Chapter 13 Circulate letters

Our story is drawing to a close.As mentioned earlier, we know very little about the ending, so it is more a legend than a historical documentary.Yet we have to be content with that.We are therefore happy to include as the content of our penultimate chapter an authentic document, the informative application that the master of the glass bead game himself submitted to the administration, as it details his decision to do so. grounds to plead for permission to resign. We must also add the fact that, as we have long known, Joseph Knecht not only considered this long-planned memorandum to be absolutely useless, but also believed that it was neither written nor presented. How about such a "request".Those who are able to exert a natural influence on others without knowing it often suffer the same fate: they pay the price for their influence.If our game master was at first delighted in winning the support of his friend Deglarius as an accomplice and backup, things turned out far beyond what he could have imagined and hoped for.He led or misled Frieze to experience a work that even he himself no longer believed to be of any value, but when the friend presented the results to him, he could not break his word, let alone his The original intention was to make it easier for the friend to bear the parting between the two, but now how can he put the document aside and make Frieze hurt and deeply disappointed.We can imagine that Knecht might have preferred to resign directly from his official position and announce his withdrawal from the church organization, rather than submitting some kind of "request" around the corner. In his eyes, this was obviously like a farce.However, in order to take care of Deglarius, Knecht had to hold back his temper and wait for a difficult time.

It may be interesting to read this material by the hard-working Deglarius. Most of the materials are taken from historical facts to testify or explain examples. However, if we infer seriously, it does contain a bit of sharp and thoughtful criticism of the religious order, and even the entire world and its history.But even if this document, which took months of effort and painstaking effort, should still be preserved—which is quite possible—we have to give it up because we lack the space here to accommodate such a masterpiece. For us, the only important thing is to understand how the master of the game uses the works written by his friends.When Deglarius presented him with solemnity the document, he not only thanked him kindly for his approval, but asked for it to be read aloud, knowing that it would be very pleasant to his friend.In the next few days, Deglarius sat with the master for half an hour every day in the small garden of the master—it was summer—and recited a few pages of his masterpiece contentedly. The two friends often laughed heartily. , so that the recitation is interrupted for a moment from time to time.These days were the happiest for Deglarius.After reading it, Knecht still closed the door and drew up a document by himself, citing only part of Deglarius' materials.This open letter addressed to the highest executive authority is quoted verbatim below, without further explanation.Consider this an open circulation letter to colleagues.

Open Letter from the Master of the Glass Bead Game to the Highest Educational Authority Various considerations have prompted me, the master of the glass bead game, to make a special request to the Administration in the form of this special, more personal letter, rather than in the form of a solemn official report.Although I submit this document to the authorities for approval, along with other official reports, I prefer to consider it a public circulation letter to my colleagues. Every master has the responsibility to report to the highest authority any obstacles or crises encountered in the performance of his duties.

Today I think (or so it seems to me) that I'm threatened by a crisis, despite giving my all to work.In addition, I thought the crisis was within me, although of course this was not the only source.In any case, I consider myself incapable of playing the role of master of the glass bead game, and I am facing a spiritual crisis, and a crisis of objective, personal impotence at that.In short, I had doubts about my ability to successfully fulfill the leadership tasks my position mandated.Because I have doubts about duty itself, because I have felt that the existence of the glass bead game is threatened.This is also the main purpose of my writing this letter: report to the authorities in time that the crisis already exists, and since I have been aware of it myself, I should find another way out as soon as possible.

Allow me to explain this situation in a metaphorical way: Someone is sitting in an attic busy with a delicate piece of academic research when suddenly there is a fire downstairs.At this moment, he will not consider whether it is his responsibility to fight the fire, nor will he think that the work at hand has not been completed, but will immediately run downstairs and try to save the entire building.That's what I am now, sitting on the top floor of our Castalian building, busy with the glass bead game, I'm manipulating the most delicate and sensitive instruments.Yet my instinct told me that my nose was warning me that something was on fire downstairs, that the whole building was on fire, that the situation was critical, and that at this moment, it was not my job to analyze the music, nor was it Explain the rules of the glass bead game, but run as quickly as possible to the smoking place and try to extinguish the flames.

Most of us in the Castalian community take our ecclesiastical organizations, academic institutions, scientific and educational activities, and glass bead games for granted, just as each takes the air he breathes and all Standing on the land is taken for granted in general.Almost no one imagined that the air and land may no longer be owned by themselves, and no one thought that there might be a day when there is no air, and the land under their feet might disappear.We are so fortunate that we live in a small, well-cared-for, quiet and pleasant world, and it is strange to say that most of us live in an unrealistic illusion that the world is and always will be , we were born to live this way.I myself have passed all my youth in this most pleasant delusion, but I am well aware that I was not born for this life, specifically, I was not born in Castalia, but educated by the authorities.I also know that neither Castalia, religious groups, educational authorities, elite schools, nor archives and glass bead games are born, or are products of good fortune, but are products of human will later, although extremely Noble, but like any product of human manufacture, it is ephemeral and fleeting.I've known this for a long time, but I haven't felt it personally, so I haven't given it much thought, and I know that more than three-quarters of us will still live in this wonderful and pleasant delusion and passing away.

In fact, just like the historical periods of human beings that existed for hundreds or thousands of years before religious groups and Castalias, there will still be various historical periods of human beings in the future.Today I am going to repeat such commonplaces to my colleagues and the leaders of the administration in order to remind and draw their attention to the crisis they are facing. I am fully prepared for my role as a warning and a warning, and I will bear all the ridicule.Still, it is my earnest hope that most of you will read this report, and that some will even agree with some of its points.If there is such a result, I am also satisfied.

