a journey in other worlds-第47部分

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！


　　　
〃Oh；　my　faith！〃　cried　Cortlandt；　〃I　see　my　face　within；　yet　it　is
but　a　decomposing　mass　that　I　once　described　as　I。〃
　　　
Then　again　did　the　minister's　voice　proclaim；　〃I　am　the
resurrection　and　the　life；　saith　the　Lord；　he　that　believeth　in
me；　though　he　were　dead；　yet　shall　he　live；　and　whosoever　liveth
and　believeth　in　me　shall　never　die。〃
　　　
The　bearers　gently　set　down　their　burden；　the　minister　read　the
ever…impressive　chapter　of　St。　Paul　to　the　Corinthians；　a　bishop
solemnly　and　silently　sprinkled　earth　on　the　coffin；　and　the
choir　sang　the　398th　hymn；　beginning　with　the　words；　〃Hark；　hark
my　soul！　angelic　songs　are　swelling；〃　which　had　always　been
Cortlandt's　favourite　and　the　service　was　at　an　end。　　The　bearers
again　shouldered　all　that　was　left　of　Henry　Cortlandt；　and　his
relatives　accompanied　this　to　the　cemetery。
　　　
Then　came　a　sweeping　change　of　scene。　　A　host　of　monuments　and
gravestones　reflected　the　sunlight；　while　a　broad　river　ebbed　and
flowed　between　high　banks。　　A　sexton　and　a　watchman　stood　by　a
granite　vault；　the　heavy　door　of　which　they　had　opened　with　a
large　key。　　Hard　by　were　some　gardeners　and　labourers；　and　also　a
crowd　of　curiosity…seekers　who　had　come　to　witness　the　last　sad
rites。　　Presently　a　funeral　procession　appeared。　　The　hearse
stopped　near　the　open　vault；　over　the　door　of　which　stood　out　the
name　of　CORTLANDT；　and　the　accompanying　minister　said　a　short
prayer；　while　all　present　uncovered　their　heads。　　After　this　the
coffin　was　borne　within　and　set　at　rest　upon　a　slab；　among　many
generations　of　Cortlandts。　　In　the　hearts　of　the　relatives　and
friends　was　genuine　sorrow；　but　the　curiosity…seekers　went　their
way　and　gave　little　thought。　　〃To…morrow　will　be　like　to…day；〃
they　said；　〃and　more　great　men　will　die。〃
　　　
Then　came　another　change　of　scene；　though　it　was　comparatively
slight。　　The　sun　slowly　sank　beyond　the　farther　bank　of　the　broad
river；　and　the　moon　and　stars　shone　softly　on　the　gravestones　and
crosses。　　Two　gardeners　smoked　their　short　clay　pipes　on　a　bench
before　the　Cortlandt　vault；　and　talked　in　a　slow　manner。
　　　
〃He　was　a　great　man；〃　said　one；　〃and　if　his　soul　blooms　like　the
flowers　on　his　grave；　he　must　be　in　paradise；　which　we　know　is　a
finer　park　than　this。〃
　　　
〃He　was　expert　for　the　Government　when　the　earth's　axis　was　set
right；〃　said　the　second　gardener；　〃and　he　must　have　been　a
scholar；　for　his　calculations　have　all　come　true。　　He　was　one　of
the　first　three　men　to　visit　the　other　planets；　while　the
obituaries　in　the　papers　say　his　history　will　be　read　hereafter
like　the　books　of　Caesar。　　After　burying　all　these　great　people；
I　sometimes　wish　I　could　do　the　same　for　myself；　for　the　people　I
bury　seem　to　be　remembered。〃　　After　this　they　relapsed　into　their
meditations；　the　silence　being　broken　only　by　an　occasional
murmur　from　the　river's　steady　flow。
　　　
Hereupon　the　voyagers　found　they　were　once　more　in　the　cave。　　The
fire　had　burned　low；　and　the　dawn　was　already　in　the　east。　
Cortlandt　wiped　his　forehead；　shivered；　and　looked　extremely
pale。
　　　
〃Thank　Heaven；〃　he　cried；　〃we　cannot　ordinarily　foresee　our　end；
for　but　few　would　attain　their　predestined　ending　could　they　see
it　in　advance。　　May　the　veil　not　again　be　raised；　lest　I　faint
before　it！　　I　looked　in　vain　for　my　soul；〃　he　continued；　〃but
could　see　it　nowhere。〃
　　　
