the star-第2章

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！





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

had　carried　it　some　way　across　Leo　towards　Virgo；　and　its

brightness　was　so　great　that　the　sky　became　a　luminous　blue　as　it

rose；　and　every　star　was　hidden　in　its　turn；　save　only　Jupiter　near

the　zenith；　Capella；　Aldebaran；　Sirius　and　the　pointers　of　the

Bear。　　It　was　very　white　and　beautiful。　　In　many　parts　of　the　world

that　night　a　pallid　halo　encircled　it　about。　　It　was　perceptibly

larger；　in　the　clear　refractive　sky　of　the　tropics　it　seemed　as　if

it　were　nearly　a　quarter　the　size　of　the　moon。　　The　frost　was　still

on　the　ground　in　England；　but　the　world　was　as　brightly　lit　as　if

it　were　midsummer　moonlight。　　One　could　see　to　read　quite　ordinary

print　by　that　cold　clear　light；　and　in　the　cities　the　lamps　burnt

yellow　and　wan。



And　everywhere　the　world　was　awake　that　night；　and　throughout

Christendom　a　sombre　murmur　hung　in　the　keen　air　over　the　country

side　like　the　belling　of　bees　in　the　heather；　and　this　murmurous

tumult　grew　to　a　clangour　in　the　cities。　　It　was　the　tolling　of　the

bells　in　a　million　belfry　towers　and　steeples；　summoning　the　people

to　sleep　no　more；　to　sin　no　more；　but　to　gather　in　their　churches

and　pray。　　And　overhead；　growing　larger　and　brighter　as　the　earth

rolled　on　its　way　and　the　night　passed；　rose　the　dazzling　star。



And　the　streets　and　houses　were　alight　in　all　the　cities；　the

shipyards　glared；　and　whatever　roads　led　to　high　country　were　lit

and　crowded　all　night　long。　　And　in　all　the　seas　about　the

civilised　lands；　ships　with　throbbing　engines；　and　ships　with

bellying　sails；　crowded　with　men　and　living　creatures；　were

standing　out　to　ocean　and　the　north。　　For　already　the　warning　of

the　master　mathematician　had　been　telegraphed　all　over　the　world；

and　translated　into　a　hundred　tongues。　　The　new　planet　and　Neptune；

locked　in　a　fiery　embrace；　were　whirling　headlong；　ever　faster　and

faster　towards　the　sun。　　Already　every　second　this　blazing　mass

flew　a　hundred　miles；　and　every　second　its　terrific　velocity

increased。　　As　it　flew　now；　indeed；　it　must　pass　a　hundred　million

of　miles　wide　of　the　earth　and　scarcely　affect　it。　　But　near　its

destined　path；　as　yet　only　slightly　perturbed；　spun　the　mighty

planet　Jupiter　and　his　moons　sweeping　splendid　round　the　sun。　　

Every　moment　now　the　attraction　between　the　fiery　star　and　the

greatest　of　the　planets　grew　stronger。　　And　the　result　of　that

attraction？　　Inevitably　Jupiter　would　be　deflected　from　its　orbit

into　an　elliptical　path；　and　the　burning　star；　swung　by　his

attraction　wide　of　its　sunward　rush；　would　〃describe　a　curved　path〃

and　perhaps　collide　with；　and　certainly　pass　very　close　to；　our

earth。　　〃Earthquakes；　volcanic　outbreaks；　cyclones；　sea　waves；

floods；　and　a　steady　rise　in　temperature　to　I　know　not　what

limit〃so　prophesied　the　master　mathematician。



And　overhead；　to　carry　out　his　words；　lonely　and　cold　and

livid；　blazed　the　star　of　the　coming　doom。



To　many　who　stared　at　it　that　night　until　their　eyes　ached；　it

seemed　that　it　was　visibly　approaching。　　And　that　night；　too；　the

weather　changed；　and　the　frost　that　had　gripped　all　Central　Europe

and　France　and　England　softened　towards　a　thaw。



But　you　must　not　imagine　because　I　have　spoken　of　people

praying　through　the　night　and　people　going　aboard　ships　and　people

fleeing　toward　mountainous　country　that　the　whole　world　was　already

in　a　terror　because　of　the　star。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　use　and　wont

