mark twain, a biography, 1907-1910-第51部分

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no　more；　all　is　mystery；　mystery；　mystery；　we　know　not　whence　we　came；
nor　why；　we　know　not　whither　we　go；　nor　why　we　go。　　We　only　know　we　were
not　made　in　vain；　we　only　know　we　were　made　for　a　wise　purpose；　and　that
all　is　well！　　We　shall　not　be　cast　aside　in　contumely　and　unblest　after　
all　we　have　suffered。　　Let　us　be　patient；　let　us　not　repine；　let　us
trust。　　The　humblest　of　us　is　cared　foroh；　believe　it！and　this
fleeting　stay　is　not　the　end！〃

You　notice　that？　　He　did　not　suspect　that　he；　also；　was　engaged　in
gnawing；　torturing；　defiling；　rotting；　and　murdering　a　fellow…creature
he　and　all　the　swarming　billions　of　his　race。　　None　of　them　suspects　it。　
That　is　significant。　　It　is　suggestive　irresistibly　suggestive
insistently　suggestive。　　It　hints　at　the　possibility　that　the　procession
of　known　and　listed　devourers　and　persecutors　is　not　complete。　　It
suggests　the　possibility；　and　substantially　the　certainty；　that　man　is
himself　a　microbe；　and　his　globe　a　blood…corpuscle　drifting　with　its
shining　brethren　of　the　Milky　Way　down　a　vein　of　the　Master　and　Maker　of
all　things；　whose　body；　mayhapglimpsed　part…wise　from　the　earth　by
night；　and　receding　and　lost　to　view　in　the　measureless　remotenesses　of
spaceis　what　men　name　the　Universe。

Yes；　that　was　all　old　to　me；　but　to　find　that　our　little　old　familiar
microbes　were　themselves　loaded　up　with　microbes　that　fed　them；　enriched
them；　and　persistently　and　faithfully　preserved　them　and　their　poor　old
tramp…planet　from　destructionoh；　that　was　new；　and　too　delicious！

I　wanted　to　see　them！　　I　was　in　a　fever　to　see　them！　　I　had　lenses　to
two…million　power；　but　of　course　the　field　was　no　bigger　than　a　person's
finger…nail；　and　so　it　wasn't　possible　to　compass　a　considerable
spectacle　or　a　landscape　with　them；　whereas　what　I　had　been　craving　was　a
thirty…foot　field；　which　would　represent　a　spread　of　several　miles　of
country　and　show　up　things　in　a　way　to　make　them　worth　looking　at。　　The
boys　and　I　had　often　tried　to　contrive　this　improvement；　but　had　failed。

I　mentioned　the　matter　to　the　Duke　and　it　made　him　smile。　　He　said　it　was
a　quite　simple　thing…he　had　it　at　home。　　I　was　eager　to　bargain　for　the
secret；　but　he　said　it　was　a　trifle　and　not　worth　bargaining　for。
He　said：

〃Hasn't　it　occurred　to　you　that　all　you　have　to　do　is　to　bend　an　X…ray　to
an　angle…value　of　8。4　and　refract　it　with　a　parabolism；　and　there　you
are？〃

Upon　my　word；　I　had　never　thought　of　that　simple　thing！　　You　could　have
knocked　me　down　with　a　feather。

We　rigged　a　microscope　for　an　exhibition　at　once　and　put　a　drop　of　my
blood　under　it；　which　got　mashed　flat　when　the　lens　got　shut　down　upon
it。　　The　result　was　beyond　my　dreams。　The　field　stretched　miles　away；
green　and　undulating；　threaded　with　streams　and　roads；　and　bordered　all
down　the　mellowing　distances　with　picturesque　hills。　　And　there　was　a
great　white　city　of　tents；　and　everywhere　were　parks　of　artillery　and
divisions　of　cavalry　and　infantry　waiting。　　We　had　hit　a　lucky　moment；
evidently　there　was　going　to　be　a　march…past　or　some　thing　like　that。　　At
the　front　where　the　chief　banner　flew　there　was　a　large　and　showy　tent；
with　showy　guards　on　duty；　and　about　it　were　some　other　tents　of　a　swell
kind。　

