wind sand and stars st.antoine de saint-exupery-第12章

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vestige　of　a　plateau　that　had　crumbled　round　the　edges。　In　this　part　of　the　Sahara　such　truncated　cones　are　visible　from　the　air　every　hundred　miles　or　so；　their　smooth　surfaces　always　at　about　the　same　altitude　above　the　desert　and　their　geologic　substance　always　identical。　The　surface　sand　is　posed　of　minute　and　distinct　shells；　but　progressively　as　you　dig　along　a　vertical　section；　the　shells　bee　more　fragmentary；　tend　to　cohere；　and　at　the　base　of　the　cone　form　a　pure　calcareous　deposit。　
　　Without　question；　I　was　the　first　human　being　ever　to　wander　over　this　。　。　。　this　iceberg：　its　sides　were　remarkably　steep；　no　Arab　could　have　climbed　them；　and　no　European　had　as　yet　ventured　into　this　wild　region。　
　　I　was　thrilled　by　the　virginity　of　a　soil　which　no　step　of　man　or　beast　had　sullied。　I　lingered　there；　startled　by　this　silence　that　never　had　been　broken。　The　first　star　began　to　shine；　and　I　said　to　myself　that　this　pure　surface　had　lain　here　thousands　of　years　in　sight　only　of　the　stars。　
　　But　suddenly　my　musings　on　this　white　sheet　and　these　shining　stars　were　endowed　with　a　singular　significance。　I　had　kicked　against　a　hard；　black　stone；　the　size　of　a　man's　fist；　a　sort　of　moulded　rock　of　lava　incredibly　present　on　the　surface　of　a　bed　of　shells　a　thousand　feet　deep。　A　sheet　spread　beneath　an　apple…tree　can　receive　only　apples；　a　sheet　spread　beneath　the　stars　can　receive　only　star…dust。　Never　had　a　stone　fallen　from　the　skies　made　known　its　origin　so　unmistakably。　
　　And　very　naturally；　raising　my　eyes；　I　said　to　myself　that　from　the　height　of　this　celestial　apple…tree　there　must　have　dropped　other　fruits；　and　that　I　should　find　them　exactly　where　they　fell；　since　never　from　the　beginning　of　time　had　anything　been　present　to　displace　them。　
　　Excited　by　my　adventure；　I　picked　up　one　and　then　a　second　and　then　a　third　of　these　stones；　finding　them　at　about　the　rate　of　one　stone　to　the　acre。　And　here　is　where　my　adventure　became　magical；　for　in　a　striking　foreshortening　of　time　that　embraced　thousands　of　years；　I　had　bee　the　witness　of　this　miserly　rain　from　the　stars。　The　marvel　of　marvels　was　that　there　on　the　rounded　back　of　the　planet；　between　this　magnetic　sheet　and　those　stars；　a　human　consciousness　was　present　in　which　as　in　a　mirror　that　rain　could　be　reflected。　
　　III　
　　Once；　in　this　same　mineral　Sahara；　I　was　taught　that　a　dream　might　partake　of　the　miraculous。　Again　I　had　been　forced　down；　and　until　day　dawned　I　was　helpless。　Hillocks　of　sand　offered　up　their　luminous　slopes　to　the　moon；　and　blocks　of　shadow　rose　to　share　the　sands　with　the　light。　Over　the　deserted　work…yard　of　darkness　and　moonray　there　reigned　a　peace　as　of　work　suspended　and　a　silence　like　a　trap；　in　which　I　fell　asleep。　
　　When　I　opened　my　eyes　I　saw　nothing　but　the　pool　of　nocturnal　sky；　for　I　was　lying　on　my　back　with　outstretched　arms；　face　to　face　with　that　hatchery　of　stars。　Only　half　awake；　still　unaware　that　those　depths　were　sky；　having　no　roof　between　those　depths　and　me；　no　branches　to　screen　them；　no　root　to　cling　to；　I　was　seized　with　vertigo　and　felt　myself　as　if　flung　forth　and　plunging　downward　like　a　diver。　
　　But　I　did　not　fall。　From　nape　to　heel　I　discovered　myself　bound　to　earth。　I　felt　a　sort　of　appeasement　in　surrendering　to　it　my　weight。　Gravitation　had　bee　as　sovereign　as　love。　The　earth；　I　felt；　was　supporting　my　back；　sustaining　me；　lifting　me　up；　transporting　me　through　the　immense　void　of　night。　I　was　glued　to　our　planet　by　a　pressure　like　that　with　which　one　is　glued　to　the　side　of　a　car　on　a　curve。　I　leaned　with　joy　against　this　admirable　breast…work；　this　solidity；　this　security；　feeling　against　my　body　this　curving　bridge　of　my　ship。　
　　So　convinced　was　I　that　I　was　in　motion；　that　I　should　have　heard　without　astonishment；　rising　from　below；　a　creaking　of　something　material　adjusting　itself　to　the　effort；　that　groaning　of　old　sailing　vessels　as　they　heel；　that　long　sharp　cry　drawn　from　pinnaces　plaining　of　their　handling。　But　silence　continued　in　the　layers　of　the　earth；　and　this　density　that　I　could　feel　at　my　shoulders　continued　harmonious；　sustained；　unaltered　through　eternity。　I　was　as　much　the　inhabitant　of　this　homeland　as　the　bodies　of　dead　galley…slaves；　weighted　with　lead；　were　the　inhabitants　of　the　sea。　
