seraphita-第32章

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maiden；　in　this　atmosphere　where　she　perfumes　for　her　spousals　the

greenery　of　her　tresses。　You　seek　the　naiad's　form　amid　the　gauzy

vapors；　and　to　your　thinking　my　ears　should　listen　only　to　the　virile

voice　of　the　Torrent。〃



〃But　Love　is　there；　like　the　bee　in　the　calyx　of　the　flower；〃　replied

Wilfrid；　perceiving　for　the　first　time　a　trace　of　earthly　sentiment　in

her　words；　and　fancying　the　moment　favorable　for　an　expression　of　his

passionate　tenderness。



〃Always　there？〃　said　Seraphita；　smiling。　Minna　had　left　them　for　a

moment　to　gather　the　blue　saxifrages　growing　on　a　rock　above。



〃Always；〃　repeated　Wilfrid。　〃Hear　me；〃　he　said；　with　a　masterful

glance　which　was　foiled　as　by　a　diamond　breast…plate。　〃You　know　not

what　I　am；　nor　what　I　can　be；　nor　what　I　will。　Do　not　reject　my　last

entreaty。　Be　mine　for　the　good　of　that　world　whose　happiness　you　bear

upon　your　heart。　Be　mine　that　my　conscience　may　be　pure；　that　a　voice

divine　may　sound　in　my　ears　and　infuse　Good　into　the　great　enterprise

I　have　undertaken　prompted　by　my　hatred　to　the　nations；　but　which　I

swear　to　accomplish　for　their　benefit　if　you　will　walk　beside　me。　What

higher　mission　can　you　ask　for　love？　what　nobler　part　can　woman　aspire

to？　I　came　to　Norway　to　meditate　a　grand　design。〃



〃And　you　will　sacrifice　its　grandeur；〃　she　said；　〃to　an　innocent　girl

who　loves　you；　and　who　will　lead　you　in　the　paths　of　peace。〃



〃What　matters　sacrifice；〃　he　cried；　〃if　I　have　you？　Hear　my　secret。　I

have　gone　from　end　to　end　of　the　North；that　great　smithy　from　whose

anvils　new　races　have　spread　over　the　earth；　like　human　tides

appointed　to　refresh　the　wornout　civilizations。　I　wished　to　begin　my

work　at　some　Northern　point；　to　win　the　empire　which　force　and

intellect　must　ever　give　over　a　primitive　people；　to　form　that　people

for　battle；　to　drive　them　to　wars　which　should　ravage　Europe　like　a

conflagration；　crying　liberty　to　some；　pillage　to　others；　glory　here；

pleasure　there！I；　myself；　remaining　an　image　of　Destiny；　cruel；

implacable；　advancing　like　the　whirlwind；　which　sucks　from　the

atmosphere　the　particles　that　make　the　thunderbolt；　and　falls　like　a

devouring　scourge　upon　the　nations。　Europe　is　at　an　epoch　when　she

awaits　the　new　Messiah　who　shall　destroy　society　and　remake　it。　She

can　no　longer　believe　except　in　him　who　crushes　her　under　foot。　The

day　is　at　hand　when　poets　and　historians　will　justify　me；　exalt　me；

and　borrow　my　ideas；　mine！　And　all　the　while　my　triumph　will　be　a

jest；　written　in　blood；　the　jest　of　my　vengeance！　But　not　here；

Seraphita；　what　I　see　in　the　North　disgusts　me。　Hers　is　a　mere　blind

force；　I　thirst　for　the　Indies！　I　would　rather　fight　a　selfish；

cowardly；　mercantile　government。　Besides；　it　is　easier　to　stir　the

imagination　of　the　peoples　at　the　feet　of　the　Caucasus　than　to　argue

with　the　intellect　of　the　icy　lands　which　here　surround　me。　Therefore

am　I　tempted　to　cross　the　Russian　steps　and　pour　my　triumphant　human

tide　through　Asia　to　the　Ganges；　and　overthrow　the　British　rule。　Seven

men　have　done　this　thing　before　me　in　other　epochs　of　the　world。　I

will　emulate　them。　I　will　spread　Art　like　the　Saracens；　hurled　by

Mohammed　upon　Europe。　Mine　shall　be　no　paltry　sovereignty　like　those

that　govern　to…day　the　ancient　provinces　of　the　Roman　empire；

disputing　with　their　subjects　about　a　customs　right！　No；　nothing　can

bar　my　way！　Like　Genghis　Khan；　my　feet　shall　tread　a　third　of　the

globe；　my　hand　shall　grasp　the　throat　of　Asia　like　Aurung…Zeb。　Be　my

companion！　Let　me　seat　thee；　beautiful　and　noble　being；　on　a　throne！　I

do　not　doubt　success；　but　live　within　my　heart　and　I　am　sure　of　it。〃



〃I　have　already　reigned；〃　said　Seraphita；　coldly。



The　words　fell　as　the　axe　of　a　skilful　woodman　falls　at　the　root　of　a

young　tree　and　brings　it　down　at　a　single　blow。　Men　alone　can

comprehend　the　rage　that　a　woman　excites　in　the　soul　of　a　man　when；

after　showing　her　his　strength；　his　power；　his　wisdom；　his

