flatland-第18节

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le！〃　I　cried；　but；　the　Sphere　leading　the　way；　I　followed　as　if　in　a　dream；　till　once　more　his　voice　arrested　me：　　〃Look　yonder；　and　behold　your　own　Pentagonal　house；　and　all　its　inmates。〃

I　looked　below；　and　saw　with　my　physical　eye　all　that　domestic　individuality　which　I　had　hitherto　merely　inferred　with　the　understanding。　　And　how　poor　and　shadowy　was　the　inferred　conjecture　in　comparison　with　the　reality　which　I　now　beheld！　My　four　Sons　calmly　asleep　in　the　North…Western　rooms；　my　two　orphan　Grandsons　to　the　South；　the　Servants；　the　Butler；　my　Daughter；　all　in　their　several　apartments。　　Only　my　affectionate　Wife；　alarmed　by　my　continued　absence；　had　quitted　her　room　and　was　roving　up　and　down　in　the　Hall；　anxiously　awaiting　my　return。　　Also　the　Page；　aroused　by　my　cries；　had　left　his　room；　and　under　pretext　of　ascertaining　whether　I　had　fallen　somewhere　in　a　faint；　was　prying　into　the　cabinet　in　my　study。　All　this　I　could　now　SEE；　not　merely　infer；　and　as　we　came　nearer　and　nearer；　I　could　discern　even　the　contents　of　my　cabinet；　and　the　two　chests　of　gold；　and　the　tablets　of　which　the　Sphere　had　made　mention。





Touched　by　my　Wife's　distress；　I　would　have　sprung　downward　to　reassure　her；　but　I　found　myself　incapable　of　motion。　〃Trouble　not　yourself　about　your　Wife；〃　said　my　Guide：　〃she　will　not　be　long　left　in　anxiety；　meantime；　let　us　take　a　survey　of　Flatland。〃

Once　more　I　felt　myself　rising　through　space。　　It　was　even　as　the　Sphere　had　said。　　The　further　we　receded　from　the　object　we　beheld；　the　larger　became　the　field　of　vision。　　My　native　city；　with　the　interior　of　every　house　and　every　creature　therein；　lay　open　to　my　view　in　miniature。　　We　mounted　higher；　and　lo；　the　secrets　of　the　earth；　the　depths　of　mines　and　inmost　caverns　of　the　hills；　were　bared　before　me。

Awestruck　at　the　sight　of　the　mysteries　of　the　earth；　thus　unveiled　before　my　unworthy　eye；　I　said　to　my　Companion；　〃Behold；　I　am　become　as　a　God。　　For　the　wise　men　in　our　country　say　that　to　see　all　things；　or　as　they　express　it；　OMNIVIDENCE；　is　the　attribute　of　God　alone。〃　　There　was　something　of　scorn　in　the　voice　of　my　Teacher　as　he　made　answer：　　〃Is　it　so　indeed？　Then　the　very　pick…pockets　and　cut…throats　of　my　country　are　to　be　worshipped　by　your　wise　men　as　being　Gods：　for　there　is　not　one　of　them　that　does　not　see　as　much　as　you　see　now。　But　trust　me；　your　wise　men　are　wrong。〃

I。　　Then　is　omnividence　the　attribute　of　others　besides　Gods？

SPHERE。　　I　do　not　know。　　But；　if　a　pick…pocket　or　a　cut…throat　of　our　country　can　see　everything　that　is　in　your　country；　surely　that　is　no　reason　why　the　pick…pocket　or　cut…throat　should　be　accepted　by　you　as　a　God。　　This　omnividence；　as　you　call　it　　it　is　not　a　common　word　in　Spaceland　　does　it　make　you　more　just；　more　merciful；　less　selfish；　more　loving？　　Not　in　the　least。　Then　how　does　it　make　you　more　divine？

I。　　〃More　merciful；　more　loving！〃　　But　these　are　the　qualities　of　women！　　And　we　know　that　a　Circle　is　a　higher　Being　than　a　Straight　Line；　in　so　far　as　knowledge　and　wisdom　are　more　to　be　esteemed　than　mere　affection。

