seraphita-第7节

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asked。



〃It　is　worthy　of　her　who　wears　it。〃



〃And　whom　you　think　beautiful？〃



〃Human　words　do　not　apply　to　her。　Heart　to　heart　is　the　only　language

I　can　use。〃



〃Wilfrid；　you　are　kind　to　soothe　my　griefs　with　such　sweet　words

which　you　have　said　to　others。〃



〃Farewell！〃



〃Stay。　I　love　both　you　and　Minna；　believe　me。　To　me　you　two　are　as　one

being。　United　thus　you　can　be　my　brother　or；　if　you　will；　my　sister。

Marry　her；　let　me　see　you　both　happy　before　I　leave　this　world　of

trial　and　of　pain。　My　God！　the　simplest　of　women　obtain　what　they　ask

of　a　lover；　they　whisper　'Hush！'　and　he　is　silent；　'Die'　and　he　dies；

'Love　me　afar'　and　he　stays　at　a　distance；　like　courtiers　before　a

king！　All　I　desire　is　to　see　you　happy；　and　you　refuse　me！　Am　I　then

powerless？Wilfrid；　listen；　come　nearer　to　me。　Yes；　I　should　grieve

to　see　you　marry　Minna　butwhen　I　am　here　no　longer；　thenpromise　me

to　marry　her；　heaven　destined　you　for　each　other。〃



〃I　listen　to　you　with　fascination；　Seraphita。　Your　words　are

incomprehensible；　but　they　charm　me。　What　is　it　you　mean　to　say？〃



〃You　are　right；　I　forget　to　be　foolish；to　be　the　poor　creature　whose

weaknesses　gratify　you。　I　torment　you；　Wilfrid。　You　came　to　these

Northern　lands　for　rest；　you；　worn…out　by　the　impetuous　struggle　of

genius　unrecognized；　you；　weary　with　the　patient　toils　of　science；

you；　who　well…nigh　dyed　your　hands　in　crime　and　wore　the　fetters　of

human　justice〃



Wilfrid　dropped　speechless　on　the　carpet。　Seraphita　breathed　softly　on

his　forehead；　and　in　a　moment　he　fell　asleep　at　her　feet。



〃Sleep！　rest！〃　she　said；　rising。



She　passed　her　hands　over　Wilfrid's　brow；　then　the　following　sentences

escaped　her　lips；　one　by　one；all　different　in　tone　and　accent；　but

all　melodious；　full　of　a　Goodness　that　seemed　to　emanate　from　her　head

in　vaporous　waves；　like　the　gleams　the　goddess　chastely　lays　upon

Endymion　sleeping。



〃I　cannot　show　myself　such　as　I　am　to　thee；　dear　Wilfrid；to　thee　who

art　strong。



〃The　hour　is　come；　the　hour　when　the　effulgent　lights　of　the　future

cast　their　reflections　backward　on　the　soul；　the　hour　when　the　soul

awakes　into　freedom。



〃Now　am　I　permitted　to　tell　thee　how　I　love　thee。　Dost　thou　not　see

the　nature　of　my　love；　a　love　without　self…interest；　a　sentiment　full

of　thee；　thee　only；　a　love　which　follows　thee　into　the　future　to　light

that　future　for　theefor　it　is　the　one　True　Light。　Canst　thou　now

conceive　with　what　ardor　I　would　have　thee　leave　this　life　which

weighs　thee　down；　and　behold　thee　nearer　than　thou　art　to　that　world

where　Love　is　never…failing？　Can　it　be　aught　but　suffering　to　love　for

one　life　only？　Hast　thou　not　felt　a　thirst　for　the　eternal　love？　Dost

thou　not　feel　the　bliss　to　which　a　creature　rises　when；　with　twin…

soul；　it　loves　the　Being　who　betrays　not　love；　Him　before　whom　we

kneel　in　adoration？



〃Would　I　had　wings　to　cover　thee；　Wilfrid；　power　to　give　thee　strength

to　enter　now　into　that　world　where　all　the　purest　joys　of　purest

earthly　attachments　are　but　shadows　in　the　Light　that　shines；

unceasing；　to　illumine　and　rejoice　all　hearts。



〃Forgive　a　friendly　soul　for　showing　thee　the　picture　of　thy　sins；　in

the　charitable　hope　of　soothing　the　sharp　pangs　of　thy　remorse。　Listen

to　the　pardoning　choir；　refresh　thy　soul　in　the　dawn　now　rising　for

thee　beyond　the　night　of　death。　Yes；　thy　life；　thy　true　life　is　there！



〃May　my　words　now　reach　thee　clothed　in　the　glorious　forms　of　dreams；

may　they　deck　themselves　with　images　glowing　and　radiant　as　they　hover

round　you。　Rise；　rise；　to　the　height　where　men　can　see　themselves

distinctly；　pressed　together　though　they　be　like　grains　of　sand　upon　a

sea…shore。　Humanity　rolls　out　like　a　many…colored　ribbon。　See　the

diverse　shades　of　that　flower　of　the　celestial　gardens。　Behold　the

beings　who　lack　intelligence；　those　who　begin　to　receive　it；　those　who

have　passed　through　trials；　those　who　love；　those　who　follow　wisdom

and　aspire　to　the　regions　of　Light！



〃Canst　thou　comprehend；　through　this　thought　made　visible；　the　destiny

of　humanity？whence　it　came；　whither　to　goeth？　Continue　steadfast　in

the　Path。　Reaching　the　end　of　thy　journey　thou　shalt　hear　the　clarions

of　omnipotence　sounding　the　cries　of　victory　in　chords　of　which　a

single　one　would　shake　the　earth；　but　which　are　lost　in　the　spaces　of

a　world　that　hath　neither　east　nor　west。



