seraphita-第8节

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

the　inclosing　wall　of　the　courtyard；　he　regained　his　freedom　of　will；

walked　rapidly　towards　the　parsonage；　and　was　soon　beneath　the　high

wooden　arch　which　formed　a　sort　of　peristyle　to　Monsieur　Becker's

dwelling。　He　opened　the　first　door；　against　which　the　wind　had　driven

the　snow；　and　knocked　on　the　inner　one；　saying：



〃Will　you　let　me　spend　the　evening　with　you；　Monsieur　Becker？〃



〃Yes；〃　cried　two　voices；　mingling　their　intonations。



Entering　the　parlor；　Wilfrid　returned　by　degrees　to　real　life。　He

bowed　affectionately　to　Minna；　shook　hands　with　Monsieur　Becker；　and

looked　about　at　the　picture　of　a　home　which　calmed　the　convulsions　of

his　physical　nature；　in　which　a　phenomenon　was　taking　place　analogous

to　that　which　sometimes　seizes　upon　men　who　have　given　themselves　up

to　protracted　contemplations。　If　some　strong　thought　bears　upward　on

phantasmal　wing　a　man　of　learning　or　a　poet；　isolates　him　from　the

external　circumstances　which　environ　him　here　below；　and　leads　him

forward　through　illimitable　regions　where　vast　arrays　of　facts　become

abstractions；　where　the　greatest　works　of　Nature　are　but　images；　then

woe　betide　him　if　a　sudden　noise　strikes　sharply　on　his　senses　and

calls　his　errant　soul　back　to　its　prison…house　of　flesh　and　bones。　The

shock　of　the　reunion　of　these　two　powers；　body　and　mind；one　of　which

partakes　of　the　unseen　qualities　of　a　thunderbolt；　while　the　other

shares　with　sentient　nature　that　soft　resistant　force　which　deifies

destruction；this　shock；　this　struggle；　or；　rather　let　us　say；　this

painful　meeting　and　co…mingling；　gives　rise　to　frightful　sufferings。

The　body　receives　back　the　flame　that　consumes　it；　the　flame　has　once

more　grasped　its　prey。　This　fusion；　however；　does　not　take　place

without　convulsions；　explosions；　tortures；　analogous　and　visible　signs

of　which　may　be　seen　in　chemistry；　when　two　antagonistic　substances

which　science　has　united　separate。



For　the　last　few　days　whenever　Wilfrid　entered　Seraphita's　presence

his　body　seemed　to　fall　away　from　him　into　nothingness。　With　a　single

glance　this　strange　being　led　him　in　spirit　through　the　spheres　where

meditation　leads　the　learned　man；　prayer　the　pious　heart；　where　vision

transports　the　artist；　and　sleep　the　souls　of　men；each　and　all　have

their　own　path　to　the　Height；　their　own　guide　to　reach　it；　their　own

individual　sufferings　in　the　dire　return。　In　that　sphere　alone　all

veils　are　rent　away；　and　the　revelation；　the　awful　flaming　certainty

of　an　unknown　world；　of　which　the　soul　brings　back　mere　fragments　to

this　lower　sphere；　stands　revealed。　To　Wilfrid　one　hour　passed　with

Seraphita　was　like　the　sought…for　dreams　of　Theriakis；　in　which　each

knot　of　nerves　becomes　the　centre　of　a　radiating　delight。　But　he　left

her　bruised　and　wearied　as　some　young　girl　endeavoring　to　keep　step

with　a　giant。



The　cold　air；　with　its　stinging　flagellations；　had　begun　to　still　the

nervous　tremors　which　followed　the　reunion　of　his　two　natures；　so

powerfully　disunited　for　a　time；　he　was　drawn　towards　the　parsonage；

then　towards　Minna；　by　the　sight　of　the　every…day　home　life　for　which

he　thirsted　as　the　wandering　European　thirsts　for　his　native　land　when

nostalgia　seizes　him　amid　the　fairy　scenes　of　Orient　that　have　seduced

his　senses。　More　weary　than　he　had　ever　yet　been；　Wilfrid　dropped　into

a　chair　and　looked　about　him　for　a　time；　like　a　man　who　awakens　from

sleep。　Monsieur　Becker　and　his　daughter　accustomed；　perhaps；　to　the

apparent　eccentricity　of　their　guest；　continued　the　employments　in

which　they　were　engaged。



The　parlor　was　ornamented　with　a　collection　of　the　shells　and　insects

of　Norway。　These　curiosities；　admirably　arranged　on　a　background　of

the　yellow　pine　which　panelled　the　room；　formed；　as　it　were；　a　rich

tapestry　to　which　the　fumes　of　tobacco　had　imparted　a　mellow　tone。　At

the　further　end　of　the　room；　opposite　to　the　door；　was　an　immense

wrought…iron　stove；　carefully　polished　by　the　serving…woman　till　it

shone　like　burnished　steel。　Seated　in　a　large　tapestried　armchair　near

the　stove；　before　a　table；　with　his　feet　in　a　species　of　muff；

Monsieur　Becker　was　reading　a　folio　volume　which　was　propped　against　a

pile　of　other　books　as　on　a　desk。　At　his　left　stood　a　jug　of　beer　and

a　glass；　at　his　right　burned　a　smoky　lamp　fed　by　some　species　of　fish…

oil。　The　pastor　seemed　about　sixty　years　of　age。　His　face　belonged　to