SPHERE。　　It　is　not　for　me　to　classify　human　faculties　according　to　merit。　　Yet　many　of　the　best　and　wisest　in　Spaceland　think　more　of　the　affections　than　of　the　understanding；　more　of　your　despised　Straight　Lines　than　of　your　belauded　Circles。　　But　enough　of　this。　Look　yonder。　　Do　you　know　that　building？

I　looked；　and　afar　off　I　saw　an　immense　Polygonal　structure；　in　which　I　recognized　the　General　Assembly　Hall　of　the　States　of　Flatland；　surrounded　by　dense　lines　of　Pentagonal　buildings　at　right　angles　to　each　other；　which　I　knew　to　be　streets；　and　I　perceived　that　I　was　approaching　the　great　Metropolis。

〃Here　we　descend；〃　said　my　Guide。　　It　was　now　morning；　the　first　hour　of　the　first　day　of　the　two　thousandth　year　of　our　era。　Acting；　as　was　their　wont；　in　strict　accordance　with　precedent；　the　highest　Circles　of　the　realm　were　meeting　in　solemn　conclave；　as　they　had　met　on　the　first　hour　of　the　first　day　of　the　year　1000；　and　also　on　the　first　hour　of　the　first　day　of　the　year　0。

The　minutes　of　the　previous　meetings　were　now　read　by　one　whom　I　at　once　recognized　as　my　brother；　a　perfectly　Symmetrical　Square；　and　the　Chief　Clerk　of　the　High　Council。　　It　was　found　recorded　on　each　occasion　that：　　〃Whereas　the　States　had　been　troubled　by　divers　ill…intentioned　persons　pretending　to　have　received　revelations　from　another　World；　and　professing　to　produce　demonstrations　whereby　they　had　instigated　to　frenzy　both　themselves　and　others；　it　had　been　for　this　cause　unanimously　resolved　by　the　Grand　Council　that　on　the　first　day　of　each　millenary；　special　injunctions　be　sent　to　the　Prefects　in　the　several　districts　of　Flatland；　to　make　strict　search　for　such　misguided　persons；　and　without　formality　of　mathematical　examination；　to　destroy　all　such　as　were　Isosceles　of　any　degree；　to　scourge　and　imprison　any　regular　Triangle；　to　cause　any　Square　or　Pentagon　to　be　sent　to　the　district　Asylum；　and　to　arrest　any　one　of　higher　rank；　sending　him　straightway　to　the　Capital　to　be　examined　and　judged　by　the　Council。〃

〃You　hear　your　fate；〃　said　the　Sphere　to　me；　while　the　Council　was　passing　for　the　third　time　the　formal　resolution。　〃Death　or　imprisonment　awaits　the　Apostle　of　the　Gospel　of　Three　Dimensions。〃　　〃Not　so；〃　replied　I；　〃the　matter　is　now　so　clear　to　me；　the　nature　of　real　space　so　palpable；　that　methinks　I　could　make　a　child　understand　it。　　Permit　me　but　to　descend　at　this　moment　and　enlighten　them。〃　　〃Not　yet；〃　said　my　Guide；　〃the　time　will　come　for　that。　　Meantime　I　must　perform　my　mission。　Stay　thou　there　in　thy　place。〃　　Saying　these　words；　he　leaped　with　great　dexterity　into　the　sea　（if　I　may　so　call　it）　of　Flatland；　right　in　the　midst　of　the　ring　of　Counsellors。　　〃I　come；〃　cried　he；　〃to　proclaim　that　there　is　a　land　of　Three　Dimensions。〃

I　could　see　many　of　the　younger　Counsellors　start　back　in　manifest　horror；　as　the　Sphere's　circular　section　widened　before　them。　　But　on　a　sign　from　the　presiding　Circle　　who　shewed　not　the　slightest　alarm　or　surprise　　six　Isosceles　of　a　low　type　from　six　different　quarters　rushed　upon　the　Sphere。　〃We　have　him；〃　they　cried；　〃No；　yes；　we　have　him　still！　he's　going！　he's　gone！〃

