thais-第13节

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thoughts　of　others；　and　that　all　of　us　are　somewhat　inclined　to　read
books　as　I　have　read　this　one。〃

She　did　not　hear　him；　her　soul　was　still　before　the　Nubian's　tomb。　As
he　heard　her　sigh；　he　kissed　her　on　the　neck；　and　said

〃Do　not　be　sad；　my　child。　We　are　never　happy　in　this　world；　except
when　we　forget　the　world。

〃Come；　let　us　cheat　lifeit　is　sure　to　take　its　revenge。　Come；　let　us
love！〃

But　she　pushed　him　away。

〃/We/　love！〃　she　cried　bitterly。　〃/You/　never　loved　any　one。　And　/I/
do　not　love　/you/！　No！　I　do　not　love　you！　I　hate　you！　Go！　I　hate　you！
I　curse　and　despise　all　who　are　happy；　and　all　who　are　rich！　Go！　Go！
Goodness　is　only　found　amongst　the　unfortunate。　When　I　was　a　child　I
knew　a　black　slave　who　died　on　the　cross。　He　was　good；　he　was　filled
with　love；　and　he　knew　the　secret　of　life。　You　are　not　worthy　to　wash
his　feet。　Go！　I　never　wish　to　see　you　again！〃

She　threw　herself　on　her　face　on　the　carpet；　and　passed　the　night
sobbing　and　weeping；　and　forming　resolutions　to　live；　in　future；　like
Saint　Theodore；　in　poverty　and　humbleness。

The　next　day；　she　devoted　herself　again　to　those　pleasures　to　which
she　was　addicted。　As　she　knew　that　her　beauty；　though　still　intact；
would　not　last　very　long；　she　hastened　to　derive　all　the　enjoyment　and
all　the　fame　she　could　from　it。　At　the　theatre；　where　she　acted　and
studied　more　than　ever；　she　gave　life　to　the　imagination　of　sculptors；
painters；　and　poets。　Recognising　that　there　was　in　the　attitudes；
movements；　and　walk　of　the　actress；　an　idea　of　the　divine　harmony
which　rules　the　spheres；　wise　men　and　philosophers　considered　that
such　perfect　grace　was　a　virtue　in　itself；　and　said；　〃Thais　also　is　a
geometrician！〃　The　ignorant；　the　poor；　the　humble；　and　the　timid
before　whom　she　consented　to　appear；　regarded　her　as　a　blessing　from
heaven。　Yet　she　was　sad　amidst　all　the　praise　she　received；　and
dreaded　death　more　than　ever。　Nothing　was　able　to　set　her　mind　at
rest；　not　even　her　house　and　gardens；　which　were　celebrated；　and　a
proverb　throughout　the　city。

The　gardens　were　planted　with　trees；　brought　at　great　expense　from
India　and　Persia。　They　were　watered　by　a　running　brook；　and　colonnades
in　ruins；　and　imitation　rocks；　arranged　by　a　skilful　artist；　were
reflected　in　a　lake；　which　also　mirrored　the　statues　that　stood　round
it。　In　the　middle　of　the　garden　was　the　Grotto　of　Nymphs；　which　owed
its　name　to　three　life…size　figures　of　women；　which　stood　on　the
threshold。　They　were　represented　as　divesting　themselves　of　their
garments；　and　about　to　bathe。　They　anxiously　turned　their　heads；
fearing　to　be　seen；　and　looked　as　though　they　were　alive。　The　only
light　which　entered　the　building　came；　tempered　and　iridescent；
through　thin　sheets　of　water。　All　the　walls　were　hungas　in　the
sacred　grottoeswith　wreaths；　garlands；　and　votive　pictures；　in　which
the　beauty　of　Thais　was　celebrated。　There　were　also　tragic　and　comic
masks；　bright　with　colours；　and　paintings　representing　theatrical
scenes　or　grotesque　figures；　or　fabulous　animals。　On　a　stele　in　the
centre　stood　a　little　ivory　Eros　of　wonderful　antique　workmanship。　It
was　a　gift　from　Nicias。　In　one　of　the　bays　was　a　figure　of　a　goat　in
black　marble；　with　shining　agate　eyes。　Six　alabaster　kids　crowded
round　its　teats；　but；　raising　its　cloven　hoofs　and　its　ugly　head；　it
seemed　impatient　to　climb　the　rocks。　The　floor　was　covered　with
Byzantine　carpets；　pillows　embroidered　by　the　yellow　men　of　Cathay；
and　the　skins　of　Libyan　lions。　Perfumed　smoke　arose　from　golden
censers。　Flowering　plants　grew　in　large　onyx　vases。　And　at　the　far
end；　in　the　purple　shadow；　gleamed　the　gold　nails　on　the　shell　of　a
huge　Indian　tortoise　turned　upside　down；　which　served　as　the　bed　of
the　actress。　It　was　here　that　every　day；　to　the　murmur　of　the　water；
and　amid　perfumes　and　flowers；　Thais　reclined　softly；　and　conversed
with　her　friends；　while　awaiting　the　hour　of　supper；　or　meditated　in
solitude　on　theatrical　art；　or　on　the　flight　of　years。

