by James Cowan
CHAPTER XXIII.
WE SEARCH FOR MONA.
We were indeed approaching the surface with great rapidity, and Foedricwas obliged to put on power to prevent us from falling too swiftly.Fortunately he was able to keep our ship under perfect management, andso, without accident or even a shock, he brought us gently to land,not far from the spot where Thorwald had seen the signs of life. It wassomething new for the latter to show so much curiosity, but he could notbe more eager than I was to attempt to find out what we had seen throughthe telescope. So, leaving the rest of the party, we two started out toinvestigate. It was kind of Thorwald to take me along, because he couldordinarily walk a great deal faster without me, but my love and hope nowadded wings to my feet and I surprised him with my agility.
Thorwald's skill in determining locality enabled him to choose the rightdirection, and after quite a walk we ascended a considerable hill, fromwhich we were delighted to discover in the distance a small column ofsmoke--a remarkable sight on that sterile shore. We hastened toward it,Thorwald with high expectations of an important discovery, and I with aheart beating with joyful anticipations of a different character.
As we approached the spot of such intense interest for us both, Iwatched my companion closely to see how he would bear the disappointmentwhich I felt sure awaited him; and this, I think, made it alittle easier for me to endure my own grief, for, of course, I wasdisappointed, too. I ought to have known better than to expect to findMona out on the bleak surface, when she had such a comfortable homeinside the moon. What we found at the end of our journey was merelyanother party of Martians, who had stolen a march on us and made a priorinvasion of the moon. But so unselfish were they that when they saw ourship afar off they began to make a smudge and smoke in order to attractour attention and give us the opportunity of sharing with them the gloryof their anticipated discoveries. They were pleased with our success infinding them, and proposed that we join our forces in a common camp. So,leaving me, Thorwald returned for the rest of our party, and in due timewe were all together, conversing on the footing of old acquaintances.The moon had improved somewhat since we knew it, as everything mustwhich remains in the vicinity of the planet Mars, but it was not yet,as far as the outside, at least, was concerned, a desirable place for along sojourn.
Our new friends had, unlike us, started from home with the intention ofmaking the attempt to land on the moon, and, having come prepared withtools for a little scientific work, had already begun investigating,with a view to finding out whether the moon contained any vestiges oflife. They had heard of the doctor and me and the outlines of our story,but now we had to relate to them in detail all our experience on themoon, while I concluded my part of the narration with the statement ofmy firm conviction that Mona was still in her quiet refuge, waiting forus to return and rescue her. This interested them exceedingly, and theywere eager to join us in searching for her.
The members of our party, catching something of my hope, were readyto enter at once upon this task, and it was decided to divide all ourforces into two companies, one to be led by the doctor and the otherby me, and then to start in different directions to try to find theentrance to that long passage into the interior. As we knew not on whatpart of the moon's surface we had alighted, we were undertaking abold piece of work, but its apparent difficulty had no terrors for theMartians, and I should not have hesitated if the circumference of themoon had been a hundred times what it was. As for the doctor, he had toomuch spirit to suggest any obstacles.
We arranged a code of signals, and agreed that if either party weresuccessful the other should be notified and the descent made only whenall had come together. After dividing the provisions we made our adieusand separated, not knowing when we should see one another again.
But, fortunately, our elaborate preparations were not of much use, forbefore we had been out an hour the doctor signaled to me that hehad found some familiar landmarks. This meant that he was sure ofdiscovering what we were in search of, and accordingly we started atonce to rendezvous with his company. On our arrival I recognized, withexultant joy, the features of the landscape which had attracted thedoctor's attention. We now led the way with complete assurance, and cameat length to the crater down whose side Mona had so strangely led us.The wind was not so strong now, but I was none the less eager to descendand enter that dark way, at the other end of which such happinessawaited me. By this time, also, the whole party were becoming enthusedover the situation. When they came to see, one after another, featureswhich they had heard us describe, they acquired a personal interestwhich had been impossible before, and everyone began to share my faithin regard to Mona.
As we entered the tunnel, the doctor and myself still in the lead, Icalled Avis and asked her to keep as near me as possible.
"I am flattered," she said, "but what do you want to have me do?"
"Sing," I answered.
"What for? You needn't be afraid of the dark, for we can give you lightenough."
And at that instant out flashed half a dozen lamps from differentmembers of the party, a timely illustration of the use of their portableelectricity.
"No, Avis," I said, "I am not afraid, but I would like to recallsomething of the sensation of our first descent into the moon, when wewere led, as you know, by the sound of beautiful music. And then, aswe near the end, Mona may hear you, and that would be a more gentleintroduction than if we should burst upon her unannounced. I know sheis not subject to fear or the usual emotions to which I have beenaccustomed on the earth, but still I think she would like to have uscome back to her heralded by your noble song."
