The Rainbow-虹(英文版)

第83部分 (第5/7頁)

f　life；　and　life　alone〃

The　conversation　had　ended　on　a　note　of　uncertainty；

indefinite；　wistful。　But　the　purpose；　what　was　the　purpose？

Electricity　had　no　soul；　light　and　heat　had　no　soul。　Was　she

herself　an　impersonal　force；　or　conjunction　of　forces；　like　one

of　these？　She　looked　still　at　the　unicellular　shadow　that　lay

within　the　field　of　light；　under　her　microscope。　It　was　alive。

She　saw　it　move……she　saw　the　bright　mist　of　its　ciliary

activity；　she　saw　the　gleam　of　its　nucleus；　as　it　slid　across

the　plane　of　light。　What　then　was　its　will？　If　it　was　a

conjunction　of　forces；　physical　and　chemical；　what　held　these

forces　unified；　and　for　what　purpose　were　they　unified？

For　what　purpose　were　the　incalculable　physical　and　chemical

activities　nodalized　in　this　shadowy；　moving　speck　under　her

microscope？　What　was　the　will　which　nodalized　them　and　created

the　one　thing　she　saw？　What　was　its　intention？　To　be　itself？　Was

its　purpose　just　mechanical　and　limited　to　itself？

It　intended　to　be　itself。　But　what　self？　Suddenly　in　her　mind

the　world　gleamed　strangely；　with　an　intense　light；　like　the

nucleus　of　the　creature　under　the　microscope。　Suddenly　she　had

passed　away　into　an　intensely…gleaming　light　of　knowledge。　She

could　not　understand　what　it　all　was。　She　only　knew　that　it　was

not　limited　mechanical　energy；　nor　mere　purpose　of

self…preservation　and　self…assertion。　It　was　a　consummation；　a

being　infinite。　Self　was　a　oneness　with　the　infinite。　To　be

oneself　was　a　supreme；　gleaming　triumph　of　infinity。

Ursula　sat　abstracted　over　her　microscope；　in　suspense。　Her

soul　was　busy；　infinitely　busy；