An educational institution similar to Castalian style, a small spiritual kingdom, is bound to suffer from internal and external crises.Internal crises, at least some of their dangers, are well known, not only attended to, but counteracted.For example, we often send home students who have been selected for admission to elite schools, because we have found them to have accumulated habits and primitive natures that are difficult to eliminate, and we have sent them to prevent their maladaptiveness from endangering our entire educational community.We believe that most of them are just unable to adapt to the Castalian life, rather than poor quality, so once they return to the secular world, they will be able to develop into useful talents in their more adapted living environment.Our previous practice has already proved the correct value of this approach.In general, we dare to say that our group is able to maintain its dignity and self-discipline, not only fully fulfilling its noble spiritual tasks, but also constantly updating and improving.One can imagine that there are mean and unprogressive among us, but the number is so small that there is no need to worry too much.

Yet the self-importance that is common among those in our group is often criticized.It was a sense of aristocratic superiority, and it was the cause of the accusations of every high class—sometimes justified, sometimes unjustified.The history of human social development has long shown a tendency that the formation of a certain high-level group is the peak and apex of a certain historical period.The fact seems to be constant that people are used to following the ideal of aristocratic rule by the winner, even if it does not always meet the social development goals that people are trying to build.Since ancient times, whether it is dynastic rule or a kind of behind-the-scenes rule, all those in power are willing to promote the rise of new nobles through protection and privileges. This has become a historical norm, no matter who the noble is. Regardless of the birth blood, regardless of whether it is outstanding and educated.The newly-rising aristocrats are always basking in the sunshine and thriving, and as time goes by, after several stages of development, the sun, status, and privileged situation always make this group tempted to corrupt morals, and thus embark on corruption the road.If we now regard our own religious communities as a kind of aristocratic organization, try to examine ourselves and see what we are doing for the whole country and the world by virtue of our special status?How many typical aristocratic diseases have we contracted?For example, arrogance, conceit, self-importance, self-righteousness, unbelievable self-interest—if we could examine ourselves, there would be many doubts.Most of the people living in Castalia today are able to abide by the rules and order of the group, be diligent and motivated, and strive to improve their ideological cultivation.However, they often have a very lack of understanding of their own situation among the people, in the world, and in history. Isn't this true?Does he understand the basis of his own existence?Does he know that he is a leaf, a flower, a branch or a rhizome of a living organism?Did he appreciate the sacrifices the people made for him—clothing and food, education and research?Has he considered the meaning of his special position, has he actually realized the purpose of our community and our existence?

I admit that there are exceptions, and there are many glorious exceptions—yet I am still inclined to give a negative answer to all questions.Perhaps the average Castalian does not look upon the worldly and the unlearned with contempt, envy, or hatred, but he would never regard him as a brother, still less as his breadwinner. Humans, and have no sense of shared responsibility for everything that happens in the world. In his eyes, life was learning for learning's sake, or, as he liked to imagine, wandering in a kind of all-encompassing garden of world cultures.In short, there is no doubt that our Castalian culture is noble and dignified, and I must be deeply grateful for its bathing grace.But for most Castalians, this culture does not lead them to a positive purpose and inspire them to a greater and deeper sense of service, as playing the organ or other musical instruments does, but on the contrary, this Culture has always been slightly inclined towards self-appreciation, self-aggrandizement, always cultivated spiritual aristocracy but self-satisfaction.I am well aware that there are in fact many Castalians of great integrity and value who have a genuine desire to serve humanity, I mean the many, many teachers we have produced here who have come out of Castalian From the comfortable environment of the kindergarten and the field of rich knowledge, I went to the ordinary schools in the remote and poor villages, engaged in selfless dedication, and made immeasurable major achievements.It should be said that only these teachers who bravely go to the world are the ones among us who truly practice the purpose of Castalia. It is their work that allows us to obtain many blessings from the country and the people.There is no doubt that every member of our religious community is well aware that our supreme and sacred task is to preserve the spiritual foundations of our nation and the world, and to preserve that moral principle which has proved to be the most influential: namely, justice. and the basis of truth on which all other doctrines are built. —But, if we examine ourselves, most of us must admit that we have never considered the interests of the world, never made a point of maintaining our own spiritual purity and integrity in this world outside the Jingmei Academy. regarded as the most important task.Yes, even as unimportant, it is easy to push all these jobs to those teachers who are bravely engaged in dedication outside, and let them pay our debts to the world for us, while we glass bead players, astronomers Artists, musicians, and mathematicians, all more or less.Enjoy our privileged position with peace of mind.Our failure to focus intensely on whether our privilege matches our contribution is due to all the arrogance and megalomania just mentioned.Even the austerity with which we are obliged to live by the rules of our religious order is a virtue which many of us boast of, without the slightest gratitude to the secular state which perpetuates the Castalian existence.