The　warriorsparticularly　the　officerswere　lovely　to　look　at；　they
were　so　trim…built　and　so　graceful　and　so　handsomely　uniformed。　　They
were　quite　distinct；　vividly　distinct；　for　it　was　a　fine　day；　and　they
were　so　immensely　magnified　that　they　looked　to　be　fully　a　finger…nail
high。＇My　own　expression；　and　a　quite　happy　one。　　I　said　to　the　Duke：
〃Your　Grace；　they're　just　about　finger…milers！〃
〃How　do　you　mean；　m'　lord？〃
〃This。　　You　notice　the　stately　General　standing　there　with　his　hand
resting　upon　the　muzzle　of　a　cannon？　　Well；　if　you　could　stick　your
little　finger　down　against　the　ground　alongside　of　him　his　plumes　would
just　reach　up　to　where　your　nail　joins　the　flesh。〃　　The　Duke　said
〃finger…milers　was　good〃…good　and　exact；　and　he　afterward　used　it　several
times　himself。＇　Everywhere　you　could　see　officers　moving　smartly　about；
and　they　looked　gay；　but　the　common　soldiers　looked　sad。　　Many　wife…
swinks　＇〃　Swinks；〃　an　atomic　race＇　and　daughter…swinks　and　sweetheart…
swinks　were　aboutcrying；　mainly。　　It　seemed　to　indicate　that　this　was　a
case　of　war；　not　a　summer…camp　for　exercise；　and　that　the　poor　labor…
swinks　were　being　torn　from　their　planet…saving　industries　to　go　and
distribute　civilization　and　other　forms　of　suffering　among　the　feeble
benighted　somewhere；　else　why　should　the　swinkesses　cry？

The　cavalry　was　very　fineshiny　black　horses；　shapely　and　spirited；　and
presently　when　a　flash　of　light　struck　a　lifted　bugle　（delivering　a
command　which　we　couldn't　hear）　and　a　division　came　tearing　down　on　a
gallop　it　was　a　stirring　and　gallant　sight；　until　the　dust　rose　an　inch
the　Duke　thought　moreand　swallowed　it　up　in　a　rolling　and　tumbling　long
gray　cloud；　with　bright　weapons　glinting　and　sparkling　in　it。

Before　long　the　real　business　of　the　occasion　began。　　A　battalion　of
priests　arrived　carrying　sacred　pictures。　　That　settled　it：　this　was　war；
these　far…stretching　masses　of　troops　were　bound　for　the　front。　　Their
little　monarch　came　out　now；　the　sweetest　little　thing　that　ever
travestied　the　human　shape　I　think；　and　he　lifted　up　his　hands　and
blessed　the　passing　armies；　and　they　looked　as　grateful　as　they　could；
and　made　signs　of　humble　and　real　reverence　as　they　drifted　by　the　holy
pictures。

It　was　beautifulthe　whole　thing；　and　wonderful；　too；　when　those　serried
masses　swung　into　line　and　went　marching　down　the　valley　under　the　long
array　of　fluttering　flags。

Evidently　they　were　going　somewhere　to　fight　for　their　king；　which　was
the　little　manny　that　blessed　them；　and　to　preserve　him　and　his　brethren
that　occupied　the　other　swell　tents；　to　civilize　and　grasp　a　valuable
little　unwatched　country　for　them　somewhere。　　But　the　little　fellow　and
his　brethren　didn't　fall　inthat　was　a　noticeable　particular。　　They
didn't　fight；　they　stayed　at　home；　where　it　was　safe；　and　waited　for　the
swag。

Very　well；　then…what　ought　we　to　do？　　Had　we　no　moral　duty　to　perform？　
Ought　we　to　allow　this　war　to　begin？　　Was　it　not　our　duty　to　stop　it；　in
the　name　of　right　and　righteousness？　　Was　it　not　our　duty　to　administer　a
rebuke　to　this　selfish　and　heartless　Family？

The　Duke　was　struck　by　that；　and　greatly　moved。　　He　felt　as　I　did　about
it；　and　was　ready　to　do　whatever　was　right；　and　thought　we　ought　to　pour
boiling　water　on　the　Family　and　extinguish　it；　which　we　did。

It　extinguished　the　armies；　too；　which　was　not　intended。　　We　both
regretted　this；　but　the　Duke　said　that　these　people　were　nothing　to　us；
and　deserved　extinction　anyway　for　being　so　poor…spirited　as　to　serve
such　a　Family。　　He　was　loyally　doing　the　like　himself；　and　so　was　I；　but
I　don't　think　we　thought　of　that。　　And　it　wasn't　just　the　same；　anyway；
because　we　were　sooflaskies；　and　they　were　only　swinks。

