Chapter 3.
THE AURORAS' ANNUAL.
It was winter, and snow was on the ground; white and sparkling, and aslight as eider-down. Elodia kept a fine stable. Four magnificent whitehorses were harnessed to her sleigh, which was in the form of animmense swan, with a head and neck of frosted silver. The body of itwas padded outside with white varnished leather, and inside withvelvet of the color of a dove's breast. The robes were enormous skinsof polar bears, lined with a soft, warm fabric of wool and silk. Theharness was bestrung with little silver bells of most musical andmerry tone; and all the trappings and accoutrements were superb.Elodia had luxurious tastes, and indulged them.
Every day we took an exhilarating drive. The two deep, comfortableseats faced each other like seats in a landau. Severnius and Ioccupied one, and Elodia the other; so that I had the pleasure oflooking at her whenever I chose, and of meeting her eyes inconversation now and then, which was no small part of my enjoyment.The mere sight of her roused the imagination and quickened the pulse.Her eyes were unusually dark, but they had blue rays, and were asclear and beautiful as agates held under water. In fact they seemed toswim in an invisible liquid. Her complexion had the effect ofalabaster through which a pink light shines,--deepest in the cheeks,as though they were more transparent than the rest of her face. Herhead, crowned with a fascinating little cap, rose above her soft furslike a regal flower. She was so beautiful that I wondered at myselfthat I could bear the sight of her.
Strange to say, the weather was not cold, it was simplybracing,--hardly severe enough to make the ears tingle.
The roads were perfect everywhere, and we often drove into thecountry. The horses flew over the wide white stretches at anincredible speed.
One afternoon when, at the usual hour, the coachman rang the bell andannounced that he was ready, I was greatly disappointed to find thatwe were not to have Elodia. But I said nothing, for I was shy aboutmentioning her name.
When we were seated, Severnius gave directions to the driver.
"Time yourself, Giddo, so that you will be at the Public Square atprecisely three o'clock," said he, and turned to me. "We shall want tosee the parade."
"What parade?" I inquired.
"Oh! has not Elodia told you? This is The Auroras' Annual,--a greatday. The parade will be worth seeing."
In the excitement of the drive, and in my disappointment about nothaving Elodia with us, I had almost forgotten about The Auroras'Annual, when three o'clock came. I had seen parades in New York City,until the spectacle had calloused my sense of the magnificent, and Ivery much doubted whether Mars had anything new to offer me in thatline.
Punctual to the minute, Giddo fetched up at the Square,--among athousand or so of other turnouts,--with such a flourish as all Jehuslove. We were not a second too soon. There was a sudden burst ofmusic, infinitely mellowed by distance; and as far up the street asthe eye could well reach there appeared a mounted procession,advancing slowly. Every charger was snow white, with crimped mane andtail, long and flowing, and with trappings of various colorsmagnificent in silver blazonry.
The musicians only were on foot. They were beating upon drums andblowing transcendent airs through silver wind instruments. I do notknow whether it was some quality of the atmosphere that made thestrains so ravishing, but they swept over one's soul with a rapturethat was almost painful. I could hardly sit still, but I was held downby the thought that if I should get up I would not know what to do. Itis a peculiar sensation.
On came the resplendent column with slow, majestic movement; and Iunconsciously kept time with the drums, with Browning's stately lineson my tongue, but unspoken:
"Steady they step adown the slope, Steady they climb the hill."
There was no hill, but a very slight descent. As they drew nearer thesplendor of the various uniforms dazzled my eyes. You will rememberthat everything about us was white; the buildings all of white stoneor brick, the ground covered with snow, and the crowds of peoplelining the streets all dressed in the national color, or no-color.
There were several companies in the procession, and each company woredistinguishing badges and carried flags and banners peculiar toitself.
The housings on the horses of the first brigade were of yellow, andall the decorations of the riders corresponded; of the second paleblue, and of the third sky-pink. The uniforms of the riders wereinconceivably splendid; fantastic and gorgeous head-gear, glitteringbelts, silken scarfs and sashes, badges and medals flashing with gems,and brilliant colors twisted into strange and curious devices.
As the first division was about to pass, I lost my grip on myself andhalf started to my feet with a smothered exclamation, "Elodia!"
Severnius put out his hand as though he were afraid I was going toleap out of the sleigh, or do something unusual.
"What is it?" he cried, and following my gaze he added, "Yes, that isElodia in front; she is the Supreme Sorceress of the Order of theAuroras."
"The--_what_!"
"Don't be frightened," he laughed; "the word means nothing,--it isonly a title."