I just want to touch upon these inner flaws and crises, which are not insignificant, though far from being so far in the present period of calm as to endanger our existence.However, we now have to understand that the Castalians do not exist solely on our morality and reason, but also essentially on the state of the country and the will of the people. We eat our bread, use our libraries, expand our schools and archives,—but if our people no longer have any interest in us, or our country no longer If they are able to support us, then our life and research work will be over.If our country ever sees Castalia and its culture as a luxury and no longer allows us to exist, yes, not even proud of it anymore, but as a bunch of parasites, liars, evil Christians and enemies. — This is the crisis from outside us. Whenever I try to point out the crisis facing an ordinary Castalian, I always meet with more or less passive resistance—an almost childish denial and indifference, which makes me now have to start from the history. Some examples are cited.Everyone knows that we Castalians have very little interest in world history, yes, it should be said that most people have not only no interest in history, but even lack of just respect.This distaste for the study of world history, mingled with indifference and arrogance, has often inspired my determination to do so, and I have since discovered two reasons for this. The first reason is that the content of history makes us feel insignificant-of course, I am not talking about the history of ideas and cultures, but that is a category that we attach great importance to.And what the history of the world records, according to our point of view, is nothing but cruel struggles for power, for property, land, raw materials and money, in short, struggles for materials and wealth, for all kinds of material things. All this is unspiritual and therefore base in our eyes.For us, the seventeenth century is the age of Miaocard, Pascal, Froberg and Schutz, not Cromwell or Louis XIV. The second reason for our distaste for world history is old: our traditional and, I think, legitimate skepticism about much of the history writing that was popular in the period of decline that preceded the birth of our own religious community. We therefore also lack any confidence in the so-called philosophy of history, of which Hegel is the most eminent and also the most dangerous pinnacle.As for the century after Hegel, this philosophy of history not only greatly distorted history, but also led to the corruption of the consciousness of truth.This predilection for this type of philosophy of history belongs in our eyes to precisely the chief mark of that age of intellectual degeneration and political scramble for power which we sometimes call the "century of war," and more often the "age of supplements."Our culture today, our ecclesiastical organization and Castalia were born on the ruins of that era, it was in the struggle against the spirit of that era - or should I say barbaric ideas - to overcome its influence and build up. This formed the arrogance we have today.Our attitude toward world history, especially the more recent, almost realistic history, is the same as that of the ancient Christian monks and ascetics toward the multifarious world stage.History in our eyes is pure instinct and fashion's children's playground, of greed, carnality, lust for power, murder, violence, destruction and war, of ambitious ministers, generals bought by money, ruined cities big and small, however, We tend to forget that all this is just one of many aspects of history.The most important thing is that we forget that we are also a part of history, a product of historical growth, so once we lose the ability to continue to develop and change, we are doomed to be destroyed.We are both an integral part of history, and of course we have to share the responsibility in world history.However, we are ignorant about this and lack a sense of responsibility. When we look now at our own history, at the time when the Academy of Education was first established today and at home and in other countries, we can immediately see that our church is just one of many different church groups and organizations. One, and our beloved Castalia, the founders of our homeland and order do