Копи царя Соломона
Before the Battle
"Howmanyofthesedoyousupposewillbealiveatthistimetomorrow?"askedSirHenry.
Ishookmyheadandlookedagainatthesleepingmen, andtomytiredandyetexcitedimaginationitseemedasthoughDeathhadalreadytouchedthem. Mymind’seyesingledoutthosewhoweresealedtoslaughter,andthererushedinuponmyheartagreatsenseofthemysteryofhumanlife,andanoverwhelmingsorrowatitsfutilityandsadness. To-nightthesethousandslepttheirhealthysleep,tomorrowthey,andmanyotherswiththem,ourselvesperhapsamongthem,wouldbestiffeninginthecold; theirwiveswouldbewidows,theirchildrenfatherless,andtheirplaceknowthemnomoreforever. Onlytheoldmoonwouldshineonserenely,thenightwindwouldstirthegrasses,andthewideearthwouldtakeitsrest,evenasitdidæonsbeforewewere,andwilldoæonsafterwehavebeenforgotten.
Yetmandiesnotwhilsttheworld,atoncehismotherandhismonument,remains. Hisnameislost,indeed,butthebreathhebreathedstillstirsthepine-topsonthemountains,thesoundofthewordshespokeyetechoesonthroughspace; thethoughtshisbraingavebirthtowehaveinheritedtoday; hispassionsareourcauseoflife;thejoysandsorrowsthatheknewareourfamiliarfriends—theendfromwhichhefledaghastwillsurelyovertakeusalso!
Trulytheuniverseisfullofghosts,notsheetedchurchyardspectres,buttheinextinguishableelementsofindividuallife,whichhavingoncebeen,canneverdie,thoughtheyblendandchange,andchangeagainforever.
