dreams-第5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！




And　I　looked　very　curiously　at　it。　　And　there　stood　one　beside　me　watching。　And　I　said　to　him；　〃What　is　this　huge　creature　who　lies　here　on　the　sand？〃

And　he　said；　〃This　is　woman；　she　that　bears　men　in　her　body。〃

And　I　said；　〃Why　does　she　lie　here　motionless　with　the　sand　piled　round　her？〃

And　he　answered；　〃Listen；　I　will　tell　you！　　Ages　and　ages　long　she　has　lain　here；　and　the　wind　has　blown　over　her。　　The　oldest；　oldest；　oldest　man　living　has　never　seen　her　move：　　the　oldest；　oldest　book　records　that　she　lay　here　then；　as　she　lies　here　now；　with　the　sand　about　her。　　But　listen！　Older　than　the　oldest　book；　older　than　the　oldest　recorded　memory　of　man；　on　the　Rocks　of　Language；　on　the　hard…baked　clay　of　Ancient　Customs；　now　crumbling　to　decay；　are　found　the　marks　of　her　footsteps！　　Side　by　side　with　his　who　stands　beside　her　you　may　trace　them；　and　you　know　that　she　who　now　lies　there　once　wandered　free　over　the　rocks　with　him。〃

And　I　said；　〃Why　does　she　lie　there　now？〃

And　he　said；　〃I　take　it；　ages　ago　the　Age…of…dominion…of…muscular…force　found　her；　and　when　she　stooped　low　to　give　suck　to　her　young；　and　her　back　was　broad；　he　put　his　burden　of　subjection　on　to　it；　and　tied　it　on　with　the　broad　band　of　Inevitable　Necessity。　　Then　she　looked　at　the　earth　and　the　sky；　and　knew　there　was　no　hope　for　her；　and　she　lay　down　on　the　sand　with　the　burden　she　could　not　loosen。　　Ever　since　she　has　lain　here。　　And　the　ages　have　come；　and　the　ages　have　gone；　but　the　band　of　Inevitable　Necessity　has　not　been　cut。〃

And　I　looked　and　saw　in　her　eyes　the　terrible　patience　of　the　centuries；　the　ground　was　wet　with　her　tears；　and　her　nostrils　blew　up　the　sand。

And　I　said；　〃Has　she　ever　tried　to　move？〃

And　he　said；　〃Sometimes　a　limb　has　quivered。　　But　she　is　wise；　she　knows　she　cannot　rise　with　the　burden　on　her。〃

And　I　said；　〃Why　does　not　he　who　stands　by　her　leave　her　and　go　on？〃

And　he　said；　〃He　cannot。　　Look〃

And　I　saw　a　broad　band　passing　along　the　ground　from　one　to　the　other；　and　it　bound　them　together。

He　said；　〃While　she　lies　there　he　must　stand　and　look　across　the　desert。〃

And　I　said；　〃Does　he　know　why　he　cannot　move？〃

And　he　said；　〃No。〃

And　I　heard　a　sound　of　something　cracking；　and　I　looked；　and　I　saw　the　band　that　bound　the　burden　on　to　her　back　broken　asunder；　and　the　burden　rolled　on　to　the　ground。

And　I　said；　〃What　is　this？〃

And　he　said；　〃The　Age…of…muscular…force　is　dead。　　The　Age…of…nervous…force　has　killed　him　with　the　knife　he　holds　in　his　hand；　and　silently　and　invisibly　he　has　crept　up　to　the　woman；　and　with　that　knife　of　Mechanical　Invention　he　has　cut　the　band　that　bound　the　burden　to　her　back。　　The　Inevitable　Necessity　it　broken。　　She　might　rise　now。〃

And　I　saw　that　she　still　lay　motionless　on　the　sand；　with　her　eyes　open　and　her　neck　stretched　out。　　And　she　seemed　to　look　for　something　on　the　far…　off　border　of　the　desert　that　never　came。　　And　I　wondered　if　she　were　awake　or　asleep。　　And　as　I　looked　her　body　quivered；　and　a　light　came　into　her　eyes；　like　when　a　sunbeam　breaks　into　a　dark　room。

I　said；　〃What　is　it？〃

He　whispered　〃Hush！　the　thought　has　come　to　her；　'Might　I　not　rise？'〃

And　I　looked。　　And　she　raised　her　head　from　the　sand；　and　I　saw　the　dent　where　her　neck　had　lain　so　long。　　And　she　looked　at　the　earth；　and　she　looked　at　the　sky；　and　she　looked　at　him　who　stood　by　her：　　but　he　looked　out　across　the　desert。

And　I　saw　her　body　quiver；　and　she　pressed　her　front　knees　to　the　earth；　and　veins　stood　out；　and　I　cried；　〃She　is　going　to　rise！〃

But　only　her　sides　heaved；　and　she　lay　still　where　she　was。

But　her　head　she　held　up；　she　did　not　lay　it　down　again。　　And　he　beside　me　said；　〃She　is　very　weak。　　See；　her　legs　have　been　crushed　under　her　so　long。〃

And　I　saw　the　creature　struggle：　　and　the　drops　stood　out　on　her。

And　I　said；　〃Surely　he　who　stands　beside　her　will　help　her？〃

And　he　beside　me　answered；　〃He　cannot　help　her：　　she　must　help　herself。　　Let　her　struggle　till　she　is　strong。〃

And　I　cried；　〃At　least　he　will　not　hinder　her！　　See；　he　moves　farther　from　her；　and　tightens　the　cord　between　them；　and　he　drags　her　down。〃

