Zarlah the Martian

  CHAPTER X.

  ZARLAH'S CONFESSION.

  It was with a feeling of thankfulness that, upon opening my eyes, Ifound myself in the virator. The storm, which I had feared might provedisastrous, had been passed through safely, and now reigned thewonderful quiet of Mars. The strange uneasiness, which I had experiencedupon my departure from Earth, was forgotten in the anticipation of thegreat joy before me, or I would have noticed that the usual calm, evercharacteristic of Almos, was lacking.

  It was already past the hour of my appointment with Zarlah, and, eagerto be with her, I hastily made the necessary preparations for my returnto Earth. Although these consisted merely of changing the current sothat it would flow from the virator to Earth, and adjusting theclockwork for the hour of departure, I had decided upon the importanceof doing this beforehand, as any mistake made in the haste of departurewould prove fatal to either Almos or myself.

  These preparations attended to, I now made my way to the balcony. I hadrelied upon Almos' knowledge to guide me to Zarlah, and, as I reachedthe open air, I at once felt his judgment assert itself. Two aerenoidswere moored to the balcony, a large high-speed one of the submarine-boattype and a small open one. Into the latter I stepped, and, with aperfect knowledge of its operation, glided out upon the cool night air.

  Gently rising to about three hundred feet, I lay suspended between thefairyland stretched beneath me and the brilliantly starred heavens. Iwas perfectly aware of the direction in which I was to go, but for a fewmoments I lay thus suspended, enjoying as could only an inhabitant ofEarth, the strangeness and marvel of it all.

  The little vessel had reached the limit of height to which it wasdesigned to ascend and, upon realizing this, I became aware that, forsafety, all aerenoids are limited to a certain height by the amount ofrepelling metal used in their construction. The high-speed aerenoids,owing to their build, being better adapted to withstand the atmosphericconditions at a great altitude, can ascend several thousand feet, butall are limited to what is considered a safe height for the class towhich they belong. The action of the repelling metal being independentof the atmosphere, the danger of an aerenoid getting beyond control, andrising above the envelope of air which surrounds the planet is thuseliminated.

  As these thoughts came into my mind, I glanced up into the heavens withits countless stars--one being the world from which I came--when lo! aremarkable phenomenon met my gaze. In the west hung a crescent moon,somewhat smaller than Earth's moon, but extremely brilliant, while outof the east rose another moon at its full. So rapidly did this lattermoon rise, that its journey through the heavens was perceptible, and itwas evident that within an hour it would sink into the western horizon,having gradually changed its phase to a crescent. In seven hours itwould encircle Mars, and again appear above the eastern horizon.

  My interest in this moon was intensified when I realized that it wasbut a few thousand miles distant, and so small, that it would requirebut a couple of days' comfortable walking to encircle it. Compared withmy journey from Earth, this few thousand miles seemed but aninsignificant distance, and I immediately thought of the possibility ofreaching it in a high-speed aerenoid to which a sufficient amount of therepelling metal was attached to overcome the gravity of Mars. But Iinstantly was aware of the fact that an attempt to reach this moon hadbeen made many years previously, and that the intrepid Martians whoundertook the hazardous journey, never returned. Although their aerenoidcarried enough oxygen to supply them for many days after they had leftthe atmosphere of Mars, it was decided later that they had been lost inspace, unable either to reach the moon or return to Mars. The gravity ofso small a body would be insufficient to draw them to it, unless theytraveled straight in its direction, and, as the moon was moving rapidlyaround Mars, the chances of this were admittedly small. Moreover, onceout of the atmosphere of Mars, it would be impossible to propel theaerenoid, and, having missed the moon, they would travel on and onthrough endless space. Had they reached the moon they could havereturned, as the repelling force on a body with so little gravity, wouldbe greatly increased, and would have hurled them into the gravity ofMars again, as soon as they exposed the repelling metal. There could beno doubt that they had never reached the moon, and their terrible fateresulted in a safe limitation of this dangerous metal upon allaerenoids.

  So absorbed had I become in these intensely interesting details suppliedby Almos' knowledge, that time had passed without my realizing it, and,reproaching myself for having wasted the valuable moments I might havespent with Zarlah, I now moved the lever at my side and glided gentlyforward.

