the coming race-第16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！


iving　chiefly　in　that　low　stage　of　being；　Koom…Posh；　tending　necessarily　to　its　own　hideous　dissolution　in　Glek…Nas。　　Their　wretched　existence　is　passed　in　perpetual　contest　and　perpetual　change。　　When　they　do　not　fight　with　their　neighbours；　they　fight　among　themselves。　　They　are　divided　into　sections；　which　abuse；　plunder；　and　sometimes　murder　each　other；　and　on　the　most　frivolous　points　of　difference　that　would　be　unintelligible　to　us　if　we　had　not　read　history；　and　seen　that　we　too　have　passed　through　the　same　early　state　of　ignorance　and　barbarism。　　Any　trifle　is　sufficient　to　set　them　together　by　the　ears。　　They　pretend　to　be　all　equals；　and　the　more　they　have　struggled　to　be　so；　by　removing　old　distinctions；　and　starting　afresh；　the　more　glaring　and　intolerable　the　disparity　becomes；　because　nothing　in　hereditary　affections　and　associations　is　left　to　soften　the　one　naked　distinction　between　the　many　who　have　nothing　and　the　few　who　have　much。　　Of　course　the　many　hate　the　few；　but　without　the　few　they　could　not　live。　　The　many　are　always　assailing　the　few；　sometimes　they　exterminate　the　few；　but　as　soon　as　they　have　done　so；　a　new　few　starts　out　of　the　many；　and　is　harder　to　deal　with　than　the　old　few。　　For　where　societies　are　large；　and　competition　to　have　something　is　the　predominant　fever；　there　must　be　always　many　losers　and　few　gainers。　　In　short；　they　are　savages　groping　their　way　in　the　dark　towards　some　gleam　of　light；　and　would　demand　our　commiseration　for　their　infirmities；　if；　like　all　savages；　they　did　not　provoke　their　own　destruction　by　their　arrogance　and　cruelty。　　Can　you　imagine　that　creatures　of　this　kind；　armed　only　with　such　miserable　weapons　as　you　may　see　in　our　museum　of　antiquities；　clumsy　iron　tubes　charged　with　saltpetre；　have　more　than　once　threatened　with　destruction　a　tribe　of　the　90Vril…ya；　which　dwells　nearest　to　them；　because　they　say　they　have　thirty　millions　of　population…　and　that　tribe　may　have　fifty　thousand…　if　the　latter　do　not　accept　their　notions　of　Soc…Sec　（money　getting）　on　some　trading　principles　which　they　have　the　impudence　to　call　'a　law　of　civilisation'？〃

〃But　thirty　millions　of　population　are　formidable　odds　against　fifty　thousand！〃

My　host　stared　at　me　astonished。　　〃Stranger；〃　said　he；　〃you　could　not　have　heard　me　say　that　this　threatened　tribe　belongs　to　the　Vril…ya；　and　it　only　waits　for　these　savages　to　declare　war；　in　order　to　commission　some　half…a…dozen　small　children　to　sweep　away　their　whole　population。〃

At　these　words　I　felt　a　thrill　of　horror；　recognising　much　more　affinity　with　〃the　savages〃　than　I　did　with　the　Vril…ya；　and　remembering　all　I　had　said　in　praise　of　the　glorious　American　institutions；　which　Aph…Lin　stigmatised　as　Koom…Posh。　　Recovering　my　self…possession；　I　asked　if　there　were　modes　of　transit　by　which　I　could　safely　visit　this　temerarious　and　remote　people。

〃You　can　travel　with　safety；　by　vril　agency；　either　along　the　ground　or　amid　the　air；　throughout　all　the　range　of　the　communities　with　which　we　are　allied　and　akin；　but　I　cannot　vouch　for　your　safety　in　barbarous　nations　governed　by　different　laws　from　ours；　nations；　indeed；　so　benighted；　that　there　are　among　them　large　numbers　who　actually　live　by　stealing　from　each　other；　and　one　could　not　with　safety　in　the　Silent　Hours　even　leave　the　doors　of　one's　own　house　open。〃

