thais-第17章

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and　so　beautiful　in　my　eyes。　It　was　the　virtue　of　the　baptismal　water；
which　made　me　leave　the　shadow　of　God；　where　I　lived；　to　seek　thee　in
the　poisoned　air　where　men　dwell。　A　dropa　drop；　no　doubt；　of　the
water　which　washed　thy　bodyhas　been　sprinkled　in　my　face。　Come；　O　my
sister；　and　receive　from　thy　brother　the　kiss　of　peace。〃

And　the　monk　touched　with　his　lips　the　forehead　of　the　courtesan。

Then　he　was　silent；　letting　God　speak；　and　nothing　was　heard　in　the
Grotto　of　Nymphs　but　the　sobs　of　Thais；　mingled　with　the　rippling　of
the　running　water。

She　wept　without　trying　to　stop　her　tears；　when　two　black　slaves
appeared；　loaded　with　stuffs；　perfumes；　and　garlands。

〃It　was　hardly　the　right　time　to　weep；〃　she　said；　trying　to　smile。
〃Tears　redden　the　eyes　and　spoil　the　complexion；　and　I　must　sup
tonight　with　some　friends；　and　want　to　be　beautiful；　for　there　will　be
women　there　quick　to　spy　out　marks　of　care　on　my　face。　These　slaves
come　to　dress　me。　Withdraw；　my　father；　and　allow　them　to　do　their
work。　They　are　clever　and　experienced；　and　I　pay　them　well　for　their
services。　You　see　that　one　who　wears　thick　rings　of　gold；　and　shows
such　white　teeth。　I　took　her　from　the　wife　of　the　pro…consul。〃

Paphnutius　had　at　first　a　thought　of　dissuading　Thais；　as　earnestly　as
he　could；　from　going　to　this　supper。　But　he　determined　to　act
prudently；　and　asked　what　persons　she　would　meet　there。

She　replied　that　there　would　be　the　host；　old　Cotta；　the　Prefect　of
the　Fleet；　Nicias；　and　several　other　philosophers　who　loved　an
argument；　the　poet　Callicrates；　the　high　priest　of　Serapis；　some　young
men　whose　chief　amusement　was　training　horses；　and　lastly　some　women；
of　whom　there　was　little　to　be　said　except　that　they　were　young。　Then；
by　a　supernatural　inspiration

〃Go　amongst　them；　Thais；〃　said　the　monk。　〃Go！　But　I　will　not　leave
thee。　I　will　go　with　thee　to　this　banquet；　and　will　remain　by　thy　side
without　saying　a　word。〃

She　burst　out　laughing。　And　whilst　her　two　black　slaves　were　busy
dressing　her；　she　cried

〃What　will　they　say　when　they　see　that　I　have　a　monk　of　the　Thebaid
for　my　lover？〃



THE　BANQUET

When；　followed　by　Paphnutius；　Thais　entered　the　banqueting…room；　the
guests　were　already；　for　the　most　part；　assembled；　and　reclining　on
their　couches　before　the　horseshoe　table；　which　was　covered　with
glittering　vessels。　In　the　centre　of　the　table　stood　a　silver　basin；
surmounted　by　four　figures　of　satyrs；　who　poured　out　from　wine…skins
on　the　boiled　fish　a　kind　of　pickle　in　which　they　floated。　When　Thais
appeared；　acclamations　arose　from　all　sides。

Greetings　to　the　sister　of　the　Graces！

To　the　silent　Melpomene；　who　can　express　all　things　with　her　looks！

Salutation　to　the　well…beloved　of　gods　and　men！

To　the　much　desired！

To　her　who　gives　suffering　and　its　cure！

To　the　pearl　of　Racotis！

To　the　rose　of　Alexandria！

She　waited　impatiently　till　this　torrent　of　praise　had　passed；　and
then　said　to　Cotta；　the　host

〃Lucius；　I　have　brought　you　a　monk　of　the　desert；　Paphnutius；　the
Abbot　of　Antinoe。　He　is　a　great　saint；　whose　words　burn　like　fire。〃

Lucius　Aurelius　Cotta；　the　Prefect　of　the　Fleet；　rose；　and　replied

〃You　are　welcome；　Paphnutius；　you　who　profess　the　Christian　faith。　I
myself　have　some　respect　of　a　religion　that　has　now　become　imperial。
The　divine　Constantine　has　placed　your　co…religionists　in　the　front
rank　of　the　friends　of　the　empire。　Latin　wisdom　ought；　in　fact；　to
admit　your　Christ　into　our　pantheon。　It　was　a　maxim　of　our　forefathers
that　there　was　something　divine　in　every　god。　But　no　more　of　that。　Let
us　drink　and　enjoy　ourselves　while　there　is　yet　time。〃

Old　Cotta　spoke　tranquilly。　He　had　just　studied　a　new　model　for　a
galley；　and　had　finished　the　sixth　book　of　his　history　of　the
Carthaginians。　He　felt　sure　he　had　not　lost　his　day；　and　was　satisfied
with　himself　and　the　gods。

〃Paphnutius；〃　he　added；　〃you　see　here　several　men　who　are　worthy　to　be
lovedHermodorus；　the　High　Priest　of　Serapis；　the　philosophers
Dorion；　Nicias；　and　Zenothemis；　the　poet　Callicrates；　young　Chereas
and　young　Aristobulus；　both　sons　of　dear　old　comrades；　and　near　them
Philina　and　Drosea；　who　deserve　to　be　praised　for　their　beauty。〃

