the blue flower-第13节

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almost　like　caves。　　One　side　of　the　rock　was　broken　by　a　slanting
gully。

〃Be　careful；〃　cried　my　companion；　〃there　is　a　rattlers'
den　somewhere　about　here。　　The　snakes　are　in　their　winter
quarters　now；　almost　dormant；　but　they　can　still　strike　if　you
tread　on　them。　　Step　here！　　Give　me　your　handuse　that　point
of　rockhold　fast　by　this　bush；　it　is　firmly　rootedso！
Here　we　are　on　Spy　Rock！　　You　have　heard　of　it？　I　thought　so。
Other　people　have　heard　of　it；　and　imagine　that　they　have
found　itfive　miles　east　of　uson　a　lower　ridge。　　Others
think　it　is　a　peak　just　back　of　Cro'　Nest。　　All　wrong！　　There
is　but　one　real　Spy　Rockhere！　　This　earth　holds　no　more
perfect　view…point。　　It　is　one　of　the　rare　places　from　which
a　man　may　see　the　kingdoms　of　the　world　and　all　the　glory　of
them。　　Look！〃

The　prospect　was　indeed　magnificent；　it　was　strange　what
a　vast　enlargement　of　vision　resulted　from　the　slight
elevation　above　the　surrounding　peaks。　　It　was　like　being
lifted　up　so　that　we　could　look　over　the　walls。　　The　horizon
expanded　as　if　by　magic。　　The　vast　circumference　of　vision　swept
around　us　with　a　radius　of　a　hundred　miles。　　Mountain　and　meadow；
forest　and　field；　river　and　lake；　hill　and　dale；　village　and
farmland；　far…off　city　and　shimmering　waterall　lay　open　to　our
sight；　and　over　all　the　westering　sun　wove　a　transparent　robe　of
gem…like　hues。　　Every　feature　of　the　landscape　seemed　alive；
quivering；　pulsating　with　conscious　beauty。　　You　could　almost
see　the　world　breathe。

〃Wonderful！〃　I　cried。　　〃Most　wonderful！　　You　have　found　a
mount　of　vision。〃

〃Ah；〃　he　answered；　〃you　don't　half　see　the　wonder　yet；　you
don't　begin　to　appreciate　it。　　Your　eyes　are　new　to　it。　　You
have　not　learned　the　power　of　far　sight；　the　secret　of　Spy
Rock。　　You　are　still　shut　in　by　the　horizon。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　can　look　beyond　it？〃

〃Beyond　yoursyes。　　And　beyond　any　that　you　would　dream
possibleSee！　　Your　sight　reaches　to　that　dim　cloud　of　smoke
in　the　south？　　And　beneath　it　you　can　make　out；　perhaps；　a
vague　blotch　of　shadow；　or　a　tiny　flash　of　brightness　where　the
sun　strikes　it？　　New　York！　　But　I　can　see　the　great　buildings；
the　domes；　the　spires；　the　crowded　wharves；　the　tides　of　people
whirling　through　the　streetsand　beyond　that；　the　sea；　with　the
ships　coming　and　going！　　I　can　follow　them　on　their　coursesand
beyond　thatOh！　when　I　am　on　Spy　Rock　I　can　see　more　than
other　men　can　imagine。〃

For　a　moment；　strange　to　say；　I　almost　fancied　could
follow　him。　　The　magnetism　of　his　spirit　imposed　upon　me；
carried　me　away　with　him。　　Then　sober　reason　told　me　that　he
was　talking　of　impossibilities。

〃Keene；〃　said　I；　〃you　are　dreaming。　　The　view　and　the　air
have　intoxicated　you。　　This　is　a　phantasy；　a　delusion！〃

〃It　pleases　you　to　call　it　so；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　only　tell
you　my　real　experience。　　Why　it　should　be　impossible　I　do　not
understand。　　There　is　no　reason　why　the　power　of　sight　should
not　be　cultivated；　enlarged；　expanded　indefinitely。〃

