第3章

AndIsaid，\"Hassheevertriedtomove？\" Andhesaid，\"Sometimesalimbhasquivered。Butsheiswise;sheknowsshecannotrisewiththeburdenonher。\" AndIsaid，\"Whydoesnothewhostandsbyherleaveherandgoon？\" Andhesaid，\"Hecannot。Look——\" AndIsawabroadbandpassingalongthegroundfromonetotheother，anditboundthemtogether。 Hesaid，\"Whilesheliestherehemuststandandlookacrossthedesert。\" AndIsaid，\"Doesheknowwhyhecannotmove？\" Andhesaid，\"No。\" AndIheardasoundofsomethingcracking，andIlooked，andIsawthebandthatboundtheburdenontoherbackbrokenasunder;andtheburdenrolledontotheground。 AndIsaid，\"Whatisthis？\" Andhesaid，\"TheAge—of—muscular—forceisdead。TheAge—of—nervous—forcehaskilledhimwiththeknifeheholdsinhishand;andsilentlyandinvisiblyhehascreptuptothewoman，andwiththatknifeofMechanicalInventionhehascutthebandthatboundtheburdentoherback。TheInevitableNecessityitbroken。Shemightrisenow。\" AndIsawthatshestilllaymotionlessonthesand，withhereyesopenandherneckstretchedout。Andsheseemedtolookforsomethingonthefar— offborderofthedesertthatnevercame。AndIwonderedifshewereawakeorasleep。AndasIlookedherbodyquivered，andalightcameintohereyes，likewhenasunbeambreaksintoadarkroom。 Isaid，\"Whatisit？\" Hewhispered\"Hush！thethoughthascometoher，’MightInotrise？’\" AndIlooked。Andsheraisedherheadfromthesand，andIsawthedentwhereherneckhadlainsolong。Andshelookedattheearth，andshelookedatthesky，andshelookedathimwhostoodbyher:buthelookedoutacrossthedesert。 AndIsawherbodyquiver;andshepressedherfrontkneestotheearth，andveinsstoodout;andIcried;\"Sheisgoingtorise！\" Butonlyhersidesheaved，andshelaystillwhereshewas。 Butherheadsheheldup;shedidnotlayitdownagain。Andhebesidemesaid，\"Sheisveryweak。See，herlegshavebeencrushedunderhersolong。\" AndIsawthecreaturestruggle:andthedropsstoodoutonher。 AndIsaid，\"Surelyhewhostandsbesideherwillhelpher？\" Andhebesidemeanswered，\"Hecannothelpher:shemusthelpherself。 Letherstruggletillsheisstrong。\" AndIcried，\"Atleasthewillnothinderher！See，hemovesfartherfromher，andtightensthecordbetweenthem，andhedragsherdown。\" Andheanswered，\"Hedoesnotunderstand。Whenshemovesshedrawsthebandthatbindsthem，andhurtshim，andhemovesfartherfromher。Thedaywillcomewhenhewillunderstand，andwillknowwhatsheisdoing。 Letheroncestaggerontoherknees。Inthatdayhewillstandclosetoher，andlookintohereyeswithsympathy。\" Andshestretchedherneck，andthedropsfellfromher。Andthecreatureroseaninchfromtheearthandsankback。 AndIcried，\"Oh，sheistooweak！shecannotwalk！Thelongyearshavetakenallherstrengthfromher。Canshenevermove？\" Andheansweredme，\"Seethelightinhereyes！\" Andslowlythecreaturestaggeredontoitsknees。 AndIawoke:andalltotheeastandtotheweststretchedthebarrenearth，withthedrybushesonit。Theantsranupanddownintheredsand，andtheheatbeatfiercely。Ilookedupthroughthethinbranchesofthetreeattheblueskyoverhead。Istretchedmyself，andImusedoverthedreamIhadhad。AndIfellasleepagain，withmyheadonmysaddle。 AndinthefierceheatIhadanotherdream。 IsawadesertandIsawawomancomingoutofit。