Here　our　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　Taee；　who　came　to　inform　us　that　he；　having　been　deputed　to　discover　and　destroy　the　enormous　reptile　which　I　had　seen　on　my　first　arrival；　had　been　on　the　watch　for　it　ever　since　his　visit　to　me；　and　had　began　to　suspect　that　my　eyes　had　deceived　me；　or　that　the　creature　had　made　its　way　through　the　cavities　within　91the　rocks　to　the　wild　regions　in　which　dwelt　its　kindred　race；…　when　it　gave　evidences　of　its　whereabouts　by　a　great　devastation　of　the　herbage　bordering　one　of　the　lakes。　　〃And；〃　said　Taee；　〃I　feel　sure　that　within　that　lake　it　is　now　hiding。　　So；〃　（turning　to　me）　〃I　thought　it　might　amuse　you　to　accompany　me　to　see　the　way　we　destroy　such　unpleasant　visitors。〃　As　I　looked　at　the　face　of　the　young　child；　and　called　to　mind　the　enormous　size　of　the　creature　he　proposed　to　exterminate；　I　felt　myself　shudder　with　fear　for　him；　and　perhaps　fear　for　myself；　if　I　accompanied　him　in　such　a　chase。　　But　my　curiosity　to　witness　the　destructive　effects　of　the　boasted　vril；　and　my　unwillingness　to　lower　myself　in　the　eyes　of　an　infant　by　betraying　apprehensions　of　personal　safety；　prevailed　over　my　first　impulse。　　Accordingly；　I　thanked　Taee　for　his　courteous　consideration　for　my　amusement；　and　professed　my　willingness　to　set　out　with　him　on　so　diverting　an　enterprise。


Chapter　XVIII。


As　Taee　and　myself；　on　quitting　the　town；　and　leaving　to　the　left　the　main　road　which　led　to　it；　struck　into　the　fields；　the　strange　and　solemn　beauty　of　the　landscape；　lighted　up；　by　numberless　lamps；　to　the　verge　of　the　horizon；　fascinated　my　eyes；　and　rendered　me　for　some　time　an　inattentive　listener　to　the　talk　of　my　companion。

Along　our　way　various　operations　of　agriculture　were　being　carried　on　by　machinery；　the　forms　of　which　were　new　to　me；　and　for　the　most　part　very　graceful；　for　among　these　people　art　being　so　cultivated　for　the　sake　of　mere　utility；　exhibits　itself　in　adorning　or　refining　the　shapes　of　useful　objects。　　Precious　metals　and　gems　are　so　profuse　among　them；　that　they　are　lavished　on　things　devoted　to　purposes　the　most　92commonplace；　and　their　love　of　utility　leads　them　to　beautify　its　tools；　and　quickens　their　imagination　in　a　way　unknown　to　themselves。

In　all　service；　whether　in　or　out　of　doors；　they　make　great　use　of　automaton　figures；　which　are　so　ingenious；　and　so　pliant　to　the　operations　of　vril；　that　they　actually　seem　gifted　with　reason。　　It　was　scarcely　possible　to　distinguish　the　figures　I　beheld；　apparently　guiding　or　superintending　the　rapid　movements　of　vast　engines；　from　human　forms　endowed　with　thought。

By　degrees；　as　we　continued　to　walk　on；　my　attention　became　roused　by　the　lively　and　acute　remarks　of　my　companion。　　The　intelligence　of　the　children　among　this　race　is　marvellously　precocious；　perhaps　from　the　habit　of　having　intrusted　to　them；　at　so　early　an　age；　the　toils　and　responsibilities　of　middle　age。　　Indeed；　in　conversing　with　Taee；　I　felt　as　if　talking　with　some　superior　and　observant　man　of　my　own　years。　　I　asked　him　if　he　could　form　any　estimate　of　the　number　of　communities　into　which　the　race　of　the　Vril…ya　is　subdivided。

〃Not　exactly；〃　he　said；　〃because　they　multiply；　of　course；　every　year　as　the　surplus　of　each　community　is　drafted　off。　　But　I　heard　my　father　say　that；　according　to　the　last　report；there　were　a　million　and　a　half　of　communities　speaking　our　language；　and　adopting　our　institutions　and　forms　of　life　and　government；　but；　I　believe；　with　some　differences；　about　which　you　had　better　ask　Zee。　　She　knows　more　than　most　of　the　Ana　do。　　An　An　cares　less　for　things　that　do　not　concern　him　than　a　Gy　does；　the　Gy…ei　are　inquisitive　creatures。〃

〃Does　each　community　restrict　itself　to　the　same　number　of　families　or　amount　of　population　that　you　do？〃

