the mahatma and the hare-第3部分

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gleaming　like　a　star；　with　eyes　so　deep　that　in　their　depths　my
humanity　seemed　to　swoon。

She　came　forward；　she　knew　me；　she　smiled　and　laid　her　finger　on　her
lips。　She　shook　her　hair　about　her　and　in　it　vanished　as　in　a　cloud。
Yet　as　she　vanished　a　voice　spoke　in　my　heart；　her　voice；　and　the
words　it　said　were

〃Wait；　our　Beloved！　Wait！〃

Mark　well。　〃Our　Beloved；〃　not　〃My　Beloved。〃　So　there　are　others　by
whom　I　am　beloved；　or　at　least　one　other；　and　I　know　well　who　that　one
must　be。

*****

After　this　dream；　perhaps　I　had　better　call　it　a　dream；　I　was　ill　for
a　long　while；　for　the　joy　and　the　glory　of　it　overpowered　me　and
brought　me　near　to　the　death　I　had　always　sought。　But　I　recovered；　for
my　hour　is　not　yet。　Moreover；　for　a　long　while　as　we　reckon　time；　some
years　indeed；　I　obeyed　the　injunction　and　sought　the　Great　White　Road
no　more。　At　length　the　longing　grew　too　strong　for　me　and　I　returned
thither；　but　never　again　did　the　vision　come。　Its　word　was　spoken；　its
mission　was　fulfilled。　Yet　from　time　to　time　I；　a　mortal；　seem　to
stand　upon　the　borders　of　that　immortal　Road　and　watch　the　newly　dead
who　travel　it　towards　the　glorious　Gates。

Once　or　twice　there　have　been　among　them　people　whom　I　have　known。　As
these　pass　me　I　appear　to　have　the　power　of　looking　into　their　hearts；
and　there　I　read　strange　things。　Sometimes　they　are　beautiful　things
and　sometimes　ugly　things。　Thus　I　have　learned　that　those　I　thought
bad　were　really　good　in　the　main；　for　who　can　claim　to　be　quite　good？
And　on　the　other　hand　that　those　I　believed　to　be　as　honest　as　the　day
well；　had　their　faults。

To　take　an　example　which　I　quote　because　it　is　so　absurd。　The　rooms　I
live　in　were　owned　by　a　prim　old　woman　who　for　more　than　twenty　years
was　my　landlady。　She　and　I　were　great　friends；　indeed　she　tended　me
like　a　mother；　and　when　I　was　so　ill　nursed　me　as　perhaps　few　mothers
would　have　done。　Yet　while　I　was　watching　on　the　Road　suddenly　she
came　by；　and　with　horror　I　saw　that　during　all　those　years　she　had
been　robbing　me；　taking；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　many　things；　in　money；
trinkets；　and　food。　Often　I　had　discussed　with　her　where　these
articles　could　possibly　have　gone；　till　finally　suspicion　settled　upon
the　man　who　cleaned　the　windows。　Yes；　and　worst　of　all；　he　was
prosecuted；　and　I　gave　evidence　against　him；　or　rather　strengthened
her　evidence；　on　faith　of　which　the　magistrate　sent　him　to　prison　for
a　month。

〃Oh！　Mrs　Smithers；〃　I　said　to　her；　〃how　/could/　you　do　it；　Mrs。
Smithers？〃

She　stopped　and　looked　about　her　terrified；　so　that　my　heart　smote　me
and　I　added　in　haste；　〃Don't　be　frightened；　Mrs。　Smithers；　I　forgive
you。〃

〃I　can't　see　you；　sir；〃　she　exclaimed；　or　so　I　dreamed；　〃but　there！　I
always　knew　you　would。〃

〃Yes；　Mrs。　Smithers；〃　I　replied；　〃but　how　about　the　window…cleaner　who
went　to　jail　and　lost　his　situation？〃

Then　she　passed　on　or　was　drawn　away　without　making　any　answer。

Now　comes　the　odd　part　of　the　story。　When　I　woke　up　on　the　following
morning　in　my　rooms；　it　was　to　be　informed　by　the　frightened　maid…of…
all…work　that　Mrs。　Smithers　had　been　found　dead　in　her　bed。　Moreover；
a　few　days　later　I　learned　from　a　lawyer　that　she　had　made　a　will
leaving　me　everything　she　possessed；　including　the　lease　of　her　house
and　nearly　￡1000；　for　she　had　been　a　saving　old　person　during　all　her
long　life。

