a journey in other worlds-第61部分

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you　have　already　noticed；　can　be　produced　by　a　slight　rarefaction
of　the　hydrogen　in　the　air；　so　that；　though　no　spirit　could　be
photographed　as　such；　a　code　and　language　might　be　established　by
means　of　the　effect　produced　on　the　air　by　the　spirit's　mind。　　I
am　so　interested　in　the　subject　of　my　disquisition　that　I　had
almost　forgotten　that　your　spirits　are　still　subject　to　the
requirements　of　the　body。　　Last　time　I　dined　with　you；　let　me　now
play　the　host。〃
　　　
〃We　shall　be　charmed　to　dine　with　you；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃and　shall
be　only　too　glad　of　anything　that　will　keep　you　with　us。〃
　　　
〃Then；〃　said　the　spirit；　〃as　the　tablecloth　is　laid；　we　need　only
to　have　something　on　it。　　Let　each　please　hold　a　corner；〃　he
continued；　taking　one　himself　with　his　left　hand；　while　he　passed
his　right　to　his　brow。　　Soon　flakes　as　of　snow　began　to　form　in
the　air　above；　and　slowly　descended　upon　the　cloth；　and；　glancing
up；　the　three　men　saw　that　for　a　considerable　height　this　process
was　going　on；　the　flakes　increasing　in　size　as　they　fell　till
they　attained　a　length　of　several　inches。　　When　there　was　enough
for　them　all　on　the　table…cloth　the　shower　ceased。　　Sitting　down
on　the　ground；　they　began　to　eat　this　manna；　which　had　a
delicious　flavour　and　marvellous　purity　and　freshness。
　　　
〃As　you　doubtless　have　already　suspected；〃　said　the　spirit；　〃the
basis　of　this　in　every　case　is　carbon；　combined　with　nitrogen　in
its　solid　form；　and　with　the　other　gases　the　atmosphere　here
contains。　　You　may　notice　that　the　flakes　vary　in　colour　as　well
as　in　taste；　both　of　which　are　of　course　governed　by　the　gas　with
which　the　carbon；　also　in　its　visible　form；　is　combined。　　It　is
almost　the　same　process　as　that　performed　by　every　plant　in
withdrawing　carbon　from　the　air　and　storing　it　in　its　trunk　in
the　form　of　wood；　which；　as　charcoal；　is　again　almost　pure
carbon；　only　in　this　case　the　metamorphosis　is　far　more　rapid。　
This　is　perhaps　the　natural　law　that　Elijah；　by　God's　aid；
invoked　in　the　miracle　of　the　widow's　cruse；　and　that　produced
the　manna　that　fed　the　Israelites　in　the　desert；　while　apergy
came　in　play　in　the　case　of　the　stream　that　Moses　called　from　the
rock　in　the　wilderness；　which　followed　the　descendants　of　Abraham
over　the　rough　country　through　which　they　passed。　　In　examining
miracles　with　the　utmost　deference；　as　we　have　a　right　to；　we　see
one　law　running　through　all。　　Even　in　Christ's　miracle　of
changing　the　water　to　wine；　there　was　a　natural　law；　though　only
one　has　dwelt　on　earth　who　could　make　that　change；　which；　from　a
chemist's　standpoint；　was　peculiarly　difficult　on　account　of　the
required　fermentation；　which　is　the　result　of　a　developed　and
matured　germ。　　Many　of　His　miracles；　however；　are　as　far　beyond
my　small　power　as　heaven　is　above　the　earth。　　Much　of　the
substance　of　the　loaves　and　fishes　with　which　He　fed　the
multitudethe　carbon　and　nitrogenous　productsalso　came　from
the　air；　though　He　could　have　taken　them　from　many　other　sources。　
The　combination　and　building　up　of　these　in　the　ordinary　way
would　have　taken　weeks　or　months；　but　was　performed
instantaneously　by　His　mighty　power。〃
　　　
〃What　natural　laws　are　known　to　you；〃　asked　Bearwarden；　〃that　we
do　not　understand；　or　concerning　the　existence　of　which　we　are
ignorant？〃
　　　
〃Most　of　the　laws　in　the　invisible　world；〃　said　the　spirit；　〃are
the　counterpart　or　extension　of　laws　that　appear　on　earth；　though
you　as　yet　understand　but　a　small　part　of　those；　many　not　having
