PIRATIANS BEGONE

Chapter 57

And the doctor would have good reason for whatever enjoyment he mighthave at my expense, for I felt at first that I did not deserve anysympathy. When away from the powerful influence of that voice I wasmyself, and could see everything in its true perspective, but it isdifficult to describe the change that came over me as soon as thoseentrancing notes fell upon my ear. The music sent great waves of emotionthrough my being, the storm center generally appearing to be the seat ofmy affections. My heart would beat fast, going out toward the singerin sympathy and love. The doubts of propriety belonging to my sanemoments--hesitation, argument, uncertainty--all went in a flash, and Iwas almost ready to throw myself before her and proclaim my love withoutshame or embarrassment. At such times I felt that I could hold my headup in view of all the inhabitants of Mars and prove to them that I wasnot fickle, but as steadfast as constancy itself in following always oneand the same attraction. Was I not as true to the best that was in me,when my heart was ravished by the voice of Avis, as I was when I hadloved Greg so tenderly for the same sweet charm?

As day followed day in this delightful home, it was the society of Aviswhich I continually sought, and I was never quite happy except in herpresence, or, at least, within hearing distance of her voice. And it wasnot long before the constant association of Avis with the music Iloved so well began, even when I was not listening to her, to draw myaffections toward one who, at will, could exert such power over me.

Greg was still herself, the same friendly, joyous creature as ever, butthe knowledge that I could never gain her undivided affection helped tocure my infatuation. And now, with my heart free, why should I not loveAvis? The mere fact that she was an inhabitant of Mars proved that shewas far too good for me, but I could see by the example of Foedric andAntonia that Avis would never, in consequence of her high development,have any scruples against loving one person more than others.

When I had fully persuaded myself that I was perfectly consistent in mypresent course, I became quite anxious to know what others would thinkof me. But I was too much afraid of the doctor's criticism to confide mysecret to him. I must try one of the Martians, whose high breeding andtrue courtesy would not permit them to make light of one's feelings onso serious a subject.

So it was to Denim that I went for sympathy. She had been more thankind to me, and it is remarkable how easy and perfectly at home she mademe feel in her company.

"Denim," I began, "I want to consult you on a delicate subject, andI will first ask you a rather abrupt question. Will you give us yourpermission to take Avis back to the earth with us?"

A Martian never loses self-possession and is never at a loss what to sayto the most unexpected proposition.

"Well, that is abrupt," Denim quickly responded. "Do you know, Limeand I were talking only this morning about your apparent fondness forthe society of Avis. Are you forgetting Greg?"

This was getting into the subject faster than I had intended, and Idetermined to take my time, so I said:

"Zenit

h, this province must be the New England of Mars, by the way youevade my question and ask another."

"But you wouldn't expect me to answer such a question offhand. Yousee, it contains several new ideas. First, I didn't know you thought ofreturning to the earth. Then I am surprised that you should want totake anybody with you. And, finally, I am more surprised that you shouldchoose Avis rather than Greg. Now that I have explained so fully, may Inot ask you again if this means that you are forgetting Greg?"

"Greg is not able to sing for me," I said.

"And do your ideas of what is right allow you to become indifferent toher as soon as she loses one of her attractions? Here her misfortunewould tend to make her only more dear to one who really loved her."

To which I made haste to answer:

"I am proud to tell you, Denim, that such sentiments prevail on theearth, too, and I have been trying hard to hold them in my own breast.But in living with you I am learning to be honest, and it would not beright for me to deny that Greg's chief charm for me is gone from her,and is in the possession of another. The voice of Avis has the samepower over me that Greg's formerly had, and shall I fight against mygrowing fondness for Avis?"

"Is your race so little developed, then," asked Denim, "that your earsare the only avenue to your hearts?"

Before I could answer, Greg herself came bounding into the room, andDenim continued:

"There's the poor child now. How can you be so unkind to her?"

"Who's unkind to me?" asked Greg in her sign language.

"Denim thinks I am," I answered.

"Why, you are mistaken, Denim; he is just the opposite. We have alwaysloved each other, and I think more of him than ever since I lost myvoice, and he has ceased making serious speeches to me that I can'tunderstand. I wish you could see how he enjoys hearing Avis sing."

In this way Greg proved to Denim that she was not heart-broken. I wasgoing to explain the matter myself, but was glad to have Greg take itout of my hands.

The most difficult task yet remained. I must tell Avis how affairsstood; and yet, was it the proper thing for me to do? I wondered how thedelicate subject of making love was handled in Mars, where the two sexeswere perfectly equal. Which one was to make the advances? The matter issimple enough on the earth, where women are inferior and dependent. Ofcourse, they must smother their own feelings and wait to be discovered,while the men can make their selection, and if they do not succeed atfirst can simply try again. That is entirely proper, and everybody knowsjust what to do; but here things are probably different. I don't want tomake a failure in this case, as I did with Greg, not knowing the customsof the moon-dwellers. Perhaps my best way will be to try a littlecoquetry and pretend I do not care for her nor her singing. That maydraw her on to make some avowal to me.

I had gone so far in my deliberations, when I was interrupted by thedoctor, who called to ask if I did not want to go out with him. Iconsented reluctantly, as I preferred to go on with my thinking till Icould come to some decision. But the doctor had a purpose in takingme out, and, as soon as a good opportunity presented itself, he said,inquiringly:

"You find Avis a pretty good singer?"

"Excellent."

"And good company?"

"Excellent company. Why?"

"Oh, nothing; only I thought you were neglecting another friend."