Andshecametothebankofadarkriver;andthebankwassteepandhigh。（ThebanksofanAfricanriveraresometimesahundredfeethigh，andconsistofdeepshiftingsands，throughwhichinthecourseofagestheriverhaswornitsgiganticbed。）Andonitanoldmanmether，whohadalongwhitebeard; andastickthatcurledwasinhishand，andonitwaswrittenReason。Andheaskedherwhatshewanted;andshesaid\"Iamwoman;andIamseekingforthelandofFreedom。\" Andhesaid，\"Itisbeforeyou。\" Andshesaid，\"Iseenothingbeforemebutadarkflowingriver，andabanksteepandhigh，andcuttingshereandtherewithheavysandinthem。\" Andhesaid，\"Andbeyondthat？\" Shesaid，\"Iseenothing，butsometimes，whenIshademyeyeswithmyhand，IthinkIseeonthefurtherbanktreesandhills，andthesunshiningonthem！\" Hesaid，\"ThatistheLandofFreedom。\" Shesaid，\"HowamItogetthere？\" Hesaid，\"Thereisoneway，andoneonly。DownthebanksofLabour，throughthewaterofSuffering。Thereisnoother。\" Shesaid，\"Istherenobridge？\" Heanswered。\"None。\" Shesaid，\"Isthewaterdeep？\" Hesaid，\"Deep。\" Shesaid，\"Isthefloorworn？\" Hesaid，\"Itis。Yourfootmayslipatanytime，andyoumaybelost。\" Shesaid，\"Haveanycrossedalready？\" Hesaid，\"Somehavetried！\" Shesaid，\"Isthereatracktoshowwherethebestfordingis？\" Hesaid，\"Ithastobemade。\" Sheshadedhereyeswithherhand;andshesaid，\"Iwillgo。\" Andhesaid，\"Youmusttakeofftheclothesyouworeinthedesert:theyaredraggeddownbythemwhogointothewatersoclothed。\" AndshethrewfromhergladlythemantleofAncient—received—opinionsshewore，foritwaswornfullofholes。Andshetookthegirdlefromherwaistthatshehadtreasuredsolong，andthemothsflewoutofitinacloud。Andhesaid，\"Taketheshoesofdependenceoffyourfeet。\" Andshestoodtherenaked，butforonewhitegarmentthatclungclosetoher。 Andhesaid，\"Thatyoumaykeep。SotheywearclothesintheLandofFreedom。Inthewateritbuoys;italwaysswims。\" AndIsawonitsbreastwaswrittenTruth;anditwaswhite;thesunhadnotoftenshoneonit;theotherclotheshadcovereditup。Andhesaid，\"Takethisstick;holditfast。Inthatdaywhenitslipsfromyourhandyouarelost。Putitdownbeforeyou;feelyourway:whereitcannotfindabottomdonotsetyourfoot。\" Andshesaid，\"Iamready;letmego。\" Andhesaid，\"No——butstay;whatisthat——inyourbreast？\" Shewassilent。 Hesaid，\"Openit，andletmesee。\" Andsheopenedit。Andagainstherbreastwasatinything，whodrankfromit，andtheyellowcurlsabovehisforeheadpressedagainstit;andhiskneesweredrawnuptoher，andheheldherbreastfastwithhishands。 AndReasonsaid，\"Whoishe，andwhatishedoinghere？\" Andshesaid，\"Seehislittlewings——\" AndReasonsaid，\"Puthimdown。\" Andshesaid，\"Heisasleep，andheisdrinking！IwillcarryhimtotheLandofFreedom。Hehasbeenachildsolong，solong，Ihavecarriedhim。 IntheLandofFreedomhewillbeaman。Wewillwalktogetherthere，andhisgreatwhitewingswillovershadowme。Hehaslispedonewordonlytomeinthedesert——’Passion！’Ihavedreamedhemightlearntosay’Friendship’inthatland。\" AndReasonsaid，\"Puthimdown！\" Andshesaid，\"Iwillcarryhimso——withonearm，andwiththeotherIwillfightthewater。\" Hesaid，\"Layhimdownontheground。Whenyouareinthewateryouwillforgettofight，youwillthinkonlyofhim。