The padre on his return to the quarters of the corps, found Mr. Dow alone, and questioned him upon the sincerity of Mr. Welson’s revelation. “You know,” he said, “that I am a sort of orphan waif among you, in the matter of science, which Mr. Welson, Dr. Baāhar, and others, with the exception of yourself, have taken advantage for their amusement; not that they have treated me unkindly or disrespectfully; but when they saw me really anxious from fear, which they could have relieved, it was hard that they should tease and add to my perplexity.”
Mr. Dow assured him that the revelations of Mr. Welson were strictly true, and that whatever was at variance with their former selves had been effected by Manatitlan wisdom. He then asked Coryc?us, if present, to give a joint pull upon the most sensitive vibrilla in the padre’s ear. His sudden start, with the tearful winking of his eyes, gave evidence that the Manatitlans were still there. Seeing that the old mythical idea of spirit possession still lingered, he asked them to sing in chorus Old Lang Syne, as that was the only tune the padre could recognize. This was so well rendered in sympathetic harmony that the padre beat time with both hands, and at its close exclaimed, “My goodness gracious, I never heard such music; why it thrilled me through and through, yet the voices seemed small, and far off, as if they came from the heavenly realms of bliss!”
After the morning meal the padre was escorted to 304the auriculum by all the initiated, including the mayorong and his family. The padre having been placed in a favorable position for hearing and seeing, at an appointed signal a large number of giantescoes, mediums, and tits, suddenly appeared on the reflecting platform of the tympano-microscope, with a movement so quick that neither action or source of emergence could be detected. The suddenness of their appearance caused the quick adjournment of the padre’s hand to his hair, its usual place of resort when his faculties were surprised with doubts requiring the aid of counter-irritation for elucidation. The Dosch and Doschessa advanced to the front of the platform, and after a reciprocal introduction to the padre, the former plainly stated the reason why a portion had been excluded from a knowledge of their existence. It was not, however, until a full hour had passed in the discussion of various topics relating to Manatitlan influence, that the padre ventured to speak. He then timidly inquired of the Dosch, “Do you and your wife and the rest of the Manatitlans feel quite like men and comfortable?”
Dosch. “You can rest assured that we all feel like men,—except our women,—and really comfortable!”
Padre. “Are your women in being smaller less comfortable than the men?”
Dosch. “As you perceive, they hold the same relative proportion with regard to size as the females of your own race. But if they were larger, perhaps the men would feel less comfortable. You know from experience that women wield a strong influence upon whichever side they lend their weight.”
Padre. “Do you cook your food or eat it raw?”
Dosch. “We are, like your own race, omnivorous, but select and adapt our food to the healthy requirements of our bodies, using fire for its preparation.”
Padre. “But how can you make such small fires?”
305Dosch. “We hold ourselves in advance of your race in that respect, as we are not dependent upon material combustion for our fires. You are, of course, laboring under the impression that our small size must embarrass the organic functions. But in the intensity of the spark you will find an apt illustration of the vital energy that we have been enabled to preserve in the purity of its brightness. Although you may esteem it a spark of egoism, we can, with truth, assert that we feel free from the vagaries of appetite and lust, and an infinitesimal concentration of vitality that imparts purity to our impressions. This exemption from the ills to which you are subject in the flesh, we have obtained by the consistent cultivation of our perceptive endowments bestowed by the Creator as an heirloom independent of the body’s material tenement. For your enlightenment with reference to the physical co?peration of our educated perceptions with the body, I will say that we possess, from transmitted cultivation, a nervous and muscular energy, with a sensitive perception, that enables us to detect and guard against dangers while yet distant. In sudden emergency, by our agile presence of mind, we can, without extraordinary effort, avoid impending danger, that would inevitably prove fatal to your slower faculties of apprehension. That you may appreciate, in a measure, the quickness of our movements, Coryc?us, the padre’s familiar, will pass from the platform to his ear.”
Coryc?us. “Yes, and he may catch me if he can.”
Quick as our eyes were turned on the padre, the change in direction was anticipated by Coryc?us, for he was back on the platform in time to see with laughing glee the padre’s hand reach his ear with a clap that jarred his head. But certain of his capture, the padre, without noticing the return of Coryc?us to the stage, cautiously introduced his forefinger into the cavity of his ear, with his thumb on the alert to 306secure his prisoner when raised to the surface. So certainly intent was he of the capture, that he was deaf to the suppressed laughter provoked by his movements, until after the removal and cautious separation of his thumb and finger; then his surprise was greeted by a genial outburst. Discovering Coryc?us on the platform, one of his old furtive glances of superstition crossed the bridge of his nose, the laughing jeers causing him to exclaim, “Well you can think what you like, but the devil’s in it!”
