《宽容》序言（3）TheycarriedthewanderertotheMarketPlace?andthepeoplestoodaroundinrespectfulsilence.HewasstillweakfromhungerandthirstandtheEldersbadehimsitdown.Herefused.Theyorderedhimtobesilent.Buthespoke.UpontheOldMenheturnedhisbackandhiseyessoughtthosewhobutashorttimebeforehadbeenhiscomrades.“Listentome?"heimplored.“Listentomeandberejoiced.Ihavecomebackfrombeyondthemountains.Myfeethavetrodafreshsoil.Myhandshavefeltthetouchofotherraces.Myeyeshaveseenwondroussights."WhenIwasachild?myworldwasthegardenofmyfather.“Tothewestandtotheeast?tothesouthandtothenorthlaytherangesfromtheBeginningofTime."WhenIaskedwhattheywerehiding?therewasahushandahastyshakingofheads.WhenIinsisted?IwastakentotherocksandshownthebleachedbonesofthosewhohaddaredtodefytheGods.“WhenIcriedoutandsaid?‘Itisalie!TheGodslovethosewhoarebrave!'theMenWhoKnewcameandreadtomefromtheirsacredbooks.TheLaw?theyexplained?hadordainedallthingsofHeavenandEarth.TheValleywasourstohaveandtohold.Theanimalsandtheflowers?thefruitandthefisheswereours?todoourbidding.ButthemountainswereoftheGods.WhatlaybeyondwastoremainunknownuntiltheEndofTime.“Sotheyspoke?andtheylied.Theyliedtome?evenastheyhaveliedtoyou.“Therearepasadowstoo?asrichasany.Andmenandwomenofourownfleshandblood.Andcitiesresplendentwiththegloriesofathousandyearsoflabor.“Ihavefoundtheroadtoabetterhome.Ihaveseenthepromiseofahappierlife.FollowmeandIshallleadyouthither.ForthesmileoftheGodsisthesamethereashereandeverywhere.”Hestoppedandtherewentupagreatcryofhorror.“Blasphemy!"criedtheOldMen.“Blasphemyandsacrilege!Afitpunishmentforhiscrime!Hehaslosthisreason.HedarestoscoffattheLawasitwaswrittendownathousandyearsago.Hedeservestodie!”Andtheytookupheavystones.Andtheykilledhim.Andhisbodytheythrewatthefootofthecliffs?thatitmightliethereasawarningtoallwhoquestionedthewisdomoftheancestors.Thenithappenedashorttimelaterthattherewasagreatdrought.ThelittleBrookofKnowledgerandry.Thecattlediedofthirst.Theharvestperishedinthefields?andtherewashungerintheValleyofIgnorance.TheOldMenWhoKnew?however?werenotdisheartened.Everythingwouldallcomerightintheend?theyprophesied?forsoitwaswritintheirmostHolyChapters.Besides?theythemselvesneededbutlittlefood.Theyweresoveryold.Wintercame.Thevillagewasdeserted.Morethanhalfofthepopulacediedfromsheerwant.Theonlyhopeforthosewhosurvivedlaybeyondthemountains.ButtheLawsaid“No!"AndtheLawmustbeobeyed.Onenighttherewasarebellion.Despairgavecouragetothosewhomfearhadforcedintosilence.FeeblytheOldMenprotested.Theywerepushedaside.Theycomplainedoftheirlot.Theybewailedtheingratitudeoftheirchildren?butwhenthelastwagonpulledoutofthevillage?theystoppedthedriverandforcedhimtotakethemalong.Theflightintotheunknownhadbegun.ItwasmanyyearssincetheWandererhadreturned.Itwasnoeasytasktodiscovertheroadhehadmappedout.Thousandsfellavictimtohungerandthirstbeforethefirstcairnwasfound.Fromthereonthetripwaslessdifficult.Thecarefulpioneerhadblazedacleartrailthroughthewoodsand***dsttheendlesswildernessofrock.Byeasystagesitledtothegreenpasturesofthenewland.Silentlythepeoplelookedateachother.“Hewasrightafterall，”theysaid.“Hewasright?andtheOldMenwerewrong…"“Hespokethetruth?andtheOldMenlied…"“Hisboneslierottingatthefootofthecliffs?buttheOldMensitinourcartsandchanttheirancientlays…"“Hesavedus?andweslewhim…"“Wearesorrythatithappened?butofcourse?ifwecouldhaveknownatthetime…”Thentheyunharnessedtheirhorsesandtheiroxenandtheydrovetheircowsandtheirgoatsintothepasturesandtheybuiltthemselveshousesandlaidouttheirfieldsandtheylivedhappilyforalongtimeafterwards.AfewyearslateranattemptwasmadetoburythebravepioneerinthefinenewedificewhichhadbeenerectedasahomefortheWiseOldMen.Asolemnprocessionwentbacktothenowdesertedvalley?butwhenthespotwasreachedwherehisbodyoughttohavebeen?itwasnolongerthere.Ahungryjackalhaddraggedittohislair.Asmallstonewasthenplacedatthefootofthetrail(nowamagnificenthighway).Itgavethenameofthemanwhohadfirstdefiedthedarkterroroftheunknown?thathispeoplemightbeguidedintoanewfreedom.Anditstatedthatithadbeenerectedbyagratefulposterity.Asitwasinthebeginning—asitisnow—andassomeday(sowehope)itshallnolongerbe.