灵界漫游者

经过

A. 法尔内塞

首次出版于1896年。

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以下叙述写于一年多以前，我将其公之于众并不声称自己是作者，因为我只是扮演了记录者的角色，并尽我所能地真实、仔细地记录了灵界作者本人告诉我的话语，他是几位希望我为他们记录他们在灵界经历的灵体之一。

我不得不以最快的速度写下这些文字，笔尖划过纸面，文中描述的许多经历和提出的观点与我自己所认为的灵界生活条件截然相反。

我经常看到灵体作家弗兰切佐显形，而那些在尘世生活中认识他的朋友也认出了他。

既然我已经将我从灵界作者那里得到的故事公之于众，那么对于其中表达的观点和所描述的场景，我必须将所有责任都留给他。

A. 法尔内塞。

伦敦，1896年

作者献词

对于那些仍在迷雾和黑暗中挣扎、前途未卜的人们，我将这本记录着一位已离开尘世、进入来世奥秘之人的游历记献给你们。我希望通过我如今与世人分享的经历，能够促使一些人在走向毁灭的道路上停下脚步，在离开人世之前好好思考，就像我一样，带着沉重的未忏悔的罪孽离开人世。

我最想对那些正快速走向堕落之路的弟兄们说的话，是希望能够运用真理的力量，让那些不盲目地试图将其拒之门外的人能够醒悟；因为如果说，在尘世生活中，放荡不羁、自私自利的后果往往已经十分可怕，那么在灵界，后果则更加严重。在那里，灵魂的一切伪装都被剥去，它赤裸裸地展现出罪恶的丑陋，尘世生活中染上的灵性疾病的伤痕深深地烙印在它的灵魂形态上——只有真诚的悔改和自身悲伤泪水的洗涤之水才能抹去这些伤痕。

我恳请世间众生相信，如果这些来自另一个世界的疲惫旅人能够返回人间，警告他们仍在世间的同胞，他们定会欣然前往。我希望他们明白，显灵的灵魂肩负着比安慰那些因失去挚爱而深感悲痛的人们更为崇高的使命。我希望他们能够看到，即便在人类骄傲与罪恶的末日，这些游荡的灵魂依然蒙受至高无上的神明的允许，返回人间，告知世人所有违背神律和人律之人的最终命运。我希望即使是那些游手好闲、轻浮的人也能停下来思考一下，唯灵论是否比虚度光阴、臆测是否存在某种神秘力量能够移动桌子或敲出字母表更高尚、更神圣、更高贵，以及这些微弱的敲击声和看似毫无意义的桌子倾斜是否只是打开了一扇门，让光明涌入地球和冥界的黑暗角落——这些微弱的迹象表明，那些先行者现在正返回地球警告他们的同胞。

作为一名征战沙场、凯旋而归的勇士，我回望那些战役的场景和一路走来的艰辛，感到一切都来之不易——我所期盼和奋斗的一切都已实现。如今，我只想为那些仍在风暴和压力中挣扎的人们指明一条更好的道路，让他们能够珍惜在世间宝贵的时光，踏上那条光明之路，坚定不移地走下去，最终抵达安息与和平的家园。——弗兰切佐

第一部分：黑暗的日子

1. 我的死亡

我曾游历遥远的国度，那些没有名字、没有地方的地方，对于你们这些凡人来说，我将尽可能简短地记录我的游历，以便那些踏上那片土地的人能够知道，等待着他们的将会是什么。

在尘世间，在我尘世的生命里，我活得如同那些只追求自我满足至高境界的人。即便我对某些人并不苛刻——即便我对所爱之人宽容——那也始终怀着一种信念：他们必须反过来满足我的欲望——我才能用我的馈赠和爱意换取他们如同我生命一般的爱与敬仰。

我才华横溢，才智出众，人品也出众。自幼年起，我便备受赞誉，这赞誉对我来说如同最甜蜜的香火。我从未想过那种全然牺牲的爱，那种爱能将自己完全沉浸于对他人的爱中，以至于除了确保所爱之人的幸福之外，别无所求，别无所求。在我一生中，在我爱过的那些女人中（世人常常误将一种低俗的激情称为爱），在我所有那些偶尔让我心动的女人中，没有一个能真正触动我内心深处的渴望，让我觉得这就是真爱，这就是我暗自叹息的理想。在每个人身上，我都能找到令我失望的地方。她们爱我，正如我爱她们一样——不多也不少。我付出的热情，换来的只是她们的回应，于是，我带着不满足的心情离去，心中渴望着，却不知那究竟是什么。

我犯下的错——啊！不计其数。我犯下的罪孽——也不少；然而，世人却常常俯首称臣，赞美我，称我善良、高尚、才华横溢。我受人追捧，被人宠爱，是时尚名媛们娇生惯养的宠儿。我只需讨好她们就能赢得芳心，而当我得逞之后，一切却都化作了苦涩的灰烬。后来，我经历了一段不愿提及的时光，犯下了最致命的错误，毁掉了两条生命，而此前我只毁掉了一条。我戴上的不是金色的玫瑰花环，而是一条苦涩的锁链——如同铁镣铐般折磨着我，直到最后我挣脱束缚，重获自由。自由？——啊，我啊！我再也无法获得自由，因为我们过去的错误和过失，一刻也不能停止纠缠我们的脚步，阻碍我们的翅膀，直到我们活着的时候——是的，直到肉体的生命结束之后——我们才能一一赎罪，从而将它们从我们的过去抹去。

就在我自认为已彻底摆脱爱情的束缚，以为自己已领悟爱情所能教给我的一切，了解女人所能给予的一切时，我遇见了她。啊！我该如何称呼她呢？在我眼中，她远超凡人，我称她为“我生命中的天使”。从认识她的那一刻起，我就臣服于她，将我灵魂深处的爱——我更高层次的爱——全部倾注于她。这份爱与它本应有的相比，或许显得贫乏而自私，但这却是我所能给予的一切，我倾尽所有。我生平第一次，对另一个人的关注超过了对自身的关注。尽管我无法企及她灵魂深处那些纯洁的思绪和绚丽的幻想，但我感谢上帝，我从未屈服于诱惑，将她拉入我的怀抱。

时光荏苒，我沐浴在她温柔的怀抱中，沉浸在那些我以为早已离我而去的圣洁思绪里。我做着美梦，梦中我挣脱了束缚我的过去枷锁，那些枷锁如此残酷、如此沉重地束缚着我，尤其是在我追求更美好事物的时候。然而，每次从梦中醒来，我都会害怕她会被别人夺走——而我，唉！明知自己没有权利阻止她。啊，我！那些日子里，我是多么的痛苦和煎熬！我知道，是我自己在我们之间筑起了那堵墙。我觉得自己不配触碰她，因为我已被世俗的污秽玷污。我怎敢将那纯洁无瑕的生命与我自己的生命连接起来？有时，希望会低语，或许真的如此，但理智却总是说：“不！”尽管她对我如此温柔善良，让我读懂了她纯真的爱意，但我知道——我感觉——在人世间，她永远不会属于我。她的纯洁和真诚在我们之间筑起了一道我永远无法逾越的屏障。我曾试图离开她，却徒劳无功！如同磁铁吸引磁极，我始终无法抗拒她的魅力，直到最后我不再挣扎。我只想享受她陪伴带来的快乐——至少，她带给我的愉悦和阳光，我从未被剥夺。

然后！啊！然后，可怕的、意想不到的一天降临到我身上，没有任何预兆，没有任何迹象让我意识到自己的处境，我突然被从生命中夺走，坠入那深渊，坠入等待着我们所有人的肉体死亡。

我当时并不知道自己已经死了。我从几个小时的痛苦煎熬中醒来，沉入梦乡——深深的、无梦的睡眠——醒来时，发现自己孤身一人，身处一片漆黑之中。我可以起身，可以活动，我肯定好多了。但我身在何处？为何是这般黑暗？为何我身边没有一丝光亮？我起身，像在黑暗的房间里摸索一样，却找不到一丝光亮，也听不到任何声音。周围只有死一般的寂静和黑暗。

于是我想，不如往前走，找到那扇门。我能动，虽然缓慢而无力，但我还是摸索着前进——我不知道走了多久。感觉过了几个小时，因为我越来越感到恐惧和沮丧，觉得我必须找到人——找到一条离开这个地方的路；然而令我绝望的是，我似乎永远也找不到任何门、任何墙，任何东西。周围的一切似乎只有空间和黑暗。

Overcome at last, I called out aloud! I shrieked, and no voice answered me. Then again and again I called, and still the silence; still no echo, even from my own voice, came back to cheer me. I bethought me of her I loved, but something made me shrink from uttering her name there. Then I thought of all the friends I had known, and I called on them, but none answered me. Was I in prison? No. A prison has walls and this place had none. Was I mad? Delirious? What? I could feel myself, my body. It was the same. Surely the same? No. There was some change in me. I could not tell what, but I felt as though I was shrunken and deformed? My features, when I passed my hand over them, seemed larger, coarser, distorted surely? Oh, for a light! Oh, for anything to tell me even the worst that could be told! Would no one come? Was I quite alone? And she, my angel of light, oh! where was she? Before my sleep she had been with me--where was she now? Something seemed to snap in my brain and in my throat and I called wildly to her by name, to come to me, if but for once more. I felt a terrible sense as if I had lost her, and I called and called to her wildly; and for the first time my voice had a sound and rang back to me through that awful darkness.
我终于崩溃了，放声大喊！我尖叫，却无人回应。我一遍又一遍地呼喊，依旧寂静无声；甚至连我自己的声音都无法回荡，无法给我带来一丝慰藉。我想起了我爱的人，但不知为何，我却不敢在那里说出她的名字。然后，我想起了所有认识的朋友，我呼唤他们，却无人回应。我身处监狱吗？不。监狱有围墙，而这里没有。我疯了吗？神志不清了吗？到底是什么？我能感觉到自己，我的身体。一切都和以前一样。真的和以前一样吗？不。我身上发生了某种变化。我说不清是什么，但我感觉自己好像缩小了，变形了？当我用手抚摸我的五官时，它们似乎更大、更粗糙、更扭曲了？哦，多么渴望一束光！哦，多么渴望任何事能告诉我，哪怕是最糟糕的真相！难道没有人来吗？我真的孤身一人吗？而她，我的光明天使，哦！她在哪里？睡前她还陪着我——她现在在哪儿？我的大脑和喉咙仿佛有什么东西断裂了，我疯狂地呼唤她的名字，求她回到我身边，哪怕只有一次。我感到一种可怕的感觉，仿佛失去了她，我一遍又一遍地疯狂呼唤她；而这一次，我的声音终于有了声音，穿透了那可怕的黑暗，回荡在我耳边。

Before me, far, far away, came a tiny speck of light like a star that grew and grew and came nearer and nearer till at last it appeared before me as a large ball of light, in shape like a star, and in the star I saw my beloved. Her eyes were closed as of one in sleep, but her arms were held out to me and her gentle voice said in those tones I knew so well, “Oh! my love, my love, where are you now; I cannot see you, I only hear your voice; I only hear you call to me, and my soul answers to yours.”
在我面前，遥远的地方，出现了一小点光点，像一颗星星，它越来越大，越来越近，最后变成了一个巨大的光球，形状像一颗星星，在那颗星星里，我看到了我的爱人。她双眼紧闭，如同睡梦中一般，但她向我伸出双臂，用我无比熟悉的温柔嗓音说道：“哦！我的爱人，我的爱人，你现在在哪里？我看不见你，只能听到你的声音；我只能听到你在呼唤我，我的灵魂回应着你的呼唤。”

I tried to rush to her, but I could not. Some invisible force held me back, and around her seemed a ring I could not pass through. In an agony I sank to the ground, calling upon her to leave me no more. Then she seemed to grow unconscious; her head sank upon her breast, and I saw her float away from me as though some strong arms had borne her. I sought to rise and follow her, but could not. It was as if a great chain held me fast, and after some fruitless struggles I sank upon the ground in unconsciousness.
我试图冲向她，却无能为力。一股无形的力量将我阻挡，她周围仿佛被一道无法逾越的屏障。我痛苦地瘫倒在地，呼喊着她不要再离开我。这时，她似乎失去了意识；她的头垂落在胸前，我眼睁睁地看着她飘离我，仿佛被一双有力的手臂托起。我试图起身追随她，却无能为力。仿佛一条巨大的锁链将我牢牢束缚，徒劳地挣扎了几下后，我再次昏倒在地。

2. Despair
2.绝望

“Dead! Dead!” I wildly cried. “Oh, no, surely no! For the dead feel nothing more; they turn to dust; they moulder to decay, and all is gone, all is lost to them; they have no more consciousness of anything, unless, indeed, my boasted philosophy of life has been all wrong, all false, and the soul of the dead still lives even though the body decays.”
“死了！死了！”我疯狂地喊道。“哦，不，肯定不是！因为死人什么感觉都没有了；他们化为尘土；他们腐朽，一切都消失了，一切都失去了；他们不再有任何意识，除非，我引以为傲的人生哲学完全错误，完全是谎言，死者的灵魂即使肉体腐朽也依然存在。”

The priests of my own church had taught me so, but I had scorned them as fools, blind and knavish, who for their own ends taught that men lived again and could only get to heaven through a gate, of which they held the keys, keys that turned only for gold and at the bidding of those who were paid to say masses for the departed soul--priests who made dupes of silly frightened women and weak-minded men, who, yielding to the terror inspired by their awful tales of hell and purgatory, gave themselves, bodies and souls, to purchase the illusive privilege they promised. I would have none of them. My knowledge of these priests and the inner hidden lives of many of them had been too great for me to listen to their idle tales, their empty promises of a pardon they could not give, and I had said I would face death when it came, with the courage of those who know only that for them it must mean total extinction; for if these priests were wrong, who was right? Who could tell us anything of the future, or if there were any God at all? Not the living, for they but theorize and guess, and not the dead, for none came back from them to tell; and now I stood beside this grave--my own grave--and heard my beloved call me dead and strew flowers upon it.
我本教会的神父们也曾这样教导我，但我却鄙视他们，视他们为愚昧无知、奸诈狡猾的傻瓜。他们为了自己的私利，宣称人死后会复活，只有通过一扇门才能进入天堂，而这扇门的钥匙掌握在他们手中。这扇门的钥匙只为黄金而开，只听命于那些受雇为亡灵举行弥撒的人——那些神父们欺骗愚昧胆怯的女人和意志薄弱的男人。这些人屈服于他们关于地狱和炼狱的可怕故事所带来的恐惧，献出自己的身心，去购买他们承诺的虚幻特权。我根本不屑于信奉他们。我对这些神父以及他们许多人内心深处的隐秘生活了如指掌，所以我无法再听信他们的空谈和他们根本无法兑现的赦免承诺。我曾说过，我会坦然面对死亡，以那些只知死亡意味着彻底消亡之人的勇气去面对它；因为如果这些神父错了，那么谁才对呢？谁能告诉我们未来会发生什么，或者上帝是否存在？活着的人不能，因为他们只会推测和猜测；死去的人也不能，因为他们不会回来告诉我们；而现在，我站在这座坟墓旁——我自己的坟墓旁——听到我心爱的人叫我死去，并在上面撒花。

As I looked the solid mound grew transparent before my eyes, and I saw down to the coffin with my own name and the date of my death upon it; and through the coffin I saw the white still form I knew as myself lying within. I saw to my horror that this body had already begun to decay and become a loathsome thing to look upon. Its beauty was gone, its features none would recognize; and I stood there, conscious, looking down upon it and then at myself. I felt each limb, traced out with my hands each familiar feature of my face, and knew I was dead, and yet I lived. If this were death, then those priests must have been right after all. The dead lived--but where? In what state? Was this darkness hell? For me they would have found no other place. I was so lost, so beyond the pale of their church that for me they would not have found a place even in purgatory.
我凝视着眼前坚实的土堆，它渐渐变得透明，我向下望去，看到了棺材，上面刻着我的名字和死亡日期；透过棺材，我看到了躺在里面的白色静止的身躯，那是我熟悉的自己。令我惊恐的是，这具身体已经开始腐烂，变得令人作呕。它的美丽已然消失，面容无人能辨认；我站在那里，意识清醒，俯视着它，然后又看着自己。我触摸着每一寸肢体，用手描绘着脸上每一处熟悉的轮廓，我知道自己已经死了，然而我却还活着。如果这就是死亡，那么那些牧师说的或许是对的。死者依然活着——但究竟在哪里？处于何种状态？这黑暗就是地狱吗？对我来说，他们找不到其他去处。我如此迷失，如此超出他们教会的范畴，以至于即使在炼狱中，他们也找不到我的容身之处。

I had cast off all ties to their church. I had so scorned it, deeming that a church which knew of, and yet tolerated, the shameful and ambitious lives of many of its most honored dignitaries had no claim to call itself a spiritual guide for anyone. There were good men in the church; true, but there was also this mass of shameless evil ones whose lives were common talk, common matter of ridicule; yet the church that claimed to be the example to all men and to hold all truth, did not cast out these men of disgraceful lives. No, she advanced them to yet higher posts of honor. None who have lived in my native land and seen the terrible abuses of power in her church will wonder that a nation should rise and seek to cast off such a yoke. Those who can recall the social and political condition of Italy in the earlier half of this century, and the part the church of Rome played in helping the oppressor to rivet the fetters with which she was bound, and who know how her domestic life was honeycombed with spies--priests as well as laymen--till a man feared to whisper his true sentiments to his nearest and dearest lest she should betray him to the priest and he again to the government--how the dungeons were crowded with unhappy men, yea, even with mere lads guilty of no crime save love of their native land and hatred of its oppressors--those, I say, who know all this will not wonder at the fierce indignation and burning passion which smouldered in the breast of Italia’s sons, and burst at last into a conflagration which consumed man’s faith in God and in his so-called Vicar upon earth, and like a mountain torrent that has burst its bounds, swept away men’s hopes of immortality, if only through submission to the decrees of the church it was to be obtained. Such, then, had been my attitude of revolt and scorn towards the church in which I had been baptized, and that church could have no place within her pale for me. If her anathemas could send a soul to hell surely I must be there.
我已断绝与该教会的一切联系。我如此鄙夷它，认为一个明知其众多受人尊敬的显贵生活卑劣、野心勃勃却依然容忍的教会，根本无权自诩为任何人的精神导师。教会里的确有好人，但也有一大批厚颜无耻的恶人，他们的所作所为早已是人尽皆知的谈资，人尽皆知的笑柄；然而，这个自诩为世人榜样、掌握一切真理的教会，却并未将这些生活卑劣之人逐出教会。不，它反而提拔他们到更高的职位。凡是在我的祖国生活过，亲眼目睹过教会中种种骇人听闻的滥用权力行为的人，都不会对一个国家奋起反抗、力图摆脱这种枷锁感到惊讶。那些能够回忆起本世纪上半叶意大利的社会政治状况，以及罗马教会如何帮助压迫者加固束缚意大利的枷锁的人，那些了解意大利家庭生活如何被间谍——包括神父和平信徒——渗透到千疮百孔，以至于人们不敢向至亲好友低语真情，唯恐她将自己出卖给神父，神父再将他告发给政府的人，那些了解地牢里挤满了不幸的人，甚至包括那些仅仅因为热爱祖国、憎恨压迫者而无罪的少年——我说，那些了解这一切的人，不会对意大利子民心中燃烧的强烈愤慨和熊熊烈火感到惊讶，这股怒火最终爆发成熊熊烈焰，吞噬了人们对上帝及其所谓人间代表的信仰，如同决堤的山洪，席卷而去。男人渴望获得永生，只要服从教会的法令就能实现。这就是我对受洗教会的反叛和蔑视态度，那教会容不下我。如果她的诅咒能将人送入地狱，那我肯定也在其中。

And yet as I thought thus I looked again upon my beloved, and I thought she could never have come to hell even to look for me. She seemed mortal enough, and if she knelt by my grave surely I must be still upon earth. Did the dead then never leave the earth at all, but hover near the scenes of their earthly lives? With such and many similar thoughts crowding through my brain I strove to get nearer to her I so loved, but found I could not. An invisible barrier seemed to surround her and keep me back. I could move on either side of her as I pleased--nearer or farther--but her I could not touch. Vain were all my efforts. Then I spoke; I called to her by name. I told her that I was there; that I was still conscious, still the same, though I was dead; and she never seemed to hear--she never saw me. She still wept sadly and silently; still tenderly touched the flowers, murmuring to herself that I had so loved flowers, surely I would know that she had put them there for me. Again and again I spoke to her as loudly as I could, but she heard me not. She was deaf to my voice. She only moved uneasily and passed her hand over her head as one in a dream, and then slowly and sadly she went away.
然而，正当我这样想着的时候，我又看向我心爱的她，心想她绝不可能下到地狱来找我。她看起来那么像凡人，如果她跪在我的墓前，那我肯定还在人间。难道死者从未离开过尘世，只是徘徊在他们生前生活的地方附近吗？诸如此类的念头涌上心头，我努力想要靠近我深爱的她，却发现根本做不到。仿佛有一道无形的屏障将她包围，将我阻挡在外。我可以随意地在她两侧移动——靠近或远离——但我却无法触碰到她。我的所有努力都徒劳无功。于是，我开口说话了；我呼唤着她的名字。我告诉她我在这里；我依然有意识，依然如故，尽管我已经死了；但她似乎从未听见——她从未看见我。她依然默默地、悲伤地哭泣着；她依然温柔地抚摸着花朵，喃喃自语道，我那么喜欢花，肯定知道这是她为我放的。我一遍又一遍地大声跟她说话，但她听不见。她对我的声音充耳不闻。她只是不安地动了动，像梦游般用手抚摸着头顶，然后缓缓地、悲伤地离去了。

I strove with all my might to follow her. In vain, I could go but a few yards from the grave and my earthly body, and then I saw why. A chain as of dark silk thread--it seemed no thicker than a spider’s web--held me to my body; no power of mine could break it; as I moved it stretched like elastic, but always drew me back again. Worst of all I began now to be conscious of feeling the corruption of that decaying body affecting my spirit, as a limb that has become poisoned affects with suffering the whole body on earth, and a fresh horror filled my soul.
我拼尽全力想要追随她。然而徒劳无功，我只能勉强离开坟墓和我的肉身几步之遥，这时我才明白个中缘由。一条如同黑色丝线般的锁链——它细得几乎和蜘蛛网一样——将我束缚在我的身体上；我的力量无法挣脱；我每动一下，它都像橡皮筋一样伸展，却又总是将我拉回原处。更糟糕的是，我开始意识到这具腐朽的躯体正在侵蚀我的灵魂，就像一个中毒的肢体会给整个身体带来痛苦一样，一种新的恐惧涌上心头。

Then a voice as of some majestic being spoke to me in the darkness, and said: “You loved that body more than your soul. Watch it now as it turns to dust and know what it was that you worshipped, and ministered and clung to. Know how perishable it was, how vile it has become, and look upon your spirit body and see how you have starved and cramped and neglected it for the sake of the enjoyments of the earthly body. Behold how poor and repulsive and deformed your earthly life has made your soul, which is immortal and divine and to endure forever.”
随后，黑暗中传来一个仿佛来自某种威严存在的声音，对我说：“你爱这副躯体胜过爱你的灵魂。看着它化为尘埃，想想你曾经崇拜、侍奉、执着的究竟是什么。想想它是多么脆弱，变得多么污秽。看看你的灵魂，看看你为了享受肉体的享乐，是如何让它饥寒交迫、饱受折磨、被你忽视的。看看你尘世的生活是如何使你的灵魂变得贫瘠、丑陋、畸形的，而你的灵魂本是永生不灭、神圣的，将永远长存。”

And I looked and beheld myself. As in a mirror held up before me, I saw myself. Oh, horror! It was beyond doubt myself, but, oh! so awfully changed, so vile, so full of baseness did I appear; so repulsive in every feature--even my figure was deformed--I shrank back in horror at my appearance, and prayed that the earth might open before my feet and hide me from all eyes for evermore.
我凝视着自己，仿佛照着一面镜子，看到了自己。啊，恐怖！那无疑是我自己，但是，啊！我变得如此可怕，如此卑鄙，如此堕落；我的每一处都如此令人作呕——甚至我的身形也畸形了——我被自己的模样吓得魂飞魄散，祈祷大地在我脚下裂开，将我永远隐藏起来，不让任何人看见。

Ah! never again would I call upon my love, never more desire that she should see me. Better, far better, that she should think of me as dead and gone from her forever; better that she should have only the memory of me as I had been in earthly life than ever know how awful was the change, how horrible a thing was my real self.
啊！我再也不会呼唤我的爱人，再也不会渴望见到她。最好，远比让她以为我已死去、永远离开她要好得多；最好她只记得我尘世时的模样，也不愿让她知道我的变化有多么可怕，我真实的自我有多么令人作呕。

Alas! Alas! My despair, my anguish was extreme, and I called out wildly and struck myself and tore my hair in wild and passionate horror of myself, and then my passion exhausted me and I sank senseless and unconscious of all once more.
唉！唉！我的绝望，我的痛苦，达到了极致，我疯狂地喊叫，捶打自己，撕扯自己的头发，疯狂而狂热地憎恨着自己，然后我的激情耗尽了我的精力，我又一次昏迷不醒，失去了知觉。

Again I waked, and again it was the presence of my love that awaked me. She had brought more flowers, and she murmured more soft tender thoughts of me as she laid them on my grave. But I did not seek now to make her see me. No, I shrank back and sought to hide myself, and my heart grew hard even to her, and I said:
我又一次醒来，唤醒我的依然是我的爱人。她带来了更多的鲜花，将花放在我的墓前，轻声呢喃着对我温柔的思念。但我此刻并不想让她看见我。不，我畏缩着，试图将自己藏起来，我的心甚至对她也变得冷漠无情，我说道：

“Rather let her weep for the one who has gone than know that he still lives,”
“宁愿让她为逝者哭泣，也不愿让她知道他还活着。”

so I let her go. And as soon as she was gone, I called frantically to her to come back, to come back in any way, to any knowledge of my awful position, rather than leave me in that place to see her no more.
于是我放她走了。她一走，我就疯狂地喊她回来，无论如何都想回来，哪怕知道我处境多么糟糕，也不要让我一个人待在那里，再也见不到她。

She did not hear, but she felt my call, and afar off I saw her stop and half turn round as though to return, then she passed on again and left me. Twice, three times she came again, and each time when she came I felt the same shrinking from approaching her, and each time when she left I felt the same wild longing to bring her back and keep her near me. But I called to her no more for I knew the dead call in vain, the living hear them not. And to all the world I was dead, and only to myself and to my awful fate was I alive. Ah! now I knew death was no endless sleep, no calm oblivion.
她没有听见，却感受到了我的呼唤。我远远地看见她停下脚步，半转身，仿佛要回来，然后她又走了，离开了。她又来了两次，三次，每次她来的时候，我都感到同样的畏缩，不敢靠近她；每次她走的时候，我都感到同样的渴望，想要把她带回来，让她留在我身边。但我不再呼唤她，因为我知道死者的呼唤是徒劳的，生者听不见。对整个世界而言，我已经死了，只有对我自己和我可怕的命运而言，我才活着。啊！现在我明白了，死亡并非永恒的沉睡，也并非平静的遗忘。

Better, far better had it been so, and in my despair I prayed that this total oblivion might be granted to me, and as I prayed I knew it never could, for man is an immortal soul, and for good or evil, weal or woe, lives on eternally. His earthly form decays and turns to dust, but the spirit, which is the true man, knows no decay, no oblivion.
如果真是那样该多好，我绝望地祈祷能彻底遗忘一切，但我祈祷时也明白这永远不可能，因为人拥有不朽的灵魂，无论善恶、福祸，都将永存。肉身会腐朽化为尘土，但灵魂，也就是真正的人，却不会腐朽，不会遗忘。

Each day--for I felt that days were passing over me--my mind awoke more and more, and I saw clearer and clearer the events of my life pass in a long procession before me--dim at first, then by degrees growing stronger and clearer, and I bowed my head in anguish, helpless, hopeless anguish, for I felt it must be too late now to undo one single act.
每天——因为我感觉日子一天天过去——我的头脑越来越清醒，我越来越清楚地看到我生命中的种种事件在我面前列队行进——起初模糊不清，然后逐渐变得清晰有力，我痛苦地低下头，无助地、绝望地痛苦，因为我觉得现在要改变任何事情都太晚了。

3. Hope--Wanderings On The Earth Plane--A Door Of Spiritual Sight
3. 希望——尘世漫游——通往灵性之门

I know not how long this lasted; it seemed a long, long time to me. I was sitting wrapped still in my despair when I heard a voice gentle and soft calling to me--the voice of my beloved--and I felt compelled to rise and follow that voice till it should lead me to her; and as I rose to go the thread which had so bound me seemed to stretch and stretch till I scarce felt its pressure, and I was drawn on and on till at last I found myself in a room which, I could dimly see, even in the darkness that always surrounded me, was familiar to my eyes. It was the home of my beloved one, and in that room I had passed, ah! how many peaceful happy hours in that time which seemed now separated from me by so wide and awful a gulf. She sat at a little table with a sheet of paper before her and a pencil in her hand. She kept repeating my name and saying: “Dearest of friends, if the dead ever return, come back to me, and try if you can make me write a few words from you, even ‘yes’ or ‘no’ in answer to my questions.”
我不知道这持续了多久；对我来说，似乎漫长无比。我静静地坐在那里，沉浸在绝望之中，这时我听到一个温柔的声音在呼唤我——那是我爱人的声音——我感到一种强烈的冲动，要起身跟随这声音，直到它指引我找到她；当我起身时，束缚我的那根线似乎越拉越长，直到我几乎感觉不到它的压力，我被牵引着，一路向前，最终发现自己置身于一个房间，即使在笼罩着我的黑暗中，我也能隐约看到它似曾相识。那是我爱人的家，我曾在那个房间里度过，啊！那段时光里，我曾拥有多少宁静快乐的时光，如今却仿佛被一道巨大而可怕的鸿沟隔开。她坐在小桌旁，面前放着一张纸，手里拿着一支铅笔。她不停地重复着我的名字，说道：“我最亲爱的朋友，如果死者能够复生，请回到我身边，试着让我为你写下几个字，哪怕只是回答我的问题是‘是’或‘否’。”

For the first time since I had died I saw her with a faint smile upon her lips and a look of hope and expectation in those dear eyes that were so heavy with weeping for me. The dear face looked so pale and sad with her grief and I felt--ah! how I felt--the sweetness of the love she had given me, and which now less than ever dare I hope to claim.
自从我死后，我第一次看到她嘴角带着一丝淡淡的微笑，那双因我而泪流满面的亲切眼睛里，闪烁着希望和期盼的光芒。她那张可怜的脸因悲伤而显得苍白而忧伤，我感受到了——啊！我多么真切地感受到了——她曾给予我的那份甜蜜的爱，而如今，我却再也不敢奢望拥有它。

Then I saw three other forms beside her, but they I knew were spirits, yet how unlike myself. These spirits were bright, radiant, so that I could not bear to look at them; the sight seemed to scorch my eyes as with a fire. One was a man, tall, calm, dignified-looking, who bent over her to protect her as her guardian angel might. Beside him stood two fair young men whom I knew at once to be those brothers whom she had so often spoken of to me. They had died when youth with all its pleasures was before them, and their memories were shrined in her heart as those who were now angels. I shrank back, for I felt they saw me, and I sought to cover my disfigured face and form with the dark mantle which I wore. Then my pride awoke, and I said: “Has not she herself called me? I have come, and shall not she be the arbiter of my destiny? Is it so irrevocable that nothing I can do, no sorrow, no repentance however deep, no deeds however great, no work however hard, can reverse it? Is there indeed no hope beyond the grave?”
然后我看到她身旁还有三个身影，我知道他们是精灵，可他们与我多么不同。这些精灵明亮耀眼，我实在无法直视；他们的目光仿佛灼烧着我的眼睛。其中一个是位男子，身材高大，神态沉稳，举止庄重，他俯身在她身边，如同守护天使一般保护着她。他身旁站着两位俊美的青年，我立刻认出他们就是她经常跟我提起的那对兄弟。他们正值青春年华，拥有着无尽的快乐，却英年早逝，他们的音容笑貌如同如今化作天使的他们一样，被她珍藏在心底。我畏缩地后退，因为我感觉他们看到了我，于是我试图用身上的黑色斗篷遮住我残缺的脸庞和身躯。于是我的骄傲觉醒了，我说：“难道不是她亲自召唤了我吗？我已经来了，难道我的命运不应该由她来决定吗？难道这命运真的如此不可逆转，无论我做什么，无论我多么悲伤，无论我多么忏悔，无论我多么伟大，无论我多么努力，都无法改变它？难道死后真的没有希望了吗？”

And a voice, the voice I had heard before at my own grave, answered me: “Son of grief, is there no hope on earth for those who sin? Does not even man forgive the sinner who has wronged him if the sin be repented of and pardon sought? And shall God be less merciful, less just? Hast thou repentance even now? Search thine own heart and see whether it is for thyself or for those thou hast wronged that thou art sorry?”
一个声音，一个我曾在自己坟墓前听到过的声音，回答我：“悲伤之子，难道罪人在世上就没有希望了吗？难道即使是人，如果罪人悔改并寻求宽恕，也不会原谅他吗？难道上帝会因此变得不那么仁慈，不那么公正吗？你现在真的悔改了吗？扪心自问，你究竟是在为自己感到愧疚，还是在为那些被你伤害的人感到愧疚？”

And I knew as he spoke that I did not truly repent. I only suffered. I only loved and longed. then again my beloved spoke and asked me, if I were there and could hear her, to try and write one word through her hand that she might know I still lived, still thought of her.
他说话的时候，我就知道我并没有真正忏悔。我只是在受苦，只是在爱和思念。然后，我心爱的人又开口说话了，她问我，如果我在那里，能听到她的话，能不能试着在她手上写下一个字，让她知道我还活着，我还在想着她。

My heart seemed to rise into my throat and choke me, and I drew near to try if I could move her hand, could touch it even. But the tall spirit came between us, and I was forced to draw back. Then he spoke and said: “Give your words to me and I will cause her hand to write them down for you. I will do this for her sake, and because of the love she has for you.”
我的心仿佛被怦怦直跳，哽咽难言。我凑近她，想看看能不能挪动她的手，甚至能不能触碰到它。但那高大的精灵挡在我们之间，我被迫后退。然后他开口说道：“把你的话告诉我，我会让她的手为你写下来。我这样做是为了她，也因为她对你的爱。”

A great wave of joy swept over me at his words, and I would have taken his hand and kissed it but could not. My hand seemed scorched by his brightness ere I could touch him, and I bowed myself before him for I thought he must be one of the angels.
他的话语让我欣喜若狂，我真想握住他的手亲吻，却怎么也做不到。还没碰到他，我的手仿佛就被他耀眼的光芒灼伤了。我向他鞠躬，因为我觉得他一定是天使之一。

My beloved spoke once more and said: “Are you here, dearest friend?”
我心爱的人再次开口说道：“亲爱的朋友，你在这里吗？”

I answered, “Yes,” and then I saw the spirit put his hand on her, and when he did so her hand wrote the word “yes.” Slowly and unsteadily it moved, like a child’s learning to write. Ah! how she smiled, and again she asked me a question, and as before her own hand traced out my answer. She asked me if there were anything she could do for me, any wish of mine that she could help me to carry out? I said: “No! not now. I would go away now and torment her no more with my presence. I would let her forget me now.”
我回答说：“是的。”然后我看到那精灵把手放在她身上，就在这时，她的手写下了“是”这个字。她的手缓慢而蹒跚地移动着，就像一个孩子在学习写字。啊！她笑了，又问了我一个问题，和之前一样，她的手描摹出了我的答案。她问我有没有什么她能帮我做的，有没有什么愿望她能帮我实现？我说：“不！现在不行。我现在就走，不再用我的存在折磨她。我现在就让她忘记我。”

My heart was so sore as I spoke, so bitter; and ah! how sweet to me was her reply, how it touched my soul to hear her say: “Do not say that to me, for I would ever be your truest, dearest friend, as I was in the past, and since you died my one thought has been to find you and to speak with you again.”
我说话的时候，心里无比痛苦，无比苦涩；啊！她的回答对我来说是多么甜蜜，听到她说：“不要那样对我，因为我永远都会是你最真挚、最亲爱的朋友，就像过去一样，自从你去世后，我唯一的念头就是找到你，再次和你说话。”这句话深深触动了我的灵魂。

And I answered, I called out to her, “It has been my only wish also.”
我回应道，我向她喊道：“这也是我唯一的愿望。”

She then asked if I would come again, and I said “Yes!” For where would I not have gone for her? What would I not have done? Then the bright spirit said she must write no more that night. He made her hand write that also and said she should go to rest.
她问我是否还会再来，我说“会！”为了她，我还能去哪里？我还能做什么？然后，那位明眸的精灵说她当晚不能再写东西了。他让她把这句话也写下来，然后说她应该去休息了。

I felt myself now drawn away once more back to my grave and to my earthly body in that dark churchyard; but not to the same hopeless sense of misery. In spite of everything a spark of hope had risen in my heart, and I knew I should see and speak with her again.
我感觉自己又一次被拉回了坟墓，回到了那阴暗的教堂墓地里，回到了我尘世的躯体；但这一次，我不再感到绝望的痛苦。尽管如此，我的心中还是燃起了一丝希望，我知道我终将再次见到她，与她交谈。

But now I found I was not alone there. Those two spirits who were her brothers had followed me, and now spoke. I shall not state all they said. Suffice it to say they pointed out to me how wide was now the gulf between their sister and myself, and asked me if I desired to shadow all her young life with my dark presence. If I left her now, she would, in time, forget me, except as one who had been a dear friend to her. She could always think tenderly of my memory, and surely if I loved her truly I would not wish to make all her young life lonely and desolate for my sake.
但现在我发现自己并非孤身一人。那两个她的兄弟——他们的灵魂——一直跟着我，现在开口说话了。我不打算复述他们说的话。总之，他们指出我和他们妹妹之间如今已隔着多么巨大的鸿沟，并问我是否愿意用我的阴霾笼罩她整个年轻的生命。如果我现在离开她，她终究会忘记我，只会记得我曾是她挚友。她会永远温柔地怀念我，如果我真的爱她，我怎会为了自己而让她整个年轻的生命都孤独凄凉呢？

I replied that I loved her, and could never bear to leave her, never bear to think of any other, loving her as I had done.
我回答说我爱她，我永远无法忍受离开她，永远无法忍受去想其他任何人，像我爱她一样爱她。

Then they spoke of myself and my past, and asked if I dared to think of linking myself with her pure life, even in the misty fashion in which I still hoped to do? How could I hope that when she died I should meet her? She belonged to a bright sphere to which I could not hope for a long time to rise, and would it not be better for her, and nobler, more truly loving of me, to leave her to forget me and to find what happiness in life could yet be given to her, rather than seek to keep alive a love that could only bring her sorrow?
然后他们谈起我和我的过去，问我是否敢于幻想与她纯洁的生命相连，哪怕是以我仍然抱有的那种朦胧的希望？我怎能奢望在她离世时与她重逢？她属于一个光明的领域，我恐怕很久都无法企及。难道让她忘记我，去寻找生命中仅存的幸福，对她而言不是更好吗？难道这不是更高尚、更真挚的爱吗？难道不是我苦苦维系一段只会给她带来痛苦的爱情吗？

I said faintly I thought she loved me. They said: “Yes, she loves you as she herself has idealized your image in her mind, and as she in her innocence has painted your picture. Do you think if she knew all your story she would love you? Would she not shrink back in horror from you? Tell her the truth, give her the choice of freedom from your presence, and you will have acted a nobler part and shown a truer love than in deceiving her and seeking to tie her to a being like yourself. If you truly love her, think of her and her happiness, and what will bring it--not of yourself alone.”
我轻声说，我觉得她爱我。他们说：“是的，她爱你，因为她心中已经把你理想化了，就像她天真无邪地描绘出你的模样一样。你觉得如果她知道你的全部故事，还会爱你吗？她会不会吓得躲开你？告诉她真相，让她选择离开你，这样你做的才更有意义，也更能展现真爱，而不是欺骗她，试图把她束缚在你这样的人身上。如果你真的爱她，就想想她，想想她的幸福，想想什么才能让她幸福——而不是只想着你自己。”

Then the hope within me died out, and I bowed my head to the dust in shame and agony, for I knew that I was vile and in no way fit for her, and I saw as in a glass what her life might still be freed from mine. She might know happiness yet with another more worthy than I had been, while with my love I would only drag her down into sadness with me. For the first time in my life I put the happiness of another before my own, and because I so loved her and would have had her happy, I said to them: “Let it be so, then. Tell her the truth, and let her say but one kind word to me in farewell, and I will go from her and darken her life with the shadow of mine no more.”
于是，我心中的希望彻底破灭，羞愧和痛苦让我低头认错，因为我知道自己卑微不堪，根本不配配她。我仿佛从镜子里看到了，如果她能摆脱我的束缚，她的人生将会多么美好。她或许能与一个比我更值得的人在一起，获得真正的幸福；而我的爱只会将她拖入无尽的悲伤。我生平第一次将他人的幸福置于自身之上。因为我如此深爱她，多么希望她幸福，所以我对他们说：“那就这样吧。告诉她真相，让她在临别时对我说一句温暖的话，我便会离开她，不再用我的阴影笼罩她的生活。”

So we went back to her, and I saw her as she slept exhausted with her sorrow for me. I pleaded that they would let me give her one kiss, the first and last that I would ever give. But they said no, that was impossible, for my touch would snap forever the thread that held her still to life.
于是我们回到她身边，我看到她因思念我而疲惫地睡着了。我恳求他们让我吻她一次，这将是我此生第一次，也是最后一次。但他们说不行，这不可能，因为我的触碰会永远斩断维系她生命的那根线。

然后他们叫醒了她，逼她写下他们的话，我站在一旁，听着每一个字都像钉子一样钉入棺材，他们把我的最后希望永远埋葬了。她如同梦中人一般继续写着，直到我一生中所有可耻的故事都被写完，而我只需亲口告诉她，我们之间的一切都结束了，她终于摆脱了我的罪恶和自私的爱。我向她道别。那些话语如同从我心中挤出的鲜血，又如同冰冷的冰块砸在她的心上，将她彻底粉碎。然后我转身离开了她——我不知道是怎么离开的——但在我离开的那一刻，我感到束缚我于坟墓和肉身的绳索断裂了，我自由了——可以自由地游荡到任何我想去的地方——独自一人，在这片荒芜之中！

然后呢？啊，我！当我写下这些文字时，感激的泪水再次涌上眼眶，我几乎要崩溃了；而那个我们曾认为如此柔弱温柔，以至于我们不得不替她做决定的人，却用无人能抗拒的爱的力量将我召唤回来——召唤我回到她身边。她说，只要我对她还有爱，她就永远不会放弃我。“无论你的过去如何；无论你现在沉沦到地狱的最深处，我依然爱你，依然追随你，依然坚持我的权利——我爱的权利——去帮助你、安慰你、珍惜你，直到上帝慈悲地宽恕你的过去，让你重获新生。”就在那时，我崩溃了，像一个坚强骄傲的男人那样哭泣，他的心曾被撕裂、被摧残、被磨砺，然后被一只充满爱意的手温柔地触碰，泪水夺眶而出，让他得以释放内心的伤痛。

I went back to my love and knelt down beside her, and though they would not let me touch her, that calm beautiful spirit who was her guardian whispered to her that her prayer was answered, and that she should indeed lead me back to the light. And so I left my darling, and as I passed away I saw a white angel’s form hover over her to give her strength and comfort, who was herself my angel of light. I left her thus with those spirits, and went forth to wander till her voice should call me to her side again.
我回到爱人身边，跪在她身旁。虽然众神不让我触碰她，但她那宁静美丽的守护灵却轻声告诉她，她的祈祷已蒙应允，她也必将引领我重返光明。于是，我离开了我的爱人。临终之际，我看到一个白色的天使身影盘旋在她上方，给予她力量和慰藉。那天使本身就是我的光明天使。我就这样将她托付给那些灵体，独自踏上漫漫旅程，直到她再次召唤我回到她身边。

After the short troubled sleep into which those bright spirits had put her, my darling awoke the next day, and went to visit a kind good man whom she had discovered in her efforts to find some way by which she might reach me even beyond the grave.
在那些明亮的精灵让她短暂而不安地睡去之后，我的爱人第二天醒来，去拜访了一位善良的好人，她在努力寻找某种方法，以便在死后也能与我相聚时，发现了这位好人。

If it might be that what she had been told about those people who were called Spiritualists was really true, she hoped through their aid to speak again with me, and prompted by those who were watching over her, she had searched out this man who was known as a healing medium, and by him she had been told that if she herself tried, she could write messages from the so-called dead.
如果她听说的关于那些被称为唯灵论者的人的事情是真的，她希望借助他们的力量再次与我交谈。在守护着她的人的指引下，她找到了这位被称为灵媒的人，他告诉她，如果她自己尝试，她就可以写出来自所谓死者的信息。

This I did not learn till later. At the time I only felt myself summoned by the voice of her whose power over me was so great, and in obedience to it I found myself standing in what I could dimly distinguish to be a small room. I say dimly, because all was still dark to me save only where the light around my darling shone as a star and showed faintly what was near.
这件事我后来才知道。当时我只觉得是被她的声音召唤，她对我有着强大的影响力，于是我顺从地站在一个隐约可见的小房间里。我说“隐约可见”，是因为除了我爱人周围的灯光如同星光般闪耀，勉强照亮了周围的事物之外，其他一切都一片漆黑。

It was to this good man of whom I speak that she had gone, and it was her voice speaking to him that had drawn me. She was telling him what had passed the night before, and how much she loved me, and how she would gladly give all her life if by so doing she could comfort and help me. And that man spoke such kind words to her--from my heart I thanked and still thank him for them. He gave me so much hope. He pointed out to my dear love that the ties of the earth body are broken at its death, and I was free to love her and she was free to return that love--that she herself better than any other could in truth help to raise me, for her love would give me comfort and hope as nothing else would do, and would cheer my path of repentant effort. And she had now the best of rights to give it, my love for her had been so pure and true a passion, while hers for me was stronger than death itself, since it had overcome the barrier of death. He was so kind, this man--he helped me to speak to her, and to explain many things as I could not have done the night before when my heart was so sore and full of pride. He helped me to tell what of excuse there had been for me in the past, though I owned that nothing can truly excuse our sins. He let me tell her that in spite of all the wrong of my past she had been to me as one sacred--loved with a love I had given to none but herself. He soothed and strengthened her with a kindness for which I blessed him even more than for his help to myself, and when she left him at last I, too, went with her to her home, the light of hope in both our hearts.
她就是去了这位我所说的善良男子那里，正是她对他说的话吸引了我。她告诉他昨晚发生的一切，她有多爱我，如果能以此安慰和帮助我，她愿意付出一切。那位男子对她说了那么温暖的话——我由衷地感谢他，至今仍然感激不尽。他给了我莫大的希望。他告诉我的爱人，肉身的束缚会在死亡时断裂，我可以自由地爱她，她也可以自由地回应我的爱——她比任何人都更能真正地帮助我重拾希望，因为她的爱能给我带来其他任何事物都无法给予的安慰和希望，并能鼓舞我悔改的道路。而她现在最有资格给予我这份爱，我对她的爱是如此纯粹而真挚，而她对我的爱比死亡本身还要强大，因为它已经超越了死亡的屏障。他真是个好人——他帮我跟她说话，解释了很多我前一天晚上因为内心痛苦和骄傲而无法解释的事情。他帮我坦白过去我有哪些可以原谅的地方，尽管我承认，没有什么能真正为我们的罪过开脱。他让我告诉她，尽管我过去犯了那么多错，但她在我心中依然神圣——我曾用只爱她一个人的爱去爱她。他用他的善意安慰她、鼓励她，我为此感激他，甚至超过了感激他帮助我。最后她离开他的时候，我也陪她回家了，我们心中都燃起了希望之光。

And when we got there I found that a fresh barrier was raised up by those two spirit brothers and others to whom she was dear; an invisible wall surrounded her through which I could not pass, and though I might follow her about I could not get very near. Then I said to myself that I would go back to the kind man and see if he would help me.
到了那里，我发现那两位灵界兄弟和其他与她亲近的人又筑起了一道新的屏障；一道无形的墙将她包围，我无法穿过，虽然我可以跟着她，却无法靠近。于是我心想，我还是回去找那位好心人，看看他是否愿意帮帮我。

My wish seemed to carry me back, for I soon found myself there again. He was at once conscious of my presence, and strange as it may seem, I found that he could understand much, although not all, that I said to him. He gathered the sense of what I wanted to say, and told me many things I shall not set down here since they concerned only myself. He assured me that if I were only patient all would be well in time, and though the relations might build their spiritual wall around my love, her will would at all times draw me through it to her, and nothing could shut out her love from me; no walls could keep that back. If I would seek now to learn the things of the spirit, and work to advance myself, the gulf between us would disappear. Comforted I left him and wandered away again, I knew not where.
我的愿望似乎把我带了回去，因为我很快又回到了那里。他立刻察觉到我的存在，虽然听起来很奇怪，但我发现他能听懂我说的大部分话，尽管并非全部。他领会了我的意思，并告诉我许多事，这些事我只关心我自己，所以就不在这里赘述了。他向我保证，只要我耐心等待，一切都会好起来的。即使亲戚们会在我的爱周围筑起一道精神的围墙，她的意志也会始终引领我穿过这道围墙，走向她，没有什么能阻挡她对我的爱；没有任何墙能阻挡这份爱。如果我现在努力学习精神层面的知识，努力提升自己，我们之间的鸿沟就会消失。我感到安慰，离开了他，再次漫无目的地走着，不知去向何方。

I was now beginning to be dimly conscious that there were other beings like myself flitting about near me in the darkness, though I could scarce see them. I was so lost and lonely that I thought of going back to my grave again, as it was the spot most familiar to me, and my thought seemed to take me back, for soon I was there once more.
我开始隐约意识到，黑暗中还有其他像我一样的生物在我附近游荡，虽然我几乎看不见它们。我感到如此迷茫和孤独，于是想着回到我的坟墓，因为那是我最熟悉的地方。我的思绪似乎真的把我带回了那里，很快，我又一次来到了那里。

The flowers that my love had brought me were faded now. She had not been there for two days; since speaking to me she seemed to forget the body that was laid away in the earth, and this to me was well, and I would have had it so. It was well for her to forget the dead body and think only of the living spirit.
我爱人送我的花已经凋谢了。她已经两天没来了；自从跟我说话后，她似乎忘记了埋葬在土里的那具尸体，我觉得这样挺好，我也希望如此。她忘记了尸体，只想着活着的灵魂，这很好。

Even these withered flowers spoke of her love, and I tried to pick up one, a white rose, to carry away with me. I found I could not lift it, could not move it in the least. My hand passed through it as though it was but the reflection of a rose.
就连这些枯萎的花朵也诉说着她的爱，我试着摘下一朵，一朵白玫瑰，想把它带走。却发现我根本拿不动它，一点也动不了。我的手穿过它，仿佛它只是玫瑰的倒影。

I moved round to where there was a white marble cross at the head of the grave, and I saw there the names of my beloved one’s two brothers. Then I knew what she had done in her love for me; she had laid my body to rest beside those she had loved best of all. My heart was so touched that again I wept, and my tears fell like dew upon my heart and melted away its bitterness.
我绕到墓前，那里立着一座白色大理石十字架，我看到了上面刻着我挚爱之人两位兄弟的名字。那一刻，我明白了她为我所做的一切：她将我的遗体安葬在她最爱的人身旁。我的心被深深触动，再次潸然泪下，泪水如同甘露般洒落在心上，融化了所有的苦涩。

I was so lonely that at last I rose and wandered away again amongst other dark wandering shapes, few of whom even turned to look at me; perhaps like myself they scarcely saw. Presently, however, three dark forms which seemed like two women and a man passed near me, and then turned and followed. The man touched my arm and said: “Where are you bound for? Surely you are newly come over to this side, or you would not hurry on so; none hurry here because we all know we have eternity to wander in.” Then he laughed a laugh so cold and harsh in tone it made me shudder. One of the women took my arm on one side and one on the other, saying: “Come away with us and we will show you how you may enjoy life even though you are dead! If we have not got bodies to enjoy ourselves through we will borrow them from some mortals for a little. Come with us and we will show you that all pleasure is not ended yet.”
我感到无比孤独，最终起身再次游荡，周围都是些游荡的黑影，几乎没人回头看我；或许他们和我一样，根本就看不见我。然而，没过多久，三个黑影——看起来像是两男一女——从我身边经过，然后转身跟了上来。男人碰了碰我的胳膊，问道：“你要去哪儿？想必你是刚来这边的，不然不会这么匆忙；这里没人会匆匆忙忙，因为我们都知道，我们有永恒的时间可以游荡。”说完，他发出了一声冰冷刺耳的笑声，让我不寒而栗。一个女人抓住我的胳膊，另一个女人抓住我的胳膊，说道：“跟我们走吧，我们会让你知道，即使死了也能享受生活！如果我们没有肉身来享受，我们就从凡人那里借来一具，体验片刻。跟我们走吧，我们会让你知道，所有的快乐都还没有结束。”

In my loneliness I was glad to have some being to speak to, that although they were all three most repulsive looking--the women to my mind even more so than the man--I felt inclined to let them lead me away and see what would happen, and I had even turned to accompany them when afar off in the dim distance, like a picture traced in light on a black sky, I saw the spirit form of my pure sweet love. Her eyes were closed as I had seen her in my first vision, but as before her hands were stretched out to me and her voice fell like a voice from heaven on my ears, saying: “Oh! take care! take care! go not with them; they are not good, and their road leads only to destruction.” Then the vision was gone, and as one waking from a dream I shook those three persons from me and hurried away again in the darkness. How long and how far I wandered I know not. I kept hurrying on to get away from the memories that haunted me and I seemed to have all space to wander in.
孤独之中，我很高兴能有人与我交谈。尽管他们三个长相都极其丑陋——在我看来，那三个女人比那个男人更甚——我还是忍不住想让他们带我走，看看会发生什么。我甚至转身要跟他们走，这时，在远处昏暗的夜空中，如同光线在黑色的天空中勾勒出的一幅画，我看到了我纯洁甜蜜的爱人的灵魂。她的眼睛像我第一次见到她时那样紧闭着，但她的手像之前一样向我伸出，她的声音如同天籁之音般传入我的耳中，说道：“哦！小心！小心！不要跟他们走；他们不好，他们的道路只会通往毁灭。”然后，幻象消失了，我如同从梦中醒来一般，甩开那三个人，再次匆匆消失在黑暗中。我不知道自己走了多久，走了多远。我一直匆匆赶路，想要逃离那些萦绕心头的回忆，似乎我有足够的空间可以自由漫步。

At last I sat down on the ground to rest--for there seemed to be ground solid enough to rest upon--and while I sat there I saw glimmering through the darkness a light. As I drew near it I saw a great haze of light radiating from a room which I could see, but it was so bright it hurt my eyes to look upon it as would looking at the noon-day sun on earth have done. I could not bear it and would have turned away, when a voice said: “Stay, weary wanderer! Here are only kind hearts and helping hands for you. And if you would see your love, come in, for she is here and you may speak with her.” Then I felt a hand--for I could see no one--draw my mantle over my head to shut out the brightness of the light, and then lead me into the room and seat me in a large chair. I was so weary, so weary, and so glad to rest. And in this room there was such peace, it seemed to me that I had found my way to heaven.
最后，我终于在地上坐了下来休息——因为这里似乎有足够坚实的地面可以让我落脚——我坐在那里，看到黑暗中闪烁着一丝光亮。走近后，我看到一团浓重的光晕从一个房间里透出来，我能看见那个房间，但那光芒太过刺眼，就像直视地球上正午的太阳一样。我实在无法忍受，正要转身离开，这时一个声音说道：“留下来吧，疲惫的旅人！这里只有善良的心和伸出的援手。如果你想见你的爱人，就进来吧，她就在这里，你可以和她说话。”然后，我感到一只手——因为我看不见任何人——将我的斗篷盖在我的头上，遮住了刺眼的光芒，然后领我走进房间，让我坐在一张大椅子上。我如此疲惫，如此疲惫，如此渴望休息。在这个房间里，我感到无比宁静，仿佛找到了通往天堂的路。

After a little I looked up and saw two gentle, kindly women who were like angels to my eyes, and I said to myself, “I have come near to heaven surely?” Again I looked, and by this time my eyes seemed strengthened, for beyond those two fair good women--and at first I could scarce believe it, so great was my joy--I saw my beloved herself smiling sadly but tenderly at where I sat. She smiled, but I knew she did not really see me; one of the ladies did though, and she was describing me to my darling in a low quiet voice. My darling seemed so pleased, for it confirmed to her what the man had told her. She had been telling these ladies what a remarkable experience she had had, and how it seemed to her like a strange dream. I could have cried out to her then that I was truly there, that I still lived, still loved her, and was trusting in her love for me, but I could not move, some spell was over me, some power I could dimly feel was holding me back.
过了一会儿，我抬起头，看到两位温柔善良的妇人，在我眼里她们就像天使一样。我心想：“我这是真的到了天堂吗？”我又抬头望去，这时我的视力似乎增强了，因为越过这两位美丽善良的妇人——起初我简直不敢相信，因为我的喜悦如此巨大——我看到了我心爱的姑娘，她正带着一丝忧伤却又温柔的微笑望着我。她笑了，但我知道她并没有真正看到我；不过，其中一位妇人看到了，她正用低沉而轻柔的声音向我的爱人描述着我。我的爱人似乎很高兴，因为这证实了那个男人告诉她的话。她一直在跟这两位妇人讲述她那段奇妙的经历，说那感觉就像一场奇异的梦。那时我真想大声告诉她，我真的在这里，我还活着，我还爱着她，并且相信她也爱我，但我动弹不得，仿佛被某种魔咒控制着，某种我隐约感觉到的力量在阻止我。

And then those two kind ladies spoke and I knew they were not angels yet, for they were still in their earthly bodies and she could see and speak to them. They said much of what the kind good man had done, as to the hope there was for sinners like me.
然后，那两位善良的女士开口说话了。我知道她们还不是天使，因为她们仍然拥有尘世的肉身，她能看见她们，也能和她们交谈。她们讲述了那位善良的男士所做的一切，以及像我这样的罪人所拥有的希望。

The same voice which had bidden me to enter, now asked would I like one of the ladies to write a message for me. I said, “Yes! a thousand times yes!”
刚才招呼我进去的声音，现在问我是否需要一位女士帮我写个留言。我说：“当然！一千个当然！”

Then I spoke my words and the spirit caused the lady to write them down. I said to my beloved that I still lived, still loved her. I bid her never to forget me, never to cease to think of me, for I required all her love and help to sustain me--I was ever the same to her though now I was weak and helpless and could not make her see me. And she, ah! she gave me such sweet words in return I cannot write them down; they are too sacred to me, and still rest in my heart for evermore.
于是我诉说了我的心声，神灵指引那位女士将它们记录下来。我对我的爱人说，我依然活着，依然爱着她。我恳求她永远不要忘记我，永远不要忘记我，因为我需要她所有的爱和帮助才能活下去——尽管如今我虚弱无助，无法让她看见我，但我对她而言依然如故。而她，啊！她回以我如此甜蜜的话语，我无法将它们记录下来；它们对我来说太过神圣，将永远铭刻在我的心中。

The period that followed this interview was one of deep sleep for me. I was so exhausted that when I left that room I wandered on a little way and then sank down upon the ground in deep dreamless unconsciousness. What did it matter where I rested when all was as night around me?
这次采访之后，我陷入了沉睡。我筋疲力尽，离开房间后漫无目的地走了一小段路，然后便瘫倒在地，陷入了无梦的昏睡之中。周围一片漆黑，我在哪里休息又有什么关系呢？

How long my sleep lasted I know not. At that period I had no means of counting time save by the amount of suffering and misery through which I passed. From my slumbers I awoke refreshed in a measure, and with all my senses stronger in me than before. I could move more rapidly; my limbs felt stronger and freer, and I was now conscious of a desire to eat I had not felt before. My longing grew so great that I went in search of food, and for a long time could find none anywhere. At last I found what looked like hard dry bread--a few crusts only, but I was glad to eat them, whereupon I felt more satisfied. Here I may say that spirits do eat the spiritual counterpart of your food, do feel both hunger and thirst, as keen to them as your appetites are to you on earth, although neither our food nor our drink would be any more visible to your material sight than our spiritual bodies are, and yet for us they possess objective reality. Had I been a drunkard or a lover of the pleasures of the table in my earthly body I should much sooner have felt the cravings of appetite. As it was, nature with me had ever been easily satisfied, and though at first I turned from those dry crusts in disgust a little reflection told me that I had now no way of procuring anything, I was like a beggar and had better content myself with a beggar’s fare.
我睡了多久，我不得而知。那时，我除了承受的痛苦和磨难之外，别无他法来计算时间。睡醒后，我感到精神焕发，五官也比之前更加敏锐。我行动更加敏捷，四肢也更加有力、更加灵活，而且我突然有了以前从未有过的食欲。这种渴望愈发强烈，我四处寻找食物，却迟迟无果。最后，我找到了一些看起来像是又硬又干的面包——只有几块面包皮，但我很高兴地吃了下去，顿觉心满意足。在此，我想说，灵体也会食用你们食物的灵性对应物，也会感受到饥饿和口渴，这种感觉对它们来说如同你们在尘世间的食欲一样强烈。尽管我们的食物和饮料对你们的物质视觉来说，并不比我们的灵体更清晰可见，但对我们而言，它们却具有客观的真实性。如果我生前是个酒鬼，或是嗜食美食之人，我早就感受到食欲的侵袭了。然而，我生性易满足，起初我对那些干巴巴的面包皮感到厌恶，但稍加思索便知，如今我已无计可施，如同乞丐一般，最好还是安于乞丐的温饱。

My thoughts had now turned to my beloved again, and the thoughts carried my spirit with them, so that I found myself entering once more the room where I had last seen her and the two ladies. This time I seemed to pass in at once, and was received by two spirit men whom I could but very faintly see. A veil seemed to hang between us, through which I saw those two spirit men, the ladies and my beloved. I was told that I might again give a message to her through the lady who had written my words before. I was so anxious to try if I could not make my darling write down my words herself as I had seen her guardian spirit do, that I was allowed to try. To my disappointment I found I could not do it; she was deaf to all I said, and I had to give up that idea and let the lady write for me as before. After I had given my message I rested for a short time and watched my beloved one’s sweet face, as I had been wont to do in other happier days. My musings were interrupted by one of those spirit men--a grave, handsome young man he seemed to be so far as I could see him. He spoke to me in a quiet kindly voice, and said that if I truly desired to write my own words through my darling herself, it would be well for me to join a brotherhood of penitents who like myself desired to follow out the better way, and with them I should learn many things of which I was yet ignorant, and which would help me to fit myself to control her mind as well as give me the privilege I sought of being with her at times while she dwelt on earth. This way of repentance was hard, he said--very hard--the steps many, the toil and suffering great, but it led to a fair and happy land at last where I should rest in happiness such as I could not dream of now. He assured me (even as the kind earthly man had done) that my deformed body, which I was still so anxious to hide from my beloved one’s eyes, would change as my spirit changed, till I should be once more fair to look upon, such as she would no longer grieve to see. Were I to remain upon the earth plane as I now was, I should most likely be drawn back into my former haunts of so-called pleasure, and in that atmosphere of spiritual degradation I should soon lose the power to be near my darling at all. For her own sake those who guarded her would be obliged to exclude me. On the other hand, were I to join this brotherhood (which was one of hope and endeavor), I should be so helped, so strengthened, and so taught, that when in due course my time came to return to the earth plane, I should have acquired a strength and an armor that could resist its temptations.
我的思绪再次飘向了我的爱人，这思绪带着我的灵魂，让我再次走进了上次见到她和两位女士的房间。这一次，我似乎一下子就进去了，接待我的是两位灵体，但我只能隐约看到他们的身影。仿佛有一层面纱悬在我们之间，透过这层面纱，我看到了那两位灵体、两位女士以及我的爱人。他们告诉我，我可以再次通过之前帮我写下话语的那位女士向她传达信息。我非常渴望尝试，如果我无法让我的爱人像她的守护灵那样亲自写下我的话，我便被允许试一试。令我失望的是，我发现自己做不到；她对我的话充耳不闻，我只好放弃这个想法，像以前一样让那位女士帮我写下来。传达完信息后，我休息了一会儿，凝视着我爱人甜美的脸庞，就像我在其他快乐的日子里常常做的那样。我的沉思被一位灵体打断了——就我所见，他是一位神情严肃、相貌英俊的年轻人。他用平静而和蔼的声音对我说，如果我真的想通过我心爱的人来表达我的心意，最好加入一个忏悔者的兄弟会，他们和我一样渴望走上正途。和他们在一起，我能学到许多我尚不了解的事情，这些知识将帮助我更好地引导她的思想，并让我有机会在她还在世时陪伴在她身边。他说，这条忏悔之路很艰难——非常艰难——步骤繁多，辛劳和痛苦巨大，但最终会通往一个美好幸福的国度，在那里我将安息于我如今无法想象的幸福之中。他向我保证（就像那位善良的凡人一样），我那畸形的身躯——我仍然如此渴望不让心爱的人看到——会随着我灵魂的改变而改变，直到我再次容光焕发，让她不再为我的容貌而悲伤。如果我继续像现在这样留在尘世，我极有可能再次沉溺于我过去所谓的享乐之地，在那种精神堕落的氛围中，我很快就会失去靠近我爱人的能力。为了她，那些守护她的人也不得不将我拒之门外。另一方面，如果我加入这个充满希望和奋斗的兄弟会，我将得到帮助、力量和教导，以至于当我重返尘世之时，我将拥有足以抵御尘世诱惑的力量和盔甲。

I listened to the words of this grave, courteous spirit with wonder and a growing desire to know more of this brotherhood of whom he spoke, and begged he would take me to them. This he assured me he would do, and he also explained that I should be there of my own free will and choice only. Did I desire at any time to leave I could at once do so. “All are free in the Spirit world,” he said. “All must follow only where their own wishes and desires lead them. If you study to cultivate the higher desires, means will be given you to attain them, and you will be strengthened with such help and strength as you may need. You are one who has never learned the power of prayer. You will learn it now, for all things come by earnest prayer, whether you are conscious that you pray or not. For good or for evil your desires are as prayers and call around you good or evil powers to answer them for you.”
我满怀惊奇地聆听着这位庄重而谦逊的灵体的话语，心中涌起一股强烈的渴望，想要更多地了解他所说的这个兄弟会，于是恳求他带我去见见他们。他向我保证会这么做，并解释说我必须完全出于自己的自由意志和选择才能去那里。如果我随时想要离开，都可以立刻离开。“在灵界，人人都是自由的，”他说。“每个人都必须追随自己内心的愿望和渴望。如果你努力培养更高的愿望，就会得到实现它们的途径，你也会得到所需的帮助和力量。你从未领悟过祈祷的力量。现在你将会学会，因为万物都源于真诚的祈祷，无论你是否意识到自己在祈祷。无论好坏，你的愿望都如同祈祷，会召唤善或恶的力量来回应你。”

As I was again growing weary and exhausted, he suggested that I should bid adieu to my darling for a time. He explained that I should gain more strength as well as permit her to do so if I left her for the time I was to remain in this place of which he spoke. It would also be well that she should not try to write for three months, as her mediumistic powers had been greatly tried, and if she did not rest them she would be much impaired, while I would require all that time to learn even the simple lessons needful before I could control her.
当我再次感到疲惫不堪时，他建议我暂时与我的爱人告别。他解释说，如果我离开她一段时间，待在他所说的这个地方，我既能恢复体力，也能让她得到休息。他还说，她最好三个月内不要尝试写作，因为她的通灵能力已经过度消耗，如果不休息，她的能力会大打折扣；而我也需要这段时间学习一些简单的技巧，才能控制她。

Ah! me, how hard it seemed to us both to make this promise, but she set me the example, and I could but follow it. If she would try to be strong and patient so should I, and I registered a vow that if the God I had so long forgotten would remember and pardon me now, I would give all my life and all my powers to undo the wrongs that I had done; and so it was that I left for a time the troubled earth plane of the spirit world of which I had as yet seen so little, but in which I was yet to see and suffer so much. As I left the room to go with my new guide I turned to my love and waved my hand in farewell, and asked that the good angels and the God I dare not pray to for myself might bless her and keep her safe for evermore, and the last thing I saw was her tender eyes following me with that look of love and hope which was to sustain me through many a weary, painful hour.
啊！我们俩都觉得许下这个承诺是多么艰难，但她为我树立了榜样，我只能效仿。如果她能努力坚强和耐心，我也应该如此。我暗下誓言，如果我早已遗忘的神此刻能够记起我并宽恕我，我将倾尽所有，用我全部的力量来弥补我所犯下的罪过。就这样，我暂时离开了尘世间纷扰的灵界，虽然我对灵界知之甚少，但我却还要经历和承受许多苦难。当我离开房间，跟随我的新向导时，我转身向我的爱人挥手告别，祈求善良的天使和那位我不敢为自己祈祷的神保佑她，让她永远平安。我最后看到的，是她温柔的眼神，那充满爱与希望的目光注视着我，这眼神将支撑我度过无数疲惫痛苦的时刻。

4. The Brotherhood Of Hope
4. 希望兄弟会

In the spirit world there are many strange places, many wondrous sights, and many organizations for helping repentant souls, but I have never seen anything more strange in its way than this Home of Help, conducted by the Brotherhood of Hope, to which I was now conducted. In the then feeble condition of all my spiritual faculties I was not able to see what the place was like. I was almost like one who is deaf, dumb and blind. When I was with others I could scarcely see or hear them, or make them hear me, and although I could see a little, it was more as though I was in a perfectly dark room with only one small feeble glimmer of light to show me where I went. On the earth plane I had not felt this so much, for though all was darkness I could both see and hear enough to be conscious of those near me. It was in ascending even to the little distance at which this place was above the earth that I felt the absence of all but the most material developments of my spirit.
在灵界，有许多奇特的地方，许多奇妙的景象，以及许多帮助悔改灵魂的组织，但我从未见过比这所由希望兄弟会管理的“援助之家”更奇特的地方，而我此刻正被引向这里。当时我的灵性能力极其虚弱，根本无法看清这个地方的模样。我几乎就像一个又聋又哑又瞎的人。当我和其他人在一起时，我几乎看不见也听不见他们，也无法让他们听到我的声音。虽然我能看见一点东西，但感觉就像身处一个漆黑的房间，只有一丝微弱的光线指引着我前进的方向。在地球上，我并没有这种感觉，因为即使周围一片黑暗，我依然能够看见和听见，足以感知到身边的人。然而，就在我升到这个地方离地球如此之近的高度时，我才感到除了最基本的物质层面之外，我的灵性几乎完全消失了。

That time of darkness was so awful to me that even now I scarce like to recall it, I had so loved the sunshine and the light. I came from a land where all is sunshine and brightness, where the colors are so rich, the sky so clear, the flowers and the scenery so beautiful, and I so loved light and warmth and melody; and here as elsewhere since my death I had found only darkness and coldness and gloom; an appalling, enshrouding gloom, that wrapped me round like a mantle of night from which I could in no way free myself; and this awful gloom crushed my spirit as nothing else could have done. I had been proud and haughty on earth. I came of a race that knew not what it was to bow before anyone. In my veins ran the blood of its haughty nobles. Through my mother I was allied to the great ones of earth whose ambitions had moved kingdoms to their will; and now the lowest, humblest, poorest beggar of my native streets was greater, happier than I, for he at least had the sunshine and the free air, and I was as the lowest, most degraded prisoner in the dungeon cell.
那段黑暗的时光对我来说如此可怕，以至于现在我都不愿回想。我曾如此热爱阳光和光明。我来自一个阳光灿烂、充满光明的国度，那里色彩斑斓，天空澄澈，鲜花盛开，风景秀丽。我如此热爱光明、温暖和美妙的旋律；然而，自从我死后，我在这里和其他地方一样，只感受到黑暗、寒冷和阴郁；一种可怕的、笼罩一切的阴郁，像一件黑夜的斗篷一样将我紧紧包裹，我根本无法挣脱；这种可怕的阴郁摧毁了我的精神，没有任何其他事物能够做到这一点。我生前骄傲自大。我来自一个从不懂得谦卑的种族。我的血管里流淌着他们高傲贵族的血液。通过我的母亲，我与那些野心勃勃、曾将王国拱手让人的伟人结盟；现在，我故乡街头最卑微、最贫穷的乞丐都比我更伟大、更幸福，因为他至少拥有阳光和自由的空气，而我却像地牢里最卑微、最堕落的囚犯一样。

Had it not been for my one star of hope, my angel of light, and the hopes she had given me through her love, I must have sunk into the apathy of despair. But when I thought of her waiting, as she had vowed she would do all her life for me, when I recalled her sweet and tender smile and the loving words she had spoken to me, my heart and my courage revived again, and I strove to endure, to be patient, to be strong. And I had need of all to help me, for from now began a period of suffering and conflict I shall in vain seek to make anyone fully realize.
若非有我心中唯一的希望之星，我的光明天使，以及她用爱给予我的希望，我恐怕早已沉沦于绝望的麻木之中。但每当我想到她如她所愿，终生为我守候，每当我回想起她温柔甜美的笑容，以及她对我说的那些充满爱意的话语，我的心和勇气便再次复苏，我努力忍耐，努力保持耐心，努力变得坚强。我需要所有人的帮助，因为从今往后，我将经历一段痛苦与挣扎的时期，而我无论如何也无法让任何人完全体会到这一切。

