a journey in other worlds-第58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！


　　　
〃The　spirit！〃　ejaculated　Cortlandt。　　〃Dick　may　be　in　a　trance；　in
which　case　he　can　help　us。　　Let　us　will　hard　and　long。〃
　
Accordingly；　they　threw　themselves　on　their　faces；　closing　their
eyes；　that　nothing　might　distract　their　concentration。　　Minutes；
which　seemed　like　ages；　passed；　and　there　was　no　response。
　　　
〃Now；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃will　together；　hard。〃
　　　
Suddenly　the　stillness　was　broken　by　the　spirit's　voice；　which
said：
　　　
〃I　felt　more　than　one　mind　calling；　but　the　effect　was　so　slight
I　thought　first　I　was　mistaken。　　I　will　help　you　in　what　you
want；　for　the　young　man　is　not　dead；　neither　is　he　injured。〃
　　　
Saying　which；　he　stretched　himself　upon　Ayrault；　worked　his　lungs
artificially；　and　willed　with　an　intensity　the　observers　could
feel　where　they　stood。　　Quickly　the　colour　returned　to　Ayrault's
cheeks；　and　with　the　spirit's　assistance　he　sat　up　and　leaned
against　the　tree　that　had　protected　him　from　the　storm。
　　　
〃Your　promise　was　realized；〃　he　said；　addressing　the　spirit。　　〃I
have　seen　what　I　shall　never　forget；　and　lest　the　anguishthe
vision　of　which　I　sawcome　true；　let　us　return　to　the　earth；　and
not　leave　it　till　I　have　tasted　in　reality　the　joys　that　in　the
spirit　I　seemed　to　have　missed。　　I　have　often　longed　in　this　life
to　be　in　the　spirit；　but　never　knew　what　longing　was；　till　I
experienced　it　as　a　spirit；　to　be　once　more　in　the　flesh。〃
　　　
〃You　see　the　mercy　of　God；〃　said　the　spirit；　〃in　not　ordinarily
allowing　the　spirits　of　the　departed　to　revisit　earth　until　they
are　preparedthat　is；　until　they　are　sufficiently　advanced　to　go
there　unaidedby　which　time　they　have　come　to　understand　the
wisdom　of　God's　laws。　　In　your　case　the　limiting　laws　were
partially　suspended；　so　that　you　were　able　to　return　at　once；
with　many　of　the　faculties　and　senses　of　spirits；　but　without
their　accumulated　experience。　　It　speaks　well　for　your　state　of
preparation　that；　without　having　had　those　disguised　blessings；
illness　or　misfortune；　you　were　not　utterly　crushed　by　what　you
saw　when　temporarily　released。　　While　in　the　trance　you　were　not
in　hell；　but　experienced　the　feelings　that　all　mortals　would　if
allowed　to　return　immediately。　　Thus　no　lover　can　return　to　earth
till　his　fiancee　has　joined　him　here；　or　till；　perceiving　the
benevolence　of　God's　ways；　he　is　not　distressed　at　what　he　sees；
and　has　the　companionship　of　a　host　of　kindred　spirits。
　　　
〃The　spirits　you　saw　in　the　cemetery　were　indeed　in　hell；　but　had
become　sufficiently　developed　to　revisit　the　earth；　though　doing
so　did　not　relieve　their　distress；　for　neither　the　development　of
their　senses；　which　intensifies　their　capacity　for　remorse　and
regret；　nor　their　investigations　into　God's　boundless　mercies；
which　they　have　deliberately　thrown　away；　can　comfort　them。
　　　
〃Some　of　your　ancestors　are　on　Cassandra；　and　others　are　in
purgatory　here。　　Though　a　few　faintly　felt　your　prayer；　none　were
able　to　return　and　answer　beside　their　graves。　　It　was　at　your
request　and　prayer　that　He　freed　your　spirit；　but　you　see　how
unhappy　it　made　you。〃
　　　
〃I　see；〃　replied　Ayrault；　〃that　no　man　should　wish　to　anticipate
the　workings　of　the　Almighty；　although　I　have　been　unspeakably
blessed　in　that　He　made　an　exceptionif　I　may　so　call　itin　my
favour；　since；　in　addition　to　revealing　the　responsibilities　of
life；　it　has　shown　me　the　inestimable　value　and　loyalty　of
woman's　love。　　I　fear；　however；　that　my　return　to　earth　greatly
distressed　the　waterer　of　the　flowers　you　showed　me。〃
　　　
〃She　already　sleeps；〃　replied　the　spirit；　〃and　I　have　comforted
her　by　a　dream　in　which　she　sees　that　you　are　well。〃
　　
〃When　shall　we　start？〃　asked　Bearwarden。
　　　
〃As　soon　as　you　can　get　ready；〃　replied　Ayrault。　　〃I　would　not
risk　running　short　of　enough　current　to　generate　the　apergy
needed　to　get　us　back。　　I　dare　say　when　I　have　been　on　earth　a
few　years；　and　have　done　something　for　the　good　of　my
soulwhich；　as　I　take　it；　can　be　accomplished　as　well　by
advancing　science　as　in　any　other　wayI　shall　pine　for　another
journey　in　space　as　I　now　do　to　return。〃
　　　
〃How　I　wish　I　were　engaged；〃　said　Bearwarden；　glancing　at
Cortlandt；　and　overjoyed　at　Ayrault's　recovery。
　　　
Accordingly；　they　resumed　their　march　in　the　direction　in　which
they　had　been　going　when　they　found　Ayrault；　and　were　soon　beside
the　Callisto。　　Cortlandt　worked　the　combination　lock　of　the　lower
entrance；　through　which　they　crawled。　　Going　to　the　second　story；
they　opened　a　large　window　and　let　down　a　ladder；　on　which　the
spirit　ascended　at　their　invitation。
　　　
