the coming race-第33部分

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e　thought　was　only　the　instinct　of　the　inferior　creatures；　to　whom　the　convictions　of　another　life　has　not　been　vouchsafed。　　With　us；　not　an　infant　knows　such　a　fear。　　Tell　me；　my　dear　Tish；〃　he　continued　after　a　little　pause；　〃would　it　reconcile　thee　more　to　departure　from　this　form　of　life　to　that　form　which　lies　on　the　other　side　of　the　moment　called　'death；'　did　I　share　thy　journey？　If　so；　I　will　ask　my　father　whether　it　be　allowable　for　me　to　go　with　thee。　　I　am　one　of　our　generation　destined　to　emigrate；　when　of　age　for　it；　to　some　regions　unknown　within　this　world。　　I　would　just　as　soon　emigrate　now　to　regions　unknown；　in　another　world。　　The　All…Good　is　no　less　there　than　here。　　Where　is　he　not？〃

〃Child；〃　said　I；　seeing　by　Taee's　countenance　that　he　spoke　in　serious　earnest；　〃it　is　crime　in　thee　to　slay　me；　it　were　a　crime　not　less　in　me　to　say；　'Slay　thyself。'　The　All…Good　chooses　His　own　time　to　give　us　life；　and　his　own　time　to　take　it　away。　　Let　us　go　back。　　If；　on　speaking　with　thy　father；　he　decides　on　my　death；　give　me　the　longest　warning　in　thy　power；　so　that　I　may　pass　the　interval　in　self…preparation。〃


Chapter　XXIX。


In　the　midst　of　those　hours　set　apart　for　sleep　and　constituting　the　night　of　the　Vril…ya；　I　was　awakened　from　the　disturbed　slumber　into　which　I　had　not　long　fallen；　by　a　hand　on　my　shoulder。　　I　started　and　beheld　Zee　standing　beside　me。

154〃Hush；〃　she　said　in　a　whisper；　let　no　one　hear　us。　　Dost　thou　think　that　I　have　ceased　to　watch　over　thy　safety　because　I　could　not　win　thy　love？　I　have　seen　Taee。　　He　has　not　prevailed　with　his　father；　who　had　meanwhile　conferred　with　the　three　sages　who；　in　doubtful　matters；　he　takes　into　council；　and　by　their　advice　he　has　ordained　thee　to　perish　when　the　world　re…awakens　to　life。　　I　will　save　thee。　　Rise　and　dress。〃

Zee　pointed　to　a　table　by　the　couch　on　which　I　saw　the　clothes　I　had　worn　on　quitting　the　upper　world；　and　which　I　had　exchanged　subsequently　for　the　more　picturesque　garments　of　the　Vril…ya。　　The　young　Gy　then　moved　towards　the　casement　and　stepped　into　the　balcony；　while　hastily　and　wonderingly　I　donned　my　own　habiliments。　　When　I　joined　her　on　the　balcony；　her　face　was　pale　and　rigid。　　Taking　me　by　the　hand；　she　said　softly；　〃See　how　brightly　the　art　of　the　Vril…ya　has　lighted　up　the　world　in　which　they　dwell。　　To…morrow　the　world　will　be　dark　to　me。〃　She　drew　me　back　into　the　room　without　waiting　for　my　answer；　thence　into　the　corridor；　from　which　we　descended　into　the　hall。　　We　passed　into　the　deserted　streets　and　along　the　broad　upward　road　which　wound　beneath　the　rocks。　　Here；　where　there　is　neither　day　nor　night；　the　Silent　Hours　are　unutterably　solemn…　the　vast　space　illumined　by　mortal　skill　is　so　wholly　without　the　sight　and　stir　of　mortal　life。　　Soft　as　were　our　footsteps；　their　sounds　vexed　the　ear；　as　out　of　harmony　with　the　universal　repose。　　I　was　aware　in　my　own　mind；　though　Zee　said　it　not；　that　she　had　decided　to　assist　my　return　to　the　upper　world；　and　that　we　were　bound　towards　the　place　from　which　I　had　descended。　　Her　silence　infected　me　and　commanded　mine。　　And　now　we　approached　the　chasm。　　It　had　been　re…opened；　not　presenting；　indeed；　the　same　aspect　as　when　I　had　emerged　from　it；　but　through　that　closed　wall　of　rock　before　which　I　had　last　stood　with　Taee；　a　new　clift　had　been　riven；　and　along　its　blackened　sides　still　glimmered　sparks　and　smouldered　embers。　　My　upward　gaze　could　not；　however；　155penetrate　more　than　a　few　feet　into　the　darkness　of　the　hollow　void；　and　I　stood　dismayed；　and　wondering　how　that　grim　ascent　was　to　be　made。

Zee　divined　my　doubt。　　〃Fear　not；〃　said　she；　with　a　faint　smile；　〃your　return　is　assured。　　I　began　this　work　when　the　Silent　Hours　commenced；　and　all　else　were　asleep；　believe　that　I　did　not　paused　till　the　path　back　into　thy　world　was　clear。　　I　shall　be　with　thee　a　little　while　yet。　　We　do　not　part　until　thou　sayest；　'Go；　for　I　need　thee　no　more。'〃

My　heart　smote　me　with　remorse　at　these　words。　　〃Ah！〃　　I　exclaimed；　〃would　that　thou　wert　of　my　race　or　I　of　thine；　then　I　should　never　say；　〃I　need　thee　no　more。'〃

