over the teacups-第12章

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I　don't　know　that　there　is　anything　very　original　about　the

experiences　I　have　recorded；　but　I　thought　them　worth　preserving。

Perhaps　you　would　not　agree　with　me　in　that　belief。〃



〃If　Number　Five　will　give　us　a　chance　to　form　our　own　judgment　about

her　dream　or　vision；　I　think　we　shall　enjoy　it；〃　said　the　Mistress。

〃She　knows　what　will　please　The　Teacups　in　the　way　of　reading　as　well

as　I　do　how　many　lumps　of　sugar　the　Professor　wants　in　his　tea　and

how　many　I　want　in　mine。〃



The　company　was　so　urgent　that　Number　Five　sent　up…stairs　for　her

paper。



Number　Five　reads　the　story　of　her　dream。



It　cost　me　a　great　effort　to　set　down　the　words　of　the　manuscript

from　which　I　am　reading。　　My　dreams　for　the　most　part　fade　away　so

soon　after　their　occurrence　that　I　cannot　recall　them　at　all。　　But　in

this　case　my　ideas　held　together　with　remarkable　tenacity。　　By

keeping　my　mind　steadily　upon　the　work；　I　gradually　unfolded　the

narrative　which　follows；　as　the　famous　Italian　antiquary　opened　one

of　those　fragile　carbonized　manuscripts　found　in　the　ruins　of

Herculaneum　or　Pompeii。



The　first　thing　I　remember　about　it　is　that　I　was　floating　upward；

without　any　sense　of　effort　on　my　part。　　The　feeling　was　that　of

flying；　which　I　have　often　had　in　dreams；　as　have　many　other　persons。

It　was　the　most　natural　thing　in　the　world；a　semi…materialized

volition；　if　I　may　use　such　an　expression。



At　the　first　moment　of　my　new　consciousness；for　I　seemed　to　have

just　emerged　from　a　deep　slumber；　I　was　aware　that　there　was　a

companion　at　my　side。　　Nothing　could　be　more　gracious　than　the　way　in

which　this　being　accosted　me。　　I　will　speak　of　it　as　she；　because

there　was　a　delicacy；　a　sweetness；　a　divine　purity；　about　its　aspect

that　recalled　my　ideal　of　the　loveliest　womanhood。



〃I　am　your　companion　and　your　guide；〃　this　being　made　me　understand；

as　she　looked　at　me。　　Some　faculty　of　which　I　had　never　before　been

conscious　had　awakened　in　me；　and　I　needed　no　interpreter　to　explain

the　unspoken　language　of　my　celestial　attendant。



〃You　are　not　yet　outside　of　space　and　time；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　am