  The moon, however, as it rapidly journeyed across the heavens, seemed tohold a strange fascination for me, and my gaze constantly reverted toit. Had I realized that this fascination was caused by the approach of aterrible danger, I might have paid heed to the warning, but desirous nowto get to my journey's end, which, according to Earth's proverb, shouldend in a lover's meeting, I thought only of the time I had lost, andimpatiently put the subject from my mind.

  Moreover, as my meeting with Zarlah drew near, thoughts that wererelevant and of a more serious character filled my mind. My presentvisit to her now began to appear most unjustifiable. If I had foundexcuse for my action of the previous evening, in the enthusiasm of sosuddenly beholding the object of my adoration, unaccustomed as I was tomy strange position, I had no such excuse now. To appear before heragain as Almos, after having seen my folly and realized the deceit of myposition toward her, would be an act of shameful duplicity. I had notrealized this before, for I had thought only of my great love for herand the joy of again being with her, but now the crushing force withwhich the truth presented itself, caused me to hesitate before takinganother step that I now felt would be impossible to justify beforeAlmos. In this great uncertainty of mind I glided slowly along.

  The wonderful stillness of the night was broken only by the faint hum ofvoices and merry laughter that reached me from below. Glancing down, Iobserved numerous open aerenoids floating some two hundred feet beneathme, while now and then those of the high-speed class appeared, slowlywending their way toward the canals, to fly to different parts of theglobe. But although I was aware that for convenience of landing it wascustomary to travel just high enough to escape the buildings, Icontinued on at my present elevation, as I felt the need of deep andearnest thought, which I realized would be impossible amid the gaythrong nearer the surface.

  As the highest speed attainable by open aerenoids, which were usedmainly for pleasure, was but eight miles an hour, my journey of fivemiles gave me ample time for meditation; and when I at last alighted onthe balcony of a small white marble villa, to which I had instinctivelyguided my aerenoid, I had fully determined upon what I felt to be theonly honorable course to pursue. This was to confide all in Zarlah, and,no matter at what cost, to reveal to her the strange conditions that hidthe identity of a being from another world behind that of her friendAlmos.

  Having secured my aerenoid, I stood on the balcony, entranced at thebeauty of the scene before me, which lay bathed in a wonderfulstarlight--far more brilliant than the light of the full moon uponEarth--shed by a myriad of blazing gems in a sky that knew no clouds. Aperfect stillness reigned, save for the rippling laughter of a littlestream, that wended its way through an avenue of trees to a lake ofglistening silver, a short distance beyond.

  "What happiness would be mine in such a paradise, with Zarlah for myown!" I thought, and a great anguish filled my heart, as I realized theimpossibility of it--and now for the first time I also realized theimpossibility of life without Zarlah. A sudden dread of meeting the oneI loved came upon me--a dread of seeing the light of love in her eyes,even for an instant, knowing that it was not for me. I felt I could notbear to behold the look of tenderness in her beautiful face change toone of hatred, upon learning how she had been deceived; and in my agonyof spirit, I cried in a voice of deep emotion:

  "Ah, Zarlah! I have won you, yet you are not mine! You have loved me,yet I am not loved!"

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p; "I am yours, and I love you, Harold," softly protested a voice at myside.

  With a start I turned and beheld Zarlah, and for a moment I stood as ifgazing at an apparition.

  Realizing my bewilderment, she laid her hand gently upon my arm, and ina low voice, full of compassion, said: "It is Harold Lonsdale whom Ilove!"

  In a delirium of ecstasy I caught the small white hand and pressed it tomy lips. Passing my arm about her I drew her tenderly toward me, gazingdown into her beautiful eyes where lay a world of tenderness and love.My heart was too full for words--it was all too wonderful to understand;enough that I knew Zarlah to be wholly mine, and in those few silentmoments of absolute happiness and contentment, the little stream's merrylaughter seemed to swell into the great joyous chorus of all creation,behind which is the great love principle.

  Together we left the balcony and walked beneath the giant trees towardthe lake, Zarlah relating to me how, through an instrument shepossessed, which transmitted and received thought-waves, she had notonly learned of Almos' communication with Earth, but had descried amental picture of the inhabitant of that distant world with whom he hadspoken.

