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diff --git a/79051-0.txt b/79051-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b88012d --- /dev/null +++ b/79051-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7839 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 79051 *** + + + + + ATALANTA + + + + + ATALANTA + OR + TWELVE MONTHS IN THE + EVENING STAR + + + BY + CHARLES NAPIER RICHARDS + + + ALL RIGHTS RESERVED + + + BRIGHTON + H. & C. TREACHER, 1 NORTH STREET + LONDON + SIMPKIN MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT, & CO., LTD. + STATIONERS HALL COURT, E.C. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. THE GATHERING OF THE FRIENDS 7 + + II. A LIFE SORROW AND ITS REMEDY 13 + + III. STARTING SKYWARDS 17 + + IV. THE LUNAR PERIL 26 + + V. THE METEORIC STORM 33 + + VI. INTO THE BLACK GULF 40 + + VII. THE NORTHERN ISLAND 48 + + VIII. FIRST EXPLORATIONS 54 + + IX. ACROSS THE CENTRAL OCEAN 60 + + X. WHEN THE RAIN MIST LIFTED 67 + + XI. THE CITY AND ITS WELCOME 77 + + XII. NEEDFUL PREPARATIONS 89 + + XIII. THE FIRST ORDEAL 98 + + XIV. THE SECOND ORDEAL 109 + + XV. A TALE AT A SUPPER PARTY 120 + + XVI. MALCHON’S GOSPEL 130 + + XVII. THE PERILS OF CROSS CURRENTS 139 + + XVIII. THE FESTIVAL OF PANACLA 147 + + XIX. AN AERIAL VOYAGE WITH DIVERS EXPERIENCES 156 + + XX. THE ISLAND OF TWILIGHT 167 + + XXI. THE PEAK OF APTAURA 173 + + XXII. THE GREAT MYSTERY 177 + + XXIII. LYDON’S REVOLT 187 + + XXIV. THE DENUNCIATION AND THE RETRIBUTION 198 + + XXV. THE OLD LOVE AND THE NEW 211 + + XXVI. THE FAREWELL OF AMALONA 221 + + XXVII. THE SACRED MANUSCRIPT AND THE PRICE PAID FOR IT 228 + + XXVIII. THE MESSAGE FROM THE OBSERVATORY 241 + + XXIX. THE FEAST OF FAREWELL 253 + + XXX. THE MYSTERY THAT WAS UNSOLVED 267 + + + + + ATALANTA + + + + + CHAPTER I + + THE GATHERING OF THE FRIENDS + + +“I say, you fellows, can any of you oblige by throwing an illuminating +light on the movements of old Carmichael?” + +The question was addressed by Maurice Sheldon to a party of +undergraduates assembled in his college rooms in Cambridge, one lazy +afternoon near the end of the summer term. + +“Well,” said Gilbert Rice, after some moments of acute reflection, “the +dear old owl has taken advantage of the close of his lecture course +to take himself off to some unknown hole in Northumberland called +‘Newbiggin-on-the-Sea,’ I believe.” + +“Anxious to turn over a new leaf and make a new beginning,” ejaculated +Joe Vallance. + +“Why on earth did he stop there and not go on to Edinburgh or to the +Highlands like any sensible man?” queried Sheldon. + +“I was dangerously near suggesting that he wasn’t one, but I see +Abercromby getting ready a missile to shy at my head,” answered Gilbert +Rice, “but I don’t mind saying Carmichael is an awfully decent sort +when you really get to know him.” + +“Well, I _have_ got to know him,” retorted Frank Abercromby, with +emphasis, “and I tell you this, he is working body and soul at +something that will astonish the world when the secret is out.” + +“Stagger humanity like old Kruger,” said the teasing Vallance. “Put +some whisky into his coffee, and he will tell us all about it.” + +“I shan’t tell you anything till Carmichael gives the word. He has +gone up to that quiet spot to meet Carysfort the engineer whom some of +you know, and also Clarence Radcliffe the Oxford curate. The last is a +queer sort of a chap, rather a dreamer you know, been through an awful +lot of trouble, lost his wife during their honeymoon, but he did me +a regular good turn and I mean to stick to him. I’m going to ask him +to come and meet the Professor and the engineer and we will see if we +can’t get a bit ahead.” + +“But, my dear chap, how long is this job going to take?” said Sheldon. +“Carysfort is a pledge there will be _one_ sane person in the +enterprise, but how are you to start again for your degree?” + +“I’m not going to start again.” + +“Great Scott! are you going down after this term?” + +“I’ve no alternative. My uncle hates me, and has taken an unjust +advantage of my failing to pass to give up all further support of me.” + +“I’m awfully sorry, but what the dickens will you do?” + +“Join myself to Carysfort and the Professor.” + +“And what will _he_ do?” slyly put in Gilbert Rice. + +“Well, of all the extraordinary things I ever heard, this about beats +the record,” said Sheldon. Then he resumed-- + +“Carmichael the scientific don, whose lectures were so dry that they +well-nigh killed the Vice-Chancellor. Carysfort a hard-headed engineer, +Radcliffe a poor parson nearly knocked silly by melodrama in his +honeymoon, and you Abercromby--well, present company always excepted +you know--meeting to carry on some work in Northumbria about which our +distinguished selves are for an indefinite time to know nothing,” and +he finished with the most expressive of gestures. + +“I think we had better go a walk to Cherry Hinton,” said Joe Vallance; +“won’t you come with us, Abercromby?” + +“No, comrades of a bygone day,” said Abercromby, with a distinct catch +in his voice, “I have a less pleasurable duty to do: to pack my box.” + +“Well, I’m beastly sorry,” said Gilbert Rice, “hope the clouds will +roll by soon, old fellow.” + + * * * * * + +A few weeks later a small group of friends were seated in the parlour +of a house in a lonely situation facing the North Sea, a few hundred +yards from St. Bartholomew’s Point at Newbiggin. The July sun was +setting in splendour and the watery expanse was calm as a lake. The +Professor had placed upon the table a small model, shaped after the +fashion of a submarine boat constructed of a greyish-white substance, +divided into several tiny compartments and pointed at the end with a +steel prow. + +“Gentlemen,” said the Professor, “I will ask my good friend Mr. +Carysfort to explain to you in outline the significance of what you now +see.” + +“Well, gentlemen,” answered the engineer, “this is only a small model, +but the first step is often the most important, and it will certainly +be so, we trust, in this case. This machine is capable of doing more +than solving the problem of aerial navigation. It is an airship and +can be used as such by the action of the revolving fans, but it can +do more. When there is no air sufficient for the fans to beat, it can +still go onward farther and farther from the earth. You know that in +theory any particle of attraction can be converted into a particle +of repulsion whereby the law of gravitation may be suspended for an +adequate time. But the practical difficulty has been to find a power +that will effect this change. The power has been found. A new substance +has been discovered by the joint labour of the Professor and myself, +two new chemical elements both having certain affinities with radium, +which can, by the help of electric energy, impart to this model, or to +a machine of larger size, the power to resist the gravitation force +of the earth until we are sufficiently far away from it to fall into +some other centre of attraction. This simply means that the secret of +interplanetary communication has been solved.” + +The others listened in profound silence. Then Clarence Radcliffe said: +“How long will it take to construct a machine on the requisite scale +and finish?” + +“About two years at the most,” answered Carysfort, “but I hope a less +time will suffice.” + +“And where the dickens are we going?” asked Abercromby. “To the moon, +I suppose, first, and then onwards to Mars. Mars seems to be the goal +of scientific enterprise just now.” + +“I shall not go to Mars,” replied the Professor; “we know as much about +Mars already as we can ever hope to know without actually visiting +it. People rave about the canals, but that semi-arctic planet, which +I do not believe is inhabited after all, has little interest for me. +But there is a planet equal in size to our own earth, much nearer to +us than Mars, aglow with light and probably with life. We are going +to Venus. This is the enterprise which will enrich humanity with the +larger knowledge. You can get a map of Mars with all the continents +named, but no one ever drew a map of Venus. No one ever will except he +goes there.” + +“What is to be approximately the speed of the machine?” said Radcliffe. + +“Ten miles a second when we are in the airless void,” replied +Carysfort, “but we can regulate our speed at will when it becomes +advisable to do so. The distance to be travelled is between +twenty-three and twenty-seven millions, according to the precise +positions of the two planets. Mars is never less than thirty-five +millions and that only once in about fifteen years; its ordinary +minimum of nearness is at least forty-eight millions.” + +“How many people will the machine be constructed to hold?” said +Abercromby in a rather excited tone. + +The Professor hesitated, then he slowly replied, “For myself, my +servant Jackson, Carysfort, and one other.” There was a moment’s +pause, then the Professor looked fixedly at Abercromby. + +“May I take a turn with you on the sands?” asked Abercromby, his face +somewhat flushed. + +The Professor assented, leaving Radcliffe talking with the engineer. +The two others opened the garden gate and stepped out on to the fine +dry sands for which Newbiggin is famous. + +“Come, my friend,” said the Professor, “you must not take refuge in +shyness, but to end all dispute, I want _you_. You have had rough luck, +and you are just the young fellow whose services an older man like me +would gladly enlist.” + +“Professor,” said Abercromby, “I am awfully keen on the work, few could +be more so, but I will give up my share to the man who saved me from a +beastly scrape when I was visiting Oxford.” + +“I know to what you refer,” replied Carmichael a little impatiently; +“some rascal accused you of stealing one of the inter-Varsity athletic +prizes, and Radcliffe cleared you by unmasking the real culprit. No one +rejoiced more than I, but I cannot see why this should cut you out of +the greatest enterprise ever attempted by man.” + +“Have you heard of Radcliffe’s awful trial?” + +“Not full particulars.” + +“Well, I will tell you all I know, and then you will see that the only +chance of saving him from utter shipwreck lies in giving him a new +object in life.” + +“Will the story take long in the telling?” + +“Ten minutes.” + +“Drive ahead then.” + + + + + CHAPTER II + + A LIFE SORROW AND ITS REMEDY + + +“I’m not going to pile on the agony, but will just give you the main +facts. + +“He was curate at one of the Oxford churches, after taking a good +degree in his special department. Well, he cycles over to Chipping +Norton in the summer term, rescues a lady from the grip of a loafing +tramp, gets invited to the house, a country rectory a mile or so from +the town. She thinks him a paladin, of course; he thinks her an angel +equally of course. They get head over ears; the old parson hesitates +at first but consents. So he is married in the village church to May +Lilian Carnforth. I do soberly believe that no two human beings ever so +loved each other since marriage was instituted.” + +“Five minutes gone,” said the Professor dryly. + +“They went on their honeymoon to Barmouth. They had not been there long +before she began to lose her admiration of him, though he kept his +admiration of her. At last they had a row; I don’t know what it was +about, some utterly trivial matter probably. She declared she would +not go an excursion up the river to Dolgelly with him as had been +planned. He said in anger she might go by herself, knowing that this +was practically impossible. She flounced out of the house and went +across the road to her cousin, Miss Amy Vereker, who was staying in +the place. Radcliffe saw them go off together. Miss Vereker was expert +at the oar. He thought it best to let them go by themselves. It was an +ideal day for a river or sea trip. He waved his hand to his wife as she +turned the corner, but she gave no response. To cut the ghastly story +short, the boat was upset near Penmaen Pool. Amy Vereker just narrowly +saved her life, May Lilian Radcliffe was drowned. No one will ever know +exactly what happened; it was held at the inquest that the boat grated +upon a rock in mid-stream. Radcliffe came home alone, and resumed his +work. He is said to have preached better, but I only heard him once. +His subject was ‘The Wilderness,’ and though I am a graceless scamp, +and likely to remain so, I had a jolly old cry when I came out.” + +The Professor stood silent. At last he said, “We will go back to the +house; I will speak to Radcliffe.” + +The party were still assembled in the parlour inspecting and admiring +the model machine. Honest Tom Jackson, who had been the Professor’s +faithful servant for years, was just saying, “It looks so nice that +it’s a pity we can’t get into it and start at once. It’s a deal of +polishing I’ll be after when I gets into the real one. I’ll keep it as +bright as a new pin.” + +“Mr. Radcliffe,” said the Professor, “I shall be pleased to offer you +a place in our expedition. You will be a most welcome addition to our +party if you choose to cast in your lot with us.” + +“I have often wished to die,” said Radcliffe, whose eyes shone with +a strange lustre, “but you have offered me something nobler. But I +am a minister and I do not know how far my beliefs may be in accord +with yours. I am also a man crushed to the very ground with a sorrow +that nothing can ever eradicate but the Mansions of the Blest, which +even the ancient Egyptians believed in, and to which I wish to go some +day for a special purpose. Ought such a man as I to travel with those +whose energies are fresh and unimpaired? But if we ever reach Venus +and find intelligent life upon its surface you must give me a free +hand, provided I do not compromise your safety. I place myself at your +disposal, gentlemen.” + +“My dear chap, just come along and see what there is to be seen,” said +Abercromby cheerfully. “I shall often think of you, and hope that the +bigger sun of Venus may shine upon your dream and your work. Don’t go +on to Mercury, mind!” + +The whole party laughed, but upon the face of Radcliffe there was a +grave and troubled look of enquiry. “You are coming of course,” he said. + +“No room--given up my berth in the asteroid to you, old fellow.” + +“Then I decline,” said Radcliffe promptly. + +“Beg pardon, gentlemen,” broke in Jackson, “but why couldn’t we put on +an extra bit to the machine, and have the two? One will dance to the +natives up there, and the tother will preach to ’em.” + +“I shall do it,” said the Professor; “it will cost very little more. +They shall both go. As to the matter of beliefs, I don’t choose to let +every bystander know my mind. Mr. Radcliffe’s may be old-fashioned, but +they have contrived to carry him through what might have wrecked other +men. A new world will probably put a number of things on a sounder +footing, though it may knock others on the head. Carysfort and myself +have not studied theology, we are simply thinkers with open minds. +If there are any people in Venus to teach, teach them all you can, +and learn from them all you can. You are a scholar and a philosophic +dreamer as well as being an old-fashioned believer. I knew a parson +very like yourself, he was the straitest of the strait, but when I +got him out of the pulpit for a little private talk, I never met so +daring a speculatist in my life. But he kept his speculations as +speculations, and he gave his people only his convictions. But I am +on the sermonising warpath myself, and will pull up. You are welcome +amongst us, and are now one of us.” + +“I’m a man of few words,” said the engineer, “but I’m right glad to +have both you and Mr. Abercromby. We could not afford to dispense with +either of you.” + +“From the depths of my grateful heart I thank you,” said Radcliffe in a +broken voice. + +“Well, it is about time we had some tea,” suggested Abercromby; “all +the rest of the business is settled _nem. con._ I always find it safe +to abbreviate _my_ Latin.” + + + + + CHAPTER III + + STARTING SKYWARDS + + +Two years have passed away since the meeting at Newbiggin described in +the last chapter. They have been years of varied and incessant toil, +research, forethought, and preparation. + +The Professor continued his scientific lectures in Cambridge for one +more academic year and took a house for the vacation at Cullercoats. +Carysfort stuck to his old quarters near to Newbiggin, where his +workshops were erected. Abercromby kept with him, working like a dock +labourer, as the engineer used often to say. Radcliffe held on to +his curacy at Oxford and drew crowds, at least so Abercromby always +declared, for when he could spare himself a holiday he ran down to +see him. His rector, a man notorious for his orthodoxy though his +sympathies ran in a somewhat different channel, would have been much +startled had he known the character of the studies in which his curate +delighted. + +Many works that bore on astronomy and kindred subjects were to be found +in his library, and once a person, happening to drop in, casually +remarked that the undergraduate who had evidently left his books behind +him when he went down must have been a man of wide reading. + +Study is generally supposed to make a man pale and thin, but upon the +curate it had a contrary effect. He seemed, as time went on, to get +better and stronger. He sunk the whole of his private means in his +friends’ enterprise, and supported himself for the last few months on +the merest pittance. + +One bright June evening he and Abercromby met on the railway platform +at Cullercoats. They walked together to Beverley Terrace and had tea +and supper with the Professor and Carysfort. + +“Matters are approaching a crisis, old man,” said Abercromby. “The +Professor tells me we must pack our week-end boxes in a month, in fact, +to be precise, July 22nd is the day fixed.” + +A spasm of pain shot across Radcliffe’s face but he only said, “I will +be ready.” + +“Write me down an ass,” said Abercromby. “We must alter the date, +Professor.” + +“Quite so,” answered Carmichael. “Venus is approaching the minimum +distance, but a margin of ten days could be allowed.” + +“There shall not be a margin of ten minutes as far as I am concerned,” +replied Radcliffe. “After all, it is best for me that I should bid an +eternal farewell to this earth on that date. It has been chosen for me, +and I accept it.” + +“Let me tell you how matters stand,” said Carysfort. “We had our +trial trip last night. It was quite dark, there was no moon, so we +could start unobserved. We passed over Rothbury at a height of about +two miles, then we drifted towards Newcastle, and when we were over +Ponteland we soared straight towards the zenith. We saw the sun rise +in the east, and then found that our most difficult task was to get +back again before it rose over the Tyne. We were quite outside the +atmosphere and saw the earth at a rather unusual altitude. It was a bit +ghastly I allow, but we knew already we had succeeded.” + +“Abercromby was splendid,” said the Professor; “he stood in the outer +balcony in that rarefied atmosphere till I had to drag him in.” + +“I drew the line at going off pop,” said Abercromby, “because I +naturally felt that though I might be of little use at the best of +times, yet if by chance I burst I might even be less.” + +“Did any people see you as you descended?” asked Radcliffe. + +“Only two bounders walking in from Woodhorn, and though it was barely +six o’clock they had both been tippling. They ran down the road +screaming, but we put on speed and were safe over the garden wall and +our machine in its proper place before they could do any harm. It was a +near shave though, and we have voted for no more trips till the final +start.” + +“What I have chiefly feared,” said the Professor, “was that some +meddling Government official would insist upon knowing what we were +about. However, being in England, I knew I was in the easiest place +to destroy the British Empire if I desired so to do, as nobody would +believe it of me, and everybody would think it uncharitable to say +it of me, so I had no bother except from the surveyor of taxes. It +happened that some patriotic gentleman not very far off was perfecting +an airship to render England invulnerable to the Germans, but many +liberal-minded clergymen and laymen think he would show a more broad +spirit of Christianity if he gave it to the Kaiser. Thanks to this good +man I have been much less an object of curiosity than I might have +been.” + +“Suppose we just take a stroll on the Tynemouth sands and talk over +details,” said Carysfort. “To-morrow, if you can stay, you must come +with us to Newbiggin and inspect the machine for yourself. Full +particulars must wait until then.” + +Radcliffe assented with pleasure. They strolled along as far as they +could, talking and discussing, while a band was playing “All in the +hush of twilight,” and a negro minstrel performance was going on near +the Palace Pier. There was a sort of open-air concert, two vocalists +having sung “Beauty’s home, Killarney,” and “Phil the Fluter’s Ball,” +sang “Love launched a fairy boat.” The people encored and they sang it +again. Radcliffe stood listening, and only Frank Abercromby noticed +that his eyes were full of tears. Carysfort, who voted the whole +proceedings a deadly nuisance, at last pulled him away, and resumed +discussions upon mathematics and locomotion. + +After supper the party had a further walk along the Cullercoats +promenade and then retired to rest in readiness for a visit to +Newbiggin in the early hours of the morning. + +The party were gathered in due course before the great steel-grey +machine with its fans, its balconies, and its long steel prow. They +mounted the short ladder that gave access to the interior, which +consisted of an upper-deck dining-room lighted with electricity, with +large windows, the glass of which was protected by steel shutters +easily workable and short steel projections. There was a long table in +the centre with chairs, around the thickly padded walls ran couches and +divans, and in recesses various collections of books, instruments of +all kinds, and other articles, each firmly secured to the wall. + +Below the dining-room, approached by a hatchway, were small cabins +with comfortable hammocks, and, below these, the engine-room and the +store-rooms. At one end of the dining-room a flight of steps with +protecting hand-rail led to the conning-tower where the upper steering +apparatus was fixed, communicating with electric bells with the lower +duplicate steering apparatus in the engine-room. There was direct +communication by bells and telephones with each several part of the +machine. + +In order that nothing useful might be forgotten, each member, every +four months, wrote out a list of necessary and desirable things and +sent them in to the Professor. Twice over the list was carefully +revised. Abercromby reminded them one day that the only thing he +could think of was to give a name to the machine, and they decided to +christen her the “Asteroid.” + + * * * * * + +At six o’clock on the evening of July 22nd the whole company was +assembled in the parlour of the lonely house at Newbiggin. It was a +close thunderous summer evening, the sea had scarce a ripple, and the +air was most oppressively still. + +Abercromby in vain tried to revive their spirits by his jokes and +sallies, but a solemn sadness hung over the company, yet combining with +it an emotion of undaunted resolve. + +“Now, friends and comrades,” said the Professor, “I propose in an +hour’s time that we take final possession of the Asteroid. The work +of cutting loose from our moorings will, even then, occupy a certain +while, but I suggest that we start skywards at eight p.m. + +“Now it is my duty to say that I offer a final opportunity to any one, +if he has the least misgivings, to draw back; I shall think none the +worse of him. We are sensible men, and we must for the last time look +difficulties in the face ere we are committed beyond recall.” + +“There are no difficulties,” retorted Abercromby. + +“Pardon me, my dear fellow, but that is nonsense. To begin with, we +run the risk of our motive force failing us or going wrong, in which +case we should fall back at ruinous speed upon the earth, and be either +burned to cinders in its atmosphere or pulverised upon its surface. +Then we have a struggle to wage against the attractive force of the +sun, and I need not point out what sort of death will await us that way. + +“Supposing we get near to Venus, we have to encounter the fall upon its +surface, which, with all our care, may be deadly. Once arrived, we may +find its air unbreathable, and its heat too great for human life. Its +people may capture us and deprive us of our machine, thus preventing +us for ever from returning home; and they may even torture us and +kill us. Then we have the terrors of the return journey, which are of +a precisely similar kind to those of the outward, with the possible +variation that we may find a lunatic asylum awaiting us in the place of +an international welcome. These are the odds: ponder them for the last +time.” + +“I have pondered them over and over again,” said Carysfort, “and for me +they have no terrors.” + +“I object to no item in the Professor’s black list except the +terrestrial lunatic asylum,” said Abercromby, “and we have only to +avoid British territory, and, being true Britons, we shall be sure of a +hearty welcome.” + +“To me the journey to Venus is but the prelude to a longer journey,” +replied Clarence Radcliffe, “but, till my work is done, I shall not ask +to die. I have risen superior to that, chiefly through the kindness of +you, my brothers.” + +“Jackson, what have you to say?” said the Professor. + +“Bless you, sir! I’ll just be after going where you go, and if the +Lord brings us all safe back I’ll tell the folks at home that I’ve +been and gone and had a real good time of it. But you must leave me +the polishing-up of the machine, sir. You’ll do the steering, and I +the scrubbing. When I laid my old mother to rest in Elton churchyard I +buried the last who would miss me, and I thought as how I would like to +go clear away, only you are taking me a bit farther than I reckoned.” + +“Well done, honest Tom,” said Carysfort. “If every master had as good a +helper as Carmichael has in you, there would be a little more sensible +work carried out in this spoiled land of ours.” + +“Just one word, Professor,” put in Abercromby. “If things go all right, +how long do you mean to stay away?” + +“Only a few months if Venus is not inhabited, two or three years if +it is,” replied the Professor. “I have written out a full and concise +account of our intentions and shall leave it behind me. I have also +addressed a letter to the Home Secretary. Of course the secret of our +discovery is carefully guarded, but I have told who we are and where +we are going. I have left full instructions as to my property and this +packet shall be posted as soon as you have all signed your names to it. +Another shall be sent to the Mayor of Newcastle, and a third shall be +left on the table. And now we had better sign, as we are all agreed.” + +This having been done, the two postal packets were sent off. Radcliffe +asked that they should invoke the Divine blessing upon their +enterprise, to which all consented, and then they silently left the +house, and proceeded to the place, sheltered behind high walls, where +the Asteroid was poised ready for its vast and thrilling flight. + +Abercromby remarked that they had not as many to see them start as +Columbus or Sir John Franklin had, to which fact the Professor yielded +the most hearty and even cheerful assent. + +The final preparations took up a shorter time than was expected, and +at 7.30 p.m. on that cloudy July evening Carmichael took his post in +the conning-tower; the others stood upon the outer balcony, Abercromby +assuring the Professor that as soon as they had got outside the earth’s +atmosphere he would button up his greatcoat and leisurely come in. + +“Farewell to England!” said the engineer simply. “May we find our +country a little more open to common sense when we come back.” + +Jackson evidently thought that Mr. Frank would give them a colossal +joke at the moment of starting, but perhaps, unknown to himself, the +power to do so failed him at the last moment. He put his arm through +Clarence Radcliffe’s and said, “Say something for me, old chap; I’m +hanged if I can.” + +“May God bless all in the world who are in sorrow, and may we bring +them back something to help them,” answered Radcliffe. + +“Start the car, Professor, or I shall make an ass of myself,” sung out +Abercromby. “No, hold hard, please. Tom has got a last message for the +old country.” + +“God save the King,” said Jackson, pulling off his cap. + +“Most correct and admirable,” replied Abercromby; “nothing could be +less open to hostile criticism. Now, Professor, if Nelson were here he +would tell us that every man’s duty was to fly. Go ahead, and just give +us a peep of Northumbria before we finally vanish.” + +A moment more and Newbiggin, from the old church on the wave-worn +promontory to the Eagle Rocks, lay many hundreds of feet below them. + + + + + CHAPTER IV + + THE LUNAR PERIL + + +Within a few minutes the travellers had entered the thick veil of the +clouds, and were forced to beat a speedy retreat into the shelter of +the upper deck. Rain poured down, there was a sharp flash of lightning +followed by a rattling peal of thunder. Carmichael increased the speed, +and soon the cloud region was traversed and they climbed higher and +higher into the star-spangled night. Soon the lights at the entrance +of the Tyne came into view, and a dull illumination to the west showed +them the busy hive of Newcastle. Gradually it became impossible to make +out even the largest objects originated by man, but the great grey +landscape opened and widened; they could see the Cumberland Mountains, +and the crescent moon, now wondrously brilliant, lit up the sea beyond. + +Presently England itself became a dark grey patch girt with the silvery +sea, and then the countries of Europe almost took the form of a model +map, only it wanted the daylight to illuminate it. + +Carmichael now insisted that the whole party should come within, and he +did not need to employ arguments. Already they were choking and gasping +and nearly benumbed with cold. Just as they entered, Carysfort having +hermetically sealed the partition, they saw a broad fan of light flash +out upon the eastern horizon, and the sun rose and bathed the enormous +circle of the earth with his rosy-tinted rays. Trailing belts of clouds +hung over Russia and Eastern Siberia, but over India and mid-China the +weather was resplendent. + +“There is Mount Everest,” said Carysfort, pointing to a snow-white +hillock, as it looked to them, “nearly 30,000 feet high, five miles and +more. What would Major Everest have said, when he was measuring it by +trigonometry in 1847, if he could have seen it as we see it!” + +“We are 170 miles already,” said Carmichael. “I am going to double +speed, so prepare for a surprise.” + +Every minute now made a perceptible difference. At last the circle of +the entire globe was seen, the heavens gradually turned from dark blue +to black, the stars shone out, the sun’s rays began to blaze like a +fiery corona, all grew silent and still, the faintest apparent motion +ceased, the earth seemed every few minutes to shrink to a smaller +circle, while the moon, which hung in space, appeared to grow in size +and splendour. + +The awful spectacle daunted even the brave men who had dared everything +to behold it. Even Abercromby and Carysfort averted their faces from +the window. Radcliffe alone stood with folded arms in a state of +abstraction. + +“I shall now quadruple the electric pressure,” said Carmichael; “the +sooner we get used to these things the better.” + +The Professor was just about to put his decision into practice when +Radcliffe stopped him by suggesting that this might be a unique +opportunity for solving the problem of the terrestrial polar regions. + +A powerful telescope was soon fixed into position and each in turn made +full use of it. The result was not very satisfactory. The North Pole +was so hidden in clouds and vapour that it was well-nigh impossible to +form a verdict. With the South Pole it was different. They could see a +ring of white mountains with Mounts Erebus and Terror clearly visible, +but beyond was an antarctic continent with a greyish patch in the +centre just at the Pole itself. But it gave them no evidence of being +inhabited. + +The moon was shining to the left of them, considerably larger in size +than it appears from the earth. Carysfort raised the question whether +it was worth while to attempt a landing upon it. The question was +decided in the negative. They would pass near enough to solve that +problem of the outer or invisible side of the disk which is never seen +by man. + +The Professor told them that they would cross the lunar orbit in two +hours’ time, when they would pass it at a distance of about 11,500 +miles. + +“I dare not risk our great enterprise in the attempt to alight upon a +small world which the best science of our times has pronounced to be +airless, waterless, and lifeless,” said the Professor. “To land upon a +world without an atmosphere would be a most dangerous undertaking, and +we could do no exploring when we got there, but would have to remain +cooped up in our machine. We could not sail over its surface, for we +should have no atmosphere in which the fans could work. If we had made +up our minds to go there, we would have faced the risks and prepared +accordingly; but we have something far more important lying before us.” + +“I read in a book while at Oxford,” said Radcliffe, “that earth and +moon should not be regarded as planet and satellite, but rather as two +stars revolving around each other.” + +“Precisely so,” answered the Professor. “It is absurd to liken the moon +to one of the satellites of Jupiter or Saturn. A planet of 90,000 miles +in diameter may have five small worlds gravitating around him, but a +world of less than 8000 miles cannot, strictly speaking, regard a world +of 2200 miles as a humble dependent.” + +“Was the moon ever a part of the earth, and did it fill the bed of the +present Pacific Ocean before it was split asunder?” asked Abercromby. + +“My dear fellow, you announce the most astounding theories as though +they were ordinary facts,” said the Professor. + +“Of course I do. I want to beat Radcliffe at astronomy, and to +anticipate his speculations.” + +“I was not there to see,” replied Carmichael. “That there is something +very peculiar about the relationships of earth and moon, different to +other bodies in the solar system, I readily grant. Mars, for instance, +being a small planet, has two microscopic satellites, but there is no +satellite that bears any such proportion to its primary as the moon +does. I hardly believe in the disruptive theory; I am more disposed +to think that the moon and the earth were always independent, and +that perhaps the moon got caught by the earth’s attraction and was +henceforth chained by it.” + +Jackson here appeared upon the scene and enquired if there were any +orders for supper. Abercromby disputed the title and declared it must +be breakfast as the sun was shining with unpleasant brilliancy. + +“When we are well clear of the moon we will certainly have a good +square meal, but it is not worth while, for the sake of this, to come +to a disastrous collision,” said Carmichael. + +A cup of coffee and some biscuits were handed round to each, and then +the whole party resorted to the windows. Speed was increased and the +Asteroid made direct for the orbit of the moon, but carefully avoided +a heading of the prow towards her. The circle of the lunar globe was +becoming every few minutes wider till it greatly exceeded in dimensions +the apparent size of the earth. + +The Professor drew out a large map of the lunar disk and they could +see for themselves how accurate it was. Slowly, as it seemed to them, +the great orb turned upon its axis, and, as the minimum distance was +reached, the outer hemisphere gradually outspread itself. There was +nothing notably different from the earthward side. There were the +same chain of mountains, the same circular ramparts, the same extinct +craters, the same desolate stony plains. The only difference that could +be noticed, if any, was that the outer side of the moon bore less +manifest traces of violent convulsion, the heights and depths were on +a slightly smaller scale. There was one large plain near the equator +which might in earlier ages have been a fertile undulating country, or +even the bed of an ocean. + +“Well, this finally disposes of the theory of existing lunar races,” +said the engineer. + +“With our powerful instruments and looking through an airless void, we +should see traces of human handiwork had there ever been any,” observed +Radcliffe. “What an awful world, a veritable picture of hell. Wherever +the sun’s rays fall direct there is insufferable heat; wherever you +step out of them, only by a few yards, insufferable cold. Hell is the +easiest place to find in all the universe.” + +“I have always thought so,” quietly answered Carysfort. “We do not know +all the secrets of the black gulfs of space. Outside the Milky Way, for +instance, in what astronomers call the ‘Coal Pit,’ what is there?” + +“But all here is brilliant sunlight,” protested Abercromby. “Where are +the black gulfs?” + +“The first begins outside the solar system, between our sun and Alpha +Centauri, said to be the nearest of the fixed stars,” remarked the +Professor. “When our sun had become a tiny star, and Alpha Centauri, +though you rushed at it with the speed of light, kept you waiting for a +three years’ journey before it even gave you a visible disk to look at, +there would be time for days of darkness, and many of them. I am not +a theologian, I am a pure scientific thinker, but I do not put all my +thoughts on the table. I only give them when asked.” + +“Come, I say, we shall be feeling ghastly if this subject goes on. +Suppose, now that we are clear of that uncanny moon, we have a meal,” +said Abercromby. “I am fast getting like the boy who, when his father +at the parish tea told him he must eat for to-morrow as well as to-day, +informed his dad that he had not done eating for yesterday yet!” + +“Well, my frivolous young man,” said the engineer, “Jackson will no +doubt appease us, but do not be always putting serious subjects aside.” + +Abercromby was just going to acknowledge the engineer’s rebuke when +he happened to look round and, finding a pretext for evading the +necessity, suddenly called out, “Why the moon has slipped down right +under our feet!” + +The Professor gave a startled cry, and dashed up the steps into the +conning-tower. + +“What the deuce has happened?” said Abercromby, turning pale. + +“We are falling,” said the engineer. + + + + + CHAPTER V + + THE METEORIC STORM + + +For a moment or two Carysfort and the others stood in tense silence. +The Professor raised the electric pressure to the maximum, ten miles +a second. He was only just in time--a minute more and no motive force +could have availed against the lunar attraction. + +Even as it was Carmichael did not breathe freely when the distance +increased until it became evident that the increase was multiplying +itself in widening proportions. + +“Well, we had run ourselves into a ghastly hole,” said the engineer. “I +wonder when the next will confront us?” + +“Some millions of miles onwards when we have our big tussle with the +sun,” replied the Professor. “My plan will be to slow down somewhat +till we cut the orbit of Venus, and then try to pursue our path along +it, instead of crossing it; we shall travel slower than the planet and +we can let it overtake us.” + +“Where is Mercury?” asked Radcliffe. + +“Circling round the other side of the sun,” answered the Professor. “It +will not add to our dangers, for it will not interpose its attraction +to pull us sunwards for several weeks.” + +As soon as the distance from the moon made any danger from that source +negligible, the party sat down to their first regular meal in the +dining-room. Conversation flowed freely now that the danger was passed. +They spent the time in mapping out the programme of their life on the +Asteroid before they should near Venus. They made an artificial chart +of day and night, allotting sixteen hours to work and study, and eight +hours to repose. Two were always to mount guard during the rest time; +one to steer, the other to watch. + +The Professor advised that the first thing to be done was for him and +the engineer to give the rest of the party full instructions as to the +use of the machinery and the guidance of the machine. Every one would +then be available and every hand ready in a moment of crisis. When off +duty each was left free to pass his time exactly as he liked, though +Carmichael insisted that all should take exercise at stated intervals, +and Abercromby put in practice a series of gymnastics on a small scale, +and used to make Radcliffe, of all people, take a prominent part in +them. Chess was a source of pleasurable interest. All the party worked +together in perfect harmony and brotherliness, except for one passing +incident which produced a transient unpleasantness. + +Abercromby one day when seated at lunch asked the Professor if he +thought they would find Venus a feminine or a masculine world. + +“Nonsense!” said Carmichael, a little irritably, for his views about +the fair sex were well known to the Cambridge men to be the reverse +of complimentary. “There is no such thing as a feminine planet. The +very idea is only mythology and legend. Of course Venus is supposed +to be the planet of love, and Mars the planet of war, but that is all +classical rubbish, you know.” + +“Of course,” assented Carysfort; “but we shall have to keep a sharp +look-out on this young man if by any luck the inhabitants of Venus were +all or mostly women.” + +“Luck!” exclaimed the Professor. “Good heavens! I should start back to +the earth at once. But I do really think, though I know Abercromby will +bark at me, that a parson I once met spoke near the truth when he said +it was easier to reach the heart of a man than the heart of a woman.” + +“You cannot reach any heart till you possess the key to it, and that +you may, alas! sometimes mistake,” answered Radcliffe; adding hotly, +“If this conversation is carried any further I shall leave the room.” + +“I vote the parson, whoever he was, a donkey,” said Abercromby, “and as +he is not here the remark will have a soothing effect upon our agitated +nerves.” + +“Let it drop, as we are not likely to agree,” replied the Professor. +Radcliffe, however, quietly left the room. + +“Well,” said Carysfort, “there is no accounting for some people; +we shall have two to look after when we get to this incomparable +planet. Abercromby will fall in love with the first female savage +he meets, unless she brings his courtship to an abrupt close, and +Radcliffe--well, he will probably do the last thing that we expect he +_will_ do.” + +This was the first and only time that the inhabitants of Venus were +discussed on the romantic side; all agreeing that it would be best to +postpone the question till they got there. + +But a tremendous excitement, and an acute danger, was at hand, which +stopped all talk on any subject for a good while. When they were about +eight millions of miles from the earth--about a third part of their +journey, the engineer sighted with his telescope a large comet with a +small nucleus, with a fiery train of meteorites spread out in sparkling +streams, fan-shaped, and radiating in various directions. The object +was but small, and at first it was not easy to trace the exact course +which it was taking. The Professor thought it would pass some twenty +thousand miles from them, and that they would be in no way affected +by it. But as the hours went on the situation grew exceedingly grave, +for it became evident that the cometary train might nearly, if not +actually, cross their path. Moreover, the mass of burning meteors +constantly grew in apparent size, and presented a fiery barrier +actually looming before them. + +All the party were on the alert, and both the Professor and the +engineer went to the conning-tower and took a united part in the +steering. + +“Are we going to be set on fire, or what is to happen?” said Abercromby +in a serious tone. “We seem to be heading straight for a volcanic +eruption.” + +“The fire cannot reach us except by direct collision,” answered +Radcliffe. “What I fear is that the meteorites will bombard us and +damage the roof and sides of the Asteroid.” + +A little later and the danger approached still nearer. It was a +veritable meteoric storm into which they seemed rushing with blind +speed. The burning meteors did not, of course, in the void of space +burn steadily, but only kindled when they came into collision with each +other. Then outbursts of many coloured fires lighted up the gulf of +space, some burning for a few minutes, others dying out in a heap of +calcined ashes which almost immediately became invisible. Fortunately, +they were able to avoid the full brunt of the storm, the nucleus of the +comet passing at a considerable distance ahead of them, but they had to +endure several nerve-shaking concussions. + +Once the Asteroid was struck in the prow and a small amount of +damage done. Once a meteoric stone glanced obliquely from the roof, +leaping into flames as it did so. The Asteroid was coated over with +a fire-proof asbestos substance, and to this they largely owed their +safety. Two masses showing up dark against the sun’s rays bore down +upon them, but before they could reach them they struck one another and +two dark bodies formed instantly one blazing mass; this resolved itself +into a fiery mist which