XVIII
- THE GREEN STAR
The
world was held in a savage gloom - cold and intolerable. Outside, all was quiet
- quiet! From the dark room behind me, came the occasional, soft thud(10) of
falling matter - fragments of rotting stone. So time passed, and night grasped
the world, wrapping it in wrappings of impenetrable blackness.
There
was no night-sky, as we know it. Even the few straggling stars had vanished,
conclusively. I might have been in a shuttered room, without a light; for all
that I could see. Only, in the impalpableness of gloom, opposite, burnt that
vast, encircling hair of dull fire. Beyond this, there was no ray in all the
vastitude of night that surrounded me; save that, far in the North, that soft,
mistlike glow still shone.
Silently,
years moved on. What period of time passed, I shall never know. It seemed to
me, waiting there, that eternities came and went, stealthily; and still I
watched. I could see only the glow of the sun's edge, at times; for now, it had
commenced to come and go - lighting up a while, and again becoming
extinguished.
All
at once, during one of these periods of life, a sudden flame cut across the
night - a quick glare that lit up the dead earth, shortly; giving me a glimpse
of its flat lonesomeness. The light appeared to come from the sun - shooting
out from somewhere near its center, diagonally. A moment, I gazed, startled.
Then the leaping flame sank, and the gloom fell again. But now it was not so
dark; and the sun was belted by a thin line of vivid, white light. I stared,
intently. Had a volcano broken out on the sun? Yet, I negatived the thought, as
soon as formed. I felt that the light had been far too intensely white, and
large, for such a cause.
Another
idea there was, that suggested itself to me. It was, that one of the inner
planets had fallen into the sun - becoming incandescent, under that impact.
This theory appealed to me, as being more plausible, and accounting more
satisfactorily for the extraordinary size and brilliance of the blaze, that had
lit up the dead world, so unexpectedly.
Full
of interest and emotion, I stared, across the darkness, at that line of white
fire, cutting the night. One thing it told to me, unmistakably: the sun was yet
rotating at an enormous speed.(11) Thus, I knew that the years were still
fleeting at an incalculable rate; though so far as the earth was concerned,
life, and light, and time, were things belonging to a period lost in the long
gone ages.
After
that one burst of flame, the light had shown, only as an encircling band of
bright fire. Now, however, as I watched, it began slowly to sink into a ruddy
tint, and, later, to a dark, copper-red color; much as the sun had done.
Presently, it sank to a deeper hue; and, in a still further space of time, it
began to fluctuate; having periods of glowing, and anon, dying. Thus, after a
great while, it disappeared.
Long
before this, the smoldering edge of the sun had deadened into blackness. And
so, in that supremely future time, the world, dark and intensely silent, rode
on its gloomy orbit around the ponderous mass of the dead sun.
My
thoughts, at this period, can be scarcely described. At first, they were chaotic
and wanting in coherence. But, later, as the ages came and went, my soul seemed
to imbibe the very essence of the oppressive solitude and dreariness, that held
the earth.
With
this feeling, there came a wonderful clearness of thought, and I realized,
despairingly, that the world might wander for ever, through that enormous
night. For a while, the unwholesome idea filled me, with a sensation of
overbearing desolation; so that I could have cried like a child. In time,
however, this feeling grew, almost insensibly, less, and an unreasoning hope
possessed me. Patiently, I waited.
From
time to time, the noise of dropping particles, behind in the room, came dully
to my ears. Once, I heard a loud crash, and turned, instinctively, to look;
forgetting, for the moment, the impenetrable night in which every detail was
submerged. In a while, my gaze sought the heavens; turning, unconsciously,
toward the North. Yes, the nebulous glow still showed. Indeed, I could have
almost imagined that it looked somewhat plainer. For a long time, I kept my
gaze fixed upon it; feeling, in my lonely soul, that its soft haze was, in some
way, a tie with the past. Strange, the trifles from which one can suck comfort!
And yet, had I but known - But I shall come to that in its proper time.
For
a very long space, I watched, without experiencing any of the desire for sleep,
that would so soon have visited me in the old-earth days. How I should have
welcomed it; if only to have passed the time, away from my perplexities and
thoughts.
Several
times, the comfortless sound of some great piece of masonry falling, disturbed
my meditations; and, once, it seemed I could hear whispering in the room,
behind me. Yet it was utterly useless to try to see anything. Such blackness,
as existed, scarcely can be conceived. It was palpable, and hideously brutal to
the sense; as though something dead, pressed up against me - something soft,
and icily cold.
