dreams-第5部分

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and　he　held　her　breast　fast　with　his　hands。

And　Reason　said；　〃Who　is　he；　and　what　is　he　doing　here？〃

And　she　said；　〃See　his　little　wings〃

And　Reason　said；　〃Put　him　down。〃

And　she　said；　〃He　is　asleep；　and　he　is　drinking！　　I　will　carry　him　to　the　Land　of　Freedom。　　He　has　been　a　child　so　long；　so　long；　I　have　carried　him。　In　the　Land　of　Freedom　he　will　be　a　man。　　We　will　walk　together　there；　and　his　great　white　wings　will　overshadow　me。　　He　has　lisped　one　word　only　to　me　in　the　desert'Passion！'　　I　have　dreamed　he　might　learn　to　say　'Friendship'　in　that　land。〃

And　Reason　said；　〃Put　him　down！〃

And　she　said；　〃I　will　carry　him　sowith　one　arm；　and　with　the　other　I　will　fight　the　water。〃

He　said；　〃Lay　him　down　on　the　ground。　　When　you　are　in　the　water　you　will　forget　to　fight；　you　will　think　only　of　him。　　Lay　him　down。〃　　He　said；　〃He　will　not　die。　　When　he　finds　you　have　left　him　alone　he　will　open　his　wings　and　fly。　　He　will　be　in　the　Land　of　Freedom　before　you。　　Those　who　reach　the　Land　of　Freedom；　the　first　hand　they　see　stretching　down　the　bank　to　help　them　shall　be　Love's。　　He　will　be　a　man　then；　not　a　child。　　In　your　breast　he　cannot　thrive；　put　him　down　that　he　may　grow。〃

And　she　took　her　bosom　from　his　mouth；　and　he　bit　her；　so　that　the　blood　ran　down　on　to　the　ground。　　And　she　laid　him　down　on　the　earth；　and　she　covered　her　wound。　　And　she　bent　and　stroked　his　wings。　　And　I　saw　the　hair　on　her　forehead　turned　white　as　snow；　and　she　had　changed　from　youth　to　age。

And　she　stood　far　off　on　the　bank　of　the　river。　　And　she　said；　〃For　what　do　I　go　to　this　far　land　which　no　one　has　ever　reached？　　Oh；　I　am　alone！　　I　am　utterly　alone！〃

And　Reason；　that　old　man；　said　to　her；　〃Silence！　　What　do　you　hear？〃

And　she　listened　intently；　and　she　said；　〃I　hear　a　sound　of　feet；　a　thousand　times　ten　thousand　and　thousands　of　thousands；　and　they　beat　this　way！〃

He　said；　〃They　are　the　feet　of　those　that　shall　follow　you。　　Lead　on！　make　a　track　to　the　water's　edge！　　Where　you　stand　now；　the　ground　will　be　beaten　flat　by　ten　thousand　times　ten　thousand　feet。〃　　And　he　said；　〃Have　you　seen　the　locusts　how　they　cross　a　stream？　　First　one　comes　down　to　the　water…edge；　and　it　is　swept　away；　and　then　another　comes　and　then　another；　and　then　another；　and　at　last　with　their　bodies　piled　up　a　bridge　is　built　and　the　rest　pass　over。〃

She　said；　〃And；　of　those　that　come　first；　some　are　swept　away；　and　are　heard　of　no　more；　their　bodies　do　not　even　build　the　bridge？〃

〃And　are　swept　away；　and　are　heard　of　no　moreand　what　of　that？〃　he　said。

〃And　what　of　that〃　she　said。

〃They　make　a　track　to　the　water's　edge。〃

〃They　make　a　track　to　the　water's　edge。〃　　And　she　said；　〃Over　that　bridge　which　shall　be　built　with　our　bodies；　who　will　pass？〃

He　said；　〃The　entire　human　race。〃

And　the　woman　grasped　her　staff。

And　I　saw　her　turn　down　that　dark　path　to　the　river。

And　I　awoke；　and　all　about　me　was　the　yellow　afternoon　light：　　the　sinking　sun　lit　up　the　fingers　of　the　milk　bushes；　and　my　horse　stood　by　me　quietly　feeding。　　And　I　turned　on　my　side；　and　I　watched　the　ants　run　by　thousands　in　the　red　sand。　　I　thought　I　would　go　on　my　way　nowthe　afternoon　was　cooler。　　Then　a　drowsiness　crept　over　me　again；　and　I　laid　back　my　head　and　fell　asleep。

