the star-第1章

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THE　STAR





It　was　on　the　first　day　of　the　New　Year　that　the　announcement

was　made；　almost　simultaneously　from　three　observatories；　that　the

motion　of　the　planet　Neptune；　the　outermost　of　all　the　planets

that　wheel　about　the　sun；　had　become　very　erratic。　　Ogilvy　had

already　called　attention　to　a　suspected　retardation　in　its　velocity

in　December。　　Such　a　piece　of　news　was　scarcely　calculated　to

interest　a　world　the　greater　portion　of　whose　inhabitants　were

unaware　of　the　existence　of　the　planet　Neptune；　nor　outside　the

astronomical　profession　did　the　subsequent　discovery　of　a　faint

remote　speck　of　light　in　the　region　of　the　perturbed　planet　cause

any　very　great　excitement。　　Scientific　people；　however；　found　the

intelligence　remarkable　enough；　even　before　it　became　known　that

the　new　body　was　rapidly　growing　larger　and　brighter；　that　its

motion　was　quite　different　from　the　orderly　progress　of　the

planets；　and　that　the　deflection　of　Neptune　and　its　satellite　was

becoming　now　of　an　unprecedented　kind。



Few　people　without　a　training　in　science　can　realise　the　huge

isolation　of　the　solar　system。　　The　sun　with　its　specks　of　planets；

its　dust　of　planetoids；　and　its　impalpable　comets；　swims　in　a

vacant　immensity　that　almost　defeats　the　imagination。　　Beyond　the

orbit　of　Neptune　there　is　space；　vacant　so　far　as　human　observation

has　penetrated；　without　warmth　or　light　or　sound；　blank　emptiness；

for　twenty　million　times　a　million　miles。　　That　is　the　smallest

estimate　of　the　distance　to　be　traversed　before　the　very　nearest　of

the　stars　is　attained。　　And；　saving　a　few　comets　more　unsubstantial

than　the　thinnest　flame；　no　matter　had　ever　to　human　knowledge

crossed　this　gulf　of　space；　until　early　in　the　twentieth　century

this　strange　wanderer　appeared。　　A　vast　mass　of　matter　it　was；

bulky；　heavy；　rushing　without　warning　out　of　the　black　mystery　of

the　sky　into　the　radiance　of　the　sun。　　By　the　second　day　it　was

clearly　visible　to　any　decent　instrument；　as　a　speck　with　a　barely

sensible　diameter；　in　the　constellation　Leo　near　Regulus。　　In　a

little　while　an　opera　glass　could　attain　it。



On　the　third　day　of　the　new　year　the　newspaper　readers　of　two

hemispheres　were　made　aware　for　the　first　time　of　the　real

importance　of　this　unusual　apparition　in　the　heavens。　　〃A　Planetary

Collision；〃　one　London　paper　headed　the　news；　and　proclaimed

Duchaine's　opinion　that　this　strange　new　planet　would　probably

collide　with　Neptune。　　The　leader　writers　enlarged　upon　the　topic；

so　that　in　most　of　the　capitals　of　the　world；　on　January　3rd；　there

was　an　expectation；　however　vague　of　some　imminent　phenomenon　in

the　sky；　and　as　the　night　followed　the　sunset　round　the　globe；

thousands　of　men　turned　their　eyes　skyward　to　seethe　old　familiar

stars　just　as　they　had　always　been。



Until　it　was　dawn　in　London　and　Pollux　setting　and　the　stars

overhead　grown　pale。　　The　Winter's　dawn　it　was；　a　sickly　filtering

accumulation　of　daylight；　and　the　light　of　gas　and　candles　shone

yellow　in　the　windows　to　show　where　people　were　astir。　　But　the

yawning　policeman　saw　the　thing；　the　busy　crowds　in　the　markets

stopped　agape；　workmen　going　to　their　work　betimes；　milkmen；　the

drivers　of　news…carts；　dissipation　going　home　jaded　and　pale；

homeless　wanderers；　sentinels　on　their　beats；　and　in　the　country；

labourers　trudging　afield；　poachers　slinking　home；　all　over　the

dusky　quickening　country　it　could　be　seenand　out　at　sea　by　seamen

watching　for　the　daya　great　white　star；　come　suddenly　into　the

westward　sky！



Brighter　it　was　than　any　star　in　our　skies；　brighter　than　the