rotated rapidly upon its new-formed axis. + +All this while the Professor and the engineer stuck to their posts with +white set faces, for they well knew the awfulness of the peril. When it +was over, and the heavens had resumed their wonted tranquillity, they +left the conning-tower and joined the others upon the upper deck. + +“We have been almost wrecked,” said Carysfort. “Every moment I thought +we were going to be smashed up. I repeated two little prayers my mother +taught me, keeping my hand on the machinery all the time.” + +“That is just the right combination,” said Radcliffe. “Work as if all +depended upon yourself; pray as if all depended upon Another.” + +“You saw a world created, I suppose,” said Carmichael. + +“What in the name of all that is astounding do you mean?” said +Abercromby, staring at him. + +“Why, my friend, when those two meteors collided and formed one fiery +mass, that is how the thing is done,” answered the Professor. + +Radcliffe then said: “You know these matters better than I do, +gentlemen, but have we not seen a way in which science, which tells us +that the sun will die and the earth be a cold corpse, may be right in +the abstract but wrong in fact. Suppose a much larger mass of meteors +falls into the sun, might he not renew his youth and the other planets +theirs?” + +“When the Arab vows perpetual fidelity to his ladylove in the Eastern +song he swears to be true + + Till the stars grow old, + Till the sun grows cold, + Till the leaves of the Judgment book unfold.” + +The remark was Abercromby’s, who thought it more cheerful to sing it. + +Radcliffe, ignoring the poetic interpolation, went on: “Is it not +feasible that the world may be ended some day by a sudden accession to +the sun’s heat through collision of the sun with an extinct star, or +the invasion of the solar system by a fire mist, and that afterwards +may come a new order of things?” + +“‘Death is the gate of life,’ so the proverb runs,” put in the engineer. + +“I do not dispute the possibility of these and similar theories proving +true,” said Carmichael slowly. “That human affairs may be wound up by +a blow from outer space is a proposition to which any thinking man +will agree; but don’t be in a hurry to try to make science square with +the Bible--watch, wait, gather facts, and patiently build up your +conclusions about them. Solomon and the Roman Pliny, the Eastern king +and the classical gentleman, had one great merit, they _observed_. +Parsons and scientists are always apt to rush to conclusions, one +pretty nearly as much as the other. The theories of to-day may be the +laughing-stock of to-morrow, but the patient labour of to-day may +be the heritage of to-morrow. I have now preached two lay sermons, +Radcliffe, one to you, the other to myself.” + +“Then, Professor, you must be feeling pretty well used up,” said +Abercromby. “Suppose we have a cup of tea. Wellington is not in it, for +he never fought a comet in mid-skies and preached twice afterwards.” + +Tom, with a grin upon his honest face, put the tea-things on the table +and announced with immaculate gravity, “Tea is ready, gentlemen.” + + + + + CHAPTER VI + + INTO THE BLACK GULF + + +The peril from the solar attraction did not prove as great as they had +feared. Carmichael had chosen the most favourable moment for leaving +the earth, when Venus would be travelling directly towards them, and +would interpose as a shield between them and the sun. + +Before the new orbit was reached they slackened their speed, and +that things were going well was soon evident by the planet appearing +beneath them as a gradually brightening star in the depths of space. +Many anxious hours and many elaborate mathematical calculations had +to be spent and taken before the Professor and the engineer felt able +to communicate reassuring news. Not till they had got within five +millions of miles from Venus did they feel that the solar peril might +be regarded as over. + +All the members of the party, except Carmichael, seemed to enjoy a +rebound of confidence and hope, but the Professor remained anxious and +abstracted. He told them repeatedly that the peril they had feared +was past, and that they might reach Venus in safety--at least with no +greater danger than the earth if they were returning to it--but this +did not enlighten them as to the real cause of his concern. If they +asked him more closely he returned only evasive answers. + +One day he called the engineer aside and they had a long private talk. +It lasted more than an hour. At length the two came out of the cabin +and went back to the dining-room, where Abercromby was trying to solve +a chess problem. + +“Is anything gone queer?” he said to the Professor. “Tell us; we can +stand it. Is the machine giving out, or what is the trouble?” + +“If you want to find a wife in Venus, and Radcliffe a mission, I fear +you will both be disappointed. For myself, I am too disgusted and sick +at heart to go into the matter. We have run the most awful risks, and +for what? to be rewarded at the last with polar ice and worse than +tropical furnaces. In all probability there are no inhabitants of +Venus--at least none that are human.” + +“But, my dear and respected Professor, how have you found out these +agreeable facts at five millions of miles distance?” said Abercromby. + +Carmichael did not answer. Radcliffe fixed an appealing look at +Carysfort, who at once took up the subject. + +“Well, gentlemen, I suppose it is about time we told you. I always +feared it might be so, but we hoped it would not be. Now our fears are +convictions.” + +“And our hopes have taken a run round the stars to keep themselves +warm,” said Abercromby. “Now I will not talk nonsense again till you +have said your say.” + +“The truth is that those astronomers are right who thought that Venus +revolved round the sun with such an inclination of its axis that the +sun was always in the same place, according to latitude; that there +were practically no seasons or alternations of day and night, but that +while one side of the planet was always lighted, the other was always +dark. Now you can judge what that means in the long run. Half the +planet is locked in perpetual ice-bound cold, worse than any of our +Arctic winters, while the other has a sun always pouring down light and +heat upon it, twice as much as the earth receives and that every day +and all day long.” + +“But surely, even then it must make an enormous difference what height +the sun occupies in the sky?” said Radcliffe. + +“That is the only hope,” replied Carysfort. + +“Well, then, let us steer for the North Pole of the planet and alight +near to the boundary between sunshine and shadow. At least we know that +there is an atmosphere.” + +“Yes, and a very dense one as regards depth; perhaps five hundred +miles or more,” said the Professor, at length breaking his silence. +“But although we shall certainly do what Radcliffe suggests, for it is +the only possible course to take, I can hold out little hope of any +result. The chief danger to be dreaded is storm and tempest, electrical +and cyclonic disturbances caused by the meeting of opposing currents +of heated and cold air. If we can surmount this, we can make our way +cautiously over the lighted surface until the heat shall drive us back.” + +“There is another very serious trouble,” said the engineer. “We had +hoped that, as we drew near to Venus, we should be able to take careful +observations of its features as we did in the case of the moon, and +could have carried much further had it been necessary; but, as we shall +approach Venus on its darkened side, we shall see practically nothing +till we get there. A pleasant landing that will be.” + +“It is obvious that we ought not to, and must not, alight upon the +planet without seeing where we are,” said Carmichael. “When we reach +the atmosphere we must throw out the searchlights, but this will be a +dangerous operation.” + +“It will set all the dogs barking, you mean,” remarked Abercromby. “But +seriously, Professor, do you think it is all up with us?” + +“Not as to our safety perhaps, but as to the success of our enterprise. +What good will it be to reach a world of fire and desolation?” + +Before Venus actually crossed the path of the sun they did their best +to take whatever observations were possible. But vast belts of clouds +hid the lighted surface, screening its actual wonders from their view. + +“We have verified Herschel’s opinion that Venus has an extremely dense +atmosphere,” said Radcliffe. “I wonder whether we shall presently +verify Schroeter’s that its mountains are twenty miles in height.” + +“My dear Radcliffe, Herschel is quite antiquated; and as for the other +Johnnie you referred to, he is nearly as ancient as Julius Cæsar,” said +Abercromby. + +“But there is this to be noted,” remarked the engineer, “that the +foreign astronomers of a past day could often use their telescopes +in a brilliant sky, like Italy, for instance, whereas in England the +most perfect and up-to-date instruments are apt to be put out of use +by constant bad weather. Give me an old-fashioned telescope and I will +make something of it if there be only a clear sky. Moreover, I think +in the olden days men turned more attention to the physical side of +astronomy than they do now.” + +“As to the supposed stupendous mountains in Venus, we shall soon find +out all about it if we are not knocked to pieces,” said the Professor; +“but I will point out that the highest earthly mountains are really +ten miles high, because they ought to be measured, not as we see them, +but from the ocean bed itself. As to Venus, astronomers have noticed +certain slight roughnesses on the edge of the crescent, when it appears +to us crescent in shape, and these may indicate the tops of mountains +caught by the sun’s rays.” + +“It’s a great nuisance that Venus is not on the outer side of the earth +instead of on the sunward,” said Carysfort. “As the matter stands, when +she is furthest off she appears as a full moon, when she is nearest she +is only a crescent. Add to this, that she recedes but a short distance +from the sun, and is therefore only a morning and evening star.” + +So they chatted on while the gulf which separated them from their goal +grew less and less. When they retired to rest they were only three +millions of miles away. + +Meeting at the breakfast-table next morning, the Professor was asked +when he thought the journey would be over. + +His answer was in about sixty hours; he was gradually reducing the +inherent speed, and when the time drew near for the actual descent he +would pull against it by increasing the repulsive force of the engines. + +Their supply of air, which had been manufactured by chemical process, +had worked perfectly, the inner temperature of the Asteroid being +always at a moderate level. + +As the hours advanced they all noticed a dimness spreading over the +heavens; this was caused by the disk of Venus gradually encroaching +upon that of the sun. The diminution of the solar light was at first +not unpleasing, but when at last it faded out altogether and an intense +darkness supervened, relieved only by the stars, the travellers knew by +instinct that they were nearing their last and their greatest peril. By +lunch-time the size of Venus had become very enlarged, but, unhappily, +they could see no feature nor landscape, they could only tell where the +planet was by the increasing eclipse of the stars upon the floor of the +heavens. + +Abercromby wanted them to cut this short, for it was getting on his +nerves. + +Slowly, and more slowly still, they felt their way down and down into +the black gulf. + +The Professor and the engineer never left their posts, but only took +hurried mouthfuls of refreshment which Jackson brought to them. Poor +Jackson was shivering with alarm, which he tried to conceal under a +fussy attention to his duties. Even his polishing and scrubbing failed +to soothe him. + +Frank Abercromby was in a perpetual fidget, now and then asking +what the dickens was going to happen, and sometimes making use of +unclassical language. Radcliffe stood beside the windows silent, but +his face was deadly pale. + +When the black globe beneath them covered the whole depth of the sky, +Carmichael began to set in motion the repelling power. + +It was a terribly anxious crisis, for if he used it too much he might +be actually retreating from his destination, if too little, they might +be dashed to pieces. + +“You had better go down on your knees, Radcliffe,” said Carmichael, +“and do for us what is more becoming in you perhaps than in me.” + +Radcliffe prayed earnestly and simply that at this awful moment help +might be given them, that if they had been presumptuous it was for the +good of their fellow-men, not for their own advancement. + +Suddenly as he rose from his knees Abercromby shouted, almost crazy +with excitement, “Come here, all of you. What is this going on down +yonder?” + +A dull red illumination appeared, of no great size, but they could not +tell how vast it might be in reality. + +“It is a volcano, glowing in the atmosphere of Venus, near to the +Pole,” said Carmichael. “Now we know to what point to steer.” + +Not long after, though minutes seemed ages, a slight rise of +temperature became noticeable. + +“We are in the atmosphere,” said Carysfort. “Start the fans.” + +“They can be set going from within,” exclaimed Carmichael. + +The levers were turned and the fan wheels were seen to revolve, though +very feebly. Half the peril was over, as far as the descent was +concerned, for they had now the means of using their machine as an +airship. They steered in a diagonal line towards the burning mountain, +and, keeping exactly at the same height, they made use of the summit to +guide them as to their level of altitude. A few moments more and a line +of brilliant light appeared on the horizon. They were on the North Pole +of Venus, four miles from its surface. + +In front spread an apparently boundless ocean, encumbered with blocks +of bluish and purple-white ice, which of course tended every mile +southwards to become smaller and smaller, while, to the north, they +were crystallised into vast masses thrown up into the most weird +and fantastic shapes. The great sun of Venus, twice as large as the +terrestrial sun, flamed in rosy splendour upon the southern horizon. +The sea was restless and agitated and a keen wind was blowing. The sky +was laden with fleecy clouds of wild and stormy appearance. They were +at a vast height, higher even than the Asteroid. + +“Well, gentlemen,” said the Professor, “we have faced the greatest +hazard ever dared by man, and we look upon what the mortal eyes of +humanity have never seen. Now let us take courage and face the problems +of the future, resolved that, come what may, we will do our duty.” + + + + + CHAPTER VII + + THE NORTHERN ISLAND + + +Carmichael lowered somewhat the height of the Asteroid in a gradual +diagonal, till they were only at a moderate altitude, so as to be able +to observe anything of interest at reasonably close quarters. The first +thing to be done was to ascertain whether the air of Venus was suited +to human beings from another world. + +Fortunately, the stormy commotion had its seat in the higher regions +of the atmosphere, at least on that occasion, so that finding more +reposeful conditions nearer to the surface, the Professor advised that +the experiment should be tried. + +Radcliffe stepped forward to one of the large windows and was about to +unfasten when Carysfort shouted out, “Hold, man! are you mad? Do you +suppose that we want a whole blizzard of untried air let loose upon us? +Allow Carmichael to manage this business.” + +Poor Radcliffe stepped back aghast, while Abercromby laughed. The +Professor, with a smile, moved to one of the side walls and took down +a case of books, which revealed a small round panel about as large as +a crown piece. He motioned them to stand clear, and then he touched a +spring and the panel flew open. + +“Bravo!” said Frank; “you have foreseen every blessed contrivance that +we shall want.” + +“I only hope I have,” said he. “Now, you fellows, just take a sniff and +see how you like it.” + +A thin, crisp current of air, slightly perfumed and perfectly +delicious, penetrated slowly through the room. The panel was left open +for ten minutes, till the Professor, quite reassured, told them that +they might enjoy an even larger dose than Radcliffe would have given +them--they could venture out upon the balcony. With a hop and a skip +Abercromby was in the open air within a few seconds, though he used +most unparliamentary language, for the first thing he nearly did in +Venus was to lose his hat, he only just contrived to catch it in time, +or, as he said, it would have been the first gift that the earth would +have bestowed upon a new planet. + +“The waves are not much higher than our own waves, though they seem to +show a great swell and current,” said the engineer. + +“The reason is,” replied the Professor, “that Venus having no moon, and +the sun’s attraction making up for it, the tides here will be somewhat +like the terrestrial.” + +For two hours they sped on to the south, the sun slowly rising in the +sky but the heat not increasing to any great or serious extent. The +ice-packs had of course disappeared, but the wide open sea stretched +before them with its fresh and turbulent waves. At the end of the two +hours a great and startling discovery set all their hearts wildly +beating with hope. On the southern horizon appeared a line of high +cliffs rising straight out of the water, whether they betokened island +or continent they could not tell. + +As the Asteroid drew nearer--for they increased their rate of +speed--they saw with some regret that the cliffs presented no +possibility of anchorage or landing-place. Not that this mattered +to them, for an airship was quite free and independent of any naval +convenience, but it made it most improbable that they would find an +inhabited country. + +Directly they had soared above the cliffs a cry of delight escaped +them: they were in a crater-like land. A lake shone in the centre, +while the country, thickly wooded in places and interspread with +luxuriant meadow, sloped upwards to a chain of hills about twenty miles +away to the south. Westwards they could trace the curving line of the +elevated coast, but eastwards it was not so easy to tell how far the +land extended. + +“Thank God! At last! at last!” exclaimed Radcliffe fervently. “We will +be content with what we have.” + +“The best attitude in which to look for more,” said the Professor +quietly. “There are no traces of human beings, civilised or savage, +but the locality will suit perfectly for a few days of rest and quiet +explorations.” + +“Could we only know there _was_ a city on Venus,” remarked Carysfort, +“I should scarcely like to drop down upon it the very first moment. +Better to get acclimatised.” + +The Asteroid was steered to the south side of the lake, which was long +and narrow. The Professor prudently selected a little hilltop looking +down upon the lake, but sprinkled with trees and carpeted with rich, +soft, mossy grass. Upon this the Asteroid carefully descended. It only +required the grappling irons to be fixed in the ground and a lashing +of ropes to the stems of two adjacent trees, and then a reasonably +secure site would have been gained. It was rather a twilight land, for +the sun was hidden behind the hills, but this was a relief and not a +disadvantage. + +The first thing they did was to sit down to a quiet meal, which they +partook of in the machine, for Carmichael would not hear of any +out-of-door picnic. He insisted that no excursion should be taken till +they had had some hours of sleep, and they were all nearly exhausted. + +The Professor and Jackson stepped down and attended to the safe +securing of the machine, and then they had, in turns, the longest +repose they had ever enjoyed since leaving their own world. + +When they met the next morning and were breakfasting, the first thing +Abercromby wanted to hear was the programme for the day. + +“Now, gentlemen,” said the Professor, “I will just say one word on +a certain subject, and then leave it to your good sense and hold my +peace. God--for I believe in God--has brought us here after a frightful +voyage across space, and perils both at either end, and occasionally +in the midst, enough to have sent weaker men stark mad. Don’t let us, +by any rashness or indiscretion, throw away all our advantages and +perhaps our lives. They belong to the human race, not to ourselves. We +want to live to return and to tell what we have seen. The peril of the +air is past, but danger lurks in the fruits and flowers, in the water, +in the soil, and also among the people, if there are any. Columbus was +in no such danger ever, for, though all around him was new and strange, +he was still on his own planet. Touch no food till some little time +has passed, but live on our own earthly supplies, which will last us +several months at the least. Taste no water till I have chemically +analysed it. Do not indulge in dangerous climbing. Do not straggle away +from the machine--at least, alone--and always carry your revolvers with +you, so that you can use them as signals if you need them, not for +defence. I should not say half as much as this were we in the wildest +part of Central Africa. But here, in Venus, we are just like new-born +children with all our experience to make as we go along, and all the +learning of earth cannot directly help us, except in guiding our common +sense. Now I have said my say. I am pleading for my brothers on the +earth, for whom we have done and risked all this.” + +“I agree with everything you say,” replied Carysfort, “and will +practise it. I suppose Cromwell would tell us, were he alive, to trust +in God and keep our eyes open, which will be more important here than +keeping our powder dry.” + +“I will go about in a bath-chair if it is to benefit humanity,” said +Abercromby. + +“Very well,” said the Professor, just a tiny bit cross; “I take that +remark to mean that you won’t be a donkey. Now let us change the +subject.” + +They discussed at a considerable length what they should first set +about. It was decided that two should be left behind on guard, and that +a rocket should be sent up in the event of danger requiring the others +to return. The travellers should be absent not more than three hours, +they should walk to the western end of the lake and strike the cliffs +at the angle of the shore so as to gain some idea of the coast-line +away to the southern hills. In the rare event of some terrible danger +overtaking them, the Asteroid should be brought to them, to scatter +enemies, or to rescue from peril. The Professor would fire off a signal +rocket himself. Their guns were not, on this occasion, to be used as +signals, as they might want them for other purposes. Carysfort and +Jackson consented to remain behind, and gave their word not to move out +of sight of the machine, while one of them was always to be within it. + +Then the ladder was let down and the party trod the soil of Venus for +the first time. + + + + + CHAPTER VIII + + FIRST EXPLORATIONS + + +The mossy grass upon which they stepped was of a pale pink colour, +indescribably beautiful, while the leaves of the trees were of various +tints, though the prevailing colour was a greenish red. Here and +there were trees purely green in foliage as on the earth, but these +were rather the exception. Of shrub and thicket there was no great +profusion, so that even in the woods they could have made their way +easily; but they thought it more prudent to skirt the open shores of +the lake. Flowers were very scanty, and such as there were did not +exhibit either variety or comeliness; but, as the Professor remarked, +they were practically in the Arctic circle of Venus and not in any +tropical region. The whole landscape seemed very still, for the fierce +wind had either died down or was pursuing its course in the upper +regions of the mighty atmosphere of Venus. The clouds were grand beyond +description, but they did not threaten any outburst of bad weather. +The sky was of a paler blue than the earthly sky, and the trailing +cloud-belts soared to a much loftier height. Presently they caught +sight of several large birds whirling at a vast distance above them; +they seemed to be of great size with wide-extended wings. It was not +easy to judge of their colour, but they had bills of formidable +length; they were soaring away to the plateau of heights that bounded +the south, and appeared to be settling upon them. + +“This is the first specimen of life we have seen, Professor,” said +Radcliffe; “may it prove the herald of that which is nobler and better.” + +“Not a trace of it at present,” replied Carmichael; “not a footprint +upon the ground, not a mark upon the trees.” + +“But I do not see how beings resembling us could get here,” answered +Radcliffe, “unless this turns out to be the northern end of a great +continent. There is not a place where a ship of any sort or size could +disembark anybody. What climber, even if he were a monkey, could mount +those stupendous cliffs?” + +“Well, now,” said Abercromby, “suppose we have a little chat over +probabilities. Don’t you think that it is possible by scientific +inference to reason a little as to the people in this planet?” + +“How do you propose to start?” said the Professor. + +“Is it not a great point, to begin with, that the gravitation force of +Venus is the same as ours? On Mars, they tell us, we should be cutting +capers every time we put a foot to the ground, while on Jupiter we +should be crushed into the very soil and turned into mincemeat.” + +“True enough,” said the Professor. “This certainly makes it easier for +Venus to be inhabited.” + +“Then, again, Venus is younger than the earth, having been evolved from +the sun at a later time. May we not argue, then, that we should find +its civilised races much less advanced than our own?” + +“My dear fellow, your argument bristles over with guesswork. It is not +by any means certain that Laplace’s theory about planetary evolution +is right, but if it be correct it may prove too much, for we may have +arrived here centuries before human life is to begin; and lastly, you +cannot argue from one world to another as to the rate at which man +advances. Human progress has always been spiral, never in a straight +line.” + +“There is nothing, so far as I can see, to make life impossible even +to us,” observed Radcliffe, “much less to races born and bred upon the +planet.” + +“Don’t be too sure,” said Carmichael. “How would you propose to eat if +we had no supplies of our own? I have not seen a single fruit as yet, +whether wholesome or the opposite.” + +“Look, look, a waterfall!” cried Abercromby, and sure enough, a stream +came foaming over a rocky ledge and poured its waters into the lake. + +“Lovely, is it not?” he said to Radcliffe. + +“Yes! I suppose so,” answered Radcliffe, gazing at it abstractedly. + +“Come along, we have seen cascades and falls in our own country,” said +the Professor. + +They climbed a small hill at the head of the waterfall, at the summit +of which they looked down upon a deeper and thicker belt of forest. +Just before entering it they saw some white bones lying bleaching upon +the ground; the Professor ran to them and picking up one of the largest +very carefully examined it. He said it must have belonged to a large +animal which he should judge to have been comparatively harmless, but +whether it had died or been torn in pieces it was difficult to say. + +So much time had now elapsed that it was judged advisable not to +proceed further, but to return to the Asteroid, and then take a longer +excursion the next time and continue the same line of exploration. The +homeward journey was uneventful till they had come within about half +a mile, when they were startled by a gunshot which reverberated right +across to the southern hills. + +“Good gracious! what is the matter?” said Abercromby. “That must be +Carysfort. I always tell him his gun goes off even when he is asleep.” + +The Professor looked vexed, for he did not want any sport in Venus; he +was no sportsman himself, and he was afraid of attracting dangerous +animals. However, when they got in sight of the machine they found that +Jackson was the culprit, for he coolly told them he had shot a beast in +order to cook him for dinner. + +“What the dickens did you do it for?” said Abercromby. “The Professor +has said he will not take any food off this blessed world, unless the +natives ask him in to afternoon tea.” + +“Now, sir, don’t be hard; this ’ere is equal to real cooked +sucking-pig; you would want to eat him to the tail if he had one.” +All the party laughed heartily. The first slaughtered victim on Venus +was a spindle-shaped animal with short stuck-up ears long nose, and +fawn-coloured skin. + +“Well, he is pretty enough, but I shall stick to my resolve,” said +the Professor. So they supped upon terrestrial food after all; but, +the next morning, Abercromby broke in upon them with the alarming +intelligence that a savage must have been prowling around the machine, +for he had come upon the dying embers of a fire and the beast had been +nearly all devoured. It turned out that the devourer was Jackson, so he +had his first Venusian meat in defiance of orders! + + * * * * * + +The next day at breakfast there was a rather keen dispute amongst the +party as to their future plans. Radcliffe and Abercromby wanted to +start the machine, soar over the mountains, and at once decide whether +human beings were discoverable or not. But, as the engineer had not +yet taken a walk in their present neighbourhood, the Professor gave +the casting vote in favour of remaining one more day and finishing the +exploration of the country. Accordingly the engineer, accompanied by +Abercromby and Radcliffe, set out soon after the meal was finished, +while the Professor and his servant stayed behind. + +It was not till about six o’clock that the travellers came back. They +had met with no special adventures till they had reached some caves +about half a mile beyond the cascade. There they had been set upon by +a wild beast of a most ferocious character, and, had they not been all +close together and well armed, they would have come off badly. It took +several shots from Carysfort’s gun before the animal was killed. It +had surprised Abercromby first, knocked him down, torn his waistcoat, +and had fixed its teeth in his shirt, and might have disabled him but +for the coat and belt which he was wearing and for the speedy arrival +of the others; with a supreme effort Abercromby managed to thrust a +knapsack into the creature’s jaws, and, before it had been able to +eject this and grind its way through to his flesh, Carysfort had shot +it. The animal was something of the nature of a wolf, though there +were many differences. They got back to the Asteroid in a rather +excited state. Abercromby had spoiled a suit of clothes and had lost +his knapsack. There were, of course, relays of clothing in the hold of +the Asteroid, for they had taken care to be amply provided with all +necessary things. + +The engineer was naturally the hero of the occasion, though he modestly +disclaimed all praise. Poor Frank had had such a shaking that it was +decided to spend yet another day quietly and to put off the final start +until the morrow. + + + + + CHAPTER IX + + ACROSS THE CENTRAL OCEAN + + +Early the next day, after they had breakfasted, Abercromby having +assured them, with unnecessary vehemence, that he was as “fit as +a fiddle,” they decided to resume the direct exploration of the +planet. They did not doubt that the result of a twelve hours’ voyage +in the machine with the high rate of speed which they had at their +command would settle the question whether Venus was inhabited or not; +Carmichael himself thought so, as was natural, for he could not have +anticipated the setback which awaited them. + +At nine o’clock they started. The Asteroid rose to a height of several +hundred feet, and, in a few minutes, it had crossed the fertile +valley and had begun to mount higher and higher so as to clear the +southern mountains. These were not of any considerable elevation, +indeed, from the contour of the land their real height was much less +than their apparent. But when the summit of the ridge had been gained +both Abercromby and Carysfort broke out into a simultaneous volley of +unclassical language. + +The land came to an abrupt end, and before them stretched away a +shoreless ocean. + + * * * * * + +To say the party were surprised would be to employ too mild a term, +they were absolutely thunderstruck. They decided, however, to push on. +There was nothing to be gained by a return to the island. They had now +explored it sufficiently to be sure there were no human inhabitants. + +“I cannot yet believe that this island is the only dry land upon the +whole surface of the planet,” said Radcliffe. “A world all ocean with +only one island seems unthinkable.” + +“Yes! I expect there is more land,” replied the Professor, “but we +have yet to discover whether it is suited to human life. Every mile we +travel now is leading us on to the hotter regions of Venus, where that +terrible sun will of necessity climb higher and higher into the sky and +pour down more and more torrid rays. But we must face it.” + +On they went at ever-increasing speed, for, over the level surface of +the sea, there was no need to slacken. The solitude was appalling, not +a sail anywhere, only a few flying-fishes, and, far up in the air, near +to the fleecy belts of clouds, whirling flights of birds too remote to +be properly studied. And still the sun rose higher and higher, till he +would soon be overhead, yet the heat did not increase to any degree +that might have been expected. But the clouds increased till they +formed a dazzling silvery canopy moderating rather than concealing the +light of the sun; moreover, as Carysfort pointed out, they were cutting +the air at such tremendous speed that the exhilarating contact with the +atmosphere would of itself render the increase of temperature bearable. + +Several hours passed away amid strained attention and snatches of talk. + +“Surely, Professor,” said Abercromby, “when we got our peep at +the lighted side of Venus we caught a glimpse of a large southern +continent, and also of a whitish-looking point at the southern pole.” + +“Our glimpse was more tantalising than instructive,” he answered, “and +my mind was so taken up with the perils of the steering that I did not +use my telescope as frequently as I ought.” + +“I read in a book which I brought with me,” said Radcliffe, “that the +southern horn of the crescent, that is, the south pole of Venus, is +constantly to be seen blunted, as though some lofty mountain existed +there which caught the solar rays, and it has been said that this may +be even twenty-seven earth miles in height.” + +“I know to what you allude,” replied Carmichael. “As far back as 1643 +irregularities on the planet’s surface (when it appeared as a crescent) +were noted by Fontana at Naples. Since then astronomers of several +European countries have seen the same thing. Van Ertborn, a Belgian, +in 1876, saw more than once a point of light in the neighbourhood of +the southern pole, which he thought to be the sunshine striking a high +peak, while the valleys around lay in shadow.” + +“As to the enormous height ascribed to the mountain,” observed +Carysfort, “there is no doubt some error and perhaps a gross +exaggeration, but, if there be any corresponding reality at all, we +may look out for something inexpressibly grand when we approach the +southern pole. I see here an advantage and a drawback: it will be the +means of enabling us to behold our own earth, which, of course, is +perpetually hidden from the inner side of the planet; but on the other +hand, who but some Robinson Crusoe, monarch of all he surveys, could +live on the top of a mountain of such proportions? I fear this weighs +heavily in the scale against our finding human beings.” + +“I never realised I was an ungrateful beggar till this moment,” said +Abercromby, “but I have positively forgotten that such a planet as +the earth exists. I wonder I did so, as my generous uncle is upon its +surface now, thinking me out in Australia, or else gone to the dogs; +anyway, he is blessing his stars that he got rid of me with so little +fuss. You managed it admirably, Professor. No luckless wastrel ever +dropped out more neatly than I did; I might have cheated even the +police.” + +“We all got off with very little trouble,” said Carysfort. “Had we been +Frenchmen or Germans it would have been harder, but England permits any +of her sons to vanish quietly, except Tommy Atkins of course, and _him_ +she usually allows to starve.” + +“Well, well, we are in Venus now and we need not bother over our +poor stupid world,” said Abercromby; “besides, we are going back to +enlighten it, you know.” + +“Land ahead, and not an island this time,” cried Radcliffe; and, +behold, a vast range of lofty mountains could be discerned, about fifty +miles away, showing clearly against a bank of clouds. + +“Well done, old chap,” replied Abercromby. “While we were rating the +old world, you, like George Canning, have called into existence a new +world to redress its balance.” + +“And what are we going to find upon yonder continent when we get +there?” asked the Professor. + +“Women and men, angels and devils,” replied Frank in an elevated tone. +“Which are which you, Radcliffe, shall decide. I’m going below to fetch +a new telescope. That beast I had to fight has, I believe, swallowed my +old one. I forgot that when Carysfort slew him I might have recovered +the instrument, but it would take time to go back across the equator +and fetch it.” + +The speed of the Asteroid had again to be greatly reduced, and a long +interval elapsed ere they reached the summits of the mountains, which +formed the outer edge of a vast and dreary plateau destitute of every +species of life, animal or vegetable. + +As there was no need for them to make a home upon these bleak uplands, +they held on upon their southern track. For many miles they saw this +desert region beneath them, with its sombre-hued pinnacles and rock +masses and its dull red areas of comparatively level ground. But at +last their perseverance was to be rewarded. Gradually the nature of the +soil changed from utter barrenness to richness, though for a long while +the richness was but comparative rather than absolute. Trees began to +appear, at first singly, then in groups, and finally in dense masses +of brilliantly tinted woodland; the ground sloped downwards, though +by no such abrupt transition as had been the case in the northern +island. Presently the country began to open out, and, by degrees, +one of the grandest landscapes upon which mortal eyes had ever looked +became unveiled to view--a fertile and fruitful continent with majestic +streams and smaller lakes, grand waterfalls and undulating hills. One +thing alone was wanting--the presence of humanity. Another and a still +higher mountain-chain with serrated peaks rose to the south, but it +must have been at least two hundred miles distant. Beyond them, at all +events, the final problem lay, for the whole contour of the landscape +negatived the idea that mountains of such elevation could be instantly +succeeded by the ocean without any intervening belt of land. + +“What do you think of it, Professor?” said the engineer. + +“It is just the northern island over again, except on a grander scale,” +replied Carmichael. “I begin to realise that our stay in Venus will be +very short. When we have once reached the pole and proved whether the +high polar mountain is a myth or a reality the game will be up.” + +“But surely,” interposed Radcliffe, “the question cannot be settled +by travelling in a straight line north to south. Ought we not to go +_round_ the lighted side of the planet as well as going _down_ it?” + +“Certainly we ought,” answered Carmichael, “if this were only a vessel +or an airship; but with our resources at command it will be much +easier, and also safer, to rise to such a height as will embrace the +whole hemisphere, and then, when it lies as a model map beneath us, +to find out whether there is any further land, and drop down straight +towards it.” + +“Pity, perhaps, we did not do this at the first,” said Abercromby. “We +should then have saved ourselves a few disappointments at least.” + +“No,” answered the Professor. “I will put up with the disappointments. +It was very desirable to come to close quarters with the soil and the +products of Venus.” + +“Well, here seems a suitable spot for an anchorage,” said Carysfort, +pointing to a sequestered glade near the banks of a large river; +“suppose we fix upon it and settle ourselves.” + +The Asteroid glided down till it rested upon a grassy mound at an +elevation of about thirty feet above the river bank. The usual +precautions to ensure the safety of the machine were then taken, and +while Jackson prepared the tea, the rest stood watching the rapid +current as it sped past them in a south-westerly direction. + +They were so dead-tired that tea and supper were blended into one, and +then Abercromby having undertaken to mount guard, the others gladly +succumbed to their drowsiness and fell asleep. + + + + + CHAPTER X + + WHEN THE RAIN MIST LIFTED + + +The Professor had just rubbed his eyes in the first moments of waking +consciousness, when he heard a yell resound through the machine, +but of an unmistakably earthly type. The next moment he had sprung +to his feet, thrust on an overcoat, and was up the stairs into the +dining-room. Carysfort and the others had emerged with equal speed; +Jackson, indeed, with more zeal than conventionality, appeared in his +night-shirt. + +Abercromby was standing, ghastly pale, his hair erect, every muscle and +limb shaking, and pointing to the window. A huge, man-like creature, +with reeking jaws, porcupine-like bristles, and one enormous eye in the +middle of his forehead, had clambered up the stairway and was tearing +at the smooth surface of the glass with claw-like hands. With a cry of +horror Carysfort rushed to fetch his gun, but, finding the way to the +stair-ladder barred, he stopped and hesitated. As if to make matters +worse, two other creatures, equally hideous and furious, flung out +their arms and sought to clasp the Asteroid in their foul clutches. +Carmichael at once made for the conning-tower and started the machine +in an upward flight. The irons tore and creaked, but of course gave +way after a minute, while the Asteroid rose over the tree tops, a +hundred feet from the ground. With a hideous yell the gorilla creatures +let go and were hurled downwards, not to the ground but into the waters +of the river. They evidently had no idea of swimming, for, after a +brief struggle, they were swept away by the current. + +“A pretty appetiser we have had for breakfast,” grumbled Frank +Abercromby. “Darwin’s missing link was not in it.” + +“How on earth did the monsters first appear?” asked Carysfort. + +“My friend, you must say in future ‘How on Venus,’” replied Abercromby. +“Well, I had better cry ‘peccavi,’ as the Indian governor did when he +wrote ‘I have Scinde.’ I was just going to fall asleep at my post, when +that strange and most attractive Johnnie came and looked reproachfully +at me. But I wonder I did not go stark staring mad on the spot.” + +“Where are we to venture the machine now?” asked Radcliffe, who looked +very white though he had said nothing. + +“We will keep this side of the river at all events,” said the +Professor. They chose another less restricted camping-place, the +anchors were made fast, and the party alighted to be quite certain the +coast was clear. Radcliffe declared that he heard certain gobblings and +chucklings emanating from the thickets hard by, and the others, after +attentively listening, believed he was right. They resolved, therefore, +to make but a very short stay, in fact, only just sufficient to take +their meal. Even Abercromby disclaimed the thought of an out-of-door +picnic, and therefore they had breakfast in the dining-room and drew in +the stair-ladder as a precaution. + +“What concerns me is the thought that those creatures are the real +inhabitants of Venus,” remarked Carysfort. + +“God forbid!” said Radcliffe fervently. “I cannot and will not think so +until I am obliged.” + +“If _that_ is evolution illustrated,” remarked Abercromby, “it would +have made Darwin himself orthodox.” + +“I am by no means disposed to reject evolution,” replied Radcliffe, +“because the Creator could work in and through evolution, even if man +be descended from a protoplasm as well as from a monkey. All I ask for +is that God’s hand should guide the process all through the countless +ages. Not that I consider Darwin’s theory proved. I only say that if it +ever comes to be, it would not shake my faith.” + +“Don’t be too liberal and concessive, my dear fellow,” said the +Professor, “though the advice may sound queer as coming from me. +Evolution is _a_ theory, not _the_ theory. To make it account for all +the facts of creation is to take up one of those short and easy cuts +which are as great a nuisance to true science as to anything else. I +regard evolution as one of the helpful working forces of the universe. +I believe that the original types of animal life were fewer than the +existing types. But when I have said that, I no more believe that all +life came from a jelly-fish than I believe that every species was +distinctly and separately created. People always think that nature is +uniform in its ways, while we shall have to learn that it is not. As to +the inhabitants of Venus being represented by those creatures, my mind +turns sick at the very thought. However, we must face facts, but we +will not rush at facts.” + +“No, I did not rush at the monster, I waited for fresh light on the +situation, and you brought it me, Professor,” said Abercromby. “I +should never be eating this breakfast had I taken a short and easy road +to knowledge by going out and shaking hands with him.” + +“Well, I think we will start,” said the Professor, “when you have done +eating, Abercromby.” + +“Yes; we will have a good day’s aerial exploration to blow the +nightmare off,” remarked the engineer. + +They travelled at least a hundred miles over the fair and diversified +land before they had accomplished more than half the distance to the +southern mountains. Once Radcliffe declared that there were some houses +perched upon an eminence to the west, but a careful survey proved that +they were only high rocks of white colour shining in the sun’s rays +above the forest land. As some doubt was still felt, they shaped their +course towards them, for it did not take them many miles out of their +way. + +It proved to be a tableland of grey-white rocks, several hundred feet +above the plain. Here the Asteroid alighted and it was resolved to rest +for the night, for the place appeared fairly inaccessible to wild +beasts, and if any such were to appear, they could be easily seen +before they touched the Asteroid. But there were no traces of wild +beasts, though some richly plumed birds made the air melodious with +their song for a few minutes. Jackson was preparing the supper, and all +except Radcliffe were within. Radcliffe was out on the plateau, wrapped +in his thoughts, as Abercromby told them, as well as in his greatcoat. + +“Well, I wish the dear fellow would not express them in that +everlasting tune,” said the engineer; “he has been well on for a +quarter of an hour, and it rather gets on my nerves.” + +“It is one of the melodies those fiddlers were playing at Cullercoats,” +remarked the Professor, “‘Love launched a fairy boat,’ I believe.” + +“The prettiest song I ever heard, that, and ‘All in the hush of +twilight,’” said Abercromby; “but alas and alack! there is no maiden to +sing with me, though we are in the Love planet itself.” + +“No! that is quite true,” replied the Professor dryly. + +Radcliffe came in, happily unconscious of the late topic of criticism. + +They took their places at the supper-table, when one of the most +startling interruptions that had ever yet tried their nerves broke in +upon the meal. + +Overhead they heard a loud noise followed by a wailing cry. It seemed +to come from the north, to attain to a piercing intensity, and then to +die away southwards into tremulous silence. + +“What the deuce is that?” shouted Abercromby; and, before the others +could stop him, he had opened the door, and, regardless of the absence +of the steps, had bounded out upon the plateau. There they saw him +throwing his arms to and fro, and wildly gesticulating to them the +other side of the windows. They could see he was in no danger, but mad +with eagerness and excitement. + +The whole party sprang to their feet and were by his side in two +minutes. They looked in the direction in which he was wildly pointing, +and saw a huge greyish thing, with outspread fans, whirling away to the +mountain heights and then vanishing behind them. + +The Professor, after a moment’s dead silence, said: “This is very +serious; let us come within.” + +“Why very serious?” asked the engineer, when they were again at the +supper-table. + +“Because it means one of two things, either of which will greatly +affect us. It is either a huge primeval monster, or a flying machine +like our own, in so far as it is an airship.” + +“And why are either of these things so grave after all?” said +Abercromby. “If that affair yonder were an airship, your heart ought to +be glad, Professor; if a monster, it has the right to be sorry, your +heart I mean; but why alarmed?” + +“If it be a monster, Abercromby, we have come to Venus too soon to +find intelligent human life. Such creatures could hardly co-exist +with man in a world which, for practical purposes, has but so little +accommodation. If it be an airship, then we are going to meet a race +incapable of being either terrified by us, or even much astonished +by us, who can meet us on equal terms, man to man, but may be armed +millions against armed units. Now you understand what I fear, and why I +fear it.” + +“Take it easy, Professor, we may astonish the niggers after all; but +I _must_ say I want to see them, even if it be only possible for them +to astonish _me_. We will sing them a song or two before we die, +Professor.” + + * * * * * + +The night was far from being a restful one under such circumstances. +Two were placed on guard, to relieve each other every three hours. On +the next day they found it impossible to start, as a thin, penetrating +rain descended, the first they had experienced upon Venus. It +continued, without cessation, for several hours, while the whole valley +lay enwrapped in a silvery mist. The Asteroid afforded them a secure +asylum, but, in their state of eager excitement, the time passed very +slowly. + +At last, soon after they had had their lunch, the mist began to +disperse and the sun shone out in splendour. The air was much fresher +and cooler; had they not been so naturally impatient to push on, they +would have taken a walk, at least along the ridge of the plateau. But +they were in no mood to do this--they were hunting for niggers, as +Abercromby elegantly phrased it, and as nobody else overheard him, it +did not much matter. + +The Professor ordered the start at about 3 p.m. by their watches. The +Asteroid was set at fairly high speed, and soon reached the slopes of +the mountains. A few miles to the west they saw a huge gap or defile, +and towards this they steered. A great wall of precipitous rock shelved +downwards in the direction in which they had come, but, to the south, a +pass extended of varying breadth, sometimes almost too narrow for the +whole of them to walk abreast. + +The Asteroid was therefore in a rather awkward position; they could +descend if they liked and make the journey on foot, but, in such a +place, it seemed too hazardous to deprive themselves of the aid of +their machine. They decided therefore to rise higher, and to follow +the course of the pass, but at a safe elevation above it. In a few +minutes the pass ended, they came out over a grassy upland height, but, +unfortunately, the rain mist had now taken up its position to the south +of them, and though there was evidently a grand landscape prospect, it +was, for the present, completely wiped out. + +A clump of lofty trees reared their heads a few hundred yards away, and +to these they steered, coming to an anchorage beneath them. The party +gladly took shelter in the dining-room, for they began to be positively +chilly, doubtless owing to the peculiar state of the atmosphere, +perhaps, even, to their restless nerves. + +Neither cold nor rain could deter Clarence Radcliffe from venturing +to the end of the clump of trees where the ground sloped suddenly +downwards. He saw the mist begin to uncoil and lift itself; slowly +the outlines grew clearer and more distinct. Feature after feature of +a country, rich in its loveliness, disclosed themselves. High hills +were interspersed with park-like glades; a lake of superb dimensions +appeared, glittering in the sunshine, into which two majestic rivers +poured their rapid waters. In the midst was a large island, and in the +centre rose an object that sent the blood tingling through his veins--a +colossal palace fortress or temple, with four graceful pinnacles each +glittering with a different hue of colour--while beyond the lake was a +greater sight still, at which, after a glance of fascinated admiration, +he turned away, his eyes dim with tears. “O that one had been here to +see it with me, but it was not to be. Her eyes behold a landscape with +which even this cannot compare. If I could but know she was looking at +me now, I should be more brave to do what perhaps lies before me. But I +know she would wish me to do it, and I _will_.” + +Then he turned and went back to the Asteroid. They were all in the +dining-room making preparations to start for a walk, as the weather was +clearing. But all stood petrified at the expression on his face. + +“Gentlemen,” he said, “I have chanced to see what you should all have +seen with me. I owe you an apology. Come at once.” + +They rushed out to the edge of the great precipice and stopped, +absolutely incapable for the moment either of speech or action. The +vast plain was dotted with houses and palaces, each standing in its +grove and garden, while up the sides of the two southern hills that +sloped towards the lake shore stretched the outlines of a great city, +its domes, towers, and pinnacles shining in the light of a sun more +splendid than the sun of India, yet tempered in its rays by the +white-robed circle of the sky. + +The object of the expedition was accomplished; before them lay the +life, the civilisation, and the glory of the planet Venus. + + + + + CHAPTER XI + + THE CITY AND ITS WELCOME + + +“My friends,” began Carmichael in an almost trembling voice, “there +is no need for me to tell you that the supreme hour has come at last. +All that we have dared and anything we may have suffered has led up +to this, and we may put it behind us. Before us now lies the solemn +duty of doing the right thing for two worlds and so acting that we +shall not make our return home impossible, for if we do we only +benefit ourselves. Now the first thing to face is the initial peril, +the greatest as well as the nearest. A glance suffices to show us +that force is out of the question, and that we cannot play the part +of demi-gods even if we wished to. How, then, shall we best and most +wisely disclose ourselves to those people, who of course cannot speak a +word of any language with which we are familiar, whose manners are as +unknown to us as their weapons, and who may even have totally different +ideas as to both justice and mercy from any terrestrial races.” + +“You state a big problem, Professor,” replied Carysfort, “but I think +it will conduce to simplify it if we decide first of all whether we +shall boldly venture into their midst or approach them in deferential +guise.” + +“Stick to our good old machine, that is my advice,” said Abercromby; +“if they have artillery or other contrivances to blow us up they can +the more easily destroy us piecemeal if we take a walking tour and +present ourselves as solitary wayfarers.” + +“That cannot be thought of,” said Carmichael. “The choice lies between +soaring towards the city in the air, or pitching quite near to it and +keeping close to the Asteroid.” + +“A thought occurs to me,” said Radcliffe, “that it might not be a bad +plan to entrench ourselves where we are, but not to leave them to find +us out, which would be cowardice, but to signal to them and make them +send a deputation to us. This would force them to show whether they +meant to be friendly or hostile.” + +“Excellent, capital!” said Frank Abercromby. “But what signals do you +propose?” + +“The rockets,” answered Radcliffe. + +“I think the idea is feasible and also wise,” said the Professor +thoughtfully. “Its chief merit lies in this, that but a small number +can come to us in this elevated place, whereas if we went to the city +we should have the whole multitude upon our hands. The going to the +city or encamping near to it might well suggest to them hostilities, +whereas our signalling to them could not be regarded in such a light.” + +The decision having been taken, it only remained for them to put it +into execution, and this they resolved to do at once. Having seen +to their arms and ammunition, the rocket apparatus was placed in +readiness, and the first rocket was discharged by the Professor. It +rose into the sky with a loud explosion, and the fiery train must have +been visible to every part of the city. A few minutes later a second +rocket was discharged and after that a third. + +“These must suffice,” said he; “we must not waste our supply.” + +Some little time elapsed during which the party closely examined every +part of the scene before them with the help of their telescopes. They +were too far off to make out the inhabitants, but they could gain clear +information as to the houses. The architecture was somewhat Oriental in +character, though Radcliffe thought that it bore a resemblance to the +accounts given of ancient Mexico and Peru in the histories of Prescott. +There were broad streets and squares with fountains and gardens in the +midst; the larger houses were of very imposing aspect. There seemed no +evidence of squalor or poverty anywhere, but of affluence and repose. +In fact, _repose_ was one of the prevailing features. + +It was a veritable garden city or pleasure city; there was neither +hurry nor tumult. They noted also an utter absence of fortification or +military defence. Either the Venusians had no enemies on their planet +who could molest them, or they had concealed weapons and resources that +rendered visible precautions needless. + +Suddenly they all noticed a small object rise up like a bird upon the +wing from the terrace of a huge palace on the top of the highest hill. +It was evidently coming towards them, and that rapidly. + +“An airship I declare,” cried Abercromby. “That, then, was the object +that gave us such a fright the other evening.” + +The flying vessel came nearer and nearer; it was more graceful and +ethereal than the Asteroid, though the machinery by which it was +propelled was much the same in character. It had no outer balcony, nor +did it seem to carry any weapons. It slowed down within a few yards +of them, and then a click was heard, a panelled door flew open, and +two beings alighted, evidently a man and a woman. They were about +the same height as average terrestrials; they had a pale complexion +with a slight yellowish tinge; their dress was simple, a flowing +classical-like drapery with a girdle of crimson. They wore upon their +heads tiaras of gold, while the woman’s head was adorned with a +coronet. Each carried in the hand a small tube of green-coloured metal. + +Carmichael, motioning to the others to stand back, while keeping his +hand upon his revolver in case of need, stepped forward, bowing and +smiling, and making every demonstration of peace and goodwill. The two +Venusians did not reciprocate his advances; their whole bearing was +haughty and aloof. + +The Professor spoke a few words, and tried the expedient of leading +forward each of his companions and presenting them. + +The strangers conversed rapidly with each other in a very musical and +harmonious language. The man was rather eager and excited, the woman +haughty and stern. Suddenly she raised the tube in her hand and pointed +it at the Professor. + +Radcliffe sprang forward and interposed to shield him, guessing the +deadly intent. At this she lowered the weapon and said a few words to +her companion. He nodded, and she pointed the green metal tube not at +them but at a tall tree a little to the right; a faint flash followed, +and suddenly the tree stood blasted before them as by a stroke of +lightning. A cry broke from the party and all drew their revolvers; but +Radcliffe spoke an earnest word and, taking his own weapon, he laid it +upon the ground. This was understood, and the two Venusians replaced +their metal tubes in their girdles. + +They paused a moment, then they made signs to Radcliffe to approach +them. The man took the hand he stretched out and grasped it; the +woman would not, but her lips parted into the semblance of a smile +which at least denoted a relaxing of enmity. Struck by a thought, the +Professor hurried to fetch a large map of the solar system with all the +planets and their orbits clearly marked. Radcliffe held this out to +the Venusians, who took it and examined it with the greatest interest, +making frequent comments one to the other. + +Abercromby, who would have made his fortune on the stage, then went +through a pantomimic performance to describe the purpose of the +expedition and the course which it had taken. The Venusians looked on, +till the man grew impatient and the woman more and more scornful. + +Suddenly Radcliffe pointed to the map, and described with his pencil +the journey of the Asteroid from the earth to Venus. He took a sheet +of white paper and drew sketches of Venus as a planet and of the +Asteroid approaching her. The Venusians were now intensely interested, +and even pressed him by signs to tell them more. He went on for another +quarter of an hour, till they signified that they had heard enough. +They did not condescend to take further notice of the others, but shook +hands with him, this time both of them, pointed once and again in the +direction of their city, stepped into their machine, and instantly took +to flight, returning in the same direction as that in which they had +come. + + * * * * * + +“A queer business this,” said Abercromby. “You were evidently in high +esteem, Radcliffe, old man; that amiable female meant to put daylight +through us, as the Americans say, if you had not curried favour.” + +“Abercromby, don’t be jealous,” said Carysfort; “some other Venusian +maid will fall in love with you if you have a little patience and do +not expect to take a whole planet by storm.” + +“I’m not a bit jealous,” said Abercromby, “only Radcliffe captivated +both the jokers, and did not leave us even the man.” + +“Well, he saved all our lives, except at the expense of a deed which +would have aroused the whole world against us,” replied the Professor. +“But we must now decide, and quickly, upon what is to be done next.” + +“Follow them to the city, as they pointed the way to it,” said +Radcliffe. + +“I think we had better do so,” answered Carmichael; “their gestures +certainly wore the aspect of invitation, if not of command.” + +“I scarcely think we are very sure of a friendly reception,” observed +the engineer, “and yet if we stay here, they will hunt us out, or +capture us by main force.” + +“Where is Jackson?” asked Carmichael. + +“Down in the store-room,” said Abercromby sarcastically. “When the +Venusians got ready their shots he bethought himself that the kettle +wanted watching. My old grandfather, who used to dine on board ship +with Charlie Napier and the other paladins of the ‘roaring fifties,’ +once heard a naval captain tell a story of how a black cook ran down +into the stoke-hole as soon as the French or the Russians commenced +firing. Well, the officer hauled him up on deck and rated him for a +cowardly rascal. The nigger was equal to the occasion. ‘Good heart, +massa!’ he said; ‘good heart! bad legs, massa, bad legs! Legs run away +with the heart!’” + +Carmichael laughed, and then the whole party got inside the Asteroid, +and the engines being set in motion, they rose high into the air and +winged a straight flight to the great city. + +As a measure of prudence, the Professor raised the altitude of the +Asteroid a mile above the ground, and shaped his course for the +terraced building on the hill. They could see vast multitudes pouring +out of the houses and standing, pointing with upraised arms to the +machine, and watching intently its every movement. + +At last the great palace lay below them, and they slowly descended till +they alighted upon the ground in the courtyard. Hardly had they done so +when excited crowds of men and women came rushing forth. + +In a moment, before the travellers had had time to give explanations +by signs, they were seized by furious hands, their weapons struck +from them, and they would soon have been torn in pieces had not two +officials, in gorgeous attire, thrust their way forward and spoken +some words in a high and authoritative tone. Then the crowd fell back, +still uttering such cries of rage and fury that they expected each +moment would be their last. But the officers of the court kept their +authority, and Carmichael, Carysfort, Abercromby, and Radcliffe were +led into an adjoining room, where their hands were tightly bound, and +they were bidden to follow. They were then dragged along a number +of passages till they arrived at last before a door which, on being +opened, led into a small quadrangle open to the sky, with a few shrubs +and flowers growing in the centre, and several rooms opening into it, +one large, the others small. Then the officers released them from their +fetters and immediately departed. + + * * * * * + +The first thing the ill-fated travellers did when the door closed upon +them was to count their numbers, and then they made the startling +discovery that there was one missing. + +“Where is Jackson?” asked the Professor, in a transport of alarm. + +“Don’t trouble about him,” said Carysfort; “he is safe in the machine.” + +“Good heavens! How came we to leave him?” said the Professor. + +“He is better off than we are,” remarked Carysfort; “he has the means +of escape, while we are trapped.” + +“I suppose the next event will be the lord high executioner,” muttered +Abercromby. “Why were we such idiots as not to stick to the Asteroid?” + +“Well, it is done now,” replied Carmichael; “but remember that with +their weapons, of which we have had a sample already, they could have +not only destroyed us but wrecked the Asteroid as well. A mob hammering +at the windows could soon have effected an entrance. But if I _did_ +lose my head for a minute, I can only ask your forgiveness. As to poor +Jackson, he is free to do what we did not or could not do, and I think +he will have had sense enough to get away and loyalty enough not to go +away altogether. Anyway, God alone can protect us now.” + +“I, who have the least interest in living,” said Radcliffe, “beg you +all not to give up hope. Just consider, even if the Venusians had come +down upon London and smashed the dome of St. Paul’s, English justice +would not kill them without full enquiry, and all the scientists in +the world would clamour for their lives to learn what secrets they had +to tell. So it will be with us, depend upon it; we shall be allowed +to live, though I fear we shall never be allowed to return. For your +sakes, and for the world’s sake, I am deeply sorry, though personally +I would prefer to live here till the call comes to go where the wicked +cease from troubling and where the weary are at rest.” + +Abercromby was just about to expatiate on the better prospects they +might have had in Mars when the door opened, and some men appeared +bearing food and drink upon a large platter. This done, they retired, +without a word, though it would have been of little use to have +attempted conversation. + +“I believe we shall be kept alive till we have learned their blessed +language,” muttered Abercromby; “and we had better assume at once that +it takes as long to learn it as Chinese. Meantime we can grow fat at +the Government expense. I wonder who bosses the show here, whether +king, queen, president, or council of elders. Also whether Free-trade +or Protection is in the ascendant?” + +But poor Abercromby’s jokes fell very flat upon the weary and +dispirited men, who ate their meal and then stretched themselves upon +the none too luxurious couches provided for them and fell asleep, +wishing they could wake up to hear the waves beat upon Northumbria’s +shore in their Cullercoats lodging or in the lonely house at Newbiggin. + +Two days passed in the same miserable uncertainty. Three times during +each day they were waited on by silent attendants; their food was of +the nature of dough cakes, and their drink was of a light kind of +fruity wine, very palatable but somewhat disposed to bring on a state +of drowsiness if they partook too freely of it. + +They were at full liberty to promenade the courtyard, and to wander in +and out of the adjoining rooms. They scarcely ever caught sounds from +the outside world, except, now and again, the singing of birds. + +But one day, just after they had risen, they heard Abercromby calling +them from the parlour or dining-room in tones hoarse with excitement. +He was holding in his hand a number of sheets of paper. + +“Come here, all of you, and solve this riddle for me. I want you to +prove to my own private satisfaction that I am neither mad nor drunk.” + +“What have you got there?” said Carysfort. “Why! bless my stars! this +is some of our manuscript paper from the Asteroid. Where did you find +it?” + +“On the table here, staring me in the face.” + +The Professor took up the sheets, scanned them very carefully, and then +said, “This is an alphabet of the Venusian language, and here are lists +of Venusian words and phrases. Now we see that Radcliffe’s theory is +quite correct. This is our first lesson in the language, and it will +no doubt be followed by many others. It is clear now that our lives +are safe, till we are able to render a complete account of our unlucky +selves, and perhaps afterwards, if we give satisfaction.” + +“That is all very well so far as it goes, Professor,” replied +Abercromby, “and it is a great convenience and a skilful piece of work. +But one thing seems for a moment to have escaped your notice.” + +“What is that?” asked Carmichael quickly. + +“Where the dickens does the English come from and who holds the chair +of terrestrial languages in this planet’s university?” + +“Forgive me, Abercromby; for the moment I was so taken up with the +personal aspect of this discovery that I forgot the more amazing side +of it. Now am I utterly thunderstruck, and have not a word to say.” + +“Of all the things that have befallen us since we left the earth this +transcends every one of them,” replied the engineer. + +Radcliffe ventured the remark that the Venusians must have taken +possession of the Asteroid and stolen the paper, or else poor Jackson +must have been compelled to give it up. + +The Professor admitted that this was quite possible, but it did not +elucidate the amazing problem of how English could be known in Venus. + +The Professor sat with his head buried in his hands. Radcliffe took up +the paper and scrutinised each of the English words. + +“There are but three suppositions,” remarked Carmichael at length. +“One, that some Englishman or American has forestalled us. This, I +think, is absurd; the very attitude of the people is opposed to it. +Another, that the Venusians possess powers unknown to man and can +master other forms of speech at will. But, if that were so, they +might talk to us at once. There is one theory more--pure and absolute +miracle--the act of God. On this I am too reverent by nature to offer +any criticism. I confess myself to have received as astounding a shock +to my intellect as our casualty has dealt to our liberty and our hopes.” + + + + + CHAPTER XII + + NEEDFUL PREPARATIONS + + +As they had all suspected, a change soon came over the situation; they +had a task set them to do, and this was to learn the language of the +country. + +Every day both men and women came to their prison to give them +instructions, which they carried on by signs, by pictures, by every +conceivable method. They submitted with the best grace they could, +although they could not tell to what this education process was +destined to lead, whether to life or to death. Carmichael was at a +disadvantage, for he had never developed an aptitude for learning +languages, and it was said that he had got through his “Little Go” at +Cambridge with considerable difficulty, as his laurels were gained +in another field. The engineer was a man of many tongues, as he had +travelled much, both in Mexico and South America. Abercromby always +spoke of himself as a hopeless dunce, but it was often noticed that +he found the way to learn whatever he really wished to learn. As to +Clarence Radcliffe, he threw his whole soul into the work--a process +which on this occasion stood him in good stead, as, in ordinary cases, +languages were not his strong point. + +The mystery of the English writing was not solved. Radcliffe persisted +in thinking that the two people who had visited them on the hillside +were the authors of it. There was some plausibility in this, for they +may have meant it as a return for the trouble he had taken with them +over the diagrams and the solar-system map. But plausible as the +suggested motive might be, it did not explain how they could have +carried it out. + +When a little progress had been made Carmichael one day showed the +papers to some who had come to teach them. He was surprised to find +that they evinced little or no curiosity or astonishment. The reason, +however, soon appeared. They thought that the prisoners had written the +words for themselves, and it was the presence of their own words, not +of the English words, that they specially noted. When the Professor +understood this, Carysfort earnestly advised him to let the matter +drop, for in their helpless position indiscreet disclosures or even +questions might get them all into trouble. They would soon find out +for themselves what powers the wise men of the planet really had. +“Besides,” he said, “I am convinced by a minute study of the letters +that they were never written by one to whom our language was familiar; +their shape is quite stilted and foreign.” + +Carmichael was satisfied now that they had not been forestalled by some +traveller from earth. + +They early made discovery of the name by which Venus was known to its +own people. Venusian was not a pleasing term, and did not sound so +well as Atalantan. The planet was called Atalanta, which meant “the +flowery land.” As there was but one nation, one empire, dwelling upon +it, Atalanta was the name given to both the country and its metropolis. +The beautiful vale in which the city stood with the great lake from +whose shores its steep ascents took their rise was Meloria; the broad +spreading high hills bounding the vale to the north were the Keraunian +Mountains, so called from an ancient king of Atalanta who had saved the +life of the child of one of the noblest of his subjects, while climbing +their heights, at the expense of his own. + +Carmichael was told that his supposition of a high mountain near the +southern pole was correct. It was a peaked mountain called Aptaura, and +was twenty miles above the sea-level, the highest point on the planet. + +The earth was known to the Atalantans as Karamandra, “Queen of the cold +night”; Mercury, which was the only planet visible from the lighted +hemisphere, was called Araminta, the bright flashing; while the sun +was Asti, the furnace, though he had other titles connected with the +Atalantan religion. + +Carmichael saw that it was useless to seek any information as to what +was going to happen to them, nor would his teachers tell much about +their politics or customs. The travellers even suspected that any +questions they put were noted down. Radcliffe got on the best, as he +only made enquiries about their beliefs, and on this point they were +willing, as far as he was concerned, to be a little more communicative, +though it is to be feared that he was not greatly encouraged by what +they told him. + +On the other hand, the Atalantans put very few questions themselves +and these only of a harmless sort. It was evident that they had no +intention of treachery, but how much of what the travellers said was +reported elsewhere, the latter could not be equally certain. + +One evening the party were seated in their parlour, when Abercromby +asked the Professor to tell them what he had been able to glean as to +Atalantan matters. + +“Well,” replied Carmichael, “my supply of talk is but scanty, but it +may while away the time to piece it together. I have ascertained that +there exists no variety of race upon the planet; that these people +have been settled here for a couple of thousand years at least; that +they are descended from a pair, pretty much after the Bible account of +Adam and Eve, only much more recent in time; that they were originally +patriarchal in government, but that gradually the kingly power grew and +grew until it became what it is now, a sort of benevolent autocracy +rather resembling that of the ancient Incas of Peru. The growth of the +race has been exceedingly slow compared with that of earthly races, but +I have an opinion that this is largely due to the deliberate will of +the people themselves, who know that they have but a small available +territory for the comfortable support of life in a civilised form. +Towns and cities do not exist, nor distinct villages. There is but +the giant capital and scattered and independent country houses. There +is an extension of the land southwards forming a peninsula called +Anactorium; the land then ends near the south pole with the giant +mountain Aptaura, on which is situated an observatory for the study of +the heavenly bodies, our earth included. + +“Off the south-western coast is a large island called Melandria +inhabited by a somewhat more hardy population, of which island the +princess Melanitis is said to be very fond. + +“Now, Carysfort, you take up the cudgels, and tell us what your supply +of knowledge is.” + +“Not very much,” muttered the engineer. “These folk have found out how +to steer airships about two hundred years ago, and it seems they use +them for all purposes of travel. This is why, except in Melandria, +there are few roads and fewer vehicles. Before the airship came in +they used palanquins and litter-travelling for the aristocracy, while +the rest of the people walked. The aristocracy consist of those only +who have done deeds of kindness or valour, such as the Royal House may +think worthy of wearing the crimson sash, the tiara, and the coronet; +their children inherit their honours till they do anything disgraceful +and then the title lapses. + +“Sir Thomas More and Gulliver ought to have lived in this land before +writing their terrestrial books.” + +“How are the people fed?” asked Radcliffe. + +“Everybody grows his own produce and makes his own furniture and +clothes,” said Carysfort. “All the central and northern lands are the +free property of the state. Anybody can take what he wants if he has +the energy to go there. If he has not, then he must have a poorer +house and wear shabbier clothes.” + +“How do they elect the king?” + +“The crown descends from sire to son, or from sire to daughter, for +one hundred years, then the nobility meet in conclave and elect the +worthiest man or woman of their number. If they cannot agree, the +reigning sovereign may hold the throne till death; but this has only +happened twice.” + +“Now, Abercromby, tell us your discoveries,” said Carmichael. + +“The king has two daughters, Melanitis and Mexitli,” he answered; “the +former will be queen on her father’s death, and he is a very old man. + +“I am afraid after all, Professor, you are much to be commiserated +that you did not go to Mars. It is a feminine world, Professor, in the +worst of all senses, that men appear to be in a position of distinct +inferiority. They do all the work, and what the others do I have not +clearly learned at present, but when I know I will tell you. So far as +I can find out, their rule is decently benevolent, but I shudder to +think of the exceptions. I suppose it will all figure out right; if it +doesn’t we shan’t be here to see.” + +“I believe you are humbugging,” laughed Carmichael. + +“I will tell you a pathetic story,” continued Abercromby. “I happened +to ask one of the most recent damsels who came here to complete my +studies if the princesses were good-looking. She got in such a rage +that I asked her what the dickens she meant by it. As she failed to +understand me, my words soothed her, and then with the airs of all +the queens from Semiramis to Victoria, she demanded by what right a +Karamandran barbarian from outer space presumed to ask such a thing +respecting the two fairy pillars upon which Atalanta would one day +rest. She told me I was only fit to herd with mangas, and I told her +she was enough to make a cat laugh like Charlie’s Aunt, but I spoke in +English, of course.” + +“What is a manga?” asked Radcliffe. + +“I fear it is one of those dear monkeys that made me howl and wake the +Professor, but I am not sure. + +“I think we will agree not to ask Radcliffe what he has found out, for +we are hardly in a fit mood for serious talk, and I don’t think he +wants to tell us,” continued Abercromby. + +“No, not to-night,” said Radcliffe. “I told Frank that I was afraid +they worshipped the sun, and he consoled me by saying they would not +think of worshipping the moon, because Venus had not got one.” + +As Radcliffe himself laughed the whole party saw no harm in doing the +same. + +Three days later a most remarkable event occurred. This was nothing +less than the arrival of Jackson, with his hands fettered, it is true, +but the guards told them they might release him at once. + +“Well, Tom, old friend and comrade, I am glad to see you,” said +Carmichael warmly. + +“More glad than I am to see myself,” answered Jackson. “I don’t know +how I can bear to tell you all that has happened.” + +“It was not your fault,” said his master kindly. “Let us hear the +worst at once--the machine has been taken away or destroyed.” + +“Not so bad as all that, sir; it is put under lock and key and strongly +guarded. When I saw you made prisoner I thought I would set the engines +going, soar up, and play a game in the sky which would frighten them, +but I never got the chance; they swarmed in, knocked me down, after I +had sent some of them down, bound me hands and feet, and fastened me +to one of the couches in the dining-room. Then they began poking their +blessed noses into every nook and corner, and there I was swearing and +cussing and not able to do nothing to stop them. + +“Presently they takes me and opens my mouth and puts something in that +sends me straight off asleep for the next twenty hours. When I wakes up +some low-looking fellows were standing over me and feeling me about, +and I put out my tongue in case it was a doctor. Well, they brought me +food and drink, and I was that mad hungry and thirsty I cleared the +plate and mug, I can tell you, and then off I went to sleep again, and +this was pretty much how I was treated till this morning, when they +took me out of the machine and brought me to you. They had moved the +machine with me in it while I was unconscious.” + +“Did they teach you to speak their language?” asked the Professor. + +“Not they, sir. They didn’t think me up to it, I suppose.” + +“Well, they have taken no end of pains to teach us,” said Abercromby, +and he told Jackson the extraordinary incident of the English words. + +“I believe I can make that out, sir,” said Jackson. + +The Professor looked amazed, but he only said, “If you can, Tom, you +will take quite a load off my brains.” + +“It was one of their monkey tricks they played on me, depend on it, +sir. When I got my senses back, I saw one of the rascals holding +sheets of our manuscript paper in his hand. I believe he just went and +mesmerised me, and got me to say and do all he wanted. Of course, if +they were after teaching you their lingo, they would start much the +quicker by helping you to put their work into our letters, and I am +sure that was how they did it; they made me say and write the English +alphabet when they had got me like wax in their hands and I had no +power to fight them. But if I did you a good turn, sir, I’ll forgive +them.” + +“Now we have got the key at last,” says Carysfort. “We need not trouble +any more about it.” + +The next morning Cleito, the commandant of the palace guard, entered +their parlour and said to them: “Four days from now, strangers from +Karamandra, and you will stand before the Royal House in the Hall of +Audience and of Perfect Justice, and you will reply to the questions +put to you by the king and by the princesses his daughters, and as your +answers shall be good or evil in their sight, so shall your destiny be.” + +“It has come at last,” said Radcliffe. + + + + + CHAPTER XIII + + THE FIRST ORDEAL + + +Four days later, at nine o’clock by their earthly time, the men from +Karamandra were bidden to follow their escort of guards. Their hands +were fastened by a light chain which afforded some facilities for +movement, and they were led in single file between a double row of +armed men to the terrace upon which they had so rashly alighted. At +the south end stood a splendid building approached by a noble portico. +Into this they entered, and passing along a magnificent vestibule, the +door of a pillared hall was thrown open and they found themselves led +up the centre of a vast dome-shaped building with tiers of seats on +either side, one rising above the other, and filled to overflowing with +a countless sea of human faces, the expressions of most being set and +stern in their hostility. On the central dais were two semicircular +rows of elegant and carved seats evidently for the highest in rank, +while in front were three thrones with gorgeous canopies, the central +occupied by a most majestic-looking old man and those on either side by +his daughters Melanitis and Mexitli. + +They were both extremely beautiful with the pale tint that so +characterised the daughters of Atalanta, but there was a difference +between them, especially in manner and bearing. The elder, the Queen +designate, was much more humble than her sister--we might almost say +timid and ill at ease. The younger was haughty, overbearing, and +dominating, and yet with a sullen expression as though she had not the +power to do all she wished. She fixed a supercilious glance at the +terrestrial party, looking from one to the other, but taking not the +least notice of one more than the other. + +But Melanitis had no sooner looked on the faces of Abercromby and +Radcliffe, who stood the nearest to her, than she uttered a faint cry +as though stricken, her features became rigid, and she clutched at the +arms of her throne for support. + +The King turned to her and said, “Child of my heart, what aileth thee?” + +“Only a solar faintness, my lord,” she replied. The King ordered one of +the fan-bearers to minister to her. + +The incident passed with little notice. Radcliffe did not see it, +for his eyes were fixed upon the King, who was a grand specimen of +dignified old age. Abercromby saw it, and a puzzled grin (not very wise +under the circumstances) overspread his countenance. + +“King of Atalanta, pride and ornament of thine ancient house,” said +the deep voice of a white-robed official of the palace, “and you, +princesses, pillars of the kingdom, fairest jewels set in the midst of +the motherland, you see these strangers who have, by an unparalleled +daring, crossed the myriad depths of space and thrust themselves in +the midst of us. Their machine is controlled by a power we do not +possess and whose secrets they alone know. But they themselves are +weak and helpless as others, and it is for you to declare whether it +best accords with the well-being of Atalanta that they live or die. +Let justice and mercy each have their rightful place, yet by all means +remember that this is an event that may leave lasting traces upon us, +and as we act now so may we be compelled to act hereafter. For the +first time since He came who passed from us on His way to Karamandra, +no being, whether mortal or immortal, has ever visited us who did not +previously belong to us. We have lived under the silence of the stars, +and as each generation has gone to the Mansions of the Blest or to the +Realm of the Endless Shadow they have walked in the wisdom of their +fathers. But now it may be that some fuller opportunity may be granted +to us, if we act wisely and well.” + +The King leaned forward, and addressing Carmichael said, “Are you from +Karamandra and also your companions?” + +“We are,” said the Professor. + +“Did the king of your world send you on a mission to us?” + +“There is no king of Karamandra; our world is peopled on both sides +of its surface with nations, races, and tribes in varying degrees of +culture and resources, but independent, though some are linked together +by bonds and alliances.” + +“How many people live in your world?” + +“About twelve hundred millions.” + +An exclamation of horror echoed round the hall. + +“How long have they dwelt upon its surface?” + +“We have different theories on the subject,” said Carmichael, with a +sly look at Radcliffe. + +“If your world has many kings, which of them sent you?” + +“None; we came of our own selves.” + +There was a murmur of amazement. + +“Who, then, discovered the secret of how to journey from one world to +another?” + +“I did, and also my companion here,” pointing to Carysfort. + +“When did you discover it?” + +“Many months ago.” + +“Will you tell it to us?” + +“That depends upon how you treat us.” + +Mexitli started to her feet. “Let the insolent barbarian say no more, +for the land cannot endure his words. His own Sovereign would cast +him out; much more shall not the sacred Majesty of Atalanta?” Then, +pointing at Radcliffe, she said, “If my father wills I will question +_him_, for he it is who saved the life of my cousin Mayana from the +murderous intent of these men.” + +The King nodded acquiescence. The woman’s questions were less academic. + +“Why did you come here?” + +“My companions had no other object than to benefit their fellows by +increasing their own knowledge. They made choice of this planet +because less was known about it than of those worlds that lie in an +orbit exterior to our own. Being of the same size with our own world, +my leader naturally hoped to find those upon its surface with whom he +could hold intelligent converse, and both receive and impart useful +knowledge.” + +“We require no teaching from outer space,” answered Mexitli, “though +there are some in this hall disloyal enough to think so.” + +“The God of Heaven does not give even to every Atalantan equal gifts +with every other, and yet there may be little things in which the +highest may receive a helping hand from the lowest. I know the misery +and unrest of my own world, and yet the God of Heaven has cared for it. +Most gladly will I explain these