over the teacups-第10章

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solar　system。　　The　fundamental　articles　of　their　Constitution　are

these：



All　Saturnians　are　born　equal；　live　equal；　and　die　equal。



All　Saturnians　are　born　free；　free；　that　is；　to　obey　the　rules　laid

down　for　the　regulation　of　their　conduct；　pursuits；　and　opinions；

free　to　be　married　to　the　person　selected　for　them　by　the

physiological　section　of　the　government；　and　free　to　die　at　such

proper　period　of　life　as　may　best　suit　the　convenience　and　general

welfare　of　the　community。





The　one　great　industrial　product　of　Saturn　is　the　bread…root。　　The

Saturnians　find　this　wholesome　and　palatable　enough；　and　it　is　well

they　do；　as　they　have　no　other　vegetable。　　It　is　what　I　should　call　a

most　uninteresting　kind　of　eatable；　but　it　serves　as　food　and　drink；

having　juice　enough；　so　that　they　get　along　without　water。　　They　have

a　tough；　dry　grass；　which；　matted　together；　furnishes　them　with

clothes　sufficiently　warm　for　their　cold…blooded　constitutions；　and

more　than　sufficiently　ugly。



A　piece　of　ground　large　enough　to　furnish　bread…root　for　ten　persons

is　allotted　to　each　head　of　a　household；　allowance　being　made　for　the

possible　increase　of　families。　　This；　however；　is　not　a　very

important　consideration；　as　the　Saturnians　are　not　a　prolific　race。

The　great　object　of　life　being　the　product　of　the　largest　possible

quantity　of　bread…roots；　and　women　not　being　so　capable　in　the　fields

as　the　stronger　sex；　females　are　considered　an　undesirable　addition

to　society。　　The　one　thing　the　Saturnians　dread　and　abhor　is

inequality。　　The　whole　object　of　their　laws　and　customs　is　to

maintain　the　strictest　equality　in　everything；social　relations；

property；　so　far　as　they　can　be　said　to　have　anything　which　can　be　so

called；　mode　of　living；　dress；　and　all　other　matters。　　It　is　their

boast　that　nobody　ever　starved　under　their　government。　　Nobody　goes

in　rags；　for　the　coarse…fibred　grass　from　which　they　fabricate　their

clothes　is　very　durable。　　（I　confess　I　wondered　how　a　woman　could

live　in　Saturn。　　They　have　no　looking…glasses。　　There　is　no　such

article　as　a　ribbon　known　among　them。　　All　their　clothes　are　of　one

pattern。　　I　noticed　that　there　were　no　pockets　in　any　of　their

garments；　and　learned　that　a　pocket　would　be　considered　prima　facie

evidence　of　theft；　as　no　honest　person　would　have　use　for　such　a

secret　receptacle。）　　Before　the　revolution　which　established　the

great　law　of　absolute　and　lifelong　equality；　the　inhabitants　used　to

feed　at　their　own　private　tables。　　Since　the　regeneration　of　society

all　meals　are　taken　in　common。　　The　last　relic　of　barbarism　was　the

use　of　plates；one　or　even　more　to　each　individual。　　This　〃odious

relic　of　an　effete　civilization；〃　as　they　called　it；　has　long　been

superseded　by　oblong　hollow　receptacles；　one　of　which　is　allotted　to

each　twelve　persons。　　A　great　riot　took　place　when　an　attempt　was

made　by　some　fastidious　and　exclusive　egotists　to　introduce

partitions　which　should　partially　divide　one　portion　of　these

receptacles　into　individual　compartments。　　The　Saturnians　boast　that

they　have　no　paupers；　no　thieves；　none　of　those　fictitious　values

called　money；all　which　things；　they　hear；　are　known　in　that　small

Saturn　nearer　the　sun　than　the　great　planet　which　is　their　dwelling…

place。



〃I　suppose　that　now　they　have　levelled　everything　they　are　quiet　and

contented。　　Have　they　any　of　those　uneasy　people　called　reformers？〃



〃Indeed　they　have；〃　said　my　attendant。　　〃There　are　the

Orthobrachians；　who　declaim　against　the　shameful　abuse　of　the　left

arm　and　hand；　and　insist　on　restoring　their　perfect　equality　with　the

right。　　Then　there　are　Isopodic　societies；　which　insist　on　bringing

back　the　original　equality　of　the　upper　and　lower　limbs。　　If　you　can

believe　it；　they　actually　practise　going　on　all　fours；generally　in

a　private　way；　a　few　of　them　together；　but　hoping　to　bring　the　world

round　to　them　in　the　near　future。〃



Here　I　had　to　stop　and　laugh。



〃I　should　think　life　might　be　a　little　dull　in　Saturn；〃　I　said。



〃It　is　liable　to　that　accusation；〃　she　answered。　　〃Do　you　notice　how

many　people　you　meet　with　their　mouths　stretched　wide　open？〃



〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃and　I　do　not　know　what　to　make　of　it。　　I　should　think

