The Nightmare.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 698, 24 December 1909, Page 12

The Nightmare.

(BViG. K. CHESTERTON)

iii-.-jL'.'sunsoi iiiicopper and gold hicl just. broken do \fh:Andfg&:he:to'.'picccs'in the'west, arid grey /dofWtiMfi^tetf'priWling ""dvOi\'eybrything : in. earth nnd: heaven l iilSo 'A growing,' a ivind Pio/bushes'atr.tho. back of my garden; bewail and-then'-to wavo "ivild'hahds in'signal. I was trying' to read by '&a _ - loiigthp, iiiecfldeiif i-, period,- aVpoe'ui/ about ':th'a;6ia\gods'of'>Bab3;ldn ; :iirid Egypt, ;nbaut.,th*6ir "blsfci^ r -:attd- ! obsCdU6 temples/ ' thdir: cruelv and 'cqlpshl^facM.'';; -'i '■'■"•'■ •'Or-'didstitlibuPiovo..v.the, God -.-''of JFlibs .who plagded : the.Hebrews: and was splashed -:• •■/•' With \yino : unto the," waist of: Pasht.' who had W/ : /green-:'berylii.'far her :o.fes?"-. ;'r / I- had .to'; review; it :idf;;th6;v ,i PA'ly- News"; 'still .it. was genuine IJO&ti'y; Of. its 'kind."-3Efc ; iffedlijr-ftave, Slit' an fatitio-, ■sphere, smoke: that seenieil 'really:...fe/colilp from-,:tho- Bondage .of j:Bgyp % t^o^,^th6;:^tt?d^h l^of^T^ro.; : There, is ; Hot; nvuPh'.ih;Pbln-hion;(thank .God) between' tny'gar:,deii:;ntli ';thb' g'fey-grceri. English 'Sky-line,'.be-yond yt;V.and:- thesomad visions of . painted hdadloss > idok ahd .monstrous' s'Dljtudps.'oferedor golden Sand.: Nevertheless (as* I 'confdii»edvto myself) I can fancy in euch a' stormy •tivilsglit:sbme .'such smell' W- death';arid fear. Tho ruined sunset really loO.;s like 0110 ,'of"their ir'uiiied temples; &v ; of, ["gold'and:gffeh^nfurbfe : 'A-'blaokHlajlpiiig thing' ' ddtaoheS'Jtself 'from"'one/of '.the;-Sombre' trees arid/flutters/to; another. I know not. if it: is i oivl- uv flittormousoyvl' could, fancy it was a blaok ; cherub,\nn' irifernalyoheriib flf darkness, hot with tho'wings of .'a bird and' the head of iA,baby, but with tho head of a .goblin and tho ;:\Hh'ssi:'.ofl ay : Vat.;v; I ::thit!k, :i£.';thete : were ;light. i'bnougbjil '.(tbuld -.sit "here-And ■ write soine - very' " cre'di taTjld *cfeifepy; ta lo ; hliont-. ho w-.-'I. went. Up tlip; orfiokbd'rd'ad Jbeyoridihe.ehiii'ch and; met Some':(hittj^ayVa'' 1 da(t;;-a\d{igt'witH. , .'oao-;iy«."::l , heifi'J.should meet ft hol'sbV'perhaps, a'hdrse without -'tho. horse -alio; would: haye' oile eye.. Then'the/inhuman silence would bo broken; 1 should - meet' a; man (teed' I say,; a one-eyed nta'ii?Kwh<): would- ask;'me';thb'w'ay/to\my. owh: house.', Or perhaps l tell me that Jit was burnt tO' the ground. I think I:cottld tell a;,very cosy' little tald'i albfig; solria -'siioholines. -i Or '!• mieht: dxea&;of climbing for. over, the'tall: dark .t'rete nM. • nro, m ...tall ! thdt ; : I- feel to; if -""I- shiiild-, fliid* ft t . theirtop's tho • npsta: of: ;thi>^angilsi ; :bnt'':iri ;this- ihood. :they: Would: bo; ;,j>oillyj..:ybu'. alLhosh'/./i'do ofceyed 'beastS;; i Asat& 'wiOiVibevUniverial/.wink.' Ati )the' iop.. ofhe,!ti:6es"-1 'should- not: find - s 'only/,find v. tho -iMa^s's.JNs^jithoSdreaWy.valid: divihe iiwt - that is alot, th6rdi,"--Itt;ihe ..Mare's - 'Nest: I .shall disJeo^rer' th&fc/dlm'; .'eridtmbtos;;.ppalesceril: -egg; f rdni ,;■ v;hish'.is .ihatohed. thfl: Nlghtinaiifei-, ;Foi'..%t«i is' udthiiig.'v.tt 1 ; a3 'ra,'nightmar<H-,when 1 ,yo«'know it is; a'.nightinaro..: ■ : ,; v .v :.'. Vi-.ljhat'.'.is'-tha- es^entiKl.-.,iTna.tJ9,'iha. stern, con-: [litiojl/laid Upoix aU.'artia.ts touclnng ihis luxury: :0f v.fear,vi;lho>.