME


DO YOU KNOW OB HAHN I INTERRUPTED SHE SHOOK HER HEAD NEVER HEARD OF HIM BUT HE TOLD ME PLENTY AT BREAKFAST BY SATAN WHAT A FLOW OF WORDS THAT DEVIL DRIVER CAN MUSTER HE AND THE ENGLISHMAN DON'T MESH VERY WELL DO THEY


SHE STARED AT ME I HAD NOT ANSWERED HER GRIN MY MIND WAS TOO BUSY WITH QUEER FANCIES HALSEY'S WORDS THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM WERE THESE PASSENGERS MASQUERADERS WERE THEY PUT HERE BY GEORGE PRINCE


I PARRIED I MEAN A LOT OF THINGS WHAT WE'VE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT WAS THE EXCITEMENT YOU WERE IN JUST BEFORE BREAKFAST THIS MORNING EXCITEMENT GREGG YOU MAY TRUST ME FOR THE FIRST TIME SHE WAS WHOLLY SERIOUS


THEY ANYONE SOMETHING'S GOING ON YOU KNOW IT YOU ARE IN IT I SAW YOU THIS MORNING GREGG WILD EYED CHASING A PHANTOM YOU AND I HEARD THE PHANTOM A MAN'S FOOTSTEPS A MAGNETIC


DEFLECTING INVISIBLE CLOAK YOU COULDN'T FOOL AN AUDIENCE WITH THAT IT'S TOO COMMONPLACE IF RANCE RANKIN TRIED I GRIPPED HER DON'T RAMBLE VENZA YOU SAW ME YES MY STATEROOM DOOR WAS OPEN I WAS SITTING WITH A CIGARETTE


I SAW THE PURSER IN THE SMOKING ROOM HE WAS VISIBLE FROM WAIT VENZA THAT PROWLER WENT THROUGH THE SMOKING ROOM I KNOW HE DID I COULD HEAR HIM


THE PURSER LOOKED UP FOLLOWED THE SOUND WITH HIS GAZE I THOUGHT THAT WAS QUEER HE NEVER MADE A MOVE AND THEN YOU CAME ALONG AND HE ACTED INNOCENT WHY WHAT'S GOING ON THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW I HELD MY BREATH VENZA


WHERE DID THE PROWLER RUN TO CAN YOU SHE WHISPERED CALMLY


I SAW THE DOOR OPEN AND CLOSE I EVEN THOUGHT I COULD SEE HIS BLURRED OUTLINE SHE ADDED WHY SHOULD GEORGE PRINCE BE SNEAKING AROUND WITH YOU AFTER HIM AND THE PURSER ACTING INNOCENT


I WELL I DO TRUST YOU REALLY I DO BUT THE WHOLE THING ISN'T MINE TO TELL THE SOMBER POOLS OF HER EYES WERE SHINING


HERE'S SOMETHING I CAN TELL YOU NOW WE'VE TWO HIGH CLASS GOLD LEAF GAMBLERS ABOARD DO YOU KNOW THAT WHO ARE THEY SHAC AND DUD ARDLEY EVERY DETECTIVE IN GREATER NEW YORK KNOWS THEM


THEY HAD A WONDERFUL GAME WITH THAT ENGLISHMAN SIR ARTHUR THIS MORNING STRIPPED HIM OF HALF A POUND OF EIGHT INCH LEAVES A NEAT LITTLE STACK A CROOKED GAME OF COURSE THOSE FELLOWS ARE MORE NIMBLE FINGERED THAN RANCE RANKIN EVER DARED TO BE


I SAT STARING AT HER SHE WAS A MINE OF INFORMATION THIS GIRL AND GREGG I TRIED MY CHARMS ON SHAC AND DUD NICE MEN BUT DUMB WHATEVER'S GOING ON THEY'RE NOT IN IT


THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF A SHIP THIS WAS WHY BECAUSE SHAC HAS A CUTE LITTLE EAVESDROPPING MICROPHONE OF HIS OWN HE HAD IT WORKING LAST NIGHT HE OVERHEARD GEORGE PRINCE AND THAT


I GASPED VENZA SOFTER AGAINST ALL PROPRIETY OF THIS PUBLIC DECK SHE PRETENDED TO DRAPE HERSELF UPON ME HER HAIR SMOTHERED MY FACE AS HER LIPS ALMOST TOUCHED MY EAR


SOMETHING ABOUT TREASURE ON THE MOON SHAC COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT AND THEY MENTIONED YOU THEN THE PURSER JOINED THEM HER WHISPERED WORDS TUMBLED OVER ONE ANOTHER


A HUNDRED POUNDS OF GOLD LEAF THAT'S THE PURSER'S PRICE HE'S WITH THEM WHATEVER IT IS HE PROMISED TO DO SOMETHING OR OTHER FOR THEM SHE STOPPED WELL I PROMPTED THAT'S ALL


SHAC'S CURRENT WAS INTERRUPTED TELL HIM TO TRY IT AGAIN VENZA I'LL TALK WITH HIM NO I'D BETTER LET HIM ALONE CAN YOU GET HIM TO KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT


HE'S A MAN FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN SHE DREW AWAY FROM ME ABRUPTLY THERE'S ANITA AND GEORGE PRINCE THEY CAME TO THE CORNER OF THE DECK BUT TURNED BACK VENZA CAUGHT MY LOOK AND UNDERSTOOD IT


SHE TURNED SOLEMN YOU MAY BE INTERESTED TO KNOW SHE LOVES YOU I COULD SEE IT I KNEW IT WHEN I MENTIONED YOU TO HER THIS MORNING ME WHY WE'VE HARDLY SPOKEN IS IT NECESSARY


I TOLD HIM WHAT SNAP AND I HAD LEARNED THE RAYS FROM THE MOON PROVING THAT GRANTLINE HAD CONCENTRATED A CONSIDERABLE ORE BODY I ALSO TOLD HIM OF GRANTLINE'S MESSAGE WE'LL STOP ON THE WAY BACK AS HE DIRECTS GREGG HE BENT CLOSER TO ME


AT FERROK SHAHN I'M GOING TO BRING BACK A CORDON OF INTERPLANETARY POLICE THE SECRET WILL BE OUT OF COURSE WHEN WE STOP AT THE MOON WE HAVE NO RIGHT EVEN NOW TO BE FLYING THIS VESSEL AS UNGUARDED AS IT IS HE WAS VERY SOLEMN


AND HE WAS GRIM WHEN I TOLD HIM OF THE INVISIBLE EAVESDROPPER YOU THINK HE OVERHEARD GRANTLINE'S MESSAGE WHO WAS IT YOU SEEM TO FEEL IT WAS GEORGE PRINCE I TOLD HIM I WAS CONVINCED THE PROWLER WENT INTO A TWENTY


WHEN I MENTIONED THE PURSER WHO SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN WATCHING ME EARLIER IN THE NIGHT AND AGAIN WAS SITTING IN THE SMOKING ROOM WHEN THE EAVESDROPPER FLED PAST CARTER LOOKED STARTLED JOHNSON IS ALL RIGHT GREGG DOES HE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS GRANTLINE AFFAIR NO


BUT WHY DIDN'T JOHNSON HEAR THAT EAVESDROPPER AND WHAT WAS HE DOING THERE ANYWAY AT THAT HOUR OF THE MORNING THE CAPTAIN IGNORED MY QUESTIONS I'M GOING TO HAVE THAT PRINCE SUITE SEARCHED WE CAN'T BE TOO CAREFUL GO TO BED GREGG YOU NEED REST


I WENT TO MY CABIN IT WAS LOCATED AFT ON THE STERN DECK NEAR THE STERN WATCH TOWER A SMALL METAL ROOM WITH A CHAIR A DESK AND A BUNK I MADE SURE NO ONE WAS IN IT I SEALED THE LATTICE GRILL AND THE DOOR


SET THE ALARM TRIGGER AGAINST ANY OPENING OF THEM AND WENT TO BED THE SIREN FOR THE MIDDAY MEAL AWAKENED ME I HAD SLEPT HEAVILY I FELT REFRESHED I FOUND THE PASSENGERS ALREADY ASSEMBLED AT MY TABLE WHEN I ARRIVED IN THE DINING SALON


IT WAS A LOW VAULTED METAL ROOM WITH BLUE AND YELLOW TUBE LIGHTS AT ITS SIDES THE OVAL WINDOWS SHOWED THE DECK WITH ITS PORTS ON THE DOME SIDE THROUGH WHICH A VISTA OF THE STARRY FIRMAMENT WAS VISIBLE WE WERE WELL ON OUR COURSE TO MARS


THE MOON HAD DWINDLED TO A PIN POINT OF LIGHT BESIDE THE CRESCENT EARTH AND BEHIND THEM OUR SUN BLAZED VISUALLY THE LARGEST ORB IN THE HEAVENS IT WAS SOME SIXTY EIGHT MILLION MILES FROM THE EARTH TO MARS


A FLIGHT ORDINARILY OF SOME TEN DAYS THERE WERE FIVE TABLES IN THE DINING SALON EACH WITH EIGHT SEATS SNAP AND I HAD ONE OF THE TABLES WE SAT AT THE ENDS WITH THE PASSENGERS ON EACH OF THE SIDES


GREGG THIS IS SERO OB HAHN I MET THE KEEN SOMBER GAZE OF A VENUS MAN OF MIDDLE AGE A SMALL SLIM GRACEFUL MAN WITH SLEEK BLACK HAIR HIS POINTED FACE ACCENTUATED BY THE POINTED BEARD WAS PALLID


UPON HIS BREAST WAS A HUGE PLATINUM ORNAMENT A DEVICE LIKE A STAR AND CROSS ENTWINED I AM HAPPY TO MEET YOU SIR HIS VOICE WAS SOFT AND DEEP OB HAHN I REPEATED