Franklin　realizes　that　no　atom　is　destructible；　that　it　has　always
existed　and　will　exist　forever；　but　he　thinks　all　atoms　will　go　out　of
this　world　some　day　and　continue　their　life　in　a　happier　one。　　Old
Tolliver　thinks　no　atom's　life　will　ever　end；　but　he　also　thinks
Blitzowski　is　the　only　world　it　will　ever　see；　and　that　at　no　time　in　its
eternity　will　it　be　either　worse　off　or　better　off　than　it　is　now　and
always　has　been。　　Of　course　he　thinks　the　planet　Blitzowski　is　itself
eternal　and　indestructibleat　any　rate　he　says　he　thinks　that。　　It　could
make　me　sad；　only　I　know　better。　　D。　T。　　will　fetch　Blitzy　yet　one　of
these　days。

But　these　are　alien　thoughts；　human　thoughts；　and　they　falsely　indicate
that　I　do　not　want　this　tramp　to　go　on　living。　　What　would　become　of　me
if　he　should　disintegrate？　　My　molecules　would　scatter　all　around　and
take　up　new　quarters　in　hundreds　of　plants　and　animals；　each　would　carry
its　special　feelings　along　with　it；　each　would　be　content　in　its　new
estate；　but　where　should　I　be？　　I　should　not　have　a　rag　of　a　feeling
left；　after　my　disintegrationwith　hiswas　complete。　　Nothing　to　think
with；　nothing　to　grieve　or　rejoice　with；　nothing　to　hope　or　despair　with。　
There　would　be　no　more　me。　　I　should　be　musing　and　thinking　and　dreaming
somewhere　elsein　some　distant　animal　maybeperhaps　a　catby　proxy　of
my　oxygen　I　should　be　raging　and　fuming　in　some　other　creaturesa　rat；
perhaps；　I　should　be　smiling　and　hoping　in　still　another　child　of　Nature
heir　to　my　hydrogena　weed；　or　a　cabbage；　or　something；　my　carbonic
acid　（ambition）　would　be　dreaming　dreams　in　some　lowly　wood…violet　that
was　longing　for　a　showy　career；　thus　my　details　would　be　doing　as　much
feeling　as　ever；　but　I　should　not　be　aware　of　it；　it　would　all　be　going
on　for　the　benefit　of　those　others；　and　I　not　in　it　at　all。　　I　should　be
gradually　wasting　away；　atom　by　atom；　molecule　by　molecule；　as　the　years
went　on；　and　at　last　I　should　be　all　distributed；　and　nothing　left　of
what　had　once　been　Me。　　It　is　curious；　and　not　without　impressiveness：　I
should　still　be　alive；　intensely　alive；　but　so　scattered　that　I　would　not
know　it。　　I　should　not　be　deadno；　one　cannot　call　it　thatbut　I　should
be　the　next　thing　to　it。　　And　to　think　what　centuries　and　ages　and　aeons
would　drift　over　me　before　the　disintegration　was　finished；　the　last　bone
turned　to　gas　and　blown　away！　　I　wish　I　knew　what　it　is　going　to　feel
like；　to　lie　helpless　such　a　weary；　weary　time；　and　see　my　faculties
decay　and　depart；　one　by　one；　like　lights　which　burn　low；　and　flicker　and
perish；　until　the　ever…deepening　gloom　and　darkness　whichoh；　away；　away
with　these　horrors；　and　let　me　think　of　something　wholesome！

My　tramp　is　only　85；　there　is　good　hope　that　he　will　live　ten　years
longer500；000　of　my　microbe　years。　　So　may　it　be。

Oh；　dear；　we　are　all　so　wise！　　Each　of　us　knows　it　all；　and　knows　he
knows　it　allthe　rest；　to　a　man；　are　fools　and　deluded。　　One　man　knows
there　is　a　hell；　the　next　one　knows　there　isn't；　one　man　knows　high
tariff　is　right；　the　next　man　knows　it　isn't；　one　man　knows　monarchy　is
best；　the　next　one　knows　it　isn't；　one　age　knows　there　are　witches；　the
next　one　knows　there　aren't；　one　sect