a journey in other worlds-第35部分

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what　shall　we　do　with　him？〃
　　　
〃I　constantly　regret　not　having　a　rifle；〃　replied　Cortlandt；
〃though　it　is　doubtful　if　even　that　would　help　us　here。〃
　　　
〃Let　us　sit　down　and　wait；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃there　may　be　an
opening　soon。〃
　　　
Anon　a　woolly　rhinoceros；　resembling　the　Rhinoceros　tichorhinus
that　existed　contemporaneously　on　earth　with　the　mammoth；　came　to
drink　the　water　that　had　partly　cooled。　　It　was　itself　a
formidable…looking　beast；　but　in　an　instant　the　monster　again
rushed　from　concealment　with　the　same　tremendous　speed。　　The
rhinoceros　turned　in　the　direction　of　the　sound；　and；　lowering
its　head；　faced　the　foe。　　The　ant's　shears；　however；　passed
beneath　the　horn；　and；　fastening　upon　the　left　foreleg；　cut　it
off　with　a　loud　snap。
　　　
〃Now　is　our　chance；〃　exclaimed　Cortlandt；　〃we　may　kill　the　brute
before　he　is　through　with　the　rhinoceros。〃
　　　
〃Stop　a　bit；　doctor；〃　said　Bearwarden。　　〃We　have　a　good　record　so
far；　let　us　keep　up　our　reputation　for　being　sports。　　Wait　till
he　can　attend　to　us。〃
　　　
The　encounter　was　over　in　less　than　a　minute；　three　of　the
rhinoceros's　legs　being　taken　off；　and　the　head　almost　severed
from　the　body。　　Taking　up　the　legs　in　its　mandibles；　the
murderous　creature　was　returning　to　its　lair；　when；　with　the　cry
of　〃Now　for　the　fray！〃　　Bearwarden　aimed　beneath　the　body　and
blew　off　one　of　the　farther　armoured　legs；　from　the　inside。　
〃Shoot　off　the　legs　on　the　same　side；〃　he　counselled　Ayrault；
while　he　himself　kept　up　a　rapid　fire。　　Cortlandt　tried　to
disconcert　the　enemy　by　raining　duck…shot　on　its　scale…　protected
eyes；　while　the　two　rifles　tore　off　great　masses　of　the　horn　that
covered　the　enormously　powerful　legs。　　The　men　separated　as　they
retreated；　knowing　that　one　slash　of　the　great　shears　would　cut
their　three　bodies　in　halves　if　they　were　caught　together。　　The
monster　had　dropped　the　remains　of　the　rhinoceros　when　attacked；
and　made　for　the　hunters　at　its　top　speed；　which　was　somewhat
reduced　by　the　loss　of　one　leg。　　Before　it　came　within　cutting
distance；　however；　another　on　the　same　side　was　gone；　Ayrault
having　landed　a　bullet　on　a　spot　already　stripped　of　armour。　
After　this　the　men　had　no　difficulty　in　keeping　out　of　its　way；
though　it　still　moved　with　some　speed；　snipping　off　young　trees
in　its　path　like　grass。　　Finally；　having　blown　the　scales　from
one　eye；　the　travellers　sent　in　a　bullet　that　exploded　in　the
brain　and　ended　its　career。
　　　
〃This　has　been　by　all　odds　the　most　exciting　hunt　we　have　had；〃
said　Ayrault；　〃both　on　account　of　the　determined　nature　and　great
speed　of　the　attack；　and　the　almost　impossibility　of　finding　a
vulnerable　spot。〃
　　　
〃Anything　short　of　explosive　bullets；〃　added　Bearwarden；　〃would
have　been　powerless　against　this　beast；　for　the　armour　in　many
places　is　nearly　a　foot　thick。〃
　　　
〃This　is　also　the　most　extraordinary　as　well　as　most　dangerous
creature　with　which　we　have；　had　to　deal；〃　said　Cortlandt；
〃because　it　is　an　enormously　enlarged　insect；　with　all　the
inherent　ferocity　and　strength。　　It　is　almost　the　exact
counterpart　of　an　African　soldier…ant　magnified　many　hundred
thousand　times。　　I　wonder；〃　he　continued　thoughtfully；　〃if　our
latter…day　insects　may　not　be　the　deteriorated　（in　point　of　size）
descendants　of　the　monsters　of　mythology　and　geology；　for　nothing
could　be　a　more　terrible　or　ferocious　antagonist　than　many　of　our
well…known　insects；　if　sufficiently　enlarged。　　No　animal　now
alive　has　more　than　a　small　fraction　of　the　strength；　in
proportion　to　its　size；　of　the　minutest　spider　or　flea。　　It　may
