a journey in other worlds-第40节

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keeps　the　molecules　apart；　heat　serving　merely　to　increase　its
power？　　God　made　man　in　his　own　image；　does　it　not　stand　to
reason　that　he　will　allow　him　to　continue　to　become　more　and　more
like　himself？　　Would　he　begrudge　him　the　power　to　move　mountains
through　the　intelligent　application　of　Nature's　laws；　when　he
himself　said　they　might　be　moved　by　faith？　　So　far　you　have　been
content　to　use　the　mechanical　power　of　water；　its　momentum　or
dead　weight　merely；　to　attain　a　much　higher　civilization；　you
must　break　it　up　chemically　and　use　its　constituent　gases。〃
　　　
〃How；〃　asked　Bearwarden；　〃can　this　be　done？〃
　　　
〃Force　superheated　steam；〃　replied　the　spirit；　〃through　an
intensely　heated　substance；　as　you　now　do　in　making
water…gaspreferably　platinum　heated　by　electricityapply　an
apergetic　shock；　and　the　oxygen　and　hydrogen　will　separate　like
oil　and　water；　the　oxygen　being　so　much　the　heavier。　　Lead　them
in　different　directions　as　fast　as　the　water　is　decomposedsince
otherwise　they　would　reuniteand　your　supply　of　power　will　be
inexhaustible。〃
　　　
〃Will　you　not　stay　and　dine　with　us？〃　asked　Ayrault。　　〃While　in
the　flesh　you　must　be　subject　to　its　laws；　and　must　need　food　to
maintain　your　strength；　like　ourselves。〃
　　　
〃It　will　give　me　great　pleasure；〃　replied　the　spirit；　〃to　tarry
with　you；　and　once　more　to　taste　earthly　food；　but　most　of　all　to
have　the　blessed　joy　of　being　of　service　to　you。　　Here；　all　being
immaterial　spirits；　no　physical　injury　can　befall　any　of　us；　and
since　no　one　wants　anything　that　any　one　else　can　give；　we　have
no　opportunity　of　doing　anything　for　each　other。　　You　see　we
neither　eat　nor　sleep；　neither　can　any　of　us　again　know　physical
pain　or　death；　nor　can　we　comfort　one　another；　for　every　one
knows　the　truth　about　himself　and　every　one　else；　and　we　read　one
another's　thoughts　as　an　open　book。〃
　　　
〃Do　you；〃　asked　Bearwarden；　〃not　eat　at　all？
　　　
〃We　absorb　vitality　in　a　sense；〃　replied　the　spirit。　　〃As　the　sun
combines　certain　substances　into　food　for　mortals；　it　also
produces　molecular　vibration　and　charges　the　air　with　magnetism
and　electricity；　which　we　absorb　without　effort。　　In　fact；　there
is　a　faint　pleasure　in　the　absorption　of　this　strength；　when；　in
magnetic　disturbances；　there　is　an　unusual　amount　of　immortal
food。　　Should　we　try　to　resist　it；　there　would　eventually　be　a
greater　pressure　without　than　within；　and　we　should　assimilate
involuntarily。　　We　are　part　of　the　intangible　universe；　and　can
feel　no　hunger　that　is　not　instantly　appeased；　neither　can　we
ever　more　know　thirst。〃
　　　
〃Why；〃　asked　Cortlandt　reverently；　〃　did　the　angel　with　the　sword
of　flame　drive　Adam　from　the　Tree　of　Life；　since　with　his　soul　he
had　received　that　which　could　never　die？〃
　　　
〃That　was　part　of　the　mercy　of　God；〃　the　shade　replied；　〃for
immortality　could　be　enjoyed　but　meagrely　on　earth；　where　natural
limitations　are　so　abrupt。　　And　know　this；　ye　who　are　something
of　chemists；　that　had　Adam　eaten　of　that　substance　called　fruit；
