thais-第29章

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Paul。　Bless　you。　Farewell。〃

As　he　strode　away；　they　remained　prostrate　on　the　ground；　and　when
they　raised　their　heads；　they　saw　his　tall　dark　figure　on　the　sandy
horizon。

He　walked　day　and　night　until　he　reached　the　ruins　of　the　temple；
formerly　built　by　the　idolaters；　in　which　he　had　slept　amongst　the
scorpions　and　sirens　on　his　former　strange　journey。　The　walls；　covered
with　magic　signs；　were　still　standing。　Thirty　immense　columns；　which
terminated　in　human　heads　or　lotus　flowers；　still　supported　a　heavy
stone　entablature。　But；　at　one　end　of　the　temple；　a　pillar　had　shaken
off　its　old　burden；　and　stood　isolated。　It　had　for　its　capital　the
head　of　a　woman　which　smiled；　with　long　eyes　and　rounded　cheeks；　and
on　her　forehead　cow's　horns。

Paphnutius；　on　seeing　it；　recognised　the　column　which　had　been　shown
him　in　his　dream；　and　he　calculated　that　it　was　thirty…two　cubits
high。　He　went　to　the　neighbouring　village；　and　ordered　a　ladder　of
that　height　to　be　made；　and　when　the　ladder　was　placed　against　the
pillar；　he　ascended；　knelt　down　on　the　top；　and　said　to　the　Lord

〃Here；　then；　O　God；　is　the　abode　Thou　hast　chosen　for　me。　May　I　remain
here；　in　Thy　Grace；　until　the　hour　of　my　death。〃

He　had　brought　no　provisions　with　him；　trusting　in　divine　providence；
and　expecting　that　charitable　peasants　would　give　him　all　that　he
needed。　And；　in　fact；　the　next　day；　about　the　ninth　hour；　women　came
with　their　children；　bringing　bread；　dates；　and　fresh　water；　which　the
boys　carried　to　the　top　of　the　column。

The　top　of　the　pillar　was　not　large　enough　to　allow　the　monk　to　lie　at
full　length；　so　that　he　slept　with　his　legs　crossed　and　his　head　on
his　breast；　and　sleep　was　a　more　cruel　torture　to　him　than　his　wakeful
hours。　At　dawn　the　ospreys　brushed　him　with　their　wings；　and　he　awoke
filled　with　pain　and　terror。

It　happened　that　the　carpenter　who　had　made　the　ladder　feared　God。
Disturbed　at　the　thought　that　the　saint　was　exposed　to　the　sun　and
rain；　and　fearing　that　he　might　fall　in　his　sleep；　this　pious　man
constructed　a　roof　and　a　railing　on　the　top　of　the　column。

Soon　the　report　of　this　extraordinary　existence　spread　from　village　to
village；　and　the　labourers　of　the　valley　came　on　Sundays；　with　their
wives　and　children；　to　look　at　the　stylite。　The　disciples　of
Paphnutius；　having　learned　with　surprise　the　place　of　this　wonderful
retreat；　came　to　him；　and　obtained　from　him　permission　to　build　their
huts　at　the　foot　of　the　column。　Every　morning　they　came　and　stood　in　a
circle　round　the　master；　and　received　from　him　the　words　of
instruction。

〃My　sons；〃　he　said　to　them；　〃continue　like　those　little　children　whom
Jesus　loved。　That　is　the　way　of　salvation。　The　sin　of　the　flesh　is　the
source　and　origin　of　all　sins；　they　spring　from　it　as　from　a　parent。
Pride；　avarice；　idleness；　anger；　and　envy　are　its　dearly　beloved
progeny。　I　have　seen　this　in　Alexandria；　I　have　seen　rich　men　carried
away　by　the　vice　of　lust；　which；　like　a　river　with　a　turbid　flood；
swept　them　into　the　gulf　of　bitterness。〃

The　abbots　Ephrem　and　Serapion；　being　informed　of　his　strange
proceeding；　wished　to　behold　him　with　their　own　eyes。　Seeing　from
afar；　on　the　river；　the　triangular　sail　which　was　bringing　them　to
him；　Paphnutius　could　not　prevent　himself　from　thinking　that　God　had
made　him　an　example　to　all　solitary　monks。　The　two　abbots；　when　they
saw　him；　did　not　conceal　their　surprise；　and；　having　consulted
together；　they　agreed　in　condemning　such　an　extraordinary　penance；　and
exhorted　Paphnutius　to　come　down。

〃Such　a　mode　of　life　is　contrary　to　all　usage；〃　they　said；　〃it　is
peculiar；　and　against　all　rules。〃

But　Paphnutius　replied

〃What　is　the　monastic　life　if　not　peculiar？　And　ought　not　the　deeds　of
a　monk　to　be　as　eccentric　as　he　is　himself？　It　was　a　sign　from　God
that　caused　me　to　ascend　here；　it　is　a　sign　from　God　that　will　make　me
descend。〃

Every　day　religious　men　came　to　join　the　disciples　of　Paphnutius；　and
they　built　for　themselves　shelters　round　the　aerial　hermitage。　Several
of　them；　to　imitate　the　saint；　mounted　the　ruins　of　the　temple；　but；
being　reproved　by　their　brethren；　and　conquered　by　fatigue；　they　soon
gave　up　these　attempts。

