按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ation they had； to the benefit of our world。 Thus； in 28：
〃Your North Pole is an open ocean。 It was black； which we think means water； from August 1st to September 29th。 Your South Pole is on an island bigger than New Holland。 Your Antarctic Continent is a great cluster of islands。〃
29。 〃Your Nyanzas are only two of a large group of African lakes。 The green of Africa； where there is no water； is wonderful at our distance。〃
30。 〃We have not the last numbers of ‘Foul Play。' Tell us； in a word or two； how they got home。 We can see what we suppose their island was。〃
31。 〃We should like to know who proved Right in ‘He Knew He was Right。'〃
This was a good night's work； as they were then telegraphing。 As soon as it cleared； Haliburton displayed；
BEST HOPES。 CARRIER DUCKS。
This was Haliburton's masterpiece。 He had no room for more； however； and was obliged to reserve for the next day his answer to No。 31； which was simply；
SHE。
A real equinoctial now parted us for nearly a week； and at the end of that time they were so low in our northern horizon that we could not make out their signals； we and they were obliged to wait till they had passed through two…thirds of their month before we could communicate again。 I used the time in speeding to No。 9。 We got a few carpenters together； and arranged on the Flat two long movable black platforms； which ran in and out on railroad…wheels on tracks； from under green platforms； so that we could display one or both as we chose； and then withdraw them。 With this apparatus we could give forty…five signals in a minute； corresponding to the line and dot of the telegraph； and thus could compass some twenty letters in that time； and make out perhaps two hundred and fifty words in an hour。 Haliburton thought that； with some improvements； he could send one of Mr。 Buchanan's messages up in thirty…seven working…nights。
IV
INDEPENDENCE
I own to a certain mortification in confessing that after this interregnum； forced upon us by so long a period of non…intercourse； we never resumed precisely the same constancy of communication as that which I have tried to describe at the beginning。 The apology for this benumbment； if I may so call it； will suggest itself to the thoughtful reader。
It is indeed astonishing to think that we so readily accept a position when we once understand it。 You buy a new house。 You are fool enough to take out a staircase that you may put in a bathing…room。 This will be done in a fortnight； everybody tells you； and then everybody begins。 Plumbers； masons； carpenters； plasterers； skimmers； bell…hangers； speaking…tube men； men who make furnace…pipe； paper…hangers； men who scrape off the old paper； and other men who take off the old paint with alkali； gas men； city…water men； and painters begin。 To them are joined a considerable number of furnace…men's assistants； stovepipe…men's assistants； mason's assistants； and hodmen who assist the assistants of the masons； the furnace…men； and the pipe…men。 For a day or two these all take possession of the house and reduce it to chaos。 In the language of Scripture； they enter in and dwell there。 Compare； for the details； Matt。 xii。 45。 Then you revisit it at the end of the fortnight； and find it in chaos； with the woman whom you employed to wash the attics the only person on the scene。 You ask her where the paper…hanger is； and she says he can do nothing because the plaster is not dry。 You ask why the plaster is not dry； and are told it is because the furnace…man has not come。 You send for him； and he says he did come； but the stove…pipe man was away。 You send for him； and he says he lost a day in coming； but that the mason had not cut the right hole in the chimney。 You go and find the mason； and he says they are all fools； and that there is nothing in the house that need take two days to finish。
Then you curse； not the day in which you were born； but the day in which bath…rooms were invented。 You say； truly； that your father and mother； from whom you inherit every moral and physical faculty you prize； never had a bath…room till they were past sixty； yet they thrived； and their children。 You sneak through back streets； fearful lest your friends shall ask you when your house will be finished。 You are sunk in wretchedness； unable even to read your proofs accurately； far less able to attend the primary meetings of the party with which you vote； or to discharge any of the duties of a good citizen。 Life is wholly embittered to you。
Yet； six weeks after； you sit before a soft…coal fire in your new house； with the feeling that you have always lived there。 You are not even grateful that you are there。 You have forgotten the plumber's name； and if you met in the street that nice carpenter that drove things through； you would just nod to him； and would not think of kissing him or embracing him。
Thus completely have you accepted the situation。
Let me confess that the same experience is that with which； at this writing； I regard the BRICK MOON。 It is there in ether。 I cannot keep it。 I cannot get it down。 I cannot well go to it；though possibly that might be done； as you will see。 They are all very happy there； much happier； as far as I can see； than if they lived in sixth floors in Paris； in lodgings in London； or even in tenement…houses in Phoenix Place； Boston。 There are disadvantages attached to their position； but there are also advantages。 And what most of all tends to our accepting the situation is； that there is 〃nothing that we can do about it；〃 as Q。 says； but to keep up our correspondence with them； and to express our sympathies。
For them； their responsibilities are reduced in somewhat the same proportion as the gravitation which binds them down；I had almost said to earth；which binds them down to brick； I mean。 This decrease of responsibility must make them as light…hearted as the loss of gravitation makes them light…bodied。
On which point I ask for a moment's attention。 And as these sheets leave my hand； an illustration turns up which well serves me。 It is the 23d of October。 Yesterday morning all wakeful women in New England were sure there was some one under the bed。 This is a certain sign of an earthquake。 And when we read the evening newspapers； we were made sure there had been an earthquake。 What blessings the newspapers are；and how much information they give us！ Well； they said it was not very severe； here； but perhaps it was more severe elsewhere； hopes really arising in the editorial mind that in some Caraccas or Lisbon all churches and the cathedral might have fallen。 I did not hope for that。 But I did have just the faintest feeling that IFif ifit should prove that the world had blown up into six or eight pieces； and they had gone off into separate orbits； life would be vastly easier for all of us； on whichever bit we happened to be。
That thing has happened； they say； once。 Whenever the big planet between Mars and Jupiter blew up； and divided himself into one hundred and two or more asteroids； the people on each one only knew there had been an earthquake when and after they read their morning journals。 And then； all that they knew at first w