thais-第33章

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He　struck　his　forehead　against　the　pavement；　and　uttered　a　cry　of
terror。　And　every　night　the　player　of　the　theorbo　left　the　wall；
approached　him；　and　spoke　in　a　clear　voice　mingled　with　soft
breathing。　And　as　the　holy　man　resisted　the　temptations　she　gave　him；
she　said　to　him

〃Love　me；　yield；　friend。　As　long　as　you　resist　me　I　shall　torment　you。
You　do　not　know　what　the　patience　of　a　dead　woman　is。　I　shall　wait；　if
necessary；　till　you　are　dead。　Being　a　sorceress；　I　shall　put　into　your
lifeless　body　a　spirit　who　will　reanimate　it；　and　who　will　not　refuse
me　what　I　have　asked　in　vain　of　you。　And　think；　Paphnutius；　what　a
strange　situation　when　your　blessed　soul　sees；　from　the　height　of
heaven；　its　own　body　given　up　to　sin。　God；　who　has　promised　to　return
you　this　body　after　the　day　of　judgment　and　the　end　of　time；　will
Himself　be　much　puzzled。　How　can　He　place　in　celestial　glory　a　human
form　inhabited　by　a　devil；　and　guarded　by　a　sorceress？　You　have　not
thought　of　that　difficulty。　Nor　God　either；　perhaps。　Between
ourselves；　He　is　not　very　knowing。　Any　ordinary　magician　can　easily
deceive　Him；　and　if　He　had　not　His　thunder；　and　the　cataracts　of
heaven；　the　village　urchins　would　pull　His　beard。　He　has　certainly　not
as　much　sense　as　the　old　serpent；　His　adversary。　He；　indeed；　is　a
wonderful　artist。　If　I　am　so　beautiful；　it　is　because　he　adorned　me
with　all　my　attractions。　It　was　he　who　taught　me　how　to　braid　my　hair；
and　to　make　for　myself　rosy　fingers　with　agate　nails。　You　have
misunderstood　him。　When　you　came　to　live　in　this　tomb；　you　drove　out
with　your　feet　the　serpents　which　were　here；　without　troubling
yourself　to　know　whether　they　were　of　his　family；　and　you　crushed
their　eggs。　I　am　afraid；　my　poor　friend；　you　will　have　a　troublesome
business　on　your　hands。　You　were　warned；　however；　that　he　was　a
musician　and　a　lover。　What　have　you　done？　You　have　quarrelled　with
science　and　beauty。　You　are　altogether　miserable；　and　Iaveh　does　not
come　to　your　help。　It　is　not　probable　that　he　will　come。　Being　as
great　as　all　things；　he　cannot　move　for　want　of　space；　and　if；　by　an
impossibility；　he　made　the　least　movement；　all　creation　would　be
pushed　out　of　place。　My　handsome　hermit；　give　me　a　kiss。〃

Paphnutius　was　aware　that　great　prodigies　are　performed　by　magic　arts。
He　thoughtnot　without　much　uneasiness

〃Perhaps　the　dead　man　buried　at　my　feet　knows　the　words　written　in
that　mysterious　book　which　exists　hidden；　not　far　from　here；　at　the
bottom　of　a　royal　tomb。　By　virtue　of　these　words；　the　dead；　taking　the
form　which　they　had　upon　earth；　see　the　light　of　the　sun　and　the
smiles　of　women。〃

His　chief　fear　was　that　the　girl　with　the　theorbo　and　the　dead　man
might　come　together；　as　they　did　in　their　lifetime；　and　that　he　should
see　them　unite。　Sometimes　he　thought　he　heard　the　sound　of　kissing。

He　was　troubled　in　his　mind；　and　now；　in　the　absence　of　God　he　feared
to　think　as　much　as　to　feel。　One　evening；　when　he　was　kneeling
prostrate　according　to　his　custom；　an　unknown　voice　said　to　him

〃Paphnutius；　there　are　on　earth　more　people　than　you　imagine；　and　if　I
were　to　show　you　what　I　have　seen；　you　would　die　of　astonishment。
There　are　men　with　a　single　eye　in　the　middle　of　their　forehead。　There
are　men　who　have　but　one　leg；　and　advance　by　jumps。　There　are　men　who
change　their　sex；　and　the　females　become　males。　There　are　men…trees；
who　shoot　out　roots　in　the　ground。　And　there　are　men　with　no　head；
with　two　eyes；　a　nose；　and　a　mouth　in　their　breast。　Can　you　honestly
believe　that　Jesus　Christ　died　for　the　salvation　of　these　men？〃

Another　time　he　had　a　vision。　He　saw；　in　a　strong　light；　a　broad　road；
rivulets；　and　gardens。　On　the　road；　Aristobulus　and　Chereas　passed　at
a　gallop　on　their　Syrian　horses；　and　the　joyous　ardour　of　the　race
reddened　the　cheeks　of　the　two　young　men。　Beneath　a　portico；
Callicrates　recited　his　verses；　satisfied　pride　trembled　in　his　voice
and　shone　in　his　eyes。　In　the　garden；　Zenothemis　picked　apples　of
gold；　and　caressed　a　serpent　with　azure　wings。　Clad　in　white；　and
wearing　a　shining　mitre；　Hermodorus　meditated　beneath　a　sacred　persea；
which　bore；　instead　of　flowers；　small　heads　of　pure　profile；　wearing；
like　the　Egyptian　goddesses；　vultures；　hawks；　or　the　shining　disk　of
the　moon；　whilst　in　the　background；　by　the　side　of　a　fountain；　Nicias
studied；　on　an　armillary　sphere；　the　harmonious　movements　of　the
stars。

