按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ice expires。 This practice serves； no doubt； to render the notion of social equality familiar and agreeable； and if it may be said that all the children form a democracy； no less truly it may be said that all the adults form an aristocracy。 The exquisite politeness and refinement of manners among the Vril…ya； the generosity of their sentiments； the absolute leisure they enjoy for following out their own private pursuits； the amenities of their domestic intercourse； in which they seem as members of one noble order that can have no distrust of each other's word or deed； all combine to make the Vril…ya the most perfect nobility which a political disciple of Plato or Sidney could conceive for the ideal of an aristocratic republic。 102
Chapter XX。
》From the date of the expedition with Taee which I have just narrated； the child paid me frequent visits。 He had taken a liking to me； which I cordially returned。 Indeed； as he was not yet twelve years old； and had not commenced the course of scientific studies with which childhood closes in that country； my intellect was less inferior to his than to that of the elder members of his race； especially of the Gy…ei； and most especially of the accomplished Zee。 The children of the Vril…ya； having upon their minds the weight of so many active duties and grave responsibilities； are not generally mirthful； but Taee； with all his wisdom； had much of the playful good…humour one often finds the characteristic of elderly men of genius。 He felt that sort of pleasure in my society which a boy of a similar age in the upper world has in the company of a pet dog or monkey。 It amused him to try and teach me the ways of his people； as it amuses a nephew of mine to make his poodle walk on his hind legs or jump through a hoop。 I willingly lent myself to such experiments； but I never achieved the success of the poodle。 I was very much interested at first in the attempt to ply the wings which the youngest of the Vril…ya use as nimbly and easily as ours do their legs and arms； but my efforts were attended with contusions serious enough to make me abandon them in despair。
These wings； as I before said； are very large； reaching to the knee； and in repose thrown back so as to form a very graceful mantle。 They are composed from the feathers of a gigantic bird that abounds in the rocky heights of the country… the colour mostly white； but sometimes with reddish streaks。 They are fastened round the shoulders with light but strong springs of steel； and； when expanded； the arms slide through loops for that purpose； forming； as it were； a stout central membrane。 As the arms are raised； a tubular lining beneath the vest or 103tunic becomes； by mechanical contrivance inflated with air； increased or diminished at will by the movement of the arms； and serving to buoy the whole form as on bladders。 The wings and the balloon…like apparatus are highly charged with vril； and when the body is thus wafted upward； it seems to become singularly lightened of its weight。 I found it easy enough to soar from the ground； indeed； when the wings were spread it was scarcely possible not to soar； but then came the difficulty and the danger。 I utterly failed in the power to use and direct the pinions； though I am considered among my own race unusually alert and ready in bodily exercises； and am a very practiced swimmer。 I could only make the most confused and blundering efforts at flight。 I was the servant of the wings； the wings were not my servants… they were beyond my control； and when by a violent strain of muscle； and； I must fairly own； in that abnormal strength which is given by excessive fright； I curbed their gyrations and brought them near to the body； it seemed as if I lost the sustaining power stored in them and the connecting bladders； as when the air is let out of a balloon； and found myself precipitated again to the earth； saved； indeed； by some spasmodic flutterings； from being dashed to pieces； but not saved from the bruises and the stun of a heavy fall。 I would； however； have persevered in my attempts； but for the advice or the commands of the scientific Zee； who had benevolently accompanied my flutterings； and； indeed； on the last occasion； flying just under me； received my form as it fell on her own expanded wings； and preserved me from breaking my head on the roof of the pyramid from which we had ascended。
〃I see；〃 she said； 〃that your trials are in vain； not from the fault of the wings and their appurtenances； nor from any imperfectness and malformation of your own corpuscular system； but from irremediable； because organic； defect in your power of volition。 Learn that the connection between the will and the agencies of that fluid which has been subjected to the control 104of the Vril…ya was never established by the first discoverers； never achieved by a single generation； it has gone on increasing； like other properties of race； in proportion as it has been uniformly transmitted from parent to child； so that； at last； it has become an instinct； and an infant An of our race wills to fly as intuitively and unconsciously as he wills to walk。 He thus plies his invented or artificial wings with as much safety as a bird plies those with which it is born。 I did not think sufficiently of this when I allowed you to try an experiment which allured me； for I have longed to have in you a companion。 I shall abandon the experiment now。 Your life is becoming dear to me。〃 Herewith the Gy's voice and face softened； and I felt more seriously alarmed than I had been in my previous flights。
Now that I am on the subject of wings； I ought not to omit mention of a custom among the Gy…ei which seems to me very pretty and tender in the sentiment it implies。 A Gy wears wings habitually when yet a virgin… she joins the Ana in their aerial sports… she adventures alone and afar into the wilder regions of the sunless world： in the boldness and height of her soarings； not less than in the grace of her movements； she excels the opposite sex。 But； from the day of her marriage she wears wings no more； she suspends them with her own willing hand over the nuptial couch； never to be resumed unless the marriage tie be severed by divorce or death。
Now when Zee's voice and eyes thus softened… and at that softening I prophetically recoiled and shuddered… Taee； who had accompanied us in our flights； but who； child…like； had been much more amused with my awkwardness； than sympathising in my fears or aware of my danger； hovered over us； poised amidst spread wings； and hearing the endearing words of the young Gy； laughed aloud。 Said he； 〃If the Tish cannot learn the use of wings； you may still be his companion； Zee； for you can suspend your own。〃
105 Chapter XXI。
I had for some time observed in my host's highly informed and powerfully proportioned daughter that kindly and protective sentiment which； whether above the earth or below it； an all…wise Providence has bestowed upon the feminine division of the human race。 But until very lately I had ascribed it to that affection for 'pets' which a human female at every age shares with a human child。 I now became painfully aware that the feeling with which Zee deigned to regard me was different from that which I had inspired in Taee。 But this conviction gave me none of that complacent gratification which the vanity of man ordinarily conceives from a flattering appreciation of his personal merits on the part of the fair sex； on the contrary； it inspired me with fear。 Yet of all the Gy…ei in the community； if Zee were perhaps the wisest and the strongest； she was； by common repute； the gentlest； and she was certainly the most popularly beloved。 The desire to aid； to succour； to protect； to comfort； to bless； seemed to pervade her whole being。 Though the complicated miseries that originate in penury and guilt are unknown to the social system of the Vril…ya； still； no sage had yet discovered in vril an agency which could banish sorrow from life； and wherever amongst her people sorrow found its way； there Zee followed in the mission of comforter。 Did some sister Gy fail to secure the love she sighed for？ Zee sought her out； and brought all the resources of her lore； and all the consolations of her sympathy； to bear upon a grief that so needs the solace of a confidant。 In the rare cases； when grave illness seized upon childhood or youth； and the cases； less rare； when； in the hardy and adventurous probation of infants； some accident； attended with pain and injury occurred； Zee forsook her studies and her sports； and became the healer and nurse。 Her favourite 106flights were towards the extreme boundaries of the domain where children were stationed on guard against outbreaks of warring forces in nature； or the invasions of devouring animals； so that she might warn them of any peril which her knowledge detected or foresaw； or be at hand if any harm had befallen。 Nay； even in the exercise of her scientific acquirements there was a concurrent benevolence of purpose and will。 Did she learn any novelty in invention that would be useful to the practitioner of some special art or craft？ she hastened to communicate and explain it。 Was some veteran sage of the College perplexed and we