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Each trial of voice； each fresh discovery of discord； almost imperceptibly
induces the less perfect to modify his or her vocal utterance so as to
approximate to the more perfect。 And after many trials and many
approximations； the result is at last achieved。 There comes a day at last
when； while the wonted Marriage Chorus goes forth from universal
Lineland； the three far…off Lovers suddenly find themselves in exact
harmony； and； before they are aware； the wedded Triplet is rapt vocally
into a duplicate embrace； and Nature rejoices over one more marriage and
over three more births。〃
SECTION 14 How I vainly tried to explain the
nature of Flatland
Thinking that it was time to bring down the Monarch from his
raptures to the level of common sense； I determined to endeavour to open
up to him some glimpses of the truth； that is to say of the nature of things
in Flatland。 So I began thus： 〃How does your Royal Highness distinguish
the shapes and positions of his subjects？ I for my part noticed by the sense
of sight； before I entered your Kingdom； that some of your people are
lines and others Points； and that some of the lines are larger 〃 〃You speak
of an impossibility；〃 interrupted the King； 〃you must have seen a vision；
for to detect the difference between a Line and a Point by the sense of
sight is； as every one knows； in the nature of things； impossible； but it can
be detected by the sense of hearing； and by the same means my shape can
be exactly ascertained。 Behold meI am a Line； the longest in Lineland；
over six inches of Space 〃 〃Of Length；〃 I ventured to suggest。 〃Fool；〃
said he； 〃Space is Length。 Interrupt me again； and I have done。〃
I apologized； but he continued scornfully； 〃Since you are impervious
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to argument； you shall hear with your ears how by means of my two
voices I reveal my shape to my Wives； who are at this moment six
thousand miles seventy yards two feet eight inches away； the one to the
North； the other to the South。 Listen； I call to them。〃
He chirruped； and then complacently continued： 〃My wives at this
moment receiving the sound of one of my voice； closely followed by the
other； and perceiving that the latter reaches them after an interval in which
sound can traverse 6。457 inches； infer that one of my mouths is 6。457
inches further from them than the other； and accordingly know my shape
to be 6。457 inches。 But you will of course understand that my wives do not
make this calculation every time they hear my two voices。 They made it；
once for all； before we were married。 But they COULD make it at any
time。 And in the same way I can estimate the shape of any of my Male
subjects by the sense of sound。〃
〃But how；〃 said I； 〃if a Man feigns a Woman's voice with one of his
two voices； or so disguises his Southern voice that it cannot be recognized
as the echo of the Northern？ May not such deceptions cause great
inconvenience？ And have you no means of checking frauds of this kind by
commanding your neighbouring subjects to feel one another？〃 This of
course was a very stupid question； for feeling could not have answered the
purpose； but I asked with the view of irritating the Monarch； and I
succeeded perfectly。
〃What！〃 cried he in horror； 〃explain your meaning。〃 〃Feel； touch；
come into contact；〃 I replied。。 〃If you mean by FEELING；〃 said the King；
〃approaching so close as to leave no space between two individuals； know；
Stranger； that this offence is punishable in my dominions by death。 And
the reason is obvious。 The frail form of a Woman； being liable to be
shattered by such an approximation； must be preserved by the State； but
since Women cannot be distinguished by the sense of sight from Men； the
Law ordains universally that neither Man nor Woman shall be approached
so closely as to destroy the interval between the approximator and the
approximated。
〃And indeed what possible purpose would be served by this illegal and
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unnatural excess of approximation which you call TOUCHING； when all
the ends of so brutal and course a process are attained at once more easily
and more exactly by the sense of hearing？ As to your suggested danger of
deception； it is non…existent： for the Voice； being the essence of one's
Being； cannot be thus changed at will。 But come； suppose that I had the
power of passing through solid things； so that I could penetrate my
subjects； one after another； even to the number of a billion； verifying the
size and distance of each by the sense of FEELING： How much time and
energy would be wasted in this clumsy and inaccurate method！ Whereas
now； in one moment of audition； I take as it were the census and statistics；
local； corporeal； mental and spiritual； of every living being in Lineland。
Hark； only hark！〃
So saying he paused and listened； as if in an ecstasy； to a sound which
seemed to me no better than a tiny chirping from an innumerable
multitude of lilliputian grasshoppers。
〃Truly；〃 replied I； 〃your sense of hearing serves you in good stead； and
fills up many of your deficiencies。 But permit me to point out that your
life in Lineland must be deplorably dull。 To see nothing but a Point！ Not
even to be able to contemplate a Straight Line！ Nay； not even to know
what a Straight Line is！ To see； yet to be cut off from those Linear
prospects which are vouchsafed to us in Flatland！ Better surely to have no
sense of sight at all than to see so little！ I grant you I have not your
discriminative faculty of hearing； for the concert of all Lineland which
gives you such intense pleasure； is to me no better than a multitudinous
twittering or chirping。 But at least I can discern； by sight； a Line from a
Point。 And let me prove it。 Just before I came into your kingdom； I saw
you dancing from left to right； and then from right to left； with Seven Men
and a Woman in your immediate proximity on th