not pride themselves on being above the history of the world as we do.Our forefathers and founders started their businesses on the ashes of the last days of war.We have become accustomed to the official analysis and presentation, but their analysis of the situation from the so-called First World War era is all one-sided.Because it was precisely that era that paid the least attention to spiritual thought, and the powerful rulers only occasionally used such spiritual weapons that they considered secondary, and the result was the corrupt "Supplement Age". Yes, it would be easy to call the age of power struggles an age of irrational bestiality.I call it irrational, not to deny its great contribution in the field of knowledge and method; people we educated in Castalia used to put the will to pursue truth in the first place in spiritual thinking, and the prevailing Our spiritual knowledge seems to have nothing in common with our will to seek the truth.The misfortune of the age was that there was no firm moral order to deal with the chaos and unrest caused by the astonishingly rapid expansion of the population.What little moral order remained was overwhelmed and drowned by the catchphrases of the day.And those tumultuous struggles themselves turned into strange and terrible facts in the process of their development.The whole situation is very similar to the period when the church was divided by Martin Luther four centuries ago. The whole world suddenly fell into chaos. Incompatible, red and white fight against each other.Today, we no longer have the ability to restore the inner dynamics of the "red" and "white" disputes and the true connotation of the various battle slogans at that time, let alone understand and resonate with them.The whole situation is the same as in Luther's time. We see that the whole of Europe, and even more than half of the world, is fighting everywhere. In between, they all fought each other fanatically or desperately.People's battle lines also often cross the borders of countries, nations and families.We may have no doubt that most of the warriors, or even their chiefs, believed in a supreme truth on their side.We cannot deny that many of the leaders and spokespersons who spoke for this kind of battle, most of them also have a certain degree of idealism, as people described back then.There are battlefields everywhere, killing and destroying. Both sides emphasize that they are doing justice for the sky and fighting the devil for God. It is incomprehensible that, with us, that barbaric age--that age of joy, madness, hatred, and indescribable fanaticism--has long since been forgotten, for it has something to do with the birth of our corporate institutions. A very close relationship can be said to be the premise and reason for our birth.A satirist might well have likened this loss of memory to the amnesia of the upstart adventurer, who, once ascended to the title of nobility, leaves his birthplace and native fathers behind. Let us briefly describe the war-torn era.I have read a lot of literature.I am not interested in the conquered countries and destroyed cities, I only care about the attitude of the spiritual workers at that time.They are in a difficult situation, and most of them cannot even survive.Whether among scholars or among priests, there have been martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the faith. Their pioneers and martyr spirit were not without influence even in that era that was accustomed to brutal rule.Especially since there are representatives of the spiritual and ideological world everywhere who cannot stand the pressure, and most of them have bowed their heads to the era of violence.After those people surrendered, they left their talents, knowledge, and skills to the rulers of the time. This situation reminds us of the famous saying of a Masaggit scholar in ancient times: "What is two plus two? Only Your Excellency, not a mathematician, can give a definite answer." Others struggled as much as possible to maintain safety, published protest articles, and so on.According to the report of Chigenhaus, we know many facts. A world-renowned writer signed more than 200 protest letters, warning letters, petitions, etc. in just one year-maybe the actual number is more than that.But the vast majority of