the mahatma and the hare-第4章

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communicated　the　facts　to　Jorsen。　He　ordered　me　to　publish　them；　and
what　Jorsen　orders　must　be　done。　I　don't　know　why　this　should　be；　but
it　is　so。　He　has　authority　of　a　sort　that　I　am　unable　to　define。

One　night　after　the　usual　aspirations　and　concentration　of　mind；　which
by　the　way　are　not　always　successful；　I　passed　into　what　occultists
call　spirit；　and　others　a　state　of　dream。　At　any　rate　I　found　myself
upon　the　borders　of　the　Great　White　Road；　as　near　to　the　mighty　Gates
as　I　am　ever　allowed　to　come。　How　far　that　may　be　away　I　cannot　tell。
Perhaps　it　is　but　a　few　yards　and　perhaps　it　is　the　width　of　this
great　world；　for　in　that　place　which　my　spirit　visits　time　and
distance　do　not　exist。　There　all　things　are　new　and　strange；　not　to　be
reckoned　by　our　measures。　There　the　sight　is　not　our　sight　nor　the
hearing　our　hearing。　I　repeat　that　all　things　are　different；　but　that
difference　I　cannot　describe；　and　if　I　could　it　would　prove　past
comprehension。

There　I　sat　by　the　borders　of　the　Great　White　Road；　my　eyes　fixed　upon
the　Gates　above　which　the　towers　mount　for　miles　on　miles；　outlined
against　an　encircling　gloom　with　the　radiance　of　the　world　beyond　the
worlds。　Four…square　they　stand；　those　towers；　and　fourfold　the　gates
that　open　to　the　denizens　of　other　earths。　But　of　these　I　have　no
knowledge　beyond　the　fact　that　it　is　so　in　my　visions。

I　sat　upon　the　borders　of　the　Road；　my　eyes　fixed　in　hope　upon　the
Gates；　though　well　I　knew　that　the　hope　would　never　be　fulfilled；　and
watched　the　dead　go　by。

They　were　many　that　night。　Some　plague　was　working　in　the　East　and
unchaining　thousands。　The　folk　that　it　loosed　were　strange　to　me　who
in　this　particular　life　have　seldom　left　England；　and　I　studied　them
with　curiosity；　high…featured；　dark…hued　people　with　a　patient　air。
The　knowledge　which　I　have　told　me　that　one　and　all　they　were　very
ancient　souls　who　often　and　often　had　walked　this　Road　before；　and
therefore；　although　as　yet　they　did　not　know　it；　were　well　accustomed
to　the　journey。　No；　I　am　wrong；　for　here　and　there　an　individual　did
know。　Indeed　one　deep…eyed；　wistful　little　woman；　who　carried　a　baby
in　her　arms；　stopped　for　a　moment　and　spoke　to　me。

〃The　others　cannot　see　you　as　I　do；〃　she　said。　〃Priest　of　the　Queen　of
queens；　I　know　you　well；　hand　in　hand　we　climbed　by　the　seven
stairways　to　the　altars　of　the　moon。〃

〃Who　is　the　Queen　of　queens？〃　I　asked。

〃Have　you　forgotten　her　of　the　hundred　names　whose　veils　we　lifted　one
by　one；　her　whose　breast　was　beauty　and　whose　eyes　were　truth？　In　a
day　to　come　you　will　remember。　Farewell　till　we　walk　this　Road　no
more。〃

〃Staywhen　did　we　meet？〃

〃When　our　souls　were　young；〃　she　answered；　and　faded　from　my　ken　like
a　shadow　from　the　sea。

After　the　Easterns　came　many　others　from　all　parts　of　the　earth。　Then
suddenly　appeared　a　company　of　about　six　hundred　folk　of　every　age　and
English　in　their　looks。　They　were　not　so　calm　as　are　the　majority　of
those　who　make　this　journey。　When　I　read　the　papers　a　few　days　later　I
understood　why。　A　great　passenger　ship　had　sunk　suddenly　in　mid　ocean
and　they　were　all　cut　off　unprepared。

When；　followed　by　a　few　stragglers；　these　had　passed　and　gathered
themselves　in　the　red　shadow　beneath　the　gateway　towers　waiting　for
the　summons；　an　unusual　thing　occurred。　For　a　few　moments　the　Road　was
left　quite　empty。　After　that　last　great　stroke　Death　seemed　to　be
resting　on　his　laurels。　When　thus　unpeopled　it　looked　a　very　vast
place　like　to　a　huge　arched　causeway；　bordered　on　either　side　by
blackness；　but　itself　gleaming　with　a　curious　phosphorescence　such　as
once　or　twice　I　have　seen　in　the　waters　of　a　summer　sea　at　night。

Presently　in　the　very　centre　of　this　illuminated　desolation；　whilst　it
was　as　yet　far　away；　something　caught　my　eye；　something　so　strange　to
the　place；　so　utterly　unfamiliar　that　I　watched　it　earnestly；
wondering　what　it　might　be。　Nearer　and　nearer　it　came；　with　curious；
uncertain　hops；　yes；　a　little　brown　object　that　hopped。

〃Well；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃if　I　were　not　where　I　am　I　should　say　that
yonder　thing　was　a　hare。　Only　what　would　a　hare　be　doing　on　the　Great
White　Road？　How　could　a　hare　tread　the　pathway　of　eternal　souls？　I
must　be　mistaken。〃

