a journey in other worlds-第51章

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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　purgatory？〃
　　　
The　notes　ranged　up　and　down　again；　and　he　perceived　that　she　was
causing　the　wind　to　blow　as　she　desiredin　other　words；　she　was
making　it　play　upon　his　harp。　　　　

〃That　depends　on　the　individual；〃　she　replied。　〃It　is　rather
sheol；　the　place　of　departed　spirits。　　Those　whose　consciences
made　them　happy　on　earth　are　in　paradise　here；　while　those　good
enough　to　reach　heaven　at　last；　but　in　whom　some　dross　remains；
are　further　refined　in　spirit；　and　to　them　it　is　purgatory。　
Those　who　are　in　love　can　be　happy　in　but　one　way　while　their
love　lasts。　　What　IS　happiness；　anyway？〃
　　　
〃It　is　the　state　in　which　desires　are　satisfied；　my　fair　Violet；〃
answered　Ayrault。
　　　
〃Say；　rather；　the　state　in　which　desire　coincides　with　duty；〃
replied　the　song。　　〃Self…sacrifice　for　others　gives　the　truest
joy；　being　with　the　object　of　one's　love；　the　next。　　You　never
believed　that　I　loved　you。　　I　dissembled　well；　but　you　will　see
for　yourself　some　day；　as　clearly　as　I　see　your　love　for　another
now。〃
　　　
〃Yes；〃　replied　Ayrault；　sadly；　〃I　am　in　love。　　I　have　no　reason
to　believe　there　is　cause　for　my　unrest；　and；　considering　every
thing；　I　should　be　happy　as　man　can　be；　yet；　mirabile　dictu；　I　am
inhades；　in　the　very　depths！〃
　　　
〃Your　beloved　is　beyond　my　vision；　your　heart　is　all　I　can　see。　
Yet　I　am　convinced　she　will　not　forget　you。　　I　am　sure　she　loves
you　still。〃
　　　
〃I　have　always　believed　in　homoeopathy　to　the　extent　of　the
similia　similibus　curantur；　Violet；　and　it　is　certain　that　where
nothing　else　will　cure　a　man　of　love　for　one　woman；　his　love　for
another　will。　　You　can　see　how　I　love　Sylvia；　but　you　have　never
seemed　so　sweet　to　me　as　to…day。〃
　　　
〃It　is　a　sacrilege；　my　friend；　to　speak　so　to　me　now。　　You　are
done　with　me　forever。　　I　am　but　a　disembodied　spirit；　and　escaped
hades　by　the　grace　of　the　Omnipotent；　rather　than　by　virtue　of
any　good　I　did　on　earth。　　So　far　as　any　elasticity　is　left　in　my
opportunities；　I　am　dead　as　yon　moon。　　You　have　still　the　gift
that　but　one　can　give。　　Within　your　animal　body　you　hold　an
immortal　soul。　　It　is　pliable　as　wax；　you　can　mould　it　by　your
will。　　As　you　shape　that　soul；　so　will　your　future　be。　　It　is　the
ark　that　can　traverse　the　flood。　　Raise　it；　and　it　will　raise
you。　　It　is　all　there　is　in　yourself。　　Preserve　that　gift；　and
when　you　die　you　will；　I　hope；　start　on　a　plane　many　thousands　of
years　in　advance　of　me。　　There　should　be　no　more　comparison
between　us　than　between　a　person　with　all　his　senses　and　one　that
is　deaf　and　blind。　　Though　you　are　a　layman；　you　should；　with
your　faith　and　frame　of　mind；　soon　be　but　little　behind　our
spiritual　bishop。〃
　　　
〃I　supposed　after　death　a　man　had　rest。　　Is　he；　then；　a　bishop
still？〃
　　　
〃The　progress；　as　he　told　you；　is　largely　on　the　old　lines。　　As
he　stirred　men's　hearts　on　earth；　he　will　stir　their　souls　in
heaven；　and　this　is　no　irksome　or　unwelcome　work。〃
　　　
〃You　say　he　WILL　do　this　in　heaven。　　Is　he；　then；　not　there　yet？〃
　　　
〃He　was　not　far　from　heaven　on　earth；　yet　technically　none　of　us
can　be　in　heaven　till　after　the　general　resurrection。　　Then；　as
we　knew　on　earth；　we　shall　receive　bodies；　though；　as　yet；
concerning　their　exact　nature　we　know　but　little　more　than　then。　
We　are　all　in　sheolthe　just　in　purgatory　and　paradise；　the
unjust　in　hell。〃
　　　
〃Since　you　are　still　in　purgatory；　are　you　unhappy？〃
　　　
〃No；　our　state　is　very　happy。　　All　physical　pain　is　past；　and　can
never　be　felt　again。　　We　know　that　our　evil　desires　are　overcome；
and　that　their　imprints　are　being　gradually　erased。　　I
occasionally　shed　an　intangible　tear；　yet　for　most　of　those　who
strove　to　obey　their　consciences；　purgatory；　when　essential；
though　occasionally　giving　us　a　bitter　twinge；　is　a　joy…producing
state。　　Not　all　the　glories　imaginable　or　unimaginable　could　make
us　happy；　were　our　consciences　ill　at　ease。　　I　have　advanced
slowly；　yet　some　things　are　given　us　at　once。　　After　I　realized　I
