THE DOCTOR IS CONVINCED
As I finished the doctor looked somewhat bored, but Thorwald was kind
enough to thank me, and then, at our earnest solicitation, he resumed
his argument.
“You have told me,” he said, “of some of your earlier beliefs about the
origin of meteorites. Have you any more modern views?”
To this the doctor replied: “If my friend here has really finished
talking for a while I will say, Thorwald, that the theories already
spoken of seem to be disproved by the discovery that these stones enter
the earth’s atmosphere with a planetary velocity. A body falling from
an infinite distance--that is, impelled only by the attraction of
gravitation--would strike the earth with a velocity of only six or
seven miles a second, while the meteorites come at the rate of twenty
to thirty miles a second, the earth’s rate of revolution being nineteen
miles in the same time. It is found that a necessary consequence of
these velocities is that the meteors move about the sun, and not
the earth, as the controlling body. Our latest study points to the
conclusion that they are of cometary origin, and, as comets have been
known to divide, some scientists believe the meteorites are fragments
of exploded comets. At any rate, they are found in the company of these
mysterious bodies, and appear to have similarly eccentric orbits.”
“Your studies are leading you in the right direction,” said Thorwald.
“The meteorites do indeed come from the regions of space, and if they
have any story to tell it is a story of those distant parts of the
universe about which any testimony is valuable. Let us look again at the
fragment we are supposed to hold in our hand. Can we tell of what it is
composed, or is its substance something entirely new? I am sure you must
have analyzed it down to its minutest particle, and if so you have found
it contains nothing foreign to the earth. There is not a single element
in the meteorite that does not exist also in the crust of the earth.
Tell me, Doctor, how many elements have you discovered in them?”
“Nearly thirty,” answered the doctor. “And one interesting fact is,
that the three elements most common in the earth--iron, silicon, and
oxygen--are also found most widely distributed among the meteorites.”
“That is an exceedingly significant fact,” said Thorwald; “and now
do you not see how strongly the meteorites confirm the story of the
spectrum, and how everything tells us the universe is one in its
physical structure? By these two widely different sources of information
you find that beyond doubt other heavenly bodies are made of like
materials with the earth. Is it not time now to give your imagination
just a moment’s play and look upon some of those distant orbs as the
probable abode of life?”
“There I cannot follow you,” responded the doctor. “I am wanting in
imagination; probably born so, as some people are born without an ear
for music. Let us stick to facts. Among the recent discoveries in
the field of which we have been talking was the finding of some small
diamonds in a meteoric mass. Upon this some enthusiastic writer, whose
imaginative soul would be your delight, Thorwald, built this argument:
‘Diamonds being pure carbon, their existence necessitates a previous
vegetable growth. Hence vegetable life in other worlds is proven, and if
vegetable life, it is fair to presume the existence of animal life
also. Of course, then, there must be intelligent life, and therefore the
stars, or the planets that revolve around the stars, are all filled with
men.’ This I call not reasoning, but guessing.”
“And still,” quickly responded Thorwald, “the discovery of diamonds in
meteorites was a valuable link in the chain of evidence which you are
putting together. Keep on with your investigations. Some time positive
knowledge will come to you as it has come to us. But let me appeal once
more to your reason. At an earlier stage of development your race no
doubt believed the earth was the center of the universe, around which
all the heavenly bodies swept in magnificent circles. You have learned
that the earth itself, which was formerly thought to be so important an
object, is only one of those heavenly bodies flying through space. You
find the earth resembles its nearest companions in being subject to the
same laws of motion which govern them, but you have yet to learn that
they resemble the earth in the main purpose of their creation. You go
into the forest and see thousands of trees. You can find no two alike,
and yet all are alike in every material respect. Even the myriads of
leaves are all different, and yet all alike. So why may not the millions
of stars that fill the sky be like our own sun and like each other,
differing in such immaterial things as size and brilliancy, color and
constitution, but alike in the chief object of their being, the giving
of light and heat, as vivifying forces to dark bodies surrounding them?
And why may not these planets resemble the earth in being, at some stage
of their existence, the theater of God’s great designs?
“Let me try to excite your imagination in another way, Doctor. Suppose
you should by and by awake and find this visit to Mars only a dream, and
then suppose it should be revealed to you in some superhuman way
that man was indeed the only race of intelligent beings in the whole
universe; that the other planets and all the stars were of no real
use; that not one world from that vast region of the milky way and far
distant nebulae would ever send forth a note of praise to its Creator,
and that the tiny earth was, after all, the center and sum of the
universe--tell me, would you not feel lonesome?”