And　I　dreamed　a　dream。

I　dreamed　I　saw　a　land。　　And　on　the　hills　walked　brave　women　and　brave　men；　hand　in　hand。　　And　they　looked　into　each　other's　eyes；　and　they　were　not　afraid。

And　I　saw　the　women　also　hold　each　other's　hands。

And　I　said　to　him　beside　me；　〃What　place　is　this？〃

And　he　said；　〃This　is　heaven。〃

And　I　said；　〃Where　is　it？〃

And　he　answered；　〃On　earth。〃

And　I　said；　〃When　shall　these　things　be？〃

And　he　answered；　〃IN　THE　FUTURE。〃

And　I　awoke；　and　all　about　me　was　the　sunset　light；　and　on　the　low　hills　the　sun　lay；　and　a　delicious　coolness　had　crept　over　everything；　and　the　ants　were　going　slowly　home。　　And　I　walked　towards　my　horse；　who　stood　quietly　feeding。　　Then　the　sun　passed　down　behind　the　hills；　but　I　knew　that　the　next　day　he　would　arise　again。



VI。　　A　DREAM　OF　WILD　BEES。

A　mother　sat　alone　at　an　open　window。　　Through　it　came　the　voices　of　the　children　as　they　played　under　the　acacia…trees；　and　the　breath　of　the　hot　afternoon　air。　　In　and　out　of　the　room　flew　the　bees；　the　wild　bees；　with　their　legs　yellow　with　pollen；　going　to　and　from　the　acacia…trees；　droning　all　the　while。　　She　sat　on　a　low　chair　before　the　table　and　darned。　　She　took　her　work　from　the　great　basket　that　stood　before　her　on　the　table：　　some　lay　on　her　knee　and　half　covered　the　book　that　rested　there。　　She　watched　the　needle　go　in　and　out；　and　the　dreary　hum　of　the　bees　and　the　noise　of　the　children's　voices　became　a　confused　murmur　in　her　ears；　as　she　worked　slowly　and　more　slowly。　　Then　the　bees；　the　long…legged　wasp…like　fellows　who　make　no　honey；　flew　closer　and　closer　to　her　head；　droning。　　Then　she　grew　more　and　more　drowsy；　and　she　laid　her　hand；　with　the　stocking　over　it；　on　the　edge　of　the　table；　and　leaned　her　head　upon　it。　　And　the　voices　of　the　children　outside　grew　more　and　more　dreamy；　came　now　far；　now　near；　then　she　did　not　hear　them；　but　she　felt　under　her　heart　where　the　ninth　child　lay。　　Bent　forward　and　sleeping　there；　with　the　bees　flying　about　her　head；　she　had　a　weird　brain…picture；　she　thought　the　bees　lengthened　and　lengthened　themselves　out　and　became　human　creatures　and　moved　round　and　round　her。　　Then　one　came　to　her　softly；　saying；　〃Let　me　lay　my　hand　upon　thy　side　where　the　child　sleeps。　　If　I　shall　touch　him　he　shall　be　as　I。〃

She　asked；　〃Who　are　you？〃

And　he　said；　〃I　am　Health。　　Whom　I　touch　will　have　always　the　red　blood　dancing　in　his　veins；　he　will　not　know　weariness　nor　pain；　life　will　be　a　long　laugh　to　him。〃

〃No；〃　said　another；　〃let　me　touch；　for　I　am　Wealth。　　If　I　touch　him　material　care　shall　not　feed　on　him。　　He　shall　live　on　the　blood　and　sinews　of　his　fellow…men；　if　he　will；　and　what　his　eye　lusts　for；　his　hand　will　have。　　He　shall　not　know　'I　want。'〃　　And　the　child　lay　still　like　lead。

And　another　said；　〃Let　me　touch　him：　　I　am　Fame。　　The　man　I　touch；　I　lead　to　a　high　hill　where　all　men　may　see　him。　　When　he　dies　he　is　not　forgotten；　his　name　rings　down　the　centuries；　each　echoes　it　on　to　his　fellows。　　Thinknot　to　be　forgotten　through　the　ages！〃

And　the　mother　lay　breathing　steadily；　but　in　the　brain…picture　they　pressed　closer　to　her。

〃Let　me　touch　the　child；〃　said　one；　〃for　I　am　Love。　　If　I　touch　him　he　shall　not　walk　through　life　alone。　　In　the　greatest　dark；　when　he　puts　out　his　hand　he　shall　find　another　hand　by　it。　　When　the　world　is　against　him；　another　shall　say；　'You　and　I。'〃　　And　the　child　trembled。

