~1~
Embittered1 by this unhappy ending of my romance, I turned to my work with savage2 zeal3, determined4 not again to be diverted by a personal effort to save the Germans from their sins. But this application to my test-tubes was presently interrupted by a German holiday which was known as The Day of the Sun.
From the conversation of my assistants I gathered that this was an annual occasion of particular importance. It was, in fact, His Majesty5's birthday, and was celebrated6 by permitting the favoured classes to see the ruler himself at the Place in the Sun. For this Royal exhibition I received a blue ticket of which my assistants were curiously7 envious8. They inspected the number of it and the hour of my admittance to the Royal Level. "It is the first appearance of the day," they said. "His Majesty will be fresh to speak; you will be near; you will be able to see His Face without the aid of a glass; you will be able to hear His Voice, and not merely the reproducing horns."
In the morning our news bulletin was wholly devoted9 to announcements and patriotic10 exuberances. Across the sheet was flamed a headline stating that the meteorologist of the Roof Observatory11 reported that the sun would shine in full brilliancy upon the throne. This seemed very puzzling to me. For the Place in the Sun was clearly located on the Royal Level and some hundred metres beneath the roof of the city.
I went, at the hour announced on my ticket, to the indicated elevator; and, with an eager crowd of fellow scientists, stepped forth12 into a vast open space where the vaulted13 ceiling was supported by massive fluted14 columns that rose to twice the height of the ordinary spacing of the levels of the city.
An enormous crowd of men of the higher ranks was gathering15. Closely packed and standing16, the multitude extended to the sides and the rear of my position for many hundred metres until it seemed quite lost under the glowing lights in the distance. Before us a huge curtain hung. Emblazoned on its dull crimson17 background of subdued18 socialism was a gigantic black eagle, the leering emblem19 of autocracy20. Above and extending back over us, appeared in the ceiling a deep and unlighted crevice21.
As the crowd seemed complete the men about me consulted their watches and then suddenly grew quiet in expectancy22. The lights blinked twice and went out, and we were bathed in a hush23 of darkness. The heavy curtain rustled24 like the mantle25 of Jove while from somewhere above I heard the shutters26 of the windows of heaven move heavily on their rollers. A flashing brilliant beam of light shot through the blackness and fell in wondrous27 splendour upon a dazzling metallic28 dais, whereon rested the gilded29 throne of the House of Hohenzollern.
Seated upon the throne was a man--a very little man he seemed amidst such vast and vivid surroundings. He was robed in a cape30 of dazzling white, and on his head he wore a helmet of burnished31 platinum32. Before the throne and slightly to one side stood the round form of a paper globe.
His Majesty rose, stepped a few paces forward; and, as he with solemn deliberation raised his hand into the shaft33 of burning light, from the throng34 there came a frenzied35 shouting, which soon changed into a sort of chanting and then into a throaty song.
His Majesty lowered his hand; the song ceased; a great stillness hung over the multitude. Eitel I, Emperor of the Germans, now raised his face and stared for a moment unblinkingly into the beam of sunlight, then he lowered his gaze toward the sea of upturned faces.
"My people," he said, in a voice which for all his pompous36 effort, fell rather flat in the immensity, "you are assembled here in the Place of the Sun to do honour to God's anointed ruler of the world."
From ten thousand throats came forth another raucous37 shout.
"Two and a half centuries ago," now spoke38 His Majesty, "God appointed the German race, under William the Great, of the House of Hohenzollern, to be the rulers of the world.
"For nineteen hundred years, God in his infinite patience, had awaited the outcome of the test of the Nazarene's doctrine39 of servile humility40 and effeminate peace. But the Christian41 nations of the earth were weighed in the balance of Divine wrath42 and found wanting. Wallowing in hypocrisy43 and ignorance, wanting in courage and valour; behind a pretence44 of altruism45 they cloaked their selfish greed for gold.
"Of all the people of the earth our race alone possessed46 the two keys to power, the mastery of science and the mastery of the sword. So the Germans were called of God to instil47 fear and reverence48 into the hearts of the inferior races. That was the purpose of the First World War under my noble ancestor, William II.
"But the envious nations, desperate in their greed, banded together to defy our old German God, and destroy His chosen people. But this was only a divine trial of our worth, for the plans of God are for eternity49. His days to us are centuries. And we did well to patiently abide50 the complete unfoldment of the Divine plan.
"Before two generations had passed our German ancestors cast off the yoke51 of enslavement and routed the oppressors in the Second World War. Lest His chosen race be contaminated by the swinish herds52 of the mongrel nations God called upon His people to relinquish53 for a time the fruits of conquest, that they might be further purged54 by science and become a pure-bred race of super-men.
