flatland(弗莱特兰)-第20节
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increased in size； 〃There； I have not hurt you much； have I？ If you are not
convinced now； I don't know what will convince you。 What say you？〃
My resolution was taken。 It seemed intolerable that I should endure
existence subject to the arbitrary visitations of a Magician who could thus
play tricks with one's very stomach。 If only I could in any way manage to
pin him against the wall till help came！
Once more I dashed my hardest angle against him； at the same time
alarming the whole household by my cries for aid。 I believe； at the
moment of my onset； the Stranger had sunk below our Plane； and really
found difficulty in rising。 In any case he remained motionless； while I；
hearing； as I thought； the sound of some help approaching； pressed against
him with redoubled vigor； and continued to shout for assistance。
A convulsive shudder ran through the Sphere。 〃This must not be；〃 I
thought I heard him say： 〃either he must listen to reason； or I must have
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recourse to the last resource of civilization。〃 Then； addressing me in a
louder tone； he hurriedly exclaimed； 〃Listen： no stranger must witness
what you have witnessed。 Send your Wife back at once； before she enters
the apartment。 The Gospel of Three Dimensions must not be thus
frustrated。 Not thus must the fruits of one thousand years of waiting be
thrown away。 I hear her coming。 Back！ back！ Away from me； or you must
go with mewither you know notinto the Land of Three Dimensions！〃
〃Fool！ Madman！ Irregular！〃 I exclaimed； 〃never will I release thee；
thou shalt pay the penalty of thine impostures。〃
〃Ha！ Is it come to this？〃 thundered the Stranger： 〃then meet your fate：
out of your Plane you go。 Once； twice； thrice！ ‘Tis done！〃
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SECTION 18 How I came to Spaceland； and what
I saw there
An unspeakable horror seized me。 There was a darkness； then a dizzy；
sickening sensation of sight that was not like seeing； I saw a Line that was
no Line； Space that was not Space： I was myself； and not myself。 When I
could find voice； I shrieked loud in agony； 〃Either this is madness or it is
Hell。〃 〃It is neither； calmly replied the voice of the Sphere； 〃it is
Knowledge； it is Three Dimensions： open your eye once again and try to
look steadily。〃
I looked； and； behold； a new world！ There stood before me； visibly
incorporate； all that I had before inferred； conjectured； dreamed； of perfect
Circular beauty。 What seemed the centre of the Stranger's form lay open to
my view： yet I could see no heart； lungs； nor arteries； only a beautiful
harmonious Something for which I had no words； but you； my Readers
in Spaceland； would call it the surface of the Sphere。
Prostrating myself mentally before my Guide； I cried； 〃How is it； O
divine ideal of consummate loveliness and wisdom that I see thy inside；
and yet cannot discern thy heart； thy lungs； thy arteries； thy liver？〃 〃What
you think you see； you see not；〃 he replied； 〃it is not giving to you； nor to
any other Being； to behold my internal parts。 I am of a different order of
Beings from those in Flatland。 Were I a Circle； you could discern my
intestines； but I am a Being； composed as I told you before； of many
Circles； the Many in the One； called in this country a Sphere。 And； just as
the outside of a Cube is a Square； so the outside of a Sphere represents the
appearance of a Circle。〃
Bewildered though I was by my Teacher's enigmatic utterance； I no
longer chafed against it； but worshipped him in silent adoration。 He
continued； with more mildness in his voice。 〃Distress not yourself if you
cannot at first understand the deeper mysteries of Spaceland。 By degrees
they will dawn upon you。 Let us begin by casting back a glance at the
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region whence you came。 Return with me a while to the plains of Flatland
and I will shew you that which you have often reasoned and thought about；
but never seen with the sense of sight a visible angle。〃 〃Impossible！〃 I
cried； but； the Sphere leading the way； I followed as if in a dream； till once
more his voice arrested me： 〃Look yonder； and behold your own
Pentagonal house； and all its inmates。〃
I looked below； and saw with my physical eye all that domestic
individuality which I had hitherto merely inferred with the understanding。
And how poor and shadowy was the inferred conjecture in comparison
with the reality which I now behold！ My four Sons calmly asleep in the
North…Western rooms； my two orphan Grandsons to the South； the
Servants； the Butler； my Daughter； all in their several apartments。 Only my
affection Wife； alarmed by my continued absence； had quitter her room
and was roving up and down in the Hall； anxiously awaiting my return。
Also the Page； aroused by my cries； had left his room； and under pretext of
ascertaining whether I had fallen somewhere in a faint； was prying into the
cabinet in my study。 All this I could now SEE； not merely infer； and as we
came nearer and nearer； I could discern even the contents of my cabinet；
and the two chests of gold； and the tablets of which the Sphere had made
mention。
Touched by my Wife's distress； I would have sprung downward to
reassure her； but I found myself incapable of motion。 〃Trouble not
yourself about your Wife；〃 said my Guide： 〃she will not be long left in
anxiety； meantime； let us take a survey of Flatland。〃
Once more I felt myself rising through space。 It was even as the
Sphere had said。 The further we receded from the object we beheld； the
larger became the field of vision。 My native city； with the interior of every
house and every creature therein； lay open to my view in miniature。 We
mounted higher； and lo； the secrets of the earth； the depths of the mines
and inmost caverns of the hills； were bared before me。
Awestruck at the sight of the mysteries of the earth； thus unveiled
before my unworthy eye； I said to my Companion； 〃Behold； I am become
as a God。 For the wise men in our country say that to see all things； or as
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they express it； OMNIVIDENCE； is the attribute of God alone。〃 There
was something of scorn in the voice of my Teacher as he made answer： 〃it
is so indeed？ Then the very pick…pockets and cut…throats of my country are
to be worshipped by your wise men as being Gods： for there is not one of
them that does not see as much as you see now。 But trust me； your wise
men are wrong。〃
I。 Then is omnividence the attribute of others besides Gods？
Sphere。 I do not know。 But； if a pick…pocket or a cut…throat of our
country can see everything that is in your country； surely that is no reason
why the pick…pocket or cut…throat should be accepted by you as a God。
This omnividence； as you call itit is not a common word in Spaceland
does it make you more just； more merciful； less selfish； more loving？ Not
in the least。 Then how does it make you more divine？
I。 〃More merciful； more loving！〃 But these are the qualities of women！
And we know that a Circle is a higher Being than a Straight Line； in so far
as knowledge and wisdom are more to be esteemed than mere affection。
Sphere。 It is not for me to classify human faculties according to merit。
Yet many of the best and wisest in Spaceland think more of the affections
than of the understand； more of your despised Straight Lines than of your
belauded Circles。 But enough of this。 Look yonder。 Do you know that
building？
I looked； and afar off I saw an immense Polygonal structure； in which
I recognized the General Assembly Hall of the States o
