The three months succeeding Simon’s catastrophe1 I devoted2 night and day to my diamond lens. I had constructed a vast galvanic battery, composed of nearly two thousand pairs of plates: a higher power I dared not use, lest the diamond should be calcined. By means of this enormous engine I was enabled to send a powerful current of electricity continually through my great diamond, which it seemed to me gained in lustre3 every day. At the expiration4 of a month I commenced the grinding and polishing of the lens, a work of intense toil5 and exquisite6 delicacy7. The great density8 of the stone, and the care required to be taken with the curvatures of the surfaces of the lens, rendered the labor9 the severest and most harassing10 that I had yet undergone.
At last the eventful moment came; the lens was completed. I stood trembling on the thresh? old of new worlds. I had the realization11 of Alexander’s famous wish before me. The lens lay on the table, ready to be placed upon its platform. My hand fairly shook as I enveloped12 a drop of water with a thin coating of oil of turpentine, preparatory to its examination, a process necessary in order to prevent the rapid evaporation13 of the water. I now placed the drop on a thin slip of glass Under the lens, and throwing upon it, by the combined aid of a prism and a mirror, a powerful stream of light, I approached my eye to the minute hole drilled through the axis14 of the lens. For an instant I saw nothing save what seemed to be an illuminated15 chaos16, a vast, luminous17 abyss. A pure white light, cloudless and serene18, and seemingly limitless as space itself, was my first impression. Gently, and with the greatest care, I depressed19 the lens a few hairbreadths. The wondrous20 illumination still continued, but as the lens approached the object a scene of indescribable beauty was unfolded to my view.
I seemed to gaze upon a vast space, the limits of which extended far beyond my vision. An atmosphere of magical luminousness21 permeated22 the entire field of view. I was amazed to see no trace of animalculous life. Not a living thing, apparently23, inhabited that dazzling expanse. I comprehended instantly that, by the wondrous power of my lens, I had penetrated24 beyond the grosser particles of aqueous matter, beyond the realms of infusoria and protozoa, down to the original gaseous25 globule, into whose luminous interior I was gazing as into an almost boundless26 dome27 filled with a supernatural radiance.
It was, however, no brilliant void into which I looked. On every side I beheld28 beautiful inorganic29 forms, of unknown texture30, and colored with the most enchanting31 hues32. These forms presented the appearance of what might be called, for want of a more specific definition, foliated clouds of the highest rarity — that is, they undulated and broke into vegetable formations, and were tinged33 with splendors34 compared with which the gilding35 of our autumn woodlands is as dross36 compared with gold. Far away into the illimitable distance stretched long avenues of these gaseous forests, dimly transparent37, and painted with prismatic hues of unimaginable brilliancy. The pendent branches waved along the fluid glades38 until every vista39 seemed to break through half-lucent ranks of many-colored drooping40 silken pennons. What seemed to be either fruits or flowers, pied with a thousand hues, lustrous41 and ever-varying, bubbled from the crowns of this fairy foliage42. No hills, no lakes, no rivers, no forms animate43 or inanimate, were to be seen, save those vast auroral44 copses that floated serenely45 in the luminous stillness, with leaves and fruits and flowers gleaming with unknown fires, unrealizable by mere46 imagination.
How strange, I thought, that this sphere should be thus condemned47 to solitude48! I had hoped, at least, to discover some new form of animal life, perhaps of a lower class than any with which we are at present acquainted, but still some living organism. I found my newly discovered world, if I may so speak, a beautiful chromatic49 desert.
While I was speculating on the singular arrangements of the internal economy of Nature, with which she so frequently splinters into atoms our most compact theories, I thought I beheld a form moving slowly through the glades of one of the prismatic forests. I looked more attentively50, and found that I was not mistaken. Words can not depict51 the anxiety with which I awaited the nearer approach of this mysterious object. Was it merely some inanimate substance, held in suspense52 in the attenuated53 atmosphere of the globule, or was it an animal endowed with vitality54 and motion? It approached, flitting behind the gauzy, colored veils of cloud-foliage, for seconds dimly revealed, then vanishing. At last the violet pennons that trailed nearest to me vibrated; they were gently pushed aside, and the form floated out into the broad light.
It was a female human shape. When I say human, I mean it possessed55 the outlines of humanity; but there the analogy ends. Its adorable beauty lifted it illimitable heights beyond the loveliest daughter of Adam.
I can not, I dare not, attempt to inventory56 the charms of this divine revelation of perfect beauty. Those eyes of mystic violet, dewy and serene, evade57 my words. Her long, lustrous hair following her glorious head in a golden wake, like the track sown in heaven by a falling star, seems to quench58 my most burning phrases with its splendors. If all the bees of Hybla nestled upon my lips, they would still sing but hoarsely59 the wondrous harmonies of outline that inclosed her form.
