It was not long, however, before my train of thought brought me back to
the old groove. I reflected that although I had been told that people
whose energies were failing generally preferred to give themselves a
quietus, I still did not know how it was that no one seemed to bear any
of the usual marks of age. I could hardly believe that the approach of a
wrinkle, or a slight failing in any given direction, would be considered
a sufficient warning to put an end to earthly troubles and yet I met not
a single individual who looked as if she or he was even nearing old age.
“It is strange,” I said at last, “that everyone here seems gifted with
perpetual youth. I wish you would explain the mystery to me.”
“Nothing easier,” she rejoined. “I was just taking you to see one of our
most important buildings. Follow me.”
Nothing loath, and with my curiosity roused to the very apex of
expectation, I followed my guide into a magnificent building which we
had approached. There were many other people entering at the same time,
and more careful observation convinced me that none of them looked quite
as bright and healthy as the New Amazonians with whom I had hitherto
associated.
I looked enquiringly at Principal Grey. She did but smile, and bid me be
seated.
“Wait awhile,” she said, “and you shall witness a miracle.”
Being deprived of the necessity for action for a time, yet fully
appreciating the advantages of a welcome rest, I made diligent use of my
eyes, and marvelled much at the rugged, chaste grandeur of the building,
which Principal Grey told me was the Andersonia Physiological Hall.
There was a marvellous groined roof, supported by equally marvellous
granite pillars. The floor was tesselated, the doors of massive clamped
oak, and the windows were wonderful dreams of the glass-painter’s art.
The splendid staircase which led from the central hall to the upper
storys was of brilliant white marble, the balusters being of polished
red granite, as were also the numerous fluted columns which supported
both staircase and ceiling. The whole building was a perfect dream of
taste and splendour, but it was the people, after all, who claimed most
of my attention.
It seemed to me that those who entered the Hall, and passed on to what
Principal Grey called the “Renewing Rooms,” were none of them quite so
vigorous and brisk as those who passed us on their return. And yet the
latter all seemed to have grown unaccountably stouter in one arm, which
they carried with almost wooden stiffness and awkwardness.
Of course I looked my enquiries, but for a time my guide and entertainer
preferred to tantalise me by refraining from explaining the mystery
which puzzled me.
When at last she did condescend to enlighten my ignorance, I could
scarcely restrain my incredulity, for it seemed to me that I was now
asked to believe the greatest wonder of all. I was told that the primary
purpose of this building was to afford facilities for inoculating the
aged or debilitated with the nerves of young and vigorous animals, and
that this was the explanation of the fact that I had as yet seen no
really old-looking people in New Amazonia.
“We all resort at times to the Physiological Hall for recuperation and
rejuvenation,” said my companion, “and it is to the benefit we derive
here that much of our national prosperity is due. The breeding and
rearing of the animals required is an expensive branch of State economy,
but all expenses are more than counterbalanced by the fees which we
willingly pay for each operation. Even apart from the fact that we are
individually and collectively enormously benefitted by our rejuvenating
system, it gives employment to a large number of people, and adds
considerably to the revenues of the State.”
“And since when has the system been in vogue?” I asked, deeply
interested.
“Only within the last four hundred years, although it is on reliable
record that experiments in that direction were inaugurated by Professor
Brown-Sequard in the nineteenth century. But in those days the human
race was only just awakening to a knowledge of the benefits and beauties
of science, and it remained for posterity to recognise the full value of
Professor Brown-Sequard’s invention. Do you observe that marble statue,
extending the right hand in kindly welcome to all who enter this
building?”
“Yes. I noticed it on entering. It is a splendid conception.”
“Not more splendid than the genius of the man it is intended
to personify. It is a memorial statue of the inventor of
Nerve-Rejuvenation. It is essentially idealistic, as no counterfeit
presentment of Brown-Sequard has been preserved for the admiration of
future ages, but as every statue in his honour is reproduced in the
likeness of this one, we are all familiar with what is supposed to be
his presentment, just as even in days of old everyone recognised the
portrait of Christ the Martyr when they saw it.”
I got up to inspect the statue more closely, for I had a sort of
second-hand interest in the original. I had once met a gentleman, who
had attended his initiatory lecture in Paris on “The Art of not Growing
Old.” I was sure, however, that the professor would never recognise
himself here, for the statue was idealised into the presentment of a
beneficent, powerful, godlike form, which was as devoid of all Gallic
characteristics, as it was beautiful in conception. I refrained,
however, from insinuating that this was the reverse of a true likeness,
and contented myself with praising the thing as a work of art.
“And who is your sculptor?” I enquired admiringly.
“Bernard O’Hagan.”