This place where I was now I could barely see in all its details. It was like a huge prison--dim and misty in its outlines. Later on I saw it was a great building of dark grey stone (as solid to my eyes as earthly stone) with many long passages, some long large halls or rooms, but mostly composed of innumerable little cells with scarcely any light and only the barest of furniture. Each spirit had only what he had earned by his earthly life, and some had nothing but the little couch whereon they lay and suffered. For all suffered there. It was the House of Sorrow, yet it was also a House of Hope, for all there were striving upwards to the light, and for each had begun the time of hope. Each had his foot planted upon the lowest rung of the ladder of hope by which he should in time mount even to heaven itself.
我此刻身处的这个地方，细节模糊不清，宛如一座巨大的监狱——轮廓朦胧，朦胧不清。后来我才看清，那是一座巨大的建筑，由深灰色的石头砌成（在我眼中，它如同尘世的石头般坚硬），里面有许多长长的通道，一些宽敞的大厅或房间，但大部分是由无数狭小的牢房组成，几乎没有光线，家具也极其简陋。每个灵魂都只有他尘世生活挣来的钱财，有些人甚至只有一张小小的卧榻，躺在上面忍受痛苦。因为所有人都饱受折磨。这里是悲伤之屋，但也是希望之屋，因为所有人都在努力向上攀登，渴望光明，每个人都已开启了希望的旅程。每个人都踏上了希望之梯的最底层，终有一天，他们将攀登至天堂。

In my own little cell there was but my bed, a table and a chair--nothing more. I spent my time in resting or meditating in my cell, and going with those who, like myself, soon grew strong enough to hear the lectures which were delivered to us in the great hall. Very impressive those lectures were; told in the form of a story, but always so as to bring home to the mind of each of us those things wherein we had done wrong. Great pains were taken to make us understand, from the point of view of an impartial spectator, the full consequences to ourselves and others of each of our actions, and where we had for our own selfish gratifications wronged or dragged down another soul. So many things which we had done because all men did them, or because we thought that we as men had a right to do them, were now shown to us from the other side of the picture, from those who had in a measure been our victims, or where we personally were not directly responsible for their fall, the victims of a social system invented and upheld to gratify us and our selfish passions. I cannot more fully describe these lectures, but those amongst you who know what are the corruptions of the great cities of earth will easily supply for yourselves the subjects. From such lectures, such pictures of ourselves as we were, stripped of all the social disguises of earth life, we could but return in shame and sorrow of heart to our cells to reflect over our past and to strive to atone for it in our future.
我的小牢房里只有一张床、一张桌子和一把椅子——仅此而已。我大部分时间都在牢房里休息或冥想，偶尔会和那些像我一样身体逐渐强壮，能够去大厅听讲座的人一起去。那些讲座令人印象深刻，讲道的形式引人入胜，但总是能让我们每个人都深刻地意识到自己曾经犯下的错误。讲座煞费苦心地让我们从一个公正的旁观者的角度，理解我们每一个行为对自身和他人的全部后果，以及我们为了满足自己的私欲而伤害或拖累他人灵魂的种种行径。我们曾经做过很多事，要么是因为大家都这么做，要么是因为我们认为作为人，我们有权利这么做。而现在，这些事从另一个角度呈现在我们面前，从那些在某种程度上成为我们受害者的人的角度，或者即便我们并非直接导致他们堕落，他们也是这个为了满足我们私欲而发明和维护的社会制度的受害者的角度，让我们看到了这些事的真相。我无法更详尽地描述这些讲座，但你们当中那些了解世间大都市腐败本质的人，自然会自行补充相关内容。从这些讲座中，从这些展现我们自身本来面目的画面中——褪去尘世生活的一切社会伪装——我们只能羞愧悲痛地回到牢房，反思过往，并努力在未来赎罪。

And in this there was great help given to us, for with the error and its consequences we were always shown the way to correct and overcome the evil desire in ourselves, and how we might atone for our own sins by timely efforts to save another from the evil into which we had fallen, all these lessons being intended to fit us for the next stage of our progression, in which we would be sent back to earth to help, unseen and unknown, mortals who were struggling with earth’s temptations.
在这方面，我们得到了极大的帮助，因为通过错误及其后果，我们总是能找到纠正和克服自身邪恶欲望的方法，以及如何通过及时努力拯救他人免于我们曾经堕入的邪恶来赎罪。所有这些教训都是为了让我们适应下一个阶段的发展，在这个阶段，我们将被派回地球，去帮助那些在地球上与诱惑作斗争的凡人，而我们却不为人知。

When we were not attending the lectures we were free to go where we might wish; that is, such of us as were strong enough to move about freely. Some who had left dear friends on earth would go to visit them, that, unseen themselves, they might yet see those they loved. We were always warned, however, not to linger in the temptations of the earth plane, since many of us would find it difficult to resist them.
当我们不去上课的时候，我们可以自由行动；当然，前提是我们身体足够强壮，能够自由走动。有些在世上留下挚友的人会去探望他们，这样，即使自己不被看见，也能见到他们所爱的人。然而，我们总是被告诫不要沉溺于尘世的诱惑，因为我们中的许多人会发现很难抵挡这些诱惑。

Those who were strongest amongst us and who possessed the needful qualities and the desire to use them, were employed in magnetising those who were weakest, and who, by reason of the excessive dissipations of their earthly lives, were in such terrible condition of exhaustion and suffering that the only thing which could be done with them was to allow them to lie helpless in their cells while others gave them a little relief by magnetising them; and here I must describe to you a very wonderful system of healing those poor spirits which was practiced in this House of Hope. Some advanced spirits, whose natural desires and tastes made them doctors and healers, with the help of other spirits of different degrees of advancement under them, would attend upon these poorest and most suffering ones--where indeed all were sufferers--and by means of magnetism and the use of others’ powers which they could control, they would put these poor spirits into temporary forgetfulness of their pain; and though they awoke again to a renewal of their sufferings, yet in these intervals their spirits gained strength and insensibly grew more able to endure, till at last their sufferings were mitigated with time and the growing development of the spirit body, and they in turn would, when fit to do so, be employed to magnetise others who were still suffering.
我们当中最强壮的那些，拥有必要的品质和运用这些品质的意愿，被用来为那些最虚弱的灵魂施以磁力。这些虚弱的灵魂由于尘世生活的过度放纵，身心俱疲，痛苦不堪，唯一能做的就是让他们无助地躺在各自的牢房里，由其他人通过磁力为他们带来些许慰藉。在这里，我必须向你们描述一下这所希望之屋里曾经实行的一种非常奇妙的疗愈这些可怜灵魂的方法。一些境界较高的灵魂，天生具有医生和治疗师的特质，会借助其他境界不同的灵魂，来照料这些最贫穷、最痛苦的灵魂——实际上，所有灵魂都是受苦的——他们通过磁力以及运用自己能够控制的其他人的力量，使这些可怜的灵魂暂时忘记痛苦。虽然他们醒来后又会再次遭受痛苦，但在这些间歇期，他们的精神会得到增强，不知不觉地变得更加能够忍受，直到最后，随着时间和精神体的发展，他们的痛苦得到减轻，而当他们适合这样做时，他们反过来又会被用来吸引其他仍在受苦的人。

It is impossible for me to give you a very clear picture of this place and those in it, for although the resemblance to an earthly hospital was very great, there were many little points in which it resembled nothing which you have yet on earth, though as knowledge on earth advances the resemblance will become closer. All was so dark in this place, because the unfortunate spirits who dwelt there had none of the brightness of happy spirits to give into the atmosphere, and it is the state of the spirit itself in the spiritual world that makes the lightness or darkness of its surroundings. The sense of darkness was also due to the almost total blindness of these poor spirits, whose spiritual senses never having been developed on earth made them alike insensible to all around them, just as those born on earth in a state of blindness, deafness and dumbness would be unconscious of the things which were apparent to those fully endowed with senses. In visiting the atmosphere of the earthly plane, which was a degree more suited to their state of development, these poor spirits would still be in darkness, though it would not be so complete, and they would possess the power of seeing those beings like themselves with whom they could come into direct contact, and also such mortals as were in a sufficiently low spiritual degree of development. The higher and more spiritualized mortals, and still more the disembodied spirits in advance of them would be only very dimly discernible, or even totally invisible.
我无法向你们清晰地描述这个地方和其中的人们，因为尽管它与尘世的医院非常相似，但在许多细节上，它与你们在世上所经历的一切都截然不同。不过，随着尘世知识的增长，这种相似性会越来越接近。这个地方一片漆黑，因为居住在那里的不幸灵魂没有快乐灵魂所拥有的那种光辉，无法照亮周围的环境。灵魂在灵界的状态决定了周围环境的明暗。这种黑暗感也源于这些可怜的灵魂几乎完全失明，他们的灵性感知从未在尘世得到发展，因此他们对周围的一切都毫无感觉，就像那些生来就失明、失聪、失语的人，对那些感官健全的人显而易见的事物也浑然不觉一样。当这些低等的灵魂造访更适合他们灵性发展水平的地球层面时，他们仍然会处于黑暗之中，尽管这种黑暗不再那么彻底。他们能够看到那些与他们相似、可以直接接触的生命，以及那些灵性发展水平较低的凡人。至于那些灵性发展水平更高、更高级的凡人，以及那些先于他们存在的无形灵魂，他们只能隐约看到，甚至完全看不见。

The “working” Brothers of Hope, as they were called, were each provided with a tiny little light like a star, whose rays illuminated the darkness of the cells they visited and carried the light of hope wherever the brothers went. I myself at first was so great a sufferer that I used simply to lie in my cell in a state of almost apathetic misery, watching for this spark to come glimmering down the long corridor to my door, and wondering how long it would be in earth time ere it would come again. But it was not long that I lay thus utterly prostrate. Unlike many of the poor spirits who had added a love of drink to their other vices, my mind was too clear and my desire to improve too strong to leave me long inactive, and as soon as I found myself able to move again I petitioned to be allowed to do something, however humble, which might be of use. I was therefore, as being myself possessed of strong magnetic powers, set to help an unfortunate young man who was utterly unable to move, and who used to lie moaning and sighing all the time. Poor fellow, he was only thirty years old when he left the earth body, but in his short life he had contrived to plunge into such dissipations that he had prematurely killed himself, and was now suffering such agonies from the reaction upon the spirit of those powers he had abused, that it was often more than I could bear to witness them. My task was to make soothing passes over him, by which means he would obtain a little relief, till at stated times a more advanced spirit than myself would come and put him into a state of unconsciousness. And all this time I was myself suffering keenly both in mind and in my spirit body, for in the lower spheres the spirit is conscious of bodily sufferings. As it grows more advanced the suffering becomes more purely mental--the less material envelope of the higher spirits making them at last insensible to anything like material pain.
这些被称为“希望兄弟会”的“勤工俭学兄弟”们，每人都配有一盏小灯，如同星星一般，灯光照亮他们所到之处的黑暗牢房，并将希望之光带到他们所到之处。起初，我本人也饱受煎熬，只能躺在牢房里，几乎麻木地等待着那束微光沿着长长的走廊来到我的门前，心中思索着，在漫长的时光里，它还要多久才会再次出现。但我并没有就此彻底消沉下去。与许多沉溺于酒精的可怜灵魂不同，我的头脑清醒，渴望改变的愿望也十分强烈，无法让我长时间无所事事。一旦能够再次活动，我便请求允许我做一些哪怕再微不足道、但能有所帮助的事情。因此，我自身拥有强大的磁力，便受命去帮助一位不幸的年轻人。他完全无法动弹，终日躺着呻吟叹息。可怜的家伙，他离开尘世时才三十岁，但在短暂的一生中，他沉溺于种种放荡不羁的行为，最终英年早逝。如今，他因滥用自身力量而遭受着巨大的痛苦，以至于我常常不忍目睹。我的任务是轻柔地抚慰他，让他得到些许慰藉，直到某个特定时刻，一位比我更高级的灵体前来，使他陷入昏迷。与此同时，我的身心也承受着剧烈的痛苦，因为在较低的灵界，灵体能够感知到肉体的痛苦。随着灵性境界的提升，痛苦变得更加纯粹是精神上的——更高层次的精神世界逐渐摆脱了物质的束缚，最终对任何物质上的痛苦都麻木不仁。

As my strength grew so did my desires revive and cause me so much torment that I was often tempted to do what many poor spirits did--go back to earth in search of the means to satisfy them through the material bodies of those yet on earth. My bodily sufferings grew very great, for the strength I had been so proud of and had used to so bad a purpose made me suffer more than one who had been weak. As the muscles of an athlete who has used them to excess begin after a time to contract and cause him excruciating pain, so those powers and that strength which I had abused in my earthly life now began, through its inevitable reaction on my spirit body, to cause me the most intense suffering. And then as I grew stronger and stronger and able to enjoy what had seemed enjoyment in my earth life, the desire for those pleasures grew and grew till I could scarce refrain from returning to the earth plane there to enjoy, through the organism of those yet in the flesh, whose sordid lives and low desires placed them on a level with the spirits of the earth plane, those pleasures of the senses which had still so great a temptation for us. Many and many of those who were in the House of Hope with me would yield to the temptation and go back for a time to haunt the earth, whence they would return after a longer or shorter period, exhausted and degraded even below their former state. All were free to go or to stay as they desired. All could return when they wished, for the doors of Hope’s castle were never shut upon anyone, however unthankful or unworthy they might be, and I have often wondered at the infinite patience and tenderness which were ever shown for our weaknesses and our sins. It was indeed only possible to pity these poor unfortunates, who had made such utter slaves of themselves to their base desires that they could not resist them and were drawn back time after time till at last, satiated and exhausted, they could move no more and were like the unfortunate young man whom I tended.
随着我的力量增长，我的欲望也随之复苏，给我带来无尽的折磨，以至于我常常忍不住想要像许多可怜的灵魂那样——重返人间，通过那些仍在世之人的肉体来满足自己的欲望。我的肉体痛苦与日俱增，因为我曾引以为傲、却又滥用的力量，如今带给我的痛苦远胜于那些体弱之人。正如运动员过度训练后，肌肉会逐渐萎缩，带来剧烈的疼痛一样，我生前滥用的力量，如今也开始通过其对我灵魂的必然反噬，给我带来最深切的痛苦。随着我的力量与日俱增，能够再次享受到尘世生活中那些看似美好的事物，我对这些快乐的渴望也与日俱增，以至于我几乎无法抗拒重返尘世的诱惑，通过那些仍身处肉身之人的身体——他们卑劣的生活和低劣的欲望使他们与尘世的灵魂处于同一水平——来享受那些对我们仍然具有巨大诱惑力的感官享乐。许多与我一同身处希望之屋的人都会屈服于这种诱惑，暂时回到尘世游荡，或长或短，之后他们又会返回，精疲力竭，堕落不堪，甚至不如从前。所有人都可以自由选择去留。所有人都可以随时返回，因为希望之屋的大门永远不会对任何人关闭，无论他们多么忘恩负义或卑微无能。我常常惊叹于他们对我们的软弱和罪孽所展现出的无限的耐心和温柔。确实只能同情这些可怜的不幸之人，他们完全沦为自己卑劣欲望的奴隶，无法抗拒，一次又一次地被诱惑，直到最后，他们筋疲力尽，再也动弹不得，就像我照顾的那个不幸的年轻人一样。

For myself, I might also have yielded to the temptation had it not been for the thoughts of my pure love, and the hopes she had given me, the purer desires she had inspired, and I at least could not condemn these poor erring souls who had no such blessings granted them. I went to earth very often, but it was to where my beloved one dwelt, and her love drew me ever to her side, away from all temptations, into the pure atmosphere of her home, and though I could never approach near enough to touch her, by reason of this icy invisible wall which I have described, I used to stand outside of it, looking at her as she sat and worked or read or slept. When I was there she would always be in a dim way conscious of my presence, and would whisper my name or turn to where I was with one of her sad sweet smiles that I would carry away the recollection of and comfort myself with in my lonely hours. She looked so sad, so very sad, my poor love, and so pale and delicate, it made my heart ache even while it comforted me to see her. I could tell that in spite of all her efforts to be brave and patient, and to hope, the strain was almost too great for her, and each day she grew more delicate looking. She had many other things to try her at this time; there were family troubles and the doubts and fears suggested by the strangeness of her intercourse with the world of spirits. At times she would wonder if it were not all a wild delusion, a dream from which she would awake to find there was after all no communication between the dead and the living, no means by which she could reach me again, and then a dull despair would seize upon her and upon me also as I stood beside her and read her feeling, helpless and powerless to make her realize my actual presence beside her, and I would pray to be allowed in some way to make her know that I was there.
就我而言，若非心中怀着对她纯粹的爱，怀着她给予我的希望，怀着她激发的纯洁渴望，我或许也会屈服于诱惑。至少，我无法谴责那些没有得到如此恩赐的可怜的迷途灵魂。我常常下凡，但每次都去我心爱之人居住的地方。她的爱将我永远吸引到她身边，远离一切诱惑，进入她纯净的家园。虽然由于我所描述的那道冰冷无形的墙，我永远无法靠近到触碰她的程度，但我常常站在墙外，看着她坐着、工作、阅读或睡觉。当我在那里时，她总能隐隐约约地察觉到我的存在，轻声呼唤我的名字，或者带着她那忧伤而甜蜜的微笑转向我。我会将这美好的回忆珍藏起来，在孤独的时刻给予自己慰藉。她看起来那么悲伤，那么非常悲伤，我可怜的爱人，脸色苍白，身体虚弱，看到她，我的心既隐隐作痛，又感到一丝安慰。我看得出来，尽管她努力保持勇敢和耐心，努力抱有希望，但这一切对她来说几乎是难以承受的，她一天比一天显得更加虚弱。此时此刻，她还要承受许多其他的考验：家庭的烦恼，以及与灵界接触所带来的种种疑虑和恐惧。有时她会怀疑这一切是不是一场荒诞的错觉，一场梦，醒来后她会发现死者和生者之间根本没有沟通，她再也无法联系到我。这时，一种沉重的绝望会攫住她，也攫住站在她身边、读懂她感受的我。我无能为力，无法让她意识到我就在她身边，于是我祈祷能以某种方式让她知道我在那里。

One night when I had watched her sink into sleep after a weary time of weeping, I, who could have wept, too, in my grief for us both, was suddenly touched upon the shoulder, and looking up beheld her guardian spirit who had first helped me speak with her. He asked me if I would be very quiet and self-restrained if he allowed me to kiss her as she slept, and I, wild with this new joy, most eagerly promised. Taking my hand in his we passed together through the transparent icy wall that was to me so impervious. Bending over her the guide made some strange motions with his hand, and then taking one of my hands in his for a few moments he bade me touch her very gently. She was lying quietly asleep, with the tears still on her eyelashes and her sweet lips slightly parted as though she was speaking in her dreams. One hand rested against her cheek and I took it in mine, so gently, so tenderly--not to awaken her. Her hand closed half consciously upon mine and a look of such joy came into her face that I feared she would awake. But no! The bright spirit smiled at us both and said, “Kiss her now.” And I--ah! I stooped over her and touched her at last and gave her the first kiss I had ever given. I kissed her not once but half a dozen times, so passionately that she awoke and the bright spirit drew me away in haste. She looked round and asked softly: “Do I dream, or was that indeed my beloved one?” I answered, “Yes,” and she seemed to hear, for she smiled so sweet a smile--ah! so sweet! and again and again she repeated my name softly to herself.
一天晚上，我看着她哭了很久之后渐渐沉入梦乡，我本也想为我们俩的离去而落泪，这时，突然有人轻轻拍了拍我的肩膀。我抬头一看，竟是她的守护神，正是他当初帮助我与她沟通。他问我，如果他允许我亲吻她熟睡的身影，我是否会非常安静克制。我欣喜若狂，欣然答应。他握住我的手，我们一起穿过了那道对我来说坚不可摧的透明冰墙。他俯身靠近她，用手做了几个奇怪的动作，然后握住我的手片刻，示意我轻轻地抚摸她。她静静地睡着，睫毛上还挂着泪痕，甜美的嘴唇微微张开，仿佛在梦中低语。一只手轻轻地抚摸着她的脸颊，我温柔地握住它，生怕吵醒她。她的手半梦半醒地握住了我的手，脸上绽放出如此喜悦的笑容，我生怕她会醒来。然而并没有！那明亮的精灵对我们俩微笑，说道：“现在吻她。”我——啊！我俯身靠近她，终于触碰到了她，给了她我人生中的第一个吻。我吻了她不下一次，而是六次，如此热烈，以至于她醒了过来，那明亮的精灵急忙把我拉走了。她环顾四周，轻声问道：“我是在做梦吗？那真的是我心爱的人吗？”我回答说：“是的。”她似乎听到了，因为她露出了如此甜美的笑容——啊！如此甜美！她一遍又一遍地轻声念着我的名字。

Not for long after that would they allow me to touch her again, but I was often near, and the joy of that one meeting dwelt in our hearts for many an hour. I could see how real had been my kiss to her, and for me it was as an anchor of hope encouraging me to believe that in time I should indeed be able to make her feel my touch and hold communication with her.
此后不久，他们便不允许我再次触碰她，但我常常在她身边，那次重逢的喜悦在我们心中萦绕了许久。我能感受到我的吻对她是多么真切，对我而言，它就像一盏希望的明灯，鼓励我相信，总有一天，我能够让她感受到我的触碰，与她建立起真正的交流。

5. Spirits Of The Earth Plane
5. 地球位面的精灵

The time came at last for me to leave the House of Hope and go forth, strong in the lessons I had learned there, to work out my atonement on the earth plane and in those lower spheres to which my earthly life had sunk me.
终于到了我离开希望之家，带着在那里学到的教训，走向尘世，以及我尘世生活带给我的那些低级境界，去赎清我的罪孽的时候了。

Eight or nine months had elapsed since I had died, and I had grown strong and vigorous once more. I could move freely over the great sphere of the earth plane. My sight and my other senses were so far developed that I could see and hear and speak clearly. The light around me now was that of a faint twilight or when the night first begins to dawn into the day. To my eyes so long accustomed to the darkness, this dull light was very welcome, though after a time I grew so to long for the true day to dawn that this dull twilight was most monotonous and oppressive. Those countries which are situated in this, the third circle of the earth plane or first sphere, are called “The Twilight Lands,” and it is thither that those spirits pass whose lives have been too selfish and material to allow their souls to reach any higher state of development. Even these Twilight Lands, however, are a degree above those “Haunting” spirits of the earth plane who are literally earthbound to their former habitations.
我死后已过去八九个月，身体再次变得强壮有力。我可以在广袤的地球位面自由穿梭。我的视力和其他感官都已高度发达，能够清晰地视、听、说。我周围的光线如同暮色渐浓，或是夜幕初现，黎明破晓之时。对于我这双早已习惯黑暗的眼睛来说，这昏暗的光线令人欣喜。然而，过了一段时间，我却越来越渴望真正的白昼到来，以至于这昏暗的暮色变得单调而压抑。位于地球位面第三层或第一层的区域被称为“暮光之地”，那些生前过于自私和物质，以至于灵魂无法达到更高境界的灵魂，最终都会流落到那里。然而，即使是暮光之地，也比那些被束缚在生前居所的“游魂”高出一个层次。

My work was to be begun upon the earth itself, and in those haunts which men of the world call the haunts of pleasure, though no pleasure is so fleeting, no degradation so sure, as that which they produce even during the earthly life. And now I found the value of the teachings and the experience I had gained during my stay in the House of Hope. Temptations that might once have seemed such to me were such no longer. I knew the satisfaction such pleasures give, and the cost at which alone they can be bought, and thus in controlling a mortal, as I often had to do, I was proof against the temptation such control offered of using his body for my own gratification.
我的使命始于尘世，始于世人所称的享乐之地——尽管世间任何享乐都如此短暂，任何堕落都如此确定，即便是在尘世生活中，这些地方也依然能带来享乐。如今，我终于领悟了在希望之屋修行期间所学到的教诲和经验的价值。那些曾经令我感到诱惑的事物，如今已不再是诱惑。我深知这些享乐带来的满足感，以及唯有付出代价才能换来这些满足感。因此，当我不得不控制一个凡人时，我便能抵御这种控制所带来的诱惑——不去利用他的身体来满足自己的私欲。

Few people yet in their earthly envelopes understand that spirits can, and very often do, take such complete possession of the bodies of mortal men and women that, for the time, it is as though that earth body belonged to the disembodied and not the embodied spirit. Many cases of so-called temporary madness are due to the controlling power of very low spirits of evil desires or frivolous minds, who are, through the weakness of will or other causes, put into complete rapport with the embodied spirit whose body they seek to use. Amongst many ancient races this fact was acknowledged and studied as well as many branches of the occult sciences which we of the nineteenth century have grown too wise, forsooth, to look into, even to discover, if we can, those germs of truth with which all ages have been blessed and which are worth disinterring from the mass of rubbish in which succeeding generations of men have buried them.
鲜有人知晓，身处尘世之人竟能如此轻易地完全占据凡人的肉身，以至于在一段时间内，这具躯体仿佛属于无形的灵魂，而非具身的灵魂。许多所谓的暂时性疯狂，皆源于邪恶欲望或轻浮心灵的低级灵体所致。这些灵体因意志薄弱或其他原因，与它们试图占据的肉身完全融为一体。许多古代民族早已认识到这一事实，并对其进行了深入研究，正如许多神秘学分支一样。然而，我们这些十九世纪的人们，却自以为是地对这些分支视而不见，甚至不愿去探寻，即便能够发现，也无从寻觅那些历代人类埋葬的真理种子。

The work upon which I was now engaged will seem no less strange to you than it did at first to me. The great Brotherhood of Hope was only one of a countless variety of societies which exist in the spirit world for the purpose of giving help to all who are in need. Their operations are carried on everywhere and in all spheres, and their members are to be found from the very lowest and darkest spheres to the very highest which surround the earth, and even extend into the spheres of the solar systems. They are like immense chains of spirits, the lowest and humblest being always helped and protected by those above.
我如今从事的工作，对你而言或许和我当初一样陌生。伟大的希望兄弟会只是灵界无数旨在帮助所有需要帮助之人的社团之一。他们的活动遍及各个领域，从最底层、最黑暗的领域到环绕地球的最高层，甚至延伸至太阳系的各个领域，都能找到他们的身影。他们如同巨大的灵体锁链，最卑微、最卑微的灵体总是得到上层灵体的帮助和庇护。

A message would be sent to the Brotherhood that help was required to assist some struggling mortal or unhappy spirit, and such one of the brothers as was thought to be most fit would be sent to help. Such a one of us would be sent as had in his own earth life yielded to a similar temptation, and had suffered all the bitter consequences and remorse for his sin. Often the man or woman to be helped had unconsciously sent out an aspiration for help and strength to resist temptation, and that of itself was a prayer, which would be heard in the spirit world as a cry from earth’s children that appealed to all in the spirit world who had been themselves earth’s sons and daughters; or it might be that some spirit to whom the struggling one was very dear would seek for help on their behalf and would thus appeal to us to come to their aid. Our task would be to follow and control the one we desired to help till the temptation had been overcome. We would identify ourselves so closely with the mortal that for a time we actually shared his life, his thoughts, everything, and during this dual state of existence we ourselves often suffered most keenly both from our anxiety for the man whose thoughts became almost as our own, and from the fact that his anxieties were as ours, while in thus going over again a chapter in our past lives we endured all the sorrow, remorse and bitterness of the past time. He on his side felt, though not in so keen a degree, the sorrowful state of our mind, and where the control was very complete and the mortal highly sensitive, he would often fancy that things which we had done must have been done by himself, either in some former forgotten stage of existence, or else seen in some vivid dream they could scarcely recall.
兄弟会会收到消息，需要帮助一位正在挣扎的凡人或不幸的灵魂，我们会派遣一位被认为最合适的兄弟前去帮忙。这位兄弟生前也曾屈服于类似的诱惑，并为此承受了所有痛苦的后果和悔恨。通常，需要帮助的人会在无意识中发出渴望，寻求帮助和力量来抵御诱惑，这本身就是一种祈祷，在灵界会被听到，如同尘世儿女的呼唤，向所有曾经是尘世儿女的灵界同胞发出呼求；或者，也可能是某个与这位挣扎者关系密切的灵魂会替他/她寻求帮助，从而请求我们前来援助。我们的任务是跟随并引导我们想要帮助的人，直到他/她战胜诱惑。我们会与凡人如此紧密地认同，以至于在一段时间内，我们实际上分享了他的生活、他的思想，以及一切。在这种双重存在状态下，我们常常感到无比痛苦：一方面，我们为那个思想几乎与我们相同的人感到焦虑；另一方面，他的焦虑也与我们相同。我们仿佛重温了前世的一章，承受着过去所有的悲伤、悔恨和痛苦。他那边也能感受到我们内心的悲伤，尽管程度不如我们强烈。当这种控制力非常强，而凡人又极其敏感时，他常常会幻想我们做过的事情一定是他自己做的，要么是在他过去某个被遗忘的阶段，要么是在他几乎无法回忆起的某个生动的梦境中。

This controlling or overshadowing of a mortal by an immortal is used in many ways, and those who foolishly make themselves liable to it either by a careless evil life, or by seeking in a frivolous spirit of mere curiousity to search out mysteries too deep for their shallow minds to fathom, often find to their cost that the low spirits who haunt the earth plane, and even those from much lower spheres, can often obtain so great a hold over a mortal that at last he becomes a mere puppet in their hands, whose body they can use at will. Many a weak-willed man and woman who in pure surroundings would lead only good and pure lives, are drawn by evil surroundings into sins for which they are but partly responsible--sins for which indeed those controlling spirits who have thus made use of these weak mortals, will be held responsible as well as the mortal sinner himself. For thus tempting and using another’s organism those evil spirits will have to render a terrible account, since they have been doubly guilty. In sinning, themselves, and in dragging down another soul with them, they sink themselves to a depth from which many years, and in some instances many centuries of suffering cannot free them.
这种由不朽者控制或支配凡人的方式多种多样。那些愚昧地让自己容易受到这种控制的人，无论是因为生活放荡不羁、作恶多端，还是仅仅出于轻浮的好奇心去探寻那些超出他们浅薄心智所能理解的深奥奥秘，最终都会付出惨痛的代价。那些游荡于尘世的低等精灵，甚至来自更低位面的精灵，往往能够牢牢控制凡人，最终使凡人沦为它们的傀儡，任其摆布。许多意志薄弱的男女，在纯净的环境中本应过着善良纯洁的生活，却被邪恶的环境引诱而犯下罪行，而他们对此也负有部分责任——事实上，那些利用这些软弱凡人的控制精灵，与罪人本身一样，都将为此承担责任。因为这些邪灵引诱并利用他人的身体，它们必将付出惨痛的代价，因为它们犯下了双重罪行。他们犯罪，不仅让自己堕入罪恶深渊，还拖累了其他灵魂，使他们沉沦到多年甚至几个世纪的苦难都无法将他们解救出来。

In my work I have had to act the part of controlling spirit many times, but I was sent to do so only in order that I might impress the mortal with a sense of the terrible consequences of yielding to sin, and also that I might, when not actually controlling the mortal myself, act as guard and watchman to protect him from the control of the wandering tempting spirits of the earth plane. My work was to raise the barrier of my strong will-force against theirs, and keep them back so that they could not come sufficiently en rapport with my charge to control him.
在我的工作中，我多次扮演控制灵体的角色，但我被派去这样做，只是为了让凡人深刻体会到屈服于罪恶的可怕后果，同时也是为了在不亲自控制凡人的时候，充当守卫和守护者，保护他免受游荡于尘世的诱惑灵体的控制。我的职责是筑起一道强大的意志屏障，抵挡它们的侵扰，使它们无法与我所守护的人建立足够的联系，从而控制他。

If, however, he had allowed himself to be already controlled by these lower spirits, they would still be able to project their thoughts and suggestions to him, though they did so with difficulty.
然而，如果他已经允许自己被这些低等精灵控制，它们仍然能够将自己的想法和建议投射到他身上，尽管这样做会很困难。

Although I did not know it at the time, and believed that upon myself would rest the responsibility of keeping safe those I was sent to guard, I was only the last link in a long chain of spirits who were all helping at the same time. Each spirit was a step in advance of the one below him, and each had to strengthen and help the one below him should he faint or fail in his task. My part was also intended to be a lesson to myself in self-denial and the sacrifice of my own comfort that I might help another. My condition as a spirit on the earth plane made me of use, seeing that I could oppose a material force of will against those tempting spirits in an atmosphere where a more refined spirit would have been unable to penetrate, and I as one of the earth-bound myself could come en rapport with the mortal more closely than a more advanced spirit would have been able to do. I had, by means of dreams when he slept and constant haunting thoughts while he waked, to impress upon the mind of the man I controlled what my experience had been, to make him feel all the terrible sufferings of remorse and fear, all the loathing of himself through which I had passed, and through which I passed again in bitter agony of soul while thus recalling them. All my feelings were transferred to his mind till he might truly have said he was haunted by all the terrible possibilities of his meditated sins.
虽然当时我并不知晓，也自以为肩负着守护被派来之人的重任，但我其实只是众多灵体中的最后一环，它们都在同时提供帮助。每个灵体都比下一位灵体领先一步，如果下一位灵体力不支或任务失败，其他灵体必须给予支持和帮助。我的角色也是为了让我自己学习克己自省，牺牲自身安逸去帮助他人。我作为尘世灵体的存在使我能够发挥作用，因为我可以在更精微的灵体无法进入的环境中，对抗那些诱惑我的灵体的意志力；而且，作为尘世灵体的一员，我比更高级的灵体更能与凡人建立亲密的联系。我通过他睡梦中的梦境和他醒着时挥之不去的思绪，将我的经历深深植入我所掌控之人的心中，让他感受到我曾经历的悔恨与恐惧的煎熬，以及我如今在回忆中再次经历的那种灵魂的剧痛。我的所有感受都转移到了他的脑海中，以至于他真的可以说，他被自己深思熟虑的罪孽所带来的种种可怕后果所困扰。

Over this particular phase of my experiences I shall not dwell longer now, since it is one familiar to many on this side of life. I will but say that I returned from my mission with a consciousness that I had saved many others from the pitfalls into which I had fallen, and thereby had atoned in part for my own sins. Several times was I sent upon such missions and each time returned successful; and here I must pause to say that if my progress in the spirit world has been so rapid as to surprise most who knew of my first condition on entering it, and if I again and again resisted all the temptations that befell me, the credit is not so much due to myself as to the wonderful help and comfort that was given to me by the constant and unvarying love of her who was indeed my good angel, and whose image ever came between me and all harm. When all others might have pleaded to me in vain, I ever hearkened to her voice and turned aside.
关于我这段特殊的经历，我不再赘述，因为这对于许多人来说并不陌生。我只想说，我完成使命归来时，心中充满感激，因为我拯救了许多人免于我曾深陷的陷阱，从而也部分赎清了自己的罪孽。我曾多次被派去执行这样的使命，每次都圆满归来；在此，我必须停下来说明，如果我在灵界的进步如此迅速，以至于令大多数了解我最初状态的人感到惊讶，如果我一次又一次地抵挡住了所有降临到我身上的诱惑，那么这并非完全归功于我自己，而是要归功于我那位真正善良的天使——她始终如一的爱——给予我的奇妙帮助和安慰。她的形象总是守护着我，使我免受一切伤害。当所有人都徒劳地恳求我时，我总是听从她的声音，远离一切诱惑。

When I was not helping someone yet in the earth body, I was sent to work amongst the unhappy spirits of the earth plane who were still wandering in its darkness even as I had at first done. And to them I went as one of the great Brotherhood of Hope, bearing in my hand the tiny starlike light which is the symbol of that order. Its rays would dispel the darkness around me, and I would see poor unhappy spirits crouching on the ground two or three together, or sunk in helpless misery in some corner by themselves, too hopeless, too unhappy to heed anything.
当我尚未在尘世肉身中帮助他人时，我便被派往尘世间，去帮助那些不幸的灵魂。他们如同我最初一样，仍在黑暗中徘徊。我以希望兄弟会成员的身份前往他们那里，手中握着象征着兄弟会的星光。它的光芒驱散了我周围的黑暗，我便能看到可怜的灵魂三三两两地蜷缩在地上，或独自一人无助地蜷缩在某个角落，痛苦不堪，绝望至极，对任何事都充耳不闻。

我的工作就是向他们指出，他们或许可以被带到像我曾经待过的那种希望之家，或者，在其他情况下，他们可以通过帮助身边的人来自助，并赢得那些比他们更加绝望的人的感激。对于每一个可怜的受苦灵魂，我都会给予不同的疗愈，因为每个人都有不同的经历，每个人犯罪的原因也各不相同。

6. 暮光之地——爱的礼物——自私之谷——动荡之国——守财奴之地——赌徒之地

When my period of work in any place was finished, I used to return to the Twilight Land to rest in another large building which belonged to our brotherhood. It was somewhat like the other place in appearance only not quite so dark, nor so dismal, nor so bare, and in the little room which belonged to each there were such things as we had earned as the rewards of our labors. For instance, in my room, which was still somewhat bare-looking, I had one great treasure. This was a picture of my love. It seemed more like a reflection of her in a mirror than a mere painted image, for when I looked intently at her she would smile back at me in answer, as though her spirit was conscious of my gaze, and when I wished very much to know what she was doing, my picture would change and show me. This was regarded by all my companions as a great and wonderful privilege, and I was told it was as much the result of her love and constant thought for me as of my own efforts to improve. Since then I have been shown how this living image was thrown upon the light of the astral plane and then projected into its frame in my room, but I cannot explain it more fully in this book. Another gift from my darling was a white rose-bud, which I had in a small vase and which never seemed to fade or wither, but remained fresh and fragrant and ever an emblem of her love, so that I called her my white rose.
无论在何处工作，我都会回到暮光之地，在我们兄弟会的另一座大楼里休息。那座大楼的外观与之前的地方有些相似，只是没有那么阴暗、凄凉或荒凉。在我们各自的小房间里，摆放着我们辛勤劳作的奖赏。比如，我的房间虽然看起来仍然有些简陋，但我却珍藏着一件至宝——一幅我爱人的画像。与其说是一幅画，不如说是她在镜子里的倒影。因为当我凝视着她时，她会回以微笑，仿佛她的灵魂感知到了我的目光。而当我渴望知道她在做什么时，画像上的景象就会发生变化，将我映照出来。我的所有同伴都认为这是莫大的恩赐，他们告诉我，这既是她对我的爱和持续的思念的体现，也是我自身努力的成果。从那时起，我便被告知这幅鲜活的影像是如何被投射到星光层，然后又被映照到我房间的画框里的，但我无法在这本书中对此做更详尽的解释。我亲爱的送我的另一份礼物是一朵白玫瑰花苞，我把它插在一个小花瓶里，它似乎从未褪色或凋谢，而是始终保持新鲜芬芳，永远是她爱的象征，所以我称她为我的白玫瑰。

I had so longed for a flower. I had so loved flowers on earth and I had seen none since I saw those my darling put upon my grave. In this land there were no flowers, not even a leaf or blade of grass, not a tree or a shrub however stunted--for the dry arid soil of our selfishness had no blossom or green thing to give to any one of us; and it was when I told her this during one of the brief visits I used to pay her, and when through her own hand I was able to write short messages--it was, I say, when I told her that there was not one fair thing for me to look upon save only the picture of herself, that she asked that I might be given a flower from her, and this white rosebud was brought to my room by a spirit friend and left for me to find when I returned from earth and her. Ah! you who have so many flowers that you do not value them enough and leave them to wither unseen, you can scarce realize what joy this blossom brought to me nor how I have so treasured it and her picture and some loving words she once wrote to me, that I have carried them with me from sphere to sphere as I have risen, and shall, I hope, treasure them evermore.
我多么渴望一朵花。我曾如此热爱人间的花朵，自从看到我挚爱之人放在我墓前的那些花后，我就再也没见过一朵。这片土地上没有花，甚至连一片叶子或一根草都没有，一棵树或一丛灌木，哪怕再矮小——因为我们自私的贫瘠土地上没有一朵花，没有一丝绿意可以给予我们任何人；就在我偶尔短暂探望她的时候，我告诉了她这一切，那时我还能通过她的手写下简短的信息——我说，就是当我告诉她，除了她的画像，我在这里看不到任何美好的事物时，她请求我能得到一朵花，于是，一位灵界的朋友把这朵白色的玫瑰花苞送到我的房间，留给我从人间和她身边回来时发现。啊！你拥有那么多鲜花，却不懂得珍惜，任由它们凋零无人问津，你很难体会到这朵花给我带来的喜悦，也很难体会到我是多么珍爱它、她的照片以及她曾经写给我的那些充满爱意的话语，以至于我将它们从一个世界带到另一个世界，随着我升入天堂，我希望，我将永远珍藏它们。

From this Twilight Land I took many journeys and saw many strange and different countries, but all bore the same stamp of coldness and desolation.
从这片暮色之地，我踏上了许多旅程，见识了许多奇异不同的国家，但所有这些国家都带有同样的寒冷和荒凉的印记。

One place was a great valley of grey stones, with dim, cold, grey hills shutting it in on every side, and this twilight sky overhead. Here again not a blade of grass, not one poor stunted shrub was to be seen, not one touch of color or brightness anywhere, only this dull desolation of grey stones. Those who dwelt in this valley had centered their lives and their affections in themselves and had shut up their hearts against all the warmth and beauty of unselfish love. They had lived only for themselves, their own gratification, their own ambitions, and now they saw nothing but themselves and the grey desolation of their hard selfish lives around them. There were a great many beings flitting uneasily about in this valley, but strange to say they had been so centered in themselves that they had lost the power to see anyone else.
有一处地方是一片巨大的灰色石谷，四周环绕着阴冷灰暗的山丘，头顶是昏暗的天空。这里寸草不生，连一丛矮小的灌木都看不到，没有一丝色彩或光亮，只有这片灰暗荒凉的石头。居住在这片山谷里的人们，将生活和情感都集中在自己身上，封闭了自己的内心，拒绝一切无私之爱的温暖与美好。他们只为自己而活，只追求自己的满足和野心，如今，他们眼中只有自己，以及周围这片冷酷自私生活的灰暗荒凉。山谷里有很多生物不安地游荡，但奇怪的是，它们如此以自我为中心，以至于失去了感知他人的能力。

These unhappy beings were invisible to each other until such time as the thought of another and the desire to do something for some one besides themselves should awaken, when they would become conscious of those near to them, and through their efforts to lighten another’s lot they would improve their own, till at last their stunted affections would expand and the hazy valley of selfishness would hold them in its chains no more.
这些不幸的人彼此看不见，直到他们开始思考他人，想要为他人做些事，那时他们才会意识到身边的人，并通过努力减轻他人的命运来改善自己的命运，直到最后他们发育不全的情感得以扩展，自私的迷雾山谷再也无法束缚他们。

Beyond this valley I came upon a great, dry, sandy-looking tract of country where there was a scanty straggling vegetation, and where the inhabitants had begun in some places to make small attempts at gardens near their habitations. In some places these habitations were clustered so thickly together that they formed small towns and cities. But all bore that desolate ugly look which came from the spiritual poverty of the inhabitants. This also was a land of selfishness and greed, although not of such complete indifference to others’ feelings as in the grey valley, and therefore they sought for a certain amount of companionship even with those around them. Many had come from the grey valley, but most were direct from the earth life and were now, poor souls, struggling to rise a little higher, and wherever this was the case and an effort was made to overcome their own selfishness, then the dry soil around their homes would begin to put forth tiny blades of grass and little stunted shoots of shrubs.
越过这片山谷，我来到一片广袤干燥、沙质遍布的土地，稀疏的植被零星散落。一些居民开始在住所附近尝试开垦小块菜园。有些地方，这些住所密集地聚集在一起，形成了一个个小镇。但所有地方都透着一股荒凉丑陋的气息，那是居民精神贫瘠的体现。这里也是一片自私贪婪之地，虽然不像灰色山谷里的人们那样对他人感受漠不关心，因此他们也渴望与周围的人建立某种程度的联系。许多人来自灰色山谷，但大多数人来自尘世，如今，这些可怜的灵魂正努力挣扎，想要向上攀登。只要有人努力克服自身的自私，他们家周围的干涸土地上就会开始冒出嫩绿的草叶和矮小的灌木幼苗。

Such miserable hovels as were in this land! such ragged, repulsive, wretched-looking people, like tramps or beggars, yet many had been amongst earth’s wealthiest and most eminent in fashionable life, and had enjoyed all that luxury could give! But because they had used their wealth only for themselves and their own enjoyments, giving to others but the paltry crumbs that they could spare from their own wealth and hardly notice that they had given them--because of this, I say, they were now here in this Twilight Land, poor as beggars in the true spiritual wealth of the soul which may be earned in the earthly life alike by the richest king or the poorest beggar, and without which those who come over to the spirit land--be they of earth’s greatest or humblest--must come here to dwell where all are alike poor in spiritual things.
这片土地上竟有如此破败不堪的茅屋！人们衣衫褴褛、面目可憎、凄惨无比，如同流浪汉或乞丐一般。然而，他们中的许多人曾经是世间最富有、最显赫的人物，享受过奢华生活所能带来的一切！但因为他们只将财富用于自身享乐，只施舍自己微薄的一点，甚至几乎不去留意自己的施舍——正因如此，我说，他们如今才来到这片暮色之地，如同乞丐般贫瘠，缺乏灵魂的真正财富。这种财富，无论是最富有的国王还是最贫穷的乞丐，都可以在尘世间获得。没有这种财富，所有来到灵界的人——无论他们来自尘世的显赫地位还是卑微地位——都必须来到这里，生活在一个灵性贫瘠的地方。

Here some of the people would wrangle and quarrel and complain that they had not been fairly treated in being in such a place, seeing what had been their positions in earth life. They would blame others as being more culpable than themselves in the matter, and wake a thousand excuses, a thousand pretences, to anyone who would listen to them and the story of what they would call their wrongs. Others would still be trying to follow out the schemes of their earthly lives and would try to make their hearers believe that they had found means (at the expense of someone else) of ending all this weary life of discomfort, and would plot and plan and try to carry out their own schemes, and spoil those of others as being likely to interfere with theirs, and so on would go the weary round of life in this Land of Unrest.
在这里，有些人会争吵不休，抱怨自己身处此地，却遭受如此不公的待遇，仿佛他们生前的地位与他们的地位格格不入。他们会指责他人比自己罪责更大，编造出无数借口和谎言，向所有愿意倾听的人讲述他们所谓的冤屈。另一些人则仍然执着于生前的计划，试图让听众相信他们已经找到了（以牺牲他人为代价的）结束这痛苦不堪的生活的方法，他们会密谋策划，努力实施自己的计划，并破坏他人可能妨碍自己计划的方案。如此循环往复，在这片动荡不安的土地上，人生的疲惫轮回永无止境。

To all whom I found willing to listen to me I gave some word of hope, some thought of encouragement or help to find the true way out of this country, and so passed on through it and journeyed into the Land of Misers--a land given over to them alone, for few have sympathy with true misers save those who also share their all-absorbing desire to hoard simply for the pleasure of hoarding.
我向所有愿意听我说话的人都传递了一些希望的话语，一些鼓励的想法，或者帮助他们找到离开这个国家的真正方法，就这样，我穿过这个国家，进入了守财奴之地——一个只属于他们的土地，因为除了那些和他们一样，为了囤积的乐趣而疯狂囤积的人之外，很少有人会同情真正的守财奴。

In this country were dark crooked-looking beings with long claw-like fingers, who were scratching in the black soil like birds of prey in search of stray grains of gold that here and there rewarded their toil; and when they had found any they would wrap them up in little wallets they carried and thrust them into their bosoms that they might lie next to their hearts, as the thing of all things most dear to them. As a rule they were lonely, solitary beings, who avoided each other by instinct lest they should be robbed of their cherished treasure.
在这个国度里，生活着一些面容黝黑、长相怪异、手指如爪的生物，它们像猛禽般在黑土中刨挖，寻找散落在各处的金粒，这些金粒偶尔会成为它们辛勤劳作的回报。一旦找到金粒，它们便会将其装进随身携带的小钱包里，塞进胸口，贴近心脏，视之为最珍贵之物。它们通常都是孤独的生物，出于本能地彼此避让，唯恐珍贵的财物被夺走。

Here I found nothing that I could do. Only one solitary man listened for a brief moment to what I had to say ere he returned to his hunt in the earth for treasure, furtively watching me till I was gone lest I should learn what he had already got. The others were all so absorbed in their search for treasure they could not even be made conscious of my presence, and I soon passed on from that bleak land.
在这里，我发现自己无能为力。只有一个孤零零的男人短暂地听我说了几句，便又埋头在地里寻宝，偷偷地看着我，直到我离开，生怕我知道他已经找到了什么。其他人全都沉浸在寻宝之中，根本没注意到我的存在，我很快就离开了这片荒凉之地。

From the Misers’ Country I passed downwards into a dark sphere, which was really below the earth in the sense of being even lower in its spiritual inhabitants than parts of the earth plane.
我从守财奴之国向下进入了一个黑暗的球体，从某种意义上说，它比地球还要低，因为它的精神居民比地球层面的某些部分还要低。

Here it was very much like the Land of Unrest, only that the spirits who dwelt here were worse and more degraded looking. There was no attempt made at cultivation, and the sky overhead was almost dark like night, the light being only such as enabled them to see each other and the objects near them. Whereas in the Land of Unrest there were but wranglings and discontent and jealousy, here there were fierce fights and bitter quarrels. Here were gamblers and drunkards. Betting men, card sharpers, commercial swindlers, profligates, and thieves of every kind, from the thief of the slums to his well-educated counterpart in the higher circles of earth life. All whose instincts were roguish or dissipated, all who were selfish and degraded in their tastes were here, as well as many who would have been in a higher condition of spiritual life had not constant association on earth with this class of men deteriorated and degraded them to the level of their companions, so that at death they had gravitated to this dark sphere, drawn down by ties of association. It was to this last class that I was sent, for amongst them there was hope that all sense of goodness and right was not quenched, and that the voice of one crying to them in the wilderness of their despair might be heard and lead them back to a better land.
这里与动荡之地颇为相似，只是居住于此的精灵更加堕落不堪。这里无人耕作，头顶的天空几乎漆黑如夜，微弱的光线仅够他们彼此辨认以及看清周围的事物。动荡之地只有争吵、不满和嫉妒，而这里却充斥着激烈的争斗和残酷的冲突。这里赌徒横行，酒鬼醉汉遍布。赌博者、老千、商业骗子、挥霍无度者、以及形形色色的窃贼，从贫民窟的小偷到上流社会受过良好教育的盗贼，应有尽有。凡是本性放荡不羁、自私自利、品味低俗之人，都在此地；还有许多人，若非生前与这类人交往不断，精神境界本可更高，却因与同伴的交往而堕落，最终与同伴同流合污，死后也难逃此等黑暗的命运。我正是被派往这最后一群人中间，因为在他们之中，尚存一丝希望，尚存一丝良知，尚存一丝正义感，尚存一人在绝望的荒野中呼喊，引领他们重返美好的彼岸。

The wretched houses or dwellings of this dark Land of Misery were many of them large spacious places, but all stamped with the same appalling look of uncleanness, foulness and decay. They resembled large houses to be seen in some of our slums, once handsome mansions and fine palaces, the abodes of luxury, which have become the haunts of the lowest denizens of vice and crime. Here and there would be great lonely tracts of country with a few scattered wretched houses, mere hovels, and in other places the buildings and the people were huddled together in great gloomy degraded-looking copies of your large cities of earth. Everywhere squalor and dirt and wretchedness reigned; nowhere was there one single bright or beautiful or gracious thing for the eye to rest upon in all this scene of desolation, made thus by the spiritual emanations from the dark beings who dwelt there.
这片黑暗苦难之地，那些破败不堪的房屋或居所，大多宽敞宽敞，却都透着同样的污秽、肮脏和腐朽之感。它们如同我们某些贫民窟里的大房子，曾经是富丽堂皇的豪宅和宫殿，是奢华的居所，如今却成了罪恶之徒的藏身之处。这里那里，有大片荒凉的乡村，零星散落着几间破败的房屋，如同茅屋一般；而在另一些地方，房屋和居民则挤在一起，如同你们地球上那些大城市的阴暗破败的翻版。到处都是肮脏、污秽和悲惨；在这片荒凉的景象中，没有一丝明亮、美丽或令人愉悦的事物，这景象是由居住在那里的黑暗生物散发的灵气所造成的。

Amongst these wretched inhabitants I wandered with my little star of pure light, so small that it was but a bright spark flickering about in the darkness as I moved, yet around me it shed a soft pale light as from a star of hope that shone for those not too blinded by their own selfish evil passions to behold it. Here and there I would come upon some crouched in a doorway or against a wall, or in some miserable room, who would arouse themselves sufficiently to look at me with my light and listen to the words I spoke to them, and would begin to seek for the better way, the returning path to those upper spheres from which they had fallen by their sins. Some I would be able to induce to join me in my work of helping others, but as a rule they could only think of their own miseries, and long for something higher than their present surroundings, and even this, small as it seems, was one step, and the next one of thinking how to help others forward as well would soon follow.
在这些可怜的居民中，我带着我那颗纯净的小星游荡。它如此渺小，在我移动时，不过是黑暗中闪烁的一点微光。然而，它却像一颗希望之星，为那些尚未被自私邪恶的欲望蒙蔽双眼的人们散发出柔和的光芒。我时不时会遇到一些人蜷缩在门口、靠着墙，或蜷缩在某个凄凉的房间里。他们会勉强抬起头，用我的光芒注视着我，聆听我对他们说的话，并开始寻求更好的出路，寻找重返他们因罪孽而堕落的更高境界的道路。有些人我能说服他们加入我的行列，帮助他人，但通常他们只想着自己的苦难，渴望着超越眼前环境的更高境界。即便这看似微不足道的一步，也是迈出的第一步，而下一步——思考如何帮助他人——很快就会到来。

One day in my wanderings through this country I came to the outskirts of a large city in the middle of a wide desolate plain. The soil was black and arid, more like those great cinder heaps that are seen near your iron works than anything I can liken it to. I was amongst a few dilapidated, tumble-down little cottages that formed a sort of fringe between the unhappy city and the desolate plain, when my ears caught the sound of quarreling and shouting coming from one of them, and curiosity made me draw near to see what the dispute might be about and if even here there might not be someone whom I could help.
一天，我在这片土地上漫游时，来到一座大城市郊外，周围是一片广袤荒凉的平原。这里的土地黝黑贫瘠，与其说像什么，不如说更像你们钢铁厂附近那些巨大的煤渣堆。我置身于几间破败不堪的小屋之间，它们如同边缘地带，分隔着这座不幸的城市和荒凉的平原。这时，我听到其中一间小屋里传来争吵和喊叫声，出于好奇，我走近一看，想看看究竟发生了什么事，或许在这里也找不到可以帮忙的人。

It was more like a barn than a house. A great rough table ran the length of the room, and round it upon coarse little wooden stools were seated about a dozen or so of men. Such men! It is almost an insult to manhood to give them the name. They were more like orangutangs, with the varieties of pigs and wolves and birds of prey expressed in their coarse bloated distorted features. Such faces, such misshapen bodies, such distorted limbs, I can in no way describe them! They were clothed in various grotesque and ragged semblances of their former earthly finery, some in the fashion of centuries ago, others in more modern garb, yet all alike ragged, dirty, and unkempt, the hair disheveled, the eyes wild and staring and glowing now with the fierce light of passion, now with the sullen fire of despair and vindictive malice. To me, then, it seemed that I had reached the lowest pit of hell, but since then I have seen a region lower still--far blacker, far more horrible, inhabited by beings so much fiercer, so much lower, that beside them these were tame and human. Later on I shall describe more fully these lowest beings, when I come to that part of my wanderings which took me into their kingdoms in the lowest hell, but the spirits whom I now saw fighting in this cottage were quarreling over a bag of coins which lay on the table. It had been found by one of them and then given to be gambled for by the whole party. The dispute seemed to be because each wanted to take possession of it himself without regard to the rights of anyone else at all. It was simply a question of the strongest, and already they were menacing each other in a violent fashion. The finder of the money, or rather the spiritual counterpart of our earthly money, was a young man, under thirty I should say, who still possessed the remains of good looks, and but for the marks that dissipation had planted on his face would have seemed unfit for his present surroundings and degraded associates. He was arguing that the money was his, and though he had given it to be played for fairly he objected to be robbed of it by anyone. I felt I had no business there, and amidst a wild chorus of indignant cries and protestations that they “supposed they were as well able to say what was honest as he was,” I turned and left them. I had proceeded but a short way, and was almost opposite another deserted little hovel when the whole wild crew came struggling and fighting out of the cottage, wrestling with each other to get near the young man with the bag of money whom the foremost of them were beating and kicking and trying to deprive of it. This one of them succeeded in doing, whereupon they all set upon him, while the young man broke away from them and began running towards me. In a moment there was a wild yell set up to catch him and beat him for an imposter and a cheat, since the bag was empty of gold and had only stones in it, the money, like the fairy gold in the stories, having turned, not into withered leaves, but into hard stones.
与其说是房子，不如说更像个谷仓。一张粗糙的大桌子横贯整个房间，桌子周围围着几张简陋的小木凳，坐着十几个男人。这些人！称他们为男人简直是对他们的侮辱。他们更像是猩猩，粗犷臃肿、畸形的五官中融合了猪、狼和猛禽的特征。那张脸，那畸形的身躯，那扭曲的四肢，我根本无法形容！他们穿着各种怪诞破烂的衣服，勉强算是他们生前华服的残影，有的像是几个世纪前的款式，有的则是比较现代的服饰，但都一样衣衫褴褛、肮脏不堪、蓬头垢面，头发凌乱，眼神狂野而呆滞，时而闪烁着激情的光芒，时而又燃烧着绝望和报复的怒火。那时，我以为自己已经抵达了地狱的最底层。但从那以后，我又看到了更低的境界——更加黑暗，更加恐怖，那里居住着更加凶猛、更加卑劣的生物，与它们相比，这些地狱之门简直如同温顺的人类。稍后，当我讲述我游历到它们在最底层地狱的王国时，我会更详细地描述这些最卑劣的生物。而此刻，我看到这些在小屋里争斗的亡灵，是为了争夺桌上的一袋金币。这袋金币是其中一个亡灵找到的，然后拿来让大家一起赌博。争吵的原因似乎是，每个人都想独占这袋金币，完全不顾及其他人的权利。这纯粹是强者之争，他们已经开始互相威胁，场面十分凶狠。捡到钱的人，或者更确切地说，捡到钱的人，是个年轻人，我估计不到三十岁，还保留着些许俊朗的容貌。若非岁月在他脸上留下的痕迹，他与如今这般颓废的环境和同伴们格格不入。他坚持说这钱是他的，虽然他当初是拿出来公平地玩的，但他绝不允许任何人抢走。我觉得自己不该插手，于是便在一阵愤怒的叫喊声中转身离开。他们嚷嚷着“难道他们觉得自己和他一样有资格评判谁诚实吗？”。我刚走了不远，几乎走到另一间废弃小屋的对面，那群乌合之众就从小屋里冲了出来，扭打在一起，争先恐后地想要靠近那个提着钱袋的年轻人。其中最前面的几个人正拳打脚踢，试图抢走他的钱。其中一人得逞，于是众人围攻他，而那年轻人却挣脱束缚，朝我跑来。片刻间，一阵喧闹声响起，人们围上来要抓住他，把他当成骗子和冒名顶替者狠狠揍一顿，因为袋子里空空如也，只有石头，那些钱财，就像故事里的仙女金子一样，没有变成枯叶，而是变成了坚硬的石头。

Almost before I realized it the wretched young man was clutching hold of me and crying out to me to save him from those devils; and the whole lot were coming down upon us in hot pursuit of their victim. Quick as thought I sprang into the empty hovel which gave us the only hope of asylum, dragging the unfortunate young man with me, and slamming the door I planted my back against it to keep our pursuers out. My Goodness! how they did yell and stamp and storm and try to batter in that door; and how I did brace myself up and exert all the force of mind and body to keep them out! I did not know it then, but I know now that unseen powers helped me and held fast that door till, baffled and angry that they could not move it, they went off at last to seek for some fresh quarrel or excitement elsewhere.
几乎就在我反应过来之前，那个可怜的年轻人就紧紧抓住我，哭喊着求我救他脱离那些恶魔的魔爪；而那群人正蜂拥而至，追赶着他们的猎物。我以迅雷不及掩耳之势跳进那间空荡荡的小屋——那是我们唯一的避难所——拉着那个不幸的年轻人，砰地一声关上门，背抵着门，誓死抵挡追兵。我的天哪！他们又是叫喊又是跺脚，又是猛冲又是猛砸，试图把门撞开；而我则鼓起勇气，使出浑身解数，拼命抵抗，不让他们进来！当时我并不知道，但现在我知道，是某种无形的力量帮助了我，牢牢地挡住了那扇门，直到他们恼羞成怒，发现门怎么也打不开，最终才离开，去别处寻找新的争吵或刺激。

7. The Story Of Raoul
7. 拉乌尔的故事

When they had gone I turned to my companion who sat huddled in a heap, and almost stunned, in one corner of the hut, and, helping him to rise, I suggested that if he could make shift to walk a little, it would be well for us both to leave the place in case those men should think fit to return. With much pain and trouble I got him up and helped him slowly to a place of safety on the dark plain where, if we were without shelter, we were at least free from the danger of being surrounded. Then I did my best to relieve his sufferings by methods I had learned during my stay in the House of Hope, and after a time the poor fellow was able to speak and tell about himself and how he came to be in that dark country. He was, it seemed, but recently from earth life, having been shot by a man who was jealous of his attentions to his wife, and not without reason. The one redeeming feature about this poor spirit’s story was that he, poor soul, did not feel any anger or desire for revenge upon the man who had hurried him out of life, but only sorrow and shame for it all. What had hurt him most and had opened his eyes to his degradation, was the discovery that the woman for whose love it had all been done, was so callous, so selfish, so devoid of all true sense of love for either of them, that she was only occupied in thinking how it would affect herself and her social position in the world of fashion, and not one thought, save of anger and annoyance, had she given to either her unhappy husband or the victim of his jealous anger.
他们走后，我转向蜷缩在小屋角落里、几乎失去知觉的同伴。我扶他起来，建议他如果能勉强走动一下，我们最好离开这里，以防那些人再次返回。我费了九牛二虎之力才把他扶起来，慢慢地把他带到黑暗平原上一个安全的地方。虽然这里没有遮蔽物，但至少我们不会再被包围。然后，我用在希望之家学到的方法尽力减轻他的痛苦。过了一会儿，这个可怜的人终于能说话了，他讲述了自己的遭遇以及他如何来到这片黑暗之地。他似乎不久前才离开人世，被一个嫉妒他与妻子亲近的男人开枪射杀，这并非没有道理。这个可怜人的故事中唯一值得称道的地方在于，他并没有对那个夺走他性命的男人心生怨恨或想要报复，只有深深的悲伤和羞愧。最让他痛苦、最让他认清自己堕落的，是他发现，那个为了爱情而做出这一切的女人，竟然如此冷酷无情、自私自利，对他们两人都毫无真情实感。她满脑子想的都是这件事会如何影响她自己以及她在时尚界的地位，除了愤怒和恼怒，她对不幸的丈夫和那个因嫉妒而受苦的人，没有丝毫怜悯之心。

“When,” said the young man, whom I shall call Raoul, “when I knew that I was truly dead and yet possessed the power to return to earth again, my first thought was to fly to her and console her if possible, or at least make her feel that the dead yet lived, and that even in death I thought of her. And how do you think I found her? Weeping for me? Sorrowing for him? No! not one atom. Only thinking of herself and wishing she had never seen us, or that she could blot us both out from her life by one coup-de-main, and begin life again with someone else higher in the social scale than either of us had been. The scales fell from my eyes, and I knew she had never loved me one particle. But I was rich, I was of the noblesse, and through my help she had hoped to climb another rung of the social ladder, and had willingly sunk herself into an adulteress, not for love of me, but to gain the petty triumph of queening it over some rival woman. I was nothing but a poor blind fool, and my life had paid the penalty of my folly. To her I was but an unpleasant memory of the bitter shame and scandal that had fallen upon her. Then I fled from earth in my bitterness, anywhere, I cared not where it was. I said I would believe no more in goodness or truth of any kind, and my wild thoughts and desires drew me down to this dark spot and these degraded revellers, amongst whom I found kindred spirits to those who had been my parasites and flatterers on earth, and amongst whom I had wasted my substance and lost my soul.”
“当我，”这位年轻人说道，我姑且称他为拉乌尔，“当我意识到自己真的死了，却又拥有重返人间的力量时，我的第一个念头就是飞到她身边，尽可能地安慰她，或者至少让她感受到死者依然活着，即使在死亡中，我也依然想着她。你猜我找到她时是什么模样？为我哭泣？为他悲伤？不！一丝一毫都没有。她满脑子想的都是她自己，希望她从未见过我们，或者她能一击毙命，将我们俩从她的生活中抹去，然后和比我们俩都地位更高的人重新开始生活。我恍然大悟，明白她从未爱过我一丝一毫。但我富有，我出身贵族，她希望借助我的力量攀上更高的社会阶梯，她心甘情愿地沉沦于一段婚外情，并非出于爱我，而是为了在某个竞争对手面前获得那点可笑的胜利。我什么都不是。”但我却是个可怜的瞎子，我的生命已为我的愚蠢付出了代价。对她而言，我不过是她蒙受的苦涩耻辱和丑闻的痛苦回忆。于是，我带着痛苦逃离了人世，去往任何地方，我不在乎。我说我再也不相信任何形式的善良或真理，我疯狂的念头和欲望将我引向这片黑暗之地，引向这些堕落的狂欢者，在那里，我找到了与那些曾在人世间寄生于我、阿谀奉承我的人如出一辙的灵魂，我曾与他们挥霍无度，迷失了灵魂。

“And now, oh! unhappy friend,” I said, “would you not even now seek the path of repentance that would lead you back to brighter lands and help you to regain the lost inheritance of your manhood and your higher self?”
“哦，不幸的朋友，”我说，“你难道不应该寻求忏悔之路，让你重返光明之地，重新获得失去的男子气概和更高的自我吗？”

“Now, alas! it is too late,” said Raoul. “In hell, and surely this is hell, there is no longer hope for any.”
“唉！现在太迟了，”拉乌尔说。“在地狱里——这肯定就是地狱——已经没有任何希望了。”

“No hope for any?” I answered. “Say not so, my friend; those words are heard all too often from the lips of unhappy souls, for I can testify that even in the darkest despair there is ever given hope. I, too, have known a sorrow and bitterness as deep as yours; yet I had ever hope, for she whom I loved was as the pure angels, and her hands were ever stretched out to give me love and hope, and for her sake I work to give to others the hope given to myself. Come, let me lead you and I will guide you to that better land.”
“一点希望都没有了吗？”我问道。“别这么说，我的朋友；这种话从不幸的人口中说出来太常见了，因为我可以作证，即使在最黑暗的绝望中，也总有希望。我也曾经历过和你一样深切的悲伤和痛苦；但我始终抱有希望，因为我所爱的人如同纯洁的天使，她总是伸出双手给予我爱和希望，为了她，我努力将我曾得到的希望传递给他人。来吧，让我带你，我会指引你走向那片更美好的土地。”

“And who art thou, oh! friend, with the kind words and still kinder deeds to whom in truth I might say I owed my life; but had I not learned that in this place, alas! one cannot die--one can suffer to the point of death and even all its pains, yet death comes not to any, for we have passed beyond it, and it would seem must live through an eternity of suffering? Tell me who you are and how you come to be here, speaking words of hope with such confidence. I might fancy you an angel sent down to help me, but that you resemble myself too much for that.”
“哦，我的朋友，你究竟是谁？你言语温柔，行动更是如此，我真想说，我的生命是你的恩赐；可是，如果我不是早已明白，在这个地方，唉！人是不会死的——人可以痛苦到濒死，承受死亡的一切折磨，但死亡却不会降临到任何人身上，因为我们已经超越了死亡，似乎注定要经历永恒的苦难？告诉我，你是谁？你为何会来到这里，如此充满信心地诉说着希望的话语？我本以为你是天使降临人间帮助我，但你又与我如此相像，这显然不是天使的本意。”

Then I told him my history, and how I was working myself upwards even as he might do, and also spoke of the great hope I had always before me, that in time I should be fit to join my sweet love in a land where we should be no more parted.
然后我告诉他我的经历，以及我如何像他一样努力向上攀登，我还谈到了我一直以来怀揣的巨大希望，那就是有朝一日我能与我亲爱的爱人在一个我们不再分离的地方团聚。

“And she?” he said, “is content, you think, to wait for you? She will spend all her life lonely on earth that she may join you in heaven when you shall get there? Bah! mon ami, you deceive yourself. It is a mirage that you pursue. Unless she is either old or very plain, no woman will dream of living forever alone for your sake. She will for a time, I grant you, if she is romantic, or if no one come to woo her, but unless she is an angel she will console herself by and by, believe me. If your hopes are no more well founded than that I shall feel only sorry for you.”
“你以为她会心甘情愿地等你吗？她会孤独终老，只为了在你升入天堂时与你相聚？呸！我的朋友，你真是自欺欺人。你追逐的不过是海市蜃楼。除非她年老体衰或相貌平平，否则没有哪个女人会为了你甘愿孤独终老。我承认，如果她是个浪漫的人，或者没人追求她，她或许会暂时如此，但除非她是天使，否则她迟早会找到慰藉，相信我。如果你的希望仅止于此，那我只能为你感到惋惜。”

I confess his words angered me somewhat; they echoed the doubts that always haunted me, and were like a cold shower bath upon all the warmth of romance with which I had buoyed myself up. It was partly to satisfy my own doubts as well as his that I said, with some heat:
我承认他的话让我有些恼火；它们唤起了我心中一直萦绕的疑虑，就像一盆冷水浇灭了我所有浪漫情怀带来的温暖。我之所以有些激动地说出这句话，一部分是为了消除我自己的疑虑，一部分也是为了消除他的疑虑：

“If I take you to earth and we find her mourning only for me, thinking only of me, will you believe then that I know what I speak about and am under no delusion? Will you admit that your experience of life and of women may not apply to all, and that there is something that even you can learn on this as on other matters?”
“如果我带你到人间，发现她只为我哀悼，只想着我，那时你会相信我所言非虚，没有妄想吗？你会承认你对生活和女性的经验可能并不适用于所有人，并且即使是你，也能在这方面以及其他方面学到一些东西吗？”

“My good friend, believe me that I ask your pardon with all my soul if my unbelief has pained you. I admire your faith and would I could have but a little of it myself. By all means let us go and see her.”
“我的好朋友，请相信我，如果我的不信让你感到痛苦，我由衷地请求你的原谅。我钦佩你的信仰，也希望自己能拥有哪怕一点点。无论如何，我们去见见她吧。”

I took his hand and then “willing” intently that we should go to my beloved, we began to rise and rush through space with the speed of thought almost, till we found ourselves upon earth and standing in a room. I saw her guardian spirit watching over my beloved, and the dim outline of the room and its furniture, but my friend Raoul saw nothing but the form of my darling seated in her chair, and looking like some of the saints from the brightness of her spirit and the pale soft aureole of light that surrounded her, a spiritual light invisible to you of earth but seen by those on the spiritual side of life around those whose lives are good and pure, just as a dark mist surrounds those who are not good.
我握住他的手，然后全神贯注地“祈祷”，希望我们能去见我的爱人。我们开始上升，几乎以念头的速度穿梭于空间，直到我们发现自己身处地球，站在一个房间里。我看到她的守护灵在注视着我的爱人，以及房间和家具模糊的轮廓。但我的朋友拉乌尔什么也没看到，只看到我爱人坐在椅子上的身影，她容光焕发，宛如圣人一般，周身环绕着一层柔和的淡雅光晕。这光芒对于凡人来说是看不见的，但对于生活在灵界的人来说却是可见的，它围绕着那些善良纯洁的人，就像黑暗的迷雾笼罩着那些不善良的人一样。

“Mon Dieu!” cried Raoul, sinking upon his knees at her feet. “It is an angel, a saint you have brought me to see, not a woman. She is not of earth at all.”
“我的天哪！”拉乌尔惊呼一声，跪倒在她脚边。“你带我见到的是一位天使，一位圣人，而不是一个女人。她根本不是凡人。”

Then I spoke to her by name, and she heard my voice and her face brightened and the sadness vanished from it, and she said softly: “My dearest, are you indeed there? I was longing for you to come again. I can think and dream of nothing but you. Can you touch me yet?” She put out her hand and for one brief moment mine rested in it, but even that moment made her shiver as though an icy wind had struck her.
然后我叫了她的名字，她听到我的声音，脸上顿时绽放出笑容，悲伤也随之消散。她轻声说道：“我亲爱的，你真的在这里吗？我一直盼望着你回来。我的脑海里只有你，我的梦里也只有你。你现在可以碰我了吗？”她伸出手，我的手在她手中停留了片刻，但即使是那一瞬间，也让她像被寒风吹过一般颤抖了一下。

