PIRATIANS BEGONE

Chapter 33

"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 Hanna, 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 Hanna 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 Hanna's immediate company, though no oneseemed to think we need feel at all embarrassed when our conversationwas overheard by others.

"Hanna," 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 ship healerand 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 Hanna, "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 Ragul 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. Ragul 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 Hanna, 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, Hanna, 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, Hanna," 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 Hanna 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."

"Hanna," 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 Hanna's continued astonishment and in hearing hervaried song.

It seemed almost like home to enter Harod'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 Harod gave us a long ride in anelectric carriage to show Hanna the country. Returning, we took her aboutthe large house and were all delighted to hear her naive remarks. Atlength Ragul asked Harod if he could not think of something thatwould interest us all.

Let us step into the music room," said Harod. "ship healer, whatacquaintance have you with the telephone?"

"We think we have brought the telephone to a considerable degree ofperfection," said the ship healer. "At first it was rather crude, and manypreferred to forego its use in order to escape its annoyances. But ofrecent years great improvements have been made, until its employment isnow a pleasure, as well as an essential help in our business and sociallife."

"Does it minister to any other sense than the hearing?"

"It does not, although I have seen a vague promise somewhere of aninvention by which we could see an image of the person we were speakingto."

"If that is all, I shall be able to give you a pleasant surprise,"pursued Harod. "Just sit in those chairs, and do nothing but keepyour eyes open and listen."

We saw him arrange a series of long panels, in which were elegantmirrors, and then, as he gently pulled an ivory knob, there fellupon our ears, very faintly, like distant echoes, strains of the mostdelicious music. Gradually the tones became louder and more defined,and Ragul, with a quick smile and glance, directed our attention to theopposite side of the room. There our wondering eyes beheld the orchestrawith whose notes we were then enchanted. There must have been a hundredplayers or more, and we seemed to be looking upon them from a distancewhich would bring the whole group within the bounds of the room. Itwas not a picture thrown on a screen, but was as if the musicians wereactually present. Every motion made with their instruments was in exactaccord with the accompanying note, and, wherever this orchestra mighthave its local habitation, it was certainly playing before our littleaudience that morning.

As the selection ended the scene faded away under the manipulation ofHarod, and in a moment the room was filled with a harmony of voicessuch as I had never heard on the earth. And now the great chorusappeared, crowding this time three sides of the apartment and rising,tier on tier, to the ceiling. We could see the glad faces of the singersand knew how they must be enjoying their work. Brilliant solo partsburst out from one side and the other, and again from the middle throng,but it was impossible to tell from what individual singers these notescame.