seraphita-第3章

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still　lives。　Often；　when　the　flocks　of　gray　clouds；　driven　in

squadrons　athwart　the　mountains　and　among　the　tree…tops；　hid　the　sky

with　their　triple　veils　Earth；　lacking　the　celestial　lights；　lit

herself　by　herself。



Here；　then；　we　meet　the　majesty　of　Cold；　seated　eternally　at　the　pole

in　that　regal　silence　which　is　the　attribute　of　all　absolute　monarchy。

Every　extreme　principle　carries　with　it　an　appearance　of　negation　and

the　symptoms　of　death；　for　is　not　life　the　struggle　of　two　forces？

Here　in　this　Northern　nature　nothing　lived。　One　sole　powerthe

unproductive　power　of　icereigned　unchallenged。　The　roar　of　the　open

sea　no　longer　reached　the　deaf；　dumb　inlet；　where　during　one　short

season　of　the　year　Nature　made　haste　to　produce　the　slender　harvests

necessary　for　the　food　of　the　patient　people。　A　few　tall　pine…trees

lifted　their　black　pyramids　garlanded　with　snow；　and　the　form　of　their

long　branches　and　depending　shoots　completed　the　mourning　garments　of

those　solemn　heights。



Each　household　gathered　in　its　chimney…corner；　in　houses　carefully

closed　from　the　outer　air；　and　well　supplied　with　biscuit；　melted

butter；　dried　fish；　and　other　provisions　laid　in　for　the　seven…months

winter。　The　very　smoke　of　these　dwellings　was　hardly　seen；　half…hidden

as　they　were　beneath　the　snow；　against　the　weight　of　which　they　were

protected　by　long　planks　reaching　from　the　roof　and　fastened　at　some

distance　to　solid　blocks　on　the　ground；　forming　a　covered　way　around

each　building。



During　these　terrible　winter　months　the　women　spun　and　dyed　the

woollen　stuffs　and　the　linen　fabrics　with　which　they　clothed　their

families；　while　the　men　read；　or　fell　into　those　endless　meditations

which　have　given　birth　to　so　many　profound　theories；　to　the　mystic

dreams　of　the　North；　to　its　beliefs；　to　its　studies　（so　full　and　so

complete　in　one　science；　at　least；　sounded　as　with　a　plummet）；　to　its

manners　and　its　morals；　half…monastic；　which　force　the　soul　to　react

and　feed　upon　itself　and　make　the　Norwegian　peasant　a　being　apart

among　the　peoples　of　Europe。



Such　was　the　condition　of　the　Strom…fiord　in　the　first　year　of　the

nineteenth　century　and　about　the　middle　of　the　month　of　May。



On　a　morning　when　the　sun　burst　forth　upon　this　landscape；　lighting

the　fires　of　the　ephemeral　diamonds　produced　by　crystallizations　of

the　snow　and　ice；　two　beings　crossed　the　fiord　and　flew　along　the　base

of　the　Falberg；　rising　thence　from　ledge　to　ledge　toward　the　summit。

What　were　they？　human　creatures；　or　two　arrows？　They　might　have　been

taken　for　eider…ducks　sailing　in　consort　before　the　wind。　Not　the

boldest　hunter　nor　the　most　superstitious　fisherman　would　have

attributed　to　human　beings　the　power　to　move　safely　along　the　slender

lines　traced　beneath　the　snow　by　the　granite　ledges；　where　yet　this

couple　glided　with　the　terrifying　dexterity　of　somnambulists　who；

forgetting　their　own　weight　and　the　dangers　of　the　slightest

deviation；　hurry　along　a　ridge…pole　and　keep　their　equilibrium　by　the

power　of　some　mysterious　force。



〃Stop　me；　Seraphitus；〃　said　a　pale　young　girl；　〃and　let　me　breathe。　I

look　at　you；　you　only；　while　scaling　these　walls　of　the　gulf；

otherwise；　what　would　become　of　me？　I　am　such　a　feeble　creature。　Do　I

tire　you？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　being　on　whose　arm　she　leaned。　〃But　let　us　go　on；