“See, my darling one, I have brought an unhappy friend to ask your prayers. And I would have him to know that there are some faithful women on earth--some true love to bless us with were we but fit to enjoy it.”
“亲爱的，你看，我带了一位不幸的朋友来请你为他祈祷。我想让他知道，世上还是有一些忠贞的女子——她们会用真爱祝福我们，只要我们配得上。”

She had not heard clearly all that I said, but her mind caught its sense, and she smiled, so radiant a smile, and said: “Oh! yes, I am ever faithful to you, my beloved, as you are to me, and some day we shall be so very, very happy.”
她没有完全听清我说的话，但她明白了，露出了灿烂的笑容，说道：“哦！是的，我永远忠于你，我的爱人，就像你忠于我一样，总有一天我们会非常非常幸福。”

Then Raoul who was still kneeling before her, held out his hands and tried to touch hers, but the invisible wall kept him away as it had done me, and he drew back, crying out to her:
这时，仍然跪在她面前的拉乌尔伸出手想碰碰她的手，但那堵无形的墙像挡住我一样挡住了他，他向后退去，对着她喊道：

“If your heart is so full of love and pity, spare some to me who am indeed unhappy and need your prayers. Pray that I, too, may be helped, and I shall know your prayers are heard where mine were not worthy to be, and I shall hope that even for me pardon may yet be possible.”
“如果你心中充满爱与怜悯，也请分我一些，我真的很不幸，需要你的祈祷。祈祷我也能得到帮助，这样我就知道你的祈祷被听到了，而我的祈祷却不配被听到，我也会希望，即使是我，也终将得到宽恕。”

My darling heard the words of this unhappy man, and kneeling down beside her chair offered up a little simple prayer for help and comfort to us all.
我亲爱的听到了这个不幸男人的话，便跪在椅子旁边，为我们所有人献上了一个简单的祈祷，祈求得到帮助和安慰。

And Raoul was so touched, so softened, that he broke down completely, and I had to take him by the hand and lead him back to the spirit land, though not now to a region devoid of hope.
拉乌尔深受感动，情绪也随之软化，他彻底崩溃了，我不得不牵着他的手，把他带回精神世界，尽管现在不是回到一个没有希望的地方。

From that time Raoul and I worked together for a little in the dark land he had now ceased to dwell in, and from day to day he grew more hopeful. By nature he was most vivacious and buoyant, a true Frenchman, full of airy graceful lightness of heart which even the awful surroundings of that gloomy spot could not wholly extinguish.
从那时起，我和拉乌尔在他不再居住的那片阴暗土地上一起工作了一段时间，他一天比一天更有希望。他生性活泼开朗，是个地道的法国人，充满轻盈优雅的心灵，即使是那阴森恐怖的地方也无法完全磨灭他的这份天性。

We became great friends, and our work was pleasanter from being shared. Our companionship was, however, not destined to last long then, but we have since met and worked together many times, like comrades in different regiments whom the chances of war may bring together or separate at any time.
我们成了好朋友，一起工作也让工作更加愉快。然而，我们当时的友谊注定不会长久，但此后我们多次相遇并一起工作，就像不同部队的战友一样，战争的命运随时可能让我们重聚或分离。

8. Temptation
8. 诱惑

I was again called upon to go to earth upon a mission of help, and to leave for a time my wanderings in the spirit spheres; and now it was that the greatest and most terrible temptation of my life came to me. In the course of my work I was brought across one still in the earth body, whose influence over my earthly life had done more than aught else to wreck and spoil it, and though I also had not been blameless--far indeed from it--yet I could not but feel an intense bitterness and thirst for revenge whenever I thought of this person and all the wrongs that I had suffered--wrongs brooded over till at times I felt as if my feelings must have vent in some wild burst of passionate resentment.
我再次被召唤到人间执行一项援助任务，暂时离开我在灵界的游荡；而就在此时，我生命中最巨大、最可怕的诱惑降临到我身上。在执行任务的过程中，我遇到了一位仍然拥有肉身的人，他对我尘世生活的影响远超其他任何事物，彻底摧毁了我的生活。虽然我并非完全无辜——事实上，我远非如此——但每当我想起这个人以及我所遭受的一切不公时，我都会感到强烈的痛苦和复仇的渴望——这些不公一直萦绕在我的心头，以至于有时我感觉我的情绪仿佛要化作一股狂暴的怨恨爆发出来。

In my wanderings upon the earth plane I had learned many ways in which a spirit can still work mischief to those he hates who are yet in the flesh. Far more power is ours than you would dream of, but I feel it is wiser to let the veil rest still upon the possibilities the world holds even after death for the revengeful spirit. I could detail many terrible cases I know of as having actually taken place--mysterious murders and strange crimes committed, none knew why or how, by those on earth whose brains were so disordered that they were not themselves responsible for their actions, and were but the tools of a possessing spirit. These and many kindred things are known to us in the spirit spheres where circumstances often wear a very different aspect from the one shown to you. The old beliefs in demoniacal possession were not so visionary after all, only these demons or devils had themselves been once the denizens of earth.
我在尘世游荡期间，学到了许多方法，让亡灵得以继续作恶，折磨那些仍活在世间却憎恨它的人。我们拥有的力量远超你们的想象，但我认为，对于那些死后仍可能存在的复仇亡灵而言，最好还是让这层神秘的面纱继续遮蔽。我可以详述许多我所知的真实案例——神秘的谋杀和怪异的罪行，无人知晓作案动机和方式，而作案者往往是那些心智紊乱、无法控制自身行为的人，他们不过是附身亡灵的工具。这些以及许多类似的事件，在灵界我们所知晓，那里的情况往往与你们所见的截然不同。旧时关于恶魔附身的说法并非那么具有预见性，只不过这些恶魔或魔鬼本身也曾是尘世的居民罢了。

It so happened to me then, that when I came once more, after long years of absence, across this person whom I so hated, all my old feelings of suffering and anger revived, but with tenfold more force than is possible in earth life, for a spirit has far, far greater capabilities of suffering or enjoyments, of pleasure or pain, love or hate, than one whose senses are still veiled and deadened by the earthly envelope, and thus all the senses of a disembodied spirit are tenfold more acute.
后来，多年未见之后，我再次遇到这个我如此憎恨的人，我所有的旧日痛苦和愤怒之情都重新涌上心头，而且比尘世间可能感受到的强烈十倍，因为灵魂比感官仍被尘世的躯壳遮蔽和麻木的人类拥有更强大的感受痛苦或快乐、快乐或痛苦、爱或恨的能力，因此，脱离肉体的灵魂的所有感官都比人类敏锐十倍。

Thus when I once more found myself beside this person, the desire for my long-suspended revenge woke again, and with the desire a most devilish plan for its accomplishment suggested itself to me. For my desire of vengeance drew up to me from their haunts in the lowest hell, spirits of so black a hue, so awful a type, that never before had I seen such beings or dreamed that out of some nightmare fable they could exist. These beings cannot live upon the earth plane nor even in the lower spheres surrounding it, unless there be congenial mortals or some strong magnetic attraction to hold them there for a time, and though they often rise in response to an intensely evil desire upon the part of either a mortal or spirit on the earth plane, yet they cannot remain long, and the moment the attracting force becomes weakened, like a rope that breaks, they lose their hold and sink down again to their own dark abodes. At times of great popular indignation and anger, as in some great revolt of an oppressed people in whom all sense but that of suffering and anger has been crushed out, the bitter wrath and thirst for revenge felt by the oppressed will draw around them such a cloud of these dark beings, that horrors similar to those witnessed in the great French Revolution and kindred revolts of down-trodden people, will take place, and the maddened populace are for a time completely under the control of those spirits who are truly as devils.
于是，当我再次与此人相会时，我心中那份压抑已久的复仇之火再次燃起，随之而来的是一股邪恶至极的复仇计划。我的复仇之心将那些来自地狱深处、色泽漆黑、面目狰狞的恶灵召唤而来，我从未见过如此的生物，也从未梦到过它们竟会从噩梦般的传说中真实存在。这些恶灵无法在人间，甚至无法在环绕人间的低层位面生存，除非有志同道合的凡人，或是某种强大的磁力将它们暂时困住。虽然它们常常会因人间凡人或恶灵的邪恶欲望而升起，但它们无法久留。一旦吸引力减弱，如同断绳一般，它们便会失去束缚，再次沉入它们黑暗的居所。在民众极度愤慨和愤怒之时，例如在被压迫人民的大规模起义中，除了痛苦和愤怒之外的所有感觉都被压抑，被压迫者所感受到的苦涩愤怒和复仇渴望，会吸引一大群黑暗生物围绕在他们周围，从而发生类似于法国大革命和类似被压迫人民起义中发生的恐怖事件，而疯狂的民众会在一段时间内完全受那些真正如同魔鬼般的精灵的控制。

In my case these horrible beings crowded round me with delight, whispered in my ears and pointed out a way of revenge so simple, so easy, and yet so horrible, so appalling in its wickedness, that I shall not venture to write it down lest the idea of it might be given to some other desperate one, and like seed falling into a fruitful soil bring forth its baleful blossoms.
就我而言，这些可怕的生物欢欣雀跃地围着我，在我耳边低语，指出了一种复仇的方法，这种方法如此简单，如此容易，却又如此可怕，如此邪恶，以至于我不敢把它写下来，以免这个想法传给其他绝望的人，就像种子落入肥沃的土壤中一样，开出邪恶的花朵。

At any other time I should have shrunk back in horror from these beings and their foul suggestions. Now in my mad passion I welcomed them and was about to invoke their aid to help me to accomplish my vengeance, when like the tones of a silver bell there fell upon my ears the voice of my beloved, to whose pleadings I was never deaf and whose tones could move me as none else could The voice summoned me to come to her by all that we both held sacred, by all the vows we had made and all the hopes we had cherished, and though I could not so instantly abandon my revenge, yet I was drawn as by a rope to the one I loved from the one I hated.
换作其他任何时候，我都会对这些生物及其邪恶的暗示感到恐惧，并退缩不前。而现在，我却在疯狂的激情中欢迎了他们，正要祈求他们的帮助来实现我的复仇，这时，我爱人的声音如同银铃般传入我的耳中。她的恳求我从未充耳不闻，她的声音比任何人都更能打动我。她用我们共同珍视的一切，用我们许下的所有誓言，用我们珍藏的所有希望，召唤我回到她身边。虽然我无法立刻放弃复仇，但我却像被一根绳索牵引着，从我憎恨的人身边走向我爱的人。

And the whole wild crew of black devils came with me, clinging to me and trying to hold me back, yet with an ever feebler hold as the voice of love and purity and truth penetrated more and more deeply to my heart.
而那群凶神恶煞的黑魔鬼也跟着我来了，他们紧紧地抱着我，试图阻止我，但随着爱、纯洁和真理的声音越来越深入我的内心，他们的控制力也越来越弱。

And then I saw my beloved standing in her room, her arms stretched out to draw me to her, and two strong bright spirit guardians by her side, while around her was drawn a circle of flaming silver light as though a wall of lightning encircled her; yet at her call I passed through it and stood at her side.
然后我看到我心爱的人站在她的房间里，她伸出双臂把我拉向她，她身边有两个强壮明亮的守护灵，在她周围画着一个燃烧的银光圈，就像一道闪电墙环绕着她一样；然而，只要她呼唤，我就穿过它，站在她身边。

The dark crowd sought to follow, but were kept back by the flaming ring. One of the boldest made a rush at me as I passed through, and tried to catch hold, but his hand and arm were caught by the flame of light and shriveled up as though thrust into a furnace. With a yell of pain and rage he drew back amidst a wild howl of derisive laughter from the rest.
黑暗中的人群试图追赶，却被燃烧的火环阻挡。我穿过火环时，一个胆子最大的家伙朝我猛扑过来，想抓住我，但他的手和胳膊被火焰灼伤，像被扔进熔炉一样迅速萎缩。他痛苦而愤怒地嚎叫着，在其他人的嘲笑声中退缩了。

With all the power of her love my darling pleaded with me that I should give up this terrible idea, and promise her nevermore to yield to so base a thought. She asked me if I loved my revenge so much better than I loved her, that to gratify it I would raise up between us the insurmountable barrier of my meditated crime? Was her love indeed so little to me after all?
我的爱人用尽全力恳求我放弃这个可怕的念头，并向她保证永不再受这种卑劣思想的驱使。她问我，难道我对复仇的爱远胜于对她的爱，以至于为了满足复仇的欲望，我竟要在我们之间筑起一道无法逾越的鸿沟——我精心策划的罪行？难道她的爱对我来说真的如此微不足道吗？

At first I would not, could not yield, but at last she began to weep, and then my heart melted as though her tears had been warm drops of her heart’s blood falling on it to thaw its ice, and in bitter anguish of soul that I should have caused her to shed tears I knelt at her feet and prayed to be forgiven my wicked thought--prayed that I might still be left with her love to cheer me, still with her for my one thought, one hope, my all. And as I prayed the circle of dark spirits, who had been fighting to get in and beckoning to me and trying to draw me out, broke like a cloud of black mist when the wind scatters it, and they sank away down to their own abode again, while I sank exhausted at my darling’s feet.
起初我不愿，也无法屈服，但最终她开始哭泣，我的心也随之融化，仿佛她的眼泪是她温暖的心血滴落，融化了我冰冷的心。我因让她流泪而感到灵魂深处的痛苦，我跪在她脚下，祈求她原谅我邪恶的念头——祈求她能继续爱我，给我力量，让我能继续拥有她，让她成为我唯一的念头、唯一的希望、我的一切。就在我祈祷之时，那些一直试图闯入、向我招手、试图将我拉出的黑暗精灵，如同黑雾被风吹散一般消散，它们再次沉入自己的居所，而我则精疲力竭地瘫倒在我爱人的脚下。

At times after this I saw the dark spirits draw near to me, though never again could they come close, for I had an armor in my darling’s love and my promise to her which was proof against all their attacks.
此后，我有时看到黑暗精灵靠近我，但它们再也无法靠近我，因为我拥有爱人的爱和对她的承诺这副盔甲，足以抵御它们的一切攻击。

9. The Frozen Land--The Caverns Of Slumber
9. 冰封之地——沉睡洞穴

I was next sent to visit what will indeed seem a strange country to exist in the spirit world. The Land of Ice and Snow--the Frozen Land--in which lived all those who had been cold and selfishly calculating in their earthly lives. Those who had crushed out and chilled and frozen from their own lives and the lives of others, all those warm sweet impulses and affections which make the life of heart and soul. Love had been so crushed and killed by them that its sun could not shine where they were, and only the frost of life remained.
接下来，我被派往一个在灵界看来确实十分奇异的国度——冰雪之地，一个冰封之国，那里居住着所有生前冷酷无情、自私自利的人。他们扼杀了自己和他人的生命中所有温暖甜蜜的情感，那些构成心灵和灵魂的生命。爱被他们彻底摧毁，以至于爱的阳光无法照耀他们所在之处，只剩下生命的冰霜。

Great statesmen were amongst those whom I saw dwelling in this land, but they were those who had not loved their country nor sought its good. Only their own ambitions, their own aggrandizement had been their aim, and to me they now appeared to dwell in great palaces of ice and on the lofty frozen pinnacles of their own ambitions. Others more humble and in different paths in life I saw, but all alike were chilled and frozen by the awful coldness and barrenness of a life from which all warmth, all passion, was shut out. I had learned the evils of an excess of emotion and of passion, now I saw the evils of their entire absence. Thank God this land had far fewer inhabitants than the other, for terrible as are the effects of mis-used love, they are not so hard to overcome as the absence of all the tender feelings of the human heart.
我在这片土地上见过一些伟大的政治家，但他们既不爱自己的国家，也不为国家谋福祉。他们唯一的追求就是自身的野心和权力扩张，如今在我看来，他们仿佛居住在冰雪宫殿里，栖身于自己野心的冰封巅峰。我也见过一些境遇不同、更为卑微的人，但他们都同样被生活的冷漠和贫瘠所麻木，所有的温暖和激情都被拒之门外。我曾体会过情感和激情过剩的危害，如今我又见识了情感和激情完全缺失的危害。感谢上帝，这片土地上的居民远比其他地方少，因为尽管滥用爱情的后果可怕，但远不及人类心灵中所有温柔情感的缺失那样难以克服。

There were men here who had been prominent members of every religious faith and every nationality on your earth. Roman Catholic cardinals and priests of austere and pious but cold and selfish lives, Puritan preachers, Methodist ministers, Presbyterian divines, Church of England bishops and clergymen, missionaries, Brahmin priests, Parsees, Egyptians, Mohammedans--in short all sorts and all nationalities were to be found in the Frozen Land, yet in scarcely one was there enough warmth of feeling to thaw the ice around themselves even in a small degree. When there was even a little tiny drop of warmth, such as one tear of sorrow, then the ice began to melt and there was hope for that poor soul.
这里曾聚集着来自世界各地各个宗教和各个民族的显赫人物。罗马天主教的枢机主教和神父，他们生活严谨虔诚却冷漠自私；清教徒的传教士；卫理公会的牧师；长老会的神职人员；英国国教的主教和神职人员；传教士；婆罗门祭司；帕西人；埃及人；穆斯林——简而言之，各种族、各种民族的人都聚集在这片冰封之地，然而，几乎没有人身上流露出哪怕一丝一毫的温情，足以融化他们周身的冰层。只有当哪怕一丝微弱的温暖，比如一滴悲伤的泪水，冰层才会开始融化，那可怜的灵魂才会燃起一丝希望。

There was one man whom I saw who appeared to be enclosed in a cage of ice; the bars were of ice, yet they were as bars of polished steel for strength. This man had been one of the Grand Inquisitors of the Inquisition in Venice, and had been one of those whose very names sent terror to the heart of any unfortunate who fell into their clutches; a most celebrated name in history, yet in all the records of his life and acts there was not one instance where one shade of pity for his victims had touched his heart and caused him to turn aside, even for one brief moment, from his awful determination in torturing and killing those whom the Inquisition got into its toils. A man known for his own hard austere life, which had no more indulgence for himself than for others. Cold and pitiless, he knew not what it was to feel one answering throb awake in his heart for another’s sufferings. His face was a type of cold unemotional cruelty; the long thin high nose, the pointed sharp chin, the high and rather wide cheek bones, the thin straight cruel lips like a thin line across the face, the head somewhat flat and wide over the ears, while the deep-set penetrating eyes glittered from their penthouse brows with the cold steely glitter of a wild beast’s.
我曾见过一个人，仿佛被囚禁在冰牢之中；牢笼虽由冰制成，却坚固如抛光钢条。此人曾是威尼斯宗教裁判所的大审判官之一，其名声令所有落入其魔爪之人胆寒；他是历史上赫赫有名的人物，然而，在他生平事迹的记载中，却从未有一丝怜悯之心触动过他的心，让他哪怕片刻也未曾动摇过他那可怕的决心——折磨并杀害那些落入宗教裁判所魔爪之人。他以自己严酷的生活方式而闻名，对自己和他人都毫不留情。冷酷无情，他不知为他人的苦难而心生怜悯。他的脸上满是冷漠无情的残酷。又长又细的高鼻子，尖尖的下巴，高而宽的颧骨，又薄又直又狠的嘴唇像一条细线横贯脸庞，耳朵上方的头颅有些扁平宽阔，而深陷的、锐利的眼睛从高耸的眉毛中闪烁着野兽般冷酷的光芒。

Like a procession of spectres I saw the wraiths of some of this man’s many victims glide past him, maimed and crushed, torn and bleeding from their tortures--pallid ghosts, wandering astral shades, from which the souls had departed forever, but which yet clung around this man, unable to decay into the elements whilst his magnetism attached them, like a chain, to him. The souls and all the higher elements had forever left those--which were true astral shells--yet they possessed a certain amount of vitality--only it was all drawn from this man, not from the released spirits which had once inhabited them. They were such things as those ghosts are made of which are seen haunting the spot where some one too good and innocent to be so chained to earth, has been murdered. They seem to their murderers and others to live and haunt them, yet the life of such astrals (or ghosts) is but a reflected one, and ceases as soon as remorse and repentance have sufficed to sever the tie that links them to their murderers.
我看到，如同幽灵列队，这男人众多受害者的亡魂从他身边飘过，他们残缺不全，遍体鳞伤，鲜血淋漓，饱受酷刑折磨——苍白的幽灵，游荡的星界阴影，他们的灵魂早已永远离去，却依然缠绕着这男人，无法化为尘世，因为他的磁力如同锁链般将他们牢牢束缚。他们的灵魂和所有更高的元素都已永远离开——这些是真正的星界躯壳——但他们仍然保留着某种生命力——只不过这生命力全部来自这男人，而非来自曾经栖息其中的自由灵魂。他们就像那些幽灵一样，徘徊在那些善良无辜之人被谋杀的地方，这些人不该被如此束缚于尘世。在凶手和其他人看来，他们似乎活着并纠缠着他们，然而，这些星体（或鬼魂）的生命只是反射的生命，一旦悔恨和忏悔足以切断他们与凶手之间的联系，生命就会停止。

Other spirits I saw haunting this man, and taunting him with his own helplessness and their past sufferings, but these were very different looking; they were more solid in appearance and possessed a power and strength and intelligence wanting in those other misty-looking shades. These were spirits whose astral forms still held the immortal souls imprisoned in them, though they had been so crushed and tortured that only the fierce desire of revenge remained. These spirits were incessant in their endeavor to get at their former oppressor and tear him to pieces, and the icy cage seemed to be regarded by him as being as much a protection from them as a prison for himself. One more clever than the rest had constructed a long, sharp-pointed pole which he thrust through the bars to prod at the man within, and wonderful was the activity he displayed in trying to avoid its sharp point. Others had sharp short javelins which they hurled through the bars at him. Others again squirted foul, slimy water, and at times the whole crowd would combine in trying to hurl themselves en masse upon the sheltering bars to break through, but in vain. The wretched man within, whom long experience had taught the impregnability of his cage, would taunt them in return with a cold crafty enjoyment of their fruitless efforts.
我还看到其他一些亡灵纠缠着这个人，用他的无助和他们过去的苦难嘲弄他，但这些亡灵的外貌截然不同；它们看起来更加坚实，拥有其他那些朦胧幽灵所缺乏的力量、威严和智慧。这些亡灵的星体形态仍然囚禁着不朽的灵魂，尽管它们曾遭受如此摧残和折磨，以至于只剩下强烈的复仇欲望。这些亡灵不遗余力地想要找到他们曾经的压迫者，将他撕成碎片，而那冰冷的牢笼似乎被他视为既能保护自己免受其害，又能保护自己免受其害的屏障。其中一个亡灵比其他亡灵更加狡猾，它制作了一根长长的尖杆，穿过牢笼的栅栏，戳向里面的人，那人为了躲避尖杆的攻击，表现得异常敏捷。其他亡灵则拿着锋利的短标枪，穿过栅栏向他投掷。其他人又开始喷洒污浊黏滑的水，有时，所有人会一起试图冲破牢笼的栅栏，但都徒劳无功。笼中那个可怜的人，早已深知牢笼坚不可摧，他会冷酷地嘲讽他们，并带着一丝狡黠的得意，看着他们徒劳的努力。

To my mental query as to whether this man was ever released, an answer was given to me by that majestic spirit whose voice I had heard at rare times speaking to me, from the time when I heard it first at my own grave. On various occasions when I had asked for help or knowledge, this spirit had spoken to me, as now, from a distance, his voice sounding to me as the voice spoken of by the prophets of old when they thought the Lord spoke to them in the thunder. This voice rang in my ears with its full deep tones, yet neither the imprisoned spirit nor those haunting him heard it; their ears were deaf so that they could not hear, and their eyes blind so that they could not see.
我心中疑惑，这个人是否曾被释放。这时，那威严的灵体给了我答案。自从我在自己的坟墓前第一次听到它的声音以来，它就偶尔会与我交谈。我曾多次向它寻求帮助或知识，它都曾与我交谈，就像现在这样，虽然距离很远，但它的声音听起来就像古代先知们所说的，上帝在雷声中向他们说话的声音。这声音浑厚而深沉，在我耳边回响，然而被囚禁的灵魂和纠缠他的亡灵却都听不见；他们的耳朵聋了，听不见；他们的眼睛瞎了，看不见。

And to me the voice said: “Son, behold the thoughts of this man for one brief moment--see how he would use liberty were it his.”
那声音对我说：“孩子，请你短暂地看看这个人是怎么想的——看看如果他拥有自由，他会如何运用自由。”

And I saw, as one sees images reflected in a mirror, the mind of this man. First the thought that he could get free, and when once free he could force himself back to earth and the earth plane, and once there he could find some still in the flesh whose aspirations and ambitions were like his own, and through their help he would forge a still stronger yoke as of iron to rivet upon men’s necks, and found a still crueller tyranny--a still more pitiless Inquisition, if that were possible, which should crush out the last remnant of liberty left to its oppressed victims. He knew he would sway a power far greater than his earthly power, since he would work with hands and brain freed from all earthly fetters, and would be able to call up around him kindred spirits, fellow workers with souls as cold and cruel as his own. He seemed to revel in the thought of the fresh oppressions he could plan, and took pride to himself in the recollection that he had ever listened unmoved to the shrieks and groans and prayers of the victims he had tortured to death. From the love of oppression and for his own relentless ambition had he worked, making the aggrandizement of his order but the pretext for his actions, and in no single atom of his hard soul was there awakened one spark of pity or remorse. Such a man set free to return to earth would be a source of danger far more deadly than the most fierce wild beast, since his powers would be far less limited. He did not know that his vaunted Inquisition, which he still sought to strengthen in all its deadly powers, had become a thing of the past, swept away from the face of God’s earth by a power far mightier than any he could wield; and that, like the dark and terrible age in which it had sprung up like a noisome growth, it had gone nevermore to return--thank God!--never again to disgrace humanity by the crimes committed in the name of him who came only to preach peace and love on earth--gone, with its traces and its scars left yet upon the human mind in its shaken and broken trust in a God and an immortality. The recoil of that movement which at last swept away the Inquisition is yet felt on earth, and long years must pass before all which was good and pure and true and had survived throughout even those dark ages shall reassert its power and lead men back to their faith in a God of Love, not a God of Horrors, as those oppressors painted him.
我如同镜中倒影般，看到了这个人的内心。他首先想到的是获得自由，一旦获得自由，他便能强行重返人间，回到尘世，在那里，他能找到一些与他志同道合、野心勃勃的人，借助他们的力量，他能打造出更加坚固的铁枷，牢牢地束缚在人们的脖子上，建立起更加残酷的暴政——一个更加冷酷无情的宗教裁判所（如果可能的话），彻底摧毁那些被压迫者仅存的自由。他知道自己将拥有远超尘世权力的力量，因为他将摆脱尘世的束缚，用自由的双手和头脑行事，并能召集志同道合的伙伴，那些灵魂与他一样冷酷无情的同道中人。他似乎沉浸于策划新的暴行之中，并为自己曾对那些被他折磨致死的受害者的尖叫、呻吟和祈祷无动于衷而感到自豪。他出于对压迫的嗜好和对自身无情野心的追求而行事，将壮大其组织作为其暴行的借口，在他那颗冷酷无情的灵魂深处，没有一丝怜悯或悔恨的火花。这样一个人若被释放重返人间，其危险性将远胜于最凶猛的野兽，因为他的力量将不受任何限制。他并不知道，他引以为傲的宗教裁判所，他仍然试图加强其所有致命的权力，已经成为过去，被一种远比他所能掌控的力量更强大的力量从上帝的大地上抹去；而且，就像它像恶臭的赘生物一样在黑暗可怕的时代滋生一样，它已经一去不复返了——感谢上帝！——再也不会以那位来到世间只为宣扬和平与爱的上帝的名义犯下罪行，玷污人类——它消失了，但它的痕迹和伤痕却在人类的心灵中留下了动摇和破碎的印记，动摇了人们对上帝和永生的信仰。那场最终推翻宗教裁判所的运动的反噬至今仍在世间存在，漫长的岁月必须过去，所有美好、纯洁、真实的事物，即使在那些黑暗时代也幸存下来的事物，才能重新展现其力量，引领人们回归对爱之神的信仰，而不是对恐怖之神的信仰。正如那些压迫者所描绘的那样。

From this Frozen Land I turned away chilled and saddened. I did not care to linger there or explore its secrets, though it may be that again at some future time I may visit it. I felt that there was nothing I could do in that land, none I could understand, and they but froze and revolted me without my doing them any good.
我离开了这片冰封之地，心中充满寒冷和悲伤。我并不想在那里久留，也不想探寻它的秘密，尽管或许将来某个时候我会再次造访。我觉得在那片土地上我无能为力，也无法理解它的一切，他们只会让我感到冰冷和厌恶，而我却对他们毫无益处。

On my way back from the Frozen Land to the Land of Twilight, I passed a number of vast caverns called the “Caverns of Slumber,” wherein lay a great multitude of spirits in a state of complete stupor, unconscious of all around them. These, I learned, were the spirits of mortals who had killed themselves with opium eating and smoking, and whose spirits had thus been deprived of all chance of development, and so had retrograded instead of advancing and growing--just as a limb tied up and deprived of motion withers away--and now they were feebler than an unborn infant, and as little able to possess conscious life.
从冰封之地返回暮光之地的途中，我经过许多被称为“沉睡洞穴”的巨大洞穴，其中躺着无数处于完全昏迷状态的灵魂，对周围的一切都毫无知觉。我后来才知道，这些是凡人吸食鸦片自杀身亡后的灵魂，他们的灵魂因此失去了所有发展的机会，非但没有进步成长，反而退化了——就像被束缚、无法活动的肢体逐渐枯萎一样——如今他们比未出生的婴儿还要虚弱，几乎没有任何意识。

In many cases their sleep would last for centuries; in others, where the indulgence in the drug had been less, it might only last for twenty, fifty, or a hundred years. These spirits lived, and that was all, their senses being little more developed than those of some fungus growth which exists without one spark of intelligence; yet in them the soul germ had lingered, imprisoned like a tiny seed in the wrapping of some Egyptian mummy, which, long as it may lie thus, is yet alive, and will in a kindly soil sprout forth at last. These caverns, in which kind spirit hands had laid them, were full of life-giving magnetism, and a number of attendant spirits who had themselves passed through a similar state from opium poisoning in their own earth lives, were engaged in giving what life they could pour into those comatose spirit bodies which lay like rows of dead people all over the floor.
在许多情况下，他们的沉睡会持续数百年；而在另一些情况下，由于吸食鸦片较少，沉睡可能只会持续二十年、五十年或一百年。这些灵魂活着，仅此而已，他们的感官发育程度与某些毫无智慧的真菌无异；然而，灵魂的种子仍然在他们体内徘徊，如同被囚禁在埃及木乃伊包裹中的一颗微小种子，只要它保持这种状态，就依然活着，最终会在肥沃的土壤中发芽。这些由善良的灵魂之手安置的洞穴充满了赋予生命的磁力，许多曾在尘世间因鸦片中毒而经历过类似状态的侍奉灵魂，正竭尽所能地将生命注入这些昏迷的灵魂躯体中，这些躯体如同成排的死者般散落在地上。

By slow degrees, according as the spirit had been more or less injured by the drug taken in the earthly life, these wretched beings would awake to consciousness and all the sufferings experienced by the opium eater when deprived of his deadly drug. By long and slow degrees the poor spirits would awaken, sense by sense, till at last like feeble suffering children they would become fit for instruction, when they would be sent to institutions like your idiot asylums, where the dawning intellect would be trained and helped to develop, and those faculties recovered which had been all but destroyed in the earth life.
这些可怜的灵魂会逐渐苏醒，意识也随之恢复，体验到鸦片瘾君子戒断致命毒品后所遭受的一切痛苦，这取决于他们在尘世吸食毒品时所受到的伤害程度。这些可怜的灵魂会一步步地恢复感官，直到最终像虚弱痛苦的孩子一样，能够接受教育，然后被送往类似你们的白痴收容所之类的机构，在那里，他们萌芽的智力将得到训练和发展，那些在尘世几乎被摧毁的能力也将得以恢复。

These poor souls would only learn very slowly, because they had to try to learn now, without the aids of the earthly life, those lessons which it had been designed to teach. Like drunkards (only more completely) they had paralyzed brain and senses and had avoided, not learned, the lessons of the earthly life and its development of the spirit.
这些可怜的人只能缓慢地学习，因为他们现在必须尝试在没有尘世生活帮助的情况下，去学习尘世生活原本旨在传授的那些课程。他们就像醉汉一样（只是更加彻底），麻痹了大脑和感官，逃避而非学习了尘世生活及其对精神发展带来的教训。

To me these Caves of Slumber were inexpressibly sad to behold--not less so that those wretched slumberers were unconscious for so long of the valuable time they lost in their dreamless, hopeless sleep of stagnation.
在我看来，这些沉睡的洞穴令人无比悲伤——更令人悲伤的是，那些可怜的沉睡者在无梦、绝望的停滞睡眠中，长时间地失去了宝贵的时间，却浑然不觉。

Like the hare in the fable, while they slept others less swift won the race, and these poor souls might try in vain through countless ages to recover the time which they had lost.
就像寓言中的兔子一样，当他们睡觉时，那些速度较慢的人赢得了比赛，而这些可怜的人可能要花费无数个世纪的时间才能徒劳地找回他们失去的时间。

When these slumberers shall at last awake, to what a fate do they not waken, through what an awful path must they not climb to reach again that point in the earth life from which they have fallen! Does it not fill our souls with horror to think that there are those on earth who live, and pile up wealth through the profits made from that dreadful trade in opium, which not alone destroys the body, but would seem to destroy even more fatally the soul, till one would despondently ask if there be indeed hope for these its victims?
当这些沉睡者最终醒来时，他们将面临何等悲惨的命运？他们将攀登何等可怕的道路，才能重返他们堕落的尘世之境？想到世上竟有人靠鸦片交易牟取暴利，难道我们的灵魂不会感到恐惧吗？鸦片不仅摧残肉体，似乎更会彻底摧毁灵魂，以至于人们不禁绝望地问：这些受害者还有希望吗？

These awful caves--these terrible stupefied spirits--can any words point a fate more fearful than theirs? To awaken at last with the intellects of idiots, to grow, through hundreds of years, back at last to the possession of the mental powers of children--not of grown men and women. Slow, slow, must be their development even then, for unlike ordinary children they have almost lost the power to grow, and take many generations of time to learn what one generation on earth could have taught them. I have heard it said that many of the unhappy beings when they have attained at last to the development of infants, are sent back to earth to be reincarnated in an earthly body, that they may enjoy again the advantages they have misused before. But of this I only know by hearsay, and cannot give any opinion of my own upon its truth. I only know that I should be glad to think of any such possibility for them which could shorten the process of development or help them to regain all that they had lost.
这些可怕的洞穴——这些麻木不仁的亡灵——还有什么比他们的命运更悲惨的呢？最终醒来时，他们的智力却如同白痴一般；历经数百年，他们的心智才最终退化到孩童的水平，而非成年人的水平。即便如此，他们的成长也必定十分缓慢，因为与普通孩童不同，他们几乎丧失了成长的能力，需要几代人的时间才能学会地球上一代人就能教会他们的东西。我曾听人说，许多不幸的亡灵在最终发育到婴儿阶段后，会被送回地球，转世投胎，以便再次享受他们曾经滥用的优势。但这只是我的传闻，我无法就其真伪发表任何意见。我只知道，如果能找到任何可以缩短他们成长过程或帮助他们重获所有失去之物的方法，我会非常高兴。

10. My House In The Twilight Lands--Communion Between The Living And The Dead
10. 我在暮色之地的家——生者与死者的交流

In my home in the Twilight Land I rested now for a time, studying to learn more of myself and the powers I had within me, and seeking to apply the lessons I had learned in my wanderings. My chief instructor at this time was a man like myself in many respects, who had lived a similar life on earth and had passed through the lower spheres, as I was now doing, and who had become a dweller in a bright land of sunshine from which he came constantly to teach and help those of the Brotherhood who, like myself, were his pupils.
我在暮光之地的家中稍作休息，潜心研究自身，探索内在的力量，并将游历中汲取的教训付诸实践。此时，我的主要导师是一位与我诸多方面都颇为相似的人，他曾在地球上过着类似的生活，也曾像我一样穿越过低层领域，如今他居住在一片阳光普照的光明之地，并经常从那里前来教导和帮助兄弟会的成员——那些像我一样，是他的学生。

There was likewise another teacher or guide whom I sometimes saw, whose influence over me was even greater, and from whom I learned many strange things, but as he was in a much more advanced sphere than the other, it was but seldom that I could see him as a distinct personality. His teachings came to me more as mental suggestions or inspirational discourses in answer to some questioning thought on my part. This spirit I shall not now describe to you, as at this time of my sojourn in the Twilight Land I saw him but very dimly, and only clearly when my progression had carried me into a brighter state.
此外，我有时还会见到另一位老师或导师，他对我的影响甚至更大，我从他那里学到了许多奇特的知识。但由于他所处的境界远比前者高深，我很少能将他视为一个独立的个体。他的教诲更多地以精神暗示或启发性话语的形式出现，回应着我心中的疑问。我暂且不向你们描述这位灵体，因为在我身处暮光之地的这段时间里，我只能隐约地看到他，只有当我的境界提升到更明亮的状态时，才能清晰地看到他。

Though this man was not fully visible to me I was often conscious of his presence and his aid, and when later on I learned that he had been my principal guardian spirit during my earthly life, I could easily trace many thoughts and suggestions, many of my higher aspirations, to his influence; and it was his voice that had so often spoke to me in warning or in comfort when I struggled on almost overwhelmed with my terrible position on first entering the spirit world. In the days of darkness I had been faintly conscious of his form flitting in and out of my little cell, and soothing my terrible sufferings with his magnetism and his wonderful knowledge and power.
虽然我无法完全看见这个人，但我常常能感受到他的存在和帮助。后来我得知，他是我生前的主要守护灵，我便能轻易地追溯到许多想法和建议，以及我许多崇高的愿望，都源于他的影响。当我初入灵界，几乎被可怕的境遇压垮时，他的声音常常在我耳边响起，或警示我，或安慰我。在黑暗的日子里，我隐约感觉到他的身影在我狭小的房间里忽隐忽现，用他那强大的魅力、渊博的知识和无比的力量抚慰着我痛苦的心灵。

On returning to the Twilight Land from the darker spheres I had visited, I felt almost like returning to a home, for, bare and shabby as my room looked, and small and narrow as it was, it yet held all my greatest treasures: my picture mirror in which I could see my beloved, and the rose, and the letter she had sent to me. Moreover I had friends there, companions in misfortune like myself, and though we were as a rule much alone, meditating upon our past mistakes and their lessons, yet at times it was very pleasant to have one friend or another come in to see you, and since we were all alike men who had disgraced ourselves by our earthly lives and were now seeking to follow the better way, there was even in that a bond of sympathy. Our life, could I make you fully realize it, would indeed seem strange to you. It was like and yet unlike an earthly life. For instance, we ate at times a simple sort of food provided for us, it would seem, by magic whenever we felt hungry, but often for a week at a time we would not think of food, unless indeed it was one of us who had been fond of good eating on earth, and in that case the desire would be much more frequent and troublesome to satisfy. For myself my tastes had been somewhat simple, and neither eating nor drinking had in themselves possessed special attractions for me.
从我曾造访过的黑暗领域返回暮光之地，我几乎感觉像是回到了家。我的房间虽然简陋破败，狭小狭窄，却珍藏着我最珍贵的一切：一面镜子，透过它我能看到我心爱的人；还有那朵玫瑰；以及她寄给我的信。此外，我在那里还有朋友，和我一样身处不幸的同伴。虽然我们通常独自一人，反思过去的错误和从中汲取的教训，但偶尔有朋友来探望也令人倍感欣慰。因为我们都是在尘世生活中蒙受耻辱，如今寻求救赎之道的人，即便如此，我们之间也存在着一种同情的纽带。如果我能让你完全理解，你一定会觉得我们的生活很奇特。它既像尘世的生活，又不像尘世的生活。例如，有时我们会吃一些简单的食物，仿佛是变魔术一般，只要我们饿了就会出现；但很多时候，我们会连续一个星期都不想吃东西，除非我们当中有人生前就喜欢美食，那样的话，对食物的渴望就会更加频繁，也更难满足。至于我自己，我的口味比较简单，吃喝本身对我来说并没有什么特别的吸引力。

There was always around us this twilight, which was never varied with dark night or bright day, and which was most especially trying to me in its monotony. I so love light and sunshine. To me it was ever as a life-giving bath. I had been born in a land of earth where all is sunshine and flowers.
我们周围总是笼罩着一层暮色，既没有漆黑的夜晚，也没有明亮的白昼，这种单调乏味尤其令我感到难熬。我如此热爱光明和阳光。对我而言，它们就像是滋养生命的沐浴。我出生在一片充满阳光和鲜花的土地上。

Then although we usually walked about this building and the surrounding country much as you do, we could float a little at will, though not so well as more advanced spirits do, and if we were in a great hurry to go anywhere our wills seemed to carry us there with the speed almost of thought.
虽然我们通常像你们一样在这栋建筑和周围的乡村里走来走去，但我们也可以随意地漂浮一会儿，虽然不如更高级的灵魂那样自如，如果我们急着去某个地方，我们的意志似乎会以几乎与思考一样快的速度把我们带到那里。

As for sleep, we could spend long intervals without feeling its need, or, again, we could lie and sleep for weeks at a time, sometimes semi-conscious of all that passed, at others in the most complete of slumbers. Another strange thing was our dress--which never seemed to wear out and renewed itself in some mysterious fashion. All through this period of my wanderings and while I was in this abode it was of a dark--a very dark--blue color, with a yellow girdle round the waist, and an anchor worked in yellow on the left sleeve, with the words, “Hope is Eternal,” below it. There were close-fitting undergarments of the same dark color. The robe was long and such as you see penitent brotherhoods or monks wear on earth, with a hood hung from the shoulders, which could be used to cover the head and face of any who desired to screen their features from view; and indeed there were often times when we wished to do so, for suffering and remorse had made such changes in us that we were often glad to hide our faces from the gaze of those we loved. The hollow eyes, sunken cheeks, wasted and bent forms, and deep lines suffering had traced upon each face told their own story but too well, and such of us as had dear friends on earth or in the spirit land still grieving for our loss, sought often at times to hide from their eyes our disfigured forms and faces.
至于睡眠，我们可以长时间不觉得需要它，或者，我们也可以连续几周躺着睡觉，有时对发生的一切都半梦半醒，有时则完全沉睡。还有一件奇怪的事是我们的衣服——它似乎永远不会破旧，而且会以某种神秘的方式自我更新。在我游历的这段时间以及我待在这个住处期间，它都是深蓝色的——非常深的蓝色——腰间系着一条黄色的腰带，左袖上绣着一个黄色的锚，锚的下方写着“希望永恒”。里面穿着同样深蓝色的紧身内衣。长袍很长，就像你在世上看到的忏悔兄弟会或僧侣穿的那种，肩上挂着兜帽，可以用来遮住头部和脸部，任何想要隐藏自己面容的人都可以用它。的确，很多时候我们都想这样做，因为苦难和悔恨已经彻底改变了我们，以至于我们常常乐于将自己的容颜藏起来，不让那些我们所爱的人看到。空洞的双眼、凹陷的脸颊、消瘦佝偻的身躯，以及苦难在每张脸上刻下的深深皱纹，都在诉说着各自的故事，却又如此直白。我们当中那些在世间或灵界仍有挚友为失去我们而悲痛的人，常常想要躲开他们，不让他们看到我们残缺的容貌。

Our lives had somewhat of monotony about them in the regular order in which our studies and our lectures followed each other like clockwork. At certain stages--for they did not count time by days or weeks, but only as advance was made in the development of each spirit--when a lesson had been learned, in a longer or shorter time according to the spiritual and intellectual development, the spirit was advanced to a higher branch of the subject studied.
我们的生活略显单调，学习和讲座如同钟表般按部就班地进行着。在某些阶段——因为他们不以天或周来计算时间，而是以每个人精神发展的进步为准——当一个人掌握了一门课程，无论学习的时间长短，都取决于其精神和智力的发展，之后便会进入所学学科的更高阶领域。

Some remain a very long time before they can grasp the meaning of the lesson shown to them; if so, the spirit is in no way hurried or pressed on as is done in earth education, where life seems all too short for learning. As a spirit a man has all eternity before him and can stand still or go on as he pleases, or he may remain where he is till he has thought out and grasped clearly what has been shown, and then he is ready for the next step, and so on. There is no hurrying anyone faster than he chooses to go; no interference with his liberty to live on in the same state of undevelopment if he wishes, so long as he interferes with the liberty of no one else and conforms to the simple rule which governs that great Brotherhood, the rule of freedom and sympathy for all. None were urged to learn, and none were kept back from doing so; it was all voluntary, and did anyone seek (as many did) to leave this place, he was free to go where he would, and to return again if he wished; the doors were closed to none, either in going or returning, and none ever sought to reproach another with his faults or shortcomings, for each felt the full depth of his own.
有些人需要很长时间才能领悟所学的真谛；即便如此，他们的灵魂也不会像尘世教育那样被催促或强迫，因为在尘世教育中，生命似乎太过短暂，不足以学习。作为灵魂，人拥有永恒的时间，可以随心所欲地停留或前行，也可以停留在原地，直到他彻底思考并清晰地理解了所学，然后才准备好迈出下一步，如此循环往复。没有人会被迫加快自己的步伐；只要他不干涉他人的自由，并遵守那伟大兄弟会的简单规则——自由和同情所有人的规则——他就可以自由地选择继续保持这种未发展的状态。没有人被强迫学习，也没有人被阻止学习；一切都是自愿的，如果有人想要离开这里（许多人确实如此），他可以自由地去任何他想去的地方，如果他愿意，也可以回来。无论是去还是回，大门都不会对任何人关闭；没有人会试图指责别人的缺点或不足，因为每个人都深切地体会到自己的缺点或不足。

Some had been years there, I learned, for to them the lessons were hard and slow to be learned. Others, again, had broken away and gone back to the life of the earth plane so many times that they had descended to the lowest sphere at last, and gone through a course of purification in that other House of Hope where I had first been. They had appeared to go back instead of forward, yet even this had not been in truth a retrogression, but only a needful lesson, since they were thus cured of the desire to try the pleasures of the earth plane again. A few, like myself, who had a strong and powerful motive to rise, made rapid progress, and soon passed on from step to step, but there were, alas! too many who required all the hope and all the help that could be given to sustain and comfort them through all their trials; and it was my lot to be able, out of the storehouse of my own hopefulness, to give a share to others less fortunate who were not blessed, as I was, with a stream of love and sympathy flowing ever to me from my beloved on earth, cheering me on to fresh efforts with its promise of joy and peace at last.
我了解到，有些人已经在那里待了好几年，因为对他们来说，那些教训既艰难又难以领悟。还有一些人，他们多次脱离尘世，重返尘世生活，最终堕落到最低层，并在我最初所在的希望之屋接受了净化疗程。他们看似退步而非前进，但这实际上并非倒退，而只是一次必要的教训，因为他们因此摆脱了再次沉溺于尘世享乐的欲望。少数人，像我一样，拥有强大而坚定的提升动力，进步迅速，很快就能步步高升。但唉！还有太多人需要我们竭尽全力给予他们希望和帮助，才能支撑他们度过重重考验，获得慰藉。我的命运就是能够从我自身希望的宝库中汲取力量，去帮助那些不如我幸运的人，他们不像我一样，从我所爱的人那里，不断地得到爱和同情的滋养，这滋养激励着我不断努力，最终带来喜悦与和平。

11. Ahrinziman
11. 阿林齐曼

To these meetings for materialization I was always accompanied by that majestic spirit of whom I have already spoken, and whom I now knew by his name, Ahrinziman, “the Eastern Guide.” As I was now beginning to see him more clearly I will describe him to you.
在这些显化仪式中，我总是与那位我之前提到过的、如今我已知道名为阿林齐曼（Ahrinziman）的威严神灵相伴，他被称为“东方向导”。现在我对他的认识越来越清晰，我将向你们描述他。

He was a tall, majestic-looking man with long flowing white garments bordered with yellow, and a yellow girdle around his waist. His complexion was that of an Eastern, of a pale dusky tint. The features were straight and beautifully molded, as one sees them in the statues of Apollo, though their peculiar Eastern cast caused them to vary a little from the perfect Grecian type. His eyes were large, dark, soft and tender as a woman’s, yet with a latent fire and force of passion in their depths which, though subdued and controlled by his strong will, yet gave a warmth and intensity to his looks and manner, from which I could easily believe that in his earth life he had known all the sweetness and all the passion of violent love and hate. Now his passions were purified from all earthly dross, and served but as links of sympathy between him and those who, like myself, were still struggling to subdue their lower natures, and conquer their passions. A short silky black beard covered his cheeks and chin, and his soft wavy black hair hung somewhat long upon his shoulders. His figure, though tall and powerful, had all the litheness and supple grace of his Eastern race, for so marked are the types of each race that even the spirit bears still the impress of its earthly nationality, and although centuries had passed since Ahrinziman had left the earthly body he retained all the peculiarities which distinguished the Eastern from the Western people. The spirit was strangely like an earthly mortal man, and yet so unlike in that peculiar dazzling brightness of form and feature which no words can ever paint, nor pen describe, that strange and wonderful ethereality, and yet distinct tangibility, which only those who have seen a spirit of the higher spheres can truly understand. In his earth life he had been a deep student of the occult sciences, and since his entry into the spirit world he had expanded and increased his knowledge till to me it seemed there was no limit to his powers. Like myself, of a warm and passionate nature, he had learned during long years of spirit life to overcome and subdue all his passions, till now he stood upon a pinnacle of power whence he stooped down ever to draw up strugglers like myself, whom his sympathy and ready understanding of our weaknesses made ready to receive his help, while one who had never himself fallen would have spoken to us in vain. With all his gentleness and ready sympathy, however, he had also a power of will against which, when he chose to exert it, one sought in vain to fight, and I have beheld on more than one occasion some of the wild passionate beings amongst whom he worked, brought to a stop in something they were about to do which would have harmed themselves or others. They would be spellbound and unable to move a limb, yet he had never touched them. It was but by his own powerful will, which was so much stronger than theirs that for the time they were paralyzed. Then he would argue the matter with them, kindly and frankly, and show to them in some of his wonderful ways the full consequences to themselves and others of what they were about to do, and when he had done so he would lift from them the spell of his will and leave them free to act as they desired, free to commit the meditated sin now that they knew its consequences; and seldom have I known any who, after so solemn a warning, would still persist in following their own path. I myself have always been considered one whose will was strong, and who could not readily give it up to any others, but beside this spirit I have felt myself a child, and have bowed more than once to the force of his decisions. And here let me say that in all things in the spirit world man is free--free as air--to follow his own inclinations and desires if he wishes, and does not choose to take the advice offered to him. The limitations to a man’s own indulgence and the extent to which he can infringe upon the rights of others, are regulated by the amount of law and order existing in the sphere to which he belongs.
他身材高大，相貌威严，身着镶黄边的白色长袍，腰间系着一条黄色腰带。他的肤色是东方人特有的苍白黝黑。五官线条笔直，轮廓分明，如同阿波罗雕像一般，只是略带东方特色，与完美的希腊式相差甚远。他的眼睛又大又黑，温柔似水，如同女子一般，但眼底却蕴藏着一股炽热的激情。这激情虽被他强大的意志力所压制，却依然赋予他一种温暖而强烈的气质，使我轻易相信，他生前曾体验过爱恨交织的甜蜜与激情。如今，他的激情已涤荡了尘世的污浊，只剩下与我这类仍在努力克制自身欲望、战胜情欲的人们之间的共鸣。他脸颊和下巴上留着一簇丝滑的黑色短须，柔软的黑色波浪长发披散在肩上。他身材高大魁梧，却又兼具东方种族特有的矫健和优雅。因为每个种族的特征都如此鲜明，就连灵魂也依然带有尘世民族的印记。尽管阿林齐曼离开尘世已历经数百年，他仍然保留着东方人与西方人之间的所有区别特征。他的灵魂奇特地像一个凡人，却又截然不同，它拥有一种独特的、耀眼夺目的光彩，任何语言都无法描绘，笔墨也无法描述。那种奇异而美妙的空灵，却又清晰可触，只有那些见过更高境界灵魂的人才能真正理解。生前，他曾潜心钻研神秘学，进入灵界后，他的知识更是与日俱增，在我看来，他的力量似乎无穷无尽。和我一样，他生性热情奔放，在漫长的灵界生涯中，他学会了如何克服和驾驭自身的所有激情。如今，他已站在力量的巅峰，却依然俯身帮助像我这样的挣扎者。他对我们的同情和对我们弱点的深刻理解，使我们甘愿接受他的帮助。而那些从未堕落的人，若是与我们交谈，恐怕只会徒劳无功。然而，尽管他如此温柔体贴，却也拥有强大的意志力。一旦他选择施展这股力量，任何人都无法与之抗衡。我曾多次亲眼目睹，在他身边那些狂野奔放的灵魂，在他面前，那些即将做出伤害自己或他人之举的人，都被他制止了。他们仿佛被施了魔法一般，动弹不得，而他甚至从未触碰过他们。这完全是他凭借自己强大的意志力，远胜于他们的意志力，以至于他们暂时动弹不得。然后，他会和蔼坦诚地与他们辩论，用他那奇妙的方式向他们展示他们即将要做的事情会给他们自己和他人带来怎样的后果。当他这样做之后，他便会解除对他们的意志控制，让他们自由地按照自己的意愿行事，自由地犯下他们蓄意而为的罪行，因为他们现在已经明白了后果。我很少见到有人在受到如此严厉的警告之后，仍然执意走自己的路。我本人一直被认为意志坚定，不易屈服于他人，但在这位精神面前，我却觉得自己像个孩子，不止一次地屈服于他的决定。在此我想说，在精神世界里，人拥有绝对的自由——如同空气般自由——可以随心所欲，不听从他人的建议。一个人放纵自己的程度以及侵犯他人权利的界限，取决于他所属领域中法律和秩序的健全程度。

For example, in the lowest sphere of all, where no law prevails but the law of the strongest oppressor, you may do what you please; you may injure or oppress another to the very last limits of his endurance, and those who are stronger than you will do the same to you. The most oppressed slaves on earth are less unhappy than those whom I have seen in the lowest sphere of all, where no law prevails and where only those spirits are to be found who have defied all laws of God or man and have been a law to themselves, exercising the most boundless oppression and wrong towards their neighbors. In those spheres which I shall shortly describe, it seems that strong, cruel and oppressive as a spirit may be, there is always found someone still stronger to oppress him, some one still crueler, still wickeder, still more oppressive, till at last you arrive at those who may truly be said to reign in hell--Kings and Emperors of Evil! And it goes on till at last the very excess of evil will work its own cure. The worst and most tyrannical will long for some other state of things, some laws to restrain, some power to control; and that feeling will be the first step, the first desire for a better life, which will give the Brothers of Hope sent to work in those dark spheres, the little loophole through which to give the idea of improvement, and the hope that it is still possible for them. As the spirit progresses upwards there will be found in each circle of the ladder of progress an increased degree of law and order prevailing, to which he will be ready to conform himself, as he expects others to conform where the laws affect him. The perfect observance of the highest moral laws is found only in the highest spheres, but there are many degrees of observance, and he who respects the rights of others will find his rights respected, while he who tramples upon his neighbor will in turn be trampled upon by the stronger ones.
例如，在最底层的领域，除了最强压迫者的法则之外，没有任何法律凌驾于其上，在那里，你可以为所欲为；你可以伤害或压迫他人，直至其忍耐的极限，而比你强大的人也会以同样的方式对待你。世上最受压迫的奴隶，也比不上我在最底层所见到的那些人，那里没有任何法律，只有那些蔑视上帝或人间一切法则、以自我为王的恶灵，他们对邻人施以无底线的压迫和罪恶。在我即将描述的那些领域中，似乎无论一个恶灵多么强大、残忍、压迫，总会找到更强大的人来压迫他，更残忍、更邪恶、更压迫，直到最终你遇到那些真正称得上统治地狱的人——邪恶之王和邪恶帝王！如此循环往复，直至最终罪恶的泛滥本身会成为一种解药。最邪恶、最暴虐之人会渴望另一种状态，渴望一些法律约束，一些权力控制；而这种渴望将是第一步，是对美好生活的最初期盼，它将为那些被派往黑暗领域工作的希望兄弟会提供一丝缝隙，让他们得以传播改善的理念，并让他们相信改善仍有可能。随着精神的提升，在进步阶梯的每一层，人们都会发现法律和秩序的程度不断提高，他们会乐于顺应这种秩序，正如他们期望他人在法律约束自身时也顺应法律一样。只有在最高阶层才能完美地遵守最高的道德法则，但遵守程度有很多种，尊重他人权利的人，自己的权利也会得到尊重；而践踏邻居的人，最终也会被更强大的人践踏。

In all respects man in the spirit world is free to work or to be idle, to do good or to do evil, to win a blessing or a curse. Such as he is, such will be his surroundings, and the sphere for which he is fitted must ever be the highest to which he can attain till his own efforts fit him to become a dweller in one higher. Thus the good need no protection against the evil in the spirit world. Their own different states place an insurmountable barrier between them. Those above can always descend at will to visit or help those below them, but between them and the lower spirits there is a great gulf which the lower ones cannot pass. Only upon your earth and on other planets where material life exists, can there be the mixture of good and evil influences with almost equal power. I say almost equal, since even on earth the good have the greater power, unless man shuts himself out from their aid by the indulgence of his lower passions.
在灵界，人可以自由地工作或闲散，行善或作恶，获得祝福或诅咒。他自身的状态决定了他所处的环境，他所适应的领域也必然是他所能达到的最高境界，直到他自身的努力使他能够居住在更高的领域。因此，在灵界，善良的灵魂无需抵御邪恶的侵袭。他们各自不同的状态在彼此之间筑起了一道无法逾越的屏障。高阶灵魂可以随时降临探望或帮助低阶灵魂，但在他们与低阶灵魂之间，存在着一道低阶灵魂无法跨越的巨大鸿沟。只有在你们的地球以及其他存在物质生命的星球上，善恶的影响才能以几乎相等的力量交织在一起。我说“几乎相等”，是因为即使在地球上，善良的力量也更为强大，除非人类沉溺于低级欲望，将自己与善良的力量隔绝开来。

In days of old when men’s hearts were simple as little children’s, the spirit world lay close at their doors and they knew it not, but now men have drifted far from it, and are like mariners upon a raft, who are seeking now again through fog and mist to find it. Kind pilots of the spirit world are striving to guide and help them to reach that radiant land that they may bring back a bright store of hope and light for the weary strugglers upon earth.
在远古时代，当人们的心灵如同孩童般纯真无邪时，灵界就在他们家门口，他们却浑然不知。如今，人们已远离灵界，如同漂泊在木筏上的水手，在迷雾中艰难寻觅。来自灵界的仁慈引路人正竭力引导他们，帮助他们抵达那片光明之地，以便他们能带回满满的希望与光明，造福尘世间疲惫的人们。

12. My Second Death
12. 我的第二次死亡

The meetings for materialization were held once a fortnight, and from the number of them I judged that about three months had passed, when I was told by Ahrinziman to prepare myself for a great change which was about to take place in myself and my surroundings, and which would mean my passing into a higher sphere. I have heard the spheres divided differently by different spirit teachers, and it is not very important that they should be all divided by the same standard, since these divisions are very similar to mapping out a country where the boundaries melt so imperceptibly into one another that it is not very essential to have the limits defined with perfect exactitude, since the changes in the countries and the people will of themselves mark their different states as you progress on your journey. Thus, then, some will tell you there are seven spheres and that the seventh means the heaven spoken of in the Bible; others say there are twelve spheres; others again extend the number. Each sphere is, however, divided into circles, usually twelve to a sphere, though here again some spirits will reckon them differently, just as your standards of measurement on earth differ in different countries, yet the thing they measure remains the same. For myself, I have been used to count that there are seven spheres above the earth and seven below it--using the terms above and below as signifying the nearness to, or distance from, the great central sun of our solar system, the nearest point of attraction towards that sun being considered to be our highest point of attainment (while in the limits of the earth spheres), and the farthest away being regarded as our lowest or most degraded sphere. Each sphere, then, being subdivided into twelve circles, which are blended so closely into each other that you appear to pass almost insensibly from one to the other. I had hitherto been in what is called the earth plane, which like a great broad belt circles around the earth and permeates its atmosphere. This earth plane may be said to comprehend within its bounds the first of the seven spheres above and the first of those below the earth, and is used commonly in describing the habitations of those spirits who are said to be earth-bound in a greater or less degree because they are not able to sink below the earth attractions nor to free themselves from its influences.
显化会议每两周举行一次，根据会议次数，我估计大约过了三个月。那时，阿林齐曼告诉我，要做好准备，迎接即将发生在我自身和周围环境的巨大变化，这将意味着我将进入更高的境界。我听过不同的灵性导师对境界的划分各不相同，其实不必拘泥于同一标准，因为这些划分很像绘制一个国家的地图，国界线彼此交融，难以察觉，所以不必精确地界定边界。随着旅程的推进，国家和人民的变化本身就会展现出它们不同的状态。因此，有人会说有七个境界，第七个就是圣经中所说的天堂；有人说有十二个境界；还有人进一步扩展了境界的数量。然而，每个球体都被分割成若干圆，通常一个球体有十二个圆，尽管有些灵体对圆的划分方式可能不同，正如地球上不同国家的计量标准有所差异一样，但它们所测量的事物本身是相同的。就我个人而言，我习惯于计算地球上方有七个球体，地球下方也有七个球体——这里用“上方”和“下方”来表示与太阳系中心太阳的距离远近，距离太阳最近的点被认为是我们在地球球体范围内所能达到的最高点，而距离太阳最远的点则被认为是我们的最低点或最堕落的球体。因此，每个球体又被细分为十二个圆环，这些圆环彼此紧密交融，以至于你几乎感觉不到它们的存在，便能从一个圆环过渡到另一个圆环。此前我一直身处所谓的地球层面，它如同一条宽阔的带状物环绕地球，渗透到地球的大气层中。可以说，地球层面包含了上方七个球体中的第一个，以及下方七个球体中的第一个，它通常用来描述那些被认为或多或少被束缚于地球的灵魂的居所，因为他们既无法沉入地球的引力之下，也无法摆脱地球的影响。

I was now told that I had so far freed myself from the earth’s attractions and overcome my desires for earthly things, that I was able to pass into the second sphere. The passing from the body of a lower sphere into that of a higher one is often, though not invariably, accomplished during a deep sleep which closely resembles the death-sleep of the spirit in leaving the earthly body. As a spirit grows more elevated, more etherealized, this change is accompanied by a greater degree of consciousness, till at last the passing from one high sphere to another is simply like changing one garb for another a little finer, discarding one spiritual envelope for a more ethereal one. Thus the soul passes onward, growing less and less earthly (or material) in its envelopment, till it passes beyond the limits of our earth spheres into those of the solar systems.
我被告知，我已经彻底摆脱了尘世的诱惑，克服了对世俗事物的欲望，得以进入第二层境界。从较低层境界的躯体过渡到较高层境界的躯体，通常（但不总是）是在深度睡眠中完成的，这种睡眠与灵魂离开尘世躯体时的临终睡眠极为相似。随着灵魂不断提升，变得更加缥缈，这种转变伴随着意识的增强，最终，从一个高层境界过渡到另一个高层境界，就像换上一件更精致的衣裳，舍弃一层精神外壳，换上一层更加缥缈的外壳。就这样，灵魂不断前行，在其包裹中变得越来越不具尘世（或物质）属性，直到它超越地球的界限，进入太阳系的领域。

It happened, then, that upon my return from one of my visits to the earth, I felt overpowered by a strange unusual sense of drowsiness, which was more like paralysis of the brain than sleep.
于是，当我从地球返回时，我感到一种奇怪的、不寻常的困倦感，与其说是睡眠，不如说是大脑麻痹。

我回到暮光之地的小房间，扑倒在沙发上，立刻陷入了深深的、无梦的睡眠，如同死亡般的无意识睡眠。

在这种无意识的状态下，我躺了大约两周的尘世时间。在此期间，我的灵魂脱离了那具残破的星体，如同新生儿一般重生，披上了一层更加明亮纯净的灵性外衣。这层外衣是我努力克服自身邪恶所创造的。然而，我并非以婴儿的身份诞生，而是一个成年人，尽管我的经验和知识都已达到成熟灵魂的境界。有些凡人，他们对生命的认知如此有限，心智如此浅薄，天性如此单纯稚嫩，以至于无论他们在尘世生活了多少年，他们进入灵界时都只是孩童的模样。但我并非如此，在获得这种新的状态的同时，我也拥有了尘世生活赋予我的成熟智慧。

在完全无意识的状态下，我新生的灵魂被侍奉的精灵朋友们带到了第二个领域，在那里我沉睡着，无梦地睡去，直到醒来的时刻到来。

我丢弃的星体外壳，在随从灵体的力量下，溶解于地球层面的元素之中，正如我第一次死亡时留下的肉身会腐烂成它所来自的尘世物质一样——尘归尘，土归土，而不朽的灵魂则升华到了更高的境界。

就这样，我经历了第二次死亡，并觉醒为更高层次的自我。

第二部分：光明黎明

13. 欢迎来到黎明之地——我的新家

On my awakening for the second time from a sleep of death to consciousness in the spirit world, I found that I was in much pleasanter surroundings. There was daylight at last, though it was as that of a dull day without sun, yet what a blessed change from the dismal twilight and the dark night!
当我第二次从死亡沉睡中醒来，在灵界恢复意识时，我发现自己身处一个舒适得多的环境。终于迎来了白昼，虽然如同没有阳光的阴沉日子，但这与阴郁的黄昏和漆黑的夜晚相比，是多么令人欣喜的改变啊！

I was in a neat little room quite like an earthly one, lying upon a little bed of soft white down. Before me was a long window looking out upon a wide stretch of hills and undulating country. There were no trees or shrubs to be seen, and hardly any flowers, save here and there some little simple ones like flowering weeds, yet even these were refreshing to the eyes, and there were ferns and grass clothing the ground with a carpet of verdure instead of the hard bare soil of the Twilight Land.
我身处一间整洁的小房间，与尘世间别无二致，躺在一张柔软的白色羽绒床上。面前是一扇长窗，窗外是一望无际的丘陵和起伏的田野。窗外不见树木灌木，也几乎看不到花朵，只有零星几株像野草一样不起眼的小花，但即便如此，也令人赏心悦目。蕨类植物和青草铺满了地面，如同绿色的地毯，而非暮光之地的坚硬裸露的土壤。

This region was called the “Land of Dawn,” and truly the light was as the day appears before the sun has arisen to warm it. The sky was of a pale blue grey, and white cloudlets seemed to chase each other across it and float in quiet masses on the horizon. You who think that there are no clouds and no sunshine in the spirit lands hardly know how beautiful a thing you would shut out, unless you have spent, as I did, a long monotonous time without seeing either of them.
这片区域被称为“黎明之地”，而这里的光线也的确如同太阳升起之前，白昼的景象一般。天空呈淡蓝灰色，朵朵白云仿佛在天际追逐嬉戏，静静地漂浮在地平线上。你们这些认为灵界没有云也没有阳光的人，恐怕难以体会到，除非你们像我一样，在漫长而单调的岁月中从未见过这般景象，否则你们将错过多么美好的事物。

The room I was in, though by no means luxurious, was yet fairly comfortable in appearance, and reminded me of some cottage interior upon earth. It held all that was needful to comfort, if nothing that was specially beautiful, and it had not that bare prison-like look of my former dwellings. There were a few pictures of scenes of my earth life which had been pleasant, and the recollections they called up gave me a fresh pleasure; there were also some pictures of spirit life and oh! joy, there was my picture mirror, and my rose, and the letter--all my treasures! I stopped my explorations to look into that mirror and see what my beloved was doing. She was asleep, and on her face was a happy smile as if even in her dreams she knew some good had befallen me. Then I went to the window and looked out over the country and those long rolling hills, treeless and somewhat bare, save for their covering of grass and ferns. I looked long upon this scene, it was so like and yet so unlike earth, so strangely bare and yet so peaceful. My eyes, long wearied with those lower spheres, rested in joy and peace upon this new scene, and the thought that I had thus risen to a new life filled me with a thankfulness of heart unspeakable.
我所在的房间虽然谈不上豪华，但看起来却相当舒适，让我想起尘世间某个简陋的小屋。房间里应有尽有，虽然没有什么特别精美的东西，但也没有我以前住的地方那种空荡荡、像监狱一样的感觉。房间里挂着几幅我尘世生活中美好场景的画作，它们唤起的回忆让我感到无比愉悦；还有一些关于灵界生活的画作，哦！太好了，我的镜子、我的玫瑰、还有那封信——我所有的珍宝！我停下手中的活，看向镜子，想看看我心爱的人在做什么。她睡着了，脸上带着幸福的微笑，仿佛即使在梦中，她也知道我得到了好运。然后我走到窗边，眺望着窗外的乡村和绵延起伏的丘陵，那里光秃秃的，只有草和蕨类覆盖着。我久久地凝视着这景色，它既像尘世，又不像尘世，既荒凉又宁静。我的双眼，早已厌倦了低等天体，此刻欣喜地停留在这全新的景象上，想到自己已经升入新的生活，心中充满了难以言喻的感激之情。

At last I turned from the window, and seeing what was like a small mirror near me, I looked to see what change there might be in myself. I started back with an exclamation of joy and surprise. Was it possible? Could this be as I appeared now? I gazed and gazed again. This myself? Why, I was young again! I looked a man of about thirty or thirty-five, not more certainly, and I beheld myself as I had been in my prime on earth! I had looked so old, so haggard, so miserable in that Twilight Land that I had avoided to look at myself. I had looked twenty times worse than I could ever have looked on earth, had I lived to be a hundred years old. And now, why, I was young! I held out my hand, it was firm and fresh-looking like my face. A closer inspection of myself pleased me still more. I was in all respects a young man again in my prime of vigor, yet not quite as I had been; no! there was a sadness in my look, a certain something more in the eyes than anywhere else that showed the suffering through which I had passed. I knew that never again could I feel the heedless buoyant ecstasy of youth, for never again could I go back and be quite as I had been. The bitter past of my life rose up before me and checked my buoyant thoughts. The remorse for my past sins was with me yet, and cast still its shadow over even the joy of this awakening. Never, ah! never can we undo all the past life of earth, so that no trace of it will cling to the risen spirit, and I have heard that even those who have progressed far beyond what I have even yet done, bear still the scars of their past sins and sorrows, scars that will slowly, very slowly, wear away at last in the great ages of eternity. For me there had come joy, great joy, wonderful fulfillment of my hope, yet there clung to me the shadow of the past, and its dark mantle clouded even the happiness of this hour.
最后，我转过身，看到旁边有一面小镜子，便上前看看自己有什么变化。我惊呼一声，惊喜万分。这怎么可能？这真的是我现在的样子吗？我反复凝视着镜子里的自己。这就是我自己吗？天哪，我又年轻了！我看起来像个三十岁或三十五岁的人，再大也说不准，我看到的正是我在人世间最年轻时的模样！在那片暮色之地，我看起来那么苍老、那么憔悴、那么痛苦，以至于我一直不敢看自己。即使我能活到一百岁，我的样子也比在人世间要糟糕二十倍。而现在，天哪，我又年轻了！我伸出手，它像我的脸一样，结实而充满活力。仔细端详自己，我更加欣喜。我各方面都像个年轻人，精力充沛，但又不像以前那样了；不！我的眼神中带着一丝悲伤，那是一种比任何部位都更浓烈的情感，它揭示了我曾经历的苦难。我知道，我再也无法感受青春无忧无虑的狂喜，因为我再也无法回到过去，回到从前。我生命中苦涩的过往浮现在眼前，扼杀了我轻快的思绪。对过去罪孽的悔恨依然萦绕着我，甚至笼罩着我觉醒的喜悦。啊！我们永远无法抹去尘世的一切，让过去的痕迹丝毫不会残留在升华的灵魂之上。我听说，即使是那些远超我成就的人，也依然带着过去罪孽和悲伤的伤痕，这些伤痕最终会在永恒的漫长岁月中慢慢地、极其缓慢地消融。对我来说，喜悦已然到来，巨大的喜悦，我的希望也得到了美好的实现，然而过去的阴影却如影随形，它那黑暗的外衣甚至遮蔽了此刻的幸福。

While I yet mused upon the change which had passed over me, the door opened and a spirit glided in, dressed (as I now was) in a long robe of a dark blue color with yellow borderings, and the symbol of our order on the sleeve. He had come to invite me to a banquet which was to be given to myself and others who were newly arrived from the lower sphere. “All is simple here,” said he, “even our festivals, yet there will be the salt of friendship to season it and the wine of love to refresh you all. Today you are our honored guests, and we all wait to welcome you as those who have fought a good fight and gained a worthy victory.”
我正沉思着这突如其来的转变，门开了，一个精灵飘了进来，他（和我一样）身着一件深蓝色长袍，镶着黄色边，袖子上绣着我们教团的标志。他是来邀请我参加一个宴会的，宴会是为我和其他刚从下界来到这里的人准备的。“这里的一切都很简朴，”他说，“就连我们的节日也是如此，但我们会用友谊的盐来调味，用爱的酒来滋润你们。今天，你们是我们的贵宾，我们都翘首以盼，欢迎你们，因为你们打赢了一场漂亮的仗，赢得了应有的胜利。”

