On the following evening, at his usual hour, Bainbridge entered my
apartment; and after the customary greeting, seated himself. No mention
was made of Arthur's hapless interruption of the evening before,
Bainbridge acting as if that miserable incident had not occurred.
"If I remember rightly," he said, "we left Ahpilus lying with a broken
back, and Peters standing by him, with Lilama crouching near; whilst on
the opposite side of the chasm or canyon stood Pym, Diregus, and the
boatman, who had accompanied the rescue party in their ascent of the
mountain.
"After a moment of astonishment, Diregus inquired concerning the
condition of Ahpilus; and Peters replied that the maniac not only lived,
but was not in danger of dying; that he was scarcely conscious, however,
and that even if fully aroused would in all probability not be able to
walk--Peters knowing from personal experience with similar 'accidents'
what the results were likely to be.
"When Lilama heard Peters' statement, she approached the injured
man--the friend of her childhood and her girlhood--and did what little
she could to make his position at least appear more comfortable.
"There was no possible way for the divided party to unite, other than by
returning several miles down the mountain-side. Now that Lilama was
safe, and Ahpilus not only mentally alienated from his people but also
physically helpless, a kindly feeling came to the party for their old
friend thus reduced to a condition doubly lamentable, and very pitiable
to persons so refined and sensitive as were the Hili-lites. There was
some discussion on the subject of Ahpilus's future; and then Peters said
that he could easily carry the injured man down the mountain-side. This
he at once began to do; and in the course of four or five hours, during
which he stopped for a rest a number of times, he reached a point in the
descent at which the canyon narrowed to a width of not more than ten
feet, and across which a rude foot-bridge of logs had been constructed.
Lilama, as well as those on the opposite side of the chasm, had kept
pace with Peters; and the divided party now came together.
"Ahpilus was gently placed on the ground; and as his old friends
gathered about him it was observed that not only had consciousness
returned, but that the helpless man looked quite the Ahpilus of former
and happier days. As his old friends looked into his eyes, those windows
of the mind, they saw a soul unruffled, and at peace with nature.
"Then Diregus addressed to Ahpilus some words of inquiry; but it was
soon apparent that the stricken man could answer no question relating to
recent days, or even to the past year or two. In fact, Diregus soon
recognized that Ahpilus knew nothing of his own past from a period
antedating his exile to the present time. It appears that the nervous
shock which accompanied the breaking of his spine had, in some way,
dispelled his madness, and also those less maniacal, comparatively mild
delusions which for several years had clouded and perverted his
otherwise brilliant mind; so that he was again the same loving and
lovable Ahpilus of former times; but in all the sixty or seventy years
that he might yet live, he never again would be able to walk, or even to
stand, unaided.
"The party of five, carrying the helpless man, sadly and silently
continued on their way to Volcano Bay, which in the course of an hour
they reached. There they found the other boatmen waiting for them, and,
also, standing here and there in groups, a number of the exiles, among
them Medosus. It had gone forth among these pariahs of Hili-liland, that
something unusual was astir; and, fearing something, they knew not what,
they had determined to observe the movements of the invading party.
Diregus soon explained what had brought them to Olympus, and the results
of their search. The exiles were at first quite unable to believe that
Peters had crossed the chasm at the point stated, though lying was in
Hili-li a lost art, the history of that country stating positively that
but three adult liars (visitors excepted) had existed in Hili-li for
five hundred years, the last of whom had, two centuries before, died.
When the Olympians (as the exiles were generally in derision called)
learned of Ahpilus's condition, and of its cause, it appeared for a few
moments that Peters would be attacked; but the soothing words of Pym and
Diregus, and the presence of Lilama, whom they knew had been in extreme
danger, as well as the expression on the face of Peters when he first
grasped the idea that an attack upon him was imminent--all of these
things together prevented trouble.