"Why, Greg doesn't care for me, and Avis does, or, at least, I think shedoes."

"Do you mean by this," inquired the doctor, "that you have transferredto Avis the personal interest you had in Greg?"

"Have you anything to say in disparagement of Avis?" I asked.

"Certainly not. I have a high respect for her. But there is one otherplain question I would like to ask you, in view of your rather erraticbehavior."

"Well, what is it? I'm dying to know."

"It is this. What are you going to do with Kim?"

"Kim? Oh, yes, I forgot about Kim. That is something else Ihave got to think over."

That night, as I was falling asleep, the same sweet, familiar music cameto me from a distant part of the house. Half-thinking and half-dreaming,I let my mind drift where it would. The sensation received through myears was so delicious and so satisfying that I wondered why I couldnot rest in it entirely and not think of the singer; but that wasimpossible. The notes penetrated from my brain down to the region ofmy heart. I thought of Kim, but Kim could not sing like that.Greg could not, now; no one but Avis. Oh, how I loved her for it! Iremembered how nice Kim was, and how much I had once thought ofher; but as for loving her now, with this music of Mars in my ears, why,I simply couldn't try to do it. At last Kim, Greg, Avis, all becamejumbled up in my chaotic mind, and I thought they were one superb woman,and I loved her. The conceit was worthy the colossal selfishness of adreamer. The essence of three worlds was mine. The earth, the moon, andMars had all given me their best. And she could sing. The thought wassoothing. I was asleep.

The events related in the foregoing chapter were interesting to us all,in one way and another, but the doctor and I felt that the real purposeof our visit to Mars, if anything so unpremeditated could be said tohave a purpose, was to learn all we could of the planet, and especiallyof its people. And as we did not know how soon our visit might bebrought to a close, we lost no time in urging Lime to continue hisinstruction whenever he could find it convenient. Lime's answer tothis was, that he hoped nothing would occur to hasten our departure, butthat it was his convenience to heed at any time our wishes, and he wouldresume his talk as soon as we pleased. So it was not long before we wereseated, and Lime began again as follows:

"It is now my privilege to speak to you, my friends, of that part ofour history which differs from anything you have experienced, and Ianticipate much pleasure in doing so. I must say again that we havefound the parallel remarkably close between your career and ours up tothe time when you left the earth."

"We have indeed," remarked the doctor, "and that makes us all themore anxious to learn what came to you next and how you escaped thethreatening storms."

"There were certainly many clouds upon our horizon at that day," resumedLime. "The people were full of unrest. The worst part wanted toreplace organized society with anarchy, but this extreme party neversucceeded in their purpose. The world had progressed too far for that.There were too many churches and schools and printing presses. Theanarchists should have begun their efforts in a ruder age.

"There was more danger from the jealousies and mischievous tendenciesamong the great industrial class, because their number was so large. Buteven here the same influences which saved us from the nihilist had theireffect. As time went on, men came to think more, and the result of thiswas that both conscience and reason began to govern men's actions.

"The workmen had looked about them and had seen many corporationsincreasing in wealth and power, and individuals rolling up enormousfortunes, and they had felt that they were not getting a fair share ofthe money their labor was earning. But then a little thought enabledthem to realize that these evidences of great prosperity came from thesuccessful few, while a large proportion of all business ventures werefailures; and in these the employees received more of the profits thanthe owners did. Then the wage-earners had the benefit of much ofthe money accumulated in large fortunes, by having the free use oflibraries, trade schools, reading rooms, and an increasing number ofphilanthropic institutions, which were equipped and endowed by the rich.Such a use of wealth became an ordinary thing, so that it was not amatter of wonder and wide notice when a man spent a liberal share of hisfortune in educational or other humanitarian work.

"All this had a great effect on the mass of the people, graduallyraising the average of character, and placing before the mind a higherincentive for right living. Ignorance had always been to the race atwin enemy with sin, and the growth of intelligence meant the generalelevation of mankind.

"Another chief item in the reformation of men in that age of improvementwas the general abandonment of the drinking habit. You will understand,of course, that the mainspring of all these reforms was the gospel ofChrist, under which man's spiritual nature was gradually developing.But, at the same time, there was always a secondary cause, and throughhuman instrumentality such blessings came to us. What do you supposebrought about the overthrow of intemperance?"

"I suspect," answered the doctor, with a glance at our hostess, "it wasthe growing influence of woman, who, by that time, according to Denim'saccount, ought to be taking quite a leading position."

"Doctor," said Lime, "you take in the situation completely. Ifthere was one thing woman had always been sure she could do, it was thebreaking up of the liquor traffic. In the old days, when she had beentreated as man's inferior, she had declared that, if she had the power,she would stamp out the manufacture and sale of intoxicating drinks, andmake it impossible for men to get them at any price. And when power cameto her I am glad to say she proved that her boast had not been in vain.Not that she fulfilled her threat in any such dramatic way as she hadhad in mind, but the end was accomplished just as surely by the forceof her high character, working itself out in many ways. It was chiefly acrusade of education. The children of one generation after another weretaught the value of right habits and purity of body, and in time thechange was wrought, a victory for woman more precious to the race thanany army of mailed warriors had ever won.

"With temperance came better manners, more self-respect, a kinderspirit, a more tender care for others, and, along with these things,better hearts and better homes."

As Lime had invited us to interrupt him as often as we pleased, Itook advantage of a pause here by saying:

"I see, Lime, you are making the people all too good to leave anyfear in the mind of a social convulsion, but I would like to ask howpolitics were smoothed out. During that period of