he　would　have　lived　in　the　flesh　to　this　day；　and　would　have　been
of　all　men　the　most　unhappy。〃
　　　
〃Will　the　Fountain　of　Youth　ever　be　discovered？〃　asked　Cortlandt。
　　　
〃That　substances　exist；〃　replied　the　spirit；　〃that　render　it
impossible　for　the　germs　of　old　age　and　decay　to　lodge　in　the
body；　I　know；　in　fact；　it　would　be　a　break　in　the　continuity　and
balance　of　Nature　did　they　not；　but　I　believe　their　discovery
will　be　coincident　with　Christ's　second　visible　advent　on　earth。　
You　are；　however；　only　on　the　shore　of　the　ocean　of　knowledge；
and；　by　continuing　to　advance　in　geometric　ratio；　will　soon　be
able　to　retain　your　mortal　bodies　till　the　average　longevity
exceeds　Methuselah's；　but；　except　for　more　opportunities　of　doing
good；　or　setting　a　longer　example　to　your　fellows　by　your　lives；
where　would　be　the　gain？
　　　
〃I　now　see　how　what　appeared　to　me　while　I　lived　on　earth
insignificant　incidents；　were　the　acts　of　God；　and　that　what　I
thought　injustice　or　misfortune　was　but　evidence　of　his　wisdom
and　love；　for　we　know　that　not　a　sparrow　falleth　without　God；　and
that　the　hairs　of　our　heads　are　numbered。　　Every　act　of　kindness
or　unselfishness　on　my　part；　also；　stands　out　like　a　golden
letter　or　a　white　stone；　and　gives　me　unspeakable　comfort。　　At
the　last　judgment；　and　in　eternity　following；　we　shall　have　very
different　but　just　as　real　bodies　as　those　that　we　possessed　in
the　flesh。　　The　dead　at　the　last　trump　will　rise　clothed　in　them；
and　at　that　time　the　souls　in　paradise　will　receive　them　also。〃
　　　
〃I　wonder；〃　thought　Ayrault；　〃on　which　hand　we　shall　be　placed　in
that　last　day。〃
　　　
〃The　classification　is　now　going　on；〃　said　the　spirit；　answering
his　thought；　〃and　I　know　that　in　the　final　judgment　each
individual　will　range　himself　automatically　on　his　proper　side。〃
　　　
〃Do　tell　me；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃how　you　were　able　to　answer　my
thought。〃
　　　
〃I　see　the　vibrations　of　the　grey　matter　of　your　brain　as　plainly
as　the　movements　of　your　lips〃；　in　fact；　I　see　the　thoughts　in
the　embryonic　state　taking　shape。〃
　　　
When　their　meal　was　ready　they　sat　down；　Ayrault　placing　the
spirit　on　his　right；　with　Cortlandt　on　his　left；　and　having
Bearwarden　opposite。　　On　this　occasion　their　chief　had　given　them
a　particularly　good　dinner；　but　the　spirit　took　only　a　slice　of
meat　and　a　glass　of　claret。
　　　
〃Won't　you　tell　us　the　story　of　your　life；〃　said　Ayrault　to　the
spirit；　〃and　your　experiences　since　your　death？　　They　would　be　of
tremendous　interest　to　us。〃
　　　
〃I　was　a　bishop　in　one　of　the　Atlantic　States；〃　replied　the
spirit　gravely；　〃and　died　shortly　before　the　civil　war。　　People
came　from　other　cities　to　hear　my　sermons；　and　the　biographical
writers　have　honoured　my　memory　by　saying　that　I　was　a　great　man。　
I　was　contemporaneous　with　Daniel　Webster　and　Henry　Clay。　
Shortly　after　I　reached　threescore　and　ten；　according　to　earthly
years；　I　caught　what　I　considered　only　a　slight　cold；　for　I　had
always　had　good　health；　but　it　became　pneumonia。　　My　friends；
children；　and　grandchildren　came　to　see　me；　and　all　seemed　going