be　that　through　lack　of　food；　difficulties　imposed　by　changing
climate；　and　the　necessity　of　burrowing　in　winter；　or　through
some　other　conditions　changed　from　what　they　were　accustomed　to；
their　size　has　been　reduced；　and　that　the　fire…flies；　huge　as
they　seemed；　are　a　step　in　advance　of　this　specimen　in　the　march
of　deterioration　or　involution；　which　will　end　by　making　them　as
insignificant　as　those　on　earth。　　These　ants　have　probably　come
into　the　woods　to　lay　their　eggs；　for；　from　the　behaviour　of　the
animals　we　watched　from　the　turtle；　there　must　have　been　several；
or　perhaps　a　war　is　in　progress　between　those　of　a　different
colour；　as　on　earth；　in　which　case　the　woods　may　be　full　of　them。　
Doubtless　the　reason　the　turtle　seemed　so　unconcerned　at　the
general　uneasiness　of　the　animals　was　because　he　knew　he　could
make　himself　invulnerable　to　the　marauder　by　simply　closing　his
shell；　and　we　were　unmolested　because　it　did　not　occur　to　the　ant
that　any　soft…shelled　creatures　could　be　on　the　turtle's　back。〃
　　　
〃I　think；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃it　will　be　the　part　of　wisdom　to
return　to　the　Callisto；　and　do　the　rest　of　our　exploring　on
Jupiter　from　a　safe　height；　for；　though　we　succeeded　in　disabling
this　beauty；　it　was　largely　through　luck；　and　had　we　not　done　so
we　should　probably　have　provided　a　bon　bouche　for　our　deceased
friend；　instead　of　standing　at　his　grave。〃
　　　
Accordingly　they　proceeded；　and　were　delighted；　a　few　minutes
later；　to　see　the　sunlight　reflected　from　the　projectile's
polished　roof。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　X。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHANGING　LANDSCAPES。

On　reaching　the　Callisto；　Ayrault　worked　the　lock　he　had　had
placed　on　the　lower　door；　which；　to　avoid　carrying　a　key；　was
opened　by　a　combination。　　The　car's　interior　was　exactly　as　they
had　left　it；　and　they　were　glad　to　be　in　it　again。
　　　
〃Now；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃we　can　have　a　sound　and
undisturbed　sleep；　which　is　what　I　want　more　than
anything　else。　　No　prowlers　can　trouble　us　here；　and　we
shall　not　need　the　protection…wires。〃
　　　
They　then　opened　a　window　in　each　sidefor　the　large　glass
plates；　admitting　the　sun　when　closed；　made　the　Callisto　rather
warmand　placed　a　stout　wire　netting　within　them　to　keep　out
birds　and　bats；　and　then；　though　it　was　but　little　past　noon；　got
into　their　comfortable　beds　and　slept　nine　hours　at　a　stretch。　
Their　strong　metal　house　was　securely　at　rest；　receiving　the
sunlight　and　shedding　the　rain　and　dew　as　it　might　have　done　on
earth。　　No　winds　or　storms；　lightnings　or　floods；　could　trouble
it；　while　the　multiformed　monsters　of　antiquity　and　mythology
restored　in　life；　with　which　the　terrestrials　had　been　thrown
into　such　close　contact；　roamed　about　its　polished　walls。　　Not
even　the　fiercest　could　affect　them；　and　they　would　but　see
themselves　reflected　in　any　vain　assaults。　　The　domed　symmetrical
cylinder　stood　there　as　a　monument　to　human　ingenuity　and　skill；
and　the　travellers'　last　thought　as　they　fell　asleep　was；　〃Man　is
really　lord　of　creation。〃
　　　
The　following　day　at　about　noon　they　awoke；　and　had　a　bath　in　the
warm　pool。　　They　saw　the　armoured　mass　of　the　great　ant　evidently
undisturbed；　while　the　bodies　of　its　victims　were　already　shining
skeletons；　and　raised　a　small　cairn　of　stones　in　memory　of　the
struggle　they　had　had　there。
　　　
〃We　should　name　this　place　Kentucky；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃for　it　is
indeed　a　dark　and　bloody　ground；〃　and；　seeing　the　aptness　of　the
appellation；　they　entered　it　so　on　their　charts。　　While　Ayrault
got　the　batteries　in　shape　for　resuming　work。　　Bearwarden