Part 23 (2/2)
”Very many thanks,” said Peer, with a laugh. Klaus sat up in his chair, a little anxious as to what was coming.
Ferdinand was still looking out over the lake. ”You seem to despise your own trade--as engineer?”
”Yes,” said Peer.
”And why?”
”Why, I feel the lack of some touch of beauty in our ceaseless craving to create something new, something new, always something new. More gold, more speed, more food--are these things not all we are driving at?”
”My dear fellow, gold means freedom. And food means life. And speed carries us over the dead moments. Double the possibilities of life for men, and you double their numbers.”
”And what good will it do to double their numbers? Two thousand million machine-made souls--is that what you want?”
”But hang it all, man,” put in Klaus Brock eagerly, ”think of our dear Norway at least. Surely you don't think it would be a misfortune if our population increased so far that the world could recognise our existence.”
”I do,” said Peer, looking away over the lake.
”Ah, you're a fanatic for the small in size and in numbers.”
”I am loth to see all Norway polluted with factories and proletariat armies. Why the devil can't we be left in peace?”
”The steel will not have it,” said Ferdinand Holm, as if speaking to the pillar of moonlight on the water.
”What? Who did you say?” Peer looked at him with wide eyes.
Ferdinand went on undisturbed: ”The steel will not have peace. And the fire will not. And Prometheus will not. The human spirit has still too many steps to climb before it reaches the top. Peace? No, my friend--there are powers outside you and me that determine these things.”
Peer smiled, and lit a new cigar. Ferdinand Holm leaned back in his chair and went on, addressing himself apparently to the moon.
”Tigris and Euphrates--Indus and Ganges--and all the rest of this planet--regulate and cultivate the whole, and what is it after all?
It's only a question of a few years. It is only a humble beginning. In a couple of centuries or so there will be nothing left to occupy us any more on this little globe of ours. And then we'll have to set about colonising other worlds.”
There was silence for a moment. Then Peer spoke.
”And what do we gain by it all?” he asked.
”Gain? Do you imagine there will ever be any 'thus far and no farther'
for the spirit of man? Half a million years hence, all the solar systems we know of now will be regulated and ordered by the human spirit.
There will be difficulties, of course. Interplanetary wars will arise, planetary patriotism, groups of planetary powers in alliances and coalitions against other groups. Little worlds will be subjugated by the bigger ones, and so on. Is there anything in all this to grow dizzy over? Great heavens--can anyone doubt that man must go on conquering and to conquer for millions of years to come? The world-will goes its way.
We cannot resist. n.o.body asks whether we are happy. The will that works towards the infinite asks only whom it can use for its ends, and who is useless. Viola tout.”
”And when I die,” asked Peer--”what then?”
”You! Are you still going about feeling your own pulse and wanting to live for ever? My dear fellow, YOU don't exist. There is just one person on our side--the world-will. And that includes us all. That's what I mean by 'we.' And we are working towards the day when we can make G.o.d respect us in good earnest. The spirit of man will hold a Day of Judgment, and settle accounts with Olympus--with the riddle, the almighty power beyond. It will be a great reckoning. And mark my words--that is the one single religious idea that lives and works in each and every one of us--the thing that makes us hold up our heads and walk upright, forgetting that we are slaves and things that die.”
Suddenly he looked at his watch. ”Excuse me a moment. If the telegraph office is open . . .” and he rose and went in.
When he returned, Klaus and Peer were talking of the home of their boyhood and their early days together.
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