Whirlpools: A Novel of Modern PolandSienkiewicz, Henryk
General
Whirlpools: A Novel of Modern Poland
Sienkiewicz, Henryk
Poland -- Fiction
Dr. Szremski upon his return to the hotel began to ponder over
Swidwicki's words, which were imbedded deeply in his memory. Before his
eyes there glided a picture of the funeral procession and that coffin,
with the victim, murdered by those to whom she wanted to do good. "Yes,
yes!" he said to himself, "that apparently was a mistake, but similar
mistakes are the logical consequences of the unbridled, blind, animal
instincts. We must admit that we are flying at break-neck speed into
some bottomless abyss. And not only we. But is it allowable to conclude
from this, that, as to-day we conducted song, murdered by the rabble,
so after ten, twenty, or fifty years we will witness the burial of
learning, culture, and civilization? Apparently--yes. It is high time
that God, Who rules the world, should give new proofs that He in
reality rules. It ought to thunder so that the earth would tremble--or
what? Mankind are entering upon a road which is directly opposite to
entire nature. For the whole endeavor of nature is to create as perfect
beings as possible and through them to ennoble the species; and
humanity perversely kills them as it did that angelic child, or else
seizes them by the hair to drag them from the heights to the general
level. And nevertheless this is but a specious appearance. If the
engineers determined to excavate all the mountains and make the earth
as smooth and even as a billiard ball, some convulsions would take
place, some eruptions of volcanoes would occur, which would create new
abysses and new heights. Of the Aryan spirit can be said that which the
Grecians, enamoured with the soothing architectonical lines, said of
the Roman arches: 'The arch will never fall asleep.' Likewise the Aryan
spirit. The humanity, which possesses it, is incapable of drifting into
infinity on one wave, thinking one thought and living in one idea. That
which is to-day--will pass away. On the summits of reason, feeling, and
will, new whirlwinds will generate and they will raise new waves."
Here the doctor's thoughts were apparently directed nearer to matters
lying more on his heart, for he began to clench his fist and pace with
big, uneasy steps about the room.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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