a journey in other worlds-第57节

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God。　　What　is　the　suffering　of　the　present　momentary　time；　eased
as　it　is　by　God's　mercy　and　presence；　compared　with　the　glories
that　await　us？　　What　would　it　be　if　our　lives　here　were　filled
with　nothing　else；　as　ye　know　that　your　labour　is　not　vain　in　the
Lord？　　Time　and　eternitythe　finite　and　the　infinite。　　Death
was；　indeed；　a　deliverer；　and　the　sunset　of　the　body　is　the
sunrise　of　the　soul。〃
　　　
The　priest　held　himself　erect　as　a　soldier　while　delivering　this
sermon；　making　the　great　cathedral　ring　with　his　earnest　and
solemn　voice；　while　Ayrault；　as　a　spirit；　saw　how　absolutely　he
meant　and　believed　every　word　that　he　said。
　　　
Nearly　all　the　members　of　the　congregation　were　movedsome　more；
some　less　than　they　appeared。　　After　the　benediction　they　rapidly
dispersed；　carrying　in　their　hearts　the　germs　he　had　sown；　but
whether　these　would　bear　fruit　or　wither；　time　alone　could　show。
　　　
Ayrault　had　noticed　Sylvia's　father　and　mother　in　church；　but
Sylvia　herself　was　not　there；　and　he　was　distressed　to　think　she
might　be　ill。
　　　
〃Why；〃　pondered　Ayrault；　〃am　I　so　unhappy？　　I　was　baptized；
confirmed；　and　have　taken　the　sacrament。　　I　have　always　had　an
unshaken　faith；　and；　though　often　unsuccessful；　have　striven　to
obey　my　conscience。　　The　spirits　also　on　Saturn　kept　saying　I
should　be　happy。　　Now；　did　this　mean　it　was　incumbent　upon　me　to
rejoice；　because　of　some　blessing　I　already　had；　and　did　not
appreciate；　or　did　their　prescience　show　them　some　prospective
happiness　I　was　to　enjoy？　　The　visions　also　of　Violet；　the　angel；
and　the　lily；　which　I　believed；　and　still　believe；　were　no　mere
empty　fancies；　should　have　given　me　the　most　unspeakable　joy。　　It
may　be　a　mistake　to　apply　earthly　logic　to　heavenly　things；　but
the　fundamental　laws　of　science　cannot　change。
　　　
〃Why　am　I　so　unhappy？〃　he　continued；　returning　to　his　original
question。　　〃The　visions　gave　promise　of　special　grace；　perhaps
some　special　favour。　　True；　my　prayer　to　see　Sylvia　was　heard；
but；　considering　the　sacrifice；　this　has　been　no　blessing。　　The
request　cannot　have　been　wrong　in　itself；　and　as　for　the　manner；
there　was　no　arrogance　in　my　heart。　　I　asked　as　a　mortal；　as　a
man　of　but　finite　understanding；　for　what　concerned　me　most。　
Why；　oh　why；　so　wretched？〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIV。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HIC　ILLE　JACET。

At　daybreak　the　thunder…shower　passed　off；　but　was　followed　by　a
cold；　drenching　rain。　　Supposing　Ayrault　had　remained　in　the
Callisto；　Bearwarden　and　Cortlandt　did　not　feel　anxious；　and；　not
wishing　to　be　wet　through；　remained　in　the　cave；　keeping　up　a
good　fire　with　the　wood　they　had　collected。　　Towards　evening　a
cold　wind　came　up；　and；　thinking　this　might　clear　the　air；　they
ventured　out；　but；　finding　the　ground　saturated；　and　that　the
rain　was　again　beginning　to　fall；　they　returned　to　shelter；
prepared　a　dinner　of　canned　meat；　and　made　themselves　as
comfortable　as　possible　for　the　night。
　　　
〃I　am　surprised；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃that　Dick　did　not　try　to
return　to　us；　since　he　had　the　mackintoshes。〃
　　　
〃I　dare　say　he　did　try；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃but　finding　the
course　inundated；　and　knowing　we　should　not　need　the　mackintoshes
if　we　remained　under　cover；　decided　to　put　back。　　The　Callisto
is；　of　course；　as　safe　as　a　church。〃
　　　
〃I　hope；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃no　harm　has　come　to　him　on　the　way。　
It　will　be　a　weight　off　my　mind　to　see　him　safely　with　us。〃
　　　
〃Should　he　not　turn　up　in　the　morning；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃we
must　begin　a　search　for　him　bright　and　early。〃
　　　
Making　up　the　fire　as　near　the　entrance　of　the　cave　as　they　could
find　a　dry　place；　so　that　Ayrault　should　see　it　if　he　attempted
to　return　during　the　night；　they　piled　on　wood；　and　talked　of
their　recent　experiences。
　　　
〃However　unwilling　I　was；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃to　believe　my　senses；
which　I　felt　were　misleading　me；　I　can　no　longer　doubt　the
reality　of　that　spirit　bishop；　or　the　truth　of　what　be　says。　
When　you　look　at　the　question　dispassionately；　it　is　what　you
might　logically　expect。　　In　my　desire　to　disprove　what　is　to　us
supernatural；　I　tried　to　create　mentally　a　system　that　would　be　a
substitute　for　the　one　he　described；　but　could　evolve　nothing
that　so　perfectly　filled　the　requirements；　or　that　was　so　simple。　
Nothing　seems　more　natural　than　that　man；　having　been　evolved
from　stone；　should　continue　his　ascent　till　he　discards　material
altogether。　　The　metamorphism　is　more　striking　in　the　first