She swept out from between the rainbow-curtains of the cloud-trees into the broad sea of light that lay beyond. Her motions were those of some graceful60 naiad, cleaving61, by a mere effort of her will, the clear, unruffled waters that fill the chambers62 of the sea. She floated forth63 with the serene grace of a frail64 bubble ascending65 through the still atmosphere of a June day. The perfect roundness of her limbs formed suave66 and enchanting curves. It was like listening to the most spiritual symphony of Beethoven the divine, to watch the harmonious67 flow of lines. This, indeed was a pleasure cheaply purchased at any price. What cared I if I had waded68 to the portal of this wonder through another’s blood. I would have given my own to enjoy one such moment of intoxication69 and delight.
Breathless with gazing on this lovely wonder, and forgetful for an instant of everything save her presence, I withdrew my eye from the microscope eagerly. Alas70! as my gaze fell on the thin slide that lay beneath my instrument, the bright light from mirror and from prism sparkled on a colorless drop of water! There, in that tiny bead71 of dew, this beautiful being was forever imprisoned72. The planet Neptune73 was not more distant from me than she. I hastened once more to apply my eye to the microscope.
Animula (let me now call her by that dear name which I subsequently bestowed74 on her) had changed her position. She had again approached the wondrous forest, and was gazing earnestly upward. Presently one of the trees — as I must call them — unfolded a long ciliary process, with which it seized one of the gleaming fruits that glittered on its summit, and, sweeping75 slowly down, held it within reach of Animula. The sylph took it in her delicate hand and began to eat. My attention was so entirely76 absorbed by her that I could not apply myself to the task of determining whether this singular plant was or was not instinct with volition77.
I watched her, as she made her repast, with the most profound attention. THe suppleness78 of her motions sent a thrill of delight through my frame; my heart beat madly as she turned her beautiful eyes in the direction of the spot in which I stood. What would I not have given to have had the power to precipitate79 myself into that luminous ocean and float with her through those grooves80 of purple and gold! While I was thus breathlessly following her every movement, she suddenly started, seemed to listen for a moment, and then cleaving the brilliant ether in which she was floating, like a flash of light, pierced through the opaline forest and disappeared.
Instantly a series of the most singular sensations attacked me. It seemed as if I had suddenly gone blind. The luminous sphere was still before me, but my daylight had vanished. What caused this sudden disappearance81? Had she a lover or a husband? Yes, that was the solution! Some signal from a happy fellow-being had vibrated through the avenues of the forest, and she had obeyed the summons.
The agony of my sensations, as I arrived at this conclusion, startled me. I tried to reject the conviction that my reason forced upon me. I battled against the fatal conclusion — but in vain. It was so. I had no escape from it. I loved an animalcule.
It is true that, thanks to the marvelous power of my microscope, she appeared of human proportions. Instead of presenting the revolting aspect of the coarser creatures, that live and struggle and die, in the more easily resolvable portions of the water-drop, she was fair and delicate and of surpassing beauty. But of what account was all that? Every time that my eye was withdrawn82 from the instrument it fell on a miserable83 drop of water, within which, I must be content to know, dwelt all that could make my life lovely.
Could she but see me once! Could I for one moment pierce the mystical walls that so inexorably rose to separate us, and whisper all that filled my soul, I might consent to be satisfied for the rest of my life with the knowledge of her remote sympathy.
It would be something to have established even the faintest personal link to bind84 us together — to know that at times, when roaming through these enchanted85 glades, she might think of the wonderful stranger who had broken the monotony of her life with his presence and left a gentle memory in her heart!
But it could not be. No invention of which human intellect was capable could break down the barriers that nature had erected86. I might feast my soul upon her wondrous beauty, yet she must always remain ignorant of the adoring eyes that day and night gazed upon her, and, even when closed, beheld her in dreams. With a bitter cry of anguish87 I fled from the room, and flinging myself on my bed, sobbed88 myself to sleep like a child.