And　he　answered；　〃He　does　not　understand。　　When　she　moves　she　draws　the　band　that　binds　them；　and　hurts　him；　and　he　moves　farther　from　her。　　The　day　will　come　when　he　will　understand；　and　will　know　what　she　is　doing。　　Let　her　once　stagger　on　to　her　knees。　　In　that　day　he　will　stand　close　to　her；　and　look　into　her　eyes　with　sympathy。〃

And　she　stretched　her　neck；　and　the　drops　fell　from　her。　　And　the　creature　rose　an　inch　from　the　earth　and　sank　back。

And　I　cried；　〃Oh；　she　is　too　weak！　she　cannot　walk！　　The　long　years　have　taken　all　her　strength　from　her。　　Can　she　never　move？〃

And　he　answered　me；　〃See　the　light　in　her　eyes！〃

And　slowly　the　creature　staggered　on　to　its　knees。

And　I　awoke：　　and　all　to　the　east　and　to　the　west　stretched　the　barren　earth；　with　the　dry　bushes　on　it。　　The　ants　ran　up　and　down　in　the　red　sand；　and　the　heat　beat　fiercely。　　I　looked　up　through　the　thin　branches　of　the　tree　at　the　blue　sky　overhead。　　I　stretched　myself；　and　I　mused　over　the　dream　I　had　had。　　And　I　fell　asleep　again；　with　my　head　on　my　saddle。　And　in　the　fierce　heat　I　had　another　dream。

I　saw　a　desert　and　I　saw　a　woman　coming　out　of　it。　　And　she　came　to　the　bank　of　a　dark　river；　and　the　bank　was　steep　and　high。　　（The　banks　of　an　African　river　are　sometimes　a　hundred　feet　high；　and　consist　of　deep　shifting　sands；　through　which　in　the　course　of　ages　the　river　has　worn　its　gigantic　bed。）　　And　on　it　an　old　man　met　her；　who　had　a　long　white　beard；　and　a　stick　that　curled　was　in　his　hand；　and　on　it　was　written　Reason。　　And　he　asked　her　what　she　wanted；　and　she　said　〃I　am　woman；　and　I　am　seeking　for　the　land　of　Freedom。〃

And　he　said；　〃It　is　before　you。〃

And　she　said；　〃I　see　nothing　before　me　but　a　dark　flowing　river；　and　a　bank　steep　and　high；　and　cuttings　here　and　there　with　heavy　sand　in　them。〃

And　he　said；　〃And　beyond　that？〃

She　said；　〃I　see　nothing；　but　sometimes；　when　I　shade　my　eyes　with　my　hand；　I　think　I　see　on　the　further　bank　trees　and　hills；　and　the　sun　shining　on　them！〃

He　said；　〃That　is　the　Land　of　Freedom。〃

She　said；　〃How　am　I　to　get　there？〃

He　said；　〃There　is　one　way；　and　one　only。　　Down　the　banks　of　Labour；　through　the　water　of　Suffering。　　There　is　no　other。〃

She　said；　〃Is　there　no　bridge？〃

He　answered。　　〃None。〃

She　said；　〃Is　the　water　deep？〃

He　said；　〃Deep。〃

She　said；　〃Is　the　floor　worn？〃

He　said；　〃It　is。　　Your　foot　may　slip　at　any　time；　and　you　may　be　lost。〃

She　said；　〃Have　any　crossed　already？〃

He　said；　〃Some　have　tried！〃

She　said；　〃Is　there　a　track　to　show　where　the　best　fording　is？〃

He　said；　〃It　has　to　be　made。〃

She　shaded　her　eyes　with　her　hand；　and　she　said；　〃I　will　go。〃

And　he　said；　〃You　must　take　off　the　clothes　you　wore　in　the　desert：　　they　are　dragged　down　by　them　who　go　into　the　water　so　clothed。〃

And　she　threw　from　her　gladly　the　mantle　of　Ancient…received…opinions　she　wore；　for　it　was　worn　full　of　holes。　　And　she　took　the　girdle　from　her　waist　that　she　had　treasured　so　long；　and　the　moths　flew　out　of　it　in　a　cloud。　　And　he　said；　〃Take　the　shoes　of　dependence　off　your　feet。〃

And　she　stood　there　naked；　but　for　one　white　garment　that　clung　close　to　her。

And　he　said；　〃That　you　may　keep。　　So　they　wear　clothes　in　the　Land　of　Freedom。　　In　the　water　it　buoys；　it　always　swims。〃

And　I　saw　on　its　breast　was　written　Truth；　and　it　was　white；　the　sun　had　not　often　shone　on　it；　the　other　clothes　had　covered　it　up。　　And　he　said；　〃Take　this　stick；　hold　it　fast。　　In　that　day　when　it　slips　from　your　hand　you　are　lost。　　Put　it　down　before　you；　feel　your　way：　　where　it　cannot　find　a　bottom　do　not　set　your　foot。〃

And　she　said；　〃I　am　ready；　let　me　go。〃

And　he　said；　〃Nobut　stay；　what　is　thatin　your　breast？〃

She　was　silent。

He　said；　〃Open　it；　and　let　me　see。〃

And　she　opened　it。　　And　against　her　breast　was　a　tiny　thing；　who　drank　from　it；　and　the　yellow　curls　above　his　forehead　pressed　against　it；　and　his　knees　were　drawn　up　to　her；　and　he　held　her　breast　fast　with　his　hands。

And　Reason　said；　〃Who　is　he；　and　what　is　he　doing　her