thuvia, maid of mars(火星姑娘)-第17节
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times。
〃It is well；〃 continued Jav； 〃that you did not fall into the hands of an
etherealist。 Then； indeed； would you have gone hungry。〃
〃But；〃 exclaimed Carthoris； 〃this is not real foodit was not here an
instant since； and real food does not materialize out of thin air。〃
Jav looked hurt。
〃There is no real food or water in Lothar；〃 he said； 〃nor has there been
for countless ages。 Upon such as you now see before you have we
existed since the dawn of history。 Upon such； then； may you exist。〃
〃But I thought you were a realist；〃 exclaimed Carthoris。
〃Indeed；〃 cried Jav； 〃what more realistic than this bounteous feast？ It
is just here that we differ most from the etherealists。 They claim that it is
unnecessary to imagine food； but we have found that for the maintenance
of life we must thrice daily sit down to hearty meals。
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〃The food that one eats is supposed to undergo certain chemical
changes during the process of digestion and assimilation； the result； of
course； being the rebuilding of wasted tissue。
〃Now we all know that mind is all； though we may differ in the
interpretation of its various manifestations。 Tario maintains that there is no
such thing as substance； all being created from the substanceless matter of
the brain。
〃We realists； however； know better。 We know that mind has the
power to maintain substance even though it may not be able to create
substancethe latter is still an open question。 And so we know that in
order to maintain our physical bodies we must cause all our organs
properly to function。
〃This we accomplish by materializing food…thoughts； and by partaking
of the food thus created。 We chew； we swallow； we digest。 All our
organs function precisely as if we had partaken of material food。 And
what is the result？ What must be the result？ The chemical changes take
place through both direct and indirect suggestion； and we live and thrive。〃
Carthoris eyed the food before him。 It seemed real enough。 He
lifted a morsel to his lips。 There was substance indeed。 And flavour as
well。 Yes； even his palate was deceived。
Jav watched him； smiling； as he ate。
〃Is it not entirely satisfying？〃 he asked。
〃I must admit that it is；〃 replied Carthoris。 〃But tell me； how does
Tario live； and the other etherealists who maintain that food is
unnecessary？〃
Jav scratched his head。
〃That is a question we often discuss；〃 he replied。 〃It is the strongest
evidence we have of the non…existence of the etherealists； but who may
know other than Komal？〃
〃Who is Komal？〃 asked Carthoris。 〃I heard your jeddak speak of
him。〃
Jav bent low toward the ear of the Heliumite； looking fearfully about
before he spoke。
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〃Komal is the essence；〃 he whispered。 〃Even the etherealists admit
that mind itself must have substance in order to transmit to imaginings the
appearance of substance。 For if there really was no such thing as
substance it could not be suggestedwhat never has been cannot be
imagined。 Do you follow me？〃
〃I am groping；〃 replied Carthoris dryly。
〃So the essence must be substance；〃 continued Jav。 〃Komal is the
essence of the All； as it were。 He is maintained by substance。 He eats。
He eats the real。 To be explicit； he eats the realists。 That is Tario's
work。
〃He says that inasmuch as we maintain that we alone are real we
should； to be consistent； admit that we alone are proper food for Komal。
Sometimes； as to…day； we find other food for him。 He is very fond of
Torquasians。〃
〃And Komal is a man？〃 asked Carthoris。
〃He is All； I told you；〃 replied Jav。 〃I know not how to explain him
in words that you will understand。 He is the beginning and the end。 All
life emanates from Komal； since the substance which feeds the brain with
imaginings radiates from the body of Komal。
〃Should Komal cease to eat； all life upon Barsoom would cease to be。
He cannot die； but he might cease to eat； and； thus； to radiate。〃
〃And he feeds upon the men and women of your belief？〃 cried
Carthoris。
〃Women！〃 exclaimed Jav。 〃There are no women in Lothar。 The last
of the Lotharian females perished ages since； upon that cruel and terrible
journey across the muddy plains that fringed the half…dried seas； when the
green hordes scourged us across the world to this our last hiding…place
our impregnable fortress of Lothar。
〃Scarce twenty thousand men of all the countless millions of our race
lived to reach Lothar。 Among us were no women and no children。 All
these had perished by the way。
〃As time went on； we； too； were dying and the race fast approaching
extinction； when the Great Truth was revealed to us； that mind is all。
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Many more died before we perfected our powers； but at last we were able
to defy death when we fully understood that death was merely a state of
mind。
〃Then came the creation of mind…people； or rather the materialization
of imaginings。 We first put these to practical use when the Torquasians
discovered our retreat； and fortunate for us it was that it required ages of
search upon their part before they found the single tiny entrance to the
valley of Lothar。
〃That day we threw our first bowmen against them。 The intention was
purely to frighten them away by the vast numbers of bowmen which we
could muster upon our walls。 All Lothar bristled with the bows and
arrows of our ethereal host。
〃But the Torquasians did not frighten。 They are lower than the
beaststhey know no fear。 They rushed upon our walls； and standing
upon the shoulders of others they built human approaches to the wall tops；
and were on the very point of surging in upon us and overwhelming us。
〃Not an arrow had been discharged by our bowmenwe did but cause
them to run to and fro along the wall top； screaming taunts and threats at
the enemy。
〃Presently I thought to attempt the thingTHE GREAT THING。 I
centred all my mighty intellect upon the bowmen of my own creation
each of us produces and directs as many bowmen as his mentality and
imagination is capable of。
〃I caused them to fit arrows to their bows for the first time。 I made
them take aim at the hearts of the green men。 I made the green men see all
this； and then I made them see the arrows fly； and I made them think that
the points pierced their hearts。
〃It was all that was necessary。 By hundreds they toppled from our
walls； and when my fellows saw what I had done they were quick to
follow my example； so that presently the hordes of Torquas had retreated
beyond the range of our arrows。
〃We might have killed them at any distance； but one rule of war we
have maintained from the firstthe rule of realism。 We do nothing； or
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rather we cause our bowmen to do nothing within sight of the enemy that
is beyond the understanding of the foe。 Otherwise they might guess the
truth； and that would be the end of us。
〃But after the Torquasians had retreated beyond bowshot； they turned
upon us with their terrible rifles； and by constant popping at us made life
miserable within our walls。
〃So then I bethought the scheme to hurl our bowmen through the gates
upon them。 You have seen this day how well it works。 For ages they
have come down upon us at intervals；