still　ruled　the　world；　and　save　for　the　talk　of　idle　moments　and

the　splendour　of　the　night；　nine　human　beings　out　of　ten　were　still

busy　at　their　common　occupations。　　In　all　the　cities　the　shops；

save　one　here　and　there；　opened　and　closed　at　their　proper　hours；

the　doctor　and　the　undertaker　plied　their　trades；　the　workers

gathered　in　the　factories；　soldiers　drilled；　scholars　studied；

lovers　sought　one　another；　thieves　lurked　and　fled；　politicians

planned　their　schemes。　　The　presses　of　the　newspapers　roared

through　the　night；　and　many　a　priest　of　this　church　and　that　would

not　open　his　holy　building　to　further　what　he　considered　a　foolish

panic。　　The　newspapers　insisted　on　the　lesson　of　the　year　1000for

then；　too；　people　had　anticipated　the　end。　　The　star　was　no

starmere　gasa　comet；　and　were　it　a　star　it　could　not　possibly

strike　the　earth。　　There　was　no　precedent　for　such　a　thing。　　Common

sense　was　sturdy　everywhere；　scornful；　jesting；　a　little　inclined

to　persecute　the

obdurate　fearful。　　That　night；　at　seven…fifteen　by　Greenwich　time；

the　star　would　be　at　its　nearest　to　Jupiter。　　Then　the　world　would

see　the　turn　things　would　take。　　The　master　mathematician's　grim

warnings　were　treated　by　many　as　so　much　mere　elaborate

self…advertisement。　　Common　sense　at　last；　a　little　heated　by

argument；　signified　its　unalterable　convictions　by　going　to　bed。　

So；　too；　barbarism　and　savagery；　already　tired　of　the　novelty；　went

about　their　nightly　business；　and　save　for　a　howling　dog　here　and

there；　the　beast　world　left　the　star　unheeded。



And　yet；　when　at　last　the　watchers　in　the　European　States　saw

the　star　rise；　an　hour　later　it　is　true；　but　no　larger　than　it　had

been　the　night　before；　there　were　still　plenty　awake　to　laugh　at

the　master　mathematicianto　take　the　danger　as　if　it　had　passed。



But　hereafter　the　laughter　ceased。　　The　star　grewit　grew

with　a　terrible　steadiness　hour　after　hour；　a　little　larger　each

hour；　a　little　nearer　the　midnight　zenith；　and　brighter　and

brighter；　until　it　had　turned　night　into　a　second　day。　　Had　it　come

straight　to　the　earth　instead　of　in　a　curved　path；　had　it　lost　no

velocity　to　Jupiter；　it　must　have　leapt　the　intervening　gulf　in　a

day；　but　as　it　was　it　took　five　days　altogether　to　come　by　our

planet。　　The　next　night　it　had　become　a　third　the　size　of　the　moon

before　it　set　to　English　eyes；　and　the　thaw　was　assured。　　It　rose

over　America　near　the　size　of　the　moon；　but　blinding　white　to　look

at；　and　HOT；　and　a　breath　of　hot　wind　blew　now　with　its

rising　and　gathering　strength；　and　in　Virginia；　and　Brazil；　and

down　the　St。　Lawrence　valley；　it　shone　intermittently　through　a

driving　reek　of　thunder…clouds；　flickering　violet　lightning；

and　hail　unprecedented。　　In　Manitoba　was　a　thaw　and　devastating

floods。　　And　upon　all　the　mountains　of　the　earth　the　snow　and　ice

began　to　melt　that　night；　and　all　the　rivers　coming　out　of　high

country　flowed　thick　and　turbid；　and　soonin　their　upper　reaches

with　swirling　trees　and　the　bodies　of　beasts　and　men。　　They　rose

steadily；　steadily　in　the　ghostly　brilliance；　and　came　trickling

over　their　banks　at　last；　behind　the　flying　population　of　their

valleys。



And　along　the　coast　of　Argentina　and　up　the　South　Atlantic　the

tides　were　higher　than　had　ever　been　in　the　memory　of　man；　and　the

storms　drove　the　waters　in　many　cases　scores　of　miles　inland；

drowning　whole　cities。　　And　so　great　grew　the　heat　during　the　night

that　the　rising　of　the　sun　was　like　the　coming　of　a　shadow。　　The

earthquakes　began　and　grew　until　all　down　America　from　the　Arctic

Circle　to　Cape　Horn；　hillsides　were　sliding；　fissures　were　opening；

and　houses　and　walls　crumbling　to　destruction。　　The　whole　side　of