come　to　your　notice。　　You；　for　instance；　know　that　light；　heat；
and　motion　are　analogous；　and　either　of　the　last　two　can　be
converted　into　the　other；　but　in　practice　you　produce　motion　of
the　water　molecules　by　the　application　of　heat；　and　seldom
reverse　it。　　One　of　the　first　things　we　master　here　is　the　power
to　freeze　or　boil　water；　by　checking　the　motion　of　the　molecules
in　one　case；　and　by　increasing　it；　and　their　mutual　repulsion；　in
the　other。　　This　is　by　virtue　of　a　simple　law；　though　in　this
case　there　is　no　natural　manifestation　of　it　on　earth　with　which
to　compare　it。　While　knowledge　must　be　acquired　here　through
study；　as　on　earth；　the　new　senses　we　receive　with　the　awakening
from　death　render　the　doing　so　easy；　though　with　only　the　senses
we　had　before　it　would　have　been　next　to　impossible。
　　　
〃At　this　moment　snow　is　falling　on　the　Callisto；　but　this　you
could　not　know　by　seeing；　and　scarcely　any　degree　of　evolution
could　develop　your　sight　sufficiently；　unassisted　by　death。　　With
your　instruments；　however；　you　could　already　perceive　it；
notwithstanding　the　intervening　rocks。
　　　
〃Your　research　on　earth　is　the　best　and　most　thorough　in　the
history　of　the　race；　and　could　we　but　give　you　suggestions　as　to
the　direction　in　which　to　push　it；　the　difference　between
yourselves　and　angels　might　be　but　little　more　than　that　between
the　number　and　intensity　of　the　senses　and　the　composition　of　the
body。　　By　the　combination　of　natural　laws　you　have　rid　yourselves
of　the　impediment　of　material　weight；　and　can　roam　through　space
like　spirits；　or　as　Columbus；　by　virtue　of　the　confidence　that
came　with　the　discovery　of　the　mariner's　compass；　roamed　upon　and
explored　the　sea。　　You　have　made　a　good　beginning；　and　were　not
your　lives　so　short；　and　their　requirements　so　peremptory；　you
might　visit　the　distant　stars。
　　　
〃I　will　show　you　the　working　of　evolution。　　Life　sleeps　in
minerals；　dreams　in　plants；　and　wakes　in　you。　　The　rock　worn　by
frost　and　age　crumbles　to　earth　and　soil。　　　This　enters　the
substance　of　the　primordial　plant；　which；　slowly　rising；　produces
the　animal　germ。　　After　that　the　way　is　clear；　and　man　is　evolved
from　protoplasm　through　the　vertebrate　and　the　ape。　　Here　we　have
the　epitome　of　the　struggle　for　life　in　the　ages　past；　and　the
analogue　of　the　journey　in　the　years　to　come。　　Does　not　the
Almighty　Himself　make　this　clear　where　He　says　through　his
servant　Isaiah；　'Behold　of　these　stones　will　I　raise　up
children'？and　the　name　Adam　means　red　earth。　　God；　having
brought　man　so　far；　will　not　let　evolution　cease；　and　the　next
stage　of　life　must　be　the　spiritual。〃

〃Can　you　tell　us　anything；〃　asked　Ayrault；　〃concerning　the　bodies
that　those　surviving　the　final　judgment　will　receive？〃
　　　
〃Notwithstanding　the　unfolding　of　knowledge　that　has　come　to　us
here；〃　replied　the　spirit；　〃there　are　still　some　subjects
concerning　which　we　must　look　for　information　to　the　inspired
writers　in　the　Bible；　and　every　gain　or　discovery　goes　to　prove
their　veracity。　　　　We　know　that　there　are　celestial　bodies　and
bodies　　terrestrial；　and　that　the　spiritual　bodies　we　shall
receive　in　the　resurrection　will　have　power　and　will　be
incorruptible　and　immortal。　　We　also　know　by　analogy　and　reason
that　they　will　be　unaffected　by　the　cold　and　void　of　space；　so
that　their　possessors　can　range　through　the　universe　for
non…nillions　and　decillions　of　miles；　that　they　will　have
marvellous　capacities　for　enjoying　what　they　find；　and　that　no
undertaking　or　journey　will　be　too　difficult；　though　it　be　to　the
centre　of　the　sun。　　Though　many　of　us　can　already　visit　the
remote　regions　of　space　as　spirits；　none　can　as　y