thais-第11节

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And　he　expired。

His　features　preserved　in　death　an　expression　of　ecstatic　happiness。
Even　the　soldiers　who　guarded　the　cross　were　struck　with　wonder。
Vivantius；　accompanied　by　some　of　the　Christian　brethren；　claimed　the
body；　and　buried　it　with　the　remains　of　the　other　martyrs　in　the　crypt
of　St。　John　the　Baptist；　and　the　Church　venerated　the　memory　of　Saint
Theodore　the　Nubian。

Three　years　later；　Constantine；　the　conquerer　of　Maxentius；　issued　an
edict　which　granted　toleration　to　the　Christians；　and　the　believers
were　not　henceforth　persecuted；　except　by　heretics。

Thais　had　completed　her　eleventh　year　when　her　friend　was　tortured　to
death；　and　she　felt　deeply　saddened　and　shocked。　Her　soul　was　not
sufficiently　pure　to　allow　her　to　understand　that　the　slave　Ahmes　was
blessed　both　in　his　life　and　his　death。　The　idea　sprang　up　in　her
little　mind　that　no　one　can　be　good　in　this　world　except　at　the　cost
of　the　most　terrible　sufferings。　And　she　was　afraid　to　be　good；　for
her　delicate　flesh　could　not　bear　pain。

At　an　early　age；　she　had　given　herself　to　the　lads　about　the　port；　and
she　followed　the　old　men　who　wandered　about　the　quarter　in　the
evening；　and　with　what　she　received　from　them　she　bought　cakes　and
trinkets。

As　she　did　not　take　home　any　of　the　money　she　gained；　her　mother
continually　ill…treated　her。　To　get　out　of　reach　of　her　mother's　arm；
she　often　ran；　bare…footed；　to　the　city　walls；　and　hid　with　the
lizards。　There　she　thought　with　envy　of　the　ladies　she　had　seen　pass
her；　richly　dressed；　and　in　a　litter　surrounded　by　slaves。

One　day；　when　she　had　been　beaten　more　brutally　than　usual；　she　was
crouching　down　beside　the　gate；　motionless　and　sulky；　when　an　old
woman　stopped　in　front　of　her；　looked　at　her　for　some　moments　in
silence；　and　then　cried

〃Oh；　the　pretty　flower！　the　beautiful　child！　Happy　is　the　father　who
begot　thee；　and　the　mother　who　brought　thee　into　the　world！〃

Thais　remained　silent；　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground。　Her　eyelids
were　red；　and　it　was　evident　she　had　been　weeping。

〃My　white　violet；〃　continued　the　old　woman；　〃is　not　your　mother　happy
to　have　nourished　a　little　goddess　like　you；　and　does　not　your　father；
when　he　sees　you；　rejoice　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart？〃

To　which　the　child　replied；　as　though　talking　to　herself

〃My　father　is　a　wine…skin　swollen　with　wine；　and　my　mother　a　greedy
horse…leech。〃

The　old　woman　glanced　to　right　and　left；　to　see　if　she　were　observed。
Then；　in　a　fawning　voice

〃Sweet　flowering　hyacinth；　beautiful　drinker　of　light；　come　with　me；
and　you　shall　have　nothing　to　do　but　dance　and　smile。　I　will　feed　you
on　honey　cakes；　and　my　sonmy　own　sonwill　love　you　as　his　eyes。　My
son　is　handsome　and　young；　he　has　but　little　beard　on　his　chin；　his
skin　is　soft；　and　he　is；　as　they　say；　a　little　Acharnian　pig。〃

Thais　replied

〃I　am　quite　willing　to　go　with　you。〃

And　she　rose　and　followed　the　old　woman　out　of　the　city。

The　old　woman；　who　was　named　Moeroe；　went　from　city　to　city　with　a
troupe　of　girls　and　boys；　whom　she　taught　to　dance；　and　then　hired　out
to　rich　people　to　appear　at　feasts。

