thais-第25章

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

〃Impious　men；〃　he　cried　in　a　voice　of　thunder；　〃strive　not　to　tear　the
dove　from　the　eagle　of　the　Lord。　But　rather　copy　this　woman；　and　like
she　turn　your　filth　into　gold。　Imitate　her　example；　and　renounce　the
false　wealth　which　you　think　you　hold　and　which　holds　you。　Hasten！　the
day　is　at　hand；　and　divine　patience　begins　to　grow　weary。　Repent；
confess　your　sins；　weep　and　pray。　Walk　in　the　footsteps　of　Thais。　Hate
your　offenses；　which　are　as　great　as　hers。　Which　of　you；　poor　or　rich；
merchants；　soldiers；　slaves　or　eminent　citizens；　would　dare　to　say；
before　God；　that　he　was　better　than　a　prostitute？　You　are　all　nothing
but　living　filth；　and　it　is　by　a　miracle　of　divine　goodness　that　you
do　not　suddenly　turn　into　streams　of　mire。〃

Whilst　he　spoke　flames　shot　from　his　eyes；　an　it　seemed　as　though　live
coals　came　from　his　lips　and　those　who　surrounded　him　were　obliged　to
hear　him　in　spite　of　themselves。

But　old　Taddeus　did　not　remain　idle。　He　picked　up　stones　and　oyster
shells；　which　he　hid　in　the　skirt　of　his　tunic；　and　not　daring　to
throw　them　himself　slipped　them　into　the　hands　of　the　beggars。　Soon
the　stones　began　to　fly；　and　a　well…directed　shell　cut　Paphnutius'
face。　The　blood；　which　flowed　down　the　dark　face　of　the　martyr；
dropped　in　a　new　baptism　on　the　head　of　the　penitent；　and　Thais；　half
stifled　in　the　monk's　embrace　and　her　delicate　skin　scratched　by　the
coarse　cassock；　felt　a　thrill　of　horror　and　fright。

At　that　moment　a　man　elegantly　dressed；　and　with　a　wreath　of　wild
celery　on　his　head；　opened　a　road　for　himself　through　the　furious
crowd；　and　cried

〃Stop！　Stop！　This　monk　is　my　brother！〃

It　was　Nicias；　who；　having　closed　the　eyes　of　the　philosopher
Eucrites；　was　passing　through　the　square　to　return　to　his　house；。　and
saw；　without　very　much　surprise　（for　nothing　astonished　him）；　the
smoking　pile；　Thais　clad　an　a　serge　cassock；　and　Paphnutius　being
stoned。

He　repeated

〃Stop；　I　tell　you；　spare　my　old　fellow…scholar；　respect　the　beloved
head　of　Paphnutius！〃

But；　being　only　used　to　subtle　disquisitions　with　philosophers；　he　did
not　possess　that　imperious　energy　which　commands　vulgar　minds。　He　was
not　listened　to。　A　shower　of　stones　and　shells　fell　on　the　monk；　who；
protecting　Thais　with　his　body；　praised　the　Lord　whose　goodness　turned
his　wounds　into　caresses。　Despairing　of　making　himself　heard；　and
feeling　but　too　sure　that　he　could　not　save　his　friend　either　by　force
or　persuasion；　Nicias　resigned　himself　to　the　will　of　the　godsin
whom　he　had　little　confidencewhen　the　idea　occurred　to　him　to　use　a
stratagem　which　his　contempt　for　men　had　suddenly　suggested　to　him。　He
took　from　his　girdle　his　purse；　which　was　full　of　gold　and　silver；　for
he　was　a　pleasure…loving　and　charitable　man；　and　running　up　to　the　men
who　were　throwing　the　stones；　he　chinked　the　money　in　their　ears。　At
first　they　paid　no　attention　to　him；　their　fury　being　too　great；　but
little　by　little　their　looks　turned　towards　the　chinking　gold；　and
soon　their　arms　dropped　and　no　longer　menaced　their　victim。　Seeing
that　he　had　attracted　their　eyes　and　minds；　Nicias　opened　his　purse
and　threw　some　pieces　of　gold　and　silver　amongst　the　crowd。　The　more
greedy　of　them　stooped　to　pick　it　up。　The　philosopher；　pleased　at　his
first　success；　adroitly　threw　deniers　and　drachmas　here　and　there。　At
the　sound　of　the　pieces　of　money　rattling　on　the　pavement；　the
persecutors　of　Paphnutius　threw　themselves　on　the　ground。　Beggars；
slaves；　and　tradespeople　scrambled　after　the　money；　whilst；　grouped
round　Cerons；　the　patricians　watched　the　struggle　and　laughed
heartily。　Cerons　himself　quite　forgot　his　wrath。　His　friends
encouraged　the　rivals；　chose　competitors；　and　made　bets；　and　urged　on
the　miserable　wretches　as　they　would　have　done　fighting　dogs。　A
cripple　without　legs　having　succeeded　in　seizing　a　drachma；　the
applause　was　frenetic。　The　young　men　themselves　began　to　throw　money；
and　nothing　was　to　be　seen　in　the　square　but　a　multitude　of　backs；
rising　and　falling　like　waves　of　the　sea；　under　a　shower　of　coins。
Paphnutius　was　forgotten。