I could not believe him when I looked at the advancing figure ofElodia. She sat her horse splendidly erect. Her fair head was crownedwith a superb diadem of gold and topazes, with a diamond star in thecentre, shooting rays like the sun. Her expression was grave andlofty; she glanced neither to right nor left, but gazed straightahead--at nothing, or at something infinitely beyond mortal vision.Her horse champed its bits, arched its beautiful neck, and steppedwith conscious pride; dangling the gold fringe on its sheeny yellowsatin saddle-cloth, until one could hardly bear the sight.
"The words mean nothing!" I repeated to myself. "It is not so;Severnius has deceived me. His sister is a sorceress; a--I don't knowwhat! But no woman could preserve that majestic mien, that proudsolemnity of countenance, if she were simply--playing! There is amystery here."
I scrutinized every rider as they passed. There was not a man amongthem,--all women. Their faces had all borrowed, or had tried toborrow, Elodia's queenly look. Many of them only burlesqued it. Nonewere as beautiful as she.
When it was all over, and the music had died away in the distance, wedrove off,--Giddo threading his way with consummate skill, whichredounded much to his glory in certain circles he cared for, throughthe crowded thoroughfares.
I could not speak for many minutes, and Severnius was a man upon whomsilence always fell at the right time. I never knew him to break inupon another's mood for his own entertainment. Nor did he spy uponyour thoughts; he left you free. By-and-by, I appealed to him:
"Tell me, Severnius, what does it mean?"
"This celebration?" returned he. "With pleasure. Giddo, you may driveround for half an hour, and then take us to the Auroras' Temple,--itis open to visitors to-day."
We drew the robes closely, and settled ourselves more comfortably, aswe cleared the skirts of the crowd. It was growing late and the airwas filled with fine arrows of frost, touched by the lastsunbeams,--their sharp little points stinging our faces as we wereborne along at our usual lively speed.
"This society of the Auroras," said Severnius, "originated severalcenturies ago, in the time of a great famine. In those days the peoplewere poor and improvident, and a single failure in their crops leftthem in a sorry condition. Some of the wealthiest women of thecountry banded themselves together and worked systematically for therelief of the sufferers. Their faces appeared so beautiful, and beamedwith such a light of salvation as they went about from hut to hut,that they got the name of 'auroras' among the simple poor. And theybanished want and hunger so magically, that they were also called'sorcerers'."
"O, then, it is a charitable organization?" I exclaimed, muchrelieved.
"It was," replied Severnius. "It was in active operation for a hundredor so years. Finally, when there was no more need of it, the Statehaving undertaken the care of its poor, it passed into a sentiment,such as you have seen to-day."
"A very costly and elaborate sentiment," I retorted.
"Yes, and it is growing more so, all the time," said he. "I sometimeswonder where it is going to stop! For those who, like Elodia, haveplenty of money, it does not matter; but some of the women we saw inthose costly robes and ornaments can ill afford them,--they mean lessof comfort in their homes and less of culture to their children."
"I should think their husbands would not allow such a waste of money,"I said, forgetting the social economy of Mars.
"It does not cost any more than membership in the orders to which thehusbands themselves belong," returned he. "They argue, of course, thatthey need the recreation, and also that membership in such hightonedclubs gives them and their children a better standing and greaterinfluence in society."
Severnius did not forget his usual corollary,--the question with whichhe topped out every explanation he made about his country and people.
"Have you nothing of the sort on the Earth?" he asked.
"Among the women?--we have not," I answered.
"I did not specify," he said.
"O, well, the men have," I admitted; "I belong to one suchorganization myself,--the City Guards."
"And you guard the city?"
"No; there is nothing to guard it against at present. It's a'sentiment,' as you say."
"And do you parade?"
"Yes, of course, upon occasion,--there are certain great anniversariesin our nation's history when we appear."
"And why not your women?"
I smiled to myself, as I tried to fancy some of the New York ladies Iknew, arrayed in gorgeous habiliments for an equestrian exhibition onBroadway. I replied,
"Really, Severnius, the idea is entirely new to me. I think they wouldregard it as highly absurd."
"Do they regard you as absurd?" he asked, in that way of his which Iwas often in doubt about, not knowing whether he was in earnest ornot.
"I'm sure I do not know," I said. "They may,--our women have a keenrelish for the ludicrous. Still, I cannot think that they do; theyappear to look upon us with pride. And they present us with anelaborate silken banner about once a year, stitched together by theirown fair fingers and paid for out of their own pocket money. That doesnot look as though they were laughing at us exactly."
I said this as much to convince myself as Severnius.
The half-hour was up and we were at the Temple gate. The building,somewhat isolated, reared itself before us, a grand conception inchiseled marble, glinting in the brilliant lights shot upon it fromvarious high points. Already it was dark beyond the radius of theselights,--neither of the moons having yet appeared.