superiority；　the　capricious　creature　bends　her　head　and　says；　〃All

that　is　nothing〃；　when；　unmoved；　she　smiles　and　says；　〃Such　things　are

known　to　me；〃　as　though　his　power　were　nought。



〃What！〃　cried　Wilfrid；　in　despair；　〃can　the　riches　of　art；　the　riches

of　worlds；　the　splendors　of　a　court〃



She　stopped　him　by　a　single　inflexion　of　her　lips；　and　said；　〃Beings

more　powerful　than　you　have　offered　me　far　more。〃



〃Thou　hast　no　soul；〃　he　cried；〃no　soul；　if　thou　art　not　persuaded　by

the　thought　of　comforting　a　great　man；　who　is　willing　now　to　sacrifice

all　things　to　live　beside　thee　in　a　little　house　on　the　shores　of　a

lake。〃



〃But；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　loved　with　a　boundless　love。〃



〃By　whom？〃　cried　Wilfrid；　approaching　Seraphita　with　a　frenzied

movement；　as　if　to　fling　her　into　the　foaming　basin　of　the　Sieg。



She　looked　at　him　and　slowly　extended　her　arm；　pointing　to　Minna；　who

now　sprang　towards　her；　fair　and　glowing　and　lovely　as　the　flowers　she

held　in　her　hand。



〃Child！〃　said　Seraphitus；　advancing　to　meet　her。



Wilfrid　remained　where　she　left　him；　motionless　as　the　rock　on　which

he　stood；　lost　in　thought；　longing　to　let　himself　go　into　the　torrent

of　the　Sieg；　like　the　fallen　trees　which　hurried　past　his　eyes　and

disappeared　in　the　bosom　of　the　gulf。



〃I　gathered　them　for　you；〃　said　Minna；　offering　the　bunch　of

saxifrages　to　the　being　she　adored。　〃One　of　them；　see；　this　one；〃　she

added；　selecting　a　flower；　〃is　like　that　you　found　on　the　Falberg。〃



Seraphitus　looked　alternately　at　the　flower　and　at　Minna。



〃Why　question　me？　Dost　thou　doubt　me？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　young　girl；　〃my　trust　in　you　is　infinite。　You　are　more

beautiful　to　look　upon　than　this　glorious　nature；　but　your　mind

surpasses　in　intellect　that　of　all　humanity。　When　I　have　been　with　you

I　seem　to　have　prayed　to　God。　I　long〃



〃For　what？〃　said　Seraphitus；　with　a　glance　that　revealed　to　the　young

girl　the　vast　distance　which　separated　them。



〃To　suffer　in　your　stead。〃



〃Ah；　dangerous　being！〃　cried　Seraphitus　in　his　heart。　〃Is　it　wrong；　oh

my　God！　to　desire　to　offer　her　to　Thee？　Dost　thou　remember；　Minna；

what　I　said　to　thee　up　there？〃　he　added；　pointing　to　the　summit　of　the

Ice…Cap。



〃He　is　terrible　again；〃　thought　Minna；　trembling　with　fear。



The　voice　of　the　Sieg　accompanied　the　thoughts　of　the　three　beings

united　on　this　platform　of　projecting　rock；　but　separated　in　soul　by

the　abysses　of　the　Spiritual　World。



〃Seraphitus！　teach　me；〃　said　Minna　in　a　silvery　voice；　soft　as　the

motion　of　a　sensitive　plant；　〃teach　me　how　to　cease　to　love　you。　Who

could　fail　to　admire　you；　love　is　an　admiration　that　never　wearies。〃



〃Poor　child！〃　said　Seraphitus；　turning　pale；　〃there　is　but　one　whom

thou　canst　love　in　that　way。〃



〃Who？〃　asked　Minna。



〃Thou　shalt　know　hereafter；〃　he　said；　in　the　feeble　voice　of　a　man　who

lies　down　to　die。



〃Help；　help！　he　is　dying！〃　cried　Minna。



Wilfrid　ran　towards　them。　Seeing　Seraphita　as　she　lay　on　a　fragment　of

gneiss；　where　time　had　cast　its　velvet　mantle　of　lustrous　lichen　and

tawny　mosses　now　burnished　in　the　sunlight；　he　whispered　softly；　〃How

beautiful　she　is！〃



〃One　other　look！　the　last　that　I　shall　ever　cast　upon　this　nature　in

travail；〃　said　Seraphitus；　rallying　her　strength　and　rising　to　her

feet。



She　advanced　to　the　edge　of　the　rocky　platform；　whence　her　eyes　took

in　the　scenery　of　that　grand　and　glorious　landscape；　so　verdant；

flowery；　and　animated；　yet　so　lately　buried　in　its　winding…sheet　of

snow。



〃Farewell；〃　she　said；　〃farewell；　home　of　Earth；　warmed　by　the　fires　of

Love；　where　all　things　press　with　ardent　force　from　the　centre　to　the

extremities；　where　the　extremities　are　gathered　up；　like　a　woman's

hair；　to　weave　the　mysterious　braid　which　binds　us　in　that　invisible

ether　to　the　Thought　Divine！



〃Behold　the　man　bending　above　that　furrow　moistened　with　his　tears；

who　lifts　his　head　for　an　instant　to　question　Hea