thais-第21章

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of　the　nature　of　the　gods；　of　justice；　and　of　the　eternal　laws。

ZENOTHEMIS。　For　my　part；　friends；　I　believe　in　the　reality　of　good　and
evil。　But　I　am　convinced　that　there　is　not　a　single　human　actionwere
it　even　the　kiss　of　Judaswhich　does　not　bear　within　itself　the　germ
of　redemption。　Evil　contributes　to　the　ultimate　salvation　of　men；　and；
in　that　respect　issues　from　Good；　and　shares　the　merits　belonging　to
Good。　This　has　been　admirably　expressed　by　the　Christians；　in　the　myth
concerning　the　man　with　red　hair；　who；　in　order　to　betray　his　master；
gave　him　the　kiss　of　peace；　and　by　such　act　assured　the　salvation　of
men。　Therefore；　nothing　is；　in　my　opinion；　more　unjust　and　absurd　than
the　hate　with　which　certain　disciples　of　Paul；　the　tentmaker；　pursue
the　most　unfortunate　of　the　apostles　of　Jesus　without　realising　that
the　kiss　of　Iscariotprophesied　by　Jesus　Himselfwas　necessary；
according　to　their　own　doctrine；　for　the　redemption　of　men；　and　that
if　Judas　had　not　received　the　thirty　pieces；　the　divine　wisdom　would
have　been　impugned；　Providence　frustrated；　its　designs　upset；　and　the
world　given　over　to　evil；　ignorance；　and　death。

MARCUS。　Divine　wisdom　foresaw　that　Judas；　though　he　was　not　obliged　to
give　the　traitor's　kiss；　would　give　it；　notwithstanding。　It　thus
employed　the　sin　of　Iscariot　as　a　stone　in　the　marvellous　edifice　of
the　redemption。

ZENOTHEMIS。　I　spoke　just　now；　Marcus；　as　though　I　believed　that　the
redemption　of　men　had　been　accomplished　by　Jesus　crucified；　because　I
know　that　such　is　the　belief　of　the　Christians；　and　I　borrowed　their
opinion　that　I　might　the　better　show　the　mistake　of　those　who　believe
in　the　eternal　damnation　of　Judas。　But；　in　reality；　Jesus　was；　in　my
eyes；　but　the　precursor　of　Basilides　and　Valentinus。　As　to　the　mystery
of　the　redemption；　I　will　tell　you；　my　dear　friendsif　you　are　at　all
curious　to　hear　ithow　it　was　really　accomplished　on　earth。

The　guests　made　a　sign　of　assent。　Like　the　Athenian　virgins　with　the
baskets　sacred　to　Ceres；　twelve　young　girls；　bearing　on　their　heads
baskets　filled　with　pomegranates　and　apples；　entered　the　room　with　a
light　step；　in　time　to　the　music　of　an　invisible　flute。　They　placed
the　baskets　on　the　table；　the　flute　ceased；　and　Zenothemis　spoke　as
follows

〃When　Eunoia；　'the　thought　of　God；'　had　created　the　world；　she
confided　the　government　of　the　earth　to　the　angels。　But　they　did　not
preserve　the　dispassion　befitting　masters。　Seeing　that　the　daughters
of　men　were　fair；　they　surprised　them　in　the　evening　by　the　wellside；
and　united　themselves　to　them。　From　these　unions　sprang　a　turbulent
race；　who　covered　the　earth　with　injustice　and　cruelty；　and　the　dust
of　the　roads　drank　up　the　blood　of　the　innocent。　The　sight　of　this
caused　Eunoia　infinite　grief。

〃　'See　what　I　have　done！'　she　sighed；　leaning　towards　the　world。　'My
poor　children　are　plunged　in　misery；　and　by　my　fault。　Their　suffering
is　my　crime；　and　I　will　expiate　it。　God　Himself；　who　only　thinks
through　me；　would　be　powerless　to　restore　them　to　their　pristine
purity。　That　which　is　done　is　done；　and　the　creation　will　remain　for
ever　imperfect。　But；　at　least；　I　will　not　forsake　my　creatures。　If　I
cannot　make　them　happy；　like　me；　I　can　make　myself　unhappy；　like　them。
Since　I　committed　the　mistake　of　giving　them　bodies　which　dishonour
them；　I　will　myself　assume　a　body　like　unto　theirs；　and　will　go　and
live　amongst　them。'

〃Having　thus　spoken；　Eunoia　descended　to　the　earth；　and　was　incarnate
in　the　breast　of　a　woman　of　Argos。　She　was　born　small　and　feeble；　and
received　the　name　of　Helen。　She　submitted　to　all　the　labours　of　this
life；　but　soon　grew　in　grace　and　beauty；　and　became　the　most　desired
of　women；　as　she　had　determined；　in　order　that　her　mortal　body　might
be　tried　by　the　most　supreme　defilements。　An　inert　prey　to　lascivious
and　violent　men；　she　suffered　rape　and　adultery；　in　expiation　of　all
the　adulteries；　all　the　violences；　all　the　iniquities；　and　caused；　by
her　beauty；　the　ruin　of　nations；　that　God　might　pardon　the　sins　of　the
universe。　And　never　was　the　celestial　thought；　never　was　Eunoia；　so
adorable　as　in　those　days　when；　as　a　woman；　she　prostituted　herself　to
heroes　and　shepherds。　The　poets　surmised　her　divinity　when　they
painted　her　so　peaceful；　superb；　and　fatal；　and　when　they　addressed
that　invocation　to　her；　'A　soul　as　serene　as　a　calm　upon　the　waters。'

