01-the kreutzer sonata-第26章

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joined　together　by　the　bonds　of　love？　　None。　　Our　conception　of

life　is　inseparably　bound　up　with　the　conception　of　a　continual

striving　after　an　unattainable　ideal。



But　even　if　we　suppose　the　Christian　ideal　of　perfect　chastity

realized；　what　then？　　We　should　merely　find　ourselves　face　to

face　on　the　one　hand　with　the　familiar　teaching　of　religion；　one

of　whose　dogmas　is　that　the　world　will　have　an　end；　and　on　the

other　of　so…called　science；　which　informs　us　that　the　sun　is

gradually　losing　its　heat；　the　result　of　which　will　in　time　be

the　extinction　of　the　human　race。



Now　there　is　not　and　cannot　be　such　an　institution　as　Christian

marriage；　just　as　there　cannot　be　such　a　thing　as　a　Christian

liturgy　（Matt。　vi。　5…12；　John　iv。　21）；　nor　Christian　teachers；

nor　church　fathers　（Matt。　xxiii。　8…10）；　nor　Christian　armies；

Christian　law　courts；　nor　Christian　States。　　This　is　what　was

always　taught　and　believed　by　true　Christians　of　the　first　and

following　centuries。　　A　Christian's　ideal　is　not　marriage；　but

love　for　God　and　for　his　neighbor。　　Consequently　in　the　eyes　of　a

Christian　relations　in　marriage　not　only　do　not　constitute　a

lawful；　right；　and　happy　state；　as　our　society　and　our　churches

maintain；　but；　on　the　contrary；　are　always　a　fall。



Such　a　thing　as　Christian　marriage　never　was　and　never　could　be。　

Christ　did　not　marry；　nor　did　he　establish　marriage；　neither　did

his　disciples　marry。　　But　if　Christian　marriage　cannot　exist；

there　is　such　a　thing　as　a　Christian　view　of　marriage。　　And　this

is　how　it　may　be　formulated：　A　Christian　（and　by　this　term　I

understand　not　those　who　call　themselves　Christians　merely

because　they　were　baptized　and　still　receive　the　sacrament　once　a

year；　but　those　whose　lives　are　shaped　and　regulated　by　the

teachings　of　Christ）；　I　say；　cannot　view　the　marriage　relation

otherwise　than　as　a　deviation　from　the　doctrine　of　Christ；as　a

sin。　　This　is　clearly　laid　down　in　Matt。　v。　28；　and　the　ceremony

called　Christian　marriage　does　not　alter　its　character　one　jot。　

A　Christian　will　never；　therefore；　desire　marriage；　but　will

always　avoid　it。



If　the　light　of　truth　dawns　upon　a　Christian　when　he　is　already

married；　or　if；　being　a　Christian；　from　weakness　he　enters　into

marital　relations　with　the　ceremonies　of　the　church；　or　without

them；　he　has　no　other　alternative　than　to　abide　with　his　wife

（and　the　wife　with　her　husband；　if　it　is　she　who　is　a　Christian）

and　to　aspire　together　with　her　to　free　themselves　of　their　sin。　

This　is　the　Christian　view　of　marriage；　and　there　cannot　be　any

other　for　a　man　who　honestly　endeavors　to　shape　his　life　in

accordance　with　the　teachings　of　Christ。



To　very　many　persons　the　thoughts　I　have　uttered　here　and　in　〃The

Kreutzer　Sonata〃　will　seem　strange；　vague；　even　contradictory。

They　certainly　do　contradict；　not　each　other；　but　the　whole　tenor

of　our　lives；　and　involuntarily　a　doubt　arises；　〃on　which　side　is

truth；on　the　side　of　the　thoughts　which　seem　true　and

well…founded；　or　on　the　side　of　the　lives　of　others　and　myself？〃　

I；　too；　was　weighed　down　by　that　same　doubt　when　writing　〃The

Kreutzer　Sonata。〃　　I　had　not　the　faintest　presentiment　that　the

train　of　thought　I　had　started　would　lead　me　whither　it　did。　　I

was　terrified　by　my　own　conclusion；　and　I　was　at　first　disposed

to　reject　it；　but　it　was　impossible　not　to　hearken　to　the　voice

of　my　reason　and　my　conscience。　And　so；　strange　though　they　may

appear　to　many；　opposed　as　they　undoubtedly　are　to　the　trend　and

tenor　of　our　lives；　and　incompatible　though　they　may　prove　with

what　I　have　heretofore　thought　and　uttered；　I　have　no　choice　but

to　accept　them。　　〃But　man　is　weak；〃　people　will　object。　　〃His

task　should　be　regulated　by　his　strength。〃



This　is　tantamount　to　saying；　〃My　hand　is　weak。　　I　cannot　draw　a

straight　line；that　is；　a　line　which　will　be　the　shortest　line

between　two　given　points；and　so；　in　order　to　make　it　more　easy

for　myself；　I；　intending　to　draw　a　straight；　will　choose　for　my

model　a　crooked　line。〃



The　weaker　my　hand；　the　greater　the　need　that　my　model　should　be

perfect。　　　　　　　　　



LEO　TOLSTOI。