those who entered the academy kept their mouths shut. They also learned to endure hunger and cold, beg for food and avoid the police.Many died young and were envied by those who remained.Countless people took their own lives.To be honest, it is neither fun nor honorable to live quietly as a scholar or a writer. They join their rulers and write slogans for them. Although they have a position and bread, they have to endure the uselessness of their superiors. It is inevitable that you will be blamed by your own conscience.Those who refused to obey had to endure hunger and cold, and had to take desperate risks, either to die a violent death or to die in exile.What a brutal, unbelievable purge it was.Not only did research work that did not serve the goals of those in power and the war quickly collapsed and withered, but even education suffered the same fate.The first to bear the brunt is the history of the world. The specific history of any historical period and any major country has been subject to endless cuts and revisions. Philosophy of history and supplementary texts control all fields, including primary and secondary schools. The details have been described enough, so I won't repeat them.In short, it was a violent and barbaric era, a chaotic Babylonian era, an era of disputes between people and parties, old and young, red and white.That era came to an end when enough blood had been shed and shame was lost. Gradually, all people yearned for reason, for rediscovering a common language, for order, for morality, for a reasonable scale, for a An alphabetical order table and a multiplication table, instead of the autocratic rule of power groups that change from day to day at will.Thus, a great wave of thought was born that seeks truth and justice, seeks reason, and seeks to overcome chaos.In the political vacuum at the end of an era built on violence and superficiality, in the universal urgency to create a new situation and a system of order, we, Castalia, emerged.A small group of brave, half-starved, but still upright true thinkers are beginning to realize the possible ways in which they can make a difference.They began to bravely establish order and regulations with the self-discipline attitude of ascetic monks, carried out work in various small groups, even very small groups, cleaned up all the garbage of propaganda slogans, and rebuilt spiritual life from the most basic level. Reconstruction of education, research and cultural work. Their efforts paid off.They started from scratch, and with indomitable courage, they gradually built splendid buildings.Generations later, religious groups, boards of education, elite schools, archives and reference rooms were established, specialist colleges, workshops and glass bead games were created.Today, as heirs and beneficiaries, we are able to safely live in these almost too magnificent buildings.I must repeat that we are here comfortably, like a bunch of bewildered guests.We don't want to know the great sacrifices made by the founders, nor the many hardships they endured to bring us up, nor even the history of the world that conceived or shaped our Castalian architecture-although this history The Castalians and the masters of the disciplines who still sustain and endure us, and perhaps our descendants, to this day.But the history of the world will one day tear down and swallow up our buildings, as well as everything that it has ever allowed to grow. I leave history now to speak of our present day and our reality: our system and our community have lived through their own splendid peaks, the fortunate peaks to which enigmatic world phenomena occasionally allow the good and the worthwhile of human beings.Now we are going downhill, and we may be able to go for a long time, but in any case there will be no better, more beautiful and more valuable achievements than what we have already achieved.The future is a downhill road.I believe that we are all men with a historical point of view, and that reality has ripened to the point of decay is an indisputable fact, perhaps not today or tomorrow, but certainly the day after tomorrow.I draw this conclusion not from an overly strict moral evaluation of our achievements and abilities, but from my observations of activities already going on in the secular world.The time of crisis is approaching day by day, ominous signs can be seen everywhere, and the world is afraid that the center of gravity will shift again.The world is brewing regime change, so war and violence are inevitable.The threat from the Far East not only endangers peaceful life, but also endangers people's lives and freedom. It would be in vain if our little kingdom insisted on neutrality, if all of us united (which is impossible) in our traditions, in our loyalty to Castalian ideals.Already some members of Congress have spoken in the General Assembly claiming that Castalia is a very wasteful luxury in our country.It will not be long before our country will be compelled to rearm in earnest--though only in self-defense--with, of course, considerable savings, which are inevitable.Although the government is still very generous to us, it is a large expenditure.We have always been proud of the spiritual work of our church group based on the principle of saving national money.Yes, compared with the extravagances of other times, especially with the lavish universities, numbers of consultants, and extravagant research institutes of the early Supplement Era, ours is modest, and compared with the waste of war years. Compared with the number of wars and weapons, it is even more insignificant. But, in fact, military spending may soon be the top priority again; Congress will soon be under the control of the generals again.When we the people faced the following two choices: to sacrifice Castalia or to allow ourselves to be bombarded by the enemy? Then, the result of the choice is not difficult to predict.Undoubtedly, a sense of war will soon swell, and propaganda with slogans and slogans will first impress a group of young people.Afterwards, whether it is scholars, academics, Latin, mathematics, education, or culture and art, all will be judged whether they have the value of existence according to whether they can meet the purpose of war. The tide has risen and will one day wash us away.Maybe it was a good thing, an unavoidable good thing. However, dear colleagues, first of all, I have to say that according to the scale of human beings, we still have limited freedom of choice and action. By making choices based on our view of reality, we can act according to our level of awareness and bravery.If we want, we can close our eyes and ignore it, because the danger is indeed far away.Those of us who currently bear the responsibilities of masters have every reason to speculate that they will probably finish their term safely and die peacefully before the crisis is too close for all to see.Personally, however, and I think everyone else does, I find it difficult to live peacefully without feeling unconscionable.I couldn't go on doing business and playing glass bead in peace, even though I expected to be dead by the time the waves hit.No, I can't do that.I feel I have to remind myself that there is a sense of urgency, that even if we are not politicians, we are part of world history and we cannot stay out of it.I therefore begin this essay by claiming that my ability to hold public office is malfunctioning, or rather I cannot do it peacefully without devoting most of my energy to contemplating this future crisis.I certainly don't have to fantasize about the form in which this disaster will befall us all.But I cannot ignore the following questions: How should we act, and what should I do, to deal with this crisis?Allow me to say a little bit about this as well. I do not wish to promote Plato's idea that the state should be governed by scholars or wise men; for the world in Plato's time was very young.While Plato may be said to be a certain type of founder of Castalia, he can never be said to be a Castalian.He was born aristocrat, a royal descendant.And we can indeed be regarded as nobles, cultivated nobles, but we are spiritual nobles, not blood nobles.I have never believed that human beings have the ability to educate hereditary blood nobles to become spiritual nobles at the same time. It may be an ideal noble, but it will always be just a dream.We Castalians are not fit for the job of ruling, although we are educated and wise.If we had to govern, we would not use violence and simplicity, as rulers do, for in doing so we would probably soon be deprived of our original roots, that is, of the mind that cultivates brilliance.In fact, ruling and managing a country is not the job of stupid and murderous people, as some pretentious intellectuals think. A passion for unity, but also must have a decisive spirit, that is, the ability to stop at nothing for the goal.But this is a quality that a scholar—we don't like to call ourselves wise men—can't have and doesn't want to have, because we value observation more than action, and we've all learned how to deal with ends and means. Be as careful as possible and be on the defensive at every step. So the conclusion is: we are neither fit to govern nor to participate in politics.I am even 100% good at research, analysis and measurement. We are the makers, protectors and reviewers of all rules, regulations, methods and methods, and we are the measurers of all spiritual standards.Of course, we will also do many other jobs. Under certain conditions, we will also become innovators, inventors, adventurers, conquerors or subversives.Yet our most important function is the ability to maintain the purity of all sources of knowledge, which is why the people need us and preserve us.In the world of business, in the world of politics, it is not uncommon to see black and white astounding, which is something we will never do. 在以往历史时期里，在一些所谓的“伟大盛世”中，也即发生战争和颠覆政权的期间，偶尔也会有一些知识分子受怂恿而进入政治圈子。这种情况在副刊时代的晚期大为突出。那个时代里竟然出现了让精神思想隶属于政治或者军事的主张。同样，也出现了把教堂大钟熔铸成大炮，把幼小的学童拉去补充军队缺额的情形。于是，精神思想也被滥用成了战争物质。 当然，我们不会同意这类主张。那时，一个学者会在局势危急时被拉离讲台或书桌去当兵；也有的学者会在某种情况下自愿上战场。当一个国家在战争中耗尽财力物力时，学者们不得不节衣缩食，直至忍饥挨冻，而无可抱怨，一个人的教育程度越高，他的特权也越大，遭逢灾难时所付出的牺牲也必然越大。我们希望每一个卡斯塔里人都能将此视为理所当然。危难时刻来临时，我们可以为人民牺牲自己的舒适、轻松、乃至生命，当然这并不意味着我们为了时代利益，为了人民或将军的要求可以牺牲我们的精神思想、文化传统和道德品性。避而不顾人民的苦难、牺牲和危险，当然是一种懦夫行为。然而，为了任何物质利益而出卖精神思想生活的原则，例如把二乘二的结果交给统治者作决定，那就不仅是懦夫，更是一个叛徒了。 为了任何其他利益，包括国家利益在内，而牺牲真理意识，牺牲知识分子的正直，牺牲对于思想规律、法则的忠诚，都是一种叛逆行为。当真理在利益集团冲突中受到政治宣传损害，以致被歪曲、破坏，甚至受到了强奸，就像每一个个人，或者任何已经高度发展的事物，如语言、艺术等等已经受到的那样，——那么，我们就只剩下一个责任，为了努力挽救真理而奋斗，把挽救真理视为我们的最高信条。作为学者，却去宣传谎言，去支持骗人的谎话，不仅败坏了为人的准则，更严重损害着人民的利益，不论当时有多么漂亮的外貌，因为他污染了空气、土地、食物和水源，他毒害着人的思想和正义，助长了能够导致国家灭亡的一切邪恶势力。 因此，卡斯塔里人不应当成为政治家。倘若不然，他就得在非常情况下宁可牺牲个人，也不能牺牲精神思想。人的才智唯有在服膺真理的惰况下才是有益的、高尚的。一旦背弃了真理，不再敬畏真理，甚至出卖真理，人的才智便成了最可怕的恶魔，比任何本能的兽性更为邪恶，因为本能总还多少具有自然赋予的无辜性质。 尊敬的同事们，当国家和宗教团体面临危险时，我们的责任是什么呢？我把这个问题留给各位去思索。毫无疑问会出现种种不同意见，众说纷纭，莫衷一是。我也有我自己的想法。我在对上述诸多问题进行了思索后，对我自己的职务和努力目标得出了一个似乎适合我个人的明确构想。这一构思引导我如今向尊敬的最高当局提交了一份个人申请，并以此作为我这份备忘录的结束语。 从职务来看，在组成我们行政当局的全体大师之中，以我的玻璃球游戏大师职务与世俗世界的距离最为遥远。不论是数学大师、语言学大师、物理学大师、教育学大师，还是其他学科的大师，他们从事的专业无不与世俗世界的同样领域具有共通性质。在我国一般学校——不属于卡斯塔里的普通中学里，数学和语言学均为正规基础课程，而天文学与物理学也都在世俗学校里占有一席之地，音乐则更为普遍，甚至连完全没有受过教育的人，也可演奏演唱音乐。这一切学科全都由来已久，比我们宗教团体要古老得多，它们在我们组织诞生之前早已存在，而且会在我们消亡后继续存在下去。唯独玻璃球游戏是我们自己的发明，我们的专长，我们的宠儿，我们的玩物，它是我们卡斯塔里式精神、智慧的最微妙、最细致的表现。它也是我们宝藏中最无功利价值，却最贵重、最受宠爱、同时又最易破碎的珍宝。当卡斯塔里的延续成为问题之际，最先遭受厄运的必然就是这颗宝贝。这不仅由于它是我们财富中最易破碎的东西，还因为它在世俗人眼里无疑是卡斯塔里最无用处的东西。 我们可以想见国家一旦面临必须节省任何不必要开支时会采取的措施：减缩精英学校的经费；消减图书馆、资料室的维持和扩充基金，直至最后予以取消；降低我们的伙食标准；废除我们的添置服装费；然而我们这座大学里的所有主要学科都会获准继续存在——除了玻璃球游戏。归根结蒂，人们需要数学帮忙研制新式武器，但是，倘若关闭玻璃球游戏学园，废除玻璃球游戏，大概没有人相信，尤其是将军们不会相信，这可能对我们国家和人民造成哪怕极微小的损失。玻璃球游戏是我们整个建筑中最极端，也是最易受损的部分。这也许能够说明，为什么恰恰是玻璃球游戏大师——我们这项距离世俗最遥远科目的首脑——，最先感知我什］即将大难临头的原因，或者，池为什么是第一个向我们最高当局陈述这类危急感受的人。 因而，我把玻璃球游戏视作导致我们失败的原因——一旦发生政治动乱和战争。 届时，它必将一落千丈，迅速荒废，不论有多少人对它依依难舍，也无法修复它往日的容颜。在一场新战争即将爆发的气氛下，人们将不再给予它容身之地。它会毫无疑问地消失不见，就如同音乐历史中某些极端高雅的习俗一样，譬如一六零零年代左右那些由职业歌手组成的合唱队，或者一七零零年代前后每逢周日在教堂里举行的多声部对位法乐曲音乐会。当年人们得以亲耳聆听到的纯净之音，绝非今日任何科学和魔术能够加以重新恢复，并重现其光彩的。同样，玻璃球游戏也不会被人们遗忘，却永远不可能恢复其原貌，后代人中有志于研究它的历史，探寻其诞生、鼎盛和衰落遗迹的学者，将会嗟叹其瞬息即逝，更会羡慕我们有幸生活在一个如此平静、如此文雅、如此和谐的精神世界里。 如今我虽然身为玻璃球游戏大师，却无能为力阻挡或延缓玻璃球游戏的衰亡，我无法完成自己的（或者我们的）使命。一切美，纵使十全十美，也都是须臾即逝的，很快就成了历史，成了人间的往事。我们懂得这一事实，我们也为此而内心哀伤，却从来不曾认真地试图予以改变，因为那是不容更改的。倘若玻璃球游戏有朝一日遭此厄运，对于卡斯塔里和整个世界都将是一种损失，但是，当那一时刻果真降临时，人们可能会疏忽这一事实，因为大难当头，人们肯定会全力以赴忙着挽救尚可救出的东西。不难想象，这会是一个没有玻璃球游戏的卡斯塔里，但是绝不应该是一个不崇尚真理，不忠于精神思想的卡斯塔里。缺了玻璃球游戏大师，我们最高教育当局的工作可以照常运行。然而，我们几乎已经完全忘却了“游戏大师”一词的原来含义，它原本不是我的职务专称，只是简简单单的小学教师称谓而已。而小学教师，任何勇敢而称职的小学教师正是我们国家所迫切需要的，我们卡斯塔里越是受到威胁，它的珍贵思想越是可能受到埋没，也就越发需要小学教师。教师比任何人员都更为重要，因为他们将要培养青年一代的衡量能力和判断能力，他们是学生们的榜样，开导他们如何敬畏真理，尊重思想，又如何运用语言。这些道理不只适用于我们的精英学校（它们迟早会遭到关闭的命运），也适用于世俗世界里的中等学校，那里正是教育和培养市民和农民，手工业者和士兵，政治家，军官和领袖人物的好所在，当他们还是孺子可教之时培植他们成材。那里才是我们国家建立精神生活基础的场所，而不是在我们的研讨班或者玻璃球游戏课程里。我们以往一贯向全国各地输送教师和教育工作者，我刚才已经说过，他们全都是我们中的最优秀人士。我们今后当加倍努力才行。我们今后当不再依赖外面学校连续不断地向我们提供优秀人材以维持卡斯塔里的工作。相反，我们必须日益更多地向外界的学校提供一些责任重大而低级的服务工作，并把这种工作视之为自己任务中最重要和最光荣的部分，这也是我们必须认识而且扩展的工作目标。 上述便是我向尊敬的行政当局提出个人申请的缘由。