"When the party had made Ahpilus as comfortable as possible in the
bottom of the boat, and had seated themselves preparatory to their
return, Medosus stepped down to the shore, and asked Diregus if he would
convey for the exiles a message to the King and Councillors of Hili-li,
and also to the aged mystic, Masusælili, who, though not an official,
was in reality the chief adviser of those who did control the kingdom.
Diregus, whose father was perhaps second only to the King--it was
supposed by many that the Duke was the real power behind the throne, and
it was within the range of reasonable possibility that his son, Diregus,
might some day reign--replied that he must hear the message before
making any promise. Then Medosus, knowing that his former friend and
schoolmate was at heart in sympathy with the exiles, and did not really
believe them to be in any way vicious (Diregus himself had twice
offended, as had a majority of all Hili-lite youths, past and present;
but he had not offended for a third time), spoke as follows:
"'Say for us to His Majesty, and to the Honorable Councillors, that we,
the so-called Exiles of Olympus, request our release, and also
permission to return to Hili-li. In making this request we are not
willing to say that we have ever in the past done to the State any
serious wrong. We have, however, reached a time of life when we are
willing to abjure the delights and benefits of wrestling, of
ground-ball, of bat-ball, and of other athletic sports. We are willing
to promise not again to visit the savages of surrounding islands--a rare
sport. We regret the broken neck of young Selimus, which occurred during
a game of ground-ball some three years ago, and we regret the accidental
breaking of a few other bones; but we think these accidents no more
deplorable than the death of Testube the scholar, or the blinding of the
chemist, Amurosus--accidents which occurred whilst they were in their
own laboratories, performing experiments of no material benefit, so far
as we know, to the people of Hili-li. I might also allude to the
lamentable death of Solarsistus, who some four years ago fell from his
tower whilst observing the noted shower of falling meteors. And we ask
these wise men--particularly Masusælili, whose mind is as cultivated as
his body is neglected--what they think would become of the people of
Hili-li if, at some future time, even so few as one thousand such men as
these two strangers standing there should make war upon us, assuming
that the decrees of those in power shall have been for a single
generation faithfully observed. When the barbarian of the north overcame
our ancestors in ancient Rome, it was only after indolent habits had
sapped the physical power of the patrician; and when we here repelled
with ease many times our number of barbarians, it was whilst yet our
race was hardy from its combat with adverse forces in this then new
land. We have not forgotten the strange power which Masusælili is able
to exert over a limited number of persons at one time. We are not
unaware of the beneficent results of those laws and customs that compel
the most of our people, between the ages of eighteen and fifty, to
perform physical labor during twelve hours of each week; but we maintain
that the elements of contest and danger are necessary concomitants of
physical exertion, if we are to acquire and retain the manly quality of
physical bravery, and that other quality so frequently wanting in him
who is only a scholar--fortitude.
"'Look,' he continued, pointing to Peters. 'There stands a man inured to
physical danger. A few hours ago he was placed where prompt resolution
was demanded to decide the fate of one of the loveliest creatures upon
whom the light of yonder crater-fire ever shone--perhaps upon whom the
sun ever shone; he had scarcely sixty seconds of time in which to
determine whether she should die, or he should take the chance of a
terrible death, with a hand-to-hand conflict, a powerful madman for an
adversary, certain to confront him should his leap by a miracle prove
successful. To have leaped over an abyss of half the width of that one,
and then to have met an ordinary adversary, would have been a
wonderfully brave deed. He decided promptly--and, too, he succeeded. No
man in Hili-li could have done half as much, even had he dared attempt
the feat.
