登陆注册
5388400000030

第30章

He broke the long silence. "Those mountains have most extraordinary shapes. All the lines are straight and perpendicular - no slopes or curves."She walked backward on the water, in order to face him. "That's typical of Ifdawn. Nature is all hammer blows with us. Nothing soft and gradual.""I hear you, but I don't understand you.""All over the Marest you'll find patches of ground plunging down or rushing up. Trees grow fast. Women and men don't think twice before acting. One may call Ifdawn a place of quick decisions."Maskull was impressed. "A fresh, wild, primitive land.""How is it where you come from?" asked Oceaxe.

"Oh, mine is a decrepit world, where nature takes a hundred years to move a foot of solid land. Men and animals go about in flocks.

Originality is a lost habit."

"Are there women there?"

"As with you, and not very differently formed.""Do they love?"

He laughed. "So much so that it has changed the dress, speech, and thoughts of the whole sex.""Probably they are more beautiful than 1?""No, I think not," said Maskull.

There was another rather long silence, as they travelled unsteadily onward.

"What is your business in Ifdawn?" demanded Oceaxe suddenly.

He hesitated over his answer. "Can you grasp that it's possible to have an aim right in front of one, so big that one can't see it as a whole?"She stole a long, inquisitive look at him, "What sort of aim?""A moral aim."

"Are you proposing to set the world right?""I propose nothing - I am waiting."

"Don't wait too long, for time doesn't wait - especially in Ifdawn.""Something will happen," said Maskull.

Oceaxe threw a subtle smile. "So you have no special destination in the Marest?""No, and if you'll permit me, I will come home with you.""Singular man!" she said, with a short, thrilling laugh. "That's what I have been offering all the time. Of course you will come home with me. As for Crimtyphon .. .""You mentioned that name before. Who is he?""Oh! My lover, or, as you would say, my husband.""This doesn't improve matters," said Maskull.

"It leaves them exactly where they were. We merely have to remove him.""We are certainly misunderstanding each other," said Maskull, quite startled. "Do you by any chance imagine that I am making a compact with you?""You will do nothing against your will. But you have promised to come home with me.""Tell me, how do you remove husbands in Ifdawn?""Either you or I must kill him."

He eyed her for a full minute. "Now we are passing from folly to insanity.""Not at all," replied Oceaxe. "It is the too - sad truth. And when you have seen Crimtyphon, you will realise it.""I'm aware I am on a strange planet," said Maskull slowly, "where all sorts of unheard of things may happen, and where the very laws of morality may be different. Still as far as I am concerned, murder is murder, and I'll have no more to do with a woman who wants to make use of me, to get rid of her husband.""You think me wicked?" demanded Oceaxe steadily.

"Or mad."

"Then you had better leave me, Maskull - only - ""Only what?"

"You wish to be consistent, don't you? Leave all other mad and wicked people as well. Then you'll find it easier to reform the rest."Maskull frowned, but said nothing.

"Well?" demanded Oceaxe, with a half smile.

"I'll come with you, and I'll see Crimtyphon - if only to warn him."Oceaxe broke into a cascade of rich, feminine laughter, but whether at the image conjured up by Maskull's last words, or from some other cause, he did not know. The conversation dropped.

At a distance of a couple of miles from the now towering cliffs, the river made a sharp, right - angled turn to the west, and was no longer of use to them on their journey. Maskull stared up doubtfully.

"It's a stiff climb for a hot morning."

"Let's rest here a little," said she, indicating a smooth flat island of black rock, standing up just out of the water in the middle of the river.

They accordingly went to it, and Maskull sat down. Oceaxe, however, standing graceful and erect, turned her face toward the cliffs opposite, and uttered a piercing and peculiar call.

"What is that for?" She did not answer. After waiting a minute, she repeated the call. Maskull now saw a large bird detach itself from the top of one of the precipices, and sail slowly down toward them.

It was followed by two others. The flight of these birds was exceedingly slow and clumsy.

"What are they?" he asked.