well；　when；　without　warning；　my　physician　told　me　I　had　but　a　few
hours　to　live。　　I　could　scarcely　believe　my　ears；　and　though；　as
a　Churchman；　I　had　ministered　to　others　and　had　always　tried　to
lead　a　good　life；　I　was　greatly　shocked。　　I　suddenly　remembered
all　the　things　I　had　left　undone　and　all　the　things　I　intended　to
do；　and　the　old　saying；　'Hell　is　paved　with　good　intentions；'
crossed　my　mind　very　forcibly。　　In　less　than　an　hour　I　saw　the
physician　was　right；　I　grew　weaker　and　my　pulse　fluttered；　but　my
mind　remained　clear。　　I　prayed　to　my　Creator　with　all　my　soul；　'O
spare　me　a　little；　that　I　may　recover　my　strength；　before　I　go
hence；　and　be　no　more　seen。'　　As　if　for　an　answer；　the　thought
crossed　my　brain；　'Set　thine　house　in　order；　for　thou　shalt　not
live；　but　die。'　　I　then　called　my　children　and　made　disposition
of　such　of　my　property　and　personal　effects　as　were　not　covered
by　my　will。　　I　also　gave　to　each　the　advice　that　my　experience
had　shown　me　he　or　she　needed。　　Then　came　another　wave　of　remorse
and　regret；　and　again　an　intense　longing　to　pray；　but　along　with
the　thought　of　sins　and　neglected　duties　came　also　the　memory　of
the　honest　efforts　I　had　made　to　obey　my　conscience；　and　these
were　like　rifts　of　sunshine　during　a　storm。　　These　thoughts；　and
the　blessed　promises　of　religion　I　had　so　often　preached　in　the
churches　of　my　diocese；　were　an　indescribable　comfort；　and　saved
me　from　the　depths　of　blank　despair。　　Finally　my　breathing　became
laboured；　I　had　sharp　spasms　of　pain；　and　my　pulse　almost
stopped。　　I　felt　that　I　was　dying；　and　my　sight　grew　dim。　　The
crisis　and　climax　of　life　were　at　hand。　　'Oh！'　I　thought；　with
the　philosophers　and　sages；　'is　it　to　this　end　I　lived？　　The
flower　appears；　briefly　blooms　amid　troublous　toil；　and　is　gone；
my　body　returns　to　its　primordial　dust；　and　my　works　are　buried
in　oblivion。　　The　paths　of　life　and　glory　lead　but　to　the　grave。'　
My　soul　was　filled　with　conflicting　thoughts；　and　for　a　moment
even　my　faith　seemed　at　a　low　ebb。　　I　could　hear　my　children's
stifled　sobs；　and　my　darling　wife　shed　silent　tears。　　The　thought
of　parting　from　them　gave　me　the　bitterest　wrench。　　With　my
fleeting　breath　I　gasped　these　words；　'That　mercy　I　showed
others；　that　show　thou　me。'　　The　darkened　room　grew　darker；　and
after　that　I　died。　　In　my　sleep　I　seemed　to　dream。　　All　about
were　refined　and　heavenly　flowers；　while　the　most　delightful
sounds　and　perfumes　filled　the　air。　　Gradually　the　vision　became
more　distinct；　and　I　experienced　an　indescribable　feeling　of
peace　and　repose。　　I　passed　through　fields　and　scenes　I　had　never
seen　before；　while　every　place　was　filled　with　an　all…pervading
light。　　Sometimes　I　seemed　to　be　miles　in　air；　countless　suns　and
their　planets　shone；　and　dazzled　my　eyes；　while　no
bird…of…paradise　was　as　happy　or　free　as　I。　　Gradually　it　came　to
me　that　I　was　awake；　and　that　it　was　no　dream。　　Then　I　remembered
my　last　moments；　and　perceived　that　I　had　died。　　Death　had
brought　freedom；　my　work　in　the　flesh　was　ended；　I　was　indeed
alive。
　　　
〃'O　Death；　where　is　th