Well；　I　sought　out　that　window…cleaner　and　compensated　him　handsomely；
saying　that　I　had　found　I　was　mistaken　in　the　evidence　I　gave　against
him。　The　rest　of　the　property　I　kept；　and　I　hope　that　it　was　not　wrong
of　me　to　do　so。　It　will　be　remembered　that　some　of　it　was　already　my
own；　temporarily　diverted　into　another　channel；　and　for　the　rest　I
have　so　many　to　help。　To　be　frank　I　do　not　spend　much　upon　myself。



THE　HARE

Now　I　have　done　with　myself；　or　rather　with　my　own　insignificant
present　history；　and　come　to　that　of　the　Hare。　It　impressed　me　a　good
deal　at　the　time；　which　is　not　long　ago；　so　much　indeed　that　I
communicated　the　facts　to　Jorsen。　He　ordered　me　to　publish　them；　and
what　Jorsen　orders　must　be　done。　I　don't　know　why　this　should　be；　but
it　is　so。　He　has　authority　of　a　sort　that　I　am　unable　to　define。

One　night　after　the　usual　aspirations　and　concentration　of　mind；　which
by　the　way　are　not　always　successful；　I　passed　into　what　occultists
call　spirit；　and　others　a　state　of　dream。　At　any　rate　I　found　myself
upon　the　borders　of　the　Great　White　Road；　as　near　to　the　mighty　Gates
as　I　am　ever　allowed　to　come。　How　far　that　may　be　away　I　cannot　tell。
Perhaps　it　is　but　a　few　yards　and　perhaps　it　is　the　width　of　this
great　world；　for　in　that　place　which　my　spirit　visits　time　and
distance　do　not　exist。　There　all　things　are　new　and　strange；　not　to　be
reckoned　by　our　measures。　There　the　sight　is　not　our　sight　nor　the
hearing　our　hearing。　I　repeat　that　all　things　are　different；　but　that
difference　I　cannot　describe；　and　if　I　could　it　would　prove　past
comprehension。

There　I　sat　by　the　borders　of　the　Great　White　Road；　my　eyes　fixed　upon
the　Gates　above　which　the　towers　mount　for　miles　on　miles；　outlined
against　an　encircling　gloom　with　the　radiance　of　the　world　beyond　the
worlds。　Four…square　they　stand；　those　towers；　and　fourfold　the　gates
that　open　to　the　denizens　of　other　earths。　But　of　these　I　have　no
knowledge　beyond　the　fact　that　it　is　so　in　my　visions。

I　sat　upon　the　borders　of　the　Road；　my　eyes　fixed　in　hope　upon　the
Gates；　though　well　I　knew　that　the　hope　would　never　be　fulfilled；　and
watched　the　dead　go　by。

They　were　many　that　night。　Some　plague　was　working　in　the　East　and
unchaining　thousands。　The　folk　that　it　loosed　were　strange　to　me　who
in　this　particular　life　have　seldom　left　England；　and　I　studied　them
with　curiosity；　high…featured；　dark…hued　people　with　a　patient　air。
The　knowledge　which　I　have　told　me　that　one　and　all　they　were　very
ancient　souls　who　often　and　often　had　walked　this　Road　before；　and
therefore；　although　as　yet　they　did　not　know　it；　were　well　accustomed
to　the　journey。　No；　I　am　wrong；　for　here　and　there　an　individual　did
know。　Indeed　one　deep…eyed；　wistful　little　woman；　who　carried　a　baby
in　her　arms；　stopped　for　a　moment　and　spoke　to　me。

〃The　others　cannot　see　you　as　I　do；〃　she　said。　〃Priest　of　the　Queen　of
queens；　I　know　you　well；　hand　in　hand　we　climbed　by　the　seven
stairways　to　the　altars　of　the　moon。〃

〃Who　is　the　Queen　of　queens？〃　I　asked。

〃Have　you　forgotten　her　of　the　hundred　names　whose　veils　we　lifted　one
by　one；　her　whose　breast　was　beauty　and　whose　eyes　were　truth？　In　a
day　to　come　you　will　remember。　Farewell　till　we　walk　this　Road　no
more。〃

〃Staywhen　did　we　meet？〃

〃When　our　souls　were　young；〃　she　answered；　and　faded　from　my　ken　like
a　shadow　from　the　sea。

