a journey in other worlds-第48节

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The　combination　and　building　up　of　these　in　the　ordinary　way
would　have　taken　weeks　or　months；　but　was　performed
instantaneously　by　His　mighty　power。〃
　　　
〃What　natural　laws　are　known　to　you；〃　asked　Bearwarden；　〃that　we
do　not　understand；　or　concerning　the　existence　of　which　we　are
ignorant？〃
　　　
〃Most　of　the　laws　in　the　invisible　world；〃　said　the　spirit；　〃are
the　counterpart　or　extension　of　laws　that　appear　on　earth；　though
you　as　yet　understand　but　a　small　part　of　those；　many　not　having
come　to　your　notice。　　You；　for　instance；　know　that　light；　heat；
and　motion　are　analogous；　and　either　of　the　last　two　can　be
converted　into　the　other；　but　in　practice　you　produce　motion　of
the　water　molecules　by　the　application　of　heat；　and　seldom
reverse　it。　　One　of　the　first　things　we　master　here　is　the　power
to　freeze　or　boil　water；　by　checking　the　motion　of　the　molecules
in　one　case；　and　by　increasing　it；　and　their　mutual　repulsion；　in
the　other。　　This　is　by　virtue　of　a　simple　law；　though　in　this
case　there　is　no　natural　manifestation　of　it　on　earth　with　which
to　compare　it。　While　knowledge　must　be　acquired　here　through
study；　as　on　earth；　the　new　senses　we　receive　with　the　awakening
from　death　render　the　doing　so　easy；　though　with　only　the　senses
we　had　before　it　would　have　been　next　to　impossible。
　　　
〃At　this　moment　snow　is　falling　on　the　Callisto；　but　this　you
could　not　know　by　seeing；　and　scarcely　any　degree　of　evolution
could　develop　your　sight　sufficiently；　unassisted　by　death。　　With
your　instruments；　however；　you　could　already　perceive　it；
notwithstanding　the　intervening　rocks。
　　　
〃Your　research　on　earth　is　the　best　and　most　thorough　in　the
history　of　the　race；　and　could　we　but　give　you　suggestions　as　to
the　direction　in　which　to　push　it；　the　difference　between
yourselves　and　angels　might　be　but　little　more　than　that　between
the　number　and　intensity　of　the　senses　and　the　composition　of　the
body。　　By　the　combination　of　natural　laws　you　have　rid　yourselves
of　the　impediment　of　material　weight；　and　can　roam　through　space
like　spirits；　or　as　Columbus；　by　virtue　of　the　confidence　that
came　with　the　discovery　of　the　mariner's　compass；　roamed　upon　and
explored　the　sea。　　You　have　made　a　good　beginning；　and　were　not
your　lives　so　short；　and　their　requirements　so　peremptory；　you
might　visit　the　distant　stars。
　　　
〃I　will　show　you　the　working　of　evolution。　　Life　sleeps　in
minerals；　dreams　in　plants；　and　wakes　in　you。　　The　rock　worn　by
frost　and　age　crumbles　to　earth　and　soil。　　　This　enters　the
substance　of　the　primordial　plant；　which；　slowly　rising；　produces
the　animal　germ。　　After　that　the　way　is　clear；　and　man　is　evolved
from　protoplasm　through　the　vertebrate　and　the　ape。　　Here　we　have
the　epitome　of　the　struggle　for　life　in　the　ages　past；　and　the
analogue　of　the　journey　in　the　years　to　come。　　Does　not　the
Almighty　Himself　make　this　clear　where　He　says　through　his
servant　Isaiah；　'Behold　of　these　stones　will　I　raise　up
children'？and　the　name　Adam　means　red　earth。　　God；　having
brought　man　so　far；　will　not　let　evolution　cease；　and　the　next
stage　of　life　must　be　the　spiritual。〃