〃And　the　straight　rays　of　light？〃　I　asked。　〃And　the　curvature
of　the　earth　which　makes　a　horizon　inevitable？〃

〃Who　knows　what　a　ray　of　light　is？〃　said　he。　　〃Who　can
prove　that　it　may　not　be　curved；　under　certain　conditions；　or
refracted　in　some　places　in　a　way　that　is　not　possible
elsewhere？　　I　tell　you　there　is　something　extraordinary　about
this　Spy　Rock。　　It　is　a　seat　of　powerNature's　observatory。
More　things　are　visible　here　than　anywhere　elsemore　than　I
have　told　you　yet。　　But　come；　we　have　little　time　left。　　For
half　an　hour；　each　of　us　shall　enjoy　what　he　can　see。　　Then
home　again　to　the　narrower　outlook；　the　restricted　life。〃

The　downward　journey　was　swifter　than　the　ascent；　but　no
less　fatiguing。　　By　the　time　we　reached　the　school；　an　hour
after　dark；　I　was　very　tired。　　But　Keene　was　in　one　of　his
moods　of　exhilaration。　　He　glowed　like　a　piece　of　phosphorus
that　has　been　drenched　with　light。

Graham　took　the　first　opportunity　of　speaking　with　me　alone。

〃Well？〃　said　he。

〃Well！〃　I　answered。　　〃You　were　wrong。　　There　is　no　treason　in
Keene's　walks；　no　guilt　in　his　moods。　　But　there　is　something
very　strange。　　I　cannot　form　a　judgment　yet　as　to　what　we　should
do。　　We　must　wait　a　few　days。　　It　will　do　no　harm　to　be　patient。
Indeed；　I　have　promised　not　to　judge；　not　to　speak　of　it；　until　a
certain　time。　　Are　you　satisfied？〃

〃This　is　a　curious　story；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　am　puzzled　by
it。　　But　I　trust　you；　I　agree　to　wait；　though　I　am　far　from
satisfied。〃

Our　second　expedition　was　appointed　for　the　following
Saturday。　　Keene　was　hungry　for　it；　and　I　was　almost　as　eager；
desiring　to　penetrate　as　quickly　as　possible　into　the　heart　of
the　affair。　　Already　a　conviction　in　regard　to　it　was　pressing
upon　me；　and　I　resolved　to　let　him　talk；　this　time；　as　freely
as　he　would；　without　interruption　or　denial。

When　we　clambered　up　on　Spy　Rock；　he　was　more　subdued　and
reserved　than　he　had　been　the　first　time。　　For　a　while　he
talked　little；　but　scanned　view　with　wide；　shining　eyes。　　Then
he　began　to　tell　me　stories　of　the　places　that　we　could
seestrange　stories　of　domestic　calamity；　and　social　conflict；
and　eccentric　passion；　and　hidden　crime。

〃Do　you　remember　Hawthorne's　story　of　'The　Minister's
Black　Veil？'　　It　is　the　best　comment　on　human　life　that　ever
was　written。　　Everyone　has　something　to　hide。　　The　surface　of
life　is　a　mask。　　The　substance　of　life　is　a　secret。　　All
humanity　wears　the　black　veil。　　But　it　is　not　impenetrable。
No；　it　is　transparent；　if　you　find　the　right　point　of　view。
Here；　on　Spy　Rock；　I　have　found　it。　　I　have　learned　how　to
look　through　the　veil。　　I　can　see；　not　by　the　light…rays　only；
but　by　the　rays　which　are　colourless；　imperceptible；
irresistible　the　rays　of　the　unknown　quantity；　which　penetrate
everywhere。　　I　can　see　how　men　down　in　the　great　city　are
weaving　their　nets　of　selfishness　and　falsehood；　and　calling
them　industrial　enterprises　or　political　combinations。　　I　can
see　how　the　wheels　of　society　are　moved　by　the　hidden　springs
of　avarice　and　greed　and　rivalry。　　I　can　see　how　children
drink　in　the　fables　of　religion；　without　understanding　them；
and　how　prudent　men　repeat　them　without　believing　them。　　I　can
see　how　the　illusions　of　love　appear　and　vanish；　and　how　men　and
women　swear　that　their　dreams　are　eternal；　even　while　they　fade。
I　can　see　how　poor　people　blind　themselves　and　deceive　each
other；　calling　selfishness　devotion；　and　bondage　contentment。
Down　at　Hilltop　yonder　I　can　see　how　Dorothy　Ward　and　John
Graham；　without　knowing　it；without　meaning　it〃