Nicias　ran　up　to　him；　covered　him　with　his　cloak；　and　dragged　him　and
Thais　into　by…streets　where　they　were　safe　from　pursuit。　They　ran　for
some　time　in　silence；　and　when　they　thought　they　were　out　of　reach　of
their　enemies；　they　ceased　running；　and　Nicias　said；　in　a　tone　of
raillery　in　which　a　little　sadness　was　mingled

〃It　is　finished　then！　Pluto　ravishes　Proserpine；　and　Thais　will　follow
my　fierce…looking　friend　whithersoever　he　will　lead　her。〃

〃It　is　true；　Nicias；〃　replied　Thais；　〃that　I　am　tired　of　living　with
men　like　you；　smiling；　perfumed；　kindly　egoists。　I　am　weary　of　all　I
know；　and　I　am；　therefore；　going　to　seek　the　unknown。　I　have
experienced　joy　that　was　not　joy；　and　here　is　a　man　who　teaches　me
that　sorrow　is　true　joy。　I　believe　him；　for　he　knows　the　truth。〃

〃And　I；　sweetheart；〃　replied　Nicias；　smiling；　〃I　know　the　truths。　He
knows　but　one；　I　know　them　all。　I　am　superior　to　him　in　that　respect；
but　to　tell　the　truth；　it　doesn't　make　me　any　the　prouder　nor　any　the
happier。〃

Then；　seeing　that　the　monk　was　glaring　fiercely　at　him

〃My　dear　Paphnutius；　do　not　imagine　that　I　think　you　extremely　absurd；
or　even　altogether　unreasonable。　And　if　I　were　to　compare　your　life
with　mine；　I　could　not　say　which　is　preferable　in　itself。　I　shall
presently　go　and　take　the　bath　which　Crobyle　and　Myrtale　have　prepared
for　me；　I　shall　eat　the　wing　of　a　Phasian　pheasant；　then　I　shall　read
for　the　hundredth　timesome　fable　by　Apuleius　or　some　treatise　by
Porphyry。　You　will　return　to　your　cell；　where；　leaning　like　a　tame
camel；　you　will　ruminate　onI　know　not　whatformulas　of　incarnations
you　have　long　chewed　and　rechewed；　and　in　the　evening　you　will　swallow
some　radishes　without　any　oil。　Well；　my　dear　friend；　in　accomplishing
these　acts；　so　different　apparently；　we　are　both　obeying　the　same
sentiment；　the　only　motive　for　all　human　actions；　we　are　both　seeking
our　own　pleasure；　and　striving　to　attain　the　same　endhappiness；　the
impossible　happiness。　It　would　be　folly　on　my　part　to　say　you　were
wrong；　dear　friend；　even　though　I　think　myself　in　the　right。

〃And　you；　my　Thais；　go　and　enjoy　yourself；　and　be　more　happy　still；　if
it　be　possible；　in　abstinence　and　austerity　than　you　have　been　in
riches　and　pleasure。　On　the　whole；　I　should　say　you　were　to　be　envied。
For　if　in　our　whole　lives；　Paphnutius　and　I　have　pursued　but　one　kind
of　pleasurable　satisfaction；　you　in　your　life；　dear　Thais；　have　tasted
diverse　joys　such　as　it　is　rarely　given　to　the　same　person　to　know。　I
should　really　like　to　be　for　one　hour；　a　saint　like　our　dear　friend
Paphnutius。　But　that　is　not　possible。　Farewell；　then；　Thais！　Go　where
the　secret　forces　of　nature　and　your　destiny　conduct　you！　Go；　and　take
with　you；　whithersoever　you　go；　the　good　wishes　of　Nicias！　I　know　that
is　mere　foolishness；　but　can　I　give　you　anything　more　than　barren
regrets　and　vain　wishes　in　payment　for　the　delicious　illusions　which
once　enveloped　me　when　I　was　in　your　arms；　and　of　which　only　the
shadow　now　remains　to　me？　Farewell；　my　benefactress！　Farewell；
goodness　that　is　ignorant　of　its　own　existence；　mysterious　virtue；　joy
of　men！　Farewell　to　the　most　adorable　of　the　images　that　nature　has
ever　thrownfor　some　unknown　reasonson　the　face　of　this　deceptive
world！〃

Whilst　he　spoke；　deep　wrath　had　been　brewing　in　the　monk's　heart；　and
it　now　broke　forth　in　imprecations。

〃Avaunt；　cursed　wretch！　I　scorn　thee　and　hate　thee。　Go；　child　of　hell；
a　thousand　times　worse　than　those　poor　lost　ones　who　just　now　threw
stones　and　insults　at　me！　They　knew　not　what　they　did；　and　the　grace
of　God；　which　I　implored　for　them；　may　some　day　descend　into　their
hearts。　But　thou；　detestable　Nicias；　thou　art　but　a　perfidious　venom
and　a　bitter　poison。　Thy　mouth　breathes　despair　and　death。　One　of　thy
smiles　contains　more　blasphemy　than　issues　in　a　century　from　the
smoking　lips　of　Satan。　Avaunt；　backslider！〃

Nicias　looked　at　him。

〃Farewell；　my　brother；〃　he　said；　〃and　may　you　preserve　until　your
life's　end　your　store　of　faith；　hate；　and