〃My　Lords；〃　said　the　President　to　the　Junior　Circles　of　the　Council；　〃there　is　not　the　slightest　need　for　surprise；　the　secret　archives；　to　which　I　alone　have　access；　tell　me　that　a　similar　occurrence　happened　on　the　last　two　millennial　commencements。　　You　will；　of　course；　say　nothing　of　these　trifles　outside　the　Cabinet。〃

Raising　his　voice；　he　now　summoned　the　guards。　　〃Arrest　the　policemen；　gag　them。　　You　know　your　duty。〃　　After　he　had　consigned　to　their　fate　the　wretched　policemen　　ill…fated　and　unwilling　witnesses　of　a　State…secret　which　they　were　not　to　be　permitted　to　reveal　　he　again　addressed　the　Counsellors。　　〃My　Lords；　the　business　of　the　Council　being　concluded；　I　have　only　to　wish　you　a　happy　New　Year。〃　　Before　departing；　he　expressed；　at　some　length；　to　the　Clerk；　my　excellent　but　most　unfortunate　brother；　his　sincere　regret　that；　in　accordance　with　precedent　and　for　the　sake　of　secrecy；　he　must　condemn　him　to　perpetual　imprisonment；　but　added　his　satisfaction　that；　unless　some　mention　were　made　by　him　of　that　day's　incident；　his　life　would　be　spared。




Section　19。　　How；　though　the　Sphere　shewed　me　other　mysteries　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　of　Spaceland；　I　still　desired　more；　and　what　came　of　it



When　I　saw　my　poor　brother　led　away　to　imprisonment；　I　attempted　to　leap　down　into　the　Council　Chamber；　desiring　to　intercede　on　his　behalf；　or　at　least　bid　him　farewell。　　But　I　found　that　I　had　no　motion　of　my　own。　　I　absolutely　depended　on　the　volition　of　my　Guide；　who　said　in　gloomy　tones；　〃Heed　not　thy　brother；　haply　thou　shalt　have　ample　time　hereafter　to　condole　with　him。　Follow　me。〃




Once　more　we　ascended　into　space。　　〃Hitherto；〃　said　the　Sphere；　〃I　have　shewn　you　naught　save　Plane　Figures　and　their　interiors。　Now　I　must　introduce　you　to　Solids；　and　reveal　to　you　the　plan　upon　which　they　are　constructed。　　Behold　this　multitude　of　moveable　square　cards。　　See；　I　put　one　on　another；　not；　as　you　supposed；　Northward　of　the　other；　but　ON　the　other。　Now　a　second；　now　a　third。　　See；　I　am　building　up　a　Solid　by　a　multitude　of　Squares　parallel　to　one　another。　　Now　the　Solid　is　complete；　being　as　high　as　it　is　long　and　broad；　and　we　call　it　a　Cube。〃

〃Pardon　me；　my　Lord；〃　replied　I；　〃but　to　my　eye　the　appearance　is　as　of　an　Irregular　Figure　whose　inside　is　laid　open　to　the　view；　in　other　words；　methinks　I　see　no　Solid；　but　a　Plane　such　as　we　infer　in　Flatland；　only　of　an　Irregularity　which　betokens　some　monstrous　criminal；　so　that　the　very　sight　of　it　is　painful　to　my　eyes。〃

〃True；〃　said　the　Sphere；　〃it　appears　to　you　a　Plane；　because　you　are　not　accustomed　to　light　and　shade　and　perspective；　just　as　in　Flatland　a　Hexagon　would　appear　a　Straight　Line　to　one　who　has　not　the　Art　of　Sight　Recognition。　　But　in　reality　it　is　a　Solid；　as　you　shall　learn　by　the　sense　of　Feeling。〃

He　then　introduced　me　to　the　Cube；　and　I　found　that　this　marvellous　Being　was　indeed　no　Plane；　but　a　Solid；　and　that　he　was　endowed　with　six　plane　sides　and　eight　te