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！
study the stars as of old。〃
〃Your voice is a symphony； sweetest Violet； and I love to hear
your words。 Ah； would you could once more return to earth； or
that I were an ethereal spirit； that we might commune face to
face！ I would follow you from one end of Shadowland to the
other。 Of what use is life to me； with distractions that draw my
thoughts to earth as gravitation drew my body？ I wish I were a
shade。〃
〃You are talking for effect； Dickwhich is useless here； for I
see how utterly you are in love。〃
〃I AM in love； Violet； and though； as I said； I have no reason to
doubt Sylvia's steadfastness and constancy； I am very unhappy。 I
have always heard that time is a balsam that cures all ills； yet
I become more wretched every day。〃
〃Do all you can to preserve that love； and it will bring you joy
all your life。 Your happiness is my happiness。 What distresses
you； distresses me。〃
The tones here grew fainter and seemed about to cease。
〃Before you leave me；〃 cried Ayrault； 〃tell me how and when I may
see or hear you again。〃
〃While you remain on this planet； I shall be near； but beyond
Saturn I cannot go。〃
〃Yet tell me； Violet； how I may see you？ My love unattained； you
perceive； makes me wretched； while you always gave me calm and
peace。 If I may not kiss the hand I almost asked might be mine；
let me have but a glance from your sweet eyes； which will comfort
me so much now。〃
〃If you break the ice in the pool behind you； you shall see me
till the frame melts。〃
After this the silence was broken only by the sighing of the wind
in the trees。 The pool had suddenly become covered with ice
several inches thick。 Taking an axe； Ayrault hewed out a
parallelogram about three feet by four and set it on end against
the bank。 The cold grey of morning was already colouring the
east； and in the growing light Ayrault beheld a vision of Violet
within the ice。 The face was at about three fourths； and had a
contemplative air。 The hair was arranged as he had formerly seen
it； and the thoughtful look was strongest in the beautiful grey
eyes； which were more serious than of yore。 Ayrault stood
riveted to the spot and gazed。 〃I could have been happy with
her；〃 he mused； and to think she is no more！〃
As drops fell from the ice； tears rose to his eyes。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
〃What a pretty girl！〃 said Bearwarden to Cortlandt； as they came
upon it later in the day。 〃The face seems etched or imprinted by
some peculiar form of freezing far within the ice。〃
The next morning they again set out； and so tramped； hunted； and
investigated with varying success for ten Saturnian days。 They
found that in the animal and plant forms of life Nature had
often； by some seeming accident； struck out in a course very
different from any on the earth。 Many of the animals were bipeds
and tripeds； the latter arranged in tandem； the last leg being
evidently an enormously developed tail； by which the creature
propelled itself as with a spring。 The quadrupeds had also
sometimes wings； and their bones were hollow； like those of
birds。 Whether this great motive and lifting power was the
result of the planet's size and the power of gravitation； or
whether some creatures had in addition the power of developing a
degree of apergetic repulsion to offset it； as they suspected in
the case of the boa…constrictor that fell upon Cortlandt on
Jupiter； they could not absolutely ascertain。 Life was far less
prolific on Saturn than on Jupiter； doubtless as a result of its
greater distance from the sun； and of its extremes of climate；
almost all organic life being driven to the latitudes near the
equator。 There were； as on Jupiter； many variations from the
forms of life to which they were accustomed； and adaptations to
the conditions in which they found themselves； but； with the
exception of the strange manifestations of spirit life； they
found the workings of the fundamental laws the same。 Often when
they woke at night the air was luminous； and they were convinced
that if they remained there long enough it would be easy to
devise some telegraphic code of light…flashes by which they could
communicate with the spirit world； and so get ideas from the host
of spirits that had already solved the problem of life and death；
but who were not as yet sufficiently developed to be able to
return to the earth。 One day they stopped to investigate what
they had supposed to be an optical illusion。 They observed that
