thais-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


before　a　tomb；　which　stood　against　the　wall。　The　tomb　was　nothing　but
a　stone　coffer；　roughly　sculptured　with　vine　tendrils　and　bunches　of
grapes；　yet　it　had　received　great　honours；　and　was　covered　with　green
palms　and　wreaths　of　red　roses。　All　round；　innumerable　lights　gleamed
out　of　the　heavy　shadow；　in　which　the　smoke　of　Arabian　gums　seemed
like　the　folds　of　angels'　robes；　and　the　paintings　on　the　walls
visions　of　Paradise。　Priests；　clad　in　white；　were　prostrate　at　the
foot　of　the　sarcophagus。　The　hymns　they　sang　with　the　people　expressed
the　delight　of　suffering；　and　mingled；　in　a　triumphal　mourning；　so
much　joy　with　so　much　grief；　that　Thais；　in　listening　to　them；　felt
the　pleasures　of　life　and　the　terrors　of　death　flowing；　at　the　same
time；　through　her　re…awakened　senses。

When　they　had　finished　singing；　the　believers　rose；　and　walked　in
single　file　to　the　tomb；　the　side　of　which　they　kissed。　They　were
common　men；　accustomed　to　work　with　their　hands。　They　advanced　with　a
heavy　step；　the　eyes　fixed；　the　jaw　dropped；　but　they　had　an　air　of
sincerity。　They　knelt　down；　each　in　turn；　before　the　sarcophagus；　and
put　their　lips　to　it。　The　women　lifted　their　little　children　in　their
arms；　and　gently　placed　their　cheek　to　the　stone。

Thais；　surprised　and　troubled；　asked　a　deacon　why　they　did　so。

〃Do　you　not　know；　woman；〃　replied　the　deacon；　〃that　we　celebrate
to…day　the　blessed　memory　of　St。　Theodore　the　Nubian；　who　suffered　for
the　faith　in　the　days　of　the　Emperor　Diocletian？　He　lived　virtuously
and　died　a　martyr；　and　that　is　why；　robed　in　white；　we　bear　red　roses
to　his　glorious　tomb。〃

On　hearing　these　words；　Thais　fell　on　her　knees；　and　burst　into　tears。
Half…forgotten　recollections　of　Ahmes　returned　to　her　mind。　On　the
memory　of　this　obscure；　gentle；　and　unfortunate　man；　the　blaze　of
candles；　the　perfume　of　roses；　the　clouds　of　incense；　the　music　of
hymns；　the　piety　of　souls；　threw　all　the　charms　of　glory。　Thais
thought　in　the　dazzling　glare

〃He　was　good；　and　now　he　has　become　great　and　glorious。　Why　is　it　that
he　is　elevated　above　other　men？　What　is　this　unknown　thing　which　is
more　than　riches　or　pleasure？〃

She　rose　slowly；　and　turned　towards　the　tomb　of　the　saint　who　had
loved　her；　those　violet　eyes；　now　filled　with　tears　which　glittered　in
the　candle…light；　then；　with　bowed　head；　humble；　slow；　and　the　last；
with　those　lips　on　which　so　many　desires　hung；　she　kissed　the　stone　of
the　slave's　tomb。

When　she　returned　to　her　house；　she　found　Nicias；　who；　with　his　hair
perfumed；　and　his　tunic　thrown　open；　was　reading　a　treatise　on　morals
whilst　waiting　for　her。　He　advanced　with　open　arms。

〃Naughty　Thais；〃　he　said；　in　a　laughing　voice；　〃whilst　I　was　waiting
for　you　to　come；　do　you　know　what　I　saw　in　this　manuscript；　written　by
the　gravest　of　Stoics？　Precepts　of　virtue　and　noble　maxims：　No！　On　the
staid　papyrus；　I　saw　dance　thousands　and　thousands　of　little　Thaises。
Each　was　no　bigger　than　my　finger；　and　yet　their　grace　was　infinite；
and　all　were　the　only　Thais。　There　were　some　who　flaunted　in　mantles
of　purple　and　gold；　others；　like　a　white　cloud；　floated　in　the　air　in
transparent　drapery。　Others　again；　motionless　and　divinely　nude；　the
better　to　inspire　pleasure；　expressed　no　thought。　Lastly；　there　were
two；　hand　in　hand；　two　so　alike　that　it　was　impossible　to　distinguish
one　from　the　other。　Both　smiled。　The　first　said；　'I　am　love。'　The
other；　'I　am　death。'　〃

Thus　speaking；　he　pressed　Thais　in　his　arms；　and　not　noticing　the
sullen　look　in　her　downcast　eyes；　he　went　on　adding　thought　to
thought；　heedless　of　the　fact　that　they　were　all　lost　upon　her。

〃Yes；　when　I　had　before　my　eyes　the　line　in　which　it　was　written；
'Nothing　should　deter　you　from　improving　your　mind；'　I　read；　'The
kisses　of　Thais　are　warmer　than　fire；　and　sweeter　than　honey。'　That　is
how　a　philosopher　reads　the　books　of　other　philosophersand　that　is
your　fault；　you　naughty　child。　It　is　true　that；　as　long　as　we　are　what
we　are；　we　shall　never　find　anything　but　our　own　thoughts　in　the
thoughts　of　others；　and　that　all　of　us　are　somewhat　inclined　to　read
books　as　I　have　read　this　one。〃

