thais-第7章

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intention。

〃Do　you　know　Thais；〃　he　said；　〃who　acts　in　the　games　at　the　theatre？〃

〃She　is　beautiful；〃　replied　Nicias；　〃and　there　was　a　time　when　she　was
dear　to　me。　For　her　sake；　I　sold　a　mill　and　two　fields　of　corn；　and　I
composed　in　her　honour　three　books　full　of　detestably　bad　verses。
Surely　beauty　is　the　most　powerful　force　in　the　world；　and　were　we　so
made　that　we　could　possess　it　always；　we　should　care　as　little　as　may
be　for　the　demiurgos；　the　logos；　the　aeons；　and　all　the　other　reveries
of　the　philosophers。　But　I　am　surprised；　my　good　Paphnutius；　that　you
should　have　come　from　the　depths　of　the　Thebaid　to　talk　about　Thais。〃

Having　said　this；　he　sighed　gently。　And　Paphnutius　gazed　at　him　with
horror；　not　conceiving　it　possible　that　a　man　should　so　calmly　avow
such　a　sin。　He　expected　to　see　the　earth　open；　and　Nicias　swallowed　up
in　flames。　But　the　earth　remained　solid；　and　the　Alexandrian　silent；
his　forehead　resting　on　his　hand；　and　he　smiling　sadly　at　the　memories
of　his　past　youth。　The　monk　rose；　and　continued　in　solemn　tones

〃Know　then；　O　Nicias；　that；　with　the　aid　of　God；　I　will　snatch　this
woman　Thais　from　the　unclean　affections　of　the　world；　and　give　her　as
a　spouse　to　Jesus　Christ。　If　the　Holy　Spirit　does　not　forsake　me；
Thais　will　leave　this　city　and　enter　a　nunnery。〃

〃Beware　of　offending　Venus；〃　replied　Nicias。　〃She　is　a　powerful
goddess；　she　will　be　angry　with　you　if　you　take　away　her　chief
minister。〃

〃God　will　protect　me；〃　said　Paphnutius。　〃May　He　also　illumine　thy
heart；　O　Nicias；　and　draw　thee　out　of　the　abyss　in　which　thou　art
plunged。〃

And　he　stalked　out　of　the　room。　But　Nicias　followed　him；　and　overtook
him　on　the　threshold；　and　placing　his　hand　on　his　shoulder　whispered
into　his　ear　the　same　words

〃Beware　of　offending　Venus；　her　vengeance　is　terrible。〃

Paphnutius；　disdainful　of　these　trivial　words；　left　without　turning
his　head。　He　felt　only　contempt　for　Nicias；　but　what　he　could　not　bear
was　the　idea　that　his　former　friend　had　received　the　caresses　of
Thais。　It　seemed　to　him　that　to　sin　with　that　woman　was　more
detestable　than　to　sin　with　any　other。　To　him　this　appeared　the　height
of　iniquity；　and　he　henceforth　looked　upon　Nicias　as　an　object　of
execration。　He　had　always　hated　impurity；　but　never　before　had　this
vice　appeared　so　heinous　to　him；　never　before　had　it　so　seemed　to
merit　the　anger　of　Jesus　Christ　and　the　sorrow　of　the　angels。

He　felt　only　a　more　ardent　desire　to　save　Thais　from　the　Gentiles；　and
that　he　must　hasten　to　see　the　actress　in　order　to　save　her。
Nevertheless；　before　he　could　enter　her　house；　he　must　wait　till　the
heat　of　the　day　was　over；　and　now　the　morning　had　hardly　finished。
Paphnutius　wandered　through　the　most　frequented　streets。　He　had
resolved　to　take　no　food　that　day；　in　order　to　be　the　less　unworthy　of
the　favours　he　had　asked　of　the　Lord。　To　the　great　grief　of　his　soul；
he　dared　not　enter　any　of　the　churches　in　the　city；　because　he　knew
they　were　profaned　by　the　Arians；　who　had　overturned　the　Lord's　table。
For；　in　fact；　these　heretics；　supported　by　the　Emperor　of　the　East；
had　driven　the　patriarch　Athanasius　from　his　episcopate；　and　sown
trouble　and　confusion　among　the　Christians　of　Alexandria。

He　therefore　wandered　about　aimlessly；　sometimes　with　his　eyes　fixed
on　the　ground　in　humility；　and　sometimes　raised　to　heaven　in　ecstasy。
After　some　time；　he　found　himself　on　the　quay。　Before　him　lay　the
harbour；　in　which　were　sheltered　innumerable　ships　and　galleys；　and
beyond　them；　smiling　in　blue　and　silver；　lay　the　perfidious　sea。　A
galley；　which　bore　a　Nereid　at　its　prow；　had　just　weighed　anchor。　The
rowers　sang　as　the　oars　struck　the　water；　and　already　the　white
daughter　of　the　waters；　covered　with　humid　pearls；　showed　no　more　than
a　flying　profile　to　the　monk。　Steered　by　her　pilot；　she　cleared　the
passage　leading　from　the　basin　of　the　Eunostos；　and　gained　the　high
seas；　leaving　a　glittering　trail　behind　her。

〃I　also；〃　thought　Paphnutius；　〃once　desired　to　embark　singing　on　the
ocean　of　the　world。　But　I　soon　saw　my　folly；　and　the　Nereid　did　not
carry　me　away。〃