1 catastrophe | |
n.大灾难,大祸 | |
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2 devoted | |
adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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3 lustre | |
n.光亮,光泽;荣誉 | |
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4 expiration | |
n.终结,期满,呼气,呼出物 | |
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5 toil | |
vi.辛劳工作,艰难地行动;n.苦工,难事 | |
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6 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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7 delicacy | |
n.精致,细微,微妙,精良;美味,佳肴 | |
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8 density | |
n.密集,密度,浓度 | |
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9 labor | |
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦 | |
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10 harassing | |
v.侵扰,骚扰( harass的现在分词 );不断攻击(敌人) | |
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11 realization | |
n.实现;认识到,深刻了解 | |
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12 enveloped | |
v.包围,笼罩,包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13 evaporation | |
n.蒸发,消失 | |
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14 axis | |
n.轴,轴线,中心线;坐标轴,基准线 | |
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15 illuminated | |
adj.被照明的;受启迪的 | |
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16 chaos | |
n.混乱,无秩序 | |
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17 luminous | |
adj.发光的,发亮的;光明的;明白易懂的;有启发的 | |
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18 serene | |
adj. 安详的,宁静的,平静的 | |
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19 depressed | |
adj.沮丧的,抑郁的,不景气的,萧条的 | |
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20 wondrous | |
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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21 luminousness | |
透光率 | |
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22 permeated | |
弥漫( permeate的过去式和过去分词 ); 遍布; 渗入; 渗透 | |
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23 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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24 penetrated | |
adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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25 gaseous | |
adj.气体的,气态的 | |
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26 boundless | |
adj.无限的;无边无际的;巨大的 | |
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27 dome | |
n.圆屋顶,拱顶 | |
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28 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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29 inorganic | |
adj.无生物的;无机的 | |
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30 texture | |
n.(织物)质地;(材料)构造;结构;肌理 | |
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31 enchanting | |
a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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32 hues | |
色彩( hue的名词复数 ); 色调; 信仰; 观点 | |
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33 tinged | |
v.(使)发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34 splendors | |
n.华丽( splendor的名词复数 );壮丽;光辉;显赫 | |
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35 gilding | |
n.贴金箔,镀金 | |
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36 dross | |
n.渣滓;无用之物 | |
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37 transparent | |
adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的 | |
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38 glades | |
n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
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39 vista | |
n.远景,深景,展望,回想 | |
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40 drooping | |
adj. 下垂的,无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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41 lustrous | |
adj.有光泽的;光辉的 | |
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42 foliage | |
n.叶子,树叶,簇叶 | |
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43 animate | |
v.赋于生命,鼓励;adj.有生命的,有生气的 | |
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44 auroral | |
adj.曙光的;玫瑰色的 | |
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45 serenely | |
adv.安详地,宁静地,平静地 | |
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46 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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47 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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48 solitude | |
n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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49 chromatic | |
adj.色彩的,颜色的 | |
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50 attentively | |
adv.聚精会神地;周到地;谛;凝神 | |
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51 depict | |
vt.描画,描绘;描写,描述 | |
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52 suspense | |
n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑 | |
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53 attenuated | |
v.(使)变细( attenuate的过去式和过去分词 );(使)变薄;(使)变小;减弱 | |
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54 vitality | |
n.活力,生命力,效力 | |
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55 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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56 inventory | |
n.详细目录,存货清单 | |
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57 evade | |
vt.逃避,回避;避开,躲避 | |
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58 quench | |
vt.熄灭,扑灭;压制 | |
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59 hoarsely | |
adv.嘶哑地 | |
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60 graceful | |
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的 | |
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61 cleaving | |
v.劈开,剁开,割开( cleave的现在分词 ) | |
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62 chambers | |
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅 | |
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63 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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64 frail | |
adj.身体虚弱的;易损坏的 | |
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65 ascending | |
adj.上升的,向上的 | |
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66 suave | |
adj.温和的;柔和的;文雅的 | |
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67 harmonious | |
adj.和睦的,调和的,和谐的,协调的 | |
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68 waded | |
(从水、泥等)蹚,走过,跋( wade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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69 intoxication | |
n.wild excitement;drunkenness;poisoning | |
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70 alas | |
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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71 bead | |
n.念珠;(pl.)珠子项链;水珠 | |
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72 imprisoned | |
下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73 Neptune | |
n.海王星 | |
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74 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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75 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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76 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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77 volition | |
n.意志;决意 | |
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78 suppleness | |
柔软; 灵活; 易弯曲; 顺从 | |
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79 precipitate | |
adj.突如其来的;vt.使突然发生;n.沉淀物 | |
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80 grooves | |
n.沟( groove的名词复数 );槽;老一套;(某种)音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 );槽;老一套;(某种)音乐节奏 | |
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81 disappearance | |
n.消失,消散,失踪 | |
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82 withdrawn | |
vt.收回;使退出;vi.撤退,退出 | |
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83 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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84 bind | |
vt.捆,包扎;装订;约束;使凝固;vi.变硬 | |
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85 enchanted | |
adj. 被施魔法的,陶醉的,入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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86 ERECTED | |
adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立 | |
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87 anguish | |
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼 | |
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88 sobbed | |
哭泣,啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 ); 哭诉,呜咽地说 | |
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