thais-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


saw　a　man　seated；　with　his　legs　crossed；　by　the　side　of　the　river。　The
man　was　naked；　his　hair　and　beard　were　quite　white；　and　his　body
redder　than　brick。　Paphnutius　felt　sure　this　must　be　the　hermit。　He
saluted　him　with　the　words　the　monks　are　accustomed　to　use　when　they
meet　each　other。

〃Peace　be　with　you；　brother！　May　you　some　day　taste　the　sweet　joys　of
paradise。〃

The　man　did　not　reply。　He　remained　motionless；　and　appeared　not　to
have　heard。　Paphnutius　supposed　this　was　due　to　one　of　those
rhapsodies　to　which　the　saints　are　accustomed。　He　knelt　down；　with　his
hands　joined；　by　the　side　of　the　unknown；　and　remained　thus　in　prayer
till　sunset。　Then；　seeing　that　his　companion　had　not　moved；　he　said　to
him

〃Father；　if　you　are　now　out　of　the　ecstasy　in　which　you　were　lost；
give　me　your　blessing　in　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ。〃

The　other　replied　without　turning　his　head

〃Stranger；　I　understand　you　not；　and　I　know　not　the　Lord　Jesus
Christ。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Paphnutius。　〃The　prophets　have　announced　Him；　legions　of
martyrs　have　confessed　His　name；　Caesar　himself　has　worshipped　Him；
and；　but　just　now；　I　made　the　sphinx　of　Silsile　proclaim　His　glory。　Is
it　possible　that　you　do　not　know　Him？〃

〃Friend；〃　replied　the　other；　〃it　is　possible。　It　would　even　be
certain；　if　anything　in　this　world　were　certain。〃

Paphnutius　was　surprised　and　saddened　by　the　incredible　ignorance　of
the　man。

〃If　you　know　not　Jesus　Christ；〃　he　said；　〃all　your　works　serve　no
purpose；　and　you　will　never　rise　to　life　immortal。〃

The　old　man　replied

〃It　is　useless　to　act；　or　to　abstain　from　acting。　It　matters　not
whether　we　live　or　die。〃

〃Eh；　what？〃　asked　Paphnutius。　〃Do　you　not　desire　to　live　through　all
eternity？　But；　tell　me；　do　you　not　live　in　a　hut　in　the　desert　as　the
hermits　do？〃

〃It　seems　so。〃

〃Do　I　not　see　you　naked；　and　lacking　all　things？〃

〃It　seems　so。〃

〃Do　you　not　feed　on　roots；　and　live　in　chastity？〃

〃It　seems　so。〃

〃Have　you　not　renounced　all　the　vanities　of　this　world？〃

〃I　have　truly　renounced　all　those　vain　things　for　which　men　commonly
care。〃

〃Then　you　are　like　me；　poor；　chaste；　and　solitary。　And　you　are　not　so
as　I　amfor　the　love　of　God；　and　with　a　hope　of　celestial
happiness！　That　I　cannot　understand。　Why　are　you　virtuous　if　you　do
not　believe　in　Jesus　Christ？　Why　deprive　yourself　of　the　good　things
of　this　world　if　you　do　not　hope　to　gain　eternal　riches　in　heaven？〃

〃Stranger；　I　deprive　myself　of　nothing　which　is　good；　and　I　flatter
myself　that　I　have　found　a　life　which　is　satisfactory　enough；　though
to　speak　more　preciselythere　is　no　such　thing　as　a　good　or　evil
life。　Nothing　is　itself；　either　virtuous　or　shameful；　just　or　unjust；
pleasant　or　painful；　good　or　bad。　It　is　our　opinion　which　gives　those
qualities　to　things；　as　salt　gives　savour　to　meats。〃

〃So　then；　according　to　you　there　is　no　certainty。　You　deny　the　truth
which　the　idolaters　themselves　have　sought。　You　lie　in　ignorancelike
a　tired　dog　sleeping　in　the　mud。〃

〃Stranger；　it　is　equally　useless　to　abuse　either　dogs　or　philosophers。
We　know　not　what　dogs　are　or　what　we　are。　We　know　nothing。〃

〃Old　man；　do　you　belong；　then；　to　the　absurd　sect　of　sceptics？　Are　you
one　of　those　miserable　fools　who　alike　deny　movement　and　rest；　and　who
know　not　how　to　distinguish　between　the　light　of　the　sun　and　the
shadows　of　night？〃

〃Friend；　I　am　truly　a　sceptic；　and　of　a　sect　which　appears
praiseworthy　to　me；　though　it　seems　ridiculous　to　you。　For　the　same
things　often　assume　different　appearances。　The　pyramids　of　Memphis
seem　at　sunrise　to　be　cones　of　pink　light。　At　sunset　they　look　like
black　triangles　against　the　illuminated　sky。　But　who　shall　solve　the
problem　of　their　true　nature？　You　reproach　me　with　denying
appearances；　when；　in　fact；　appearances　are　the　only　realities　I
recognise。　The　sun　seems　to　me　illuminous；　but　its　nature　is　unknown
to　me。　I　feel　that　fire　burnsbut　I　know　not　how　or　why。　My　friend；
you　understand　me　badly。　Besides；　it　is　indifferent　to　me　whether　I　am
understood　one　way　or　the　other。〃

