louis lambert-第20章
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became adapted to the imaginations of various races in the lands
they reached by the agency of certain sages whom men elevated to
be demi…godsMithra； Bacchus； Hermes； Hercules； and the rest
Buddha； the great reformer of the three primeval religions； lived
in India； and founded his Church there； a sect which still numbers
two hundred millions more believers than Christianity can show；
while it certainly influenced the powerful Will both of Jesus and
of Confucius。
〃Then Christianity raised her standard。 Subsequently Mahomet fused
Judaism and Christianity； the Bible and the Gospel； in one book；
the Koran； adapting them to the apprehension of the Arab race。
Finally； Swedenborg borrowed from Magianism； Brahmanism； Buddhism；
and Christian mysticism all the truth and divine beauty that those
four great religious books hold in common； and added to them a
doctrine； a basis of reasoning； that may be termed mathematical。
〃Any man who plunges into these religious waters； of which the
sources are not all known； will find proofs that Zoroaster； Moses；
Buddha； Confucius； Jesus Christ； and Swedenborg had identical
principles and aimed at identical ends。
〃The last of them all； Swedenborg； will perhaps be the Buddha of
the North。 Obscure and diffuse as his writings are； we find in
them the elements of a magnificent conception of society。 His
Theocracy is sublime； and his creed is the only acceptable one to
superior souls。 He alone brings man into immediate communion with
God； he gives a thirst for God； he has freed the majesty of God
from the trappings in which other human dogmas have disguised Him。
He left Him where He is； making His myriad creations and creatures
gravitate towards Him through successive transformations which
promise a more immediate and more natural future than the Catholic
idea of Eternity。 Swedenborg has absolved God from the reproach
attaching to Him in the estimation of tender souls for the
perpetuity of revenge to punish the sin of a momenta system of
injustice and cruelty。
〃Each man may know for himself what hope he has of life eternal；
and whether this world has any rational sense。 I mean to make the
attempt。 And this attempt may save the world； just as much as the
cross at Jerusalem or the sword at Mecca。 These were both the
offspring of the desert。 Of the thirty…three years of Christ's
life； we only know the history of nine； His life of seclusion
prepared Him for His life of glory。 And I too crave for the
desert！〃
Notwithstanding the difficulties of the task； I have felt it my duty
to depict Lambert's boyhood； the unknown life to which I owe the only
happy hours； the only pleasant memories； of my early days。 Excepting
during those two years I had nothing but annoyances and weariness。
Though some happiness was mine at a later time； it was always
incomplete。
I have been diffuse； I know； but in default of entering into the whole
wide heart and brain of Louis Lamberttwo words which inadequately
express the infinite aspects of his inner lifeit would be almost
impossible to make the second part of his intellectual history
intelligiblea phase that was unknown to the world and to me； but of
which the mystical outcome was made evident to my eyes in the course
of a few hours。 Those who have not already dropped this volume； will；
I hope； understand the events I still have to tell； forming as they do
a sort of second existence lived by this creaturemay I not say this
creation？in whom everything was to be so extraordinary； even his
end。
When Louis returned to Blois； his uncle was eager to procure him some
amusement； but the poor priest was regarded as a perfect leper in that
godly…minded town。 No one would have anything to say to a
revolutionary who had taken the oaths。 His society； therefore；
consisted of a few individuals of what were then called liberal or
patriotic； or constitutional opinions； on whom he would call for a
rubber of whist or of boston。
At the first house where he was introduced by his uncle； Louis met a
young lady； whose circumstances obliged her to remain in this circle；
so contemned by those of the fashionable world； though her fortune was
such as to make it probable that she might by and by marry into the
highest aristocracy of the province。 Mademoiselle Pauline de Villenoix
was sole heiress to the wealth amassed by her grandfather； a Jew named
Salomon； who； contrary to the customs of his nation； had； in his old
age； married a Christian and a Catholic。 He had only one son； who was
brought up in his mother's faith。 At his father's death young Salomon
purchased what was known at that time as a /savonnette a vilain/
（literally /a cake of soap for a serf/）； a small estate called
Villenoix； which he contrived to get registered with a baronial title；
and took its name。 He died unmarried； but he left a natural daughter；
to whom he bequeathed the greater part of his fortune； including the
lands of Villenoix。 He appointed one of his uncles； Monsieur Joseph
Salomon； to be the girl's guardian。 The old Jew was so devoted to his
ward that he seemed willing to make great sacrifices for the sake of
marrying her well。 But Mademoiselle de Villenoix's birth； and the
cherished prejudice against Jews that prevails in the provinces； would
not allow of her being received in the very exclusive circle which；
rightly or wrongly； considers itself noble； notwithstanding her own
large fortune and her guardian's。
Monsieur Joseph Salomon was resolved that if she could not secure a
country squire； his niece should go to Paris and make choice of a
husband among the peers of France； liberal or monarchical； as to
happiness； that he believed he could secure her by the terms of the
marriage contract。
Mademoiselle de Villenoix was now twenty。 Her remarkable beauty and
gifts of mind were surer guarantees of happiness than those offered by
money。 Her features were of the purest type of Jewish beauty； the oval
lines； so noble and maidenly； have an indescribable stamp of the
ideal； and seem to speak of the joys of the East； its unchangeably
blue sky； the glories of its lands； and the fabulous riches of life
there。 She had fine eyes； shaded by deep eyelids； fringed with thick；
curled lashes。 Biblical innocence sat on her brow。 Her complexion was
of the pure whiteness of the Levite's robe。 She was habitually silent
and thoughtful； but her movements and gestures betrayed a quiet grace；
as her speech bore witness to a woman's sweet and loving nature。 She
had not； indeed； the rosy freshness； the fruit…like bloom which blush
on a girl's cheek during her careless years。 Darker shadows； with here
and there a redder vein； took the place of color； symptomatic of an
energetic temper and nervous irritability； such as many men do not
like to meet with in a wife； while to others they are an indication of
the most sensitive chastity and passion mingled with pride。
As soon as Louis saw Mademoiselle de Villenoix； he discerned the angel
within。 The richest powers of his soul； and his tendency to ecstatic
reverie； every faculty within him was at once concentrated in
boundless love； the first love of a young man； a passion which is
strong indeed in all； but which in him was raised to incalculable
power by the perennial ardor of his senses； the character of his
ideas； and the manner in which he lived。 This passion became a gulf；
into which the hapless fellow threw everything； a gulf whither the
mind dare not venture； since his； flexible and firm as it was； was
lost there。 There all was mysterious； for everything went on in that
moral world； closed to most men； whose laws were revealed to him
perhaps to his sorrow。
When an accident threw me in the way of his uncle； the good man showed
me into the room which Lambert had at that time lived in。 I wanted to
find some vestiges of his writings； if he should have left any。 There
among his papers； untouched by the old man from that fine instinct of
grief that characterized the aged； I found a number of letters； too
illegible ever to have been sent to Mademoiselle de Villenoix。 My
familiarity with La