-t®rro6;'hiUst bb; fuiditmentally. i»l#y. -witt 4nsanitj:j:- But. iiitist nftt ybd' • allbwbd'■ to .play' with ;sanitfe^VLet! such^pE&taj;as- th*>.'oil6 i..E-iivas' all-means,' : fo'4ifla|inß;yh'iit,\bUtragcous'deitie9 ; 'and : .vibl6nt. ;,;By .all.: mcafo-'.let \ them ,\finder:fr^ly-amid itheir.: .opium" pinnacle's- and ! Mge'.;goas,: thfeo-high'-,'citleSV'teeit(jps.j. 'ifittst. iiever: for an,instant ■bff allb.ited :'to »belany,fctimg' &sa. Man; a ,'gigailtic ! - cHi Id T * .KpVay tli' i" Baby loii 1' and. ! Ni he veh i' jtvilh/Ms all means ;lefc' hiih .dftAiti; Af/the : p£ : ;,so long as .ho ;,i|!-irio s > f foni; 'it; SB Ji-aU'^mbahs-let! mnf"Fako.up ine'BUrdeiiVo^/Tyrel/soJ'lonli- as he is:eaii. ,, tako. ':it.;'.llghtlfe ,>,. But,- tho;.: bid gbds.Vmhst' hia! dolls; hot his idols.. 'fiii c'eiiWal. s&nct) ties',' his true 6imple. - Aiid :jtist.': as. ! : a-: child; will cherish . n\dst a wdodon most :the old 'pQOtry 'ahd: piety';': 'th^;;:hdrsfeV'df ; wpdd.' : thdy..'waV. thdieJiO: ehd'-'of ■ •j&f4'W3k>'o;;" redeemed' dnd conquered tho wdJld -J- v K.: thers'M.'a juhjti :aptaristidally : :litiroorou9,Temark .afi'out^^"the ! .'ap-' ;bn :liim ; ah child-: Ko.od;.'.J}y ; yitli -;,many ; : eyes'; : in :;th'6' .Bo.ok'.:o£<vltevo}ations./'.II , thdt- whs : heaveni" what in tho name of Darey Jones was hell ieo)kij'/truth:-there' a 'iMiig-niflcdhf;>.-;idea,''.;.'invj! thesevV'tionsteM- :(s{:[!.the- * If is, I suppose, the idea that sftl than .wo roigbt .appear io us frightful: and even thoy might:seem 'to havotfloiifo nfci.oncfl- more multiplex and mord sttrifig f-att; c r idea' ;,yery< jm'dgiriaiively;;. seizedin. t(io .multitude of. those vmonstirs. beiibath 'tliO'.thrrfnO'. -much. But I 'like them i:beneath',tho- ithrone. •' It' .is ■ whou ; one: of ;t|i^f:gM^imd4^ : .throne ;:for*himsijlt .that ovil faiths begin, and :ther,o.\is;(litdiaUy):;thor devir; to/'pay-r-tb 'pay-' iii. danomg girls ;or.dimniui';s(ionfico. : ''As: long.iia : those mis-shapen .elemental powers are around :thO:.thtpne,:Semeffiber-.th&t / .thd thing'.thatUhey; :Worship fe'tho.'ilikeMssfdf.' the' appearance of: a man.- -. . V- '■ v-' v '■'' ~ (Thatis;' v I rfaticyi > : th'ei;triie; doctrine' on. tho subject -of- Tales; of: ;Terror •'and,.such 'things, whicllunless-li rnlan,'/.of ,'letters -do ■ woll .anil truly believe,' without doubt he will end' by. olqwing-'hij badly; Jifatji - tho centraL; world, miist be. ■ UDrightl.and.straignt;: aropnTTiim ;all' the trees apd. i.bfast's:• ahduKidmenfg '»:and:- J. devils, -. ma.y qr.dokjaiid.;curl>,lik(!' smoke, if' tliejvohbose.. - All ; . fpally/i iiiiaginAtivq literature ;is. \the: con-. trait>.'botwcen tho.:iv'eii'd.:Curv«s of.-Naturo nnd :tliO";«fraightues3V.of; the. 'soUl. may behold •,vhatriigliness he •• likes if, he is sure' -that it.j ;biit- .there' aro So; ;^ak;: :thafe; they; itjrbrihip.'ia thing only iteausioiMit.-is h'ugly.^r.jTh'esb / bo i chained to ■ godlike : DfinteVv;to itho' brink.'-.of .tho loiveqt": ■ : :prpmoiitory'?alidldok,\down'at'hell. when you look ,iip at hell that a serious miscalculation -hiui'tprdbably been.made.. • •. J;■/.i JVs6.B:t»o■ wr ol iS in riding with tlib;;riNipntmare to. mo, ,i-oc)nng';trieertdps;\and::thd. roaring wind • ride, her through, tho'.'nivful air.':::\Voods 'and weeds are' alike atethe'iroots, irt'-:the- rising tempostj as if -all Wislicd- to. fly ■ with lus f. over ■ tho mooil,: -.th'ei'Moon-Calf.'yiiWe 'will - rise to that mad ihnhit6 ,, ,who"rO:ither«Hs v ;ieither: iip hor--down,' tho hig|i topw-turveydom of the'heavchs I .will' answer .the iCall 'of; Ghads' and Old ■ Night. ■ •I;.'\vil[:srido".:;on;.-thd'. : Nlghtniare: : - 'but Ishe; shall not. rido -i';n. mo.—"Daily News." v