They spoke little, as if under some fascination. The varied movements in the sky and unstable water-foundation were indeed somewhat hypnotic in effect, but a psychologist would have been puzzled to detect the outcome of their meditations. While they gazed, a passing breeze crossed the surface immediately before them, changing the delicate traceries in nature’s handiwork. The Doctor at once responded, for the complications appealed to him, and most naturally he spoke in terms of his own previous experience of similar impressions.
“Those changes in the wave curves are not unlike harmonic modulations, and I can actually hear the difference.” Adele seemed surprised.
“Yes,” continued the Doctor, “the slow, dignified progression is certainly symphonic in character, yet the infinite variety in less melodic forms piles up little by little until the greater movement is itself influenced. How wonderful, majestic, yet exceedingly subtle, and always refined! It is certainly sound-color or color as sound, and the drawing of the design—well, ’pon my soul, the drawing is too quick for me. I can’t see how it is done, it flits from me, is gone, living only in memory, not unlike the technical element in the rendition of music. But the sound-color, the real harmony. Ah! that I hear in my mind’s ear and see in my mind’s eye for long afterwards.” Adele, much younger than the Doctor, was also working out her own impressions according to previous experience, the experience of youth.
“Oh, yes! I see what you see,—very artistic,—you can talk about it in that style if you choose, but——” and she seemed in doubt how to describe what she really felt. The Doctor waited till she was ready.
“It’s so awfully real! It’s alive!”
“H’m!”
“Yes, a great real picture, that which I like in pictures.”
“No doubt an original,” remarked the Doctor, smiling. “The original of many marines.”
Adele called attention to the magnificent contour lines which themselves swayed to and fro over the curved surface.
“Don’t you see, it’s alive; the whole thing moves, it’s so true; and you and I with it, we’re all going. Isn’t that just glorious!”