Minna；　the　place　where　we　are　is　not　firm　enough　to　stand　on。〃



Once　more　the　snow　creaked　sharply　beneath　the　long　boards　fastened　to

their　feet；　and　soon　they　reached　the　upper　terrace　of　the　first

ledge；　clearly　defined　upon　the　flank　of　the　precipice。　The　person

whom　Minna　had　addressed　as　Seraphitus　threw　his　weight　upon　his　right

heel；　arresting　the　planksix　and　a　half　feet　long　and　narrow　as　the

foot　of　a　childwhich　was　fastened　to　his　boot　by　a　double　thong　of

leather。　This　plank；　two　inches　thick；　was　covered　with　reindeer　skin；

which　bristled　against　the　snow　when　the　foot　was　raised；　and　served

to　stop　the　wearer。　Seraphitus　drew　in　his　left　foot；　furnished　with

another　〃skee；〃　which　was　only　two　feet　long；　turned　swiftly　where　he

stood；　caught　his　timid　companion　in　his　arms；　lifted　her　in　spite　of

the　long　boards　on　her　feet；　and　placed　her　on　a　projecting　rock　from

which　he　brushed　the　snow　with　his　pelisse。



〃You　are　safe　there；　Minna；　you　can　tremble　at　your　ease。〃



〃We　are　a　third　of　the　way　up　the　Ice…Cap；〃　she　said；　looking　at　the

peak　to　which　she　gave　the　popular　name　by　which　it　is　known　in

Norway；　〃I　can　hardly　believe　it。〃



Too　much　out　of　breath　to　say　more；　she　smiled　at　Seraphitus；　who；

without　answering；　laid　his　hand　upon　her　heart　and　listened　to　its

sounding　throbs；　rapid　as　those　of　a　frightened　bird。



〃It　often　beats　as　fast　when　I　run；〃　she　said。



Seraphitus　inclined　his　head　with　a　gesture　that　was　neither　coldness

nor　indifference；　and　yet；　despite　the　grace　which　made　the　movement

almost　tender；　it　none　the　less　bespoke　a　certain　negation；　which　in　a

woman　would　have　seemed　an　exquisite　coquetry。　Seraphitus　clasped　the

young　girl　in　his　arms。　Minna　accepted　the　caress　as　an　answer　to　her

words；　continuing　to　gaze　at　him。　As　he　raised　his　head；　and　threw

back　with　impatient　gesture　the　golden　masses　of　his　hair　to　free　his

brow；　he　saw　an　expression　of　joy　in　the　eyes　of　his　companion。



〃Yes；　Minna；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　whose　paternal　accents　were　charming

from　the　lips　of　a　being　who　was　still　adolescent；　〃Keep　your　eyes　on

me；　do　not　look　below　you。〃



〃Why　not？〃　she　asked。



〃You　wish　to　know　why？　then　look！〃



Minna　glanced　quickly　at　her　feet　and　cried　out　suddenly　like　a　child

who　sees　a　tiger。　The　awful　sensation　of　abysses　seized　her；　one

glance　sufficed　to　communicate　its　contagion。　The　fiord；　eager　for

food；　bewildered　her　with　its　loud　voice　ringing　in　her　ears；

interposing　between　herself　and　life　as　though　to　devour　her　more

surely。　From　the　crown　of　her　head　to　her　feet　and　along　her　spine　an

icy　shudder　ran；　then　suddenly　intolerable　heat　suffused　her　nerves；

beat　in　her　veins　and　overpowered　her　extremities　with　electric　shocks

like　those　of　the　torpedo。　Too　feeble　to　resist；　she　felt　herself

drawn　by　a　mysterious　power　to　the　depths　below；　wherein　she　fancied

that　she　saw　some　monster　belching　its　venom；　a　monster　whose　magnetic

eyes　were　charming　her；　whose　open　jaws　appeared　to　craunch　their　prey

before　they　seized　it。



〃I　die；　my　Seraphitus；　loving　none　but　thee；〃　she　said；　making　a

mechanical　movement　to　fling　herself　into　the　abyss。



Seraphitus　breathed　softly　on　her　forehead　and　eyes。　Suddenly；　like　a

traveller　relaxed　after　a　bath；　Minna　forgot　these　keen　emotions；

already　dissipated　by　that　caressing　breath　which　penetrated　her　body

and　filled　it　with　balsamic　essences　as　quickly　as　the　breath　itself

had　crossed　the　air。



〃Who　art　thou？〃　she　said；　with　a　feeling　of　gentle　terror。　〃Ah；　but　I

know！　thou　art　my　life。　How　canst　thou　look　into　that　gulf　and　not

die？〃　she　added　presently。



Seraphitus　left　her　clinging　to　the　granite　rock　and　placed　himself　at

the　edge　of　the　narrow　platform　on　which　they　stood；　whence　his　eyes

plunged　to　the　depths　of　the　fiord；　defying　its　dazzling　invitation。

His　body　did　not　tremble；　his　brow　was　white　and　calm　as　that　of　a

marble　statue；an　abyss　facing　an　abyss。



〃Seraphitus！　dost　thou　not　love　me？　come　back！〃　she　cried。　〃Thy　danger

renews　my　terror。　Who　art　thou　to　have　such　superhuman　power　at　thy

age？〃　she　asked　as　she　felt　his　arms　inclosing　her　once　more。



〃But；　Minna；〃　answered　Seraphitus；　〃you　look　fearlessly　at　greater

spaces　far　than　that。〃



Then　with　raised　finger；　this　strange　being　pointed　upward　to　the　blue

dome；　which　parting　clouds　left　clear　above　their　heads；　where　stars

could　be　seen　in　open　day　by　virtue　of　atmospheric　laws　as　yet

unstudied。



〃But　what　a　difference！〃　she　answered　smiling。



〃You　are　right；〃　he　said；　〃we　are　born　to　str