Severnius dismissed the sleigh, saying that we would walk home,--thedistance was not far,--and we entered the grounds and proceeded tomount the flight of broad steps leading up to the magnificentarched entrance. The great carved doors,--the carvings wereemblematic,--swung back and admitted us. The Temple was splendidlyilluminated within, and imagination could not picture anything moreimposing than the great central hall and winding stairs, visible allthe way up to the dome.
Below, on one side of this lofty hall, there were extensive andluxurious baths. Severnius said the members of the Order were fond ofcongregating here,--and I did not wonder at that; nothing thatappertains to such an establishment was lacking. Chairs and sofas thatwe would call "Turkish," thick, soft rugs and carpets, pictures,statuary, mirrors, growing plants, rare flowers, books, musicalinstruments. And Severnius told me the waters were delightful forbathing.
The second story consisted of a series of spacious rooms divided fromeach other by costly portieres, into which the various emblems anddevices were woven in their proper tinctures.
All of these rooms were as sumptuously furnished as those connectedwith the baths; and the decorations, I thought, were even morebeautiful, of a little higher or finer order.
In one of the rooms a lady was playing upon an instrument resembling aharp. She dropped her hands from the strings and came forwardgraciously.
"Perhaps we are intruding?" said Severnius.
"Ah, no, indeed," she laughed, pleasantly; "no one could be morewelcome here than the brother of our Supreme Sorceress!"
"Happy the man who has a distinguished sister!" returned he.
"I am unfortunate," she answered with a slight blush. "Severnius isalways welcome for his own sake."
He acknowledged the compliment, and with a certain reluctance, Ithought, said, "Will you allow me, Claris, to introduce myfriend--from another planet?"
She took a swift step toward me and held out her hand.
"I have long had a great curiosity to meet you, sir," she said.
I bowed low over her hand and murmured that her curiosity could notpossibly equal the pleasure I felt in meeting her.
She gave Severnius a quick, questioning look. I believe she thought hehad told me something about her. He let her think what she liked.
"How is it you are here?" he asked.
"You mean instead of being with the others?" she returned. "I have notbeen well lately, and I thought--or my husband thought--I had betternot join the procession. I am awaiting them here."
As she spoke, I noticed that she was rather delicate looking. She wastall and slight, with large, bright eyes, and a transparentcomplexion. If Elodia had not filled all space in my consciousness Ithink I should have been considerably interested in her. I liked herfrank, direct way of meeting us and talking to us. We soon left herand continued our explorations.
I wanted to ask Severnius something about her, but I thought heavoided the subject. He told me, however, that her husband, Massilia,was one of his closest friends. And then he added, "I wonder that shetook his advice!"
"Why so," I asked; "do not women here ever take their husbands'advice?"
"Claris is not in the habit of doing so," he returned with, I thought,some severity. And then he immediately spoke of something else quiteforeign to her.
The third and last story comprised an immense hall or assembly room,and rows of deep closets for the robes and paraphernalia of themembers of the Order. In one of these closets a skeleton was suspendedfrom the ceiling and underneath it stood a coffin. On a shelf werethree skulls with their accompanying cross-bones, and severalcruel-looking weapons.
Severnius said he supposed these hideous tokens were employed in theinitiation of new members. It seemed incredible. I thought that, if itwere so, the Marsian women must have stronger nerves than ours.
A great many beautiful marble columns and pillars supported the roofof the hall, and the walls had a curiously fluted appearance. Therewas a great deal of sculpture, not only figures, but flowers, vines,and all manner of decorations,--even draperies chiseled in marble thatlooked like frozen lace, with an awful stillness in their ghostlyfolds. There was a magnificent canopied throne on an elevation like anold-fashioned pulpit, and seats for satellites on either side, and atthe base. If I had been alone, I would have gone up and knelt downbefore the throne,--for of course that was where Elodia sat,--and Iwould have kissed the yellow cushion on which her feet were wont torest when she wielded her jeweled scepter. The scepter, I observed,lay on the throne-chair.
There was an orchestra, and there were "stations" for the variousofficials, and the walls were adorned with innumerable cabalisticinsignia. I asked Severnius if he knew the meaning of any of them.
"How should I know?" he replied in surprise. "Only the initiatesunderstand those things."
"Then these women keep their secrets," said I.
"Yes, to be sure they do," he replied.
The apartment to the right, on the entrance floor, opposite the baths,was the last we looked into, and was a magnificent banquet hall. Aservant who stood near the door opened it as though it had been thedoor of a shrine, and no wonder! It was a noble room in its dimensionsand in all its unparalleled adornments and appurtenances.