every　fourth　or　fifth　person　had　his　mouth　open　in　that　way。〃



〃They　are　suffering　from　the　endemic　disease　of　their　planet；

prolonged　and　inveterate　gaping　or　yawning；　which　has　ended　in

dislocation　of　the　lower　jaw。　　After　a　time　this　becomes　fixed；　and

requires　a　difficult　surgical　operation　to　restore　it　to　its　place。〃



It　struck　me　that；　in　spite　of　their　boast　that　they　have　no　paupers；

no　thieves；　no　money；　they　were　a　melancholy…looking　set　of　beings。



〃What　are　their　amusements？〃　I　asked。



Intoxication　and　suicide　are　their　chief　recreations。　　They　have　a

way　of　mixing　the　oxygen　which　issues　in　small　jets　from　certain

natural　springs　with　their　atmospheric　nitrogen　in　the　proportion　of

about　twenty　per　cent；　which　makes　very　nearly　the　same　thing　as　the

air　of　your　planet。　　But　to　the　Saturnians　the　mixture　is　highly

intoxicating；　and　is　therefore　a　relief　to　the　monotony　of　their

every…day　life。　　This　mixture　is　greatly　sought　after；　but　hard　to

obtain；　as　the　sources　of　oxygen　are　few　and　scanty。　　It　shortens　the

lives　of　those　who　have　recourse　to　it；　but　if　it　takes　too　long；

they　have　other　ways　of　escaping　from　a　life　which　cuts　and　dries

everything　for　its　miserable　subjects；　defeats　all　the　natural

instincts；　confounds　all　individual　characteristics；　and　makes

existence　such　a　colossal　bore；　as　your　worldly　people　say；　that

self…destruction　becomes　a　luxury。〃





Number　Five　stopped　here。



Your　imaginary　wholesale　Shakerdom　is　all　very　fine；　said　I。　　Your

Utopia；　your　New　Atlantis；　and　the　rest　are　pretty　to　look　at。　　But

your　philosophers　are　treating　the　world　of　living　souls　as　if　they

were；　each　of　them；　playing　a　game　of　solitaire；　all　the　pegs　and

all　the　holes　alike。　　Life　is　a　very　different　sort　of　game。　　It　is　a

game　of　chess；　and　not　of　solitaire；　nor　even　of　checkers。　　The　men

are　not　all　pawns；　but　you　have　your　knights；　bishops；　rooks；yes；

your　king　and　queen；to　be　provided　for。　　Not　with　these　names；　of

course；　but　all　looking　for　their　proper　places；　and　having　their　own

laws　and　modes　of　action。　　You　can　play　solitaire　with　the　members　of

your　own　family　for　pegs；　if　you　like；　and　if　none　of　them　rebel。

You　can　play　checkers　with　a　little　community　of　meek；　like…minded

people。　　But　when　it　comes　to　the　handling　of　a　great　state；　you　will

find　that　nature　has　emptied　a　box　of　chessmen　before　you；　and　you

must　play　with　them　so　as　to　give　each　its　proper　move；　or　sweep　them

off　the　board；　and　come　back　to　the　homely　game　such　as　I　used　to　see

played　with　beans　and　kernels　of　corn　on　squares　marked　upon　the　back

of　the　kitchen　bellows。



It　was　curious　to　see　how　differently　Number　Five's　narrative　was

received　by　the　different　listeners　in　our　circle。　　Number　Five

herself　said　she　supposed　she　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　its　absurdities；