going　with　you　through　some　parts　of　the　phenomenal　or　apparent

universe；what　you　call　the　material　world。　　We　have　plenty　of　what

you　call　time　before　us；　and　we　will　take　our　voyage　leisurely；

looking　at　such　objects　of　interest　as　may　attract　our　attention　as

we　pass。　　The　first　thing　you　will　naturally　wish　to　look　at　will　be

the　earth　you　have　just　left。　　This　is　about　the　right　distance；〃　she

said；　and　we　paused　in　our　flight。



The　great　globe　we　had　left　was　rolling　beneath　us。　　No　eye　of　one　in

the　flesh　could　see　it　as　I　saw　or　seemed　to　see　it。　　No　ear　of　any

mortal　being　could　bear　the　sounds　that　came　from　it　as　I　heard　or

seemed　to　hear　them。　　The　broad　oceans　unrolled　themselves　before　me。

I　could　recognize　the　calm　Pacific　and　the　stormy　Atlantic；the

ships　that　dotted　them；　the　white　lines　where　the　waves　broke　on　the

shore；　frills　on　the　robes　of　the　continents；　so　they　looked　to

my　woman's　perception；　thevast　South　American　forests；　the

glittering　icebergs　about　the　poles；　the　snowy　mountain　ranges；　here

and　there　a　summit　sending　up　fire　and　smoke；　mighty　rivers；　dividing

provinces　within　sight　of　each　other；　and　making　neighbors　of　realms

thousands　of　miles　apart；　cities；　light…houses　to　insure　the　safety

of　sea…going　vessels；　and　war…ships　to　knock　them　to　pieces　and　sink

them。　　All　this；　and　infinitely　more；　showed　itself　to　me　during　a

single　revolution　of　the　sphere：　twenty…four　hours　it　would　have

been；　if　reckoned　by　earthly　measurements　of　time。　　I　have　not　spoken

of　the　sounds　I　heard　while　the　earth　was　revolving　under　us。　　The

howl　of　storms；　the　roar　and　clash　of　waves；　the　crack　and　crash　of

the　falling　thunderbolt；these　of　course　made　themselves　heard　as

they　do　to　mortal　ears。　　But　there　were　other　sounds　which　enchained

my　attention　more　than　these　voices　of　nature。　　As　the　skilled　leader

of　an　orchestra　hears　every　single　sound　from　each　member　of　the　mob

of　stringed　and　wind　instruments；　and　above　all　the　screech　of　the

straining　soprano；　so　my　sharpened　perceptions　made　what　would　have

been　for　common　mortals　a　confused　murmur　audible　to　me　as　compounded

of　innumerable　easily　distinguished　sounds。　　Above　them　all　arose　one

continued；　unbroken；　agonizing　cry。　　It　was　the　voice　of　suffering

womanhood；　a　sound　that　goes　up　day　and　night；　one　long　chorus　of

tortured　victims。



〃Let　us　get　out　of　reach　of　this；〃　I　said；　and　we　left　our　planet；

with　its　blank；　desolate　moon　staring　at　it；　as　if　it　had　turned　pale

at　the　sights　and　sounds　it　had　to　witness。



Presently　the　gilded　dome　of　the　State　House；　which　marked　our

starting…point；　came　into　view　for　the　second　time；　and　I　knew　that

this　side…show　was　over。　　I　bade　farewell　to　the　Common　with　its

Cogswell　fountain；　and　the　Garden　with　its　last　awe…inspiring

monument。



〃Oh；　if　I　could　sometimes　revisit　these　beloved　scenes！　〃I　exclaimed。



〃There　is　nothing　to　hinder　that　I　know　of；〃　said　my　companion。

〃Memory　and　imagination　as　you　know　them　in　the　flesh　are　two　winged

creatures　with　strings　tied　to　their　legs；　and　anchored　to　a　bodily

weight　of　a　hundred　and　fifty　pounds；　more　or　less。　　When　the　string

is　cut　you　can　be　where　you　wish　to　be；not　merely　a　part　of　you；

leaving　the　rest　behind；　but　the　whole　of　you。　　Why　shouldn't　you

want　to　revisit　your　old　home　sometimes？〃



I　was　astonished　at　the　human　way　in　which　my　guide　conversed　with

me。　　It　was　always　on　the　basis　of　my　earthly　habits；　experiences；

and　limitations。　　〃Your　solar　system；〃　she　said；　〃is　a　very　small

part　of　the　universe；　but　you　naturally　feel　a　curiosity　about　the

bodies　which　constitute　it　and　about　their　inhabitants。　　There　is

your　moon：　a　bare　and　desolate…looking　place　it　is；　and　well　it　may

be；　for　it　has　no　respirable　atmosphere；　and　no　occasion　for　one。

The　Lunites　do　not　breathe；　they　live　without　waste　and　without

supply。　　You　look　as　if　you　do　not　understand　this。　　Yet　your　people

have；　as　you　well　know；　what　they　call　incandescent　lights

everywhere。　　You　would　have　said　there　can　be　no　lamp　without　oil　or

gas；　or　other　combustible　substance；　to　feed　it；　and　yet　you　see　a

filament　which　sheds　a　light　like　that　of　noon　all　around　it；　and

does　not　waste　at　all。　　So　the　Lunites　live　by　influx　of　divine

energy；　just　as　the　incandescent　lamp　glows；glows；　and　is　not

consumed；　receiving　its　life；　if　we　may　call　it　so；　from　the　central

power；　which　wears　the　unpleasant　name　of　〃dynamo。〃'



The　Lunites　appeared　to　me　as　pale　phosphorescent　figures　of　ill…

defined　outline；　lost　in　their　own　halos；　as　it　were。　　I　could　not

help　thinking　of　Shelley's



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃maiden

　　　　　　　　　　With　white　fire　laden。〃



But　as　the　Lunites　were　after　all　but　provincials；　as　are　the　tenants

of　all　the　satellites；　I　did　not　care　to　contemplate　them　for　any

great　length　of　time。



I　do　not　remember　much　about　the　two　planets　that　came　next　to　our

own；　except　the　beautiful　rosy　atmosphere　of　one　and　the　huge　bulk　of

the　other。　　Presently；　we　found　ourselves　within　hailing　distance　of

another　celestial　body；　which　I　recognized　at　once；　by　the　rings

which　girdled　it；　as　the　planet　Saturn。　　A　dingy；　dull…looking　sphere

it　was　in　its　appearance。　　〃We　will　tie　up　here　for　a　while；〃　said　my

attendant。　　The　easy；　familiar　way　in　which　she　spoke　surprised　and

pleased　me。



Why；　said　I；The　Dictator；what　is　there　to　prevent　beings　of

another　order　from　being　as　cheerful；　as　social；　as　good　companions；

as　the　very　liveliest　of　God's　creatures　whom　we　have　known　in　the

flesh？　　Is　it　impossible　for　an　archangel　to　smile？　　Is　such　a

phenomenon　as　a　laugh　never　heard　except　in　our　little　sinful　corner

of　the　universe？　　Do　you　suppose；　that　when　the　disciples　heard　from

the　lips　of　their　Master　the　play　of　words　on　the　name　of　Peter