The walls and ceiling bristled with candelabra all alight. The tables,set for a banquet, held everything that could charm the eye or temptthe appetite in such a place.
I observed a grea
t many inverted stemglasses of various exquisitestyles and patterns, including the thin, flaring goblets, as delicateas a lily-cup, which mean the same thing to Marsians as to us.
"Do these women drink champagne at their banquets?" I asked, with afrown.
"O, yes," replied Severnius. "A banquet would be rather tame without,wouldn't it? The Auroras are not much given to drink, ordinarily, buton occasions like this they are liable to indulge pretty freely."
"Is it possible!" I could say no more than this, and Severnius wenton:
"The Auroras, you see, are the cream of our society,--the_elite_,--and costly drinks are typical, in a way, of the highestrefinement. Do you people never drink wine at your social gatherings?"
"The men do, of course, but not the women," I replied in a tone whichthe whole commonwealth of Paleveria might have taken as a rebuke.
"Ah, I fear I shall never be able to understand!" said he. "It is veryconfusing to my mind, this having two codes--social as well aspolitical--to apply separately to members of an identical community. Idon't see how you can draw the line so sharply. It is like having twodistinct currents in a river-bed. Don't the waters ever get mixed?"
"You are facetious," I returned, coldly.
"No, really, I am in earnest," said he. "Do no women in your countryever do these things,--parade and drink wine, and the like,--which yousay you men are not above doing?"
I replied with considerable energy:
"I have never before to-day seen women of any sort dress themselves upin conspicuous uniforms and exhibit themselves publicly for the avowedpurpose of being seen and making a sensation, except in circuses. Andcircus women,--well, they don't count. And of course we have a classof women who crack champagne bottles and even quaff other fieryliquors as freely as men, but I do not need to tell you what kind ofcreatures those are."
At that moment there were sounds of tramping feet outside, and theorchestra filed in at the farther end of the _salon_ and took theirplaces on a high dais. At a given signal every instrument was inposition and the music burst forth, and simultaneously the banquetersbegan to march in. They had put off their heavy outside garments butretained their ornaments and insignia. Their white necks and armsgleamed bewitchingly through silvered lace. They moved to their placeswithout the least jostling or awkwardness, their every step and motionproving their high cultivation and grace.
"We must get out of here," whispered Severnius in some consternation.But a squad of servants clogged the doorway and we were crowdedbackward, and in the interest of self-preservation we took refuge in asmall alcove behind a screen of tall hot-house plants with enormousleaves and fronds.
"Good heavens! what shall we do?" cried Severnius, beginning toperspire.
"Let us sit down," said I, who saw nothing very dreadful in thesituation except that it was warm, and the odor of the blossoms infront of us was overpowering. There was a bench in the alcove, and weseated ourselves upon it,--I with much comfort, for it was a littlecooler down there, and my companion with much fear.
"Would it be a disgrace if we were found here?" I asked.
"I would not be found here for the world!" replied Severnius. "Itwould not be a disgrace, but it would be considered highly improper.Or, to put it so that you can better understand it, it would be thesame as though they were men and we women."
"That is clear!" said I; and I pictured to myself two charming NewYork girls of my acquaintance secreting themselves in a hall where weCity Guards were holding a banquet,--ye gods!
As the feast progressed, and as my senses were almost swept away bythe scent of the flowers, I sometimes half fancied that it _was_ theCity Guards who were seated at the tables.
During the first half-hour everything was carried on with greatdignity, speakers being introduced--this occurred in the interimbetween courses--in proper order, and responding with graceful andwell-prepared remarks, which were suitably applauded. But after theglasses had been emptied a time or two all around, there came a changewith which I was very familiar. Jokes abounded and jolly little songswere sung,--O, nothing you would take exception to, you know, if theyhad been men; but women! beautiful, cultivated, charming women, witheyes like stars, with cheeks that matched the dawn, with lips that youwould have liked to kiss! And more than this: the preservers of ourideals, the interpreters of our faith, the keepers of our consciences!I felt as though my traditionary idols were shattered, until Iremembered that these were not my countrywomen, thank heaven!
Severnius was not at all surprised; he took it all as a matter ofcourse, and was chiefly concerned about how we were going to get outof there. It was more easily accomplished than we could have imagined.The elegant candelabra were a cunningly contrived system of electriclights, and, as sometimes happens with us, they went out suddenly andleft the place in darkness for a few convenient seconds. "Quick, now!"cried Severnius with a bound, and there was just time for us to makeour escape. We had barely reached the outer door when the wholebuilding was ablaze again.
