the story of an african farm-第25章

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mountains　of　stern　reality　will　rise　before　him；　he　must　climb　them；　beyond

them　lies　Truth。'



〃'And　he　will　hold　her　fast！　he　will　hold　her　in　his　hands！'　the　hunter

cried。



〃Wisdom　shook　his　head。



〃'He　will　never　see　her；　never　hold　her。　　The　time　is　not　yet。'



〃'Then　there　is　no　hope？'　cried　the　hunter。



〃'There　is　this；'　said　Wisdom：　　'Some　men　have　climbed　on　those　mountains；

circle　above　circle　of　bare　rock　they　have　scaled；　and；　wandering　there；　in

those　high　regions；　some　have　chanced　to　pick　up　on　the　ground　one　white

silver　feather；　dropped　from　the　wing　of　Truth。　　And　it　shall　come　to

pass；'　said　the　old　man；　raising　himself　prophetically　and　pointing　with

his　finger　to　the　sky；　'it　shall　come　to　pass；　that　when　enough　of　those

silver　feathers　shall　have　been　gathered　by　the　hands　of　men；　and　shall

have　been　woven　into　a　cord；　and　the　cord　into　a　net；　that　in　that　net

Truth　may　be　captured。　　Nothing　but　Truth　can　hold　Truth。'



〃The　hunter　arose。　　'I　will　go；'　he　said。



〃But　wisdom　detained　him。



〃'Mark　you　wellwho　leaves　these　valleys　never　returns　to　them。　　Though　he

should　weep　tears　of　blood　seven　days　and　nights　upon　the　confines；　he　can

never　put　his　foot　across　them。　　Leftthey　are　left　forever。　　Upon　the

road　which　you　would　travel　there　is　no　reward　offered。　　Who　goes；　goes

freelyfor　the　great　love　that　is　in　him。　　The　work　is　his　reward。'



〃'I　go'　said　the　hunter；　'but　upon　the　mountains；　tell　me；　which　path　shall

I　take？'



〃'I　am　the　child　of　The…Accumulated…Knowledge…of…Ages；'　said　the　man；　'I

can　walk　only　where　many　men　have　trodden。　　On　these　mountains　few　feet

have　passed；　each　man　strikes　out　a　path　for　himself。　　He　goes　at　his　own

peril：　　my　voice　he　hears　no　more。　　I　may　follow　after　him；　but　cannot　go

before　him。'



〃Then　Knowledge　vanished。



〃And　the　hunter　turned。　　He　went　to　his　cage；　and　with　his　hands　broke　down

the　bars；　and　the　jagged　iron　tore　his　flesh。　　It　is　sometimes　easier　to

build　than　to　break。



〃One　by　one　he　took　his　plumed　birds　and　let　them　fly。　　But　when　he　came　to

his　dark…plumed　bird　he　held　it；　and　looked　into　its　beautiful　eyes；　and

the　bird　uttered　its　low；　deep　cry'Immortality！'



〃And　he　said　quickly：　　'I　cannot　part　with　it。　　It　is　not　heavy；　it　eats　no

food。　　I　will　hide　it　in　my　breast；　I　will　take　it　with　me。'　　And　he　buried

it　there　and　covered　it　over　with　his　cloak。



〃But　the　thing　he　had　hidden　grew　heavier；　heavier；　heaviertill　it　lay　on

his　breast　like　lead。　　He　could　not　move　with　it。　　He　could　not　leave　those

valleys　with　it。　　Then　again　he　took　it　out　and　looked　at　it。



〃'Oh；　my　beautiful！　my　heart's　own！'　he　cried；　'may　I　not　keep　you？'



〃He　opened　his　hands　sadly。



〃'Go！'　he　said。　　'It　may　happen　that　in　Truth's　song　one　note　is　like

yours；　but　I　shall　never　hear　it。'



〃Sadly　he　opened　his　hand；　and　the　bird　flew　from　him　forever。



〃Then　from　the　shuttle　of　imagination　he　took　the　thread　of　his　wishes；　and

threw　it　on　the　ground；　and　the　empty　shuttle　he　put　into　his　breast；　for

the　thread　was　made　in　those　valleys；　but　the　shuttle　came　from　an　unknown

country。　　He　turned　to　go；　but　now　the　people　came　about　him；　howling。



〃'Fool；　hound；　demented　lunatic！'　they　cried。　　'How　dared　you　break　your

cage　and　let　the　birds　fly？'



〃The　hunter　spoke；　but　they　would　not　hear　him。



〃'Truth！　who　is　she？　　Can　you　eat　her？　can　you　drink　her？　　Who　has　ever

seen　her？　　Your　birds　were　real：　　all　could　hear　them　sing！　　Oh；　fool！　vile

reptile！　atheist！'　they　cried；　'you　pollute　the　air。'