Then he took me by the hand and led me into a long hall, with many windows looking out upon more hills and a great peaceful quiet lake. Here there were long tables spread for the banquet, and seats placed round for us all. There were about five or six hundred brothers newly arrived, like myself, and about a thousand more who had been there for some time and who were going about from one to another introducing themselves and welcoming the new-comers cordially. Here and there someone would recognize an old friend or comrade, or one who had either assisted them or been assisted by them in the lower spheres. They were all awaiting the arrival of the presiding spirit of the order in this sphere, who was called “The Grand Master.”
然后他牵着我的手，领我走进一个长长的厅堂，厅堂里有很多窗户，可以眺望远处的群山和一片宁静祥和的大湖。厅堂里摆放着宴会用的长桌，周围也为我们围坐着座位。大约有五六百位像我一样新来的兄弟，还有大约一千位已经在这里待了一段时间的兄弟，他们正互相介绍自己，热情地欢迎新来者。不时有人会认出老朋友或老同志，或者曾经在较低层级帮助过他们或被他们帮助过的人。他们都在等待着这个层级的教团领袖——被称为“大导师”——的到来。

Presently the large doors at one end of the hall were seen to glide apart of themselves, and a procession entered. First came a most majestic, handsome spirit in robes of that rich blue color one sees in the pictures of the Virgin Mary. These robes were lined with white and bordered with yellow, while a hood of yellow lined with white hung from the shoulders, and on the sleeve was embroidered the symbol of the Order of Hope. Behind this man were about a hundred or so of youths, all in white and blue robes, who bore in their hands wreaths of laurel. At the upper end of the hall there was a handsome chair of state, with a white, blue and yellow canopy over it, and after saluting us all the Grand Master seated himself in it, while the youths ranged themselves in a semicircle behind him. After a short prayer of thanksgiving to Almighty God for us all he addressed us in these terms:
这时，大厅一端的大门缓缓滑开，一支队伍走了进来。首先出现的是一位威严俊朗的长者，身着圣母玛利亚画像中常见的那种深蓝色长袍。长袍内衬白色，镶有黄色滚边，肩上垂着一件镶有白色滚边的黄色兜帽，袖子上绣着希望骑士团的标志。在他身后，大约一百名身着蓝白相间长袍的青年，手中捧着月桂花环。大厅上方摆放着一张华丽的御座，上方覆盖着白、蓝、黄三色华盖。大团长向众人致意后，便落座而坐，青年们则在他身后列成半圆形。他为我们向上帝献上简短的感恩祷告后，发表了如下讲话：

“My Brethren, you who are assembled to welcome these wanderers who are to find for a time rest and peace, sympathy and love, in this our House of Hope, and you our wandering brothers, whom we are all assembled to welcome and to honor as conquerors in the great battle against selfishness and sin, to you we give our heartiest greeting, and bid you accept, as members of our great brotherhood, these tributes of our respect and honor, which we offer and which you have fairly won. And from the increased happiness of your own lives we bid you stretch forth your hands in brotherly love to all the sorrowing ones whom you have left still toiling in the darkness of the earth life and in the spheres of the earth plane, and as you shall yourselves know yet more perfect triumphs, yet nobler conquests, so seek ye to give to others yet more and more of the perfect love of our great brotherhood, whose highest and most glorious masters are in the heavens, and whose humblest members are yet struggling sinners in the dark earth plane. In one long and unbroken chain our great order shall stretch from the heavens to the earth while this planet shall support material life, and each and every one of you must ever remember that you are links of that great chain, fellow workers with the angels, brother workers with the most oppressed. I summon you now, each in your turn, to receive and to cherish as a symbol of the honor you have won, these wreaths of fadeless laurel which shall crown the victors’ brows. In the name of the Great Supreme Ruler of the Universe, in the name of all Angels and of our Brotherhood, I crown each one and dedicate you to the cause of Light and Hope and Truth.”
“我的兄弟们，你们聚集于此，是为了迎接这些漂泊的旅人，让他们在这希望之家暂时找到安息与平静，感受同情与爱。你们，我们漂泊的兄弟，我们聚集于此，是为了欢迎你们，并向你们致敬，因为你们是在与自私和罪恶的伟大斗争中取得的胜利。我们向你们致以最诚挚的问候，并请你们接受我们伟大的兄弟会成员的敬意和荣誉，这是我们献上的，也是你们应得的。从你们自身日益增长的幸福中，我们恳请你们伸出兄弟般的爱之手，去关怀所有你们留下的、仍在尘世黑暗中苦苦挣扎的悲伤的人们。正如你们自己将会经历更加完美的胜利，更加崇高的征服一样，也请你们努力将我们伟大兄弟会的完美之爱给予他人。我们兄弟会至高无上的荣耀导师在天堂，而我们最卑微的成员仍在黑暗的尘世中挣扎。我们伟大的秩序将以绵延不绝的锁链，从天界延伸至人间，而这颗星球也将孕育物质生命。你们每个人都必须永远铭记，你们是这条伟大锁链上的一环，是与天使并肩作战的伙伴，是与最受压迫者同甘共苦的兄弟。现在，我召唤你们，依次接受并珍藏这永不凋零的桂冠，作为你们所赢得的荣耀的象征，它将加冕于胜利者的额头。以宇宙至高统治者的名义，以所有天使和我们兄弟会的名义，我为你们每个人加冕，并将你们奉献给光明、希望和真理的事业。

Then at a signal we, the new arrivals, many of us almost overcome by these kindly words and this mark of honor, drew near, and, kneeling down before the Grand Master, had placed upon our heads these laurel crowns which the youths handed to the Master, and with which he crowned us with his own hands.
然后，随着一声信号，我们这些新来者，许多人几乎都被这些友好的话语和这份荣誉所感动，走上前去，跪在大师面前，将年轻人递给大师的月桂花冠戴在头上，大师亲手为我们戴上花冠。

When the last one had received his crown, such a shout of joy went up from the assembled Brothers, such cheers, and then they sang a most beautiful song of praise, with so lovely a melody and such poetical words that I would I could reproduce it all for you. When this was over we were each led to a seat by an attendant brother and the banquet began.
当最后一位领受冠冕时，在场的兄弟们爆发出一阵欢呼，掌声雷动。随后，他们唱起了一首优美的赞美诗，旋律动听，歌词充满诗意，我真想把它完整地复述给你们听。赞美诗结束后，我们每人由一位侍从兄弟引至座位，宴会正式开始。

You will wonder how such a banquet could be in the spirit world, but do you think that even on earth your all of enjoyment at such a scene is in the food you eat, the wine you drink, and do you imagine that a spirit has no need for food of any kind? If so, you are in error. We need, and we eat, food, though not of so material a substance as is yours. There is no animal food of any sort, nor anything like it, save only in the lowest spheres of earth-bound spirits, where they enjoy through others yet in the flesh the satisfaction of the animal appetites. But there are in this second sphere the most delicious fruits, almost transparent to look at, which melt in your mouth as you eat them. There is wine like sparkling nectar, which does not intoxicate or create a thirst for more. There are none of those things which would gratify coarse appetites, but there are delicate cakes and a sort of light bread. Of such fare and such wine did this banquet consist, and I for one confess I never enjoyed anything more than the lovely fruits, which were the first I had seen in the spirit world, and which I was told were truly the fruits of our own labors grown in the spirit land by our efforts to help others.
你或许会好奇，灵界怎会有如此盛宴？但你难道认为，即便在人间，你享受此类盛宴也仅仅在于品尝美食美酒吗？你难道认为灵体无需任何食物吗？若如此，你就错了。我们需要食物，也确实会进食，尽管它们并非像你一样是物质的。除了在最底层的尘世灵体中，它们通过其他肉身来满足动物的欲望之外，灵界没有任何动物性食物，甚至连类似的东西也没有。但在这第二层灵界，却有极其美味的水果，它们晶莹剔透，入口即化。那里有如气泡般闪耀的琼浆玉液般的美酒，既不会使人醉酒，也不会让人产生更多渴望。那里没有那些会满足粗俗欲望的食物，只有精致的蛋糕和一种轻盈的面包。这场宴会由这样的佳肴美酒组成，而我个人承认，我最喜欢的莫过于那些可爱的水果，那是我在灵界第一次见到的水果，据说它们是我们自己在灵界辛勤劳作、帮助他人的成果。

After the banquet was over there was another speech, and a grand chorus of thanks in which we all joined. Then we dispersed, some of us to see our friends upon earth and try to make them feel that some happy event had befallen us. Many of us, alas! were being mourned as among the lost souls who had died in sin, and it was a great grief to us that these earthly friends could not be made conscious how great were now our hopes. Others of the Brothers turned to converse with newly-found spirit friends, while for my part I went straight to earth to tell the good news to my beloved. I found her about to attend one of those meetings for materialization, and, trembling with joy and eagerness, I followed her there, for now I knew there was no longer any reason why I should not show my face to her who had been so faithful and so patient in waiting for me--no longer would the sight of me give pain or shock her.
宴会结束后，又有一场演讲，随后是一阵热烈的感谢，我们都加入了其中。之后我们各自散去，有些人去见我们在世上的朋友，试图让他们感受到我们迎来了喜事。唉！我们中的许多人被当作死于罪孽的亡灵而哀悼，令我们无比悲痛的是，这些尘世的朋友无法得知我们如今拥有多么大的希望。其他一些弟兄转身去和新结识的灵界朋友交谈，而我则径直回到人间，将这个好消息告诉了我心爱的人。我发现她正要去参加一个显灵聚会，我激动得浑身颤抖，迫不及待地追随她而去，因为我知道，我再也没有理由不去见她了——她如此忠诚，如此耐心地等待着我——我的出现再也不会让她感到痛苦或震惊。

Ah, what a happy night that was! I stood beside her all the time. I touched her again and again. I stood there, no more the dark shrouded figure hiding his face from all eyes. No! I was there in my new dress with my new hopes, my risen body, and the ashes of my dead past were there no more to give me such shame and sorrow of heart as I had known. And then--oh! crowning joy to that most joyful day--I showed myself to her wondering eyes, and they gazed into my own. But she did not know me at once; she was looking for me as she had seen me last on earth, with face of care and wrinkled brow, and the young man’s face looked strange to her. Yet not quite strange, she smiled and looked with a puzzled wondering look which, could I but have held the material particles of my form together for but a few more minutes, must have changed to recognition. But, alas! all too soon I felt my material form melting from me like soft wax, and I had to turn and go as it faded away. But as I went I heard her say: “It was so like, so very like what my dear friend must have been in youth. It was so like and yet so unlike him, I hardly know what to think.”
啊，那真是个快乐的夜晚！我一直守在她身边，一次又一次地抚摸着她。我站在那里，不再是那个躲在黑暗中、遮蔽着脸庞的身影。不！我穿着新衣，怀揣着新的希望，重获新生，过去的伤痛和耻辱再也没有出现，不再让我感到曾经的羞愧和悲伤。然后——哦！这天最快乐的事，莫过于此——我出现在她充满好奇的目光中，她也凝视着我。但她一时认不出我；她像上次在人世间见到我时那样，满脸忧虑，眉头紧锁，而这个年轻人的脸对她来说显得很陌生。然而，又不完全陌生，她微笑着，带着困惑和好奇的神情看着我。如果我能再坚持几分钟，她的神情一定会变成认出我来。但是，唉！很快，我感觉自己的形体像软蜡一样从身上融化，我不得不转身离开，眼睁睁地看着它消逝。但当我离开时，我听到她说：“这太像了，太像我亲爱的朋友年轻时的样子了。既像他，又不像他，我简直不知道该怎么想。”

Then I went behind her and whispered in her ear that it was I myself, and no other. And she heard my whisper and laughed and smiled, and said she had felt sure it must be so. Then indeed the cup of my joy was full, then indeed was the crown of my day complete.
然后我走到她身后，在她耳边轻声说，那就是我，没有别人。她听到了我的轻声细语，笑了，说她早就觉得一定是这样。那一刻，我的喜悦之杯终于满溢，我这一天的荣耀也终于圆满。

14. A Father’s Love
14. 父爱

After this there came for me a time of happiness, a season of rest and refreshment upon which I shall not dwell; its memories are all too sacred to me, for those days were spent near to her I loved, and I had the happiness of knowing that she was conscious of much, though not all, I said to her, and I spent so much of my time on earth that I had none to explore the wonders of that Land of Dawn of which I had become an inhabitant.
此后，我迎来了一段幸福的时光，一段休憩和放松的岁月，但我不会过多地沉湎于此；那些回忆对我来说无比珍贵，因为那些日子是与我深爱的她相伴度过的，我幸福地知道她知晓很多事情，虽然并非全部，我对她说，而我把太多的时间都花在了尘世，以至于没有时间去探索我所居住的那片黎明之地的奇妙之处。

And now a fresh surprise awaited me. In all my wanderings since my death I had never once seen any of my relatives nor the friends who had passed before me into the spirit land. But one day when I came as usual to see my beloved, I found her full of some mysterious message she had received, and which she was to give me herself. After a little she told me that it was from a spirit who had come to visit her, and who said he was my father and that he wished her to give his message to me. I was so overcome when she said this that I could scarcely speak--scarcely ask what his message was. I had so loved my father upon earth, for my mother had died when I was so young that she was but a faint tender memory to me. But my father! he had been everything to me. He had had such pride and joy in all my successes, such hopes for my future; and, then, when I had made shipwreck of my life, I knew that I had broken his heart. He did not long survive the crushing of all his hopes, and since his death I had only thought of him with pain and shame of heart. And now when I heard that from beyond the gates of Death he had come to my beloved and spoken to her of me, I feared lest his words might be but a lament over his buried hopes, his degraded son, and I cried out that I could not dare to meet him, yet I longed to hear what he had said, and to know if there was in it a word of forgiveness for me, his son, who had so deeply sinned.
如今，又一个意想不到的惊喜在等着我。自从我死后，我四处漂泊，却从未见过任何亲人，也从未见过那些先我而去的挚友。然而有一天，我像往常一样去看望我心爱的妻子，却发现她满腹经纶，似乎收到了一条神秘的信息，她要亲自告诉我。过了一会儿，她告诉我，这是来自一位前来探望她的灵魂，他说他是我的父亲，希望她能把他的信息转达给我。听到这话，我激动得说不出话来，几乎无法开口询问父亲的信息究竟是什么。我生前如此深爱我的父亲，因为我的母亲在我年幼时就去世了，她对我来说只是一段模糊而温柔的记忆。但我的父亲！他是我的一切。他为我取得的每一个成就都感到无比自豪和喜悦，对我的未来寄予厚望；而当我的人生彻底崩塌时，我知道我伤透了他的心。他没能挺过希望破灭的那段日子，自他去世后，我心中只有痛苦和羞愧。如今，当我听说他从死神之门来到我爱人身边，向她提起我时，我害怕他的话语不过是对他破灭的希望、对他堕落的儿子的哀叹，我哭喊着说我不敢见他，但我又渴望听到他说了些什么，想知道其中是否包含着对我这个罪孽深重的儿子的宽恕。

How shall I tell what his words had been? How say what I felt to hear them? They fell upon my heart as dew upon a thirsty land, those words of his, and are far, far too precious to be given to the world, but surely the father in the parable must have welcomed back his prodigal son in some such words as these! Ah! how I cried out to my beloved when I heard those words, and how I longed to see that father again and be taken once more to his heart as when I was a boy! And as I turned away I beheld his spirit standing by us, just as I had seen him last in life, only with a glory of the spirit world upon him such as no mortal eyes have ever seen. My father--so long parted from me, and to meet again thus! We had no words to greet each other with but “My father” and “My son,” but we clasped each other to the heart in a joy that required no words.
我该如何述说他的话语？又该如何表达我听到这些话语时的感受？他的话语如同甘露般滋润着我的心，珍贵得无法与世人分享。但寓言中的父亲，想必也是用类似的话语迎接浪子归来吧！啊！当我听到这些话语时，我多么渴望再次见到我的爱人，多么渴望再次被他拥入怀中，就像我小时候那样！当我转身离开时，我看到他的灵魂站在我们身边，就像我生前最后一次见到他时那样，只是他身上散发着一种凡人从未见过的灵界荣光。我的父亲——与我分离如此之久，如今竟能如此重逢！我们除了“我的父亲”和“我的儿子”之外，再也说不出其他话来互相问候，但我们紧紧相拥，心中充满了无需言语的喜悦。

When our feelings had calmed down again we began to speak of many things, and not least of her whose love had led me so far upon my upward path, and then I learned that this beloved father had helped, watched over, and protected us both; that he had followed me during all my wanderings both on earth and in the spirit land, and had protected and comforted me in my struggles. Unseen himself he had yet been near, and unceasing in his efforts and his love. All this time when I had so shrunk from the thought of meeting him he had been there, only waiting an opportunity to make himself known, and he had come at last through her who had so much of my love, in order that he might thereby link us all three more closely together in the joy of this reunion.
当我们的情绪再次平静下来后，我们开始谈论许多事情，其中也包括她——正是她的爱引领我走上了这条向上攀登的道路。那时我才知道，这位我敬爱的父亲也曾帮助、守护和庇佑过我们；他一直陪伴着我，无论是在尘世还是在灵界，在我经历种种磨难时，他都给予我保护和安慰。虽然他本人并不显眼，但他却始终在我身边，他的付出和爱从未停止。一直以来，当我害怕见到他时，他其实一直都在那里，只是在等待一个合适的时机与我相见。最终，他通过我深爱的她来到我身边，让我们三人因这次重逢的喜悦而更加紧密地联系在一起。

15. A New Expedition Proposed
15. 一项新的探险计划

When I returned to the spirit land, my father went with me and we spent a long time together. In the course of our conversation he told me that an expedition was about to be sent from this sphere to work as “Rescuers” in the lowest sphere of all, a sphere below any I had yet seen and which was in truth the hell believed in by the church. How long the expedition would be absent was not known, but a certain work had to be accomplished, and like an invading army we would remain till we had attained our object.
当我回到灵界时，父亲陪同我一同前往，我们相伴了很久。交谈中，他告诉我，这片灵界即将派遣一支探险队，前往最底层的灵界——一个比我以往见过的任何灵界都更加低的灵界，实际上就是教会所信奉的地狱——执行“救援”任务。探险队要离开多久尚不得而知，但他们必须完成一项特定的任务，就像一支入侵的军队，我们将驻守在那里，直到达成目标为止。

My Eastern guide advised me to join this band of workers, and as my father had in earth life sent his sons forth to fight for their beloved country, so did he now wish me to go forth with this army of soldiers in the cause of Truth and Light and Hope. To fight successfully against these powers of evil, it was necessary to be beyond the temptations of the earth plane and lower spheres, and to help the unhappy ones by a visible help which they could see and take hold of; one must not belong to the higher spheres, for spirits more advanced than the Brothers of Hope in this, the first circle of the second sphere, would be quite invisible to the unhappy ones who could neither see nor hear them. Also in entering these lowest spheres we would, in order to be visible, have to clothe ourselves in a certain portion of their material elements, and this a more advanced spirit could not do. So that although unseen helpers from the higher spheres would accompany the expedition to protect and assist us, they would be invisible alike to ourselves and those we had come to help.
我的东方导师建议我加入这支劳动队伍。正如我父亲生前派遣他的儿子们为他们挚爱的祖国而战一样，如今他也希望我与这支战士队伍一起，为了真理、光明和希望的事业而战。为了成功地对抗这些邪恶势力，我们必须超越尘世和低层灵界的诱惑，并以看得见、摸得着的方式帮助那些不幸的人们。我们绝不能属于更高的灵界，因为比希望兄弟会成员更高级的灵体，对于那些既看不见也听不见他们的不幸者来说，是完全不可见的。此外，当我们进入这些最低层灵界时，为了能够被看见，我们必须披上一些物质的外衣，而更高级的灵体是无法做到这一点的。这样，虽然来自更高领域的无形帮助者会陪伴探险队保护和帮助我们，但他们对我们自己和我们前来帮助的人来说都是不可见的。

Those who were to go upon this expedition with me were similar to myself in disposition, and it was felt that we would all learn much from seeing to what our passionate feelings would have sunk us, had we indulged in them. At the same time we would be able to rescue from those dark spheres many poor repentant souls. Those whom we rescued would be taken to where I had been on my first passing over from earth life, where there were numerous institutions specially set apart for such poor spirits, presided over and attended by spirits who had themselves been rescued from the Kingdoms of Hell and who were therefore best fitted to aid these poor wanderers.
与我一同踏上这段旅程的人，性情与我相仿。我们都觉得，如果放纵自己的激情，最终会让我们堕入怎样的深渊，而这段旅程将让我们受益匪浅。同时，我们也能从那些黑暗的深渊中拯救许多悔改的灵魂。我们救出的灵魂将被带到我第一次离开人世时所到之处，那里有许多专门为这些可怜的灵魂设立的机构，由那些曾从地狱王国中被救出的灵魂主持和照料，他们最适合帮助这些迷途的灵魂。

Besides the Brothers of Hope from the Land of Dawn, there were other similar bands from other brotherhoods always being sent down to the dark spheres, such expeditions being, in fact, part of the great system of help for sinners ever being carried on in the name of the Eternal Father of all, who dooms none of his children to an eternity of misery.
除了来自黎明之地的希望兄弟会之外，还有其他兄弟会的类似队伍经常被派往黑暗领域。事实上，这些远征是伟大的罪人援助体系的一部分，这个体系一直以永恒之父的名义进行，祂不会让他的任何一个孩子遭受永恒的痛苦。

A number of friends would accompany us a part of our journey, and our expedition would be commanded by a leader who had himself been rescued from the dark spheres and who knew their especial dangers.
一些朋友将陪伴我们走完部分旅程，我们的探险队将由一位曾从黑暗领域获救、了解其特殊危险的领袖指挥。

As we would pass through the earth plane and lower spheres we would see them in a way we had not done before, and my Eastern guide said he would send one of his pupils to accompany me as far as the lowest sphere, in order that he might explain to me and make visible some of the mysteries of the astral plane which we would see as we passed. Hassein (as the student was named) was studying those mysteries of nature which have been classed under the name of magic and as such deemed evil, whereas it is their abuse only which is evil. A more extended intelligent knowledge of them would tend to prevent many existing evils and counteract some of those evil powers brought to bear upon man, often very injuriously, in his present ignorance. This student spirit had been a Persian and a follower of Zoroaster in his earth life, as Ahrinziman himself had been, and they belonged still to that school of thought of which Zoroaster was the great exponent.
当我们穿越地球层面和较低的星界时，我们会以一种前所未有的方式看到它们。我的东方向导说，他会派他的一个学生陪同我到达最低的星界，以便向我解释并揭示我们穿越星界时所看到的某些奥秘。这位学生名叫哈塞因，他正在研究那些被归类为魔法并因此被视为邪恶的自然奥秘，然而只有滥用这些奥秘才是邪恶的。更深入、更理性地了解这些奥秘，有助于预防许多现存的罪恶，并抵消一些邪恶力量在人类无知的情况下施加于人类身上，而这些力量往往造成极大的伤害。这位学生的灵魂生前是波斯人，也是琐罗亚斯德的信徒，就像阿林齐曼本人一样，他们至今仍然属于琐罗亚斯德所倡导的那个思想流派。

“In the spirit world,” said Ahrinziman, “there are a great number of different schools of thought, all containing the great fundamental eternal truths of nature, but each differing in many minor details, and also as to how these great truths should be applied for the advancement of the soul; they likewise differ as to how their respective theories will work out, and the conclusions to be drawn from the undoubted knowledge they possess, when it is applied to subjects upon which they have no certain knowledge and which are still with them as with those on earth, the subject of speculation, theory, and discussion. It is a mistake to suppose that in the spirit world of our planet there is any absolute knowledge which can explain all the great mysteries of Creation, the why and wherefore of our being, the existence of so much evil mixed with the good, or the nature of the soul and how it comes from God.
阿林齐曼说道：“在灵界，存在着许多不同的思想流派，它们都包含着自然界伟大而根本的永恒真理，但在许多细微之处却各有不同，对于如何运用这些伟大真理来提升灵魂也存在分歧；同样，当它们将各自的理论应用于那些它们尚无定论、如同在地球上一样，仍是推测、理论和讨论主题的领域时，它们对于如何运用这些理论以及从它们所拥有的毋庸置疑的知识中得出的结论也存在分歧。认为在我们星球的灵界存在着某种绝对的知识，能够解释所有伟大的创世奥秘、我们存在的意义、善恶交织的现象，以及灵魂的本质及其源自上帝的方式，这是一种误解。”

“The waves of truth are continually flowing from the great thought centers of the Universe, and are transmitted to earth through chains of spirit intelligences, but each spirit can only transmit such portions of truth as his development has enabled him to understand, and each mortal can only receive as much knowledge as his intellectual faculties are able to assimilate and comprehend.
“真理的浪潮不断地从宇宙的伟大思想中心涌出，并通过精神智慧的链条传递到地球，但每个精神只能传递他自身发展水平所能理解的真理部分，每个凡人也只能接受他智力所能吸收和理解的知识。

“Neither spirits nor mortals can know everything, and spirits can only give you what are the teachings which their own particular schools of thought and advanced teachers give as their explanations. Beyond this they cannot go, for beyond this they do not themselves know; there is no more absolute certainty in the spirit world than on earth, and those who assert that they have the true and only explanation of these great mysteries are giving you merely what they have been taught by more advanced spirits, who, with all due deference to them, are no more entitled to speak absolutely than the most advanced teachers of some other school. I assert with knowledge not my own, but from another who is indeed regarded in the spirit world as a leader of most advanced thought, that it is in no way possible to give a final answer to or explanation of subjects which are beyond the powers of any spirit of our entire solar system to solve, and still more beyond those of the spirits of our earth spheres. In these subjects and their explanation are involved and required a knowledge of the limits of the universe itself which has no limits, and the nature of that Supreme Being of whom no man or spirit can know the nature, save in so far as we can grasp the great truth that he is Infinite Spirit, limitless in all senses, Unknowable and Unknown.
“无论是灵体还是凡人，都无法知晓一切。灵体只能传授其所属学派和高阶导师的教义，以此作为解释。除此之外，他们无能为力，因为他们自身也对此一无所知。灵界并无绝对的确定性，正如尘世一般。那些声称自己掌握了这些伟大奥秘的唯一真理的人，只不过是把他们从更高阶的灵体那里学到的东西传授给你而已。尽管我们对这些更高阶的灵体充满敬意，但他们也并不比其他学派中最顶尖的导师更有权威来妄下断言。我并非凭己力，而是从一位在灵界被公认为最先进思想领袖的人那里得知，对于那些超出我们整个太阳系任何灵体能力范围的课题，我们根本不可能给出最终的答案或解释，更遑论地球层面的灵体了。这些课题及其解释，需要对宇宙本身无限的极限以及至高无上的存在本质的认知，而这本质是任何人和任何事物都无法企及的。”精神可以了解自然，但前提是我们能够领悟到伟大的真理：他是无限的精神，在各个方面都是无限的，不可知且不可探索的。

“Let men and spirits, then, argue or explain, they can only teach you to the limits of their own knowledge and beyond that again are limits none can reach. How can any pretend to show you the ultimate end of that which has no end, or sound the great depths of an infinite thought which has no bottom?
“那么，就让世人和神灵去争论或解释吧，他们只能教给你他们自身知识的极限，而超越这极限，则是无人能够企及的。谁又能妄称向你展示那无尽之物的终极终点，或探寻那无底之无限思想的深渊呢？”

Thought is as eternal as life and as fathomless. Spirit is infinite and all-pervading. God is in all and over and above all, yet none know his nature nor what manner of essence he is of, save that he is in everything and everywhere.
思想如同生命般永恒，深不可测。精神无限且无所不在。上帝存在于万物之中，又凌驾于万物之上，然而无人知晓他的本质，也无人知晓他的存在方式，只知道他无处不在。

The mind of man must pause on the very threshold of his inquiries, appalled by the sense of his own littleness, and the most he can do is to learn humbly and study cautiously, that each step be assured before he essays again to climb. The most lofty, the most daring minds cannot grasp all at once, and can man on earth hope that all can be explained to him with his limited range of vision, when the most advanced minds in the spirit world are ever being checked in their explorations after truth by the sense of their limited powers?”
人的心灵在探索的门槛上必然会停顿，因自身的渺小而感到震惊，他所能做的，莫过于谦卑地学习，谨慎地研究，确保每一步都万无一失，然后再尝试攀登。即使是最崇高、最勇敢的头脑，也无法一下子掌握所有真理。当灵界中最先进的智慧在探索真理的过程中，也总是因自身能力的局限而受到阻碍时，尘世之人又怎能指望凭借其有限的视野去理解一切呢？

16. Clairvoyance--The Journey Begun
16. 透视——旅程的开始

The friend whom Ahrinziman sent to accompany and instruct me, appeared to my eyes as a youth of about five-and-twenty to thirty years of age, judging by earth’s standard in such matters, but he told me he had lived to upwards of sixty years on earth. His present appearance was that of his spiritual development, which alone constitutes the age of a spirit. As a spirit grows more highly developed in his intellectual powers, the appearance becomes more matured, till at last he assumes that of a sage, without, however, the wrinkles and defects of age in earth life, only its dignity, its power, and its experience. Thus, when a spirit has attained to the highest possible development of the earth (or any other planet’s) spheres he would possess the appearance of one of its patriarchs, and would then pass into the higher and more extended spheres of the solar system of that planet, beginning there as a youth again since his development compared to that of the advanced spirits of those higher spheres would be but that of a youth.
阿林齐曼派来陪伴并指导我的那位朋友，在我看来，按照地球上的标准判断，大约二十五到三十岁，但他告诉我，他在地球上已经活了六十多岁。他现在的容貌是他灵性发展阶段的体现，而这才是灵体年龄的真正含义。随着灵体智力的不断提升，他的容貌也日渐成熟，最终会呈现出一位智者的风范，却没有地球上岁月带来的皱纹和缺陷，只有智者的尊严、力量和经验。因此，当一个灵体达到地球（或其他任何星球）领域所能达到的最高发展阶段时，他就会拥有该星球先祖的容貌，然后进入该星球太阳系更高更广阔的领域，在那里，由于他与那些更高领域中已臻成熟的灵体相比，其发展程度仍然如同少年一般，所以他在那里又会以少年的姿态重新开始。

Hassein told me that he was at present studying the various powers and forms of nature in those stages which were below soul life, and would be able to make visible and explain to me many curious things we should see upon our journey.
哈塞因告诉我，他目前正在研究灵魂生命以下阶段的各种自然力量和形式，并且能够让我看到并解释我们在旅途中将会看到的许多奇特事物。

“Many spirits,” he said, “pass through the sphere of the astral plane without being conscious of its spectral inhabitants, by reason of the fact that their senses are not developed in such a way as to enable them to become conscious of their surroundings in all their entirety, just as in earth life there are many persons quite unable to see the spirits around them, although to others again they are perfectly visible. There are upon earth persons who can see not alone the spirits of human beings but also these astral and elementary beings who are not truly ‘spirits,’ since that word should be used to denote only those which possess within them the soul germ. Now many of these beings which we shall see never possessed any soul, and others again are only the empty shells from which the soul germ has departed. To distinguish between the soul spirit and the soulless astral one must possess a double power of soul-sight or clairvoyance as it is termed, and many who possess only an imperfect degree of this double power will be able to see elementals and astrals, but without being able to distinguish them clearly from the soul-enveloping spirit forms. Hence much confusion and many mistakes have arisen amongst these imperfect clairvoyants as to the nature and attributes of these classes of beings. There are seven degrees of the soul-sight found in persons yet in the earth life; and in the next stage of life the spiritual part or soul being freed from the gross elements of material life, there will be found seven more expansions of this gift, and so on in progressive succession as the soul casts off one by one the envelopes of matter--first the most gross or earthly matter, then succeeding degrees of refined or sublimated matter, for we hold that there can be no such thing as entire severance between soul and matter--that is so long as it is conscious of existence in any of our solar systems. Beyond these limits we have no knowledge to guide us, and it is a matter of pure speculation. It is only a question of the degree and quality of the matter which is more or less refined and etherealized as the soul is in a higher or lower state of development. It is of the first stage of earthly conscious soul life that I shall now speak in speaking of the clairvoyant sight, leaving till another time the theories and beliefs involved in the study of what has passed before man’s present conscious stage of existence and what may happen when he passes beyond the limits of our present knowledge.
“许多灵体，”他说，“穿过星界领域时，并不会意识到其中的幽灵居民，因为它们的感官尚未发育到足以使它们全面感知周围环境的程度，正如在地球上，许多人完全看不到周围的灵体，尽管对另一些人来说，这些灵体却清晰可见。地球上有些人不仅能看到人类的灵体，还能看到这些星界和元素生物，它们并非真正的‘灵体’，因为‘灵体’一词应该仅用来指代那些体内拥有灵魂种子的生物。我们将看到的这些生物中，许多从未拥有过灵魂，而另一些则只是灵魂种子已经离体的空壳。要区分有灵魂的灵体和无灵魂的星界生物，必须拥有双重的灵魂视觉或所谓的透视能力，许多只拥有这种双重能力一部分的人也能看到元素生物和……他们能感知星体，但却无法将其与包裹灵魂的灵体形态清晰区分开来。因此，这些不完美的通灵者对于这两类存在的本质和属性产生了诸多困惑和误解。在尘世生活中，人们已发现七种不同层次的灵魂洞察力；在人生的下一阶段，当灵性部分或灵魂从物质生活的粗糙元素中解脱出来后，这种天赋又会扩展七次，如此循环往复，随着灵魂逐一脱去物质的外衣——首先是最粗糙或尘世的物质，然后是更高层次的精炼或升华的物质，因为我们认为，只要灵魂在任何一个太阳系中仍有意识存在，它就不可能与物质完全分离。超越这些界限，我们便无从知晓，一切都只能是纯粹的推测。这仅仅取决于灵魂处于更高或更低的发展阶段时，其所接触的物质的精炼和灵化程度的差异。我现在要谈的是人类有意识的灵魂生活的第一阶段——透视能力，至于人类目前有意识的存在阶段之前发生的事情，以及当人类超越我们目前知识的界限时可能发生的事情，相关的理论和信仰，留待以后再谈。

“We find, then, in the earthly stage of life persons--most often women or very young boys--who are endowed with some or all of these seven degrees of soul-sight. The first three degrees are very often found, the fourth and fifth more rarely, while the sixth and seventh are hardly ever met with except in persons endowed with certain peculiarities of organization, due to those astrological influences under which they are born--particularly to those prevailing at the exact moment the child sees the light of earth life. So rare are these perfect sixth and seventh degrees that very few possess them, though some are found with an imperfect sixth and none of the seventh, in which case they can never attain to the perfection of soul-sight, and as with imperfect glasses, the defect in their sight will cause them to have an imperfect vision of celestial things, and although they will see into the sixth sphere in a sense, yet their defective power will greatly impair the value of what they see.
因此，在尘世生活中，我们发现有些人——通常是女性或幼童——拥有这七个灵魂洞察力中的部分或全部。前三个层面很常见，第四和第五层面较为罕见，而第六和第七层面则几乎从未出现过，除非是那些由于出生时所处的星象影响而具有某些特殊组织结构的人——尤其是在孩子降生的那一刻所受到的星象影响。完美的第六和第七层面极其罕见，拥有它们的人寥寥无几。有些人拥有不完美的第六层面，却没有第七层面，在这种情况下，他们永远无法达到灵魂洞察力的完美境界。就像不完美的眼镜一样，他们视力的缺陷会导致他们对天界事物的感知不完整。虽然他们在某种程度上能够看到第六层，但他们能力的缺陷会大大降低他们所见之物的价值。

“Those, however, who have the perfect sixth and seventh degrees can be taken in spirit into the seventh sphere itself, which is the highest, or heaven of the earth spheres, and like St. John of old they shall see unspeakable things. To do this the soul requires to be freed from all ties to the material body, save only the slender thread without which connecting link, body and soul would part forever. Thus they may be said to be out of the body at such times, and so difficult and dangerous is it to thus take the soul into the seventh sphere, that only with exceptional persons and under very exceptional circumstances can it be done even where the power exists. Of the clairvoyants of the lower degrees of power the same may be said, except that the less celestial their powers, the more safely and easily may they be used, each clairvoyant being able to see into that sphere which corresponds to the degree of power which they possess. It is, however, a curious fact that many clairvoyants possess one or more perfect degrees of soul-sight with at the same time an imperfect form of a degree still higher, and when this is so it will be found that the medium mixes the visions seen and is not reliable, since the defective degree (if used) will act like a defective eye and cause that which is beheld by both eyes at the same time to partake of its imperfections. It is, therefore, far better to have the entire absence of a degree than to possess an imperfect form of it, since the imperfect one only causes confusion in using the perfect ones, unless indeed you do with these powers as you might do with the defective eye, and close it altogether in order that the vision, though limited, may be correct. Thus the ancients when they found the highest amount of perfect vision of one or more degrees in their pupils, arrested their further development at that degree before the imperfect sight of a higher one could in any way impair the value of those they possessed. In this way they were able to train as reliable clairvoyants of moderate powers many who by a further effort at development would have lost far more than they could gain. In olden days seers were divided into classes even as they still are amongst certain schools of prophets in the East, though now the art is not studied to the perfection it once was when the Eastern nations were a power upon earth.
然而，那些拥有完美第六和第七级能力的人，其灵魂可以被带入第七层，即最高的层，或者说是尘世的天堂。他们将像古代的圣约翰一样，目睹难以言喻的景象。要做到这一点，灵魂需要摆脱与物质身体的一切束缚，只剩下那根细线，没有它，身体和灵魂将永远分离。因此，可以说他们在那时是脱离肉体的。将灵魂带入第七层是如此困难和危险，以至于即使在拥有这种能力的地方，也只有极少数人，在极其特殊的情况下才能做到。对于低级通灵者来说，情况也是如此，只不过他们的能力越不属于天界，就越容易安全有效地使用，因为每个通灵者都能看到与其能力等级相对应的层。然而，一个奇特的现象是，许多通灵者拥有一个或多个完美的灵魂洞察力等级，但同时他们的形体却并不完美。如果程度更高，就会发现媒介会混淆所见景象，因此不可靠。这是因为，如果使用有缺陷的程度，就会像一只残缺的眼睛一样，使双眼同时看到的景象也受到其缺陷的影响。因此，与其拥有某种程度的缺陷，不如完全丧失这种程度，因为缺陷只会使使用完整程度的能力时产生混乱。除非你像对待残缺的眼睛一样使用这些能力，将其完全封闭，这样即使视野受限，也能获得正确的景象。因此，古人一旦发现弟子们拥有某种或多种程度的完美视力，便会止步于此，以免更高层次的视力缺陷损害他们已有的天赋。如此一来，他们便能将许多人培养成能力适中、可靠的预言家，而这些人若继续钻研，反而会损失更多。古代的预言家如同东方某些先知学派一样，被划分成不同的等级，尽管如今这门技艺的研究已不如东方列强鼎盛时期那般精湛。

“每个阶层都接受过与其特殊能力和天赋等级相适应的特殊训练，不像现在这样，天赋异禀却完全不知如何明智运用，导致诸多误判，对灵媒和前来寻求灵性知识的人都造成了极大的伤害。这就好比一个训练年轻体操运动员的教练认为，过度训练他们正在发育的肌肉不会对他们造成永久性伤害，就像那些无知、无限制、不加选择地使用和发展灵媒能力的人一样。一只雏鸟过早地离开巢穴，扑腾着翅膀就会坠落到地上；而如果让它待到翅膀足够强壮，能够支撑它飞翔，它就能翱翔到天堂。随着尘世知识的积累，一些拥有必要灵媒能力的敏感者将会获得相应的知识，在那些引领伟大灵性运动的高级智慧的指导下，他们能够分辨低级堕落的灵魂和高级灵体。”因此，目前仍然阻碍这场运动的许多混乱和危险将会逐渐消除。

“在灵界，有许多导师几个世纪以来一直在研究这些课题——所有生命形式——以及那些化身为人世间的灵媒的能力。他们至今仍在四处寻找机会，以便将对人类有用的知识传授出去。他们知道，许多知识目前还无法传授，但有些知识是可以传授的。正如其他所有课题一样，随着知识的传授，世人的心智也将不断扩展和发展。”

I thanked my new friend for his information and promised help, and as the expedition was soon to start I went to earth to bid adieu for a time to my beloved. Upon our parting I shall not dwell, nor say how much we both felt we should miss our constant little intercourse; for even restricted as it was by the barrier between us, it had been been a great joy to both. I found on my return that the preparations for our journey were now complete, and I was summoned to bid my father and others adieu, and to join my companions in the great hall where they were now assembled to receive the farewell benediction of our Grand Master.
我感谢新朋友提供的信息并承诺提供帮助，由于探险即将开始，我便返回人间，与我心爱的人暂时告别。离别之际，我不想赘述，也不想说我们彼此多么怀念那段短暂的交流；即便隔着一道屏障，这份情谊也给我们带来了莫大的快乐。返回后，我发现出发前的准备工作已经完成，我被召去向父亲和其他人告别，然后前往大厅与同伴们会合，他们正聚集在那里，接受我们大导师的临别祝福。

After this our band started amidst the cheers and good wishes of all the assembled Brotherhood.
随后，在全体兄弟会成员的欢呼和祝福声中，我们的乐队开始了演奏。

17. The Astral Plane And Its Inhabitants--Spooks, Elves, Vampires, Etc
17. 星界及其居民——幽灵、精灵、吸血鬼等等

I can hardly give you a better idea of the course of our journey than by asking you to imagine a vast spiral or corkscrew winding upwards and downwards in circling rings. A tiny speck no bigger than a pin’s head in the middle of a large cart-wheel might represent the earth in the centre of these circling rings, an equal number of which are above and below the earth, all winding in a connected series from the lowest to the highest around this speck, and the head of the spiral pointing towards our central sun--this being regarded as the highest point of the most advanced sphere.
要更好地向你们描述我们的旅程，我实在想不出比这更好的办法了：请你们想象一个巨大的螺旋或螺旋状物体，它盘旋于上下，形成一个个环形。一个比针头还小的斑点，位于一个巨大的车轮中央，可以代表地球，它位于这些环形物体的中心。地球上方和下方各有相同数量的环形物体，它们围绕着这个斑点，从最低处到最高处依次盘旋。螺旋的头部指向我们中心的太阳——这被认为是最高点，也是最先进的球体。

This will give you a faint idea of the earth and its attendant spirit spheres, and help you to understand how in our journey we passed from the second into the lowest sphere, and in doing so passed through the earth plane. As we entered it I perceived many spirits of mortals hurrying to and fro just as I had been wont to see them, but now for the first time I also saw that mingling with them were many floating spectral shapes similar to those wraiths I had seen haunting the spirit in the icy cage in the Frozen Land. These wraiths seemed to be floating to and fro like drift weed upon a seashore, borne here and there by the different astral currents which revolve and circle round the earth.
这将让你对地球及其相关的灵界略知一二，并帮助你理解在我们的旅程中，我们是如何从第二层灵界进入最低层灵界，并由此穿过地球位面的。当我们进入地球位面时，我看到许多凡人的灵魂像往常一样来回穿梭，但这一次，我第一次看到，在他们之中还混杂着许多漂浮的幽灵，类似于我在冰封之地冰牢中看到的那些纠缠着灵魂的幽灵。这些幽灵似乎像海滩上的浮萍一样来回漂浮，被围绕地球旋转的各种星流带动着四处飘荡。

Some were very distinct and life-like till a closer inspection revealed to me that the light of intelligence was wanting in their eyes and expressions, and there was a helpless collapsed look about them like wax dolls from which the stuffing has run out. For the life of me I can think of nothing that will so well express their appearance.
有些玩偶起初栩栩如生，但仔细观察后才发现，它们的眼神和表情中缺乏智慧的光芒，它们无助地瘫倒在地，如同填充物散尽的蜡像。我绞尽脑汁也想不出还有什么词能比这更贴切地形容它们的模样。

In my former wanderings through the earth plane I had not been conscious of any of these beings, and on asking Hassein the reason of this he answered: “First, because you were so much absorbed in your work, and secondly, your powers of sight were not sufficiently developed. Now look,” he added, pointing to a strange little group of beings like elves which were approaching us hand in hand, gamboling like children. “Look at those; they are the mental and bodily emanations cast off from the minds and bodies of children which consolidate into these queer, harmless little elementals when brought into contact with any of the great life currents that circle around the earth, and which bear upon their waves the living emanations cast off from men, women and children. These curious little beings have no real separate intelligent life such as a soul would give, and they are so evanescent and ethereal that they take their shapes and change them, as you will observe, like the clouds on a summer sky. See how they are all dissolving and forming again afresh.”
在我之前游历地球时，我从未察觉到这些生物的存在。我问哈塞因原因，他回答说：“首先，是因为你太专注于工作；其次，你的视力还不够敏锐。现在看，”他指着一群像精灵一样的小家伙们，它们手拉手地朝我们走来，像孩子一样嬉戏玩耍。“看看这些；它们是孩童身心散发出的能量，当它们接触到环绕地球的伟大生命能量流时，就会凝聚成这些奇特而无害的小元素生物。这些生命能量流承载着人类、女人和儿童散发出的生命能量。这些奇特的小生物没有像灵魂那样真正独立的智慧生命，它们如此飘渺虚幻，以至于它们会像夏日天空的云朵一样，不断变换形状。你看，它们是如何消融又重新形成的。”

As I looked I saw the whole little cloud of figures shift into a new form of grotesque likeness, and whereas they had looked like tiny fairies in caps and gowns made from flowers, they now took wings, becoming like a species of half butterflies, half imps, with human bodies, animal’s heads, and butterflies’ wings. Then as a fresh strong wave of magnetism swept over them, lo! they were all broken up and carried away to form fresh groups elsewhere with other particles.
我注视着，只见那一小团人影渐渐变成了一种怪诞的新形态。原本它们像是戴着花朵做成的帽子、穿着花朵做成的长袍的小仙子，现在却长出了翅膀，变成了一种半蝴蝶半小妖精的生物，有着人的身体、动物的头颅和蝴蝶的翅膀。接着，一股强大的磁力席卷而来，瞧！它们全都破碎了，被带走，与其他粒子一起在别处重新组合成新的群体。

I was so astonished at this, the real living appearance and the unreal disappearance, that I suppose Hassein read my puzzled state of mind, for he said, “What you have now beheld is only an ethereal form of elemental life, which is not material enough for a long continued existence on the earth plane, and is like the foam of the sea thrown up by the wave motions of pure earthly lives and thoughts. See now how much stronger on the astral plan can be the consistency of that which is not pure.”
我对此感到无比震惊，这真实鲜活的显现和虚幻的消失，我想哈塞因察觉到了我的困惑，因为他说道：“你现在所看到的只是元素生命的虚幻形态，它不足以在地球层面长期存在，就像纯粹的尘世生命和思想的波浪运动激起的海浪泡沫。现在你看，在星光层面，不纯粹之物竟能拥有如此强大的生命力。”

I beheld approaching us a great mass of aerial forms, dark, misshapen, human, yet inhuman, in appearance. “These,” said he, “are the beings which haunt the delirium of the drunkard, which gather round him, drawn by his corrupted magnetism and unable to be repelled by one who has lost the will-force needful to protect him from such creatures which cling like barnacles to him, and like leeches suck his animal vitality with a strange ghoulish intelligence akin to that of some noisome plant which has fastened itself upon a tree. For such a one as the unfortunate drunkard the best help which can be given is by obtaining some one upon the earth side of life who possesses a strong will and mesmeric powers, and let him place the drunkard under the protection of his will and the strong influence of his magnetism, till the last of these phantoms drops off from inability to hold on longer under the stream of healthy magnetism poured upon them and the unlucky man upon whom they have fastened. The healthy magnetism acts like a poison upon these creatures, and kills them so that they drop off, and their bodies, unable to hold together, decay into immaterial dust. Should these beings, however, not encounter such a strong dose of healthy magnetism they will go on for years floating about and drawing away the animal vitality of one human being after another, till at last they become endowed with a certain amount of independent animal life of their own. At this stage they can be used by higher, more intelligent beings to carry out such work as their peculiar organizations fit them for, and it is these soulless creatures, though created and earth-nourished, whom a certain class of practitioners of the so-called black magic made use of in some of their experiments, as well as for carrying out their evil designs against any one who had offended them. But like deadly weeds at the bottom of a dark pool, these astrals draw down and destroy in their soulless clutches those who venture to meddle with them unprotected by the higher powers.”
我看到一大群空中的物体向我们靠近，它们黑暗、畸形，外表像人，却又不像人。 “这些，”他说，“是萦绕在醉汉谵妄中的幽灵，它们聚集在他周围，被他腐化的磁力吸引，而醉汉却无力驱赶，因为他已经失去了保护自己免受这些生物侵害的必要意志力。这些生物像藤壶一样紧紧依附在他身上，像水蛭一样吸取他的生命力，它们有着一种怪异的、如同寄生在树上的有害植物般的邪恶智慧。对于像这种不幸的醉汉来说，最好的帮助就是找到一位在人间拥有强大意志力和催眠能力的人，让他用自己的意志和强大的磁力保护醉汉，直到最后一个幽灵因为无法再承受这股强大的磁力而脱落。这股强大的磁力就像毒药一样杀死这些幽灵，使它们脱落，它们的尸体也因无法继续支撑而死去。”它们最终会一同腐朽成无形的尘埃。然而，如果这些生物没有遇到如此强烈的健康磁力，它们就会继续漂浮多年，不断吸取一个又一个人类的生命力，直到最终它们自身也拥有了一定程度的独立生命。在这个阶段，它们可以被更高阶、更智慧的存在利用，执行其特殊组织赋予它们的任务。正是这些没有灵魂的生物，尽管由大地创造并滋养，却被某些所谓的黑魔法修行者用于实验，并被用来对付任何冒犯他们的人，实施邪恶的计划。但如同暗潭底部的致命杂草，这些星界生物会用它们无情的魔爪吞噬那些胆敢招惹它们、又没有更高力量保护的人。“

“And now tell me, friend Hassein,” said I, “if these astrals, when they fasten upon a drunkard, can or do influence him to drink more, as is the case when the earth-bound spirit of a departed drunkard controls one still in the flesh.”
“现在告诉我，哈赛因朋友，”我说，“这些星灵附身在醉汉身上时，是否能够或确实会影响他喝更多的酒，就像已故醉汉的灵魂控制着一个仍然活着的人一样。”

“No! These beings do not derive any pleasure from the drink a man swallows, except in so far as by corrupting his magnetism it makes him such that they can more readily feed upon him. It is his animal or earthly life-force they desire. It means existence for them and is much the same as water to a plant, and beyond the fact that by draining the victim of his vitality they cause a sense of exhaustion which makes him fly to stimulants for relief, they do not affect the question of his continuing to drink. They are mere parasites, and possess no intelligence of their own except of so rudimentary a character that we can scarcely give it that name.
“不！这些生物并不从人吞下的饮料中获得任何乐趣，除非它们通过腐蚀人的磁力，使人更容易被它们吸食。它们渴望的是人的动物性或尘世生命力。这生命力对它们而言意味着生存，就像水对植物一样。除了吸取受害者的生命力使其感到精疲力竭，从而寻求兴奋剂来缓解之外，它们并不会影响受害者是否继续饮用。它们不过是寄生虫，自身没有任何智慧，其原始程度之低，几乎无法称之为智慧。”

“产生一个思想或将你的思想灌输给他人，需要拥有智慧的灵魂种子或神圣本质的火花。一旦拥有了这种种子或火花，生命体就拥有了独立自主的个性，并且永远不会失去。它或许会蜕去一层又一层的外衣，或许会沉沦于越来越粗糙的物质形态，但一旦被赋予了灵魂生命，它就永远不会停止存在，并且在存在的过程中必须保持其本性的个性以及对其行为的责任。这对于人类的灵魂和在动物或较低等灵魂存在类型中展现出的智慧灵魂原则来说，都是如此。无论何时，当你看到人类（最高等的灵魂）或动物（较低等的灵魂）展现出推理和根据推理采取行动的能力时，你就可以知道灵魂的存在，而这仅仅取决于灵魂本质的纯净程度。我们在人类和动物身上都看到了推理能力和智慧，二者的区别仅仅在于程度。由此，我所属的思想流派推断，两者都拥有有意识的个体。”尽管灵魂本质的类型和程度有所不同，但动物和人类都拥有永生的未来，等待着他们进一步发展。我们无法断言这条法则的作用范围究竟有多大，但我们可以从动物和人类在灵界的存在中得出结论：他们都曾在地球上生活过，并且在灵界中都处于比在地球上更为高级的发展状态。

“It is impossible for the soulless parasite to influence the mind of any mortal; and it is therefore undoubtedly the souls which have been incarnated in earthly bodies and have so indulged their lower passions in that state that they are not able to free themselves from the fetters of their astral envelopes, that haunt the earth and incite those yet in the flesh to indulgence in drink and similar vices. They, as you know, can control man in many ways, either partially or completely, and the most common way is for the spirit to partly envelop the man he controls with his spirit body until a link has been formed between them, somewhat after the nature of that uniting some twin children who possess distinct bodies, but are so joined to each other and interblended that all which one feels is felt by the other. In this fashion what is swallowed by the mortal is enjoyed by the spirit who controls the unfortunate man, and who urges him to drink as much as possible, and when he can no longer do so the spirit will then try to free himself and go elsewhere in search of some other weak-willed man or woman of depraved tastes. Not always, however, can either the spirit or the mortal free themselves from the strange link woven between them by the indulgence of their joint desires. After a long-continued connection of this sort it becomes very difficult for them to separate, and the spirit and the man may go on for years sick of each other yet unable to break the tie without help from the higher powers, who are always ready to assist those who call upon their aid. Should a spirit continue to control men for the purpose of self-gratification as I have described, he sinks lower and lower, and drags his victims down with him into the depths of hell itself, from which they will both have a bitter and weary task to climb when at last the desire for better things shall awaken. To a soul alone belongs the power to think and to will, and those other soulless creatures but obey the laws of attraction and repulsion, which are felt likewise by all the material atoms of which the universe is composed, and even when these astral parasites have, by long feeding upon the vital force of men or women, attained to a certain amount of independent life, they have no intelligence to direct their own or others’ movements; they float about like fever germs generated in a foul atmosphere, attracted to one person more readily than to another, and like such germs may be said to possess a very low form of life.
“无魂的寄生虫不可能影响任何凡人的心智；因此，毫无疑问，正是那些化身为人、沉溺于低级欲望的灵魂，无法挣脱星体束缚，游荡于世间，引诱那些仍身处肉身之人沉溺于饮酒等恶习。如你所知，它们能以多种方式控制人类，或部分控制，或完全控制。最常见的方式是，灵体部分包裹被控制之人，直至二者之间形成某种联系，类似于双胞胎子女之间那种紧密相连、彼此交融的联系，一方的感受另一方也能感受到。如此一来，凡人所吞咽的酒水便被控制着这个不幸之人的灵体享用，灵体怂恿他尽可能多地饮酒，当他再也无法承受时，灵体便会试图挣脱束缚，前往别处寻觅。或许是某个意志薄弱、品味低俗的男人或女人。然而，并非总能使灵魂或凡人摆脱因沉溺于共同欲望而结成的奇异联系。这种联系一旦持续多年，便难以分离，灵魂与凡人或许会彼此厌倦多年，却无法在没有更高力量的帮助下斩断这股纽带。而那些更高力量总是乐于帮助那些祈求他们帮助的人。如果一个灵体继续像我所描述的那样，为了满足自己的私欲而控制人类，它就会越陷越深，并将它的受害者拖入地狱深渊。当最终他们对美好事物的渴望觉醒时，他们两人都将面临一段痛苦而艰辛的攀登之旅。只有灵魂才拥有思考和意志的能力，其他那些没有灵魂的生物只能服从吸引力和排斥力的法则，宇宙中所有物质原子也同样受到这种法则的支配。即使这些星界寄生虫通过长期吸食人类的生命力，获得了一定程度的独立生命，它们也没有智慧来指挥自己或他人的行动；它们像污浊空气中滋生的病菌一样四处游荡，更容易被某些人吸引，就像这些病菌一样，可以说它们拥有极其低级的生命形式。

“Another class of elemental astrals are those of the earth, air, fire, and water, whose bodies are formed from the material life germs in each element. Some are in appearance like the gnomes and elves who are said to inhabit mines and mountain caverns which have never been exposed to the light of day. Such, too, are the fairies whom men have seen in lonely and secluded places amongst primitive races of men. Such, with the variations caused by the different natures of the elements from which they are formed, are the water sprites and the mermaids of ancient fable, and the spirits of the fire and the spirits of the air.
“另一类元素星灵是土、气、火、水四大元素的星灵，它们的身体由各自元素的生命种子构成。有些星灵外形酷似地精和精灵，据说它们居住在从未见过阳光的矿井和山洞中。人们在原始部落的偏僻角落里看到的仙子也属于此类。此外，由于构成它们的元素性质不同，它们的外形也会有所差异，例如古代传说中的水精灵和美人鱼，以及火精灵和风精灵。”

“All these beings possess life, but as yet no souls, for their lives are drawn from and sustained by the lives of earthly men and women, and they are but reflections of the men amongst whom they dwell. Some of these beings are of a very low order of life, almost like the higher orders of plants, except that they possess an independent power of motion. Others are very lively and full of grotesque unmeaning tricks, with the power of very rapid flight from place to place. Some are perfectly harmless, while others again are more malignant in their instincts as the human beings from whom their life is drawn are of a more savage race. These curious earth elementals cannot exist long amongst nations where the more intellectual stage of development has been reached, because then the life germs thrown off by man contain too little of the lower or animal life to sustain them, and they die and their bodies decay into the atmosphere. Thus as nations advance and grow more spiritual, these lower forms of life die out from the astral plane of that earth’s sphere, and succeeding generations begin at first to doubt and then to deny that they ever had an existence. Only amongst those ancient religions of the East who have kept still unbroken the threads of record, are there to be found accounts of these intermediate dependent races of beings and the causes of their existence.
“所有这些生物都拥有生命，但尚未拥有灵魂，因为它们的生命源自并由尘世的人类维持，它们不过是它们所居住的人类的倒影。其中一些生物的生命等级很低，几乎与高等植物无异，只是它们拥有独立的运动能力。另一些则非常活跃，充满怪诞无意义的诡计，并且能够快速地从一个地方飞到另一个地方。有些完全无害，而另一些则本性更加邪恶，因为它们所依赖的人类种族更加野蛮。这些奇特的土元素生物无法在已经达到更高智力发展阶段的民族中长期生存，因为那时人类释放的生命种子所含的低等或动物性生命太少，不足以维持它们的生存，它们会死亡，尸体腐烂在大气中。因此，随着民族的进步和精神的提升，这些低等生命形式会从地球的星光层中消亡，后代起初会开始怀疑，然后……否认他们曾经存在过。只有在那些至今仍完整保存着记载的东方古老宗教中，才能找到关于这些依附于人的中间种族及其存在原因的记载。

“These soulless elementals of earth, air, fire and water, are a class distinct from those others which I have drawn you as emanating from the debased intelligence of man’s mind and the evil actions of his body. Behold now, oh! man of a Western nation, the knowledge which your philosophers and learned men have shut out and locked away as being harmful fables, till man, shut into the narrow bounds of what he can with his physical senses alone see, hear, and feel, has begun to doubt if he has any soul at all; any higher, purer, nobler self than is sustained by the sordid life of earth. See now the multitudinous beings that surround man on every side, and ask yourself if it would not be well that he should have the knowledge which could help to keep him safe from the many pitfalls over which he walks in blind ignorance and unconsciousness of his danger. In the primitive ages of the earth man was content to look like a child for help and succor to his Heavenly Father, and God sent his angels and ministering spirits to protect his earthly children. In these latter ages man, like a full-grown troublesome youth, seeks in his self-conceit no higher help than his own, and rushes into danger with his eyes bandaged by his pride and ignorance. He scoffs at those things which he is too limited in his powers to understand, and turns aside from those who would instruct him. Because he cannot see his soul, cannot weigh it and analyze it, he says, forsooth, that man has no soul and had better enjoy this earthly life as one who shall some day die and turn to dust again, consciousness, individuality, all forever blotted out.
“这些没有灵魂的土、气、火、水元素，与我之前描绘的那些源于人类堕落的智慧和邪恶行为的元素截然不同。看啊，西方国家的人们啊！你们的哲学家和学者们将这些知识视为有害的寓言，并加以封锁和封存，以至于人类被局限在狭隘的感官世界里，只能看到、听到和感受到，开始怀疑自己是否拥有灵魂；是否拥有比尘世污秽生活所维系的更高尚、更纯洁、更高贵的自我。看看环绕在人类周围的无数生灵，扪心自问，如果人类拥有能够帮助他们避开那些在盲目无知和对危险浑然不觉中行走的重重陷阱的知识，岂不是一件好事？在地球的远古时代，人类甘愿以孩童的模样来寻求天父的帮助和庇护，而上帝也派遣天使……”以及守护他尘世子孙的侍奉之灵。在后世，人如同一个桀骜不驯的成年少年，自负地寻求一切帮助，却不求更高层次的帮助，反而蒙蔽了双眼，被骄傲和无知蒙蔽，贸然闯入险境。他嘲笑那些他能力有限而无法理解的事物，对那些想要教导他的人避之不及。因为他看不见自己的灵魂，无法衡量和分析它，他便信誓旦旦地说，人没有灵魂，最好还是享受这尘世的生命，反正终有一天会死去，化为尘土，意识、个性，一切都将永远消逝。

“Or, again, in abject fear of the unknown fate before him, man takes refuge in the vague superstitions, the shadowy creeds of those who profess to act as guides upon the pathway to the Unknown Land, with little more certain knowledge than man has himself.
“或者，又或者，由于对未知命运的极度恐惧，人类会寻求那些自称是通往未知之地的向导的模糊迷信和阴暗信条的庇护，而这些向导的知识并不比人类自身更确切。

“Thus, then, it is in pity to his wandering, struggling children that God has in these later days opened once more--and wider than ever before--the doors of communion between the two worlds. He is sending out again messengers to warn man, ambassadors, to tell him of the better way, the truer path to the happiness of a higher life, and to show him that knowledge and that power which shall yet be of right his inheritance. As the prophets of old spake, so speak these messengers now, and if they speak with clearer voice, with less veiled metaphor, it is because man is no longer in his infancy and needs now that he should be shown the reason and the science upon which his beliefs and hopes must be founded.
因此，正是出于对迷失、挣扎的儿女的怜悯，上帝在末世再次敞开了连接两个世界的大门，而且比以往任何时候都更加宽广。他再次派遣使者，如同大使一般，警告世人，告诉他们更好的道路，通往更高层次幸福生活的真正途径，并向他们展示那终将成为他们应得的知识和力量。正如古代先知所言，这些使者如今也如此宣讲。如果他们的言辞更加清晰，比喻更加直白，那是因为人类不再是孩童，如今需要被指引，让他们明白信仰和希望赖以建立的理性与科学。

“Listen, then, unto this voice that calls, oh! ye toilers of the earth!” cried Hassein, turning and stretching out his hands towards a small dark ball that seemed to float far away on the horizon of our sight--a small dark globe that we knew to be the sorrowful planet called Earth. “Listen to the voices that call to you and turn not a deaf ear, and realize ere it be too late that God is not a God of the dead but of the living, for all things are alive for evermore. Life is everywhere and in everything; even the dull earth and the hard rocks are composed of living germs, each living according to its own degree. The very air we breathe and the boundless ether of universal space are full of life, and there is not one thought we think but lives for good or ill, not one act whose image shall not live to torture or to solace the soul in the days of its release from its incarnation in an earthly form. Life is in all things, and God is the central Life of All.”
“那么，倾听这呼唤的声音吧，哦！大地上的劳作者们！”哈赛因喊道，他转身，伸出双手，指向地平线上一个似乎漂浮在远处的小黑球——我们知道，那颗名为地球的悲伤星球。“倾听这呼唤你们的声音，不要充耳不闻，趁现在还来得及，要明白上帝不是死者的上帝，而是生者的上帝，因为万物永恒地活着。生命无处不在，存在于万物之中；即使是黯淡的泥土和坚硬的岩石也由活的微生物组成，每个微生物都以各自的方式活着。我们呼吸的空气和宇宙无垠的以太都充满了生命，我们所想的每一个念头，无论好坏，都会存在；我们所做之事，其影像都将在灵魂脱离尘世肉身之时，或折磨或慰藉它。生命存在于万物之中，而上帝是万物生命的中心。”

Hassein paused, then in a calmer voice he said to me: “Look yonder! What would you say those things were?”
哈塞因停顿了一下，然后用较为平静的声音对我说：“看那边！你觉得那些是什么？”

He pointed to what seemed to me at first a mass of spirit forms which came sweeping towards us as though blown by a strong wind. As they came near I saw they were evidently soulless astral envelopes, but unlike those floating wraiths I had seen haunting the man in the icy cage, these were solid, and to my spiritual sight life-like and full of animal vigor; yet they were like automatons and did not seem to possess any intelligence. They were drifting and bobbing about like buoys at sea to which boats are anchored. As they drifted close to us my friend put forth his will-force and captured one, which then remained floating in mid air.
他指着我起初以为是一大团灵体的东西，它们像被强风吹拂般向我们袭来。它们靠近后，我才看清它们显然是没有灵魂的星体外壳，但与我之前在冰笼里看到的那些萦绕着男人的漂浮幽灵不同，这些星体外壳是实体的，在我灵界看来，它们栩栩如生，充满活力；然而它们却像自动装置一样，似乎没有任何智慧。它们像系泊船只的浮标一样，在海面上漂浮摇曳。当它们漂近我们时，我的朋友运用意志力抓住了一个，它随即悬浮在半空中。

“Now look,” said he, “you will observe this is somewhat like a great living doll. It is the result of countless little living germs which man is continually throwing off from his earthly body, emanations solely of his animal or lower life, material enough when brought into contact with the magnetic forces of the astral plane, to form into these imitations of earthly men and women, and immaterial enough to be invisible to man’s purely material sight, although a very small degree of clairvoyant power would enable him to see them. A stronger and higher degree of clairvoyant power would enable him to see, as you do, that this is not a true spirit envelope, since the soul principle is wanting; and a yet higher degree of clairvoyant power would show that a soul has never been in this form, and that it has never had a conscious existence as a soul’s astral envelope.
“瞧，”他说，“你会发现这有点像一个巨大的活娃娃。这是无数微小的活体微生物不断从人体排出而出的结果，这些微生物完全是人类动物性或低级生命的散发物，当它们与星光层的磁力接触时，就形成了这些仿制尘世男女的形态，但它们又足够虚无缥缈，以至于人类纯粹的物质视觉无法看见它们，尽管略微的透视能力就能使人看到它们。更强、更高的透视能力就能使人像你一样看到，这不是真正的灵体外壳，因为它缺少灵魂的本质；而更高的透视能力则会显示，灵魂从未以这种形式存在过，也从未作为灵魂的星光外壳有过意识的存在。”

“Amongst ordinary clairvoyants the subject of astral spirits is not studied sufficiently to develop these degrees of soul-sight, therefore few clairvoyants in your earthly country could tell you whether this was a true soul-enveloping astral form or one from which the soul had departed, or yet again one in which the soul had never been present at all. Presently I shall show you an experiment with this astral form, but first observe that being such as it is, it is fresh and full of the animal life of the earth plane, and has not the collapsed appearance of those you saw before, which had once contained a soul and which were there in a state of rapid decay yet. And mark this carefully: this fresh looking astral will decay far faster than the others, for it has none of the higher principle of life clinging to it, which, in the case of an astral that has once contained a soul, often remains for a long time animating and keeping it from perfect decay. Astral forms must draw their life from a higher source (from soul germs in fact), or they soon cease to exist and crumble away.”
“在普通通灵者中，对星体灵体的研究尚不足以发展出如此高深的灵魂洞察力，因此，你们尘世间鲜有通灵者能够分辨出这究竟是一个真正包裹着灵魂的星体形态，还是一个灵魂已经离去的星体形态，抑或是一个从未有过灵魂存在的星体形态。稍后我将向你们展示一个关于这个星体形态的实验，但首先请注意，它现在的样子是鲜活的，充满了地球层面的动物生命，不像你们之前看到的那些曾经包含灵魂、如今却正在迅速腐朽的星体形态那样已经腐烂。请仔细记住：这个看起来鲜活的星体形态会比其他星体形态腐朽得更快，因为它没有任何更高层次的生命原则依附于它。而对于曾经包含灵魂的星体形态来说，这种更高层次的生命原则通常会长期存在，赋予它活力，使其免于彻底腐朽。星体形态必须从更高的源头（实际上是灵魂的种子）汲取生命，否则它们很快就会不复存在。”崩塌吧。”

“But,” I asked, “how do they assume the shapes of men and women?”
“但是，”我问道，“它们是如何变成男人和女人的形状的呢？”

“By the action of the spiritualized magnetic currents which flow through all the ether space continually, as the currents flow in the ocean. These magnetic life currents are of a more etherealized degree than those known to scientific mortals, being in fact their spiritual counterpart, and as such they act upon these cloud masses of human atoms in the same way that electricity acts upon the freezing moisture upon a window pane, forming them into the semblance of men and women as the electricity forms the freezing moisture into a likeness of trees, plants, etc.
“通过贯穿整个以太空间、如同海洋中流动的灵性磁流的作用，这些磁流持续不断地流动。这些生命磁流比凡人所知的磁流更加灵性化，实际上是它们的灵性对应物。因此，它们作用于这些由人类原子构成的云状物质，就像电流作用于窗玻璃上的冰冻水汽一样，使它们呈现出男人和女人的形态，正如电流将冰冻水汽塑造成树木、植物等的形态一样。”

“It is an acknowledged fact that electricity is an active agent in the formation of the shapes of leaves and trees, etc., in vegetable life, but few know that this refined form of magnetism has a similar share in the formation of human forms and animal life. I say animal life as applied to those types which are lower than man.”
“众所周知，电在植物生命中，是树叶、树木等形态形成的重要因素，但很少有人知道，这种精微的磁性形式在人类形态和动物生命的形成中也发挥着类似的作用。我这里所说的动物生命，指的是那些比人类低等的生物。”

“Are there, then, also the astral forms of animals?”
那么，动物也有星体形态吗？

“Certainly, and very queer, grotesque combinations some of them are. I cannot show them to you now, because your powers of sight are not yet fully developed, and also because we are traveling too rapidly to enable me to develop them for you, but some day I shall show you these, as well as many other curious things relating to the astral plane. I may tell you that atoms may be classed under different heads, and that each class will have a special attraction for others of its own kind; thus vegetable atoms will be attracted together to form astral trees and plants, while animal atoms will form into the semblance of beasts, birds, etc., and human atoms into men and women’s forms. In some cases, where the human beings from whom the atoms come are very low in the scale of humanity and nearly akin to animals, their atoms will blend with those of the lower forms of life and create grotesque horrible creatures which resemble at once animals and men, and having been seen by clairvoyants in a semi-trance condition are described as nightmare visions. In the earth spheres an immense amount of these living atoms are thrown off continually from man’s lower or animal life, and these sustain and renew the astral forms, but were we to transport one of these shells to a planet whose spheres had been spiritualized beyond the stage of material life, or in other words freed from all these lower germs, the astrals could not exist, they would become like a noxious vapor and be blown away. These astrals being, as I have said, created from the cloud masses of human atoms, and never having been the envelope of any soul, are very little more permanent in their nature than the frost flowers on a window pane, unless the power of some higher intelligence acts upon them to intensify their vitality and prolong their existence. They are, as you will see, expressionless and like wax dolls in appearance, and readily lend themselves to receive any individuality stamped upon them, hence their use in ancient times by magicians and others. Astral atoms, whether of trees, plants, animals, or human beings, must not be confounded with the true spirit or soul-clothing atoms which constitute the real spirit world and its inhabitants. Astrals of every kind are the intermediate degree of materiality between the gross matter of earth and the more etherealized matter of the spirit world, and we talk of a soul clothed in its astral envelope to express that earth-bound condition in which it is too refined or immaterial for earth existence, and too grossly clad to ascend into the spirit world of the higher spheres, or to descend to those of the lower.”
“当然，其中一些组合非常奇特，甚至怪诞。我现在无法向你展示，因为你的视觉能力尚未完全开发，而且我们行进的速度太快，我无法为你展现出来。但总有一天，我会向你展示这些，以及许多其他与星界相关的奇特事物。我可以告诉你，原子可以分为不同的类别，每一类都会对同类原子产生特殊的吸引力；例如，植物原子会相互吸引，形成星界的树木和植物，动物原子会形成野兽、鸟类等的形态，而人类原子则会形成男人和女人的形态。在某些情况下，如果原子来源的人类在人类等级中处于非常低等的地位，几乎与动物无异，那么他们的原子就会与低等生物的原子融合，创造出怪诞可怕的生物，这些生物既像动物又像人，一些处于半催眠状态的通灵者看到它们时，将其描述为噩梦般的景象。在地球上……”大量的生命原子不断地从人类的低等或动物生命中释放出来，这些原子维持并更新着星体形态。但是，如果我们把其中一个星体外壳运送到一个星体已经超越物质生命阶段，或者换句话说，摆脱了所有这些低等细菌的星球上，星体就无法存在，它们会像有毒的蒸汽一样被吹走。正如我之前所说，这些星体是由人类原子云团构成的，从未承载过任何灵魂，因此它们的本质与窗玻璃上的霜花并无太大区别，除非受到某种更高智慧力量的作用，增强其活力并延长其存在时间。正如你将看到的，它们面无表情，外表如同蜡像，很容易被赋予任何个性，因此古代的魔法师和其他人会利用它们。无论是树木、植物、动物还是人类的星体原子，都绝不能与构成真实灵界及其居民的真正精神或灵魂外壳原子混淆。各种星体都是介于地球粗糙物质和精神世界更虚幻的物质之间的物质状态，我们说灵魂披着星体外衣，是为了表达灵魂受限于地球的状态，在这种状态下，灵魂太过精致或非物质，无法在地球上生存，又太过粗糙，无法升入更高层次的精神世界，也无法降入更低层次的精神世界。“

