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！
have allowed your mind to be convinced by such arguments as those
which you have just heard in the Voice of the river。 That is one of
the worst sides of drink； it decays the reason as it does the body。
You must have noticed it yourself。〃
I replied that I had； for I was surprised into acquiescence。 Then I
grew defiant and asked him what he knew of the arguments which were or
were not influencing me。 To my surpriseno； that is not the wordto
my bewilderment； he repeated them to me one by one just as they had
arisen a few minutes before in my heart。 Moreover； he told me what I
had been about to do； and why I was about to do it。
〃You know me and my story；〃 I muttered at last。
〃No；〃 he answered； 〃at least not more than I know that of many men
with whom I chance to be in touch。 That is； I have not met you for
nearly eleven hundred years。 A thousand and eighty…six； to be correct。
I was a blind priest then and you were the captain of Irene's guard。〃
At this news I burst out laughing and the laugh did me good。
〃I did not know I was so old；〃 I said。
〃Do you call that old？〃 answered Jorsen。 〃Why； the first time that we
had anything to do with each other； so far as I can learn； that is；
was over eight thousand years ago； in Egypt before the beginning of
recorded history。〃
〃I thought that I was mad； but you are madder；〃 I said。
〃Doubtless。 Well； I am so mad that I managed to be here in time to
save you from suicide； as once in the past you saved me； for thus
things come round。 But your rooms are near； are they not？ Let us go
there and talk。 This place is cold and the river is always calling。〃
That was how I came to know Jorsen； whom I believe to be one of the
greatest men alive。 On this particular night that I have described he
told me many things； and since then he has taught me much； me and a
few others。 But whether he is what is called a Mahatma I am sure I do
not know。 He has never claimed such a rank in my hearing； or indeed to
be anything more than a man who has succeeded in winning a knowledge
of his own powers out of the depths of the dark that lies behind us。
Of course I mean out of his past in other incarnations long before he
was Jorsen。 Moreover； by degrees； as I grew fit to bear the light； he
showed me something of my own； and of how the two were intertwined。
But all these things are secrets of which I have perhaps no right to
speak at present。 It is enough to say that Jorsen changed the current
of my life on that night when he saved me from death。
For instance； from that day onwards to the present time I have never
touched the drink which so nearly ruined me。 Also the darkness has
rolled away； and with it every doubt and fear； I know the truth； and
for that truth I live。 Considered from certain aspects such knowledge；
I admit； is not altogether desirable。 Thus it has deprived me of my
interest in earthly things。 Ambition has left me altogether； for years
I have had no wish to succeed in the profession which I adopted in my
youth； or in any other。 Indeed I doubt whether the elements of worldly
success still remain in me； whether they are not entirely burnt away
by that fire of wisdom in which I have bathed。 How can we strive to
win a crown we have no longer any desire to wear？ Now I desire other
crowns and at times I wear them； if only for a little while。 My spirit
grows and grows。 It is dragging at its strings。
What am I to look at？ A small； white…haired man with a thin and rather
plaintive face in which are set two large； dark eyes that continually
seem to soften and develop。 That is my picture。 And what am I in the
world？ I will tell you。 On certain days of the week I employ myself in
editing a trade journal that has to do with haberdashery。 On another
day I act as auctioneer to a firm which imports and sells cheap
Italian statuary； modern； very modern copies of the antique； florid
marble vases； and so forth。 Some of you who read may have passed such
marts in different parts of the city； or even have dropped in and
purchased a bust or a tazza for a surprisingly small sum。 Perhaps I
knocked it down to you； only too pleased to find a /bona fide/ bidder
amongst my company。
As for the rest of my timewell； I employ it in doing what good I can
among the poor and those who need comfort or who are bereaved；
especially among those who are bereaved； for to such I am sometimes
able to bring the breath of hope that blows from another shore。
Occasionally also I amuse myself in my own fashion。 Thus sure
knowledge has come to me about certain epochs in the past in which I
lived in other shapes； and I study those epochs； hoping that one day I
may find time to write of them and of the parts I played in them。 Some
of these parts are extremely interesting； especially as I am of course
able to contrast them with our modern modes of thought and action。
They do not all come back to me with equal clearness； the earlier
lives being； as one might expect； the more difficult to recover and
the comparatively recent ones the easiest。 Also they seem to range
over a vast stretch of time； back indeed to the days of primeval；
prehistoric man。 In short； I think the subconscious in some ways
resembles the conscious and natural memory； that which is very far off
to it grows dim and blurred； that which is comparatively close remains
clear and sharp； although of course this rule is not invariable。
Moreover there is foresight as well as memory。 At least from time to
time I seem to come in touch with future events and states of society
in which I shall have my share。
I believe some thinkers hold a theory that such conditions as those of
past； present； and future do not in fact exist； that everything
already is； standing like a completed column between earth and heaven；
that the sum is added up； the equation worked out。 At times I am
tempted to believe in the truth of this proposition。 But if it be
true； of course it remains difficult to obtain a clear view of other
parts of the column than that in which we happen to find ourselves
objectively conscious at any given period； and needless to say
impossible to see it from base to capital。
However this may be； no individual entity pervades all the column。
There are great sections of it with which that entity has nothing to
do； although it always seems to appear again above。 I suppose that
those sections which are empty of an individual and his atmosphere
represent the intervals between his lives which he spends in sleep； or
in states of existence with which this world is not concerned； but of
such gulfs of oblivion and states of being I know nothing。
To take a single instance of what I do know： once this spirit of mine；
that now by the workings of destiny for a little while occupies the
body of a fourth…rate auctioneer； and of the editor of a trade
journal； dwelt in that of a Pharaoh of Egyptnever mind which
Pharoah。 Yes； although you may laugh and think me mad to say it； for
me the legions fought and thundered； to me the peoples bowed and the
secret sanctuaries were opened that I and I alone might commune with
the gods； I who in the flesh and after it myself was worshipped as a
g