"That purification has been accomplished55 for every German is bred and trained by science as ordained56 by God. There are no longer any mongrels among the men of Germany, for every one of you is created for his special purpose and every German is fitted for his particular place as a member of the super-race.
"The time now draws near when the final purpose of our good old German God is to be fulfilled. The day of this fulfilment is known unto me. The sun which shines upon this throne is but a symbol of that which has been denied you while all these things were being made ready. But now the day draws near when you shall, under my leadership, rule over the world and the mongrel peoples. And to each of you shall be given a place in the sun."
The voice had ceased. A great stillness hung over the multitude. Eitel I, Emperor of the Germans, threw back his cape and drew his sword. With a sweeping57 flourish he slashed58 the paper globe in twain.
From the myriad59 throated throng came a reverberating60 shout that rolled and echoed through the vaulted catacomb. The crimson curtain dropped. The shutters were thrown athwart the reflected beam of sunlight. The lights of man again glowed pale amidst the maze61 of columns.
Singing and marching, the men filed toward the elevators. The guards urged haste to clear the way, for the God of the Germans could not stay the march of the sun across the roof of Berlin, and a score of paper globes must yet be slashed for other shouting multitudes before the sun's last gleam be twisted down to shine upon a king.
~2~
Although the working hours of the day were scarcely one-fourth gone, it was impossible for me to return to my laboratory for the lighting62 current was shut off for the day. I therefore decided63 to utilize64 the occasion by returning the geography which I had rescued from Bertha.
Dr. Zimmern's invitation to make use of his library had been cordial enough, but its location in Marguerite's apartment had made me a little reticent65 about going there except in the Doctor's company. Yet I did not wish to admit to Zimmern my sensitiveness in the matter--and the geography had been kept overlong.
This occasion being a holiday, I found the resorts on the Level of Free Women crowded with merrymakers. But I sought the quieter side streets and made my way towards Marguerite's apartment.
"I thought you would be celebrating today," she said as I entered.
"I feel that I can utilize the time better by reading," I replied. "There is so much I want to learn, and, thanks to Dr. Zimmern, I now have the opportunity."
"But surely you are to see the Emperor in the Place in the Sun," said Marguerite when she had returned the geography to the secret shelf.
"I have already seen him," I replied, "my ticket was for the first performance."
"It must be a magnificent sight," she sighed. "I should so love to see the sunlight. The pictures show us His Majesty's likeness66, but what is a picture of sunlight?"
"But you speak only of a reflected beam; how would you like to see real sunshine?"
"Oh, on the roof of Berlin? But that is only for Royalty68 and the roof guards. I've tried to imagine that, but I know that I fail as a blind man must fail to imagine colour."
"Close your eyes," I said playfully, "and try very hard."
Solemnly Marguerite closed her eyes.
For a moment I smiled, and then the smile relaxed, for I felt as one who scoffs69 at prayer.
"And did you see the sunlight?" I asked, as she opened her eyes and gazed at me with dilated70 pupils.
"No," she answered hoarsely71, "I only saw man-light as far as the walls of Berlin, and beyond that it was all empty blackness--and it frightens me."
"The fear of darkness," I said, "is the fear of ignorance."
"You try," and she reached over with a soft touch of her finger tips on my closing eyelids72. "Now keep them closed and tell me what you see. Tell me it is not all black."
"I see light," I said, "white light, on a billowy sea of clouds, as from a flying plane.... And now I see the sun--it is sinking behind a rugged73 line of snowy peaks and the light is dimming.... It is gone now, but it is not dark, for moonlight, pale and silvery, is shimmering74 on a choppy sea.... Now it is the darkest hour, but it is never black, only a dark, dark grey, for the roof of the world is pricked75 with a million points of light.... The grey of the east is shot with the rose of dawn.... The rose brightens to scarlet76 and the curve of the sun appears--red like the blood of war.... And now the sky is crystal blue and the grey sands of the desert have turned to glittering gold."
I had ceased my poetic77 visioning and was looking into Marguerite's face. The light of worship I saw in her eyes filled me with a strange trembling and holy awe78.
"And I saw only blackness," she faltered79. "Is it that I am born blind and you with vision?"
"Perhaps what you call vision is only memory," I said--but, as I realized where my words were leading, I hastened to add--"Memory, from another life. Have you ever heard of such a thing as the reincarnation of the soul?"
"That means," she said hesitatingly, "that there is something in us that does not die--immortality80, is it not?"