“Then you mean that a spirit even in the lowest sphere is more spiritualized as regards its body than an earth-bound spirit?”
“那么你的意思是，即使是处于最低层次的灵魂，就其身体而言，也比束缚于尘世的灵魂更加精神化吗？”

“Certainly I do. The astral plane extends like a belt around each planet and is, as I said, formed of the matter which is too fine for reabsorption by the planet, and too coarse to escape from the attraction of the planet’s mass and pass into the spheres of the spirit world to form either matter in the course of disintegration or change from one form to another, and it is only the vitalizing power of such soul magnetism as it retains which enables it to cling together in any shape at all.
“当然，我这么认为。星界就像一条带子环绕着每颗行星，正如我所说，它是由一种物质构成的，这种物质太精细，行星无法重新吸收；又太粗糙，无法逃脱行星质量的引力，进入灵界，在分解过程中形成物质，或者从一种形式转变为另一种形式。正是它所保留的灵魂磁力的活力，才使它能够以任何形式存在。”

“In the case of human astral forms which have possessed individualized life as a soul’s envelope, the astral atoms have absorbed a greater or less degree of the soul’s magnetism, or true life essence, according as the earthly existence of the soul has been good or evil, elevated or degraded, and this soul magnetism animates it for a longer or shorter period, and forms a link between it and the soul which has animated it. In the case of a soul whose desires are all for higher things, the link is soon severed and the astral envelope soon decays, while with a soul of evil desires the tie may last for centuries and chain the soul to earth, making it in fact earth-bound. In some cases the astral of a soul of very evil life will have absorbed the lower or higher spheres. Astral matter is practically so much of the soul’s vitality that after the soul itself has sunk into the lowest sphere of all, the empty shell will still float about the earth like a fading image of its departed owner. Such are sometimes seen by clairvoyants hanging about the places where they once lived, and are truly ‘spooks.’ They have no intelligence of their own, since the soul has fled, and they can neither influence mediums nor move tables, nor do any other thing except as mechanical agents of some higher intelligence, whether that intelligence be good or evil.
“对于曾拥有个体化生命、如同灵魂外壳的人类星体而言，星体原子会吸收或多或少的灵魂磁力，或者说真正的生命本质，这取决于灵魂在尘世的生命是善是恶，是高是低。这种灵魂磁力赋予星体或长或短的生命力，并在星体与赋予它生命的灵魂之间形成联系。如果灵魂的欲望都指向更高的境界，这种联系很快就会断裂，星体外壳也会很快衰败；而如果灵魂充满邪恶的欲望，这种联系可能会持续数个世纪，将灵魂束缚在地球上，使其真正被尘世所困。在某些情况下，生前极其邪恶的灵魂的星体甚至会吸收较低或较高的能量层。星体物质实际上包含了灵魂的大部分活力，以至于即使灵魂本身沉入最低的能量层，空壳仍然会像逝去主人的残影一样在地球上漂浮。有时，通灵者会看到这样的景象在周围徘徊。”它们曾经居住的地方，如今已是名副其实的“幽灵”。它们没有自己的智慧，因为灵魂已经离去，它们既不能影响灵媒，也不能移动桌子，除了作为某种更高智慧的机械代理人之外，什么也不能做，无论这种智慧是善是恶。

“The astral before us now has no soul magnetism in it; it never possessed any, therefore it will soon decay and its atoms be absorbed by others. But see to what use it can be turned when acted upon by my will power and animated for the time being by my individuality.”
“我们眼前的星体现在没有任何灵魂磁力；它从未拥有过，因此它很快就会衰变，它的原子会被其他物质吸收。但是，看看当我的意志力作用于它，并暂时赋予它个性活力时，它能发挥怎样的作用吧。”

I looked as he spoke and saw the astral doll become suddenly animated and intelligent, and then glide to one of the Brotherhood whom Hassein had selected and touch him upon the shoulder, seeming to say, “Friend, Hassein Bey salutes you.” Then bowing to the amused and wondering brother, it glided back to us as though Hassein had held it by a string like a performing monkey.
我看着他说话，只见那星灵玩偶突然变得生动而有灵性，然后滑到哈赛因选中的一位兄弟会成员面前，轻轻拍了拍他的肩膀，仿佛在说：“朋友，哈赛因贝伊向你致敬。”说完，它向那位既惊讶又好奇的兄弟鞠了一躬，然后像哈赛因牵着一只表演猴子一样，用绳子把它拉了回来。

“Now you see,” he said, “how if I chose I might use this astral as a messenger to execute some work I wished done at a distance from myself, and you will understand one of the means made use of by the old magicians to carry out some work at a great distance from themselves and without their appearing to take any share in it. These astrals, however, are only capable of being made use of upon the astral plane. They could not move any material object, although they would be visible to material sight at the will of the mortal using them. There are other astrals more material in substance who could be used to penetrate into the earth itself and to bring forth its hidden treasures, the precious metals and the gems deeply buried from the eyes of men. It would not, however, be lawful or right for me to explain to you the power by which this could be done, and those magicians who have discovered and made use of such powers have sooner or later fallen victims to those powers they could summon to their aid but rarely continue to control.”
“现在你明白了，”他说，“如果我愿意，我可以利用这星灵作为信使，在远离我的地方执行一些我想完成的任务。你应该明白，这是古代魔法师用来在遥远的地方执行任务，且自身不参与其中的方法之一。然而，这些星灵只能在星界中使用。它们无法移动任何物质物体，尽管凡人可以随意操控它们，使它们在物质世界中可见。还有一些星灵的本质更加物质化，可以用来穿透大地，挖掘出隐藏的宝藏，那些深埋地下、世人难以发现的贵金属和宝石。但是，我向你解释这种力量的来源既不合法也不合适。那些发现并运用这种力量的魔法师，迟早都会成为他们所召唤却难以驾驭的力量的牺牲品。”

“Then were this astral to become animated by an evil intelligence it would be an actual danger to man?” I said.
“那么，如果这个星体被邪恶的智慧体赋予生命，它就会对人类构成真正的威胁吗？”我说道。

“Yes, without doubt it might; and you will also observe that although I should not care to descend to clothe myself in this astral form, yet a spirit more ignorant than myself could easily do so in order to make himself felt and seen upon the earth in a more palpable form than possible to any spirit who has left the earth plane; but in doing so he would run a danger of creating a link between himself and the astral envelope not easily broken, and which might thus tie him to the astral plane for a considerable time. You will, therefore, see how the idea has arisen that men on earth, in seeking to see their departed friends, draw the spirits back into earthly conditions and do them harm. Many an ignorant spirit who is good and pure himself, has committed the mistake of reclothing himself in one of these fresh astral shells when he would have turned away from those which he knew to have been left by another spirit, and has found to his cost that he has thereby made of himself a prisoner upon the earth plane, till a higher intelligence comes to his aid and releases him.
“是的，毫无疑问，这很有可能；你也会注意到，虽然我并不想降临人间，披上这星体形态，但一个比我更无知的灵魂却很容易这样做，以便让自己以比任何离开地球的灵魂都更清晰可感的形式出现在地球上；但这样做，他会面临在自己和星体外壳之间建立难以打破的联系的危险，这可能会让他被束缚在星体层面相当长的时间。因此，你就会明白，为什么会有人认为，地球上的人们为了见到逝去的朋友，反而把他们的灵魂拉回了地球，并对他们造成了伤害。许多善良纯洁的无知灵魂，犯了同样的错误：他们本应该避开那些他们知道是其他灵魂留下的星体外壳，却又把自己重新披上了这些新的星体外壳。结果，他们发现自己因此成为了地球层面的囚徒，直到更高智慧的存在前来帮助他，将他解救出来。”

“In a like manner spirits of a low type can clothe themselves in these empty astral garments, but in their case the very grossness of the spirit (or soul) prevents them from retaining possession long, the dense magnetism of the low spirit’s own body acting as a strong noxious vapor or gas would do upon a covering made, say, of a spider’s web of fine gossamer, and rending it into a thousand pieces. To a spirit above the astral plane an astral envelope appears almost as solid as iron, but to one below it these fragile shells are like a cloud or vapor. The lower the soul the stronger is its envelope and the more firmly does it hold the soul, limiting its powers and preventing it from rising into a more advanced sphere.”
“同样，低等灵体也能披上这些空洞的星界外衣，但它们自身（或灵魂）的粗糙本质决定了它们无法长时间占据这些外衣。低等灵体自身强大的磁力，如同强烈的毒气或蒸汽作用于蛛网般纤细的外衣，将其撕成碎片。对于星界之上的灵体而言，星界外衣几乎如同钢铁般坚固；但对于星界之下的灵体而言，这些脆弱的外壳却如同云雾一般。灵魂的层级越低，其外衣就越坚固，对灵魂的束缚也越牢固，从而限制了灵魂的力量，使其无法提升到更高层次。”

“You mean, then, that spirits sometimes use these astral shells as they do earthly mediums, and either control them independently or actually enter into the form?”
“那么你的意思是，灵魂有时会像操控尘世灵媒一样使用这些星体躯壳，要么独立控制它们，要么实际进入其中？”

“Yes, certainly. A spirit above the earth plane, anxious to show himself to a clairvoyant of the lowest or first degree of power, will sometimes enter one of these shells which he at once stamps with his identity, and in that way the clairvoyant will truly see and describe him. The danger lies in the fact that when the good spirit of limited knowledge seeks to leave again the astral shell, he finds he cannot do so; he has animated it and its strong life holds him prisoner, and it is often difficult to release him. In similar manner the too complete, too long continued control of an earthly medium by a spirit, has been found to create a link between them which becomes at last a chain. To a spirit of the lowest spheres an astral envelope is but a convenient, all too evanescent cloak with which to hide his own degraded spirit body, and thus impose upon clairvoyants unable to see the vile spirit underneath; but to a good and pure spirit the astral envelope is as a suit of iron capable of imprisoning him.”
“是的，当然。一个凌驾于地球之上的灵体，为了向能力最低级或初级的通灵者显现自身，有时会进入星体外壳，并立即在上面留下自己的印记，这样通灵者就能真正地看到并描述他。危险在于，当一个知识有限的善良灵体试图离开星体外壳时，他会发现自己无法做到；他已经赋予了它生命，而它强大的生命力将他囚禁其中，往往难以解脱。同样，灵体对尘世灵媒的控制如果过于彻底、过于持久，也会在两者之间建立起联系，最终形成一条锁链。对于低级灵体而言，星体外壳只不过是一件方便却又转瞬即逝的斗篷，用来掩盖其堕落的灵体，从而欺骗那些无法看清其下邪恶灵体的通灵者；但对于善良纯洁的灵体而言，星体外壳却如同铁甲一般，能够将其牢牢囚禁。”

“Then in the case of what are called personations by one spirit of another at séances upon earth, are these astrals made use of?”
“那么，在人间降神会上，一个灵魂化身为另一个灵魂的现象，是否也运用了星体投射呢？”

“Very often they are, where the mischief-making spirit is of too low a type himself to come into direct contact with the medium. You must know by this time how wonderfully the thoughts of mortal men and women are mirrored upon the atmosphere of the astral plane, and as pictures they can be read and answered by spirits possessing the knowledge of how to read them. All spirits have not the power, just as all men and women on earth are not able to read a newspaper or a letter. It requires intellect and education with us as with those on earth. The spirits, then, of which men should most beware are not so much the poor ignorant half developed spirits of the earth plane and lower spheres, whose degraded lives have made them what they are and who are often glad of a helping hand to raise them, but it is of the intellectually evil, those who have great powers alike of mind and body and who have only used them for wrong purposes. These are the real dangers to guard against, and it is only by the increase of knowledge amongst the mediums incarnated in the earthly body that it will be successfully done, for then mortals and spirit workers will labor in unison, and mutually protect the spiritual movement from fraud and from the mistakes of the well meaning but half-ignorant spirits and mortals who are doing good work in directing the attention of mankind to the matter, but who often do harm both to themselves and others. They are like ignorant chemists and liable to bring destruction and harm upon others as well as on themselves in their experiments in search of knowledge.”
“很多时候确实如此，作恶的灵体本身品级太低，无法与灵媒直接接触。你现在应该知道，凡人的思想是如何奇妙地反映在星界的氛围中的，而拥有解读这些思想知识的灵体可以像图像一样解读并回应它们。并非所有灵体都拥有这种能力，就像并非所有世人都能阅读报纸或信件一样。这需要我们和世人一样的智力和教育。因此，人们最应该警惕的灵体，与其说是地球层面和低层领域中那些贫穷无知、发育不全的灵体（它们堕落的生活造就了它们如今的境地，它们往往乐于得到帮助以提升自身），不如说是那些智力邪恶的灵体，它们拥有强大的身心力量，却只将其用于邪恶的目的。这些才是真正需要防范的危险，而只有通过灵媒知识的增长，才能避免这些危险。”愿尘世之躯能够成功，因为那时凡人和灵界工作者将齐心协力，共同保护灵性运动免受欺诈和错误的影响。这些欺诈和错误来自那些好心却又半知半解的灵界人士和凡人，他们虽在引导世人关注此事上做出了贡献，但往往却伤害了自己和他人。他们就像无知的化学家，在追求知识的实验中，很容易给他人和自己带来毁灭和伤害。

“You do not think, then, that the purity of their motives will suffice to protect them?”
“那么，你认为他们动机的纯洁性不足以保护他们吗？”

“Would purity of motive save a child from being burnt if it thrust its hands into a blazing furnace? No! then the only way is to keep the child as far from the fire as possible. This good and wise spirit guardians do in a great measure, but if the children are continually hovering near the danger, and try at all sorts of odd times and fashions to get just another peep at the dangerous thing, it is impossible but that some of them will get scorched.”
“如果一个孩子出于纯洁的动机把手伸进熊熊燃烧的炉子里，就能让他免于被烧伤吗？不能！那么唯一的办法就是让孩子尽可能远离火源。善良睿智的守护神们在很大程度上做到了这一点，但如果孩子们总是徘徊在危险附近，并且时不时地以各种奇怪的方式试图再看一眼危险的东西，那么他们中肯定会有一些人被烧伤。”

“Then you would not advise the indiscriminate cultivation of mediumistic powers by all mortals?”
“那么，您不建议所有凡人随意修炼通灵能力吗？”

“Certainly not. I would have all men use the powers of those who have been carefully developed under wise guardians, and I would have all assisted to cultivate them who are truly anxious to develop their powers as a means of doing good to others. But when you consider how manifold and how selfish may be the motives of those mediumistically endowed, you will see how exceedingly difficult it would be to protect them. Perhaps my ideas are colored by the circumstances of race and my earthly education, but I confess I should wish to limit the practice of mediumship to those who have proved their readiness to give up more material advantages for its sake. I would, in fact, rather see them set apart as a body who have no share in the ambitions of mankind. But enough of our discussion. I am now about to let this astral shell go and draw your attention to another type of the same class.”
“当然不是。我希望所有人都能运用那些在智者指导下精心培养的能力，我也希望所有人都能帮助那些真心渴望发展自身能力以造福他人的人。但是，当你考虑到那些拥有通灵天赋的人的动机是多么复杂和自私时，你就会明白保护他们是多么困难。或许我的想法受到了种族和世俗教育的影响，但我承认，我希望将通灵术的实践限制在那些已经证明自己愿意为此放弃更多物质利益的人身上。事实上，我更希望看到他们被隔离起来，成为一个与人类的野心无关的群体。好了，我们的讨论就到此为止。我现在要离开这个星体外壳，把你们的注意力引向同类中的另一种人。”

As he spoke he made a swift upward motion with his hands over it and uttered some words in an unknown language, whereupon the astral--which had hitherto floated on beside us--stopped and seemed to waver about for a few seconds until an advancing current of magnetism caught it, and it was swept away from us like a piece of driftwood upon the waves. As I turned from watching it I saw a small cluster of dark, weird, horrible looking forms approaching us. These were astral shells which had never known soul life, but, unlike the pleasant waxy looking astral from which we had just parted, these were in all respects repulsive.
他说话间，双手迅速向上挥动，用一种我们听不懂的语言念了几句词。随后，原本在我们身旁漂浮的星体停了下来，似乎摇晃了几秒钟，直到一股涌来的磁力将其捕获，像一块浮木一样被海浪卷走。我转过身，不再注视它，只见一小群黑暗、怪异、可怕的物体正向我们靠近。这些是从未体验过灵魂的星体外壳，但与我们刚才分别的那团令人愉悦、蜡质般的星体不同，它们在各方面都令人作呕。

“These,” said Hassein, “are the emanations thrown off by men and women of a low intellectual type and evil, sensual lives. They are from the slums of the earth life--not alone the social slums, but also from a higher grade of society where there are moral slums quite as degraded. Such beings as these, when animated by an evil intelligence can be used for the very worst purposes. Being so very material, they can even be used to affect material matter upon earth, and have been so used in the practice of what is known as Black Magic and witchcraft, and they are also (but very rarely) used by higher intelligences to effect physical phenomena at séances. Where wise and good intelligences control them no harm will be done, but under the direction of the evil or ignorant they become a danger beyond my powerfully to express. To these astrals, and to those of a similar class in which the soul germ yet lingers as in a prison, are due those rough and dangerous manifestations sometimes seen in spirit circles (séances), where men of bad lives, and others too ignorant to protect themselves, are assembled from motives of curiosity or mere amusement.”
“这些，”哈塞因说道，“是那些智力低下、生活邪恶淫荡的男男女女散发出来的气息。它们来自尘世生活的贫民窟——不仅是社会贫民窟，也来自社会中道德同样堕落的更高阶层。这类存在，一旦被邪恶的智慧所操控，便可用于最邪恶的目的。由于它们如此物质化，甚至可以用来影响地球上的物质，在所谓的黑魔法和巫术中，它们就曾被用于此。此外，它们也（虽然非常罕见）被高智商者用于在降神会上制造物理现象。如果由智慧善良的智慧者控制，它们就不会造成伤害；但如果被邪恶或无知之人操控，它们就会变得极其危险，难以言表。这些星体，以及那些灵魂种子仍像囚笼般徘徊不去的同类存在，正是导致灵界中偶尔出现的那些粗暴而危险的现象的原因。” （降神会），一些生活不检点的人，以及其他无知到无法保护自己的人，出于好奇或纯粹的娱乐目的聚集在一起。

“And amongst what class of spirits do you place those ghouls and vampires so firmly believed in, in many parts of the world?”
“那么，在世界许多地方，人们坚信食尸鬼和吸血鬼的存在，你认为它们属于哪一类鬼魂呢？”

“Vampire spirits are those who have themselves known earth life, but have so misused it that their souls are still imprisoned in the astral envelope. Their object in sucking away the animal life principle of men and women is in order to retain thereby their hold upon the life of the earth plane, and so save themselves from sinking to far lower spheres. They are anxious to cling to their astral envelope and to prolong its life, just as men of very evil lives upon earth cling to the life of the earthly body because they fear that when they are separated from it they will sink into some unknown depths of darkness and horror. The constant renewal of the animal and astral life often enables these vampire spirits to hang about the earth for centuries.”
“吸血鬼之灵是指那些曾体验过尘世生活，却因滥用尘世之力而灵魂仍被囚禁于星光层中的灵体。他们吸取人类的动物性生命力，是为了以此维系对尘世生命的掌控，从而避免堕入更低的领域。他们渴望紧紧抓住星光层，延长其寿命，正如尘世中作恶多端之人紧紧抓住肉身的生命，因为他们害怕一旦与肉身分离，便会坠入未知的黑暗与恐怖深渊。动物性和星光层的不断更新，往往使这些吸血鬼之灵得以在尘世间徘徊数个世纪之久。”

“Is it possible for a vampire spirit to possess itself of a sufficient amount of materiality to appear in mortal form and mingle with men as described in many of the tales told of such creatures?”
“吸血鬼的灵魂是否有可能拥有足够的物质形态，以凡人的形态出现，并像许多关于这类生物的故事中所描述的那样，混迹于人类之中？”

“If you mean to ask if the vampire can make to itself a material body, I say no, but it can and does sometimes take complete possession of one belonging to a mortal, just as other spirits do, and can cause its acquired body to act in accordance with its will.
“如果你问的是吸血鬼是否可以给自己创造一个物质身体，我的回答是不能，但是它可以而且有时会完全占据凡人的身体，就像其他灵魂一样，并且可以让它获得的身体按照它的意志行事。

Thus it is quite possible for a vampire spirit clothed in the mortal body of another to so change its expression as to make it bear some resemblance to the vampire’s own former earthly appearance, and through the power obtained by the possession of a material body he (or she, for the vampires are of both sexes) might really lead the curious double life ascribed to them in those weird tales current and believed in in many countries.
因此，一个附身于他人凡人躯壳中的吸血鬼灵魂完全有可能改变自己的外貌，使其与吸血鬼生前在世时的容貌有几分相似，并且通过拥有物质躯体所获得的力量，他（或她，因为吸血鬼有男有女）或许真的可以过上那些在许多国家流传并被人们相信的怪诞故事中所描述的那种奇特的双重生活。

By far the larger number of vampire spirits, however, are not in possession of an earthly body, and they hover about the earth in their own astral envelope, sucking away the earthly life of mediumistic persons whose peculiar organization makes them liable to become the prey of such influences, while they are themselves quite ignorant that such beings as these astrals exist. The poor mortals suffer from a constant sense of exhaustion and languor without suspecting to what it is to be attributed.”
然而，绝大多数吸血鬼灵体并没有尘世的躯体，它们悬浮在自身的星体外壳中，在地球上游荡，吸取着通灵者的生命力。这些通灵者特殊的生理结构使他们很容易受到这种影响，而他们自己却对这些星体生物的存在一无所知。可怜的凡人饱受持续的疲惫和倦怠之苦，却丝毫不知这是为何。

“But cannot spirit guardians protect mortals from these beings?”
“但是守护神灵难道不能保护凡人免受这些生物的侵害吗？”

“Not always. In a great measure they do protect them, but only as one may protect a person from infectious fevers, by showing them the danger and warning them to avoid spots where, owing to the associations with their earthly lives, the vampire spirits are specially attracted.
“不总是如此。在很大程度上，他们确实会保护他们，但这就像保护一个人免受传染性发烧的侵害一样，通过向他们展示危险并警告他们避开那些由于与他们尘世生活有关而特别吸引吸血鬼灵魂的地方。

This the guardian spirit does by instilling into the mind of the mortal an instinctive dread of the places where crimes have been committed, or persons of evil lives have lived.
守护神通过向凡人的心中灌输一种对犯罪发生地或恶人居住地的本能恐惧来实现这一点。

But since man is and must be in all respects a free agent, it is not possible to do more. He cannot be directed in all things like a puppet, and must in a great measure gather his own experience for himself, however bitter may prove its fruits. Knowledge, guidance and help will always be given, but only in such a manner as will not interfere with man’s free will, and only such knowledge as he himself desires; nothing will ever be forced upon him by the spirit world.”
但既然人是且必须是各方面的自由意志主体，就不可能做得更多。他不能像傀儡一样事事受人摆布，很大程度上必须靠自己去积累经验，无论这些经验的果实多么苦涩。知识、指导和帮助总会有的，但前提是不能干涉人的自由意志，而且只会提供他自己渴望的知识；灵界绝不会强迫他接受任何东西。

18. The Approach To Hell
18.通往地狱之路

I would have liked to ask Hassein a great many more questions about the astral plane and its many curious forms of life, but we were now fast leaving it behind, and passing downwards through those lower spheres which I had partly explored before. We were traveling through space at a wonderful velocity, not quite with the rapidity of thought but at a speed difficult for the mind of mortal to conceive. Onward and still onward we swept, sinking ever lower and lower away from the bright spheres, and as we sank a certain sense of awe and expectancy crept over our souls and hushed our talk. We seemed to feel in advance the horrors of that awful land and the sorrows of its inhabitants.
我本想向哈塞因询问更多关于星界及其各种奇特生命形态的问题，但我们正迅速离开那里，向下穿过我之前曾部分探索过的低层星体。我们以惊人的速度在太空中穿行，速度虽不及思维的速度，却也远超凡人的想象。我们不断向前，越陷越深，远离那些明亮的星体。随着下沉，一种敬畏和期待之情涌上心头，令我们噤若寒蝉。我们似乎预先感受到了那片可怕之地的恐怖，以及那里居民的苦难。

And now I beheld afar off great masses of inky black smoke which seemed to hang like a pall of gloom over the land to which we were approaching. As we still floated on and down, these great black clouds became tinged with lurid sulphurous-looking flames as from myriads of gigantic volcanoes. The air was so oppressive we could scarcely breathe, while a sense of exhaustion, such as I had never experienced before, seemed to paralyze my every limb. At last our leader gave the order for us to halt, and we descended on the top of a great black mountain which seemed to jut out into a lake of ink, and from which we saw on the horizon that awful lurid country.
此刻，我远远望见大片漆黑的浓烟，仿佛笼罩在我们即将抵达的土地上，如同阴霾笼罩。我们继续缓缓下沉，这些巨大的黑云中闪烁着诡异的硫磺火焰，如同无数座巨型火山喷发而出。空气令人窒息，我们几乎无法呼吸，一种前所未有的疲惫感仿佛麻痹了我的四肢。最终，我们的领队下令停下，我们降落在一座巨大的黑色山峰之巅，这座山峰仿佛伸入一片墨湖之中，从山顶，我们眺望地平线，看到了那片可怕的、阴森恐怖的土地。

Here we were to rest for a time, and here, too, we were to part from our friends who had so far escorted us upon our journey. After a simple repast consisting of various sustaining spiritual fruits and food which we had brought with us, our leader on behalf of the whole company offered up a short prayer for protection and strength, and then we all lay down upon that bleak mountain top to rest.
我们在此稍作休息，也在此与一路陪伴我们的朋友们告别。享用完我们带来的各种滋养心灵的食物和水果后，我们的领队代表大家做了简短的祈祷，祈求庇佑和力量。随后，我们都躺在那荒凉的山顶上休息。

Part 3. The Kingdom Of Hell
第三部分：地狱王国

19

The companion who was assigned to me in this expedition was a spirit who had been in this sphere before, and who was, therefore, well fitted to act as my guide on entering this Land of Horrors. After a short time we were to separate, he told me, and each to follow his own path--but at any time either of us could, if needful, summon the other to his aid in case of extremity.
这次探险中分配给我的同伴是一位曾到过此地的灵体，因此非常适合引导我进入这片恐怖之地。他告诉我，不久之后我们就要分开，各自踏上自己的道路——但如有需要，我们任何一方都可以在危急时刻召唤对方前来相助。

As we drew near the great bank of smoke and flame I remarked to my companion upon the strangely material appearance they presented. I was accustomed in the spirit world to the realism and solidity of all our surroundings which mortals are apt to imagine must be of some ethereal and intangible nature, since they are not visible to ordinary eyesight,--still these thick clouds of smoke, these leaping tongues of flame, were contrary to what I had pictured Hell as being like. I had seen dark and dreary countries and unhappy spirits in my wanderings, but I had seen no flames, no fire of any sort, and I had totally disbelieved in material flames in a palpable form, and had deemed the fires of Hell to be merely a figure of speech to express a mental state. Many have taught that it is so, and that the torments of Hell are mental and subjective, not objective at all. I said something of this to my companion, and he replied:
当我们靠近那片巨大的烟火时，我向同伴感叹它们呈现出一种奇异的、物质化的景象。在灵界，我早已习惯了周围一切事物的真实和坚实，而凡人往往会认为它们一定是某种虚无缥缈、无形的，因为它们肉眼无法看见——然而，这些浓厚的烟云，这些跃动的火焰，与我之前想象中的地狱景象截然不同。在我的游历中，我见过黑暗凄凉的国度和不幸的灵魂，但我从未见过火焰，任何形式的火，我完全不相信物质火焰的存在，认为地狱之火只不过是一种比喻，用来描述一种精神状态。许多人也这样认为，地狱的折磨是精神上的、主观的，而非客观存在的。我把这些话告诉了同伴，他回答说：

“Both ideas are in a sense right. These flames and this smoke are created by the spiritual emanations of the unhappy beings who dwell within that fiery wall, and material as they seem to your eyes, opened to the sight of spiritual things, they would be invisible to a mortal’s sight, could one still in the body of flesh by any miracle visit this spot. They have, in fact, no earthly material in them, yet they are none the less material in the sense that all things earthly or spiritual are clothed in matter of some kind. The number and variety of degrees of solidity in matter are infinite, as without a certain covering of etherealized matter even spiritual buildings and spiritual bodies would be invisible to you, and these flames being the coarse emanations of these degraded spirits, possess for your eyes an appearance even more dense and solid than for the inhabitants themselves.”
“从某种意义上说，这两种说法都对。这些火焰和烟雾是由居住在那道火墙内的不幸生灵散发出的灵气所形成的。在你这双能够洞察灵性事物的眼睛看来，它们似乎是物质的；但对于一个仍然拥有血肉之躯的凡人来说，即便奇迹般地造访此地，它们也是不可见的。事实上，它们本身并没有任何尘世的物质成分，但它们又并非完全是物质的，因为所有尘世或灵性事物都包裹在某种物质之中。物质的稠密程度和种类是无穷无尽的，如果没有某种以太物质的覆盖，即使是灵性建筑和灵体对你来说也是不可见的。这些火焰是这些堕落灵魂粗糙的散发物，在你眼中呈现出的景象甚至比它们本身看起来更加浓稠和坚实。”

My companion’s spirit name was “Faithful Friend,” a name given him in memory of his devotion to a friend who abused his friendship and finally betrayed him, and whom he had even then forgiven and helped in the hour when shame and humiliation overtook the betrayer, and when reproach and contempt or even revenge might have seemed amply justifiable to many minds. This truly noble spirit had been a man of by no means perfectly noble character in his earthly life, and had therefore passed at death into the lower spheres near the earth plane, but he had risen rapidly, and at the time I met him he was one of the Brotherhood in the second sphere, to which I had so recently been admitted, and had been once before through the Kingdoms of Hell.
我的同伴的灵名是“忠实的朋友”，这是为了纪念他对一位朋友的忠诚而取的名。这位朋友辜负了他的友谊，最终背叛了他。即便在背叛者羞愧难当、倍感耻辱之时，他依然原谅了他，并在他最需要帮助的时候伸出了援手。在许多人看来，责备、蔑视甚至复仇似乎都是理所当然的。这位真正高尚的灵魂生前并非品行高尚之人，因此死后坠入了靠近地球的较低灵界。但他升华得很快，当我遇见他时，他已是第二灵界兄弟会的一员。我不久前才被接纳进入第二灵界，此前我曾穿越地狱王国进入过那里。

We now drew near what appeared like the crater of a vast volcano--ten thousand Vesuviuses in one! Above us the sky was black as night, and but for the lurid glare of the flames we should have been in total darkness. Now that we have reached the mass of fire I saw that it was like a fiery wall surrounding the country, through which all who sought to enter or leave it must pass.
我们靠近了眼前这片看似巨大火山口的景象——仿佛一万座维苏威火山合而为一！头顶的天空漆黑如夜，若非火焰的刺眼光芒，我们早已身处一片漆黑之中。如今我们已抵达这片火海，我才看清它如同环绕这片土地的火墙，所有想要进出的人都必须穿过它。

“See now, Franchezzo,” said Faithful Friend, “we are about to pass through this wall of fire, but do not let that alarm you, for so long as your courage and your will do not fail, and you exert all your will-power to repel these fiery particles, they cannot come in actual contact with your body. Like the waters of the Red Sea they will fall apart on either side and we shall pass through unscathed.
“弗兰切佐，你看，”忠实的朋友说，“我们即将穿过这道火墙，但你不要害怕，只要你的勇气和意志力不减，只要你竭尽全力抵挡这些火球，它们就无法真正接触到你的身体。就像红海的海水一样，它们会在两侧崩裂，我们将毫发无损地穿过去。”

“Were any one of weak will and timid soul to attempt this they would fail, and be driven back by the force of these flames which are propelled outwards by a current of strong will-force set in motion by the fierce and powerful beings who reign here, and who thus, as they imagine, protect themselves from intrusions from the higher spheres.
“如果意志薄弱、胆怯的人胆敢尝试这样做，他们必将失败，并被这些火焰的力量击退。这些火焰是由强大的意志力推动向外扩散的，而这种意志力是由统治此地的凶猛而强大的生物所驱动的，他们自认为这样可以保护自己免受更高领域的入侵。

To us, however, with our more spiritualized bodies, these flames and the walls and rocks you will find in this land, are no more impenetrable than is the solid material of earthly doors and walls, and as we can pass at will through them, so can we pass through these, which are none the less sufficiently solid to imprison the spirits who dwell in this country.
然而，对于我们这些拥有更精神化的身体的人来说，这片土地上的火焰、墙壁和岩石，并不比尘世的门墙更坚不可摧。我们可以随意穿过它们，也可以穿过这些，尽管它们足够坚固，足以囚禁居住在这片土地上的灵魂。

The more ethereal a spirit is the less can it be bound by matter, and at the same time the less direct power can it have in the moving of matter, without the aid of the physical material supplied by the aura of certain mediums. Here, as on earth, we would, in order to move material substances, require to use the aura of some of the mediumistic spirits of this sphere. At the same time we shall find that our higher spiritual powers have become muffled, so to say, because in order to enter this sphere and make ourselves visible to its inhabitants, we have had to clothe ourselves in its conditions, and thus we are more liable to be affected by its temptations. Our lower natures will be appealed to in every form, and we shall have to direct our efforts to prevent them from again dominating us.
灵体越是虚无缥缈，就越难被物质束缚；同时，若非借助某些灵媒的灵气所提供的物质力量，它直接操控物质的能力也就越弱。在此，如同在地球上一样，我们若想操控物质，便需要借助此领域某些灵媒的灵气。与此同时，我们会发现，我们自身的高级灵力似乎已被削弱，因为为了进入此领域并使其居民能够看见我们，我们不得不适应这里的环境，因此更容易受到诱惑。我们低级的本性会以各种形式被唤起，我们必须努力防止它们再次支配我们。

My friend now took my hand firmly in his and we “willed” ourselves to pass through the wall of fire. I confess that a momentary sense of fear passed over me as we began to enter it, but I felt we were “in for it,” so exerting all my powers and concentrating my thoughts I soon found that we were floating through--the flames forming a fiery arch below and above us through which as through a tunnel we passed. Thinking of it now I should say it must have been about a quarter to half a mile thick, judging as one would by earthly measurements, but at the time I did not take sufficient note to be very exact, all my energies being directed to the repelling of the fiery particles from myself.
我的朋友紧紧握住我的手，我们用意念穿过那道火墙。我承认，当我们开始进入火墙时，我曾短暂地感到一丝恐惧，但我感觉我们“势在必行”，于是我竭尽全力，集中精神，很快发现我们仿佛漂浮在火墙之中——火焰在我们上下形成一道火拱，我们如同穿过隧道一般从中穿过。现在回想起来，如果按照地球上的测量方法，那道火墙的厚度大概有四分之一到半英里，但当时我并没有仔细观察，所有的精力都集中在抵御火焰的冲击上。

As we emerged we found ourselves in a land of night. It might have seemed like the bottomless pit of desolation had we not stood upon solid enough ground, while above us was this canopy of black smoke. How far this country extended it was impossible to form any idea, since the heavy atmosphere like a black fog shut in our vision on every side.
我们走出这片区域，发现自己置身于一片漆黑之中。若非脚下是坚实的地面，头顶上方笼罩着一层浓重的黑烟，这里或许会像一个无底的荒凉深渊。这片土地究竟有多广袤，我们根本无从知晓，因为浓重的烟雾如同黑雾般遮蔽了我们四面八方的视线。

I was told that it extended through the whole of this vast and dreadful sphere. In some parts there were great tumbled jagged mountains of black rocks, in others long and dreary wastes of desert plains, while yet others were mighty swamps of black oozing mud, full of the most noisome crawling creatures, slimy monsters, and huge bats.
有人告诉我，它遍布整个这片广袤而可怕的星球。有些地方是高耸崎岖的黑色岩石山脉，有些地方是漫长荒凉的沙漠平原，还有一些地方是巨大的黑色泥沼，里面充满了各种令人作呕的爬行生物、黏糊糊的怪物和巨大的蝙蝠。

Again there were dense black forests of gigantic, repulsive-looking trees, almost human in their power and tenacity, encircling and imprisoning those who ventured amongst them. Ere I left this awful land I had seen these and other dreadful regions, but truly neither I nor anyone else could ever really describe them in all their loathsomeness and foulness.
那里又是一片片茂密的黑色森林，长满了巨大而丑陋的树木，它们的力量和韧性几乎如同人一般，将那些胆敢踏入其中的人包围囚禁。在我离开这片可怕的土地之前，我曾见过这些以及其他一些可怕的地方，但说实话，无论是我还是其他人，都无法真正描述出它们所有的丑恶和污秽。

As we stood looking at this country my sight, gradually becoming used to the darkness, enabled me to perceive the surrounding objects dimly, and I saw that before us there was a highway marked by the passage of many spirit feet across the black plain on which we stood. A plain covered with dust and ashes, as though all the blighted hopes, the dead ashes of misused earthly lives had been scattered there.
我们伫立眺望这片土地，我的眼睛渐渐适应了黑暗，隐约能辨认出周围的景物。我看到眼前有一条大道，上面布满了无数亡灵的足迹，它们正走过我们脚下的这片黑色平原。平原上尘土飞扬，仿佛所有破碎的希望，所有被浪费的尘世生命的灰烬，都散落在了这里。

20. The Imperial City
20. 帝都

We were now traversing a wide causeway of black marble, on either side of which were deep, dark chasms of which it was impossible to see the bottom from the great clouds of heavy vapor that hung over them. Passing and repassing us upon this highway were a great many dark spirits, some bearing great heavy loads upon their backs, others almost crawling along on all fours like beasts. Great gangs of slaves passed us, wearing heavy iron collars on their necks and linked together by a heavy chain. They were coming from the second or inner gate of what was evidently a large fortified city whose dark buildings loomed through the dense masses of dark fog in front of us. The causeway, the style of buildings, and the appearance of many of the spirits made me feel as though we were entering some ancient fortified city of the old Roman Empire, only here everything gave one the sense of being foul and horrible, in spite of the fine architecture and the magnificent buildings whose outlines we could dimly trace. The second gateway was finer in appearance than the first, and the gates being open we passed in with the stream of spirits hurrying through it, and as before we seemed to pass unseen.
我们正行走在一条宽阔的黑色大理石堤道上，两侧是深不见底的幽暗深渊，浓重的雾气笼罩着它们，根本看不到底。无数的黑色幽灵在这条路上与我们擦肩而过，有的背负着沉重的货物，有的则像野兽一样几乎四肢着地爬行。成群的奴隶从我们身边经过，他们脖子上戴着沉重的铁项圈，被粗重的铁链紧紧相连。他们显然是从一座大型防御城市的内城门，城中阴森的建筑在眼前浓重的雾气中若隐若现。堤道、建筑风格以及许多幽灵的模样，让我感觉仿佛置身于古罗马帝国的一座古老城池，只是这里的一切都令人感到污秽和恐怖，尽管我们能隐约看到那些宏伟建筑的轮廓。第二道门看起来比第一道门更漂亮，门是开着的，我们随着熙熙攘攘的精灵走了进去，和以前一样，我们似乎没有被人看见。

“You will perceive,” said Faithful Friend, “that here there is a life in no way different from the earthly life of such a city at the time when the one of which this is the spiritual reflection, was in the full zenith of its power, and when the particles of which this is formed were thrown off from its material life and drawn down by the force of attraction to form this city and these buildings, fit dwellings for its spiritual inhabitants; and you will see in the more modern appearance of many of the buildings and inhabitants how it has been added to from time to time by the same process which is going on continuously. You will notice that most of the spirits here fancy themselves still in the earthly counterpart and wonder why all looks so dark and foul and dingy. In like manner this same city has its spiritual prototype in the higher spheres to which all that was fair and good and noble in its life has been attracted, and where those spirits who were good and true have gone to dwell; for in the lives of cities as of men the spiritual emanations are attracted upwards or downwards according as there is good or evil in the deeds done in them. And as the deeds done in this city have in evil far exceeded those which were good, so this city is far larger, far more thickly peopled in this sphere than in those above. In the ages to come when the spirits who are here now shall have progressed, that heavenly counterpart will be fully finished and fully peopled, and then will this place we gaze at now have crumbled into dust--faded from this sphere.”
“你会明白，”忠实的朋友说道，“这里的生活与尘世间一座城市的生活并无二致，而这座城市正是它精神镜像的化身，正值鼎盛时期。那时，构成这座城市的粒子从物质世界中脱离，被引力牵引而来，形成了这座城市和这些建筑，成为其精神居民的居所。你会从许多建筑和居民的现代面貌中看到，它们是如何随着时间的推移，通过同样的持续过程不断增添的。你会注意到，这里的大多数灵魂仍然沉浸在尘世的对应物中，并疑惑为何一切看起来如此黑暗、污秽、肮脏。同样，这座城市在更高的领域中也有其精神原型，它生命中所有美好、善良和高尚的事物都被吸引到那里，那些善良真诚的灵魂也去了那里居住。因为在城市和人的生命中，精神能量的散发会根据善恶的程度而向上或向下流动。”就其所作所为而言。正如这座城市所作所为的恶行远远超过善行一样，这座城市在这个领域也比在天上的领域要大得多，人口也多得多。在未来的岁月里，当如今身处此地的灵魂升华之后，天上的对应之地也将完全建成，人口也完全饱和，届时，我们如今所凝视的这片土地将化为尘埃——从这个领域消失。

We were now in a narrow street, such as it must have been in the earthly city, and a short distance farther brought us into a large square surrounded with magnificent palaces, while before us towered one more splendid in design than all the others. A great wide flight of marble steps led up to its massive portico, and looming through the dark cloudy atmosphere we could trace its many wings and buildings. All was truly on a magnificent scale, yet all to my eyes appeared dark, stained with great splashes of blood, and covered with slimy fungus growth which disfigured the magnificence and hung in great repulsive-looking festoons, like twisted snakes, from all the pillars and cope-stones of the buildings. Black slimy mud oozed up through the crevices of the marble pavement, as though the city floated upon a foul swamp, and noisome vapors curled up from the ground and floated above and around us in fantastic and horrible smoke wreaths like the huge phantoms of past crimes. Everywhere were dark spirits crawling across the great square and in and out of the palace doors, driven onward by other stronger dark spirits with lash or spear. Such cries of execration as broke forth from time to time, such fearful oaths, such curses and imprecations, it was truly the pandemonium of the lost souls in the Infernal regions! And over all hung those black night clouds of sorrow and suffering and wrong.
我们此刻身处一条狭窄的街道，想必如同尘世间的大都市一般。再往前走一小段路，便来到一个被宏伟宫殿环绕的大广场。在我们面前，一座宫殿巍然耸立，其设计之宏伟远胜其他宫殿。宽阔的大理石台阶通往它巨大的门廊，透过昏暗的云雾，我们隐约可见它众多的侧翼和建筑。一切都气势恢宏，然而在我眼中，却显得阴暗，仿佛被鲜血染红，覆盖着黏滑的真菌，这些真菌不仅破坏了建筑的壮丽，还像扭曲的蛇一样，从建筑物的柱子和顶石上垂下，形成令人作呕的巨大花环。黑色的黏稠泥浆从大理石路面的缝隙中渗出，仿佛整座城市漂浮在污浊的沼泽之上。令人作呕的烟雾从地面升腾而起，在我们头顶和周围盘旋，形成诡异而恐怖的烟圈，如同过往罪行的巨大幽灵。广场上到处都是阴森的亡灵，它们爬来爬去，进出宫殿的大门，被其他更强大的亡灵用鞭子或长矛驱赶着。不时响起的诅咒声、骇人的誓言、咒骂声，简直就是地狱亡灵的狂欢！而笼罩一切的，是悲伤、苦难和罪恶的黑色夜云。

Far away to the earth my thoughts traveled, back to the days of the Roman Empire, and I saw reflected as in a glass this city in all the splendor of her power, in all the iniquities of her tyranny and her crimes, weaving down below, from the loom of fate, this other place of retribution for all those men and women who disgraced her beauties by their sins; I saw this great city of Hell building atom by atom till it should become a great prison for all the evil spirits of that wicked time.
我的思绪飘向遥远的地球，回到罗马帝国的时代，我仿佛在镜子中看到这座城市，她昔日的辉煌，她暴政的罪恶，以及她犯下的种种罪行，都映照在她下方，如同命运的织机，编织着另一个惩罚之地，惩罚所有那些用罪恶玷污她美丽的男男女女；我看到这座巨大的地狱之城，一原子地建造，直到它成为那个邪恶时代所有邪灵的巨大监狱。

We went up the wide flight of steps through the lofty doorway and found ourselves in the outer court of the Emperor’s Palace. No one spoke to us or seemed aware of our presence, and we passed on through several smaller halls till we reached the door of the Presence Chamber. Her my companion stopped and said:
我们拾级而上，穿过高耸的门廊，来到了皇帝宫殿的外院。没有人跟我们说话，似乎也没有人注意到我们的存在。我们穿过几间较小的厅堂，来到觐见厅的门口。我的同伴停下脚步，说道：

“I cannot enter with you, friend, because I have already visited the dark spirit who reigns here, and therefore my presence would at once excite his suspicions and defeat the object of your visit, which is that you may rescue an unhappy spirit whose repentant prayers have reached the higher spheres, and will be answered by the help you are sent to give him. You will find the person you seek without any difficulty. His desire for help has already drawn us thus near to him and will draw you still closer. I must now for a time part from you because I have my own path of work to follow, but we shall meet again ere long, and if you but keep a stout heart and a strong will and do not forget the warnings given you, no harm can befall you. Adieu, my friend, and know that I also shall need all my powers.”
“朋友，我不能与你一同进入，因为我已经拜访过盘踞于此的邪灵，我的出现会立刻引起他的怀疑，破坏你此行的目的。你此行的目的是拯救一个不幸的灵魂，他忏悔的祈祷已传至更高的灵界，而你奉命前来帮助他，他的祈祷必将得到回应。你一定能找到你要找的人。他渴望得到帮助，正是这份渴望将我们带到了他身边，也必将把你带到更近的地方。我现在必须暂时与你告别，因为我还有自己的工作要做，但我们很快就会再次相见。只要你保持坚强的意志，牢记我给你的警告，就不会有危险。再见了，我的朋友，要知道我也需要我全部的力量。”

Thus, then, I parted from Faithful Friend and passed out alone into the Council Chamber, which I found thronged with spirits, both men and women, and furnished with all the barbaric splendor of the days of the Emperors; yet to my sight there was over everything the same stamp of foul loathsomeness which had struck me in the exterior of the palace. The men and women, haughty patricians in their lives, no doubt, appeared to be eaten up with a loathsome disease like lepers, only they were even more horrible to look upon. The walls and floors seemed stained with dark pools of blood and hung with evil thoughts for drapery. Worm-eaten and corrupting were the stately robes these haughty spirits wore, and saturated with the disease germs from their corrupted bodies.
于是，我告别了忠实的朋友，独自一人走进议事厅。厅内挤满了男女亡灵，摆放着昔日帝王时代野蛮奢华的摆设；然而，映入眼帘的却是与宫殿外墙同样的污秽不堪的气息。这些生前或许是傲慢的贵族，如今却如同麻风病人一般，被某种可怕的疾病侵蚀，甚至比麻风病人更加骇人。墙壁和地板仿佛被黑色的血泊浸透，邪恶的念头如同帷幔般垂挂其上。这些傲慢亡灵身穿的华丽长袍早已被虫蛀腐烂，沾满了他们腐朽身体上的病菌。

On a great throne sat the Emperor himself, the most foul and awful example of degraded intellect and manhood in all that vast crowd of degraded spirits, while stamped upon his features was such a look of cruelty and vice that beside him the others sank into insignificance by comparison. I could not but admire, even while it revolted me, the majestic power of this man’s intellect and will. The kingly sense of power over even such a motley crew as these, the feeling that even in Hell he reigned as by a right, seemed to minister to his pride and love of dominion even in the midst of his awful surroundings.
皇帝本人端坐在巨大的王座上，他是这群堕落灵魂中最丑陋、最可怕的堕落之人，他脸上刻满了残忍和邪恶的神色，以至于其他人在他面前都黯然失色。我不得不佩服他那威严的智慧和意志，即便这让我感到厌恶。他那王者般的权力感，即便面对这群乌合之众，也丝毫不减；即便身处地狱，他依然觉得自己理所当然地统治着这里。这种感觉似乎满足了他的骄傲和对统治的渴望，即便身处如此可怕的环境之中。

Looking at him I beheld him for one brief moment, not as I saw him and as he saw these disgusting creatures round him, but as he still appeared in his own eyes, which even after all these centuries were not opened to his true state, his real self. I saw him as a haughty handsome man, with cruel clear-cut features, hard expression, and eyes like a wild vulture, yet withal possessing a certain beauty of form, a certain power to charm. All that was repulsive and vile was hidden by the earthly envelope, not revealed as now in all the nakedness of the spirit.
我凝视着他，只过了短短一瞬，看到的并非我眼中的他，也非他眼中那些令人作呕的生物，而是他自己眼中的他——即便历经数个世纪，他的双眼依然未曾敞开，看清他的真实状态，他真正的自我。我看到他是一个傲慢英俊的男人，五官轮廓分明，表情冷峻，眼神如同野秃鹫般凶狠，却又拥有某种形体之美，某种魅力。所有丑陋和卑劣之处都被尘世的外衣所掩盖，不像现在这样，赤裸裸地暴露在他灵魂的深处。

I saw his court and his companions change back to the likeness of their earthly lives, and I knew that to each and all they appeared just the same in their own eyes, all were alike unconscious of the horrible change in themselves, yet perfectly conscious of the change in each of their companions.
我看到他的侍从和同伴们变回了他们尘世时的模样，我知道在他们每个人眼中，他们看起来都和以前一样，他们都同样没有意识到自己身上可怕的变化，但却完全意识到每个同伴的变化。

Were all unconscious? No! not quite all. There was one man crouching in a corner, his mantle drawn over his disfigured face, whom I perceived to be fully conscious of his own vileness as well as the vileness of all who surrounded him.
他们都昏迷了吗？不！并非全部。有一个人蜷缩在角落里，斗篷遮住了他毁容的脸，我感觉他完全意识到自己的卑鄙，以及周围所有人的卑鄙。

And in this man’s heart there had sprung up a desire, hopeless, as it seemed to himself, for better things, for a path to open before him which, however hard and thorny, might lead him from this night of Hell and give him even at this eleventh hour the hope of a life removed from the horrors of this place and these associates; and as I looked I knew it was to this man that I was sent, though how I was to help him I knew not, I could not guess. I only felt that the power which had led me so far would open up my path and show me the way.
在这人的心中，萌生了一种渴望，尽管他自己觉得希望渺茫，但他渴望更好的生活，渴望一条道路在他面前展开，无论多么艰难崎岖，都能引领他走出这炼狱般的夜晚，即使在最后一刻，也能让他看到希望，让他摆脱此地和这些同伴带来的恐怖。我看着他，知道我被派来就是为了他，但我该如何帮助他，我却一无所知，也无法预料。我只觉得，那股指引我走到今天的力量，会为我开辟道路，指引我前行的方向。

While I had stood thus gazing around me the dark spirits and their Ruler became conscious of my presence, and a look of anger and ferocity passed over his face, while in a voice thick and hoarse with passion he demanded who I was and how I dared to enter his presence.
我站在那里环顾四周时，黑暗精灵和它们的统治者察觉到了我的存在，他脸上闪过一丝愤怒和凶狠的神色，用充满激情的沙哑嗓音质问我是谁，我怎么敢出现在他面前。

I answered: “I am a stranger only lately come to this dark sphere and I am still lost in wonder at finding such a place in the spirit world.”
我回答说：“我只是个陌生人，最近才来到这片黑暗的领域，我仍然对能在精神世界中找到这样一个地方感到惊奇不已。”

A wild ferocious laugh broke from the spirit, and he cried out that they would soon enlighten me as to many things in the spirit world. “But since you are a stranger,” he continued, “and because we always receive strangers right royally here, I pray you to be seated and partake with us of our feast.”
那灵体发出狂野而凶猛的笑声，高声说道，他们很快就会让我了解灵界的许多事情。“但既然你是陌生人，”他继续说道，“而且我们这里一向以隆重的礼遇接待陌生人，请你入座，与我们一同享用盛宴。”

He pointed to a vacant seat at the long table in front of him at which many of the spirits were seated, and which was spread with what bore the semblance of a great feast, such as might have been given in the days of his earthly grandeur. Everything looked real enough, but I had been warned that it was all more or less illusionary, that the food never satisfied the awful cravings of hunger which these former gluttons felt, and that the wine was a fiery liquid which scorched the throat and rendered a thousand times worse the thirst which consumed these drunkards. I had been told to neither eat nor drink anything offered me in these regions, nor to accept any invitation to rest myself given by these beings; for to do so would mean the subjugation of my higher powers to the senses once more, and would at once put me more on a level with these dark beings and into their power. I answered: “While I fully appreciate the motives which prompt you to offer me the hospitality of your place, I must still decline it, as I have no desire to either eat or drink anything.”
他指着面前长桌旁的一个空位，许多亡灵都围坐在桌旁，桌上摆满了丰盛的宴席，仿佛是他生前鼎盛时期的盛宴。一切看起来都十分逼真，但我曾被警告说，这一切都或多或少是幻象，食物永远无法满足这些昔日饕餮之徒内心深处的饥渴，而酒则是灼烧喉咙的烈性液体，令这些醉汉的口渴更加剧烈。我被告知，在这片区域，无论吃喝什么，都不要接受这些生灵的任何款待；因为那样做，就意味着我的超自然力量再次屈服于感官，让我立刻与这些黑暗生物平起平坐，落入他们的掌控之中。我回答说：“虽然我完全理解您热情款待我的动机，但我仍然不得不婉拒，因为我既不想吃东西也不想喝任何东西。”

At this rebuff his eyes shot gleams of living fire at me and a deeper shade of anger crossed his brow, but he still maintained a pretense of graciousness and signed to me to approach yet nearer to him. Meanwhile the man whom I had come to help, aroused from his bitter meditations by my arrival and the Emperor’s speech with me, had drawn near in wonder at my boldness and alarmed for my safety, for he knew no more of me than that I seemed some unlucky new arrival who had not yet learned the dangers of this horrible place. His anxiety for me and a certain sense of pity created a link between us, which, unknown to either, was to be the means whereby I would be able to draw him away with me.
遭到拒绝后，他双眼怒火中烧，眉头也泛起更深的怒容，但他仍故作和蔼，示意我再靠近些。与此同时，我此行的目的是帮助的那个人，被我的到来和皇帝的讲话从沉思中唤醒，他惊讶于我的胆量，也为我的安危担忧，因为他对我一无所知，只觉得我像个不幸的新来者，还不了解这可怕之地的危险。他对我的担忧和一丝怜悯在我们之间建立起一种联系，而我们谁也没想到，这竟是我把他带走的契机。

When I advanced a few steps towards the Emperor’s throne, this repentant spirit followed me, and, coming close, whispered:
当我朝皇帝的宝座走近几步时，这忏悔的灵魂跟了上来，走近后低声说道：

“Do not be beguiled by him. Turn and fly from this place while there is yet time, and I will draw their attention from you for the moment.”
“不要被他迷惑。趁现在还来得及，赶紧离开这里，我会暂时转移他们的注意力。”

I thanked the spirit but said: “I shall not fly from any man, be he whom he may, and will take care not to fall into any trap.”
我感谢了那位神灵，但说道：“我不会逃离任何人，无论他是谁，并且我会小心谨慎，不落入任何陷阱。”

Our hurried speech had not been unnoticed by the Emperor, for he became most impatient, and striking his sword upon the ground he cried out to me:
我们匆忙的讲话并没有逃过皇帝的眼睛，他变得非常不耐烦，用剑猛击地面，对我喊道：

“Approach, stranger! Have you no manners that you keep an Emperor waiting? Behold my chair of state, my throne, seat yourself in it and try for a moment how it feels to be in an Emperor’s place.”
“陌生人，过来！你难道没有一点礼貌吗？竟让皇帝久等？瞧瞧我的宝座，我的御座，坐上去，体验一下当皇帝是什么滋味。”

I looked at the throne as he pointed, and saw it was like a great chair with a canopy over it. Two immense winged figures in bronze stood at the back of the seat, each with six long arms extended to form the back and sides, while upon the heads of these figures the canopy rested as upon pillars. I had no thought to sit in such a place; its late occupant was too repulsive to me to desire to go any nearer to him, but had even curiosity made me wish to examine the chair the sight I saw would have effectually prevented me. The chair seemed suddenly to become endowed with life, and before my eyes I beheld a vision of an unhappy spirit struggling in the embraces of those awful arms which encircled it and crushed its body into a mangled writhing mass. And I knew that such was the fate of all those whom the Emperor induced to try the comforts of his chair. Only for one brief instant the vision lasted and then I turned to the Emperor and, bowing, said to him:
他指着宝座，我望去，只见它像一把巨大的椅子，上面罩着华盖。椅背上立着两尊巨大的青铜翼像，每尊都伸出六条长臂，构成椅背和两侧，华盖则像柱子一样架在这两尊翼像的头上。我根本没想过要坐上这样的宝座；之前的坐者实在令人作呕，我根本不想靠近他。但即便我出于好奇想要仔细看看那把椅子，眼前的景象也足以让我打消念头。那把椅子仿佛突然有了生命，我眼前浮现出一个不幸的灵魂在可怕的臂膀中挣扎的景象，那臂膀紧紧地环抱着它，将它的身体碾成一团扭曲的肉块。我知道，所有被皇帝诱使去体验他宝座舒适的人，都将落得如此下场。这景象只持续了一瞬，我便转向皇帝，鞠躬说道：

“I have no desire to place myself upon your level, and must again decline the honor you would do me.”
“我无意与你平起平坐，再次婉拒你给予我的这份荣誉。”

Then he broke into a tempest of rage, and cried out to his guards to seize me and thrust me into that chair and pour the food and the wine down my throat till they choked me.
然后他勃然大怒，命令卫兵抓住我，把我按到椅子上，把食物和酒灌进我的喉咙，直到我窒息。

Immediately there was a rush made towards me, the man I had come to save throwing himself before me to protect me, and in a moment we were surrounded by a seething, fighting mass of spirits, and for that moment, I confess my heart sank within me and my courage began to fail. They looked so horrible, so fiendish, so like a pack of wild beasts let loose and all setting upon me at once. Only for a moment, however, for the conflict aroused all my combative qualities of which I have been thought to possess my fair share. And I threw out all my will to repel them, calling upon all good powers to aid me while I grasped firm hold of the poor spirit who had sought to help me. Thus I retreated to the door, step by step, the whole crowd of dark spirits following us with wild cries and menacing gestures, yet unable to touch us while I kept firm my determination to keep them off. At last we reached the door and passed through it, whereupon it seemed to close fast and keep in our pursuers. Then strong arms seemed to lift us both up and bear us away into a place of safety on the dark plain.
刹那间，一群恶灵朝我扑来，我前来营救的那个人也扑到我身前保护我。转眼间，我们便被一群怒气冲冲、争斗不休的恶灵包围。那一刻，我承认我的心沉了下去，勇气也开始动摇。它们看起来如此可怕，如此凶残，就像一群被放出的野兽，同时向我扑来。然而，这种恐惧只持续了一瞬间，因为这场冲突激发了我与生俱来的战斗本能。我倾尽全力击退它们，祈求所有善良的力量帮助我，同时紧紧抓住那个前来营救我的可怜的恶灵。就这样，我一步一步地退到门口，那群黑暗的恶灵发出疯狂的叫喊，做出威胁的手势，紧随其后，却无法触碰到我们，因为我坚定地要抵挡住它们的攻击。最终，我们到达了门口，穿过它，门似乎立刻紧紧地关上了，将追赶者拒之门外。然后，一双有力的手臂仿佛将我们俩举了起来，带我们来到黑暗平原上一个安全的地方。

My rescued companion was by this time in a state of unconsciousness, and as I stood by him I saw four majestic spirits from the higher spheres making magnetic passes over his prostrate form; and then I beheld the most wonderful sight I had ever seen. From the dark disfigured body which lay as in a sleep of death there arose a mist-like vapor which grew more and more dense till it took shape in the form of the spirit himself; the purified soul of that poor spirit released from its dark envelope; and I saw those four angelic spirits lift the still unconscious risen soul in their arms as one would bear a child, and then they all floated away from me up, up, till they vanished from my sight. At my side stood another bright angel who said to me: “Be of good cheer, oh! Son of the Land of Hope, for many shalt thou help in this dark land, and great is the joy of the angels in Heaven over these sinners that have repented.”
我获救的同伴此时已昏迷不醒。我站在他身边，看见四位来自更高维度的威严的灵体，如同磁力般掠过他俯卧的身躯；接着，我看到了此生难得一见的奇景。从那具如同死寂般沉睡、面目全非的黑暗躯体中，升起一团雾气，雾气越来越浓，最终凝聚成灵体本身的形状——那可怜的灵魂，从黑暗的躯壳中挣脱而出，获得了纯净。我看见那四位天使般的灵体，如同抱孩子一般，将那仍然昏迷不醒的灵魂抱在怀里，然后他们便缓缓升腾，直至消失在我的视线中。这时，另一位明亮的天使站在我身旁，对我说：“振作起来吧，希望之地的儿女！在这片黑暗的土地上，你将帮助许多人。天上的天使们为这些悔改的罪人而欢欣鼓舞。”

As he finished speaking he vanished, and I was alone once more on the bleak plains of Hell.
他说完话就消失了，我又一次独自一人站在了荒凉的地狱平原上。

21. The Fires Of Hell--A Vengeful Spirit--Pirates--The Sea Of Foul Mud--The Mountains Of Selfish Oppression--The Forest Of Desolation--Messages Of Love
21. 地狱之火——复仇之魂——海盗——污浊之海——自私压迫之山——荒凉森林——爱的讯息

Away before me stretched a narrow path, and curious to see where it would lead I followed it, sure that it would somehow lead me to those whom I could help. After following it for a short time I came to the foot of a range of black mountains, and before me was the entrance to a huge cavern. Horrible reptiles were hanging on to the walls and crawling at my feet. Great funguses and monstrous air plants of an oozy slimy kind hung in festoons like ragged shrouds from the roof, and a dark pool of stagnant water almost covered the floor. I thought of turning away from this spot, but a voice seemed to bid me go on, so I entered, and skirting round the edge of the dark pool found myself at the entrance to a small dark passage in the rocks. Down this I went, and turning a corner saw before me a red light as from a fire, while dark forms like goblins passed and repassed between it and myself. Another moment and I stood at the end of the passage. Before me was a gigantic dungeon-like vault, its uneven rocky roof half revealed and half hidden by the masses of lurid smoke and flames which arose from an enormous fire blazing in the middle of the cavern, while round it were dancing such a troop of demons as might well typify the Devils of Hell. With shrieks and yells of laughter they were prodding at the fire with long black spears and dancing and flinging themselves about in the wildest fashion, while in a corner were huddled together a dozen or so of miserable dark spirits towards whom they made frantic rushes from time to time as if about to seize and hurl them into the fire, always retreating again with yells and howls of rage.
眼前延伸出一条狭窄的小路，出于好奇，我沿着它走去，心想它或许能指引我找到需要帮助的人。走了没多久，我来到一片黑色山脉的脚下，眼前是一个巨大的洞穴入口。可怕的爬行动物攀附在洞壁上，在我脚边爬行。巨大的真菌和黏糊糊的怪异空气植物像破烂的裹尸布一样从洞顶垂下，一滩死水几乎淹没了洞底。我本想离开这里，但似乎有个声音在召唤我继续前进，于是我走了进去，绕过那滩死水，来到一条岩石缝隙中狭窄黑暗的通道入口。我沿着通道走了下去，转过一个弯，看到前方有一团红光，如同火光一般，一些像妖精一样的黑影在我和红光之间来回穿梭。又过了一会儿，我站在了通道的尽头。眼前是一个巨大的地牢般的穹顶，凹凸不平的岩石顶半隐半现，被洞穴中央熊熊燃烧的烈焰和浓烟吞噬。一群恶魔在火堆周围跳舞，仿佛地狱的魔鬼一般。他们发出尖叫和狂笑，用长长的黑色长矛戳着火焰，疯狂地跳跃翻腾。角落里，十几个可怜的黑暗幽灵蜷缩在一起，恶魔们不时疯狂地冲向它们，仿佛要抓住它们扔进火里，然后又带着愤怒的嚎叫和咆哮退却。

I soon perceived that I was invisible to these beings, so taking courage from that fact, I drew nearer. To my horror I discovered that the fire was composed of the bodies of living men and women who writhed and twisted in the flames, and were tossed about by the spears of those awful demons. I was so appalled by this discovery that I cried out to know if this was a real scene or only some horrible illusion of this dreadful place, and the same deep mysterious voice that had often spoken to me in my wanderings answered me now.
我很快意识到自己对这些生物来说是隐形的，于是鼓起勇气，我继续靠近。令我惊恐的是，我发现那火焰是由活生生的男女尸体组成的，他们在烈焰中扭动挣扎，被那些可怕恶魔的长矛抛来抛去。我被眼前的景象吓得魂飞魄散，大声呼喊，想知道这究竟是真实的景象，还是这恐怖之地的某种可怕幻象。这时，那个在我游荡途中经常与我对话的深沉神秘的声音再次回应了我。

“Son! they are living souls who in their earthly lives doomed hundreds of their fellow men to die this dreadful death, and knew no pity, no remorse, in doing so. Their own cruelties have kindled these fierce flames of passion and hate in the breast of their many victims, and in the spirit world these fiery germs have grown till they are now a fierce flame to consume the oppressors. These fires are fed solely by the fierce cruelties of those they now consume; there is not here one pang of anguish which has not been suffered a hundred fold more in the persons of these spirits’ many helpless victims. From this fire these spirits will come forth touched by a pity, born of their own sufferings, for those they wronged in the past, and then will be extended to them the hand of help and the means of progression through deeds of mercy as many and as great as have been their merciless deeds in the past. Do not shudder nor marvel that such retribution as this is allowed to be. The souls of these spirits were so hard, so cruel, that only sufferings felt by themselves could make them pity others. Even since they left the earth life they have only been intent upon making others more helpless suffer, till the bitter hatred they have aroused has become at last a torrent which has engulfed themselves. Furthermore, know that these flames are not truly material, although to your eyes and to theirs they appear so, for in the spirit world that which is mental is likewise objective, and fierce hatred or burning passion does indeed seem a living fire. You shall now follow one of these spirits and see for yourself that what seems to you cruel justice is yet mercy in disguise. Behold these passions are burning themselves out and the souls are about to pass into the darkness of the plain beyond.”
“孩子！他们是活生生的灵魂，生前曾让数百名同胞遭受如此可怕的死亡，却毫无怜悯，毫无悔意。他们的残暴在众多受害者的心中燃起了熊熊烈火，仇恨与激情在灵界不断滋长，最终化作熊熊烈焰，将压迫者吞噬殆尽。这烈火的燃料正是那些被吞噬者的残暴；他们所承受的每一丝痛苦，都曾被这些亡灵的众多无助受害者百倍地折磨过。从这烈火中，这些亡灵将因自身的苦难而生起怜悯之心，对他们过去所伤害的人产生怜悯，并得到帮助和救赎，获得与他们过去残暴行径同样多、同样伟大的善行。不要为此感到恐惧或惊讶，这样的报应终将到来。这些亡灵如此冷酷无情，只有亲身经历苦难，才能让他们对他人产生怜悯。即便离开尘世，他们也一心只想让无助的人们遭受更多痛苦，直到他们激起的仇恨最终化作滔天巨浪，将他们自己吞噬。此外，须知这些火焰并非真正物质，尽管在你和他们眼中看似如此，因为在灵界，精神与客观并存，强烈的仇恨或燃烧的激情的确如同活火一般。现在，你将跟随其中一个亡灵，亲眼见证，在你看来残酷的正义，实则是伪装的仁慈。看啊，这些激情正在燃烧殆尽，灵魂即将遁入彼岸的黑暗平原。“

随着声音的消失，火焰也随之熄灭，洞穴中只剩下淡淡的蓝光，如同磷光一般。借着这微光，我看到几个精灵的身影从火灰中升起，走出洞穴。我跟随它们，其中一个精灵与其他人走散，走在我前面，进入了附近一座城市的街道。在我看来，那似乎是西印度群岛或南美洲的某个古老的西班牙城市。印第安人穿梭在街道上，与西班牙人和其他几个民族的人们熙熙攘攘。

循着这股气息，我们穿过几条街道，来到一座大型建筑前，它似乎是耶稣会的修道院——耶稣会曾帮助殖民这个国家，并将罗马天主教强加给不幸的土著居民，在那个年代，大多数教派都认为宗教迫害是宗教狂热的证明；然后，当我站在那里注视着这股气息时，我看到他的一生在我眼前一一展现。

我亲眼见到他，作为他教团的首领，坐在审判席上，许多贫苦的印第安人和异教徒被带到他面前。我亲眼看到他判处数百人酷刑和火刑，只因为他们不愿皈依他的教义。我亲眼看到他压迫所有无力反抗的人，勒索巨额的珠宝和黄金作为贡品献给他和他的教团；如果有人胆敢反抗他及其要求，他就下令逮捕他们，几乎不经审判就将他们投入地牢，遭受酷刑和火刑。我从他心中读出了对财富和权力的极度渴望，以及对受害者痛苦的真正喜爱。我知道（仿佛看穿了他的灵魂深处），他的宗教不过是一块伪装，一个方便的名号，用来勒索他所钟爱的黄金，满足他对权力的渴望。

我又一次看到了这座城市的大广场或集市，四周燃起数百团熊熊烈火，宛如一座火炉。一群胆怯温顺的土著居民手脚被捆绑，扔进了火海。他们的惨叫声直冲云霄，而那个残忍的男人和他的卑鄙同伙则高举着被他们亵渎的圣十字架——他们罪恶的一生充满了残忍和邪恶，他们对黄金的贪婪令人发指。我看到，这恐怖的暴行竟然是以基督教会的名义犯下的——基督教会宣扬爱与仁慈，教导人们上帝就是完美的爱。我看到这个自称基督的仆人，却对这些不幸的受害者没有丝毫怜悯之心；他满脑子想的都是，这景象会如何震慑其他印第安部落，让他们为他带来更多的黄金，以满足他贪婪的欲望。然后我看见这个人回到他自己的西班牙故土，沉溺于他不义之财之中。他曾是教会中权势显赫的富豪，被愚昧无知的民众奉为圣人，仿佛远赴西方世界，插上教会的旗帜，宣扬爱与和平的福音。然而，他的道路却被烈火与鲜血所染红。那时，我对他的同情荡然无存。后来，我看见他躺在病榻上，僧侣和神父们为他的灵魂诵经祈祷，希望他能升入天堂。然而，我看到的却是他罪恶一生所编织的枷锁，将他的灵魂一步步拖入地狱。我看到他以前的大批受害者在那里等着他，他们也同样被复仇的渴望所驱使。他们渴望权力，以报复自己和至亲之人所遭受的苦难。

我看见这个人身处地狱，被他曾伤害过的人环绕，被那些善良纯洁之人空洞的亡灵所纠缠——他们不愿来到这恐怖之地，也不愿向凶手复仇，正如我在冰封之地所见，那个被囚禁在冰牢中的人。在地狱里，那亡灵唯一的念头便是愤怒，因为他在人间的权力已然丧失——他唯一的念头便是如何与地狱中其他和他一样残忍的亡灵为伍，继续压迫和折磨他人。如果他能再次将他的受害者判处死刑，他一定会这么做。他的心中既无怜悯，也无悔意，只有因自己的无力而产生的愤怒。如果他心中存有一丝悲伤，或一丝对他人心存善意，那便能帮助他，在他与这些复仇亡灵之间筑起一道屏障，他的痛苦，即便巨大，最终也不会以我所见的这种肉体形式展现出来。事实上，他的残暴之心如此强烈，竟助长并煽动了他们心中燃起的复仇之火，直到我第一次见到他时，那些恶魔已因自身的暴行而精疲力竭，奄奄一息。我所见到的那些恶魔，是他最后也是最凶残的受害者，他们心中的复仇之火即便在那时也尚未完全得到满足；而那些蜷缩在角落里的恶魔，虽然已不再想亲自折磨他，却仍然无法从目睹他及其同伙的痛苦中抽身而出。