〃Stop；　man！〃　I　cried。　　〃Stop；　before　you　say　what　can
never　be　unsaid。　　You　know　it　is　not　true。　　These　are
nightmare　visions　that　ride　you。　　Not　from　Spy　Rock　nor　from
anywhere　else　can　you　see　anything　at　Hilltop　that　is　not
honest　and　pure　and　loyal。　　Come　down；　now；　and　let　us　go
home。　　You　will　see　better　there　than　here。〃

〃I　think　not；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　will　come。　　Yes；　of　course；
I　am　bound　to　come。　　But　let　me　have　a　few　minutes　here　alone。
Go　you　down　along　the　path　a　little　way　slowly。　　I　will　follow
you　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　And　remember　we　are　to　be　here
together　once　more！〃

　　Once　more！　　Yes；　and　then　what　must　be　done？


How　was　this　strange　case　to　be　dealt　with　so　as　to　save　all
the　actors；　as　far　as　possible；　from　needless　suffering？　　That
Keene's　mind　was　disordered　at　least　three　of　us　suspected
already。　　But　to　me　alone　was　the　nature　and　seat　of　the
disorder　known。　　How　make　the　others　understand　it？　　They
might　easily　conceive　it　to　be　something　different　from　the
fact；　some　actual　lesion　of　the　brain；　an　incurable　insanity。
But　this　it　was　not。　　As　yet；　at　least；　he　was　no　patient　for
a　mad…house：　it　would　be　unjust；　probably　it　would　be
impossible　to　have　him　committed。　　But　on　the　other　hand　they
might　take　it　too　lightly；　as　the　result　of　overwork；　or
perhaps　of　the　use　of　some　narcotic。　　To　me　it　was　certain
that　the　trouble　went　far　deeper　than　this。　　It　lay　in　the
man's　moral　nature；　in　the　error　of　his　central　will。　　It　was
the　working　out；　in　abnormal　form；　but　with　essential　truth；
of　his　chosen　and　cherished　ideal　of　life。　　Spy　Rock　was
something　more　than　the　seat　of　his　delusion。　it　was　the
expression　of　his　temperament。　　The　solitary　trail　that　led
thither　was　the　symbol　of　his　search　for　happinessalone；
forgetful　of　life's　lowlier　ties；　looking　down　upon　the　world　in
the　cold　abstraction　of　scornful　knowledge。　　How　was　such　a　man
to　be　brought　back　to　the　real　life　whose　first　condition　is　the
acceptance　of　a　limited　outlook；　the　willingness　to　live　by
trust　as　much　as　by　sight；　the　power　of　finding　joy　and　peace
in　the　things　that　we　feel　are　the　best；　even　though　we　cannot
prove　them　nor　explain　them？　　How　could　he　ever　bring　anything
but　discord　and　sorrow　to　those　who　were　bound　to　him？

This　was　what　perplexed　and　oppressed　me。　　I　needed　all
the　time　until　the　next　Saturday　to　think　the　question
through；　to　decide　what　should　be　done。　　But　the　matter　was
taken　out　of　my　hands。　　After　our　latest　expedition　Keene's
dark　mood　returned　upon　him　with　sombre　intensity。　　Dull；
restless；　indifferent；　half…contemptuous；　he　s