but　she　did　not　know　that　it　was　much　sillier　than　dreams　often　are；

and　she　thought　it　might　amuse　the　company。　　She　was　herself　always

interested　by　these　ideal　pictures　of　society。　　But　it　seemed　to　her

that　life　must　be　dull　in　any　of　them；　and　with　that　idea　in　her　head

her　dreaming　fancy　had　drawn　these　pictures。



The　Professor　was　interested　in　her　conception　of　the　existence　of

the　Lunites　without　waste；　and　the　death　in　life　of　the　nitrogen…

breathing　Saturnians。　　Dream…chemistry　was　a　new　subject　to　him。

Perhaps　Number　Five　would　give　him　some　lessons　in　it。



At　this　she　smiled；　and　said　she　was　afraid　she　could　not　teach　him

anything；　but　if　he　would　answer　a　few　questions　in　matter…of…fact

chemistry　which　had　puzzled　her　she　would　be　vastly　obliged　to　him。



〃You　must　come　to　my　laboratory；〃　said　the　Professor。



〃I　will　come　to…morrow；〃　said　Number　Five。



Oh；　yes！　Much　laboratory　work　they　will　do！　Play　of　mutual

affinities。　　Amalgamates。　　No　freezing　mixtures；　I'll　warrant



Why　shouldn't　we　get　a　romance　out　of　all　this；　hey　？



But　Number　Five　looks　as　innocent　as　a　lamb；　and　as　brave　as　a　lion。

She　does　not　care　a　copper　for　the　looks　that　are　going　round　The

Teacups。



Our　Doctor　was　curious　about　those　cases　of　anchylosis；　as　he　called

it；　of　the　lower　jaw。　　He　thought　it　a　quite　possible　occurrence。

Both　the　young　girls　thought　the　dream　gave　a　very　hard　view　of　the

optimists；　who　look　forward　to　a　reorganization　of　society　which

shall　rid　mankind　of　the　terrible　evils　of　over…crowding　and

competition。



Number　Seven　was　quite　excited　about　the　matter。　　He　had　himself

drawn　up　a　plan　for　a　new　social　arrangement。　　He　had　shown　it　to　the

legal　gentleman　who　has　lately　joined　us。　　This　gentleman　thought　it

well…intended；　but　that　it　would　take　one　constable　to　every　three

inhabitants　to　enforce　its　provisions。



I　said　the　dream　could　do　no　harm；　it　was　too　outrageously　improbable

to　come　home　to　anybody's　feelings。　　Dreams　were　like　broken

mosaics；the　separated　stones　might　here　and　there　make　parts　of

pictures。　　If　one　found　a　caricature　of　himself　made　out　of　the

pieces　which　had　accidentally　come　together；　he　would　smile　at　it；

knowing　that　it　was　an　accidental　effect　with　no　malice　in　it。　　If

any　of　you　really　believe　in　a　working　Utopia；　why　not　join　the

Shakers；　and　convert　the　world　to　this　mode　of　life？　　Celibacy　alone

would　cure　a　great　many　of　the　evils　you　complain　of。



I　thought　this　suggestion　seemed　to　act　rather　unfavorably　upon　the

ladies　of　our　circle。　　The　two　Annexes　looked　inquiringly　at　each

other。　　Number　Five　looked　smilingly　at　them。　　She　evidently　thought

it　was　time　to　change　the　subject　of　conversation；　for　she　turned　to

me　and　said；　〃You　promised　to　read　us　the　poem　you　read　before　your

old　classmates　the　other　evening。〃



I　will　fulfill　my　promise；　I　said。　　We　felt　that　this　might　probably

be　our　last　meeting　as　a　Class。　　The　personal　reference　is　to　our

greatly　beloved　and　honored　classmate；　James　Freeman　Clarke。





AFTER　THE　CURFEW。



The　Play　is　over。　　While　the　light

Yet　lingers　in　the　darkening　hall；



I　come　to　say　a　last　Good…night

Before　the　final　Exeunt　all。



We　gathered　once；　a　joyous　throng：

The　jovial　toasts　went　gayly　round；

With　jest；　and　laugh；　and　shout；　and　song

we　made　the　floors　and　walls　resound。



We　come　with　feeble　steps　and　slow；

A　little　band　of　four　or　five；

Left　from　the　wrecks　of　long　ago；

Still　pleased　to　find　ourselves　alive。



Alive！　　How　living；　too；　are　they

whose　memories　it　is　ours　to　share！

Spread　the　long　table's　full　array；

There　sits　a　ghost　in　every　chair！



One　breathing　form　no　more；　alas！

Amid　our　slender　group　we　see；

With　him　we　still　remained　〃The　Class；〃