“When you put it in that way, Thorwald,” replied the doctor, “I begin
to see how unreasonable my position must appear to you. But, however
pleasant the idea, I do not see how I can believe that other worlds are
inhabited without more evidence than we now possess. This is speaking,
of course, without the knowledge we have gained since coming here. But I
do not mind saying that your talk has made me wish I could believe it.”
I was glad for several reasons that the doctor acknowledged as much as
this. First, for Thorwald’s sake; for I had been thinking the doctor’s
obduracy was proving a poor reward for our friend’s great kindness to
us. I rejoiced, too, that my companion was beginning to show our new
acquaintance that, although he had little imagination, he was possessed
of a good heart. And, finally, I was myself so much in sympathy with
Thorwald’s views that I was glad to see his arguments begin to make some
impression on the doctor’s mind.
But now it seemed to me that Thorwald had much to tell us from his own
experience. He had talked so far on this subject from the standpoint
of our earthly knowledge, but had hinted more than once that the
inhabitants of Mars had more positive evidence than we had ever dreamed
could be possible. So I said:
“Your arguments have been very acceptable to me, Thorwald, but can you
not strengthen even my faith by speaking now from the results of your
own more advanced studies? We must base our belief in the existence of
life outside the earth on mere probabilities, which, however strong,
lead only to theory and leave us still in doubt. Have you any certain
knowledge on the subject, or, I might say, had you any before we came to
see you?”
“Oh, yes,” replied Thorwald, “we have long had evidence almost as
positive as your presence here, fresh from one of our sister planets.
It will give me great pleasure to tell you of some of our marvelous
achievements in astronomy. The doctor says he would like to believe
in the habitability of other worlds; he must believe in it before I am
through if he has any faith in me.
“I would like to say, to begin with, that whatever we have accomplished
in this science you on the earth can accomplish. I know enough by
comparing your development with our own to feel sure that our present
condition foreshadows yours, and that all the knowledge we possess in
various directions will come in time to you. Let nothing discourage you
in your quest for knowledge. If you seem to have arrived at the limit of
possibilities in the telescope, for example, have patience. Difficulties
which you think insurmountable, time will remove, and you will be able
to penetrate more and more into the mysteries of the universe.
“Our telescopes have gradually increased in power until we have been
able to accomplish things that you will no doubt think truly marvelous.
But, before you call any achievement in this science impossible, just
look back and compare the ignorance of the early inhabitants of the
earth with your present knowledge; and do not be so proud of the wisdom
already attained that you cannot also look forward to an enlarged
comprehension of things you now call mysteries, and to a much closer
acquaintance with the works of God.
“To our increasing vision the heavens have continued to unfold their
wonders. We have penetrated far into the depths of space only to marvel,
at each new revelation, at the power and wisdom of the Creator. The
number of stars discovered to our view would be incredible to you, and
yet it will be interesting to you to learn that we can still place no
bounds to creation. We have, it is true, found the limits of what we
call our universe and have mapped out all its boundaries. When this had
been done we tried to pierce the surrounding darkness, but for a long
time, in spite of our belief that we could not yet see the end, all
beyond seemed a void. Recently, however, our faith has been rewarded,
for we can now see other universes, buried in far space but revealed
dimly to the higher powers of our telescopes.
“But you are doubtless eager to hear of some more definite knowledge
gained from this wide domain. Well, we have determined the distances,
size, and motions of many of the stars, resolved star clusters and
nebulae, solved the mystery of the double and variable stars, and, what
is of more consequence than all these things, we have in many instances
discovered the secondary bodies themselves, revolving around a central
sun. We now know, what we so long suspected, that the rolling stars are
suns like our own, giving light and heat to attending worlds. With this
knowledge, can you wonder, Doctor, that we acquired the belief that
these worlds, resembling so much the planets of our own system, are fit
homes for intelligent beings?”
“I cannot see,” replied the doctor, “that such a belief necessarily
follows your discovery, which, I must own, was an exceedingly valuable
one. I can readily believe that each star that shines in our sky is a
sun surrounded by dependent bodies so dark as to be invisible through
our terrestrial telescopes, but still I presume even your instruments
are not powerful enough to find any inhabitants on those distant
worlds?”
“No,” replied Thorwald, “but for what other conceivable purpose were
these bodies created?”
“I frankly acknowledge that I am not able to answer that question,” said
the doctor. “If you have many more wonderful discoveries to relate I
shall soon have to own myself convinced.”