Seeing how serious I was in the matter, Avis promised to do as I wished,only suggesting that all the rest should join her from time to time. So,without any unpleasant incident, we traversed the long passage, walkingrapidly by the aid of the light and conversing about our interestingsituation. It was a rare and pleasing experience for the doctor andme to be showing these wise Martians something new, and we enjoyed thenovel sensation of watching their excitement. The fact that we could sosatisfactorily entertain our friends after their own fashion with us wassomething long to be remembered.
But not another one of all the company had the intensity of feelingwhich filled my breast. Knowing that every downward step was leading merapidly toward a determination of my fate, I could scarcely control myemotions. Either I was soon to find my heart's life and be raised to thehighest pinnacle of happiness, or I was to undergo a disappointment fromwhich I might not recover. For if Mona was not here, where could I lookfor her? Could I ever regain my hopeful spirits if I should lose hernow? I tried to crowd out these dark forebodings by thinking of my loveand trying to picture the scene in the midst of which we should discoverher.
At length we were drawing near the end. The path was growing wider,which proved to the doctor and me that we should soon emerge into theopen village. Indeed, a faint gleam of light was beginning to be seenfar in the front. We now pushed on more rapidly, and as we approachedthe exit Avis was singing at her highest pitch. She stopped suddenly,and then a low and distant strain came to us, sweet even to the ears ofour cultured friends from Mars. My heart beat wildly as Thorwald, whowas close behind us, exclaimed:
"Hark, hear the echo!"
"Ho!" I cried, "that's not an echo. That's the original, and Avis is theecho. Sing out again, Avis."
A loud, clear note trembled on the air, and brought back to ourstraining sense, not a repetition of itself but a snatch of variedmelody which showed it to be no echo, although evidently an answer.There have been few moments in my life more crowded with happiness thanthat one. And it was not a passive feeling of enjoyment, but one thatspurred me to action. The swift pace which we had all by this timereached was now too slow for me. Seized again by the same fierce passionwhich took possession of me at my first acquaintance with Mona's voice,I started in her direction on a run, flinging aside everything thatmight impede me, so overmastered was I by my desire to see her.
But my unreaso
nable haste brought me a grievous reward. I leaped overthe ground with great rapidity for a few minutes, and then, stepping ona treacherous stone, turned my ankle and fell heavily to the ground, myhead, thrust forward in running, being the first point of contact withthe cruel rocks.
I returned to consciousness by degrees. My faithful ears were, as usual,the first friends to renew acquaintance with me, and the sound theybrought was so soothing that I wished for nothing more than to remain asI was, ears only, and listen to it forever. But this was impossible, asI was slowly recovering my other senses and becoming a thinking beingonce more. I now recognized the pleasant sound as the music of afamiliar voice; yes, it was Mona's voice in conversation. I was sure ofthat, but it seemed so natural that I was not startled. I felt that Imust remain perfectly quiet, or the spell would be broken and themusic cease. Then I began to wonder where I was and who were with me. Irecalled the circumstances of our descent into the moon and my fall asI was running to meet Mona. My mind was active, but I feared that I wasphysically weak, for I did not seem to have even a desire to move. Iwanted to see the face of the dear girl, and it is remarkable that Idid not open my eyes at once and call her by name. But I was not in anatural state. The feeling was not sufficiently strong to move me toaction. I was just conscious enough to be passively happy, content tolie there quietly and enjoy one thing at a time.
Hitherto I had not tried to distinguish the words, so satisfied was Iwith the exquisite tones, but now my attention was compelled by thisyellow expression:
"So I understand you to say he would not give me up as lost?"
It was the pink voice of Zenith that answered:
"No, indeed. He never faltered in his faith that you would be found. Youowe it to him that you can soon leave this worn-out world with us, andwe are indebted to him for giving us such a dear friend."
"And he admired my singing?" said Mona in a questioning tone.
"Yes, and everything pertaining to you. He never tired of rehearsingyour perfections, and the doctor tells us he loved you from the veryfirst. He certainly seems most devoted to you. I hope, my dear, that youlove him."
I was now recovered enough to feel some compunctions about listeningfurther to this conversation, but that is not saying that I had anygreat desire to stop listening. I knew that in Mona's answer to Zenith'simplied question lay my fate, and my moral doubts were not strong enoughto make me do anything to keep it back. It has been said on the earththat people who surreptitiously hear themselves spoken of are neverpleased, but things must be quite different inside the moon, for,without a shadow of hesitation and in the sweetest air that ever floatedfrom her lips, came Mona's answer:
"Love him? Certainly I love him. Why should I not? I loved him when hewas here before, and I should be very ungrateful if I did not care agreat deal more for him when I know what he has done for me, and that henow lies here suffering for my sake."
"Oh, Mona," I said to myself, "if this be suffering, let me never knowhappiness."
