the mysterious stranger-第25章

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day　he　finally　came　to　me　I　was　overjoyed；　but　only　for　a　little　while。
He　had　come　to　say　good…by；　he　told　me；　and　for　the　last　time。　　He　had
investigations　and　undertakings　in　other　corners　of　the　universe；　he
said；　that　would　keep　him　busy　for　a　longer　period　than　I　could　wait　for
his　return。

〃And　you　are　going　away；　and　will　not　come　back　any　more？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃We　have　comraded　long　together；　and　it　has　been
pleasantpleasant　for　both；　but　I　must　go　now；　and　we　shall　not　see　each
other　any　more。〃

〃In　this　life；　Satan；　but　in　another？　　We　shall　meet　in　another；　surely？〃

Then；　all　tranquilly　and　soberly；　he　made　the　strange　answer；　〃There　is
no　other。〃

A　subtle　influence　blew　upon　my　spirit　from　his；　bringing　with　it　a
vague；　dim；　but　blessed　and　hopeful　feeling　that　the　incredible　words
might　be　trueeven　must　be　true。

〃Have　you　never　suspected　this；　Theodor？〃

〃No。　　How　could　I？　　But　if　it　can　only　be　true〃

〃It　is　true。〃

A　gust　of　thankfulness　rose　in　my　breast；　but　a　doubt　checked　it　before
it　could　issue　in　words；　and　I　said；　〃Butbutwe　have　seen　that　future
lifeseen　it　in　its　actuality；　and　so〃

〃It　was　a　visionit　had　no　existence。〃

I　could　hardly　breathe　for　the　great　hope　that　was　struggling　in　me。
〃A　vision？　a　vi〃

〃Life　itself　is　only　a　vision；　a　dream。〃

It　was　electrical。　　By　God！　　I　had　had　that　very　thought　a　thousand　times
in　my　musings！

〃Nothing　exists；　all　is　a　dream。　　Godmanthe　worldthe　sun；　the　moon；
the　wilderness　of　starsa　dream；　all　a　dream；　they　have　no　existence。
Nothing　exists　save　empty　spaceand　you！〃

〃I！〃

〃And　you　are　not　youyou　have　no　body；　no　blood；　no　bones；　you　are　but　a
thought。　　I　myself　have　no　existence；　I　am　but　a　dreamyour　dream；
creature　of　your　imagination。　　In　a　moment　you　will　have　realized　this；
then　you　will　banish　me　from　your　visions　and　I　shall　dissolve　into　the
nothingness　out　of　which　you　made　me。。。。

〃I　am　perishing　alreadyI　am　failingI　am　passing　away。　　In　a　little
while　you　will　be　alone　in　shoreless　space；　to　wander　its　limitless
solitudes　without　friend　or　comrade　foreverfor　you　will　remain　a
thought；　the　only　existent　thought；　and　by　your　nature　inextinguishable；
indestructible。　　But　I；　your　poor　servant；　have　revealed　you　to　yourself
and　set　you　free。　　Dream　other　dreams；　and　better！

〃Strange！　　that　you　should　not　have　suspected　years　agocenturies；　ages；
eons；　ago！　for　you　have　existed；　companionless；　through　all　the
eternities。　　Strange；　indeed；　that　you　should　not　have　suspected　that
your　universe　and　its　contents　were　only　dreams；　visions；　fiction！
Strange；　because　they　are　so　frankly　and　hysterically　insanelike　all
dreams：　a　God　who　could　make　good　children　as　easily　as　bad；　yet
preferred　to　make　bad　ones；　who　could　have　made　every　one　of　them　happy；
yet　never　made　a　single　happy　one；　who　made　them　prize　their　bitter　life；
yet　stingily　cut　it　short；　who　gave　his　angels　eternal　happiness
unearned；　yet　required　his　other　children　to　earn　it；　who　gave　his　angels
painless　lives；　yet　cursed　his　other　children　with　biting　miseries　and
maladies　of　mind　and　body；　who　mouths　justice　and　invented　hellmouths
mercy　and　invented　hellmouths　Golden　Rules；　and　forgiveness　multiplied
by　seventy　times　seven；　and　invented　hell；　who　mouths　morals　to　other
people　and　has　none　himself；　who　frowns　upon　crimes；　yet　commits　them
all；　who　created　man　without　invitation；　then　tries　to　shuffle　the
responsibility　for　man's　acts　upon　man；　instead　of　honorably　placing　it
where　it　belongs；　upon　himself；　and　finally；　with　altogether　divine
obtuseness；　invites　this　poor；　abused　slave　to　worship　him！。。。

〃You　perceive；　now；　that　these　things　are　all　impossible　except　in　a
dream。　　You　perceive　that　they　are　pure　and　puerile　insanities；　the　silly
creations　of　an　imagination　that　is　not　conscious　of　its　freaksin　a
word；　that　they　are　a　dream；　and　you　the　maker　of　it。　　The　dream…marks
are　all　present；　you　should　have　recognized　them　earlier。

〃It　is　true；　that　which　I　have　revealed　to　you；　there　is　no　God；　no
universe；　no　human　race；　no　earthly　life；　no　heaven；　no　hell。　　It　is　all
a　dreama　grotesque　and　foolish　dream。　　Nothing　exists　but　you。　　And　you
are　but　a　thoughta　vagrant　thought；　a　useless　thought；　a　homeless
thought；　wandering　forlorn　among　the　empty　eternities！〃

He　vanished；　and　left　me　appalled；　for　I　knew；　and　realized；　that　all　he
had　said　was　true。






A　FABLE

Once　upon　a　time　an　artist　who　had　painted　a　small　and　very　beautiful
picture　placed　it　so　that　he　could　see　it　in　the　mirror。　　He　said；　〃This
doubles　the　distance　and　softens　it；　and　it　is　twice　as　lovely　as　it　was
before。〃

The　animals　out　in　the　woods　heard　of　this　through　the　housecat；　who　was
greatly　admired　by　them　because　he　was　so　learned；　and　so　refined　and
civilized；　and　so　polite　and　high…bred；　and　could　tell　them　so　much　which
they　didn't　know　before；　and　were　not　certain　about　afterward。　　They　were
much　excited　about　this　new　piece　of　gossip；　and　they　asked　questions；　so
as　to　get　at　a　full　understanding　of　it。　　They　asked　what　a　picture　was；
and　the　cat　explained。

〃It　is　a　flat　thing；〃　he　said；　〃wonderfully　flat；　marvelously　flat；
enchantingly　flat　and　elegant。　　And；　oh；　so　beautiful！〃

That　excited　them　almost　to　a　frenzy；　and　they　said　they　would　give　the
world　to　see　it。　　Then　the　bear　asked：

〃What　is　it　that　makes　it　so　beautiful？〃

〃It　is　the　looks　of　it；〃　said　the　cat。

This　filled　them　with　admiration　and　uncertainty；　and　they　were　more
excited　than　ever。　　Then　the　cow　asked：

〃What　is　a　mirror？〃

〃It　is　a　hole　in　the　wall；〃　said　the　cat。　　〃You　look　in　it；　and　there　you
see　the　picture；　and　it　is　so　dainty　and　charming　and　ethereal　and
inspiring　in　its　unimaginable　beauty　that　your　head　turns　round　and
round；　and　you　almost　swoon　with　ecstasy。〃

The　ass　had　not　said　anything　as　yet；　he　now　began　to　throw　doubts。
He　said　there　had　never　been　anything　as　beautiful　as　this　before；　and
probably　wasn't　now。　　He　said　that　when　it　took　a　whole　basketful　of
sesquipedalian　adjectives　to　whoop　up　a　thing　of　beauty；　it　was　time　for
suspicion。

It　was　easy　to　see　that　these　doubts　were　having　an　effect　upon　the
animals；　so　the　cat　went　off　offended。　　The　subject　was　dropped　for　a
couple　of　days；　but　in　the　meantime　curiosity　was　taking　a　fresh　start；
aid　there　was　a　revival　of　interest　perceptible。　　Then　the　animals
assailed　the　ass　for　spoiling　what　could　possibly　have　been　a　pleasure　to
them；　on　a　mere　suspicion　that　the　picture　was　not　beautiful；　without　any
evidence　that　such　was　the　case。　　The　ass　was　not；　troubled；　he　was　calm；
and　said　there　was　one　way　to　find　out　who　was　in　the　right；　himself　or
the　cat：　he　would　go　and　look　in　that　hole；　and　come　back　and　tell　what
he　found　there。　　The　animals　felt　relieved　and　grateful；　and　asked　him　to
go　at　oncewhich　he　did。

But　he　did　not　know　where　he　ought　to　stand；　and　so；　through　error；　he
stood　between　the　picture　and　the　mirror。　　The　result　was　that　the
picture　had　no　chance；　and　didn't　show　up。　　He　returned　home　and　said：

〃The　cat　lied。　　There　was　nothing　in　that　hole　but　an　ass。　　There　wasn't
a　sign　of　a　flat　thing　visible。　　It　was　a　handsome　ass；　and　friendly；　but
just　an　ass；　and　nothing　more。〃

The　elephant　asked：

〃Did　you　see　it　good　and　clear？　　Were　you　close　to　it？〃

〃I　saw　it　good　and　clear；　O　Hathi；　King　of　Beasts。　　I　was　so　close　that　I
touched　noses　with　it。〃

〃This　is　very　strange；〃　said　the　elephant；　〃the　cat　was　always　truthful
beforeas　far　as　we　could　make　out。　　Let　another　witness　try。　　Go；
Baloo；　look　in　the　hole；　and　come　and　report。〃

So　the　bear　went。　　When　he　came　back；　he　said：

〃Both　the　cat　and　the　ass　have　lied；　there　was　nothing　in　the　hole　but　a
bear。〃

Great　was　the　surprise　and　puzzlement　of　the　animals。　　Each　was　now
anxious　to　make　the　test　himself　and　get　at　the　straight　truth。　　The
elephant　sent　them　one　at　a　time。

First；　the　cow。　　She　found　nothing　in　the　hole　but　a　cow。

The　tiger　found　nothing　in　it　but　a　tiger。

The　lion　found　nothing　in　it　but　a　lion。

The　leopard　found　nothing　in　it　but　a　leopard。

The　camel　found　a　camel；　and　nothi