"'That, I think, is all,' continued Medosus. 'We have rarely found our
rulers deaf to reasonable petitions, and we believe that they will, upon
mature deliberation, annul our sentences of ten years' banishment. If I
do not overtax your time and your patience, I should like to ask you,
Diregus, to suggest to your father and to Masusælili this thought: Since
the termination of those extended surveys which the State inaugurated
and terminated after the departure of that ship which visited us about
two hundred and fifty years ago, we have been aware that Hili-li is
situated in a great inland sea, about twelve hundred miles in diameter,
which sea contains from two hundred to three hundred islands, and in
which our main island occupies a position some three hundred miles from
the nearest mainland in one direction, and some nine hundred miles from
the nearest mainland in another direction. We are also aware that the
sailing vessel which came to us found an entrance through this vast
ring-like continent, which entrance-way is only three hundred miles in
width, and is the only means of access to this inland sea, except a
narrower channel diametrically opposite to the broader one. The broader
opening, in its main part, is traversed by warm currents outward, which
remain warm until the continent is passed; and by one broad central warm
current inward, which is very swift, and the source of the great warmth
of which we have never been able to determine. The narrower passage,
generally completely frozen, or choked with ice, conveys to the central
sea only water at nearly the freezing temperature. The mainland consists
chiefly of volcanic mountains, is apparently covered with ice, and is
wholly impassable. Now, we have long thought ourselves safe from the
outer world, as we really are from the savages of the other islands
within this great sea. We know that in the first thousand years of our
history there came to us once two wrecked sailors, and at another time a
single sailor; then came the ship; and since then every ten to thirty
years we have had some token, animate or inanimate, from the great
beyond. But none that came, save the ship-load of two hundred and fifty
years ago, ever left us; and those who sailed that vessel could not
again have found us, had they tried during the remainder of their lives.
Hence, our Councillors appear to think that we shall forever remain
secreted here in safety. Now I only wish to suggest to those who are
wiser, but whose minds are not like ours sharpened by hardship and
solitude, that some great event in the vast outer world must have
occurred preceding the visit of that ship. The conditions of the world
have in some manner changed. Yet, whilst the vast ring-like continent of
ice-covered volcanoes will long protect us, the warm strait will be
discovered and mapped, and then design will carry to us many, over the
same course by which chance has conveyed a few. As usual, I suppose,
these two men will not be allowed to leave us. But in some way the
outside world will learn of us and of our exhaustless supplies of these
pebbles' (he pointed to nuggets of gold lying on the shore of the bay),
'which we know are the same as others in our museum, that our ancestors
brought from Rome, and of which--so says our ancient history--one pebble
the size of a fingerend would purchase a human captive! Some chance will
carry to those people (no doubt the descendants of those barbarians who
almost exterminated our Roman ancestors) a knowledge of this.' Here
Medosus picked from the ground a nugget of gold about the size of a
large orange, and threw it carelessly from him into the bay. 'Aurum,' he
said, disdainfully; 'aurum, the curse of our ancestors! What would not
the outer world endure to gain the ship-loads of this stuff that lie
scattered over our volcanic islands? Stuff which we use only in building
and for pavements, because it is easily worked, and bright, and lasting.
What will our people do when ship-loads of men like these two strangers
come to us? And, come, too, not almost starved and without weapons, but
with spears, and practised arms to use their spears. Astuteness is a
poor weapon, when it is the only weapon, against men who are maddened
with avarice: bravery, physical power, fortitude; the strong arm, backed
by the quick eye, and the mind inured to danger--these, in such a time
of need, will alone avail to protect our lives, our land, and our homes
from a ruthless foe.
"'Pardon my prolixity; but, as I talked, I became more interested in the
fate of my countrymen, even than in that of my fellow-exiles and myself.
You understand me, my old friend? I know that you will speak for us.
Good-by.'
"And then wishing the exiles good-by, the party in the boat moved from
the shore--at first by paddle-power; but on reaching the outlet of
Volcano Bay the sails of their boat were spread for the run across the
open sea."