〃I　bless　thee　for　those　words；　and　I　shall　remember　them　when　thou　art　gone；〃　answered　the　Gy；　tenderly。

During　this　brief　interchange　of　words；　Zee　had　turned　away　from　me；　her　form　bent　and　her　head　bowed　over　her　breast。　　Now；　she　rose　to　the　full　height　of　her　grand　stature；　and　stood　fronting　me。　　While　she　had　been　thus　averted　from　my　gaze；　she　had　lighted　up　the　circlet　that　she　wore　round　her　brow；　so　that　it　blazed　as　if　it　were　a　crown　of　stars。　　Not　only　her　face　and　her　form；　but　the　atmosphere　around；　were　illumined　by　the　effulgence　of　the　diadem。

〃Now；〃　said　she；　〃put　thine　arm　around　me　for　the　first　and　last　time。　　Nay；　thus；　courage；　and　cling　firm。〃

As　she　spoke　her　form　dilated；　the　vast　wings　expanded。　　Clinging　to　her；　I　was　borne　aloft　through　the　terrible　chasm。　　The　starry　light　from　her　forehead　shot　around　and　before　us　through　the　darkness。　　Brightly　and　steadfastly；　and　swiftly　as　an　angel　may　soar　heavenward　with　the　soul　it　rescues　from　the　grave；　went　the　flight　of　the　Gy；　till　I　heard　in　the　distance　the　hum　of　human　voices；　the　sounds　of　human　toil。　　We　halted　on　the　flooring　of　one　of　the　galleries　of　the　mine；　and　beyond；　in　the　vista；　burned　the　dim；　feeble　lamps　of　the　miners。　156　Then　I　released　my　hold。　　The　Gy　kissed　me　on　my　forehead；　passionately；　but　as　with　a　mother's　passion；　and　said；　as　the　tears　gushed　from　her　eyes；　〃Farewell　for　ever。　　Thou　wilt　not　let　me　go　into　thy　world…　thou　canst　never　return　to　mine。　　Ere　our　household　shake　off　slumber；　the　rocks　will　have　again　closed　over　the　chasm　not　to　be　re…opened　by　me；　nor　perhaps　by　others；　for　ages　yet　unguessed。　　Think　of　me　sometimes；　and　with　kindness。　　When　I　reach　the　life　that　lies　beyond　this　speck　in　time；　I　shall　look　round　for　thee。　　Even　there；　the　world　consigned　to　thyself　and　thy　people　may　have　rocks　and　gulfs　which　divide　it　from　that　in　which　I　rejoin　those　of　my　race　that　have　gone　before；　and　I　may　be　powerless　to　cleave　way　to　regain　thee　as　I　have　cloven　way　to　lose。〃

Her　voice　ceased。　　I　heard　the　swan…like　sough　of　her　wings；　and　saw　the　rays　of　her　starry　diadem　receding　far　and　farther　through　the　gloom。

I　sate　myself　down　for　some　time；　musing　sorrowfully；　then　I　rose　and　took　my　way　with　slow　footsteps　towards　the　place　in　which　I　heard　the　sounds　of　men。　　The　miners　I　encountered　were　strange　to　me；　of　another　nation　than　my　own。　　They　turned　to　look　at　me　with　some　surprise；　but　finding　that　I　could　not　answer　their　brief　questions　in　their　own　language；　they　returned　to　their　work　and　suffered　me　to　pass　on　unmolested。　　In　fine；　I　regained　the　mouth　of　the　mine；　little　troubled　by　other　interrogatories；…　save　those　of　a　friendly　official　to　whom　I　was　known；　and　luckily　he　was　too　busy　to　talk　much　with　me。　　I　took　care　not　to　return　to　my　former　lodging；　but　hastened　that　very　day　to　quit　a　neighbourhood　where　I　could　not　long　have　escaped　inquiries　to　which　I　could　have　given　no　satisfactory　answers。　　I　regained　in　safety　my　own　country；　in　which　I　have　been　long　peacefully　settled；　and　engaged　in　practical　business；　till　I　retired　on　a　competent　fortune；　three　years　ago。　　I　have　been　little　invited　and　little　tempted　to　talk　of　the　rovings　and　adventures　of　my　youth。　　Somewhat　157disappointed；　as　most　men　are；　in　matters　connected　with　household　love　and　domestic　life；　I　often　think　of　the　young　Gy　as　I　sit　alone　at　night；　and　wonder　how　I　could　have　rejected　such　a　love；　no　matter　what　dangers　attended　it；　or　by　what　conditions　it　was　restricted。　　Only；　the　more　I　think　of　a　people　calmly　developing；　in　regions　excluded　from　our　sight　and　deemed　uninhabitable　by　our　sages；　powers　surpassing　our　most　disciplined　modes　of　force；　and　virtues　to　which　our　life；　social　and　political；　becomes　antagonistic　in　proportion　as　our　civilisation　advances；…　the　more　devoutly　I　pray　that　ages　may　yet　elapse　before　there　emerge　into　sunlight　our　inevitable　destroyers。　　Being；　however；　frankly　told　by　my　physician　that　I　am　afflicted　by　a　complaint　which；　though　it　gives　little　pain　and　no　perceptible　notice　of　its　encroachments；　may　at　any　moment　be　fatal；　I　have　thought　it　my　duty　to　my　fellow…men　to　place　on　record　these　forewarnings　of　The　Coming　Race。





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