小说园

第83部分（第4页）

and　excited　about　it。　At　the　same　time；　as　she　focused　the　light

on　her　field；　and　saw　the　plant…animal　lying　shadowy　in　a

boundless　light；　she　was　fretting　over　a　conversation　she　had

had　a　few　days　ago　with　Dr。　Frankstone；　who　was　a　woman　doctor

of　physics　in　the　college。

〃No；　really；〃　Dr。　Frankstone　had　said；　〃I　dont　see　why　we

should　attribute　some　special　mystery　to　life……do　you？　We

dont　understand　it　as　we　understand　electricity；　even；　but　that

doesnt　warrant　our　saying　it　is　something　special；　something

different　in　kind　and　distinct　from　everything　else　in　the

universe……do　you　think　it　does？　May　it　not　be　that　life

consists　in　a　plexity　of　physical　and　chemical　activities；　of

the　same　order　as　the　activities　we　already　know　in　science？　I

dont　see；　really；　why　we　should　imagine　there　is　a　special

order　of　life；　and　life　alone〃

The　conversation　had　ended　on　a　note　of　uncertainty；

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

conjunction　of　forces；　physical　and　chemical；　what　held　these

forces　unified；　and　for　what　purpose　were　they　unified？

For　what　purpose　were　the　incalculable　physical　and　chemical

activities　nodalized　in　this　shadowy；　moving　speck　under　her

microscope？　What　was　the　will　which　nodalized　them　and　created

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

its　purpose　just　mechanical　and　limited　to　itself？

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

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

nucleus　of　the　creature　under　the　microscope。　Suddenly　she　had