evening　star　at　its　brightest。　　It　still　glowed　out　white　and

large；　no　mere　twinkling　spot　of　light；　but　a　small　round　clear

shining　disc；　an　hour　after　the　day　had　come。　　And　where　science

has　not　reached；　men　stared　and　feared；　telling　one　another　of　the

wars　and　pestilences　that　are　foreshadowed　by　these　fiery　signs　in

the　Heavens。　　Sturdy　Boers；　dusky　Hottentots；　Gold　Coast　Negroes；

Frenchmen；　Spaniards；　Portuguese；　stood　in　the　warmth　of　the

sunrise　watching　the　setting　of　this　strange　new　star。



And　in　a　hundred　observatories　there　had　been　suppressed

excitement；　rising　almost　to　shouting　pitch；　as　the　two　remote

bodies　had　rushed　together；　and　a　hurrying　to　and　fro；　to　gather

photographic　apparatus　and　spectroscope；　and　this　appliance　and

that；　to　record　this　novel　astonishing　sight；　the　destruction　of　a

world。　　For　it　was　a　world；　a　sister　planet　of　our　earth；　far

greater　than　our　earth　indeed；　that　had　so　suddenly　flashed　into

flaming　death。　　Neptune　it　was；　had　been　struck；　fairly　and

squarely；　by　the　strange　planet　from　outer　space　and　the　heat　of

the　concussion　had　incontinently　turned　two　solid　globes　into　one

vast　mass　of　incandescence。　　Round　the　world　that　day；　two　hours

before　the　dawn；　went　the　pallid　great　white　star；　fading　only　as

it　sank　westward　and　the　sun　mounted　above　it。　　Everywhere　men

marvelled　at　it；　but　of　all　those　who　saw　it　none　could　have

marvelled　more　than　those　sailors；　habitual　watchers　of　the　stars；

who　far　away　at　sea　had　heard　nothing　of　its　advent　and　saw　it　now

rise　like　a　pigmy　moon　and　climb　zenithward　and　hang　overhead　and

sink　westward　with　the　passing　of　the　night。



And　when　next　it　rose　over　Europe　everywhere　were　crowds　of

watchers　on　hilly　slopes；　on　house…roofs；　in　open　spaces；　staring

eastward　for　the　rising　of　the　great　new　star。　　It　rose　with　a

white　glow　in　front　of　it；　like　the　glare　of　a　white　fire；　and

those　who　had　seen　it　come　into　existence　the　night　before　cried

out　at　the　sight　of　it。　　〃It　is　larger；〃　they　cried。　　〃It　is

brighter！〃　　And；　indeed　the　moon　a　quarter　full　and　sinking　in　the

west　was　in　its　apparent　size　beyond　comparison；　but　scarcely　in

all　its　breadth　had　it　as　much　brightness　now　as　the　little　circle

of　the　strange　new　star。



〃It　is　brighter！〃　cried　the　people　clustering　in　the　streets。　

But　in　the　dim　observatories　the　watchers　held　their　breath　and

peered　at　one　another　IT　IS　NEARER；〃　they　said。　　〃NEARER！〃



And　voice　after　voice　repeated；　〃It　is　nearer；〃　and　the

clicking　telegraph　took　that　up；　and　it　trembled　along　telephone

wires；　and　in　a　thousand　cities　grimy　compositors　fingered　the

type。　　〃It　is　nearer。〃　　Men　writing　in　offices；　struck　with　a

strange　realisation；　flung　down　their　pens；　men　talking　in　a

thousand　places　suddenly　came　upon　a　grotesque　possibility　in

those　words；　〃It　is　nearer。〃　　It　hurried　along　wakening　streets；　it

was　shouted　down　the　frost…stilled　ways　of　quiet　villages；　men　who

had　read　these　things　from　the　throbbing　tape　stood　in　yellow…lit

doorways　shouting　the　news　to　the　passersby。　　〃It　is　nearer。〃　

Pretty　women；　flushed　and　glittering；　heard　the　news　told　jestingly

between　the　dances；　and　feigned　an　intelligent　interest　they　did

not　feel。　　〃Nearer！　　Indeed。　　How　curious！　　How　very；　very　clever

people　must　be　to　find　out　things　like　that！〃



Lonely　tramps　faring　through　the　wintry　night　murmured　those

words　to　comfort　themselveslooking　skyward。　　〃It　has　need　to　be

nearer；　for　the　night's　as　cold　as　charity。　　Don't　seem　much　warmth

from　it　if　it　IS　nearer；　all　the　same。〃



〃What　is　a　new　star　to　me？〃　cried　the　weeping　woman　kneeling