〃Can　you　tell　us　anything；〃　asked　Ayrault；　〃concerning　the　bodies
that　those　surviving　the　final　judgment　will　receive？〃
　　　
〃Notwithstanding　the　unfolding　of　knowledge　that　has　come　to　us
here；〃　replied　the　spirit；　〃there　are　still　some　subjects
concerning　which　we　must　look　for　information　to　the　inspired
writers　in　the　Bible；　and　every　gain　or　discovery　goes　to　prove
their　veracity。　　　　We　know　that　there　are　celestial　bodies　and
bodies　　terrestrial；　and　that　the　spiritual　bodies　we　shall
receive　in　the　resurrection　will　have　power　and　will　be
incorruptible　and　immortal。　　We　also　know　by　analogy　and　reason
that　they　will　be　unaffected　by　the　cold　and　void　of　space；　so
that　their　possessors　can　range　through　the　universe　for
non…nillions　and　decillions　of　miles；　that　they　will　have
marvellous　capacities　for　enjoying　what　they　find；　and　that　no
undertaking　or　journey　will　be　too　difficult；　though　it　be　to　the
centre　of　the　sun。　　Though　many　of　us　can　already　visit　the
remote　regions　of　space　as　spirits；　none　can　as　yet　see　God；　but
we　know　that　as　the　sight　we　are　to　receive　with　our　new　bodies
sharpens；　the　pure　in　heart　will　see　Him；　though　He　is　still　as
invisible　to　the　eyes　of　the　most　developed　here　as　the　ether　of
space　is　to　yours。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VIII。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CASSANDRA　AND　COSMOLOGY。

The　water…jug　being　empty；　Ayrault　took　it　up；　and；　crossing　the
ridge　of　a　small　hill；　descended　to　a　running…brook。　　He　had
filled　it；　and　was　straightening　himself；　when　the　stone　on　which
he　stood　turned；　and　he　might　have　fallen；　had　not　the　bishop；　of
whose　presence　he　had　been　unaware；　stretched　out　his　hand　and
upheld　him。
　　　
〃I　thought　you　might　need　a　little　help；〃　he　said　with　a　smile；
〃and　so　walked　beside　you；　though　you　knew　it　not。　　Water　is
heavy；　and　you　may　not　yet　have　become　accustomed　to　its
Saturnian　weight。〃
　　　
〃Many　thanks；　my　master；〃　replied　Ayrault；　retaining　his　hand。　
〃Were　it　not　that　I　am　engaged　to　the　girl　I　love；　and　am
sometimes　haunted　by　the　thought　that　in　my　absence　she　may　be
forgetting　me；　I　should　wish　to　spend　the　rest　of　my　natural　life
here；　unless　I　could　persuade　you　to　go　with　me　to　the　earth。〃
　　　
〃By　remaining　here；〃　replied　the　spirit；　with　a　sad　look；　〃you
would　be　losing　the　most　priceless　opportunities　of　doing　good。　
Neither　will　I　go　with　you；　but；　as　your　distress　is　real；　I　will
tell　you　of　anything　happening　on　earth　that　you　wish　to　know。〃
　　　
〃Tell　me；　then；　what　the　person　now　in　my　thoughts　is　doing。〃
　　　
〃She　is　standing　in　a　window　facing　west；　watering　some
forget…me…nots　with　a　small　silver　sprinkler　which　has　a　ruby　in
the　handle。〃
　　　
〃Can　you　see　anything　else？〃
　　　
〃Beneath　the　jewel　is　an　inscription　that　runs：

　　　　　　　　　　　'By　those　who　in　warm　July　are　born
　　　　　　　　　　　　A　single　ruby　should　be　worn；
　　　　　　　　　　　　Then　will　they　be　exempt　and　free
　　　　　　　　　　　　From　love's　doubts　and　anxiety。'〃

