seraphita-第4节

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globe；a　fervor　so　involuntarily　acquired　that　the　haughtiest　of　men

is　forced　to　regard　his　guide　as　a　brother；　forgetting　his　own

superior　station　till　he　descends　to　the　valleys　and　the　abodes　of　his

kind。　Seraphitus　unfastened　the　skees　from　Minna's　feet；　kneeling

before　her。　The　girl　did　not　notice　him；　so　absorbed　was　she　in　the

marvellous　view　now　offered　of　her　native　land；　whose　rocky　outlines

could　here　be　seen　at　a　glance。　She　felt；　with　deep　emotion；　the

solemn　permanence　of　those　frozen　summits；　to　which　words　could　give

no　adequate　utterance。



〃We　have　not　come　here　by　human　power　alone；〃　she　said；　clasping　her

hands。　〃But　perhaps　I　dream。〃



〃You　think　that　facts　the　causes　of　which　you　cannot　perceive　are

supernatural；〃　replied　her　companion。



〃Your　replies；〃　she　said；　〃always　bear　the　stamp　of　some　deep　thought。

When　I　am　near　you　I　understand　all　things　without　an　effort。　Ah；　I　am

free！〃



〃If　so；　you　will　not　need　your　skees；〃　he　answered。



〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃I　who　would　fain　unfasten　yours　and　kiss　your　feet！〃