Severnius offered no comments on the events of the evening, except tosay we were lucky to get out as we did, and of course I made none. Atmy suggestion we stopped at the observatory and spent a few hoursthere. Lost among the stars, my soul recovered its equilibrium. I havefound that little things cease to fret when I can lift my thoughts togreat things.
It must have been near morning when I was awakened by the jingling ofbells, and a sleigh driving into the _porte cochere_. A few momentslater I heard Elodia and her maid coming up the stairs. Her maidattended her everywhere, and stationed herself about like a dummy. Shewas the sign always that Elodia was not far off; and I am sure shewould have laid down her life for her mistress, and would havesuffered her tongue to be cut out before she would have betrayed hersecrets. I tell you this to show you what a power of fascinationElodia possessed; she seemed a being to be worshiped by high and low.
Severnius and I ate our breakfast alone the following morning. TheSupreme Sorceress did not get up, nor did she go down town to attendto business at all during the day. At lunch time she sent her maiddown to tell Severnius that she had a headache.
"Quite likely," he returned, as the girl delivered her message; "but Iam sorry to hear it. If there is anything I can do for her, tell herto let me know."
The girl made her obeisance and vanished.
"We have to pay for our fun," said Severnius with a sigh.
"I should not think your sister would indulge in such 'fun'!" Iretorted as a kind of relief to my hurt sensibilities, I was socruelly disappointed in Elodia.
"Why my sister in particular?" returned he with a look of surprise.
"Well, of course, I mean all those women,--why do they do such things?It is unwomanly, it--it is disgraceful!"
I could not keep the word back, and for the first time I saw a flashof anger in my friend's eyes.
"Come," said he, "you must not talk like that! That term may have adifferent signification to you, but with us it means an insult."
I quickly begged his pardon and tried to explain to him.
"Our women," I said, "never do things of that sort, as I have toldyou. They have no taste for them and no inclination in thatdirection,--it is against their very nature. And if you will forgiveme for saying so, I cannot but think that such indulgence as wewitnessed last night must coarsen a woman's spiritual fibre and dullthe fine moral sense which is so highly developed in her."
"Excuse me," interposed Severnius. "You have shown me in the case ofyour own sex that human nature is the same on the Earth that it is onMars. You would not have me think that there are two varieties ofhuman nature on your planet, corresponding with the sexes, would you?You say 'woman's' spiritual fibre and fine moral sense, as though shehad an exclusive title to those qualities. My dear sir, it isimpossible! you are all born of woman and are one flesh and one blood,whether you are male or female. I admit all you say about theunwholesome influence of such indulgence as wine drinking, late hours,questionable stories and songs,--a night's debauch, in fa
ct, which itrequires days sometimes to recover from,--but I must apply it to menas well as women; neither are at their best under such conditions. Ithink," he went on, "that I begin to understand the distinction whichyou have curiously mistaken for a radical difference. Your women, yousay, have always been in a state of semi-subjection--"
"No, no," I cried, "I never said so! On the contrary, they hold thevery highest place with us; they are honored with chivalrous devotion,cared for with the tenderest consideration. We men are their slaves,in reality, though they call us their lords; we work for them, endurehardships for them, give them all that we can of wealth, luxury, ease.And we defend them from danger and save them every annoyance in ourpower. They are the queens of our hearts and homes."
"That may all be," he replied coolly, "but you admit that they havealways been denied their political rights, and it follows that theirsocial rights should be similarly limited. Long abstinence from theindulgences which you regard as purely masculine, has resulted in ahabit merely, not a change in their nature."
"Then thank heaven for their abstinence!" I exclaimed.
"That is all very well," he persisted, "but you must concede that inthe first place it was forced upon them, and that was an injustice,because they were intelligent beings and your equals."
"They ought to thank us for the injustice, then," I retorted.
"I beg your pardon! they ought not. No doubt they are very lovely andinnocent beings, and that your world is the better for them. But they,being restricted in other ways by man's authority, or his wishes, orby fear of his disfavor perhaps, have acquired these gentle qualitiesat the expense of--or in the place of--others more essential to thefoundation of character; I mean strength, dignity, self-respect, andthat which you once attributed to my sister,--responsibility."
I was bursting with indignant things which I longed to say, but myposition was delicate, and I bit my tongue and was silent.
I will tell you one thing, my heart warmed toward my gentlecountrywomen! With all their follies and frivolities, with all theirinconsistencies and unaccountable ways, their whimsical fancies andpetty tempers, their emotions and their susceptibility to new ismsand religions, they still represented my highest and best ideals. AndI thought of Elodia, sick upstairs from her last night's carousal,with contempt.