　　I　lay　there　pondering　my　situation；　lost　in　the　desert　and　in　danger；　naked　between　sky　and　sand；　withdrawn　by　too　much　silence　from　the　poles　of　my　life。　I　knew　that　I　should　wear　out　days　and　weeks　returning　to　them　if　I　were　not　sighted　by　some　plane；　or　if　next　day　the　Moors　did　not　find　and　murder　me。　Here　I　possessed　nothing　in　the　world。　I　was　no　more　than　a　mortal　strayed　between　sand　and　stars；　conscious　of　the　single　blessing　of　breathing。　And　yet　I　discovered　myself　filled　with　dreams。　
　　They　came　to　me　soundlessly；　like　the　waters　of　a　spring；　and　in　the　beginning　I　could　not　understand　the　sweetness　that　was　invading　me。　There　was　neither　voice　nor　vision；　but　the　presentiment　of　a　presence；　of　a　warmth　very　close　and　already　half　guessed。　Then　I　began　to　grasp　what　was　going　on；　and　shutting　my　eyes　I　gave　myself　up　to　the　enchantments　of　my　memory。　
　　Somewhere　there　was　a　park　dark　with　firs　and　linden…trees　and　an　old　house　that　I　loved。　It　mattered　little　that　it　was　far　away；　that　it　could　not　warm　me　in　my　flesh；　nor　shelter　me；　reduced　here　to　the　role　of　dream。　It　was　enough　that　it　existed　to　fill　my　night　with　its　presence。　I　was　no　longer　this　body　flung　up　on　a　strand；　I　oriented　myself；　I　was　the　child　of　this　house；　filled　with　the　memory　of　its　odors；　with　the　cool　breath　of　its　vestibules；　with　the　voices　that　had　animated　it；　even　to　the　very　frogs　in　the　pools　that　came　here　to　be　with　me。　I　needed　these　thousand　landmarks　to　identify　myself；　to　discover　of　what　absences　the　savor　of　this　desert　was　posed；　to　find　a　meaning　in　this　silence　made　of　a　thousand　silences；　where　the　very　frogs　were　silent。　
　　No；　I　was　no　longer　lodged　between　sand　and　stars。　I　was　no　longer　receiving　from　this　scene　its　chill　message。　And　I　had　found　out　at　last　the　origin　of　the　feeling　of　eternity　that　came　over　me　in　this　wilderness。　I　had　been　wrong　to　believe　it　was　part　of　sky　and　sand。　I　saw　again　the　great　stately　cupboards　of　our　house。　Their　doors　opened　to　display　piles　of　linen　as　white　as　snow。　They　opened　on　frozen　stores　of　snow。　The　old　housekeeper　trotted　like　a　rat　from　one　cupboard　to　the　next；　forever　counting；　folding；　unfolding；　re…counting　the　white　linen；　exclaiming；　〃Oh；　good　Heavens；　how　terrible　！〃　at　each　sign　of　wear　which　threatened　the　eternity　of　the　house；　running　instantly　to　burn　out　her　eyes　under　a　lamp　so　that　the　woof　of　these　altar　cloths　should　be　repaired；　these　three…master's　sails　be　mended；　in　the　service　of　something　greater　than　herself　…a　god；　a　ship。　
　　Ah；　I　owe　you　a　page；　Mademoiselle！　When　I　came　home　from　my　first　journeyings　I　found　you　needle　in　hand；　up　to　the　knees　in　your　white　surplices；　each　year　a　little　more　wrinkled；　a　little　more　round…shouldered；　still　preparing　for　our　slumbers　those　sheets　without　creases；　for　our　dinners　those　cloths　without　seams；　those　feasts　of　crystal　and　of　snow。　
　　I　would　go　up　to　see　you　in　your　sewing…room；　would　sit　down　beside　you　and　tell　you　of　the　dangers　I　had　run　in　order　that　I　might　thrill　you；　open　your　eyes　to　the　world；　corrupt　you。　You　would　say　that　I　hadn't　changed　a　whit。　Already　as　a　child　I　had　torn　my　shirts　…　〃How　terrible！〃　…　and　skinned　my　knees；　ing　home　as　day　fell　to　be　bandaged。　
　　No；　Mademoiselle；　no　！　I　have　not　e　back　from　the　other　end　of　the　park　but　from　the　other　end　of　the　world！　I　have　brought　back　with　me　the　acrid　smell　of　solitude；　the　tumult　of　sand…storms；　the　blazing　moonlight　of　the　tropics！　〃Of　course！〃　you　would　say。　〃Boys　will　run　about；　break　their　bones　and　think　themselves　great　fellows。〃　
　　No；　Mademoiselle；　no　！　I　have　seen　a　good　deal　more　than　the　shadows　in　our　park。　If　you　knew　how　insignificant　these　shadows　are；　how　little　they　mean　beside　the　sands；　the　granite；　the　virgin　forests；　the　vast　swamplands　of　the　earth　！　Do　you　realize　that　there　are　lands　on　the　globe　where；　when　men　meet