a journey in other worlds-第50章

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bullets　from　their　revolvers；　so　that　soon　they　not　only　had　a
roaring　fire；　but　filled　the　back　part　of　the　cave　with　logs　to
dry；　in　case　they　should　camp　there　again　at　some　later　day。　
Neither　Cortlandt　nor　Bearwarden　felt　much　like　sleeping；　and　so；
after　finishing　the　birds　the　president　had　brought　down　that
morning；　they　persuaded　Ayrault　to　sit　up　and　smoke　with　them。　
Wrapping　themselves　in　their　blanketsfor　there　was　a　chill　in
the　airthey　sat　about　the　camp…fire　they　had　built　in　the　mouth
of　the　cave。　　Two　moons　that　were　at　the　full　rose　rapidly　in　the
clear；　cold　sky。　　On　account　of　their　distance　from　the　sun；　they
were　less　bright　than　the　terrestrial　moon；　but　they　shone　with　a
marvellously　pure　pale　light。　　The　larger　contained　the　exact
features　of　a　man。　　There　was　the　somewhat　aquiline　nose；　a
clear…cut　and　expressive　mouth；　and　large；　handsome　eyes；　which
were　shaded　by　well…　marked　eyebrows。　　The　whole　face　was　very
striking；　but　was　a　personification　of　the　most　intense　grief。　
The　expression　was　indeed　sadder　than　that　of　any　face　they　had
ever　seen。　　The　other　contained　the　profile　of　a　surpassingly
beautiful　young　woman。　　The　handsome　eyes；　shaded　by　lashes；
looked　straight　ahead。　　The　nose　was　perfect；　and　the　ear　small；
while　the　hair　was　artistically　arranged　at　the　top　and　back　of
the　head。　　This　moon　also　reflected　a　pure　white　ray。　　The　former
appeared　about　once　and　a　quarter；　the　latter　but　three　quarters；
the　size　of　the　terrestrial　moon；　and　the　travellers　immediately
recognized　them　by　their　sizes　and　relative　positions　as　Tethys
and　Dione；　discovered　by　J。　D。　Cassini　in　March；　1684。　　The　sad
face　was　turned　slightly　towards　that　of　its　companion；　and　it
looked　as　if　some　tale　of　the　human　heart；　some　romance；　had　been
engraved　and　preserved　for　all　time　on　the　features　of　these　dead
bodies；　as　they　silently　swung　in　their　orbits　forever　and　anon
were　side　by　side。
　　　
〃In　all　the　ages；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃that　these　moons　have
wandered　with　Saturn　about　the　sun；　and　with　the　solar　system　in
its　journey　through　space；　they　can　never　have　gazed　upon　the
scene　they　now　behold；　for　we　may　be　convinced　that　no　mortal　man
has　been　here　before。〃
　　　
〃We　may　say；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃that　they　see　in　our　bodies　a　type
of　the　source　from　which　come　all　the　spiritual　beings　that　are
here。〃
　　　
〃If；　as　the　writers　of　mythology　supposed；〃　replied　Cortlandt；
〃inanimate　objects　were　endowed　with　senses；　these　moons　would
doubtless　be　unable　to　perceive　the　spiritual　beings　here；　for
the　satellites；　being　material；　should；　to　be　consistent；　have
only　those　senses　possessed　by　ourselves；　so　that　to　them　this
planet　would　ordinarily　appear　deserted。〃
　　　
〃I　shall　be　glad；〃　said　Bearwarden；　gloomily；　〃when　those　moons
wane　and　are　succeeded　by　their　fellows；　for　one　would　give　me　an
attack　of　the　blues；　while　the　other　would　subject　me　to　the
inconvenience　of　falling　in　love。〃
　　　
As　he　spoke；　the　upper　branches　of　the　trees　in　the　grove　began
to　sway　as　a　cold　gust　from　the　north　sighed　among　them。　　〃Lose
no　more　opportunities；〃　it　seemed　to　cry；　〃for　life　is　short　and
uncertain。　　Soon　you　will　all　be　colder　than　I；　and　your　future；
still　as　easily　moulded　as　clay；　will　be　set　as　Marpesian　marble；
more　fixed　than　the　hardest　rock。〃
　　　　
〃Paradise；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃contains　sights　and　sounds　that
might；　I　should　think；　arouse　sad　reminiscences　without　the　aid
of　the　waters　of　Lethe；　unless　the　joy　of　its　souls　in　their　new
resources　and　the　sense　of　forgiveness　outweigh　all　else。〃
　　　
With　a　parting　look　at　the　refined；　silvery　moon；　and　its
sorrow…laden　companion；　they　retired　to　the　sheltering　cave；
piled　up　the　fire；　and　talked　on　for　an　hour。
　　　
〃I　do　not　see　how　it　is；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃that　these　moons；
considering　their　distance　from　the　sun；　and　the　consequently
small　amount　of　light　they　receive；　are　so　bright。〃
　　　
〃A　body's　brightness　in　reflecting　light；〃　replied　Cortlandt；