Here Doctor Bainbridge paused for a moment in his narration, lighted a
cigar, took a whiff or two, and then continued:
"You must pardon me for entering so fully into the affairs of Medosus
and his fellow-exiles. It was only by tact and patience that, little by
little, I gathered from Peters the facts. My excuse for this verbosity
is, that from the speech of Medosus--whose words show that he supposed
Pym and Peters would never be allowed to leave Hili-li--we obtain,
better than from all other sources of information which were opened to
Peters, an insight of the geographical knowledge, and of many of the
peculiarities, of a strange, isolated people--a people which, beyond all
doubt, I think, is descended from the pure imperial Roman stock; and
also because it explains the means by which the exiles afterward
obtained their liberty, and were thus enabled to assist their relatives
and friends in the City of Hili-li, at a time when, though of brief
duration, the islands of Hili-li were threatened with depopulation. It
seems that the message of Medosus, joined with the lesson of Lilama's
abduction, carrying as it did a suggestion of future possibilities
should the exiles continue to increase in number whilst growing more
reckless, and at the same time no strangers be at hand to assist in
overcoming them--these considerations, and the influence of Pym, who
described the quality of English, German, French, and American soldiers
that were produced in lands where, he said, sports and games similar to
those of Hili-li (he explained the nature of sparring, cricket, etc.)
were in no manner restricted by law. (This, you will remember, was in
the year 1828.)
"The rescue party were met at the Duke's landing by all the residents of
the palace, and by many relatives and friends of Lilama, who had
gathered to receive her. As soon as Peters' wonderful feat was
explained, he became the hero of the island.
"The Hili-lites showed themselves in one respect much like other races.
They had no sooner decided to rescind the interdict against the hitherto
obnoxious athletic games, than all classes began to patronize these
sports, and immediately they became very popular; and to the other games
was added that of contests at leaping. Some of the feats performed at
this time by Peters were certainly astonishing. One of his performances
which took place during an exhibition in the presence of the élite of
Hili-li, was to leap from an improvised platform, placed eighty feet
above the ground, grasp the limb of a tree which projected about thirty
feet beneath and several feet away from the platform, instantly drop to
another limb, twenty-five feet lower, and then to the ground. To an
observer he appeared to jump from the platform, to strike one limb and
then another in his descent, and to fall, a mass of bruised flesh and
broken bones, upon the earth; the real climax being when, instead, he
fell lightly on his feet, and walked away to prepare for his next act in
this public display.
"But we must hasten on. And before proceeding to subjects of greater
interest, I will tell at once what was the future of Ahpilus. He had
when a boy been noted for a love of study, and now when he could no
longer walk, he turned his attention to literary pursuits. Masusælili
took an interest in the unfortunate young man, and allowed him at first
to be brought occasionally to the studio which the reader has already
visited, and later to become an assistant in his researches. Peters and
Pym felt very kindly to the poor fellow, and evinced their regard by
inventing and making for him a sort of chair on two main wheels and a
small third wheel, upon which he could sit and guide himself with ease
and comfort from place to place in the city, and that, too, with quite
as great speed as he had in the past been able to attain by walking. The
last thing heard of him by Peters was, that he had begun a history of
the Hili-lite people, from the settlement of Hili-li to 1828. And this
reminds me to say that, to Pym and Peters, one of the strangest things
in Hili-li was their count of time, which appeared the same as our own.
It was not in fact the same, however, though Peters insists that it was;
for whilst we, of course, count time according to the Gregorian
calendar, the Hili-lites must have counted time according to the Julian
calendar. This would have placed the Hili-lites about eleven days in
arrear of Pym's count--a difference which, under the circumstances,
Peters might easily have overlooked.
"Not many weeks after the rescue of Lilania, she and Pym were married
according to the usual form of Hili-li. The wedding ceremony was a very
quiet one. I have thought that perhaps the customs of Hili-li might
account for the lack of any festivity; and, again, that the Ahpilus
incident may have precluded all social gaiety at such a time, the
injured man being still in a precarious condition."
Here Bainbridge paused for a moment, took a turn or two across the
floor, relit the long-neglected cigar that he held in his fingers,
seated himself, and continued: