a journey in other worlds-第46节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　were　hollow；　like　those　of
birds。　　Whether　this　great　motive　and　lifting　power　was　the
result　of　the　planet's　size　and　the　power　of　gravitation；　or
whether　some　creatures　had　in　addition　the　power　of　developing　a
degree　of　apergetic　repulsion　to　offset　it；　as　they　suspected　in
the　case　of　the　boa…constrictor　that　fell　upon　Cortlandt　on
Jupiter；　they　could　not　absolutely　ascertain。　　Life　was　far　less
prolific　on　Saturn　than　on　Jupiter；　doubtless　as　a　result　of　its
greater　distance　from　the　sun；　and　of　its　extremes　of　climate；
almost　all　organic　life　being　driven　to　the　latitudes　near　the
equator。　　There　were；　as　on　Jupiter；　many　variations　from　the
forms　of　life　to　which　they　were　accustomed；　and　adaptations　to
the　conditions　in　which　they　found　themselves；　but；　with　the
exception　of　the　strange　manifestations　of　spirit　life；　they
found　the　workings　of　the　fundamental　laws　the　same。　　Often　when
they　woke　at　night　the　air　was　luminous；　and　they　were　convinced
that　if　they　remained　there　long　enough　it　would　be　easy　to
devise　some　telegraphic　code　of　light…flashes　by　which　they　could
communicate　with　the　spirit　world；　and　so　get　ideas　from　the　host
of　spirits　that　had　already　solved　the　problem　of　life　and　death；
but　who　were　not　as　yet　sufficiently　developed　to　be　able　to
return　to　the　earth。　　One　day　they　stopped　to　investigate　what
they　had　supposed　to　be　an　optical　illusion。　　They　observed　that
leaves　and　other　light　substances　floated　several　inches　above
the　surface　of　the　water　in　the　pools。　　On　coming　to　the　edge　and
making　tests；　they　found　a　light　liquid；　as　invisible　as　air；
superimposed　upon　the　water；　with　sufficient　buoyancy　to　sustain
dry　wood　and　also　some　forms　of　life。　　They　also　observed　that
insects　coming　close　to　the　surface　and　apparently　inhaling　it；
rapidly　increased　in　size　and　weight；　from　which　they　concluded
it　must　throw　off　nitrogen；　carbon；　or　some　other　nourishment　in
the　form　of　gas。　　The　depth　upon　the　water　was　unaffected　by
rain；　which　passed　through　it；　but　depended　rather　on　the
condition　of　the　atmosphere；　from　which　it　was　evidently
condensed。　　There　seemed　also　to　be　a　relation　between　the　amount
of　this　liquid　and　the　activity　of　the　spirits。　　Finally；　when
their　ammunition　showed　signs　of　running　low；　they　decided　to
return　to　the　Callisto；　go　in　it　to　the　other　side　of　the　planet；
and　resume　their　investigations　there。　　Accordingly；　they　set　out
to　retrace　their　steps；　returning　by　a　course　a　few　miles　to　one
side　of　the　way　they　had　come；　and　making　the　cave　their
objective　point。　　Arriving　there　one　evening　about　sunset；　they
pitched　their　camp。　　The　cave　was　sheltered　and　comfortable；　and
they　made　preparation　for　passing　the　night。
　　　
〃I　shall　be　sorry；〃　said　Ayrault；　as　they　sat　near　their　fire；
〃to　leave　this　place　without　again　seeing　the　bishop。　　He　said　we
could　impress　him　anywhere；　but　it　may　be　more　difficult　to　do
that　at　the　antipodes　than　here。〃
　　
〃It　does　seem；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃as　though　we　should　be　missing
it　in　not　seeing　him　again；　if　that　is　possible。　　Nothing　but　a
poison…storm　brought　him　the　first　time；　and　it　is　not　certain
that　even　in　such　an　emergency　would　he　come　again　uncalled。〃
　　
〃I　think；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃as　none　of　the　spirits　here　are
malevolent；　they　would　warn　us　of　danger　if　they　could。　　The
bishop's　spirit　seems　to　have　been　the　only　one　with　sufficiently
developed　power　to　reappear　as　a　man。　　I　therefore　suggest　that
to…morrow　we　try　to　make　him　feel　our　thought　and　bring　him　to
us。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VII。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SPIRIT'S　SECOND　VISIT。

　　　
Accordingly；　the　next　morning　they　concentrated　their　minds
simultaneously　on　the　spirit；　wishing　with　all　their　strength
that　he　should　reappear。
　　　
〃Whether　he　be　far　or　near；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃he　must　feel　that；
for　we　are　using　the　entire　force　of　our
minds。〃
　　　
Shadows　began　to　form；　and　dancing　prismatic　colours　appeared；
but　as　yet　there　was　no　sign　of　the　deceased　bishop；　when
suddenly　he　took　shape　among　them；　his　appearance　and
disappearance　being　much　like　that　of　stereopticon　views　on　the
sheet　before　a　lantern。　　He　held　himself　erect；　and　his
thoughtful；　dignified　face　had　the　same　calm　expression　it　had
worn　before。
　　　
〃We　attracted　your　attention；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃in　the　way　you　said
we　might；　because　we　longed　so　to　see　you。〃
　　　
〃Yes；〃　added　Bearwarden　and　Cortlandt；　〃we　felt　we　MUST　see　you
again。〃
　　　
〃I　am　always　at　your　service；〃　replied　the　spirit；　〃and　will
answer　your　questions。　　With　regard　to　my　visibility　and
invisibility〃he　continued；　with　a　smile；　〃for　I　will　not　wait
for　you　to　ask　the　explanation　of　what　is　in　your　mindsit　is
very　simple。　　A　man's　soul　can　never　die；　a　manifestation　of　the
soul　is　the　spirit；　this　has　entity；　consciousness；　and　will；　and
these　also　live　forever。　　As　in　the　natural　or　material　life；　as
I　shall　call　it；　will　affects　the　material　first。　　Thus；　a　child
has　power　to　move　its　hand　or　a　material　object；　as　a　toy；　before
it　can　become　the　medium　in　a　psychological　seance。　　So　it　is
here。　　Before　becoming　visible　to　your　eyes；　I；　by　my　will；　draw
certain　material　substances　in　the　form　of　gases　from　the　ground；
water；　or　air　around　me。　　These　take　any　shape　I　wishnot
necessarily　that　of　man；　though　it　is　more　natural　to　appear　as
we　did　on　earthand　may　absorb　a　portion　of　light；　and　so　be
able　to　cast　a　shadow　or　break　up　the　white　rays　into　prismatic
colours；　or　they　may　be　wholly　invisible。　　By　an　effort　of　the
will；　then；　I　combine　and　condense　these　gaseswhich　consist
principally　of　oxygen；　hydrogen；　nitrogen；　and　carboninto
flesh；　blood；　water；　or　anything　else。　　You　have　already　learned
on　earth　that；　by　the　application　of　heat；　every　solid　and　every
liquid　substance；　which　is　solid　or　liquid　simply　because　of　the
temperature　at　which　you　find　it；　can　be　expanded　into　gas　or
gases；　and　that　by　cold　and　pressure　every　gas　can　be　reduced　to
a　liquid　or　a　solid。　　On　earth　the　state　of　a　substance；　whether
solid；　liqui