此刻，我看到那灵魂带着新近觉醒的悔改之念，重返这座城市，警告世人他所属的耶稣会兄弟会，并试图引导他们远离他曾经犯下的罪行。他尚未意识到离开尘世已过去多久，也未曾意识到这座城市正是他生前居住的那座城市的灵界对应。有人告诉我，他终有一天会被送回人间，以灵魂的形式帮助凡人学习他生前所缺乏的怜悯和慈悲。但在此之前，他必须先在这片黑暗之地工作，努力解救那些被他的罪行拖入深渊的灵魂。于是，我把这个人留在了那座与他尘世住所遥相呼应的建筑门口，独自一人继续穿过这座城市。

如同那座罗马城一样，这座城市也面目全非，昔日的辉煌被它默默见证的罪恶所掩盖；在我看来，空气中仿佛充斥着黑暗的幽灵，它们哀嚎哭泣，拖着沉重的锁链。整个地方仿佛建在活人的坟墓之上，笼罩在一片由鲜血和泪水交织而成的暗红色迷雾之中。它就像一座巨大的监狱，围墙是用暴力、抢劫和压迫的罪行筑成的。

我继续游荡，做了一个白日梦，梦见了白人踏足这片土地之前，这座城市原本的模样。我看到一群爱好和平的原始民族，以水果和谷物为生，过着如同孩童般纯真无邪的简朴生活，他们以自己的名义敬拜至高无上的神灵，但他们的敬拜却是发自内心的，是发自灵魂的真诚——他们纯朴的信仰和坚韧的品德，都源于那位普世的伟大神灵的启示，祂不属于任何教派，不属于任何教会。然后，我看到白人前来，贪婪地掠夺黄金，想要夺取他人的财物，而这些淳朴的人民却像兄弟一样热情地欢迎他们，并天真地向他们展示了自己从大地中采集的宝藏——金银珠宝。接着，我看到了白人所犯下的种种罪行：他们如何掠夺和杀害淳朴的土著居民；他们如何折磨和奴役土著居民，强迫他们在矿井中劳作，直到成千上万的人死去；白人是如何背弃所有信仰和承诺，最终让原本和平幸福的国度充满了泪水和鲜血。

然后，我远远地望见西班牙，有几个善良真诚的人，他们的灵魂纯洁无瑕，他们相信只有他们才拥有真正的信仰，只有通过这种信仰，人类才能得救并永生。他们认为上帝只把这道光赐予了地球上的一小部分人，而把其余的人都留在了黑暗和谬误之中——成千上万的人因为没有得到这道光而灭亡，这道光只赐予了地球上的一小部分人，只赐予了上帝子民中的一小部分人。

我原以为这些善良纯洁的人非常同情那些他们认为身处错误宗教的黑暗和迷途中的人们，所以他们启程跨越未知的海洋，来到遥远的异乡，将他们的宗教体系带去，传授给那些在他们自己的信仰和信念下过着美好、温和、充满灵性的贫穷淳朴的人们。

我亲眼目睹这些善良却无知的神父们踏上这片陌生的土地，他们四处奔走于土著居民之间，传播自己的信仰，同时镇压并摧毁一切与他们信仰同样值得尊重的原始信仰的痕迹。这些神父们心地善良，他们努力改善贫苦土著居民的物质生活，同时也致力于提升他们的精神福祉。于是，传教站、教堂和学校如雨后春笋般在各地涌现。

于是我看到大批人，包括神父和许多其他人，从西班牙来到这里。他们并非为了教会的福祉，也并非为了传播宗教真理，而只是为了贪婪这片新大陆的黄金，以及一切能满足他们私欲的东西。这些人曾在自己的祖国蒙受耻辱，被迫逃往这片陌生的土地，以逃避罪孽的惩罚。我亲眼目睹这些人成群结队地涌入，混杂在那些动机纯正善良的人们之中，直到人数超过他们，然后便处处排挤善良之人，以基督圣教会的名义，成为对不幸土著居民的暴君。

然后，我亲眼目睹宗教裁判所被带到这片不幸的土地上，成为奴役和压迫锁链的最后一环，这条锁链紧紧地缠绕着这片不幸的人民，直到它几乎将他们全部从地球上抹去；我到处都看到那股疯狂的渴望，对黄金的贪婪如同地狱之火般吞噬着所有觊觎这片土地的人。他们中的大多数人对这片土地的一切美景都视而不见，眼里只有黄金，对如何用黄金致富充耳不闻；正是在那个时代的疯狂和对财富可怕的渴望中，这座地狱之城，这座尘世之城的精神对应物，一块砖一块砖地垒砌而成，一粒尘埃一粒尘埃地在它与尘世之城之间形成一道道引力锁链，将每一个邪恶的居民逐一拉入深渊，因为尘世的生命的确在为每个人建造他们精神的居所。因此，所有这些僧侣和神父，所有这些美丽的女士，所有这些士兵和商人，是的，甚至这些不幸的土著人，都被他们尘世生活中的行为，被激情和仇恨，对黄金的贪婪，未得到补偿的痛苦冤屈感以及这些行为所产生的复仇渴望，拉入了地狱。

在一栋大型方形建筑的门口，我停了下来。那建筑的窗户狭小，布满铁栅栏，宛如一座监狱。我被里面传出的哭喊声所吸引，循着神秘的向导之声走了进去，很快就来到了一间地牢。在那里，我看到许多幽灵围着一个被铁链锁在墙上的男人。他腰间系着铁链，双目狂野，头发蓬乱，衣衫褴褛，显然已经在这里待了很多年。他凹陷的脸颊和凸出的骨头表明，他看起来像是饿死了。但我知道，这里没有死亡，没有解脱的希望。在他旁边站着另一个男人，双臂交叉，低着头。他面容憔悴，骨瘦如柴，身上布满伤痕，比刚才那个男人更加可怜。虽然他是自由的，而刚才那个男人却被锁在墙上。在他们周围，还有其他的幽灵在跳舞、叫喊，全都狂野、野蛮、堕落。他们当中有些是印第安人，几个是西班牙人，还有一两个看起来像英国人。他们都在做着同样的事情——朝那个被锁链拴着的人扔锋利的刀，刀子似乎总是打不到他；他们朝他挥舞拳头，咒骂他，但奇怪的是，他们却始终无法真正碰到他。他一直被锁链拴在墙上，动弹不得，也无法逃脱他们的魔爪。而另一个人则站在那里，默默地看着他。

我站在那里，凝视着眼前的景象，不禁回想起这两个男人的过往。我看到其中一个被锁链拴在一座富丽堂皇、宛如宫殿般的房子里的墙上，我知道他曾是西班牙派来的法官之一，负责主持所谓的“司法”，而这些所谓的“司法”不过是敲诈勒索当地居民、压迫一切胆敢干涉权贵阶层的工具罢了。我还看到另一个男人，他曾是一名商人，住在一栋漂亮的别墅里，身边有一位美艳动人的妻子和一个幼小的孩子。这位妻子引起了法官的注意，法官对她产生了邪恶的欲望。妻子屡次拒绝他的求爱，法官便以怀疑为由，将丈夫以谋杀罪名逮捕，投入监狱。之后，他掳走了可怜的妻子，对她百般凌辱，最终导致她死亡；而那个可怜的孩子也被残忍的法官下令勒死。

与此同时，这位不幸的丈夫身陷囹圄，对妻儿的命运一无所知，也不知道自己被捕的罪名是什么。他因食物匮乏和地牢的恐怖而日渐疲惫，也因悬而未决的煎熬而愈发绝望。最终，他被带到宗教裁判所，被控犯有异端邪说和阴谋反对王室的罪行。他否认了这些指控，却遭到酷刑折磨，被迫认罪并供出一些被指控为同谋的朋友。可怜的丈夫茫然无措，义愤填膺，仍然坚称自己无罪，却被送回地牢，在那里慢慢饿死。残忍的法官不敢释放他，因为他深知，一旦他得知真相，定会将自己的遭遇和妻子的悲惨命运公之于众。

就这样，这个可怜的男人死了，但他没能和妻子团聚。他的妻子，这个可怜的灵魂，带着她无辜的小孩子，立刻升入了天堂。她如此善良、纯洁、温柔，甚至原谅了杀害她的人——尽管他并非有意杀害她——而她和她深爱的丈夫之间，却因丈夫对那个毁了他们夫妻二人的凶手的刻骨仇恨，筑起了一道高墙。

当这位可怜的、蒙受冤屈的丈夫死去时，他的灵魂却无法离开尘世。他对仇敌的仇恨和复仇的渴望将他牢牢束缚在那里。他或许可以原谅自己所受的伤害，但妻子和孩子的遭遇实在太过惨烈，他无法原谅。甚至在他对妻子的爱之前，仇恨就已经萌生。他的灵魂日夜纠缠着法官，伺机复仇；最终，机会来了。来自地狱的魔鬼——就像曾经诱惑过我的那些——聚集在受冤屈的灵魂周围，教它如何借着凡人的手，将刺客的匕首刺入法官的心脏。然后，当死亡将肉体与灵魂分离时，他便能将灵魂一同拖入地狱。这种复仇的渴望如此强烈，在监狱和亡灵之地漫长的等待岁月中不断滋养，以至于可怜的妻子一次又一次地试图接近丈夫，用美好的想法软化他的心，却都徒劳无功。她温柔的灵魂被环绕着这个不幸男人的邪恶之墙拒之门外，他也再无希望与她重逢。他认为她已升入天堂，永远地与他失去了联系。他是一个罗马天主教徒，思想狭隘，与他所处的时代相隔近两百年。他相信，自己死后被教会神父禁止，无法得到教会的祝福，这就是他永远沉沦的原因，而他的妻子和孩子则一定在天堂与天使同在。那么，这个可怜的灵魂满脑子想的都是复仇，一心只想让他的敌人也遭受他曾遭受的痛苦，这难道不令人惊讶吗？因此，正是他唆使世人去杀害法官；他的手引导着凡人，目标精准无误，以至于法官被刺穿了他那虚伪残忍的心。肉体虽已死去，但灵魂却存活了下来，醒来后发现自己身处地狱，像他囚禁受害者一样被锁链锁在地牢的墙上。终于与他面对面了。

还有一些人，法官为了发泄怒火或中饱私囊，冤枉他们，将他们送上痛苦的死亡深渊。这些人聚集在他周围，使他醒来时如同身处地狱。然而，此人意志无比坚定，所有攻击都无法伤及他，所有投掷物都无法击中他。就这样，多年来，这两个死敌一直对峙着，倾泻着彼此的仇恨和反抗。而那些亡灵，如同希腊悲剧中的合唱队，来来往往，乐此不疲地想着各种折磨这个被锁链束缚的人的办法，但他坚强的意志使它们无法得逞。

在遥远的光明天界，可怜的妻子在哀悼，她努力奋斗，满怀希望，盼望着有一天，她的影响力能够波及到这可怕的地方，盼望着她的爱和她不间断的祈祷能够触及她丈夫的灵魂，软化他的心，让他放弃复仇的念头，不再执迷不悟。正是她的祈祷将我引到这地牢，正是她的灵魂与我对话，向我诉说着所有悲惨的故事，恳求我将她不幸的丈夫带去，告诉她她只活在对他的思念中，只盼望着她能用爱将他带到更高的天界，最终与她共享和平与幸福。带着这强烈的预感，我走向那个阴郁的男人，他已经厌倦了复仇，心中充满了对深爱妻子的思念。

我拍了拍他的肩膀，说道：“朋友，我知道你为何在此，也知道你所遭受的一切苦难。我受你所爱之人的差遣，前来告诉你，在天堂，她正等着你，她为你迟迟不来而感到疲惫，也为你竟能找到比她的爱抚更甜蜜的复仇而感到惊奇。她嘱咐我转告你，明明可以获得自由，却还要把自己囚禁于此。”

我说话间，那灵体动了一下，然后转过身来抓住我的胳膊，凝视着我的脸，仿佛要从中辨别我说的是真话还是假话。接着，它叹了口气，后退一步，问道：“你是谁？你为何来到这里？你与这可怕地方的任何人都不同，你的话语中充满了希望，可是，身处地狱的灵魂又怎能有希望呢？”

“即便在此，仍有希望；因为希望永恒，上帝慈悲，无论世人如何扭曲地理解神圣的教诲，都不会将任何人拒之门外。我奉命前来，为你们以及其他像你们一样为过去而悲伤的人们带来希望。只要你们愿意跟随我，我便能指引你们抵达更美好的彼岸。”

我看到他犹豫了，内心挣扎不已，因为他知道正是他的存在才使敌人无法脱身，如果他离开，敌人就能自由地在这片黑暗之地游荡，即便如此，他还是难以放手。于是我又提起他的妻子和孩子，难道他不想回到他们身边吗？想到这些挚爱之人，这位坚强而充满激情的男人崩溃了，他双手掩面，痛哭流涕。我挽着他的胳膊，领着他，没有丝毫反抗，走出了监狱，走出了这座城市。在那里，我们遇到了一些善良的朋友，他们正等着这位可怜的人。我把他交给他们，让他们带他去往一片光明之地，在那里他可以时常见到妻子，直到他努力提升自己，达到妻子的境界，在那里他们将永远团聚，拥有比他们在人世间所能拥有的更加完美的幸福。

我没有返回城里，因为我觉得我在那里的工作已经完成了，于是继续流浪，寻找新的施展才华的领域。在一片黑暗荒凉的平原上，我偶然发现了一间孤零零的小屋，里面躺着一个人，躺在几缕肮脏的稻草上，动弹不得，看起来奄奄一息。

他告诉我，在世时，他曾这样抛弃并任由一位生病的同伴死去，他抢走了他们冒着生命危险才得到的黄金，而现在他也死了，发现自己也以同样无助、荒凉的方式躺在那里。

我问他是否愿意起身去做些帮助他人的事，以此来弥补杀害朋友的罪行，因为如果他愿意，我想我可以帮助他。

他想，他当然想起来。他厌倦了这个洞穴，但他不明白自己为什么要工作，也不想管别人。他宁愿去找他埋的钱，然后花掉。这时，他狡黠的眼神偷偷瞥了我一眼，想看看我对他的钱有什么看法，以及我是否会尝试去寻找它。

我建议他应该想想办法找到他杀害的朋友，向他赎罪。但他根本不听，反而勃然大怒，说他不后悔杀了朋友，只后悔自己落到这步田地。他以为我会帮他逃走。我试图和他谈谈，让他明白他该如何改善自己的处境，弥补自己犯下的错，但毫无用处。他满脑子想的都是，等他四肢恢复了行动能力，就可以再去抢劫或杀人。最后，我只好把他留在原地。我走出去的时候，他那无力的手捡起一块石头，朝我扔了过去。

“这个人将来会怎么样？”我心里想。

我得到的回答是：“他刚刚从尘世来到人间，死于非命，灵魂虚弱，但不久之后他就会变得强大，然后他会加入其他像他一样的劫掠者，成群结队地四处作恶，给这片土地增添新的恐怖。经过许多年——甚至几个世纪——他对美好事物的渴望将会觉醒，他会开始进步，但速度会非常缓慢，因为像他这样长期被囚禁、如此不健全、如此堕落的灵魂，往往需要时间的循环才能唤醒其沉睡的力量。”

在这片荒凉凄凉的平原上徘徊了许久之后，我感到无比疲惫，心力交瘁，于是坐了下来，开始沉思我在这可怕的世界里所见的一切。目睹如此多的邪恶和苦难，令我沮丧不已；可怕的黑暗和沉重的阴云压得我喘不过气来，我那颗曾经无比热爱阳光和光明的灵魂，我想，只有我们南方人才会如此热爱阳光和光明。然后，我感到无比疲惫。啊！我多么渴望得到留在人间的她的消息啊！我的朋友们至今杳无音信——我心爱的人也杳无音讯。我不知道自己在这没有白昼的地方待了多久，这里只有永恒的黑夜，寂静无声地笼罩着一切。我的思绪全是心爱的人，我虔诚地祈祷，愿她平安无事地留在人间，让我在离开此地之后，能再次见到她，重见天日。祈祷之时，我感到周围弥漫着柔和的淡光，如同闪耀的星辰，光芒渐强，最终绽放成一幅光辉璀璨的画卷。画卷中央，我看到了我的爱人，她凝视着我，对我微笑，她甜美的双唇微启，仿佛在轻声呼唤我的名字。随后，她似乎抬起手，指尖轻触唇边，向我抛出一个吻。那吻如此羞涩，如此动人，令我欣喜若狂。我起身回吻，想要更仔细地凝视她，然而，幻象却消失了，我又独自一人回到了黑暗的平原。但我不再悲伤，那明亮的幻象给了我力量，让我重拾希望和勇气，继续前行，并将这份希望带给他人。

我起身继续前行，没过多久就被一群面目狰狞、阴森恐怖的幽灵追上。他们身披破烂的黑色斗篷，脸上戴着黑色面具，如同幽灵般的强盗。他们没有看见我，而我发现，通常情况下，这个领域的居民智力低下，灵视能力也有限，除非直接接触，否则根本无法看到来自更高领域的任何人。出于好奇，我想看看他们究竟在做什么，于是退后一段距离，跟在他们身后。不一会儿，又一群阴森的幽灵走了过来，手里提着一些看起来像是装着某种宝物的袋子。他们立刻遭到了第一批幽灵的攻击。这些幽灵手中没有武器，却像野兽一样用牙齿和利爪互相撕咬，他们的指甲如同野兽或秃鹫的利爪一般。他们互相咬住对方的喉咙，撕扯着对方的皮肤。它们像老虎或狼一样抓挠撕咬，直到至少一半的人无助地躺在地上，而其余的人则带着宝藏（在我看来，那只是一堆块坚硬的石头）冲走了。

当所有能动的人都离开后，我走近那些躺在地上呻吟的可怜的亡灵，想看看能不能帮帮他们。但似乎毫无用处；他们反而试图攻击我，把我撕成碎片。他们与其说是人，不如说是野兽，连身体都像野兽一样弯曲，手臂像猿猴一样长，手掌坚硬，手指和指甲像爪子一样，他们四肢着地，半走半爬。他们的脸几乎不能称之为人脸；五官都变得像野兽一样，他们像狼一样龇牙咧嘴地躺着。我想起了我读过的那些关于人变成动物的奇异故事，我几乎觉得这些就是那种生物。在他们可怕的、闪着光的眼睛里，有一种算计和狡诈的神情，这无疑是人类的，而他们的手部动作也不像动物；而且它们还会说话，它们的嚎叫和呻吟中夹杂着动物们听不懂的咒骂和污言秽语。

“这里真的有灵魂吗？”我问道。

答案再次响起：“是的，即使在这里。迷失、堕落、被拖垮、被扼杀，几乎消失殆尽，但即使在这里，灵魂的萌芽依然存在。这些人曾是西班牙主海上的海盗、强盗、掠夺者、奴隶贩子和绑架犯。他们已经堕落到如此地步，几乎所有的人性痕迹都融入了野兽的本能之中。他们的本能如同野兽一般；如今，他们像野兽一样生活，像野兽一样战斗。”

“他们还有希望吗？有人能帮助他们吗？”我问道。

“即便对于这些人，也还有希望，尽管许多人可能要很久以后才能获得这种希望。然而，也有一些人现在就可以得到帮助。”

我转过身，看到脚边躺着一个人，他费力地爬到我面前，现在已经精疲力竭，再也无力挣扎了。他看起来比其他人好一些，扭曲的脸上还残留着一丝生机。我俯身查看他的情况，听到他喃喃自语：“水！给我水！给我水！我感觉自己像被烈火焚烧一般。”

我没有水给他，也不知道在这片土地上哪里能找到水，但我给了他几滴我从黎明之地带回来的精华。那精华对他产生了神奇的效果。它就像灵丹妙药。他坐起身来，盯着我说道：

“你一定是位魔术师。这句话让我冷静下来，浇灭了我心中燃烧多年的怒火。自从来到这人间地狱，我就一直渴望着什么，心中燃着熊熊烈火。”

我把他从其他人身边拉开，开始抚摸他的身体。随着我的动作，他的痛苦渐渐消失，变得安静而安详。我站在他身边，不知所措，是该开口说话还是该离开，让他独自一人静静。这时，他抓住我的手，热情地吻了上去。

“哦！朋友，我该如何感谢你？我该如何称呼你，你让我摆脱了多年的痛苦？”

“如果你如此感激我，难道你不想通过帮助他人来赢得他们的感激吗？我来告诉你该怎么做吧？”

“是的！哦！是的，我非常乐意，只要你带我一起去，我的好朋友。”

“那么，我扶你起来吧，如果你还能走动的话，我们最好尽快离开这里，”我说，然后我们一起出发，看看我们能做些什么。

我的同伴告诉我，他曾是海盗，也参与过奴隶贸易。他曾是一艘船的大副，在一场战斗中丧生，醒来后发现自己和其他船员身处这片黑暗之地。他不知道自己在这里待了多久，但感觉就像永恒。他和一些与他相似的亡灵成群结队地四处游荡，永不停歇地争斗。如果找不到其他队伍打架，他们就自相残杀；在这可怕的地方，他们唯一的刺激就是对战斗的渴望。这里没有水可以解渴，那种灼烧般的干渴吞噬着他们；他们喝的那些东西似乎只会让他们更加痛苦，如同将活火灌入喉咙。然后他说：“无论你遭受怎样的折磨，你都永远无法死去，这就是这地方可怕的诅咒。你已经超越了死亡，试图自杀或让别人杀死你都无济于事，你根本无法摆脱痛苦。”

“我们就像一群饿狼，”他说，“因为没人攻击我们，我们就互相残杀，直到精疲力竭，然后躺在地上呻吟呻吟，直到恢复体力，才能再次出击攻击其他人。我一直渴望找到任何逃脱的方法。我几乎都要为此祈祷了。我觉得只要上帝能原谅我，给我一次机会，我什么都愿意做；当我看到你站在我身边时，我想也许你真的是上帝派来帮我的天使。只是你没有翅膀，也没有像图画里画的那样。但是图画并不能真正展现这个地方的全貌，如果它们对一个地方的描述是错的，为什么对另一个地方的描述就没问题呢？”

我嘲笑他；是的，即使在那悲伤的地方，我也笑了，我感到无比轻松，因为我发现自己竟然还有用处。然后我告诉他我是谁，我为什么会来到这里，他说如果我想帮助别人，附近有一些阴森的沼泽，那里囚禁着许多不幸的灵魂，他可以带我去那里，他觉得他可以亲自帮帮他们。他似乎害怕让我离开他的视线，怕我消失，再次留下他孤身一人。我被这个人深深吸引，因为他看起来非常感激，我也很高兴能有陪伴（除了那些令人厌恶的家伙，他们似乎是这里的大多数居民），因为在这个遥远而阴森的国度里，我感到孤独和凄凉。

浓重的黑暗和令人窒息的浓雾，几乎遮蔽了所有视线，以至于我们不知不觉就来到了沼泽地，我只感觉到一股冰冷潮湿、令人作呕的空气扑面而来。随后，我看到眼前是一片巨大的液态泥海，漆黑、恶臭、死气沉沉，表面漂浮着一层油腻的黑色粘液。一些体型庞大、膨胀的巨型爬行动物在泥潭中翻滚，它们的眼睛突出。巨大的蝙蝠，长着几乎像吸血鬼一样的人脸，盘旋在泥海之上。黑色和灰色的烟雾，散发着令人作呕的恶臭，从腐烂的表面升腾而起，在泥海上方盘旋，形成奇异诡异的幽灵形状，不断变换着形态，变成新的丑陋景象——时而挥舞着狂乱的手臂，摇晃着、点头着、发出怪异的咕哝声，仿佛拥有了感知和语言的能力——然后又化作迷雾，重新凝聚成某种令人作呕的恐怖生物。

在这片污浊大海的岸边，爬满了无数形状怪异、体型巨大的黏滑生物，它们有的四脚朝天，有的则深陷于这可怕的海水之中。我看着这景象不禁打了个寒颤，正要问是否真有迷失的灵魂在这污泥中挣扎，这时，我听到前方黑暗中传来一阵阵凄厉的呼救声，那声音里充满了绝望的哀嚎，深深触动了我的心。我的眼睛渐渐适应了迷雾，隐约看到一些挣扎的人影，他们正趟过齐腰深的泥潭。我向他们呼喊，让他们试着朝我走来，因为我就在岸边。但他们要么看不见我，要么听不见我，总之置若罔闻。我的同伴说，他觉得他们除了眼前的景象，对其他一切都充耳不闻、视而不见。他自己也曾在污浊的泥海里待过一段时间，但最终挣扎着爬了出来。不过他也明白，大多数人如果没有别人的帮助是无法脱身的，有些人甚至要在泥潭里挣扎好几年。我们又听到了那些凄惨的哭喊声，其中一声听起来离我们如此之近，我甚至想跳下去把那个可怜的灵魂拖出来，但是啊！那声音太可怕了，太恶心了。想到这里，我吓得魂飞魄散。然而，那绝望的哭喊声再次传入我的耳中，让我觉得我必须冒险一试。于是我走了进去，竭力压抑着内心的厌恶，循着哭喊声，很快就找到了那个人。在我游动的过程中，巨大的雾气在我头顶上翻腾、盘旋、疾驰。我发现他时，他已经陷在泥里，只到脖子，而且似乎还在往下沉。我一个人根本拉不动他，于是呼唤海盗精灵来帮忙，但他却不见踪影。我以为他只是把我引入陷阱然后抛弃了我，正要转身挣扎着爬出来，这时，这个可怜的精灵可怜兮兮地哀求我不要抛弃他。我于是又使出浑身解数，终于把他拖了几码，把他困在水底水草丛里的双脚也拉了出来。然后，我半拖半扶着他，直到我们到达岸边。可怜的精灵昏迷过去，沉入了水底。我也筋疲力尽，便在他身边坐下休息。我四处寻找我的海盗朋友，看到他正在远处的海里翻滚，显然是带着另一个人一起上岸了。即使身处如此糟糕的环境，看着他，我还是忍不住感到一丝滑稽。他拼命地、夸张地拉着那个倒霉的幽灵，叫喊声震耳欲聋，胆小的人恐怕都会被吓到。难怪我听到那个可怜的幽灵几乎是在哀求他别那么用力，慢点走，给他点时间跟上。我走过去，看到获救的那个幽灵已经游到岸边，便帮他上岸，让他躺在另一个幽灵旁边休息。

海盗精灵似乎对自己的成功非常满意，也十分自豪，跃跃欲试地准备再次出发。于是我派他去追寻另一个我们听到呼救声的人，自己则忙着照看另外两个人。这时，我又听到不远处传来凄惨的哭喊声。起初我什么也没看见，但随后，在那片令人作呕的沼泽黑暗中，一丝微弱的光点如同鬼火般闪烁。借着这光亮，我看到有人在沼泽里走动，呼救。于是，我承认自己很不情愿，又一次走进了泥潭。当我找到那人时，发现他身边跟着一个女人，他正扶着她，试图鼓励她。我费了好大劲才把他们俩都救了出来，发现海盗精灵也带着他救的人来了。

我们聚集在那片污秽之海的岸边，真是一群奇异的生物。后来我才知道，那片污秽之海是世人所有令人作呕的念头、所有不洁欲望的灵体汇聚而成，它们被吸引并聚集在这片巨大的污秽沼泽中。那些沉溺于此的灵魂，生前沉溺于如此低劣的罪恶，死后又通过凡人的媒介继续享受着这些快乐，直到最终，连尘世的境界都因它们自身的极度邪恶而变得难以企及，它们被一股强大的吸引力拉入这可怕的腐败深渊，在其中徘徊，直到它们自身的厌恶最终治愈了它们。

我救起的一个人，曾是查理二世宫廷里一位著名的才子。他死后，灵魂在人间游荡许久，不断下沉，最终沉入这片大海。他骄傲自大的海藻如同锁链，将他的双脚紧紧缠绕，动弹不得，直到我解救了他。另一个人，是乔治王朝早期一位著名的剧作家。还有一对男女，都曾是路易十五宫廷的成员，他们被吸引到这里。这些被海盗救起的人，他们的经历都有些相似。

起初我还有些担心该如何从那可怕的海水中脱身，但现在我突然看到附近涌出一股清澈的泉水，仿佛是魔法一般，我们很快就用清澈的泉水洗去了身上所有的泥垢。

我劝告那些获救之人，要尽力帮助这片黑暗之地的其他人，以此回报我们曾给予他们的帮助。给予他们我所能给予的建议和帮助后，我再次踏上了我的旅程。然而，那位海盗似乎非常不愿与我分别，于是我们二人再次结伴而行。

我不打算一一描述我们在旅途中帮助过的所有人。如果那样，这篇叙述恐怕会写成厚厚几卷，而且很可能只会让读者感到厌倦。因此，我将略过在我看来仿佛漫长的几周时光（我尽力估算），直接描述我们抵达一片绵延不绝的山脉，其荒凉的山峰直插夜空。我们帮助他人的努力最终却收效甚微，这让我们都有些沮丧。我们偶尔会遇到一些愿意倾听和接受帮助的人，但总的来说，我们的尝试往往遭到嘲笑和讥讽，甚至有不少人因为我们干涉他们而攻击我们，我们也费了好大劲才避免受伤。

我们上次遇到的是一对相貌极其丑陋的男女，他们正在一间破败小屋的门口打架。那男人把她打得那么惨，我不得不出手制止。于是他们俩立刻扑向我，那个女鬼拼命想挖出我的眼睛。幸好海盗及时赶来帮忙，说实话，他们联手攻击让我失去了理智，一时之间，我与他们对峙，失去了我高超灵力所带来的保护。

这两个人为了钱财，残忍地杀害了一位老人（那位女子的丈夫）；他们因这起罪行被处以绞刑，彼此的罪恶感在他们之间形成了一种牢不可破的联系，将他们一同拖入绞刑架，即使彼此恨之入骨也无法分开。他们都认为对方是自己落到这般境地的罪魁祸首，都认为对方比自己罪孽更深重，正是他们急于出卖对方才导致了两人同归于尽。如今，他们似乎存在的唯一意义就是为了并肩作战，我想不出还有什么比这更可怕的惩罚了，他们就这样被仇恨紧紧捆绑在一起。

鉴于他们当时的精神状态，我根本无法以任何方式帮助他们。

离开这对有趣的夫妇后不久，我们便来到了巍峨黑暗山脉的脚下。借助笼罩在山峦上的斑驳光影，我们得以稍作探索。这里没有正规的道路，岩石也十分陡峭，所以我们只能跌跌撞撞地向上攀登——我得解释一下，由于受到这低矮星球某些环境的影响，我失去了随意升空和漂浮的能力，而这可是只有到达黎明之地的人才能拥有的特权。艰难地攀上一座较低山脉后，我们开始沿着另一座山脊跋涉，山脊被奇异的磷光斑块微弱地照亮。在我们两侧，可以看到岩石上巨大的深渊、阴森的悬崖和令人毛骨悚然的黑色深坑。从其中一些深坑里传来凄厉的哭喊声、呻吟声，偶尔还有求救的祈祷声。想到这里竟然有灵魂身处如此悲惨的深渊，我感到非常震惊，完全不知该如何帮助他们。这时，我的同伴——他一直非常热心地支持我营救人们的努力——建议我们用生长在这些原本荒芜的岩石缝隙中的一些茂盛、枯萎的杂草做成绳子。有了这根绳子，我可以把他放下去，因为他比我更擅长攀爬，这样我们或许就能把一些灵魂从他们可怕的境地中拉上来。

这的确是个好主意，于是我们开始动手，很快就做成了一根足够结实的绳子，能够承受我朋友的重量。你应该知道，在精神层面，就像在物质层面一样，重量也是一个相对的概念。那些低级灵体所具有的物质性，会赋予它们比更高阶灵体更大的实体感和重量感。虽然以你尘世肉眼所见，我的海盗朋友既没有明显的形体，也没有明显的重量，但只要你稍微提升一下你的灵性能力，就能看到并感受到他的存在。而更高一级的灵体，对你来说仍然不可见。因此，当我这样描述我朋友的重量时，我并没有犯错，甚至也没有说一些不合情理的话。对于一根由灵性草木制成的绳子来说，它所承受的拉力，与一个尘世之人用尘世材料所承受的拉力一样大。绳子的一端固定在岩石上后，那灵体便以他作为水手多年积累的熟练速度和稳健姿态缓缓下降。他到了那里，很快就用绳子牢牢地围住了那个可怜无助、躺在水底呻吟的人。然后我把绳子和救生圈拉上来，等他安全后，我把绳子放下去，把我的朋友拉上来。我们尽力救了那个获救的人之后，又用同样的方法救了其他人。

当我们把能找到的都找出来之后，发生了一件非常奇怪的事情。磷光渐渐消失，我们陷入一片漆黑。这时，一个神秘的声音仿佛飘荡在空中，说道：“走吧，你的任务完成了。你救出的那些人，都是自作自受，他们为他人设下的陷阱，最终也落入了自己手中。直到他们悔改，渴望赎罪，才有人伸出援手，将他们从自己建造的牢笼中解救出来。这些山中囚禁着许多灵魂，或许无人能够解救，因为一旦他们获得自由，只会对他人构成威胁，他们散播的毁灭和邪恶，使得他们继续被囚禁成为一种必然。然而，这些牢笼也是他们自己建造的，因为这些苦难之山是人类尘世生活的产物，这些悬崖峭壁，不过是他们在尘世生活中将不幸的受害者推下绝望悬崖的精神对应物。只有当他们的心软化，只有当他们学会渴望自由，渴望行善而非作恶时，他们才能解脱。”邪恶的囚笼将被打开，他们将从活死人般的境地中被拉出来，他们因自己对他人犯下的可怕暴行而身陷囹圄。

声音消失了，我们独自在黑暗中摸索着下山，直到再次回到平坦的地面。那些可怕而神秘的永夜幽谷——那些自私和压迫的巍峨高山——让我心寒不已，我真庆幸自己不必再在那里逗留。

我们的漫游将我们带到了一片广袤无垠的森林，那里怪诞的树木如同噩梦中的景象。光秃秃的枝干仿佛活生生的手臂，伸出来紧紧抓住不幸的迷途者。长长的蛇形根系如同扭曲的绳索，试图绊倒他们。树干光秃秃的，漆黑一片，仿佛被烈焰灼烧过。树皮上渗出浓稠污浊的黏液，像强力的蜡一样牢牢地粘住任何触碰它的人。某种奇异的黑色空气植物像巨大的帷幔一样飘动着，覆盖在枝干上，如同裹尸布一般，将任何试图穿越这片幽灵森林的人包裹起来，让他们迷失方向。从这片可怕的森林中传来微弱而压抑的呻吟声，像是精疲力竭、窒息而亡的人发出的。我们偶尔能看到被囚禁的灵魂，被困在这些奇异的牢笼之中，挣扎着想要挣脱束缚，却寸步难行。

“我们该如何帮助这些人呢？”我心想。有些人被一根扭曲的树根缠住脚，像被钳子夹住一样。另一个人的手被粘在树干上。还有一个人被黑色的苔藓包裹着，还有一个人的头和肩膀被两根树枝紧紧夹住。凶猛的野兽在他们周围徘徊，巨大的秃鹫在头顶拍打着翅膀，但尽管它们离得那么近，却似乎也碰不到任何一个被困的人。

我问：“这些人是谁？”

“他们就是那些，”回答说，“以他人的苦难为乐的人，那些为了享受痛苦的快感，任由同胞被野兽撕成碎片的人。他们都是那些仅仅因为残忍的欲望，在不同的时代，以各种不同的方式折磨、囚禁和杀害比自己更无助的人。对于所有在座的这些人来说，只有当他们学会怜悯他人，渴望拯救他人于苦难之中，即使这意味着自己也要承受痛苦时，他们才能获得解脱。那时，束缚他们的枷锁才会解开，他们才能自由地去赎罪。在此之前，没有人能够帮助他们——没有人能够解救他们。他们的解脱必须依靠自身更仁慈的愿望和抱负来实现。如果你回顾一下地球的历史，想想在世界的各个角落，各个时代的人们是如何奴役、压迫和折磨他们的同胞的，你不会惊讶于这片广袤的森林里人烟稀少。为了让你亲眼见识这片令人恐惧的土地，人们认为这是理所应当的。然而，你所见所闻、所怜悯的人们至今仍未悔改，你无法帮助他们，所以你现在要前往另一个地方，在那里你可以行更多善事。

离开荒芜森林后，我们没走多远，就欣喜地看到朋友哈塞因走近。然而，我谨记阿林齐曼的警告，向他打出了事先约定的暗号，他也回以暗号。他说，他是来传达我父亲和我爱人的讯息的，我的爱人曾向我送来充满爱意和鼓励的话语。哈塞因告诉我，我接下来的任务是深入那些庞大的恶灵群体之中，他们的邪恶倾向与他们的智慧和作恶的狡诈不相上下。 “他们，”他说，“曾经是统治人民、在各领域都拥有卓越才智的人，却滥用了他们与生俱来的能力，最终使之成为诅咒而非祝福。对于他们中的大多数人，你必须时刻警惕他们用来诱惑你的种种手段，以及他们对你施加的各种诡计。然而，他们之中也有少数人，你奉命前去援助，你的直觉和所见所闻会告诉你，他们会欢迎你的话语，你的帮助对他们来说弥足珍贵。我大概不会再给你带信了，但或许会派其他人来。你必须牢记，最重要的是，任何前来拜访你却无法提供我所指示的信号和象征的人，都不要轻信。你现在实际上即将入侵敌营，你会发现，无论他们如何掩饰，你的使命都已被他们知晓，并且遭到他们的憎恨。因此，务必警惕他们所有的谎言。”承诺，而且当他们看起来最友好的时候，我反而最不信任他们。

我答应记住并听从他的警告，他还说我必须暂时与我忠实的伙伴——海盗——分开，因为他无法安全地陪伴我经历我即将前往的那些地方，但他承诺会把他托付给一个能够并且愿意帮助他尽快离开那个黑暗国度的人照顾。

我向他转达了充满爱意和帮助的信息，他答应会转达给他们，之后我们告别，我朝着他指点的方向出发，心中充满了喜悦和安慰，因为我收到了好消息和充满爱意的信息。

22. 地狱之城中的娱乐——警示之语

我刚走了一小段路，就看见忠实的朋友坐在路边，显然是在等我。能再次见到他，并得到他的进一步指引，我真是太高兴了。我们热情地互相问候。他说，他现在受命陪我走完这段旅程的一部分，还跟我讲了许多他遇到的奇事，我相信这些事一定非常有趣，但由于它们与我的游记并不完全相关，所以我就不在此赘述了。

忠实的朋友带我来到一座高塔，从塔顶可以俯瞰我们即将游览的整座城市——他说，提前欣赏这座城市的景色，对我而言既有用又有趣。正如我之前所说，我们始终被漆黑的午夜天空和浓重的烟雾所环绕，这烟雾有点像黑雾，但又有所不同，没那么浓重，因为透过它可以看到东西。在某些地方，这片黑暗被我描述过的奇异磷光照亮；在另一些地方，则被灵界居民炽烈激情燃起的诡异火焰照亮。

当我们攀上那座仿佛由黑色岩石砌成的巍峨高塔时，只见下方是一片广袤的黑暗之地。厚重的夜云笼罩着地平线，不远处便是那座宏伟的城市，它既壮丽又破败，如同我在这片黑暗土地上所见的所有城市一般。城市周围环绕着光秃秃的焦黑荒原，大片暗红色的雾气笼罩着这座充满悲伤与罪恶的城市。雄伟的城堡、高耸的宫殿、华丽的建筑，无一不带有残垣断壁的痕迹——都被其中居住的罪恶生活所玷污，变得模糊不清。它们正在走向衰败，却又被居住其中的灵魂所维系——只要居住者尘世生活中编织的纽带将他们束缚于此，这些建筑便会屹立不倒；而一旦灵魂的忏悔斩断了这些纽带，使其获得自由，这些建筑便会化为尘埃。然而，它们终将腐朽，却又会被另一个罪恶的灵魂按照他尘世享乐生活所塑造的形态重新建造。这里曾有一座宫殿，旁边却是一间茅屋。正如居住于此的亡灵在尘世间的生活和野心交织融合，他们的居所也在此并肩而立。

你们这些仍居住在尘世的人啊，可曾想过，你们尘世生活中的同伴，会如何成为你们灵性生活中的同伴？尘世间形成的磁力纽带，又会如何将你们的灵魂和命运在灵界紧紧相连，以至于你们只能历经千辛万苦才能将其斩断？我眼前的这些建筑，便是那位傲慢贵族的宫殿，由他的野心筑成，又被他的罪行玷污；与他奴隶、寄生虫和皮条客的卑微居所相连，这些居所同样由他们的欲望所造，也同样被他们的罪行所玷污。宫殿与这些居所之间，如同他与那些曾是他邪恶野心的同谋和工具的人之间一样，存在着同样的灵性磁力纽带。他无法摆脱他们及其纠缠，正如他们无法摆脱他的暴政一样，直到其中一方或双方的灵魂中觉醒了更高尚、更纯粹的渴望，从而将他们提升到更高的境界。于是，他们一遍又一遍地重复着尘世的生活，以一种可笑的方式嘲弄过去，而过去本身也驱使他们这样做。他们的记忆一遍又一遍地向他们展示着过去的所作所为和参与者，就像一幅流动的全景画，因此，即使他们沉溺于那片黑暗之地的疯狂放纵，也无法逃脱记忆磨盘的碾磨，直到最后，罪恶和邪恶的最后一丝欲望也被从他们的灵魂中磨尽。

正如我之前所说，在这座承载着过去尘世生命的伟大精神之城上空，笼罩着一片片昏暗朦胧的光斑，如同微弱发光的烟雾，呈钢灰色。有人告诉我，这是城中居民强大智慧的光芒，他们的灵魂虽已堕落，但并非未开化；他们的智慧虽高尚，却沉溺于卑劣之事，以至于缺失了真正的灵魂之光，只剩下这奇异的智慧倒影。在城市的其他地方，空气仿佛燃烧起来。火焰在空中徘徊，忽明忽暗，如同幽灵般的火焰，燃料在火焰熄灭的地方化为灰烬。随着气流吹拂，这些漂浮的幽灵火焰来回飘荡，我看到一群群黑暗的灵魂在街道上来回穿梭，他们或许对此毫不在意，或许根本意识不到这些幽灵般的火焰。这些火焰是他们自身激昂的激情所创造的，如同精神之火般萦绕在他们周围。

当我凝视着这座死寂废墟般的陌生城市时，一股莫名的情绪涌上心头。在它残垣断壁、废弃的建筑中，我竟看到了我最熟悉、最珍爱的那座城市的影子——因为我曾是它的孩子。我大声呼唤同伴，询问这究竟意味着什么——我眼前所见的景象究竟是什么？是我挚爱之城的过去、未来还是现在？

他回答说：“三者皆是。你眼前所见的是昔日的建筑和亡灵——也就是那些作恶之人——其中也包括那些尚未完工的建筑，如今居住于此的人们正在为自己建造；昔日的居所如今的模样，将来也必将如此，因为如今建造的每一个人，都将完成他们罪恶和压迫的一生。仔细观察，然后回到人间，成为警告的使者，将即将到来的厄运告知你的同胞。如果你的声音能够触动哪怕一个人的心，阻止哪怕一座未完工的房屋继续建造，你就功德圆满，此行的一切付出都将物有所值。然而，这并非你此行的唯一目的。我的朋友啊！即使在这座城市里，你我也有工作要做；我们可以拯救那些身处黑暗之中的灵魂，让他们回到人间，用洪亮的声音向世人宣告他们的命运。”人类深知自己曾遭受的报复之苦，因此他们希望拯救他人免遭同样的厄运。

“想想看，自世界初创以来，已过去了多少个世纪，生活在这世上的人们的生活和思想又取得了多么大的进步。难道我们不应该认为，即使是普通的理性也会承认，这一切必然要归功于那些重返人间的人，他们曾因骄傲、荣耀和罪恶的欲望而坠入深渊，如今却要警告世人吗？难道不应该将一个更高尚的理想摆在世人面前吗？那就是：上帝派遣他的儿女（他们曾经罪恶悖逆，但如今已悔改）重返人间，作为服役的灵体，去对抗、帮助和坚固那些仍在未重生的罪性中挣扎的人们，而不是让他们遭受永恒惩罚的绝望和无助的痛苦。你我都曾是罪人——世上一些善良之人或许会说，我们罪孽深重，无可饶恕——然而，即便在生命的尽头，我们依然在上帝那里找到了怜悯，难道这些人就不能拥有希望吗？即使他们堕落得比我们更惨，难道他们就不能拥有希望吗？我们难道就凭着狭隘的头脑，就给他们未来可能攀登的高度设限吗？不！绝不能认为我们在这些地狱中目睹的恐怖景象会永恒存在。上帝是仁慈的，他的慈悲远超任何人的能力所能限制。

我们从塔楼下来，进入了城中。在一个我非常熟悉的、与现实世界相似的大广场上，我们发现一大群黑暗精灵聚集在一起，聆听着某种宣言。显然，这宣言激起了他们的嘲笑和愤怒，因为四面八方都回荡着叫喊声、嘘声和哭喊声。当我走近时，我意识到这宣言不久前在现实世界中被宣读过，其目的是为了进一步解放和提升人民——然而，在这个压迫和暴政的堡垒中，这一目的却激起了他们想要压制它的欲望。我周围的这些黑暗生物发誓要尽其所能地阻挠这一善举。人们越是遭受压迫，越是奋起反抗，越是暴力地反抗压迫，这些地下的生物就越有能力干预他们的事务，挑起他们之间的纷争和争斗。人类越是自由、开明、进步，这些黑暗精灵就越难被人间类似的欲望所吸引，从而无法混入人类之中，为了自己的邪恶目的而控制他们。这些黑暗生物嗜好战争、苦难和流血，并且时刻渴望重返人间，再次点燃人类残暴的欲望。在民族遭受巨大压迫和叛乱的时代，当人们的激情被点燃至沸腾之时，这些深渊居民便会因同类欲望的驱使而涌现于地表，煽动并鼓动革命。这些革命起初或许出于高尚、纯洁和崇高的动机，但在激情和这些来自下层的黑暗生物的煽动下，最终沦为肆意屠杀和各种暴行的借口。正是这些暴行引发了反动，这些黑暗恶魔及其控制者最终会被更高层次的力量所消灭，留下满目疮痍和苦难的痕迹，昭示着他们曾经的所作所为。因此，在这些最底层的地狱里，收获了大量不幸的灵魂，他们被邪灵引诱而来。

我站在那里看着人群，忠实的朋友让我注意到一群灵魂正指着我们，显然是在与我们沟通。

“我先离开一会儿，”他说，“让你单独和他们谈谈。这样做比较好，因为他们可能会认出我以前来过，我希望你能独自和他们见面。不过，我不会走远，稍后我会再来，如果我觉得能帮上忙的话。现在，我感觉应该暂时离开一会儿。”

他说话间便走开了，那些黑鬼却随着我每一个友好的举动而靠近我。我想我最好还是礼貌地回应，尽管我内心对它们感到无比厌恶，它们长相丑陋不堪，邪恶而猥琐的丑态令人毛骨悚然。

有人拍了拍我的肩膀，我转过身，隐约觉得以前见过他。他突然大笑起来——一种狂野而可怕的笑声——然后喊道：“我向你问好，朋友——看来你对我的印象远不如我对你的印象深刻，尽管我们曾在尘世间相遇。那时，我和其他人一样，竭尽全力想要帮助你，可你却不领情，反而耍了我们，我想，真是卑鄙无耻。尽管如此，我们这些像羔羊一样的人，如果你认识我们，就会原谅你。”

另一个也走了过来，咧着嘴，露出一个极其邪恶的笑容，对着我说道：“嚯！朋友，你终究还是来了，来到了这片美好的土地上。那么，你肯定做了什么才配得上这份殊荣吧？说说你杀了谁，或者指使别人杀了谁，因为这里没有人没杀过人，我们当中许多人都能吹嘘自己杀的人队伍像麦克白的鬼魂一样长，而我们那些最杰出的公民们，杀的人更是成百上千。你最终还是杀了那个人吗？——哈哈哈哈！”说完，他突然发出一阵狂野而可怕的狂笑，我转身就跑——因为我脑海中突然闪过一丝记忆，想起了自己也差点成为杀人犯的那段日子，我从这些可怕的家伙身上认出了那些曾经围绕着我，怂恿我如何实现我的愿望——如何复仇，即使我已失去了肉身。我本能地躲避他们，但他们却丝毫没有放我走的意思。我被他们抓住了——正如他们所希望的那样——他们想把我留在身边，好让他们寻开心，也好让他们报复我之前打败他们。

虽然表面上他们热情地围着我，一副友好亲切的样子，但我还是从他们的心思中读出了这个意思。我一时不知所措。然后我决定跟他们走，看看他们究竟想干什么，同时伺机挣脱。于是，我任由他们一人挽着我的胳膊，我们朝着广场一侧的一栋大房子走去。他们说那是他们的房子，他们会很荣幸地把我介绍给他们的朋友。忠实的朋友从我们身边走过，看着我，仿佛在警告我：

“同意前往，但要小心不要参与他们的任何享乐活动，也不要让自己的思想水平降低到他们的水平。”

我们走了进去，沿着宽阔的灰褐色石阶拾级而上。这里的一切都沾染着耻辱和罪恶的痕迹。宽阔的台阶破损不堪，到处都是洞，有些洞大到足以让人跌入下方如同地牢般的黑暗深处。我们拾级而上时，我感到有人趁我们跨过一个洞口时偷偷地推了我一把。要不是我时刻警惕，恐怕早就被绊倒，推下去了。幸好我侧身躲过，我那爱管闲事的同伴才险些跌进去。其他人哄堂大笑，他则恶狠狠地瞪着我。就在这时，我认出了他——就是那个手被我心爱之人用银色火焰环束缚住的人。当时，她的爱将我拉向她，使我免于屈服于这些黑暗恶魔。这个幽灵小心翼翼地把手藏在黑色斗篷下，但我能透过斗篷看到他那干瘪的手和胳膊，那时我就知道，我确实应该提防它的主人。

拾级而上，我们进入一间富丽堂皇的大房间，火光映照着房间，四周垂挂着破烂不堪的深色帷幔，上面溅满了鲜红的血迹，仿佛这里曾发生过不止一起谋杀案。房间周围摆放着古老的家具，如同幽灵般残缺不全，肮脏不堪，却依然保留着昔日奢华的模样。这房间里充满了男人和女人的亡灵。多么令人唏嘘的男人！多么令人痛心的女人！他们失去了所有曾经拥有的魅力和特权。他们比任何贫民窟夜晚最堕落、最衣衫褴褛的人都更令人作呕。只有在地狱里，女人才会堕落到如此可怕的地步。这些人简直糟糕透顶，甚至可能更糟，我实在无法用语言来形容他们，即便有必要这样做。他们吃喝玩乐，喧闹跳舞，打牌，还为此争吵不休——总之，他们的所作所为，即便最恶劣、最堕落的世俗享乐场景也难以企及。

我能隐约看到他们每个人尘世生活的影子，我知道他们每个人，无论男女，都犯下了罪行，不仅生活放荡不羁，还出于各种动机犯下了谋杀罪。我左边的是一位十六世纪的女公爵，我看到她因嫉妒和贪婪毒害了至少六个人。她旁边是一位与她同时代的男子，他指使手下刺杀了几个与他作对的人，还在一次争吵中以极其卑鄙的手段亲手杀死了另一个人。

另一个女人杀死了自己的私生子，因为孩子阻碍了她获得财富和地位。她来这里时间不长，似乎比其他人都更加羞愧和悔恨，所以我决定尽可能接近她，和她谈谈。

我一进门，就引来一阵哄堂大笑和热烈的掌声。五六个急切的手抓住我，把我拖到桌边，随即有人高喊：“让我们为这位新兄弟的堕落干杯！让我们用这位新兄弟的酒给他洗礼！让我们用这清凉的美酒给他洗礼！”我还没反应过来他们的意图，他们就都高高举起酒杯，发出阵阵叫喊和可怕的笑声。其中一人抓起一杯满满的烈酒，试图泼到我身上。我险险地侧身躲过，酒几乎全洒在了地上，只有一小部分溅到了我的长袍上，灼烧得像硫酸一样，而酒本身则变成了一团蓝色的火焰——就像点燃的威士忌那样——最后像火药爆炸一样消失了。然后，他们端来一盘菜，乍一看像是人间美味，但仔细一看，却发现里面全是令人作呕的腐烂蛆虫。我刚要转身离开，一个老巫婆（她比你能想象到的最堕落的生物还要老态、丑陋、可怕得多）就一把抓住我的脖子，她那双迷离的眼睛和狰狞的表情让我不由自主地想要躲开。她使出浑身解数，装出一副妩媚的模样（天哪！她曾经是人间绝世美人），试图拉我跟她和她的同伴玩牌。她说：“我们玩牌的赌注是输家的自由。” 我们发明了这种令人愉悦的消遣方式，因为它能让我们重温过去的乐趣；而且，这里没有钱可以赢，就算赢了也用不上，因为赢来的钱在你手里都会变成渣滓，所以我们才采用了这种还债的方式，我们甘愿做任何在赌博和技巧游戏中击败我们的人的奴隶，直到我们能够反败为胜，反过来让他们成为我们的奴隶。这是一种多么迷人的安排啊，如果你加入我们一会儿，就会发现这一点。至于这里其他人，”她补充道，语气中带着一种奇怪的傲慢和敌意——“这些人不过是些下等人，是这地方的渣滓，你最好远离他们和他们的娱乐。而我，我是位皇家公爵夫人，我的这些朋友也都是贵族——而且，我看你也是精英中的一员，我们也想把你纳入我们之中。”“

她摆出一副女王的架势，示意我坐在她旁边。如果她没那么令人厌恶，我或许会出于好奇，想看看她们会玩什么牌。但我实在厌恶至极，便尽可能地挣脱了她的怀抱，说道——这倒是实话——我对纸牌游戏从来就没什么兴趣。我一心想接近那位我想搭讪的女士，很快，人群中出现了一个空隙，让我得以接近她。

我一走到她身边，就压低声音问她是否为杀害自己的孩子感到后悔，是否愿意离开这里，即使离开的路漫长而悲伤痛苦。我说话的时候，她的脸上顿时绽放出笑容！她急切地结结巴巴地问道：“你是什么意思？”

“放心，”我说，“我是真心为你好，如果你愿意看着我，跟着我，我一定能找到办法带我们俩离开这个可怕的地方。”她握住我的手表示同意，因为她不敢开口说话，其他的鬼魂又开始围拢过来，气氛越来越令人不安，尽管它们表面上仍然保持着友好的姿态。

公爵夫人和她的随从们又开始疯狂地玩起了纸牌；他们为了牌争吵不休，互相指责对方作弊——我毫不怀疑他们确实作弊了——房间的那个角落似乎随时都会爆发一场打斗，好让他们的生活不再单调乏味。我还注意到其他人三五成群地聚集在门口，生怕我想离开。我看到我的仇人，那只手枯萎的家伙，正和几个衣衫褴褛、举止低贱的人窃窃私语，这些人看起来就像是奴隶出身。六七个男女走过来，拉着我跳他们正在跳的舞，那舞就像我们在古代巫术传说中读到的女巫安息日的那些骇人听闻的舞蹈，我当然不想再赘述了。我看着他们，心想，难道这些古老的传说里真的有几分真？难道这些不幸的人，被指控为女巫，真的任由自己被邪灵控制，以至于他们的灵魂一度被拉入某个领域，并参与了那里可怕的狂欢吗？我不知道，但我眼前所见的这一切，与那些所谓的女巫所描述的事情，确实有着惊人的相似之处。这些女巫大多是可怜的、愚钝的凡人，与其说是应该受到谴责，不如说是应该受到怜悯。

这些生物的动作，称之为舞蹈都是一种侮辱。它们靠近时，我看到它们试图绕到我们身后，围成一圈将我们包围。某种本能告诉我，绝不能让它们得逞。我紧贴着墙壁退后，紧紧握住女人的手，低声叮嘱她无论如何都不要放开我。这群幽灵正向房间的这一头聚集，它们面容阴沉凶狠，眼神狂野凶狠，与它们装出的轻松愉悦形成了鲜明的对比。它们越聚越近——宛如一团移动的邪恶化身。

这一次，他们的争吵和嫉妒融为一体，化作共同的欲望：伤害我，把我打倒在地，践踏我，撕成碎片。暴风雨的低语不时传来，断断续续的仇恨和威胁之语夹杂其中，而那些跳舞的恶魔在我们面前继续着他们疯狂的表演。突然，一声巨大的怒吼——一声怒吼——从他们口中爆发出来。“间谍！叛徒！敌人混入我们之中！是上面那些受诅咒的兄弟中的一个，他来这里窥探我们，掳走我们的猎物。打倒他！踩死他！把他碾碎！把他撕成碎片！把他扔进下面的地窖！带走他！带走他！带走他！”

如同雪崩般从山坡倾泻而下，那些狂暴的恶魔向我们扑来——我当时真以为我们死定了，不禁后悔当初为何要踏入这片土地。我以为自己迷失了方向，就在离我们最近的恶魔逼近时，奇迹出现了！身后的墙壁突然打开，忠实的朋友和另一个精灵将我们拉了进去，墙壁又迅速合上，喧闹的人群几乎没反应过来我们是如何消失的。

23. 我祖的宫殿——假兄弟的困惑

在城郊，我们来到一座宏伟的宫殿，它既熟悉又陌生，这种感觉十分奇妙。漫步在这座城市中，我总能想起它在人间的镜像，仿佛在噩梦中看到了某个熟悉而珍贵的地方，而梦境扭曲变形，将我曾经视为美好的一切都变得丑陋不堪。年轻时，我常常仰望这座美丽的宫殿，并为自己是曾经拥有它及其广袤土地的家族的后裔而感到自豪。而如今，我却看到它如此破败，所有的美景都黯然失色，大理石斑驳发霉，露台和雕像残破不堪，美丽的正面布满了过去城墙内发生的罪行和不公的黑色蛛网，美丽的庭院也变成了一片凄凉的黑色荒地，仿佛瘟疫的气息席卷而来——这一切让我感到一阵悲伤和沮丧，我怀着悲伤的心情跟随朋友走进了宫殿内部。

我们拾级而上，穿过那扇自动开启的精美大门。四周有许多黑暗的幽灵来回穿梭，它们似乎都在翘首期盼着我们的到来，欢迎我们这位贵宾。在最后一扇门前，忠实的朋友再次离我而去，说他会在另一个地方与我重聚。

当最后一扇门打开时，一道耀眼的红光映入眼帘，仿佛有人打开了熔炉的门，空气闷热难耐。起初我几乎以为这里着火了，随后红光渐渐暗淡，取而代之的是一股钢灰色的雾气席卷了整个大厅，同时一股冰冷的寒风刺骨，仿佛要将血液冻结在我的心脏，并将这股寒意传递给我。这奇异的冷热交替，源于统治此地的王子身上那炽热的激情之火和冷酷的自私之心。他将最狂野、最无法满足的激情与极致的自私和超凡的智慧结合在一起。正如这些特质在他尘世生活中左右着他的行为，使他时而激情澎湃，时而冷静算计，如今，这些由他的灵魂激起的波澜，也使这精神居所中出现了极端冷热交替的怪异景象，仿佛没有中间温度。就像他曾经统治过地球上所有进入他权力范围的人一样，现在他也统治着他周围的灵体，并像统治他的尘世臣民一样绝对地统治着它们。

在这座宏伟大厅的顶端，我看到他端坐在那把象征权力的宝座上，宝座周围除了皇室徽章外，别无其他装饰。他的墙壁上挂着看似古老的挂毯，然而，啊！它们看起来远不止是褪色破烂那么简单。仿佛这个人的思想、生命和魅力都已融入了这些幽灵般的挂毯之中，并用他自身的腐朽腐蚀了它们。挂毯上不再是狩猎的画面、漂浮的仙女和头戴王冠的海神，而是一幅不断变换的景象，展现着这个人过往人生的丑陋和赤裸，如同从魔灯中投射出来的画面，映照在他身后和周围那庄严却腐朽破烂的阿拉斯挂毯上。那些巨大的窗户，日光从未照进室内，悬挂着原本华丽的天鹅绒窗帘，如今却像丧葬的裹尸布，遮蔽着潜伏其中的骷髅身影，如同复仇的幽灵——那是被这个人为了满足他的欲望和野心而牺牲的受害者的幽灵。巨大的银质酒杯，触碰时仿佛灼热如白，还有硕大的昂贵花瓶，摆放在桌上。这里和其他地方一样，都弥漫着宴会的恐怖幻影——对尘世欢愉的苦涩嘲弄。

我刚踏入这恐怖之地，主宰便从宝座上起身，用热情的话语迎接我。我惊恐地意识到，他竟是我家族那位祖先的化身，我们曾为此引以为傲，也曾有人说我长得像他的画像。毫无疑问，是同一个人，同样傲慢英俊的五官，然而，啊！他脸上的变化何其微妙，何其可怕，耻辱的烙印刻在每一道皱纹上，腐败透过他竭力掩盖的面具显露无遗。在这地狱，所有人都被赤裸裸地看穿，任何力量都无法掩盖他们哪怕一丝一毫的邪恶——而这个人，的确邪恶至极。即使在那个感官享乐的时代，他也因罪孽深重而臭名昭著；即使在那个人们对残忍习以为常的时代，他也表现得冷酷无情，毫无悔意。我看到他周围的那些照片仿佛映照出这一切，想到我们之间竟然可能存在某种相似之处，我感到无比震惊。那些人曾以效忠于他为荣，仅仅因为他当年拥有近乎王室般的权力，他们的虚伪和空洞的骄傲令我不寒而栗。而如今，这个人却对我格外关注，仿佛我们同属一个种族。

他告诉我他欢迎我来到这里，并希望我能与他同住。凭借着尘世间那神秘的联系，他与我的尘世生活紧密相连，并时常影响着我。当我雄心勃勃，渴望崛起，像我的先祖那样再次跻身尘世伟人之列时，他便与我亲近，滋养并壮大了我的骄傲和傲慢，某种程度上，这与他自己的骄傲和傲慢如出一辙。他告诉我，正是他促使我做了那些如今令我最为羞愧的事情——那些我恨不得用尽一生去弥补的事情。他还说，正是他时常试图提拔我，让我能够掌握某种权力，即便无法像他那样统治一个国家，也要在知识领域称王。他曾希望通过我再次掌控人类，以此作为对他被放逐到这个黑暗腐朽之地的补偿。

“呸！”他喊道，“这里简直就是一座堆满腐朽白骨和骷髅的停尸房，不过既然你现在来和我一起，我们就看看，我们联手能不能做点什么，让世人畏惧我们，甚至服从我们。哦，我们高贵种族的儿子，我对你失望过很多次，我甚至担心你最终会逃离我。多年来，我一直试图把你拉拢过来，却总是被某种无形的力量所阻挠。一次又一次，当我确信自己已经万无一失时，你却挣脱了我的控制，摆脱了我的所有束缚，直到我几乎放弃了抵抗。但我不会轻易向任何人屈服，当我无法亲自陪伴你时，我派了一些手下来为你效力——嚯！嚯！效力——没错，效力——所以你终于来了，我发誓你不会再离开我了。瞧瞧我为你准备的这些美好玩意儿！”

他握住我的手——他的手仿佛燃烧着比发烧更炽热的火焰——领我到他身旁坐下。我犹豫了一下，然后决定坐下来，看看这趟奇遇究竟如何，但我在心中默默祈祷，愿自己免受诱惑。我注意到他没有给我酒水或食物——（他的直觉和经验告诉他，我只会鄙视它们）——但他却让我的耳朵里响起一段极其美妙的旋律，我的耳朵已经很久没有享受过这种天籁之音的慰藉了，而这种天籁之音曾如此强烈地吸引着我的感官。那是一种狂野、怪诞、充满感官刺激的旋律，就像海妖引诱猎物时唱的那样，时而高亢，时而低沉，时而再次响起。世间没有任何音乐能够如此美妙又如此恐怖——既能使人陶醉，使人心潮澎湃，又能让我的灵魂充满如此强烈的恐惧和厌恶。

然后，在我们面前升起了一面巨大的黑色镜子，我看到镜子里映照着大地和它的生命，以及我自己，通过我能掌控的狂热音乐，摇摆着成千上万人的思想和心灵，并通过它的魔力唤醒最低级却最精致的激情，直到听到它的人都迷失在它强大的魔力之下。

然后他向我展示了那些被他及其影响力所支配、为实现其野心目的而统治的军队和国家，以便他能通过一个世俗暴君的躯体再次成为专制君主。他说，在这里，我也应该分享他的权力。

我再次看到了智力和文学的力量，我可以通过凡人的想象力和描述能力来控制和影响他们。在我的怂恿下，他们会写出迎合人类理性、智力和感官欲望的书籍，直到这些书籍被虚假的魅力所笼罩，使人们能够宽容甚至赞同最令人作呕的思想和最可憎的教义。

他给我看了一幅又一幅图画，说明那些拥有足够意志力和知识的灵体如何利用尘世之人，将他们当作满足自身权力欲和各种感官享乐的工具。这些我之前大多有所耳闻，但从未真正意识到，若非那些意志与他一样强大的更高力量加以制约，像我眼前这样的人竟能作恶如此之深。他只知道这些力量是一股无形的阻力，处处阻挠他的努力，除非他能在人身上找到一个与他性情极为契合的媒介，使他们能够真正合二为一。一旦找到，随之而来的便是无尽的悲惨和毁灭，我们便会看到那些在历史上留下污点的邪恶怪物。如今，感谢上苍，随着人类和灵界在天界天使的教诲下逐渐净化，这样的怪物正在变得越来越少，越来越罕见。

最后，一个女人的身影出现在我们面前，她美得令人窒息，魅力四射，我甚至起身想要仔细端详她，看看她是否真实存在。就在那一刻，我和那面黑色的魔法镜之间出现了一个朦胧的天使身影，她的脸庞酷似我心爱的女人。与她相比，这个女人显得如此粗俗、虚幻、令人作呕，感官的短暂幻觉瞬间消散，我认清了她的真面目，认清了她这类女人的本质——她们是魅惑人心、引诱堕落、将男人灵魂拖入地狱的妖女，而她们自己却几乎毫无灵魂。

我内心的这种厌恶感，使得承载着音乐和影像的磁性以太波开始摇曳、破碎、消散，让我再次独自面对诱惑者，他的声音在我耳边回响，告诉我只要我愿意跟随他，成为他的门徒，就能继续享受这一切的欢愉。然而，他的话语对我充耳不闻，他的承诺也丝毫没有打动我。我的心中只有对这一切的恐惧，只有一种想要摆脱他存在的强烈渴望。

我起身转身，想要离开，却发现自己寸步难行。一条无形的锁链将我牢牢束缚，他带着嘲讽的笑声，既愤怒又得意，讥讽地对我喊道：“走吧，反正你休想得到我的恩惠和承诺。现在就出去看看等待你的是什么。”我动弹不得，一种莫名的恐惧开始蔓延，四肢和大脑都麻木了。仿佛有一层迷雾聚集起来，将我冰冷地包裹起来，而一些形状可怕、体型巨大的幽灵般的身影越来越近。啊，恐怖！那是我过去的罪行，是我自己邪恶的念头和欲望，而这一切都是被我身边的这个人挑起的，它们潜藏在我的心中，形成了我们之间的纽带，将我牢牢地束缚在他身边。

看到我狼狈不堪，他发出了一声狂野、凶狠、残酷的笑声。他指着那些怪异的身影，让我看看我究竟是什么货色，竟敢自以为高人一等，不配与他为伍。大厅越来越暗，一波又一波阴森的幽灵涌向我们，它们越聚越黑，越发恐怖，将我团团围住。与此同时，我们脚下出现了一个巨大的穹顶或深渊，我看到，或者说似乎看到，里面涌动着一团挣扎的人影。我那可怕的祖先在狂怒和恶魔般的笑声中颤抖，他指着聚集的幽灵，命令它们把我扔进那个黑色的深渊。突然，黑暗中一颗星辰闪耀，一道光芒从星辰上落下，如同绳索一般。我双手紧紧抓住它，随着光芒在我周围扩散，我被一股力量拉了起来，离开了那黑暗的地方，离开了那可怕的宫殿。

24. 贝内德托的故事——阴谋者再次束手无策

忠实的朋友提议我们去这片异乡的另一座城市走一走，好让我见见那个人。若非他始终如一的爱与支持，我的命运或许也会与他相似。我们尘世的经历在某些方面截然不同，但在性格和品性上却又有诸多相似之处。因此，见到他，了解他的过往，对我大有裨益；而将来，或许我也能帮到他。

“这个人离开人世已经十多年了，”他说，“直到最近他才开始渴望升华。我上次来这里的时候发现了他，帮了他一些忙，最终让他加入了我们的兄弟会。现在我听说他很快就要离开这个世界，前往更高的境界了。”

我同意了这次旅行的提议。经过一段短暂而迅捷的飞行，我们发现自己悬停在一片宽阔的泻湖上空。泻湖幽暗的湖面下漂浮着一座宏伟的城市，它的塔楼和宫殿从水中拔地而起，倒映在水中，宛如一面黑色大理石的镜子，上面布满了暗红色的纹路，不知为何，我感觉那些纹路像是鲜血在流淌。头顶上笼罩着一层与我在另一座城市里看到的相同的阴云，云层中闪烁着钢灰色和火红色的雾气。眼前的景象让我觉得，我们即将进入这低等世界的威尼斯。当我把这个想法告诉忠实的朋友时，他回答说：“是的，你会在这里找到许多名人，他们的名字用烈火和鲜血书写在他们时代的史册上。”

我们来到了镇上，然后穿过镇上的主要运河和广场，以便我能亲眼看看。

是的，它们就在那里，这些昔日美景的残垣断壁，与艺术家笔下那些因名声显赫而为人熟知的世人遥相呼应。运河蜿蜒流淌，宛如从一片巨大的废墟中涌出的暗红色血流，冲刷着宫殿的大理石台阶，留下浓重污浊的血迹。在我看来，就连建筑和人行道的石头都仿佛渗出鲜血，滴落下来。空气中弥漫着浓重的血红色。在深红色的水面之下，我看到了无数亡灵的骸骨，他们死于暗杀或其他合法的谋杀，尸体最终长眠于这黑暗的波涛之下。在城中密布的地牢里，我看到许多亡灵拥挤在一起，如同被囚禁的野兽——它们闪亮的双眼中闪烁着残暴老虎的凶狠，蜷缩的身躯中流露出被锁链束缚的暴君般的报复心。这些亡灵必须被囚禁，因为它们比野兽还要凶猛。城里的官员和他们的随从，傲慢的贵族带着形形色色的士兵、水手和奴隶，商人、牧师，卑微的市民和渔民，各个阶层、各个时代的男男女女，络绎不绝地来来往往，几乎所有人都同样堕落不堪。repulsive-looking. 当他们来来往往时，我仿佛看到骷髅的手，幽灵般的手臂，从地牢下方的石板缝隙中伸出，试图将其他人拉下来，让他们也承受同样的苦难。他们许多人的脸上都带着一种惊恐、焦虑的神情，仿佛总有一种黑色的忧虑笼罩着他们。

在泻湖深处，幽灵般的战船漂浮着，船上满载着被锁链束缚在桨上的奴隶，但他们之中不再是政治阴谋或私人复仇的无助受害者。这些人是那些曾经的严苛监工、那些将许多人送入这生不如死境地的阴谋家的亡灵。然而，在更远的海面上，我能看到那些巨大的船只；而在更近的废墟港口里，我看到了更多亚得里亚海海盗船的幽灵化身，船上满载着那些以掠夺、劫掠和战争为乐的海盗船员的亡灵，他们如今终日互相争斗，并袭击其他与他们志同道合的人。幽灵般的贡多拉漂浮在城市的水道上，船上的亡灵一心想要继续他们生前的职业和享乐。总之，在这个威尼斯，就像在我见过的其他城市一样，存在着一种类似于尘世的生活，只是这个地方所有善良、纯洁、真诚的人，所有真正的爱国者和无私的公民都消失了，只剩下邪恶的人互相残杀，并像复仇的幽灵一样惩罚他们的犯罪同伙。