I SHOULD HAVE HEARD OF YOU NO DOUBT BUT A SMILE PLUCKED AT HIS THIN GRAY LIPS


MY MISSION IS THAT ALL THE UNIVERSE SHALL HEAR OF ME HE'S PREACHING THE RELIGION OF THE VENUS MYSTICS SNAP EXPLAINED AND THIS ENLIGHTENED GENTLEMAN SAID OB HAHN IRONICALLY NODDING TO THE MAN


HAS JUST TERMED IT FETISHISM


PROTESTED THE MAN AT OB HAHN'S SIDE


AND AS A MATTER OF FACT WE'VE AN ARGUMENT GREGG LAUGHED SNAP THIS IS SIR ARTHUR CONISTON AN ENGLISH GENTLEMAN LECTURER AND SKY TROTTER THAT IS HE WILL BE A SKY TROTTER HE TELLS US HE PLANS A NUMBER OF VOYAGES


THE TALL ENGLISHMAN IN HIS WHITE LINEN SUIT BOWED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MY COMPLIMENTS MISTER HALJAN I HOPE YOU HAVE NO STRONG RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS ELSE WE WILL MAKE YOUR TABLE HERE VERY MISERABLE


THE THIRD PASSENGER HAD EVIDENTLY KEPT OUT OF THE ARGUMENT SNAP INTRODUCED HIM AS RANCE RANKIN AN AMERICAN A QUIET BLOND FELLOW OF THIRTY FIVE OR FORTY I ORDERED MY BREAKFAST AND LET THE ARGUMENT GO ON


I DEAL IN TRICKS HOW TO FOOL AN AUDIENCE HIS KEEN AMUSED GAZE WAS ON OB HAHN THIS GENTLEMAN FROM VENUS AND I HAVE TOO MUCH IN COMMON TO ARGUE


I LIKE TO EAT IN QUIET ARGUING PASSENGERS ALWAYS ANNOY ME THERE WERE STILL THREE SEATS VACANT AT OUR TABLE I WONDERED WHO WOULD OCCUPY THEM I SOON LEARNED THE ANSWER FOR ONE SEAT AT LEAST RANKIN SAID CALMLY


HIS GLANCE WENT TO THE EMPTY SEAT AT MY RIGHT HAND THE VENZA ISN'T THAT HER NAME SHE AND I ARE DESTINED FOR THE SAME THEATER IN FERROK SHAHN SO VENZA WAS TO SIT BESIDE ME IT WAS GOOD NEWS


TEN DAYS OF A RELIGIOUS ARGUMENT THREE TIMES A DAY WOULD BE INTOLERABLE BUT THE CHEERFUL VENZA WOULD HELP SHE NEVER EATS THE MIDDAY MEAL SAID SNAP SHE'S ON THE DECK HAVING ORANGE JUICE I GUESS IT'S THE OLD GAG ABOUT DIET EH


AS A MAN WHO LOOKED HARDLY TWENTY FIVE HE WAS AT THIS MOMENT EVIDENTLY IN A GAY MOOD HIS CLEAN CUT HANDSOME PROFILE WITH ITS POETIC DARK CURLS


THERE SEEMED LITTLE OF THE VILLAIN ABOUT HIM AND I SAW ANITA PRINCE NOW AS A DARK HAIRED BLACK EYED LITTLE BEAUTY IN FEATURE RESEMBLING HER BROTHER VERY STRONGLY SHE PRESENTLY FINISHED HER MEAL SHE ROSE WITH HIM AFTER HER


I ANSWERED HER GREETING AND MET GEORGE PRINCE'S CASUAL GAZE HE TOO SMILED AS THOUGH TO SIGNIFY THAT HIS SISTER HAD TOLD HIM OF THE SERVICE I HAD DONE HER OR WAS HIS SMILE AN IRONICAL MEMORY OF HOW HE HAD ELUDED ME THIS MORNING WHEN I CHASED HIM


I GAZED AFTER HIS SMALL WHITE SUITED FIGURE AS HE FOLLOWED ANITA FROM THE SALON AND THINKING OF HER I PRAYED THAT CARTER AND HALSEY MIGHT BE WRONG WHATEVER PLOTTING AGAINST THE GRANTLINE EXPEDITION MIGHT BE GOING ON


MY ATTENTION WAS BROUGHT SUDDENLY BACK TO THE REALITY OF OUR TABLE I HEARD OB HAHN'S SILKY VOICE WE PASSED QUITE CLOSE TO THE MOON LAST NIGHT MISTER DEAN YES SAID SNAP WE DID DIDN'T WE ALWAYS DO


IT'S A TECHNICAL PROBLEM OF THE EXIGENCIES OF INTERSTELLAR NAVIGATION EXPLAIN IT TO THEM GREGG YOU'RE AN EXPERT I WAVED IT AWAY WITH A LAUGH THERE WAS A BRIEF SILENCE I COULD NOT HELP NOTICING SIR ARTHUR CONISTON'S QUEER LOOK


AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO KEEN A GLANCE AS RANCE RANKIN SHOT AT ME WERE ALL THREE PEOPLE AWARE OF GRANTLINE'S TREASURE ON THE MOON IT SUDDENLY SEEMED SO I WISHED FERVENTLY AT THAT INSTANT THAT THE TEN DAYS OF THIS VOYAGE WERE OVER CAPTAIN CARTER WAS RIGHT


COMING BACK WE SHOULD HAVE A CORDON OF INTERPLANETARY POLICE ABOARD SIR ARTHUR BROKE THE AWKWARD SILENCE MAGNIFICENT SIGHT THE MOON FROM SO CLOSE THOUGH I WAS TOO MUCH AFRAID OF PRESSURE SICKNESS TO BE UP TO SEE IT


WHEN ANOTHER INCIDENT SHOCKED ME THE TWO OTHER PASSENGERS AT OUR TABLE CAME IN AND TOOK THEIR SEATS A MARTIAN GIRL AND MAN THE GIRL HAD THE SEAT AT MY LEFT WITH THE MAN BESIDE HER ALL MARTIANS ARE TALL


THE GIRL WAS ABOUT MY OWN HEIGHT THAT IS SIX FEET TWO INCHES THE MAN WAS SEVEN FEET OR MORE BOTH WORE THE MARTIAN OUTER ROBE THE GIRL FLUNG HERS BACK HER LIMBS WERE ENCASED IN PSEUDOMAIL


SHE LOOKED AS ALL MARTIANS LIKE TO LOOK A VERY WARLIKE AMAZON BUT SHE WAS A PRETTY GIRL SHE SMILED AT ME WITH A KEEN EYED DIRECT GAZE MISTER DEAN SAID AT BREAKFAST THAT YOU WERE BIG AND HANDSOME YOU ARE


THE MARTIAN EQUIVALENT OF MISTER AND MISS


NOT SPINDLY LIKE MOST MARTIANS THIS FELLOW FOR ALL HIS SEVEN FEET IN HEIGHT WAS ALMOST HEAVY SET HE WORE A PLAITED LEATHER JERKIN BENEATH HIS ROBE AND KNEE PANTS OF LEATHER OUT OF WHICH HIS LOWER LEGS SHOWED AS GRAY HAIRY PILLARS OF STRENGTH


HE HAD COME INTO THE SALON WITH A SWAGGER HIS SWORD ORNAMENT CLANKING A PLEASANT VOYAGE SO FAR HE SAID TO ME AS HE STARTED HIS MEAL HIS VOICE HAD THE HEAVY THROATY RASP CHARACTERISTIC OF THE MARTIAN HE SPOKE PERFECT ENGLISH


BOTH MARTIANS AND VENUS PEOPLE ARE BY HERITAGE EXTRAORDINARY LINGUISTS


HAD A TOUCH OF MARTIAN ACCENT WORN ALMOST AWAY BY LIVING FOR SOME YEARS IN GREATER NEW YORK THE SHOCK TO ME CAME WITHIN A FEW MINUTES


INADVERTENTLY PUSHED BACK HIS ROBE TO BARE HIS FOREARM AN INSTANT ONLY THEN IT DROPPED TO HIS WRIST BUT IN THAT INSTANT I HAD SEEN UPON THE GRAY FLESH A THIN SEAR TURNED RED A VERY RECENT BURN


AS THOUGH A PENCIL RAY OF HEAT HAD CAUGHT HIS ARM MY MIND FLUNG BACK ONLY LAST NIGHT IN THE CITY CORRIDOR SNAP AND I HAD BEEN FOLLOWED BY A MARTIAN I HAD SHOT AT HIM WITH A HEAT RAY I THOUGHT I HAD HIT HIM ON THE ARM


DOCTOR FRANK'S FACE HAD GONE WHITE SNAP STOOD LIKE A STATUE OF HORROR THE DECK HERE WAS PATCHED AS ALWAYS WITH SILVER RADIANCE FROM THE DECK PORTS THE EMPTY DECK CHAIRS STOOD ABOUT THE SCREAM


WAS STILLED BUT NOW WE HEARD A COMMOTION INSIDE THE RASP OF OPENING CABIN DOORS QUESTIONS FROM FRIGHTENED PASSENGERS I FOUND MY VOICE ANITA ANITA PRINCE COME ON


HE WAS DASHING FOR THE LOUNGE ARCHWAY DOCTOR FRANK AND I FOLLOWED I REALIZED THAT WE PASSED THE DECK DOOR AND WINDOW OF A TWENTY TWO BUT THEY WERE DARK AND EVIDENTLY SEALED ON THE INSIDE


PASSENGERS STANDING AT THEIR CABIN DOORS I SHOUTED GO BACK TO YOUR ROOMS WE WANT ORDER HERE KEEP BACK WE CAME TO THE TWIN DOORS OF A TWENTY TWO AND A TWENTY BOTH WERE CLOSED DOCTOR FRANK WAS IN ADVANCE OF SNAP AND ME NOW


