thais-第24章

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the　fire；　which　had　been　smouldering；　burst　out　suddenly　with　a　roar
as　of　some　monstrous　animal；　and　the　almost　invisible　flames　began　to
devour　their　valuable　prey。　The　slaves　worked　more　eagerly；　they
joyfully　dragged　out　rich　carpets；　veils　embroidered　with　silver；　and
flowered　tapestry。　They　staggered　under　the　weight　of　tables；　couches；
thick　cushions；　and　beds　with　gold　nails。　Three　strong　Ethiopians　came
hugging　the　coloured　statues　of　the　nymphs；　one　of　which　had　been
loved　as　though　it　were　a　mortal；　and　they　looked　like　huge　apes
carrying　off　women。　And　when　the　beautiful　naked　forms　fell　from　the
arms　of　these　monsters；　and　were　broken　on　the　stones；　a　deep　groan
was　heard。

At　that　moment　Thais　appeared；　her　hair　unloosed　and　streaming　over
her　shoulders；　barefooted；　and　clad　in　a　clumsy　coarse　garment　which
seemed　redolent　with　divine　voluptuousness　merely　from　having　touched
her　body。　Behind　her　came　a　gardener；　carrying；　half　hidden　in　his
long　beard；　an　ivory　Eros。

She　made　a　sign　to　the　man　to　stop；　and　approaching　Paphnutius；　showed
him　the　little　god。

〃My　father；〃　she　asked；　〃should　this　also　be　thrown　into　the　flames？
It　is　of　marvellous　antique　work；　and　is　worth　a　hundred　times　its
weight　in　gold。　Its　loss　would　be　irreparable；　for　there　is　not　a
sculptor　in　the　world　capable　of　making　such　a　beautiful　Eros。
Remember　also；　my　father；　that　this　child　is　Love；　and　he　should　not
be　harshly　treated。　Believe　me；　Love　is　a　virtue；　and　if　I　have
sinned；　it　is　not　through　him；　my　father；　but　against　him。　Never　shall
I　regret　aught　that　he　has　caused　me　to　do；　and　I　deplore　only　those
things　I　have　done　contrary　to　his　commands。　He　does　not　allow　women
to　give　themselves　to　those　who　do　not　come　in　his　name。　For　that
reason　he　ought　to　be　honoured。　Look；　Paphnutius；　how　pretty　this
little　Eros　is！　With　what　grace　he　hides　himself　in　the　gardener's
beard！　One　day　Nicias；　who　loved　me　then；　brought　it　to　me　and　said；
'It　will　remind　you　of　me。'　But　the　roguish　boy　did　not　remind　me　of
Nicias；　but　of　a　young　man　I　knew　at　Antioch。　Enough　riches　have　been
destroyed　upon　this　pile；　my　father！　Preserve　this　Eros；　and　place　it
in　some　monastery。　Those　who　see　it　will　turn　their　hearts　towards
God；　for　love　leads　naturally　to　heavenly　thoughts。〃

The　gardener；　already　believing　that　the　little　Eros　was　saved；　smiled
on　it　as　though　it　had　been　a　child；　when　Paphnutius；　snatching　the
god　from　the　arms　which　held　it；　threw　it　into　the　flames；　crying

〃It　is　enough　that　Nicias　has　touched　it　to　make　it　replete　with
every　sort　of　poison！〃

Then；　seizing　by　armfuls　the　sparkling　robes；　the　purple　mantles；　the
golden　sandals；　the　combs；　strigils；　mirrors；　lamps；　theorbos；　and
lyres；　he　threw　them　into　this　furnace；　more　costly　than　the　funeral
pile　of　Sardanapalus；　whilst；　drunken　with　the　rage　of　destruction；
the　slaves　danced　round；　uttering　wild　yells　amid　a　shower　of　sparks
and　ashes。

One　by　one；　the　neighbours；　awakened　by　the　noise；　opened　the　windows；
and　rubbing　their　eyes；　looked　out　to　see　whence　the　smoke　came。　Then
they　came　down；　half　dressed；　and　drew　near　the　fire。

〃What　does　it　mean？〃　they　wondered。

Amongst　them　were　merchants　from　whom　Thais　had　often　bought　perfumes
and　stuffs；　and　they　looked　on　anxiously　with　long；　yellow　faces；
unable　to　comprehend　what　was　going　on。　Some　young　debauchees；　who；
returning　from　a　supper；　passed　by　there；　preceded　by　their　slaves；
stopped；　their　heads　crowned　with　flowers；　their　tunics　floating；　and
uttered　loud　cries。　Attracted　by　curiosity；　the　crowd　increased
unceasingly；　and　soon　it　was　known　that　Thais　had　been　persuaded　by
the　Abbot　of　Antinoe　to　burn　her　riches　and　retire　to　a　nunnery。

The　shopkeepers　thought　to　themselves

〃Thais　is　going　to　leave　the　city；　we　shall　sell　no　more　to　her；　it　is
dreadful　to　think　of。　What　will　become　of　us　without　her？　This　monk
has　driven　her　mad。　He　is　ruining　us。　Why　let　him　do　it？　What　is　the
use　of　the　laws？　Are　there　no　magistrates　in　Alexandria？　Thais　does
not　think　about　us　and　our　wives　and　our　poor　children。　It　is　a　public
scandal。　She　ought　to　be　compelled　to　stay　in　the　city。〃

