the blue flower-第14章

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is　always　the　same。　　You　shall　see　where　it　leads；　what　it
means。　　You　shall　share　my　secretall　the　wonder　and　glory　of
it！　　Of　course　I　know　my　conduct；　has　seemed　strange　to　you。
Sometimes　it　has　seemed　strange　even　to　me。　　I　have　been
doubtful；　troubled；　almost　distracted。　　I　have　been　risking　a
great　deal；　in　danger　of　losing　what　I　value；　what　most　men
count　the　best　thing　in　the　world。　　But　it　could　not　be
helped。　　The　risk　was　worth　while。　　A　great　discovery；　the
opportunity　of　a　lifetime；　yes；　of　an　age；　perhaps　of　many
ages；　came　to　me。　　I　simply　could　not　throw　it　away。　　I　must
use　it；　make　the　best　of　it；　at　any　danger；　at　any　cost。　　You
shall　judge　for　yourself　whether　I　was　right　or　wrong。　　But　you
must　judge　fairly；　without　haste；　without　prejudice。　　I　ask　you
to　make　me　one　promise。　　You　will　suspend　judgment；　you　will　say
nothing；　you　will　keep　my　secret；　until　you　have　been　with　me
three　times　at　the　place　where　I　am　now　taking　you。〃

By　this　time　it　was　clear　to　me　that　I　had　to　do　with　a
case　lying　far　outside　of　the　common　routine　of　life；
something　subtle；　abnormal；　hard　to　measure；　in　which　a　clear
and　careful　estimate　would　be　necessary。　　If　Keene　was
labouring　under　some　strange　delusion；　some　disorder　of　mind；
how　could　I　estimate　its　nature　or　extent；　without　time　and
study；　perhaps　without　expert　advice？　　To　wait　a　little　would
be　prudent；　for　his　sake　as　well　as　for　the　sake　of　others。
If　there　was　some　extraordinary；　reality　behind　his　mysterious
hints；　it　would　need　patience　and　skill　to　test　it。　　I　gave
him　the　promise　for　which　he　asked。

At　once；　as　if　relieved；　he　sprang　up；　and　crying；　〃Come
on；　follow　me！〃　began　to　make　his　way　up　the　bed　of　the　brook。
It　was　one　of　the　wildest　walks　that　I　have　ever　taken。　　He
turned　aside　for　no　obstacles；　swamps；　masses　of　interlacing
alders；　close…woven　thickets　of　stiff　young　spruces；
chevaux…de…frise　of　dead　trees　where　wind…falls　had　mowed　down
the　forest；　walls　of　lichen…crusted　rock；　landslides　where　heaps
of　broken　stone　were　tumbled　in　ruinous　confusionthrough
everything　he　pushed　forward。　　I　could　see；　here　and　there；　the
track　of　his　former　journeys：　broken　branches　of　witch…hazel　and
moose…wood；　ferns　trampled　down；　a　faint　trail　across　some
deeper　bed　of　moss。　　At　mid…day　we　rested　for　a　half…hour　to
eat　lunch。　　But　Keene　would　eat　nothing；　except　a　little
pellet　of　some　dark　green　substance　that　he　took　from　a　flat
silver　box　in　his　pocket。　　He　swallowed　it　hastily；　and
stooping　his　face　to　the　spring　by　which　he　had　halted；　drank
long　and　eagerly。

〃An　Indian　trick；〃　said　he；　shaking　the　drops　of　water
from　his　face。　　〃On　a　walk；　food　is　a　hindrance；　a　delay。　　But
this　tiny　taste　of　bitter　gum　is　a　tonic；　it　spurs　the　courage
and　doubles　the　strengthif　you　are　used　to　it。　　Otherwise　I
should　not　recommend　you　to　try　it。　　Faugh！　the　flavour　is　vile。〃

He　rinsed　his　mouth　again　with　water；　and　stood　up；
calling　me　to　come　on。　　The　way；　now　tangled　among　the
nameless　peaks　and　ranges；　bore　steadily　southward；　rising　all
the　time；　in　spite　of　many　brief　downward　curves　where　a　steep
gorge　must　be　crossed。　　Presently　we　came　into　a　hard…wood
forest；　open　and　easy　to　travel。　　Breasting　a　long　slope；　we
reached　the　summit　of　a　broad；　smoothly　rounding　ridge　covered
with　a　dense　growth　of　stunted　spruce。　　The　trees　rose　above
our　heads；　about　twice　the　height　of　a　man；　and　so　thick　that
we　could　not　see　beyond　them。　　But；　from　glimpses　here　and
there；　and　from　the　purity　and　lightness　of　the　air；　I　judged
that　we　were　on　far　higher　ground　than　any　we　had　yet
traversed；　the　central　comb；　perhaps；　of　the　mountain…system。

A　few　yards　ahead　of　us；　through　the　crowded　trunks　of　the
dwarf　forest；　I　saw　a　gray　mass；　like　the　wall　of　a　fortress；
across　our　path。　　It　was　a　vast　rock；　rising　from　the　crest　of
the　ridge；　lifting　its　top　above　the　sea　of　foliage。　　At　its
base　there　were　heaps　of　shattered　stones；　and　deep　crevices
almost　like　caves。　　One　side　of　the　rock　was　broken　by　a　slanting
gully。