〃'Come；　let　us　take　up　stones　and　stone　him；'　cried　some。



〃'What　affair　is　it　of　ours？'　said　others。　　'Let　the　idiot　go；'　and　went

away。　　But　the　rest　gathered　up　stones　and　mud　and　threw　at　him。　　At　last；

when　he　was　bruised　and　cut；　the　hunter　crept　away　into　the　woods。　　And　it

was　evening　about　him。〃



At　every　word　the　stranger　spoke　the　fellow's　eyes　flashed　back　on　him

yes；　and　yes；　and　yes！　　The　stranger　smiled。　　It　was　almost　worth　the

trouble　of　exerting　oneself；　even　on　a　lazy　afternoon；　to　win　those

passionate　flashes；　more　thirsty　and　desiring　than　the　love…glances　of　a

woman。



〃He　wandered　on　and　on；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃and　the　shade　grew　deeper。　　He

was　on　the　borders　now　of　the　land　where　it　is　always　night。　　Then　he

stepped　into　it；　and　there　was　no　light　there。　　With　his　hands　he　groped；

but　each　branch　as　he　touched　it　broke　off；　and　the　earth　was　covered　with

cinders。　At　every　step　his　foot　sank　in；　and　a　fine　cloud　of　impalpable

ashes　flew　up　into　his　face；　and　it　was　dark。　　So　he　sat　down　upon　a　stone

and　buried　his　face　in　his　hands；　to　wait　in　the　Land　of　Negation　and

Denial　till　the　light　came。



〃And　it　was　night　in　his　heart　also。



〃Then　from　the　marshes　to　his　right　and　left　cold　mists　arose　and　closed

about　him。　　A　fine；　imperceptible　rain　fell　in　the　dark；　and　great　drops

gathered　on　his　hair　and　clothes。　　His　heart　beat　slowly；　and　a　numbness

crept　through　all　his　limbs。　　Then；　looking　up；　two　merry　wisp　lights　came

dancing。　　He　lifted　his　head　to　look　at　them。　　Nearer；　nearer　they　came。　

So　warm；　so　bright；　they　danced　like　stars　of　fire。　　They　stood　before　him

at　last。　　From　the　centre　of　the　radiating　flame　in　one　looked　out　a

woman's　face；　laughing；　dimpled；　with　streaming　yellow　hair。　　In　the　centre

of　the　other　were　merry　laughing　ripples；　like　the　bubbles　on　a　glass　of

wine。　　They　danced　before　him。



〃'Who　are　you；'　asked　the　hunter；　'who　alone　come　to　me　in　my　solitude　and

darkness？'



〃'We　are　the　twins　Sensuality；'　they　cried。　　'Our　father's　name　is　Human…

Nature；　and　our　mother's　name　is　Excess。　　We　are　as　old　as　the　hills　and

rivers；　as　old　as　the　first　man；　but　we　never　die；'　they　laughed。



〃'Oh；　let　me　wrap　my　arms　about　you！；　cried　the　first；　'they　are　soft　and

warm。　　Your　heart　is　frozen　now；　but　I　will　make　it　beat。　　Oh；　come　to　me！'



〃'I　will　pour　my　hot　life　into　you；'　said　the　second；　'your　brain　is　numb；

and　your　limbs　are　dead　now；　but　they　shall　live　with　a　fierce　free　life。　

Oh；　let　me　pour　it　in！'



〃'Oh；　follow　us；'　they　cried；　'and　live　with　us。　　Nobler　hearts　than　yours

have　sat　here　in　this　darkness　to　wait；　and　they　have　come　to　us　and　we　to

them；　and　they　have　never　left　us；　never。　　All　else　is　a　delusion；　but　we

are　real；　we　are　real；　we　are　real。　　Truth　is　a　shadow；　the　valleys　of

superstition　are　a　farce：　　the　earth　is　of　ashes；　the　trees　all　rotten；　but

wefeel　uswe　live！　　You　cannot　doubt　us。　　Feel　us　how　warm　we　are！　　Oh；

come　to　us！　　Come　with　us！'



〃Nearer　and　nearer　round　his　head　they　hovered；　and　the　cold　drops　melted

on　his　forehead。　　The　bright　light　shot　into　his　eyes；　dazzling　him；　and

the　frozen　blood　began　to　run。　　And　he　said：



〃'Yes；　why　should　I　die　here　in　this　awful　darkness？　　They　are　warm；　they

melt　my　frozen　blood！'　and　he　stretched　out　his　hands　to　take　them。



〃Then　in　a　moment　there　arose　before　him　the　image　of　the　thing　he　had

loved；　and　his　hand　dropped　to　his　side。



〃'Oh；　come　to　us！'　they　cried。



〃But　he　buried　his　face。



〃'You　dazzle　my　eyes；'　he　cried；　'you　make　my　heart　warm；　but　you　cannot

give　me　what　I　desire。　　I　will　wait　herewait　till　I　die。　　Go！'