  On the evening of my first communication with Mars, Zarlah was testingthis instrument on Almos' mind, when, to her great astonishment, shecame into thought communication with Earth. As this was the first trialof the instrument, Almos himself was unaware of the success that hadcrowned Zarlah's invention, though he had taken much interest in it, andhad on several occasions given his advice during its construction.Although this instrument was only capable of transmitting and receivingthought-waves over a few miles, it was evident that through the mediumof Almos' mind, which was in communication with mine, the thought-waveswere conveyed to Earth by the super-radium current.

  Zarlah had thus learned of my proposed visit to Mars, but had not knownwhen the attempt was to be made, until, seeing Almos in evident distressat the recital of the lumaharp, she had feared that the attempt hadproved disastrous. When, however, I evinced my astonishment at seeingher, she knew instantly that before her stood the personality of theman from distant Earth, who had been projected to her in mentalpictures, and who was called Harold Lonsdale. When I spoke to her of mylove, she realized that her image had also been projected to my mind,and, as she listened to my impassioned words, she recognized in them thethoughts of love that had accompanied the projection of my image.Indeed, my every thought of Zarlah, during wave contact, had beenprojected to her through the medium of this remarkable instrument.

  With a keen desire to see and examine the mechanism, by which thoughtscould be transferred over millions of miles, I said: "But where is thiswonderful instrument of which you speak, Zarlah?"

  We had reached the lake, and now stood on the bank overlooking itsglistening surface.

  A tremor ran through her slight form as she drew closer to me, and saidimploringly: "You must not ask to see it! Oh, Harold! Do you not realizethe grief this instrument has brought into our lives? Have you partakenof the sweetness so deeply, that you fail to perceive the bitternessthat lies beneath? You can be but a beloved memory to me--the memory ofa lover millions of miles away--but we are separated by that which isfar greater than distance!"

  Her voice died away in a sob, and, as I drew her gently toward me, shewept bitterly. Thus had I of Earth brought tears into a world that hadnot known sorrow for hundreds of years.

  "But, dearest," I argued, tenderly smoothing back the soft brown hair,and striving to cheer her, "we are now commencing on an era of planetcommunication, and it may not be long before a means is discovered ofactually transferring people from one planet to another. Did notexplorers, some years ago, have this in mind, when they attempted toreach the nearest moon? And even though they failed to reach their goal,who knows that they were not drawn to some planet that was in oppositionat that time, and are now prepared for a return journey at the nextopposition? With the complete absence of resistance there is in space,their speed would become terrific--thousands of miles a minute--and atsuch a rate it would be possible to reach a planet in opposition, longbefore their month's supply of oxygen became exhausted. Heat would notbe generated as there would be no friction until the planet'satmosphere was reached, but long before this they would have appliedtheir repelling force, which would reduce their speed, thus enablingthem to sail gently through the atmosphere and alight safely on theplanet's surface."

  Although I had not as much confidence in such an achievement as I soughtto inspire (well knowing the vast difference between a spiritualtransfer and a material one over such a tremendous distance), I wished,above all, to cheer Zarlah. Indeed, I feared that grief might bring themost serious consequences on Mars. I was greatly relieved, therefore,upon observing her countenance light up with a sudden interest, as Iexpressed these sanguine predictions as to the future.

  It was not until some hours later, when I was alone, that this incidentcaused me much anxiety, as I remembered that, in spite of the keeninterest Zarlah had evinced, she had carefully avoided any allusion tothe subject afterwards. But in the subsequent events of the evening thisescaped my notice, and, glad to observe the soothing effect my words hadupon her, I did not pursue the thought further.

  We had descended by a flight of stone steps to the water's edge, and,as we stepped upon the narrow strip of pebbly beach, walled in bycavernous rocks, Zarlah, with great earnestness, exclaimed: "You areright, dear Harold, we must be hopeful, and not waste the few preciousmoments we have together in regrets that are useless. We shall alwayslove each other, and if we are brave--even unto death--Love will find away!"

  Poor Zarlah! Little did I imagine the desperate plan that was alreadyforming in her mind when she uttered these words, that before the closeof another day would indeed have proved her "brave even unto death."

  Drawing closer to me and turning her beautiful face up to mine, shesaid, after a pause, in which she seemed to read my very soul: "Beforeme lies a duty, Harold, which with you at my side I have the strength toperform, but without you the sacrifice is too great."