Under
all this, there grew up within my mind, a great and overwhelming distress of
uneasiness, that left me, but to drop me into an uncomfortable brooding. I felt
that I must fight against it; and, presently, hoping to distract my thoughts, I
turned to the window, and looked up toward the North, in search of the nebulous
whiteness, which, still, I believed to be the far and misty glowing of the
universe we had left. Even as I raised my eyes, I was thrilled with a feeling
of wonder; for, now, the hazy light had resolved into a single, great star, of
vivid green.
As
I stared, astonished, the thought flashed into my mind; that the earth must be
traveling toward the star; not away, as I had imagined. Next, that it could not
be the universe the earth had left; but, possibly, an outlying star, belonging
to some vast star-cluster, hidden in the enormous depths of space. With a sense
of commingled awe and curiosity, I watched it, wondering what new thing was to
be revealed to me.
For
a while, vague thoughts and speculations occupied me, during which my gaze
dwelt insatiably upon that one spot of light, in the otherwise pitlike
darkness. Hope grew up within me, banishing the oppression of despair, that had
seemed to stifle me. Wherever the earth was traveling, it was, at least, going
once more toward the realms of light. Light! One must spend an eternity wrapped
in soundless night, to understand the full horror of being without it.
Slowly,
but surely, the star grew upon my vision, until, in time, it shone as brightly
as had the planet Jupiter, in the old-earth days. With increased size, its
color became more impressive; reminding me of a huge emerald, scintillating
rays of fire across the world.
Years
fled away in silence, and the green star grew into a great splash of flame in
the sky. A little later, I saw a thing that filled me with amazement. It was
the ghostly outline of a vast crescent, in the night; a gigantic new moon,
seeming to be growing out of the surrounding gloom. Utterly bemused, I stared
at it. It appeared to be quite close - comparatively; and I puzzled to
understand how the earth had come so near to it, without my having seen it
before.
The
light, thrown by the star, grew stronger; and, presently, I was aware that it
was possible to see the earthscape again; though indistinctly. Awhile, I
stared, trying to make out whether I could distinguish any detail of the
world's surface, but I found the light insufficient. In a little, I gave up the
attempt, and glanced once more toward the star. Even in the short space, that
my attention had been diverted, it had increased considerably, and seemed now,
to my bewildered sight, about a quarter of the size of the full moon. The light
it threw, was extraordinarily powerful; yet its color was so abominably
unfamiliar, that such of the world as I could see, showed unreal; more as
though I looked out upon a landscape of shadow, than aught else.
All
this time, the great crescent was increasing in brightness, and began, now, to
shine with a perceptible shade of green. Steadily, the star increased in size
and brilliancy, until it showed, fully as large as half a full moon; and, as it
grew greater and brighter, so did the vast crescent throw out more and more
light, though of an ever deepening hue of green. Under the combined blaze of
their radiances, the wilderness that stretched before me, became steadily more
visible. Soon, I seemed able to stare across the whole world, which now
appeared, beneath the strange light, terrible in its cold and awful, flat
dreariness.
It
was a little later, that my attention was drawn to the fact, that the great
star of green flame, was slowly sinking out of the North, toward the East. At
first, I could scarcely believe that I saw aright; but soon there could be no
doubt that it was so. Gradually, it sank, and, as it fell, the vast crescent of
glowing green, began to dwindle and dwindle, until it became a mere arc of
light, against the livid colored sky. Later it vanished, disappearing in the
self-same spot from which I had seen it slowly emerge.
By
this time, the star had come to within some thirty degrees of the hidden
horizon. In size it could now have rivaled the moon at its full; though, even
yet, I could not distinguish its disk. This fact led me to conceive that it
was, still, an extraordinary distance away; and, this being so, I knew that its
size must be huge, beyond the conception of man to understand or imagine.
Suddenly,
as I watched, the lower edge of the star vanished - cut by a straight, dark
line. A minute - or a century - passed, and it dipped lower, until the half of
it had disappeared from sight. Far away out on the great plain, I saw a
monstrous shadow blotting it out, and advancing swiftly. Only a third of the
star was visible now. Then, like a flash, the solution of this extraordinary
phenomenon revealed itself to me. The star was sinking behind the enormous mass
of the dead sun. Or rather, the sun - obedient to its attraction - was rising
toward it,(12) with the earth following in its trail. As these thoughts
expanded in my mind, the star vanished; being completely hidden by the
tremendous bulk of the sun. Over the earth there fell, once more, the brooding
night.
