CHAPTER II.
JUNGFRAU.
We got to N, on the slopes of Jungfrau, about noon on the 26th. We lunched at a little auberge, and then climbed up the slope, pretending that we were merely on a walk, and refusing a guide. Without much difficulty we reached the spot pointed out by Aleriel on the map. After some three hours' walking, we sat down on a rock waiting the sunset. Slowly the orb of day sank to the west, amid the glorious mountains. The rosy tints of sunset were just beginning to adorn the peaks, when I noticed coming towards me a figure wrapped in a large cloak, who, as he drew nearer I saw must be my mysterious friend.
"Oh, I am so frightened," said Maud, seizing my arm. "There he is. I wish we had not come. I wish I had never persuaded you to take this mad journey."
"Do not fear, dearest; all will be well. God is overhead, and will protect us. Besides, there is nothing evil or unkind in this strange being."
"I am glad you have come," said Posela, for it was he. "My friends would like to see you before they leave Earth. They wish to see a man before they quit this world. And thank you, madam, also for coming. They will be glad to meet you," he added to Maud; "you are as welcome as your husband. Follow me."
It was easier said than done. The ascent grew more and more difficult, and in some parts rather dangerous. Aleriel had to help us in several places; but he said nothing, and I was really, I must own it, too awed to trouble him with questions. The scenery was magnificent, but terrible. The sun had now set, and the Alpine peaks were tinted with rose light. This grew dimmer and dimmer, till the cold, white snows stood out against the black night sky. Still we followed our mysterious guide up the mountain side.
At length, getting anxious, I said, "Is it much further? It is dangerous to be on Jungfrau in the dark, and it soon will be dark."
"We have almost arrived. Descend this gulley."
He pointed to a small depression in the mountain side, almost full of snow. We, following his direction, glided down into it some thirty feet. Then he led us a few yards up the ravine, to a vast snow-pile, and pointed to an opening cut in the snow. Taking Maud by the hand, he led her towards it. She entered with him, and I followed close. A metal door stood in the snow. Aleriel opened it. A blaze of light came from within. Maud, who was in front, and thus could see more than I, gave a sudden scream, and fell backwards fainting in my arms. What could it be? As yet I had seen nothing but the light.
Aleriel took from his breast a phial, and poured a few drops on her lips. She revived almost at once, crying out, "Oh, do not go in! They are dreadful—so unearthly!"
"Who?" I said. "Let me see."
I leant forward, and once at least in my life I beheld a scene plainly of another world. It was a small room, encrusted all over with crystals of every colour and strange ornaments in curious designs. It rose into a little domeshaped roof, in the centre of which blazed a powerful electric light, which made all around glitter. On the walls were fixed a dozen or so curious instruments of a nature quite unknown to me. In the dome there fluttered a large eagle, which had evidently been alarmed at Maud's cry. But this was not the curious part of the scene. On the side of the room opposite to the door were two strange beings with large wings, but who, I noticed in a moment after, were somewhat human in aspect, with faces full of intelligence and of calm expression. On their breasts were brilliant gorgets of jewels of divers colours, and down to their feet hung long robes of metallic tissue, richly embroidered in singular designs. It was indeed a combination of the bird type of life with human, or more than human, intelligence.
They looked at us as if with curiosity and interest, and then each waving their hands (for they had hands, unlike the avine tribe) over their heads in what looked like a gesture of greeting, suddenly burst forth together in a short song of welcome, soft, sweet, and enthralling. It had a most weird and unearthly effect. They seemed utter foreigners to us in every sense,—in nature, in language, in mode of greeting; in fact, they evidently were not of the earth earthy.
"This is our mode of greeting a stranger," said Aleriel. "Every nation on earth has its diversity of customs, surely another world must be distinct from earth in all things."
I bowed to the mysterious beings, and entered the jewelled room. Maud stood at the threshold still awe-struck, but I beckoned her to come in also. It was truly an unearthly scene. I never realised till now how perfectly and cleverly Aleriel had disguised himself to seem so human.
I looked around me. All was quaint and unearthly, but, for all that, beautiful. Crystals of every tint glittered around and about me in curious and quaint designs. Everything looked different to what we are accustomed to see. It was impossible to conjecture what some things were for, and why they were so made. It was evident that nothing there was earthly, or made by human hands.
"You are cold," said Aleriel. "We can easily warm the car. All the forces of nature are under our command here."
So saying, he touched a metal knob on the side of the vault. In a moment a warm breath seemed pouring down upon us from above. I looked up and saw two of the ornaments in the roof glowing at white heat, apparently under powerful electric action.
There was no seat in the room; but Aleriel took two downy couches and laid them at our feet, bidding us repose there, and, as he did so, one of his strange companions, reaching up, unhung from one of the ornaments a large ruby vase full of grapes and bread, and, walking across, offered them to Maude. She shrank at the approach of the strange being, and turned to me as if for protection. I thought to myself, "No human power could protect us here if these strange creatures, with their wonderful command over the forces of nature, chose to injure or kill us." I felt how powerless humanity was in such a company.
Aleriel noted the shrinking, and consoled her.
"Do not refuse our friend, Ezariel. You have never had the opportunity before of receiving from the hands of a being of another world the fruits of earth. That vase I brought from the great ocean-capital of Mars. So see three worlds, the triad of which earth is centre and largest, are here joined together. The giver is from Venus, the fruits of Earth, the vase from Mars. Accept, pray, his refreshment."
She took the fruit and bread. He offered it to me, and I accepted it also.