On　the　afternoon　after　the　games；　Thais　was　reposing　in　the　Grotto　of
Nymphs。　She　had　noticed　in　her　mirror　the　first　signs　of　the　decay　of
her　beauty；　and　she　was　frightened　to　think　that　white　hair　and
wrinkles　would　at　last　come。　She　vainly　tried　to　comfort　herself　with
the　assurance　that　she　could　recover　her　fresh　complexion　by　burning
certain　herbs　and　pronouncing　a　few　magic　words。　A　pitiless　voice
cried；　〃You　will　grow　old　Thais；　you　will　grow　old。〃　And　a　cold　sweat
of　terror　bedewed　her　forehead。　Then；　on　looking　at　herself　again　in
the　mirror　with　infinite　tenderness；　she　found　that　she　was　still
beautiful　and　worthy　to　be　loved。　She　smiled　to　herself；　and　murmured；
〃There　is　not　a　woman　in　Alexandria　who　can　rival　me　in　suppleness　or
grace　or　movement；　or　in　splendour　of　arms；　and　the　arms；　my　mirror；
are　the　real　chains　of　love！〃

While　she　was　thus　thinking　she　saw　an　unknown　manthin；　with　burning
eyes　and　unkempt　beard；　and　clad　in　a　richly　embroidered　robe
standing　before　her。　She　let　fall　her　mirror；　and　uttered　a　cry　of
fright。

Paphnutius　stood　motionless；　and　seeing　how　beautiful　she　was；　he
murmured　this　prayer　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart

〃Grant；　my　God；　that　the　face　of　this　woman　may　not　be　a　temptation；
but　may　prove　salutary　to　Thy　servant。〃

Then；　forcing　himself　to　speak；　he　said

〃Thais；　I　live　in　a　far　country；　and　the　fame　of　thy　beauty　has　led　me
to　thee。　It　is　said　that　thou　art　the　most　clever　of　actresses　and　the
most　irresistible　of　women。　That　which　is　related　of　thy　riches　and
thy　love　affairs　seems　fabulous；　and　calls　to　mind　the　old　story　of
Rhodope；　whose　marvellous　history　is　known　by　heart　to　all　the　boatmen
on　the　Nile。　Therefore　I　was　seized　with　a　desire　to　know　thee；　and　I
see　that　the　truth　surpasses　the　rumour。　Thou　art　a　thousand　times
more　clever　and　more　beautiful　than　is　reported。　And　now　that　I　see
thee；　I　say　to　myself；　'It　is　impossible　to　approach　her　without
staggering　like　a　drunken　man。'　〃