But　another　pressed　close　and　said；　〃Let　me　touch；　for　I　am　Talent。　　I　can　do　all　thingsthat　have　been　done　before。　　I　touch　the　soldier；　the　statesman；　the　thinker；　and　the　politician　who　succeed；　and　the　writer　who　is　never　before　his　time；　and　never　behind　it。　　If　I　touch　the　child　he　shall　not　weep　for　failure。〃

About　the　mother's　head　the　bees　were　flying；　touching　her　with　their　long　tapering　limbs；　and；　in　her　brain…picture；　out　of　the　shadow　of　the　room　came　one　with　sallow　face；　deep…lined；　the　cheeks　drawn　into　hollows；　and　a　mouth　smiling　quiveringly。　　He　stretched　out　his　hand。　　And　the　mother　drew　back；　and　cried；　〃Who　are　you？〃　　He　answered　nothing；　and　she　looked　up　between　his　eyelids。　　And　she　said；　〃What　can　you　give　the　childhealth？〃　　And　he　said；　〃The　man　I　touch；　there　wakes　up　in　his　blood　a　burning　fever；　that　shall　lick　his　blood　as　fire。　　The　fever　that　I　will　give　him　shall　be　cured　when　his　life　is　cured。〃

〃You　give　wealth？〃

He　shook　his　head。　　〃The　man　whom　I　touch；　when　he　bends　to　pick　up　gold；　he　sees　suddenly　a　light　over　his　head　in　the　sky；　while　he　looks　up　to　see　it；　the　gold　slips　from　between　his　fingers；　or　sometimes　another　passing　takes　it　from　them。〃

〃Fame？〃

He　answered；　〃likely　not。　　For　the　man　I　touch　there　is　a　path　traced　out　in　the　sand　by　a　finger　which　no　man　sees。　　That　he　must　follow。　　Sometimes　it　leads　almost　to　the　top；　and　then　turns　down　suddenly　into　the　valley。　　He　must　follow　it；　though　none　else　sees　the　tracing。〃

〃Love？〃

He　said；　〃He　shall　hunger　for　itbut　he　shall　not　find　it。　　When　he　stretches　out　his　arms　to　it；　and　would　lay　his　heart　against　a　thing　he　loves；　then；　far　off　along　the　horizon　he　shall　see　a　light　play。　　He　must　go　towards　it。　　The　thing　he　loves　will　not　journey　with　him；　he　must　travel　alone。　　When　he　presses　somewhat　to　his　burning　heart；　crying；　'Mine；　mine；　my　own！'　he　shall　hear　a　voice'Renounce！　renounce！　this　is　not　thine！'〃

〃He　shall　succeed？〃

He　said；　〃He　shall　fail。　　When　he　runs　with　others　they　shall　reach　the　goal　before　him。　　For　strange　voices　shall　call　to　him　and　strange　lights　shall　beckon　him；　and　he　must　wait　and　listen。　　And　this　shall　be　the　strangest：　　far　off　across　the　burning　sands　where；　to　other　men；　there　is　only　the　desert's　waste；　he　shall　see　a　blue　sea！　　On　that　sea　the　sun　shines　always；　and　the　water　is　blue　as　burning　amethyst；　and　the　foam　is　white　on　the　shore。　　A　great　land　rises　from　it；　and　he　shall　see　upon　the　mountain…tops　burning　gold。〃

The　mother　said；　〃He　shall　reach　it？〃

And　he　smiled　curiously。

She　said；　〃It　is　real？〃

And　he　said；　〃What　IS　real？〃

And　she　looked　up　between　his　half…closed　eyelids；　and　said；　〃Touch。〃

And　he　leaned　forward　and　laid　his　hand　upon　the　sleeper；　and　whispered　to　it；　smiling；　and　this　only　she　heard〃This　shall　be　thy　rewardthat　the　ideal　shall　be　real　to　thee。〃

And　the　child　trembled；　but　the　mother　slept　on　heavily　and　her　brain…　picture　vanished。　　But　deep　within　her　the　antenatal　thing　that　lay　here　had　a　dream。　　In　those　eyes　that　had　never　seen　the　day；　in　that　half…　shaped　brain　was　a　sensation　of　light！　　Lightthat　it　never　had　seen。　　Lightthat　perhaps　it　never　should　see。　　Lightthat　existed　somewhere！

And　already　it　had　its　reward：　　the　Ideal　was　real　to　it。

London。



VII。　　IN　A　RUINED　CHAPEL。

〃I　cannot　forgiveI　love。〃

There　are　four　bare　walls；　there　is　a　Christ　upon　the　walls；　in　red；　carrying　his　cross；　there　is　a　Blessed　Bambino　with　the　face　rubbed　out；　there　is　Madonna