change　than　in　the　second。　　Granted　that　the　soul　is　immaterial；
and　that　it　leaves　the　body　after　death；　what　is　there　to　keep　it
on　earth？　　Gravitation　cannot　affect　it。　　What　is　more　likely
than　that　it　is　left　behind　by　the　earth　in　its　orbit；　or　that　it
continues　its　forward　motion；　but　in　a　straight　line；　till；
reaching　the　paths　of　the　greater　planets；　it　is　drawn　to　them　by
some　affinity　or　attraction　that　the　earth　does　not　possess；　and
that　the　souls　held　in　that　manner　remain　here　on　probation；
developing　like　young　animals　or　children；　till；　by　gradually
acquired　power；　resulting　from　their　wills；　they　are　able　to　rise
again　into　space；　to　revisit　the　earth；　and　in　time　to　explore
the　universe？　　It　might　easily　come　about　that；　by　some
explainable　sympathy；　the　infant　good　souls　are　drawn　to　this
planet；　while　the　condemned　pass　on　to　Cassandra；　which　holds
them　by　some　property　peculiar　to　itself；　until　perhaps　they；
too；　by　virtue　of　their　wills；　acquire　new　power；　unless
involution　sets　in　and　they　lose　what　they　have。　　The　simplicity
of　the　thing　is　what　surprises　me　now；　and　that　for　ages
philosophers　have　been　racking　their　brains　with　every
conceivable　fancy；　when；　by　simply　extending　and　following
natural　laws；　they　could　discern　the　whole。〃
　　　
〃It　is　the　old　story；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃of　Columbus　and　the　egg。　
Schopenhouer　and　his　predecessors　appear　to　have　tried　every　idea
but　the　right　one；　and　even　Darwin　and　Huxley　fell　short　in　their
reasoning；　because　they　tried　to　obtain　more　or　less　than　four　by
putting　two　with　two。〃
　　　
Thus　they　sat　and　talked　while　the　night　wore　on。　　Neither
thought　of　sleeping；　hoping　all　the　while　that　Ayrault　might　walk
in　as　he　had　the　night　before。
　　　
At　last　the　dawn　began　to　tint　the　east；　and　the　growing　light
showed　them　that　the　storm　had　passed。　　The　upper　strata　of
Saturn's　atmosphere　being　filled　with　infinitesimal　particles　of
dust；　as　a　result　of　its　numerous　volcanoes；　the　conditions　were
highly　favourable　to　beautiful　sunrises　and　sunsets。　　Soon
coloured　streaks　extended　far　into　the　sky；　and　though　they　knew
that　when　the　sun's　disc　appeared　it　would　seem　small；　it　filled
the　almost　boundless　eastern　horizon　with　the　most　variegated　and
gorgeous　hues。
　　　
Turning　away　from　the　welcome　sightfor　their　minds　were　ill　at
easethey　found　the　light　strong　enough　for　their　search　to
begin。　　Writing　on　a　sheet　of　paper；　in　a　large　hand；　〃Have　gone
to　the　Callisto　to　look　for　you；　shall　afterwards　return　here；〃
they　pinned　this　in　a　conspicuous　place　and　set　out　due　west；
keeping　about　a　hundred　yards　apart。　　The　ground　was　wet　and
slippery；　but　overhead　all　was　clear；　and　the　sun　soon　shone
brightly。　　Looking　to　right　and　left；　and　occasionally　shouting
and　discharging　their　revolvers；　they　went　on　for　half　an　hour。
　　　
〃I　have　his　tracks；〃　called　Bearwarden；　and　Cortlandt　hastened　to
join　him。
　　　
In　the　soft　ground；　sure　enough；　they　saw　Ayrault's　footprints；
and；　from　the　distance　between　them；　concluded　that　he　must　have
been　running　or　walking　very　fast；　but　the　rain　had　washed　down
the　edges　of　the　incision。　　The　trail　ascended　a　gentle　slope；
where　they　lost　it；　but　on　reaching　the　summit　they　saw　it　again
with　the　feet　together；　as　though　Ayrault　had　paused；　and　about
it　were　many　other　impressions　with　the　feet　turned　in；　as　if　the
walkers　or　standers　had　surrounded　Ayrault；　who　was　in　the
centre。
　　　
〃I　hope；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃these　are　nothing　more　than　the
footprints　we　have　seen　formed　about　ourselves。〃
　　　
〃See；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃Dick's　trail　goes　on；　and　the　others
vanish。　　They　cannot　have　been　made　by　savages　or　Indians；　for
they　seem　to　have　had　weight　only　while　standing。〃
　　　
They　then　resumed　their　march；　firing　a　revolver　shot　at
intervals　of　a　minute。　　Suddenly　they　came　upon　a　tall；　straight
tree；　uprooted　by　the　wind　and　lying　diagonally　across　their
path。　　Following　with　their　eyes　the　direction　in　which　it　lay；
they　saw　a　large；　hollow　trunk；　with　the　bark　stripped　off；　and
charred　as　if　struck　by　lightning。　　Obliged　to　pass　near　this　by
the　uprooted　tree…whose　thick　trunk；　upheld　by　the　branches　at
the　head；　lay　raised　about　two　feet　from　the　ground　both
searchers　gave　a　start；　and　stood　still　as　if　petrified。　　Inside
the　great　trunk　they　saw　a　head；　and；　on　looking　more　closely；
descried　Ayrault's　body。　　Grasping　it　by　the　arms；　they　drew　it
out。　　The　face　was　pale　and　the　limbs　were　stiff。　　Instantly
Cortlandt　unfastened　the　collar；　while　Bearwarden　applied　a　flask
to　the　lips。　　But　they　soon　found　that　their　efforts　were　vain。
　　　
〃The　spirit！〃　ejaculated　Cortlandt。　　〃Dick　may　be　in　a　trance；　in
whic