我们在一座小桥的栏杆上发现一个男人，他身着希望兄弟会的服饰——一件深灰色长袍，和我早年游历时穿过的款式很像。他双臂交叉抱于胸前，兜帽遮住了他的脸，我们看不清他的五官。但我立刻认出，这就是我们此行要见的人，而且我也认出他是一位威尼斯著名画家，我年轻时曾与他相识，虽然并不算很熟。此后我们再未谋面，我也不知道他已经离世，直到我在这座地狱之城的桥上看到他如此端坐。我承认，认出他让我有些震惊，因为这让我回想起自己年轻时也曾是一名艺术学生，前途一片光明，而如今看到他，想到他的人生究竟经历了怎样的磨难才让他走到今天这一步，我不禁感到震惊。他没有看见我们，于是忠实的朋友提议我们先退到一边，让他给我讲述一下这个幽灵的来历，然后我们再一起上前与他交谈。这个人（我将用他的幽灵名字贝内德托来称呼他，因为他尘世时的事最好还是被遗忘）在我认识他之后似乎迅速成名，画作也卖得相当不错。但如今的意大利已不再富裕，贝内德托最富有的赞助人是来威尼斯旅游的英国人和美国人。在其中一位赞助人的家中，贝内德托遇到了那位将对他一生产生负面影响的女人。他年轻英俊，才华横溢，受过良好的教育，出身于一个古老但贫穷的家族，因此自然而然地受到了威尼斯上流社会的青睐。贝内德托爱上了一位出身名门的女子，年轻气盛的他天真地幻想，她会甘愿嫁给一个除了才华和日渐增长的名声之外一无所有的落魄艺术家。他们初次相遇时，这位女子还不到二十岁，容貌绝美，身材完美，浑身散发着足以俘获男人心的魅力——她百般讨好贝内德托，以至于可怜的年轻人，竟相信她对他的爱和自己一样真挚。然而，尽管她天性渴望赞美和爱慕，却又冷酷无情、精于算计、野心勃勃、世故老练；她既无法理解也无法回应贝内德托这种极端的爱恨情仇。贝内德托的内心只有极致的爱恨。她受宠若惊，被他热烈的爱慕所倾倒，也为自己征服了如此英俊潇洒、才华横溢的人而感到自豪，但她却从未想过要为他牺牲什么。即使在她对他最温柔、最有魅力的时候，她也竭尽全力想要成为一位威尼斯中年贵族的妻子，她垂涎他的财富和地位，却又鄙视他本人。

贝内德托的梦想破灭得太快了。他大胆地将自己的心和所有前途都托付给了他的爱人，向她倾诉了自己灵魂深处所有的爱和奉献。

“那她呢？”

“她对这一切都表现得异常冷淡，斥责他不要犯傻，向他解释了自己离不开金钱和地位的艰难，最后，她对他的痛苦漠不关心，几乎让他发疯，便将他打发走了。他逃离威尼斯，去了巴黎，沉溺于这座繁华都市的种种放荡之中，试图将那段不幸的恋情埋葬。他们几年没有见面，后来，命运再次将贝内德托带回威尼斯。他希望自己已经痊愈，并准备为自己的愚蠢而自责。此时，他已是一位颇有名气的画家，画作的价格几乎可以自己定下来。他发现，那位女士已经嫁给了侯爵，成为了社交名媛和时尚女王，身边围绕着一群仰慕者，而她并不总是觉得有必要把这些人介绍给丈夫。贝内德托原本打算如果再次见到她，就对她冷淡对待，但这并非她本性。”意图。一旦成为她的奴隶，便永远如此——任何爱慕者都不敢挣脱她的枷锁，除非她主动放他走。她再次致力于征服贝内德托的心，唉！当她用充满感情的语气告诉他，她现在多么后悔自己当初的选择时，他的心早已心甘情愿地臣服。于是，贝内德托成了她不为人知的爱人，他一度沉浸在幸福的陶醉之中。但这只是暂时的。这位女士过不了多久就会对所有人感到厌倦，她喜欢新的征服者，喜欢新的奴隶来侍奉她。她喜欢刺激，而贝内德托的嫉妒和永恒的忠诚，让她感到厌烦，他的存在也让她感到疲惫。此外，还有另一位追求者，年轻、富有、英俊，侯爵夫人更喜欢他，并告诉了贝内德托，实际上，他第二次把酒给了他。贝内德托激烈的责备、激烈的抗议和狂怒，都令侯爵夫人十分恼火；侯爵夫人越是冷漠无情，对他的态度就越是傲慢无礼，贝内德托也越是激动。他威胁、恳求，甚至发誓如果侯爵夫人背叛他，他就自杀。最终，在一场激烈的争吵之后，两人分道扬镳，贝内德托回了家。第二天他去拜访侯爵夫人时，仆人告诉他，侯爵夫人拒绝再见他。侯爵夫人如此无礼地拒绝了他，侯爵夫人如此冷酷无情，第二次被像旧手套一样抛弃，这种耻辱感让他难以承受，他回到画室，饮弹自尽。

“当他的灵魂苏醒过来时，他发现自己被囚禁在坟墓的棺材里，这让他感到无比恐惧。他摧毁了自己的肉体，却无法将灵魂从中解脱出来，直到肉体的腐朽才能使灵魂获得自由。那些腐朽肉体的可憎微粒仍然包裹着他的灵魂，二者之间的联系并未断裂。”

“啊，这种命运多么可怕！任何人听到它，都会不寒而栗，难以想象人生苦涩的疲惫和不满，以及不惜一切代价想要摆脱这一切的鲁莽欲望，会将灵魂推入何等深渊。如果世人真的对自杀者仁慈，他们应该火化他的遗体，而不是土葬，这样灵魂才能随着肉体的迅速消散，早日从这牢笼中解脱。自杀者的灵魂尚未准备好离开肉体，它就像未成熟的果实，不会轻易从滋养它的物质之树上掉落。巨大的冲击将它抛了出来，但它仍然依附于此，直到维系它的纽带枯萎凋零。”

“贝内德托时常陷入昏迷，短暂地失去对自身可怕处境的感知。从这种仁慈的遗忘状态中醒来，他发现肉体正一点点地失去对灵魂的束缚，最终化为尘埃。然而，在此过程中，他必须忍受这逐渐消亡带来的全身剧痛。肉体的突然毁灭，虽然会给他的灵魂带来更剧烈、更痛苦的冲击，但至少能让他免受这缓慢腐朽的折磨。最终，物质的躯体不再束缚他的灵魂，他从坟墓中起身，却仍悬在坟墓之上，被束缚着，尽管他已不再被囚禁；随后，最后一根锁链断裂，他得以自由地游荡于尘世。起初，他的听觉、视觉和感觉能力发展得极其微弱，然后逐渐恢复，他开始感知周围的环境。伴随着这些能力的恢复，他尘世生活中的激情和欲望，以及对……的认知也随之而来。他本可以满足他们。如同在尘世间一样，他再次试图在感官的欢愉中忘却悲伤与痛苦。然而，一切徒劳。记忆如影随形，折磨着他。他的灵魂深处涌动着一股强烈的渴望，一股复仇的怒火，渴望拥有让她承受他曾承受的痛苦的力量。最终，这股强烈的欲望驱使他找到了她。他发现她依旧如旧，被一群轻浮的爱慕者簇拥着。她或许年长了一些，但依旧如故，依旧冷酷无情，依旧对他的命运漠不关心，毫不在意。想到自己为了爱上这个女人而遭受的种种苦难，他感到无比疯狂。最终，他所有的思绪都融合在一起，只剩下一个念头：如何才能找到办法把她从现在的位置上拉下来。如何剥夺她所有那些比爱情、荣誉，甚至比那些可能被称为她受害者的生命更珍视的东西？

“他成功了，因为神灵拥有凡人梦寐以求的力量。他一步步地看着她从高位跌落，先是失去财富，然后失去荣誉，剥去了她所有的伪装，让她露出了真面目——一个卑鄙的诱惑者，玩弄男人的灵魂如同掷骰子，毫不在乎自己伤了多少人的心，毁了多少人的人生，也毫不在乎丈夫的荣誉和自己的名声，只要她能将自己的阴谋诡计隐藏在世人的视线之外，并借助每一个新的受害者，在财富和权力上更进一步。”

即使在黑暗和痛苦之中，贝内德托也紧紧地抱着自己，安慰自己说，是他亲手将她拖入深渊，撕下她美丽和世故的面具。她不明白，为什么这么多事情最终都指向同一个结局——她的毁灭。为什么她精心策划的计划总是落空，她最珍视的秘密总是被揭穿，公之于众。她终于开始战栗，害怕每一天会发生什么。仿佛有一股无形的力量，她无法逃脱，正试图将她彻底摧毁。这时，她想起了贝内德托，想起了他临终前的威胁：如果她让他绝望，他就会下地狱，把她也拖进去。她曾以为他想杀了她，当她听说他开枪自杀身亡时，她感到如释重负，很快就忘记了他，除非某些事情让她短暂地想起他。而现在，她总是想着他，无法摆脱这个挥之不去的念头。她开始害怕得浑身发抖，生怕他会从坟墓里爬出来纠缠她。

“而贝内德托的灵魂始终在她身边，在她耳边低语，告诉她这是他最终的复仇。他向她低语着过去，那段曾经甜蜜的爱情，如今却变成了最苦涩的仇恨，如同地狱之火般吞噬着他，而这火焰也将灼烧她的灵魂，让她陷入与他一样的绝望之中。”

“即使她的双眼什么也看不见，她的脑海中仍然萦绕着这挥之不去的阴影。她徒劳地逃往人群，逃往所有男男女女聚集的地方，试图逃离；但这阴影如影随形，如影随形。日复一日，它变得越来越清晰，越来越真实，仿佛成了某种她无法摆脱的存在。”

“终于在一个黄昏昏暗的灰色夜晚，她看到了他，他那双狂野而充满威胁的眼睛，他那炽烈而热烈的仇恨，从他脸上的每一道线条，他身体的每一个动作都显露无疑。这突如其来的惊吓让她本就紧张的神经彻底崩溃，她倒在地上，当场毙命。这时，贝内德托才知道，他成功了，他杀死了她，从此以后，该隐的烙印就烙在了他的额头上。”

“这时，一种对自己的恐惧攫住了他，他憎恨自己所做的一切。他原本打算杀死她，然后等她的灵魂离开躯体后，将她拖入深渊，永远纠缠折磨她，让她无论死活都不得安宁。但现在，他唯一的念头就是逃离自己，逃离成功的恐惧，因为在这个男人心中，善良尚未完全泯灭，而侯爵夫人的死让他彻底认清了自己复仇的本质。于是，他逃离了人间，一路向下，最终来到了这座地狱之城，这才是他这种人最合适的归宿。”

“正是在这里，我找到了他，”忠实的朋友说道，“我帮助了这位如今已悔改的男人，并向他指明了如何才能最好地弥补他所犯下的过错。他现在正等待着他曾经深爱又憎恨的那个女人的到来，以便请求她的原谅，也希望自己能够原谅她。她也被吸引到了这片土地，因为她自己的一生充满了罪孽。他们将在这座与他们尘世爱情故事相似的城市里再次相遇，这就是为什么他会在这座桥上等待她，因为过去她曾多次在这里与他相遇。”

她很快就能见到他吗？

“是的！很快，这个人在这个领域的旅程就将结束，他将自由地进入更高的领域，在那里，他饱受折磨的灵魂最终将得到一段安息的时光，然后再以缓慢而痛苦的步伐攀登通往更高境界的崎岖道路。”

她也会和他一起离开这里吗？

“不，哦不！她也会得到帮助，但她们的道路将截然不同。她们之间没有真正的感情，只有激情、骄傲和受伤的自恋。她们将在此分别，永不再见。”

我们走到贝内德托跟前，我轻轻拍了拍他的肩膀，他吓了一跳，转过身来，但起初并没有认出我。于是我表明了自己的身份，并说，我很荣幸能在更高的境界重续我们昔日的友谊，希望我们很快就能在那里再次相遇。我简单地告诉他，我也曾犯过罪，受过苦，如今正在努力向上攀登。他似乎很高兴见到我，我们道别时，他激动地握紧了我的手。然后，我和这位忠实的朋友离开了，留下他独自坐在桥上，等待着与她最后的会面。她曾是他最亲爱的人，如今却只剩下痛苦的回忆。

当我们从威尼斯前往那片平原的路上——我后来才明白，那片平原是伦巴第平原的精神镜像——我突然被一个凄惨的呼救声吸引住了。我回头向右看去，看到两个幽灵无助地躺在地上，其中一个正做着手势示意我过去。我以为是有人需要帮助，便让同伴继续前行，自己过去看看他有什么事。那个幽灵向我伸出手，低声说着要我扶他起来，我弯下腰去扶他，却没想到他突然用手抓住我的腿，还试图用牙齿咬住我的胳膊。与此同时，另一个幽灵猛地跳起来，像狼一样试图咬住我的喉咙。

坦白说，我费了好大劲，也气愤不已，才挣脱了他们的束缚，正要后退时，却不小心绊了一下，回头一看，发现身后突然出现了一个巨大的深渊，再往后退一步，我肯定会掉进去。

我这才想起之前有人警告过我，不要让低级的欲望被激发，以免与这些生物同流合污。我后悔刚才一时冲动，决心保持冷静。我再次转向那两个黑影，看到我以为受伤的那个正匍匐在地，朝我爬过来；另一个则像一头即将扑向我的野兽，蓄势待发。我目光紧紧锁定他们，认出他们就是之前用假消息欺骗我的那个手枯萎的男人和他的朋友。我目不转睛地盯着他们，竭尽全力地控制自己，不让他们靠近。果然，他们停了下来，翻身倒在地，像两匹狼一样龇牙咧嘴，却再也不敢靠近。于是我告别了他们，急忙追上忠实的朋友——我很快就追上了他——并向他讲述了所发生的事情。

他笑着说：“弗兰切佐，我本来可以告诉你他们是谁，但我认为让你自己去发现并无坏处，这样你也能从中体会到你自身的性格和决心是多么宝贵的保护力量。你天生意志坚定，只要你不用它来凌驾于他人的正当权利之上，这便是一种极其有用且宝贵的品质。你在灵界的工作中已经发现，它是你行动的强大杠杆，不仅可以影响你周围的人，甚至可以影响看似无生命的物质。我想，既然那两个人很可能会不时与你相遇，你最好现在就决定谁应该主导，谁应该成为主导者。他们不会再直接干涉你，但只要你继续在人间活动，你就会发现，一旦机会出现，他们就会伺机破坏你的计划。”

25. 地狱中的一场激战

我们眼前展现出一片广袤无垠、略微起伏的平原，上面有大批黑暗的幽灵在移动。在忠实朋友的建议下，我们登上了一座小山丘，以便观察它们的动向。

“我们现在，”忠实的朋友说道，“即将见证一场在此地展开的大战，交战双方是黑暗的亡灵，他们生前嗜好战争、掠夺和杀戮，如今身处这黑暗之中——这是他们生前残暴和野心的恶果——他们依然彼此交战，争夺这地狱王国的霸权。看啊，他们正在集结兵力，准备攻击我们右侧的敌人，看看他们将在战术中展现出的精湛技艺。那些曾在人间叱咤风云的强者，如今也控制着这里这些无力抵抗其魔咒的不幸生灵，强迫这些弱小的亡灵在他们的旗帜下作战，无论他们是否愿意，就像他们在人间强迫凡人一样。你们将会看到这些强大的首领们展开一场比死亡更残酷的斗争，因为死亡无法终结这场争斗，他们一次又一次地重复着，仿佛永无止境——或者直到……希望这些强权领袖中某一位的内心最终会感到满足，从而渴望更高尚的斗争形式，渴望获得比战胜这些可怜之人更高的精神胜利——因为胜利只会赋予他们新的权利去折磨和压迫战败者。如今被扭曲为个人野心和对残暴与统治的渴望的本能和天赋，一旦得到净化，便能使这些精神成为强大的助力，而非如今的破坏者；同样的意志力，也将推动那些如今被其阻碍的进步。这种进步何时发生，对每个人而言，取决于灵魂本身潜在的高尚品质——唤醒每个人心中沉睡的对善良、正义和真理的爱。虽然这些美好事物的萌芽如同埋藏在土壤中的种子，可能长期被罪恶的重压所掩盖，但每个人终将迎来灵魂觉醒的时刻，这些善的萌芽会萌发出嫩芽，引领人们悔改，并结出丰硕的美德和善行的果实。“

我们俯瞰着广袤的平原，只见两支强大的灵体大军列阵对峙。我四处可见强大的灵体，各自率领着自己的队伍，如同尘世的军队一般。在对峙双方的最前列，是两位威严的生物，他们给我留下了深刻的印象，仿佛是弥尔顿笔下路西法的原型。他们所展现的力量和智慧如此强大，令人叹为观止。他们各自拥有某种俊美的身姿和威严的气质——即便身处地狱的堕落之中，也依然散发着王者般的威严——然而，这美却如同凶猛的猛虎或狮子，伺机撕碎自己的军队，将猎物拖入巢穴。他们面容阴沉，令人望而生畏；他们目光锐利，闪烁着残忍的光芒；他们脸上挂着虚假的笑容，露出锋利的牙齿，如同猛兽一般。他们的眼神中透着蛇的狡诈，笑容中透着秃鹫般无情的饥饿。他们各自乘坐着战车，这战车并非由骏马拉动，而是由堕落之人的亡灵牵引。他们鞭策着亡灵如同牲畜般向前冲锋，疯狂地奔腾，最终像牲畜一样在混战中被践踏。狂野的乐声如同受诅咒灵魂的哀嚎和狂风暴雨的雷鸣，从集结的军队中迸发而出。他们猛然向前冲锋，互相冲撞——有的在空中飞驰，有的在地面上拖行。他们推搡、奔腾、碰撞、践踏，如同野兽群一般——他们冲锋陷阵，彼此交锋，凶猛的叫喊、怒吼和诅咒撕裂空气，令地狱更加骇人。这些亡灵幽灵大军，如同生前战场上的厮杀一般，一次又一次地发起冲锋，一次又一次地变换阵型，一次又一次地行军，一次又一次地反击。他们如同恶魔般搏斗，而非人类，因为他们除了野兽的利齿和利爪之外，别无武器。如果说使用凡人武器的战斗已是惨烈，那么这场战斗则更加残酷，因为他们如同狼虎一般厮杀——两位强大的首领指挥着这群亡灵，激励着他们奋勇向前，并随着战局的涨落左右着战斗的走向。

这两个阴沉威严的幽灵高耸于众人之上，如今它们不再满足于让各自的部下互相厮杀，而是决心将对方彻底消灭。它们从混战的人群中腾空而起，翱翔于众人之上，目光中充满了最致命的仇恨——随后，它们展开黑色长袍，如同双翼般在空中飞舞，为了争夺霸主地位而激烈搏斗。这景象如同两只雄鹰在空中搏斗，而一群乌鸦则在它们脚下为了争夺虫子而互相厮杀。我转过身，不再关注乌鸦，而是注视着那两只雄鹰，它们赤手空拳，凭借着强大的意志力，如同野兽在森林中一般搏斗。

他们一声不吭，没有叫喊，只是死死地紧紧抓住对方，谁也不肯松手，在我们面前的空中摇晃。一会儿一个向上，一会儿另一个向上，他们凶狠的目光如同燃烧的利箭般互相刺穿——灼热的呼吸灼烧着彼此的脸庞——手指紧紧掐住对方的喉咙，都想找机会用牙齿咬住对方。他们前后摇晃，上下翻滚，在我看来，这是一场生死搏斗。最终，其中一人似乎败下阵来。他沉入另一人的身下，后者正把他摔向地面，我看到，那人正要把他扔下战场边缘岩石间的深渊——一个深不见底、黑暗可怕的深坑，他打算把战败者扔进去，囚禁起来。这场搏斗激烈而漫长，下方的那一个不肯放弃，死死抓住另一个不放，想把他一起拖下去。但一切都是徒劳。他的力量正在迅速消退，当他们到达那道漆黑的深渊，悬在深渊之上时，我看到上方的那个拼尽全力挣脱束缚，将下方的那个甩了下去，坠入那可怕的深渊。

我打了个寒颤，转过身去，看到平原上战斗同样激烈。那些幽灵般的队伍交战了，胜利将军的军队击退了战败的敌人，直到他们溃不成军，四散奔逃，留下受伤的同伴像尘世战场上的伤员一样躺在战场上，而胜利者则拖着俘虏离开，至于他们的命运如何，我倒也心知肚明。

我厌恶他们的残暴，恨不得立刻离开这里。但忠实的朋友拍了拍我的肩膀，说道：“朋友，现在是我们行动的时候了。我们下去看看有没有人需要帮助。在那些倒下的亡魂和战败者中，我们或许能找到像你一样厌倦战争及其恐怖的人，他们会非常乐意得到我们的帮助。”于是，我们下到了平原。

这里就像夜幕降临后的战场，只剩下伤亡者。其他亡灵如同邪恶的鸟群，四处觅食腐肉。我站在一群痛苦呻吟、扭动挣扎的亡灵中间，不知该从何下手——他们实在太多了。这里比任何凡人间的战场都要惨烈千倍。我曾在故乡的街道上见过死者和垂死之人，他们如同落叶般密密麻麻地躺在那里，我的心为他们痛不欲生，羞愧和愤怒燃烧，无法接受这样的惨剧；但即便如此，至少死亡的安宁和睡眠可以减轻痛苦，至少还有希望去帮助那些仍然活着的人。然而，在这里——在这可怕的地狱里——似乎没有任何希望，没有任何死亡能够解救这些受苦之人，也没有任何黎明能够驱散他们苦难的黑夜。如果他们复活了，难道不会再次过上这种可怕的生活，永远被这可怕的黑夜和凶猛的人类野兽所包围吗？

我弯下腰，试图抬起躺在我脚边呻吟的可怜人的头——他被压得喘不过气来，灵魂仿佛变成了一团没有形状的肉块——就在这时，一个神秘的声音在我耳边响起，说道：

“即便身处地狱，亦有希望，否则你为何而来？黎明前总是最黑暗的时刻，而对于这些战败者和堕落者而言，转变的时刻已经到来。正是导致他们被压迫和践踏的原因，如今也将使他们重获新生。对更高更美好事物的渴望，以及对周遭邪恶的畏惧，使他们在地狱及其居民的邪恶力量面前变得软弱，使他们犹豫不决，不敢像其他野蛮无耻之徒那样，以残暴之力去伤害他人。因此，他们被压迫和征服。然而，他们在此世权力的丧失，将为他们开启通往更高境界的大门，在那里，他们将看到更高希望的灰色微光。不要为他们哀悼，而应努力减轻他们的痛苦，让他们沉入死亡的沉睡，在下一个境界醒来，获得新生。”

“那么，”我问道，“我亲眼看到被扔进黑暗深渊的那个强大的灵魂呢？”

“他终有一天也会得到帮助，但他的灵魂尚未成熟，现在尝试帮助他是没有用的。”

那声音消失了，我身边的忠实朋友向我比划着手势，告诉我如何安抚这些疲惫的人入睡，并指着聚集在那片痛苦之地的无数星光告诉我，这些星光是由我们兄弟会的成员带来的，他们和我们一样，被召唤到这里，肩负着爱与怜悯的使命。

不久，那些扭动呻吟的身影便陷入了昏迷。随后不久，我看到了一幅奇异而美妙的景象。每个寂静的身影上方都升起一层淡淡的雾气，如同我之前救起一个亡灵时所见的那般，正如我之前所说。渐渐地，这些雾气凝结成形，化作了被释放的亡灵或灵魂的模样，然后，一队队聚集在我们头顶的明亮灵体将它们带走，直到最后一个亡灵消失，我们和它们的使命也随之完成。

26. 告别黑暗之地

我这才意识到，那些和我一样一直在帮助受伤灵魂的希望兄弟会成员，都和我属于同一个组织。他们正聚集在一起，我们每个人手中的小星星灯，看起来就像黑暗中的希望之光。我和忠实的朋友也加入了他们的行列，很快便互相问候、互相祝贺，就像一支即将凯旋归来的士兵队伍。

在我们再次穿过环绕这片区域的烈焰之环之前，我们队伍的首领带领我们登上了一座高耸的岩石尖峰，从那里我们可以俯瞰那片黑暗之地的城市、平原和山脉，我们每个人都曾在朝圣之旅中穿过这片土地。站在那座山峰之上，我们可以俯瞰脚下铺展开来的地狱全景。然后，他用庄严肃穆的语气对我们说道：

“我们所看到的景象，只是人们常说的‘地狱’的一小部分，非常小的一部分。”在这之上，存在着黑暗的球体，许多人或许认为它们名副其实，直到他们亲眼目睹此地，并了解灵魂究竟能堕落到何种地步，以及在这个球体中罪恶与苦难的恐怖程度。构成这最低层地球球体的庞大暗物质带，环绕着我们绵延数百万英里，它接纳了无数罪孽深重的灵魂。这些灵魂曾在地球上度过物质生命，他们的存在可以追溯到遥远的远古时代，那时地球开始孕育有意识的不朽者，注定要犯罪、受苦，并努力寻求各自的救赎，直到他们彻底摆脱尘世的污秽——摆脱低级本性的一切玷污。这些灵魂的数量如同天上的繁星和海洋中的沙粒一般众多，并将永远存在。正如每个人都在更高或更低的球体中建造自己的居所一样，这片广袤的球体也充满了居民，遍布着无数的住所和城市。形成。

“凡人甚至连自己的思想都无法企及，那里存在着无数的灵界居所，每一处地方都带有创造它的灵体的独特印记。正如地球上无数的生命中没有两张完全相同的面孔，没有两个完全相同的心灵一样，灵界也没有两个完全相同的地方。每一处地方——甚至每一个灵界——都是创造它的特定灵体类别的独立创造，而那些心灵相通的人在灵界中彼此吸引，因此每一处地方都会或多或少地带有其居民的独特印记。”

因此，在描述这个或任何其他领域时，你自然只能讲述你所看到的，描述那些吸引你的地方；而另一个看到同一领域不同部分的灵魂，可能会做出截然不同的描述。以至于地球上的人们，那些凡事都过于局限，并以自身概率标准来衡量一切的人，会说既然你们对同一领域的描述不同，那么你们俩肯定都是错的。他们忘记了罗马不是热那亚、米兰或威尼斯，但它们都在意大利。里昂不是巴黎，但它们都在法国——而且它们都具有某些特征，某些相似的民族特性。或者，进一步延伸这个比喻，纽约和君士坦丁堡都是地球上的城市，但它们及其居民之间存在着如此巨大的差异，如此巨大的鸿沟，以至于我们不再需要寻找民族特性，而只需关注一个普遍的事实：它们都居住着人类，尽管在习俗和外貌上存在着巨大的差异。

“现在，我希望你们每个人都能注意到，在你们所有的漂泊中——在你们所见的所有悲惨景象中——在你们所认识的所有不幸的人身上，他们都匍匐在自己罪恶的深渊中，但仍然存在着人类灵魂的种子，这些种子永不熄灭，永不摧毁。我相信，你们每个人都已经明白，无论灵魂的考验多么漫长——无论它如何因其力量的扭曲而大大延缓其解脱的时刻——每个人都被赋予了不可剥夺的希望的权利，每个人最终都会迎来觉醒的时刻，那些沉沦到最低谷的人将会崛起，就像钟摆摆到极限位置后会再次摆回它曾经下落的高度一样。”

罪孽深重的灵魂，必将为放纵罪恶付出惨痛的代价。然而，一旦偿还，便无需再承受这般清算；没有冷酷无情的债主，对祷告充耳不闻，也不会对悔改的浪子说：“走吧，你的末日已定，救赎的时刻已逝。” 哦，怀抱希望的弟兄们！人怎能以如此渺小的身躯去衡量全能者的力量？祂的道路远超人所能测度。人怎能限制祂的怜悯，断言无论罪孽多么深重，祂都不能赦免任何罪人？唯有上帝才能定罪，唯有祂才能赦免。祂的声音在万物中向我们呼喊，在每一株生长的草叶中，在每一缕闪耀的光芒中：“我们的上帝是何等的恩慈和怜悯！祂是何等的忍耐，何等的不轻易发怒！”他的声音如同号角般响亮，通过众多天使和侍奉的灵体，呼唤所有悔改并寻求怜悯的人：怜悯永远赐予——完全而白白的赦免，赐予所有真心寻求并努力赢得它的人。即使在坟墓之外，即使在地狱之门之内，怜悯和赦免依然存在，希望和爱依然向所有人敞开。注入人体内并成为有意识的活生生个体的不朽灵魂，没有一丝一毫会真正消失，彻底走向毁灭或永恒的痛苦。那些教导人相反道理的人是错误的，我几乎要说他们是罪人，因为他们这样做会关闭人们希望之门，使迷途的灵魂更加绝望，因为在他们看来，死亡已经为他们的命运盖上了最终的诅咒印记。我希望你们每个人在返回人间时，都能将你们在漂泊旅途中所领悟的真理宣扬给世人，并竭力使每个人都能感受到希望，并意识到趁着还有时间，应当慎重行事。人若能在尘世间弥补过错，远比等到死亡将自己与那些他想要赎罪的人隔开要容易得多。

“你所见的那些地狱，都是人类自身罪恶生活的后果——是他们过去所作所为的产物——无论是在人间还是在宇宙中。无论你觉得周围的环境多么可怕，那里的一切都是灵魂自身的创造。无论你对这些生物的灵性面貌感到多么震惊，你都必须记住，他们如今的模样都是他们自己造就的。上帝没有给任何人的负担增加一丝一毫，每个人都必须同样努力去弥补自己所犯下的罪行，重建自己所摧毁的，净化自己所玷污的。那时，这些悲惨的居所，这些堕落的形体——这些可怕的环境——将被更光明、更幸福的景象——更纯洁的身体——更宁静的家园所取代。最终，当时机成熟，人间和宇宙中的善战胜恶时，邪恶的景象和邪恶的地方将像海面上的泡沫一样被扫除。”被涌来的潮水席卷，纯净的生命之水将流淌过这些地方，净化它们，直到这些漆黑的山脉、这浓重的空气、这些污秽的居所，都在悔改的烈火中融化，如同坚硬的花岗岩在化学家的坩埚中熔化，最终消散于大气，飘散到别处，形成新的岩石。没有什么会真正消失，没有什么会真正毁灭。万物皆不朽。今天被你的身体吸引的那些原子，明天又会被抛出去，永恒地构成其他天体，正如人类精神本质的这些流溢物构成了地球的球体一样。当不再有足够的磁场将构成低层球体的这些粗糙粒子维系在一起时，这些原子就会脱离地球及其球体在无垠宇宙以太中疾驰的旅程，悬浮在以太中，直到被吸引到另一个球体结构相近、其精神居民也处于同样粗糙层面的星球。同样，这些岩石和这片土地在过去都曾构成过其他行星的低层球体，而这些行星如今已经发展得过于发达，无法再吸引它们。当地球不再吸引它们时，它们就会被吸引出去，构成其他行星的球体。

“同样，我们更高层次的领域也由更为虚幻的物质构成，但这些物质仍然是物质，它们远在我们之前就已从其他星球的领域中脱离出来。同样地，这些原子将被我们留下，并最终被我们的后继者重新吸收。没有什么会消失，没有什么会被浪费，没有什么是真正意义上的新事物。所谓的新事物，只不过是已存在之物的新组合，而其本质是永恒的。我们最终将达到何种发展高度，我不得而知——无人能够知晓，因为我们的知识和进步没有极限。但我相信，如果我们能够预见我们这颗小星球的最终命运（正如我们能够从周围更先进的星球上部分地判断的那样），我们就应该学会将地球上最漫长的生命，以及这些黑暗领域中最漫长、最悲惨的考验，都视为人类最终登上天使宝座的垫脚石。”

“我们所能看到的——我们所知道的、并且能够领悟的——是一个伟大而永恒的真理：希望是永恒的，进步永远是可能的，即使是最卑微、最堕落、罪孽最深重的灵魂。我们希望你们每个人在返回地球，继续你们在那里的工作时，都能将这个伟大的真理传播给凡人和不朽的人类。既然你们曾得到帮助、力量和教导，那么你们也应该感受到感恩的义务和宇宙兄弟情谊的纽带，从而帮助他人。”

“现在让我们告别这片黑暗之地，不是为它的悲伤和罪恶而悲伤，而是怀着希望，为所有仍在苦难和罪恶枷锁中的人们的未来虔诚祈祷。”

当我们的伟大领袖结束演讲时，我们最后一次眺望了黑暗之国，然后下山，再次穿过火环，和以前一样，凭借我们强大的意志力，火环在我们两侧被击退，使我们能够安全地通过。

我的地狱王国之旅就此结束。

第四部分 “穿过黄金之门”。

27. 欢迎归来——魔镜——尘世之城——悔恨之地——幻影迷雾谷——安息之所

当我们返回黎明之地时，受到了兄弟会的热烈欢迎，并为我们举办了盛大的庆祝活动。

我们各自走进自己的小房间，发现都已备好了一件新长袍。长袍呈浅灰色，近乎白色，边缘、腰带以及我们所属骑士团的标志——左袖上的锚和星——均为深金黄色。

我无比珍爱这件新衣，因为在灵界，衣裳象征着灵魂的修为，代表着每个人所达到的境界。然而，比这件新衣更令我珍爱的，是一圈纯白灵玫瑰，它们簇拥着我爱人的神奇画像，将其框在中间——这幅画像永不凋零，永不褪色。当我躺在雪白的沙发上，眺望着远处宁静的山峦，晨曦初露，玫瑰的芬芳便萦绕在我身边。

一位朋友前来召唤我参加庆典，将我从沉思中唤醒。步入大厅，我发现父亲和几位旅伴已在那里等候。我们激动地互相问候，享用了一顿与我初次踏入此世时描述的类似的盛宴后，我们聚集在大厅的尽头，面前是一幅巨大的灰金色帷幔，它完全遮蔽了四面墙壁。

在我们满怀期待地等待着即将看到的景象时，一阵轻柔的乐声仿佛乘着微风飘来。乐声渐渐增强、饱满、清晰，最终汇成一段庄严肃穆的乐章，如同军队的进行曲。这并非凯旋或欢庆的进行曲，而是巨人军队为悼念逝去的战友而奏响的哀乐，如此恢弘，如此饱含深情。

随后，帷幕缓缓拉开，一面巨大的黑色抛光大理石镜映入眼帘。音乐也随之变换，依旧庄严宏伟，却带着一丝不和谐。节奏也变得摇摆不定，仿佛步履蹒跚，步履蹒跚，犹豫不决。

随后，周围的空气渐渐昏暗下来，我们几乎看不清彼此的脸；光线慢慢消失，最后我们只能看到那面巨大镜子光滑的黑色表面，镜子里映出了我们探险队两名成员的身影。他们动了起来，说了话，他们周围的景色也渐渐清晰起来，就像我们离开的地狱里看到的那样。那诡异的音乐直击我的灵魂深处，看着眼前上演的这出戏，我忘记了自己身在何处——我忘记了一切——仿佛再次徘徊在地狱的黑暗深渊中。

画面逐渐融合，直至我们目睹了我们团队中每个人的种种经历，从最底层的成员到我们的领袖——最后一幕是全体成员聚集在山顶，聆听我们指挥官的告别演说；如同希腊悲剧中的合唱队，狂野的音乐似乎伴随着这一切，并为其配上了诠释，随着剧情的跌宕起伏而变化，时而悲伤哀愁，时而宁静祥和或凯旋而归，时而哀嚎啜泣，时而尖叫，时而化作轻柔的摇篮曲，仿佛某个可怜的获救灵魂终于安息——随后又升腾起狂野的喧嚣，激昂的战斗呐喊，沙哑的诅咒和咒骂；时而如汹涌澎湃的旋律，时而又在不和谐的断奏中消逝。最终，当最后一幕上演时，音乐化作无比柔美的哀婉旋律，一个音符渐渐消散。随着黑暗消散，帷幔滑过黑色的镜子，我们都松了一口气，心怀感激地转过身，互相祝贺我们在黑暗之地的徘徊已经结束。

我问父亲这种效果是如何产生的，是错觉还是什么？

“我的孩子，”他回答说，“你所看到的只是科学知识的应用，仅此而已。这面镜子经过特殊处理，能够接收并反射一系列薄金属片投射到其上的影像，或者更确切地说，是地球上金属的灵性对应物。这些金属片经过高度敏感化处理，能够接收并保留这些影像，其方式有点像留声机（就像你在地球上看到的那种）接收并保留声波一样。”

“当你们在那些黑暗的领域中漫游时，你们与这件仪器建立了磁性联系，每个人的冒险经历都被转移到这些敏感的纸张上，而你们每个人的情感都使音乐和文学领域的声波以相应的共鸣音调振动。

“你们属于艺术、音乐和文学的领域，因此你们能够看到、感受到并理解这些领域的振动。在灵界，所有的情感、言语或事件都会以客观的形式再现，并对于那些与之和谐共鸣的人来说，会变成图像、旋律或口述故事。灵界是由灵魂的思想和行动创造的，因此每一个行为或思想都会形成其在灵性层面的物质对应物。在这个领域，你们会发现许多地球上的人类尚未知晓的事物，许多奇妙的发明，它们终将传入地球，并以物质形式呈现。但是，看啊！你们即将获得那根棕榈枝，这是赐予你们每个人的胜利奖赏。”

这时，大厅的大门再次敞开，我们的大宗师走了进来，身后跟着的还是之前那群英俊的青年，只是这次他们手中拿着的不是月桂花环，而是一根棕榈枝。大宗师在他的华盖下落座后，我们每个人都被召到他面前领取棕榈枝。领完棕榈枝后，我们回到各自的位置，齐声高唱起一首欢快的胜利赞歌。我们手中的棕榈枝随着音乐的节奏摇曳，欢快的歌声响彻云霄，充满了胜利的喜悦。

我享受了一段漫长而宁静的休息时光，这种状态很像那种半梦半醒的状态，心神宁静到几乎无法思考，却又对周围的一切保持着完全的意识。这种状态持续了数周，之后我彻底从黑暗领域游荡的影响中恢复过来。

我首先想到的就是去看望我的爱人，看看她是否能见到我，是否能注意到我容光焕发的样子。不过，我并不想过多赘述我们相见的情景；那份喜悦只属于我们自己——我只想说明，死亡并不必然终结我们对逝者的感情，也不会让我们与他们分享喜怒哀乐。

我发现，我现在能够通过她自身的通灵能力与她更好地沟通，因此我们不需要任何第三方介入和帮助我们，她的甜蜜关爱以及她对我的存在和持续存在的有意识的认知，使我的劳动变得轻松愉快。

此时，我的工作再次回到了人间，来到了那些我在地狱见过的对应城市。我必须在熙熙攘攘的凡人和亡灵之间奔走，让他们感受到我在遥远地狱深处所见的景象。我知道我只能让他们隐约有所察觉，只能稍微唤醒他们沉睡已久的恐惧——害怕因眼前的恶行而遭受惩罚，但这总归是有益的，至少能阻止一些人彻底沉溺于自私的享乐之中。此外，在那些被困于人间的亡灵中，我发现许多人可以借助我在旅途中获得的知识和力量去帮助他们。

对于那些在地球上工作的人来说，工作永远都有，也永远都必须有充足的工作，因为尽管那里的工人很多，但总是需要更多的人，因为每时每刻都有人离开地球，他们需要一切可以给予的帮助。

就这样，几个月过去了，我又开始感到那种久违的躁动不安，渴望提升自己，超越迄今为止的成就，更接近我挚爱之人结束尘世生命后将要前往的境界。唯有达到那个境界，我才能在灵界与她重聚。那时，我常常饱受煎熬，害怕我的爱人会在我提升到她灵性层面之前离开人世，那样我又将与她分离。

正是这种恐惧一直驱使我不断努力，不断战胜自我，而如今，它甚至让我对已取得的进步感到不满。我知道自己克服了许多困难，努力提升自己，进步神速，然而尽管如此，我仍然饱受嫉妒和猜疑之苦，这些情绪源于我的本性和人生阅历。

甚至有时我会开始怀疑我爱人的忠贞。尽管她给了我许多爱的证明，我仍然害怕，在我离开她的这段时间里，会不会有另一个活生生的人最终夺走她的爱。

就这样，我差点因为自己那不配的欲望——想要不停地注视她——而变得无法自拔。啊！你们这些认为灵魂在消亡的那一刻就改变了所有思想和欲望的人，对死后的世界是多么的懵懂无知啊！你们对死后世界的境况又是多么的陌生啊！我们改变在尘世养成的思维习惯是多么的缓慢，它们在灵界又是多么的根深蒂固啊！

那时我的性格和我在地球上时差不多，只是稍微好一点，只是逐渐认识到我的想法是错误的，充满了偏见，这是一个我们可以在许多领域不断学习的教训，比我所达到的任何领域都要高。

即使我心存疑虑和恐惧，我也为自己的疑虑感到羞愧，并且知道这些疑虑是多么不公正，但我却无法摆脱它们；我尘世的生活经历教会了我猜疑和不信任，而尘世生活的阴影并非那么容易消除。

就在我自我折磨的时候，阿林齐曼来到我身边，告诉我如何才能摆脱过去这些挥之不去的阴影。

“离这里不远的地方，”他说，“有一个地方叫做悔恨之地；如果你去那里，这段旅程对你大有裨益，因为一旦你翻越了那里的山丘和山谷，克服了那里的种种困难，你尘世生活的真正本质和所犯的错误就会清晰地显现出来，这将成为你灵魂进步的一大途径。这样的旅程的确会充满痛苦和悲伤，因为你将看到你过去行为的全貌，那些你已经部分赎罪的行为，你却还没有像更高层次的灵性智慧那样看待它们。”

“很少有来自地球的人真正意识到促使他们行动的真正动机；许多人甚至要过很多年，有的甚至几个世纪，才能领悟到这一点。他们会为自己的罪行辩解，并以此来说服自己的良心。而我所说的这片土地，对于启迪他们来说非常有益。然而，这段旅程必须是自愿的，这样才能缩短他们进步的岁月。”

“在那片土地上，人们的生活如同一幅幅画卷，映照在奇妙的精神氛围中，为他们揭示诸多失败的根源；也展现出潜藏于他们内心深处、塑造其人生轨迹的微妙因素。你将经历一场严峻而深刻的自我审视——一次对自身本性、对自我的痛苦体验，但即便痛苦，它也是一剂良药，能极大地治愈你灵魂中那些如同瘴气般萦绕不去的尘世疾病。”

“告诉我，”我回答说，“这片土地在哪里，我就会去那里。”

阿林齐曼带我爬上一座远处昏暗的山丘，我从我的小房间的窗户就能看到这座山。他领着我，俯瞰着一片广阔的平原，平原四周环绕着远处另一片山脉，然后说道：

“越过远处的山峦，便是我所说的这片奇妙之地。大多数生前饱受苦难和悔恨之苦的人，都会途经此地。那些犯下微不足道的错误，如同世间常见的弱点之人，则无需经过此地；他们可以通过其他途径认识到自身错误的根源。这片土地尤其适合像你这样意志坚定、力量强大的人，你能够坦然认清并承认自己的过错，从而走向更好的未来。如同强效的补品，这片土地对于某些意志薄弱、误入歧途的灵魂而言或许过于沉重，他们只会因过早地、鲜明地认识到自己的罪孽而感到崩溃、不知所措、灰心丧气；这样的灵魂必须循序渐进地引导，而你，心怀勇气，越早看清并认清束缚灵魂的枷锁，就越能迅速地觉醒。”

“我需要很长时间才能完成这段旅程吗？”

不，这只会持续很短的时间——相当于地球上的两到三周——因为当我向你展示这景象时，我看到你归来的灵魂的影像紧随其后，这表明这两件事之间并没有很长的间隔。在灵界，时间不是以天、周或小时来计算的，我们判断一件事需要多久才能完成，或者某件事何时发生，是通过观察它看起来是近是远，以及即将发生的事件的影子是否触及地球，还是仍然远离地球——然后我们尽可能地根据地球的标准来判断它对应的时间。即使是我们中最智慧的人，也未必总能做到完全准确；因此，与地球上的朋友沟通的人最好不要给出预见事件的确切日期，因为许多事情都可能干扰事件的发生，从而导致日期不准确。一件事情可能看起来近在眼前，但它不会继续以同样的速度向凡人发生，而是会被延迟、搁置，有时甚至会被比引发它的力量更强大的力量完全改变方向。

我感谢了向导的建议，然后我们告别了。我急于继续我的旅程，所以谈话后不久，我就踏上了新的征程。

我发现这次的行进速度远不如以往在灵界的旅程那样迅捷，因为我背负着过往罪孽的重担，如同朝圣基督徒背负的重物一般，几乎将我压垮，使我行动缓慢而吃力。如同朝圣者一般，我身着粗糙的灰色长袍，赤着双脚，头戴帽子。因为在灵界，你的心境决定了你的衣着和环境，而我当时的感觉就像是披着麻布，头上披着尘土。

当我终于翻越了远处那些朦胧的山丘，眼前展现的是一片广袤的沙原——一片巨大的沙漠——我看到我尘世生活的贫瘠沙砾散落在其中。这里没有树木，没有灌木，没有一丝绿色可供栖息，也没有清澈的泉水像幸福的希望般闪耀在我们眼前。即使我们想要休憩，也找不到一丝荫凉可以庇护我们疲惫的身躯。那些穿越这片沙漠，寻求彼岸安宁的人们，他们的生命中缺乏真挚、纯粹、无私的爱，也缺乏那种唯有自我牺牲才能让沙漠绽放玫瑰，让清澈甘甜的泉水在他们的道路旁涌流的自我牺牲精神。

我来到这片荒凉的沙地，沿着一条似乎通往另一侧山丘的狭窄小路前行。我背负的重物几乎让我难以忍受，我渴望放下它——但徒劳无功；我一刻也无法卸下。滚烫的沙子仿佛灼烧着我的双脚，每一步都异常艰难，疼痛难忍。我缓缓前行，过往的记忆和所有我认识的人的身影在我眼前浮现。这些画面仿佛就在我眼前，又像沙漠中旅人所见的海市蜃楼般漂浮在空中。

如同消融的景象，它们彼此交融，逐渐展现出新的画面。我曾相遇、相识的朋友或陌生人，都在这些画面中浮现。那些早已被我遗忘的、我曾对他们说过的刻薄话语，如今却像一排责备的队伍，在我面前排成一列——我曾让别人流下的眼泪，那些比任何拳头都更尖锐、更难承受的残酷言语，我曾用它们伤害过身边人的感情。过去无数卑劣的念头和自私的行为——那些早已被我搁置、遗忘或原谅的——如今又一次在我眼前浮现，一幅幅画面，直到最后，我被眼前的景象彻底淹没，崩溃了。我抛弃了所有的骄傲，跪倒在地，痛哭流涕，那是羞愧和悲伤的泪水。当我的眼泪落在滚烫干燥的沙地上时，我周围长出了像白色星星一样的小花，每一朵蜡质的小花心都带着一滴露珠，因此，我悲伤地瘫倒的地方变成了这片疲惫沙漠中的一片美丽绿洲。

我摘了几朵小花，放在胸前，作为对那地方的纪念，然后起身继续前行。令我惊讶的是，那些照片已经不见了，但在我面前，我看到一个女人抱着一个小孩，小孩的重量似乎超出了她的力量，孩子因为疲惫和恐惧而哭闹不止。

我赶紧上前，主动提出抱抱这个可怜的小家伙，因为他那张惊恐的小脸和疲惫地垂着的脑袋让我心疼不已。那女人盯着我看了一会儿，然后把孩子放在我怀里。我用睡袍的一角盖住他，可怜的小家伙很快就安静地睡着了。女人告诉我，孩子是她的，但她生前对孩子并没有多少感情。 “事实上，”她说，“我根本不想要孩子。我不喜欢孩子，这个孩子出生后，我感到厌烦，对他疏于照顾。后来，他渐渐长大，（当时我认为）顽皮又惹人厌，我就打他，把他关在黑屋子里，对他很严厉，很不爱惜。最后，他五岁的时候死了，不久之后我也死于同样的疾病。自从我来到灵界，那个孩子就一直缠着我，最后有人建议我踏上这段旅程，带着他一起走，因为我无法摆脱他的存在。”

“难道你对这个可怜的小家伙一点儿感情都没有吗？”

“嗯，不！我不能说我已经爱上他了，也许我永远也不会像有些母亲那样真正爱他，事实上，我就是那种根本不应该当母亲的女人——至少目前为止，我的母性本能还很匮乏。我不爱这个孩子，但我现在后悔当初对他不够好，我意识到，我之前自以为是出于责任感，想要好好抚养他，纠正他的缺点，其实只是我发脾气和照顾他带来的烦躁情绪的借口。我明白自己做错了，也明白自己为什么会做错，但我不能说我对这个孩子有多爱。”

“你要带着他一起走完你的旅程吗？”我问道，心中充满对这个可怜的、无人疼爱的小家伙的怜悯，我俯身亲吻他，我的眼皮也渐渐沉重起来，因为我想起了我在人间的爱人，她会把这样的孩子视作多么珍贵的宝贝，她会多么温柔地呵护他。我亲吻他的时候，他用小小的胳膊搂住我的脖子，半睡半醒地对我露出一个笑容，那笑容本该直击女人的心。就在这时，她的表情放松了一些，语气也比之前更加温柔：

“我相信我只需要再带他走一小段路，然后他就会被带到一个有很多像他一样的孩子的地方，那里的父母不关心他们，他们由喜爱孩子的精灵照顾。”

“我很高兴这么想，”我说。然后我们一起继续艰难地走了一段路，直到来到一小片岩石旁，那里有一个小水潭，我们就坐在水潭边休息。没过多久我就睡着了，醒来时，那女人和孩子已经走了。

我起身继续前行，不久便抵达了山脚下。这座山峰是由我的骄傲和野心筑成的。山路崎岖险峻，几乎没有可以落脚的地方，让人感觉这些因自私的骄傲而堆积起来的巨石难以逾越。攀登的过程中，我意识到自己也曾参与建造这些巨石，我的骄傲曾将多少“原子”送入山中，才使得我如今遇到的这些困难更加难以克服。

我们当中很少有人真正了解自己内心的秘密。我们常常认为，比起单纯的自我膨胀，一种更高尚的抱负才是激励我们努力超越那些在人生战场上准备不足的同胞的动力。

我羞愧地回顾过去，意识到一块又一块巨石象征着我曾为那些软弱的兄弟们设置的绊脚石，他们卑微粗糙的努力，在我看来，为了所有真正的艺术，只配被迅速消灭。我渴望重活一次，这样我就可以做得更好，去鼓励我曾经谴责过的人，去帮助我曾经摧毁过的人。

我对自己要求苛刻，一心追求卓越，以至于从未对自己的任何努力感到满意——即便同伴们的掌声雷动，即便我已从所有竞争者中脱颖而出，摘得桂冠——我也自认为有资格要求所有学习我精湛技艺的人达到同样的高标准。在我看来，那些在伟大大师面前如同婴孩般稚嫩的苦苦挣扎者，他们的努力毫无价值。天赋和才华，我真心钦佩，坦诚欣赏，但对于安于现状的平庸之辈，我却毫无同情；我从未想过要帮助他们。那时我并不知道，那些微弱的才能如同细小的种子，虽然在尘世间永远无法长成任何有价值的东西，却会在来世绽放出完美的花朵。在我年轻的时候，当我初尝成功的滋味，在我人生彻底崩塌之前，我曾满怀最狂野、最雄心勃勃的梦想。虽然后来的岁月里，悲伤和失望让我对别人的奋斗有了些许怜悯，但我却始终无法真正对平庸之辈及其挣扎感同身受。如今我意识到，正是缺乏这种同情心，才让我的傲慢如山，堆积成如此巨大的障碍。

得知此事后，我悲痛欲绝，懊悔不已。我环顾四周，希望能找到比我更弱小的人，或许现在伸出援手还为时不晚。我抬头望去，只见在这条崎岖的道路上，一位年轻人几乎精疲力竭，拼命攀爬着这些岩石。这些岩石是家族的骄傲和跻身贵族富豪行列的野心为他堆积而成——为了这份骄傲，他牺牲了所有最亲近的人。他紧紧抓住一块突出的岩石，筋疲力竭，似乎随时都会松手坠落。

我大声喊他坚持住，然后爬到他身边，费了好大劲才把他拖到岩石顶上。我的力气显然是他的两倍，所以很乐意帮助他，以此来缓解我过去伤害过那么多弱小心灵的愧疚感。

当我们到达山顶坐下来休息时，我发现自己被尖锐的石头划得遍体鳞伤。但我同时也发现，在攀登的过程中，我那自私的骄傲重担已然卸下，消失无踪。回望我攀登的路径，我重新披上了谦卑的麻衣，决心回到人间，帮助那些弱者更深入地理解我的技艺。我要尽我所能，用我更高的智慧去帮助他们。我曾经扼杀过那些胆怯而渴望成功的灵魂，如今我要去鼓励他们；我曾经的尖刻言辞和敏锐的智慧曾伤害过他们，如今我要努力去治愈他们。我现在明白，任何人都不应该因为弱者在更成熟的头脑看来渺小微不足道，就轻视他们，扼杀他们的希望。

我在山上久久地坐着，想着这些事——我帮助过的那个年轻人就这样独自前行了。最后，我起身，缓缓地穿过一条深谷，谷上横跨着一座断桥，谷底是一扇高高的门。许多幽灵在那里等候，用各种方法试图打开这扇门，以便通过。有的用力推，有的试图攀爬，有的则四处寻找隐秘的泉水。当一个个尝试失败后，其他的幽灵便会安慰那些失望的幽灵。当我走近时，六七个仍然徘徊在门边的幽灵退了回来，好奇地想看看我会怎么做。那是一扇巨大的门，在我看来像是铁板做的，尽管它的真实材质我至今也不清楚。它又高又光滑，无人能够攀爬；它坚固无比，试图强行打开是徒劳的；它紧闭得严严实实，似乎没有任何打开的可能。我绝望地站在门前，不知所措，这时我看到附近一个可怜的女人正因失望而痛哭流涕。她已经在那里待了一段时间，徒劳地试图打开那扇门。我尽力安慰她，给她一切可能的希望。就在这时，我们面前那扇坚实的门突然消失了，我们走了进去。然后，我突然看到门在我身后再次升起，而那位女士已经不见了踪影。桥边站着一位佝偻着身子的虚弱老人。我还在疑惑那扇门时，一个声音对我说：“那是善行和善念之门。门另一边的人必须等待，直到他们为他人所做的善事和善念足够沉重，足以压垮那扇门，那时它才会像为你这样竭尽全力帮助他人的人打开。”

我走到桥边，只见老人正站在那里，用拐杖摸索着前进，无助地呻吟着。我担心他会在没看到的情况下掉进断桥里，于是冲动地冲上前去，想扶他过去。但他摇了摇头，“不！不！年轻人，这座桥已经腐朽不堪，根本承受不住你我的重量。你自己先走吧，让我在这里尽力而为。”

“并非如此，你体弱多病，年纪都足以当我的祖父了，如果我离开你，你很可能会掉进破碎的地方。而我身强力壮，如果我不想办法带我们俩一起过去，那将会非常艰难。”

不等他回答，我就抓住他，把他背到背上，让他抓紧我的肩膀，然后开始过桥。

萨普里斯蒂！那老头子看起来真重！辛巴达的海上老爹在他眼里简直是个笑话。那座桥也一样，在我们重压下嘎吱作响，摇摇欲坠。我心想我们俩肯定都要掉进下面的深渊里了，老头子一直在哀求我别把他摔下去。我继续挣扎，双手紧紧抓住桥身，到了最危险的地方就只能四肢着地爬行。到了桥中央，那里有个巨大的破洞，只有两根粗壮的横梁断头可以抓。在这里，我感觉很吃力。我确信自己可以荡过去，但那个沉重的老头子紧紧抓住我，几乎让我喘不过气来，情况就完全不同了。我甚至想过，或许我应该放他走，但那样对可怜的老头子太残忍了，所以我决定冒险一试。看到事情的现状，可怜的老人长叹一声，说道：

“你最好还是抛弃我吧。我太无助了，过不去，你试探只会错失良机。把我留在这里，你自己走吧。”

他的语气如此沮丧，如此痛苦，我永远也无法就这样离开他，我想为了我们俩做个孤注一掷的努力，于是我告诉他抓紧了，我用一只手抓住断梁，然后猛地一跃，把自己荡过了深渊，我们仿佛飞了过去，毫发无损地落在了对岸。

当我回头查看我们逃脱的险境时，我惊叫出声，因为桥上根本没有断裂，反而是我见过的最坚固的桥。站在我身边的不是什么虚弱的老人，而是阿林齐曼本人，他正笑着看着我惊讶的样子。他把手放在我的肩膀上说：

“弗兰切佐，我的儿子，那不过是一次小小的考验，看看你是否足够无私，愿意在你自身机会渺茫的时候，承担起照顾一个沉重老人的重担。现在，我把最后的考验留给你，让你自己去判断那些你一直心存疑虑和猜忌的本质。再见，愿你成功。”

他转身离开，随即消失不见，留下我独自一人继续穿过眼前又一个深谷。

它位于两座陡峭的山丘之间，被称为“幻影迷雾谷”。巨大的灰色雾气在空中飘荡，沿着山坡向上蔓延，在我行走时，它们幻化成神秘的幽灵形状，在我周围盘旋。

我越深入峡谷，这些形状就越密集，越发清晰，仿佛活物一般。我知道它们不过是我尘世生活中思想的产物，然而，以如此栩栩如生的形态出现，它们却如同萦绕心头的幽灵，列队控诉着我。我曾滋生的猜疑，我曾滋养的疑虑，我曾珍视的刻薄邪恶的念头，似乎都聚集在我周围，充满威胁和恐怖，用过去嘲弄我、戏弄我，在我耳边低语，如同黑暗巨浪般将我吞噬。随着我的生命中充斥着越来越多的此类念头，它们也堵塞了我的道路，最终将我四面包围。多么可怕、扭曲、令人憎恶的东西啊！而这些，竟是我自己的念头，它们映照出我对他人的真实想法。这些阴郁的迷雾精灵——黑暗、多疑、令人困惑——此刻与我对峙，让我看清了自己的内心。我曾对善良如此缺乏信心，对同胞如此缺乏信任。因为我曾遭受残酷的欺骗，我匆忙之中断言，所有男人，包括女人，都是骗子；我曾嘲笑周围的软弱和愚蠢，认为世间万物都一样，只有苦涩和失望。

于是，这些意念造物越积越多，以至于当我试图与之抗争时，它们似乎反而将我淹没，将我窒息，用它们幻影般巨大的雾状褶皱将我包裹起来。我徒劳地试图击退它们，挣脱它们的束缚。它们像我的疑虑和猜忌一样，将我团团围住，将我困住。我惊恐万分，拼命挣扎，仿佛它们是活物，正将我推向毁灭。然后，我看到面前地面裂开一道深不见底的裂缝，这些幻影正将我推向那里，一个深渊，除非我能摆脱这些可怕的幽灵，否则我注定要沉入其中。我像疯了一样与它们搏斗，拼死抵抗，但它们仍然将我包围，一次又一次地将我逼向那幽暗的深渊。于是，我灵魂深处痛苦万分，大声呼救，渴望摆脱这些念头。我拼尽全力伸出双臂，仿佛要抓住最前面的幻影，将它从我身上甩开。这时，那团巨大的疑虑乌云仿佛被风吹散一般摇曳破碎，我精疲力竭地瘫倒在地。在昏睡中，我做了一个梦，一个短暂却美好的梦。梦里，我以为我心爱的人来到我身边，驱散了那些污秽的念头。她跪在我身边，像母亲抱着孩子一样，将我的头轻轻地放在她的胸前。我感觉她用双臂环抱着我，让我感到安全。然后，梦醒了，我睡着了。

当我恢复意识时，我正静静地躺在山谷中，迷雾已散，我那段痛苦的怀疑和猜忌也已过去。我躺在峡谷尽头柔软的绿草坡上，眼前是一片草地，一条清澈平静的溪流潺潺流淌。我起身沿着溪流蜿蜒而行，走了一小段路，来到一片美丽的树林。透过树干，我看到一个清澈的水潭，水面上漂浮着睡莲。潭中央有一座宛如仙境般的喷泉，水雾如钻石般倾泻而下，落入清澈的潭水中。树木枝繁叶茂，透过枝叶可以看到蔚蓝的天空。我走到喷泉边休息，这时，一位身着绿色薄纱长袍、头戴睡莲花冠的美丽仙女走了过来，帮助我。她是喷泉的守护神，她的职责就是帮助和慰藉像我一样疲惫的旅人。 “在尘世间，”她说，“我住在森林里，而在这里，在精神世界里，我找到了一个被我深爱的森林环绕的家。”

她给了我食物和水，休息了一会儿后，她指给我一条穿过树林的宽阔小径，通往一处休憩之所，我可以在那里稍作休息。我心怀感激地感谢这位善良的精灵，沿着小径走去，很快就来到一座爬满金银花和常春藤的大房子前。房子有很多窗户，大门敞开着，仿佛在邀请所有人进来。房子前面是一座巨大的铁艺大门，上面的鸟儿和花朵栩栩如生，仿佛聚集在那里栖息。我站在那里看着大门，它像变魔术一样打开了，我走了进去。几位身穿白袍的精灵前来迎接我，把我引到一间漂亮的房间，房间的窗户正对着一片绿草茵茵的草坪和柔软如仙境般的树木，我被请在这里休息。

醒来后，我发现朝圣者的长袍不见了，取而代之的是一件浅灰色长袍，只是现在长袍的三层镶边是纯白色的。我欣喜万分，兴高采烈地穿上它，因为我感到白色象征着我的进步——在精神世界里，白色象征着纯洁和幸福，而黑色则恰恰相反。

随后，我被引到一间宽敞舒适的房间，里面有许多穿着和我一样的精灵。我很高兴地认出了其中一位抱着孩子的妇人，我曾帮助她穿越了忏悔与泪水平原。她对着孩子露出了更加和蔼的笑容，并愉快地向我问好，感谢我的帮助。这时，小家伙爬到我的膝盖上，像个凡间的孩子一样安顿下来。

丰盛的水果、蛋糕和来自灵界的纯净葡萄酒摆在我们面前，当我们都精神焕发，并感谢上帝赐予的一切恩典后，主持仪式的兄弟祝愿我们一路顺风，然后我们怀着感恩的心互相告别，启程返回各自的家。

28. 我在晨曦中的家和工作之地

然而，我注定无法留在黎明之地。我的家如今将在晨曦之地，因此我的朋友们护送我前往那里。

它位于宁静的湖泊和群山之外，我曾透过群山眺望黎明的曙光，那曙光在黎明之地似乎永远不会更加明亮或推进，但它的美丽却属于这片晨曦之地。这片土地与那片山脉的方向截然相反，山脉的另一侧是悔恨平原。

在这片晨曦之地，我发现自己将拥有一座属于自己的小屋，那是我靠自己挣来的。我一直渴望拥有一个属于自己的地方，而这座简陋的小屋对我来说无比珍贵。这里的确是一个宁静祥和的地方。四周绿意盎然的山丘环绕着小屋，唯有前方豁然开朗，绵延起伏的绿色和金色草甸尽收眼底。我的新家周围没有树木，没有灌木，也没有鲜花点缀，因为我的努力尚未开花结果。然而，有一株甜美的金银花缠绕着小屋的门廊，将它爱的芬芳洒进我的房间。这是我挚爱之人赠予我的礼物，是她纯洁甜蜜的爱意在我心中生根发芽，如同灵性上的种子，缠绕着我的居所，时刻轻声诉说着她永恒的爱与真挚。

只有两间小房间，一间是用来接待朋友和学习的，另一间是我的休憩之所，让我可以在尘世劳作疲惫时休憩。房间里挂着我的画像，用玫瑰花框装裱，还有我所有的小珍宝。窗外湛蓝的天空洒下纯净的光芒，我的眼睛早已疲惫不堪，却依然一遍又一遍地凝视着它。柔软的绿草和芬芳的金银花，对我来说是如此甜美，如此令人陶醉。我曾饱经漫长黑暗的游荡，如今已疲惫不堪，心中充满了感激之情。一只慈祥的手，一个温柔的声音唤醒了我，我抬头望去，看到了我的父亲。啊！我感到无比的喜悦和幸福，而当他邀请我与他一起来到人间，并在幻象中向她展示这片家园时，我更是欣喜若狂！回想起那段时光，我在灵界的第一个家，我心中充满了快乐的回忆。我为自己赢得它而感到无比自豪。我现在的家比以前好得多，我现在的生活环境在各方面都更加美好，但我从未感受到比拥有第一套属于自己的房子时更大的幸福。

如果我试图描述这段时间我在尘世间所做的一切，以及我帮助过的所有悲伤之人，引导他们走向更好的道路，我的读者恐怕会感到疲惫不堪。这类工作其实有很多共通之处，一个例子就能说明很多问题。

时间对灵魂和凡人一样流逝，带来无尽的变化——新的进步。因此，在我帮助他人的同时，我也逐渐领悟到我曾最难领悟的教训：彻底宽恕我们的敌人。这教训让我们不仅不希望他们受到伤害，甚至希望对他们有益——以德报怨。我曾苦苦挣扎，难以克服复仇的欲望，也难以抑制希望那个深深伤害我的人受到惩罚的念头。而现在，想要帮助那个人，同样艰难，甚至更加艰难。我一次又一次地在尘世间工作时，走到那个人身边，除了我内心深处的思绪，他既看不见也感觉不到。每一次，我都意识到，敌人的思想和我一样充满苦涩。我们之间毫无爱意可言。站在那里，我一次又一次地看到我们生命中的种种事件交织成一幅画面，我们炽烈仇恨的阴影如同夏日天空的暴风云般，模糊了这幅画面。在更清晰的灵性认知之光下，我看到了自己的过错所在，其程度丝毫不亚于甚至超过了我对敌人的过错的审视。每次从这样的反思中回到我在灵界的小屋，我都满怀着最苦涩的悔恨和最剧烈的痛苦，却始终无法对那个似乎只因悲伤和冤屈而与我命运相连的人产生任何感觉，除了怨恨和愤怒。

终于有一天，当我站在这位凡人身旁时，我意识到一种新的感觉，近乎怜悯，因为他同样内心充满压抑——同样因我们的过去而感到悔恨。我心中升起一个愿望：如果他当初对我采取了不同的方式就好了。于是，在我们之间萌生了一丝善意，虽然微弱而微弱，却是我努力克服自身愤怒的第一个成果——是我们之间那道坚硬的仇恨之墙开始软化、融化。那时，我获得了帮助和造福他的机会，正如我之前有机会伤害他一样。如今，我克服了内心的苦涩，抓住了这个机会，于是，曾经用来诅咒和伤害的手，如今却成了伸出援手的手。

我的敌人既没有察觉到我的存在，也没有意识到我出于好意的介入，但他隐约感觉到我们之间的仇恨已经消亡，既然我已经死去，或许让我们的争吵也随之消亡才是更好的选择。就这样，我们最终达成了相互宽恕，斩断了维系我们尘世生命长久的纽带。我知道，在那个人的尘世生命中，我们再也不会相遇，但正如我在朋友贝内德托的例子中所见，当死亡斩断尘世生命的丝线时，我们的灵魂将会再次相遇，彼此请求对方的宽恕。只有到那时，我们之间的所有联系才会彻底断裂，我们才能各自前往命中注定的归宿。爱与恨对灵魂的影响深远而持久；即使尘世的生命逝去很久很久，它们依然萦绕在我们心头。我见过许多灵魂彼此纠缠，并非因为彼此相爱，而是因为彼此憎恨。

29. 行星的形成

当我最终领悟了战胜自我的真谛后，我的心灵仿佛卸下了沉重的负担，我重新燃起了对灵界及其境况的研究热情。在那段游历四方的日子里，我经常见到我的朋友哈塞因，他帮助我理解了许多在尘世生活中困扰我的事情。

有一次，我们坐在我的小家里，像往常一样聊天，我请他详细地告诉我关于天体及其与地球的关系。

“正如你所见，‘领域’一词指的是环绕地球和其他行星的巨大精神物质带。它也同样适用于环绕整个宇宙的更为广阔、更为延伸的思想波。因此，我们可以说存在两类领域——一类是物质性的，它们环绕着各自的行星或太阳系，构成了每个行星上精神居民的居所。这些领域被划分成许多圆环，如同进步阶梯上的台阶，象征着精神的道德提升。”

“另一类领域是精神的，而非物质的，它们不属于任何行星或太阳系，而是像宇宙一样无限广阔，围绕着一个中心点不断扩散的思想流旋转，据说整个宇宙都围绕着这个中心点旋转，而这个中心点被认为是至高存在的直接环境，这些思想波都源于至高存在。或许这样说会更清楚地表明我的意思：存在一个巨大的领域，它包含了本质上属于灵魂的各种智力能力或属性，然后将这个领域划分为不同的圈子，例如哲学圈、艺术圈、音乐圈、文学圈等等。”

人们通常称它们为“球体”，但我认为用“圆”来描述它们更为准确。这些智慧之圆，如同巨大的车轮，包裹着所有较小的车轮，那些螺旋环，它们各自环绕着自己的太阳系或母行星，轮中套轮，围绕着同一个伟大的中心不停旋转。在精神世界里，只有彼此心意相通的人才能长久相伴。虽然血缘关系或美好的回忆有时会将原本没有共同纽带的人聚集在一起，但这不过是短暂的相遇，每个人都会回到自己的圆和球体中，被那股强大的磁力牵引着，这股磁力将每个球体以及球体中的每个圆环紧紧地联系在一起。属于音乐或哲学领域的灵魂，会被与自己性情相近、道德修为处于同一阶段的人所吸引。然而，即便他在音乐或哲学方面造诣再高，也无法让他攀升到比其道德修为所应达到的更高的道德领域或行星领域。精神领域中各个广阔智慧领域的中心太阳，如同闪耀的磁铁般熠熠生辉。它们如同巨大的棱镜，散发着纯净与真理的天火，向四面八方射出知识的光辉。无数的灵魂聚集在这些光芒之中，渴望在这些璀璨的圣殿中点亮自己的明灯。在那些纯净无瑕地抵达地球的光芒中，蕴藏着真理的宝石，它们照亮了世界历史各个时代人们的心灵，如同闪电击碎花岗岩一般，将谬误和黑暗的巨石粉碎成无数碎片，让上帝太阳的清澈光芒照耀到下方深处。那些精神境界最高的人，正是那些最接近中心力量、最接近这些星光般耀眼光芒的人。因此，我们可以将这些伟大的智力和道德能力领域称为“宇宙”领域；围绕每个行星的领域称为“行星”领域；围绕太阳中心的领域称为“太阳”领域；前者被认为是由思想或声音本质构成，后者则是由不同程度的精神化物质构成。“

那么，您会如何描述行星及其各圈层的形成呢？

行星的形成可以说始于它以一团朦胧的炽热蒸汽的形式从母体恒星脱离的那一刻。在这个阶段，它就像一块强大的磁铁，吸引着漂浮在宇宙以太中的微小物质粒子。人们曾认为宇宙以太中没有任何物质原子，就像行星大气层中漂浮的原子一样，但这是一种错误的假设。事实上，物质原子只是被进一步细分成更小的粒子，与这些粒子相比，一粒沙子就像太阳之于地球。这些原子被如此细分并分散在宇宙中（而不是像地球大气层中的尘埃那样，被行星的磁力聚集在一起），不仅对人类的肉眼不可见，而且也无法用人类现有的普通化学方法探测到。实际上，它们已经以太化，并由于灵魂本质的积累而成为第一级的精神物质。它们与更粗重的元素融合在一起。当这些原子被胚胎植物发光的物质吸引时，它们紧密地聚集在一起，以至于更虚无缥缈的元素被挤出并逸散回太空，留下固体的粗重部分，通过不断吸引新的原子以及由此产生的压力巨大增加，最终形成岩石等等。这些原子永恒存在，如同构成宇宙的所有其他元素一样不可摧毁，它们被一颗又一颗行星吸收，并在行星经历其存在和发展的各个阶段时被再次抛弃。

物质的原子大致可以分为三类，而每一类又可以细分为无数个密度等级，以此来表达它们所达到的各种升华阶段。这三大类可以分别称为：物质或行星物质；精神或灵魂包裹物质（这种物质已不再为肉眼可见）；以及灵魂本质（这最后一点已经高度升华，以至于我目前还无法向你们描述它的本质）。物质中最底层、最粗糙的形式是构成矿物（如岩石、泥土等）的形式；这些矿物以尘埃的形式被抛入大气中，并不断地被重新吸收，通过自然界中无处不在的持续过程，转化为植物等等。介于岩石和植物之间的中间层是流体，其中较固体的颗粒被构成它们的各种气体或汽化形式的化学元素溶解在溶液中。物质的第二个层次是植物或植物生命，它们由最粗糙的物质混合而成。物质具有流体特性。因此，通过地球物质的无限层次，我们最终达到最高层次，即血肉之躯和肌肉，无论它覆盖着人类的灵魂还是低等动物的灵魂，它仍然是物质的最高层次，包含了构成较低层次物质的所有元素。

正如我之前所说，第二种或精神形式的物质，仅仅是第一种或尘世形式的物质的灵性发展，而灵魂本质则是二者的生命力来源，是神圣的种子，没有它，前两种物质形式便无法存在。前两种物质的法则之一，就是它们必须包裹更高的灵魂原则，否则它们就会失去凝聚力，再次分解成各自的元素部分。灵魂物质是唯一拥有永恒身份的物质。它是真正的自我，因为没有任何力量能够将其瓦解或失去其个体性。它是它所赋予的任何较低形式物质的真正生命，因此它会改变和塑造这些较低形式的物质，使其恢复到自身的身份。灵魂本质存在于每一种生命之中，从矿物和植物到人类——最高等的动物，每一种生命都有可能发展成为最高或天界的形式，在这种状态下，它存在于每个行星和每个太阳系的天界之中。