〃The　souls　of　those　dying　young；〃　replied　the　spirit；　〃sometimes
wish　to　hover　near　their　ashes　as　if　regretting　an　unfinished
life；　or　the　opportunities　that　have　departed；　but　those　dying
after　middle　age　are　usually　glad　to　be　free　from　their　bodies；
and　seldom　think　of　them　again。〃
　　　
〃I　shall　append　the　lines　now　in　my　head　to　my　history；〃　said
Cortlandt；　〃that　where　it　goes　they　may　go　also。　　They　can
scarcely　fail　to　be　instructive　as　the　conclusions　of　a　man　who
has　seen　beyond　his　grave。〃　　Whereupon　be　wrote　a　stanza　in　his
note…book；　and　closed　it　without　showing　his　companions　what　he
had　written。
　　　
〃May　they　do　all　the　good　you　hope；　and　much　more！〃　replied　the
spirit；　〃for　the　reward　in　the　resurrection　morning　will　vastly
exceed　all　your　labours　now。
　　　
〃O；　my　friends；〃　the　spirit　continued　most　earnestly；　addressing
the　three；　〃are　you　prepared　for　your　death…beds？　　When　your　eyes
glaze　in　their　last　sleep；　and　you　lose　that　temporal　world　and
what　you　perhaps　considered　all；　as　in　a　haze；　your　dim　vision
will　then　be　displaced　by　the　true　creation　that　will　be　eternal。　
Your　unattained　ambitions；　your　hopes；　and　your　ideals　will　be
swallowed　in　the　grave。　　Your　works　will　secure　you　a　place　in
history；　and　many　will　remember　your　names　until；　in　time；
oblivion　covers　your　memory　as　the　grass　conceals　your　tombs。　
Are　you　prepared　for　the　time　when　your　eyes　become　blind；　and
your　trusted　senses　fail？　　Your　sorrowing　friends　will　mourn；　and
the　flags　of　your　clubs　will　fly　at　half…mast；　but　no　earthly
thing　can　help　you　then。　　In　what　condition　will　the　resurrection
morning　find　you；　when　your　sins　of　neglect　and　commission　plead
for　vengeance；　as　Abel's　blood　from　the　ground？　　After　that　there
can　be　no　change。　　The　classification；　as　I　have　already　told
you；　is　now　going　on；　it　will　then　be　finished。〃
　　　
〃We　are　the　most　utterly　wretched　sinners！〃　cried　Ayrault。　　〃Show
us　how　we　can　be　saved。〃
　　　
〃As　an　inhabitant　of　spirit…land；　I　will　give　you　worldly
counsel；〃　replied　the　bishop。　　〃During　my　earthly　administration；
as　I　told　you；　people　came　from　far　to　hear　me　preach。　　This　was
because　I　had　eloquence　and　earnestness；　both　gifts　of　God。　　But
I　was　a　miserably　weak　sinner　myself。　　That　which　I　would；　I　did
not；　and　that　which　I　would　not　that　I　did；　and　I　often　prayed　my
congregation　to　follow　my　sermons　rather　than　my　ways。　　I　seemed
to　do　my　followers　good；　and　Daniel　thus　commends　my　way　in　his
last　chapter：　　'They　that　turn　many　to　righteousness　shall　shine
as　the　stars　　forever　and　ever；'　and　the　explanation　is　clear。　
There　is　no　surer　way　of　learning　than　trying　to　teach。　　In
teaching　my　several　flocks　I　was　also　improved　myself。　　I　was
sown　in　weakness；　but　was　raised　in　power；　strength　being　made
perfect　in　weakness。　　Therefore　improve　your　fellows；　though
yourself　you　cannot　raise。　　The　knowledge　that　you　have　sent　many
souls　to　heaven；　though　you　are　yourself　a　castaway；　will　give
you　unspeakable　joy；　and　place　you　in　heaven　wherever　you　may　be。　
Yet　remember　this：　none　of　us　can　win　heaven；　salvation　is　the
gift　of　God。　　I　have　said　as　much　now　as　you　can　remember。　
Farewell。　　Improve　time　while　you　can。　　Fear　God　and　keep　His
commandments。　　This　is　the　whole　duty　of　man。〃
　　　
So　saying；　the　spirit　vanished　in　a　cloud　that　for　a
time　emitted　light。
　　
〃I　am　not　surprised；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃that　people　took　long
journeys　to　hear　him。　　I　would　do　so　myself。〃