Bearwarden　and　Ayrault　immediately　set　about　combining　the
chemicals　that　were　to　produce　the　force　necessary　to　repel　them
from　Saturn。　　Bubbles　of　hydrogen　were　given　off　from　the　lead
and　zinc　plates；　and　the　viscous　primary　batteries　quickly　had
the　wires　passing　through　a　vacuum　at　a　white　heat。
　　　
〃I　see　you　are　nearly　ready　to　start；〃　said　the　spirit；　〃so　I
must　say　farewell。〃
　　　
〃Will　you　not　come　with　us？〃　asked　Ayrault。
　　　
〃No；〃　replied　the　spirit。　　〃I　do　not　wish　to　be　away　as　long　as
it　will　take　you　to　reach　the　earth。　　The　Callisto's　atmosphere
could　not　absorb　my　body；　so　that；　should　I　leave　you　before　your
arrival；　you　would　be　burdened　with　a　corpse。　　I　may　visit　you　in
the　spirit；　though　the　desire　and　effort　for　communion　with
spirits；　to　be　of　most　good；　must　needs　come　from　the　earth。　　Ere
long；　my　intuition　tells　me；　we　shall　meet　again。
　　　
〃The　vision　of　your　own　grave；〃　he　continued；　addressing
Cortlandt；　〃may　not　come　true　for　many　years；　but　however　long
your　lives　may　be；　according　to　earthly　reckoning；　remember　that
when　they　are　past　they　will　seem　to　have　been　hardly　more　than　a
moment；　for　they　are　the　personification　of　frailty　and
evanescence。〃
　　　
He　held　up　his　hands　and　blessed　them；　and　then　repeating；
〃Farewell　and　a　happy　return！〃　descended　as　he　had　come　up。
　　　
The　air　was　filled　with　misty　shadows；　and　the　pulsating　hearts；
luminous　brains；　and　centres　of　spiritual　activity　quivered　with
motion。　　They　surrounded　the　incarnate　spirit　of　the　bishop　and
set　up　the　soft；　musical　hum　the　travellers　had　heard　so　often
since　their　arrival　on　Saturn。
　　　
〃I　now　understand；〃　thought　Ayrault；　〃why　the　spirits　I　met　kept
repeating　that　I　should　be　happy。　　They　perceived　I　was　to　be
translated；　and　though　they　doubtless　knew　what　suffering　it
would　cause；　they　also　knew　I　should　be　awakened　to　a　sense　of
great　realities；　of　which　I　understood　but　little。〃
　　　
They　drew　up　the　ladder　and　turned　on　the　current；　and　the
Callisto　slowly　began　to　rise；　while　the　three　friends　crowded
the　window。
　　　
〃Good…bye！〃　called　the　spirit's　pleasant　voice；　to　which　the　men
replied　in　chorus。
　　　
The　sun　had　set　on　the　surface　of　the　planet　while　they　made
their　preparations；　but　as　the　Callisto　rose　higher；　it　seemed　to
rise　again；　making　the　sides　of　their　car　shine　like　silver；　and；
carefully　closing　the　two　open　windows；　they　watched　the
fast…receding　world；　so　many　times　larger　and　more　magnificent
than　their　own。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XV。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MOTHER　EARTH。

〃There　is　something　sad；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃about　the　end　of
everything；　but　I　am　more　sorry　to　leave　Saturn　than　I　have　ever
been　in　taking　leave　of　any　other　place。〃
　　　
When　beyond　the　limits　of　the　atmosphere　they　applied　the　full
current；　and　were　soon　once　more　cleaving　the　ether　at　cometary
speed；　their　motion　towards　the　sun　being　aided　by　that　great
body　itself。
　　　
They　quickly　passed　beyond　the　outer　edge　of　the　vast　silvery
rings；　and　then　crossed　one　after　another　the　orbits　of　the
moons；　from　the　last　of　which；　Iapetus；　they　obtained　their　final
course　in　the　direction　of　the　earth。　　They　had　an　acute　feeling
of　homesickness　for　the　mysterious　planet　on　which；　while　yet
mortal；　they　had　found　paradise；　and　had　communed　with　spirits　as
no　modern　men　ever　did。
　　　
Without　deviating　from　their　almost　straight　line；　they　passed
within　a　million　miles　of　Jupiter；　which　had　gained　in　its
smaller　orbit　on　Saturn；　and　a　few　days　later　crossed　the　track
of　Mars。
　　　
As　the　earth　had　completed　nearly　half　a　revolution　in　its　orbit
since　their　departure；　they　here　turned　somewhat　to　the　right　by
attracting　the　ruddy　planet；　in　order　to　avoid　passing　too　near
the　sun。
　　　
〃On　some　future　expedition；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃and　when　we　have　a
supply　of　blue　glasses；　we　can　take　a　trip　to　Venus；　if　we　can
find　a　possible　season　in　her　year。　　Compared　with　this　journey；
it　would　be　only　like　going　round　the　block。〃
　　　
Two　days　later　they　had　rounded　the　sun；　and　laid　their　course　in
pursuit　of　the　earth。
　　　
That　the　astronomers　in　the　dark　hemisphere　were　at　their　posts
and　saw　them；　was　evident；　for　a　brilliant　beam　of　light　again
flashed　forth；　this　time　from　a　point　a　little　south　of　the
arctic　circle；　and　after　shining　one　minute；　telegraphed　this
message：　　〃Rejoiced　to　see　you　again。　　Hope　all　are　well。〃
　　　
Since　they　were　not　sufficiently　near　the　moon's　shadow；　they
directed　their　light…beam　into　their　own；　which　trailed　off　on
one　side；　and　answered：　　〃All　well；　thank　yo