"Well, it is something like that," I answered huskily, as I wondered what she might know or dream of that which lay beyond the ken67 of the gross materialism81 of her race. "Immortality is a very beautiful idea," I went on, "and science has destroyed much that is beautiful. But it is a pity that Col. Hellar had to eliminate the idea of immortality from the German Bible. Surely such a book makes no pretence of being scientific."
"So Col. Hellar has told you that he wrote 'God's Anointed'?" exclaimed Marguerite with eager interest.
"Yes, he told me of that and I re-read the book with an entirely82 different viewpoint since I came to understand the spirit in which it was written."
"Ah--I see." Marguerite rose and stepped toward the library. "We have a book here," she called, "that you have not read, and one that you cannot buy. It will show you the source of Col. Hellar's inspiration."
She brought out a battered83 volume. "This book," she stated, "has given the inspectors84 more trouble than any other book in existence. Though they have searched for thirty years, they say there are more copies of it still at large than of all other forbidden books combined."
I gazed at the volume she handed me--I was holding a copy of the Christian Bible translated six centuries previous by Martin Luther. It was indeed the very text from which as a boy I had acquired much of my reading knowledge of the language. But I decided that I had best not reveal to Marguerite my familiarity with it, and so I sat down and turned the pages with assumed perplexity.
"It is a very odd book," I remarked presently. "Have you read it?"
"Oh, yes," exclaimed Marguerite. "I often read it; I think it is more interesting than all these modern books, but perhaps that is because I cannot understand it; I love mysterious things."
"There is too much of it for a man as busy as I am to hope to read," I remarked, after turning a few more pages, "and so I had better not begin. Will you not choose something and read it aloud to me?"
Marguerite declined at first; but, when I insisted, she took the tattered85 Bible and turned slowly through its pages.
And when she read, it was the story of a king who revelled86 with his lords, and of a hand that wrote upon a wall.
Her voice was low, and possessed a rhythm and cadence87 that transmuted88 the guttural German tongue into musical poetry.
Again she read, of a man who, though shorn of his strength by the wiles89 of a woman and blinded by his enemies, yet pushed asunder90 the pillars of a city.
At random91 she read other tales, of rulers and of slaves, of harlots and of queens--the wisdom of prophets--the songs of kings.
Together we pondered the meanings of these strange things, and exulted92 in the beauty of that which was meaningless. And so the hours passed; the day drew near its close and Marguerite read from the last pages of the book, of a voice that cried mightily--"Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul93 spirit."
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收听单词发音
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1
embittered
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| v.使怨恨，激怒( embitter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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3
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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4
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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5
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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6
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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7
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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8
envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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9
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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10
patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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observatory
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| n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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vaulted
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| adj.拱状的 | |
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fluted
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| a.有凹槽的 | |
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15
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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16
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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17
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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18
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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19
emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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20
autocracy
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| n.独裁政治，独裁政府 | |
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21
crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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22
expectancy
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| n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额 | |
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23
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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24
rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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26
shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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27
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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28
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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29
gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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30
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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31
burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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32
platinum
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| n.白金 | |
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33
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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34
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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35
frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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36
pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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37
raucous
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| adj.(声音)沙哑的，粗糙的 | |
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38
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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39
doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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40
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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41
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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42
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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43
hypocrisy
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| n.伪善，虚伪 | |
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44
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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45
altruism
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| n.利他主义，不自私 | |
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46
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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47
instil
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| v.逐渐灌输 | |
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48
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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49
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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50
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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51
yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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52
herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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53
relinquish
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| v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手 | |
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54
purged
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| 清除（政敌等）( purge的过去式和过去分词 )； 涤除（罪恶等）； 净化（心灵、风气等）； 消除（错事等）的不良影响 | |
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55
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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56
ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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57
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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58
slashed
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| v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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59
myriad
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| adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量 | |
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60
reverberating
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的现在分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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61
maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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62
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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63
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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64
utilize
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| vt.使用，利用 | |
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65
reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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66
likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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67
ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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68
royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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69
scoffs
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| 嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的第三人称单数 ) | |
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70
dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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72
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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73
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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74
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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75
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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76
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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77
poetic
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| adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的 | |
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78
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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79
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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80
immortality
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| n.不死，不朽 | |
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81
materialism
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| n.［哲］唯物主义，唯物论；物质至上 | |
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82
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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83
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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84
inspectors
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| n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官 | |
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85
tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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86
revelled
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| v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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87
cadence
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| n.（说话声调的）抑扬顿挫 | |
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88
transmuted
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| v.使变形，使变质，把…变成…( transmute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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89
wiles
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| n.（旨在欺骗或吸引人的）诡计，花招；欺骗，欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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90
asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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91
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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92
exulted
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| 狂喜，欢跃( exult的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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93
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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