Then　a　veiled　woman　approached　the　monk；　holding　in　her　hand　a　branch
of　myrtle。　She　said　to　him

〃Look！　Some　seek　eternal　beauty；　and　place　their　ephemeral　life　in　the
infinite。　Others　live　without　much　thought。　But　by　that　alone　they
submit　to　fair　Nature；　and　they　are　happy　and　beautiful　in　the　joy　of
living　only；　and　give　glory　to　the　supreme　artist　of　all　things；　for
man　is　a　noble　hymn　to　God。　All　think　that　happiness　is　innocent；　and
that　pleasure　is　permitted　to　man。　Paphnutius；　if　they　are　right；　what
a　dupe　you　have　been！〃

And　the　vision　vanished。

Thus　was　Paphnutius　tempted　unceasingly　in　body　and　mind。　Satan　never
gave　him　a　minute's　repose。　The　solitude　of　the　tomb　was　more　peopled
than　the　streets　of　a　great　city。　The　devils　shouted　with　laughter；
and　millions　of　imps；　evil　genii；　and　phantoms　imitated　all　the
ordinary　transactions　of　life。　In　the　evening；　when　he　went　to　the
spring；　satyrs　and　nymphs　capered　round　him；　and　tried　to　drag　him
into　their　lascivious　dances。　The　demons　no　longer　feared　him。　They
loaded　him　with　insults；　obscene　jests；　and　blows。　One　day　a　devil；　no
longer　than　his　arm；　stole　the　cord　he　wore　round　his　waist。

He　said　to　himself

〃Thought；　whither　hast　thou　led　me？〃

And　he　resolved　to　work　with　his　hands；　in　order　to　give　his　mind　that
rest　of　which　it　had　need。　Near　the　spring；　some　banana　trees；　with
large　leaves；　grew　under　the　shade　of　the　palms。　He　cut　the　stalks；
and　carried　them　to　the　tomb。　He　crushed　them　with　a　stone；　and
reduced　them　to　fibres；　as　he　had　seen　ropemakers　do。　For　he　intended
to　make　a　cord；　to　replace　that　which　the　devil　had　stolen。　The　demons
were　somewhat　displeased　at　this；　they　ceased　their　clamour；　and　the
girl　with　the　theorbo　no　longer　continued　her　magic　arts；　but　remained
quietly　on　the　wall。　The　courage　and　faith　of　Paphnutius　increased
whilst　he　pounded　the　banana　stems。

〃With　Heaven's　help；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　shall　subdue　the　flesh。
As　to　my　soul；　its　confidence　is　still　unshaken。　In　vain　do　the
devils；　and　that　accursed　woman；　try　to　instil　into　my　mind　doubts　as
to　the　nature　of　God。　I　will　reply　to　them；　by　the　mouth　of　the
Apostle　John；　'In　the　beginning　was　the　Word；　and　the　Word　was　God。'
That　I　firmly　believe；　and　that　which　I　believe　is　absurd；　I　believe
still　more　firmly。　In　fact　it　should　be　absurd。　If　it　were　not　so；　I
should　not　believe；　I　should　know。　And　it　is　not　that　which　we　know
which　gives　eternal　life；　it　is　faith　only　that　saves。〃

He　exposed　the　separated　fibres　to　the　sun　and　the　dew；　and　every
morning　he　took　care　to　turn　them；　to　prevent　them　rotting；　and　he
rejoiced　to　find　that　he　had　become　as　simple　as　a　child。　When　he　had
twisted　his　cord；　he　cut　reeds　to　make　mats　and　baskets。　The
sepulchral　chamber　resembled　a　basket…maker's　workshop；　and　Paphnutius
could　pass　without　difficulty　from　work　to　prayer。　Yet　still　God　was
not　merciful　to　him；　for　one　night　he　was　awakened　by　a　voice　which
froze　him　with　horror；　for　he　guessed　that　it　was　the　voice　of　the
dead　man。

The　voice　called　quickly；　in　a　light　whisper

〃Helen！　Helen！　come　and　bathe　with　me！　come　quickly！〃

A　woman；　whose　mouth　was　close　to　the　monk's　ear；　replied

〃Friend；　I　cannot　rise；　a　man　is　lying　on　me。〃

Paphnutius　suddenly　perceived　that　his　cheek　rested　on　a　woman's
breast。　He　recognised　the　player　of　the　theorbo；　who；　partly　relieved
of　his　weight；　raised　her　breast。　He　clung　tightly　to　the　sweet；　warm；
perfumed　body；　and　consumed　with　the　desire　of　damnation；　he　cried

〃Stay；　stay；　my　heavenly　one！〃

But　she　was　already　standing　on　the　threshold。　She　laughed；　and　her
smile　gleamed　in　the　silver　rays　of　the　moon。

〃Why　should　I　stay？〃　she　said。　〃The　shadow　of　a　shadow　is　enough　for