〃Marvellous！　Had　I　any　doubts　as　to　your　prescience　and　power；
they　would　be　dispelled　now。　　One　thing　more　let　me　ask；　however：　
Does　she　still　love　me？〃
　　　
〃In　her　mind　is　but　one　thought；　and　in　her　heart　is　an
imagethat　of　the　man　before　me。　　She　loves　you　with　all　her
soul。〃
　　　
〃My　most　eager　wish　is　satisfied；　and　for　the　moment　my　heart　is
at　rest；〃　replied　Ayrault；　as　they　turned　their　steps　towards
camp。　　〃Yet；　such　is　my　weakness　by　nature；　that；　ere　twenty…four
hours　have　passed　I　shall　long　to　have　you　tell　me　again。〃
　　　
〃I　have　been　in　love　myself；〃　replied　the　spirit；　〃and　know　the
feeling；　yet　to　be　of　the　smallest　service　to　you　gives　me　far
more　happiness　than　it　can　give　you。　　The　mutual　love　in　paradise
exceeds　even　the　lover's　love　on　earth；　for　it　is　only　those　that
loved　and　can　love　that　are　blessed。
　　　
〃You　can　hardly　realize；〃　the　bishop　continued；　as　they　rejoined
Bearwarden　and　Cortlandt；　〃the　joy　that　a　spirit　in　paradise
experiences　when；　on　reopening　his　eyes　after　passing　death；
which　is　but　the　portal；　he　finds　himself　endowed　with　sight　that
enables　him　to　see　such　distances　and　with　such　distinctness。　
The　solar　system；　with　this　ringed　planet；　its　swarm　of
asteroids；　and　its　intra…Mercurial　planetsone　of　which；　Vulcan；
you　have　already　discoveredis　a　beautiful　sight。　　The　planets
nearest　the　sun　receive　such　burning　rays　that　their　surfaces　are
red…hot；　and　at　the　equator　at　perihelion　are　molten。　　These　are
not　seen　from　the　earth；　because；　rising　or　setting　almost
simultaneously　with　the　sun；　they　are　lost　in　its　rays。　　The
great　planet　beyond　Neptune's　orbit　is　perhaps　the　most
interesting。　　This　we　call　Cassandra；　because　it　would　be　a
prophet　of　evil　to　any　visitor　from　the　stars　who　should　judge
the　solar　system　by　it。　　This　planet　is　nearly　as　large　as
Jupiter；　being　80；000　miles　in　diameter；　but　has　a　specific
gravity　lighter　than　Saturn。　　Bode's　law；　you　know；　says；　Write
down　0；　3；　6；　12；　24；　48；　96。　　Add　4　to　each；　and　get　4；　7；　10；
16；　28；　52；　100；　and　this　series　of　numbers　represents　very
nearly　the　relative　distances　of　the　planets　from　the　sun。　
According　to　this　law；　you　would　expect　the　planet　next　beyond
Neptune　to　be　about　5；000；000；000　miles　from　the　sun。　　But　it　is
about　9；500；000；000；　so　that　there　is　a　gap　between　Neptune　and
Cassandra；　as　between　Mars　and　Jupiter；　except　that　in
Cassandra's　case　there　are　no　asteroids　to　show　where　any　planet
was；　we　must；　then；　suppose　it　is　an　exception　to　Bode's　law；　or
that　there　was　a　planet　that　has　completely　disappeared。　　As
Cassandra　would　be　within　the　law　if　there　had　been　an
intermediary　planet；　we　have　good　prima　facie　reason　for
believing　that　it　existed。　　Cassandra　takes；　in　round　numbers；　a
thousand　years　to　complete　its　orbit；　and　from　it　the　sun；　though
brighter；　appears　no　larger　than　the　earth's　evening　or　morning
star。　　Cassandra　has　also　three　large　moons；　but　these；　when
full；　shine　with　a　pale…grey　light；　like　the　old　moon　in　the　new
moon's　arms；　in　that　terrestrial　phenomenon　when　the　earth；　by
refl