HE PAUSED AT THE SOUND OF CAPTAIN CARTER'S VOICE BEHIND US WAS IT FROM IN THERE WAIT A MOMENT CARTER DASHED UP HE HAD A LARGE HEAT RAY PROJECTOR IN HIS HAND HE SHOVED US ASIDE LET ME IN FIRST IS THE DOOR SEALED


DOCTOR FRANK WENT BACK INTO THE ROOM AND BANGED THE CABIN DOOR UPON SNAP AND ME I WAS UNARMED WEAPON IN HAND SNAP FORCED THE PANIC STRICKEN PASSENGERS BACK TO THEIR ROOMS SNAP REASSURED THEM GLIBLY


MOA WITH A NIGHTROBE DRAWN TIGHT AROUND HER THIN TALL FIGURE EDGED UP TO ME WHAT HAS HAPPENED SET HALJAN


I COULD SEE ONLY CARTER BUT I HEARD THE MURMURING VOICE OF DOCTOR FRANK


THE CAPTAIN RASPED GET OUT HALJAN


HE ADMITTED THE OLDER OFFICER AND SLAMMED THE DOOR UPON ME AGAIN AND IMMEDIATELY REOPENED IT GREGG KEEP THE PASSENGERS QUIETED TELL THEM EVERYTHING'S ALL RIGHT MISS PRINCE GOT FRIGHTENED THAT'S ALL THEN GO TO THE TURRET


TELL BLACKSTONE WHAT'S HAPPENED BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED CARTER WAS GRIM AND WHITE


I DON'T MEAN THAT TELL SNAP TO WATCH HIS RADIO ROOM ARM YOURSELVES AND GUARD OUR WEAPONS I STAMMERED IF IF SHE DIES WILL YOU FLASH US WORD HE STARED AT ME STRANGELY


I'LL BE THERE PRESENTLY GREGG HE SLAMMED THE DOOR UPON ME I FOLLOWED HIS ORDERS BUT IT WAS LIKE A DREAM OF HORROR THE TURMOIL OF THE SHIP GRADUALLY QUIETED SNAP WENT TO THE RADIO ROOM


BLACKSTONE AND I SAT IN THE TINY CHART ROOM HOW MUCH TIME PASSED I DO NOT KNOW I WAS CONFUSED ANITA HURT SHE MIGHT DIE MURDERED


BUT WHY BY WHOM HAD GEORGE PRINCE BEEN IN HIS OWN ROOM WHEN THE ATTACK CAME I THOUGHT NOW I RECALLED HEARING THE LOW MURMUR OF HIS VOICE IN THERE WITH DOCTOR FRANK


DOCTOR FRANK AND HER BROTHER ARE WITH HER THEY'RE DOING ALL THEY CAN HE TOLD US WHAT HAD HAPPENED ANITA AND GEORGE PRINCE HAD BOTH BEEN ASLEEP EACH IN HIS RESPECTIVE ROOM SOMEONE UNKNOWN


HAD OPENED ANITA'S CORRIDOR DOOR WASN'T IT SEALED YES BUT THE INTRUDER OPENED IT BURST IT


IT WASN'T BROKEN THE ASSAILANT OPENED IT SOMEHOW AND ASSAULTED MISS PRINCE SHOT HER IN THE CHEST WITH A HEAT RAY HER LEFT LUNG SHOT HER YES BUT SHE DID NOT SEE WHO DID IT


NOR DID PRINCE HER SCREAM AWAKENED HIM


I WAS GLAD ENOUGH TO GET AWAY I WOULD LIE DOWN FOR AN HOUR AND THEN GO TO ANITA'S STATEROOM I'D DEMAND THAT DOCTOR FRANK LET ME SEE HER I WENT TO THE STERN DECK WHERE MY CUBBY WAS LOCATED MY MIND WAS


IT HAD ONLY A BUNK MY TINY DESK A CHAIR AND CLOTHES ROBE THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY INTRUDER HERE I SET MY DOOR AND WINDOW ALARM THEN I AUDIPHONED TO THE RADIO ROOM SNAP YES


I TOLD HIM ABOUT ANITA CARTER CUT IN ON US FROM THE CHART ROOM STOP THAT YOU FOOLS WE CUT OFF FULLY DRESSED I FLUNG MYSELF ON MY BED ANITA MIGHT DIE I MUST HAVE FALLEN INTO A


TORTURED SLEEP I WAS AWAKENED BY THE SOUND OF MY ALARM BUZZER SOMEONE WAS TAMPERING WITH MY DOOR THEN THE BUZZER CEASED THE MARAUDER OUTSIDE MUST HAVE FOUND A WAY OF SILENCING IT BUT IT HAD DONE ITS WORK AWAKENED ME


SOMEONE OUTSIDE TRYING TO UNSEAL THE DOOR IN THE DARKNESS CYLINDER IN HAND I CREPT SOFTLY FROM THE BUNK CROUCHED AT THE DOOR THIS TIME I WOULD CAPTURE OR KILL THIS NIGHT PROWLER


THE SIZZLING WAS FAINTLY AUDIBLE MY DOOR SEAL WAS BREAKING UPON IMPULSE I REACHED FOR THE DOOR JERKED IT OPEN NO ONE THERE


WAS EMPTY BUT I LEAPED AND STRUCK A SOLID BODY CROUCHING IN THE DOORWAY A GIANT MAN


HIS ELECTRONIZED METALLIC ROBE BURNED MY HANDS I LUNGED AGAINST HIM I WAS ALMOST AS SURPRISED AS HE I SHOT BUT THE STAB OF HEAT EVIDENTLY MISSED HIM THE SHOCK OF MY ENCOUNTER SHORT CIRCUITED HIS ROBE HE MATERIALIZED IN THE STARLIGHT A BRIEF


SAVAGE ENCOUNTER HE STRUCK THE WEAPON FROM MY HAND HE HAD DROPPED HIS HYDROGEN TORCH AND TRIED TO GRIP ME BUT I TWISTED AWAY FROM HIS HOLD SO IT'S YOU QUIET GREGG HALJAN I ONLY WANT TO TALK WITHOUT WARNING A STAB OF RADIANCE SHOT FROM A WEAPON IN HIS HAND


IT CAUGHT ME RAN LIKE ICE THROUGH MY VEINS SEIZED AND NUMBED MY LIMBS I FELL HELPLESS TO THE DECK NERVES AND MUSCLES PARALYZED MY TONGUE WAS THICK AND INERT I COULD NOT SPEAK NOR MOVE


AND HEAR HIM I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU HALJAN WE NEED YOU HE GATHERED ME UP LIKE A BUNDLE IN HIS HUGE ARMS CARRIED ME SWIFTLY ACROSS THE DESERTED DECK


HIS WARNING SIREN RANG OUT TO ALERT THE SHIP HIS SPOTLIGHT CLUNG TO US MIKO RAN WITH ME A FEW STEPS THEN HE CURSED AND DROPPED ME FLED AWAY I FELL LIKE A SACK OF CARBIDE TO THE DECK


MY TONGUE WAS THICK BUT IT MOVED YES I WAS SOON REVIVED I SAT UP WITH DOCTOR FRANK VIGOROUSLY RUBBING ME I'M ALL RIGHT I TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED


SHE TOLD US BEFORE SHE DIED DIED I LEAPED TO MY FEET SHE DIED YES GREGG AN HOUR AGO


MIKO GOT INTO HER STATEROOM AND TRIED TO FORCE HIS LOVE UPON HER SHE REPULSED HIM HE KILLED HER IT STRUCK ME BLANK AND THEN WITH A RUSH CAME THE THOUGHT


WE MUST GET HIM I GATHERED MY WITS A SURGE OF HATE SWEPT ME A WILD DESIRE FOR VENGEANCE WHY BY GOD WHERE IS HE


DOCTOR FRANK GRIPPED ME THE CAPTAIN SAID GENTLY WE KNOW HOW YOU FEEL GREGG SHE TOLD US BEFORE SHE DIED I'LL BRING HIM IN HERE TO YOU BUT I'LL KILL HIM I TELL YOU NO YOU WON'T LAD


WE DON'T WANT HIM KILLED NOT ATTACKED EVEN NOT YET WE'LL EXPLAIN LATER THEY SAT ME DOWN CALMING ME ANITA DEAD


THE DOOR OF THE SHINING GARDEN WAS CLOSED A BRIEF GLIMPSE GIVEN TO ME AND TO HER OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AND NOW


FAR AWAY IN NORTH AMERICA WHERE THE RED INDIANS DWELL


MANY OF THE YOUNG BRAVES SOUGHT HER IN MARRIAGE BUT SHE WOULD LISTEN TO ONE ONLY A HANDSOME CHIEF WHO HAD TAKEN HER FANCY SOME YEARS BEFORE SO THEY WERE TO BE MARRIED AND GREAT REJOICINGS WERE MADE


BUT FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET HE SAT BY THE PLACE WHERE SHE WAS LAID THINKING OF HIS HAPPINESS THAT WAS BURIED THERE AT LAST AFTER MANY DAYS A LIGHT SEEMED TO COME TO HIM OUT OF THE DARKNESS


HE REMEMBERED HAVING HEARD FROM THE OLD OLD PEOPLE OF THE TRIBE THAT THERE WAS A PATH THAT LED TO THE LAND OF SOULS THAT IF YOU SOUGHT CAREFULLY YOU COULD FIND IT


SO THE NEXT MORNING HE GOT UP EARLY AND PUT SOME FOOD IN HIS POUCH AND SLUNG AN EXTRA SKIN OVER HIS SHOULDERS FOR HE KNEW NOT HOW LONG HIS JOURNEY WOULD TAKE NOR WHAT SORT OF COUNTRY HE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH ONLY ONE THING HE KNEW