She still returned no answer, but smiled rather peculiarly and sat down beside him. Before many minutes he was able to distinguish the shapes and colors of the flying monsters. They were not birds, but creatures with long, snakelike bodies, and ten reptilian legs apiece, terminating in fins which acted as wings. The bodies were of bright blue, the legs and fins were yellow. They were flying, without haste, but in a somewhat ominous fashion, straight toward them. He could make out a long, thin spike projecting from each of the heads.

"They are shrowks," explained Oceaxe at last. "If you want to know their intention, I'll tell you. To make a meal of us. First of all their spikes will pierce us, and then their mouths, which are really suckers, will drain us dry of blood - pretty thoroughly too; there are no half measures with shrowks. They are toothless beasts, so don't eat flesh.""As you show such admirable sangfroid," said Maskull dryly, "I take it there's no particular danger."Nevertheless he instinctively tried to get on to his feet and failed.

A new form of paralysis was chaining him to the ground.

"Are you trying to get up?" asked Oceaxe smoothly.

"Well, yes, but those cursed reptiles seem to be nailing me down to the rock with their wills. May I ask if you had any special object in view in waking them up?""I assure you the danger is quite real, Maskull. Instead of talking and asking questions, you had much better see what you can do with your will.""I seem to have no will, unfortunately."

同类推荐
  • 明伦汇编人事典含忍部

    明伦汇编人事典含忍部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 九月十日雨中过张伯

    九月十日雨中过张伯

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Seven Poor Travellers

    The Seven Poor Travellers

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 野议

    野议

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 机警

    机警

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 血染棒桔草

    血染棒桔草

    叶雪松原名叶辉,男,满族,生于七十年代。主要从事通俗小说和故事的写作,1999年起职业写作,现已发表各种体裁的文学作品计二百万字左右,系辽宁省作家协会会员。2007年毕业于辽宁文学院新锐作家班,现居家从事职业写作。编者按宁做太平犬,不做乱世人。没有经历过乱世的人,是无论如何也体谅不了那种命悬一线的惊恐与居无定所的凄怆的。中国人世世代代都渴望着太平盛世,可何谓太平盛世呢?《汉书·食货志》有曰:“民人给家足,都鄙廪庾尽满。”“钱,累百巨万,贯朽而不可校。粟,充溢露积于外,腐败不可食。”
  • 你也可以这样活

    你也可以这样活

    生活中有多少人用没钱、没时间这样的借口来掩饰自己的懒惰、怯懦,困在一隅,以为自己看见的就是整个世界。越成长,越认识到自己原来世界的狭小。往前走一步,你会拥有更多选择。世界如此大,你总要勇敢地走出去,才能收获更多的精彩。
  • 异界之我是墨者

    异界之我是墨者

    站在四面绝壁的山峰之巅,轩辕风抚着长长的黑发,两眼仰望着天空,身边一头充满着杀气的巨大机械狼,微躬着身子与轩辕风一起仰望苍穹。宛若星空般深邃眼睛,严肃的看着那陨落的流星,轩辕风非常认真地说道:“银风!”疑惑的抬头,那机械巨狼不知所然的嚎道:“嗷?(干嘛?)”轩辕风轻抚了一下自己纯白色的风衣然后淡淡的说道:“我们怎么下去……”
  • 自我觉醒,给孩子最好的原生家庭

    自我觉醒,给孩子最好的原生家庭

    原生家庭对人的影响是深刻而久远的。从孩子出生那一刻起,父亲、母亲以及整个家庭关系就开始对孩子产生潜移默化的影响。那么,父亲、母亲以及家庭关系分别会对孩子产生哪些影响?父母需要懂得哪些心理学知识?孩子的大脑发育和智力发展过程是怎样的?决定孩子未来发展的因素有哪些?父母如何做才能让孩子得到更好的发展……针对这些问题,小楼老师从教育学和心理学的角度出发,为父母提供了专业而科学的意见,能够有效促进父母的自我觉醒和自我疗愈,从而打破原生家庭的世代桎梏,为孩子创造更好的原生家庭环境。
  • 穿越之田园蜜如糖