So　I　reflected　whilst　still　the　thing　hopped　on；　until　I　became
certain　that　either　I　suffered　from　delusions；　or　that　it　was　a　hare；
indeed　a　particularly　fine　hare；　much　such　a　one　as　a　friend　of　my　old
landlady；　Mrs。　Smithers；　had　once　sent　her　as　a　Christmas　present　from
Norfolk；　which　hare　I　ate。

A　few　more　hops　brought　it　opposite　to　my　post　of　observation。　Here　it
halted　as　though　it　seemed　to　see　me。　At　any　rate　it　sat　up　in　the
alert　fashion　that　hares　have；　its　forepaws　hanging　absurdly　in　front
of　it；　with　one　ear；　on　which　there　was　a　grey　blotch；　cocked　and　one
dragging；　and　sniffed　with　its　funny　little　nostrils。　Then　it　began　to
talk　to　me。　I　do　not　mean　that　it　really　talked；　but　the　thoughts
which　were　in　its　mind　were　flashed　on　to　my　mind　so　that　I　understood
perfectly；　yes；　and　could　answer　them　in　the　same　fashion。　It　said；　or
thought；　thus：

〃You　are　real。　You　are　a　man　who　yet　lives　beneath　the　sun；　though　how
you　came　here　I　do　not　know。　I　hate　men；　all　hares　do；　for　men　are
cruel　to　them。　Still　it　is　a　comfort　in　this　strange　place　to　see
something　one　has　seen　before　and　to　be　able　to　talk　even　to　a　man；
which　I　could　never　do　until　the　change　came；　the　dreadful　changeI
mean　because　of　the　way　of　it；〃　and　it　seemed　to　shiver。　〃May　I　ask
you　some　questions？〃

〃Certainly；〃　I　said　or　rather　thought　back。

〃You　are　sure　that　they　won't　make　you　angry　so　that　you　hurt　me？〃

〃I　can't　hurt　you；　even　if　I　wished　to　do　so。　You　are　not　a　hare　any
longer；　if　you　ever　were　one；　but　only　the　shadow　of　a　hare。〃

〃Ah！　I　thought　as　much；　and　that's　a　good　thing　anyhow。　Tell　me；　Man；
have　you　ever　been　torn　to　pieces　by　dogs？〃

〃Good　gracious！　no。〃

〃Or　coursed；　or　hunted；　or　caught　in　a　trap；　or　shot　all　over　your
back；　or　twisted　up　in　nets　and　choked　in　snares？　Or　have　you　swum　out
to　sea　to　die　more　easily；　or　seen　your　mate　and　mother　and　father
killed？〃

〃No；　no。　Please　stop；　Hare；　your　questions　are　very　unpleasant。〃

〃Not　half　so　unpleasant　as　the　things　are　themselves；　I　can　assure
you；　Man。　I　will　tell　you　my　story　if　you　like；　then　you　can　judge　for
yourself。　But　first；　if　you　will；　do　you　tell　me　why　I　am　here。　Have
you　seen　more　hares　about　this　place？〃

〃Never；　nor　any　other　animals。　No；　I　am　wrong；　once　I　saw　a　dog。〃

The　Hare　looked　about　it　anxiously。

〃A　dog。　How　horrible！　What　was　it　doing？　Hunting？　If　there　are　no
hares　here　what　could　it　be　hunting？　A　rabbit；　or　a　pheasant　with　a
broken　wing；　or　perhaps　a　fox？　I　should　not　mind　so　much　if　it　were　a
fox。　I　hate　foxes；　they　catch　young　hares　when　they　are　asleep　and　eat
them。〃

〃None　of　these　things。　I　was　told　that　it　belonged　to　a　little　girl
who　died。　That　broke　its　heart；　so　that　it　died　also　when　they　shut
her　up　in　a　box。　Therefore　it　was　allowed　to　accompany　her　here
because　it　had　loved　so　much。　Indeed　I　saw　them　together；　both　very
happy；　and　together　they　went　through　those　gates。〃

〃If　dogs　love　little　girls　why　don't　they　love　hares；　at　least　as
anything　likes　to　be　loved；　for　the　dog　didn't　want　to　eat　the　little
girl；　did　it？　I　see　you　can't　answer　me。　Now　would　you　like　me　to　tell
you　my　story？　Something　inside　of　me　is　saying　that　I　am　to　do　so　if
you　will　listen；　also　that　there　is　plenty　of　time；　for　I　am　not
wanted　at　present；　and　when　I　am　I　can　run　to　those　gates　much　quicker
than　you　could。〃


〃I　should　like　it　very　much；　Hare。　Once　a　prophet　heard　an　ass　speak
in　order　to　warn　him。　But　since　then；　except　very；　very　rarely　in
dreams；　no　creature　has　talked　to　a　man；　so　far　as　I　know。　Perhaps　you
wish　to　warn　me　about　something；　or　others　through　me；　as　the　ass
warned　Balaam。〃

〃Who　is　Balaam？　I　never　heard　of　Balaam。　He　wasn't　the　man　who　fetches
dead　pheasants　in　the　donkey…cart；　was　he？　If　so；　I've　seen　him　make
the　ass　talkwith　a　thick　stick。　No？　Well；　never　mind；　I　daresay　I
should　not　understand　about　him　if　you　told　me。　N