〃Thus　was　Eunoia　led　by　pity　into　evil　and　suffering。　She　died；　and
the　Argives　still　show　her　tombfor　it　was　necessary　that　she　should
know　death　after　lust；　and　taste　the　bitter　fruit　she　had　sown。　But；
emerging　from　the　decomposed　flesh　of　Helen；　she　became　incarnate
again　as　a　woman；　and　again　suffered　every　form　of　insult　and　outrage。
Thus；　passing　from　body　to　body；　throughout　all　the　evil　ages；　she
takes　upon　her　the　sins　of　the　world。　Her　sacrifice　will　not　be　in
vain。　Joined　to　us　by　the　bonds　of　the　flesh；　loving　us；　and　weeping
with　us；　she　will　effect　her　redemption　and　ours；　and　will　carry　us；
clinging　to　her　white　breast；　into　the　peace　of　the　regained
paradise。〃

HERMODORUS。　This　myth　was　not　unknown　to　me。　I　remembered　having　heard
that；　in　one　of　her　metamorphoses；　the　divine　Helen　lived　with　the
magician；　Simon；　in　the　reign　of　the　Emperor　Tiberius。　I　thought；
however；　that　her　perdition　was　involuntary；　and　that　she　was　dragged
down　by　the　angels　in　their　fall。

ZENOTHEMIS。　It　is　true；　Hermodorus；　that　men　who　were　not　properly
initiated　in　the　mysteries　have　imagined　that　the　sad　Eunoia　was　not　a
party　to　her　own　downfall。　But　if　it　were　as　they　assert　Eunoia　would
not　be　the　expiating　courtesan；　the　victim　covered　with　stains　of　all
sorts；　the　bread　steeped　in　the　wine　of　our　shame；　the　pleasant
offering；　the　meritorious　sacrifice；　the　holocaust；　the　smoke　of　which
rises　to　God。　If　they　were　not　voluntary；　there　would　be　no　merit　in
her　sins。

CALLICRATES。　Does　anyone　know；　Zenothemis　in　what　country；　under　what
name；　in　what　adorable　form；　this　ever…renascent　Helen　is　living　now？

ZENOTHEMIS。　A　man　would　have　to　be　very　wise　indeed　to　discover　such　a
secret。　And　wisdom；　Callicrates；　is　not　given　to　poets；　who　live　in
the　rude　world　of　forms　and　amuse　themselves；　like　children；　with
sounds　and　empty　shows。

CALLICRATES。　Beware　of　offending　the　gods；　impious　Zenothemis；　the
poets　are　dear　to　them。　The　first　laws　were　dictated　in　verse　by　the
immortals　themselves；　and　the　oracles　of　the　gods　are　poems。　Hymns
have　a　pleasant　sound　to　celestial　ears。　Who　does　not　know　that　the
poets　are　prophets；　and　that　nothing　is　hidden　from　them？　Being　a　poet
myself；　and　crowned　with　Apollo's　laurel；　I　will　make　known　to　all　the
last　incarnation　of　Eunoia。　The　eternal　Helen　is　close　to　us；　she　is
looking　at　us；　and　we　are　looking　at　her。　You　see　that　woman　reclining
on　the　cushions　of　her　couchso　beautiful　and　so　contemplativewhose
eyes　shed　tears；　and　whose　lips　abound　with　kisses！　It　is　she！　Lovely
as　in　the　time　of　Priam　and　the　halcyon　days　of　Asia；　Eunoia　is　now
called　Thais。

PHILINA。　What　do　you　say；　Callicrates？　Our　dear　Thais　knew　Paris；
Menelaus；　and　the　Achaians　who　fought　before　Ilion！　Was　the　Trojan
horse　big；　Thais？

ARISTOBULUS。　Who　speaks　of　a　horse？

〃I　have　drunk　like　a　Thracian！〃　cried　Chereas　and　he　rolled　under　the
table。

Callicrates；　raising　his　cup；　cried

〃If　we　drink　like　desperate　men；　we　die　unavenged！〃

Old　Cotta　was　asleep；　and　his　bald　head　nodded　slowly　above　his　broad
shoulders。

For　some　time　past　Dorion　had　seemed　to　be　greatly　excited　under　his
philosophic　cloak。　He　reeled　up　to　the　couch　of　Thais。

〃Thais；　I　love　you；　although　it　is　unseemly　in　me　to　love　a　woman。〃

THAIS。　Why　did　you　not　love　me　before？

DORION。　Because　I　had　not　supped。

THAIS。　But　I；　my　poor　friend；　have　drunk　nothing　but　water；　therefore
you　must　excuse　me　if　I　do　not　love　you。

Dorion　did　not　wait　to　hear　more；　but　made　towards　Drosea；　who　had
made　a　sign　to　him　in　order　to　get　him　away　from　her　friend。
Zenothemis　took　the　place　he　had　left；　and　gave　Thais　a　kiss　on　the
mouth。

THAIS。　I　thought　you　more　virtuous。

ZENOTHEMIS。　I　am　perfect；　and　the　perfect　are　subject　to　no