“I thought men were excluded from sharing artistic and scientific
pursuits with you?”
“By no means. Some of our most famous professors are men and the
Lectureships are open to all who can head the list in our annual
competitions. The chief Governmental offices are all appropriated by
women, in sheer self-defence, in the first instance, and, later on,
because the world’s experience goes to prove that masculine government
has always held openings for the free admission of corruption,
injustice, immorality, and narrow-minded, self-glorifying bigotry. The
purity and wisdom of New Amazonian Government is proverbial, and we know
better than to admit the possibility of retrogression by permitting male
governance again. Nevertheless, we are not disposed to be narrow-minded
ourselves, by way of avenging past oppression. Our Tribunes, Privy
Councillors, Prime Advisers, and Leader are always women. But with
respect to everything else, the sexes stand on an equal footing, both
women and men who have attained the age of forty-five being privileged
to vote at all elections.”
“And in the case of married people, which is supposed to be the head of
the household?”
“Whichever of the two happens to be best qualified to direct domestic
affairs with the greatest wisdom. Our tenets preach equality in the
married state, and as people of uncongenial temperament have no trouble
in obtaining a divorce, it is seldom that serious marital disturbances
are heard of. The mere knowledge that marriage is a civil compact, which
may almost be dissolved at will, serves to restrain violent ebullitions
of temper. As a rule, our divorcees are very good friends after their
marriage has been judicially dissolved.”
“Still, domestic involvements of this sort must serve to distract the
attention from serious duties, and reduce individual capability of
taking an active part in public work.”
“Your deduction is perfectly logical, but has no foundation in fact, for
this reason—we permit no one to be elected for State offices who has
ever been married; nor are important professorial posts accessible by
them, although trade agencies and countless minor offices are open to
them. The result of this policy is manifold. Our population scarcely
increases at all, and the necessity of emigration, which is practised by
less moral and more prolific nations, does not even loom in the distant
future for us. We have no great dearth of resources to face, nor have we
to battle with the incalculable evils forced upon other States by
over-population. Our laws and social economy hold out wonderful premiums
for chastity, and the result is that all our most intellectual
compatriots, especially the women, prefer honour and advancement to the
more animal pleasures of marriage and re-production of species.”
“Am I to understand from this, that you do not hold the condition of
motherhood in honour?”
“By no means. If you will take careful note of your surroundings ere you
leave us, you will see that as much public homage is paid to married
women as to single ones. But we believe that perfect clearness of brain,
and the ability to devote oneself exclusively to intellectual topics,
are inseparable from the celibate state, and we adhere rigidly to the
rules established in connection with this subject.”
“It must, I suppose, be impossible even here to escape some taint of
immorality. For instance, it must be a great temptation to many people
to keep themselves eligible for election by remaining single, and yet to
indulge secretly in carnal propensities. How do you act in the case of
illegitimate children?”
“Illegitimate children are an almost unheard of phenomenon here. We do
not tolerate vice, and our punishments usually prove adequate
deterrents. A woman found guilty of adultery is at once degraded, and
never attains to any other position than that of the lowest menial in
one of our public institutions.”
“And what of the man? He is allowed to go scot-free with us. Is it so
with you?”
“No man who has once offended in that direction ever has the opportunity
of repeating his crime in New Amazonia, for he is at once bereft of all
he possesses, and banished from the country. Not only does he lose all
present possessions, but forfeits the pension he would otherwise enjoy
in his old age. He is not permitted to return to the country.”
“Then your punishment of the man is infinitely the most severe?”
“Yes. It is long since we recognised the necessity of repressing vice by
other methods than our forerunners adopted.”
“And what are your laws in relation to the legal and moral rights of
illegitimates?”
“We have no laws on the subject, simply because the offspring of vice is
not permitted to live. We New Amazonians pride ourselves upon being of
none but honourable parentage.”
This information was delivered in such a calm and matter-of-fact tone
that I involuntarily shuddered, and hastened to change the subject.
“Do you think I could witness an operation in that inner room without
feeling specially horrified?” I asked next.
“You shall yourself be operated upon, if you will,” replied Principal
Grey. “You are a guest of the Mother, and will have no fees to pay, but
you will derive wonderful benefit. I wish to be operated upon myself,
and we will go in together.”
“But stay one moment. Did you not say that people were inoculated at the
expense of young animals, whose nerves are used to rejuvenate their
tormentors? I cannot possibly go in there, and face vivisectional
cruelties. To see the poor brutes writhe in tortured agony; to witness
the fearful rolling of their glaring eyeballs; to listen to their
despairing cries and groans, in order that I may benefit by their
sufferings, is an ordeal I cannot go through. I will wait here, until
you have been inoculated, but I cannot go myself.”