things in public or in private if I +may be suffered to do so.” + +“You would be better advised first to look out for your own personal +safety, that is the present consideration. You and yours do not seem to +understand that you have committed more than one atrocious crime since +you invaded our borders. Then, too, the demeanour of your companions +has been most insolent, as though they expected to be welcomed with +honours in a land which neither knew of them nor desired them. As for +you individually, I might perhaps advise the King my father to show you +a measure of favour, but the time has not come yet. You have leave to +satisfy my curiosity on one point. How did the God of Heaven show His +care for Karamandra?” + +“By sending His only Son, the Prince of Heaven, to save them by turning +their hearts back again to Himself.” + +A violent movement of surprise pervaded the hall; strange to say, +Melanitis did not show the agitation displayed by the rest, but +remained outwardly calm. + +“I thought so,” answered the King. “Our best traditions led us to think +it would be as you say.” + +“Good gracious! we are going to have a battle-royal about religion,” +muttered Carysfort to the Professor. + +“And how did your world act towards Him when He came to them?” asked +Mexitli. + +Radcliffe stood speechless for a moment, his voice choked; a tear +trickled down his face. + +“I should not wonder if they killed Him,” interposed Melanitis. + +Exclamations of horror and astonishment broke from all sides. + +Mexitli shrugged her shoulders with a look of disgust. She signed to +Radcliffe to proceed and said imperiously, “Speak the truth--is this +horrible thing true?” + +“It is true,” answered Radcliffe in a whisper that sent a thrill +through every heart in the hall. “I would have died in His stead had I +been there, and yet I do not know: one who professed to love Him said +as much and then basely deserted Him; so might I.” + +“How is it that your world exists after doing this?” + +“God is Love,” replied Radcliffe. + +There was a moment’s tense silence, then the princess said, “Did +_anything_ happen?” + +“Yes; the offer of pardon was sent all over the world, for God forgave +the world, for the death of the Prince made full amends for all the +wrong that men had done. The divine justice was satisfied. He who had +been slain came into that world for the very purpose that He might lay +down His life for it. He came as man in lowly guise, enduring all the +sorrows of our life, and those who slew Him did not know what they were +doing. That is why forgiveness was possible for them. _Now_ the Prince +has re-entered upon His heavenly and immortal life, but He will come +again and take possession of His rightful inheritance, our own world.” + +“How long ago did these things happen?” asked the King. + +“Nearly twenty centuries by our reckoning.” + +“And have your people, the human race, returned to the divine +allegiance?” + +“Many have done so out of each generation, but many have not.” + +“_You_ have done so, I suppose? Your speech, methinks, implies it.” + +“I have,” said Radcliffe. + +“I am too shocked and horrified to pursue this talk much further,” +interrupted Mexitli. “It is evident that _our_ world is guiltless, +while as for yours,”--and she finished the sentence with a +gesture--“such people can be only plague-spots amongst us. Still, you +have told me the truth. Is it to be conceived after this, that even +_you_ came here to teach us?” + +“God made use of the very men who had helped to slay His Son to go out +and in many cases successfully to carry the story of peace all over the +world. It may be that He will give even to me a work to do here.” + +“Your life has first to be decided upon, and next your liberty,” was +the cold reply. “We shall have to deliberate over these amazing things. +You can now sit upon yonder seat. Of course you have been severely +tried. I would confer with the man who stood next to you. Come forward, +fellow, and answer my questions. What brought _you_ here--science or +religion?” The words were pronounced with a fine contempt. + +“Neither,” said Abercromby; “something as good as either, possibly +better--to help my brother who has just spoken to bear his life sorrow.” + +“The sins of his people, I suppose.” + +“That, doubtless, but also another. He loved a woman on his own world, +and made her his wife. They were estranged, and before the quarrel +could be made up she was killed by an accident in a river; he was not +with her at the time. _I_ persuaded him into coming with us, as the +best chance of saving his reason.” + +“Did he love her so much?” + +“I know not how love prevails in _this_ planet, but if all there exists +of it were put together it would about equal the love he had to her.” + +“You are not required to pry into such matters. Are you his relation?” + +“No, I am his friend. That is a stronger bond in most cases.” + +Mexitli bit her lip in evident vexation. The King betrayed a faint +smile. + +Melanitis sat perfectly rigid, her face deadly white, her hands tightly +clasped, her eyes fixed upon Radcliffe, who kept his face bent upon the +ground. Mexitli darted a swift glance at her sister, her expression as +she did so was inscrutable. At last she said to Abercromby, “Let us +leave this matter. Do the people in your own world know of the secret +by which you have come to ours?” + +“I decline to answer your question,” answered Abercromby. + +“This is absolute defiance, and will only bring you all into worse +trouble. You _must_ have intelligence to comprehend how greatly this +matter will concern us.” + +“When you tell us what you are proposing to do to us, we may perhaps +give you the information; till then I am silent until my leader bids me +to speak.” + +“I will make you speak,” said Mexitli. + +“Who are barbarians _now_?” retorted Abercromby. + +“Let me entreat you to use moderation and courtesy, Frank,” said +Radcliffe, putting a warning hand upon his arm. “Lady of Atalanta, I +ask and beg of you this grace, that you will give us time to consider +what the answer shall be.” + +“No one knows of our secret,” interposed Carmichael. “We are wholly at +your mercy.” + +“Is this true?” asked the princess of Radcliffe. + +“Yes,” replied Radcliffe. + +“Then it shall be considered in your favour, only I shall remember +that one of you at least spoke insolently to my face, in the central +seat of authority in our motherland.” + +“My decided vote is given for their lives,” said Melanitis. + +“If you wanted to spare them you could have scarcely spoken a more +ill-advised thing,” her sister answered. “By this act of public +utterance you force me to speak myself, and I decide for the death of +all of them and the immediate destruction of their machine, with this +one exception, that, according to the clemency of our laws, I would +allow Radcliffe a year’s respite under certain proper restrictions. +But as our voices are thus divided, it is for the King, my father, to +speak.” + +“People of Atalanta,” said Malchon, “we have heard to-day such things +as would tax the wisdom of the wisest amongst us to decide, whether +those who have stood on trial before us ought or ought not to die. Only +on one point is the way made plain. The man called Radcliffe can be +respited for a year, that we may confer with him about many things and +test and prove him. As to the rest, I dislike the thought of putting +them to death, if it can be avoided with safety. I propose that they +be kept in durance for a short number of days, and be fully told the +charges of ill-doing which have been brought against them. They can +carefully ponder their reply to these charges, and make it publicly +in our presence. Also they must give us a brief account of all their +movements since they reached our world. I bid them good speed till +the day of final examination comes, and if they behave in a suitable +manner, I hold out a reasonable prospect for their safety.” + +With these words the assembly rose up, and the men from earth were led +back to their courtyard prison. + + + + + CHAPTER XIV + + THE SECOND ORDEAL + + +“We shall have a few things to talk over,” was Abercromby’s first +ejaculation when they found themselves alone. “I hope to goodness, +Professor, you will give us A1 marks for our respective contributions +to the drama.” + +“I think you all did admirably, both those who spoke and those who held +their tongues,” answered the Professor. + +“They were a queer trio,” observed the engineer, with a chuckle. “I +don’t suppose old King Malchon is allowed by his two daughters very +much more power than the House of Commons allows to the kings of +England--he reigns but he does not govern.” + +“I was once told of a parish up in the north, sir,” put in Tom, “where +the parson, his wife, and his daughters were in charge, and the folks +said as how they were under the thumb of the Rector, the Director, and +the Misdirector!” + +“Not bad that, Tom,” said Carysfort; “but, seriously, I _can’t_ make +out the elder princess. The younger is quite understandable though not +agreeable. She would cut our heads off, if she could, though I have a +notion she would like to cut off her sister’s also. Take my word for +it, this country is run in for civil war when poor old Malchon dies. +Two queens at a time means business in this case.” + +“Aye! I believe it,” said the Professor; “but there is something else I +should much like to fathom. Why did Melanitis seem struck in a heap, as +they say, directly she caught sight of us?” + +“Easy of explanation, my dear Professor: she fell in love either with +me or with Clarence at first sight. At first I thought I was in it, but +I incline to think it was Clarence.” + +Radcliffe had gone to his room and was fast asleep, so the others could +talk apart from him. + +“I wish he could get a wife, sir,” said Tom; “_that_ would make him +happy again better than anything.” + +“I’ll see what I can do,” replied Abercromby hopefully. + +“A word before you begin,” dryly remarked the Professor. “We must be +extremely careful what we are about. I do not want to be pessimistic, +but I foresee nothing but trouble ahead. That the elder princess is in +love with one of us, presumably Radcliffe, I do not deny: it is the +only explanation of her conduct. But to us it spells disaster either +way. He must obviously do one of two things--accept or reject. If he +responds to her advances, the whole of Atalanta will be up in arms, +saying that we outer barbarians have dared to aspire to the King’s +daughter.” + +“We need hardly consider that,” observed the engineer. “Radcliffe will +remain true to the memories of the past.” + +“Well, then, if he does, he will repel her, and this, I myself think, +to be the more probable. Then he will make Melanitis his implacable +enemy.” + +“But he must do one or the other,” said Abercromby. “For his own sake I +hope he will open his campaign quickly.” + +“We shall all lose our heads if he does, and the expedition will be +wrecked,” answered Carmichael somewhat angrily. “I do beseech you, +Abercromby, use your best influence with him for his own sake and +ours. We are in a desperate position as it is; do not make it worse by +importing women into it.” + +“It is not even as though we had Melanitis only,” protested the +engineer, “we have her implacable sister also to deal with. Just +imagine what a rage she will be in if she should once suspect. +Radcliffe might, with equal safety, make love to _her_. Every hatred +and prejudice that can riot in a human heart would be set on fire.” + +“I have a pet theory that she would rather like it--I mean if Radcliffe +made love to Melanitis. Suppose his doing so led to her being set +aside, then Mexitli would be queen herself.” + +“Very ingenious, my dear fellow, but the ladies do not usually walk +along the lines we intellectually trace out for them. You may be right, +but it is far too desperate a game to play. Remember we have death +still in front of us, and that even if we are spared, it may be only +conditionally.” + +The conversation then dropped, Abercromby having promised that he +would not endanger them by any imprudence. + +The next day they were furnished with a list of the charges made +against them. The chief of these were that they had come to Venus at +all, on a private enterprise not authorised by their own people, which +left them free to do any damage or injury to the realm. Another was +that they had drawn their weapons upon Mayana and her husband, when she +had given proof that she did not mean to kill them, by only destroying +a tree. Another, that they had dared to alight upon the terrace of the +royal palace, and a last charge was a general accusation of insolence +and defiance to the Royal House and its representatives. + +Radcliffe was told he need not reply to the charge of drawing weapons, +nor to that of disrespectful speech, as on those charges he was +acquitted. + +Naturally the prisoners talked the whole matter carefully over and +arranged their several lines of defence. Carysfort, who could speak the +language better than Carmichael, would be the spokesman, and, though +he was a plain, blunt man, his good sense and shrewdness would be +likely to be of service to them. Abercromby was implored not to speak, +and, after some trouble, he consented. Tom could not say a word in +Atalantan, but he promised to speak in English if a sentence was passed. + +Radcliffe kept his thoughts to himself, and would not tell the others +what he meant to do. + +They were not called upon to undergo any period of prolonged suspense, +for the summons came on the fourth morning after their return to +prison, to stand once again in the Hall of Perfect Justice. Every +available inch of standing-ground was occupied, and it took a +considerable time before the accused could be led to their places +immediately in front of the triple throne. So far as appearance went, +the assembly was somewhat less hostile in demeanour than on the first +occasion when they had confronted it. The preliminaries took up but +little time. + +Another official of the palace read the several terms of the +indictment, and then Malchon the King rose from his seat and said, “Men +of Karamandra, ye have heard the charges brought against you, all of +which are more or less serious and deadly. But we hope that time and +reflection have enabled you to frame such answers as shall satisfy us +that we do no wrong to our people and our authority if we permit you to +live.” + +Carysfort then stood up. He gave a plain and straightforward account +of how the discovery had been made, and also the principles upon which +it was based. He told them that they had come as private individuals; +first, because the people of his own world were utterly sceptical of +the possibility of such an attempt, and, had they disclosed it before +starting, they would have either been ridiculed or else prevented, for +one nation was jealous of any advantage gained over another; next, +it was for the good of Atalanta that the people of his world should +not make it the object of their ambition and rapacity. After briefly +recapitulating their researches in the northern parts of Venus, he then +went on to explain that they had drawn their weapons in a moment of +overwhelming panic, just as the Atalantans would have done had they +been in like circumstances. As to alighting on the palace terrace, they +had followed the course taken by the two Atalantans who had visited +them in the airship; that these had even pointed in the direction of +the city as though inviting them; and they had chosen the terrace +because it was the highest spot, the most accessible for their machine, +and they had supposed that it would be the more easy and convenient to +address a special deputation of persons, and to appeal to them by signs +and even to invite them to enter and inspect their machine. As to their +conduct, they must be allowed to plead total ignorance of the modes of +thought of the Atalantan people; they felt it neither compatible with +their honour nor even their safety to assume an abject and crestfallen +attitude; they were brave men, as was proved by the myriad dangers they +had so boldly endured in crossing twenty-four million miles of space; +they asked only that they might meet brothers at the end of their long +journey, and not judges and executioners. + +Malchon showed evident pleasure at this reply of the engineer, and was +about to speak when Radcliffe stood up and made earnest request to say +a few words. Leave being granted, he said, “I wish in the name of truth +and justice to take upon myself the full load of responsibility for +what seems to have been a serious act of wrong on our part. It was _I_ +who gave counsel to my friends to steer direct for the city and for +the palace, due, as I now perceive, to an erroneous interpretation +of the signs which the two notables of Atalanta made to us. They were +referring, of course, to their own movements, and not to ours. Forgive +me if you will, but, if not, on my head let the penalty rest.” + +Melanitis looked up quickly and met the glance of Radcliffe with an +expression of such yearning intensity that he turned away almost with +a shudder. Then she said to the King, “Spare them, my lord; no one in +their world knows their secret, no one can therefore come hither to +injure us.” + +“I will never consent to spare them altogether,” said Mexitli, “unless +they are willing to teach their secret to us, and even then they must +lie under the sentence of death for at least a year, so that if they +commit offences against our laws it may be at once carried out. As to +Radcliffe, I pardon him. This is the utmost limit of concession to +which I will go.” + +“So shall it be,” replied Malchon. “Your lives are justly forfeited +to our laws, and we therefore pass conditional sentence upon you, +with the exception of him to whom my daughter, at her cousin’s most +earnest entreaty, has given the full grace of clemency. But this may +be earned by the rest, if at the end of a year they show themselves +worthy. They need not be kept in prison beyond a day or two, provided +they are willing to promise in writing an assent to certain rules and +restrictions which shall be appointed. Radcliffe may go where he likes, +but he will not probably wish to be separated from his companions. As +to their machine, it will be kept by us as the property of our Royal +House. It shall not be injured nor destroyed. The goods and instruments +which it contains shall be returned to its late owner. Whether the +machine be again entrusted to them will depend upon their own conduct +or upon circumstances. I may send them back again to their own world +under penalty of death to them or to any other persons who shall follow +in their enterprise, or I may require them to spend their lives here. I +shall adopt the course which seems most desirable as time and their own +behaviour may dictate.” + +Just as the King was about to dismiss the audience Frank said to the +engineer-- + +“I wish old King Cole had been a little more definite.” + +Melanitis gave him a warning glance, but unluckily he went on-- + +“The Johnnie talks like a diplomatist who has left his mind behind him +in the cloak-room.” + +“Be quiet, can’t you!” grumbled Carysfort. “You will give the whole +show away in a minute.” + +These idioms were unknown to Mexitli, but the sound of Frank’s voice +was enough of itself. + +“_You_ will remain in a prison _alone_ for two months,” she said. “This +will give you time to repent of the insult you offered to me four days +ago.” + +Radcliffe made a movement to throw himself at the princess’s feet, but +Melanitis, not quite guessing his intent, grasped him by the arm and +drew him back. + +“I was but about to sue for the pardon of my friend,” he said. Mexitli +turned quickly round and said with a smile-- + +“You had better not, it may only make matters worse. I might call _you_ +to account for seeking to alter a royal decision, but I give you grace +this once for your ignorance of our customs. You had best rejoin your +people; they are being led from the hall.” + +There was nothing further to be done, and he obeyed. + +Poor Abercromby had to bid his comrades farewell at the palace +entrance. He looked very downcast and dispirited, for his sentence had +come upon him as a bolt from the blue. They were equally vexed and +distressed on his account. Tom asked his master if he might not use +his fists this once just to keep his hand in, but Carmichael happily +succeeded in pacifying him. + +“The best part of the news is that we have now a sporting chance of +getting out of this hole,” remarked Carysfort when they had bidden poor +Frank good-bye. + +“You mean ultimate permission to return to the earth?” asked the +Professor. + +“I shall not return,” said Radcliffe. + +“Beware of Melanitis,” remarked Carmichael dryly. + +“I do not fear her just because I have no love to give her, my love +is dead and buried; if it is anywhere it is in the little country +churchyard near Chipping Norton, where my honoured father-in-law lies +buried by the side of his only child who was my wife.” + +“We are in Venus,” remarked the Professor. “Don’t think me unfeeling, +but it is a far cry to Chipping Norton.” + +“Yes, it is a far cry to Chipping Norton,” murmured Radcliffe. “I +sometimes feel I could get hold of any Atalantan woman and ask her if +she understood. I could even tell Mexitli all about it.” + +“Better tell Melanitis and cut a rather intricate knot,” answered +Carmichael in a dry tone. + +“I think I shall. It will end a ghastly farce, and if she sends me to +the stake itself, well, so much the better.” + +The next day the ordinances, with which they were to be bound, were +served to them. They were few in number and simple enough, as far as +words could go, but it had yet to be seen how their practical working +would tend to render life pleasant or hard. No difference was made +between them, except that Abercromby had to await his release from +prison. They were to remain in the city under the eyes of the court, +to live in the house which would be provided for them, to wear their +own terrestrial dress, so as to be distinguished from the people, not +to go away from the city further than a prescribed distance, except by +permission, to place themselves at the royal service to render any help +that might be required, and, except Radcliffe, to come up for final +sentence at the expiry of a year. + +These terms were of course very vague and indefinite. They naturally +presented an earnest petition, that, in consideration of all that +they had risked and suffered, they might be allowed to travel to the +southern pole of the planet, and this they were at once informed would +be readily granted after a few weeks’ interval, when the season of +heavy rains was past. They were further told that they might freely +move in and out among the people, and both give and receive information +to and from all classes. + + + + + CHAPTER XV + + A TALE AT A SUPPER PARTY + + +Two days after they had given their assent to the terms laid upon them +they were removed from the place of durance and conducted by Cleito and +Arniphon, the two officers of the King’s guard, to a house in the lower +part of the city standing in a shaded plantation of trees a few hundred +yards off the Avenue of Ascent, as it was called, which led from the +lake shore to the palace. The house was of simple construction, with +a verandah and balconies adorned with climbing plants to screen from +the heat of the sun; it was two-storied, as were most of the houses in +Atalanta, the guest-rooms below, the sleeping-rooms above. They had, +of course, Tom to wait upon them, but as he knew no more of Atalantan +ways of life than they did themselves, his services were not of much +use. Every one in the land--every man at least--had to provide for +himself and make his house self-supporting, unless he belonged to +the aristocracy, among whom the relation of master and servant still +survived in a modified sort of way. Consequently the Professor, though +a temporary and unwilling citizen of a great city, could not get a +single person to help him, unless it were some one who had fallen into +disgrace. + +The Atalantans, it is true, helped one another in all cases of illness +or difficulty or as an expression of private friendship; but the +terrestrials, though objects of unbounded curiosity, were treated as +quite beyond the pale, especially by the women, who would no more have +thought of coming to their house than to a cave of wild beasts. + +Consequently, they were for a time almost in danger of being starved. +They were allowed, it is true, to have their earthly supplies from +the machine, but this could only be temporary at best, and they were +far from wishful to strip the Asteroid bare, for they did not know +what future use they might have for them. The King now and again +sent them gifts from the palace, but these were not so often edible +as their needs required. Tom once tried to sell some of the King’s +gifts for food, but fortunately for his life he could not make himself +understood, the Atalantan to whom he offered them declining with +profuse politeness. + +“I pointed to my mouth half a dozen times,” protested Tom. “Even a +bloomin’ Frenchman, if I had been in Paris, would have known I wanted a +mutton chop, but that donkey only made me a bow.” + +“We shall have to eat grass yet, old fellow,” said Carysfort, “as +though we were donkeys ourselves.” + +It may well be imagined that the position of their comrade Abercromby +gave them the most acute uneasiness. Twice a day they were permitted +to hear from him, and he used to write a sentence in English. As he +was not allowed to make any allusion to his own position, he tried to +keep up his spirits and theirs by sending them burlesque mottoes and +maxims, which at least proved that he was very much alive. They were +such as these:-- + +“Henry the Eighth and King Malchon should have changed planets for the +good of their wives.” + +“Is an eclipse of the sun ever produced in these skies by an airship +with a happy man sitting alone in the middle of it?” + +“Gladstone would have altered the Home Rule Bill had he been here,” +etc. etc. + +Radcliffe, however, felt certain that poor Abercromby was far less +jocose than he represented himself. He would have been very much more +alarmed if he had known that every word he had written was sent in copy +to the palace, even the English writing being imitated. Cleito gave him +a warning intimation coupled with the strange remark that the Princess +Melanitis nearly shook with laughing when she saw the paper. Naturally +puzzled, he told Carmichael about it. + +“I should think,” said the Professor, who had very obvious reasons for +what he said, “that this is only another proof that she is quite as +unfeeling as her sister. Perhaps she guesses the import of his remarks, +and chuckles over his useless complaints and sarcasms. You remember +that she did not give you the least help when you made your brave but +vain appeal.” + +“I suppose it is so,” replied he in a wearied tone. “I shall not +trouble to find out why she laughed.” + +A day or two after this it chanced that Radcliffe was walking by +himself along the promenade by the lake, which reminded him strangely +of some of his holiday haunts in old England. Groups of people were +seated under the trees talking in languid tones, or else listening to +some female singers, who, with quaint-looking instruments and rich, +mellow voices, were singing the praises of the motherland. This was a +very trite subject and pretty well worn, but the people seemed always +to awake to interest at it. As he drew near he heard-- + + “Sing me the praise of the Land of Light, + Where the Lord of the sky looks down + On the hill and the meadow resplendently bright + Reflecting his glory and crown. + Creation holds not a world so fair + With its sky-piercing hills and its far-spreading air. + + “Its people are happy, their faces serene, + Untroubled their lives pass along. + The work of their hands gives them all things I ween, + The fruit of their toil is a song. + Yet fain would we know, when its beauties we miss, + Shall the spirit-clear eyes look on fairer than this? + + “Enough, for such questions unanswered must be, + Let not each generation complain; + If life must end in uncertainty, + Let us sing in the absence of pain. + Since the half of our world is so wondrously fair + Why should we grieve if the other be drear?” + +Radcliffe felt strongly impelled to stand up and address them, but his +courage failed him just at the critical moment. There was something in +those faces so absolutely self-satisfied, so serenely proud, that it +seemed harder to appeal to them than to the fiercest and most hostile +mob. + +“I see you are much interested, stranger, in one of our popular +melodies,” said an Atalantan, who had been watching him closely. + +“I wish I could be one of you, even the lowliest, that I might fully +know your ways of thought. How can I possibly be of any use to you +until I do?” + +The stranger smiled. “Well, as a means to that end, instead of +listening to poetry that I at least have heard many hundreds of times, +you shall come home to our mansion, which is close by, and sup with us. +We may be able to regale you with better music and song, and you may +tell us something of your own planet. My wife is Mayana, the cousin of +the princesses, and we owe you no small debt of gratitude.” + +In a half-dazed condition Radcliffe went in through the noble portico +and into the mansion; there he was led up to Mayana and her younger +sister Minya, who unbent themselves, and gave him a warm greeting. +Supper of fruits and iced drinks was laid upon a side table, and the +Atalantan gentleman served it to the others, not permitting Radcliffe +to serve, as he was a guest. + +Conversation flowed freely. + +He told them of the journey across space and of their feelings when +they drew near to the city. Again he was profusely thanked for having +averted death and misery, but his efforts to exculpate the others were +not as successful as he had hoped. + +The conversation turned upon the court, and Radcliffe sang the praises +of the King in no sparing terms. Cleophon, Mayana’s husband, smiled and +asked why he did not say a word in honour of the two princesses. + +“Because I am afraid,” he answered. He thought they would laugh at him, +but they did not. + +“There is no serious reason for feeling this,” said Mayana; “you are +high in favour, and may rise higher yet. But naturally we Atalantans +prefer to be ruled by one of our own sex, though we all love and +sympathise with the poor dear old King.” + +“Why does he look somewhat sad?” Radcliffe ventured to ask. + +“Cleophon, tell the story; our attendants have been requisitioned at +the palace, so we are quite by ourselves,” said Mayana. + +“It is a strange tale,” he began. “Years ago the Princess Melanitis +was the joy and brightness of her father’s heart; she was very +high-spirited, an Atalantan of the Atalantans, and looked upon as the +most able ruler who would ever sit upon our throne. She was stricken +down by solar fever, and reduced to the very point of death. The King, +distracted with grief, went to the Temple of the Sun on the lake-island +yonder; he prayed all night to the God of Heaven, and, in his despair, +he used words quite contrary to all justice and moderation. ‘Let her +recover,’ he said, ‘though she be a shame to me and to my house; let +her recover, though she live to break my heart and the hearts of all my +people.’ The high priest told him that his prayer would be answered, +but he would live to rue the day that it was. When he returned to the +palace the princess _had_ recovered. She awoke from the very stupor +of death. She stretched out her arms to him, but when she saw him she +uttered a cry of horror that will not be forgotten by those that heard +it. Her senses returned, and yet they did not return. She could not +speak her own tongue; she did not know the meaning of anything that she +saw; she did not know her way about the city or even the palace. She +was infinitely more helpless than you were when you were made prisoner +by the crowd.” + +“How dreadful!” said Radcliffe. + +“Malchon recognised his rashness and bowed bravely to it. He summoned +the wisest men of the land, for wisdom seems one of the few things that +we men can claim as our own.” + +“_Some_ wisdom,” corrected Mayana. + +“Well, I have a king’s word for it. But this is no jesting matter. She +had to be taught everything from the very beginning. Gradually her mind +came back, but her memory of the past never came back; she knew nothing +of her former life except as she was told. But there is a stranger +thing still. When she was again made fit to assume the duties of her +princely station, she seemed to have lost all interest in them; she was +just as clever as before, but her cleverness seemed so very different. +She took up with science, especially astronomy. She was always paying +visits to Aptaura, and would spend hours in the study of the heavens, +of your planet, and of the outer planets. Even her opinions on religion +were different; nothing would induce her to pay her devotions in the +Temple of the Sun. She took a great interest in the old bygone faith +of Atalanta, when men prayed to the God of Heaven directly, and she +gathered all the knowledge attainable as to the visit of the mysterious +Divine Prince who, as you had the courage to tell us, was cruelly put +to death by the inhuman savages in your own world, when He had come to +die for them. Never within living memory was any audience so stirred +as when you gave your straight answer to those awful questions put to +you by her sister. My advice to you is to cultivate the friendship of +Melanitis, and to answer all her enquiries about Karamandra and its +people. You might even do something to chase the clouds from her brow.” + +“There have been cases in my own world of people who have been +sun-stricken turning totally different afterwards,” said Radcliffe, who +sat wrapped in thought; “an honest man has been known to steal and to +commit the worst of crimes.” + +“I do not wonder,” put in Minya, “that she never worships in the +Temple; her father has never once entered it again.” + +“What are her relations with her sister? I would not ask so grave +a question, but for fear lest I may do the princess an injury by +increasing her interest in things foreign to this planet.” + +“Pray have no fear on that ground,” replied Mayana. “So utterly has +Melanitis ceased even to care to rule that Mexitli has it all her own +way. Nothing but the will of the King induces Melanitis to be even +considered Queen-Elect, and I have a secret opinion, based on some +words Mexitli dropped to me, that, directly the King dies, there will +be no conflict between them, for Melanitis will resign her claims. They +were bitter enemies once, but they are friendly enough now, though only +those are aware of it who are behind the scenes. But in my inmost heart +I a little despise my elder cousin.” + +“A former King of Atalanta gave up the crown,” murmured Cleophon. + +“Yes, but he was a _man_,” said Mayana; “you will not find a _queen_ +doing so.” + +“I take my corrections as I take my exercise--philosophically,” +answered Cleophon. + +“You are the best of your sex,” replied Mayana; “I have no fault to +find with you.” + +Radcliffe rose, and bidding his host and hostess farewell, took his +departure after Minya had sung in her beautiful voice two or three +patriotic songs, “How Keraunion died for his friend,” “Make the best of +half a world,” “One only nation.” + +“The Prince died in Karamandra for His enemies,” remarked Mayana +thoughtfully; “I suppose that was better. But we never treated Him like +that.” + +“Lady,” said Radcliffe, “are there not slights that are injuries more +painful than death?” + +“Perhaps there are. You doubtless accuse us in the days of old for +letting Him depart without a welcome, because our pride could not +understand His humility. Well, if we were wrong, we have been punished, +for we have had no one to teach us ever since.” + +“I labour under the triple disadvantage of being a Karamandran, a man, +and, at every step I take, under the shadow of death, but I will tell +you all I know, and all He taught in my own world.” + +Mayana coloured slightly, but the intense earnestness of the speaker +disarmed her. “You can if you like,” she said; “I will see you again +and you shall talk to us. But Melanitis is the one most certain to take +up with these new ideas.” + +“You must be very careful what you do,” observed Cleophon. “You will +have bitter prejudices to overcome. We are not a teachable people, we +think we know all things, and where we admit our ignorance, we withhold +our interest.” + +“At least this is a house full of friends and you are welcome,” said +Mayana, and with these words in his ears Clarence Radcliffe turned +away to enter the palace avenue, and then to the little dwelling in +the light blue plantation which was supposed to be their home. For a +moment his sense of utter loneliness was almost overwhelming. He wished +himself anywhere, even facing again the perils of space. + +Home! Where was it? All places and even all planets seemed alike. The +shadow of an airship passed overhead and uttered its peculiar wailing +cry. This gave him the explanation of their startling surprise, and +also something to think about. + + + + + CHAPTER XVI + + MALCHON’S GOSPEL + + +The Professor and the engineer had not had a very pleasant time. With +their companion in prison and no longer able to enliven them with his +rattling talk, with all their future hopes clouded, separated from +their machine, and compelled to work at the most common details of +existence, it was no wonder that they grew somewhat disheartened and +sad. When they went out they found themselves shunned if not actively +disliked, and though they went in fear of no _bodily_ peril, it really +seemed as if the whole population had decided to let them severely +alone and to do nothing to help them. + +Tom was always in a condition of latent hostility, and it was well +that he could not speak the native language, considering the number of +times he swore in Anglo-Saxon. The very boys and girls in the streets +and promenades would sometimes hurl opprobrious epithets at each member +of the party; once a child struck Radcliffe as he was passing by; but +this was going too far, and the offending youngster would have been +severely punished if Radcliffe had not gone to the palace himself and +interceded. This act was much talked about in the city, but it did not +have the effect that might have been hoped, although he ended the +hostility of one family. + +One day, being seriously uneasy at this state of things, he went to +crave an audience of the Princess Mexitli herself. She received him +urbanely enough, but his pleading for the others was the reverse of +successful. + +“You all had no right to come here,” she said, “and you must put +up with what you receive. All I can promise is that when the man +Abercromby is set free, which I will not allow till his time of +punishment has expired, then you shall all travel in your airship to +see the wonders of the southern pole. We shall probably go with you; it +will suit the time when we make our annual progress thither. This will +be a pleasure to you all, and to that you may look forward. And now I +have a command to lay upon you. Will you take us over and explain to us +the different parts of the Asteroid?” + +“Whenever your Highness shall direct.” + +“Then come with me now. This is the hour when we usually take our +interval of sleep. But it will be all the better, as fewer eyes will be +upon us.” + +In a little time the two princesses, each accompanied by an attendant, +repaired to that part of the terrace-square on which the Asteroid was +fixed. Radcliffe conducted them all over it, explaining the meaning of +the different objects, and gave a full account of the mechanism and of +the newly discovered force by which it had been propelled in space. +He had never felt more free since he had alighted upon the planet; he +could forget now that those whom he was addressing could send him by a +word to a doom of terror, he felt rather like a lecturer demonstrating +to a small class of pupils. + +The princesses seemed highly delighted with what they had seen, and +declared that they would certainly travel in it. Among the last objects +which they noticed was a book lying open upon one of the cabin tables. +It was a New Testament. Melanitis took it up, turned over a few +pages, and said to Radcliffe, “Why should you not turn this book into +Atalantan? We have no print like this, but we have means of reproducing +copies of our exquisite public handwriting. I could furnish you with +helpers.” + +Radcliffe started violently. “Do you know what that book is?” he said. + +“How should we, when we speak only our own language?” said Mexitli, +with some tartness. “But let me tell you, I will allow no book from +another planet to be circulated among the people, unless it be, in my +opinion, useful, and not unsettling to their minds.” + +“It is the life and teaching of the Saviour Prince, and an account +of how those who were faithful to Him carried on His work after His +ascension,” replied Radcliffe. + +“Indeed!” said the princess, much astonished. “Well, you may translate +it for us if you like. My father the King takes a great interest in all +such deep subjects. But only a small part can be suitable for _our_ +world, I should say.” + +“Leave it to me, I will arrange everything for you,” said Melanitis +quickly. + +“I insist upon having my voice in the matter,” Mexitli struck in. +“This is too serious for even my sister to take wholly upon herself. +However, religion is about the only thing I should be at all willing to +accept from outside, because we have practically none of it ourselves. +Sun-worship is ridiculous, but it is perhaps good enough for uncultured +minds.” + +“Do the people treat the sun as a divinity, or as only the noblest +representation of God in the visible creation?” + +“You must ask the philosophers about that. It is no duty of us +princesses to go about and discover how much or how little the people +believe. But come, the heat is too great here for such serious talk; +we will return. Set about your book, and work at it till the rain-mist +season is over, and then bring it to us.” + +The very next day two of the King’s scribes came to their house, much +to the astonishment of both Carmichael and Carysfort. When Tom was +informed, he said he could not see why they should pull the old Book +about; what was good enough for Moses was good enough for him. The +Professor had to break it to him that Moses had not been connected with +either the English or Atalantan versions. + +Radcliffe worked hour after hour dictating and receiving hints in +return, until the Gospel of St. Luke and the Acts of the Apostles had +been rendered into very decent Atalantan speech, though, of course, +there was a great lack of elegance and finish. + +While thus engaged the rain-mist season came on in its full intensity. +The land was deluged with dew and moisture, fog and rime. The weather +was distinctly chilly. Many of the people took occasion to pass the +time in rest and sleep, and there was a succession of something like +terrestrial mornings and evenings, according as the mist increased or +diminished. + +Towards the end of the period the King sent for Radcliffe and had a +long conversation with him. He praised his diligence, and said that he +would do all in his power to further his wishes. But he advised him +as a friend not to be too hasty in setting himself up as a teacher +of the people. It would be better to induce the Atalantans to teach +themselves. “You desire to incline my people to become disciples of +Jesus Christ, as you terrestrials appear to call Him. Of course, this +is but natural, for every disciple, worthy of the name, seeks to enlist +other disciples for the teacher whom he admires. My poor Melanitis +seems much disposed to enter into your plans, and you cannot do better +than work through her. My other daughter will have probably greater +influence than she, when I am gone to the Mansions of the Blest, and +you have done well to conciliate her in every way that your conscience +allows. I have not much direct power; it may be that Mexitli is +impatient for my too prolonged life to end. I blame her not; but I +would give much to be sure that my darling Melanitis loves me as she +did in the olden days. But a truce to this, though sometimes I feel I +can talk more freely to you than to my own people. We are swathed in +forms and ceremonies, in pride and social prejudice, and I long to be +able to converse freely, even with a stranger.” + +“Would your Majesty tell me the story I have desired so much to know: +how, and under what circumstances, He, who is the Master whom I serve, +came to Atalanta?” + +The King paused a moment. Then, inviting Radcliffe to be seated, +he said, “This is the pith of a sad and shameful story, the most +disgraceful in the whole history of my race. My people lived in much +the same place as now, though on the northern shores of the lake of +Meloria. Atalanta was not built as a city. We were but few in number +then, about twenty thousand maybe. A stranger of noble and gracious +aspect came over the Keraunian Hills. We had suffered much from +sickness and calamity, flood and fire. He came and nursed our sick back +to life; He taught us many useful things; He benefited us in every +possible way; He did menial services for us; but He told us that He +was the Son of the Mighty God, and that, if we put our trust in Him, +He would make us noble and happy and wise while we lived, and then +take us to His own Home beyond the stars where we should be His angels +and serve Him for ever. But the people of Atalanta would not accept +Him; they believed that He came from some other planet, but not that +He was the Prince of Heaven. He gave them many proofs of His divine +greatness, but very few accepted Him or became His disciples. This went +on for some time, and at last the men of Atalanta got exasperated; they +accused Him of saying that they were sinners against God, whereas +they committed no crimes but were just and upright. At last they +arrested Him, and the Council of Elders, for we had no kings and queens +then, sentenced Him to work for Atalanta by building a road over the +Keraunian Hills. He toiled at this work for a whole year, some of those +who loved Him working with Him. + +“At last this cursed road was built, and when it was finished they +said, ‘We will not hurt You nor ill-treat You; we bid You depart and +leave us in peace.’ Then He said, ‘I am going to Karamandra to suffer +there for the sins of its people and to proclaim to them the true +way of salvation. But as for you, ye shall increase and wax mighty, +and have great riches and prosperity, and dwell for many centuries +unmolested and unvisited. Ye shall mourn during those days that ye have +no sure knowledge of eternal things, but no knowledge shall be given +you till the hour comes that, as a people, ye shall humble yourselves. +And in the end of the ages I will come again, first to the guiltier +world and then to this which is less guilty, and from both take to +Myself an elect assembly of those who are My true disciples. Meantime +love and serve one another, as I have served you, and the work which I +go to do upon Karamandra shall avail for this world also. Believe in Me +and My words, and wait, be the time never so long, for the Return of +the Light which you now despise.’ + +“Then He went away, and was seen no more. This is the sum of what I +have to tell you, my friend; seek to make the best use of it that you +can, and go forward wisely and prudently.” + +Radcliffe encountered Melanitis as he left the King’s private cabinet. +She smiled upon him, but her eyes showed that she had been weeping +intensely. He more than suspected that she must have known of what had +passed, but he did not question her. + +That same evening Radcliffe was wending his way to the house as well +as he could; the mist had lifted somewhat, but showed evident signs of +swooping down again. He had just turned into the Grand Avenue when a +voice was heard from behind a tree, “Will you oblige, sir, by telling +me the way to Professor Carmichael’s house?” + +Radcliffe stopped aghast! Here was some one in Venus accosting him in +English! For a moment he stood petrified, then a hand was laid on his +shoulder. It was Frank Abercromby! + +The latest joke had pretty well used him up. He was more like a +scarecrow than a man. + +“What have they been doing to you?” said Radcliffe, his growing +admiration of things Atalantan sinking down to zero. + +“Teaching me to love princesses. But come, old man, will there be a +good meat tea ready for us when we get back?” + +“The Professor and the engineer and Tom scarcely know how to live. We +have had to grow our own vegetables and fruits, and Tom, the other day, +found he had planted some the wrong end uppermost.” + +“Everything seems upside down in this beastly planet. Whatever did we +come here for? Why didn’t we pull up half-way and start back? How are +the boss and the engineer going to manage?” + +“We shall be allowed to travel in the Asteroid to the southern pole +when the weather changes.” + +“That’s something. I shall vote for going further.” + +“But we shall not be allowed to go alone.” + +“Not _alone_!” shrieked Frank. + +“No; the princesses are going with us.” + +“The deuce they are! And did you invite them?” + +“Certainly not: they invited themselves.” + +Abercromby swore steadily. “Well, we can drop one at either pole and +then make off for earth. I am sick of the whole business. So are the +others too, I fancy.” + +They walked on silent. Then Abercromby said, “How are you getting on +about Melanitis?” + +“I love her as a sister.” + +“Does she love you as a brother?” + +“Look here, Frank, all frivolity must end. I am going to give the New +Testament to Atalanta; the Royal House have practically settled it.” + +“Take care they don’t practically settle you.” + +“I believe this whole nation is on the eve of a change.” + +“Great Scott!” was all that Abercromby could say. + + + + + CHAPTER XVII + + THE PERILS OF CROSS CURRENTS + + +Fortunately for himself, Abercromby had a very cheerful temperament, +and the presence and society of his friends soon dissipated his gloom. +He was reticent as to his experiences in the prison, but it did not +seem that he had been treated with any positive cruelty, but rather +with neglect. + +The warders seldom showed themselves, and he was left to his own +melancholy reflections, his chief suffering consisting in the +scantiness of the food given to him. + +The party sat down to their rather sorry meal and then retired to rest, +which he especially needed. + +The next day, as it seemed to offer a prospect of fine weather, +Radcliffe went with Abercromby for a long walk. They penetrated to +the west end of the city, ascending a hill, from whence they enjoyed +a fine view over the Lake and its island, with the dome-shaped Temple +glittering in the sun. Then they plunged into a forest glade, where +they met but very few people, most of whom saluted them with at least +a semblance of courtesy; and then they rested in a kind of secluded +dell, where they found themselves altogether alone. They had not, +however, been there many minutes before they noticed an ominous +fading of the light, and soon the rain mist was upon them. Fortunately +a few hundreds of yards away stood a low-roofed house in a clearing +surrounded by a garden in no very good state of order. They took +refuge in an out-building, but they had to retreat into the innermost +recess before they could find a rain-proof spot. The wall formed +only a thin partition, and they could hear the noise of a rather +animated conversation going on within. Not wishing to be surprised as +eavesdroppers, they knocked loudly at the wall, and the next moment +there was a sudden hush, a sound of footsteps, a door suddenly opened, +and two men appeared. + +The taller of the two uttered a sharp cry, but instantly held out his +heavy hand to welcome them. “Come in, my lords,” he said; “you are just +as welcome as if you belonged to this down-trodden world of ours, and +may help to lift us up if you are willing.” + +He led them into a sort of back kitchen where some food was being +prepared, though its perfume was scarcely inviting. There were half a +dozen to a dozen persons present, all men, for a wonder. + +“Brother Parmenton,” said the tall man, “these new-comers need no +introduction. They are two of the terrestrials. Praise the Sun God +for hiding his august face awhile, or else they had not come here for +shelter.” + +“Are the men in your planet masters or slaves?” asked the worthy who +was addressed as Parmenton. + +“Both,” said Abercromby. + +“Do they rule their women folk or do their women folk rule them?” + +“That depends upon circumstances,” said Abercromby. “I fancy our world +is getting rather like yours.” + +“Will you help us to make our world what you imply yours was in days +past?” + +“What mean you by that?” + +“Help us--the people--to be men and not slaves.” + +“And what are we to do, and are you going to do for the other people?” + +“Fencing with words is not good when men are determined.” + +“And still less when the ladies are.” + +“True; therefore we intend to practise deeds and not words.” + +“We have waited centuries before doing so,” cried Mauro Katakalon, a +rough-looking Atalantan who at least enjoyed the luxury of two names. + +“Look here, Clarence,” said Abercromby; “what the dickens does all this +mean? Are we going to run our necks into a social revolution? If so, I +beg leave to back out.” + +“My masters,” said Radcliffe earnestly, “the beasts of the field will +ride over you until you become true disciples of the God of Heaven. He +alone can make any one free.” + +A shout of derisive laughter greeted his words. “That is the man who +has come here to preach a new religion,” said Medon, a third member of +the party. “No use in him, he is one of the palace slaves; talk to the +other. The tyrant put him in prison for two months. He will listen to +reason.” + +“We have, as strangers, nothing to do with your politics, whether +social or domestic,” said Abercromby hotly, “and having barely saved +our lives we do not mean to place them in peril again. If there is to +be a war of sexes, or any other war, on this amiable planet, you must +fight your own game. _We_ are not going to be mixed up in it.” + +“You do not hesitate to turn our religion upside down,” said Parmenton +angrily, “and Mexitli is quite content you should, in order to crush +by your help the one venerated leader we have left. When she has done +that, _your_ turn will come next.” + +“I shall obey my conscience and do my duty,” answered Radcliffe firmly. +“My Master Christ shall be the true King of Atalanta.” + +“Say that again,” shouted Medon, “and you shall pay dearly for it. Go +and preach your wretched religion in Atalanta city, and see how you +fare at the hands of every honest citizen.” + +“Take my advice,” said Mauro Katakalon, “listen to Melanitis; _she_ +sympathises with our wrongs and would redress them if she could. She +is nearly as much a woman of your world as if she had come from there. +She is dead opposed to our whole social system, and would make every +Atalantan equal.” + +“She is a Christian,” said Parmenton vehemently, “and equally opposed +to us in faith. But I would forgive her even that, for she would let +us have a taste of freedom. As for you,” he continued, pointing to +Abercromby, “you have been covered with indelible disgrace through +having been in prison, and you can only escape it by joining us in +founding a new social order. In a very short time Atalanta will be +free, and Mexitli hung on a gibbet in front of the Temple at whose +worship she has mocked.” + +“This talk has lasted long enough,” said Radcliffe sternly. “We are +no better than other men; we have not, I think, been accorded the +hospitality that was due to us; but, for all that, we take Atalanta as +we find it, and utterly renounce all unholy and sanguinary deeds. Allow +us to pass, if you please; if not, we shall resort to force. Wherever +we go we are watched, and if we were detained, _you_ would answer for +it.” + +“Let them go,” grumbled Medon, “we are better without them. We shall +have a nobler leader than they, and a trained force to support him.” + +When they found themselves in the open air Abercromby gave himself a +shake, like a dog coming out of the water. Radcliffe remarked: “They +all seem to harp upon the change which has come over Melanitis, though +I suspect it has been greatly exaggerated by credulous report.” + +“Possibly,” said Abercromby. “How long is it since her illness and her +extraordinary recovery, the unlucky result of Malchon’s rash prayer?” + +“Seven years,” said Radcliffe. + +“The years of Venus, I suppose. Just oblige a duffer by telling him how +long it takes Venus to rotate round the sun?” + +“Two hundred and twenty-four days, I believe.” + +Abercromby turned his head very sharply; they had just come in view of +the Lake and the Temple. Radcliffe did not notice that his companion +had gone white to the lips. + + * * * * * + +When they reached home they found the Professor and the others in +rather a flutter of excitement. “We have had a visitor,” said Carysfort. + +“Male or female?” asked Abercromby. + +“Male, of course; no other would come unless to shoot us.” + +“Who was it?” enquired Radcliffe. + +“Lydon.” + +“And who the dickens is Lydon?” said Abercromby. “Don’t dole us out our +information by instalments.” + +“The high priest of the Sun,” answered the Professor. “He came with +two attendant priests, clad in gorgeous robes and with full ceremony +and state. He remained about an hour, talking over all matters of +interesting information.” + +“Yes, and more than that,” observed Carysfort. “He told us that there +would be a great festival of the Sun on the first regular day of the +sunny season, and he hoped we would honour it by our presence. He +also told us that the archives of the Temple contained documents of +priceless importance, written by those who lived near to the time of +the event in which Radcliffe is specially interested. He will show them +to Radcliffe if he will pay a visit to the island.” + +Radcliffe and Abercromby exchanged significant glances. + +“Did he express his views as to any social or domestic matters +connected with the well-being of the commonwealth?” enquired +Abercromby, who seldom used elegant phraseology except when he was +joking. + +“I do not think he is at all friendly to much that now goes on,” +observed the Professor. + +“Then may I suggest that we do not accept his hospitality till after +the festival is over?” said Abercromby. + +“I would not make a foe of him,” observed the engineer. + +Radcliffe went out by himself and took his way to Mayana’s house. He +failed to see her, but Minya granted him an interview, and before he +was aware of it she had put to him a string of questions the full drift +of which he did not quite clearly understand. But he answered her as +explicitly as he could, and she then said that he ought on no account +to visit the Temple, it would be as much as his life was worth to do +so; he must not ask any reasons but be led entirely by her advice, +which was given in all good faith. + +When he got home he found that Abercromby had been doing his best to +persuade the others that Lydon was not to be trusted, despite all +the treasures which he might have at disposal to show them. Tom was +not altogether of his way of thinking; he was apparently anxious to +see the old conjurer’s bag of tricks, as he elegantly expressed it. +The Professor and the engineer were not moved so much by literary +instincts or general curiosity as by a desire not to provoke any more +hostilities. + +Abercromby said: “You are all of you as credulous as the Cambridge +freshman who was disinclined to subscribe to his college boat, but as +he took in whatever we told him, we said one day, ‘Tearle, you ought +to be ashamed. The Vice-Chancellor was running along the tow-path in +flannels this afternoon, bawling out, “Well rowed, Trinity!”’ that +fetched him quite, and he gave us a guinea on the strength of it.” + +Radcliffe had come in, and his appearance suggested to Tom a new +argument. “Don’t you think that as Mr. Radcliffe wants to be a +missionary to these ’ere savages the priests had better take him in +hand in their college so as to give him points?” + +“My dear Tom,” said Abercromby, when he had finished laughing, “Mr. +Radcliffe hardly wants to be coached in paganism.” + +“Bless you all!” said Tom, “I’m a fool. I thought they were Christians, +just for a minute.” + + + + + CHAPTER XVIII + + THE FESTIVAL OF PANACLA + + +The first day of the month Panacla, meaning “the forth-shining,” had +now commenced, when the rain mist was supposed to have finished its +mission in Southern Atalanta. + +The Vale of Meloria was bathed in the most exquisite light, mellowed +and tempered by the snow-white clouds that trailed along the sky at an +immeasurable altitude. + +A large crowd of people had gathered by the Lake shore watching the +island that lay nearly in front of the great city. At the foot of the +Grand Avenue a line of palace guards was posted, the meaning of whose +presence was not at first quite clear to the terrestrial party. Cleito +smiled significantly when the Professor enquired if the procession +would approach the palace. “Wait and see,” was all he said. + +At last a flash of light leaped from one of the pinnacles of the +island Temple. Some of the people kneeled down as though to pay their +devotions. Others did not, but stood scornfully erect. + +Soon a cry arose and hands were pointed towards the Lake. A barge +gaily painted, propelled by a number of oarsmen, was gliding rapidly +towards a landing-stage, a quarter of a mile to the east. Two other +barges followed, one having a superb gilded canopy. The occupants of +these landed and were received with adoration by a kneeling crowd. +Then a procession was formed. The vanguard consisted of a troop of +young children in pure white with coral-coloured fillets in their hair, +holding in their hands white wands of sharp-pointed metal. These formed +a semicircle, grouping themselves into a guard of honour; then came +a band of players beating some oval-shaped instruments and raising a +weird intonation. Following them was a woman robed as a priestess. She +sang with rich, penetrating voice-- + + “O Lord of Light! O Lord of Light! + Filling the land with glory bright, + Thine enemy retires[1] + Into the darkness whence he came, + Awed by thy majesty and fame, + Cowed by thy burning fires. + + “While Atalanta shall endure + Thy worship shall stand fast and sure, + All its proud foes defy; + Though thou mayest veil thy glorious head, + Thou comest forth to smite with dread + Each impious enemy. + Hail, Asti! Potentate and King, + Receive the worship that we bring.” + +[1] The rain mist. + +As she passed by she was followed by the priests of the Temple, each +carrying golden spears. Then came a canopy under which an altar was +borne, with a solar disk at each corner and a larger one in the centre. +Behind came a litter borne upon the shoulders of four tall and powerful +men, and reclining upon it was the high priest Lydon. The procession +halted. The litter-bearers laid their burden down. Lydon stepped forth. +He placed the altar in position; he kindled the central disk, which +revolved with a fiery radiation. Then he turned to the crowd, most of +whose members had now kneeled down. His eyes fell upon the Professor +and his party, who stood somewhat uncomfortably prominent. He shot +them a keen glance. Then he said: “Men of Karamandra, there are those +who brand you as barbarians; the priesthood knows no such distinction. +Come ye, offer incense to the Sun God, the first of all invited to +draw nigh.” So saying he placed the vessel of incense in the hands of +Carmichael. + +“I must go through this farce, I suppose,” said Carmichael, “though +I should be ashamed for my Cambridge friends to see me. It is only a +form.” + +“Yes, of course,” assented Carysfort. + +“You shall _not_!” exclaimed Clarence Radcliffe, and he struck the +vessel out of the Professor’s hand. For an instant there was an awful +silence. Every one stood in paralysed astonishment. + +“This may be my last moment,” exclaimed Radcliffe. “You may tear me in +pieces, but I will offer no incense, except the incense of my heart, to +Him who is not the material sun, but the Sun of Righteousness.” + +“Silence, blasphemer!” shouted Lydon, hoarse with rage. “What ho! +guards and champions of our ancestral faith, take this son of +Karamandra, who has insulted us and our god, and remove him to the +sacred island. There he shall be taught how to frame his words and acts +with discretion.” + +Before they could seize Radcliffe, Abercromby and Jackson had felled +the two nearest to the ground, and grasping their companion they +endeavoured to pull him away. The crowd was in the wildest commotion, +some cursing him for his sacrilege, others applauding the act. Some +urged on the priests to secure the prisoner, others cried, “Long live +the palace and the throne. Down with the traitors!” + +In the midst of the turmoil Radcliffe had mounted on a seat, and +addressing his voice to those nearest, he said, “People of Atalanta! +How long will you worship that which is only a furnace of molten fire, +fit emblem of punishment and of woe? What would the sun do for you if +the God who placed it there were to cause its light to fail? Would +not this side of the world be even as the other? I set before you Him +who is greater than all things which He hath made--eternal, immortal, +invisible. He can guide you to the Mansions of the Blest, into which +all who love Him are safely gathered,”--here Radcliffe’s voice broke a +little. “Atalantans! worship God. He has given you all things, even the +very powers with which you neglect Him.” + +At this moment Mayana herself, heading a detachment of the palace +attendants and wearing the red coronet as a symbol of authority, thrust +herself forward, followed by Cleophon and Minya. “Begone, Lydon!” she +said. “Go back to your island and deem yourself fortunate that you are +allowed to dwell there. All your plots are known. This is the last +time that you shall ever issue forth with your rebellious rabble to +delude and incite the people.” + +“I will go,” said Lydon in a voice inarticulate for rage, “but the cup +of your iniquities and that of Mexitli is running over. I--or rather +the Sun God--shall be avenged.” + +“Behold the powerlessness of your god, for his face is about to be +hidden!” shouted Radcliffe. And as he spoke the rain mist gathered and +veiled the fair landscape. Shrieks of terror and despair, intermingled +with laughter and mockery, came from different parts of the crowd. +Radcliffe suddenly heard a cry from Abercromby. He started to ascertain +the cause. As he did so he felt a violent shock, and all consciousness +left him. + + * * * * * + +“Where am I?” said Radcliffe when he had somewhat regained his senses. +He was in a luxuriously furnished room. Melanitis was bending over him, +supporting his head upon her arm. “I have been dreaming that I was +in Wales, going up the Portmadoc Road to Pont Aberglaslyn Pass with +Lilian. But what nonsense am I talking, and in English too!” he added, +correcting himself. “Lady, I did not know you were there. Has my speech +been wandering? I could have declared I heard some one singing to me an +old English song, which we--my wife and I--used to sing together.” + +“You will be always true to her, will you not?” said the princess. + +“Unto death and beyond it,” said Radcliffe. + +“Did you ever stay with her and her father the year before you were +married at a town called Tenby?” asked Melanitis. + +Radcliffe started up on the coach, his face rigid with amazement. +“Yes, the happiest time in all my life, except one,” he added. “But +how--_how_ did you know it?” + +Melanitis smiled. “I know a good many things,” she said. + +“Is second-sight understood in this planet?” + +“No; and if it were I should not practise any such arts.” + +“Have you ever visited my world in your dreams?” + +“Dreams are of little account, except day dreams. But a truce to this. +I want you to realise two things. One is that I perfectly sympathise +with you in your life sorrow. Another is, that God may provide you a +way out of it sooner perhaps than you think.” + +Radcliffe was about to answer when the door opened and King Malchon +entered. The old man, who looked worn and haggard, took the seat which +Melanitis had vacated, and said, “I rejoice that you are recovering, my +son. My daughter here has given you all the resources of her medical +skill, and has gradually nursed you back to life. A great debt is it +that you owe to her. But we all owe a debt to you hardly less great. +Your conduct three days ago helped us to frustrate for the present the +designs of our enemy.” + +“God be thanked for that. But what happened to me?” + +“You were struck upon the head by a club hurled by one of the traitors +in order to silence you,” said the King. “He would have repeated the +blow had not the fire-tube which Mayana held in her hand smitten him. +There was a conflict between the loyalists among the people and the +rebels, and several lives were lost. No such thing has happened among +us for generations. The rebels were compelled to retreat to their +island and its temple fortress. Mexitli and Melanitis both urged me to +carry it by assault and to put its colony to death, but I shrink from +such bloodshed as would result. I have forbidden, however, any similar +festival being held again.” + +“Has the lady Mayana or any member of her house been injured?” + +“None; for the good Cleito arrived with the guards just in time.” + +“Where are my companions?” + +“Lodged within the palace. I shall not allow them to be outcasts any +more.” + +The rest of the day was spent by Radcliffe in the society, now of the +King, now of Abercromby, now of Melanitis. They all helped to make the +hours pass pleasantly. Only when he was alone did he ponder in his mind +the extraordinary knowledge which Melanitis so evidently possessed. And +when the Professor came in to see him he told him about it and he asked +his opinion: “The simplest imaginable, my dear fellow. You have been +delirious, and she has overheard you talk.” + +“But why is she so solicitous that I shall always be true to the memory +of my lost love?” + +“I do not pretend to fathom women, but perhaps she has heard rumours +that affected herself, and she naturally wishes by your help to give +the lie direct to them.” + +“But she says that God will, sooner than I think, make a way for me to +end my sorrow.” + +“I see more than one explanation of her pious desire, my dear +Radcliffe, but I won’t pursue the subject.” + +“Where is Mexitli?” + +“Absent on state business.” + +“Is she resentful for what I did?” + +“Not in the least. She is hugely delighted. The danger does not lie +with her. Be very careful of the other one.” + +“Abercromby says the opposite.” + +“Then chum with the King. _He_ is safe enough.” + +Before they retired to rest, Mayana entered, asking to know how the +sick patient was. She offered to sing him one of the sweetest songs of +Atalanta. It was entitled “Little Queen of the Night.” She took up a +harp-shaped instrument, and seating herself by the side of Melanitis, +sang-- + + “When the birds shall homeward fly + And the sunlight shall descend + Where Aptaura rears on high + His steep rampart to defend. + Is there any light beyond + As I face the frost-bound field, + Do the stars with eyes so fond + Their sweet magic influence wield? + + “Aye! the brightest and the best + Of the starry host above, + From the east unto the west, + Looketh down with glance of love. + ’Tis the little Queen of Night, + That surveys the cold drear waste, + Yet her self-forgetful light + Whispers: ‘Hasten, traveller, haste. + + “‘O be not further led + By fond foolish thoughts of me, + For I shine upon the dead + In my helpless sympathy. + Turn your face towards a light + That is nobler far than mine, + And the little Queen of Night + Will not grieve nor yet repine.’” + +“Beautiful, beautiful!” said Radcliffe. “And that little Queen of Night +is my world that only shines on the cold dead hemisphere of Venus.” + + + + + CHAPTER XIX + + AN AERIAL VOYAGE WITH DIVERS EXPERIENCES + + +A week later they made their start for the southern pole. Mexitli was +to lead the expedition as far as the island of Melandria; her return +would depend upon news from the city. + +“The first thing we shall have to consider,” said Abercromby, “is to +find room in our blessed machine for the whole multitude of maidens who +are keen upon coming with us. _We_ shall have to tidy up, of course.” + +“Don’t trouble yourself, my dear man,” said Carmichael. “The engineer +consents to stay at home, and Jackson will stay with him. We three will +go and sleep in the store-room, while the cabins and the dining-room +can be allotted to the people for whose coming you are so naturally +zealous.” + +In fact, the machine was at the travellers’ disposal now, and they +spent several days in upholstering it according to Atalantan taste. It +was about a week before all was ready for the start, and by then the +weather had finally cleared and the heat was rather severe. + +Radcliffe had been indeed nursed back to life and health by Melanitis. +Abercromby’s attitude to her was rather curious. He was always most +courteous and deferential, save in one point, that he constantly +talked in English to Radcliffe when she was present, and often +contrived, even in the midst of a conversation that seemed to be +jocose, to make allusions to the past life-sorrow of his friend. +He would endeavour to throw them together as much as possible, and +keep himself in the background. All this was not only puzzling but +irritating to the Professor, who seldom spoke to Melanitis except when +courtesy required, for he not only disliked her but feared exceedingly +as to what was going to happen. One day, when they were on the eve +of departure, he remarked to Abercromby: “The thing that beats me +is to understand how a woman of Mexitli’s character can be blind to +what is so patent--that her sister, and one whom she must regard as a +barbarian, are very much in love. At first it was all on the woman’s +part, but now I am convinced that Radcliffe is himself yielding, at +least so far as this, that he gives to Melanitis the second place in +his heart. The princess hopes, no doubt, in time to win the first, +though she is too wise to hurry matters. But all this must be clear to +Mexitli, and why does she not show her hand?” + +“You told me yourself that there is no accounting for the ways of women +or their inward logic,” said Abercromby, “but I am going to ask _you_ +a question. Is Melanitis in the least degree afraid of what her sister +might do to her?” + +“Not in the least, so far as I can see, and this is the queerest part +of it all. But do _you_ yourself, Abercromby, trust Melanitis?” + +“Perfectly.” + +“Do you, not as a rival of course, but in the way of brotherly +affection, love her?” + +“I love Radcliffe more.” + +“Because you have known him longer?” + +“For that and other reasons.” + +“I believe you know more than you choose to say.” + +“I want you not to think me a lunatic before it is necessary.” + +Mayana, Minya, and Cleophon remained behind in the palace to assist the +King in the event of dangers or difficulties. + +The two princesses were to accompany the expedition, and were (it was +distinctly declared) to lead it in every sense of the word. Several +aerial vessels were to follow in their wake. Malchon, however, was +haunted by an uneasy thought, and one day he said to Radcliffe in +Mexitli’s presence: “You leave behind two of your number as hostages +for your return and our own airships will follow you. I trust you +fully, my son, and I am beginning to trust your friend Abercromby, but +your leader is a man of science and thinks naturally more of his people +than of me and mine. I know the capabilities of your machine and that +it could, in a few minutes, leave us for ever. Will you promise me, in +the name of Jesus Christ, that you will not do this but be faithful to +the trust I repose in you and bring the princesses safe back to the +palace?” + +“I will do this and also more. We shall not take our terrestrial +weapons but leave them behind in your safe custody. Let the princesses +take their own weapons, and it is we who shall be at their mercy, not +they at ours.” + +Mexitli took both the hands of Radcliffe in hers and pressed them. + +Carmichael was not altogether pleased with this arrangement. He +indignantly denied that he had ever contemplated “doing a bolt,” as +Abercromby phrased it, but he was rather perplexed to know what might +happen to them if by chance they put their guests in a bad temper. + +On the first day of the new month--Antarana, meaning “the greater +heat”--the party took possession of the Asteroid; the King, accompanied +by his guards, councillors, and attendants, amongst whom Carysfort and +Jackson were present, came to bid them farewell. Jackson, forgetting it +was Venus, took off his hat by way of respect, but the sun soon caused +him to discover his mistake. Mayana and her sister were affectionately +embraced by Mexitli, who whispered in their ears some warning words +that evidently had Lydon for their chief object, as his name was heard. + +The dining-room window was thrown open, and the balcony fixed in its +place, so that the fresh air might penetrate to every part of the +machine. The Professor went to the conning-tower and set the engines +in motion. He was rather vexed that Minola, Mexitli’s maid of honour, +stood by his side, silent, but noting everything that was done. The +others gathered on the balcony watching the landscape beneath them. +They were all in the gayest mood, more like frolicsome children than +people who, even then, held, or were held by, the powers of death. +Mexitli quite threw off her haughtiness and seemed thoroughly to +enjoy herself, and to want all the rest to do the same. To Abercromby +alone she was still a trifle distant, but the latter was so perfectly +respectful that it soon disarmed her. + +“I say, old man,” began Abercromby to Radcliffe, “I wonder what the +Proctor would say to me now. I once ran him half round Cambridge, but I +should have drawn the line at an airship. Have you heard at Oxford the +song of the Proctor? It is deeply pathetic, but not quite applicable to +this side of Venus. + + “Every proctor has his bull-dog, + Man of doughty might, + When he sallies forth in full tog + ’Mid the shades of night.” + +“Is that poetry you are reciting?” said Mexitli. + +“Yes, a song of Cambridge, the town where I passed my examinations--no, +no, where I pursued my studies.” + +“Please sing it to me in Atalantan.” + +“How the deuce am I to do it?” said Abercromby. “Do give me a tip.” + +Radcliffe promptly said-- + + “When the bold-faced idler flies + From the work he ought to do, + Man and beast, with vengeful cries, + Through the streets the knave pursue.” + +“How interesting!” said Mexitli. “I _should_ like to see it.” + +All this time Melanitis had been in a condition of explosive laughter. + +Meanwhile the Asteroid had been passing above the south side of the +great city and then away over the gap between the two hills. The +country seemed to grow every mile more beautiful--forest and meadow, +waterfall and bubbling stream, with houses of quaint architecture, +both small and great, perched on eminences, surrounded by groves and +gardens, while a level causeway led from the south of the capital +through the environs, stretching far away into the distance, curving in +a south-westerly direction. Every now and again an airship passed them +on its way to the city. + +Abercromby narrated with much animation the story of the aerial monster +whose cry of wailing had so suddenly disturbed their encampment. + +The face of Melanitis grew grave. “It was the ship of death,” she said; +“a prisoner condemned by us was taken to the dark hemisphere to die.” + +“How was he killed?” asked Radcliffe. + +“He perished in the cold night,” said Mexitli in a rather hard tone. +“He was a spy of the priests, who sought to stir up disaffection. When +the ship of death sighted the polar terrors, it was lowered to the +frozen ice-field; the man was turned adrift with the customary words, +‘Unworthy of the glories of the day, worthy of the terrors of the +night.’ The task accomplished, the ship returns and awaits its next +hapless passenger.” + +“Would that have been _our_ doom, princess?” + +“It might have been; it very nearly was. By the by, you seriously +transgressed our laws in haranguing the people in a place of public +resort, as you did on the occasion of that absurd festival. But, of +course, you were on our side, so you won’t hear any more about it.” + +“Are open-air addresses contrary to the laws of Atalanta?” asked +Radcliffe in a rather pained tone. + +“I can alter the laws if needs be,” said Mexitli; “but you must seek +my permission before you adopt any such method again. I will give you +plenty of other means of carrying out your plans. You see, any address +to the people savours of sedition, as it has been always used for that +end; but perhaps I shall let you have your wish in due time.” + +“Look! The sea! the sea!” cried Abercromby. “I am as excited as old +Xenophon’s Greeks. An airship would have settled their job much more +quickly. He would not have had to write so much Greek, and I might not +have been ‘plucked’ in consequence.” + +“Leave these old-world allusions and look at this glorious sight,” said +Mexitli; “there is the coast-line of our grand continent, and away, +beyond the horizon, is Melandria.” + +“This is much more like a terrestrial view, is it not?” said Abercromby +to Melanitis. + +“Much more like,” she replied. + +Radcliffe darted upon her a swift look of uttermost surprise. + +“The observatory on Aptaura is a famous place for seeing Karamandra,” +she said. + +“Very excellent indeed,” remarked Abercromby in a somewhat inscrutable +tone. + +Mexitli pointed to a colony of houses overlooking a forest that +extended nearly down to the shore. “We will picnic there,” she said. +“Minola, tell the pilot of our good vessel to direct it to the point +which I indicate.” + +Carmichael obeyed with a docility rather novel to him, and they came +to an anchor on a meadow-green lawn of smooth grass only a few feet +elevated above the water’s edge. A venerable Atalantan matron, leaning +upon the arms of her son and nephew, came forward from the terrace +of the house nearest to the sea and made a profound obeisance to the +princesses. + +“Carmichael,” said Melanitis, “be so good as to guard the Asteroid +while we picnic here, we shall not be long.” + +Abercromby looked rather indignant, but at last broke out into a laugh. + +“Come, Professor, don’t elope to China; no, of course, I mean to +Atalanta. Write your notes and edit your experiences. Be a Cambridge +don, and dream you are sending me down.” + +“Eat some lunch will be more likely,” grumbled the Professor. “I have +taken the precaution to bring a decent pile of sandwiches with me; I +only regret they were not made even in Germany.” + +The statuesque Minola sat down close to the entrance to the machine; +she began to read one of the manuscripts which Radcliffe had finished. +The Professor had his lunch all to himself, watching his silent duenna +with feelings far from satisfactory, for the maiden had always one of +the green tubes at hand, and seemed quite ready to use it. + +The aged woman’s name was Amarilla; she had lived all her life in +this lonely corner of the empire, supporting herself by the work of +her son’s hands and her own. They had made a little paradise of this +rough shore-line. She was deeply versed in the religious philosophy +of her country in its ancient form, and had always lived in hope that +she might, as she phrased it, “hear the silence of the skies broken.” +During the picnic conversation flowed apace; Amarilla besought the +strangers to tell her of their own world and of its people, of their +religion, their laws, their arts, their government. + +Radcliffe and Abercromby obeyed; the princesses sat motionless and +silent, taking in every word. + +Their principal topic, however, was the history of the Christian +religion in Karamandra and the desperate struggle it had waged with its +pagan foes. + +Radcliffe told the story of Polycarp, of Cyprian, and of Perpetua and +Felicitas, at which his hearers were intensely moved. + +“You will never have these obstacles in Atalanta,” said Amarilla, “but +you will have others, chiefly the invincible unwillingness of the +people to bestir themselves, to awake from the dreaming of centuries, +and from the pride which makes them believe that everything in the +Flowery Land is perfect and can never be altered except for the worse. +My rulers command me in all things but one: they let me give the +allegiance of my soul to the King of Heaven and to the exiled Prince.” + +“Mother, I allow you to speak quite freely, but tell me in return, +are you quite sure that the allegiance of which you speak will never +conflict with the allegiance to the throne?” + +“Try it, princess, when you are queen, and you will find that the more +your people love God the better will they serve you. And as for you, +strangers, go forth and spread everywhere the things which God has done +for your world, and pray to Him that He may yet do equal things for +ours.” + +Both the princesses took a fond farewell, and then they returned to the +Asteroid. + +While the Professor resumed his duties as steersman, the party once +more discussed subjects of literary interest, as the machine pursued +its short aerial journey to the island. + +“One of the prettiest samples of our national poetry,” said Mexitli, +“is the lyrical invocation to the Sun God. I omit the part which is +abominably idolatrous, but the prelude, where Asti vaunts his own +greatness, is at least geographical-- + + My power doth fence the realm of polar snows, + My rays smite kindling, high Aptaura’s pile, + Mine is the light that on Meloria glows, + And mine the twilight in Melandria’s isle.” + +Abercromby had been making his first attempt at Atalantan poetry by +trying to turn “All in the hush of twilight” into Atalantan verse. He +was fairly successful, though Mexitli told him he must study for a year +before he could do real justice in their own poetry to a lovely lyric +in another language. All agreed, however, that though not suitable to +Central Atalanta, where the sun was not on the horizon, it would be +sure to take the fancy of the Melandrians, for they always had to live +in a twilight land, and loved it so much, that they would like to be in +the hush of the twilight from end to end of their planetary year. + + + + + CHAPTER XX + + THE ISLAND OF TWILIGHT + + +The spin over the sea about thirty miles in length, through a swift +current of bracing air, was soon accomplished. The heights of the great +island quickly towered before them. Melandria had a more terrestrial +look: there were bays and roadsteads, where many ships might have +lain at anchor. But of these there were none; all communication with +the mainland was through the air. A large town lay along the sea +border, with a long esplanade and something like earthly roads, and +highways led out from it into the interior. The island was at least one +hundred miles in circuit; its greatest breadth was about twenty miles, +narrowing to a long trailing peninsula, not much wooded, but covered +with open moorlands, while the glowing orb of the sun on the horizon +lit up the whole landscape with a sunset splendour. In the middle of +the island was a high-peaked hill, from the summit of which a dazzling +spot of white snow could be discerned to the south. + +“There is Aptaura, the boundary line between two hemispheres, close to +the southern pole, and twenty miles in height,” said Mexitli. + +They anchored on the top of the peak. Near to the top, in a sheltered +hollow, lay a beautiful country house, the residence of the governor +of Melandria, whose name was Andron. He only held office during the +King’s lifetime. He was a very learned man, and he rejoiced at the +opportunity of conversing with the Professor and his companions. So +the party at once repaired to the house, where a sumptuous meal was +provided. The expression must not be taken in too terrestrial a sense, +for, in Atalanta, the actual amount of drink and still more of food +would hardly, as regards quantity, have sufficed a child from the +other planet. The native foods and drinks were practically medicines +of a very palatable order, and were all intended to have a direct +influence upon the bodily frame. The more exquisite the delicacy the +more dangerous it would be to indulge too freely in it. Carmichael +looked with astonishment at Radcliffe, supping on a small plate of some +high-coloured substance and a slender goblet of pale rose-tinted liquid. + +The guests, however, had all the more leisure at their disposal for +talk. The Professor, for their own good, told them many interesting +facts about the earth and its ways, while Radcliffe plied others with +questions as to the planet on which he had resolved to spend his +remaining years of life. Andron was much interested in astronomy, and +told the terrestrials all the main facts which the Atalantans had found +out about the solar system. + +Mercury and the earth were, of course, the planets best known to them, +and he made the sage remark that astronomers would do better to put up +with the trouble of the sunlight and study Mercury as a morning star +rather than face what he considered to be the far greater difficulties +of going to the frozen hemisphere and looking at it so low down on the +horizon. + +“Do you think Mercury is inhabited?” asked Radcliffe. + +“Certainly not,” answered Andron. “Mercury is only a repetition of our +own planet with polar terrors on one side and a sun about three times +larger than our sun. All our vegetation would be withered, and there +would be but half the space which we have on which it could grow. Even +this presupposes that its surface is all land, whereas it is probably a +sea of fire and molten metal.” + +After this learned talk about the stars, to which Carmichael added the +surprising news that there were two planets beyond the orbit of Saturn +which the Atalantans had not discovered, the converse took a more +religious turn. Andron and his wife Ayacatil were delighted to have +given to them a copy in manuscript of St. Luke’s Gospel and the Acts. +Andron promised that many copies should be circulated in the island. +He asked Radcliffe a rather remarkable question: if the abominations +committed upon the earth were wholly and entirely the work of mankind, +or whether there were occult powers of evil acting upon them from +without? When Radcliffe spoke of the teaching of Christianity upon this +dark subject, Andron and Ayacatil both expressed the opinion that it +was no use to deny that the Atalantans were more free from crimes of +violence and mere insensate wickedness--in fact, that it was hardly +possible to find people who ever did wickedness that was contrary to +their own interests. Sins there were, and plenty, in Atalanta, but +there was always a reason for them; there was nothing extravagant or +maniacal, nothing uncontrolled or uncontrollable. + +“Surely then,” said Radcliffe, “as Atalanta has been left all these +ages to work out its destiny on the