Part 3 (1/2)
At the time we tied our car to the rocks, to prevent us from drifting away from the earth, we did not antic.i.p.ate that the fastenings would receive any very severe strain, but now the velocity of the wind was such that there was great danger of our breaking away. The moon was not a very hospitable place, to be sure, as we had thus far found it, but still we preferred it to the alternative of flying off into s.p.a.ce in our gla.s.s car and becoming a new species of meteor.
And yet it seemed to be courting instant death to attempt to leave the car and seek for other shelter. We could not decide which course to take. Both were so full of peril that there seemed to be no possible safety in either.
As I review our situation now, and think of us spinning along on that defunct world we knew not whither, with no ray of light to illumine the darkness of our future or show us the least chance of escape from our desperate plight, it is astonis.h.i.+ng to me that we did not give up all hope and lie down and die at once. It only shows what the human body can endure and of what stuff our minds are made. I think it would not be making a rash statement to say that no man ever found himself in a worse situation and survived.
But help was nearer than we supposed. From what we had seen of the moon we could not have imagined a more unexpected thing than that which happened to us then. Suddenly, above the roar of the wind and the thumping of our car on the rocks, even above the tumult of our spirits, there came to us the strains of more than earthly music. Whether it was from voice or instrument we could not tell, and in its sweetness and power it was absolutely indescribable. At first we did not try to discover its source but were content to sit and quietly enjoy it, as it fell gently upon us, pervading our whole being and so filling us with courage and strength that we seemed to be transformed into new men.
Then, wondering if we could discover from whence the notes came, we turned and looked about us, when there was revealed to us a vision of beauty which filled and satisfied the sense of sight as completely as our ears had been enchanted with the angelic music.
Not far from our car, with her flowing garments nearly torn from her in the fierceness of the gale, was a young girl, stretching out her hands imploringly toward us and pouring forth her voice in that exquisite song. We soon discovered it was not for herself that she was anxious, but for us; for when she observed that she had attracted our attention she smiled and turned to go back the way she had come, beckoning us with hand and eye to follow her, and still singing her sweet but unintelligible words. Perhaps I flattered myself, but I thought she was looking at me more than at my companion, and I began with great eagerness to unfasten the door of the car.
”Wait!” cried the doctor. ”Where are you going?”
I could not stop an instant, but answered with feeling:
”Going? I am going wherever she is going. I'll follow her to the end of the moon if necessary, though the surface be everywhere as bleak as our own north pole.”
”Well,” he replied, ”if it is such a desperate case as that, I'll have to go along to take care of you.”
I found that when such a woman beckons and such a voice calls there is but one thing to do. The sirens were not to be mentioned in comparison.
Twenty thousand hurricanes could not have prevented me from attempting to follow where she led as long as I had breath.
We reached the ground in safety, and with the greatest difficulty made our way in the footsteps of our guide, leaving all our possessions behind us, to the doctor's murmured regret. And now the words of the singer seemed to take on a joyous meaning, and we could almost distinguish her invitation to follow her to a place where the wind did not blow and where our present troubles would be over. She kept well in the lead but walked only as fast as our strength would allow, looking back constantly to encourage us with her smile and ravis.h.i.+ng one heart at least with the melody of her song.
Presently we came to the edge of an immense crater, hundreds of feet deep and as empty and cold as all the others we had seen on the moon.
Instead of going around this, our leader chose a narrow ravine and took us down the steep side to the bottom of the crater. We supposed she did this just to give us protection from the wind, and we were very much sheltered, but she did not stop here. Entering one of the many fissures in the rocks, she led us into a narrow pa.s.sage whose floor descended so rapidly and whose solid roof shut out the light so quickly that in ordinary circ.u.mstances we would have hesitated about proceeding.
But, although it was soon absolutely dark, we kept on, guided by that marvelous voice, now our sole inspiration.
”Come, come, fear no harm,” it seemed to say, and we were content to follow blindly, even the doctor no longer objecting.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”POURING FORTH HER VOICE IN THAT EXQUISITE SONG.”]
How many hours we proceeded in this way, going down, down, all the time, toward the center of the globe, I have no means of telling; but I distinctly remember that we began, after a time, to find, to our great joy, that the air was becoming denser and we could breathe quite freely.
This gave us needed strength and justified the faith with which our mysterious deliverer had filled us.
At length we were gladdened by a glimmer of light ahead of us, which increased until our path was all illumined with a beautiful soft haze.
Soon the way broadened and grew still brighter, and then we were led forth into an open street, which seemed to be part of a small village.
There were but few houses, and even these, although they showed signs of a former grandeur, were sadly in need of care. Not a creature of any kind was stirring, and in our hasty review the whole place looked as if it might have been deserted by its inhabitants for a hundred years.
There was one spot, however, so retired as to be entirely hidden from our view at first, which had anything but a deserted appearance. The house was small, but it was a perfect bower of beauty, half-concealed with a ma.s.s of flowers and vines. Here our journey ended, for our guide led us to the door and, entering, turned and invited us to follow her.
The doctor and I were tired enough to accept with eagerness her hospitality, and soon we were all seated in a pleasant room, which was filled with the evidences of a refined taste. Now we had a much better opportunity to observe the resplendent beauty of our new friend, and we found, also, that her manners were as captivating as her other personal qualities. At intervals, all through our long walk, her song had ceased and we expected she would make some attempt to speak to us; but being disappointed in this, it struck me after we had entered the house that I ought to end the embarra.s.sment by addressing her. The circ.u.mstances of our meeting were peculiar, to say the least, and, of all the thousand things I might have appropriately said, nothing could have been more meaningless or have better shown the vacant condition of my mind than the words I chose.
”It's a fine day,” I said, looking square in her eyes and trying to speak pleasantly.
In answer she gave me a smile which almost deprived me of what little wit remained, and at the same time emitted one exquisite note.
I was now at the end of my resources. I had always thought I could talk on ordinary topics as well as the average man, but in the presence of this girl, with everything in the world unsaid, I could not think of one word to say. The doctor soon saw my predicament and hastened to a.s.sist me, and the remark which he selected shows again his wonderful self-possession in the midst of overwhelming difficulties. He waved his hand gently toward me to attract her attention and said:
”My friend and I are from the United States and have come to make you a visit. This is your home, I suppose, away down here in the middle of the moon? It is very kind of you to bring us here. I hope you will excuse me for my rudeness, but what time do you have supper?”