kwaidan-stories and studies of strange things(奇谈)-第26节
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offspring。 Night and day they are cared for in every possible manner。 They
alone are superabundantly and richly fed： for the sake of the offspring
they must eat and drink and repose right royally； and their physiological
specialization allows of such indulgence ad libitum。 They seldom go out；
and never unless attended by a powerful escort； as they cannot be
permitted to incur unnecessary fatigue or danger。 Probably they have no
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great desire to go out。 Around them revolves the whole activity of the race：
all its intelligence and toil and thrift are directed solely toward the well…
being of these Mothers and of their children。
But last and least of the race rank the husbands of these Mothers；
the necessary Evils； the males。 They appear only at a particular season；
as I have already observed； and their lives are very short。 Some cannot
even boast of noble descent； though destined to royal wedlock； for they
are not royal offspring； but virgin…born； parthenogenetic children； and；
for that reason especially； inferior beings； the chance results of some
mysterious atavism。 But of any sort of males the commonwealth tolerates
but few； barely enough to serve as husbands for the Mothers…Elect； and
these few perish almost as soon as their duty has been done。 The meaning
of Nature's law； in this extraordinary world； is identical with Ruskin's
teaching that life without effort is crime； and since the males are useless as
workers or fighters； their existence is of only momentary importance。
They are not； indeed； sacrificed； like the Aztec victim chosen for the
festival of Tezcatlipoca； and allowed a honeymoon of twenty days before
his heart was torn out。 But they are scarcely less unfortunate in their high
fortune。 Imagine youths brought up in the knowledge that they are
destined to become royal bridegrooms for a single night； that after their
bridal they will have no moral right to live； that marriage； for each and
all of them； will signify certain death； and that they cannot even hope to
be lamented by their young widows； who will survive them for a time of
many generations。。。！
V
But all the foregoing is no more than a proem to the real 〃Romance
of the Insect…World。〃
By far the most startling discovery in relation to this astonishing
civilization is that of the suppression of sex。 In certain advanced forms of
ant…life sex totally disappears in the majority of individuals； in nearly all
the higher ant…societies sex…life appears to exist only to the extent
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absolutely needed for the continuance of the species。 But the biological
fact in itself is much less startling than the ethical suggestion which it
offers； for this practical suppression； or regulation； of sex…faculty
appears to be voluntary！ Voluntary； at least； so far as the species is
concerned。 It is now believed that they wonderful creatures have learned
how to develop； or to arrest the development； of sex in their young； by
some particular mode of nutrition。 They have succeeded in placing under
perfect control what is commonly supposed to be the most powerful and
unmanageable of instincts。 And this rigid restraint of sex…life to within the
limits necessary to provide against extinction is but one （though the most
amazing） of many vital economies effected by the race。 Every capacity for
egoistic pleasure in the common meaning of the word 〃egoistic〃 has
been equally repressed through physiological modification。 No indulgence
of any natural appetite is possible except to that degree in which such
indulgence can directly or indirectly benefit the species； even the
indispensable requirements of food and sleep being satisfied only to the
exact extent necessary for the maintenance of healthy activity。 The
individual can exist； act； think； only for the communal good； and the
commune triumphantly refuses； in so far as cosmic law permits； to let
itself be ruled eitherby Love or Hunger。
Most of us have been brought up in the belief that without some kind
of religious creed some hope of future reward or fear of future
punishment no civilization could exist。 We have been taught to think
that in the absence of laws based upon moral ideas； and in the absence of
an effective police to enforce such laws； nearly everybody would seek
only his or her personal advantage； to the disadvantage of everybody else。
The strong would then destroy the weak； pity and sympathy would
disappear； and the whole social fabric would fall to pieces。。。 These
teachings confess the existing imperfection of human nature； and they
contain obvious truth。 But those who first proclaimed that truth； thousands
and thousands of years ago； never imagined a form of social existence in
which selfishness would be naturally impossible。 It remained for
irreligious Nature to furnish us with proof positive that there can exist a
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society in which the pleasure of active beneficence makes needless the
idea of duty； a society in which instinctive morality can dispense with
ethical codes of every sort； a society of which every member is born so
absolutely unselfish； and so energetically good； that moral training could
signify； even for its youngest； neither more nor less than waste of precious
time。
To the Evolutionist such facts necessarily suggest that the value of our
moral idealism is but temporary； and that something better than virtue；
better than kindness； better than self…denial； in the present human
meaning of those terms； might； under certain conditions； eventually
replace them。 He finds himself obliged to face the question whether a
world without moral notions might not be morally better than a world in
which conduct is regulated by such notions。 He must even ask himself
whether the existence of religious commandments； moral laws； and ethical
standards among ourselves does not prove us still in a very primitive stage
of social evolution。 And these questions naturally lead up to another： Will
humanity ever be able； on this planet； to reach an ethical condition beyond
all its ideals； a condition in which everything that we now call evil will
have been atrophied out of existence； and everything that we call virtue
have been transmuted into instinct； a state of altruism in which ethical
concepts and codes will have become as useless as they would be； even
now； in the societies of the higher ants。
The giants of modern thought have given some attention to this
question； and the greatest among them has answered it partly in the
affirmative。 Herbert Spencer has expressed his belief that humanity will
arrive at some state of civilization ethically comparable with that of the
ant：
〃If we have； in lower orders of creatures； cases in which the nature is
constitutionally so modified that altruistic activities have become one with
egoistic activities； there is an irresistible implication that a parallel
identification will； under parallel conditions； take place among human
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beings。 Social insects furnish us with instances completely to the point；
and instances showing us； indeed； to what a marvelous degree the life of
the individual may be absorbed in subserving the lives of other
individuals。。。 Neither the ant nor the bee can be supposed to have a sense
of duty； in the acceptation we give to that word；