〃Keep　such　words　for　Wilfrid；〃　said　Seraphitus；　gently。



〃Wilfrid！〃　cried　Minna　angrily；　then；　softening　as　she　glanced　at　her

companion's　face　and　trying；　but　in　vain；　to　take　his　hand；　she　added；

〃You　are　never　angry；　never；　you　are　so　hopelessly　perfect　in　all

things。〃



〃From　which　you　conclude　that　I　am　unfeeling。〃



Minna　was　startled　at　this　lucid　interpretation　of　her　thought。



〃You　prove　to　me；　at　any　rate；　that　we　understand　each　other；〃　she

said；　with　the　grace　of　a　loving　woman。



Seraphitus　softly　shook　his　head　and　looked　sadly　and　gently　at　her。



〃You；　who　know　all　things；〃　said　Minna；　〃tell　me　why　it　is　that　the

timidity　I　felt　below　is　over　now　that　I　have　mounted　higher。　Why　do　I

dare　to　look　at　you　for　the　first　time　face　to　face；　while　lower　down

I　scarcely　dared　to　give　a　furtive　glance？〃



〃Perhaps　because　we　are　withdrawn　from　the　pettiness　of　earth；〃　he

answered；　unfastening　his　pelisse。



〃Never；　never　have　I　seen　you　so　beautiful！〃　cried　Minna；　sitting　down

on　a　mossy　rock　and　losing　herself　in　contemplation　of　the　being　who

had　now　guided　her　to　a　part　of　the　peak　hitherto　supposed　to　be

inaccessible。



Never；　in　truth；　had　Seraphitus　shone　with　so　bright　a　radiance；the

only　word　which　can　render　the　illumination　of　his　face　and　the　aspect

of　his　whole　person。　Was　this　splendor　due　to　the　lustre　which　the

pure　air　of　mountains　and　the　reflections　of　the　snow　give　to　the

complexion？　Was　it　produced　by　the　inward　impulse　which　excites　the

body　at　the　instant　when　exertion　is　arrested？　Did　it　come　from　the

sudden　contrast　between　the　glory　of　the　sun　and　the　darkness　of　the

clouds；　from　whose　shadow　the　charming　couple　had　just　emerged？

Perhaps　to　all　these　causes　we　may　add　the　effect　of　a　phenomenon；　one

of　the　noblest　which　human　nature　has　to　offer。　If　some　able

physiologist　had　studied　this　being　（who；　judging　by　the　pride　on　his

brow　and　the　lightning　in　his　eyes　seemed　a　youth　of　about　seventeen

years　of　age）；　and　if　the　student　had　sought　for　the　springs　of　that

beaming　life　beneath　the　whitest　skin　that　ever　the　North　bestowed

upon　her　offspring；　he　would　undoubtedly　have　believed　either　in　some

phosphoric　fluid　of　the　nerves　shining　beneath　the　cuticle；　or　in　the

constant　presence　of　an　inward　luminary；　whose　rays　issued　through　the

being　of　Seraphitus　like　a　light　through　an　alabaster　vase。　Soft　and

slender　as　were　his　hands；　ungloved　to　remove　his　companion's　snow…

boots；　they　seemed　possessed　of　a　strength　equal　to　that　which　the

Creator　gave　to　the　diaphanous　tentacles　of　the　crab。　The　fire　darting

from　his　vivid　glance　seemed　to　struggle　with　the　beams　of　the　sun；

not　to　take　but　to　give　them　light。　His　body；　slim　and　delicate　as

that　of　a　woman；　gave　evidence　of　one　of　those　natures　which　are

feeble　apparently；　but　whose　strength　equals　their　will；　rendering

them　at　times　powerful。　Of　medium　height；　Seraphitus　appeared　to　grow

in　stature　as　he　turned　fully　round　and　seemed　about　to　spring　upward。

His　hair；　curled　by　a　fairy's　hand　and　waving　to　the　breeze；　increased

the　illusion　produced　by　this　aerial　attitude；　yet　his　bearing；　wholly

without　conscious　effort；　was　the　result　far　more　of　a　moral

phenomenon　than　of　a　corporal　habit。



Minna's　imagination　seconded　this　illusion；　under　the　dominion　of

which　all　persons　would　assuredly　have　fallen；an　illusion　which　gave

to　Seraphitus　the　appearance　of　a　vision　dreamed　of　in　happy　sleep。　No

known　type　conveys　an　image　of　that　form　so　majestically　made　to

Minna；　but　which　to　the　eyes　of　a　man　would　have　eclipsed　in　womanly

grace　the　fairest　of　Raphael's　creations。　That　painter　of　heaven　has

ever　put　a　tranquil　joy；　a　loving　sweetness；　into　the　lines　of　his

angelic　conceptions；　but　what　soul；　unless　it　contemplated　Seraphitus

himself；　could　have　conceived　the　ineffable　emotions　imprinted　on　his

face？　Who　would　have　divined；　even　in　the　dreams　of　artists；　where　all

things　become　possible；　the　shadow　cast　by　some　mysterious　awe　upon

that　brow；　shining　with　intellect；　which　seemed　to　question　Heaven　and

to　pity　Earth？　The　head　hovered　awhile　disdainfully；　as　some　majestic

bird　whose　cries　reverberate　on　the　atmosphere；　then　bowed　itself

resignedly；　like　the　turtledove　uttering　soft　notes　of　tenderness　in

the　depths　of　the　silent　woods。　His　complexion　was　of　marvellous

whiteness；　which　brought　out　vividly　the　coral　lips；　the　brown

eyebrows；　and　the　silken　lashes；　the　only　colors　that　trenched　upon

the　paleness　of　that　face；　whose　perfect　regularity　did　not　detract

from　the　grandeur　of　the　sentiments　expressed　in　it；　nay；　thought　and

emotion　were　reflected　there；　without　hindrance　or　violence；　with　the

majestic　and　natural　gravity　which　we　delight　in　attributing　to

superior　beings。　That　face　of　purest　marble　expressed　in　all　things

strength　and　peace。



Minna　rose　to　take　the　hand　of　Seraphitus；　hoping　thus　to　draw　him　to

her；　and　to　lay　on　that　seductive　brow　a　kiss　given　more　from

admiration　than　from　love；　but　a　glance　at　the　young　man's　eyes；　which

pierced　her　as　a　ray　of　sunlight　penetrates　a　prism；　paralyzed　the

young　girl。　She　felt；　but　without　comprehending；　a　gulf　between　them；

then　she　turned　away　her　head　and　wept。　Suddenly　a　strong　hand　seized

her　by　the　waist；　and　a　soft　voice　said　to　her：　〃Come！〃　She　obeyed；

resting　her　head；　suddenly　revived；　upon　the　heart　of　her　companion；

who；　regulating　his　step　to　hers　with　gentle　and　attentive　conformity；

led　her　to　a　spot　whence　they　could　see　the　radiant　glories　of　the

polar　Nature。



〃Before　I　look；　before　I　listen　to　you；　tell　me；　Seraphitus；　why　you

repulse　me。　Have　I　displeased　you？　and　how？　tell　me！　I　want　nothing

for　myself；　I　would　that　all　my　earthly　goods　were　yours；　for　the

riches　of　my　heart　are　yours　already。　I　would　that　light　came　to　my

eyes　only　though　your　eyes　just　as　my　thought　is　born　of　your　thought。

I　should　not　then　fear　to　offend　you；　for　I　should　give　you　back　the

echoes　of　your　soul；　the　words　of　your　heart；　day　by　day；as　we

render　to　God　the　meditations　with　which　his　spirit　nourishes　our

minds。　I　would　be　thine　alone。〃



〃Minna；　a　constant　desire　is　that　which　shapes　our　future。　Hope　on！

But　if　you　would　be　pure　in　heart　mingle　the　idea　of　the　All…Powerful

with　your　affections　here　below；　then　you　will　love　all　creatures；　and

your　heart　will　rise　to　heights　indeed。〃



〃I　will　do　all　you　tell　me；〃　she　answered；　lifting　her　eyes　to　his

with　a　timid　movement。



〃I　cannot　be　your　companion；〃　said　Seraphitus　sadly。



He　seemed　to　repress　some　thoughts；　then　stretched　his　arms　towards

Christiana；　just　visible　like　a　speck　on　the　horizon　and　said：



〃Look！〃



〃We　are　very　small；〃　she　said。



〃Yes；　but　we　become　great　through　feeling　and　through　intellect；〃

answered　Seraphitus。　〃With　us；　and　us　alone；　Minna；　begins　the

knowledge　of　things；　the　little　that　we　learn　of　the　laws　of　the

visible　world　enables　us　to　apprehend　the　immensity　of　the　worlds

invisible。　I　know　not　if　the　time　has　come　to　speak　thus　to　you；　but　I

would；　ah；　I　would　communicate　to　you　the　flame　of　my　hopes！　Perhaps

we　may　one　day　be　together　in　the　world　where　Love　never　dies。〃



〃Why　not　here　and　now？〃　she　said；　murmuring。



〃Nothing　is　stable　here；〃　he　said；　disdainfully。　〃The　passing　joys　of

earthly　love　are　gleams　which　reveal　to　certain　souls　the　coming　of

joys　more　durable；　just　as　the　discovery　of　a　single　law　of　nature

leads　certain　privileged　beings　to　a　conception　of　the　system　of　the

universe。　Our　fleeting　happiness　here　below　is　the　forerunning　proof

of　another　and　a　perfect　happiness；　just　as　the　earth；　a　fragment　of

the　world；　attests　the　universe。　We　cannot　measure　the　vast　orbit　of

the　Divine　thought　of　which　we　are　but　an　atom　as　small　as　God　is

great；　but　we　can　feel　its　vastness；　we　can　kneel；　adore；