She　did　not　hear　him；　her　soul　was　still　before　the　Nubian's　tomb。　As
he　heard　her　sigh；　he　kissed　her　on　the　neck；　and　said

〃Do　not　be　sad；　my　child。　We　are　never　happy　in　this　world；　except
when　we　forget　the　world。

〃Come；　let　us　cheat　lifeit　is　sure　to　take　its　revenge。　Come；　let　us
love！〃

But　she　pushed　him　away。

〃/We/　love！〃　she　cried　bitterly。　〃/You/　never　loved　any　one。　And　/I/
do　not　love　/you/！　No！　I　do　not　love　you！　I　hate　you！　Go！　I　hate　you！
I　curse　and　despise　all　who　are　happy；　and　all　who　are　rich！　Go！　Go！
Goodness　is　only　found　amongst　the　unfortunate。　When　I　was　a　child　I
knew　a　black　slave　who　died　on　the　cross。　He　was　good；　he　was　filled
with　love；　and　he　knew　the　secret　of　life。　You　are　not　worthy　to　wash
his　feet。　Go！　I　never　wish　to　see　you　again！〃

She　threw　herself　on　her　face　on　the　carpet；　and　passed　the　night
sobbing　and　weeping；　and　forming　resolutions　to　live；　in　future；　like
Saint　Theodore；　in　poverty　and　humbleness。

The　next　day；　she　devoted　herself　again　to　those　pleasures　to　which
she　was　addicted。　As　she　knew　that　her　beauty；　though　still　intact；
would　not　last　very　long；　she　hastened　to　derive　all　the　enjoyment　and
all　the　fame　she　could　from　it。　At　the　theatre；　where　she　acted　and
studied　more　than　ever；　she　gave　life　to　the　imagination　of　sculptors；
painters；　and　poets。　Recognising　that　there　was　in　the　attitudes；
movements；　and　walk　of　the　actress；　an　idea　of　the　divine　harmony
which　rules　the　spheres；　wise　men　and　philosophers　considered　that
such　perfect　grace　was　a　virtue　in　itself；　and　said；　〃Thais　also　is　a
geometrician！〃　The　ignorant；　the　poor；　the　humble；　and　the　timid
before　whom　she　consented　to　appear；　regarded　her　as　a　blessing　from
heaven。　Yet　she　was　sad　amidst　all　the　praise　she　received；　and
dreaded　death　more　than　ever。　Nothing　was　able　to　set　her　mind　at
rest；　not　even　her　house　and　gardens；　which　were　celebrated；　and　a
proverb　throughout　the　city。

The　gardens　were　planted　with　trees；　brought　at　great　expense　from
India　and　Persia。　They　were　watered　by　a　running　brook；　and　colonnades
in　ruins；　and　imitation　rocks；　arranged　by　a　skilful　artist；　were
reflected　in　a　lake；　which　also　mirrored　the　statues　that　stood　round
it。　In　the　middle　of　the　garden　was　the　Grotto　of　Nymphs；　which　owed
its　name　to　three　life…size　figures　of　women；　which　stood　on　the
threshold。　They　were　represented　as　divesting　themselves　of　their
garments；　and　about　to　bathe。　They　anxiously　turned　their　heads；
fearing　to　be　seen；　and　looked　as　though　they　were　alive。　The　only
light　which　entered　the　building　came；　tempered　and　iridescent；
through　thin　sheets　of　water。　All　the　walls　were　hungas　in　the
sacred　grottoeswith　wreaths；　garlands；　and　votive　pictures；　in　which
the　beauty　of　Thais　was　celebrated。　There　were　also　tragic　and　comic
masks；　bright　with　colours；　and　paintings　representing　theatrical
scenes　or　grotesque　figures；　or　fabulous　animals。　On　a　stele　in　the
centre　stood　a　little　ivory　Eros　of　wonderful　antique　workmanship。　It
was　a　gift　from　Nicias。　In　one　of　the　bays　was　a　figure　of　a　goat　in
black　marble；　with　shining　agate　eyes。　Six　alabaster　kids　crowded
round　its　teats；　but；　raising　its　cloven　hoofs　and　its　ugly　head；　it
seemed　impatient　to　climb　the　rocks。　The　floor　was　covered　with
Byzantine　carpets；　pillows　embroidered　by　the　yellow　men　of　Cathay；
and　the　skins　of　Libyan　lions。　Perfumed　smoke　arose　from　golden
censers。　Flowering　plants　grew　in　large　onyx　vases。　And　at　the　far
end；　in　the　purple　shadow；　gleamed　the　gold　nails　on　the　shell　of　a
huge　Indian　tortoise　turned　upside　down；　which　served　as　the　bed　of
the　actress。　It　was　here　that　every　day；　to　the　murmur　of　the　water；
and　amid　perfumes　and　flowers；　Thais　reclined　softly；　and　conversed
with　her　friends；　while　awaiting　the　hour　of　supper；　or　meditated　in
solitude　on　theatrical　art；　or　on　the　flight　of　years。

On　the　afternoon　after　the　games；　Thais　was　reposing　in　the　Grotto　of
Nymphs。　She　had　noticed　in　her　mirror　the　first　signs　of　the　decay