a journey in other worlds-第55章

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moon's　arms；　in　that　terrestrial　phenomenon　when　the　earth；　by
reflecting　the　crescent's　light；　and　that　of　the　sun；　makes　the
dark　part　visible。　　The　temperature　at　Cassandra's　surface　is　but
little　above　the　cold　of　space；　and　no　water　exists　in　the　liquid
state；　it　being　as　much　a　solid　as　aluminum　or　glass。　　There　are
rivers　and　lakes；　but　these　consist　of　liquefied　hydrogen　and
other　gases；　the　heavier　liquid　collected　in　deep　Places；　and　the
lighter；　with　less　than　half　the　specific　gravity　of　ether；
floating　upon　it　without　mixing；　as　oil　on　water。　　When　the
heavier　penetrates　to　a　sufficient　depth；　the　interior　being
still　warm；　it　is　converted　into　gas　and　driven　back　to　the
surface；　only　to　be　recondensed　on　reaching　the　upper　air。　　Thus
it　may　happen　that　two　rains　composed　of　separate　liquids　may
fall　together。　　There　being　but　little　of　any　other　atmosphere；
much　of　it　consists　of　what　you　might　call　the　vapour　of
hydrogen；　and　many　of　the　well…known　gases　and　liquids　on　earth
exist　only　as　liquids　and　solids；　so　that；　were　there　mortal
inhabitants　on　Cassandra；　they　might　build　their　houses　of　blocks
of　oxygen　or　chlorine；　as　you　do　of　limestone　or　marble；　and　use
ice　that　never　melts；　in　place　of　glass；　for　transparence。　　They
would　also　use　mercury　for　bullets　in　their　rifles；　just　as
inhabitants　of　the　intra…Vulcan　planets　at　the　other　extreme
might；　if　their　bodies　consisted　of　asbestos；　or　were　in　any
other　way　non…combustibly　constituted；　bathe　in　tin；　lead；　or
even　zinc；　which　ordinarily　exist　in　the　liquid　state；　as　water
and　mercury　do　on　the　earth。
　　　
〃Though　Cassandra's　atmosphere；　such　as　it　is；　is　mostly　clear；
for　the　evaporation　from　the　rivers　and　icy　mediterraneans　is
slight；　the　brightness　of　even　the　highest　noon　is　less　than　an
earthly　twilight；　and　the　stars　never　cease　to　shine。　　The　dark
base　of　the　rocky　cliffs　is　washed　by　the　frigid　tide；　but　there
is　scarcely　a　sound；　for　the　pebbles　cannot　be　moved　by　the
weightless　waves；　and　an　occasional　murmur　is　all　that　is　heard。　
Great　rocks　of　ice　reflect　the　light　of　the　grey　moons；　and　never
a　leaf　falls　or　a　bird　sings。　　With　the　exception　of　the　mournful
ripples；　the　planet　is　silent　as　the　grave。　　The　animal　and　plant
kingdoms　do　not　exist；　only　the　mineral　and　spiritual　worlds。　　I
say　spiritual；　because　there　are　souls　upon　it；　but　it　is　the
home　of　the　condemned　in　hell。　　Here　dwell　the　transgressors　who
died　unrepentant；　and　those　who　were　not　saved　by　faith。　　This　is
the　one　instance　in　which　I　do　not　enjoy　my　developed　sight；　for
I　sometimes　glance　in　their　direction；　and　the　vision　that　meets
me；　as　my　eyes　focus；　distresses　my　soul。　　Their　senses　are　like
an　imperfect　mirror；　magnifying　all　that　is　bad　in　one　another；
and　distorting　anything　still　partially　good　when　that　exists。　
All　those　things　that　might　at　least　distract　them　are　hollow；
their　misery　being　the　inevitable　result　of　the　condition　of　mind
to　which　they　became　accustomed　on　earth　and　which　brought　them
to　Cassandra。　　But　let　us　turn　to　something　brighter。
　　　
〃Though　the　solar　system　may　seem　complex；　the　sun　is　but　a　star
among　the　millions　in　the　Milky　Way；　and；　compared　with　the
planetary　systems　of　Sirius；　the　stars　of　the　Southern　Cross；　and
the　motions　of　the　nebula；　it　is　simplicity　itself。　　Compared
with　the　splendour　of　Sirius；　with　its　diameter　of　twelve　million
miles；　the　sun；　measuring　but　eight　hundred　and　forty　thousand；
becomes　insignificant；　and　this　giant's　system　includes　groups
and　clusters　of　planets；　many　with　three　times　the　mass　of
Jupiter；　five　and　six　together；　each　a　different　colour；
revolving　about　a　common　centre；　while　they　swing　about　their
primary。　　Their　numerous　moons　have　satellites　encircling　them；
with　orbits　in　some　cases　at　right　angles　to　the　plane　of　the
ecliptic；　so　that　they　shine　perpendicularly　on　what　correspond
to　the　arctic　and　antarctic　regions；　while　their　axes　are　so
inclined　that　the　satellites　turn　a　complete　somersault　at　each