side of good, so likewise it has +been left unmolested on the side of the powers of evil. I do not +believe there are such powers in this planet. This would account for +the whole course of divine treatment which Providence has adopted +towards it.” + +“This appears to me very just reasoning,” said Ayacatil; “we breathe +a purer atmosphere in this planet, and therefore a large number of +spiritual and moral maladies are cut off.” + +“But that makes us wholly responsible for those that remain,” remarked +Mexitli. “However, I mean to look facts in the face and study all that +God has taught the other planet, and see what light the teaching can +throw upon this.” + +The Professor was about to lead the discussion back to the heavenly +bodies, when Abercromby asked if they might enjoy some more of the +national poetry of Atalanta and its melodies. + +Ayacatil pressed Mexitli to honour them with an example of her own +artistic powers. + +The princess consented, and sang some stanzas of the grand lyric-- + + + “HOW KERAUNION DIED” + + Sing me a tale of the days gone by, + Of the days that were brave and bold, + Ere the minstrel charmed with his minstrelsy, + But love wrought deeds untold; + When to love and to succour was all our pride,-- + In the days when King Keraunion died. + + The clouds had gathered all over the hills, + And Asti had hidden His glorious face, + The rain mist had flowed o’er the trembling rills, + And faster the clouds did race + To the trysting-place whither their squadrons ride, + On the night when King Keraunion died! + + A subject had served him right faithful and true, + Had stood ’mid the trustiest round his throne, + And the sky of the monarch was cloudless and blue, + And all Atalanta he called his own. + Ah! how can _we_ tell how events shall betide + When we hear of the way that Keraunion died? + + For the sky of the subject was draped in gloom, + And his head was bowed in a sore distress, + And life had become as the fearsome tomb, + A drear and a pitiless wilderness. + His only child had strayed from his side + On the mountain path where Keraunion died. + + The King set forth alone. He wrought + ’Mid the gathering darkness the truant to seek. + A courtier the tidings of anguish brought, + And he gave the advice of the timid and weak: + “For what would become of the land,” he cried, + “If boldness he urged, and Keraunion died?” + + The King spurned the counsel, and threaded his way. + Unconscious of pain, and of peril sore, + He came to the place where the maiden lay, + And safe to the summit her frail form bore. + Now who would have thought in that moment of pride + That the hour was come when Keraunion died? + + A bird of prey, with ravenous beak, + Struck at the child brought back to life; + But there, on the edge of that yawning deep, + The rescuer fought it in doubtful strife. + So the maid sped swift to her father’s side, + But the fight was over--Keraunion died. + + The King fought on with fast ebbing life, + Driven to the verge of the beetling rock; + The monster watched every turn of the strife, + And drove in his last relentless shock. + From the dizzy height of the mountain side + Keraunion was hurled--and Keraunion died. + +A murmur of admiration pervaded the company. + +“Well, let us adjourn to the lawn,” said the royal songstress, “and +have a little more talk upon serious subjects. We are all in the mood, +I fancy.” + + + + + CHAPTER XXI + + THE PEAK OF APTAURA + + +They spent five days in the island before setting out for Aptaura. +During this time Melanitis and Radcliffe explored in all directions; +they roamed the woods and the glens, they sat by the waterfalls, +they paid friendly visits to the chief people of the town, enjoying +themselves to the utmost. It was as though they had made an unwritten +compact that this was to be a holiday interlude. The princess gave him +a fund of information about the Atalantan people, and taught him many +things it was most necessary to know. Carmichael enjoyed society in his +own way, and certainly won the hearts of the learned. + +Just before they started, an airship arrived from the mainland flying +the red pennant of the palace. It bore several letters, only one of +which need detain us. There was a sealed despatch from Mayana, which +evidently caused Mexitli a measure of care, for she knitted her brows +as she read it. But she did not divulge the contents, beyond assuring +her guests that they had no cause for fear. + +There was a letter from Carysfort merely telling of his literary work, +but making scantiest allusion to anything else; the Professor read it +to the others and then put it in his pocket. But there was a letter +from Tom which sent the whole party into such convulsions of laughter +that it is to be wondered that they were not all of them ill. The +example of the others proved contagious--to Melanitis, at least, for +she could hardly retain her seat without holding on to it. The letter, +however, was so hilariously engrossing that the terrestrials scarce +noticed the princess’s condition. + +It was to Carmichael, and is worth quoting entire. + + + “DEAR MR. PROFESSOR, + + “Pardon the liberty I am taking, but I thought you would like to + know how we are all doing. First, I’ll just say that I like old King + Malchon better and better. He is the dearest old genelman that ever I + see. He took me for a walk round the terraces, leaning on my arm, and + I never had no King, dook, nor baron to show me such honour yet. + + “I sang him one of the hymns Mr. Radcliffe likes which he used to + have at his church. + + “Mrs. Cleophon (I forget her Christian name) does the bigger half of + his business for him, and a real lady she is. + + “Miss Melanitis is sure to look after dear Mr. Radcliffe, and to see + that he doesn’t walk the dark side of the south pole without his + greatcoat. Would you just tell him that he said he was going to learn + Miss Mexitli the art of playing chess? if he do, as soon as she has + learned the moves, he must be sure to let her win some of the games. + + “I don’t go in for politics, but it’s myself that thinks there will + be a job on with them priests, for I fancy, and Mrs. Cleophon thinks + so too, that that old rascal Lydon is after some mischief. But if the + Lord will, the queens will be coming back soon, and they will finish + his bother. + + “Now, about Mr. Carysfort. He is writing a big book on Venus for the + other world, and he means to give it to the Vice-Chancellor. He is + also going to write to Mr. Chamberlain, the German Emperor, and the + Prime Minister, though I think there will be a new one before we get + back. + + “Hoping this will find you well, as it leaves us at present, + + “I am, + + “Your humble servant, + + “TOM.” + +Soon the heights of Melandria faded in the twilight of the low red +sun. They held on their way to the mainland, which they now perceived +to be but a narrow neck of country tapering off to a point. The other +ocean came in sight, and at last, where the land ended in a magnificent +headland, against which the waters beat with tempestuous fury, stood a +lonely house surrounded with high walls and rocky ramparts, to protect +it from the fury of the southern sea. + +“These are the last Atalantans except upon Aptaura,” said Mexitli. “We +will salute them and hasten on.” This they did from a height of about +five hundred feet. + +Across the straits rose the warden of the frozen pole, the giant +Aptaura, his snow-white crest gilded by the rays of the ice-bound sun, +his mighty granite mass rising sheer out of the deep. The peak seemed +utterly inaccessible to mortal enterprise, and so indeed it was till +the era of the airship. + +Higher, and yet higher, they ascended, till the summit was scaled at +last, twenty miles in perpendicular height. There, protected by a +rampart of rock, nestled the Observatory, a low-roofed building with +several giant reflectors, telescope shaped, pointed towards the sky. + +To the south were the frozen ice-fields, wrapped in polar darkness; the +air was piercingly keen, the stars shone out in the black sky, and, +near the horizon, behold, one bright, greenish-red star of incomparable +richness and brilliance, a small glittering moon. + +“There is your world,” said Mexitli, pointing to it. + +It was the earth. + + + + + CHAPTER XXII + + THE GREAT MYSTERY + + +The staff at the Observatory consisted of three men of science with +their servants. They were elderly men who had devoted their lives +to the study of the heavens in this region of awful isolation and +loneliness--the highest spot by far in the whole planet. Melanitis had +been there several times, but Mexitli only upon one former occasion. +Both the princesses spoke the kindest words of greeting to the brave +colony of scientific recluses, and introduced the visitors from earth. + +But though the Professor and his two companions were wonderfully +struck with the grandeur of the mountain and the incomparable view, +they quickly saw that there was little astronomical knowledge for +them to learn that they did not already know from the more favourable +view-point of their own world. + +Radcliffe was also greatly astonished to find that the Atalantan +knowledge of the earth extended only to its larger physical +outlines--the continents, peninsulas, and islands; but they scarcely +knew more of the earth than we do of Mars, and not nearly as much as +we know of the moon. The earth was a far lovelier object in the sky of +Venus, from Aptaura, than Venus is in our sky, but it was an almost +impossible task for any Atalantan, unless helped by the palace, to get +there to see it. In fact, Malchon supported his astronomers out of his +own private liberality, and men of learning assisted him in so doing. + +Many weeks would be required for study and observations before any +solid results could be attained, and Mercury was far more easily +observed from the lighted hemisphere. + +Mexitli therefore declared that she could not stay more than one night, +and she contented herself with viewing the heavens from the interior +of the Asteroid; the cold of open-air research was appalling, and she +naturally avoided it. The next day they re-entered the region of light, +Melanitis promising that Radcliffe should come with her to the summit +another time. + +They landed at the southern end of the continent, and put up for a day +or two at the castellated house overlooking the glorious sea, along +the shore of which they had several excursions. Recreation of the most +bracing type was to be obtained here. + +But an astounding event was at hand. + +The owner of the house was a brave and hardy landowner named Carminon, +who, with his wife Mexilla, were great favourites of the court, to +whose couriers they had rendered many a service. They had saved the +lives of more than one occupant of a damaged or storm-tossed airship. +On the last evening of their stay Mexilla expressed a wish to hear +some of the melodies of Karamandra, and Radcliffe sang several hymns +in English, and Abercromby gave them a taste of patriotic songs. But +Mexilla wanted a Karamandran love song, and would not be put off with +anything else. + +“Come, old man, you must fire away,” said Abercromby; “you have not to +preach to-morrow, so you won’t mind getting a trifle hoarse.” + +Radcliffe used to sing in earlier days an old-world song called +“Solitude,” which had been quite the rage in its time, though long +superseded by a different style; so he began-- + + “It is not that my lot is low + That makes the silent tears to flow, + It is not grief that makes me mourn, + I weep that I am all alone. + The woods and winds with sullen wail + Tell out the same unvarying tale. + + “I would not be a leaf to die + With none to think nor care for me, + Yet in my dreams a form I view + That thinks on me and loves me too. + I start--but then the vision’s flown; + I wake--and I am all alone!” + +Radcliffe rather wailed than sang the last lines. Mexilla, though not +understanding the words, was intensely moved, and even Mexitli turned +away her head to hide her feelings. + +But upon Melanitis the song had a deeper and a more poignant +effect--she started to her feet, advanced a step towards him, and sank +in a collapsed heap upon the floor. + +“What have I done!” he cried in alarm and distraction. + +“It is but a faintness, do not be distressed,” said Mexitli calmly, and +raising Melanitis she, with the aid of Abercromby, carried her from the +room. Some anxious time elapsed, and then Abercromby re-entered. + +“Come quickly to the Asteroid,” he said. “Melanitis is all right, but I +must have a very serious talk with you, the most serious we have ever +had.” + +Abercromby led the way to the dining-room, which they had all to +themselves. + +“Now, Clarence,” he said, “pull yourself together and be calm. Answer +me truly and clearly--is your heart loyal to the memory of your wife, +or have you succumbed to a later influence?” + +“Absolutely loyal unto death, and beyond it to the Mansions of the +Blest,” he answered. + +“Then you do not desire to marry Melanitis?” + +“Never; my love for her deepens, but it never overtakes the love for +her that is gone, for that also grows fonder and fonder.” + +“Very good. This will simplify matters much. By the by, you could _not_ +have married Melanitis had you wished.” + +“Why?” + +“Because you are married already.” + +“I _was_.” + +“You _are_.” + +Radcliffe stared at Abercromby in dazed astonishment. + +Abercromby went on: “Suppose your love for your wife had faded, you +could only have married again when she was dead.” + +“She _is_ dead,” said Radcliffe. + +“She is _not_ dead.” + +The words rang out like a clarion note. + +“What madness is this? I saw the inquest on her dead body rescued +from the Welsh river. I accompanied the poor remains to the little +churchyard under the Cotswolds. My own voice (how I did it God only +knows) read the service over her to save her stricken father. And now +you tell me she is alive!” + +“It is true,” answered Abercromby. + +“Where?” scornfully. + +“In Atalanta. Melanitis will restore her to you in ten days, perhaps +less.” + +“You are fooling, Abercromby.” + +“I love you too well for that.” + +“Then there has been sorcery and witchcraft.” + +“None whatever; no such arts are practised here. You speculated truly +the other day that the devil is limited to our own luckless planet.” + +“Have the Atalantans visited the earth in one of their machines?” + +“They lack the means of setting it going. The motive force is not +existent in Venus.” + +“Have they stolen the Asteroid?” + +“They would not have known how to steer it beyond their own atmosphere.” + +“Am I to see her in the spirit or in the flesh?” + +“In the flesh.” + +“Is she changed?” + +“Well, yes! But forgive me if I say that _I_ consider she is changed +for the better.” + +“Do you know how it has been done?” + +“Perfectly.” + +“Who told you?” + +“I found it out for myself.” + +“As you hope for salvation at the last, will you pledge me that you are +speaking the truth?” + +“Absolutely, literally, entirely.” + +Radcliffe was staggered. + +“Scepticism dies hard in a despairing breast,” he went on. “Can you +give me any tangible proof beyond your own word? Excuse me, Frank, my +all is at stake.” + +“Yes! I can give you one proof at any rate. How came the knowledge of +the English alphabet to Atalanta?” + +“Jackson told us he was hypnotised.” + +“Nonsense! Jackson thinks so, but I know better. _Your wife wrote out +that paper with her own hands._ Jackson was put to sleep, or rather +tempted to put himself to sleep by going too deeply into his cups. But +this was done to rob the machine, not to study English. Your wife wrote +the paper in a disguised hand.” + +“How do you know that?” + +“_Because she told me so herself._” + +Again Radcliffe fairly winced, like a man receiving a blow. + +“Have you had intercourse and converse with her all the time you have +been in Atalanta?” + +“Certainly not, considering I was in gaol.” + +“When did you first do so?” + +“After that row in Parmenton’s house--quite recently therefore.” + +“Where did you see her?” + +“In the palace.” + +“Does Melanitis know her?” + +“Intimately.” + +“She hates her, of course?” + +“On the contrary, she has a very good opinion of her.” + +“Does Mexitli know of all this?” + +“Fully, and is very pleased.” + +“It is stupendous,” said Radcliffe. “Can you tell me what the Professor +thinks?” + +“That you made an ass of yourself this evening. Further than this he +knows nothing. He is even more nonplussed than you are.” + +“You _can_ tell me the whole secret, I suppose?” + +“I could, but I shan’t.” + +“Because of Melanitis?” + +“No, because of the King. Your only peril lies there. But the worst +that can happen is this--that you and your wife may be packed off back +to the earth. If you are, I will remain to carry on your work.” + +“What!” + +“Nothing more nor less.” + +“Once more, I beseech you to tell me.” + +“I _dare_ not and I _ought_ not, and therefore I _will_ not; you _can_ +wait ten days, man!” + +At that moment Minola appeared, and said: “Your excellencies are +summoned to attend upon the Lady Mexitli; she is in sore distress.” + +Abercromby started. “Well, Clarence, it _may_ be that the mine is to +be exploded now; if so, better perhaps for you. But muster all your +courage and prepare for a stunning shock.” + +Radcliffe drew himself up. “Can you tell me what has happened?” he said +to Minola. + +“I may not answer questions, though I would gladly if I might,” she +replied. + +At that moment they reached the door of the house. Mexilla was +supporting both the princesses, who were in a state of indescribable +agitation. Carmichael was calm, but his face wore a very stern +expression. + +“Ladies, we crave permission to know what is the matter,” said +Radcliffe. + +“Atalanta is in revolt,” said Mexitli. “The priest party, aided by the +traitors Parmenton, Mauro, and Medon, have surrounded the palace. All +is lost.” + +“No, that shall never be,” said Radcliffe. “We will put all our power +at your disposal, display the scarlet banner and fight under it by your +side.” + +“By George! I thought he was a missionary!” said Abercromby. “But no +matter, I shall not mind a fight, if it comes to that.” + +“Will you stand by us?” asked Mexitli. + +“Unto death,” said Radcliffe. + +“If we win, you shall be the highest noble in Atalanta,” she cried. “I +will give to your companions an absolute pardon, and raise them all to +the ranks of my nobility.” + +A cheer broke from the Atalantans present; such a scene of enthusiasm +followed as was rarely witnessed on Venus. Melanitis kept very much +in the background, though she spoke kind words to each and all, but +Mexitli went and shook hands with every one, even with the Professor +and Abercromby, a thing she had never done before. + +Orders were given to start at once. Carmichael, who was dead-tired, had +to make a rush for the conning-tower. + +“We are in for a regular deuce of a row,” said Abercromby. “I have seen +it coming for a long time. It will clear the air, at all events. I want +a good square talk with you, Professor.” + +“Then you can’t have it. I have to run this machine at breakneck speed +back to Atalanta, and heaven only knows what will happen to us when we +get there.” + +The princess sent an imperious message that the Professor must give +up his steering-seat to Minola and come and take part in her council. +This he flatly refused to do, at which Mexitli took great offence, +threatening that “under these circumstances to disobey was death.” “We +shall all die by breaking our necks if that girl takes the steering; +she is totally unused to it.” Minola looked very resentful, and even +laid her hand upon her weapon; but Radcliffe quieted her by soothing +words, and, after some trouble, Mexitli owned that perhaps it was +better that this particular machine should be steered by those who had +made it. + +Abercromby whispered to Radcliffe, “Your affair is not on just now, old +man; perhaps it is as well. We must settle old Lydon’s bother first, +then your turn shall come.” + +The council was harmonious enough, for Mexitli did all, or nearly all, +of the talking. She decided that they must make a forced flight to +Atalanta and observe from the air all that was going on. + +Not even Radcliffe could induce her to tell them how the trouble had +begun; this she was resolved to keep to herself. All they learned was +that the rebels had got possession of the lower part of the city, had +burned Mayana’s mansion to the ground, and had then surrounded the +palace hill. All the adherents of the priesthood of the Sun had taken +up arms, and they had been joined by a large number of the lowest of +the populace. The rebels had resolved on a complete revolution, both in +the religious and in the social life of Atalanta. + + * * * * * + +The restless energy of Mexitli disdained to take any repose. The +Professor grumbled that if the devil had been at their heels they could +not have gone very much faster, but, as Abercromby remarked, since +Radcliffe had ruled him out of all possession in Venus, it was the +princess who would have to drive them instead. + + + + + CHAPTER XXIII + + LYDON’S REVOLT + + +Sooner than they had expected, much to the delight of Mexitli, the +well-known outline of the Keraunian hills appeared on the northern +horizon. The Asteroid halted a mile above the city of Atalanta. + +“Have we your permission, lady, to alight first upon the palace +terrace?” asked Abercromby in a tone of solemn irony. + +Mexitli coloured, but said: “You are pleased to be caustic, but I +suppose you have the right. When we have taken our observations, do so, +and you shall go unpunished.” + +From the upper part of the Asteroid they stepped upon the balcony and +noticed the great commotion in progress below. Up the Avenue of Ascent +a troop of armed men were advancing to reinforce their comrades, who +were encamped on the ridges of the palace height. The sunlight glinted +upon a forest of spears and lances. + +“They have only their primitive weapons,” said Melanitis. “They have +been deprived of the use of the tubes.” + +“Let me strike the first blow, and from the sky,” said Mexitli. + +She pointed her green metal in a diagonal line in the direction of the +enemy. Minola did the same. Flash after flash was sent downwards, but +no apparent effect followed. + +“The range is too distant,” said Melanitis. “We must descend lower.” + +Slowly the Asteroid dropped by the action of the fans. Then at the +distance of a quarter of a mile the firing was recommenced. Several +were seen to stagger and fall; others, unable through the dazzling +sunlight to locate their aerial foes, took to their heels. + +“That is Lydon,” shouted Abercromby. “He is rallying them and urging +them to return.” + +Minola instantly levelled the green tube, but before it could be +discharged a blinding flash broke from the building at the angle of +the terrace parapet. A pyramid of fire shot into the sky; the Asteroid +itself was rocked by the air currents, and they were nearly thrown off +their feet. A deafening roar followed, and a thick column of yellow +vapour hid everything for a few minutes. + +Mexitli clung to Radcliffe with a convulsive grasp; then she wrung her +hands in agony. Minola gave way to a burst of tears and crying. + +“Tell us what has happened,” said Abercromby. + +“We will be with you to the last,” exclaimed Radcliffe. + +“I know it,” she replied, “but it may well mean that you will perish +along with us. That building which has been wrecked is the arsenal; +it contains all the materials for the manufacture of our weapons of +defence. Many weeks must pass before we could possibly provide new +material. It is now a conflict of force against a handful--ourselves +and our friends, who will be quite defenceless, and who may be either +starved out or stormed out.” + +“Send an airship to Melandria--the people are all faithful there,” said +Abercromby. + +“Well thought of,” replied Melanitis. + +“It can be done,” said Mexitli, “but they can bring us but scanty +supplies.” + +“How many times could you fire the weapons you are carrying with you?” + +“About twenty times, each of us.” + +“What has been done with our own weapons and ammunition? All this could +be used. It would be better than the weapons of the rebels,” said +Radcliffe. + +“You shall each of you be put in trust with it.” + +“Head for the palace, Carmichael,” Abercromby called out. + +In a few minutes they were on the terrace, where the palace guards were +drawn up to repel any assault. But none such had been attempted. The +enemy had been satisfied with their master-stroke, and fully believed +that the day was won. + +Presently Carysfort and Jackson came forth with pale but resolute faces. + +“The King is in his cabinet; he is on his knees praying, sir,” said +Tom. “I told him to do it by signs, and then I took off my jacket +and my waistcoat to let him feel easy that I was ready for the other +business.” + +“This palace shall be your abode, Mayana, if we only triumph,” said +Mexitli, embracing her. “Do not despair. Our brave friends are going to +help us.” + +“Suppose we go straight for the rascals just when they think we are +hiding,” said Tom. “Rush ’em all at once; that’s my ticket. Old Lydon +is below. I peeped over and saw his ugly old head. He is jabbering +away, either to the sun or else to his men, only a few hundred yards +off. Just say the word, Professor, and I’ll give him one in the nose, +and that will end all the trouble.” + +Melanitis, half laughing, turned to Radcliffe. + +“Go to the room above the Hall of Perfect Justice. Minola will direct +you. There are your weapons; they are all safely deposited.” + +“Hold steady, Tom,” cried Carmichael. “Do you think you can run at all +those savages unarmed and alone? Wait, and don’t be a fool; we can’t +let you throw yourself away like that.” + +Tom swore, but obeyed. + +Meantime a sharp conflict was going on in the Avenue. Missiles were +hurled from the house-tops, chiefly by the women and children, upon +the enemy below, and many were killed or disabled. Parmenton and his +fellows set fire to one of the houses, and it was soon a heap of +smoking ruins. The inmates sallied out, and, aided by their friends and +kinsmen, pressed severely upon the rear of the attacking force. The +arms taken from the Asteroid were quickly in the hands of the royal +party, who needed very little teaching how to use them with deadly +effect. The sharp cracking reports echoed around, and, with every one, +some enemy was laid low. Then King Malchon came forth. + +“My daughters, I will seek to imitate the nobleness of Keraunion. I +will lead the sallying party myself.” + +“Do not think of it,” said Melanitis, seeking to draw him back. “It is +the King’s duty to direct others to fight.” But Malchon would not be +dissuaded. He set his foot on the rocky steps. “My guards, follow me; +let us deliver our city from these misguided traitors. God is with us; +it is for Him we are fighting, not for our own glory only. Forward!” + +Mexitli called to Mayana and her sister to stand behind the parapet and +cover their friends by an incessant discharge. At first this was easy +enough, and many a foe was laid in the dust; but, as the two parties +joined in actual conflict, they scarcely dared to keep it up for fear +of hitting the King and his guards. + +Abercromby, Carysfort, and Radcliffe were soon in the fight, but Tom +was the most reckless of the whole party. He had often heard Abercromby +tell the story of Admiral Napier saying to the sailors on the eve +of starting for the Baltic: “Lads, sharpen your cutlasses and make +ready.” So he kept on shouting this and other watchwords, interlarding +them with less classical language. He ran full-tilt at the line of +spears, wrenched one out of the hand of its holder, and ran him +through the body with it. Cleito was by his side in a moment, and the +guards forced their way by sheer physical strength, and beat back the +advancing line. + +Radcliffe was in the most imminent danger. Lydon saw him and marked +him out for vengeance. He made unlimited promises to any who would +bring him dead or alive. He was seized by Mauro Katakalon, and though +he struck out with all his might, he felt his strength giving way. He +was in full view of Mexitli, who was holding one of the Professor’s +pistols. In an agony of supplication Melanitis besought her to fire. +Mexitli’s hand trembled as she did so; the bullet struck the gilded +armour of Mauro and penetrated his shoulder. More furious than ever, +the burly giant seized the waist of Radcliffe and dragged him along +the ground. Some one slipped a revolver into the hand of Melanitis. +She leaned over the parapet, there was a sharp report, Mauro Katakalon +relaxed his hold; he was killed instantly. A cheer went up, it put new +life into the hearts of the defenders. + +Radcliffe, no sooner free, ran to the help of Tom, who was sore +pressed, for he was in the grasp of three or four assailants. One of +these was Lydon himself; he saw the day was lost, for by this time the +population from the upper part of the city had issued forth against +him. Malchon had scattered the foes in front, and all that remained was +to overpower the retinue in immediate attendance upon the high priest. +Abercromby and Carysfort had performed prodigies, and were beside the +King warding off blows on all hands. + +Lydon, by a last effort, had led a furious charge upon the division +of the guards in which Cleito and Radcliffe were posted. They were +in full view of their friends on the terrace, who encouraged them by +voice and gesture. The ammunition, however, was giving out, Mayana and +Minya having been too prodigal in their use of it, though they stoutly +declared that every shot had told. + +Lydon dashed his way to where the King was posted and hurled a lance at +his head. The weapon was struck aside by Tom in full flight, but his +own spear was splintered in doing so. In a moment he and his foes were +struggling together upon the ground. Radcliffe, not able to intervene, +shouted to Arniphon, Cleito’s colleague, who came running up with a +dozen guards. But the King’s personal danger was so imminent that +he could spare no time for anything else, and closed in a desperate +conflict with Lydon. The priest’s attendants were dispersed like chaff, +and Lydon, after fighting like a mad dog, as Abercromby said, for +another five minutes, was at last overpowered and manacled. The fate of +their leader, along with that of Parmenton and Medon, who were captured +likewise, practically ended the conflict. + +The King was deadly pale and exhausted. Abercromby and Radcliffe held +him up by each arm and assisted him to mount the steps, which were +stained with blood and cumbered by the bodies of the fallen. + +“Nearly one-half of the guards are dead,” said Malchon in a tone of +deep grief. + +“Your throne has been saved,” said Abercromby. + +“But was I worthy of it?” said Malchon in a saddened voice. + +All Atalanta was hushed that night. Few households were there that had +not to mourn their dead. There were no boisterous rejoicings over the +victory, as would have been the case on the earth, though there was an +inward satisfaction none the less deep. In the palace all was gratitude +and harmony. Every one had reason to congratulate every one else on +having done something for Atalanta. + +Upon the travellers every mark of affection which gratitude could +lavish was bestowed. The original sentence was cancelled; they were all +enrolled in the highest ranks of the nobility. + +“This will enable us each to marry,” said Frank to the Professor. +“There is scarce a female in Atalanta who will not be proud of you.” + +“Many thanks, Abercromby, and assist me all you can to realise the +splendour of my privilege. I am just going to calculate when the earth +will reach its nearest point to Venus.” + +“There are three matters pending before you start, Professor: one is to +find poor Tom, the other to assist at the trial and execution of Lydon, +the third to make Radcliffe happy.” + +“We will take them in order, if we are allowed,” answered Carmichael. + +That night a supper party was held in the palace. The King sat at the +head of the table, one of his daughters on either side. Mexitli was +radiant with delight, Melanitis dignified and outwardly calm. The +feeling was almost too intense for words. The flattery and ceremony, +so characteristic of Atalanta, was well-nigh absent. Tongues were at +last unloosed, when Malchon rose and said-- + +“Through the mercy of heaven we are delivered from the most +heart-breaking danger that has ever menaced us or our people. Soon we +shall be called upon to pass sentence upon such of the ringleaders +as are in our power. But to-night let all thoughts of vengeance be +laid aside. I would suggest that each of our friends from the sister +planet be invited to solicit from us some token of our gratitude. You, +Carmichael, who are the leader of the expedition, tell us what is your +chief desire.” + +“Permission to return to our own planet and to communicate to our +people whatever knowledge we have acquired here which will be good and +useful for them.” + +“I echo the same wish,” said the engineer. + +A murmur of disappointment made itself audible. + +“Think not that we are ungrateful,” Carysfort went on, “but know that +our sole object in coming was to enlarge the knowledge of our brothers +in Karamandra. But I would, if permission be granted us to return, +leave everything which we have brought with us in the Asteroid, except +what is absolutely necessary for our journey, behind for the use of the +King and his people.” + +“I grant you the permission to return, if when the moment which our +astronomers deem the right one shall come, you still adhere to your +resolutions.” + +“I request permission to preach the religion of Jesus Christ by speech +and writing in Atalanta,” said Radcliffe. + +“You have been fully tested, my son,” said Malchon. “I and the +princesses have long since resolved to assist you.” + +“As for me,” replied Abercromby in a rather breezy tone, “I have got to +love this world. I hated it at one time, but I like it now, so I should +be glad if you would let me stay. There is one other thing. I spoke +rudely to the Princess Mexitli in this very hall, and I beg her pardon +here and now. I was savage and forgot myself, and I really thought she +meant to kill the whole lot of us.” + +“I am afraid I did, so I will hold you quite excused,” answered +Mexitli; “and I am glad indeed to hear that you mean to stay with us.” + +Had a thunderbolt descended at their feet, the Professor and engineer +could not have been more astounded. They had not the remotest idea that +Abercromby was not returning with them. + +“He must be stark mad,” said Carysfort to the Professor--“spend +his life in Venus indeed! Depend upon it there is some girl in the +background.” + +“No there is not--I stay for Radcliffe and his wife,” replied +Abercromby quickly. + +“He’s done it! I knew it would be so!” gasped Carmichael. “Radcliffe is +going to marry the lady with the letter M. after all.” These remarks +were whispered in English. + +“There is one thing I much regret,” resumed Malchon, “and that is the +loss of the faithful servant of our friends. The rebels either slew him +or carried him away. He was a good man and a brave, and search must be +ordered everywhere to ascertain his fate.” + +The rest of the time passed pleasantly enough with interludes of music +and song. When the guests rose it was four hours after the banquet had +begun. The poor Professor very nearly dropped asleep at the supper +table. Time was little reckoned in Atalanta. The terrestrials could +hardly tear themselves away from the hand-clasps which greeted them on +every side. Even then both Radcliffe and Abercromby had to stay yet +another hour to talk over what steps should be taken to obliterate the +traces of the revolt and to make the best use of the victory. At last +Mayana said to Cleophon-- + +“Unless you let these poor dears go and secure a period of sleep we +shall be responsible for killing both of them. I won’t even sing them a +song. Turn them out of the room. Do you agree to this, princess?” + +“Yes,” replied Mexitli; “I am somewhat inclined to sleep myself. We +have all done a good day’s work, I think.” + + + + + CHAPTER XXIV + + THE DENUNCIATION AND THE RETRIBUTION + + +Radcliffe awoke the next morning with a dull feeling of anxiety +oppressing him. The thrilling episodes of the fight, the loss of Tom, +the decision of Abercromby, all these had, for a while, driven away +the dominant thought of his heart, but with the first moment of quiet +leisure it returned with unabated intensity. + +Lilian was in the palace, and yet he could not see her nor obtain +tidings of her. Dismissing the attendants who waited on him (for he +already tasted the luxuries of the Atalantan nobility), he sought and +obtained an interview with Melanitis. + +“Even now,” he said, “I do not fully know your customs, and in these +trying circumstances I may be guilty of a great social mistake; but +I entreat you to tell me when this suspense will be over and my wife +restored to me, whom I have so long looked upon as dead.” + +“I will do all I can to hasten your wishes,” she answered, “for I +desire it no less than you do; but there are two things that must come +first--the trial of Lydon and his fellow-traitors, and the burial of +the honoured dead according to the customs of Atalanta. The trial will +be held to-morrow; for the King’s sake it will be hastened, for his +health makes Mexitli very anxious, while the burial of the honoured +dead will follow very quickly. You will never forget the sight so long +as you live.” + +“Permit me to render to you my grateful and loving thanks for the act +of yours which saved my life. Not even the healing of my sorrow which +you have promised to me can efface the recollection that I owe my life +to you.” + +“Mexitli did just what I did, but her anxiety lest she should do you +hurt prevented her from doing it effectually. I had no such fear, +because I am more practised. Surely to save a fellow-creature’s life is +what any human being would be proud to do.” + +Radcliffe stood silent. How _could_ she be more practised in the use of +a Karamandran weapon? Was there not also a measure of coldness in her +tone? Not to be wondered at, he thought. As he stood hesitating she cut +the knot herself. + +“I have much to occupy me to-day,” she said, “so you will excuse my +detaining you further.” + +“Have I given unwitting offence?” + +“Not in the least--how could you?” + +Radcliffe left the apartment. As he did so, he encountered Frank in +very earnest conversation with Mexitli and Mayana. They smiled on him, +but he went on to the terrace and walked about wrapped in thought. +Cleophon was there, watching the ruins of the tower of the arsenal, and +Minya, his sister-in-law, was with him. They greeted Radcliffe warmly, +and had a long talk over the recent explosion and the tactics of the +rebels which had brought it about. Suddenly two ideas struck Radcliffe +all at once, and he said-- + +“Was any one killed by the explosion?” + +“Two of the guards standing as sentries,” answered Cleophon. + +“How many prisoners are there in the palace?” + +“Lydon and his associates,” replied Minya. “Three men, that is to say. +There are no women prisoners. We did all the killing and they did the +sinning, and they are, and will yet be, doing the suffering.” + +“That is an admirable assortment of parts,” answered Cleophon dryly, +“and methinks our excellent friend and colleague is quite satisfied +with it.” + +“Perfectly satisfied, since there are no ladies imprisoned,” said +Radcliffe. + +Minya gave utterance to a ringing laugh. + +“You will soon be one of us in every thought and feeling,” she said. + +In the meantime Abercromby had persuaded Carmichael and the engineer +to lay their writing aside and to come for a walk with him. The others +agreeing, they went to a sheltered garden attached to the palace on the +southern slope of the mount, and Abercromby gave them a startling piece +of information. + +“I have had a talk with Lydon himself,” he said. “Our interview was +hardly amicable, for he cursed me at least a dozen times, but I +wormed a state secret out of him, which has led me to advise Mexitli +and her intimate friends not to make the approaching trial public, +but to try him in the King’s private apartment, with only selected +witnesses--ourselves, of course.” + +“You are a pretty fellow,” said the engineer; “Mexitli hardly wants +coaching up in these medieval ideas. I thought you were an Englishman, +but I am afraid your prolonged residence in the Love Star has not +improved you.” + +“As Lydon is certain to be put to death, it will not make any +difference to him.” + +“That Mexitli will finish his goose, as the Americans express it, I +don’t doubt,” said Carysfort; “but I tell you plainly I do not like +this sort of thing.” + +“He used violent language and threats that he would say that which +would stagger the whole kingdom, and pay Malchon out for all he owed +him. Could I do less than tell Mexitli of this? She is not going to +stop his tongue, she only wants the man in the street not to hear it, +and then pass it on with amplifications.” + +“Has his death been settled on beforehand?” grunted the Professor. + +“It won’t be nice according to European notions, I am afraid. To be +quite candid, however, I have managed to change the manner of it. The +princess and Mayana were for giving him a cup of tea, or something +equivalent, for his next meal; but Melanitis begged hard that they +would postpone their intention, and I joined in with her. Now I have +got an idea that she will regret she did not let them have their way. +But be this as it may, or rather as it will, I did have just _one_ +shudder when Mexitli produced a small phial of amber-coloured liquid +and showed it to Mayana. They seemed to be pretty well posted up in the +Lucretia Borgia business, and I ventured the remark that I should have +to take care how I behaved myself.” + +“I agree with you,” said Carysfort, “and I hope it may have the effect +of making you reconsider a recent decision. What did they say?” + +“That it was for reptiles like Lydon to fear them, not for loyal hearts +and true like me.” + +“Excellent for the time being,” answered Carmichael, “but what about +the years to come?” + + * * * * * + +At ten a.m. measured by earthly time, Malchon lay upon his sick couch +in the private room of his palace, where more secret trials took place. +By his side were Mexitli and Melanitis, while Mayana and Minya sat a +little way apart. Radcliffe and Abercromby were next to the princesses, +while Carmichael and Carysfort were placed nearest to Mayana and Minya. + +A very weary look was on the old King’s face; the recent events had +sadly undermined his strength. Abercromby, strange to say, seemed the +most agitated person in the whole company. Radcliffe was quiet and +composed--a trifle bored, in fact. _His_ thoughts were far away. + +Presently the tramp of footsteps was heard in the adjacent corridor, +and the high priest was led in, his hands tightly bound behind him. +Cleito and Arniphon stood on either side of the prisoner. The face of +Lydon was agitated by the stormiest passions, but he kept himself well +controlled. His tall, majestic figure seemed to exercise a dominating +force. + +“Mexitli, my daughter, matters are in your hand,” said Malchon. “I can +take but a silent part. My days are numbered, and I would fain be at +rest.” + +The princess turned to Radcliffe. + +“_You_ shall indict him,” she said. “His deeds are notorious; you need +but say a very few words.” + +With a strange mixture of dread foreboding, and yet of dignified +responsibility, Radcliffe spoke:-- + +“Lydon, high priest of Asti, to me has this task been assigned. It +is, as the princess truly says, needless to dwell upon it at length. +As the minister of a better and purer faith than yours, I will not +(lest I should be thought to speak from self-interest) accuse you of +idolatry and superstition, though I fear you have made a bad use of the +religious influence you have so long exercised. I accuse you the rather +of treason against the throne and the royal house of Atalanta, both by +machinations in secret, and at last by an open outbreak of rebellion, +whereby the King’s declining days have been embittered by strife and +bloodshed, and many of his loyal subjects slain.” + +“You can now say that in private which you threatened to say in +public,” said Mexitli. “You may freely speak, for this is the last time +the opportunity will be granted.” + +“I understand well the true nature of the words which have been +spoken,” answered the high priest; “my heart fails me not, my courage +does not shrink. When I _have_ spoken, it is my enemies who will be +covered with confusion and with shame, while _I_ shall go to the doom +appointed with the knowledge that the Sun God will not fail his servant +in the hour of death. + +“Malchon, King of Atalanta, if indeed it be a King that thou art, seven +years ago you wrestled in prayer for the life of your child Melanitis. +You, kneeling in the Sun God’s Temple, didst presume to address another +God than He, and didst utter words alike sacrilegious and evil. They +were that this God of thine must needs grant thy request, and that thou +wouldst be well content, provided only that Melanitis should recover, +that she should bring sorrow upon thine own heart, and shame upon thy +native land. Thy prayer has been heard, Malchon, and this day thou +shalt know to the full what thou hast done. + +“She, whom thou dost _call_ Melanitis, is a Karamandran at heart; she +careth not for thee, nor for the interests of Atalanta. She is not the +Melanitis thou didst love in the days of old, but one as different as +these men who come from another world differ from the men and women of +thine.” + +He paused. Throughout the apartment the silence was intense. Abercromby +leaned eagerly forward; a puzzled look crept over the faces of the +Professor and Carysfort. Not even yet did Clarence Radcliffe evince +excitement or interest--he had heard the story before. Mexitli and +Mayana remained impassive and inscrutable; the King folded his weak +hands with an air of weary resignation. Melanitis alone had turned very +deadly white. + +“Courage, child, courage, all is forgiven,” whispered Mexitli. + +“I see before me a little house,” pursued Lydon, “in a sheltered bay in +Karamandra. The sun is shining upon the sea. In the small guest-room a +man and a woman are standing; they are at variance one with another. +The woman has ceased to love the man as she did but a few weeks ago, +though she had promised to do so for ever. Verily _I_ will be no judge +between them! + +“I see before me a river with a boat making its way upstream. Two +women are in it--both young, both handsome, as beauty is reckoned in +their silly world. The face of one is flushed, excited, reckless; she +takes the oar, not knowing properly how to use it. Soon a rock appears +in mid-stream, there is a crash, the boat is overturned, both are +caught in the eddying current. One barely saves her own humdrum life, +the other sinks. As the waters pass over her and she is engulfed, +her spirit perceives one by her side who bids her follow him to the +Mansions of the Blest. Such is not her desire. ‘Clarence! Clarence!’ +she cries, ‘I will go to no land where you are not. I would refuse even +heaven for you!’ ‘Go, then, where thou shalt one day find him,’ is the +solemn answer, ‘and tarry for him a long time, and tarry a still longer +time for the home that I would have led thee to. Thou wouldst resist +the will of thy Maker and defy His appointed hour; for thy punishment +thou shalt do so, and weep bitter tears.’ A rush and a roar seemed +to drown all her senses, and when her eyes opened she was a hapless +stranger in a strange and wondrous land. + +“And now, Clarence Radcliffe, look around and behold thy wife. Thou +hast filled Atalanta with thy whimpering complaints, perceiving not +that it was thine own folly that set in motion this long train of +evils. Behold her, I say, and rejoice, as best thou mayest, in the +sight!” + +“Why have you torn open a bleeding wound?” said Radcliffe passionately. +“Where is the Lilian that I once loved so well, whose memory I cherish +still?” + +“Turn, fool, turn and see her; she is sufficiently betraying herself,” +thundered Lydon. “There stands before you May Lilian Radcliffe, a +Karamandran spirit in an Atalantan body!” + +Radcliffe advanced a step towards Melanitis; she stretched out her +appealing hands, and burst forth in the words of Anglo-Saxon love, +which Clarence had sent to her in the world across the sky-- + + “One dearest vision flashed upon my way, + Kindling the memories of Love’s sacred past; + That vision _now_ is all my strength and stay, + While yet the lingering hours of exile last!” + +With a wild cry Radcliffe clasped Melanitis in his arms. + +“Behold them!” shouted the deep voice of Lydon; “behold the two +serpents of Karamandra! Each has found the other. Each stands prepared +to wreck a world that their ill-starred love may riot over its ruins! + +“O Malchon, understand the truth even in thy dotage! The child of thine +heart was taken from thee seven years ago to dwell with Asti in his +palace of solar glory, while into the vacant bodily tenement crept this +_thing_ from Karamandra, a cursed gift from a sin-stained planet.” + +Carmichael and Carysfort had both risen, but they sank back in their +seats with awestruck and blanched faces. + +A deep groan burst from the lips of Malchon. His head fell upon the +couch. He said not a word. + +“Behold thy victory! hireling of a new religion,” Lydon shouted in a +voice of ever-increasing bitterness. “Take to thy arms this stranger to +thee; see if there be any resemblance in her pale foreign face to the +love of the long ago. Ha! ha! A new courtship shalt thou have in this +land of ours, and two dialects in which to pursue it.” + +Radcliffe found his tongue at last. With one arm encircling Melanitis, +he confronted Lydon and waved him imperiously aside. + +“Had I found her with all her beauty marred and gone, had I visited her +in the deepest dungeon, had I met with her an exile in a desert island, +she would be (as indeed she is) the one and only queen of my heart. It +_is_ a harder and more severe trial than all these things, to look upon +the foreign face, even though it be fairer than the very fairest of my +own world. Yet love can rise superior to every hindrance, can overcome +every obstacle, else it were vain to talk of immortality. This is how +I meet thy difficulties, this is how love prevails over thy logic.” + +“Thou hast finely spoken, O man of Karamandra,” jeered Lydon. “Thy +rustic wife of old is now a princess, and a throne is a potent solace +to the trials of a foreign face.” + +“Not when the wife sits upon a throne, and the husband is far beneath; +not when she has power and he no power, save only to carry on his +mission; not when she is great and he is small.” + +“A truce to this peddling matter,” answered Lydon sternly. “Once again +I call upon you in the name of Asti my God, to renounce your impious +design to change the faith of Atalanta. Do what you will with _me_, but +let not the Sun God shine upon an apostate land.” + +“Had I but loved my Saviour as I loved my wife, we might, both at this +moment, be fulfilling a lowly divine ministry in our own world; but +_now_ we will do the one thing left to us; we will walk hand in hand +together, to be a help and a benefit to the world wherein we are.” + +“I give you my consent and my blessing,” murmured the King in a broken +voice. “God and the Prince of Heaven shall be honoured and adored, and +none else. And now, my son Radcliffe, the time will not be long for me. +Soon, very soon, I shall go to the land of which He whom we once coldly +banished told us, a land where the wicked cease from troubling, and +where the weary are at rest.” + +“I have _one_ thing more to do,” cried Lydon, in a voice hoarse with +rage. “The Sun God has been publicly repudiated here in my presence, +and his wrath must now fall upon the blasphemer who has come amongst +us. O Asti, strengthen me only this once that I thy unworthy servant +may perform one last sacrifice in thy name!” + +Bowing forward, with a supreme effort he snapped his bonds, and in a +bound was upon Clarence and Melanitis. But Malchon sprang from his +couch and interposed his aged body as a shield. Something glittered +in Lydon’s hand ere his arm could be arrested in its downward swoop. +Malchon fell forward; he uttered one faint cry; they just caught the +words, “Let the Prince be King,” and all was over. + +“A greater retribution has fallen,” shouted the high priest. “I swore +to be avenged. Behold, all of you, the sacrificial knife; see, it is +red, red to the hilt. Asti is honoured. Come, therefore--I wait my +long-appointed doom; do your worst with me. Asti, I come! I come!” + +A sharp report echoed through the room. Lydon fell dead at his victim’s +feet. Minola was risen, holding one of the pistols from the Asteroid in +her hand. + +“He shut up my father in his Temple prison,” she said quietly. “He let +him die of starvation, because he would not sacrifice to his idol. I +place myself in Queen Mexitli’s hands. I have repaid.” + +“You need not be forgiven, dear, for there is nothing to forgive,” +answered the Queen elect. “You have only completed the sacrifice. I had +meant something appallingly worse for him, but I thank you for having +made it unnecessary.” + +Then she knelt down by her father’s side, and the tears fell fast. +Presently she looked up and said-- + +“Go, my friends, and take rest after all these horrors. You have +nothing but a true friend in me. Cleito! Arniphon! take the body of +that traitor and hurl it over the parapet of the terrace!” + + + + + CHAPTER XXV + + THE OLD LOVE AND THE NEW + + +No words can adequately describe the emotions that prevailed in the +great city when the news flew from mouth to mouth of the assassination +of the King, followed by the almost immediate death of the murderer. + +Many scores of households were already bewailing their dead and making +the usual elaborate preparations to honour their remains. And now the +palace itself was drowned in lamentation also, and was face to face in +addition with the problem of the succession. + +The latter point was very quickly settled. Fifty years had to pass +before the nobility would have the right to raise one of their +own order to the throne. Melanitis instantly wrote out a form of +renunciation with her own hand, and placed herself entirely in +Mexitli’s power. The latter took her aside, and said, in the presence +of Radcliffe and of Abercromby-- + +“Since you have so honourably kept your faith to me which you pledged +two years ago, my first act as Queen shall be to associate you with me +in the sovereignty.” + +“That I am firmly resolved to refuse,” she answered. “I pray that +your cousin Mayana be raised to the first place below the throne. Also +that Clarence may be retained in the rank of nobility along with his +comrades. All I ask for myself and for him further is, that you will +permit us to live in some retired spot where it will be easy for us to +devote ourselves to the work we desire to do.” + +“You shall rule the island of Melandria for me, as Andron’s term of +office expires with my father’s death. You will not disappoint me in +this, will you, Melanitis?” + +“You are more than good to me,” she answered, “and if you desire it, I +will undertake this work.” + +“Now that I understand everything,” Mayana interposed, taking the hand +of Melanitis, “I honour you as I never honoured you before, and I +sympathise with you in those awful years of trial amongst us which you +have so bravely spent.” + +“And you, Clarence,” said the Queen, “though you can have no direct +power in the ruling of this land, will find your happiness in the love +of your wife, in the fulfilment of your mission, and in the knowledge +of the love which we all bear to you, for you are devoting your life +to the good of your adopted country. You also, Abercromby, will have +your share in that love, a share which will increase, as we see that +you completely identify yourself with us. As for the other two, it is +_their_ fault if their share in our hearts’ affections be much less. To +their own world they have decided to return, and it is doubtless well, +for to it they evidently belong. I shall have a serious talk with them +when the fitting time arrives. Meanwhile, you will all remain in the +palace with us.” + +Melanitis and Clarence spent most of that day together. Their happiness +was too great to be expressed in words. They sat in one of the recesses +of the palace gardens looking towards the south, and each told the +other what they had suffered in the long time of separation. + +“We will talk always in the dear English tongue, Clarence, when we are +together. Atalantan has been to me a painfully acquired dialect. I do +not speak it very much better than you.” + +“When did you first hear of our coming, dearest?” + +“I was standing on the palace terrace, and I saw the rockets soar +into the sky. I knew it was something most unusual, and I myself +urged Mayana and Cleophon (who were then visiting the palace) to go +and investigate. The moment they brought back the report of their +interview, I was certain, but,” she said with a shudder, “you were all +of you close to death.” + +“I felt sure of it at the time, dearest.” + +“Mayana has often told me since that she can never bear to think about +it. But is it possible that no suspicion of the truth about me ever +reached you from any one?” + +“Never, Melanitis.” + +“You _must_ drop that detestable name. I am Lilian. But how _did_ you +explain to yourself what Abercromby could have meant?” + +“By the pure miraculous power of God raising you from the dead.” + +“Ah! Well, of course, that would account. And yet it was something not +far short of it.” + +Then she asked Clarence to tell her all about his work after he had +returned to Oxford, and all about the Professor and his companions. + +“The most trying part of it to me was when you and your people talked +away in my presence, not knowing that I could understand you. Little +did you know how much I agreed with many outspoken criticisms, though +they were sometimes not very politely expressed. But that song about +the proctor, and your Atalantising of it, nearly did for me altogether, +and then--Tom’s letter!” + +“There is one thing I greatly desire to ask you. Was it true, as +Parmenton asserted, that you in any way supported them in their designs +upon the existing social order? He actually advised me to throw in my +lot with you, and said that you were a Karamandran woman at heart. +Could it have possibly been that he suspected the truth?” + +“Quite impossible. He only took advantage of some words which he once +heard me say in the presence of Lydon, that I did not greatly admire +the way in which the women ruled everything here. But, of course, I +have the right of my sex to change my mind upon this or any other +subject. Certainly, now that _you_ have come, I must break altogether +with any such ideas.” + +“I never ruled you in the other world,” chuckled he, “so I am scarcely +likely ever to attempt doing it in this.” + +“Perhaps you never went the right way to work. You were sadly wanting +in tact; but you have made amends here, at all events, when you saved +yourself and the others from an almost certain death on the day of the +trial.” + +“What will be done with Medon and Parmenton?” + +“Don’t ask me, Clarence. They will drop out. There will be no trial. +Better would it be for them if I served them as I did Mauro Katakalon. +You know that I saved the wretch Lydon himself, and how he requited it.” + +Radcliffe shuddered. “I do not like these things.” + +“Nor do I, though I cannot now see _everything_ through terrestrial +spectacles.” + +“Did you know that Lydon was going to betray your secret?” + +“Not till the last moment. You and Frank were very wise in urging a +private trial.” + +“I only did it because I fell in with his opinion; I did not know what +was going to happen. But I am troubled about another matter. Can Clieto +and Arniphon be depended on not to tell Lydon’s story broadcast?” + +“I shall leave that with the Queen; she will do what she thinks best +for us. Do not be hard upon Mexitli or Mayana, or any others. There is +much that ought to be corrected, but we must give them the fuller form +of their own ancient faith, and that will work a change in many things.” + +“What was your feeling towards the King?” + +“Grief and regret. But I was quite powerless to act; it would have +killed him to have learned the truth from _me_, even if he had believed +it. Mexitli must have bitterly hated the true Melanitis; but she +gradually awoke to the fact that, whatever change had passed over me, +it was sufficient to render me her passive instrument, and not her +rival. Little by little her enmity turned to affection, and then when +you came, though I had certain risks to run, I felt that I might some +day tell her everything. On that night when you sang ‘Solitude,’ I +betrayed myself so openly that Abercromby, who had already suspected +the truth--for I knew he did by many little things--came to me and +taxed me directly with it. Then I told Mexitli and Mayana. The Queen +believed it; her cousin did not. Of course, the Queen saw in a moment +that her succession to the throne was secured beyond hesitation; and so +we all made a firm alliance, and I myself told Abercromby to pave the +way towards your enlightenment. Now I think I have told you everything.” + +“What effect has your experience had upon the truth of the theory of +re-incarnation?” + +“Don’t trouble your dear head about that. One instance does not make +a rule, especially when we can see, as here, such evident meaning +and reason for it. It had not to do with the earth, but with Venus. +I was not reborn, but conscious from the first of what had happened. +Better, in one sense, had I not been, for no one knows, nor ever will +know, but I who have gone through it, what it has cost me to be such +an incarnated impostor. My journeys to Aptaura, etc., were not much +dictated by love of astronomy, nor even for the sake of seeing the +‘Little Queen of the Night,’ about which there was not much to learn +from those wise men, or from their instruments, but chiefly to get +away from people and talk English to myself, lest I should forget it +entirely by the time you came.” + +“Was the real Melanitis older or younger than you when your change +came.” + +“Older by some years, Clarence, but not very many.” + +“God help me,” said Radcliffe; “I hoped that it had been otherwise. I +had hoped I might have had you a few years longer.” + +“You will have me as long as God wills, my dearest. We cannot tell +beforehand any of these things; we have a work to do, and we shall be +immortal till it is done.” + +“And afterwards,” he said. + +“Yes, afterwards, in the Mansions of the Blest. You were very fond of +that expression; it is curious that you pitched upon the favourite +phrase of Venus--‘Antillie--intânie.’” + +That evening the Professor and Carysfort had a long conversation over +the things which the lovers had been discussing, though in a different +form. + +“I perfectly believe all I have heard, Carysfort,” he said; “I do not +trouble over a magical key, if it perfectly fits a magical lock.” + +“Then you go in for stark miracles and supernaturalism, Carmichael,” +said the engineer. + +“No, my friend, I, in this case, go in for unknown law, unknown +factors, unknown powers. Whether they are miraculous or not, requires +me to know vastly more about them than I am likely to, on this side of +the border. It is much more important to know whether a fact is true, +than to know whether it is supernatural. I know _this_ is true, for it +clears up everything that has puzzled us from the first; on just the +same principle, I accept the resurrection of Christ, because I cannot +account for what happened afterwards except on such a ground.” + +In the meantime, the King’s last wish that a search should be made for +poor Tom had been carried out. He was searched for all over the city +and the district, but no trace of him could anywhere be discovered. +Meanwhile the agitation in Atalanta continued to increase, and at last +a party of loyalists, more ardent than discreet, landed on the island +from an airship, and proclaimed the Queen from the terraces of the +Temple. + +They had found no one there, but Mexitli was not satisfied. She blamed +them for going without a sufficient force, but she promised that, as +soon as the King’s embalming had been completed, and that of the other +illustrious dead, the Temple should be thoroughly overhauled and taken +possession of in her name. + +Abercromby ventured to ask the Queen as to what ceremonies would be +performed at her coronation. She did not quite understand him, and +accordingly he and Radcliffe gave her an account of the coronation of +Queen Victoria and the ceremonies in Westminster Abbey. Her answer was +that that lady was only a queen of one small country, and doubtless had +many enemies who needed to be convinced that she was a true monarch; +but that when a sovereign governed an entire world, it only led to +gossip and cavilling to have any ceremonies at all. + +“I put a star in my coronet,” she said, “and simply issue my orders, +and that is all that is needed. Everybody understands; to disobey is to +die. Medon and Parmenton have just found this out.” + +Two days later, Abercromby said to Radcliffe: “Where in the world are +Cleito and Arniphon? I have missed them entirely. Have you a guess on +the subject?” + +“Perhaps I have,” said Radcliffe. “Cleophon is installed in the one +post, and Andron, when he comes from Melandria, is to have the other +appointment. But it beats me entirely where the others are.” + +Radcliffe happened to mention this to the Professor, who said shortly, +“They are going to the earth with us in order to tell our terrestrial +people what has happened to Mrs. Radcliffe.” + +“Are you joking, or is this really serious, Professor?” + +“Really serious for them, and an abominable nuisance for us.” + +“Have you to take them in the Asteroid?” + +“Yes; I suppose it will be like the Indians whom Columbus took back +with him to Spain, an advantage to prove that we are not impostors.” + +“But who the deuce contrived it?” asked Abercromby, “and what does it +mean?” + +“Well, they were determined to tell their story on Venus, and Mexitli +thought it would make less commotion if they told it on the earth.” + +“Where are they now?” + +“In gaol, poor beggars,” said Carysfort, “stewing in their own juice.” + +Abercromby burst out into a roar of laughter. “Well done, Mexitli! +Catch a woman asleep indeed! I’m precious glad for Radcliffe’s sake and +Lilian’s. Now their coast will be clear. Is not the Queen a duck?” + +“She is a beast,” retorted Carmichael. “Why should she cast her rascals +on us?” + + + + + CHAPTER XXVI + + THE FAREWELL OF AMALONA + + +The hour arrived which every heart in Atalanta city had been awaiting +with expectant sorrow--the hour when King Malchon and many hundreds of +his people were to be carried to the Land of the Dead, beyond the Vale +of Meloria, and there laid to rest under the shadows cast by a great +amphitheatre of hills. + +Every house had brought forth its embalmed and elaborately preserved +relic of mortality, and these were laid upon litters six abreast, each +borne by four bearers in the open promenade between the Lake and the +Avenue of Ascent. Each group was escorted by the members of the several +houses to which the dead respectively belonged, while, in the intervals +between each, bands of minstrels played melodies of plaintive pathos, +or sang elegies commemorating the good deeds of the departed. + +Down the palace avenue moved the procession of the royal mourners. All +walked on foot, the Queen and Mayana in their robes of violet--the +Atalantan mourning hue--with all ornaments and coronets laid aside. + +Melanitis and Clarence walked together, for, in the eyes of the people, +they were regarded as betrothed. Cleophon and Minya came next, while +Abercromby, who had just donned the costume of Atalanta, walked +sometimes with Cleophon, sometimes with the Professor and the engineer. +The latter were of course in English clothes, feeling rather awkward +and uncomfortable, while Abercromby said he felt like a dog running +about between two planets. + +The procession itself comprised a large part of the population of +Atalanta. There were consequently not many spectators, for none who +sympathised in their hearts with the priestly faction would have dared +to show themselves. + +Every few hundred yards they stopped and pronounced words in honour of +the dead. + +A winding road had been constructed leading to the Pass of Amalona--the +Bridge of the Tear, as it was called. This was five miles from the +eastern end of the great city, the road turning from the shoulder of +the Lake just where one of its two rivers flowed into it. + +The ascent of Amalona was severely trying; the sun of Venus looked down +upon them. + +Radcliffe sank in a dead faint, but the Queen and Mayana revived him +by a few drops of a pale blue liquid, the best known remedy for solar +attacks. He then plodded on with grim earnestness. Melanitis watched +him in keen anxiety. Several times the terrestrials were allowed to +halt and take rest. + +At last the head of the Pass was gained, the hills receded into an +amphitheatre, covered as far as the eye could reach with monuments of +blue, pink, and purple stone. All were of one shape, an oval recess, +in which the embalmed body was carefully laid, beneath an overarching +canopy of metal and glass, which permitted the face to be seen. + +At the head of the Pass the royal party halted beside the effigy of +Malchon. All the niches had been prepared beforehand, and nothing more +was necessary than to place the embalmed bodies in the recesses made +ready for them. On a vast pile of rock, about a quarter of a mile away, +lay gigantic mounds (as they appeared) ranged in pyramidal form. + +At a signal from the Queen, Mayana came forward, and, pointing in the +direction of these distant objects, said-- + +“What is to be done with the dead who are not honoured but dishonoured?” + +“Let them be consumed out of sight,” answered Mexitli. + +Mayana raised the green metal tube in her hand, and pointed it in the +direction of the heaped-up plateau. Several flashes followed, and +instantly sheets of flame burst from the mounds, spreading sunwards in +a canopy of fire. The cremating process, under such a sun in the full +radiance of his light, required but a few minutes. The flames fell, the +smoke drifted away, the holocaust was completed. + +This weird and awful spectacle was followed by another of solemn +impressiveness. The embalmed body of the King was slowly carried down +into the peaceful shadow, and the remains laid in the appointed place. +Tears filled the eyes of the Queen and Mayana; the Queen leaned +heavily on Radcliffe’s arm, and then she said-- + +“From the place where we stand, a voice of average power would reach to +most parts of the amphitheatre. You may address a word of consolation +to us, if you are so minded.” + +Radcliffe was very pale, but he stepped forward, and facing the +assembly of the living and the vaster assembly of the dead, he began-- + +“Dwellers in the flowery land, we are here to-day to honour the memory +of a King who loved his people, and who fell a martyr to his duty, even +as his ancestor King Keraunion did in the days of old. His last words +were these: ‘Make the Prince King.’ Will you obey the dying message +of your monarch? You will perceive of whom he was speaking. Not of a +competitor to our Queen’s throne, not of any ordinary mortal, but of +the Divine Exile whom we, of Atalanta, served so ill in the days of +the long ago. By the permission and help of the royal house, by the +earnest wish of the martyr monarch himself, the Princess Melanitis +and I are resolved to do what in us lies to publish to the Atalantan +people the full contents of that message of peace which the Prince came +to proclaim to the twin-worlds of Atalanta and of Karamandra. Lo! the +way to the Mansions of the Blest is now obscure and uncertain, but the +message which the Prince gave is clear and full of light. It shall be +placed within the reach of all in the Queen’s empire, which is this +world, who are ready to hear it; and then the Bridge of the Tear will +become a portal and a pathway to a home in the Mansions of the Blest, +where death can never make an inroad, and where, as the God of Heaven +has promised--all tears shall be wiped from off all faces.” + +“Father most beloved! King most untiring for the people’s good! I bid +you farewell,” said Mexitli, adding, “This is the most hopeful day that +ever a sad heart beheld on the Bridge of the Tear.” + +Mayana advanced with the heart-shaped instrument--the antilla; she +struck a few tuneful notes, and then the whole assembled throng +commenced the indescribably touching and awe-inspiring chant-- + + + THE FAREWELL OF AMALONA + + + I + + Why have we come from the city bright? + Why have we toiled ’neath the torrid light? + Why have we climbed the irksome hill, + Leaving the bower and the cool sweet rill? + This is the last that our love can do + For the hearts that we honour as loyal and true. + + + II + + What are our hopes on this tearful day? + Trembling and weak, for a sad heart’s stay. + How can they rise from this death-strewn vale? + Or snatch from the skies an enlightening tale? + Yet poor as they are, like the shadows that fly, + We will cleave to them, cling to them, till we die! + + + III + + What is the grief that rules our heart? + ’Tis the cry of the world that will bid us depart. + Fain would we linger and fain would we stay, + ’Tis duty, not pleasure that calls us away. + Soon we must enter life’s tumult again, + Let the smile on the face hide the grief and the pain. + + + IV + + Why do we gaze on the future unknown? + Or look to the past for the joys that have flown? + One is all drear with _you_ gone from our side, + One is all sad with Time’s onsweeping tide. + Only the Present lies full in our power, + Guarding each brief opportunity’s hour. + + + V + + Can it be true that in days gone by + The Prince came down from His throne on high, + Amongst us the banner of love unfurled, + And laboured in vain for our new-born world? + That we gave Him scant welcome and bade Him depart? + That this is the problem of each aching heart? + + + VI + + Why have the years and the centuries sped + O’er the world of the living, the vale of the dead? + Vainly we turn to the silent skies + To seek a response to our sympathies. + Whether sun shall illumine, or rain mist fall, + What answer comes down to each questioning call? + + + VII + + All through the darkness that broods from afar + Our frail human love shines, a twinkling star; + Often and often ’tis quenched in night, + Ever it struggles towards hope and light; + Age after age it sends forth its sad cry, + “Give me my sure immortality.” + + + VIII + + Ye honoured dead, farewell! farewell! We greet you + In trembling hope that we shall one day meet you! + +As the last notes died away the whole multitude bowed with their faces +to the ground; then, rising, they lifted up their hands, and the cry, +“Farewell! farewell!” rang out in its long echoes to the furthest +recesses of the hills. + + + + + CHAPTER XXVII + + THE SACRED MANUSCRIPT AND THE PRICE PAID FOR IT + + +Both the Professor and the engineer, although they were hardy men--the +latter especially--were completely knocked up by the physical ordeal +through which they had passed. They regretted that they had not adopted +the native dress, for that would have helped them not a little. In +fact, they had a very narrow escape of a serious illness. Several of +the Atalantans themselves were stricken. Radcliffe and Melanitis had +each to nurse the other. Abercromby went about much as usual, owing +to his being so brimful of dash and energy. He was followed by rather +amused smiles from many, who were quite strangers to such un-Atalantan +activities. + +One day he broke in, somewhat unceremoniously, upon the Queen and the +Princess Mayana, who were sitting, or rather reclining, propped up upon +their couches, talking over state affairs at considerable intervals and +pauses. + +“I want your royal leave to land on the priest’s island,” he said, “and +to explore the Temple and its treasures. Radcliffe is most anxious to +know if any documents of a religious character are hidden away there.” + +“What does he expect to find?” asked Mayana. + +Abercromby felt some difficulty in stating the case; then he said, +“He thinks it possible that the late King’s information which he gave +to him may have been based upon an actual writing of those who were +disciples of Christ or even of Christ Himself.” + +“This is incredible,” answered the Queen. “I am aware my father thought +that so it might be, but I think he was grossly deceived by those who +are now proved to have been traitors and rebels.” + +“Lydon paid a visit to our house and repeated a story to that effect,” +replied Abercromby. + +“Well, do you believe he spoke the truth?” answered the Queen. “If he +did, it was probably on the only occasion in his life.” + +Mayana laughed. “It was a mere bait held out to kidnap you.” + +“My own opinion entirely,” replied the Queen. “Now as to your wish, I +am ready to grant it, but I would urge you to be wise. Whatever you +discover you must bring to me that I may see it first, as is but just, +and you must take great care that you go with a force to protect you. +There has been no sign of life upon the island, but some survivors of +the rebels may be in lurking.” + +“Smoke has been seen rising from the Temple,” put in Minola, who was +reading on a low seat by the Queen’s side in close attendance upon her. + +“All the more reason to put it out at once,” said Abercromby. + +“Well, you may try,” said the Queen, smiling, “but be very cautious +for your own sake as well as for ours. Radcliffe and Melanitis may +go too, but you must take several of the palace guards, well armed. +Cleophon will see to this.” + +“I pray of you to allow _me_ to go,” put in Minola. + +“If you wish to, dear,” replied the Queen; “but be careful all of you. +It will be one of the queerest enterprises you ever sought to carry +out.” + +The Professor and Carysfort were almost equally interested in the +adventure, and they obtained permission to take part in it. + +The next day the whole party left the palace after the noontide meal. +They were carried in palanquins down the Avenue of Ascent to the Lake +side, where they found six guards told off to accompany them under the +command of Cleophon. The guards carried their swords, but Melanitis +and Minola had each the tube of green metal. They had to proceed a +short distance to the landing-stage, where a sort of pier projected out +several hundreds of yards into the Lake. At the end of this embanked +causeway a large punt-shaped boat was in readiness sufficient to embark +the entire party. + +In the sky, just over the island, hovered two airships sent by the +Queen, whose pilots were ordered to keep close in touch with them, so +as to be able to intervene in case of any emergency. + +They were more than an hour reaching the island, though the rowers +were experts at the oar. The island was about a mile in circumference, +planted with groves of noble trees of pale pink foliage for the most +part, here and there variegated with patches of light green. In +the centre rose the Temple--massive, square-shaped, with its four +minaret towers at the corners, and a shrine of rich decorative art and +brilliant colouring in the centre. + +Minola, as the Queen’s personal representative, was bidden to land +first; the others followed. The guards ranged up on the pebbly shore. +The rowers were directed to remain by the boat, which was firmly +secured to a metallic pillar fixed in the ground. + +They saw no trace of life; all seemed perfectly still. The heat was +great, but not overpowering, as a light mist somewhat draped the face +of the sun. + +Melanitis counselled that before approaching the Temple they should +explore the wood. She and Clarence entered the shady grove and went +across the island by a well-defined beaten track till they reached +the opposite shore, from whence a fine view could be obtained of the +Keraunian hills. He told her of how he had first seen through the mist +the outlines of the Temple and the towers of the city, and how the +anxious consultation had been held which had led to the signalling by +the rockets. She remarked that, under the actual circumstances, it was +the best thing they could have done, for, had they come direct to the +city, certain and swift death would have awaited them. + +“Where are all the others?” said she, turning round. “They will think +we have accidentally run away.” + +“No; we have run away by design, not by accident,” replied Clarence. +“We can tell the truth, as they are not here to listen.” + +“Well, that is nice. I see you are the same naughty boy that you were +on the earth.” + +Clarence had no time to rebut the accusation, for a sudden cry was +heard, and Abercromby was seen running towards them, white as a ghost. + +“What is the matter?” said Radcliffe, alarmed. + +“I have just roused up some inmates of old Lydon’s menagerie. There is +a cave of huge serpents hard by here, and they have made me run for my +life.” + +Melanitis drew her green tube and held it in readiness. A minute later +voices were heard, and Carysfort and the Professor came in sight. They +stopped aghast, for a sinuous and silvery form, with huge convolutions, +detached itself from a large tree and confronted them, uttering +piercing hissings that more resembled sobbing cries. Melanitis and +Minola, who had hastened to rejoin her, discharged the lightning fluid +full in the face of the monster, which collapsed in a heap upon the +ground. + +“This is the first serpent we have seen in Venus,” said the Professor. +“I wonder if it be poisonous.” + +“They are very rare,” replied Minola, “only dwelling in the wildest +parts of the continent to the north and the east of the city. This has +been brought here for a purpose.” + +“Something ghastly, I expect,” said the Professor. + +“I think so,” answered Minola. + +Cleophon and the guards now came up. They had seen two other similar +reptiles, but of smaller size, and their weapons and numbers had soon +scared them into the thicket. + +Under these circumstances they decided to leave the woods and to +ascend the steps of the Temple. This they did, and found the gilded +door which gave entrance to the great courtyard. No sooner had they +entered than they stopped in astonished surprise. + +A priest of the Sun, in his gaudy robes, was standing in front of the +altar, from whence the smoke of a recent sacrifice was ascending. His +tall, gaunt form exhibited no sign of fear. Slowly his gaze travelled +round the whole group, but the result was only a flush of deepening +hatred upon his face. + +“In the Queen’s name, I bid you surrender and throw yourself upon the +royal clemency,” said Radcliffe, stepping forward. + +“Be careful, Clarence, be careful,” said Melanitis appealingly. + +Another step she was by his side, her arm outstretched with levelled +weapon towards the foe, who broke into a taunting laugh. + +“Asti shall yet be avenged on you and yours,” he cried. “You have slain +the high priest by entrapping him, and after a pretended trial, which +you dared not hold in the light of day, you have murdered him in cold +blood, because he accidentally slew the incapable monarch who was the +slave of his own children.” + +“This is Talmon, he who put my father to the torture,” cried Minola. +“Your day has come, as it came just now to your chief.” + +She pointed her green tube. + +“A moment,” interposed Cleophon, arresting Minola’s hand. “Do you admit +or deny the charge, fellow? Was it through you that the brave Marcon +perished?” + +Not a word did the priest say. The sudden accusation of Minola +paralysed him. + +In an instant the deed was done. + +All opposition seemed to have ended with the fate of Asti’s solitary +worshipper. The party, entering the inner shrine, found it quite empty +and deserted. There was a circular aperture in the roof to let the +sacrificial fumes ascend, and a huge silver-coloured altar beneath. + +“Have animal sacrifices ever been offered here?” asked Carmichael. + +“They have,” said Minola. + +“Anything worse?” + +“God knows; there was nothing that Lydon might not do,” she answered. + +Melanitis had been examining some mural paintings upon the northern +wall, when she all at once stopped and stood perfectly rigid. + +“Come here, all of you,” she said in both English and Atalantan. + +They hastened towards her. “Put your ear to the wall, Clarence; do you +not hear somebody calling?” + +Radcliffe did so. “Good heavens! it is an English voice,” he cried. “It +is saying, ‘Help me! help me! for Christ’s sake!’” + +“So it is,” Abercromby almost shouted, “and I know whose it is, by +George! It’s Tom, as I’m a living man!” + +Carmichael began to shout, “Tom! Tom! steady, Tom; we are coming to +save you!” + +“Buck up, old man! Where are you?” sang out Abercromby. + +Melanitis pointed out to them that their best chance was to go outside +the shrine of the Temple and search for some underground passage. + +“My lady,” said Minola, “I must best know the secret ways of these +reptiles. I have been dragged here and almost done to death.” + +“We put ourselves in your hands, dear,” said Melanitis. + +Minola struck one of the panels of the walls after taking a careful +note of it. The panel flew back and disclosed a winding stairway. + +“Be very careful, my lords, all of you,” said Minola. “Follow me--I +will descend first.” + +The brave girl went in front, the others followed. About twenty steps +revealed a dark passage with a glimmering of light at the end. Entering +this they heard the cries much plainer. + +“Christ save me! Let me see a face of man before I die.” + +Carmichael dashed forward; he turned a corner, the passage opened into +a little room, with a slit for window and for ventilation, and a stone +floor. + +On the floor, his hands and feet closely fettered, his face emaciated +from hunger and thirst, lay a prisoner. It was Jackson. + +The moment he saw them he made a violent effort to rise, but it proved +hopeless; his head and limbs fell back. But a smile was upon his honest +though tortured face as he turned towards his master. + +“Well, Tom, old fellow, what have these devils been doing to you? We +never imagined you were here. The last of them has been killed; you +will be free in a few minutes.” + +“Aye, I shall be free, sir, but not as you think,” said Tom. “I’m going +home, I am. The priests--they tried to make me give my Saviour up and +worship their pagan idols instead--told them I’d die first. Then they +played all their conjuring tricks on me, and they have done it by now.” + +Melanitis knelt down by his side and laid his poor head upon her arm. +“We hope to save you yet, Tom; but if not, you know the way home, don’t +you, my poor fellow?” + +“Ay, if I had to walk it! I’d be a sight of years over it, and miss +the harbour lights at the last, but Christ will just send a chariot to +fetch me. He has done it all. It’s not my love to Him, it’s His love +to me--that’s what they used to tell me over at the Methodist chapel I +had got to lean on. But,” he went on with a puzzled look, “how _do_ you +come to speak English, Miss Melanitis?” + +“I have learned it, Tom, a good long time.” + +“Then you must have heard me a-cussin’ and a-swearin’ pretty often, +miss--and at your people, too. I have been a bad dog, miss, and in two +worlds; but I have asked the Lord to forgive me, and I know He will, +because He says so. ‘Whosoever’ is a big word, and it takes in me, you, +and anybody else, miss.” + +Melanitis drew from her pocket a tiny phial and placed it to his lips. +In a moment his vital powers flickered up. + +“I’d be singing you all the Glory Song if I was strong enough,” he +said. “I heard Torrey and Alexander do it when I was in Birmingham. +It was my old mother who converted me though. She lived at Elton, and +when I drove over Mr. Radcliffe to a meetin’ at the Rectory, I went to +have a cup of tea at the cottage. ‘Tom,’ she used to say, ‘I’m soon +going, my boy, but I’ll be there to meet you; promise me that you will +be coming. You won’t disappoint me, Tom?’ Now I’m going to her, Miss +Melanitis, and I wishes Mr. Radcliffe and you all the blessin’ the Lord +can give you.” + +Minola kneeled down and gently placed another Atalantan cordial to his +lips. But this time there was no hopeful result. + +“He is dying,” said Radcliffe. “You are a martyr, Tom, and you are +going to be crowned.” + +“It’s Christ and my old mother I want to see, sir. I’m not good enough +for crowns.” + +He stretched out his lacerated hands to Carmichael. “Good-bye, best +master I ever had except Jesus. You must all come--I want to see +you all up yonder. They told me--Methodist chapel--not my love to +Him--but--but, His love to me, that will carry all the way. Mother! +mother! your happy son!” And he yielded up his last breath like a child +going to sleep. + +Professor Carmichael, the tears trickling down his cheeks, rose up and +said to Cleophon, “Will you intercede for me to Queen Mexitli, that the +dead body of this my friend and comrade may be embalmed and lie beneath +the Pass of Amalona?” + +“It shall be honoured as though it were one of our own illustrious +dead,” said Cleophon. “Mayana, my wife, will have more than enough +influence to procure this.” + +The guards were summoned, and the dead body was placed upon a hastily +improvised litter and carried down the Temple steps to the boat. Just +as they reached it, a piece of paper dropped from the pocket of poor +Tom’s waistcoat. + +Radcliffe snatched up the paper, and at once cried out, “I must return +to the Temple; there _are_ documents after all.” + +He handed the scrap (which was crumpled and very hard to decipher) to +Carmichael, who read out these words: “If any of you come to find me, +remove green flagstone under altar. Lydon has hidden papers there--the +devil will do you some mischief there, be careful, go armed--Tom.” + +Carmichael read this again very carefully, and explained it to the +Atalantans as well as he could. All agreed that they must undertake the +search in united force, except that the rowers must be left to guard +Tom’s remains in the boat, lest any further outrage should be attempted. + +Melanitis suggested that they should proceed at once to forcibly remove +the altar, which work did not detain them as long to accomplish as they +had expected. + +The lifting up of the great stone, however, required the labours of +nearly the whole party. Below was a cavernous recess. Minola lighted a +small lamp, and held in her other hand her deadly weapon. There were +about a dozen rough steps to the bottom, but they were protected by a +small handrail. + +Clarence, despite the warnings of Melanitis, went down first. No sooner +had he reached the floor than they all uttered a cry, which was at once +followed by a fierce roar and the sound of a desperate scuffle. Pinning +him against the damp wall was a beast of large size, standing upright, +tearing at his shoulders with its claws. + +Minola dared not fire at such close quarters with the lightning +fluid; it would have meant almost certain death to Radcliffe as well. +Melanitis had one of the Asteroid pistols, and this she discharged. +The bullet wounded the animal severely, but did not actually kill it. +It rolled upon the floor, dragging Radcliffe down with it in its fall. +All that she could do was to wait while the combatants wrestled, until +the beast was uppermost, and could present a target. With a desperate +effort Radcliffe succeeded, by grasping its neck, in beating the +creature back from his face, and then Melanitis got in her second shot +with the other undischarged barrel. This struck the creature in the +head; it bounded back and fell lifeless. + +The Professor and the engineer held their companion in their arms and +assisted him to rise. His dress was torn almost to tatters, and he had +been lacerated in both shoulders by the creature’s talons. He could +only, with great pain and difficulty, make them understand that he had +seen a small metallic case in a recess by the wall, in the attempt to +reach which the beast had leaped upon him. + +It was a sad party that made their way to the boat with the dead body +of poor Jackson and the wounded form of Radcliffe. Minola carefully +examined the wounds, and gave assurance that they were not dangerous; +but they were troublesome, and would disable him for a little time. + +Melanitis tended him with the most loving care. They were all glad to +find themselves safe in the shelter and amid the comforts of the palace. + + + + + CHAPTER XXVIII + + THE MESSAGE FROM THE OBSERVATORY + + +The Queen listened with deep interest to the account which the party +gave her of their sad adventures in the island. She acceded at once +to the Professor’s wishes with regard to the burial of his faithful +servant. Five days later the embalmed body of Tom was conveyed to the +amphitheatre below the Pass of Amalona, and was laid there to rest amid +the grief and regret of all the members of the palace. The Queen had a +monument in the English style erected over him, and words of esteem and +affection were inscribed in both languages. + +The English part of the inscription ran thus:-- + + To the Memory of Thomas Jackson, + Faithful servant to the great + Terrestrial Expedition of the + Twentieth Christian Century. + + He suffered martyrdom in the heathen temple for refusing to offer + sacrifice on the altar of the Sun God. + + “To him that overcometh + A crown of life shall be; + He with the King of Glory + Shall reign eternally.” + +The verse was repeated in Atalantan poetry, written by the Queen +herself. + +Abercromby asked that the Temple might be destroyed, while Radcliffe +wished it to be converted into the first building for definite +Christian worship in Atalanta. + +Mayana urged, however, that, as a standing monument of rebellion and +of treason, it ought to be burned to the ground. The four towers were +spared for their artistic beauty. On the site of the Temple itself it +was decided to erect a palace for the Queen and her colleague, while +Mexitli gave Radcliffe permission to have a building erected in the +upper part of the city for Christian worship and teaching as soon as +matters were ripe for so decisive a step. + +One day, shortly after his recovery, Minola was standing on the upper +parapet of the terrace, looking fixedly at the blackened ruins of the +Temple. Radcliffe asked her where Marcon had been laid to rest; he had +looked for his monument, but had not found it. + +“My father has suffered the last outrage which can wound the heart of +an Atalantan,” she replied. “After they had put him to death, Lydon had +his body cremated upon his idolatrous altar. I wish I could know for +certain whether he was actually dead when they cremated him. + +“When I was left desolate the Queen took me into her service, and +I have had my home with her ever since. My father was a steadfast +loyalist, and disdained the overtures that were made to him to win +the pretended independence they offered, and that was why he suffered +what he did. But I have repaid.” Then she said abruptly, “Would your +religion approve my killing Lydon?” + +“Your slaying a man who was in the condition of a wild beast, loose +among people practically defenceless, was quite blameless. He would +have killed Melanitis had you not killed him. Your slaying of Talmon is +less excusable, for I am of opinion that the Queen ought to have tried +him in the usual way, and he would certainly have been condemned for +high treason.” + +“The Queen said as much to me. I love the new religion, or, as some +call it, the old one, very much, and read your manuscripts as fast as +they appear; but I have read far enough to understand that Christ was +not only a Saviour but a Master--at least in your world, and I suppose +it ought to be so in this. I wonder whether He could so change me as +to make it possible for me to cease to hate those men? Perhaps Marcon +himself, in the Mansions of the Blest, would wish me to do so.” + +The conversation was ended by the appearance of Mayana, who took +Radcliffe aside, as she had something of importance to communicate. + +“The box has been opened which nearly cost you your life to obtain, and +the Queen and I have carefully perused its contents. It contains an +ancient scroll (not very legible, I must confess) which simply repeats, +in almost identical words, the narrative which King Malchon, who had +learned it by heart, evidently related to you. It closes with the +parting message of the Prince to our people, while on the other side +are some extracts, written by His disciples, two of whose names are +given--Calchon and Ixtilon--quoting certain sayings of their Master. +These sayings are almost a transcript of those which are found in the +book given to your own world, so that we have a strong proof of the +authenticity both of them and of yours. He evidently gave to your world +certain maxims of truth about God and duty which He had before given to +us; and, indeed, if His teaching was divine, as I believe it was, there +was no need for originality or change.” + +Radcliffe went to the Queen’s apartment, where he found Melanitis +turning the sentences into English as the Queen dictated them to her. + +“A very few days’ labour will suffice to translate the whole +manuscript,” said the Queen. “Let your companions take a translation of +it to their own world, and let our own version be circulated all over +our empire. I will have the Prince’s last appeal to be engraved on a +tablet and set up in a public place, say, on the promenade by the Lake +shore, where that hateful procession was paraded.” + +It was several days after this that Carmichael and the engineer +received an urgent summons to attend upon the Queen in her cabinet +room. The time was gone by when such an announcement aroused fear and +alarm. They had not a more sincere friend in Atalanta except Melanitis, +if indeed she were an exception, for, try as they would, they could +hardly conceal a certain feeling of uncanny repulsion when in her +presence. + +Nevertheless it was with great curiosity that they obeyed a more than +usually categorical citation. + +When they got in, a select conclave was assembled. Around the canopied +throne sat Radcliffe and Melanitis, Abercromby, Cleophon, and Mayana +and her younger sister, while Minola was on her usual seat, close +beneath the throne, bending over a map of the heavens, which she was +intently studying. + +“I give you greeting, my friends,” said Mexitli, a little +ceremoniously. “A messenger has arrived from the Observatory on +Aptaura, informing us, in reply to our recent enquiry, that your world +will be in correct alignment with ours on the twentieth day of the +month Cayamarca--that is, fifty-five days from now. We notify this to +you, as it would be well for you to start on your great journey home +five days before that date.” + +There was deep silence. Melanitis took Radcliffe’s hand in hers. +Abercromby fixed his eyes on the ground a trifle awkwardly. Then +Carmichael said-- + +“Have we permission from your Majesty to depart?” + +“Certainly, after you have agreed to certain conditions which we have +been carefully considering. Do you still wish to leave us?” + +“We have a duty to perform to our brothers whom we have left behind,” +said Carmichael. + +“Very good; so shall it be. Now these are the conditions: You must give +us in writing an exact account of your secret; you must either promise +to reveal it to none of your race, or, if you prefer it, you must +plainly tell them that it will be certain death for any Karamandran to +come to our world as you did, or in any other way. If you yourselves +choose to return to us you may do so, but even this on condition only +that you thenceforward live amongst us and return no more. This you may +do if you desire it, and you shall resume the privileges of nobility +which my father gave you. + +“These conditions may seem hard, but I have to think for the good of +my people. I have asked Clarence to tell me plainly all about his +world, promising beforehand that nothing he revealed shall be used to +your own injury. Melanitis is now able to confirm all he says, and +Abercromby also, and they have told me the whole truth in the minutest +particulars. Knowing it, I have decided to cut off for ever all +personal communication until God shall otherwise ordain. But I grant +you leave to take with you in the Asteroid products of our world of +every sort, that your people may benefit by our music, our poetry, our +arts, and even our fruits and flowers. In return, you will leave with +us all the contents of the Asteroid which are not indispensable for +your safety, and you may freely replace them by anything of Atalanta +you may wish to bear away. + +“Fifty days from now you will set out from the palace, and we will +journey with you to Aptaura, from whence you will wing your final +flight.” + +“We agree to all these conditions fully and faithfully,” answered the +Professor and the engineer. + +“As to Cleito and Arniphon, it is essential for the happiness of our +beloved sister, that, as they have refused to promise silence as to +her secret of identity, they must pay the penalty. They have chosen to +be more loyal to the late King than he was to himself, and therefore +I had decided, with great reluctance, that they must die, though by a +painless death of sleep. But Melanitis made a powerful appeal to me, +and it seemed more just to take advantage of a position so unique, +and to let them go back with you to the earth. They will be good and +faithful servants to you, and, furthermore, will absolutely prove to +your brother scientists the truth of your history. It will enable me +to spare their lives, and yet to help and to benefit _you_. Of course, +I do not force them upon you, but the only alternative must be what I +have said.” + +“We accept, of course,” said Carmichael. “But there is one question +I would ask of your majesty--Will you permit us to make a strong +endeavour to induce our brother Abercromby to reconsider his decision?” + +“Certainly, make all the effort you can; but I think if two planets +have a tussle over him, I know which will be the victor,” said the +Queen, smiling. + +“You will stay with us, won’t you?” said Minya pleadingly. + +“I shall have a bad quarter of an hour with the Professor,” replied +Abercromby. + +Now that the end was in sight, every one worked with indefatigable +industry. The Professor and the engineer were inflexibly resolved to +go; it was no use denying that they did not, and never probably would, +feel they could make a home in Atalanta. It was not the world for them, +nor did the voice of duty call them to put up with it. But they took an +immediate resolve to leave behind them a legacy of useful knowledge +to the Atalantans; everything--books, instruments, tools, seeds, +down to the piano and the chessboard, were made over to the palace +and its occupants. Carmichael took the trouble to write a number of +short essays on various social and political subjects, while Carysfort +explained a great many mechanical and industrial arts. + +Meanwhile a religious revolution was beginning to spread over the +empire. The New Testament was rapidly finding its way into the homes of +the people, though here and there opposition and even hostility were +manifested. + +The movement was, of course, purely elastic and invertebrate as yet; +the time for the setting up of institutions and stated worship had not +yet come, and the Professor told Radcliffe that then his troubles would +begin. He had better enjoy the literary, poetic, and romantic epoch as +long as he could. + +The Queen and Mayana did not take an openly active part, but all their +influence was thrown into the scale. The only point in which Mexitli +was disinclined to show sympathy was the haranguing of the people in +open-air assemblies; this was an absolute anomaly in the country, +except in days of sedition and revolution. + +At last, after several attempts which had not been very successful, +Radcliffe yielded to the Queen’s earnestly expressed wishes, all the +more readily because she did not enforce them by arbitrary power. +Melanitis, moreover, came to the rescue by a very ingenious suggestion. +Poetry was constantly sung and recited in the public promenades: why +should not the flower of English hymns he turned into Atalantan verse +and adapted, sometimes to the music of one world, sometimes to that of +another? + +This proved a notable success; in every district the idea was acclaimed +with enthusiasm. The Queen was so delighted that she promised to take a +personal share in the composition of both music and verse. + +Thus, to cite but one instance, an ancient hymn to the Sun God was +modelled in a new setting:-- + + Look not to me, but turn to Him who set + My throne above your far extending sky; + He, my Creator, never will forget + To listen to His humblest creature’s cry. + + Unseen, He rules the Mansions of the Blest, + The Sun of worlds more glorious and more great, + From whence the Prince came down to give you rest, + And soon will make you heirs of His estate. + + Let not the viceroy intercept the King, + Nor yet the creature vaunt an arrogant claim; + Look to the throne from whence all mercies spring, + And seek them in the banished Exile’s Name. + +“I tell you what it is, Radcliffe,” said the Professor; “thanks to a +marvellous conjuncture of events, you are walking on roses just now in +your missionary crusade, but the thorns will come, and will have to +come. I don’t know much about these matters, but you are running ahead +too fast. I shall not be here to see it, but allow me as a friend, who +has a different mission to fulfil, just to observe that if Christ is +ever to be King of Atalanta in any sense intelligible at present to +me, He will have to be an Atalantan Christ. Let these queer people, +who are more after your taste than mine, go their own way and walk in +their own customs; let the Queen be the despot she really is, despite +all her smiles; let her rulers and workers rule and work for the bodies +of their subjects, and do you be satisfied, and your remarkable consort +also, with looking after their souls. Don’t touch anything else, +stick to doctrines for the present. You had better give them a poetic +version of the Athanasian Creed than ask them to substitute crimson for +sky-blue, and so on. Don’t think me blasphemous, you will find there is +sense in what I say, though I am not an interplanetary parson.” + +Carmichael also made one effort, and only one, to induce Abercromby to +return with him. + +“Radcliffe can do without you, for he has got Melanitis. Melanitis can +even more easily do without you, for she has got _him_. I don’t think +you are quite cut out for a missionary, for I believe you would ask +the last surviving sun worshipper in Venus why the deuce he wasn’t +a Christian. Mexitli doesn’t want you to give her a helping hand in +politics, and, if I were you, I would not offer it. Now, Abercromby, +just use your imagination for a minute. Can’t you see yourself looking +up at the sky and wishing you could get a peep at the old Asteroid? It +will be too late then, Abercromby.” + +“But, Professor, I’m beastly sorry, as Gilbert Rice said to me when I +had to go down, but really--there, it is no use making a fuss. It had +better come out. I’ve been and gone and done it.” + +“What am I to understand by this?” + +“Why, I have popped the question to Mayana’s dear little sister +Minya, you know--we are awfully sweet. We shall be up to the level of +Melanitis and Clarence if we only try. We mean to. So now I will retort +your accusation as to my unclassical language, and ask, ‘Where the +deuce do _you_ come in, Professor?’” + +“Good-night, Abercromby, I’m off to bed,” said Carmichael. + + * * * * * + +There were two subjects that greatly interested both the Professor and +the Atalantan court. One was the exploration of the eastern side of +the continent, the other the far more daring problem of interplanetary +communication. + +Carmichael and Carysfort went in the Asteroid on their own account on +a journey of about 350 miles from the vale of Meloria to the eastern +coast-line. So fully were the terrestrials now trusted that they +were left to travel by themselves, with the understanding that they +would return to Atalanta in a fortnight’s time. Neither Radcliffe nor +Abercromby accompanied them, the latter saying that they would have +plenty of opportunities for exploring all the habitable parts of Venus. + +“That is nonsense,” replied the Professor. “You cannot even wait till +my back is turned for beginning your love-making with Minya. Clarence, +I admit, has some arrearages to make up.” + +Cleito and Arniphon accompanied Carmichael and the engineer, for they +were now counted as terrestrials. + +The other matter, that of interplanetary signalling, greatly exercised +the minds of all the learned in the empire. Andron, the ex-governor +of Melandria, who was in constant touch with the recluses on Aptaura, +begged that the Queen would allow the travellers to earth to spend a +few days in the island. Leave was granted, and it was settled that on +the first day of the month Cayamarca the start from the city should be +made. + +The travellers returned from their eastward explorations. They had +found the scenery very rich and beautiful, and they had stayed at +several country houses in the first hundred miles of the journey. The +coast scenery had been very grand, though they once encountered a +severe storm. + + + + + CHAPTER XXIX + + THE FEAST OF FAREWELL + + +On the first day of the new Atalantan month a great banquet was held in +the hall of the palace which was long remembered in Atalanta and called +the Feast of Farewell. All the notables of both the court and the city +were present by the Queen’s invitation. + +The Queen and the princess-elect, Mayana, sat each upon their throned +and canopied couches at the head of the hall, with Melanitis and +Radcliffe on the right hand and Abercromby and Minya on the left. Below +them the Professor and the engineer occupied the seats reserved for +distinguished guests. + +Ranged around the hall were the guards and attendants who waited upon +the guests, led by Cleophon, who was resplendent in the dress and +accoutrements of his new position. + +The little tables in front of each, richly inlaid with precious metals +and carved with quaint design, were laden with the choicest delicacies +of Atalanta and with slender goblets of tinted liquids. Festoons of +flowers in every hue sparkled and glistened upon the walls. Panels were +slid to and fro to admit streams of radiant sunlight to gild various +parts of the banquet-room. + +From other parts, usually those that were left in shadow, there +came siren strains of the most bewitching music, now rising, now +falling, now ascending to a volume of sound, now dying away in a +distant harmony. When any speaker rose to speak there was an instant +hush. Poetry and song were frequently introduced; on that occasion +terrestrial melodies were loudly in demand, particularly those of the +more romantic type. Abercromby and Radcliffe had brought some such in +the Asteroid for the benefit of the former, as the latter could not +play, and had not much capacity as a songster. One was the Invitation +Song, and another a religious ballad, “I will give you rest.” Melanitis +had turned both of these into Atalantan verse, and they were both sung +to a number of instruments, and produced a deep impression upon the +audience. + +“Love launched a fairy boat” was a song beyond the power of Radcliffe +and Melanitis to sing--the memories were too heart-searching for them; +but the music was played, and, from the very fact that it was so +different from the weird and Oriental-like compositions of Atalanta, +it excited the more surprise and interest. The national airs of the +different European countries were performed, but these, for the most +part, were less popular. + +After all this had lasted awhile the Queen rose from her throne and +addressed the vast assembly. + +“Friends and notables of the Flowery Land, it has been customary +from time to time, especially before setting out for our southern +progresses, for the princes of Atalanta to gather the chiefs of their +people together. Never within the memory of the oldest here present +have we had an occasion parallel to this, either by reason of the +shadows of the past or the extraordinary circumstances of the present.” + +The Queen then detailed the late insurrection, paid a warm tribute to +the loyalty which had saved her throne, extolled the goodness and the +benevolence of the late King, and asserted her own desire to follow in +his steps and to try to do for her people what he had done. + +Then she said: “My sister Melanitis has long desired to be relieved of +the highest cares of state, and, by her own act of free choice, has +besought me to associate her cousin rather than herself in the direct +and central rule of our empire. She will, therefore, occupy the less +onerous post of ruler of our island of Melandria, by whose people she +has for a long time been greatly beloved. Her betrothal to him whom we +once called the stranger from Karamandra, but who is now, for the great +services which he has rendered to us, enrolled in the highest circle of +our nobility, has been recently announced to you, and ere they take up +their residence in the island their union by marriage will have been +formally ratified by us. It will take place after this assembly has +been dispersed, in the presence of the usual chosen witnesses.” + +Neither Radcliffe nor Melanitis had been told that matters were quite +so imminent, and they exchanged glances. Abercromby managed to slip a +piece of paper into Radcliffe’s hand. “Thought I would get all your +business over at once, old chap. I fixed it up before the meeting. +Don’t turn this into poetry, please!” + +“Most earnestly do I desire that the blessing of Heaven may rest upon +them,” said the Queen, “and upon their efforts to do my people good. +I wish all to know that I publicly sanction these efforts, and that +I allow the Christian philosophy to be taught in Atalanta both by +speech and writing, with this one exception, that I shall not allow, +for some time to come, the holding of assemblies in the promenades and +open fields, but only in buildings appointed for the purpose, and, +of course, in private dwellings. But this prohibition does not apply +to the island unless my sister enforces it there by her own act. The +Prince Consort of Melandria (for so will his title be henceforward +expressed) will, I am sure, yield an implicit obedience to the one +restriction I think good to place upon him. + +“The Festival of the Sun is for ever abolished. It may be that in the +future some pageant in a Christian form may be sanctioned, but neither +I nor he are at all desirous of doing this. I am imposing no faith upon +Atalanta, whether old or new. I am in substantial agreement with the +Christian religion in most parts wherein it supplements ours, and the +Princess Mayana holds the same attitude as myself. + +“I think it will be for the good of the people that the new spiritual +movement should win its way. Further, you all know that my friend +Abercromby has asked my cousin Minya to be his wife. At this also we +shall greatly rejoice, and for his services, which have been likewise +great, he too shall be counted amongst the highest in the land. As for +the three other members of the expedition, the two men who were its +actual leaders, being eminent men of science amongst their people, are +soon to leave us and to return to their own world, but I will send +greeting through them to the ruler of their particular country, the +island of Britain, telling him how much I regret that his people are, +for the most part, so evil that I cannot permit any direct intercourse +between them and my own subjects. + +“The servant of the expedition, one Jackson by name, has been cruelly +martyred by the priests in the Temple, to my very deep regret, for +he was a good man and fought nobly for us in the hour of the great +rebellion. He lies beneath the bridge of Amalona, honoured amongst the +illustrious dead. He it was who, by his wisdom and sagacity, guided +Prince Claretson of Melandria to the place where the sacred manuscript, +which will no doubt be added to the terrestrial Bible, was discovered, +in the securing of which my sister and the prince had a terrible +struggle with a wild beast. + +“I have no more to add, notables and friends. For the first time I +greet you as your mother and Queen, and my chief regret this day is, +that we are so soon to lose two whom we should have been glad to see +always with us.” + +The banquet was prolonged to a very late hour. Music and song, poetry +and recitation, were constantly recurring. There was a short patriotic +ode, entitled “The Saluting of the Banner,” which was always sung on +state occasions-- + + Wave the banner high, + Loyal hearts reply, + The throne of Atalanta shall endure; + Aided from above, + Rooted in our love, + What is more triumphantly secure? + + In its shelter we rejoice, + And sing with grateful voice + To those whose love protects us every day; + Wide the scarlet banner flings + Its all-protecting wings, + O’er the happy land that owns its peaceful sway. + +Before the guests dispersed, little Minya, who had perhaps the sweetest +voice in the court circle, sang one of the most touching of the +half-romantic, half-religious lyrics of Atalanta, called “Waiting for +the Light.” + +All the company rose to their feet when the first plaintive notes were +struck. + +It was a song specially hated by the idolatrous party, but dear to +the hearts of others, and now very welcome to the Royalists, both for +religious and political reasons:-- + + Waiting for the light on the distant hills, + Whence we bade farewell to the Traveller unknown, + He who came to tend us and heal us of our ills, + Ere He took His journey, friendless and alone. + + Did we understand Him in His lowly guise? + Did our glad hearts open to the wisdom that He taught? + Rather did we wonder in a dull surprise, + Could it be divinity these gracious marvels wrought? + + We were always waiting further proof to see, + Closing our proud minds to the proofs already given; + Now we stand all friendless in our agony, + Waiting for a light that can only come from Heaven. + + Ages now have sped since the sad and shameful day, + When we drove Him from us with a cold good-bye, + O’er Keraunea’s hills He took His weary way, + Leaving us to mourn and to wander till we die! + + Waiting, we are turning questioning eyes to Heaven, + As we stand bewildered in the maze of life. + Shall the hour relieve us when the clouds are riven, + And a heavenly message end our mental strife? + + We may _seem_ contented in the Flowery Land, + ’Neath the skies all sunlit--never draped in night-- + Yet an aching heart tries in vain to understand + Why the ages leave us waiting for the light! + +The echoes died away amid a wailing chant which, from every part of the +hall, rose, swelled, and faded. In deep silence each guest defiled past +the canopied throne, inclined with a deep reverence to the Queen and +the princesses, and then left the hall. + +“I could not have stood much more of that,” said the engineer. “Never +in my life have I had such an experience as this evening. I wonder +whether these queer people can be screwed up to put their feelings into +real future practice?” + +“The dons would have felt rather funny if this had been a Gaudy,” +remarked the Professor. “Radcliffe will have all his work well cut out. +I should like to take a peep in here, say, ten years hence.” + +“Now, my prince, there is one more job in hand to-night before we +retire to rest,” said Abercromby. “Step this way and get married, +please.” + +“Martin Luther wanted one of his friends to attend that he might be +sure that he was married after all,” answered Radcliffe. “Which is it +with me? I never felt so bewildered in all my life. Anyway, I have got +Melanitis.” + +“That is the chief thing, my noble prince. The clear air of bracing +Melandria will set you right on all side topics. Come along, there is +the Queen calling to you. She will be wanting to know what the dickens +you are keeping them all waiting for.” + +The ceremony was of the simplest kind. They knelt before Mexitli, and +she joined their hands together. When they rose up Abercromby said, +“_My_ state ceremony will be a little more complicated, but then _I_ +shall be doing it for the first time. You _have_ paid all the necessary +fees, so now you can skiddadle; there is neither bellringer, clerk, nor +parson, except your own august self. Farewell for the present, and be +better children than you were at Barmouth.” + + * * * * * + +The next morning all was astir in the palace. For the last time the +Asteroid lay fixed in position upon the terrace square. At the morning +meal a feeling of sadness hung over the party, which not even the +gay sallies of Abercromby could fully dispel. The Professor and the +engineer made short speeches full of good sense and kindly expression. +They then took a farewell of the Princess Mayana, who was compelled, +from reasons of state business, to remain behind. All the others were +to journey with their friends as far as they could. + +At ten o’clock by terrestrial time the engines were set going, and the +Asteroid winged its aerial flight from Atalanta city. Nearly the whole +population had gathered in the streets and promenades, and cheer after +cheer of greeting was sent up. In order to please her departing guests, +the Queen ordered that a somewhat different route to Melandria should +be taken. This time they sped across in a due westerly direction, not +veering southwards till they had got to a distance of about fifty miles +from the city. Villas and country houses continued to approach and to +recede beneath them, and at last, after crossing a line of hills, the +waters of the great western ocean came in sight. + +The northern end of Melandria could just be observed on the distant +horizon, and on a spur of ground that projected some way into the sea +they caught sight of a tall building with a graceful tower, several +hundred feet in height. At first the Professor and engineer thought it +was a lighthouse. + +“Nay,” replied Mexitli, “this is a signalling station from whence, by +flashes of light, messages are conveyed to and from the Observatory +on Aptaura. Most usually, these messages consist of a statement of +supplies sent to, or received by, the astronomers, but sometimes news +of scientific interest is conveyed. If you all had but only come by +way of the southern pole we should have heard of you at once, and then +perhaps----” + +“We might not have got into so much mischief,” supplied the Professor. + +The Queen laughed. “I see your conscience is still sensitive, +Carmichael.” + +“What are they signalling to us?” cried Minya. “Why I do believe----” +she finished the sentence with an exclamation. + +“I can read the code,” said Melanitis. “Look! it runs: ‘Why not signal +from Aptaura to Karamandra?’” + +“A nice suggestion,” said the Queen. “Who has made it, I wonder? Some +one who wanted me to receive it in a roundabout way.” + +They held on, above the waves which were agitated by a grand swell and +current, and soon the heights of the twilight island rose before them, +and, an hour later, they had reached the Peak, as it was called, and +were in the house of Andron. + +“Andron, this is rather hard upon you,” said Melanitis in a kindly +tone. “I won’t tell you you are relieved of your post, for who want +to be relieved when they love their work? I will tell you instead, +that you are to be promoted to another and a higher post at the palace +itself.” + +“I feel deeply grateful for all the kind recognition which any services +of mine rendered to my country have already received,” said Andron; +“and the chief thing that gives me pleasure now is to have the honour +of inviting you and the prince to remain under my roof till the day +when you are formally installed in my place.” + +The party were soon partaking of hospitality upon the lawn of the +house, with its fine view over the southern sea, and the splendid +crescent-shaped esplanade of houses that lined the bay. + +Conversation took, as before, a scientific turn, and the ex-governor of +Melandria was directly asked by the Professor to state his views as to +the possibility of interplanetary signalling. He told him what a stir +had been made upon the earth by the mere rumour of a message from Mars, +as the supposed outbreak of recent light on that planet had been called. + +“We know little about Mars,” answered Andron, “much less than you +probably do, which may well be, seeing that we are more than sixty +millions of miles from it. I see no reason to think that remote and +snowbound planet has, at least now, any inhabitants. But it has always +struck me that communication might some day be established between +Atalanta and your world, which is sometimes only twenty-four millions +of miles apart, only our planet is so awkwardly situated as regards +yours that, when we are nearest to you, you can only see us as a thin +extended crescent. But, as you before told me, our giant Aptaura can be +discerned in your telescopic vision as a tiny sparkling point, due, of +course, to the sun’s rays impinging upon its top. I have always thought +that a signal might be conveyed to you from us, and if so, as you have +learned our language, an alphabet could be constructed.” + +“Did _you_ convey a suggestion to me from Aptaura this very morning, +Andron?” said the Queen, smiling. + +“Yes, he did,” replied Ayacatil; “he was afraid that if he ventured it +too directly you would veto him at once.” + +“Have you really any suggestions to make?” said the Queen. + +“As the sun’s rays strike the peak of Aptaura with almost overwhelming +power,” answered Andron, “I cannot see why they might not be focussed +in a powerful reflector, and a beam shot skywards in the direction of +Karamandra. If they can only see our signal, much will be gained. They +might afterwards transmit one of their own from a Karamandran mountain +peak, and, though their hills are much smaller, yet their world, +appearing as a full circle to us, could more easily be observed by us.” + +“But there is something more than this matter which we have been +considering,” said Ayacatil. “If, which God forbid, any accident should +happen to your machine in space, the whole fruit of your researches +would be lost. I advise that your manuscripts be sealed up in a +fire-proof cylinder which, in a last extremity, could be thrown out, +and it would of necessity fall into the attraction of your world.” + +“Admirable!” said Mexitli. + +“We have prepared such a contrivance,” answered Andron, “and it will +give us much pleasure to present you with it.” + +The cylinder was duly inspected, and all agreed that it should be +sealed up when they reached Aptaura. + +The next two days Clarence and Frank spent largely in the society of +the friends they were so soon to lose. + +The Queen and Melanitis spent most of their time together, and it was +noted by many how serenely happy the princess looked. + +And then came the day when the whole party stood upon the mighty +mountain peak of Venus. They were facing the cold hemisphere of the +south. The green-red star, the “little queen of the night,” shone upon +them. Towards it, in a few minutes, the prow of the Asteroid would be +turned. + +Mexitli held out both her hands to Carmichael and to Carysfort. + +“Farewell,” she said; “we met in hostility, we part in friendship. My +best wishes for you, for your nation, for the teeming millions of the +human races; may they learn to appreciate more and more what their +Divine Prince and Saviour has done for them. We are infinitely the +better for your sojourning amongst us. You broke our laws at the first +only through ignorance, as I now gladly admit, and your conduct since +has been irreproachable.” + +“May your Majesty enjoy a long and glorious reign,” said the Professor. +“May all that the Prince of Melandria and Abercromby carry out here +be a blessing both to them and to you. Perhaps it was our fault that +we have not enjoyed ourselves from the first as we might have done. +Once more I thank you for your kindness. To my dying day I shall never +forget Atalanta.” + +“Good-bye, Queen,” said Carysfort. “A plain Englishman always has ten +times more to say than he knows how to express in words.” + +“I understand,” replied Mexitli. + +“Tell the Vice-Chancellor,” said Frank, “I think I could pass if I +went back to Cambridge now. I know Atalantan if I don’t know much more +Greek.” + +“Good-bye,” said Radcliffe; “when you happen to run over to Oxford, +just give my love to old Prebendary Seaton. I fear I did not visit in +his parish quite as much as I should; tell him that I have a large +parish now.” + +“Good-bye all,” said Melanitis. “My prayers will go with you. When +we meet again there will be no parting.” Then she put her hand into +Radcliffe’s. + +“Good-bye,” said Minya. “Tell the English ladies the names of the four +English songs which we like best.” + +“Good-bye, Professor and Engineer,” said Abercromby. “I ... there, it’s +not a bit of use, I’m stuck.” + +“Don’t attempt it, man,” said Carmichael as he entered the Asteroid. +“Come along, Carysfort, it’s really time we were off. Here is the MS. +cylinder. We won’t forget _that_. Start the engines.” + + + + + _POSTSCRIPT_ + + CHAPTER XXX + + THE MYSTERY THAT WAS UNSOLVED + + +I think that it only remains for us--Maurice Sheldon, Fellow of +Trinity, and Gilbert Rice, Tutor and Lecturer of the same--to say +briefly how we came in possession of the most amazing narrative ever +written by man. + +We have put it together and carefully compiled it from the manuscripts +of our friends--Professor Carmichael, Mr. Frank Abercromby, Mr. John +Herbert Carysfort, and the Rev. Clarence Radcliffe, of St. Boniface +College, Oxford, and curate of St. Dunstane, then and for some time +under Prebendary Seaton. + +Mr. Rice and myself, after an unusually hard term of work, took a +reading party to Bude, in North Cornwall. They and we had a very +enjoyable time in a comfortable farmhouse on the cliffs, a mile out +of Bude, in a quiet country district called Upper Lynstone. After the +junior members of our party had dispersed, I suggested that a walking +tour would make a capital wind-up to a very happy vacation. + +We struck camp, therefore, went down the coast to Boscastle and +Tintagel, where we explored the wonderfully interesting neighbourhood, +and then we trained from Camelford to Wadebridge. We were to make +Newquay our objective point, and we started at about two o’clock from +our hotel at Wadebridge, having had our luggage sent on to the Headland +Hotel at Newquay. + +The afternoon was far from propitious, and when we got out upon St. +Breock’s downs, a mile distant from Wadebridge, we thought a heavy +thunderstorm was coming on, and we sheltered for a time at a toll-house +placed at a fork of the roads. We decided, after all, to push on, +and, when we had reached a most desolate stretch of moorland, we were +appalled by a sudden blaze of light from a murky mass of clouds, which +was instantly followed, not by a peal of thunder, but by a resounding +concussion, which made the very road heave under our feet, and nearly +overturned us both into a ditch. + +When we recovered our senses, we saw that a huge aerolite had fallen +upon the moor close by, only a hundred yards from the road. It had +split in two, and the fragments lay rent asunder and sending up vapour +and steam. But our attention was instantly riveted by a conical +cylinder of greyish-coloured metal still partly attached to the smaller +of the two fragments. + +The thing was so evidently of artificial make, and had so plainly +fallen, in connection with the aerolite, from the sky, that we were +hardly able to control ourselves for excitement and agitation. Perhaps +I was the more impulsive of the two, for I made several foolish +attempts to secure the strange object, but only burned the skin of my +hands in doing so. + +Several occupants of farms lying within a mile of the shock came +running up in due course. We explained what had happened, and +prevailed, by the persuasive argument of a coin, on one of the +sturdiest of them, to procure a vehicle from the nearest available +place, which, unfortunately for us, was as far off as St. Columb +Major. However, before assistance arrived, the cylinder had cooled +sufficiently to enable us to hoist it into the vehicle and to drive +away with it to the little roadside hotel at St. Columb, where we sat +up all night. With a hammer and chisel we managed to break the thing +open, and a roll of manuscripts tumbled out. + +We felt like men on the brink of a great discovery, and so truly +we were; for the manuscripts were nothing more nor less than the +astounding narratives which we have here pieced together and present to +the public. + +The letters which our friends had despatched from Newbiggin, in +Northumberland, had been published in the Press, and had caused a +sensational flutter at the time. But few had given full credence to +the story, and some had even set it down as a hoax. At the same time, +the utter disappearance of four persons well known at Cambridge and +at Oxford was a thing in itself that needed accounting for. Whatever +explanation was then given, it remains to be seen what attitude the +public in general, and the scientific public in particular, will now +adopt when they read and study the foregoing narrative. Whether men are +convinced or no, it is our duty to clear up all mysteries which so very +personally affect our friends, and this we have now done by letting +them speak for themselves. + +There is no hope whatever that we shall ever see them again, and there +are only two theories to be entertained of the fate of Professor +Carmichael and the engineer and of the two peculiar persons who had the +misfortune to be compelled to be their fellow-travellers. + +One is, that they came to grief in space. If that be so, there can, I +fear, be little doubt how it happened. They could not have fallen into +the sun, as they once so much dreaded, because if so the cylinder would +have perished with them. Rather do we believe they were struck in the +void of space (probably not far from the earth) by a meteorite, which +wrecked the machine by the shock of direct collision. + +The two bodies would then be fused together into one burning mass, and +would fall upon the earth by virtue of the terrestrial attraction. The +only explanation we can give as to how the cylinder could have escaped +is, that, in the last moment of agony and suspense, Carmichael must +have thrown it out into space; then, after the collision, it would +naturally fall upon the huge meteorite as the nearest attracting body +and be carried along with it. + +One other theory presents itself: that the catastrophe happened nearer +to Venus, that the Asteroid was not fatally damaged, that the cylinder +was cast adrift, and that the travellers, after an awful struggle with +death, returned to Venus, and are now living in it as their adopted +country. + +One very curious circumstance has been noted from an Italian +Observatory. Professor Rossini and his two assistants were attentively +watching Venus early on the morning of a day of exceptionally fine +weather in August. They noticed tiny sparklets of light emitted from +the summit of the high mountain on the southern horn of the crescent. +These lights continued flashing for nearly a quarter of an hour, and it +is at least a remarkable coincidence that the number of flashes, which +were carefully counted by Professor Rossini, exactly correspond to the +letters in the names of Carmichael and Carysfort. + +Can we dare to deduce any theory of hope from this? The planet has been +kept under close observation, but nothing has been noted since. + + (Signed) MAURICE SHELDON. + GILBERT RICE. + + + + + BRIGHTON + H. AND C. TREACHER + PRINTERS + + + + +Transcriber’s note: + + + Obvious errors in punctuation have been silently corrected in this + version, but minor inconsistencies and archaic forms have been + retained as printed. Typos in proper names have been silently + corrected. The footnote has been slightly moved to better fit the + ebook format. + New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the + public domain. + + The following alterations have been made: + + On page 052: umanity _to_ humanity + + “I will go about in a bath-chair if it is to benefit humanity,” said + Abercromby. + + + On page 088: eludicate _to_ elucidate + + The Professor admitted that this was quite possible, but it did not + elucidate the amazing problem of how English could be known in Venus. + + + On page 165: eyerywhere _to_ everywhere + + And as for you, strangers, go forth and spread everywhere the things + which God has done for your world, + + + On page 174: hought _to_ I thought + + “Pardon the liberty I am taking, but I thought you would like to know + how we are all doing. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 79051 *** |