a　type　often　painted　by　Rembrandt；　the　same　small　bright　eyes；　set　in

wrinkles　and　surmounted　by　thick　gray　eyebrows；　the　same　white　hair

escaping　in　snowy　flakes　from　a　black　velvet　cap；　the　same　broad；　bald

brow；　and　a　contour　of　face　which　the　ample　chin　made　almost　square；

and　lastly；　the　same　calm　tranquillity；　which；　to　an　observer；　denoted

the　possession　of　some　inward　power；　be　it　the　supremacy　bestowed　by

money；　or　the　magisterial　influence　of　the　burgomaster；　or　the

consciousness　of　art；　or　the　cubic　force　of　blissful　ignorance。　This

fine　old　man；　whose　stout　body　proclaimed　his　vigorous　health；　was

wrapped　in　a　dressing…gown　of　rough　gray　cloth　plainly　bound。　Between

his　lips　was　a　meerschaum　pipe；　from　which；　at　regular　intervals；　he

blew　the　smoke；　following　with　abstracted　vision　its　fantastic

wreathings；his　mind　employed；　no　doubt；　in　assimilating　through　some

meditative　process　the　thoughts　of　the　author　whose　works　he　was

studying。



On　the　other　side　of　the　stove　and　near　a　door　which　communicated　with

the　kitchen　Minna　was　indistinctly　visible　in　the　haze　of　the　good

man's　smoke；　to　which　she　was　apparently　accustomed。　Beside　her　on　a

little　table　were　the　implements　of　household　work；　a　pile　of　napkins；

and　another　of　socks　waiting　to　be　mended；　also　a　lamp　like　that　which

shone　on　the　white　page　of　the　book　in　which　the　pastor　was　absorbed。

Her　fresh　young　face；　with　its　delicate　outline；　expressed　an　infinite

purity　which　harmonized　with　the　candor　of　the　white　brow　and　the

clear　blue　eyes。　She　sat　erect；　turning　slightly　toward　the　lamp　for

better　light；　unconsciously　showing　as　she　did　so　the　beauty　of　her

waist　and　bust。　She　was　already　dressed　for　the　night　in　a　long　robe

of　white　cotton；　a　cambric　cap；　without　other　ornament　than　a　frill　of

the　same；　confined　her　hair。　Though　evidently　plunged　in　some　inward

meditation；　she　counted　without　a　mistake　the　threads　of　her　napkins

or　the　meshes　of　her　socks。　Sitting　thus；　she　presented　the　most

complete　image；　the　truest　type；　of　the　woman　destined　for　terrestrial

labor；　whose　glance　may　piece　the　clouds　of　the　sanctuary　while　her

thought；　humble　and　charitable；　keeps　her　ever　on　the　level　of　man。



Wilfrid　had　flung　himself　into　a　chair　between　the　two　tables　and　was

contemplating　with　a　species　of　intoxication　this　picture　full　of

harmony；　to　which　the　clouds　of　smoke　did　no　despite。　The　single

window　which　lighted　the　parlor　during　the　fine　weather　was　now

carefully　closed。　An　old　tapestry；　used　for　a　curtain　and　fastened　to

a　stick；　hung　before　it　in　heavy　folds。　Nothing　in　the　room　was

picturesque；　nothing　brilliant；　everything　denoted　rigorous

simplicity；　true　heartiness；　the　ease　of　unconventional　nature；　and

the　habits　of　a　domestic　life　which　knew　neither　cares　nor　troubles。

Many　a　dwelling　is　like　a　dream；　the　sparkle　of　passing　pleasure　seems

to　hide　some　ruin　beneath　the　cold　smile　of　luxury；　but　this　parlor；

sublime　in　reality；　harmonious　in　tone；　diffused　the　patriarchal　ideas

of　a　full　and　self…contained　existence。　The　silence　was　unbroken　save

by　the　movements　of　the　servant　in　the　kitchen　engaged　in　preparing

the　supper；　and　by　the　sizzling　of　the　dried　fish　which　she　was　frying

in　salt　butter　according　to　the　custom　of　the　country。



〃Will　you　smoke　a　pipe？〃　said　the　pastor；　seizing　a　moment　when　he

thought　that　Wilfrid　might　listen　to　him。



〃Thank　you；　no；　dear　Monsieur　Becker；〃　replied　the　visitor。



〃You　seem　to　suffer　more　to…day　than　usual；〃　said　Minna；　struck　by　the

feeble　tones　of　the　stranger's　voice。



〃I　am　always　so　when　I　leave　the　chateau。〃



Minna　quivered。



〃A　strange　being　lives　there；　Monsieur　Becker；〃　he　continued　after　a

pause。　〃For　the　six　months　that　I　have　been　in　this　village　I　have

never　yet　dared　to　question　you　about　her；　and　even　now　I　do　violence

to　my　feelings　in　speaking　of　her。　I　began　by　keenly　regretting　that

my　journey　in　this　country　was　arrested　by　the　winter　weather　and　that

I　was　forced　to　remain　here。　But　during　the　last　two　months　chains

have　been　forged　and　riveted　which　bind　me　irrevocably　to　Jarvis；　till

now　I　fear　to　end　my　days　here。　You　know　how　I　first　met　Seraphita；

what　impression　her　look　and　voice　made　upon　me；　and　how　at　last　I　was

admitted　to　her　home　where　she　receives　no　one。　From　the　very　first

day　I　have　longed　to　ask　you　the　history　of　this　mysterious　being。　On

that　day　began；　for　me；　a　series　of　enchantments