After　the　Easterns　came　many　others　from　all　parts　of　the　earth。　Then
suddenly　appeared　a　company　of　about　six　hundred　folk　of　every　age　and
English　in　their　looks。　They　were　not　so　calm　as　are　the　majority　of
those　who　make　this　journey。　When　I　read　the　papers　a　few　days　later　I
understood　why。　A　great　passenger　ship　had　sunk　suddenly　in　mid　ocean
and　they　were　all　cut　off　unprepared。

When；　followed　by　a　few　stragglers；　these　had　passed　and　gathered
themselves　in　the　red　shadow　beneath　the　gateway　towers　waiting　for
the　summons；　an　unusual　thing　occurred。　For　a　few　moments　the　Road　was
left　quite　empty。　After　that　last　great　stroke　Death　seemed　to　be
resting　on　his　laurels。　When　thus　unpeopled　it　looked　a　very　vast
place　like　to　a　huge　arched　causeway；　bordered　on　either　side　by
blackness；　but　itself　gleaming　with　a　curious　phosphorescence　such　as
once　or　twice　I　have　seen　in　the　waters　of　a　summer　sea　at　night。

Presently　in　the　very　centre　of　this　illuminated　desolation；　whilst　it
was　as　yet　far　away；　something　caught　my　eye；　something　so　strange　to
the　place；　so　utterly　unfamiliar　that　I　watched　it　earnestly；
wondering　what　it　might　be。　Nearer　and　nearer　it　came；　with　curious；
uncertain　hops；　yes；　a　little　brown　object　that　hopped。

〃Well；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃if　I　were　not　where　I　am　I　should　say　that
yonder　thing　was　a　hare。　Only　what　would　a　hare　be　doing　on　the　Great
White　Road？　How　could　a　hare　tread　the　pathway　of　eternal　souls？　I
must　be　mistaken。〃

So　I　reflected　whilst　still　the　thing　hopped　on；　until　I　became
certain　that　either　I　suffered　from　delusions；　or　that　it　was　a　hare；
indeed　a　particularly　fine　hare；　much　such　a　one　as　a　friend　of　my　old
landlady；　Mrs。　Smithers；　had　once　sent　her　as　a　Christmas　present　from
Norfolk；　which　hare　I　ate。

A　few　more　hops　brought　it　opposite　to　my　post　of　observation。　Here　it
halted　as　though　it　seemed　to　see　me。　At　any　rate　it　sat　up　in　the
alert　fashion　that　hares　have；　its　forepaws　hanging　absurdly　in　front
of　it；　with　one　ear；　on　which　there　was　a　grey　blotch；　cocked　and　one
dragging；　and　sniffed　with　its　funny　little　nostrils。　Then　it　began　to
talk　to　me。　I　do　not　mean　that　it　really　talked；　but　the　thoughts
which　were　in　its　mind　were　flashed　on　to　my　mind　so　that　I　understood
perfectly；　yes；　and　could　answer　them　in　the　same　fashion。　It　said；　or
thought；　thus：

〃You　are　real。　You　are　a　man　who　yet　lives　beneath　the　sun；　though　how
you　came　here　I　do　not　know。　I　hate　men；　all　hares　do；　for　men　are
cruel　to　them。　Still　it　is　a　comfort　in　this　strange　place　to　see
something　one　has　seen　before　and　to　be　able　to　talk　even　to　a　man；
which　I　could　never　do　until　the　change　came；　the　dreadful　changeI
mean　because　of　the　way　of　it；〃　and　it　seemed　to　shiver。　〃May　I　ask
you　some　questions？〃

〃Certainly；〃　I　said　or　rather　thought　back。

〃You　are　sure　that　they　won't　make　you　angry　so　that　you　hurt　me？〃

〃I　can't　hurt　you；　even　if　I　wished　to　do　so。　You　are　not　a　hare　any
longer；　if　you　ever　were　one；　but　only　the　shadow　of　a　hare。〃

〃Ah！　I　thought　as　much；　and　that's　a　good　thing　anyhow。　Tell　me；　Man；
have　you　ever　been　torn　to　pieces　by　dogs？〃

〃Good　gracious！　no。〃

〃Or　coursed；　or　hunted；　or　caught　in　a　trap；　or　shot　all　over　your
back；　or　twisted　up　in　nets　and　choked　in　snares？　Or　have　you　swum　out
to　sea　to　die　more　easily；　or　seen　your　mate　and　mother　and　father
killed？〃

〃No；　no。　Please　stop；