beside　her　dead。



The　schoolboy；　rising　early　for　his　examination　work；　puzzled

it　out　for　himselfwith　the　great　white　star　shining　broad　and

bright　through　the　frost…flowers　of　his　window。　　〃Centrifugal；

centripetal；〃　he　said；　with　his　chin　on　his　fist。　　〃Stop　a　planet

in　its　flight；　rob　it　of　its　centrifugal　force；　what　then？　

Centripetal　has　it；　and　down　it　falls　into　the　sun！　　And　this！



〃Do　WE　come　in　the　way？　　I　wonder〃



The　light　of　that　day　went　the　way　of　its　brethren；　and　with

the　later　watches　of　the　frosty　darkness　rose　the　strange　star

again。　　And　it　was　now　so　bright　that　the　waxing　moon　seemed　but　a

pale　yellow　ghost　of　itself；　hanging　huge　in　the　sunset。　　In　a

South　African　City　a　great　man　had　married；　and　the　streets　were

alight　to　welcome　his　return　with　his　bride。　　〃Even　the　skies　have

illuminated；〃　said　the　flatterer。　　Under　Capricorn；　two　negro

lovers；　daring　the　wild　beasts　and　evil　spirits；　for　love　of　one

another；　crouched　together　in　a　cane　brake　where　the　fire…flies

hovered。　　〃That　is　our　star；〃　they　whispered；　and　felt　strangely

comforted　by　the　sweet　brilliance　of　its　light。



The　master　mathematician　sat　in　his　private　room　and　pushed

the　papers　from　him。　　His　calculations　were　already　finished。　　In

a　small　white　phial　there　still　remained　a　little　of　the　drug　that

had　kept　him　awake　and　active　for　four　long　nights。　　Each　day；

serene；　explicit；　patient　as　ever；　he　had　given　his　lecture　to　his

students；　and　then　had　come　back　at　once　to　this　momentous

calculation。　　His　face　was　grave；　a　little　drawn　and　hectic　from

his　drugged　activity。　　For　some　time　he　seemed　lost　in　thought。　

Then　he　went　to　the　window；　and　the　blind　went　up　with　a　click。　

Half　way　up　the　sky；　over　the　clustering　roofs；　chimneys　and

steeples　of　the　city；　hung　the　star。



He　looked　at　it　as　one　might　look　into　the　eyes　of　a　brave

enemy。　　〃You　may　kill　me；〃　he　said　after　a　silence。　　〃But　I　can

hold　youand　all　the　universe　for　that　matterin　the　grip　of　this

little　brain。　　I　would　not　change。　　Even　now。〃



He　looked　at　the　little　phial。　　〃There　will　be　no　need　of

sleep　again；〃　he　said。　　The　next　day　at　noonpunctual　to　the

minute；　he　entered　his　lecture　theatre；　put　his　hat　on　the　end　of

the　table　as　his　habit　was；　and　carefully　selected　a　large　piece　of

chalk。　　It　was　a　joke　among　his　students　that　he　could　not　lecture

without　that　piece　of　chalk　to　fumble　in　his　fingers；　and　once　he

had　been　stricken　to　impotence　by　their　hiding　his　supply。　　He　came

and　looked　under　his　grey　eyebrows　at　the　rising　tiers　of　young

fresh　faces；　and　spoke　with　his　accustomed　studied　commonness　of

phrasing。　　〃Circumstances　have　arisencircumstances　beyond　my

control；〃　he　said　and　paused；　〃which　will　debar　me　from　completing

the　course　I　had　designed。　　It　would　seem；　gentlemen；　if　I　may　put

the　thing　clearly　and　briefly；　thatMan　has　lived　in　vain。〃



The　students　glanced　at　one　another。　　Had　they　heard　aright？　

Mad？　　Raised　eyebrows　and　grinning　lips　there　were；　but　one　or　two

faces　remained　intent　upon　his　calm　grey…fringed　face。　　〃It　will　be

interesting；〃　he　was　saying；　〃to　devote　this　morning　to　an

exposition；　so　far　as　I　can　make　it　clear　to　you；　of　the

calculations　that　have　led　me　to　this　conclusion。　　Let　us　assume〃



He　turned　towards　the　blackboard；　meditating　a　diagram　in　the

way　that　was　usual　to　him。　　〃What　was　that　about　'lived　in　vain？'〃

whispered　one　student　to　another。　　〃Listen；〃　said　the　other；

nodding　towards　the　lecturer。



And　presently　they　began　to　understand。



That　night　the　star　rose　later；　for　its　proper　eastward　motion

had　carried　it　s