ONE OF THE OLD MEN SAY THAT THE LAND OF SOULS LAY TO THE SOUTH AND SO FILLED WITH NEW HOPE AND COURAGE HE SET HIS FACE SOUTHWARDS FOR MANY MANY MILES THE COUNTRY LOOKED THE SAME AS IT DID ROUND HIS OWN HOME


BUT GREW LESS AND LESS THE FARTHER HE WENT SOUTH TILL IT DISAPPEARED ALTOGETHER SOON THE TREES PUT FORTH THEIR BUDS AND FLOWERS SPRANG UP UNDER HIS FEET AND INSTEAD OF THICK CLOUDS THERE WAS BLUE SKY OVER HIS HEAD AND EVERYWHERE THE BIRDS WERE SINGING


AND ON THE TOP OF THESE HE FOUND A HUT OR WIGWAM AN OLD MAN CLOTHED IN SKINS AND HOLDING A STAFF IN HIS HAND STOOD IN THE DOORWAY


REST IN MY HUT AS SHE ALSO RESTED AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU ASK AND WHITHER YOU SHOULD GO ON HEARING THESE WORDS THE YOUNG MAN ENTERED THE HUT BUT HIS HEART WAS TOO EAGER WITHIN HIM


TO SUFFER HIM TO REST AND WHEN HE AROSE THE OLD MAN ROSE TOO AND STOOD WITH HIM AT THE DOOR LOOK HE SAID


AT THE WATER WHICH LIES FAR OUT YONDER AND THE PLAINS WHICH STRETCH BEYOND


BUT NO MAN ENTERS IT WITHOUT LEAVING HIS BODY BEHIND HIM


INSTEAD OF HIDING AS HE APPROACHED AND BIRDS CIRCLED ROUND HIM


VERY SOON HE NOTICED WITH WONDER THAT NEITHER ROCKS NOR TREES BARRED HIS PATH HE PASSED THROUGH THEM WITHOUT KNOWING IT FOR INDEED THEY WERE NOT ROCKS AND TREES AT ALL BUT ONLY THE SOULS OF THEM FOR THIS WAS THE LAND OF SHADOWS


WHEN TO HIS JOY AND WONDER HE SAW FOLLOWING HIM IN ANOTHER CANOE EXACTLY LIKE HIS OWN THE MAIDEN FOR WHOSE SAKE HE HAD MADE THIS LONG JOURNEY BUT THEY COULD NOT TOUCH EACH OTHER FOR BETWEEN THEM ROLLED GREAT WAVES WHICH LOOKED AS IF THEY WOULD SINK THE BOATS


ONLY THE CHILDREN HAD NO FEAR AND REACHED THE OTHER SIDE IN SAFETY STILL THOUGH THE CHIEF AND THE YOUNG GIRL QUAILED IN TERROR AT THESE HORRIBLE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS NO HARM CAME TO THEM FOR THEIR LIVES HAD BEEN FREE FROM EVIL


SO THEY REACHED UNHURT THE SHORE OF THE HAPPY ISLAND AND WANDERED THROUGH THE FLOWERY FIELDS AND BY THE BANKS OF RUSHING STREAMS AND THEY KNEW NOT HUNGER NOR THIRST NEITHER COLD NOR HEAT


BUT IN THE MURMUR OF THE WIND HE HEARD THE MASTER OF LIFE SAYING TO HIM RETURN WHITHER YOU CAME FOR I HAVE WORK FOR YOU TO DO AND YOUR PEOPLE NEED YOU AND FOR MANY YEARS YOU SHALL RULE OVER THEM


AT THE GATE MY MESSENGER AWAITS YOU AND YOU SHALL TAKE AGAIN


ONE OF THEM SAID TO THE OTHERS IF WE ARE CAUGHT WE SHALL BE HANGED ON THE GALLOWS HOW SHALL WE SET ABOUT IT THE OTHER SAID DO YOU SEE THAT LARGE CORNFIELD THERE


IF WE WERE TO HIDE OURSELVES IN THAT NO ONE COULD FIND US THE ARMY CANNOT COME INTO IT AND TO MORROW IT IS TO MARCH ON THEY CREPT INTO THE CORN BUT THE ARMY DID NOT MARCH ON BUT REMAINED ENCAMPED CLOSE AROUND THEM


THEY SAT FOR TWO DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS IN THE CORN AND GREW SO HUNGRY THAT THEY NEARLY DIED BUT IF THEY WERE TO VENTURE OUT IT WAS CERTAIN DEATH THEY SAID AT LAST


WHAT USE WAS IT OUR DESERTING WE MUST PERISH HERE MISERABLY WHILST THEY WERE SPEAKING A FIERY DRAGON CAME FLYING THROUGH THE AIR


SAID THEY THEN THE DRAGON SEIZED THEM IN HIS CLAWS TOOK THEM THROUGH THE AIR OVER THE ARMY AND SET THEM DOWN ON THE EARTH A LONG WAY FROM IT HE GAVE THEM A LITTLE WHIP SAYING


THEN HE PUT A BOOK BEFORE THEM WHICH HE MADE ALL THREE OF THEM SIGN I WILL THEN GIVE YOU A RIDDLE HE SAID IF YOU GUESS IT YOU SHALL BE FREE AND OUT OF MY POWER THE DRAGON THEN FLEW AWAY


AND THEY JOURNEYED ON WITH THEIR LITTLE WHIP THEY HAD AS MUCH MONEY AS THEY WANTED WORE GRAND CLOTHES AND MADE THEIR WAY INTO THE WORLD WHEREVER THEY WENT THEY LIVED IN MERRYMAKING AND SPLENDOUR DROVE ABOUT WITH HORSES AND CARRIAGES ATE AND DRANK BUT DID NOTHING WRONG


THEY WENT INTO A FIELD SAT DOWN AND THE TWO PULLED LONG FACES AN OLD WOMAN PASSED BY AND ASKED THEM WHY THEY WERE SO SAD


ONLY CONFIDE YOUR TROUBLE IN ME


AND HOW HE HAD GIVEN THEM MONEY AS PLENTIFULLY AS BLACKBERRIES BUT AS THEY HAD SIGNED THEIR NAMES THEY WERE HIS UNLESS WHEN THE SEVEN YEARS HAD PASSED THEY COULD GUESS A RIDDLE THE OLD WOMAN SAID


IF YOU WOULD HELP YOURSELVES ONE OF YOU MUST GO INTO THE WOOD AND THERE HE WILL COME UPON A TUMBLE DOWN BUILDING OF ROCKS WHICH LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE HOUSE HE MUST GO IN AND THERE HE WILL FIND HELP THE TWO MELANCHOLY ONES THOUGHT


THAT WON'T SAVE US AND THEY REMAINED WHERE THEY WERE BUT THE THIRD AND MERRY ONE JUMPED UP AND WENT INTO THE WOOD TILL HE FOUND THE ROCK HUT IN THE HUT SAT A VERY OLD WOMAN WHO WAS THE DRAGON'S GRANDMOTHER


SHE ASKED HIM HOW HE CAME AND WHAT WAS HIS BUSINESS THERE HE TOLD HER ALL THAT HAPPENED AND BECAUSE SHE WAS PLEASED WITH HIM SHE TOOK COMPASSION ON HIM


I WILL TELL YOU THIS IN THE NORTH SEA LIES A DEAD SEA CAT THAT SHALL BE THEIR ROAST MEAT AND THE RIB OF A WHALE THAT SHALL BE THEIR SILVER SPOON AND THE HOLLOW FOOT OF A DEAD HORSE THAT SHALL BE THEIR WINEGLASS


I KNOW ENOUGH AND CAN HELP MYSELF SPLENDIDLY THEN HE WENT BY ANOTHER WAY THROUGH THE WINDOW SECRETLY AND IN ALL HASTE BACK TO HIS COMRADES HE TOLD THEM HOW THE DRAGON HAD BEEN OUTWITTED BY HIS GRANDMOTHER


AND HOW HE HAD HEARD FROM HIS OWN LIPS THE ANSWER TO THE RIDDLE THEN THEY WERE ALL DELIGHTED AND IN HIGH SPIRITS TOOK OUT THEIR WHIP AND CRACKED SO MUCH MONEY THAT IT CAME JUMPING UP FROM THE GROUND WHEN THE SEVEN YEARS HAD QUITE GONE THE FIEND CAME WITH HIS BOOK AND


POINTING AT THE SIGNATURES SAID I WILL TAKE YOU UNDERGROUND WITH ME YOU SHALL HAVE A MEAL THERE IF YOU CAN TELL ME WHAT YOU WILL GET FOR YOUR ROAST MEAT YOU SHALL BE FREE


THEN SAID THE FIRST SOLDIER


THE DRAGON MADE A FACE AND GROWLED AGAIN THREE TIMES HUM


DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR WINEGLASS SHALL BE AN OLD HORSE'S HOOF SHALL BE OUR WINEGLASS


TO HIS ASTONISHMENT HE FOUND AN OLD WOMAN WHO BEGGED HIM TO HELP HER OUT OF THE DITCH THE PRINCE BENT DOWN AND LIFTED HER OUT OF HER LIVING GRAVE ASKING HER AT THE SAME TIME HOW SHE HAD MANAGED TO GET THERE MY SON


ANSWERED THE OLD WOMAN I AM A VERY POOR WOMAN AND SOON AFTER MIDNIGHT I SET OUT FOR THE NEIGHBOURING TOWN IN ORDER TO SELL MY EGGS IN THE MARKET ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING BUT I LOST MY WAY IN THE DARK