谨此恭请当局解除我的玻璃球游戏大师官职，并派遣我去外界的普通乡村学校（规模大小不拘）服务，并允许我日后逐渐进选一批我们教会组织的青年教友组成办事机构，我将征召一些我可信赖的教师协助我的教育工作，以便将我们卡斯塔里的基本精神注入世俗青年内心，化为他们的血肉。 敬请尊敬的当局体察我的请求及其缘由，并请将决定赐复为荷。 玻璃球游戏大师谨上又及：请允许我引证约可布斯神父的一段语录，摘自我从他以往赐我的一次永难忘怀的教诲：“恐怖与极其悲惨的时代也许即将来临。倘若说在那种悲惨景况中还可能存在快乐，那么只可能是一种精神上的快乐，也就是回溯较古老的文明年代，展望未来代表愉快开朗精神的时代，否则唯有被物质彻底湮没了。” 德格拉里乌斯不知道自己提供的材料在这份书面报告中采用得如此微少。克乃西特没有把最后的定稿请他过目。他确实看过初稿和二稿，那却是比定稿要详细得多。克乃西特递呈了申请书后，便静静等候行政当局的批复，比焦急的朋友耐心得多。克乃西特决定今后不再让德格拉里乌斯参与此事，便要求朋友不继续谈论这件事情，不过他也仅仅暗示说，要待最高当局作出答复，无疑是很长时间以后的事。 然而事实上复信比克乃西特预料的时间早了许多，以致德格拉里乌斯事先毫无所知。这封发自宗教团体总部所在地希尔斯兰的公函全文如下：致华尔采尔尊敬的玻璃球游戏大师阁下最敬爱的同事：团体行政当局和学科大师联席会均以非同寻常的兴趣阅读了您这封既赤诚又有见地的传阅信件。我们觉得您信中所作的历史回顾，与您对未来所作的充满忧虑的观察，均同样引人入胜，毫无疑问，我们中会有一些人因进一步思索您的想法而深受启发，您的许多想法确非无的放矢。我们所有人全都以欣慰和肯定的心情领会了令您感悟的信念——这是真正卡斯塔里的无私精神。我们知道，这出自至诚内心，出自已经成为第二天性的爱心——爱教育学园，爱卡斯塔里的生活和习俗，这是一种因关怀而过虑的爱心。此外，我们也以同样欣慰和肯定的心情认识了您这种爱心的弦外之音，它表露着牺牲精神、上进愿望、诚恳与热忱，以及勇敢特征。我们在一切特征中又重新认出了我们玻璃球游戏大师个人的品性，与以往我们对他的认识完全相符，我们看出了他的能力，他的热情，他的勇敢。那位本笃会著名人士的弟子不负老师教诲，他研究历史却不局限于纯粹的历史研究目的或者一定程度的美学游戏性质，而是努力把自己学得的历史知识直接应用于现实，促进现实，他的历史认识还迫使他提出了实践措施！我们看出，尊敬的同事，您躲避政治性使命，放弃显赫的职位，只求成为一个小学教师，去教育幼小的儿童，这完全符合您一贯的为人品性——谦逊地甘居下位。 上面所述乃是我们初读尊函获得的若干印象和引起的部分想法。您的大部分同事都有上述或者类似上述的反应。然而，我们行政当局对您所提出的警告和请求，并未能达成一致结论。我们曾就您提出的问题，也即我们的生存业已面临危机之事召开了一次会议，热烈讨论了危机的性质，发展的程度，甚至威胁是否迫在眉睫等等范围广泛的问题。显然，绝大多数同事都认真思考了这些问题，因而讨论之热烈超过我们的预期。尽管如此，我们却不得不告诉您，大部分成员都没有支持您对问题的观点。您的观察历史政治的想象能力和远大眼光，受到了大家认可，然而您在种种个别问题上所作的推测，或者如我们所形容的预言，却没有得到普遍赞同，也可说是无人心悦诚服地接纳您的观点。即或是下列问题：教会组织和卡斯塔里秩序究竟在这一不同寻常漫长和平时期具有何等作用，甚至究竟能否在政治历史上拥有举足轻重的地位等等，也仅有少数几个人同意您的观点，而且还是带有保留看法的。 与会的多数人认为，当今欧洲大陆的平静局面，部分原因在于刚刚消逝的恐怖流血战争后继发的精疲力竭的症状，而更重要的原因在于当年的欧洲已不再是世界历史的焦点，也就不再是争权夺霸的场地了。我们并不想对我们团体的功绩投加丝毫怀疑的阴影，然而我们也不能认为，我们卡斯塔里的思想，我们的受静修培育的高度精神文化会具有塑造历史的力量，换句话就是：会对世界的政治局面产生活生生的影响，正如同这类虚荣野心与卡斯塔里传统精神的整个品性“风马牛不相及”一样。 关于这一点，早已有一些极为严肃的文章强调了上述见解，卡斯塔里从未谋求政治影响，更不愿干涉战争与和平进程，更毋庸说卡斯塔里可能制订诸如此类的目标了。 理由是不言而喻的，因为卡斯塔里的所作所为无不依据理性认识，也无不以理性为内在基础，——这一切自然不可能说是世界发展历史，或者，至多有些持浪漫主义历史哲学观点的人在耽于神学与诗学之幻想时，才会这么说，也才会把充满谋杀和破坏的强权统治历史，解释成理性世界的手段。我们即使是迅速地短短一瞥人类的精神思想历史，也就立即明了，伟大的文化高峰时期完全不可能依据政治情况作出清晰阐释，不要说文化，或者精神思想，或者人类灵魂，具有属于其本身的独立历史。也就是说，在一般所谓的人类历史——无休无止的抢夺物资的斗争——之外，并驾齐驱着另一种看不见的、不流血的神圣历史。而我们的宗教团体仅仅与这一既神圣又神秘的历史相联系，从不与“真实的”残酷世界历史相关连。我们不可能把监守政治历史定为自己的任务，当然更不可能加以帮助和促进了。 因而，世界政治状况也许确如尊函所暗示，或者完全不是，不管怎么样，我们宗教团体当局在任何情况下，均不可对局势指手划脚，而唯一可采取的立场是：静观和容忍。因此尊函所述：我们应对世界事态采取积极立场的见解，已被多数与会同事否决，仅极少数人表示了支持意见。 您对当前世界局势所作的分析和对未来前途所作的瞻望，确实给我们大多数同事留下了深刻的印象，其中有几位先生甚至大为震惊。然而在这个问题上，尽管大多数与会者十分钦佩您的学识和敏锐眼光，也仍然无人附和您的看法。与会者普遍认为，您的陈述的确值得注意也颇引人入胜，但未免过分悲观。有一位发言者甚至表示，作为一位大师，却向自己行政当局描绘了一幅吓人的大难临头的阴暗图像，倘若不说他的行为亵渎神圣、为害非浅的话，至少得说他危言耸听。偶尔向大家提一提宇宙万物之须臾无常，并无不可。而每一个人，尤其是身处负责高位的人，都必须不时以“死亡象征”警告自己。然而以这等虚无主义态度笼统宣称所有大师、整个教会组织以及宗教秩序，全都即将面临末日厄运，那就不仅仅是毫无根据地侮辱了同事们的平静心灵和想象头脑、也同时危害了最高当局及其工作能力。倘若一位大师产生了下述想法：他的职务、他的工作、他的学生、他对教会组织的责任、他作为卡斯塔里人的生活，统统都会在明天或者后天消逝不见，不再存在，那么他就不可能每天安安稳稳上班，也就不可能从工作中获得益处。不过，尽管这位同事的声音未能获得多数人附和，却也有一些人鼓掌喝彩。 我们写得尽量简短，以待他日面谈。尊敬的先生，您不难从我们的简短答复中看出，您的传阅信件并未取得您原先可能期望获得的效果。失败的主要缘由在于下列客观原因：您目前的见解和愿望与大多数人截然不同，这是难以调和的客观事实。 此外，还存在一个纯属形式的原因。至少我们认为，如果由您本人与同事们当面进行直接交谈，情况肯定较为和谐，也较能取得积极效果。另外我们还认为，更让大家反感的还不仅是您采用了书面传阅方式，而且居然在公务信中插入了您的私人请求，这是大大违反我们通常做法的。您的大多数同事都把这种公私搀杂视为一种不幸的创新尝试，一部分人甚至直接斥责为不可容忍的歪风。 至于您拟辞去现任职务，而赴世俗世界普通学校担任教师的申请，乃是我们最觉棘手的事情。您作为申请人必然早已想到，最高行政当局不可能批准这一突如其来又遭受非议的请求的。因此，不言而喻，我们行政当局的答复自是“不准”。 倘若宗教团体和行政当局不再能分配任务，还有我们的宗教秩序存在么！倘若每一个人都想按照自己的才能和个性选择职位，卡斯塔里会变成什么模样呢！因而我们建议玻璃球游戏大师对此略作思考，并请他继续执行我们委任他承担的光荣职务。 我们也许仅能以此作为您来信的答复。我们实难给予您一个满意的答复。然而我们仍然重视来信所具有的鞭策和警告价值，应在此深表谢意。我们打算不久之后能够和您面谈，以详细讨论信中的内容。虽然我们认为可以一如既往信任您，但是您既已表露难以或者不能承担公职，我们自是有理由加以关注。 克乃西特尽管不抱太大希望，却也极其仔细地阅读了这封复信。他曾预料最高当局会作出“有理由关注”的答复，尤其因为已出现关注的迹象。最近有一位客人从希尔斯兰来到玻璃球游戏学园，出示了教会当局办公室开具的一般通行证件和介绍信后，要求在学园逗留数日，以便在档案馆和图书室查找资料，另外还要求准许旁听克乃西特的讲座。客人是一位神情专注而沉默寡言的老人，几乎拜访了游戏学园的每一个部门和每一座建筑，还特地造访了德格拉里乌斯，并且多次去看望住在学园附近的华尔采尔精英学校校长。毫无疑问，此人是当局派遣来的视察员，以确证玻璃球游戏学园内是否发生了纸漏，游戏大师是否身体健康，仍然忠于职守，办公室职员是否勤劳工作，学生们有没有骚乱现象等等。客人住了整整一个星期，听了克乃西特的所有演讲。对于客人这种默默无言的四处观察，甚至还引起了两位学园职员的议论。显然，宗教团体最高当局要等待这位侦察员汇报后，才能够决定给游戏大师的答复。 克乃西特对复信的态度如何？猜到了执笔者为谁么？从信的文字上，他揣摩不出执笔者，这是一封普通公函，没有丝毫个人痕迹，措词极为得体。然而，克乃西特在细细分析后，肯定会琢磨到书信透露出的更多私人特征。全信以维护宗教组织秩序为基本精神，显示出执笔者对正义和团体的深爱。人们不难察觉，写信人对克乃西特的申请何等不欢迎、不愉快，是的，甚至可说是恼怒和厌烦的，也可看出，执笔者是一读信函后当即便决定批驳，而并不想等待其他人意见的。不过，同时却又有另一种情绪抵消了这种反感，因为人们在信中也读到了一种明显的同情语调，它以温和与友善的语气评述了联席会上对克乃西特传阅信件的议论。克乃西特最终断定，复信的执笔者正是最高当局的领导人亚历山大本人。 我们的旅程至此便告一段落，我们希望，我们已将约瑟夫·克乃西特一生重要事迹作了完整报告。至于这部传记的结尾部分，以后的传记作者无疑还会考查出一些细节，并能够作出补充报道。 我们不拟再对这位大师最后日子作专门报道，因为我们所知道的并不多于当年在校的每一个华尔采尔学生，我们也不可能比流传至今的“玻璃球游戏大师轶事” 描写得更好。关于克乃西特的传闻，我们收集到多种抄本，本文大概出自这位已故游戏大师某些得意门生之手。谨以此文作为本书的终结之篇。