With
the darkness, came an intolerable feeling of loneliness and dread. For the
first time, I thought of the Pit, and its inmates. After that, there rose in my
memory the still more terrible Thing, that had haunted the shores of the Sea of
Sleep, and lurked in the shadows of this old building. Where were they? I
wondered - and shivered with miserable thoughts. For a time, fear held me, and
I prayed, wildly and incoherently, for some ray of light with which to dispel
the cold blackness that enveloped the world.
How
long I waited, it is impossible to say - certainly for a very great period.
Then, all at once, I saw a loom of light shine out ahead. Gradually, it became
more distinct. Suddenly, a ray of vivid green, flashed across the darkness. At
the same moment, I saw a thin line of livid flame, far in the night. An
instant, it seemed, and it had grown into a great clot of fire; beneath which,
the world lay bathed in a blaze of emerald green light. Steadily it grew, until,
presently, the whole of the green star had come into sight again. But now, it
could be scarcely called a star; for it had increased to vast proportions,
being incomparably greater than the sun had been in the olden time.
"Then,
as I stared, I became aware that I could see the edge of the lifeless sun,
glowing like a great crescent-moon. Slowly, its lighted surface, broadened out
to me, until half of its diameter was visible; and the star began to drop away
on my right. Time passed, and the earth moved on, slowly traversing the
tremendous face of the dead sun." (13)
Gradually,
as the earth traveled forward, the star fell still more to the right; until, at
last, it shone on the back of the house, sending a flood of broken rays, in
through the skeletonlike walls. Glancing upward, I saw that much of the ceiling
had vanished, enabling me to see that the upper storeys were even more decayed.
The roof had, evidently, gone entirely; and I could see the green effulgence of
the Starlight shining in, slantingly.
XIX -
THE END OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
From
the abutment, where once had been the windows, through which I had watched that
first, fatal dawn, I could see that the sun was hugely greater, than it had
been, when first the Star lit the world. So great was it, that its lower edge
seemed almost to touch the far horizon. Even as I watched, I imagined that it
drew closer. The radiance of green that lit the frozen earth, grew steadily
brighter.
Thus,
for a long space, things were. Then, on a sudden, I saw that the sun was
changing shape, and growing smaller, just as the moon would have done in past
time. In a while, only a third of the illuminated part was turned toward the
earth. The Star bore away on the left.
Gradually,
as the world moved on, the Star shone upon the front of the house, once more;
while the sun showed, only as a great bow of green fire. An instant, it seemed,
and the sun had vanished. The Star was still fully visible. Then the earth
moved into the black shadow of the sun, and all was night - Night, black,
starless, and intolerable.
Filled
with tumultuous thoughts, I watched across the night - waiting. Years, it may
have been, and then, in the dark house behind me, the clotted stillness of the
world was broken. I seemed to hear a soft padding of many feet, and a faint,
inarticulate whisper of sound, grew on my sense. I looked 'round into the
blackness, and saw a multitude of eyes. As I stared, they increased, and
appeared to come toward me. For an instant, I stood, unable to move. Then a
hideous swine-noise(14) rose up into the night; and, at that, I leapt from the
window, out on to the frozen world. I have a confused notion of having run
awhile; and, after that, I just waited - waited. Several times, I heard
shrieks; but always as though from a distance. Except for these sounds, I had
no idea of the whereabouts of the house. Time moved onward. I was conscious of
little, save a sensation of cold and hopelessness and fear.
An
age, it seemed, and there came a glow, that told of the coming light. It grew,
tardily. Then - with a loom of unearthly glory - the first ray from the Green
Star, struck over the edge of the dark sun, and lit the world. It fell upon a
great, ruined structure, some two hundred yards away. It was the house.
Staring, I saw a fearsome sight - over its walls crawled a legion of unholy
things, almost covering the old building, from tottering towers to base. I
could see them, plainly; they were the Swine-creatures.
The
world moved out into the light of the Star, and I saw that, now, it seemed to
stretch across a quarter of the heavens. The glory of its livid light was so
tremendous, that it appeared to fill the sky with quivering flames. Then, I saw
the sun. It was so close that half of its diameter lay below the horizon; and,
as the world circled across its face, it seemed to tower right up into the sky,
a stupendous dome of emerald colored fire. From time to time, I glanced toward
the house; but the Swine-things seemed unaware of my proximity.