Coryc?us. “If you mean in your ear, the compliment is not intended for me!”
The rejoinder, and mirth, caused the padre to propose a second trial; this proving as unsuccessful as the first, he exclaimed, “You are altogether too spry for my catching; I’d sooner try to catch a flea on the watch! But the fact is, I can’t quite make you out to my mind. You seem to be what you say you are; still there is neither sacred or profane authority for your existence, unless we take the Fathers’ assurance that it’s possible for evil spirits to assume any form, or shape, or preach any doctrine they choose, for the purpose of temptation, of which numerous instances have been recorded by Frey Manuel Jaen, and other sacred authors.”
Mr. Welson (impatiently). “The fact is apparent, padre, that you are either stupidly incorrigible or there is a prompted method in your mythological vagaries, to show us how loath your kind are to give up animal indulgences that can be absolved by confession. Once for all! Why is it that you have been endowed with the power of discernment, which you style conscience, to judge between right and wrong, except to assert your probationary privilege to a higher destiny than sensually begot animal life that is subject to compostic defilement and corruption? Or why should you be preferred to a material heaven above the beasts of the field, who have lived in accordance 307with their special capacities, while you have defiled yours with beastly indulgences? Like yourself we have been subject to auramentation, but have thankfully accepted the promptings bestowed for the enlightenment and correction of our perceptions. We feel that although bodily present, you are not with us.”
Padre. “It was yourself, Mr. Welson, that made me cautious! If I have doubted the evidences of my senses, your deceptions have placed the stumbling block in my way. Since we have been in Heraclea your mysteries whenever I was present kept me on the lookout that I might not be caught napping. Besides all the Kyronese children had disappeared, except the infants, and those over ten years of age. While among the Heracleans there was not a miss or master, except Correliana; or a married man or woman less than twenty-four years of age. When I inquired the cause, you said they were at school, which did not seem consistent, for I could find no signs of one within the walls. Then as there were no churches or signs of religious worship, my fears were excited; for you rose with the sun and welcomed its rising with songs, something you had never attempted to do before; for even after a jovial night, spent in drinking, playing poker, and lansquenet, you appeared more sorry than glad to see it. After breakfast you avoided me and betook yourselves to some strange place, so that through the day I scarcely saw you. These and many other strange freaks made me feel as though I had really strayed into an enchanted city; which impression was strengthened by my own contradictory thoughts. (Looking curiously at Coryc?us.) Often a distinct small voice, but as plain as my own, would dispute the number of my Ave Marias, although I had numbered them on my rosary—there, now, is the same voice asking me from what the beads were made. Well as there can 308be no secrets kept here, I might as well own, that plug tobacco was the easiest thing that I could make them of. Indeed I scarcely knew the half that I was thinking, I became so confused and bewildered. Sometimes I thought my impressions were caused by your scientific tricks, played upon me when asleep; but then there was no authority for that; so you will see from all that I have said, I am hardly in a condition to give credit to my senses, upon the question of these apparitions, that you call Manatitlan Animalculans, as to whether they are real humans, or spirits of evil conjured by the devil to betray souls to damnation.”
Coryc?us. “But you know, padre, you tried all sorts of exorcisms to get rid of me without effect, until you traced my exhortations to your ears, and supposing they might arise from defect, you smeared your ears with tobacco spittle, which proved an effectual remedy.”
Padre (laughing). “You must allow then that tobacco is good for ridding one of an annoyance?”
Coryc?us. “If you call good advice an annoyance!”
Dr. Baāhar. “He is wedded to his delusions, and with eyes and ears, refuses to see and hear.”
Padre. “You may call my religion a delusion, and a budget of traditional superstitions, or whatever you like, but I shall never become an apostate until I can find a better, under proof to supply its place.”
Dosch. “It is better that he should be left to draw his own inferences from our example and teachings, as words of reason will prove futile to disabuse him of his bead ritualism. Possibly, Coryc?us may have yielded overmuch to his humor from the obstinacy of the padre’s infatuations.”
Corcyra (wife of Coryc?us). “With permission, it would please me to suggest in behalf of our auramental labors with the padre, that we had not the power 309of controlling him with the privilege of exampled pleadings, so we were obliged to have recourse to stratagem to rescue him from the toils of Fraile Gallagato and his own weakness.”
Padre (gaspingly). “Wa-wa-was—”
Corcyra. “Yes, we always attend our husbands, as our bonds of affection are inseparable, and independent of bodily duality. But you need not be so much alarmed, although we are free to acknowledge that we were greatly shocked to see your kindly nature self-betrayed for its own degradation, in a manner so revolting to our impressions of purity.”