The　words　were　feigned；　but　the　monk；　animated　by　pious　zeal；　uttered
them　with　real　warmth。　Thais　gazed；　without　displeasure；　at　this
strange　being　who　had　frightened　her。　The　rough；　wild　aspect；　and　the
fiery　glances　of　his　eyes；　astonished　her。　She　was　curious　to　learn
the　state　of　life　of　a　man　so　different　from　all　others　she　had　met。
She　replied；　with　gentle　raillery

〃You　seem　prompt　to　admire；　stranger。　Beware　that　my　looks　do　not
consume　you　to　the　bones！　Beware　of　loving　me！〃

He　said

〃I　love　thee；　O　Thais！　I　love　thee　more　than　my　life；　and　more　than
myself。　For　thee　I　have　quitted　the　desert；　for　thee　my　lipsvowed　to
silencehave　pronounced　profane　words；　for　thee　I　have　seen　what　I
ought　not　to　have　seen；　and　heard　what　it　was　forbidden　to　me　to　hear；
for　thee　my　soul　is　troubled；　my　heart　is　open；　and　the　thoughts　gush
out　like　the　running　springs　at　which　the　pigeons　drink；　for　thee　I
have　walked　day　and　night　across　sandy　deserts　teeming　with　reptiles
and　vampires；　for　thee　I　have　placed　my　bare　foot　on　vipers　and
scorpions！　Yes；　I　love　thee！　I　love　thee；　but　not　like　those　men　who；
burning　with　the　lusts　of　the　flesh；　come　to　thee　like　devouring
wolves　or　furious　bulls。　Thou　art　dear　to　them　as　is　the　gazelle　to
the　lion。　Their　ravening　lusts　will　consume　thee　to　the　soul；　O　woman！
I　love　thee　in　spirit　and　in　truth；　I　love　thee　in　God；　and　for　ever
and　ever；　that　which　is　in　my　breast　is　named　true　zeal　and　divine
charity。　I　promise　thee　better　things　than　drunkenness　crowned　with
flowers　or　the　dreams　of　a　brief　night。　I　promise　thee　holy　feasts　and
celestial　suppers。　The　happiness　that　I　bring　thee　will　never　end；　it
is　unheard…of；　it　is　ineffable；　and　such　that　if　the　happy　of　this
world　could　only　see　a　shadow　of　it　they　would　die　of　wonder。〃

Thais　laughed　mischievously。

〃Friend；〃　she　said；　〃show　me　this　wonderful　love。　Make　haste！　Long
speeches　would　be　an　insult　to　my　beauty；　let　us　not　lose　a　moment。　I
am　impatient　to　taste　the　felicity　you　announce；　but；　to　say　the
truth；　I　fear　that　I　shall　always　remain　ignorant　of　it；　and　that　all
you　have　promised　me　will　vanish　in　words。　It　is　easier　to　promise　a
great　happiness　than　to　give　it。　Everyone　has　a　talent　of　some　sort。　I
fancy　that　yours　is　to　make　long　speeches。　You　speak　of　an　unknown
love。　It　is　so　long　since　kisses　were　first　exchanged　that　it　would　be
very　extraordinary　if　there　still　remained　secrets　in　love。　On　this
subject　lovers　know　more　than　philosophers。〃

〃Do　not　jest；　Thais。　I　bring　thee　the　unknown　love。〃

〃Friend；　you　come　too　late。　I　know　every　kind　of　love。〃

〃The　love　that　I　bring　thee　abounds　with　glory；　whilst　the　loves　that
thou　knowest　breed　only　shame。〃

Thais　looked　at　him　with　an　angry　eye；　a　frown　gathered　on　her
beautiful　face。

〃You　are　very　bold；　stranger；　to　offend　your　hostess。　Look　at　me；　and
say　if　I　resemble　a　creature　crushed　down　with　shame。　No；　I　am　not
ashamed；　and　all　others　who　live　like　me　are　not　ashamed　either；
although　they　are　not　so　beautiful　or　so　rich　as　I　am。　I　have　sown
pleasure　in　my　footsteps；　and　I　am　celebrated　for　that　all　over　the
world。　I　am　more　powerful　than　the　masters　of　the　world。