the coming race(一个即临种族)-第40节
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too brief to waste upon thoughts of fame and power and avarice； while
with that agreement is combined another… viz。； since they can know
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nothing as to the nature of that Diety beyond the fact of His supreme
goodness； nor of that future world beyond the fact of its felicitous
existence； so their reason forbids all angry disputes on insoluble questions。
Thus they secure for that state in the bowels of the earth what no
community ever secured under the light of the stars… all the blessings and
consolations of a religion without any of the evils and calamities which are
engendered by strife between one religion and another。
It would be； then； utterly impossible to deny that the state of existence
among the Vril…ya is thus； as a whole； immeasurably more felicitous than
that of super…terrestrial races； and； realising the dreams of our most
sanguine philanthropists； almost approaches to a poet's conception of
some angelical order。 And yet； if you would take a thousand of the best
and most philosophical of human beings you could find in London； Paris；
Berlin； New York； or even Boston； and place them as citizens in the
beatified community； my belief is； that in less than a year they would
either die of ennui； or attempt some revolution by which they would
militate against the good of the community； and be burnt into cinders at
the request of the Tur。
Certainly I have no desire to insinuate； through the medium of this
narrative； any ignorant disparagement of the race to which I belong。 I
have； on the contrary； endeavoured to make it clear that the principles
which regulate the social system of the Vril…ya forbid them to produce
those individual examples of human greatness which adorn the annals of
the upper world。 Where there are no wars there can be no Hannibal； no
Washington； no Jackson； no Sheridan；… where states are so happy that they
fear no danger and desire no change； they cannot give birth to a
Demosthenes； a Webster； a Sumner； a Wendell Holmes； or a Butler； and
where a society attains to a moral standard； 146in which there are no
crimes and no sorrows from which tragedy can extract its aliment of pity
and sorrow； no salient vices or follies on which comedy can lavish its
mirthful satire； it has lost the chance of producing a Shakespeare； or a
Moliere； or a Mrs。 Beecher…Stowe。 But if I have no desire to disparage
my fellow…men above ground in showing how much the motives that
impel the energies and ambition of individuals in a society of contest and
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struggle… become dormant or annulled in a society which aims at securing
for the aggregate the calm and innocent felicity which we presume to be
the lot of beatified immortals； neither； on the other hand； have I the wish
to represent the commonwealths of the Vril…ya as an ideal form of political
society； to the attainment of which our own efforts of reform should be
directed。 On the contrary； it is because we have so combined； throughout
the series of ages； the elements which compose human character； that it
would be utterly impossible for us to adopt the modes of life； or to
reconcile our passions to the modes of thought among the Vril…ya；… that I
arrived at the conviction that this people… though originally not only of our
human race； but； as seems to me clear by the roots of their language；
descended from the same ancestors as the Great Aryan family； from which
in varied streams has flowed the dominant civilisation of the world； and
having； according to their myths and their history； passed through phases
of society familiar to ourselves；… had yet now developed into a distinct
species with which it was impossible that any community in the upper
world could amalgamate： and that if they ever emerged from these nether
recesses into the light of day； they would； according to their own
traditional persuasions of their ultimate destiny； destroy and replace our
existent varieties of man。
It may； indeed； be said； since more than one Gy could be found to
conceive a partiality for so ordinary a type of our super…terrestrial race as
myself； that even if the Vril…ya did 147appear above ground； we might be
saved from extermination by intermixture of race。 But this is too
sanguine a belief。 Instances of such 'mesalliance' would be as rare as
those of intermarriage between the Anglo…Saxon emigrants and the Red
Indians。 Nor would time be allowed for the operation of familiar
intercourse。 The Vril…ya； on emerging； induced by the charm of a sunlit
heaven to form their settlements above ground； would commence at once
the work of destruction； seize upon the territories already cultivated； and
clear off； without scruple； all the inhabitants who resisted that invasion。
And considering their contempt for the institutions of Koom…Posh or
Popular Government； and the pugnacious valour of my beloved
countrymen； I believe that if the Vril…ya first appeared in free America… as；
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being the choicest portion of the habitable earth； they would doubtless be
induced to do… and said； 〃This quarter of the globe we take； Citizens of a
Koom…Posh； make way for the development of species in the Vril…ya；〃 my
brave compatriots would show fight； and not a soul of them would be left
in this life； to rally round the Stars and Stripes； at the end of a week。
I now saw but little of Zee； save at meals； when the family assembled；
and she was then reserved and silent。 My apprehensions of danger from
an affection I had so little encouraged or deserved； therefore； now faded
away； but my dejection continued to increase。 I pined for escape to the
upper world； but I racked my brains in vain for any means to effect it。 I
was never permitted to wander forth alone； so that I could not even visit
the spot on which I had alighted； and see if it were possible to reascend to
the mine。 Nor even in the Silent Hours； when the household was locked
in sleep； could I have let myself down from the lofty floor in which my
apartment was placed。 I knew not how to command the automata who
stood mockingly at my beck beside the wall； nor could I ascertain the
springs by which were set in movement the platforms that supplied the
place of stairs。 The knowledge how 148to avail myself of these
contrivances had been purposely withheld from me。 Oh； that I could but
have learned the use of wings； so freely here at the service of every infant；
then I might have escaped from the casement； regained the rocks； and
buoyed myself aloft through the chasm of which the perpendicular sides
forbade place for human footing！
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CHAPTER XXVII。
One day； as I sat alone and brooding in my chamber； Taee flew in at
the open window and alighted on the couch beside me。 I was always
pleased with the visits of a child； in whose society； if humbled； I was less
eclipsed than in that of Ana who had completed their education and
matured their understanding。 And as I was permitted to wander forth
with him for my companion； and as I longed to revisit the spot in which I
had descended into the nether world； I hastened to ask him if he were at
leisure for a stroll beyond the streets of the city。 His countenance seemed