Zenith began to speak again, when she was interrupted by the openingof a door. I heard someone walk towards me, and then the doctor's voicebroke the silence.
"How is he, Mona? Is there any change?"
"No," replied my beloved, "he hasn't stirred nor shown a sign ofconsciousness. Cannot something more be done for him?"
I was becoming a little hardened in my guilt by this time, and, althoughmy strength seemed now to be returning to me, I decided to keep stillyet longer and hear what words of wisdom the doctor would utter on mycase.
"I know of nothing that can be done," he said. "He received no injuryexcept the wound on his head, and that, apparently, is not serious.Time is the great healer in such cases. My chief fear is that when herecovers consciousness we will find his memory is defective, as it wasafter his plunge into your ocean, Zenith. He will doubtless forget howwe ever got into this strange place, and I am almost sure he will notrecognize Mona, for that was the direction in which he failed before."
"But you forget," said Zenith, "that Mona herself will be here to singfor him."
"I fear not even that will recall his wandering wits this time. You knowhe is more badly hurt than before. I dislike to cause you pain, Mona,but I must be frank and tell you that our friend will probably neverknow you again."
One would naturally expect Mona to have burst into tears at thishopeless prospect, but instead of that she sang out, as joyously asever:
"Never mind me, Doctor. Only restore him to health and happiness, andit will be of little moment whether he remembers me or not. No one knowsbetter than you do that I am always happy, that's why I am singing allthe time."
Such unselfishness as this was more than I could appreciate, and rathermore, I thought, than was called for by the circumstances. How could shelove me so, and still not care if I never were to know her again? Wasshe the same Mona, after all, who had so provokingly eluded my loveduring my former visit? These reflections caused me to decide to come tolife, and claim her as mine before she resigned all her interest in me.
So, opening my eyes and looking in her face, I said, as quietly aspossible:
"I do remember you, dear Mona, and shall never forget you. Doctor, yousee your science has proved false again."
"And glad indeed I am that it has," he rejoined, "since it is so greatlyto our advantage."
Then they all gathered around me, and called the others to a generalrejoicing over my sudden recovery. My physical injury was but slight,and it was not long before my stupor was entirely gone and I was movingabout again. Aside from the finding of Mona, many other things in thisplace of her abode interested the different members of our party. Allwere jubilant over the new opportunities for study and investigation,and they promised themselves the pleasure of many more visits to theplace in the future. They had now seen enough for once, and all wantedto join in the agreeable task of escorting Mona to Mars and introducingher there. So, without more delay, we ascended to the surface once more,found our air ships in good order, and soon sailed away, leaving themoon without an inhabitant.
Our friends from the antipodes landed with us, and remained some daysbefore reembarking for home.
During our voyage down there was a general agreement to give me plentyof opportunity to remain in Mona's immediate company, though no oneseemed to think we need feel at all embarrassed when our conversationwas overheard by others.
"Mona," I said, "were you glad to see our relief party when theyarrived?"
"I was indeed," she replied, "and yet I was as happy as a bird, livingthere all by myself and singing for my own amusement the whole daylong."
"It is an astonishing thing to me," I continued, "that after the doctorand I had left you so unceremoniously you could go back to your lonelyhome and be happy there."
"Why, did you think I would mourn for you?"
"Well, yes, I think that would be natural, considering something Iknow."
"Oh, I should like to hear what you know."
"If I tell you, I shall have to make a confession."
"What is a confession, and how can you make one? Have you anything tomake it of?"
"Oh, yes," I replied, laughing. "A confession is an acknowledgment thatone has done something wrong, and should be made to the person to whomthe wrong has been done."
"Well," said Mona, "if that is it, I am sure I shall never have to makeone, for I have never done anything wrong."
This agreed so well with my conception of her that I did not then takein the full meaning of her words, but said in reply:
"But I have, and this is one thing when you were talking to Zenith aboutme and thought I was unconscious I was recovering, and lay quite stillso as to hear what you said."
"And did I say anything to displease you?"
"No, indeed; you said you loved me, and it made me very happy."
"Oh, I remember now. Zenith said she hoped I loved you, and I told herI did. I have always loved you, of course, but I don't see how that canmake you happy."
"That
's singular," I answered. "I should think you would understand myfeeling from your own. But never mind. You and I will be lovers fromthis time forth, and give the people of Mars an example of devotionworth considering, will we not?"
"You do make the funniest speeches," she replied. "I don't know half thetime what you mean. But I am getting tired of sitting so long. Here isAntonia. You talk to her about love, and I'll go over and see Foedric."