〃Be　careful；〃　cried　my　companion；　〃there　is　a　rattlers'
den　somewhere　about　here。　　The　snakes　are　in　their　winter
quarters　now；　almost　dormant；　but　they　can　still　strike　if　you
tread　on　them。　　Step　here！　　Give　me　your　handuse　that　point
of　rockhold　fast　by　this　bush；　it　is　firmly　rootedso！
Here　we　are　on　Spy　Rock！　　You　have　heard　of　it？　I　thought　so。
Other　people　have　heard　of　it；　and　imagine　that　they　have
found　itfive　miles　east　of　uson　a　lower　ridge。　　Others
think　it　is　a　peak　just　back　of　Cro'　Nest。　　All　wrong！　　There
is　but　one　real　Spy　Rockhere！　　This　earth　holds　no　more
perfect　view…point。　　It　is　one　of　the　rare　places　from　which
a　man　may　see　the　kingdoms　of　the　world　and　all　the　glory　of
them。　　Look！〃

The　prospect　was　indeed　magnificent；　it　was　strange　what
a　vast　enlargement　of　vision　resulted　from　the　slight
elevation　above　the　surrounding　peaks。　　It　was　like　being
lifted　up　so　that　we　could　look　over　the　walls。　　The　horizon
expanded　as　if　by　magic。　　The　vast　circumference　of　vision　swept
around　us　with　a　radius　of　a　hundred　miles。　　Mountain　and　meadow；
forest　and　field；　river　and　lake；　hill　and　dale；　village　and
farmland；　far…off　city　and　shimmering　waterall　lay　open　to　our
sight；　and　over　all　the　westering　sun　wove　a　transparent　robe　of
gem…like　hues。　　Every　feature　of　the　landscape　seemed　alive；
quivering；　pulsating　with　conscious　beauty。　　You　could　almost
see　the　world　breathe。

〃Wonderful！〃　I　cried。　　〃Most　wonderful！　　You　have　found　a
mount　of　vision。〃

〃Ah；〃　he　answered；　〃you　don't　half　see　the　wonder　yet；　you
don't　begin　to　appreciate　it。　　Your　eyes　are　new　to　it。　　You
have　not　learned　the　power　of　far　sight；　the　secret　of　Spy
Rock。　　You　are　still　shut　in　by　the　horizon。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　can　look　beyond　it？〃

〃Beyond　yoursyes。　　And　beyond　any　that　you　would　dream
possibleSee！　　Your　sight　reaches　to　that　dim　cloud　of　smoke
in　the　south？　　And　beneath　it　you　can　make　out；　perhaps；　a
vague　blotch　of　shadow；　or　a　tiny　flash　of　brightness　where　the
sun　strikes　it？　　New　York！　　But　I　can　see　the　great　buildings；
the　domes；　the　spires；　the　crowded　wharves；　the　tides　of　people
whirling　through　the　streetsand　beyond　that；　the　sea；　with　the
ships　coming　and　going！　　I　can　follow　them　on　their　coursesand
beyond　thatOh！　when　I　am　on　Spy　Rock　I　can　see　more　than
other　men　can　imagine。〃

For　a　moment；　strange　to　say；　I　almost　fancied　could
follow　him。　　The　magnetism　of　his　spirit　imposed　upon　me；
carried　me　away　with　him。　　Then　sober　reason　told　me　that　he
was　talking　of　impossibilities。

〃Keene；〃　said　I；　〃you　are　dreaming。　　The　view　and　the　air
have　intoxicated　you。　　This　is　a　phantasy；　a　delusion！〃

〃It　pleases　you　to　call　it　so；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　only　tell
you　my　real　experience。　　Why　it　should　be　impossible　I　do　not
understand。　　There　is　no　reason　why　the　power　of　sight　should
not　be　cultivated；　enlarged；　expanded　indefinitely。〃

〃And　the　straight　rays　of　light？〃　I　asked。　〃And　the　curvature
of　the　earth　which　makes　a　horizon　inevitable？〃

〃Who　knows　what　a　ray　of　light　is？〃　said　he。　　〃Who　can
prove　that　it　may　not　be　curved；　under　certain　conditions；　or
refracted　in　some　places　in　a　way　that　is　not　possible
elsewhere？　　I　tell　you　there　is　something　extraordinary　about
this　Spy　Rock。　　It　is　a　seat　of　powerNature's　observatory。
More　things　are　visible　here　than　anywhere　elsemore　than　I
have　told　you　yet。　　But　come；　we　have　little　time　left。　　For
half　an　hour；　each　of　us　shall　enjoy　what　he　can　see。　　Then
home　again　to　the　narrower　outlook；　the　restricted　life。〃

The　downward　journey　was　swifter　than　the　ascent；　but　no
less　fatiguing。　　By　the　time　we　reached　the　school；　an　hour
after　dark；　I　was　very　tired。　　But　Keene　was　in　one　of　his
moods　of　exhilaration。　　He　glowed　like　a　piece　of　phosphorus
that　has　been　drenched　with　light。

Graham　took　the　first　opportunity　of　speaking　with　me　alone。

〃Well？〃　said　he。

〃Well！〃　I　answered。　　〃You　were　wrong。　　There　is　no　treason　in
Keene's　walks；　no　guilt　in　his　moods。　　But　there　is　something
very　strange。　　I　cannot　form　a　judgment　yet　as　to　what　we　should