Lost　in　his　thoughts；　he　sat　down　upon　a　coil　of　rope；　and　went　to
sleep。　During　his　sleep；　he　had　a　vision。　He　seemed　to　hear　the　sound
of　a　clanging　trumpet；　and　the　sky　became　blood　red；　and　he　knew　that
the　day　of　judgment　had　come。　Whilst　he　was　fervently　praying　to　God；
he　saw　an　enormous　monster　coming　towards　him；　bearing　on　its　forehead
a　cross　of　light；　and　he　recognised　the　sphinx　of　Silsile。　The　monster
seized　him　between　its　teeth；　without　hurting　him；　and　carried　him　in
its　mouth；　as　a　cat　carries　a　kitten。　Paphnutius　was　thus　conveyed
across　many　countries；　crossing　rivers　and　traversing　mountains；　and
came　at　last　to　a　desert　place；　covered　with　scowling　rocks　and　hot
cinders。　The　ground　was　rent　in　many　places；　and　through　these
openings　came　a　hot　air。　The　monster　gently　put　Paphnutius　down　on　the
ground；　and　said

〃Look！〃

And　Paphnutius；　leaning　over　the　edge　of　the　abyss；　saw　a　river　of
fire　which　flowed　in　the　interior　of　the　earth；　between　two　cliffs　of
black　rocks。　There；　in　a　livid　light；　the　demons　tormented　the　souls
of　the　damned。　The　souls　preserved　the　appearance　of　the　bodies　which
had　held　them；　and　even　wore　some　rags　of　clothing。　These　souls　seemed
peaceful　in　the　midst　of　their　torments。　One　of　them；　tall　and　white；
his　eyes　closed；　a　white　fillet　across　his　forehead；　and　a　sceptre　in
his　hand；　sang；　his　voice　filled　the　desert　shores　with　harmony；　he
sang　of　gods　and　heroes。　Little　green　devils　pierced　his　lips　and
throat　with　red…hot　irons。　And　the　shade　of　Homer　still　sang。　Near　by；
old　Anaxagoras；　bald　and　hoary；　traced　figures　in　the　dust　with　a
compass。　A　demon　poured　boiling　oil　into　his　ear；　yet　failed；　however；
to　disturb　the　sage's　meditations。　And　the　monk　saw　many　other
persons；　who；　on　the　dark　shore　by　the　side　of　the　burning　river；
read；　or　quietly　meditated；　or　conversed　with　other　spirits　while
walking；like　the　sages　and　pupils　under　the　shadow　of　the　sycamore
trees　of　Academe。　Old　Timocles　alone　had　withdrawn　from　the　others；
and　shook　his　head　like　a　man　who　denies。　One　of　the　demons　of　the
abyss　shook　a　torch　before　his　eyes；　but　Timocles　would　see　neither
the　demon　nor　the　torch。

Mute　with　surprise　at　this　spectacle；　Paphnutius　turned　to　the
monster。　It　had　disappeared；　and；　in　place　of　the　sphinx；　the　monk　saw
a　veiled　woman；　who　said

〃Look　and　understand。　Such　is　the　obstinacy　of　these　infidels；　that；
even　in　hell；　they　remain　victims　of　the　illusions　which　deluded　them
when　on　earth。　Death　has　not　undeceived　them；　for　it　is　very　plain
that　it　does　not　suffice　merely　to　die　in　order　to　see　God。　Those　who
are　ignorant　of　the　truth　whilst　living；　will　be　ignorant　of　it
always。　The　demons　which　are　busy　torturing　these　souls；　what　are　they
but　agents　of　divine　justice？　That　is　why　these　souls　neither　see　them
nor　feel　them。　They　were　ignorant　of　the　truth；　and　therefore　unaware
of　their　own　condemnation；　and　God　Himself　cannot　compel　them　to
suffer。

〃God　can　do　all　things；〃　said　the　Abbot　of　Antinoe。

〃He　cannot　do　that　which　is　absurd；〃　replied　the　veiled　woman。　〃To
punish　them；　they　must　first　be　enlightened；　and　if　they　possessed　the
truth；　they　would　be　like　unto　the　elect。〃

Vexed　and　horrified；　Paphnutius　again　bent　over　the　edge　of　the　abyss。
He　saw　the　shade　of　Nicias　smiling；　with　a　wreath　of　flowers　on　his
head；　sitting　under　a　burnt　myrtle　tree。　By　his　side　was　Aspasia　of
Miletus；　gracefully　draped　in　a　woollen　cloak；　and　they　seemed　to　talk
together　of　love　and　philosophy；　the　expression　of　her　face　was　sweet
and　noble。　The　rain　of　fire　which　fell　on　them　was　as　a　refreshing
dew；　and　their　feet　pressed　the　burning　soil　as　though　it　had　been
tender　grass。　At　this　sight　Paphnutius　was　filled　with　fury。

〃Strike　him；　O　God！　strike　him！〃　he　cried。　〃It　is　Nicias！　Let　him
weep！　let　him　groan！　let　him　grind　his　teeth！　He　sinned　with　Thais！〃

And　Paphnutius　woke　in　the　arms　of　a　sailor；　as　strong　as　Hercules；
who　cried

〃Quietly！　quietly！　my　friend！　By　Proteus；　the　old　shepherd　of　the
seals；　you　slumber