Pilgrims　flocked　from　all　parts。　There　were　some　who　had　come　long
distances；　and　were　hungry　and　thirsty。　The　idea　occurred　to　a　poor
widow　of　selling　fresh　water　and　melons。　Against　the　foot　of　the
column；　behind　her　bottles　of　red　clay；　her　cups　and　her　fruit　under
an　awning　of　blue…and…white　striped　canvas；　she　cried；　〃Who　wants　to
drink？〃　Following　the　example　of　this　widow；　a　baker　brought　some
bricks　and　made　an　oven　close　by；　in　the　hope　of　selling　loaves　and
cakes　to　visitors。　As　the　crowd　of　visitors　increased　unceasingly；　and
the　inhabitants　of　the　large　cities　of　Egypt　began　to　come；　some　man；
greedy　of　gain；　built　a　caravanserai　to　lodge　the　guests　and　their
servants；　camels；　and　mules。　Soon　there　was；　in　front　of　the　column；　a
market　to　which　the　fishermen　of　the　Nile　brought　their　fish；　and　the
gardeners　their　vegetables。　A　barber；　who　shaved　people　in　the　open
air；　amused　the　crowd　with　his　jokes。　The　old　temple；　so　long　given
over　to　silence　and　solitude　was　filled　with　countless　sights　and
sounds　of　life。　The　innkeepers　turned　the　subterranean　vaults　into
cellars　and　nailed　on　the　old　pillars　signs　surmounted　by　the　figure
of　the　holy　Paphnutius；　and　bearing　this　inscription　in　Greek　and
Egyptian〃/Pomegranate　wine；　fig　wine；　and　genuine　Cilician　beer　sold
here/。〃　On　the　walls；　sculptured　with　pure　and　graceful　carvings；　the
shop…keepers　hung　ropes　of　onions；　and　smoked　fish；　dead　hares；　and
the　carcases　of　sheep。　In　the　evening；　the　old　occupants　of　the　ruins；
the　rats；　scuttled　in　a　long　row　to　the　river；　whilst　the　ibises；
suspiciously　craning　their　necks；　perched　on　the　high　cornices；　to
which　rose　the　smoke　of　the　kitchens；　the　shouts　of　the　drinkers；　and
the　cries　of　the　tapsters。　All　around；　builders　laid　out　streets；　and
masons　constructed　convents；　chapels；　and　churches。　By　the　end　of　six
months　a　city　was　established　with　a　guardhouse；　a　tribunal；　a　prison；
and　a　school；　kept　by　an　old　blind　scribe。

The　pilgrims　were　innumerable。　Bishops　and　other　Church　dignitaries；
came；　full　of　admiration。　The　Patriarch　of　Antioch；　who　chanced　to　be
in　Egypt　at　that　time；　came　with　all　his　clergy。　He　highly　approved　of
the　extraordinary　conduct　of　the　stylite；　and　the　heads　of　the　Libyan
Church　followed；　in　the　absence　of　Athanasius；　the　opinion　of　the
Patriarch。　Having　learned　which；　Abbots　Ephrem　and　Serapion　came　to
the　feet　of　Paphnutius　to　apologise　for　their　former　mistrust。
Paphnutius　replied

〃Know；　my　brothers；　that　the　penance　I　endure　is　barely　equal　to　the
temptations　which　are　sent　me；　the　number　and　force　of　which　astound
me。　A　man；　viewed　externally；　is　but　small；　and；　from　the　height　of
the　pillar　to　which　God　has　called　me；　I　see　human　beings　moving　about
like　ants。　But；　considered　internally；　man　is　immense；　he　is　as　large
as　the　world；　for　he　contains　it。　All　that　is　spread　before　methese
monasteries；　these　inns；　the　boats　on　the　river；　the　villages；　and
what　I　see　in　the　distance　of　fields；　canals；　sand；　and　mountainsis
nothing　in　respect　to　what　is　in　me。　I　carry　in　my　heart　countless
cities　and　illimitable　deserts。　And　evilevil　and　deathspread　over
this　immensity；　cover　them　all；　as　night　covers　the　earth。　I　am；　in
myself　alone；　a　universe　of　evil　thoughts。〃

He　spoke　thus　because　the　desire　for　woman　was　in　him。

The　seventh　month；　there　came　from　Alexandria；　Bubastis　and　Sais；
women　who　had　long　been　barren；　hoping　to　obtain　children　by　the
intercession　of　the　holy　man　and　the　virtues　of　his　pillar。　They
rubbed　their　sterile　bodies　against　the　stone。　There　followed　a
procession；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　of　chariots；　palanquins；
and　litters；　which　stopped　and　pushed　and　jostled　below　the　man　of
God。　From　them　came　sick　people　terrible　to　see。　Mothers　brought　to
Paphnutius　young　boys　whose　limbs　were　twisted；　their　eyes　starting；
their　mouth　foaming；　their　voices　hoarse。　He　laid　his　hands　upon　them。
Blind　men　approached；　groping　with　their　hands；