Cotopaxi　slipped　out　in　one　vast　convulsion；　and　a　tumult　of　lava

poured　out　so　high　and　broad　and　swift　and　liquid　that　in　one　day

it　reached　the　sea。



So　the　star；　with　the　wan　moon　in　its　wake；　marched　across　the

Pacific；　trailed　the　thunderstorms　like　the　hem　of　a　robe；　and　the

growing　tidal　wave　that　toiled　behind　it；　frothing　and　eager；

poured　over　island　and　island　and　swept　them　clear　of　men。　　Until

that　wave　came　at　lastin　a　blinding　light　and　with　the　breath　of

a　furnace；　swift　and　terrible　it　camea　wall　of　water；　fifty　feet

high；　roaring　hungrily；　upon　the　long　coasts　of　Asia；　and　swept

inland　across　the　plains　of　China。　　For　a　space　the　star；　hotter

now　and　larger　and　brighter　than　the　sun　in　its　strength；　showed

with　pitiless　brilliance　the　wide　and　populous　country；　towns　and

villages　with　their　pagodas　and　trees；　roads；　wide　cultivated

fields；　millions　of　sleepless　people　staring　in　helpless　terror　at

the　incandescent　sky；　and　then；　low　and　growing；　came　the　murmur　of

the　flood。　　And　thus　it　was　with　millions　of　men　that　nighta

flight　nowhither；　with　limbs　heavy　with　heat　and　breath　fierce　and

scant；　and　the　flood　like　a　wall　swift　and　white　behind。　　And　then

death。



China　was　lit　glowing　white；　but　over　Japan　and　Java　and　all

the　islands　of　Eastern　Asia　the　great　star　was　a　ball　of　dull　red

fire　because　of　the　steam　and　smoke　and　ashes　the　volcanoes　were

spouting　forth　to　salute　its　coming。　　Above　was　the　lava；　hot　gases

and　ash；　and　below　the　seething　floods；　and　the　whole　earth　swayed

and　rumbled　with　the　earthquake　shocks。　　Soon　the　immemorial　snows

of　Thibet　and　the　Himalaya　were　melting　and　pouring　down　by　ten

million　deepening　converging　channels　upon　the　plains　of　Burmah　and

Hindostan。　　The　tangled　summits　of　the　Indian　jungles　were　aflame

in　a　thousand　places；　and　below　the　hurrying　waters　around　the

stems　were　dark　objects　that　still　struggled　feebly　and　reflected

the　blood…red　tongues　of　fire。　　And　in　a　rudderless　confusion　a

multitude　of　men　and　women　fled　down　the　broad　river…ways　to　that

one　last　hope　of　menthe　open　sea。



Larger　grew　the　star；　and　larger；　hotter；　and　brighter　with　a

terrible　swiftness　now。　　The　tropical　ocean　had　lost　its

phosphorescence；　and　the　whirling　steam　rose　in　ghostly　wreaths

from　the　black　waves　that　plunged　incessantly；　speckled　with

storm…tossed　ships。



And　then　came　a　wonder。　　It　seemed　to　those　who　in　Europe

watched　for　the　rising　of　the　star　that　the　world　must　have　ceased

its　rotation。　　In　a　thousand　open　spaces　of　down　and　upland　the

people　who　had　fled　thither　from　the　floods　and　the　falling　houses

and　sliding　slopes　of　hill　watched　for　that　rising　in　vain。　　Hour

followed　hour　through　a　terrible　suspense；　and　the　star　rose　not。　

Once　again　men　set　their　eyes　upon　the　old　constellations　they　had

counted　lost　to　them　forever。　　In　England　it　was　hot　and　clear

overhead；　though　the　ground　quivered　perpetually；　but　in　the

tropics；　Sirius　and　Capella　and　Aldebaran　showed　through　a　veil　of

steam。　　And　when　at　last　the　great　star　rose　near　ten　hours　late；

the　sun　rose　close　upon　it；　and　in　the　centre　of　its　white　heart

was　a　disc　of　black。



Over　Asia　it　was　the　star　had　begun　to　fall　behind　the

movement　of　the　sky；　and　then　suddenly；　as　it　hung　over　India；　its

light　had　been　veiled。　　All　the　plain　of　India　from　the　mouth　of

the　Indus　to　the　mouths　of　the　Ganges　was　a　shallow　waste　of

shining　water　that　night；　out　of　which　rose　temples　and　palaces；

mounds　and　hills；　black　with　people。　　Every　minaret　was　a

clustering　mass　of　people；　who　fell　one　by　one　into　the　turbid

waters；　as　heat　and　terror　overcame　them。　　The　whole　land　seemed

a…wailing　a