〃No；　some　have　much　smaller　populations；　some　have　larger…　varying　according　to　the　extent　of　the　country　they　appropriate；　or　to　the　degree　of　excellence　to　which　they　have　brought　their　machinery。　　Each　community　sets　its　own　limit　according　to　circumstances；　taking　care　always　that　there　shall　93never　arise　any　class　of　poor　by　the　pressure　of　population　upon　the　productive　powers　of　the　domain；　and　that　no　state　shall　be　too　large　for　a　government　resembling　that　of　a　single　well…ordered　family。　　I　imagine　that　no　vril　community　exceeds　thirty…thousand　households。　　But；　as　a　general　rule；　the　smaller　the　community；　provided　there　be　hands　enough　to　do　justice　to　the　capacities　of　the　territory　it　occupies；　the　richer　each　individual　is；　and　the　larger　the　sum　contributed　to　the　general　treasury；…　above　all；　the　happier　and　the　more　tranquil　is　the　whole　political　body；　and　the　more　perfect　the　products　of　its　industry。　　The　state　which　all　tribes　of　the　Vril…ya　acknowledge　to　be　the　highest　in　civilisation；　and　which　has　brought　the　vril　force　to　its　fullest　development；　is　perhaps　the　smallest。　　It　limits　itself　to　four　thousand　families；　but　every　inch　of　its　territory　is　cultivated　to　the　utmost　perfection　of　garden　ground；　its　machinery　excels　that　of　every　other　tribe；　and　there　is　no　product　of　its　industry　in　any　department　which　is　not　sought　for；　at　extraordinary　prices；　by　each　community　of　our　race。　　All　our　tribes　make　this　state　their　model；　considering　that　we　should　reach　the　highest　state　of　civilisation　allowed　to　mortals　if　we　could　unite　the　greatest　degree　of　happiness　with　the　highest　degree　of　intellectual　achievement；　and　it　is　clear　that　the　smaller　the　society　the　less　difficult　that　will　be。　　Ours　is　too　large　for　it。〃

This　reply　set　me　thinking。　　I　reminded　myself　of　that　little　state　of　Athens；　with　only　twenty　thousand　free　citizens；　and　which　to　this　day　our　mightiest　nations　regard　as　the　supreme　guide　and　model　in　all　departments　of　intellect。　　But　then　Athens　permitted　fierce　rivalry　and　perpetual　change；　and　was　certainly　not　happy。　　Rousing　myself　from　the　reverie　into　which　these　reflections　had　plunged　me；　I　brought　back　our　talk　to　the　subjects　connected　with　emigration。

〃But；〃　said　I；　〃when；　I　suppose　yearly；　a　certain　number　among　94you　agree　to　quit　home　and　found　a　new　community　elsewhere；　they　must　necessarily　be　very　few；　and　scarcely　sufficient；　even　with　the　help　of　the　machines　they　take　with　them；　to　clear　the　ground；　and　build　towns；　and　form　a　civilised　state　with　the　comforts　and　luxuries　in　which　they　had　been　reared。〃

〃You　mistake。　　All　the　tribes　of　the　Vril…ya　are　in　constant　communication　with　each　other；　and　settle　amongst　themselves　each　year　what　proportion　of　one　community　will　unite　with　the　emigrants　of　another；　so　as　to　form　a　state　of　sufficient　size；　and　the　place　for　emigration　is　agreed　upon　at　least　a　year　before；　and　pioneers　sent　from　each　state　to　level　rocks；　and　embank　waters；　and　construct　houses；　so　that　when　the　emigrants　at　last　go；　they　find　a　city　already　made；　and　a　country　around　it　at　least　partially　cleared。　　Our　hardy　life　as　children　make　us　take　cheerfully　to　travel　and　adventure。　　I　mean　to　emigrate　myself　when　of　age。〃

〃Do　the　emigrants　always　select　places　hitherto　uninhabited　and　barren？〃

〃As　yet　generally；　because　it　is　our　rule　never　to　destroy　except　when　necessary　to　our　well…being。　　Of　course；　we　cannot　settle　in　lands　already　occupied　by　the　Vril…ya；　and　if　we　take　the　cultivated　lands　of　the　other　races　of　Ana；　we　must　utterly　destroy　the　previous　inhabitants。　　Sometimes；　as　it　is；　we　take　waste　spots；　and　find　that　a　troublesome；　quarrelsome　race　of　Ana；　especially　if　under　the　administration　of　Koom…Posh　or　Glek…Nas；　resents　our　vicinity；　and　picks　a　quarrel　with　us；　then；　of　course；　as　menacing　our　welfare；　we　destroy　it：　there　is　no　coming　to　terms　of　peace　with　a　race　so　idiotic　that　it　is　always　changing　the　form　of　government　which　represents　it。　　Koom…Posh；〃　said　the　child；　emphatically；　〃is　bad　enough；　still　it　has　brains；　though　at　the　back　of