Layhimdown。\"Hesaid，\"Hewillnotdie。Whenhefindsyouhavelefthimalonehewillopenhiswingsandfly。HewillbeintheLandofFreedombeforeyou。ThosewhoreachtheLandofFreedom，thefirsthandtheyseestretchingdownthebanktohelpthemshallbeLove’s。Hewillbeamanthen，notachild。Inyourbreasthecannotthrive;puthimdownthathemaygrow。\" Andshetookherbosomfromhismouth，andhebither，sothatthebloodrandownontotheground。Andshelaidhimdownontheearth;andshecoveredherwound。Andshebentandstrokedhiswings。AndIsawthehaironherforeheadturnedwhiteassnow，andshehadchangedfromyouthtoage。 Andshestoodfaroffonthebankoftheriver。Andshesaid，\"ForwhatdoIgotothisfarlandwhichnoonehaseverreached？Oh，Iamalone！Iamutterlyalone！\" AndReason，thatoldman，saidtoher，\"Silence！Whatdoyouhear？\" Andshelistenedintently，andshesaid，\"Ihearasoundoffeet，athousandtimestenthousandandthousandsofthousands，andtheybeatthisway！\" Hesaid，\"Theyarethefeetofthosethatshallfollowyou。Leadon！makeatracktothewater’sedge！Whereyoustandnow，thegroundwillbebeatenflatbytenthousandtimestenthousandfeet。\"Andhesaid，\"Haveyouseenthelocustshowtheycrossastream？Firstonecomesdowntothewater—edge，anditissweptaway，andthenanothercomesandthenanother，andthenanother，andatlastwiththeirbodiespiledupabridgeisbuiltandtherestpassover。\" Shesaid，\"And，ofthosethatcomefirst，somearesweptaway，andareheardofnomore;theirbodiesdonotevenbuildthebridge？\" \"Andaresweptaway，andareheardofnomore——andwhatofthat？\"hesaid。 \"Andwhatofthat——\"shesaid。 \"Theymakeatracktothewater’sedge。\" \"Theymakeatracktothewater’sedge——。\"Andshesaid，\"Overthatbridgewhichshallbebuiltwithourbodies，whowillpass？\" Hesaid，\"Theentirehumanrace。\" Andthewomangraspedherstaff。 AndIsawherturndownthatdarkpathtotheriver。 AndIawoke;andallaboutmewastheyellowafternoonlight:thesinkingsunlitupthefingersofthemilkbushes;andmyhorsestoodbymequietlyfeeding。AndIturnedonmyside，andIwatchedtheantsrunbythousandsintheredsand。IthoughtIwouldgoonmywaynow——theafternoonwascooler。Thenadrowsinesscreptovermeagain，andIlaidbackmyheadandfellasleep。 AndIdreamedadream。 IdreamedIsawaland。Andonthehillswalkedbravewomenandbravemen，handinhand。Andtheylookedintoeachother’seyes，andtheywerenotafraid。 AndIsawthewomenalsoholdeachother’shands。 AndIsaidtohimbesideme，\"Whatplaceisthis？\" Andhesaid，\"Thisisheaven。\" AndIsaid，\"Whereisit？\" Andheanswered，\"Onearth。\" AndIsaid，\"Whenshallthesethingsbe？\" Andheanswered，\"INTHEFUTURE。\" AndIawoke，andallaboutmewasthesunsetlight;andonthelowhillsthesunlay，andadeliciouscoolnesshadcreptovereverything;andtheantsweregoingslowlyhome。AndIwalkedtowardsmyhorse，whostoodquietlyfeeding。Thenthesunpasseddownbehindthehills;butIknewthatthenextdayhewouldariseagain。 VI。ADREAMOFWILDBEES。 Amothersataloneatanopenwindow。Throughitcamethevoicesofthechildrenastheyplayedundertheacacia—trees，andthebreathofthehotafternoonair。Inandoutoftheroomflewthebees，thewildbees，withtheirlegsyellowwithpollen，goingtoandfromtheacacia—trees，droningallthewhile。Shesatonalowchairbeforethetableanddarned。