had　irrevocably　lost　your　love；　though　for　a　time　I　had　hoped　to
regain　it；　I　became　very　restless；　earth　seemed　a　prison；　and　I
looked　forward　to　death　as　my　deliverer。　　I　bore　you　no　malice；
you　had　never　especially　tried　to　win　me；　the　infatuationthat
of　a　girl　of　eighteenhad　been　all　on　my　side。　　I　lived　five　sad
and　lonely　years；　although；　as　you　know；　I　had　much　attention。　
People　thought　me　cold　and　heartless。　　How　could　I　have　a　heart；
having　failed　to　win　yours；　and　mine　being　broken？　　Having　lost
the　only　man　I　loved；　I　knew　no　one　else　could　replace　him；　and　I
was　not　the　kind　to　marry　for　pique。　　People　thought　me　handsome；
but　I　felt　myself　aged　when　you　ceased　to　call。　　Perhaps　when　you
and　she　who　holds　all　your　love　come　to　sheol；　she　may　spare　you
to　me　a　little；　for　as　a　spirit　my　every　thought　is　known；　or
perhaps　after　the　resurrection；　when　I；　too；　can　leave　this
planet；　we　shall　all　soar　through　space　together；　and　we　can
study　the　stars　as　of　old。〃
　　　
〃Your　voice　is　a　symphony；　sweetest　Violet；　and　I　love　to　hear
your　words。　　Ah；　would　you　could　once　more　return　to　earth；　or
that　I　were　an　ethereal　spirit；　that　we　might　commune　face　to
face！　　I　would　follow　you　from　one　end　of　Shadowland　to　the
other。　　Of　what　use　is　life　to　me；　with　distractions　that　draw　my
thoughts　to　earth　as　gravitation　drew　my　body？　　I　wish　I　were　a
shade。〃
　　　
〃You　are　talking　for　effect；　Dickwhich　is　useless　here；　for　I
see　how　utterly　you　are　in　love。〃
　　　
〃I　AM　in　love；　Violet；　and　though；　as　I　said；　I　have　no　reason　to
doubt　Sylvia's　steadfastness　and　constancy；　I　am　very　unhappy。　　I
have　always　heard　that　time　is　a　balsam　that　cures　all　ills；　yet
I　become　more　wretched　every　day。〃
　　　
〃Do　all　you　can　to　preserve　that　love；　and　it　will　bring　you　joy
all　your　life。　　Your　happiness　is　my　happiness。　　What　distresses
you；　distresses　me。〃
　　　
The　tones　here　grew　fainter　and　seemed　about　to　cease。
　　　
〃Before　you　leave　me；〃　cried　Ayrault；　〃tell　me　how　and　when　I　may
see　or　hear　you　again。〃
　　　
〃While　you　remain　on　this　planet；　I　shall　be　near；　but　beyond
Saturn　I　cannot　go。〃
　　　
〃Yet　tell　me；　Violet；　how　I　may　see　you？　　My　love　unattained；　you
perceive；　makes　me　wretched；　while　you　always　gave　me　calm　and
peace。　　If　I　may　not　kiss　the　hand　I　almost　asked　might　be　mine；
let　me　have　but　a　glance　from　your　sweet　eyes；　which　will　comfort
me　so　much　now。〃
　　　
〃If　you　break　the　ice　in　the　pool　behind　you；　you　shall　see　me
till　the　frame　melts。〃
　　　
After　this　the　silence　was　broken　only　by　the　sighing　of　the　wind
in　the　trees。　　The　pool　had　suddenly　become　covered　with　ice
several　inches　thick。　　Taking　an　axe；　Ayrault　hewed　out　a
parallelogram　about　three　feet　by　four　and　set　it　on　end　against
the　bank。　　The　cold　grey　of　morning　was　already　colouring　the
east；　and　in　the　growing　light　Ayrault　beheld　a　vision　of　Violet
within　the　ice。　　The　face　was　at　about　three　fourths；　and　had　a
contemplative　air。　　The　hair　was　arranged　as　he　had　formerly　seen
it；　and　the　thoughtful　look　was　strongest　in　the　beautiful　grey
eyes；　which　were　more　serious　than　of　yore。　　Ayrault　stood
riveted　to　the　spot　and　gazed。　　〃I　could　have　been　happy　with
her；〃　he　mused；　and　to　think　she　is　no　more！〃

As　drops　fell　from　the　ice；　tears　rose　to　his　eyes。

　　　　　　。　　　　　　。　　　　　　。　　　　　　。　　　　　　。　　　　　　。　　　　　　。

〃What　a　pretty　girl！〃　said　Bearwarden　to　Cortlandt；　as　they　came
upon　it　later　in　the　day。　　〃The　face　seems　etched　or　imprinted　by
some　peculiar　form　of　freezing　far　within　the　ice。〃
　　
The　next　morning　they　again　set　out；　and　so　tramped；　hunted；　and
investigated　with　varying　success　for　ten　Saturnian　days。　　They
found　that　in　the　animal　and　plant　forms　of　life　Nature　had
often；　by　some　seeming　accident；　struck　out　in　a　course　very
different　from　any　on　the　earth。　　Many　of　the　animals　were　bipeds
and　tripeds；　the　latter　arranged　in　tandem；　the　last　leg　being
evidently　an　enormously　developed　tail；　by　which　the　creature
propelled　itself　as　with　a　spring。　　The　quadrupeds　had　also
sometimes　wings；　and　their　bones　we