“Nonsense, my dear woman,” smiled the Principal. “You are talking with
no more perception of the advancement of science than if you really
lived in that nineteenth century to which you so oddly claim to belong.
The animals do not suffer one little bit, as you will see when you go
into the ‘Renewing Rooms.’ Long ago, a German chemist invented a
wonderful ether, which he called ‘Bändiger.’ It had the power of
instantaneously arresting sense and motion. Perfect unconsciousness was
produced with electrical rapidity, and the clever chemist expected to
earn his country’s gratitude for his marvellous discovery. But in those
days governments were exceedingly narrow-minded, and the German
Government was so struck with the remarkable powers for harm which the
new discovery possessed, that it ignored all its beneficial qualities,
and actually forbade the chemist to manufacture ‘Bändiger’ in future.
Happily, he was more enlightened than his rulers, and not merely did his
best to improve upon his invention, but left careful instructions to his
successors relating to its manufacture. Many years after this, a
miniature revolver was invented which, instead of cartridges, was
charged with minute cells of ‘Bändiger.’ These ‘Bändiger’ revolvers were
subsequently manufactured in large quantities in America, and as the
State monopolised the manufacture, and charged high prices for every
weapon, besides exacting a heavy tax for the privilege of using them,
they proved a very profitable monopoly. From America their use spread to
India, where they were speedily efficacious in ridding the country of
the countless numbers of wild beasts which annually slaughtered a great
proportion of the population. The ‘Bändiger’ does not kill. It only
stuns instantaneously, the effect lasting long enough to enable us to
kill outright, or to make such experiments as are required in the
interests of science and progress. An animal once subjected to its
influence feels no more pain, for it is absolutely unconscious during
all subsequent operations, and if it has been too much cut up to recover
easily, it is at once killed. If not, the administration of Schlafstrank
enables it to recuperate painlessly, and be available for future
experiments.”
“This ‘Bändiger’ is really a frightful power. Does it never happen that
crime is committed by its aid?”
“Never. Nobody ever has the handling of a ‘Bändiger’ revolver, except
our duly qualified and licensed surgeons, and they would not imperil
their future existence and prosperity by stupid indulgence in a
senseless freak. But come, we must now go in, or the rooms will be
closed for the day.”
This time I was not reluctant to follow the Principal, and I was very
agreeably surprised on entering the “Renewing Room.” My mind’s eye had
conjured a vision of gory disorder, the central figure of which was the
quivering and bleeding body of some unhappy animal, and the prominent
accessories some brawny and bare-armed surgeons, whose perspiring brows,
blood-stained hands, and callous cruelty of expression would be anything
but reassuring to the trembling and expectant human beings waiting to be
inoculated.
What I really saw was this: The room to which an attendant conducted us
was richly carpeted, and furnished with Oriental luxuriousness. Every
accessory to comfort was there, and several people were either standing
talking in animated groups, or lounging on the spacious cushioned chairs
and settees. Some were reading, some sipping coffee, some playing with
some beautiful dogs, that basked in front of the fire. A few were busy
at needlework, but all seemed thoroughly at home. There were several
tables laden with prints and papers. A magnificent bookcase occupied one
end of the room. The walls were panelled in bird’s-eye maple, and
decorated with beautiful pictures, all photographed in their natural
colours, which stood out as vivid and brilliant as in an oil painting.
The operating surgeons were six in number—four of them being women, two
men. They were all handsome, of splendid physique, elegantly dressed,
and of dignified yet gentle and calm demeanour. Not a bit like the ogres
my excited fancy had pictured.
In one of the window recesses was a sort of bassinette, in which a large
dog lay motionless, and apparently sleeping, with a screen partially
hiding him from observation. To this dog the surgeons journeyed before
attacking the bared arm of the individual to be operated upon. In an
incredibly short time the task of inoculation was performed, the people
hardly ceasing their pleasant hum of conversation the while. Then the
arm was tightly bandaged, and the patient went on her or his way
rejoicing, after paying the necessary fees to an official whose duty it
was to receive them in an ante-room.
Presently an electric-bell was rung. Two attendants entered the room,
pushed the bassinette through a door at one side of the window, and drew
an empty one from an opening at the other side. Then one of the dogs was
coaxed from the hearth, and given a dainty and appetising meal,
afterwards springing upon the bassinette to enjoy a quiet nap after his
good dinner. In another second the “Bändiger” had done its work, and in
a few minutes more some of the dog’s nerve force was being transferred
to my own arm.
The sensation I experienced was little more than a pinprick in
intensity, but, before I left the building with Principal Grey, I felt
ten years younger and stronger, and was proportionately elated at my
good fortune.