Shetookherworkfromthegreatbasketthatstoodbeforeheronthetable: somelayonherkneeandhalfcoveredthebookthatrestedthere。Shewatchedtheneedlegoinandout;andthedrearyhumofthebeesandthenoiseofthechildren’svoicesbecameaconfusedmurmurinherears，assheworkedslowlyandmoreslowly。Thenthebees，thelong—leggedwasp—likefellowswhomakenohoney，flewcloserandclosertoherhead，droning。 Thenshegrewmoreandmoredrowsy，andshelaidherhand，withthestockingoverit，ontheedgeofthetable，andleanedherheaduponit。 Andthevoicesofthechildrenoutsidegrewmoreandmoredreamy，camenowfar，nownear;thenshedidnothearthem，butshefeltunderherheartwheretheninthchildlay。Bentforwardandsleepingthere，withthebeesflyingaboutherhead，shehadaweirdbrain—picture;shethoughtthebeeslengthenedandlengthenedthemselvesoutandbecamehumancreaturesandmovedroundandroundher。Thenonecametohersoftly，saying，\"Letmelaymyhanduponthysidewherethechildsleeps。IfIshalltouchhimheshallbeasI。\" Sheasked，\"Whoareyou？\" Andhesaid，\"IamHealth。WhomItouchwillhavealwaystheredblooddancinginhisveins;hewillnotknowwearinessnorpain;lifewillbealonglaughtohim。\" \"No，\"saidanother，\"letmetouch;forIamWealth。IfItouchhimmaterialcareshallnotfeedonhim。Heshallliveonthebloodandsinewsofhisfellow—men，ifhewill;andwhathiseyelustsfor，hishandwillhave。Heshallnotknow’Iwant。’\"Andthechildlaystilllikelead。 Andanothersaid，\"Letmetouchhim:IamFame。ThemanItouch，Ileadtoahighhillwhereallmenmayseehim。Whenhediesheisnotforgotten，hisnameringsdownthecenturies，eachechoesitontohisfellows。Think——nottobeforgottenthroughtheages！\" Andthemotherlaybreathingsteadily，butinthebrain—picturetheypressedclosertoher。 \"Letmetouchthechild，\"saidone，\"forIamLove。IfItouchhimheshallnotwalkthroughlifealone。Inthegreatestdark，whenheputsouthishandheshallfindanotherhandbyit。Whentheworldisagainsthim，anothershallsay，’YouandI。’\"Andthechildtrembled。 Butanotherpressedcloseandsaid，\"Letmetouch;forIamTalent。Icandoallthings——thathavebeendonebefore。Itouchthesoldier，thestatesman，thethinker，andthepoliticianwhosucceed;andthewriterwhoisneverbeforehistime，andneverbehindit。IfItouchthechildheshallnotweepforfailure。\" Aboutthemother’sheadthebeeswereflying，touchingherwiththeirlongtaperinglimbs;and，inherbrain—picture，outoftheshadowoftheroomcameonewithsallowface，deep—lined，thecheeksdrawnintohollows，andamouthsmilingquiveringly。Hestretchedouthishand。Andthemotherdrewback，andcried，\"Whoareyou？\"Heanswerednothing;andshelookedupbetweenhiseyelids。Andshesaid，\"Whatcanyougivethechild——health？\" Andhesaid，\"ThemanItouch，therewakesupinhisbloodaburningfever，thatshalllickhisbloodasfire。ThefeverthatIwillgivehimshallbecuredwhenhislifeiscured。\" \"Yougivewealth？\" Heshookhishead。\"ThemanwhomItouch，whenhebendstopickupgold，heseessuddenlyalightoverhisheadinthesky;whilehelooksuptoseeit，thegoldslipsfrombetweenhisfingers，orsometimesanotherpassingtakesitfromthem。\" \"Fame？\" Heanswered，\"likelynot。ForthemanItouchthereisapathtracedoutinthesandbyafingerwhichnomansees。