〃He　covered　his　face　with　his　hands　and　would　not　listen；　and　when　he

looked　up　again　they　were　two　twinkling　stars；　that　vanished　in　the

distance。



〃And　the　long；　long　night　rolled　on。



〃All　who　leave　the　valley　of　superstition　pass　through　that　dark　land；　but

some　go　through　it　in　a　few　days；　some　linger　there　for　months；　some　for

years；　and　some　die　there。〃



The　boy　had　crept　closer；　his　hot　breath　almost　touched　the　stranger's

hand；　a　mystic　wonder　filled　his　eyes。



〃At　last　for　the　hunter　a　faint　light　played　along　the　horizon；　and　he　rose

to　follow　it；　and　he　reached　that　light　at　last；　and　stepped　into　the　broad

sunshine。　　Then　before　him　rose　the　almighty　mountains　of　Dry…facts　and

Realities。　　The　clear　sunshine　played　on　them；　and　the　tops　were　lost　in

the　clouds。　　At　the　foot　many　paths　ran　up。　　An　exultant　cry　burst　from　the

hunter。　　He　chose　the　straightest　and　began　to　climb；　and　the　rocks　and

ridges　resounded　with　his　song。　　They　had　exaggerated；　after　all；　it　was

not　so　high；　nor　was　the　road　so　steep！　　A　few　days；　a　few　weeks；　a　few

months　at　most；　and　then　the　top！　　Not　one　feather　only　would　he　pick　up；

he　would　gather　all　that　other　men　had　foundweave　the　netcapture　Truth…

…hold　her　fasttouch　her　with　his　handsclasp　her！



〃He　laughed　in　the　merry　sunshine；　and　sang　loud。　　Victory　was　very　near。　

Nevertheless；　after　a　while　the　path　grew　steeper。　　He　needed　all　his

breath　for　climbing；　and　the　singing　died　away。　　On　the　right　and　left　rose

huge　rocks；　devoid　of　lichen　or　moss；　and　in　the　lava…like　earth　chasms

yawned。　　Here　and　there　he　saw　a　sheen　of　white　bones。　　Now　too　the　path

began　to　grow　less　and　less　marked；　then　it　became　a　mere　trace；　with　a

footmark　here　and　there；　then　it　ceased　altogether。　　He　sang　no　more；　but

struck　forth　a　path　for　himself；　until　it　reached　a　mighty　wall　of　rock；

smooth　and　without　break；　stretching　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see。　　'I　will

rear　a　stair　against　it；　and；　once　this　wall　climbed；　I　shall　be　almost

there；'　he　said　bravely；　and　worked。　　With　his　shuttle　of　imagination　he

dug　out　stones；　but　half　of　them　would　not　fit；　and　half　a　month's　work

would　roll　down　because　those　below　were　ill　chosen。　　But　the　hunter　worked

on；　saying　always　to　himself；　'Once　this　wall　climbed；　I　shall　be　almost

there。　　This　great　work　ended！'



〃At　last　he　came　out　upon　the　top；　and　he　looked　about　him。　　Far　below

rolled　the　white　mist　over　the　valleys　of　superstition；　and　above　him

towered　the　mountains。　　They　had　seemed　low　before；　they　were　of　an

immeasurable　height　now；　from　crown　to　foundation　surrounded　by　walls　of

rock；　that　rose　tier　above　tier　in　mighty　circles。　　Upon　them　played　the

eternal　sunshine。　　He　uttered　a　wild　cry。　　He　bowed　himself　on　to　the

earth；　and　when　he　rose　his　face　was　white。　　In　absolute　silence　he　walked

on。　　He　was　very　silent　now。　　In　those　high　regions　the　rarefied　air　is

hard　to　breathe　by　those　born　in　the　valleys；　every　breath　he　drew　hurt

him；　and　the　blood　oozed　out　from　the　tips　of　his　fingers。　　Before　the　next

wall　of　rock　he　began　to　work。　　The　height　of　this　seemed　infinite；　and　he

said　nothing。　　The　sound　of　his　tool　rang　night　and　day　upon　the　iron　rocks

into　which　he　cut　steps。　　Years　passed　over　him；　yet　he　worked　on；　but　the

wall　towered　up　always　above　him　to　heaven。　　Sometimes　he　prayed　that　a

little　moss　or　lichen　might　spring　up　on　those　bare　walls　to　be　a　companion

to　him；　but　it　never　came。〃　　The　stranger　watched　the　boy's　face。



〃And　the　years　rolled　on；　he　counted　them　by　the　steps　he　had　cuta　few

for　a　yearonly　a　few。　　He　sang　no　more；　he　said　no