〃Once　more。　Why　do　you　live　on　dates　and　onions　in　the　desert？　Why　do
you　endure　great　hardships？　I　endure　hardships　equally　great；　and；
like　you；　I　live　in　abstinence　and　solitude。　But　then　it　is　to　please
God；　and　to　earn　eternal　happiness。　And　that　is　a　reasonable　object；
for　it　is　wise　to　suffer　now　for　a　future　gain。　It　is　senseless；　on
the　contrary；　to　expose　yourself　voluntarily　to　useless　fatigue　and
vain　sufferings。　If　I　did　not　believepardon　my　blasphemy；　O
uncreated　Light！if　I　did　not　believe　in　the　truth　of　that　which　God
has　taught　us　by　the　voice　of　the　prophets；　by　the　example　of　His　Son；
by　the　acts　of　the　Apostles；　by　the　authority　of　councils；　and　by　the
testimony　of　the　martyrs；if　I　did　not　know　that　the　sufferings　of
the　body　are　necessary　for　the　salvation　of　the　soulif　I　were；　like
thee；　lost　in　ignorance　of　sacred　mysteriesI　would　return　at　once
amongst　the　men　of　this　day；　I　would　strive　to　acquire　riches；　that　I
might　live　in　ease；　like　those　who　are　happy　in　this　world；　and　I
would　say　to　the　votaries　of　pleasure；　'Come；　my　daughters；　come；　my
servants；　come　and　pour　out　for　me　your　wines；　your　philtres；　your
perfumes。'　But　you；　foolish　old　man！　you　deprive　yourself　of　all　these
advantages；　you　lose　without　hope　of　any　gain；　you　give　without　hope
of　any　return；　and　you　imitate　foolishly　the　noble　deeds　of　us
anchorites；　as　an　impudent　monkey　thinks；　by　smearing　a　wall；　to　copy
the　picture　of　a　clever　artist。　What；　then；　are　your　reasons；　O　most
besotted　of　men？〃

Paphnutius　spoke　with　violence　and　indignation；　but　the　old　man
remained　unmoved。

〃Friend；〃　he　replied；　gently；　〃what　matter　the　reasons　of　a　dog
sleeping　in　the　dirt　or　a　mischievous　ape？〃

Paphnutius'　only　aim　was　the　glory　of　God。　His　anger　vanished；　and　he
apologised　with　noble　humility。

〃Pardon　me；　old　man；　my　brother；〃　he　said；　〃if　zeal　for　the　truth　has
carried　me　beyond　proper　bounds。　God　is　my　witness；　that　it　is　thy
errors　and　not　thyself　that　I　hate。　I　suffer　to　see　thee　in　darkness；
for　I　love　thee　in　Jesus　Christ；　and　care　for　thy　salvation　fills　my
heart。　Speak！　give　me　your　reasons。　I　long　to　know　them　that　I　may
refute　them。〃

The　old　man　replied　quietly

〃It　is　the　same　to　me　whether　I　speak　or　remain　silent。　I　will　give　my
reasons　without　asking　yours　in　return；　for　I　have　no　interest　in　you
at　all。　I　care　neither　for　your　happiness　nor　your　misfortune；　and　it
matters　not　to　me　whether　you　think　one　way　or　another。　Why　should　I
love　you；　or　hate　you？　Aversion　and　sympathy　are　equally　unworthy　of
the　wise　man。　But　since　you　question　me；　know　then　that　I　am　named
Timocles；　and　that　I　was　born　at　Cos；　of　parents　made　rich　by
commerce。　My　father　was　a　shipowner。　In　intelligence　he　much　resembled
Alexander；　who　is　surnamed　the　Great。　But　he　was　not　so　gross。　In
short；　he　was　a　man　of　no　great　parts。　I　had　two　brothers；　who；　like
him；　were　shipowners。　As　for　me；　I　followed　wisdom。　My　eldest　brother
was　compelled　by　my　father　to　marry　a　Carian　woman；　named　Timaessa；
who　displeased　him　so　greatly　that　he　could　not　live　with　her　without
falling　into　a　deep　melancholy。　However；　Timaessa　inspired　our　younger
brother　with　a　criminal　passion；　and　this　passion　soon　turned　to　a
furious　madness。　The　Carian　woman　hated　them　both　equally；　but　she
loved　a　flute…player；　and　received　him　at　night　in　her　chamber。　One
morning　he　left　there　the　wreath　which　he　usually　wore　at　feasts。　My
two　brothers；　having　found　this　wreath；　swore　to　kill　the　flute…
player；　and　the　next　day　they　caused　him　to　perish　under　the　lash；　in
spite　of　his　tears　and　prayers。　My　sister…in…law　felt　such　grief　that
she　lost　her　reason；　and　these　three　poor　wretches　became　beasts
rather　than　human　beings；　and　wandered　insane　along　the　shores　of　Cos；
howling　like　wolves　and　foaming　at　the　mouth；　and　hooted　at　by　the
children；　who　threw　shells　and　stones　at　them。　They　died；　and　my
father　buried　them　with　his　own　hands。　A　little　later　his　stomach
refused　all　nourishment；　and　he　died　of　hunger；　though　he　was　rich
enough　to　have　bought　all　the　meats　and　fruits　in　the　markets　of　As