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GULLIVER OF MARS
rapidly gathering darkness set… tled down。
Hands in pockets and collar up； I marched forward at a good round
pace for an hour； constantly straining eyes for a sight of the hill and ears
for some indications of living beings in the deathly hush of the shrouded
woods； and at the end of that time； feeling sure habitations must now be
near； arrived at what looked like a little open space； some… how seeming
rather familiar in its vague outlines。
Where had I seen such a place before？ Sauntering round the margin； a
bush with a broken branch sud… denly attracted my attentiona broken
bush with a long slide in the mud below it； and the stamp of Navy boots in
the soft turf！ I glared at those signs for a moment； then with an
exclamation of chagrin recognised them only too wellit was the bush
whence I had picked the fruit； and the mark of my fall。 An hour's hard
walking round some accursed woodland track had brought me exactly
back to the point I had started fromI was lost！
It really seemed to get twenty per cent darker as I made that
abominable discovery； and the position dawned in all its uncomfortable
intensity。 There was nothing for it but to start off again； this time judging
my direction only by a light breath of air drifting the mist tangles before it；
and therein I made a great mistake； for the breeze had shifted several
points from the quarter whence it blew in the morning。
Knowing nothing of this； I went forward with as much
lightheartedness as could be managed； humming a song to myself； and
carefully putting aside thoughts of warmth and supper； while the dusk
increased and the great forest vegetation seemed to grow ranker and closer
at every step
Another disconcerting thing was that the ground sloped gradually
downwards； not upwards as it should have done； till it seemed the path lay
across the flats of a forest…covered plain； which did not conform to my
wish of striking a road on the foot…hills of the mountain。 However； I
plodded on； drawing some small comfort from the fact that as darkness
came the mist rose from the ground and appeared to con… dense in a
ghostly curtain twenty feet overhead； where it hung between me and a
clear night sky； presently illum… ined by starlight with the strangest effect。
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Tired； footsore； and dejected； I struggled on a little further。 Oh for a
cab； I laughed bitterly to myself。 Oh for even the humble necessary
omnibus of civilisation。 Oh for the humblest tuck…shop where a mug of
hot coffee and a snack could be had by a homeless wanderer； and as I
thought and plodded savagely on； collar up； hands in pockets； through the
black tangles of that endless wood； suddenly the sound of wailing children
caught my ear！
It was the softest； saddest music ever mortal listened to。 It was as
though scores of babes in pain were dropping to sleep on their mothers'
breasts； and all hushing their sor… rows with one accord in a common
melancholy chorus。 I stood spell…bound at that elfin wailing； the first
sound to break the deathly stillness of the road for an hour or more； and
my blood tingled as I listened to it。 Nevertheless； here was what I was
looking for； where there were weeping children there must be habitations；
and shelter； andsplendid thought！supper。 Poor little babes！ their
crying was the deadliest； sweetest thing in sorrows I ever listened to。 If it
was cholicwhy； I knew a little of medicine； and in gratitude for that
prospective supper； I had a soul big enough to cure a thousand； and if they
were in disgrace； and by some quaint Martian fashion had suffered simul…
taneous punishment for baby offences； I would plead for them。
In fact； I fairly set off at the run towards the sobbing； in the black； wet；
night air ahead； and； tripping as I ran； looked down and saw in the filtering
starlight that the forest grass had given place to an ancient roadway； paved
with moss…grown flag…stones； such as they still used in Seth。
Without stopping to think what that might mean I hur… ried on； the
wailing now right ahead； a tremulous tumult of gentle grief rising and
falling on the night air like the sound of a sea after a storm； and so；
presently； in a minute or two； came upon a ruined archway spanning the
lonely road； held together by great masses of black…fingered creep… ers；
gaunt and ghostly in the shadows； an extraordinary and unexpected vision；
and as I stopped with a jerk under that forbidding gateway and glared at its
tumbled masonry and great portals hanging rotten at their hinges； suddenly
the truth flashed upon me。 I had taken the forbidden road after all。 I
was in the ancient； ghost…haunted city of Queen Yang！
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GULLIVER OF MARS
CHAPTER XV
The dark forest seemed to shut behind as I entered the gateway of the
deserted Hither town； against which my wood…cutter friend had warned
me； while inside the soft mist hung in the starlight like grey drapery over
endless vistas of ruins。 What was I to do？ Without all was black and
cheerless； inside there was at least shelter。 Wet and cold； my courage
was not to be put down by the stories of a silly savage； I would go on
whatever happened。 Besides； the soft sound of crying； now apparently
all about； seemed companionable； and I had heard so much of ghosts of
late； the sharp edge of fear at their presence was wearing off。
So in I went： up a broad； decayed street； its flagstones heaved
everywhere by the roots of gnarled trees； and finding nothing save ruin；
tried to rest under a wall。 But the night air was chilly and the shelter
poor； so out I came again； with the wailing in the shadows so close about
now that I stopped； and mustering up courage called aloud：
〃Hullo； you who weep there in the dark； are you living or dead？〃
And after a minute from the hollows of the empty hearths around came the
sad little responsive echo：
〃Are you living or dead？〃 It was very delusive and un… satisfactory；
and I was wondering what to do next when a slant of warmer wind came
up behind me under the mist； and immediately little tongues of blue flame
blossomed with… out visible cause in every darksome crevice； pale flickers
of miasmic light rising pallid from every lurking nook and corner in the
black desolation as though a thousand lamps were lit by unseen fingers；
and； knee high； floated out into the thoroughfare where they oscillated
gently in airy grace； and then； forming into procession； began drifting be…
fore the tepid air towards the city centre。 At once I thought of what the
woodcutter had seen； but was too wet and sulky by this time to care。 The
fascination of the place was on me； and dropping into rear of the march； I
went forward with it。 By this time the wailing had stopped； though now
and then it seemed a dark form moved in the empty door… ways on either
hand； while the mist； parting into gossamers before the wind； took
marvellously human forms in every alley and lane we passed。
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Thus I； a sodden giant； led by those elfin torches； paced through the
city until we came to an open square with a great lumber of ruins in the
centre all marred and spoiled by vegetation； and here the lights wavered；
and went out by scores and hundreds； just as the petals drop from spent