The padre bowed his head to conceal his face, flushed with shameful self-reproaches. The Dosch diverted attention from the padre by introducing Codecio, who proposed to give a synoptical description of the advantages imparted from their system of education, which would be exemplified by a visit to the Heraclean schools.
“In rendering our homage of grateful affection to Inovatus Desiderata for the inestimable boon of an educated power of self-control over the body’s instincts, founded upon unselfish reciprocation, we also with equal fervency correspond with Analogius, his successor, who perfected the founder’s system with the censor’s safeguard.
“The Censor’s duty commences immediately after birth, at the completion of the nurse’s midwife assistance rendered to the mother, as upon her this aid naturally devolves. In no instance has there ever occurred the necessity of man’s intervention with this function, which innate delicacy declares repugnant to modest purity. The censor then in conjunction with the nurse, who remains as a constant guard, directs the parents for the adaptation of affectionate solicitation for the welfare of the child. With constant study the natural inclinations of the child are led and trained for the healthy reciprocation of purity and 310goodness; also for the recognition of cause and effect in progressive degree sufficient for the enlistment of truthful confidence. But a few generations passed after the censorship was matured by Analogius before the querulous whimperings of infancy had ceased altogether. When at the close of the second year they entered the nursery department of the national schools, the children were as self-capable and independent of aid for the adjustment of dress to their persons as though they had been to the manner born. In like respect their practical appreciation of cleanliness was as actively demonstrated in purity of intention, as with their more experienced elders. Your people have been taught to believe from precedental prejudice, founded upon the selfish arrogance of ancient exemplars, that the word censor signifies an arbitrary agent for the restriction of liberty under the rulings of tyrannical power. But as with the tribunes of Heraclea, who act as censors under the direction of the pr?tor, our privileges extend in an advisorial capacity through all the gradations of life, from the child to parents, and in their collective capacity, styled the people. As the censor’s vocation is to study and cultivate, for good, the mental and physical capacity of the child from birth, you will readily understand the advantage we obtain for direction in all that pertains to health and the unselfish display of goodness and purity. From the same source in reciprocation our cultivated knowledge obtains a clue to the predilections of instinct for vocations and variations of employment necessary for the supply of food, and the sustaining comforts in currency for the reciprocation of affection. But, above all, we are enabled to perfect the union of the marriage ties by the selection of compatible respondents. You will, however, better comprehend the method of attainment by the rehearsal of our process of education.
“Our Manatitlan System of Education commences 311at birth, in giving direction to the dawning perceptions of the nursling, that its desires may be toned to its healthy requirements. For the achievement of this important object the exaggerated and inconsiderate fondness of the parents requires the close attention of the nurse and censor, that the material attractions may be strictly adapted for the development of the child’s real necessities, in direction for its future mental and physical welfare. At the age of two years the child is placed in the infantile department of the national school, but still continues under the special care of its nurse and parental censor. When the child reaches the age of five years full matriculation takes place, as with the expiration of the infantile term, self-care as well as self-control have become sufficiently impressed for emulous improvement under the exampled lead of their elders. With the full accomplishment of ten years, the youthful term commences, with an easy initiation into the life sustaining responsibilities of community association. But from the earliest stage the children are familiarized with the pastime labors of vocation. These never assume the repugnant features of tasks, but are adopted as useful amusements, from choice, as compulsion and disciplined correction have no part in our exampled system of education. This electic plan of imitation enables them in after life to render needed assistance in association, without no-vitiation, which would embarrass the continued uniformity of household regulations, rather than aid in their easy dispensation. Within the inclosures, of both the male and female schools, all the appliances required in the pursuits of vocation, and the conduction of domestic affairs, are self-supplied after the first installment of foundation. Indeed, from youthful invention in the school departments we are often indebted for the enhanced comforts of affection. As the mercenary selfishness of morbid craving is unknown, there is an 312affectionate solicitude with each for the others’ welfare in joyous reciprocation. Our grade distinctions of giantesco, medium, and tit, which are usually determined in the seventeenth year, although in premonition from the age of ten, are those of confiding reliance and mutual aid, in freedom from instinctive envy and arrogance.
“At the age of twenty-three the male graduates from the school inclosure into the active degrees of life’s associate co?peration. In premonition, the connubial censors have studied and kept a record of instinctive traits, and characteristic blendings of affection, of the male and female matriculants, for comparison and the selection of coaptives in the unity of predisposition for the fulfillment of marriage intention. On the morning of the day that accomplishes the full term of school graduation, the man is introduced to his future wife, who has been returned to her parent’s charge for the three month’s probationary test of full compatibility, during which her intended enjoys their hospitality. The adjudged unity of these marriage ............