　　　
〃I　have　never　had　much　fear　of　death；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃but　the
mere　thought　of　it　now　makes　my　knees　shake；　and　fills　my　heart
with　dread。　　I　thought　I　saw　the　most　hateful　forms　about　my
coffin；　and　imagined　that　they　might　be　the　personification　of
doubt；　coldness；　and　my　other　shortcomings；　which　had　come
perhaps　from　sympathy；　in　invisible　form。　　I　was　almost　afraid　to
ask　the　spirit　for　the　explanation。〃
　　　
〃I　saw　them　also；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃but　took　them　to　be
swarms　of　microbes　waiting　to　destroy　your　body；　or　perhaps
trying　in　vain　to　penetrate　your　hermetically　sealed　coffin。〃
　　
Cortlandt　seemed　much　upset；　and　spent　the　rest　of　the　day　in
writing　out　the　facts　and　trying　to　assign　a　cause。　　Towards
evening　Bearwarden；　who　had　recovered　his　spirits；　prepared
supper；　after　which　they　sat　in　the　entrance　to　the　cave。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　X。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AYRAULT。

As　the；　night　became　darker　they　caught　sight　of　the　earth　again；
shining　very　faintly；　and　in　his　mind's　eye　Ayrault　saw　his
sweetheart；　and　the　old；　old　repining　that；　since　reason　and　love
began；　has　been　in　men's　minds；　came　upon　him　and　almost　crushed
him。　　Without　saying　anything　to　his　companions；　Ayrault　left　the
cave；　and；　passing　through　the　grove　in　which　the　spirit　had　paid
them　his　second　visit；　went　slowly　to　the　top　of　the　hill　about
half　a　mile　off；　that　he　might　the　more　easily　gaze　at　the　faint
star　on　which　he　could　picture　Sylvia。
　　　
〃Ah！〃　he　said　to　himself；　on　reaching　the　summit；　〃I　will　stay
here　till　the　earth　rises　higher；　and　when　it　is　far　above　me　I
will　gaze　at　it　as　at　heaven。〃
　　　
Accordingly；　he　lay　down　with　his　head　on　a　mound　of　sod；　and
watched　the　familiar　planet。
　　　
〃We　were　born　too　soon；〃　he　soliloquized；　〃for　had　Sylvia　and　I
but　lived　in　the　spiritual　age　foretold　by　the　bishop；　we　might
have　held　communion；　while　now　our　spirits；　no　matter　how　much　in
love；　are　separated　absolutely　by　a　mere　matter　of　distance。　　It
is　a　mockery　to　see　Sylvia's　dwelling…place；　and　feel　that　she　is
beyond　my　vision。　　O　that；　in　the　absence　of　something　better；　my
poor　imperfect　eyes　could　be　transformed　into　those　of　an　eagle；
but　with　a　million　times　the　power！　for　though　I　know　that　with
these　senses　I　shall　see　the　resurrection；　and　hear　the　last
trump；　that　is　but　prospective；　while　now　is　the　time　I　long　for
sight。〃
　　　
On　the　plain　he　had　left　he　saw　his　friends'　camp…fire；　while　on
the　other　side　of　his　elevation　was　a　valley　in　which　the　insects
chirped　sharply；　and　through　which　ran　a　stream。　　Feeling　a
desire　for　solitude　and　to　be　as　far　removed　as　possible；　he
arose　and　descended　towards　the　water。　　Though　the　autumn；　where
they　found　themselves；　was　well　advanced；　this　night　was　warm；
and　the　rings　formed　a　great　arch　above　his　head。　　Near　the
stream　the　frogs　croaked　happily；　as　if　unmindful　of　the　long
very　long　Saturnian　winter；　for　though　they　were　removed　but
about　ten　degrees　from　the　equator；　the　sun　was　so　remote　and　the
axis　of　the　planet　so　inclined　that　it　was　unlikely　these
individual　frogs　would　see　another　summer；　though　they　might　live
again；　in　a　sense；　in　their　descendants。　　The　insects　also　would
soon　be　frozen　and　stiff；　and　the　tall；　graceful　lilies　that
still　clung　to　life　would　be　withered　and　dead。　　The