按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
There are Fraternity 2…5503； a quiet boy with wise； kind eyes； who cry
suddenly； without reason； in the midst of day or night； and their body
shakes with sobs they cannot explain。 There are Solidarity 9…6347； who
are a bright youth； without fear in the day； but they scream in their sleep；
and they scream： 〃Help us！ Help us！ Help us！〃 into the night； in a
voice which chills our bones； but the Doctors cannot cure Solidarity 9…
6347。
And as we all undress at night； in the dim light of the candles； our
brothers are silent； for they dare not speak the thoughts of their minds。
For all must agree with all； and they cannot know if their thoughts are the
thoughts of all； and so they fear to speak。 And they are glad when the
candles are blown for the night。 But we； Equality 7…2521； look through
the window upon the sky； and there is peace in the sky； and cleanliness；
and dignity。 And beyond the City there lies the plain； and beyond the
plain； black upon the black sky； there lies the Uncharted Forest。
We do not wish to look upon the Uncharted Forest。 We do not wish
to think of it。 But ever do our eyes return to that black patch upon the
sky。 Men never enter the Uncharted Forest； for there is no power to
explore it and no path to lead among its ancient trees which stand as
guards of fearful secrets。 It is whispered that once or twice in a hundred
years； one among the men of the City escape alone and run to the
Uncharted Forest； without call or reason。 These men do not return。 They
perish from hunger and from the claws of the wild beasts which roam the
Forest。 But our Councils say that this is only a legend。 We have heard
that there are many Uncharted Forests over the land； among the Cities。
And it is whispered that they have grown over the ruins of many cities of
the Unmentionable Times。 The trees have swallowed the ruins； and the
bones under the ruins； and all the things which perished。 And as we look
upon the Uncharted Forest far in the night； we think of the secrets of the
Unmentionable Times。 And we wonder how it came to pass that these
secrets were lost to the world。 We have heard the legends of the great
fighting； in which many men fought on one side and only a few on the
19
… Page 20…
ANTHEM
other。 These few were the Evil Ones and they were conquered。 Then
great fires raged over the land。 And in these fires the Evil Ones and all
the things made by the Evil Ones were burned。 And the fire which is
called the Dawn of the Great Rebirth； was the Script Fire where all the
scripts of the Evil Ones were burned； and with them all the words of the
Evil Ones。 Great mountains of flame
20
… Page 21…
ANTHEM
stood in the squares of the Cities for three months。 Then came the
Great Rebirth。
The words of the Evil Ones 。 。 。 The words of the Unmentionable
Times 。 。 。 What are the words which we have lost？
May the Council have mercy upon us！ We had no wish to write such a
question； and we knew not what we were doing till we had written it。 We
shall not ask this question and we shall not think it。 We shall not call death
upon our head。
And yet 。 。 。 And yet 。 。 。 There is some word； one single word which is
not in the language of men； but which had been。 And this is the
Unspeakable Word； which no men may speak nor hear。 But sometimes；
and it is rare； sometimes； somewhere； one among men find that word。
They find it upon scraps of old manuscripts or cut into the fragments of
ancient stones。 But when they speak it they are put to death。 There is
no crime punished by death in this world； save this one crime of speaking
the Unspeakable Word。
We have seen one of such men burned alive in the square of the City。
And it was a sight which has stayed with us through the years； and it
haunts us； and follows us； and it gives us no rest。 We were a child then；
ten years old。 And we stood in the great square with all the children and
all the men of the City； sent to behold the burning。 They brought the
Transgressor out into the square and they led them to the pyre。 They had
torn out the tongue of the Transgressor； so that they could speak no longer。
The Transgressor were young and tall。 They had hair of gold and eyes blue
as morning。 They walked to the pyre； and their step did not falter。 And of
all the faces on that square； of all the faces which shrieked and screamed
and spat curses upon them； theirs was the calmest and the happiest face。
As the chains were wound over their body at the stake； and a flame set
to the pyre； the Transgressor looked upon the City。 There was a thin
thread of blood running from the corner of their mouth； but their lips were
smiling。 And a monstrous thought came to us then； which has never left
us。 We had heard of Saints。 There are the Saints of Labor； and the Saints
of the Councils； and the Saints of the Great Rebirth。 But we had never
seen a Saint nor what the likeness of a Saint should be。 And we thought
21
… Page 22…
ANTHEM
then； standing in the square； that the likeness of a Saint was the face we
saw before us in the flames； the face of the Transgressor of the
Unspeakable Word。
As the flames rose； a thing happened which no eyes saw but ours； else
we would not be living today。 Perhaps it had only seemed to us。 But it
seemed to us that the eyes of the Transgressor had chosen us from the
crowd and were looking straight upon us。 There was no pain in their
eyes and no knowledge of the agony of their body。 There was only joy in
them； and pride； a pride holier than is fit for human pride to be。 And it
seemed as if these eyes were trying to tell us something through the flames；
to send into our eyes some word without sound。 And it seemed as if
these eyes were begging us to gather that word and not to let it go from us
and from the earth。 But the flames rose and we could not guess the
word。 。 。 。
Whateven if we have to burn for it like the Saint of the Pyrewhat is
the Unspeakable Word？
22
… Page 23…
ANTHEM
PART THREE
We； Equality 7…2521； have discovered a new power of nature。 And
we have discovered it alone； and we alone are to know it。
It is said。 Now let us be lashed for it； if we must。 The Council of
Scholars has said that we all know the things which exist and therefore the
things which are not known by all do not exist。 But we think that the
Council of Scholars is blind。 The secrets of this earth are not for all men to
see； but only for those who will seek them。 We know； for we have found a
secret unknown to all our brothers。
We know not what this power is nor whence it comes。 But we know
its nature； we have watched it and worked with it。 We saw it first two
years ago。 One night； we were cutting open the body of a dead frog
when we saw its leg jerking。 It was dead； yet it moved。 Some power
unknown to men was making it move。 We could not understand it。
Then； after many tests； we found the answer。 The frog had been hanging
on a wire of copper； and it had been the metal of our knife which had sent
the strange power to the copper through the brine of the frog's body。 We
put a piece of copper and a piece of zinc into a jar of brine； we touched a
wire to them