  "What is it, dearest?" I asked, pressing the little hand I held to mylips.

  "It is to destroy the wicked instrument of which I have told you. I hadnot the courage to do this before, as I feared for your safety inreturning to Earth, and to have destroyed it then would have left me infearful suspense. But now I must put away, forever, this awful thingthat possesses the power to reveal the thoughts of my fellow beings,that its mechanism may never become known and thus prove an eternalcurse to the world."

  With these words, Zarlah disappeared for a moment in the gloom of a cavenearby, and, returning with a small metal box, said in a voice whichbetrayed great emotion: "Take it, Harold, and hurl it far out into thewaters of the lake, where it will sink forever from sight!"

  The earnestness with which Zarlah had spoken of this device, proved howdeeply its existence troubled her conscience, and restrained me frommaking any attempt to persuade her from thus severing a connectingstrand between two hearts so widely separated. I therefore took the boxand, with all my strength, hurled it far out into the lake, where itsank to remain a secret for all time.

  Swiftly flew those precious moments in which Fate had destined that twohearts from separate worlds should taste of each other's love, andthen--what? Alone in our great love we drank deeply the cup ofhappiness, and the hour of parting, ever drawing nearer, seemed but acloud on the horizon. At last, yielding to necessity, we retraced oursteps, leaving the scene of our joyous love behind, and the dread ofparting filled our hearts and stifled our words of happiness.

  Strange to say, as I stood in that other world, there surged through myalien mind some lines of Clinton Scollard's, which I had once learned,little dreaming of their significance:

  "Lo, it has come, the inevitable hour When thou and I, beloved one, must part; When heart be sundered from caressing heart, And ungloomed skies be turned to dreary gray."

  A silence fell upon us, both dreading to put into words the thoughts weknew
must be spoken. Then, as our hearts beat audibly in the sacredstillness of night that had fallen about us, Zarlah murmured, clingingto me in despair, "Oh, Harold, my love, how can we bear the agony ofbeing parted!"

  "I would give my life to remain with you, dearest!" I answered, pressingher passionately to me, but in a more soothing tone I added,

  "We must be brave, love, it is but for a day--to-morrow I shall return,but before my departure from Earth I will speak with Almos, and tell himthat I wish to abandon my body forever and to abide in spirit on Mars.In a virator constructed with two upper chambers, my spirit could beretained indefinitely, and I would then see you daily through the mediumof Almos. To-morrow, dearest, I shall return to you with good news."

  "Ah! Harold, you do not see the impossibility of such a thing--youcannot behold it through a woman's eyes. No, no! I can never see Almosagain! I gave my love to you through his medium, and to see him when youwere absent would be greater agony than I could bear. I must go withyou, Harold, to the world in which you live, where I can have youalways."

  With words of love and assurance I tried to comfort the brave littleheart that beat so loyally for me, and, fearing to leave her in thisunhappy condition, I lingered until barely time remained in which toreach the observatory before Paris would pass out of wave contact.Explaining this to Zarlah, we hurried to the villa, and, as we ascendedthe steps to the balcony, I beheld a large high-speed aerenoid resting ashort distance from mine. This, Zarlah begged me to take, explainingthat by rising a few hundred feet above the elevation of smallaerenoids, I could safely exceed the customary speed of local traffic.She explained that her brother had just returned in it from the north,where he had spent the day in the enjoyment of winter pastimes.

  My heart was too full of the sorrow of parting to be aroused toenthusiasm at even such a wonder as this, and, realizing that I would beunaccustomed to an aerenoid that was strange to Almos, I decided totrust to the smaller one reaching the observatory in time. But not amoment was to be lost, and, begging Zarlah to be courageous until myreturn the following evening, I pressed her to my heart in a last fondembrace.

  Oh! the agony of that moment, as I felt the slender form in my armsconvulsed with sobs, while I, struggling frantically with the emotionsthat tore my heart, whispered words of passionate love; and as at last Irose in the night air, condemned by Fate to journey millions of milesfrom her I adored, my soul cried out in its anguish:

  "'Ah, Love! could thou and I with Fate conspire To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire, Would not we shatter it to bits--and then Re-mould it nearer to our Heart's Desire?'"