〃depends　as　much　on　the　colour　and　composition　of　its　own　surface
as　on　the　amount　it　receives。　　It　is　conceivable　that　these
moons；　if　placed　at　the　earth's　distance　from　the　sun；　would　be
far　brighter　than　our　moon；　and　that　our　familiar　satellite；　if
removed　to　Saturn；　would　seem　very　dim。　　We　know　how　much　more
brilliant　a　mountain　in　the　sunlight　is　when　clad　in　snow　than
when　its　sides　are　bare。　　These　moons　evidently　reflect　a　large
proportion　of　the　light　they　receive。〃
　　　
When　they　came　out　shortly　after　midnight　the　girl's…face　moon
had　already　set；　leaving　a　dark　and　dreary　void　in　the　part　of
the　sky　it　had　so　ideally　filled。　　The　inexpressibly　sad
satellite　（on　account　of　its　shorter　distance　and　more　rapid　rate
of　revolution）　was　still　above　the　horizon；　and；　being　slightly
tilted；　had　a　more　melancholy；　heart…broken　look　than　before。　
While　they　gazed　sadly　at　the　emptiness　left　by　Dione；　Cortlandt
saw　Ayrault's　expression　change；　and；　not　clearly　perceiving　its
cause；　said；　wishing　to　cheer　him：　　〃Never　mind；　Dick；　to…morrow
night　we　shall　see　it　again。〃
　　　
〃Ah；　prosaic　reasoner；〃　retorted　Bearwarden；　who　saw　that　this；
like　so　many　other　things；　had　reminded　Ayrault　of　Sylvia；　〃that
is　but　small　consolation　for　having　lost　it　now；　though　I　suppose
our　lot　is　not　so　hard　as　if　we　were　never　to　see　it　again。　　In
that　moon's　face　I　find　the　realization　of　my　fancied　ideal
woman；　while　that　sad　one　yonder　seems　as　though　some　celestial
lover；　in　search　of　his　fate；　had　become　enamoured　of　her；　and
tried　in　vain　to　win　her；　and　the　grief　in　his　mind　had　impressed
itself　on　the　then　molten　face　of　a　satellite　to　be　the　monument
throughout　eternity　of　love　and　a　broken　heart。　　If　the　spirits
and　souls　of　the　departed　have　any　command　of　matter；　why　may　not
their　intensest　thoughts　engrave　themselves　on　a　moon　that；　when
dead　and　frozen；　may　reflect　and　shine　as　they　did；　while
immersed　in　the　depths　of　space？　　At　first　Dione　bored　me；　now　I
should　greatly　like　to　see　her　again。〃
　　　
〃History　repeats　itself；〃　replied　Cortlandt；　〃and　the　same　phases
of　life　recur。　　It　is　we　that　are　in　a　changed　receptive　mood。　
The　change　that　seems　to　be　in　them　is　in　reality　in　us。　　Remain
as　you　are　now；　and　Dione　will　give　you　the　same　pleasure
tomorrow　that　she　gave　to…day。〃
　　　
To　Ayrault　this　meant　more　than　the　mere　setting　to　rise　again　of
a　heavenly　body。　　The　perfume　of　a　flower；　the　sighing　of　the
wind；　suggesting　some　harmony　or　song；　a　full　or　crescent　moon；
recalled　thoughts　and　associations　of　Sylvia。　　Everything　seemed
to　bring　out　memory；　and　he　realized　the　utter　inability　of
absence　to　cure　the　heart　of　love。　　〃If　Sylvia　should　pass　from
my　life　as　that　moon　has　left　my　vision；〃　his　thoughts　continued；
〃existence　would　be　but　sadness　and　memory　would　be　its　cause；
for　the　most　beautiful　sounds　entail　sorrow；　the　most　beautiful
sights；　intense　pain。　　〃Ah；〃　he　went　on　with　a　trace　of
bitterness；　　while　his　friends　fell　asleep　in　the　cave；　〃I　might
better　have　remained　in　love　with　science；　for　whose　studies
Nature；　which　is　but　a　form　of　God；　in　the　right　spirit；　is　not
dependent　for　his　joy　or　despair　on　the　whims　of　a　girl。　　She；　of
course；　sees　many　others；　and；　being　only　twenty；　may　forget　me。　
Must　I　content　myself　with　philosophical　rules　and　mathematical
formulae；　when　she；　whose　changefulness　I　may　find　greater　than
the　winds　that　sigh　over　me；　now　loves　me　no　longer？　　O　love；
which　makes　us　miserable　when　we　feel　it；　and　more　miserable
still　when　it　is　gone！〃
　　　
He　strung　a　number　of　copper　wires　at　different　degrees　of
tension　between　two　trees；　and　listened　to　the　wind　as　it　ranged
up　and　down　on　this　improvised　AEolian　harp。　　It　gradually　ran
into　a　regular　refrain；　which　became　more　and　more　like　words。　
Ayrault　was　puzzled；　and　then　amazed。　　There　could　be　no　doubt
about　it。　　〃You　should　be　happy；〃　it　kept　repeating〃you　should
be　happy；〃　in　soft　musical　tones。
　　　
〃I　know　I　should；〃　replied　Ayrault；　finally　recognizing　the　voice
of　Violet　Slade　in　the　song　of　the　wind；　〃and　I　cannot　understand
why　I　am　not。　　Tell　me；　is　this　paradise；　Violet；　or　is　it　not
rather