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GULLIVER OF MARS
GULLIVER OF MARS
by Edwin L。 Arnold
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GULLIVER OF MARS
CHAPTER I
Dare I say it？ Dare I say that I； a plain； prosaic lieutenant in the
republican service have done the incredible things here set out for the love
of a womanfor a chimera in female shape； for a pale； vapid ghost of
woman…loveliness？ At times I tell myself I dare not： that you will laugh；
and cast me aside as a fabricator； and then again I pick up my pen and
collect the scattered pages； for I MUST write itthe pallid splendour of
that thing I loved； and won； and lost is ever before me； and will not be
forgotten。 The tumult of the struggle into which that vision led me still
throbs in my mind； the soft； lisping voices of the planet I ransacked for its
sake and the roar of the destruction which followed me back from the
quest drowns all other sounds in my ears！ I must and will writeit
relieves me； read and believe as you list。
At the moment this story commences I was thinking of grill… ed steak
and tomatoessteak crisp and brown on both sides； and tomatoes red as a
setting sun！
Much else though I have forgotten； THAT fact remains as clear as the
last sight of a well…remembered shore in the mind of some wave…tossed
traveller。 And the occasion which produced that prosaic thought was a
night well calculated to make one think of supper and fireside； though the
one might be frugal and the other lonely； and as I； Gulliver Jones； the poor
foresaid Navy lieutenant； with the honoured stars of our Republic on my
collar； and an undeserved snub from those in authority rankling in my
heart； picked my way homeward by a short cut through the dismalness of a
New York slum I longed for steak and stout； slippers and a pipe； with all
the pathetic keenness of a troubled soul。
It was a wild； black kind of night； and the weirdness of it showed up as
I passed from light to light or crossed the mouths of dim alleys leading
Heaven knows to what infernal dens of mystery and crime even in this
latter…day city of ours。 The moon was up as far as the church steeples；
large vapoury clouds scudding across the sky between us and her； and a
strong； gusty wind； laden with big raindrops snarled angrily round corners
and sighed in the parapets like strange voices talking about things not of
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human interest。
It made no difference to me； of course。 New York in this year of
grace is not the place for the supernatural be the time never so fit for
witch…riding and the night wind in the chimney…stacks sound never so
much like the last gurgling cries of throttled men。 No！ the world was
very matter…of…fact； and particularly so to me； a poor younger son with
five dollars in my purse by way of fortune； a packet of unpaid bills in my
breastpocket； and round my neck a locket with a portrait therein of that
dear buxom； freckled； stub…nosed girl away in a little southern seaport
town whom I thought I loved with a magnificent affection。 Gods！ I had
not even touched the fringe of that affliction。
Thus sauntering along moodily； my chin on my chest and much too
absorbed in reflection to have any nice apprecia… tion of what was
happening about me； I was crossing in front of a dilapidated block of
houses； dating back nearly to the time of the Pilgrim Fathers； when I had a
vague consciousness of something dark suddenly sweeping by me a
thing like a huge bat； or a solid shadow； if such a thing could be； and the
next instant there was a thud and a bump； a bump again； a half…stifled cry；
and then a hurried vision of some black carpeting that flapped and shook
as though all the winds of Eblis were in its folds； and then apparently
disgorged from its inmost recesses a little man。
Before my first start of half…amused surprise was over I saw him by
the flickering lamp…light clutch at space as he tried to steady himself；
stumble on the slippery curb； and the next moment go down on the back of
his head with a most ugly thud。
Now I was not destitute of feeling； though it had been my lot to see
men die in many ways； and I ran over to that motionless form without an
idea that anything but an ordinary accident had occurred。 There he lay；
silent and； as it turned out afterwards； dead as a door…nail； the strangest old
fellow ever eyes looked upon； dressed in shabby sorrel… coloured clothes
of antique cut； with a long grey beard upon his chin； pent…roof eyebrows；
and a wizened complexion so puckered and tanned by exposure to Heaven
only knew what weathers that it was impossible to guess his nationality。
I lifted him up out of the puddle of black blood in which he was lying；
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and his head dropped back over my arm as though it had been fixed to his
body with string alone。 There was neither heart…beat nor breath in him；
and the last flicker of life faded out of that gaunt face even as I watched。
It was not altogether a pleasant situation； and the only thing to do appeared
to be to get the dead man into proper care （though little good it could do
him now！） as speedily as possible。 So； sending a chance passer…by into
the main street for a cab； I placed him into it as soon as it came； and there
being nobody else to go； got in with him myself； telling the driver at the
same time to take us to the nearest hospital。
〃Is this your rug； captain？〃 asked a bystander just as we were driving
off。
〃Not mine；〃 I answered somewhat roughly。 〃You don't suppose I go
about at this time of night with Turkey carpets under my arm； do you？ It
belongs to this old chap here who has just dropped out of the skies on to
his head； chuck it on top and shut the door！〃 And that rug； the very
main… spring of the startling things which followed； was thus care… lessly
thrown on to the carriage； and off we went。
Well； to be brief； I handed in that stark old traveller from nowhere at
the hospital； and as a matter of curiosity sat in the waiting…room while they
examined him。 In five minutes the house…surgeon on duty came in to see
me； and with a shake of his head said briefly
〃Gone； sirclean gone！ Broke his neck like a pipe…stem。 Most
strange…looking man； and none of us can even guess at his age。 Not a
friend of yours； I suppose？〃
〃Nothing whatever to do with me； sir。 He slipped on the pavement
and fell in front of me just now； and as a mat… ter of common charity I
brought him in here。 Were there any means of identification on him？〃
〃None whatever；〃 answered the doctor； taking out his notebook and； as
a matter of form； writing down my name and address and a few brief
particulars； 〃nothing what… ever except this curious…looking bead hung
round his neck by a blackened thong of leather；〃 and he handed me a thing
about as big as a filbert nut with a loop for suspension and apparently of
rock crystal； though so begrimed and dull its nature was difficult to speak
of with certainty。 The bead was of no seeming value and slipped
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unintentionally into my waistcoat pocket as I chatted for a few minutes
more with the doctor； and then； shaking hands； I said goodbye； and went
back to the cab which was still waiting outside。
It was only on reaching home I noticed the hospital porters had
omitted to take the dead man's carpet from the roof of the cab when they
carried him in； and as the cab… man did not care about driving back to the
hospital with it； and it