Guessing　that　Thais　would　soon　develop　into　a　most　beautiful　woman；
she　taught　herwith　the　help　of　a　whipmusic　and　prosody；　and　she
flogged　with　leather　thongs　those　beautiful　legs；　when　they　did　not
move　in　time　to　the　strains　of　the　cithara。　Her　sona　decrepit
abortion；　of　no　age　and　no　sexill…treated　the　child；　on　whom　he
vented　the　hate　he　had　for　all　womankind。　Like　the　dancing…girls　whose
grace　he　affected；　he　knew；　and　taught　Thais；　the　art　of　pantomime；
and　how　to　mimic；　by　expression；　gesture；　and　attitude；　all　human
passions；　and　more　especially　the　passions　of　love。　He　was　a　clever
master；　though　he　disliked　his　work；　but　he　was　jealous　of　his　pupil；
and　as　soon　as　he　discovered　that　she　was　born　to　give　men　pleasure；
he　scratched　her　cheeks；　pinched　her　arms；　or　pricked　her　legs；　as　a
spiteful　girl　would　have　done。　Thanks；　however；　to　his　lessons；　she
quickly　became　an　excellent　musician；　pantomimist；　and　dancer。　The
brutality　of　her　master　did　not　at　all　surprise　her；　it　seemed　natural
to　her　to　be　badly　treated。　She　even　felt　some　respect　for　the　old
woman；　who　knew　music　and　drank　Greek　wine。　Moeroe；　when　she　came　to
Antioch；　praised　her　pupil　to　the　rich　merchants　of　the　city　who　gave
banquets；　both　as　a　dancer　and　a　flute…player。　Thais　danced　and
pleased。　She　accompanied　the　rich　bankers；　when　they　left　the　table；
into　the　shady　groves　on　the　banks　of　the　Orontes。　She　gave　herself　to
all；　for　she　knew　nothing　of　the　price　of　love。　But　one　night　that　she
had　danced　before　the　most　fashionable　young　men　of　the　city；　the　son
of　the　pro…consul　came　to　her；　radiant　with　youth　and　pleasure；　and
said；　in　a　voice　that　seemed　redolent　of　kisses

〃Why　am　I　not；　Thais；　the　wreath　which　crowns　your　hair；　the　tunic
which　enfolds　your　beautiful　form；　the　sandal　on　your　pretty　foot？　I
wish　you　to　tread　me　under　foot　as　a　sandal；　I　wish　my　caresses　to　be
your　tunic　and　your　wreath。　Come；　sweet　girl！　come　to　my　house；　and
let　us　forget　the　world。〃

She　looked　at　him　whilst　he　was　speaking；　and　saw　that　he　was
handsome。　Suddenly　she　felt　a　cold　sweat　on　her　face。　She　turned　green
as　grass；　she　reeled；　a　cloud　descended　before　her　eyes。　He　again
implored　her　to　come　with　him；　but　she　refused。　His　ardent　looks；　his
burning　words　were　vain；　and　when　he　took　her　in　his　arms　to　try　and
drag　her　away；　she　pushed　him　off　rudely。　Then　he　implored　her；　and
shed　tears。　But　a　new；　unknown；　and　invincible　passion　dominated　her
heart；　and　she　still　resisted。

〃What　madness！〃　said　the　guests。　〃Lollius　is　noble；　handsome；　and
rich；　and　a　dancing…girl　treats　him　with　scorn！〃

Lollius　returned　home　alone　that　night；　quite　love…sick。　He　came　in
the　morning；　pale　and　red…eyed；　and　hung　flowers　at　the　dancing…girl's
door。