〃Canst　thou　comprehend；　my　poor　beloved　Tried…one；　that　unless　the

torpor　and　the　veils　of　sleep　had　wrapped　thee；　such　sights　would　rend

and　bear　away　thy　mind　as　the　whirlwinds　rend　and　carry　into　space　the

feeble　sails；　depriving　thee　forever　of　thy　reason？　Dost　thou

understand　that　the　Soul　itself；　raised　to　its　utmost　power　can

scarcely　endure　in　dreams　the　burning　communications　of　the　Spirit？



〃Speed　thy　way　through　the　luminous　spheres；　behold；　admire；　hasten！

Flying　thus　thou　canst　pause　or　advance　without　weariness。　Like　other

men；　thou　wouldst　fain　be　plunged　forever　in　these　spheres　of　light

and　perfume　where　now　thou　art；　free　of　thy　swooning　body；　and　where

thy　thought　alone　has　utterance。　Fly！　enjoy　for　a　fleeting　moment　the

wings　thou　shalt　surely　win　when　Love　has　grown　so　perfect　in　thee

that　thou　hast　no　senses　left；　when　thy　whole　being　is　all　mind；　all

love。　The　higher　thy　flight　the　less　canst　thou　see　the　abysses。　There

are　none　in　heaven。　Look　at　the　friend　who　speaks　to　thee；　she　who

holds　thee　above　this　earth　in　which　are　all　abysses。　Look；　behold；

contemplate　me　yet　a　moment　longer；　for　never　again　wilt　thou　see　me；

save　imperfectly　as　the　pale　twilight　of　this　world　may　show　me　to

thee。〃



Seraphita　stood　erect；　her　head　with　floating　hair　inclining　gently

forward；　in　that　aerial　attitude　which　great　painters　give　to

messengers　from　heaven；　the　folds　of　her　raiment　fell　with　the　same

unspeakable　grace　which　holds　an　artistthe　man　who　translates　all

things　into　sentimentbefore　the　exquisite　well…known　lines　of

Polyhymnia's　veil。　Then　she　stretched　forth　her　hand。　Wilfrid　rose。

When　he　looked　at　Seraphita　she　was　lying　on　the　bear's…skin；　her　head

resting　on　her　hand；　her　face　calm；　her　eyes　brilliant。　Wilfrid　gazed

at　her　silently；　but　his　face　betrayed　a　deferential　fear　in　its

almost　timid　expression。



〃Yes；　dear；〃　he　said　at　last；　as　though　he　were　answering　some

question；　〃we　are　separated　by　worlds。　I　resign　myself；　I　can　only

adore　you。　But　what　will　become　of　me；　poor　and　alone！〃



〃Wilfrid；　you　have　Minna。〃



He　shook　his　head。



〃Do　not　be　so　disdainful；　woman　understands　all　things　through　love；

what　she　does　not　understand　she　feels；　what　she　does　not　feel　she

sees；　when　she　neither　sees；　nor　feels；　nor　understands；　this　angel　of

earth　divines　to　protect　you；　and　hides　her　protection　beneath　the

grace　of　love。〃



〃Seraphita；　am　I　worthy　to　belong　to　a　woman？〃



〃Ah；　now；〃　she　said；　smiling；　〃you　are　suddenly　very　modest；　is　it　a

snare？　A　woman　is　always　so　touched　to　see　her　weakness　glorified。

Well；　come　and　take　tea　with　me　the　day　after　to…morrow　evening；　good

Monsieur　Becker　will　be　here；　and　Minna；　the　purest　and　most　artless

creature　I　have　known　on　earth。　Leave　me　now；　my　friend；　I　need　to

make　long　prayers　and　expiate　my　sins。〃



〃You；　can　you　commit　sin？〃



〃Poor　friend！　if　we　abuse　our　power；　is　not　that　the　sin　of　pride？　I

have　been　very　proud　to…day。　Now　leave　me；　till　to…morrow。〃



〃Till　to…morrow；〃　said　Wilfrid　faintly；　casting　a　long　glance　at　the

being　of　whom　he　desired　to　carry　with　him　an　ineffaceable　memory。



Though　he　wished　to　go　far　away；　he　was　held；　as　it　were；　outside　the

house　for　some　moments；　watching　the　light　which　shone　from　all　the

windows　of　the　Swedish　dwelling。



〃What　is　the　matter　with　me？〃　he　asked　himself。　〃No；　she　is　not　a　mere

creature；　but　a　whole　creation。　Of　her　world；　even　through　veils　and

clouds；　I　have　caught　echoes　like　the　memory　of　sufferings　healed；

like　the　dazzling　vertigo　of　dreams　in　which　we　hear　the　plaints　of

generations　mingling　with　the　harmonies　of　some　higher　sphere　where

all　is　Light　and　all　is　Love。　Am　I　awake？　Do　I　still　sleep？　Are　these

the　eyes　before　which　the　luminous　space　retreated　further　and　further

indefinitely　while　the　eyes　followed　it？　The　night　is　cold；　yet　my

head　is　on　fire。　I　will　go　to　the　parsonage。　With　the　pastor　and　his

daughter　I　shall　recover　the　balance　of　my　mind。〃



But　still　he　did　not　leave　the　spot　whence　his　eyes　could　plunge　into

Seraphita's　salon。　The　mysterious　creature　seemed　to　him　the　radiating

centre　of　a　luminous　circle　which　formed　an　atmosphere　about　her　wider

than　that　of　other　beings；　whoever　entered　it　felt　the　compelling

influence　of；　as　it　were；　a　vortex　of　dazzling　light　and　all　consuming

thoughts。　Forced　to　struggle　against　this　inexplicable　power；　Wilfrid

only　prevailed　after　strong　efforts；　but　when　he　reached　and　passed

the　inclosin