OVER THERE AT THE EDGE OF THE FOREST IN THE LITTLE HUT YOU SEE IN THE DISTANCE REPLIED THE OLD WOMAN THE PRINCE LIFTED HER ON TO HIS HORSE AND SOON THEY REACHED THE HUT WHERE THE OLD WOMAN GOT DOWN AND TURNING TO THE PRINCE SAID


JUST WAIT A MOMENT AND I WILL GIVE YOU SOMETHING AND SHE DISAPPEARED INTO HER HUT BUT RETURNED VERY SOON AND SAID YOU ARE A MIGHTY PRINCE BUT AT THE SAME


WHICH DESERVES TO BE REWARDED WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD FOR YOUR WIFE MOST CERTAINLY I WOULD REPLIED THE PRINCE SO THE OLD WOMAN CONTINUED


WHO HAS BEEN CAPTURED BY A DRAGON IF YOU WISH TO MARRY HER YOU MUST FIRST SET HER FREE AND THIS I WILL HELP YOU TO DO I WILL GIVE YOU THIS LITTLE BELL IF YOU RING IT ONCE


THE KING OF THE EAGLES WILL APPEAR IF YOU RING IT TWICE THE KING OF THE FOXES WILL COME TO YOU AND IF YOU RING IT THREE TIMES YOU WILL SEE THE KING OF THE FISHES BY YOUR SIDE


AND INTENDED SETTING OUT ON THE FOLLOWING DAY INTO THE WIDE WORLD IN SEARCH OF THE MAID SO THE NEXT MORNING THE PRINCE MOUNTED HIS FINE HORSE AND LEFT HIS HOME


AND HIS HORSE HAD DIED OF EXHAUSTION WHILE HE HIMSELF HAD SUFFERED MUCH FROM WANT AND MISERY BUT STILL HE HAD COME ON NO TRACE OF HER HE WAS IN SEARCH OF AT LAST ONE DAY HE CAME TO A HUT IN FRONT OF WHICH SAT A VERY OLD MAN


NO I DO NOT ANSWERED THE OLD MAN


THE PRINCE THANKED HIM FOR HIS INFORMATION AND CONTINUED HIS JOURNEY FOR A WHOLE YEAR ALONG THE SAME ROAD AND AT THE END OF IT CAME TO THE LITTLE HUT WHERE HE FOUND A VERY OLD MAN


HE ASKED HIM THE SAME QUESTION AND THE OLD MAN ANSWERED NO


WITH DIAMOND WINDOWS HE OPENED THE BIG GATE LEADING INTO THE COURTYARD


WHEN SEVEN DRAGONS RUSHED ON HIM AND ASKED HIM WHAT HE WANTED THE PRINCE REPLIED


WOULD LIKE TO ENTER HER SERVICE THIS FLATTERING SPEECH PLEASED THE DRAGONS AND THE ELDEST OF THEM SAID WELL YOU MAY COME WITH ME AND I WILL TAKE YOU TO THE MOTHER DRAGON


THEY ENTERED THE CASTLE AND WALKED THROUGH TWELVE SPLENDID HALLS ALL MADE OF GOLD AND DIAMONDS IN THE TWELFTH ROOM THEY FOUND THE MOTHER DRAGON SEATED ON A DIAMOND THRONE SHE WAS THE


AND ADDED TO IT ALL SHE HAD THREE HEADS HER APPEARANCE WAS A GREAT SHOCK TO THE PRINCE AND SO WAS HER VOICE WHICH WAS LIKE THE CROAKING OF MANY RAVENS SHE ASKED HIM


VERY WELL


WE WILL EAT YOU UP THE PRINCE UNDERTOOK THE TASK AND LED THE MARE OUT TO THE MEADOW


AND AT LAST IN DESPAIR SAT DOWN ON A BIG STONE AND CONTEMPLATED HIS SAD FATE AS HE SAT THUS LOST IN THOUGHT HE NOTICED AN EAGLE FLYING OVER HIS HEAD THEN HE SUDDENLY BETHOUGHT HIM OF HIS LITTLE BELL


AND TAKING IT OUT OF HIS POCKET HE RANG IT ONCE IN A MOMENT HE HEARD A RUSTLING SOUND IN THE AIR BESIDE HIM AND THE KING OF THE EAGLES SANK AT HIS FEET


THE BIRD SAID YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE MOTHER DRAGON'S MARE WHO IS GALLOPING ABOUT AMONG THE CLOUDS I WILL SUMMON ALL THE EAGLES OF THE AIR TOGETHER AND ORDER THEM TO CATCH THE MARE AND BRING HER TO YOU AND WITH THESE WORDS THE KING OF THE EAGLES FLEW AWAY


TOWARDS EVENING THE PRINCE HEARD A MIGHTY RUSHING SOUND IN THE AIR AND WHEN HE LOOKED UP HE SAW THOUSANDS OF EAGLES DRIVING THE MARE BEFORE THEM THEY SANK AT HIS FEET ON TO THE GROUND AND GAVE THE MARE OVER TO HIM THEN THE PRINCE RODE HOME TO THE OLD MOTHER DRAGON


WHO WAS FULL OF WONDER WHEN SHE SAW HIM AND SAID


SHE GAVE HIM AT THE SAME TIME A CLOAK MADE OF COPPER


HERE TOO WAS THE FLOWER QUEEN'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER HER DRESS WAS WOVEN OUT OF THE MOST LOVELY FLOWERS IN THE WORLD AND HER COMPLEXION WAS LIKE LILIES AND ROSES AS THE PRINCE WAS DANCING WITH HER HE MANAGED TO WHISPER IN HER EAR


THE BALL CAME TO AN END AT MIDNIGHT AND EARLY NEXT MORNING THE PRINCE AGAIN LED THE MOTHER DRAGON'S MARE OUT INTO THE MEADOW BUT AGAIN SHE VANISHED BEFORE HIS EYES THEN HE TOOK OUT HIS LITTLE BELL AND RANG IT TWICE


AND AGAIN SHE LED HIM TO THE BALL ROOM THE FLOWER QUEEN'S DAUGHTER WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE HIM SAFE AND SOUND AND WHEN THEY WERE DANCING TOGETHER SHE WHISPERED IN HIS EAR IF YOU SUCCEED AGAIN TO MORROW WAIT FOR ME WITH THE FOAL IN THE MEADOW


AFTER THE BALL WE WILL FLY AWAY TOGETHER ON THE THIRD DAY THE PRINCE LED THE MARE TO THE MEADOW AGAIN BUT ONCE MORE SHE VANISHED BEFORE HIS EYES THEN THE PRINCE TOOK OUT HIS LITTLE BELL AND RANG IT THREE TIMES


IN A MOMENT THE KING OF THE FISHES APPEARED AND SAID TO HIM I KNOW QUITE WELL WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO AND I WILL SUMMON ALL THE FISHES OF THE SEA TOGETHER


SHE SAID TO HIM YOU ARE A BRAVE YOUTH AND I WILL MAKE YOU MY BODY SERVANT BUT WHAT SHALL I GIVE YOU AS A REWARD TO BEGIN WITH


THE PRINCE BEGGED FOR A FOAL OF THE MARE WHICH THE MOTHER DRAGON AT ONCE GAVE HIM AND OVER AND ABOVE A CLOAK MADE OF GOLD FOR SHE HAD FALLEN IN LOVE WITH HIM BECAUSE HE HAD PRAISED HER BEAUTY SO IN THE EVENING HE APPEARED AT THE BALL IN HIS GOLDEN CLOAK


THE PRINCE AND SHE FLEW LIKE THE WIND TILL THEY REACHED THE FLOWER QUEEN'S DWELLING BUT THE DRAGONS HAD NOTICED THEIR FLIGHT AND WOKE THEIR BROTHER OUT OF HIS YEAR'S SLEEP HE FLEW INTO A TERRIBLE RAGE WHEN HE HEARD WHAT HAD HAPPENED


AND DETERMINED TO LAY SIEGE TO THE FLOWER QUEEN'S PALACE BUT THE QUEEN CAUSED A FOREST OF FLOWERS AS HIGH AS THE SKY TO GROW UP ROUND HER DWELLING THROUGH WHICH NO ONE COULD FORCE A WAY


WHEN THE FLOWER QUEEN HEARD THAT HER DAUGHTER WANTED TO MARRY THE PRINCE SHE SAID TO HIM I WILL GIVE MY CONSENT TO YOUR MARRIAGE GLADLY BUT MY DAUGHTER CAN ONLY STAY WITH YOU IN SUMMER IN WINTER WHEN EVERYTHING IS DEAD AND THE GROUND COVERED WITH SNOW


SHE MUST COME AND LIVE WITH ME IN MY PALACE UNDERGROUND THE PRINCE CONSENTED TO THIS AND LED HIS BEAUTIFUL BRIDE HOME WHERE THE WEDDING WAS HELD WITH GREAT POMP AND MAGNIFICENCE THE YOUNG COUPLE LIVED HAPPILY TOGETHER TILL WINTER CAME


WHEN THE FLOWER QUEEN'S DAUGHTER DEPARTED AND WENT HOME TO HER MOTHER


AND LASTED TILL THE APPROACH OF WINTER WHEN THE FLOWER QUEEN'S DAUGHTER WENT BACK AGAIN TO HER MOTHER


ONCE THERE LIVED A KING WHO HAD NO CHILDREN FOR MANY YEARS AFTER HIS MARRIAGE AT LENGTH HEAVEN GRANTED HIM A DAUGHTER OF SUCH REMARKABLE BEAUTY THAT HE COULD THINK OF NO NAME SO APPROPRIATE FOR HER AS FAIRER THAN A FAIRY


THAN THEY RESOLVED TO GAIN POSSESSION OF HER WHO BORE IT AND EITHER TO TORMENT HER CRUELLY OR AT LEAST TO CONCEAL HER FROM THE EYES OF ALL MEN THE ELDEST OF THEIR TRIBE WAS ENTRUSTED TO CARRY OUT THEIR REVENGE THIS FAIRY WAS NAMED LAGREE


SHE WAS SO OLD THAT SHE ONLY HAD ONE EYE AND ONE TOOTH LEFT


SHE WAS ALSO SO SPITEFUL THAT SHE GLADLY DEVOTED ALL HER TIME TO CARRYING OUT ALL THE MEAN OR ILL NATURED TRICKS OF THE WHOLE BODY OF FAIRIES WITH HER LARGE EXPERIENCE ADDED TO HER NATIVE SPITE


SHE FELT A LITTLE REASSURED AND WAS FURTHER CHEERED WHEN SHE DISCOVERED THAT HER PET CAT AND DOG HAD FOLLOWED HER


AT THE SAME TIME GIVING HER THE STRICTEST ORDERS NEVER TO LET OUT THE FIRE WHICH WAS BURNING BRIGHTLY IN THE GRATE SHE THEN GAVE TWO GLASS BOTTLES INTO THE PRINCESS'S CHARGE DESIRING HER TO TAKE THE GREATEST CARE OF THEM


AND HAVING ENFORCED HER ORDERS WITH THE MOST AWFUL THREATS IN CASE OF DISOBEDIENCE SHE VANISHED LEAVING THE LITTLE GIRL AT LIBERTY TO EXPLORE THE PALACE


SEVERAL YEARS PASSED DURING WHICH TIME THE PRINCESS GREW ACCUSTOMED TO HER LONELY LIFE OBEYED THE FAIRY'S ORDERS AND BY DEGREES FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE COURT OF THE KING HER FATHER


SHE NOTICED THAT THE SUN'S RAYS FELL ON THE WATER IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO PRODUCE A BRILLIANT RAINBOW SHE STOOD STILL TO ADMIRE IT WHEN TO HER GREAT SURPRISE SHE HEARD A VOICE ADDRESSING HER WHICH SEEMED TO COME FROM THE CENTRE OF ITS RAYS


THE VOICE WAS THAT OF A YOUNG MAN AND ITS SWEETNESS OF TONE AND THE AGREEABLE THINGS IT UTTERED LED ONE TO INFER THAT ITS OWNER MUST BE EQUALLY CHARMING BUT THIS HAD TO BE A MERE MATTER OF FANCY FOR NO ONE WAS VISIBLE


THE BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW INFORMED FAIRER THAN A FAIRY THAT HE WAS YOUNG THE SON OF A POWERFUL KING AND THAT THE FAIRY LAGREE WHO OWED HIS PARENTS A GRUDGE


HAD REVENGED HERSELF BY DEPRIVING HIM OF HIS NATURAL SHAPE FOR SOME YEARS THAT SHE HAD IMPRISONED HIM IN THE PALACE WHERE HE HAD FOUND HIS CONFINEMENT HARD TO BEAR FOR SOME TIME BUT NOW HE OWNED


HE NO LONGER SIGHED FOR FREEDOM SINCE HE HAD SEEN AND LEARNED TO LOVE FAIRER THAN A FAIRY HE ADDED MANY OTHER TENDER SPEECHES TO THIS DECLARATION AND THE PRINCESS TO WHOM SUCH REMARKS WERE A NEW EXPERIENCE


COULD NOT HELP FEELING PLEASED AND TOUCHED BY HIS ATTENTIONS THE PRINCE COULD ONLY APPEAR OR SPEAK UNDER THE FORM OF A RAINBOW AND IT WAS THEREFORE NECESSARY THAT THE SUN SHOULD SHINE ON WATER SO AS TO ENABLE THE RAYS TO FORM THEMSELVES


LAGREE ON HER RETURN SOON FOUND OUT THE NEGLECT AND SEEMED ONLY TOO PLEASED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF SHOWING HER SPITE TO HER LOVELY PRISONER


FOR FIRE WITH WHICH TO RELIGHT THE ONE SHE HAD ALLOWED TO GO OUT NOW THIS LOCRINOS WAS A CRUEL MONSTER WHO DEVOURED EVERYONE HE CAME ACROSS AND ESPECIALLY ENJOYED A CHANCE OF CATCHING


AND EATING ANY YOUNG GIRLS OUR HEROINE OBEYED WITH GREAT SWEETNESS AND WITHOUT HAVING BEEN ABLE TO TAKE LEAVE OF HER LOVER


AS TO CERTAIN DEATH AS SHE WAS CROSSING A WOOD A BIRD SANG TO HER TO PICK UP A SHINING PEBBLE WHICH SHE WOULD FIND IN A FOUNTAIN CLOSE BY AND TO USE IT WHEN NEEDED


SHE TOOK THE BIRD'S ADVICE AND IN DUE TIME ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE OF LOCRINOS LUCKILY SHE ONLY FOUND HIS WIFE AT HOME WHO WAS MUCH STRUCK BY THE PRINCESS'S YOUTH AND BEAUTY AND SWEET GENTLE MANNERS


SHE READILY LET FAIRER THAN A FAIRY HAVE THE FIRE


CONVENIENT WAY OF MEETING THAN BY THE GARDEN FOUNTAIN AND FAIRER THAN A FAIRY CARRIED OUT HIS PLAN DAILY WITH ENTIRE SUCCESS EVERY MORNING SHE PLACED A LARGE BASIN FULL OF WATER ON HER WINDOW SILL AND AS SOON AS THE SUN'S RAYS FELL ON THE WATER


THE RAINBOW APPEARED AS CLEARLY AS IT HAD EVER DONE IN THE FOUNTAIN BY THIS MEANS THEY WERE ABLE TO MEET WITHOUT LOSING SIGHT OF THE FIRE OR OF THE TWO BOTTLES IN WHICH THE OLD FAIRY KEPT HER EYE AND HER TOOTH AT NIGHT


AND FOR SOME TIME THE LOVERS ENJOYED EVERY HOUR OF SUNSHINE TOGETHER ONE DAY PRINCE RAINBOW APPEARED IN THE DEPTHS OF WOE HE HAD JUST HEARD THAT HE WAS TO BE BANISHED FROM THIS LOVELY SPOT BUT HE HAD NO IDEA WHERE HE WAS TO GO


THE POOR YOUNG COUPLE WERE IN DESPAIR AND ONLY PARTED WITH THE LAST RAY OF SUNSHINE AND IN HOPES OF MEETING NEXT MORNING ALAS NEXT DAY WAS DARK AND GLOOMY AND IT WAS ONLY LATE IN THE AFTERNOON THAT THE SUN BROKE THROUGH THE CLOUDS FOR A FEW MINUTES


FAIRER THAN A FAIRY EAGERLY RAN TO THE WINDOW BUT IN HER HASTE SHE UPSET THE BASIN AND SPILT ALL THE WATER WITH WHICH SHE HAD CAREFULLY FILLED IT OVERNIGHT NO OTHER WATER WAS AT HAND EXCEPT THAT IN THE TWO BOTTLES


IT WAS THE ONLY CHANCE OF SEEING HER LOVER BEFORE THEY WERE SEPARATED AND SHE DID NOT HESITATE TO BREAK THE BOTTLE AND POUR THEIR CONTENTS INTO THE BASIN WHEN THE RAINBOW APPEARED AT ONCE THEIR FAREWELLS WERE FULL OF TENDERNESS


THE PRINCE MADE THE MOST ARDENT AND SINCERE PROTESTATIONS AND PROMISED TO NEGLECT NOTHING WHICH MIGHT HELP TO DELIVER HIS DEAR FAIRER THAN A FAIRY FROM HER CAPTIVITY AND IMPLORED HER TO CONSENT TO THEIR MARRIAGE AS SOON AS THEY SHOULD BOTH BE FREE


THE PRINCESS ON HER SIDE VOWED TO HAVE NO OTHER HUSBAND AND DECLARED HERSELF WILLING TO BRAVE DEATH ITSELF IN ORDER TO REJOIN HIM THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED MUCH TIME FOR THEIR ADIEUS THE RAINBOW VANISHED AND THE PRINCESS RESOLVED TO RUN ALL RISKS


STARTED OFF AT ONCE TAKING NOTHING WITH HER BUT HER DOG HER CAT A SPRIG OF MYRTLE AND THE STONE WHICH THE WIFE OF LOCRINOS GAVE HER WHEN LAGREE BECAME AWARE OF HER PRISONER'S FLIGHT


AS SHE DID SO THE SPRIG OF MYRTLE SHE CARRIED TOUCHED THE GROUND AND IMMEDIATELY A GREEN AND SHADY BOWER SPRANG UP ROUND HER IN WHICH SHE HOPED TO SLEEP IN PEACE BUT LAGREE HAD NOT GIVEN UP HER PURSUIT


AND ARRIVED JUST AS FAIRER THAN A FAIRY HAD FALLEN FAST ASLEEP THIS TIME SHE MADE SURE OF CATCHING HER VICTIM BUT THE CAT SPIED HER OUT


SHE FLEW AT LAGREE'S FACE AND TORE OUT HER ONLY EYE THUS DELIVERING THE PRINCESS FOR EVER FROM HER PERSECUTOR


BUT NO SOONER HAD LAGREE BEEN PUT TO FIGHT THAN OUR HEROINE WAS OVERWHELMED WITH HUNGER AND THIRST SHE FELT AS THOUGH SHE SHOULD CERTAINLY EXPIRE AND IT WAS WITH SOME DIFFICULTY THAT SHE DRAGGED HERSELF AS FAR


WHICH STOOD AT NO GREAT DISTANCE HERE SHE WAS RECEIVED BY A BEAUTIFUL LADY DRESSED IN GREEN AND WHITE TO MATCH THE HOUSE WHICH APPARENTLY BELONGED TO HER AND OF WHICH SHE SEEMED THE ONLY INHABITANT


SHE GAVE HER A NUT DESIRING HER ONLY TO OPEN IT IN THE MOST URGENT NEED AFTER A LONG AND TIRING JOURNEY FAIRER THAN A FAIRY WAS ONCE MORE RECEIVED IN A HOUSE AND BY A LADY EXACTLY LIKE THE ONE SHE


HERE AGAIN SHE RECEIVED A PRESENT WITH THE SAME INJUNCTIONS


THAT THEY WISHED THEIR HOUSES AND GARMENTS TO BE EQUALLY ALIKE THEIR OCCUPATION CONSISTED IN HELPING THOSE IN MISFORTUNE AND THEY WERE AS GENTLE AND BENEVOLENT AS LAGREE HAD BEEN CRUEL AND SPITEFUL THE THIRD FAIRY COMFORTED THE POOR TRAVELLER


BEGGED HER NOT TO LOSE HEART AND ASSURED HER THAT HER TROUBLES SHOULD BE REWARDED SHE ACCOMPANIED HER ADVICE BY THE GIFT OF A CRYSTAL SMELLING BOTTLE WITH STRICT ORDERS ONLY TO OPEN IT IN CASE OF URGENT NEED


FAIRER THAN A FAIRY THANKED HER WARMLY AND RESUMED HER WAY CHEERED BY PLEASANT THOUGHTS AFTER A TIME HER ROAD LED THROUGH A WOOD FULL OF SOFT AIRS AND SWEET ODOURS AND BEFORE SHE HAD GONE A HUNDRED YARDS SHE SAW A WONDERFUL SILVER CASTLE


FAIRER THAN A FAIRY FELT A STRONG DESIRE TO ENTER THIS CASTLE BUT BESIDES BEING HUNG A LITTLE ABOVE THE GROUND THERE SEEMED TO BE NEITHER DOORS NOR WINDOWS SHE HAD NO DOUBT THOUGH REALLY I CANNOT THINK WHY


THAT THE MOMENT HAD COME IN WHICH TO USE THE NUT WHICH HAD BEEN GIVEN HER SHE OPENED IT AND OUT CAME A DIMINUTIVE HALL PORTER


YOU EVER SAW THE PRINCESS CLIMBED UP ONE OF THE SILVER CHAINS HOLDING IN HER HAND THE LITTLE PORTER WHO IN SPITE OF HIS MINUTE SIZE OPENED A SECRET DOOR WITH HIS GOLDEN KEY AND LET HER IN


SHE ENTERED A MAGNIFICENT ROOM WHICH APPEARED TO OCCUPY THE ENTIRE CASTLE AND WHICH WAS LIGHTED BY GOLD AND JEWELLED STARS IN THE CEILING


WHO NOW SAW HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS REAL SHAPE


ON OPENING IT FOUND THAT ALL THE SEEDS WERE AS MANY LITTLE VIOLINS WHICH FLEW UP IN THE VAULTED ROOF AND AT ONCE BEGAN PLAYING MELODIOUSLY


THE PRINCE WAS NOT COMPLETELY ROUSED BUT HE OPENED HIS EYES A LITTLE AND LOOKED ALL THE HANDSOMER IMPATIENT AT NOT BEING RECOGNISED FAIRER THAN A FAIRY NOW DREW OUT HER THIRD PRESENT AND ON OPENING THE CRYSTAL SCENT BOTTLE A LITTLE SYREN FLEW OUT


AT THE SAME MOMENT THE WALLS OF THE ROOM EXPANDED AND OPENED OUT REVEALING A GOLDEN THRONE COVERED WITH JEWELS


IN THE FIRST AND MOST SPLENDID OF THESE CARRIAGES SAT PRINCE RAINBOW'S MOTHER SHE FONDLY EMBRACED HER SON AFTER WHICH SHE INFORMED HIM THAT HIS FATHER HAD BEEN DEAD FOR SOME YEARS THAT THE ANGER OF THE FAIRIES WAS AT LENGTH APPEASED


AND THAT HE MIGHT RETURN IN PEACE TO REIGN OVER HIS PEOPLE WHO WERE LONGING FOR HIS PRESENCE THE COURT RECEIVED THE NEW KING WITH JOYFUL ACCLAMATIONS WHICH WOULD HAVE DELIGHTED HIM AT ANY OTHER TIME


HE WAS JUST ABOUT TO PRESENT HER TO HIS MOTHER AND THE COURT


CHARMS WOULD WIN ALL HEARTS WHEN THE THREE GREEN AND WHITE SISTERS APPEARED THEY DECLARED THE SECRET OF FAIRY THAN A FAIRY'S ROYAL BIRTH AND THE QUEEN TAKING THE TWO LOVERS IN HER CARRIAGE SET OFF WITH THEM FOR THE CAPITAL OF THE KINGDOM


CAMP CLOUDCREST SEPTEMBER TWELFTH NINETEEN FOURTEEN DEAR MISSUS CONEY


BUT I'VE A CHANCE TO DAY SO I WILL NOT LET IT PASS UNUSED WE ARE IN THE LAST CAMP RIGHT ON THE HUNTING GROUND IN THE MIDST OF THE FRAY WE HAVE SAID GOOD BYE TO DEAR ELIZABETH AND I MUST TELL YOU ABOUT HER BECAUSE SHE REALLY COMES FIRST


TO BEGIN WITH THE MORNING WE LEFT THE HOLTS ELIZABETH SUGGESTED THAT WE THREE WOMEN RIDE IN THE BUCKBOARD SO I SEATED MYSELF ON A ROLL OF BEDDING IN THE BACK PART


THE SKY WAS CLEAR BLUE


THE MOUNTAINS ON ONE SIDE WERE CRESTED GREAT CRAGS AND PILES OF ROCK CROWNED THEM AS FAR AS WE COULD SEE TIMBER GREW ONLY ABOUT HALFWAY UP THE TRUNKS OF THE QUAKING ASPENS SHONE SILVERY IN THE EARLY SUNLIGHT AND THEIR LEAVES WERE SHIMMERING GOLD


AND THE STATELY PINES KEPT WHISPERING AND MURMURING IT ALMOST SEEMED AS IF THEY WERE CHIDING THE QUAKING ASPENS FOR BEING FRIVOLOUS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD LAY THE RIVER BORDERED BY WILLOWS AND GRASSY FLATS


THERE WERE MANY SMALL LAKES AND THE DUCKS AND GEESE WERE NOISILY ENJOYING THEMSELVES AMONG THE RUSHES AND WATER GRASSES BEYOND THE RIVER ROSE THE FOREST COVERED MOUNTAINS HILL UPON HILL ELIZABETH DRESSED WITH ESPECIAL CARE THAT MORNING


AND VERY PRETTY SHE LOOKED IN HER NEAT SHEPHERD'S PLAID SUIT AND NATTY LITTLE WHITE CANVAS HAT VERY SOON SHE SAID I HOPE NEITHER OF YOU WILL MISUNDERSTAND ME WHEN I TELL YOU THAT IF MY HOPES ARE REALIZED I WILL NOT RIDE WITH YOU MUCH LONGER


I NEVER SAW SUCH A COUNTRY AS THE WEST


AND I NEVER SAW SUCH PEOPLE YOU ARE JUST LIKE YOUR COUNTRY YOU HAVE FED ME CARED FOR ME AND BEFRIENDED ME A STRANGER


MISSUS O'SHAUGHNESSY SAID TUT TUT TIS NOTHING AT ALL WE'VE DONE TIS A COMFORT YOU'VE BEEN HASN'T SHE MISSUS STEWART I COULD HEARTILY AGREE AND ELIZABETH WENT ON THE WAY I HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND THE WAY WE ALL TREATED MISSUS HOLT


WILL BE THE GREATEST HELP TO ME IN BECOMING WHAT I HOPE TO BECOME A REAL WESTERNER I MIGHT HAVE LIVED A LONG TIME IN THE WEST AND NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD MANY THINGS IF I HAD NOT FALLEN INTO YOUR HANDS YEARS AGO


BEFORE I WAS THROUGH SCHOOL I WAS TO HAVE BEEN MARRIED BUT I LOST MY MOTHER JUST THEN AND WAS LEFT THE CARE OF MY PARALYTIC FATHER IF I HAD MARRIED THEN I SHOULD HAVE HAD TO TAKE FATHER FROM HIS FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS BECAUSE WALLACE CAME WEST IN THE FORESTRY SERVICE


I FELT THAT IT WOULDN'T BE RIGHT POOR FATHER COULDN'T SPEAK BUT HIS EYES TOLD ME HOW GRATEFUL HE WAS TO STAY WE HAD OUR LITTLE HOME AND FATHER HAD HIS PENSION AND I WAS ABLE TO GET A SMALL SCHOOL NEAR US


I COULD TAKE CARE OF FATHER AND TEACH ALSO WE WERE VERY COMFORTABLY SITUATED AND IN TIME BECAME REALLY HAPPY ALTHOUGH I SELDOM HEARD FROM WALLACE HIS LETTERS WERE WELL WORTH WAITING FOR AND I KNEW HE WAS DOING WELL


EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO FATHER DIED GENTLY WENT TO SLEEP I WAITED SIX MONTHS AND THEN WROTE TO WALLACE BUT RECEIVED NO REPLY


I COULD BEAR IT NO LONGER AND HAVE COME TO SEE WHAT HAS BECOME OF HIM IF HE IS DEAD MAY I STAY ON WITH ONE OF YOU AND PERHAPS GET A SCHOOL I WANT TO LIVE HERE ALWAYS BUT DARLINT SAID MISSUS O'SHAUGHNESSY


SUPPOSIN IT'S MARRIED YOUR MAN IS WALLACE MAY HAVE CHANGED HIS MIND ABOUT ME BUT HE WOULD NOT MARRY WITHOUT TELLING ME IF HE IS ALIVE HE IS HONORABLE THEN I ASKED


IF HE IS STATIONED IN THE BRIDGES RESERVE THEY WOULD BE SURE TO KNOW OF HIM AT ANY OF THESE LITTLE PLACES I JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO I SHOULD NEVER HAVE TOLD YOU WHAT I HAVE ONLY I THINK I OWE IT TO YOU AND IT WAS EASIER BECAUSE OF THE HOLTS


I AM SO GLAD WE MET THEM SO WE DROVE ALONG TALKING TOGETHER WE EACH ASSURED THE GIRL OF OUR ENTIRE WILLINGNESS TO HAVE HER AS A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY AFTER A WHILE I GOT ON TO THE WAGON WITH MISTER STEWART AND TOLD HIM ELIZABETH'S STORY


AND WE HELD OUR BREATH UNTIL WE EMERGED ON THE OTHER SIDE MISTER SORENSON IS A VERY CAPABLE AND CONSCIENTIOUS GAME WARDEN AND A VERY GENIAL GENTLEMAN HE RODE DOWN TO MEET US


TO INSPECT OUR LICENSE AND TO TELL US ABOUT OUR PRIVILEGES AND OUR DUTIES AS GOOD WOODSMEN HE ALSO ISSUES LICENSES IN CASE HUNTERS HAVE NEGLECTED TO SECURE THEM BEFORE COMING MISSUS O'SHAUGHNESSY HAD REFUSED TO GET A LICENSE WHEN WE DID


SHE SAID SHE WAS NOT GOING TO HUNT SHE TOLD US WE COULD GIVE HER A SMALL PIECE OF ILK AND THAT WOULD DO SO WE WERE RATHER SURPRISED WHEN SHE PURCHASED TWO LICENSES ONE A SPECIAL WHICH WOULD ENTITLE HER TO A BULL ELK


AS WE WERE STARTING MISTER STEWART ASKED THE GAME WARDEN CAN YOU TELL ME IF WALLACE WHITE IS STILL STATIONED HERE OH YES MISTER SORENSON SAID WALLACE'S PLACE IS ONLY A FEW MILES UP THE RIVER AND CAN BE PLAINLY SEEN FROM THE ROAD WE DROVE ON


HAPPINESS HAD TAKEN A NEW CLUTCH UPON MY HEART I LOOKED BACK EXPECTING TO SEE ELIZABETH ALL SMILES BUT IF YOU WILL BELIEVE ME THE FOOLISH GIRL WAS SOBBING AS IF HER HEART WAS BROKEN MISSUS O'SHAUGHNESSY DREW HER HEAD DOWN UPON HER SHOULDER


AND WAS TRYING TO QUIET HER THE ROAD ALONG THERE WAS VERY ROUGH STAYING ON THE WAGON OCCUPIED ALL MY ATTENTION FOR A WHILE SEVERAL MILES WERE PASSED WHEN WE CAME IN SIGHT OF A BEAUTIFUL CABIN HALF HIDDEN IN A GROVE OF PINES BEYOND THE RIVER


MISTER STEWART SAID WE MIGHT AS WELL NOON AS SOON AS WE CAME TO A GOOD PLACE AND THEN HE WOULD RIDE ACROSS AND SEE MISTER WHITE JUST AS WE ROUNDED THE HILL A HORSEMAN CAME TOWARD US A SPLENDID FELLOW HE WAS


MANLY STRENGTH AND GRACE SHOWING IN EVERY LINE THE ROAD WAS NARROW AGAINST THE HILLSIDE AND HE HAD TO RIDE QUITE CLOSE SO I SAW HIS HANDSOME FACE PLAINLY AS SOON AS HE SAW ELIZABETH HE SPRANG FROM HIS SADDLE AND SAID LIZ'BETH LIZ'BETH


SHE HELD HER HANDS TO HIM AND SAID OH JUST RIDING WITH FRIENDS THEN TO MISSUS O'SHAUGHNESSY SHE SAID THIS IS MY WALLACE MISTER STEWART IS THE QUEEREST MAN


INSTEAD OF LETTING ME ENJOY THE TABLEAU HE SOLEMNLY DROVE ON SAYING HE WOULD NOT WANT ANY ONE GAWKING AT HIM IF HE WERE THE HAPPY MAN ANYWAY HE COULDN'T URGE CHUB FAST ENOUGH TO PREVENT MY SEEING AND HEARING WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU


BESIDES THAT I SAW THAT ELIZABETH'S HAT WAS ON AWRY HER HAIR IN DISORDER AND HER EYES RED IT WAS DISAPPOINTING AFTER SHE HAD BEEN SO CAREFUL TO LOOK NICELY MISSUS O'SHAUGHNESSY CAME TROTTING ALONG AND WE STOPPED FOR DINNER


WE HAD JUST GOT THE COFFEE BOILING WHEN THE LOVERS CAME UP ELIZABETH IN THE SADDLE LEARNING TO RIDE AND HE WALKING BESIDE HER HOLDING HER HAND HOW HAPPY THEY WERE THE REST OF US WERE MIGHTY NEAR AS FOOLISH AS THEY


THEY WERE GOING TO START IMMEDIATELY AFTER DINNER ON HORSEBACK FOR THE COUNTY SEAT TO BE MARRIED AFTER WE HAD EATEN ELIZABETH SELECTED A FEW THINGS FROM HER TRUNK AND MISTER STEWART AND MISTER WHITE DROVE THE BUCKBOARD ACROSS THE RIVER TO LEAVE THE TRUNK IN ITS NEW HOME


WHILE THEY WERE GONE WE HELPED ELIZABETH TO DRESS ALL THE WHILE MISSUS O'SHAUGHNESSY WAS ADMONISHING HER TO NAME HER FIRST GIRUL MARY ELLEN OR SHE SAID


WHICH WAS ME NAME BEFORE I WAS MARRIED TO ME MAN GOD REST HIS SOUL DEAR ELIZABETH SHE WAS GLAD TO GET AWAY I SUSPECT SHE AND HER WALLACE MADE A FINE COUPLE AS THEY RODE AWAY IN THE GOLDEN SEPTEMBER AFTERNOON


I BELIEVE SHE IS ONE HAPPY BRIDE THAT THE SUN SHONE ON IF THE OMEN HAS FAILED EVERYWHERE ELSE WELL WE FELT POWERFULLY REDUCED IN NUMBERS BUT ABOUT THREE O'CLOCK THAT AFTERNOON WE CAME UPON MISTER STRUBLE AND MISTER HAYNES


WAITING BESIDE THE ROAD FOR US THEY HAD COME TO PILOT US INTO CAMP FOR THERE WOULD BE NO ROAD SOON SUCH A WAY AS WE CAME OVER SUCH JOLTING AND SLIDING I BEGGED TO GET OFF AND WALK


BUT AS THE WHOLE WAY WAS CARPETED BY STRAWBERRY VINES AND THERE WERE LATE BERRIES TO TEMPT ME TO LOITER I HAD TO STAY ON THE WAGON I HAD NO IDEA A WAGON COULD BE GOT ACROSS SUCH PLACES MISTER STRUBLE DROVE FOR MISSUS O'SHAUGHNESSY


AND I COULD HEAR HER IMPLORING ALL THE SAINTS TO PRESERVE US FROM INSTANT DEATH I KEPT SHUTTING MY EYES TRYING NOT TO SEE THE TERRIFYING PLACES AND OPENING THEM AGAIN TO SEE THE BEAUTY SPREAD EVERYWHERE UNTIL MISTER STEWART SAID


IT MUST MAKE YOU NERVOUS TO RIDE OVER MOUNTAIN ROADS DON'T BAT YOUR EYES SO FAST AND YOU'LL SEE MORE SO THEN I STIFFENED MY BACK AND KEPT MY EYES OPEN AND I DID SEE MORE IT HAD BEEN DECIDED TO GO AS FAR AS WE COULD WITH THE WAGONS AND THEN SET CAMP


FROM THERE THE HUNTERS WOULD RIDE HORSEBACK AS FAR UP AS THEY COULD AND THEN CLIMB IT WAS ALMOST SUNDOWN WHEN WE REACHED CAMP ALL THE HUNTERS WERE IN AND SUCH A YOWLING AS THEY SET UP


LOOK WHO'S HERE SEE WHO'S COME THEY YELLED THEY WENT TO WORK SETTING UP TENTS AND UNLOADING WAGONS WITH A HEARTY GOOD WILL WE ARE CAMPED JUST ON THE EDGE OF THE PINES BACK OF US RISES A BIG PINE CLAD MOUNTAIN


OUR TENTS ARE SET UNDER SOME BIG TREES ON A SMALL PLATEAU AND RIGHT BELOW US IS A VALLEY IN WHICH GRASS GROWS KNEE HIGH AND LITTLE STREAMS COME FROM EVERY WAY TROUT SCURRY UP STREAM WHENEVER WE GO NEAR


WE CALL THE VALLEY PARADISE VALLEY BECAUSE IT IS THE HORSES PARADISE AND AS IN THE EARLY MORNING WE CAN OFTEN SEE CLOUDS ROLLING ALONG THE VALLEY WE CALL OUR CAMP CLOUDCREST WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL PLACE IT IS WELL SHELTERED


THERE IS PLENTY OF WOOD WATER AND FEED AND LOOKING EASTWARD DOWN THE VALLEY SNOW COVERED CRAG TOPPED MOUNTAINS DELIGHT THE EYE THE AIR IS SO BRACING THAT WE ALL FEEL EQUAL TO ANYTHING