a journey in other worlds-第3部分

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it　took　some　time　to　recharge　the　upper　air…chamber；　so　that；
were　it　not　armed　with　poison　glands；　it　would　fall　an　easy
victim　to　its　more　powerful　and　swifter　contemporaries；　and　would
soon　become　extinct。〃
　　　
〃As　it　will　be　unable　to　spring　for　some　time；〃　said　Bearwarden；
〃we　might　as　well　save　it　the　disappointment　of　trying；〃　and；
snapping　the　used　shell　from　his　rifle；　he　fired　an　explosive
ball　into　the　reptile；　whereupon　about　half　the　body　disappeared；
while　a　sickening　odour　arose。　　Although　the　sun　was　still　far
above　the　horizon；　the　rapidity　with　which　it　was　descending
showed　that　the　short　night　of　less　than　five　hours　would　soon　be
upon　them；　and　though　short　it　might　be　very　dark；　for　they　were
in　the　tropics；　and　the　sun；　going　down　perpendicularly；　must
also　pass　completely　around　the　globe；　instead　of；　as　in　northern
latitudes　on　earth　in　summer；　approaching　the　horizon　obliquely；
and　not　going　far　below　it。　　A　slight　and　diffused　sound　here
seemed　to　rise　from　the　ground　all　about　them；　for　which　they
could　not　account。　　Presently　it　became　louder；　and　as　the　sun
touched　the　horizon；　it　poured　forth　in　prolonged　strains。　　The
large　trumpet…shaped　lilies；　reeds；　and　heliotropes　seemed　fairly
to　throb　as　they　raised　their　anthem　to　the　sky　and　the　setting
sun；　while　the　air　grew　dark　with　clouds　of　birds　that　gradually
alighted　on　the　ground；　until；　as　the　chorus　grew　fainter　and
gradually　ceased；　they　flew　back　to　their　nests。　　The　three
companions　had　stood　astonished　while　this　act　was　played。　　The
doctor　then　spoke：
　　　
〃This　is　the　most　marvellous　　development　of　Nature　I　have　seen；
for　its　wonderful　divergence　from；　and　yet　analogy　to；　what　takes
place　on　earth。　　You　know　our　flowers　offer　honey；　as　it　were；　as
bait　to　insects；　that　in　eating　or　collecting　it　they　may　catch
the　pollen　on　their　legs　and　so　carry　it　to　other　flowers；
perhaps　of　the　opposite　sex。　　Here　flowers　evidently　appeal　to
the　sense　of　hearing　instead　of　taste；　and　make　use　of　birds；　of
which　there　are　enormous　numbers；　instead　of　winged　insects；　of
which　I　have　seen　none；　one　being　perhaps　the　natural　result　of
the　other。　　The　flowers　have　become　singers　by　long　practice；　or
else；　those　that　were　most　musical　having　had　the　best　chance　to
reproduce；　we　have　a　neat　illustration　of　the　'survival　of　the
fittest。'　　The　sound　is　doubtless　produced　by　a　shrinking　of　the
fibres　as　the　sun　withdraws　its　heat；　in　which　case　we　may　expect
another　song　at　sunrise；　when　the　same　result　will　be　effected　by
their　expanding。〃
　　　
Searching　for　a　camping…place　in　which　to　pass　the　coming　hours；
they　saw　lights　flitting　about　like　will…o'…the…wisps；　but
brighter　and　intermittent。
　　　
〃They　seem　to　be　as　bright　as　sixteen…candle…power　lamps；　but　the
light　is　yellower；　and　appears　to　emanate　from　a　comparatively
large　surface；　certainly　nine　or　ten　inches　square；〃　said　the
doctor。
　　　
They　soon　gave　up　the　chase；　however；　for　the　lights　were
continually　moving　and　frequently　went　out。　　While　groping　in　the
growing　darkness；　they　came　upon　a　brown　object　about　the　size　of
a　small　dog　and　close　to　the　ground。　　It　flew　off　with　a　humming
insect　sound；　and　as　it　did　so　it　showed　the　brilliant
phosphorescent　glow　they　had　observed。
　　　
〃That　is　a　good…sized　fire…fly；〃　said　Bearwarden。　　〃Evidently　the
insects　here　are　on　the　same　scale　as　everything　else。　　They　are
like　the　fire…flies　in　Cuba；　which　the　Cubans　are　said　to　put
into　a　glass　box　and　get　light　enough　from　to　read　by。　　Here　they
