"And so you inform me that there is nothing left of beautiful Sageland
but a heap of ruins surrounded by the sea," mused the lovely--the idea
struck me to name her Arletta--"tell me what happened to the rest of my
people."
"Not knowing anything about the matter it is impossible for me to answer
that question," replied I; "and although I have traveled through nearly
every country on earth still no such people as you or the magnificent
objects represented in that picture have ever come to my attention
before. In fact I have never read of such a race or even heard of a
country by the name of Sageland."
At this remark she turned abruptly and walked--or rather flew, so easy
and graceful were her movements--over to a portion of the wall and
looked long and earnestly into a peculiar instrument, then returning she
said: (without the use of words) "according to my chronometer, more than
four thousand two hundred and thirty years have elapsed since the awful
catastrophe."
"Four thousand, two hundred and thirty years!" ejaculated I, "great
heavens, that must have been about the time of the flood." "What flood?"
inquired she.
Then I proceeded to tell her how in those days the people of the world
being so wicked that God during a terrible fit of anger made it rain for
forty days and forty nights, causing the destruction of every living
thing on earth except one Noah, his family and a male and female of
every animal, bird and insect, who were saved by being taken aboard of a
huge ark built for the purpose by Noah. And then after every living
thing not aboard the boat was destroyed, how the waves receded, Noah and
his flock were safely landed upon a mountain peak, and God put a bow
into the sky as a pledge that he would never do such a thing again.
Arletta appeared somewhat amused at my recital of the story and at its
conclusion merely remarked: "Noah evidently had more good sense than his
god." Then she added: "As to the rainbow, that was seen by the
inhabitants of the earth millions of years before Noah's time."
"So the world has retrogressed during the past four thousand years,"
mused she sadly.
"Retrogressed! No indeed, the world has made great progress and has now
reached a wonderful state of civilization," answered I, proudly.
Motioning me to an opposite position she majestically seated herself
upon the couch and after seriously looking at me for some time she
finally said: "This is one of nature's most extraordinary proceedings
and there are many things I wish to talk with you about, but before
going into the details of this matter I am anxious to get a view of the
world as it exists now. You have observed that unlike the lower animals,
in which rank unfortunately you belong at the present time"--here I
interrupted her by bursting forth into loud laughter, not because I
enjoyed being called an animal myself but at the thought of how some of
my civilized friends would feel if informed that they were lower
animals. My intervention, however, not disturbing her in the least, she
resumed: "In our nomenclature your species was known as the Apeman, and
represented in the chain of evolution the link between the Ape and Man.
Our scientists placed the Apeman within the ranks of the lower animals
for reasons I shall make clear later. But to continue, you have observed
that unlike yourself I have been conversing with you without the use of
the voice but with the mind, the most effectual agent of communication
and one of the senses the Apeman has not cultivated. Now I shall show
you how to see without eyes.
"Mind sight is an occult force which was exercised to great advantage by
my people. This force eliminates both distance and obstruction and
exposes to view the object sought even if it is located on the opposite
side of the globe. Any mind, if sufficiently strong, can contract
distance and bring any mundane scene within its range while penetrating
solid matter as if it did not exist at all. So by utilizing this power,
which I possess to a considerable degree, it is my intention to make a
hurried survey of the earth's surface in order to obtain an exact idea
of present conditions. Furthermore, by the subtle concentration of our
mind forces together I shall convey to your inner vision the actual
scenes witnessed by myself, and you shall act as my mental consort on a
trip around the world."
After the many wonderful things I had already seen it was my opinion
that there was nothing impossible for this beautiful woman to perform,
so I mildly informed her that I was at her service, and ready for the
journey to begin.
"Well then," said she, "before starting I wish to warn you that no
matter what you see, hear or feel on this trip you must not disturb our
observation with your primitive babble, apish laughter or by trying to
offer any comments whatsoever."
At this remark I was brought to a realization of the fact that Arletta,
whom I so ardently loved, aye even worshipped, was treating me in about
the same manner as I would have treated a pet monkey had I been teaching
it some new tricks. She evidently regarded my smiles and feelings for
her with about the same consideration as I should have given to those of
some grinning female baboon had it been trying to make love to me. Her
last thoughts, therefore, aroused my sensitive nature, and a violent
outburst of temper was the result. I did not mind being called an Apeman
so much, but hated the idea of being treated like one, so working myself
into a passion I severely censured her, and with much bluster and many
gestures endeavored to impress upon her mind how much superior I was to
what she had imagined. It was some time before my anger abated, and then
I noticed that she appeared quite unmoved by my wrath but sat looking
calmly and alternately at me and one of the figures in the picture,
while her face bore an expression of sadness and pity. Then I felt
ashamed to think of what a lack of self-control I had exhibited, and
humbly begged her pardon.
"But now," said Arletta, and I fancied that she called me John, "your
soul is at present running the machinery of a very inferior mind and
body which plainly shows all the cruel passions and idiotic ideas of the
Apeman. This has happened through no fault of your own but is the result
of circumstances over which you had no control so that you are not
responsible for your present condition. I now say however that you have
been chosen by nature for a great and glorious work and from this time
forward you must make use of your reasoning faculties for reasonable
purposes and cast aside all the animal passions, silly ideas and
antiquated superstitions which you have inherited from the ignorant of
ages, and begin afresh. Before starting on our journey perhaps it would
be well for us to take some refreshments in order that our minds may
remain strong and clear during the trip. We take our nourishment in a
different way from you cannibals," said Arletta, as she went to one of
the artificial flower gardens, began inhaling and motioned me to do
likewise. "But we are not cannibals," I mildly remonstrated, "we do not
kill and eat human beings." "Do you not kill and eat the flesh of other
living things?" inquired she. "Yes," replied I, "our diet consists of
the flesh of birds, fish and cattle which God with great wisdom created
for that purpose." "Did he? Then you must worship a cannibal god, for it
is but a very short step between eating the flesh of your own species
and that of others. That is one reason why our scientists ranked the
Apeman with the lower animals. But come, inhale this perfume and see if
it is not far more refreshing and less disgusting than to fill your
stomach with roasted flesh."
At her suggestion I stationed myself near the flower bed which contained
a large variety of the most beautiful plants I had ever seen. She
touched several of them lightly and immediately the air was saturated
with a most delicious fragrance caused, no doubt, by an automatic
arrangement concealed within each flower. I stood like one in a most
delightful dream inhaling the invigorating fumes, and with each
succeeding breath my body became stronger and my mind brighter until I
thought I should surely die from the effects of exuberant joy, when my
attention was attracted by Arletta, who said: "Come, you greedy little
pig, don't you know when you have had enough?" Then she added, "but I
forgot that among your species greediness is considered a virtue."