The lightness of her manner, when I was so deeply in earnest, gave me afeeling of uneasiness, which was increased when I saw her easy, familiarway with Foedric and heard her merry song as she chatted with him. I wasnot very pleasant company for Antonia, for I could not prevent a returnof that dreadful jealousy. I wondered if this was always to be thehistory of my wooing--an hour of the supremest happiness, followed sospeedily by a period of such anguish. I could not possibly talk on anyother subject, and so I said to Antonia:
"They seem well pleased with each other's society. Are you not afraidFoedric will lose his heart to her?"
"My friend," she replied, "we never even think of such things as that. Ihope you are not serious in asking the question."
"Forgive me, Antonia," I answered; "I hardly know what I am saying."
And then I rose and followed Mona, and said to her when I came near:
"Well, my dear, what do you and Foedric find so pleasant to talk about?"
"Why, you see," she replied, "Foedric was the first one to find me afteryou were hurt, and has been very kind to me since, and I have just beentelling him I love him. You said it made you happy to hear me say itto you, and I wanted to make him happy too. And then I wanted to see ifFoedric would make such funny speeches as you did."
I controlled myself enough to ask:
"And what did Foedric say?"
"Why, his answer made me laugh more than yours did. He said it wouldmake you unhappy to know I had said such a thing to him. I replied thatI would tell you myself, and that you were always happy when I saidanything to you; and then you came up just in time."
"Now, Mona, do you think it is right to make sport of such a seriousmatter?"
"I assure you I am in earnest in all I have said."
"Then are you trying to deceive Foedric?"
"Deceive him? What is that?"
"Telling him what isn't true."
"No, indeed. I would never do that."
"It is true, then, that you love him?"
"Certainly it is; isn't it, Foedric?"
I did not wait for Foedric to answer, but continued:
"And still a short time ago you said you loved me."
"Well, is that any wonder, after what you have done for me?"
"But do you love us both at once?"
"I do."
"And do you love Foedric as much as you do me?"
"Certainly. Why shouldn't I? And now let me ask you a question. Do youlove me?"
"With all my heart."
"Then why do you bother me so, asking all these questions, and sayingthings I don't understand? You appear to be surprised to find that Ilove Foedric. Why, I love everybody. What am I going to do, if I cannotlove people as much as I want to?"
"You shall, Mona," I replied, with a sudden softening of my heart towardher. "I was only going to suggest that, if you love Foedric, Antonia maynot like you so well."
Foedric began to protest that Antonia would not care, but Mona wentright on with:
"Another complication. What possible difference could it make toAntonia?"
"Why, Antonia and Foedric love each other, you know."
"Oh, they love each other, and therefore no one else can love either ofthem. Is that it? But you have just been talking with Antonia. Don't youlove her?"
"Oh, no," I replied hastily. "Or, at any rate, not in the same way thatI love you."
"Not in the same way. That's another remark that I can't see any sensein. I must say for myself that I have but one way in which to love, andthat is with my whole heart, without reserve or qualification. I cannotparcel out my love, a little to one, a little more to another, and soon. It all goes out to everyone. I couldn't be happy if I should try torestrain it. I think it must be like this delicious sunlight, which I amjust beginning to enjoy, an equal comfort to all who choose to partakeof it. I love you dearly. What can I do more? If I love others, I amnot robbing you--take all you want, and then there will be just as muchleft."
"Mona," I asked, as she finished, "where did you get such a heart? Youare showing me how utterly selfish I have been."
"Good-by," she exclaimed; "I am going back to Antonia. May I love her?"
"You may love everybody," I answered, as she left me with an exquisitenote on her lips.
Foedric and I fell into conversation about her. Foedric praised her tothe skies, saying that, if this were a fair specimen, the inhabitants ofthe moon must have been a remarkable people, and that it was unfortunatethat they had so nearly passed from the stage.
When I found opportunity to think over the situation I concluded thatI had given my heart to a peculiar being, and what had I received inreturn? She loved me--that was certain. But what kind of love was this,which had no respect to persons? I knew I could claim no exclusive rightto the least corner of her heart, and yet she said: "All my heart isyours. What more can you ask?" I was not able to solve the riddle ofher mysterious nature, but as I heard her tuneful voice and watched herbeautiful face as she talked with Antonia, the very picture of innocenthappiness, I realized with great intensity that I loved her more thanever. And I resolved to be patient, and try to lead her gradually intothe way of loving which prevailed on the earth at the time we left it.
In due time we landed on the ruddy planet, and there was great diversionfor us all in seeing Mona's continued astonishment and in hearing hervaried song.
It seemed almost like home to enter Thorwald's house again, where wefound everything just as we had left it. The children did not exhibitany astonishment at our long absence, but were glad to see us back andeager to hear about our adventures.
The next morning after our arrival Thorwald gave us a long ride in anelectric carriage to show Mona the country. Returning, we took her aboutthe large house and were all delighted to hear her naive remarks. Atlength Zenith asked Thorwald if he could not think of something thatwould interest us all.