flatland(弗莱特兰)-第23节
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reply to this question I am ready to stake everything。 Deny it； and I am
henceforth silent。 Only vouchsafe an answer。
Sphere （AFTER A PAUSE）。 It is reported so。 But men are divided in
opinion as to the facts。 And even granting the facts； they explain them in
different ways。 And in any case； however great may be the number of
different explanations； no one has adopted or suggested the theory of a
Fourth Dimension。 Therefore； pray have done with this trifling； and let us
return to business。
I。 I was certain of it。 I was certain that my anticipations would be
fulfilled。 And now have patience with me and answer me yet one more
question； best of Teachers！ Those who have thus appeared no one knows
whenceand have returnedno one knows whither have they also
contracted theirSECTIONs and vanished somehow into that more
Spacious Space； whither I now entreat you to conduct me？
Sphere （MOODILY）。 They have vanished； certainlyif they ever
appeared。 But most people say that these visions arose from the thought
you will not understand mefrom the brain； from the perturbed angularity
of the Seer。
I。 Say they so？ Oh； believe them not。 Or if it indeed be so； that this
other SPace is really Thoughtland； then take me to that blessed Region
where I in Thought shall see the insides of all solid things。 There； before
my ravished eye； a Cube moving in some altogether new direction； but
strictly according to Analogy； so as to make every particle of his interior
pass through a new kind of Space； with a wake of its ownshall create a
still more perfect perfection than himself； with sixteen terminal Extra…solid
angles； and Eight solid Cubes for his Perimeter。 And once there； shall we
stay our upward course？ In that blessed region of Four Dimensions； shall
we linger at the threshold of the Fifth； and not enter therein？ Ah； no！ Let
us rather resolve that our ambition shall soar with our corporal ascent。
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Then； yielding to our intellectual onset； the gates of the Six Dimension
shall fly open； after that a Seventh； and then an Eighth
How long I should have continued I know not。 In vain did the Sphere；
in his voice of thunder； reiterate his command of silence； and threaten me
with the direst penalties if I persisted。 Nothing could stem the flood of my
ecstatic aspirations。 Perhaps I was to blame； but indeed I was intoxicated
with the recent draughts of Truth to which he himself had introduced me。
However； the end was not long in coming。 My words were cut short by a
crash outside； and a simultaneous crash inside me； which impelled me
through space with a velocity that precluded speech。 Down！ down！ down！
I was rapidly descending； and I knew that return to Flatland was my doom。
One glimpse； one last and never…to…be…forgotten glimpse I had of that dull
level wildernesswhich was now to become my Universe again spread
out before my eye。 Then a darkness。 Then a final； all… consummating
thunder…peal； and； when I came to myself； I was once more a common
creeping Square； in my Study at home； listening to the Peace… Cry of my
approaching Wife。
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SECTION 20 How the Sphere encouraged me in a
Vision。
Although I had less than a minute for reflection； I felt； by a kind of
instinct； that I must conceal my experiences from my Wife。 Not that I
apprehended； at the moment； any danger from her divulging my secret； but
I knew that to any Woman in Flatland the narrative of my adventures must
needs be unintelligible。 So I endeavoured to reassure her by some story；
invented for the occasion； that I had accidentally fallen through the trap…
door of the cellar； and had there lain stunned。
The Southward attraction in our country is so slight that even to a
Woman my tale necessarily appeared extraordinary and well…nigh
incredible； but my Wife； whose good sense far exceeds that of the average
of her Sex； and who perceived that I was unusually excited； did not argue
with me on the subject； but insisted that I was will and required repose。 I
was glad of an excuse for retiring to my chamber to think quietly over
what had happened。 When I was at last by myself； a drowsy sensation fell
on me； but before my eyes closed I endeavoured to reproduce the Third
Dimension； and especially the process by which a Cube is constructed
through the motion of a Square。 It was not so clear as I could have wished；
but I remembered that it must be 〃Upward； and yet not Northward；〃 and I
determined steadfastly to retain these words as the clue which； if firmly
grasped； could not fail to guide me to the solution。 So mechanically
repeating； like a charm； the words； 〃Upward； yet not Northward；〃 I fell
into a sound refreshing sleep。
During my slumber I had a dream。 I thought I was once more by the
side of the Sphere； whose lustrous hue betokened that he had exchanged
his wrath against me for perfectly placability。 We were moving together
towards a bright but infinitesimally small Point； to which my Master
directed my attention。 As we approached； methought there issued from it a
slight humming noise as from one of your Spaceland bluebottles； only less
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resonant by far； so slight indeed that even in the perfect stillness of the
Vacuum through which we soared； the sound reached not our ears till we
checked our flight at a distant from it of something under twenty human
diagonals。
〃Look yonder；〃 said my Guide； 〃in Flatland thou hast lived； of
Lineland thou hast received a vision； thou hast soared with me to the
heights of Spaceland； now；； in order to complete the range of thy
experience； I conduct thee downward to the lowest depth of existence；
even to the realm of Pointland； the Abyss of No dimensions。
〃Behold yon miserable creature。 That Point is a Being like ourselves；
but confined to the non…dimensional Gulf。 He is himself his own World；
his own Universe； of any other than himself he can form no conception； he
knows not Length； nor Breadth； nor Height； for he has had no experience
of them； he has no cognizance even of the number Two； nor has he a
thought of Plurality； for he is himself his One and All； being really
Nothing。 Yet mark his perfect self…contentment； and hence learn his lesson；
that to be self…contented is to be vile and ignorant； and that to aspire is
better than to be blindly and impotently happy。 Now listen。〃
He ceased； and there arose from the little buzzing creature a tiny； low；
monotonous； but distinct tinkling； as from one of your Spaceland
phonographs； from which I caught these words； 〃Infinite beatitude of
existence！ It is； and there is nothing else beside It。〃
〃What；〃 said I； 〃does the puny creature mean by ‘it'？〃 〃He means
himself；〃 said the Sphere： 〃have you not noticed before now； that babies
and babyish people who cannot distinguish themselves from the world；
speak of themselves in the Third Person？ But hush！〃
〃It fills all Space；〃 continued the little soliloquizing Creature； 〃and
what It fills； It is。 What It thinks； that It utters； and what It utters； that It
hears； and It itself is Thinker； Utterer； Hearer； THought； Word； Audition； it
is the One； and yet the All in All。 Ah； the happiness； ah； the happiness of
Being！〃
〃Can you not startle the little thing out of its complacency？〃 said I。
〃Tell it what it really is； as you told me； reveal to it the narrow limitations
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of Pointland； a