revolution；　producing　glistening　effects　of　ice　and　snow　at　the
poles。　　Some　of　the　moons　are　at　a　red　or　white　heat；　and　so
prevent　the　chill　of　night　on　the　planets；　while　they　shine　with
more　than　reflected　light。　　In　addition　to　the　five　or　six　large
planets　in　each　group；　which；　however；　are　many　millions　of　miles
apart；　there　is　in　some　clusters　a　small　planet　that　swings
backward　and　forward　across　the　common　centre；　like　a　pendulum；
but　in　nearly　a　straight　line；　and　while　this　multiplicity　of
motion　goes　on；　the　whole　aggregation　sweeps　majestically　around
Sirius；　its　mighty　sun。　　Our　little　solar　system　contains；　as　we
know；　about　one　thousand　planets；　satellites；　and　asteroids　large
enough　to　be　dignified　by　the　name　of　heavenly　bodies。　　Vast
numbers　of　the　stars　have　a　hundred　and　even　a　thousand　times　the
mass　of　our　sun；　and　their　systems　being　relatively　as　complex　as
oursin　some　cases　even　more　sothey　contain　a　hundred　thousand
or　a　million　individual　bodies。
　　　
〃Over　sixty　million　bright　or　incandescent　stars　were　visible　to
the　terrestrial　telescopes　a　hundred　years　ago；　the　average　size
of　which　far　exceeds　our　sun。　　To　the　magnificent　telescopes　of
to…day　they　are　literally　countless；　and　the　number　can　be
indefinitely　extended　as　your　optical　resources　grow。　　Yet　the
number　of　stars　you　see　is　utterly　insignificant　compared　with
the　cold　and　dark　ones　you　cannot　see；　but　concerning　which　you
are　constantly　learning　more；　by　observing　their　effect　on　the
bright　ones；　both　by　perturbing　them　and　by　obscuring　their　rays。　
Occasionally；　as　you　know；　a　star　of　the　twelfth　or　fifteenth
magnitude；　or　one　that　has　been　invisible；　flares　up　for　several
months　to　the　fourth　or　fifth；　through　a　collision　with　some　dark
giant；　and　then　returns　to　what　it　was　in　the　beginning；　a
gaseous；　filmy　nebula。　　These　innumerable　hosts　of　dark　monsters；
though　dead；　are　centres　of　systems；　like　most　of　the　stars　you
can　see。
　　　
〃A　slight　consideration　of　these　figures　will　show　that；
notwithstanding　the　number　of　souls　the　Creator　has　given　life　on
earth；　each　one　might　in　fact　have　a　system　to　himself；　and　that；
however　long　the　little　globe　may　remain；　as　it　were；　a　mint；　in
which　souls　are　tried　by　fire　and　moulded；　and　receive　their
final　stamp；　they　will　always　have　room　to　circulate；　and　will　be
prized　according　to　the　impress　their　faces　or　hearts　must　show。　
But　Sirius　itself　is　moving　many　times　faster　than　the　swiftest
cannon　ball；　carrying　its　system　with　it；　and　I　see　you　asking；
'To　what　does　all　this　motion　tend？'　　I　will　show　you。　　Many
quadrillions　of　miles　away；　so　far　that　your　most　powerful
telescopes　have　not　yet　caught　a　glimmer；　rests　in　its　serene
grandeur　a　star　that　we　call　Cosmos；　because　it　is　the　centre　of
this　universe。　　Its　diameter　is　as　great　as　the　diameter　of
Cassandra's　orbit；　and　notwithstanding　its　terrific　heat；　its
specific　gravity；　on　account　of　the　irresistible　pressure　at　and
near　the　centre；　is　as　great　as　that　of　the　planet　Mercury。　　This
holds　all　that　your　eyes　or　mine　can　see；　and　the　so…called
motions　of　the　starsfor　we　know　that　Sirius；　among　others；　is
recedingis　but　the　difference　in　the　rate　at　which　the
different　systems　and　constellations　swing　around　Cosmos；　though
in　doing　so　they　often　revolve　about　other　systems　or　swing　round
common　centres；　so　that　many　are　satellites　of　satellites　many
times　repeated。　　The　orbits　of　some　are　circular；　and　of　others
elliptical；　as　those　of　comets；　and　some　revolve　about　each
other；　or；　as　we　have　seen；　about　a　common　point　while　they
perform　their　celestial　journey。　　A　star；　therefore；　recedes　or
advances；　as　Jupiter　and　Venus　with　relation　to　the　earth。　　The
planet　in　the　smaller　orbit　moves　faster　than　that　in　the　larger；
so　that　the　intervening　distances　wax　and　wane；　though　all　are
going　in　the　same　general　direction。　　In　the　case　of　the　members
of　the　solar　system；　astronomical　record　can　tell　when　even　a
most　distant　known　planet　has　been　in　opposition　or　conjunction；
but　the　earth　has　scarcely　been　habitable　since　the　sun　was　last
in　its　present　position　in　its　orbi