But　Thais　was　frightened　and　troubled；　she　avoided　Lollius；　and　yet　he
was　continually　in　her　mind。　She　suffered；　and　she　did　not　know　the
cause　of　her　complaint。　She　wondered　why　she　had　thus　changed；　and　why
she　was　melancholy。　She　recoiled　from　all　her　lovers；　they　were
hateful　to　her。　She　loathed　the　light　of　day；　and　lay　on　her　bed　all
day；　sobbing；　and　with　her　head　buried　in　the　pillows。　Lollius
contrived　to　gain　admittance；　and　came　many　times；　but　neither　his
pleadings　nor　his　execrations　had　any　effect　on　the　obdurate　girl。　In
his　presence；　she　was　as　timid　as　a　virgin；　and　would　say　nothing
but

〃I　will　not！　I　will　not！〃

But　at　the　end　of　a　fortnight　she　gave　in；　for　she　knew　that　she　loved
him；　she　went　to　his　house　and　lived　with　him。　They　were　supremely
happy。　They　passed　their　days　shut　up　together；　gazing　into　each
other's　eyes；　and　babbling　a　childish　jargon。　In　the　evening；　they
walked　on　the　lonely　banks　of　the　Orontes；　and　lost　themselves　in　the
laurel　woods。　Sometimes　they　rose　at　dawn；　to　go　and　gather　hyacinths
on　the　slopes　of　Sulpicus。　They　drank　from　the　same　cup；　and　he　would
take　a　grape　from　between　her　lips　with　his　mouth。

Moeroe　came　to　Lollius；　and　cried　and　shrieked　that　Thais　should　be
restored　to　her。

〃She　is　my　daughter；〃　she　said；　〃my　daughter；　who　has　been　torn　from
me。　My　perfumed　flowermy　own　bowels！〃

Lollius　gave　her　a　large　sum　of　money；　and　sent　her　away。　But；　as　she
came　back　to　demand　some　more　gold　staters；　the　young　man　had　her　put
in　prison；　and　the　magistrates　having　discovered　that　she　was　guilty
of　many　crimes；　she　was　condemned　to　death；　and　thrown　to　the　wild
beasts。

Thais　loved　Lollius　with　all　the　passion　of　her　mind；　and　the
bewilderment　of　innocence。　She　told　him；　and　told　him　truly　from　the
bottom　of　her　heart

〃I　have　never　loved　any　one　but　you。〃

Lollius　replied

〃You　are　not　like　any　other　woman。〃

The　spell　lasted　six　months；　but　it　broke　at　last。　Thais　suddenly　felt
that　her　heart　was　empty　and　lonely。　Lollius　no　longer　seemed　the　same
to　her。　She　thought

〃What　can　have　thus　changed　me　in　an　instant？　How　is　it　that　he　is　now
like　any　other　man；　and　no　longer　like　himself？〃

She　left　him；　not　without　a　secret　desire　to　find　Lollius　again　in
another；　as　she　no　longer　found　him　in　himself。　She　thought　it　would
be　less　dull　to　live　with　someone　she　had　never　loved；　than　with　one
she　had　ceased　to　love。　She　appeared；　in　the　company　of　rich
debauchees；　at　those　sacred　feasts　at　which　naked　virgins　danced　in
the　temples；　and　troops　of　courtesans　swam　across　the　Orontes。　She
took　part　in　all　the　pleasures　of　the　fashionable　and　depraved　city；
and　she　assiduously　frequented　the　theatres；　at　which　clever　mimes
from　all　countries　performed　amidst　the　applause　of　a　crowd　greedy　for
excitement。

She　carefully　observed　the　mimes；　dancers；　comedians；　and　especially
the　women；　who　in　tragedies　represented　goddesses　in　love　with　young
men；　or　mortals　loved　by　the　gods。　Having　discovered　the　secrets　by
which　they　pleased　the　audience；　she　thought　to　herself　that　she　was
more　beautiful　and　could　act　better。　She　went　to　the　manager；　and
asked　to　be　admitted　into　the　troupe。　Thanks　to　her　beauty；　and　to　the
lessons　she　had　received　from　old　Moeroe；　she　was　received；　a