would　need　only　one；　if　it　could　be　induced　to　give　its　light
continuously。〃
　　　
Having　found　an　open　space　on　high　ground；　they　sat　down；　and
Bearwarden　struck　his　repeater；　which；　for　convenience；　had　been
arranged　for　Jupiter　time；　dividing　the　day　into　ten　hours；
beginning　at　noon；　midnight　being　therefore　five　o'clock。
　　　
〃Twenty　minutes　past　four；〃　said　he；　〃which　would　correspond　to
about　a　quarter　to　eleven　on　earth。　　As　the　sun　rises　at
half…past　seven；　it　will　be　dark　about　three　hours；　for　the　time
between　dawn　and　daylight　will；　of　course；　be　as　short　as　that　we
have　just　experienced　between　sunset　and　night。〃
　　　
〃If　we　stay　here　long；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃I　suppose　we　shall
become　accustomed；　like　sailors；　to　taking　our　four；　or　in　this
case　five；　hours　on　duty；　and　five　hours　off。〃
　　　
〃Or；〃　added　Ayrault；　〃we　can　sleep　ten　consecutive　hours　and　take
the　next　ten　for　exploring　and　hunting；　having　the　sun　for　one
half　the　time　and　the　moons　for　the　other。〃
　　　
Bearwarden　and　Cortlandt　now　rolled　themselves　in　their　blankets
and　were　soon　asleep；　while　Ayrault；　whose　turn　it　was　to　watch
till　the　moons　rosefor　they　had　not　yet　enough　confidence　in
their　new　domain　to　sleep　in　darkness　simultaneouslyleaned　his
back　against　a　rock　and　lighted　his　pipe。　　In　the　distance　he　saw
the　torrents　of　fiery　lava　from　the　volcanoes　reflected　in　the
sky；　and　faintly　heard　their　thunderous　crashes；　while　the
fire…flies　twinkled　unconcernedly　in　the　hollow；　and　the　night
winds　swayed　the　fernlike　branches。　　Then　he　gazed　at　the　earth；
which；　but　little　above　the　horizon；　shone　with　a　faint　but
steady　ray；　and　his　mind's　eye　ran　beyond　his　natural　vision
while　he　pictured　to　himself　the　girl　of　his　heart；　wishing　that
by　some　communion　of　spirits　he　might　convey　his　thoughts　to　her；
and　receive　hers。　　It　was　now　the　first　week　of　January　on　earth。　
He　could　almost　see　her　house　and　the　snow…clad　trees　in　the
park；　and　knew　that　at　that　hour　she　was　dressing　for　dinner；　and
hoped　and　believed　that　he　was　in　her　heart。　　While　he　thus
mused；　one　moon　after　another　rose；　each　at　a　different　phase；
till　three　were　at　once　in　the　sky。　　Adjusting　the　electric
protection…　wires　that　were　to　paralyze　any　creature　that
attempted　to　come　within　the　circle；　and　would　arouse　them　by
ringing　a　bell；　he　knocked　the　ashes　from　his　pipe；　rolled
himself　in　a　blanket；　and　was　soon　asleep　beside　his　friends。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　II。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ANTECEDENTAL。
　　　
〃Come　in！〃　sounded　a　voice；　as　Dr。　Cortlandt　and　Dick　Ayrault
tapped　at　the　door　of　the　President　of　the　Terrestrial　Axis
Straightening　Company's　private　office　on　the　morning　of　the　21st
of　June；　A。　D。　2000。　　Col。　Bearwarden　sat　at　his　capacious　desk；
the　shadows　passing　over　his　face　as　April　clouds　flit　across　the
sun。　　He　was　a　handsome　man；　and　young　for　the　important　post　he
filledbeing　scarcely　fortya　graduate　of　West　Point；　with
great　executive　ability；　and　a　wonderful　engineer。　　〃Sit　down；
chappies；〃　said　he；　〃we　have　still　a　half　hour　before　I　begin　to
read　the　report　I　am　to　make　to　the　stockholders　and
representatives　of　all　the　governments；　which　is　now　ready。　　I
know　YOU　smoke；〃　passing　a　box　of　Havanas　to　the　professor。
　　　
Prof。　Cortlandt；　LL。　D。；　United　States　Government　expert；
appointed　to　examine　the　company's　calculations；　was　about　fifty；
with　a　high　forehead；　greyish　hair；　and　quick；　grey　eyes；　a
geologist　and　astronomer；　and　altogether　as　able　a　man；　in　his
own　way；　as　Col。　Bearwarden　in　his。　　Richard　Ayrault；　a　large
stockholder　and　one　of　the　ho