“I am trying to convince your reason,” resumed Thorwald, “without the
aid of positive evidence, but I may as well proceed now to show you what
further knowledge we have gained.
“The nearer planets of our own solar system have been naturally the
objects of our close scrutiny. As our telescopes increased in power we
diligently studied the surface of these globes, searching for signs
of life. We mapped out their features, noted the various phenomena of
season and climate, and discovered many ways in which they seemed to
be like our world. But for a long time we found no direct evidence that
they were inhabited.
“At length, however, one ardent philosopher, full of hope, as we all
were, that we had neighbors on some of these globes, brought out the
idea that if these neighbors were as far advanced in astronomical
science as we were, there ought to be some means of communication
between one world and another. The thought took at once, and occasioned
the most lively interest. We had no doubt, from what we had learned of
these planets, that they were fitted to be, at some time, the home of
intelligent beings. Our question was whether the inhabitable period of
either of them coincided with that of Mars, and, if so, whether the race
was sufficiently developed to be able to see us as well as we could see
them.
“The first means suggested to attract the attention of such a race of
beings was fire. You can imagine that we could get together material
enough to make a pretty big blaze, and we did. We lighted immense
fires in various places and kept them burning a long time, but without
accomplishing anything. We scanned minutely the surface of each
planet, but saw no sign anywhere that our effort at communication was
recognized.
“Disappointed, but not discouraged, we determined next to try a system
of simple hieroglyphics by throwing up huge mounds on one of our plains.
We thought, if other eyes were studying Mars as closely as we were
searching the surface of our sister planets for signs of life, that
they would notice any unusual change in our appearance. Then if they did
notice it we hoped some means would be found to let us know it.
“It was decided to try first the figure of the circle, because we
knew that the form of all heavenly bodies must be the most familiar
to intelligent life wherever it existed. It took years of labor to
construct the mound, for it was thought best to have it large enough
to give the experiment a thorough trial. And now you may believe we
considered ourselves well repaid for all our toil and expense when, soon
after the circle was completed, our telescopes showed us a similar
form actually growing upon the surface of both Saturn and Uranus. We
immediately replied by beginning the construction of a square, and
before this was finished both planets began to answer, one with the
triangle and the other with the crescent. The latter was made by Uranus,
and as soon as it was finished the triangle began to appear beside it,
showing to us that Uranus was reading from Saturn also.
“Other signs followed, although, of course, the work was very slow, and
the experiments are still in progress. Some slight beginning has been
made toward the interchange of ideas. The time and labor required will
alone prevent extended communication, which would make it possible to
form, in the course of ages, a mutual language. As we were the first to
start it we propose to try to control the conversation, but if Saturn
and Uranus choose to steal our idea and gossip between themselves, we
know of no way to stop them.”
As Thorwald proceeded with this marvelous recital, it was interesting
to watch the doctor’s face. It was so apparent to me that he was fast
losing his skepticism that I was not surprised to hear him say:
“Thorwald, one fact is worth more to me than a world of theory, and if
you had begun by relating this wonderful experience you would not have
found me so incredulous. Who could refuse to believe with such testimony
before him? What news this will be to take back to the earth! But you
have, doubtless, other discoveries to relate to us. Excuse me,” the
doctor continued, turning to me, “for interrupting, even for a moment,
our friend’s most interesting discourse.”
“Let me say,” resumed Thorwald, “that your interruption has been helpful
to me, for now I know you have lost your doubts and believe with us in
this matter.”
“These efforts at communication have occupied us for generations, and
the close study which we have been obliged to give to the surface of the
other planets has made us well acquainted with their characteristics. We
have found many likenesses to our own world, as well as various points
of difference. The succession of the seasons has been an interesting
phenomenon. We have watched with delight the ever-changing rings of
our neighbor, Saturn, and can show you pictures of them as they were
thousands of years ago.”
“We have taken great pleasure in observing the round of seasons on
the surface of the earth, not dreaming that we should ever have the
privilege of talking face to face with its inhabitants.”
“Well, now that we are here, Thorwald,” said the doctor, “we want to get
all the information possible. So please go on and tell us more of your
discoveries. How about those bodies that you have found circling like
planets around other suns? Have you any evidence in regard to their
inhabitants? Your telescopes cannot surely bring any such bodies near
enough to enable you to communicate with them.”
“True,” replied Thorwald, “but this is another instance where nature has
lent us her assistance. If you have been surprised at some things that
I have already said, you will probably find what I am about to relate
equally outside of your experience.”