Thathemustfollow。Sometimesitleadsalmosttothetop，andthenturnsdownsuddenlyintothevalley。 Hemustfollowit，thoughnoneelseseesthetracing。\" \"Love？\" Hesaid，\"Heshallhungerforit——butheshallnotfindit。Whenhestretchesouthisarmstoit，andwouldlayhisheartagainstathingheloves，then，faroffalongthehorizonheshallseealightplay。Hemustgotowardsit。Thethingheloveswillnotjourneywithhim;hemusttravelalone。Whenhepressessomewhattohisburningheart，crying，’Mine，mine，myown！’heshallhearavoice——’Renounce！renounce！thisisnotthine！’\" \"Heshallsucceed？\" Hesaid，\"Heshallfail。Whenherunswithotherstheyshallreachthegoalbeforehim。Forstrangevoicesshallcalltohimandstrangelightsshallbeckonhim，andhemustwaitandlisten。Andthisshallbethestrangest:faroffacrosstheburningsandswhere，toothermen，thereisonlythedesert’swaste，heshallseeabluesea！Onthatseathesunshinesalways，andthewaterisblueasburningamethyst，andthefoamiswhiteontheshore。Agreatlandrisesfromit，andheshallseeuponthemountain—topsburninggold。\" Themothersaid，\"Heshallreachit？\" Andhesmiledcuriously。 Shesaid，\"Itisreal？\" Andhesaid，\"WhatISreal？\" Andshelookedupbetweenhishalf—closedeyelids，andsaid，\"Touch。\" Andheleanedforwardandlaidhishanduponthesleeper，andwhisperedtoit，smiling;andthisonlysheheard——\"Thisshallbethyreward——thattheidealshallberealtothee。\" Andthechildtrembled;butthemothersleptonheavilyandherbrain— picturevanished。Butdeepwithinhertheantenatalthingthatlayherehadadream。Inthoseeyesthathadneverseentheday，inthathalf— shapedbrainwasasensationoflight！Light——thatitneverhadseen。 Light——thatperhapsitnevershouldsee。Light——thatexistedsomewhere！ Andalreadyithaditsreward:theIdealwasrealtoit。 London。 VII。INARUINEDCHAPEL。 \"Icannotforgive——Ilove。\" Therearefourbarewalls;thereisaChristuponthewalls，inred，carryinghiscross;thereisaBlessedBambinowiththefacerubbedout; thereisMadonnainblueandred;thereareRomansoldiersandaChristwithtiedhands。Alltheroofisgone;overheadistheblue，blueItaliansky;therainhasbeatenholesinthewalls，andtheplasterispeelingfromit。Thechapelstandsherealoneuponthepromontory，andbydayandbynighttheseabreaksatitsfeet。Somesaythatitwassetherebythemonksfromtheislanddownbelow，thattheymightbringtheirsickhereintimesofdeadlyplague。Somesaythatitwassetherethatthepassingmonksandfriars，astheyhurriedbyupontheroadway，mightstopandsaytheirprayershere。Nownoonestopstoprayhere，andthesickcomenomoretobehealed。 BehinditrunstheoldRomanroad。IfyouclimbitandcomeandsittherealoneonahotsunnydayyoumayalmosthearatlasttheclinkoftheRomansoldiersuponthepavement，andthesoundofthatoldertime，asyousitthereinthesun，whenHannibalandhismenbrokethroughthebrushwood，andnoroadwas。 Nowitisveryquiet。Sometimesapeasantgirlcomesridingbybetweenherpanniers，andyouhearthemule’sfeetbeatuponthebricksofthepavement;sometimesanoldwomangoespastwithabundleofweedsuponherhead，orabrigand—lookingmanhurriesbywithabundleofsticksinhishand;butfortheresttheChapelliesherealoneuponthepromontory，betweenthetwobaysandhearstheseabreakatitsfeet。