Years
appeared to pass, slowly. The earth had almost reached the center of the sun's
disk. The light from the Green Sun - as now it must be called - shone through
the interstices, that gapped the mouldered walls of the old house, giving them
the appearance of being wrapped in green flames. The Swine-creatures still
crawled about the walls.
Suddenly,
there rose a loud roar of swine-voices, and, up from the center of the roofless
house, shot a vast column of blood-red flame. I saw the little, twisted towers
and turrets flash into fire; yet still preserving their twisted crookedness.
The beams of the Green Sun, beat upon the house, and intermingled with its
lurid glows; so that it appeared a blazing furnace of red and green fire.
Fascinated,
I watched, until an overwhelming sense of coming danger, drew my attention. I
glanced up, and, at once, it was borne upon me, that the sun was closer; so
close, in fact, that it seemed to overhang the world. Then - I know not how - I
was caught up into strange heights - floating like a bubble in the awful effulgence.
Far
below me, I saw the earth, with the burning house leaping into an ever growing
mountain of flame, 'round about it, the ground appeared to be glowing; and, in
places, heavy wreaths of yellow smoke ascended from the earth. It seemed as
though the world were becoming ignited from that one plague-spot of fire.
Faintly, I could see the Swine-things. They appeared quite unharmed. Then the
ground seemed to cave in, suddenly, and the house, with its load of foul
creatures, disappeared into the depths of the earth, sending a strange, blood
colored cloud into the heights. I remembered the hell Pit under the house.
In
a while, I looked 'round. The huge bulk of the sun, rose high above me. The
distance between it and the earth, grew rapidly less. Suddenly, the earth
appeared to shoot forward. In a moment, it had traversed the space between it
and the sun. I heard no sound; but, out from the sun's face, gushed an
ever-growing tongue of dazzling flame. It seemed to leap, almost to the distant
Green Sun - shearing through the emerald light, a very cataract of blinding
fire. It reached its limit, and sank; and, on the sun, glowed a vast splash of
burning white - the grave of the earth.
The
sun was very close to me, now. Presently, I found that I was rising higher;
until, at last, I rode above it, in the emptiness. The Green Sun was now so
huge that its breadth seemed to fill up all the sky, ahead. I looked down, and
noted that the sun was passing directly beneath me.
A
year may have gone by - or a century - and I was left, suspended, alone. The
sun showed far in front - a black, circular mass, against the molten splendor
of the great, Green Orb. Near one edge, I observed that a lurid glow had
appeared, marking the place where the earth had fallen. By this, I knew that
the long-dead sun was still revolving, though with great slowness.
Afar
to my right, I seemed to catch, at times, a faint glow of whitish light. For a
great time, I was uncertain whether to put this down to fancy or not. Thus, for
a while, I stared, with fresh wonderings; until, at last, I knew that it was no
imaginary thing; but a reality. It grew brighter; and, presently, there slid
out of the green, a pale globe of softest white. It came nearer, and I saw that
it was apparently surrounded by a robe of gently glowing clouds. Time passed...
I
glanced toward the diminishing sun. It showed, only as a dark blot on the face
of the Green Sun. As I watched, I saw it grow smaller, steadily, as though
rushing toward the superior orb, at an immense speed. Intently, I stared. What
would happen? I was conscious of extraordinary emotions, as I realized that it
would strike the Green Sun. It grew no bigger than a pea, and I looked, with my
whole soul, to witness the final end of our System - that system which had
borne the world through so many aeons, with its multitudinous sorrows and joys;
and now -
Suddenly,
something crossed my vision, cutting from sight all vestige of the spectacle I
watched with such soul-interest. What happened to the dead sun, I did not see;
but I have no reason - in the light of that which I saw afterward - to
disbelieve that it fell into the strange fire of the Green Sun, and so
perished.
And
then, suddenly, an extraordinary question rose in my mind, whether this
stupendous globe of green fire might not be the vast Central Sun - the great
sun, 'round which our universe and countless others revolve. I felt confused. I
thought of the probable end of the dead sun, and another suggestion came,
dumbly - Do the dead stars make the Green Sun their grave? The idea appealed to
me with no sense of grotesqueness; but rather as something both possible and
probable.