leaves and other light substances floated several inches above
the surface of the water in the pools。 On coming to the edge and
making tests； they found a light liquid； as invisible as air；
superimposed upon the water； with sufficient buoyancy to sustain
dry wood and also some forms of life。 They also observed that
insects coming close to the surface and apparently inhaling it；
rapidly increased in size and weight； from which they concluded
it must throw off nitrogen； carbon； or some other nourishment in
the form of gas。 The depth upon the water was unaffected by
rain； which passed through it； but depended rather on the
condition of the atmosphere； from which it was evidently
condensed。 There seemed also to be a relation between the amount
of this liquid and the activity of the spirits。 Finally； when
their ammunition showed signs of running low； they decided to
return to the Callisto； go in it to the other side of the planet；
and resume their investigations there。 Accordingly； they set out
to retrace their steps； returning by a course a few miles to one
side of the way they had come； and making the cave their
objective point。 Arriving there one evening about sunset； they
pitched their camp。 The cave was sheltered and comfortable； and
they made preparation for passing the night。
〃I shall be sorry；〃 said Ayrault； as they sat near their fire；
〃to leave this place without again seeing the bishop。 He said we
could impress him anywhere； but it may be more difficult to do
that at the antipodes than here。〃
〃It does seem；〃 said Bearwarden； 〃as though we should be missing
it in not seeing him again； if that is possible。 Nothing but a
poison…storm brought him the first time； and it is not certain
that even in such an emergency would he come again uncalled。〃
〃I think；〃 said Ayrault； 〃as none of the spirits here are
malevolent； they would warn us of danger if they could。 The
bishop's spirit seems to have been the only one with sufficiently
developed power to reappear as a man。 I therefore suggest that
to…morrow we try to make him feel our thought and bring him to
us。〃
CHAPTER VII。
THE SPIRIT'S SECOND VISIT。
Accordingly； the next morning they concentrated their minds
simultaneously on the spirit； wishing with all their strength
that he should reappear。
〃Whether he be far or near；〃 said Ayrault； 〃he must feel that；
for we are using the entire force of our
minds。〃
Shadows began to form； and dancing prismatic colours appeared；
but as yet there was no sign of the deceased bishop； when
suddenly he took shape among them； his appearance and
disappearance being much like that of stereopticon views on the
sheet before a lantern。 He held himself erect； and his
thoughtful； dignified face had the same calm expression it had
worn before。
〃We attracted your attention；〃 said Ayrault； 〃in the way you said
we might； because we longed so to see you。〃
〃Yes；〃 added Bearwarden and Cortlandt； 〃we felt we MUST see you
again。〃
〃I am always at your service；〃 replied the spirit； 〃and will
answer your questions。 With regard to my visibility and
invisibility〃he continued； with a smile； 〃for I will not wait
for you to ask the explanation of what is in your mindsit is
very simple。 A man's soul can never die； a manifestation of the
soul is the spirit； this has entity； consciousness； and will； and
these also live forever。 As in the natural or material life； as
I shall call it； will affects the material first。 Thus； a child
has power to move its hand or a material object； as a toy； before
it can become the medium in a psychological seance。 So it is
here。 Before becoming visible to your eyes； I； by my will； draw
certain material substances in the form of gases from the ground；
water； or air around me。 These take any shape I wishnot
necessarily that of man； though it is more natural to appear as
we did on earthand may absorb a portion of light； and so be
able to cast a shadow or break up the white rays into prismatic
colours； or they may be wholly invisible。 By an effort of the
will； then； I combine and condense these gaseswhich consist
principally of oxygen； hydrogen； nitrogen； and carboninto
flesh； blood； water； or anything else。 You have already learned
on earth that； by the application of heat； every solid and every
liquid substance； which is solid or liquid simply because of the
temperature at which you find it； can be expanded into gas or
gases； and that by cold and pressure every gas can be reduced to
a liquid or a solid。 On earth the state of a substance； whether
solid； liqui