    穿越之田园蜜如糖

    “啊,啊...."女孩子尖叫着...“你不是说想想玩海盗船?还想飞到楼顶?”他白衣飘飘,怀里抱着小胖妞。小胖妞冷得滴下一滴冷汗,她只是随口一说,谁要上楼顶了,北方的冬天啊,这风吹得啊,吹得美男白衣飘飘,飘飘欲仙。“还不快送我下去,冻死我了.”嘻嘻。作者特别爱吃,爱星座,爱茶杯犬会点中药,会点绣花,会点茶艺大家撒花追捧喔!嚒嚒哒
  • 天天营养百味:风味私家菜

    天天营养百味:风味私家菜

    私家菜,顾名思义,是私人的菜私家的菜。就是在别人家里吃到的由主人做的拿手好菜。私家菜起源于古时深宅大院中的美味佳肴,当年高官巨贾们家蓄美厨,竞比成风,互相攀比着自己在吃上面的品位。本书为您讲解了各种食材的特点和应用,以及厨房中的常识,让您提高在吃上面的品味。
  • 权少请关照

    权少请关照

    宁城沈家,好女成双。大小姐沈如精明能干,二小姐沈嫣娇俏可人。某天,多出一个三小姐——沈婠。沉默寡言,貌不出众,像一株风中小白梨,柔弱无依。沈父:“养着吧。”沈母:“贱人生的女儿,还是贱人。”沈如:“一股小家子气。”沈嫣:“祁哥哥最讨厌菟丝花。”沈婠冷笑:别着急,慢慢来,一个都跑不了!……前世,沈婠鲜血流尽,内脏掏空,死在冰冷的手术台上。终年三十,无儿无女。今生,她为复仇而来,步步为营,把宁城搅得天翻地覆,却无意间招惹了大魔王。权捍霆,人敬一声“六爷”,冷心无情,身份成谜。【小萌包】据说,权宝宝出生那天,权爸爸痛得死去活来。嗯,被权妈妈咬的。……【食用指南】:双处双洁,无虐无误会,苏爽甜腻撩炸天【推荐鱼儿完结文】《纨绔拽媳》:
  • 优雅是女人最漂亮的外衣

    优雅是女人最漂亮的外衣

    一本书让女人完美蜕变,增强自信,由内而外释放最强魅力!新时代品位气质女神养成圣经,成熟女性必读的魅力修炼手册。优雅是得体而精致的外表,优雅是丰富而强大的内心;优雅是女人一生的金资本,优雅是女人最美丽的姿态。优雅是女人的专属权利,女人不仅要有追求优雅的梦想,更要有展示优雅的能力和智慧。懂得用精致的气质呈现自身魅力的女人才不辜负上天赐予的美。
  • 过着语文的日子

    过着语文的日子

    《过着语文的日子》是一名小学语文特级教师汪智星十多年从教经历的精华总结。有成长经历、经验反思、精品课堂,为语文教学回归本真,发出呐喊的声音。
  • 桶中藏尸

    桶中藏尸

    八月的天气极热。10号清晨,海潮渐渐退去,海风裹着成腥的气味。沙滩前方一百米的高地上,有一面孤立的水泥墙,墙面上的涂鸦五彩缤纷,乍一看像极了先锋演唱会的风格。七八个工人打着哈欠搬运着堆积如小山的铁桶。这些桶堆起了七八层,足有五十多个。两名工人把铁桶按顺序放入集装箱内,抹了把脸上的汗准备继续干活。这时,正在墙边继续搬运铁桶的一个工人大喊着:“来帮帮忙,这个桶里有东西。” “有东西?不是说这里面都是空的吗?”一个工人搭话,“该不是什么器材没拿走吧?”“打开看看不就知道了。”他们打开了桶盖上的四个抓扣,但盖子却纹丝不动。