flatland(弗莱特兰)-第17章
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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 behold！ 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
affection Wife； alarmed by my continued absence； had quitter 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 the 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
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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： 〃it
is 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 itit 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 understand； 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
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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；〃 said 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 circularSECTION widened before them。 But on a
sign from the presiding Circlewho 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
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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 policemenill…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。
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SECTION 19 How； though the Sphere shewed me
other mysteries of Spaceland； I still
desire 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 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
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