Nicias　embraced　Paphnutius；　and　whispered　in　his　ear

〃I　warned　you；　brother；　that　Venus　was　powerful。　It　is　her　gentle
force　that　has　brought　you　here　in　spite　of　yourself。　Listen：　you　are
a　man　full　of　piety；　but　if　you　do　not　confess　that　she　is　the　mother
of　the　gods；　your　ruin　is　certain。　Do　you　know　that　the　old
mathematician；　Melanthes；　used　to　say；　'I　cannot　demonstrate　the
properties　of　a　triangle　without　the　aid　of　Venus'？〃

Dorion；　who　had　for　some　seconds　been　looking　at　the　new…comer；
suddenly　clapped　his　hands　and　uttered　a　cry　of　surprise。

〃It　is　he；　friends！　His　look；　his　beard；　his　tunicit　is　he　himself！
I　met　him　at　the　theatre　whilst　our　Thais　was　acting。　He　was　furiously
excited；　and　spoke　with　violence；　as　I　can　testify。　He　is　an　honest
man；　but　he　will　abuse　us　all；　his　eloquence　is　terrible。　If　Marcus　is
the　Plato　of　the　Christians；　Paphnutius　is　the　Demosthenes。　Epicurus；
in　his　little　garden；　never　heard　the　like。〃

Philina　and　Drosea；　however；　devoured　Thais　with　their　eyes。　She　wore
on　her　fair　hair　a　wreath　of　pale　violets；　each　flower　of　which
recalled；　in　a　paler　hue；　the　colour　of　her　eyes；　so　that　the　flowers
looked　like　softened　glances；　and　the　eyes　like　sparkling　flowers。　It
was　the　peculiar　gift　of　this　woman；　on　her　everything　lived；　and　was
soul　and　harmony。　Her　robe；　which　was　of　mauve　spangled　with　silver；
trailed　in　long　folds　with　a　grace　that　was　almost　melancholy　and　was
not　relieved　by　either　bracelets　or　necklaces。　The　chief　charm　of　her
appearance　was　her　beautiful　bare　arms。　The　two　friends　were　obliged
to　admire；　in　spite　of　themselves　the　robe　and　head…dress　of　Thais；
though　they　said　nothing　to　her　on　the　subject。

〃How　beautiful　you　are！〃　said　Philina。　〃You　could　not　have　been　more
so　when　you　came　to　Alexandria。　Yet　my　mother；　who　remembers　seeing
you　then；　says　there　were　few　women　who　were　worthy　to　be　compared
with　you。〃

〃Who　is　the　new　lover　you　have　brought？〃　asked　Drosea。　〃He　has　a
strange；　wild　appearance。　If　there　are　shepherds　of　elephants；
assuredly　he　must　resemble　one。　Where　did　you　find　such　a　wild…looking
friend；　Thais？　Was　it　amongst　the　troglodytes　who　live　under　the
earth；　and　are　grimy　with　the　smoke　of　Hades？〃

But　Philina　put　her　finger　on　Drosea's　lips。

〃Hush！　the　mysteries　of　love　must　remain　secret；　and　it　is　forbidden
to　know　them。　For　my　own　part；　certainly；　I　would　rather　be　kissed　by
the　mouth　of　smoking　Etna　than　by　the　lips　of　that　man。　But　our　dear
Thais；　who　is　beautiful　and　adorable　as　the　goddesses；　should；　like
the　goddesses；　grant　all　requests；　and　not；　like　us；　only　those　of
nice　young　men。〃

〃Take　care；　both　of　you！〃　replied　Thais。　〃He　is　a　mage　and　an
enchanter。　He　hears　words　that　are　whispered；　and　even　thoughts。　He
will　tear　out　your　heart　while　you　are　asleep；　and　put　a　sponge　in　its
place；　and　the　next　day；　when　you　drink　water；　you　will　be　choked　to
death。〃

She　watched　them　grow　pale；　then　she　turned　away　from　them；　and　sat　on
a　couch　by　the　side　of　Paphnutius。　The　voice　of　Cotta；　kind　but
imperious；　was　suddenly　heard　above　the　murmur　of　conversation。

〃Friends；　let　each　take　his　place！　Slaves；　pour　out　the　honeyed　wine！〃

Then；　the　host　raising　his　cup

〃Let　us　first　drink　to　the　divine　Constantine　and　the　genius　of　the
empire。　The　country　should　be　put　first　of　all；　even　above　the　gods；
for　it　contains　them　all。〃

All　the　guests　raised　their　full　cups　to　their　lips。　Paphnutius　alone
did　not　drink；　because　Constantine　had　persecuted　the　Nicaean　faith；
and　because　the　country　of　the　Christian　is　not　of　this　world。

Dorion；　having　drunk；　murmured

〃What　is　one's　country？　A　flowing　river。　The　shores　change；　and　the
waves　are　incessantly　renewed。〃

〃I　know；　Dorion；〃　replied　the　Prefect　of　the　Fleet；　〃that　you　care
little　for　the　civic　virtues；　and　you　think　that　the　sage　ought　to
hold　himself　aloof　from　all　affairs。　I　think；　on　the　contrary；　that　a