The　young　men；　on　their　part；　also　thought

〃If　Thais　is　going　to　renounce　acting　and　love；　our　chief　amusements
will　be　taken　from　us。　She　was　the　glory；　delight；　and　honour　of　the
stage。　She　was　the　joy　even　of　those　who　had　never　possessed　her。　The
women　we　loved；　we　loved　in　her。　There　were　no　kisses　given　in　which
she　was　altogether　absent；　for　she　was　the　joy　of　all　voluptuaries；
and　the　mere　thought　that　she　breathed　amongst　us　excited　us　to
pleasure。〃

Thus　thought　the　young　men；　and　one　of　them；　named　Cerons；　who　had
held　her　in　his　arms；　cried　out　upon　the　abduction；　and　blasphemed
against　Christ。　In　every　group　the　conduct　of　Thais　was　severely
criticised。

〃It　is　a　shameful　flight！〃

〃A　cowardly　desertion！〃

〃She　is　taking　the　bread　out　of　our　mouths。〃

〃She　is　robbing　our　children。〃

〃She　ought　at　least　to　pay　for　the　wreaths　I　have　sold　to　her。〃

〃And　the　sixty　robes　she　has　ordered　of　me。〃

〃She　owes　money　to　everybody。〃

〃Who　will　represent　Iphigenia；　Electra；　and　Polyxena　when　she　is　gone？
The　handsome　Polybia　herself　will　not　make　such　a　success　as　she　has
done。〃

〃Life　will　be　dull　when　her　door　is　closed。〃

〃She　was　the　bright　star；　the　soft　moon　of　the　Alexandrian　sky。〃

All　the　most　notorious　mendicants　of　the　citycripples；　blind　men；
and　paralyticshad　by　this　time　assembled　in　the　place；　and　crawling
through　the　remnants　of　the　riches；　they　groaned

〃How　shall　we　live　when　Thais　is　no　longer　here　to　feed　us？　Every　day
the　fragments　from　her　table　fed　two　hundred　poor　wretches；　and　her
lovers；　when　they　quitted　her；　threw　us　as　they　passed　handfuls　of
silver　pieces。〃

Some　thieves；　too；　also　mingled　with　the　crowd；　and　created　a
deafening　clamour；　and　pushed　their　neighbours；　to　increase　disorder；
and　take　advantage　of　the　tumult　to　filch　some　valuable　object。

Old　Taddeus；　who　sold　Miletan　wool　and　Tarentan　linen；　and　to　whom
Thais　owed　a　large　sum　of　money；　alone　remained　calm　and　silent　in　the
midst　of　the　uproar。　He　listened　and　watched；　and　gently　stroking　his
goat…beard；　seemed　thoughtful。　At　last　he　approached　young　Cerons；　and
pulling　him　by　the　sleeve；　whispered

〃You　are　the　favoured　lover　of　Thais；　handsome　youth；　show　yourself；
and　do　not　allow　this　monk　to　carry　her　off。〃

〃By　Pollux　and　his　sister；　he　shall　not！〃　cried　Cerons。　〃I　will　speak
to　Thais；　and　without　flattering　myself；　I　think　she　will　listen　to　me
rather　than　to　that　sooty…faced　Lapithan。　Place！　Place；　dogs！〃

And　striking　with　his　fist　the　men；　upsetting　the　old　women　and
treading　on　the　young　children；　he　reached　Thais；　and　taking　her
aside

〃Dearest　girl；〃　he　said；　〃look　at　me；　remember；　and　tell　me　truly　if
you　renounce　love。〃

But　Paphnutius　threw　himself　between　Thais　and　Cerons。

〃Impious　wretch！〃　he　cried；　〃beware　and　touch　her　not；　she　is　sacred
she　belongs　to　God。〃

〃Get　away；　baboon！〃　replied　the　young　man　furiously。　〃Let　me　speak　to
my　sweetheart；　or　if　not　I　will　drag　your　obscene　carcase　by　the　beard
to　the　fire；　and　roast　you　like　a　sausage。〃

And　he　put　his　hand　on　Thais。　But；　pushed　away　by　the　monk　with
unexpected　force；　he　staggered　back　four　paces　and　fell　at　the　foot　of
the　pile　amongst　the　scattered　ashes。

Old　Taddeus；　meanwhile；　had　been　going　from　one　to　the　other；　pulling
the　ears　of　the　slaves　and　kissing　the　hands　of　the　masters；　inciting
each　and　all　against　Paphnutius；　and　had　already　formed　a　little　band
resolutely　determined　to　oppose　the　monk　who　would　steal　Thais　from
them。

Cerons　rose；　his　face　black；　his　hair　singed；　and　choking　with　smoke
and　rage。　He　blasphemed　against　the　gods；　and　threw　himself　amongst
the　assailants；　behind　whom　the　beggars　crawled；　shaking　their
crutches。　Paphnutius　was　soon　enclosed　in　a　circle　of　menacing　fists；
raised　sticks；　and　cries　of　death。

〃To　the　ravens　with　the　monk！　to　the　ravens！〃

〃No；　throw　him　in　the　fire！　Burn　him　alive！〃

Seizing　his　fair　prey；　he　pressed　her　to　his　heart。

〃Impious　men；〃　he　cried　in　a