“既然我们认为万物皆有其高低不同的灵魂，那么凡人得知灵界存在植物、花朵、岩石、沙漠、野兽和飞鸟，也就不足为奇了。它们以灵化或进化的状态存在于灵界，并随着进化程度的提高而变得更加灵化，这遵循着同样的法则，该法则同样适用于人类（最高类型）和最低形式的灵魂物质的进化。当植物枯萎，或坚硬的岩石化为尘埃或熔化成气体时，其灵魂本质会连同与其相关的灵性物质一起进入灵界，并进入与其进化程度最接近的领域——其中最物质的部分会被地球吸收，而那些更升华的物质粒子则较少受到地球的引力，因此会远离地球。因此，在行星生命的早期阶段，当它只拥有少量灵魂本质和大量粗糙物质时，它的物质球体首先会被抛向远离地球的方向。”它的太阳和物质性很强，而其居民的精神发展水平很低。

在早期阶段，无论是植物、动物还是人类，其灵魂都粗糙不堪，缺乏随着行星演化而逐渐展现的精致与美感。随着时间的推移，植物发生变化，动物发生变化，出现的人类种族也变得越来越高级、越来越完美，因此，他们散发出的精神能量也相应提升。在行星生命的最初阶段，各个层面几乎不存在。它们的形状可以比作一个圆锥体，圆锥体的窄端代表行星本身，地球层面是已经发展起来的最高层面，而较低的层面——由于行星居民的品味低下和智力发展落后——则如同圆锥体的宽端。随着行星的发展，各个层面的体积和数量不断增加，更高的层面开始形成，圆锥体的尖端随着每个更高层面的出现而从行星向太阳方向延伸。

“因此，行星上下各层球体是由母行星不断抛出的原子汇聚而成。在它们形成的某个阶段，当人类的智力和自私倾向远超其道德和无私能力时，这些较低层的球体范围远远超过较高层的球体，这可以被称为世界历史上的黑暗时代，那时压迫、残暴和贪婪如同黑暗的翅膀般笼罩着人类。”

“一段时间后，万物更高层次演化的永恒法则使得更高层次和更低层次的领域在范围和数量上达到平衡。那时，我们或许会看到善恶力量达到绝对平衡，这一时期可以被称为地球生命的中期。接下来，随着人类的逐步进步，圆锥的形状逐渐反转，由于较低层次的领域不断缩小和消失，地球平面再次成为狭窄的一端，而较高层次的领域则向最高处扩张，直到最终只剩下最高层次的领域，地球本身也逐渐缩小，直到所有物质颗粒都被抛出，最终消失于世，其所有粗糙的原子都无形地飘散开来，被其他正在形成的行星重新吸收。”

“届时，这颗行星及其居民将被纳入其所在太阳系的广大天体之中，其居民将如同许多行星消亡后留下的灵体群体一样，继续存在于那里。然而，每个行星上的灵体群体都将保留其行星的特征和个性——正如地球上不同的民族一样——直到它们逐渐融入其所在太阳系更大的民族之中。这些发展过程如此缓慢，如此不易察觉，完成它们所需的时间又如此漫长，以至于凡人的心智难以理解其中发生的巨大变化，这是可以理解的。所有行星的寿命长短不一，因为行星的大小、在太阳系中的位置以及其他因素都会对其发展产生影响，使其略有改变，但总体特征在所有情况下都是相同的，正如构成每颗行星的物质都包含着其他行星所不具备的化学物质一样。因此，我们能够根据行星的状况来判断其未来走向。”我们周围的行星，我们地球过去的历史，以及它最终的命运。

“如果正如你所说，我们的星球将被太阳中心的星球所吸收，那么我们作为灵魂的个性是否会融入太阳系的个性之中呢？”

“不！绝对不是。每个灵魂种子的独特性都是不可摧毁的；它只是浩瀚灵魂海洋中一个微小的单元，但它仍然是一个独立的单元，每个生命体的个性实际上就是它的自我。正是这种独特性，这种灵魂无法被分散或摧毁的特性，构成了它的不朽，使它区别于所有其他物质，也使得它的本质如此难以解释或分析。你已成为我们希望兄弟会的一员，但你仍然保留着你的独特性，灵魂也是如此，无论它经历何种存在状态，它都将永远如此。试着想象一个如此轻盈的躯体，以至于最虚幻的蒸汽在它旁边都显得沉重，然而这个躯体却拥有如此强大的凝聚力，以至于它的粒子完全不可能被分解，它抵抗所有物质或精神形式的物质的力量，相当于一根钢棒对一团蒸汽的抵抗力。想象一下这一点，你就会明白，为什么作为一个灵魂，你可以穿过坚固的门和墙壁。”尘世的物质，以及比你更高的灵性如何能同样轻松地穿过环绕我们的这些灵性物质的壁垒。灵魂越是彻底地摆脱了粗糙物质的束缚，就越不容易被任何元素所束缚，它的力量也就越强大，因为被囚禁在地球或各个领域的并非灵魂的本质，而是它那稠密的外壳。如今，尘世房屋的墙壁对你而言不再构成任何进出的阻碍。你穿过它们就像你的肉身曾经穿过迷雾一样轻松。迷雾的浓重或许会让你感到不适，但它无法阻挡你的前进。此外，当你穿过迷雾时，不会留下任何真空痕迹来显示你曾经走过的地方。这是因为构成迷雾的元素迅速重新聚集，你根本来不及感知它们分散到哪里去。而当我们的灵魂穿过物质的门或墙时，情况也正是如此——构成门或墙的物质原子在我们离开后迅速闭合，其速度甚至比迷雾更快。“

我明白你的意思，现在，如果像你所说的那样，每种灵魂本质都有其独特的个性，那么你就不会同意那些相信低等动物的灵魂可以转世到人身上，反之亦然的人的观点了。

“当然不是。我们认为每种类型的灵魂都能够在其自身类型中达到最高的进化程度；但人类的灵魂作为所有类型中最高的，因此也能够达到最高的进化程度，即成为我们称之为天使的高级灵体。天使的灵魂已经从人类行星生命的最低层次，穿越所有行星领域，最终到达太阳系的天界，也就是我们所说的天中之天，它比我们行星领域的天界高出许多，正如天界高出行星本身一样。我们相信，灵魂会像不断扩大的螺旋环一样持续上升，直到到达我们现在所说的宇宙中心。但是，当我们最终达到我们当前渴望的顶峰时，它是否只是一个围绕着一个更大的中心旋转的有限点，我无法断言。我个人的感觉是，我们将到达一个又一个中心，在每个中心停留数百万年，直到我们的渴望……”它将再次激励我们攀登至远超我们自身的高度。越是思考这个问题，它就越显得浩瀚无垠。那么，我们又怎能指望看到我们穿越这无始无终之境的旅程的终点呢？我们又怎能指望对那位至高无上的存在——我们所尊崇的宇宙全能统治者——的本质和属性形成任何清晰的认识呢？毕竟，我们甚至无法完全清晰地理解他所创造的浩瀚无垠。

30. 精神的物质化

还有一次，我们交谈时，我请哈塞因解释一下最近在地球上兴起的唯灵论运动的现象，我对这个运动自然非常感兴趣，特别是与物质化有关的部分，我希望尽可能多地了解它。

哈塞因回答说：“为了让人们能够充分理解原子论的意义——原子论是近来地球上的人们提出的，它对物质的传递提供了一种最简单也最合乎逻辑的解释——或许有必要为那些对此主题思考不多，并且喜欢以最简单方式回答这些问题的人解释一下：正如我们所说，物质的组成部分极其微小，即使是肉眼不可见的尘埃，除非阳光照射，否则也是由无数更小的粒子组成的。这些粒子相互吸引并结合在一起，遵循着支配较大物体相互吸引和排斥的相同规律。了解这些规律赋予了灵体操控这些原子的能力，从而创造出灵性学研究者们所熟知的‘物质化’现象。想要物质化的灵体会从充满原子的大气中，以及从……中收集适合自身用途的原子。”这些能量源自组成灵圈的男男女女。这些原子在灵体的意志作用下被塑造成他们尘世肉身的形态，并由一种化学物质维系在一起，这种物质或多或少存在于所有生物的体内。如果地球上的化学家拥有足够先进的知识，他们就能从自然界所有生物中提取这种化学物质，并储存起来以备不时之需。

“这种物质或精华实际上就是神秘的生命灵药，提取和保留它的秘密，一直是历代各国圣贤苦苦追寻的。然而，它如此微妙，如此虚幻，以至于迄今为止，地球上的化学家们还没有任何方法能够将这种精华转化为可供分析的状态，尽管有些人已经认识到它，并将其归类为‘磁性光环’。”然而，这其中只有一种——太阳赋予生命的光芒中就蕴含着它，但如今又有哪位化学家能够将太阳光分离并分装成不同的部分呢？尤其是在所有部分中，最精微、最微妙的部分更是如此。然而，这种知识已被一些高智商人士掌握，总有一天，当世界在化学领域取得足够进步时，这种过程的知识将会像电学及其他相关科学领域的发现一样，被传授给世人——这些发现，在早期时代会被视为奇迹。

“关于‘灵气’，我想在此说明一点：在降灵会上，不同参与者的灵气组成元素对显化过程的影响，与灵媒的影响同样重要。有时，一位参与者灵气中的化学元素无法与其他参与者的灵气完全融合，这种不和谐会阻止任何显化过程的发生。在极端情况下，这些相互对立的元素彼此作用强烈，对收集到的原子产生排斥性的影响，就像精神上的爆炸物一样，将原子炸得四散飞溅，如同炸药炸毁坚固的墙壁。”

这种敌对与这些人的道德或精神状况毫无关系。他们或许在各方面都是最值得尊敬、最真诚的人，但他们绝不应该坐在同一个圈子里，也绝不应该有任何磁性的接触，因为他们的气场永远无法融合，任何试图让他们和谐相处的尝试都只会导致彻底的失望。虽然他们各自单独行动时或许都能取得令人满意的成果，但任何试图让他们合作的尝试都永远不可能成功。

“在那些被称为纯粹物理媒介的媒介中，也就是那些仅能产生纯粹物理现象的媒介，例如移动桌子或在空中移动音乐盒等等，这种特殊的本质是存在的，但其形式过于粗糙，不适合物质化，而物质化需要这种本质经过一定程度的提纯。在这些媒介中，它就像粗糙的生酒，但在真正的物质化媒介中，它就像经过重蒸馏、提纯和净化的同一种酒，这种本质越纯净，物质化就越完美。”

“在许多媒介中，物质力量和物质化力量是结合的，但是，随着粗糙的物质表现形式的培养，更高、更精细的物质化形式就会相应减少。

“认为真正的显化仅仅是将媒介的复制品暂时转化为已故朋友的形象，或者认为受显化者的气息必然会影响最终显化出的灵体形态，这种想法是错误的。只有当特殊精华不足，或灵体无法运用它时，才会出现这种情况。在这种情况下，原子会保留其来源者的个性，因为灵体无法像制作蜡像一样将自己的身份印刻在原子上，直到被熔化成新的模子，才会恢复原状。一方面，拥有足够的特殊精华能够使灵体将自身包裹在收集到的原子中，并保持足够长的时间，如同熔化一般，使原子呈现出灵体的身份或个性印记。另一方面，精华的缺失会导致灵体在显化过程完成之前失去控制，因此他只能匆忙地以不完美的形态显现自身。”他要么会伪装成他所拥有的样子，要么干脆不露面。

“一个熟悉的比喻或许能解释我的意思。当你身处尘世之躯时，你摄入的是现成的血肉、植物和液体物质，其中包含着你尘世之躯更新所需的各种元素，通过消化过程，你将这些物质转化为你灵魂尘世外壳的一部分。同样，灵魂也吸收了灵媒和通灵会参与者释放出的现成原子，并以闪电般的速度，人为地消化或排列它们，形成一个物质外壳，并根据自身的力量，或多或少地将自身的身份印刻于其中。”

“凡人身体的每一个原子，或直接或间接地，都从周围的大气中汲取，并以某种形式被吸收。这些原子在成为灵魂的衣裳之后，又会被抛弃，再次以另一种形式被其他生物吸收。人人都知道人体的物质构成在不断变化，然而许多人却妄图对降灵会中被抛出的原子拥有既得权利，并声称当灵魂利用这些原子并将其融入自身时，就必然连同这些原子的精神特性一并吸收了。他们试图说服自己，披着这些物质原子显现的灵魂只不过是他们自身身体和大脑的思想投射，却忽略了，或者更确切地说，他们根本不知道，灵魂真正想要披在身上、使自己显现于世的，仅仅是最粗糙的物质，而非精神原子。”

“证明这种假设谬误的最佳证据是，在降神会上经常会出现一些在场的人当时根本没想过的灵魂，甚至在某些情况下，还会出现一些在场的人都不知道已经去世的人的灵魂。

我所说的这种本质或液态以太，正是维系生命中物质躯体的主要力量。死亡时，或者更准确地说，灵魂脱离躯体，与躯体物质原子之间的连接断裂时，这种本质或液态以太便会逸散到周围的大气中，使躯体的粒子开始腐烂。寒冷会延缓这种液态以太的扩散；高温则会加速其扩散，这就解释了为什么任何动植物的躯体在炎热的气候下比在寒冷的气候下更容易分解或腐烂，从而成为那些微小寄生虫的养分。这些寄生虫依靠残留在躯体外壳中的较低层次的生命磁性来刺激和滋养。这种本质或液态以太类似于科学家所知的电流体，但由于电是由矿物和植物物质产生的，因此它的强度和质量都远低于人体的电，需要与其他元素结合才能与人体相容。

“这种更高的本质是所谓“更高动物生命原则”的重要组成部分，它与“灵魂生命原则”和“星光生命原则”有所区别。我们把这两者分别视为不同的基本原则。

在恍惚状态下，无论是人为诱导还是某些灵媒或通灵者灵性发展过程中自然发生的，这种生命精华都与身体同在。然而，由于恍惚状态下生命需要维持，控制灵体可能会抽取一部分生命精华来维持自身，并小心地将其归还给通灵者。有些通灵者的生命精华会大量流失，如果不加以持续补充，肉体很快就会死亡。另一些通灵者的生命精华则很难提取，还有一些通灵者的生命精华含量极低，以至于从他们身上提取任何精华都是不明智且无益的。

“那些拥有大量高品质纯净灵气的灵媒，其灵气会散发出一种极其美丽清澈的银光，这种银光可以被通灵者看到，甚至能帮助无形的灵体显现。这种银光如同星光般从灵媒身上散发出来，当这种银光非常强烈时，无需其他光线，有形的灵体就能显形。灵体仿佛被银色的光环环绕，美丽的光芒照亮了他们的衣袍，使他们看起来就像你所看到的圣人和天使的画像，毫无疑问，古代的先知们正是通过这种灵气媒介看到了他们。”

“虽然借助显形媒介和一群仍处于物质躯体中的人的帮助，可以简化构建一个供灵体栖身的躯体的过程，但对于一些最高境界的灵体而言，完全有可能在没有任何媒介或任何处于物质躯体中的人的帮助下，自行创造一个物质躯体。它们对化学定律的了解足以胜任，它们的意志力也足以承受这一过程中所承受的压力。地球的大气、植物、矿物和动物中都蕴藏着构成身体的所有物质，生命精华也正是从中汲取。人体是由地球及其大气中所有物质和气体组成的，灵体只需要了解支配各种物质结合和附着的定律，就能创造一个与凡人身体在各方面都相似的躯体，并以此包裹自己，还能随意控制其保持结合状态的时间长短。”

这种知识目前必然只存在于更高的境界，因为要充分理解和权衡其中涉及的细微之处和众多自然法则，就需要精神状态达到高度发展。古人说他们可以造人，这话没错。他们的确可以造人，甚至可以用星光体或较低层次的生命原则赋予人造物一定程度的生命力，但由于收集这种较低层次的生命原则极其困难，他们无法维持这种生命。即使人造物被赋予了生命，它仍然缺乏智慧和理性，因为这些属性完全属于灵魂，而无论是人还是精神都无法赋予这样的身体灵魂——唯有灵魂才能赋予它智慧和永生。与此同时，人造的身体可以作为精神（或灵魂）的外壳，使精神能够与人交流，交流的时间长短取决于精神维持这种物质外壳完整状态的能力。因此，毫无疑问，那些拥有这种能力的古人……掌握了这些知识的人，可以随意更新肉身的物质外壳，几乎永远生活在地球上；或者，他们也可以将这些物质原子消散，以精神的形式摆脱肉体的束缚，在需要时再次重塑肉身。这样的精神之人便是圣人（Mahatmas），他们凭借对这些以及类似秘密的了解，拥有许多被赋予他们的神奇力量。

“但我们与他们的区别在于，他们如何运用所获得的知识以及从中推导出的教义，以及是否应该将这些知识随意传授给凡人，并认为这是危险之物，应该对他们保密。我们认为，任何赋予任何灵体或凡人的知识，只要他们具备理解和运用这些知识所需的心智发展水平，其他人都可以安全地拥有这些知识。我们伟大的导师，阿林齐曼，是一位东方人，他生前以及离开人世后的两千多年里，一直致力于研究神秘学。这是他坚定的观点，他亲眼目睹了许多西方人尚不了解的思想的起源和实践。”

“尽管拥有仅凭基本原子就能创造物质躯体的能力，但拥有高深知识的灵体却很少使用这种能力，因为对于普通的物质化目的而言，根本无需动用这种能力。物质化圈子的成员散发出的能量以及灵媒的灵气，本身就充满了形成躯体所需的精华，这既省时省力，又简化了过程。这就好比购买现成的布料简化了制作衣服的步骤，裁缝无需先种植羊毛，再纺线，最后织成布料才能开始制作衣服一样。”

在某些情况下，灵媒身体上的物质被大量移除，以至于其重量发生了明显变化。在另一些情况下，几乎全部的物质覆盖物都被使用，以至于在肉眼看来，灵媒已经消失，尽管有透视能力的人可能仍然能感知到星体或灵体形态仍然坐在椅子上。在这些情况下，被利用的仅仅是粗糙的物质原子，而精神原子并未受到影响。通常，参与显化降神会的灵体，无论是显化自身的灵体还是协助主控灵体的灵体，都不知道显化结果是如何实现的，正如许多利用化学发现和化学家制造的产品的人不知道这些物质是如何获得的一样。在所有显化过程中，都有一个来自远高于地球的领域的无形首领或指导者，可以称之为首席化学家，他将指令传递给一个拥有强大力量来控制星界力量的灵体，以及与其接触的其他灵体。通过媒介，直接安排模特私人朋友的显化，有时还会显化并向圈子展示自己。

“如今，灵界正兴起一股强大的运动，旨在将所有这些知识传播给灵界和肉身之人。无论是东方还是西方的教会，都试图将这些知识封闭在圣殿之内，它们或许会反对这场运动，但终究徒劳。这股力量太过强大，他们无法阻挡。人们正从四面八方涌入知识的殿堂，蜂拥而至，围观那些迟早会向他们敞开的大门。”

“知识是无法压制的。它是每个人与生俱来的权利，不可剥夺。它也不能成为任何阶级的私有财产。一旦心灵开始思考，它就会寻求知识，并汲取沿途的点滴知识。与其试图压制求知欲，或者任由饥渴的灵魂在谬误的垃圾堆中自行搜寻，不如谨慎而明智地传授人们所寻求的知识，以便他们能够吸收。”

人类文明永无止境地发展，孩童式的教导已不再适用于正在成长的青年。他们渴望自由，除非束缚被放松，让他们在知识的道路上尽情探索，否则他们终将挣脱束缚。那么，那些堪称人类智者的人，难道不应该回应他们对光明和知识的渴望，通过一切可能的渠道和途径，将历代智慧以最易于理解的方式传播出去吗？这颗星球不过是宇宙知识的沧海一粟，而每一刻都要求我们拓展人类的思维，拓展他们的信仰和资源，注入新鲜的智慧之流，而不是压制旧的知识，以免它过于强大而令人难以接受。

31. 为什么球体是不可见的——灵异照片

“哈塞因，现在我还想问你另一个问题。我经常听到世人说，如果地球周围以及地球与太阳之间真的存在天体，为什么并非所有人都能看到它们，甚至连那些据说就在他们身边的灵魂也看不到？当然，人们不会仅仅满足于被告知这是因为他们没有透视能力，没有灵魂之眼。他们想要一个更清晰的解释。我自己也是一个灵魂，我知道我的存在，我的居所也存在，但我无法回答这个问题。你能回答吗？”

哈塞因笑了。“我可以给出十几个详尽的解释，但无论你还是这些看不见灵体的凡人，听完我的解释也不会变得更明白。因此，我必须尽量避免使用晦涩难懂的术语。不过，首先我想问问你是否见过某些灵媒在肉身中拍摄到的无形灵体的照片。你会注意到，在凡人的眼中，它们呈现出半透明的形态。透过灵体的身影，可以看到门窗、家具等等。”

“现在，你们就能很好地了解星体（灵性物质的第一层）所拥有的物质含量了。物质粒子分布得如此稀薄，就像一张精细的网，由更虚无缥缈的原子连接而成——事实上，它们已经高度升华，以至于无法印刻在摄影师目前使用的最灵敏的底片上。离开地球的灵魂无法用现在使用的底片拍摄——它们的身体组成中原子数量太少，因此它们要么需要像尘世的灵魂一样具象化成一个身体，要么会使用另一种已被证明行之有效的方法，这种方法也常用于拍摄灵体照片，使灵体能够被通灵者看到，但肉眼却无法看到。简单来说，这些灵魂会利用我之前描述过的由半物质的人类原子云团形成的星体外壳——这些星体外壳从未覆盖过任何灵魂，而且它们具有极强的可塑性，灵魂可以随意塑造它们。”如同雕塑家塑造黏土一般，他们将这些复制品塑造成自己的模样。这些复制品可以被拍摄，并且也确实被拍摄过。根据灵体的意志力和知识水平，这些复制品与灵体的相似程度不一。虽然严格来说，这些照片并非灵体本身的影像，但它们仍然是灵体力量以及使用它们的灵体存在的证据。因为每个灵体都必须亲自将自己的身份印刻在可塑的星体形态上，而更高级的灵体则会预先准备好这个形态以接受印记。

“就灵体显形照片而言，灵体实际上是用更物质化的原子制造出一个身体，并把自己包裹在其中。

“一位通灵者如果看到即将被拍摄的星体形态，恐怕无法将其与真正的灵体区分开来，因为通灵者尚未掌握区分二者的能力。而且，他们通常也不明白，为什么在他们看来足够坚实的灵体，在照相底片上却呈现出半透明的形态。他们看到的既有更灵化的物质，也有更粗糙的星体原子，因此在他们眼中，它看起来像是一个四肢圆润匀称的实体，而不是一个透明的影子。这种透明的影像很容易让人误以为回归的灵体只是影子，实际上几乎只是空壳——造成这种空洞外观的真正原因是，正如我所说，目前使用的照相设备无法完整地呈现灵体的形态，而只能捕捉到这些粗糙的粒子。如果拍摄的是一个完全物质化的灵体，就不会出现这种透明的现象。它的形态如此完美，如此栩栩如生，如此坚实，以至于人们会转过头来说，它不可能是灵体。”灵异照片——那一定是灵媒的错。那些盲目的求道者，试图理解如此浩瀚、充满微妙奥秘的课题，却只运用了适用于世俗事物的知识，然后就断言自己能够最终解答如此重大、如此科学的问题！

“回到你的问题。既然我已经向你展示了照片如何呈现出类似传统鬼魂的形象，现在我将向你展示凡人如何也能看到它们。为了更好地说明我的意思，我首先请你想象自己回到尘世，拥有与那时一样的灵视能力。让我们把物质视觉和精神视觉比作两只眼睛。一只眼睛我们称之为左眼，另一只眼睛称之为右眼，左眼代表物质视觉，右眼代表精神视觉。假设你背对着光线站立，将食指放在右眼前，只有右眼才能看到它，左眼只能看到你面前的墙壁——闭上右眼，手指就看不见了，但它确实存在，只是不在左眼（物质视觉）的视线范围内。现在同时睁开双眼，看着你的手指，你当然能看到它，但由于一种奇特的视觉错觉，它会显得透明，就像手指的影子，墙壁透过它可见，而且虽然你知道它是实实在在的，但它却像一根手指的幽灵。

因此，你可以想象，一个仅凭肉眼观察的人，无法看到需要灵眼才能辨别的事物；而当肉眼和灵眼同时开启时，灵体或许可见，但其外观却如同你刚才看到的手指一样透明。由此便产生了关于鬼魂的流行观念。通灵者用灵眼观察任何灵体时，其肉眼是封闭的，这是由引导其通灵能力的智慧力量所致。因此，对通灵者而言，灵体呈现出如同肉眼所见的手指一般坚实的现实形态。

“很少有人知道，更少有人会想到，即使是他们的肉眼也依赖于充满地球大气层的物质原子，如果没有这些原子，就不会有光让我们看到任何东西。

夜晚，凡人能够看到星星——即使它们并非太阳——尽管遥远，因为它们是物质物体，能够反射太阳的光芒。白天，星星依然存在，但地球大气层中大量的物质粒子反射太阳光线，形成浓厚的光晕，遮蔽了星星，使凡人的肉眼无法看到它们。然而，一旦升到这层由发光原子构成的物质大气层之上，你就会发现，正午时分，星星再次清晰可见，而周围的太空以太，由于没有这些物质粒子，因此一片漆黑。没有任何东西能够反射太阳的光线。

因此，即便凡人离太阳更近，太阳的光芒也无法被他肉眼直接看到。他的眼睛只能在有物体（哪怕再小）反射太阳光时才能看到。那么，人又是如何知道太阳光正穿过以太空间到达地球的呢？只能通过推理和类比，而非视觉，因为在地球大气层之外，太阳光对他来说是不可见的。人们知道月光只是太阳光从月球表面反射而来。经验和实验已经证明了这一点，如今这已被普遍接受。同样，漂浮在地球大气层中的每一个微小原子，都是一个微小的“月亮”，它反射太阳光，使地球因这些反射而熠熠生辉。因此，地球自身不断向大气层抛射的那些微小粒子，其实是包裹着（或者更确切地说是围绕着）微小灵性种子的较大原子。这些灵性种子构成了环绕地球的灵性大气层，并为通灵者反射太阳光中的灵性元素。这种灵性大气层构成了所谓的星光层，它与星体之间的密度比例，正如物质大气层与凡人之间的密度比例一样。太阳的灵性元素照射到这些灵性粒子上的光，就是灵体通过星光层看到的景象；而地球的物质大气层则为凡人的肉眼所见。那么，我们很容易想象，在地球周围，在人类与太阳物质外壳之间，可能存在着灵界，而人类却无法看见它们，仅仅是因为人类的灵性视觉被封闭，只能看到物质世界。灵界及其居民对于凡人来说，无疑比他刚才看到的手指更加透明、更加难以捉摸。然而，它们确实存在，并且与他的手指一样真实，只是由于人类的视觉不完善，只能感知相对高密度的物质，所以才不可见。“

32. 穿过黄金之门——我的母亲——我在光明之地的家——我与贝内德托相聚

我一直喜欢看云朵在天空中飘荡，它们会根据我的思绪幻化成各种形状。自从我到达灵界的第二层境界，我的天空就总是飘着云朵，轻盈如绒的云朵变幻出千姿百态，呈现出最美丽的色彩，有时像彩虹般绚丽，有时又洁白如雪，然后又彻底消失。有些精灵告诉我，在他们的世界里，天空从不飘落云朵，只有宁静澄澈的美丽；毫无疑问，他们的世界的确如此，因为在灵界，我们的思想和愿望塑造了我们的环境。因此，因为我喜爱云朵，所以它们也出现在我的天空中，有时遮蔽天空，柔化天空的美丽，有时又为我筑起云霄的城堡，让我尽情欣赏。

后来，我在晨曦之地拥有了自己的小房子，过了一段时间，我开始在自己和云朵之间看到一个景象，它如同沙漠中的海市蜃楼，悬浮在地平线上，清晰而逼真，却又在我凝视时消融。那是一扇精美绝伦的金色大门，宛如通往某个仙境的入口。一条清澈的溪流在我与大门之间流淌，两旁绿树成荫，枝繁叶茂，宛如仙境之树。我一次又一次地看到这景象，有一天，当我凝视着它时，父亲悄悄地走到我身边。他轻轻拍了拍我的肩膀，说道：

“弗兰切佐，那扇门在召唤你走近亲眼看看。它是通往第二层最高层的入口，你的新家就在那扇门内等着你。如果不是你对这间小屋的眷恋让你甘愿留在这里，你或许早就踏入你与新家之间的那些层层圆环了。然而现在，你最好还是走出去，看看那片新大陆的奇景是否会让你更加欣喜。你知道，我身处第三层，所以它仍然在你之上，但你离我越近，我就越容易去看望你，在你的新家，我们就能经常相聚了。”

我惊讶得一时语塞。我简直不敢相信自己这么快就能穿过那道门。于是，我听从了父亲的建议，依依不舍地告别了我的小家（因为我很容易对久居之地产生深厚的感情），踏上了前往这片新大陆的旅程。那道门始终在我眼前闪耀，不像以前那样渐渐消失。

在灵界，地表并非像行星那样呈球形，你不会看到地平线上的物体以同样的方式消失，天地最终合二为一。相反，你看到的天空如同头顶巨大的华盖，你头顶的圆环如同高原，坐落在地平线上的山峰之上。当你抵达那些山峰，看到新的国度在你面前展开时，地平线上总会有更高的山峰和更广阔的土地。因此，你也可以俯瞰你已经过的地方，如同俯瞰一连串的梯田，每一层都通向更低、更黯淡的梯田，直到最后你看到环绕地球本身的地球平面，而更远处（对于那些视力敏锐的灵体而言），还有另一连串的梯田，通往地狱。因此，圆融为圆，球融为球，只是每个球体之间都存在磁波屏障，排斥那些试图穿过它来自较低球体的人，直到他们的状态与较高球体的状态和谐为止。

在我前往金门的旅途中，我穿过了这第二层空间的数个环层。若非我如此渴望见到那片我梦寐以求的美丽土地，我定会流连忘返，细细欣赏。而且我知道，在我返回地球的途中，我随时可以停下来探索这些中间地带，因为灵魂总能随心所欲地返回，造访下方的世间。

我终于翻越了横亘在我与金门之间的最后一座山脉，眼前展现出一片无比美丽的景象。树木摇曳着枝条，仿佛在欢迎我，鲜花遍地盛开，脚下是波光粼粼的河流，河对岸便是金门。我心中充满喜悦，纵身跃入那美丽的河流，奋力游向对岸。清澈的河水在我潜水游动时，仿佛要将我淹没。我全然不顾自己的衣着，当我游到对岸时，发现自己浑身湿透，但片刻之后，我的衣服却干爽如初。更奇妙的是，我那件原本镶着三层白色滚边的灰色长袍，竟变成了一件闪耀着雪白光芒的华丽长袍，腰间和袖口都饰有金色的滚边。长袍的领口和袖口用精致的金扣固定，质地如同最上等的薄纱。我简直不敢相信自己的眼睛。我看了又看，然后，怀着颤抖的心，走向那美丽的门。我的手刚一触碰到门，门就滑开了，我走进了一条宽阔的道路，道路两旁绿树成荫，灌木丛生，花草繁茂，色彩缤纷——宛如大地之花，但啊！它们比这更美丽，更芬芳，我的任何语言都无法向你描述。

当我经过时，摇曳的枝条仿佛在温柔地迎接我；花朵也仿佛转向我，迎接一位深爱它们的人；脚下是柔软的绿色草坪；头顶是澄澈纯净、美丽无比的天空，阳光透过树梢闪烁，远胜尘世的阳光。眼前是美丽的蓝紫色山丘，以及波光粼粼的湖泊，湖面上点缀着簇簇绿树，宛如一颗颗璀璨的明珠。湖面上不时有小船轻快地掠过，船上满载着身着五彩斑斓长袍的快乐灵魂——如此像人间，如此像我挚爱的南方故土，却又如此不同，如此荣耀，如此纯净无瑕，远离一切罪恶与污秽！

当我沿着鲜花环绕的宽阔道路前行时，一群精灵前来迎接我。我认出了他们，包括我的父亲、母亲、哥哥和妹妹，以及许多我年轻时挚爱的朋友。他们挥舞着红、白、绿三色的薄纱围巾，一边用最美丽的鲜花铺满我的道路，一边用歌声欢迎我，他们的歌声在微风中飘荡，和谐悦耳。我几乎激动得难以自持，这幸福对我来说似乎太过美好。

即便在那明亮的景色中，我的思绪也转向了尘世，转向了她——我最珍爱的人，尽管世间所有人都如此珍贵。我想：“唉，她不在我身边，无法与我分享此刻的喜悦；我之所以拥有这一切，更多的是因为她的爱。”就在这时，我突然看到她的灵魂出现在我身边，半梦半醒，短暂地脱离了尘世的躯壳，被她最主要的守护灵拥在怀中。她身着灵界的礼服，洁白如新娘，闪烁着如同露珠般璀璨的宝石。我转身将她拥入怀中，我的触碰唤醒了她的灵魂，她微笑着望着我。然后，我将她介绍给我的朋友们，作为我的未婚妻。当她依然微笑着看着我们时，她的守护灵再次靠近，将一件洁白的长袍披在了她身上。他再次将她抱起，她像个疲惫的孩子般沉沉睡去，他抱着她走向她的肉身，她暂时离开这尘世，是为了与我分享并加冕这至高无上的喜悦时刻。啊，我！即使在喜悦之中，我也难以放手，想到我无法将她留在身边；但她尘世的旅程尚未结束，我知道她和其他人一样，终将走完尘世的旅程。

当我心爱的人离去时，我的朋友们都围拢过来，用温柔的拥抱安慰我。我的母亲，自从我还是个小孩子后就再也没见过她——她抚摸着我的头发，亲吻着我的脸庞，仿佛我还是她多年前留在人世间的那个小儿子，以至于他对她的记忆已经模糊不清，而父亲则在他的脑海中填补了父母的形象。

然后他们领我来到一座美丽的别墅，别墅几乎被玫瑰和茉莉花完全掩映，花丛攀爬在墙壁上，缠绕着广场上纤细的白色柱子，在一侧形成一道花帘。多么漂亮的房子啊！简直是我应得的！别墅的房间宽敞明亮，共有七间，每间都体现了我性格中的某个阶段，或是某种我曾经培养的品味。

我的别墅坐落在山顶，俯瞰着数百英尺下的湖泊。平静的湖面泛起阵阵涟漪，周围群山倒映在静谧的湖畔。湖的远处是一片宽阔的山谷。正如人们从山顶俯瞰低矮的山丘、幽暗的山谷和广袤的平原一样，我此刻也从我的新居俯瞰着一幅全景图：我曾穿越的低层世界和循环，直至地球，最终抵达地球本身，它像一颗遥远的星辰般悬挂在我的脚下。我望着它，心想我的爱人依然在那里，我辛勤耕耘的田野也依然在那里。此后，我无数次凝视着那颗孤星，过往人生的画面如波浪般涌入我的白日梦，而我所有的思绪都交织着她的身影，她是我人生的指路明灯。

能让我眺望远方地球的房间是我的音乐室，里面摆放着各种各样的乐器。鲜花装点着墙壁，柔软的帷幔垂挂在窗户上，无需玻璃，就能阻挡来自那片美丽土地的轻柔微风。一株金银花，想必就是当年在晨曦之地的小屋里令我心旷神怡的那株，它芬芳的枝条缠绕着窗户。墙上挂着我爱人的画像，画像周围环绕着纯白的玫瑰，在我看来，那玫瑰仿佛就是她的象征。在这里，我又一次找到了那些在黑暗的日子里收集的小珍宝，那时希望遥不可及，黑夜的阴影笼罩着我。房间里到处都是柔软可爱的精灵花朵，家具也和地球上的家具相似，只是看起来更加轻盈，更加优雅美丽。房间里有一张我非常喜欢的沙发。它由四尊半跪的林中仙女像支撑，仿佛是用最纯净的白色大理石雕刻而成，比雪花石膏还要晶莹剔透。她们伸展的双臂和紧握的双手构成了床背和上下两端；她们的头上戴着树叶冠冕，飘逸的衣褶轻柔地垂落在她们的身躯周围，姿态优雅自然，令人难以置信她们并非活生生的仙女。这床榻的质地如同天鹅绒般柔软，只是颜色是淡金色；它如此柔软，仿佛在邀请人休憩。我常常躺在上面，眺望着这美丽的景色，以及远处那颗昏暗的地球之星，以及它疲惫的朝圣者——它辛勤劳作的灵魂。

隔壁的房间里摆满了美丽的画作、精美的雕像和热带花卉。与其说是房间，不如说更像个温室。画作集中在房间的一端，而雕像和花卉则构成了一幅美丽的前景，仿佛是另一幅更大的画作。房间里有个小洞穴，里面有喷泉潺潺流水，水珠像钻石般闪烁，从较小的水池边缘倾泻而下，汇入更大的静谧水池，发出潺潺的流水声，在我听来宛如一首旋律。洞穴附近有一幅画，立刻吸引了我的目光，因为我认出那是我尘世生活的一幕。画中描绘的是一个初夏宁静的傍晚，我和爱人漂浮在一条人间河流的平静水面上。夕阳西下，余晖洒在树丛后，灰蒙蒙的暮色透过树荫，缓缓笼罩着山谷；我们心中充满了宁静与安宁，仿佛灵魂升入了天堂。我环顾四周，认出了许多熟悉的场景，这些场景也曾带给我快乐，在这些回忆中没有一丝痛苦。

墙上挂着许多朋友的照片，以及一些灵界景象的画作。从窗户望出去，我看到的景色与音乐室截然不同。那景色展现的是远在我之上的土地，那里的塔楼、尖塔和群山在朦胧的薄雾中闪耀，时而彩虹般绚丽，时而金黄，时而湛蓝，时而洁白。我喜欢在两种景色间切换，从清晰的过去，到依然朦胧、依然笼罩着我的未来。

在这个画室里，有各种各样的东西可以让人赏心悦目，也可以让人放松身心，因为我们的身体需要休息，就像你们在世上的身体需要休息一样，我们可以享受躺在用我们辛勤劳动挣来的羽绒床上休息的乐趣，就像你们可以享受用你们在世上辛勤工作挣来的黄金购买的精美家具的乐趣一样。

另一间沙龙专供我的朋友们享用，这里也像在下界一样，摆放着丰盛的餐桌，上面摆满了简单却美味的水果、蛋糕和其他令人愉悦的食物，如同尘世间的食物，只是少了些物质的成分。还有我之前提到的来自灵界的美味气泡酒。另一个房间里也摆满了书籍，记录着我的人生以及我所敬仰或爱慕之人的生平。此外，还有许多关于各种主题的书籍，它们的奇特之处在于，这些书籍并非印刷文字，而是仿佛充满了图画。当你仔细研读这些图画时，你会发现它们比任何文字都更能雄辩地反映出作者的思想。在这里，人们也可以坐下来，聆听居住在上界的伟大诗人和文学家的灵感之语。我曾坐在这里，在一本摊开在我面前的空白书页上，为她写下诗歌，她占据了我大部分的思绪。

我们从这间房间走到花园，父亲说等朋友们都走了，就带我去看看我的休憩之所。这里和屋里一样，到处都是鲜花，因为我一直都喜欢花，它们仿佛在向我诉说着许多事情，低语着美好的幻想和纯洁的思绪。房子周围有一圈露台，花园几乎延伸到湖面之上，尤其是在一个僻静的角落，那里被一排蕨类植物和开花灌木围了起来，背后还有一排树木。这个角落离房子稍远，很快就成了我最喜欢的地方；地面上铺满了柔软的绿色苔藓，世间难寻如此美景——四周鲜花盛开。这里有一张长椅，我喜欢坐在上面眺望远方，想象着我爱人的家在哪里。跨越亿万英里的宇宙，我的思绪可以到达她那里，就像她的思绪现在也可以到达我那里一样，因为我们之间有一条充满磁性的爱的纽带，没有任何力量能够再次将我们分开。

当我欣赏完所有的一切后，朋友们领我回到屋里，我们围坐在一起，享用他们为我精心准备的欢迎盛宴。啊！多么令人愉悦的盛宴啊！我们祝愿每个人未来幸福美满，然后举杯祝酒，那酒清爽怡人，没有丝毫醉意，也没有事后羞愧的烦恼！这些水果，这些琳琅满目的美味佳肴，都是他们为我精心准备的，多么令人垂涎欲滴！我感觉幸福得仿佛置身于一场美梦之中，醒来后定会沉醉其中。最后，除了父母，所有的朋友都离开了，他们领我来到楼上的房间。楼上共有三间房。两间是留给来访的朋友的，布置得十分雅致，宁静祥和；第三间是我的房间，我的私人空间，当我想要休息，只想静静地思考时，我就会回到这里。我们一进门，最吸引我、最令我惊叹的，莫过于那张卧榻。它由雪白的薄纱制成，边缘饰以淡紫色和金色，床脚处立着两位天使，如同林中仙女一般，由我徒劳地试图描述的那耀眼的白色雪花石膏雕刻而成。她们比我，也比我见过的任何精灵都要高大得多，她们的头和展开的双翼几乎触及房间的屋顶，这两个绝美天使的姿态优雅至极。她们的双脚几乎不着地，微微弯曲的身躯和半展开的双翼，仿佛刚刚从天界降临，悬浮在床上方。

他们一男一女，男子头戴头盔，一手持剑，另一只手高举王冠。他身姿挺拔，尽显男子气概与优雅，五官轮廓分明，既展现出力量与温柔，在我眼中，他散发着一种沉稳而神圣的王者风范。

他身旁的女像身材娇小，处处更显柔弱。她的脸上满是温柔、娇媚、纯洁美丽的女性特质。即使是雕刻在大理石上的双眸，也依然明亮动人。她长长的秀发半遮着头和肩膀。一只手握着七弦竖琴，另一只手搭在男天使的肩上，仿佛倚靠着他的力量。她美丽的头颅微微低垂，枕在手臂上，头上戴着一顶纯白百合花冠。

她脸上的神情如此甜美，如此慈爱，简直就像圣母玛利亚的化身。她们的姿态和表情，是我见过的最完美的天使之美，我凝视着她们，仿佛她们会在我的眼前融化。

最后，我转向父亲，问他为什么我的房间里会有这些可爱的雕像，以及为什么它们都长着翅膀，因为我曾被告知天使的身体上根本没有翅膀。

“我的孩子，”他回答说，“这些精美的雕像是我和你母亲送给你的礼物，我们多么希望你能安息在它们羽翼的庇护之下，这羽翼象征着我们永远对你的守护。它们之所以有翅膀，是因为那是天使领域的象征。但如果你仔细观察，就会发现这些翅膀就像是雕像衣褶的一部分，并非像凡间艺术家所描绘的那样，是从肩部生长出来的，而是与身体浑然一体。此外，这些翅膀也象征着天使能够借助展开的双翼翱翔至天堂。闪亮的头盔和宝剑代表战争，头盔象征着理智与谬误、黑暗和压迫的战争；宝剑象征着人类必须与自身低级本性的欲望进行的永无休止的斗争；而王冠则象征着美德和自我征服的荣耀。”

女人手中的竖琴表明她是音乐领域的使者，百合花冠象征着纯洁与爱。她搭在男人肩上的手表明她的力量源自于他，源自于他更强大的本性；她俯身于你床榻之上的姿态和神情，则展现了女性母性中温柔的爱与守护。她比男人娇小，因为在你身上，阳刚之气强于阴柔之气。在一些描绘男性灵魂天使的形象中，男女形象大小相等，因为在这些形象中，阴阳元素是平等平衡的，但在你身上并非如此，因此，在你身上，女性形象往往依附于更强大的一方。

男性天使象征力量和守护，女性天使象征纯洁和爱。他们共同展现了灵魂永恒的二元性，二者缺一不可。他们也象征着你灵魂的双生守护天使，从精神层面来说，他们的翅膀永远张开，守护着你。

我是否该承认，即便在那美丽的家中，我也曾感到孤独？这房子是我靠自己挣来的，却无人与我分享。我总觉得，如果有人也和我一样享受这份甜蜜，我的快乐便会加倍。我心中唯一的挚爱，我最渴望的那个人，仍在世间，唉！我知道，她还要很多年才能与我相聚。

那时，忠实的朋友在我上方的球体中，在他自己的家中；至于哈塞因，他远远高于我们俩，所以虽然我有时能看到他们，也能看到我亲爱的父母， 但没有人能与我分享生活， 没有人会等待我回家，也没有人能让我反过来等待。

我经常在地球上——经常和我的爱人在一起——但我发现，随着我在灵界地位的提升，我不能像以前那样一次停留那么长时间了。

它对我的精神产生了如同生活在雾气弥漫的环境中或煤矿中一样的影响，我不得不更频繁地回到精神世界来恢复自己。

我过去常常坐在我漂亮的房间里，独自叹息道：“唉，如果我能和某人交谈，找到一个志同道合的人，向他倾诉我脑海中所有的想法就好了。”

因此，我非常高兴地接待了忠实的朋友的来访，并听到了他向我提出的建议。

“我来是替一位刚来到这个圈子的朋友，”他说，“他还没有自己的房子，所以想找个比他家境更富裕的朋友暂住。他在这里没有亲戚，我想你或许会乐意和他作伴。”

“我非常乐意与您的朋友分享我的家。”

忠实的朋友笑了。“他也可以被称为你的朋友，因为你认识他。他叫贝内德托。”

“贝内德托！”我惊呼道，既惊讶又欣喜。“啊！那他真是太受欢迎了。尽快把他带过来。”

“他现在就在这里——他在你家门口等着；他要等到确信你会真心欢迎他才会跟我来。”

“没有谁比他更像了，”我说。“我们立刻去把他带回来。”

于是我们走到门口，他站在那里，看起来和上次我在下界那座可怕的城市里见到他时截然不同——那时他那么悲伤，那么沉重，那么压抑——现在却如此光彩照人，他的长袍和我一样，都是纯白色的，虽然他的脸上仍然带着悲伤的表情，但当他抬起头看向我时，眼中却充满了平静和希望。我握住他的手，拥抱他，就像我们南方人拥抱我们所爱和尊敬的人一样。

我们相聚时非常高兴——我们两个都曾犯下如此大的罪孽，遭受过如此大的苦难——从此以后，我们就像兄弟一样。

因此，我的家不再孤单，因为当我们中的一人辛勤劳作归来时，另一人会在那里迎接他，分享喜悦和忧虑，并谈论成功或失败。

33. 我对球体的设想

我该如何述说那些前来探望我、光临我这间明亮居所的众多朋友，如何述说我在那片美丽土地上看到的城市，如何述说我游览过的迷人景色？我无法一一细述。那需要大量的篇幅，而我的叙述已然有限。我只想讲述我所经历的另一个异象，因为在异象中，我被指引了一条新的道路，一条我将要奋斗的道路，一条我可以将我在游历中汲取的经验教训运用到帮助他人的道路。

我躺在房间的沙发上，刚刚从一场漫长的睡眠中醒来。我像往常一样凝视着我守护天使的两位绝世美人，每次注视他们，都能从他们的面容和姿态中发现新的美，新的意义。这时，我意识到，远在东方的指引者阿林兹曼（Ahrinziman）正试图与我沟通。于是，我让自己完全放松下来，很快便感到一团耀眼的白色雾状光芒笼罩着我。它仿佛隔绝了房间的墙壁，将我与外界的一切隔绝开来。然后，我的灵魂似乎从我的灵体中升起，飘向远方，只留下我的灵体外壳静静地躺在沙发上。

我仿佛不断向上飞去，继续向上飞去，仿佛我强大的向导的意志在召唤我到他身边，我漂浮不定，感到一种即使作为灵魂也从未感受过的轻盈感。

最后，我登上了一座高山之巅，从那里我可以俯瞰地球及其上下各层天体在我脚下旋转。我也看到了我的家园——那颗星球，但它似乎远低于我所站立的高度。

阿林齐曼就在我身边，我仿佛在梦中听到他的声音对我说：

“看啊，我收养的儿子，这就是我希望你投身的新道路。看看地球及其周围的星体，看看我希望你参与的这项工作对地球的福祉是多么重要。看看你在前往地狱王国的旅途中所获得的力量的价值，它将使你成为一支伟大的军队的一员，日夜守护着凡人免受地狱居民的侵扰。看看这星体的全景，学习如何才能参与到这项与星体本身一样伟大的事业中来。”

我顺着他所指的方向望去，看到了环绕着大地的环形带，它的磁流如同潮汐般涨落，承载着数以亿计的灵魂。我看到了所有那些奇异的元素星体形态，有的怪诞丑陋，有的美丽动人。我还看到了那些被束缚于尘世的人类灵魂，他们仍被庸俗的享乐或罪恶的生活所束缚，其中许多人利用凡人的躯体来满足他们堕落的欲望。我看到了这些以及大地层面的其他奥秘，同时我也看到从下方黑暗的球体中涌出的黑暗而可怕的生物，它们对人类的影响比大地层面的黑暗灵魂要致命十倍。我看到这些黑暗生物聚集在人类周围，密密麻麻地聚集在他们附近，它们聚集之处遮蔽了照耀大地的灵性太阳的光芒。他们用自己残忍邪恶的念头所构成的黑暗笼罩了这道光，这片黑暗所到之处，便滋生了谋杀和抢劫；残暴、淫欲和各种压迫如影随形，死亡和悲伤也随之而来。凡是人类抛弃良知约束、沉溺于贪婪自私、骄傲野心的地方，这些黑暗生物便会聚集于此，用他们黑暗的身躯遮蔽真理之光。

我又一次看到许多凡人，他们为逝去的亲人哀悼，痛哭流涕，因为他们再也见不到他们了。我始终看到那些被他们哀悼的人站在他们身边，竭尽全力地想要证明他们依然活着，依然徘徊在他们身边，死亡并没有夺走他们心中哪怕一丝爱意，哪怕一个温柔的愿望，让那些被死亡留下来哀悼的人知道这一点。然而，他们的努力似乎都是徒劳。活着的人看不见也听不见他们，可怜的悲伤灵魂也无法回到他们光明的领域，因为当他们留下的人如此哀悼他们时，他们却被爱的锁链束缚在尘世，他们的灵魂之光在无助的悲伤中徘徊，逐渐黯淡消逝。

阿林齐曼对我说：“难道生者和所谓的死者之间不需要沟通的手段吗？这样，双方悲伤的人都能得到安慰。而且，难道不需要沟通，让那些罪恶自私的人知道，在他们周围徘徊的黑暗生物正试图将他们的灵魂拖入地狱吗？”

于是我看见一道耀眼夺目的光芒，如同灿烂的太阳，其光辉之盛，世间无人能及。它的光芒驱散了黑暗与悲伤的阴霾，我听见天界传来美妙的乐章。我心想，这下世人定能听见这乐章，看见这光芒，得到慰藉。然而，他们却无法做到——他们被自己所吸收的谬论蒙蔽了双耳，尘世的尘埃和杂质堵塞了他们的心灵，使他们的双眼对那徒劳地为他们闪耀的光芒视而不见。

于是我看见其他凡人，他们的灵视已部分开启，耳聪目明，他们谈论着灵界及其奇妙的美景。他们心怀伟大的思想，并用尘世的语言表达出来。他们聆听着美妙的音乐，并试图将其表达出来。他们看到美丽的景象，并试图将其描绘出来，在尘世环境的限制下，尽可能地还原灵界的景象。这些凡人被称为天才，他们的言语、音乐和绘画，都有助于提升人们的灵魂，使其更接近赋予灵魂的神——因为一切至高无上、至纯至善的事物都源于灵界的启示。

然而，尽管拥有如此美妙的艺术、音乐和文学——尽管怀揣着如此美好的愿望——尽管宗教情感如此炽热，世人依然无法与那些先他们而去的亲人沟通，他们前往的是世人所称的“亡灵之地”，他们认为，从那里出发，任何旅人都无法返回——那片土地对他们而言，始终模糊不清，如同迷雾一般。同样，那些试图帮助人类获得更高、更纯粹的真理认知的灵界，也无法与人类直接沟通。在世界之初形成的古老理论的种种谬误，不断地与灵界试图赋予人类的更新、更完美的认知交织在一起，蒙蔽了灵界的清澈，折射出灵界的光芒，使之只能抵达那些破碎而残缺的凡人心灵。

然后我看到物质生活的墙壁上有很多门，每扇门前都有一位天使守护着它，从地球上的每一扇门，甚至到最高的领域，我看到一条巨大的灵魂锁链，每一环都比它下面的环高一个层次，地球上的凡人被赋予了这些门的钥匙，以便他们可以保持这些门的敞开，并且凡人和灵界之间可以进行沟通。

然而，唉！随着时间的流逝，我发现许多持有这些钥匙的人并不忠诚。他们被尘世的享乐和馈赠所诱惑，背离了正道，任由自己的大门紧闭。还有一些人，他们的大门只是半开着，本应只有光明和真理才能照亮的地方，却被谬误和黑暗悄然侵入。来自灵界的光芒再次被玷污，在穿过这些黑暗的门扉时破碎。更令人悲哀的是，随着时间的流逝，光明彻底消失，取而代之的是来自低层黑暗欺骗之灵的浓重污浊的光芒。最终，天使将关闭那扇门，使其在尘世间永不再开启。

于是我转过身，不再看这悲伤的景象，只见许多新的门扉敞开，门后站着一些心灵纯洁无私、不为尘世欲望所玷污的凡人。透过这些门扉，耀眼的光芒倾泻而下，照亮了大地，令我目眩神迷，不得不移开视线。当我再次凝视时，只见这些门扉间挤满了精灵，有的美丽明亮，有的衣衫褴褛，内心充满悲伤，因为他们生前罪孽深重，但他们的灵魂深处仍渴望向善。还有一些精灵美丽明亮，却因无法再与留在人间的亲人交谈而忧伤。我看到，无论是忧伤的精灵还是罪孽深重的精灵，都因与尘世的沟通而得到安慰和帮助。许多凡人的心中充满了喜悦，因为死亡的帷幕已被揭开，来自彼岸的消息传来。

然后我看到来自各个更高领域的庞大灵体大军从我面前经过，他们身着纯白长袍，头戴金银头盔，在荣耀的灵光中闪耀。他们之中似乎有一些是统帅，指挥着其他人的工作。我问道：“这些人是谁？他们曾经是凡人吗？”

阿林齐曼回答我说：“这些人不仅是凡人，而且其中许多人生来邪恶，因此堕入了你所看到的那些地狱王国。但由于他们深感悔改，做了许多伟大的赎罪之事，并彻底战胜了自己低劣的本性，如今他们已成为光明军队的领袖，是保护人类免受低级邪恶侵害的强大战士。”

我时常看到黑暗的灵体，如同波浪拍打海岸，席卷大地，它们被人类邪恶的欲望和贪婪的自私所吸引而来。然后，我又看到它们被光明的灵体大军击退，因为两者之间始终存在着冲突，它们争夺的奖赏是人类的灵魂；然而，这两股争斗的力量除了意志之外，别无武器。它们之间的战斗仅依靠彼此磁力的排斥，这种磁力如此敌对，以至于任何一方都无法长时间地与另一方保持密切接触。

阿林齐曼指着一扇门给我看，门前站着一位凡间女子，他说：“看，那里的锁链并不完整；她与灵界之链之间还缺少一个环节。下去，补上那个环节，你的力量就能保护她，让她变得强大；你就能守护她，免受那些徘徊在附近的邪灵侵扰，并帮助她敞开大门。你在那些低层领域的游历赋予了你驱逐其中居民的力量，在需要更强大力量的地方，这力量会被派去保护她——那些试图通过她沟通的人，只有在你认为合适的时候才会这样做；当你想在灵界安息时，会有另一位向导接替你的位置。现在，再看看这片土地，看看它周围的冲突吧。”

我注视着他说话，只见黑色的雷云盘旋在大地之上，聚集得如同黑夜一般。一阵如同暴风雨般呼啸的巨响从地狱的黑暗深处直冲云霄。如同风暴肆虐的大海，这些黑暗的灵云翻滚着撞击着光明的灵海，将它们卷走，席卷大地，仿佛要将真理之光从世间抹去。它们攻击每一扇通往光明的大门，试图将其吞噬。于是，这场灵界之战演变成了人间的战争——各国为了争夺霸权而互相厮杀。似乎在对财富的极度渴望和对征服的贪婪之下，所有国家和所有民族都将被卷入这场战争，这场战争如此全面。我环顾四周，却不见有人伸出援手，无人愿意从光明之境走出来，从黑暗灵体手中夺回它们对大地的统治权。沸腾的黑暗精灵群正在攻击光明之门，并试图将站在门内的可怜的、忠诚的凡人扫走，以便将人类驱逐回无知的时代。

然后，就像东方的一颗星星，我看到一道光芒，闪耀夺目，耀眼无比，它不断向下，越来越大，直到我看到那是来自天界的一大群光芒四射的天使，随着他们的到来，那些我曾看到被邪恶势力驱逐的明亮精灵们再次聚集起来，加入了这些光荣的战士，这片巨大的光之海洋，这支强大的明亮精灵大军席卷而来，用一道巨大的光带将地球环绕起来。

我所见之处，皆是光芒，如同利矛，俯冲而下，撕裂黑暗的团块，千百道裂痕。这些耀眼的光芒如同火焰之剑，斩断四面八方的黑暗灵体之墙，将它们驱散至天际四方。它们的首领徒劳地试图重新集结力量，徒劳地试图驱赶他们。更强大的力量阻挡了它们，它们被天界众神的光芒击退，最终如同黑暗邪恶的迷雾般沉入海底，滚回它们来时的黑暗领域。

“那么这些光明的天使是谁呢？”我又问，“这些从不退缩也从不杀戮的战士，他们不是用毁灭之剑，而是用他们强大的意志力，用永恒的善战胜恶的力量，来遏制这些强大的邪恶势力？”

答案是：“他们是那些从最黑暗的领域中被救赎的人，很久很久以前，他们就在悔改之池中洗净了沾染罪恶的衣衫，凭借自身的努力，从死寂的灰烬中重生，升入更高的境界。他们并非相信无辜的生命会为他们的罪孽献祭，而是凭借多年的辛勤劳作——无数次的赎罪行为——伴随着悲伤和苦涩的泪水——以及无数个疲惫不堪的奋斗时刻，首先战胜了自身的邪恶，这样，他们才能帮助其他罪人也做到这一点。他们是天界的使者，曾经和他们一样是人，能够体会罪人的一切挣扎。他们是一支强大的队伍，永远守护着世人，永远拯救着世人。”

我对大地及其周围环境的视野渐渐消失，取而代之的是一颗孤星，它散发着纯净的银光，闪耀在我头顶。它的光芒如同细细的银线，洒落在大地上，落在我爱人居住的地方。阿林齐曼对我说：

“看啊，她尘世命运的星辰，多么清晰纯净地闪耀着光芒！哦，我亲爱的学生，要知道，每一个降生于世的灵魂，在精神的天空中都有一颗这样的星辰闪耀着光芒，它的道路在灵魂诞生之时就已经被标记出来；这条道路它必须遵循到尽头，除非它以自杀的行为斩断尘世生命的丝线，从而违背自然法则，让自己陷入巨大的悲伤和痛苦之中。”

“你的意思是说，每个人的命运都是注定的，我们只不过是命运长河中漂浮的稻草吗？”

“不完全如此。尘世生活中的重大事件是既定的，它们必然会在尘世存在的某些阶段出现，而且这些事件是天使领域那些睿智的守护者们认为能够发展和教化灵魂的事件；这些事件将如何影响每个灵魂的生命——它们是好是坏，幸福还是悲伤的转折点——取决于灵魂本身，这是我们自由意志的特权，没有自由意志，我们就只不过是傀儡，对自己的行为不负责任，既不配得到奖赏，也不配得到惩罚。”

但回到那颗星辰——请注意，当凡人认真努力地遵循命中注定的道路，在一切事情上都力求正确，当灵魂纯洁，思想无私时，那颗星辰就会发出清澈无瑕的光芒，照亮灵魂的道路。

这颗星辰的光芒源自灵魂，是其纯洁的体现。因此，如果灵魂不再纯洁，如果它发展出低级而非高级的特质，那么这颗灵魂命运之星就会变得黯淡无光，如同鬼火般在黑暗的沼泽上空摇曳；它不再是灵魂的清晰灯塔；最终，如果灵魂变得极其邪恶，这颗星辰的光芒将彻底熄灭，不再照亮它尘世的道路。

“通过观察这些灵星，并追溯它们在灵界中指引的轨迹，灵视者得以预知每个灵魂的命运，并根据星光所散发的光芒，判断灵魂的生命是善是恶。永别了，愿你在新的耕耘领域收获最美好的果实。”

他停止了说话，我的灵魂似乎越沉越深，直到我回到我留在沙发上的灵魂之躯。当我重新进入其中时，我短暂地失去了意识；然后我醒来发现自己在自己的房间里，那些美丽的白色天使盘旋在我上方，正如我父亲所说，它们是永恒的保护和爱的象征。

34. 结论

我的使命已完成，我的故事已述完，我只想对所有读者说，我相信他们会相信，这正如其所宣称的那样，是一个悔改的灵魂从黑暗走向光明的真实叙述。我希望他们扪心自问，从他人的经历中汲取教训，并认真权衡灵魂回归的可能性，是否是一件好事。你们当中有些人认为死后怜悯的福音太过简单，对罪人太过宽容，你们可曾体会过良心觉醒的煎熬？你们可曾见过那条充满苦涩泪水、艰辛跋涉的道路，那是灵魂若想回归上帝必须攀登的？你们可曾明白，这意味着要一步一步地，在多年的黑暗、苦难和灵魂的煎熬中，去偿还尘世一生中的罪恶行为、言语和思想——因为罪债必须偿还到最后一分一毫；每个人都必须饮尽自己斟满的杯中最后一滴酒。你能想象那种无助、绝望地徘徊在地球上，眼睁睁看着自己罪孽的苦毒诅咒降临到子孙后代身上，过去的污秽潜伏在他们的血液里，毒害着他们，是怎样一种感受吗？你知道吗，每一个被玷污的生命——所有这些生来就被邪恶的倾向所诅咒的生命——都成了你良心的负担，因为你参与了他们的堕落，他们如同绊脚石，不断拖拽着你的灵魂，阻碍它向上攀登，直到你为他们赎罪，帮助他们从你肆无忌惮的欲望将他们拖入的泥沼中挣脱出来？现在你明白为什么几百年前死去的人的灵魂仍然会在世间游荡吗？你能想象一个灵魂从坟墓中呼唤他人，尤其是那些被他背叛，导致自己和他人双双走向毁灭的人，却发现所有人都对他充耳不闻，所有人都对他痛苦和悔恨的呼喊充耳不闻，他该是怎样的感受吗？他无法弥补自己曾经犯下的任何愚蠢或报复的行为，也无法避免自己或他人所遭受的任何痛苦；一道可怕的高墙已经竖起，一道巨大的鸿沟横亘在他和尘世之间，除非有好心人伸出援手，帮助他回到人间，与那些被他伤害过的人交谈，否则，即使是忏悔，即使是迟来的弥补，他也无从下手。那么，那些已逝之人难道无需返回，警告他们的同胞吗？就像财主试图返回却未能如愿一样？世人真的如此善良，以至于不需要来自死亡之门之外的回响，来预示他们即将面临的命运吗？与其等到死后再去那个只能通过他人生命体来处理尘世之事的国度，不如趁着还在世时忏悔，岂不更容易？

我曾遇到一个亡灵，他在安妮女王统治时期，用伪造的地契骗取了他人的财产。我见到他时，他仍然被束缚在那栋房子和土地上，完全无法挣脱枷锁，直到一位灵媒帮助他，他才坦白自己藏匿了真正的地契，并说出了这处房产的合法所有者的名字。这个可怜的亡灵因坦白而从房屋的枷锁中解脱出来，但并未从尘世的囚禁中解脱。他必须在那里工作，直到他的努力能够帮助那些因他的罪行而堕入罪恶和死亡深渊的人。只有完成这项工作，这个亡灵才能离开尘世，而他至今仍在尘世中工作，努力消除他过去罪行的影响。有人会说他的惩罚太轻吗？有人会评判他的同胞，说上帝的怜悯何时会停止，而那个罪人又何时会永远受苦吗？啊，不！很少有人敢于面对自己信条的真正含义，或者哪怕只是在思想上，去理解相信上帝任何犯错的儿女都会受到永恒惩罚的痛苦和可怕的后果。

在这些篇章中，我试图展现一个在教会眼中或许已迷失灵魂的人的真实经历。因为我死时既不信奉任何教会，也不信奉任何宗教，只对上帝抱有一种模糊的信念。我的良心始终低语着，一定存在着一位至高无上的神，一位神圣的存在，但我却压抑住这种想法，将其抛诸脑后，自欺欺人地让自己陷入一种安全感和漠然之中，就像愚蠢的鸵鸟把头埋进沙子里，以为没人能看见它一样。在我所有的游历中，虽然我确实了解到宇宙中存在一位全能的神圣统治者——宇宙的维系者和维持者——但我却始终无法理解祂可以被还原为一个具体的个体，一个与人类相似的、具有明确形态的存在，一个我们这些有限的生物可以争论并最终确定其属性的存在。我也从未见过任何事物能够让我倾向于相信某种宗教信仰而非其他信仰。我所学到的是，如果可能的话，要让自己的思想摆脱任何教条的束缚。

人类文明的萌芽时期，即其心智如同孩童之时，可称之为信仰时代。母教会给予他们慰藉和永生的希望，并免去了他们自行思考第一因理论的重担，这套理论旨在解释自身及周遭世界的存在。信仰如同慈母般抚慰着他们尚未完全发育成熟的灵魂的渴望，原始种族的人们无需质疑便会深信不疑。在早期的原始部落中，那些更具灵性的人逐渐成为神秘主义者，进而成为祭司，随着时代的变迁，教会的雏形逐渐形成。

接下来是理性时代。此时，人类智力的发展使他不再满足于对未知的盲目信仰，教会的乳汁不再能满足他精神的饥渴，他需要更强大的精神食粮。如果这种食粮被剥夺，他便会挣脱教会的庇护——教会曾经滋养着他，如今却只会束缚和阻碍他成长和扩展的灵魂。人类的理性渴望更大的自由和应有的滋养，它必须找到这些。在叛逆的成长孩童与试图继续掌控婴儿时期权力的教会之间的斗争中，曾经滋养心灵的信仰变得令人作呕，必须不惜一切代价摒弃。因此，理性时代成为一个根除所有过去珍视信仰的时代。

随后，人进入另一个阶段。此时，孩童已成长为青年，亲身经历了理性带来的喜怒哀乐、惩罚与益处，从而学会了更公正地看待自身理性能力的强弱。他开始重新审视自己曾经鄙夷的信仰，并意识到信仰也自有其美和价值。他明白，虽然仅凭信仰无法滋养超越婴儿期的灵魂，但缺乏信仰的理性，对于逐渐意识到自身所处的浩瀚无垠的宇宙及其蕴含的诸多奥秘——而这些奥秘仅凭理性无法解释——的灵魂而言，不过是一份冰冷的硬粮。于是，人再次回归信仰，寻求将其与理性结合起来，使二者从此相辅相成。

在精神世界中，信仰与理性是两种不同思想领域的核心原则。信仰是宗教或教会主义的生命力所在，正如理性是哲学的生命力所在。这两种思想流派乍看之下似乎彼此对立，但它们却能够在同一人格的心理发展中融合，二者比例均衡，方能达到心智的平衡。若一方过度凌驾于另一方之上，个体——无论是凡人还是无形之灵——都会在某个方向上变得狭隘，无法公正地看待任何心理问题。他的心智如同一辆双轮马车，同一根轴上装着大小两个轮子，结果两个轮子都无法正常运转，心智的马车最终停滞不前，直到缺陷得到纠正。

一个人或许对真理充满热忱，但如果他的智力和道德能力没有得到均衡发展，他的心灵就像一条被谬误堵塞的高速公路，真理之星的光芒无法穿透；它们被这些障碍物折射和扭曲，要么根本无法抵达人的灵魂，要么扭曲成真理的影像，反而成为偏见和谬误的根源。智力可以被称为灵魂之眼，如果这只眼睛的视力不健全，无论灵魂多么渴望光明，它都将永远处于精神的黑暗之中。精神的视力必须经过开发和运用，才能变得清晰而强大。

盲目的无知信仰并不能避免谬误。历代宗教迫害的历史便是明证。那些做出伟大思想发现的伟人，往往是道德与智慧达到平衡之人；而完美的人，或者说天使，则是灵魂所有品质都发展至极致之人。

灵魂的每一个属性，无论是精神上的还是道德上的，都有其对应的色彩，这些色彩的混合形成了彩虹美丽而多样的色调，就像彩虹一样，它们彼此融合，形成完美的整体。

在某些人的灵魂中，某些能力的发育速度会比其他人更快；在某些人的灵魂中，某些智力和道德的种子会处于休眠状态，不显露其存在，但它们确实存在，无论是在今世还是在来世，它们都会开始生长，并最终绽放成完美的果实。

邪恶的根源在于某些灵魂道德品质的缺失以及其他特质的过度发展。目前栖居于较低灵界的灵魂，正经历着唤醒和发展其沉睡道德能力所必需的启蒙过程。尽管这一过程中会造成可怕的罪恶和苦难，但从最终结果来看，它们却是必要且有益的。

在我如今居住的领域中，有一座宏伟壮丽的宫殿，属于希望兄弟会。这座宫殿是我们兄弟会所有成员的聚会场所，其中有一座精美的厅堂，由象征着精神层面的白色大理石建造而成。这座厅堂被称为“讲堂”，我们聚集于此，聆听来自更高领域的灵性导师们的教诲。厅堂的尽头悬挂着一幅名为“完美之人”的精美画作。也就是说，它描绘的是一位相对完美的人，或者更确切地说，是一位天使。我之所以说是相对完美的，是因为即使是能够想象或达到的至高完美，也只能相对于灵魂永恒存在的更高境界而言。与亚历山大哀叹自己已无世界可征服不同，灵魂在智力和道德的征服方面拥有无限的可能。精神的宇宙如同物质的宇宙一样浩瀚无垠，同样永恒。因此，没有人能用“完美”一词来暗示一个无法超越的极限。

图中这位近乎完美的天使被描绘成屹立于天球之巅。地球及其周围的天体都远远地位于他的下方。他目光中充满惊奇、喜悦和敬畏，凝视着那些遥远的、凡人无法理解的领域，那些超越我们太阳系宇宙的领域。对这位天使而言，它们已成为他新的应许之地。

天使头戴金色头盔，象征着精神力量和征服。他一只手臂上佩戴着银色盾牌，这是信仰守护者的典型象征。他身着耀眼的白色长袍，展现出灵魂的纯洁；他张开的双翼象征着智慧的力量，能够翱翔至宇宙最高境界。天使身后是一片白云，云中横跨着一道彩虹，彩虹的每一种颜色和色调完美融合，和谐统一，这表明天使已将其灵魂中所有智力和道德品质都发展到了极致。

这幅画作色彩丰富，洁白无瑕，光彩夺目，任何笔墨都无法描绘，任何尘世的画笔都无法尽述。然而，我听说它远不及原作的美丽。原作位于至高无上的天界，描绘的是我们兄弟会一位已逝的大导师，他已升入太阳系之外的更高境界。在希望兄弟会建筑群中，每个地球球体的最高层都悬挂着这幅画作的复制品。它们展现了我们兄弟会与太阳系天体之间的联系，也预示着在永恒的岁月中，我们所有人所能企及的至高境界。是的，我们每个人，即使是在地球最底层辛勤劳作的最卑微的兄弟，甚至是在黑暗和难以言喻的罪恶中挣扎的最堕落的灵魂，都不会被排除在外，因为所有灵魂在上帝面前都是平等的，一个人所获得的，只要他们努力奋斗，所有人都可以获得。

这就是我离开尘世后所获得的知识和信念，但我不能说我看到任何特定的信念有助于或阻碍灵魂的进步，除非有一点可以肯定，那就是某些信条倾向于束缚心灵，蒙蔽心灵的清晰视野，扭曲心灵的善恶观念，从而阻止持有这些信念的人拥有完全的思想自由和无偏见，而只有这种自由和无偏见才能使灵魂升华到最高的境界。

我写下这段流浪经历，是希望读者中有人会觉得值得探究一番，看看这故事是否真如其所言，并非真实发生过。或许也有人失去了至亲，但他们的生平却未能让人相信他们能与教会所称的“在主里安息的亡者”——那些并非为良善真理而逝的挚友——同列。我恳请这些哀悼者抱有希望，相信他们挚爱却误入歧途的朋友并非彻底迷失——并非完全没有希望，即便有些人死于自杀，死于看似绝望的境地。我恳请世人仔细思考我所说的一切，扪心自问，他们的祈祷和同情是否仍能帮助和安慰那些需要帮助和安慰的人。

我从我那光明之地——与我的出生地如此相似——的家中，继续在尘世间工作，陪伴那些不幸的人们。我也致力于推进生者与他们称之为亡灵之间的灵性交流这一伟大事业。

我每天都会抽出一些时间陪伴我挚爱的人，并能以各种方式帮助和保护她。在灵界的家中，许多朋友和旅伴的探访也让我倍感欣慰。在那片充满爱与友谊的明亮土地上，我满怀感恩地等待着那幸福的时刻——我挚爱的人尘世的旅程终将结束，她生命的明灯终将熄灭，她尘世的星辰终将落下，她将来到一个更加光明的家园与我团聚，在那里，希望与爱的双星将永远为我们闪耀。

剧终