thais-第19节

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baskets　sacred　to　Ceres；　twelve　young　girls；　bearing　on　their　heads
baskets　filled　with　pomegranates　and　apples；　entered　the　room　with　a
light　step；　in　time　to　the　music　of　an　invisible　flute。　They　placed
the　baskets　on　the　table；　the　flute　ceased；　and　Zenothemis　spoke　as
follows

〃When　Eunoia；　'the　thought　of　God；'　had　created　the　world；　she
confided　the　government　of　the　earth　to　the　angels。　But　they　did　not
preserve　the　dispassion　befitting　masters。　Seeing　that　the　daughters
of　men　were　fair；　they　surprised　them　in　the　evening　by　the　wellside；
and　united　themselves　to　them。　From　these　unions　sprang　a　turbulent
race；　who　covered　the　earth　with　injustice　and　cruelty；　and　the　dust
of　the　roads　drank　up　the　blood　of　the　innocent。　The　sight　of　this
caused　Eunoia　infinite　grief。

〃　'See　what　I　have　done！'　she　sighed；　leaning　towards　the　world。　'My
poor　children　are　plunged　in　misery；　and　by　my　fault。　Their　suffering
is　my　crime；　and　I　will　expiate　it。　God　Himself；　who　only　thinks
through　me；　would　be　powerless　to　restore　them　to　their　pristine
purity。　That　which　is　done　is　done；　and　the　creation　will　remain　for
ever　imperfect。　But；　at　least；　I　will　not　forsake　my　creatures。　If　I
cannot　make　them　happy；　like　me；　I　can　make　myself　unhappy；　like　them。
Since　I　committed　the　mistake　of　giving　them　bodies　which　dishonour
them；　I　will　myself　assume　a　body　like　unto　theirs；　and　will　go　and
live　amongst　them。'

〃Having　thus　spoken；　Eunoia　descended　to　the　earth；　and　was　incarnate
in　the　breast　of　a　woman　of　Argos。　She　was　born　small　and　feeble；　and
received　the　name　of　Helen。　She　submitted　to　all　the　labours　of　this
life；　but　soon　grew　in　grace　and　beauty；　and　became　the　most　desired
of　women；　as　she　had　determined；　in　order　that　her　mortal　body　might
be　tried　by　the　most　supreme　defilements。　An　inert　prey　to　lascivious
and　violent　men；　she　suffered　rape　and　adultery；　in　expiation　of　all
the　adulteries；　all　the　violences；　all　the　iniquities；　and　caused；　by
her　beauty；　the　ruin　of　nations；　that　God　might　pardon　the　sins　of　the
universe。　And　never　was　the　celestial　thought；　never　was　Eunoia；　so
adorable　as　in　those　days　when；　as　a　woman；　she　prostituted　herself　to
heroes　and　shepherds。　The　poets　surmised　her　divinity　when　they
painted　her　so　peaceful；　superb；　and　fatal；　and　when　they　addressed
that　invocation　to　her；　'A　soul　as　serene　as　a　calm　upon　the　waters。'

〃Thus　was　Eunoia　led　by　pity　into　evil　and　suffering。　She　died；　and
the　Argives　still　show　her　tombfor　it　was　necessary　that　she　should
know　death　after　lust；　and　taste　the　bitter　fruit　she　had　sown。　But；
emerging　from　the　decomposed　flesh　of　Helen；　she　became　incarnate
again　as　a　woman；　and　again　suffered　every　form　of　insult　and　outrage。
Thus；　passing　from　body　to　body；　throughout　all　the　evil　ages；　she
takes　upon　her　the　sins　of　the　world。　Her　sacrifice　will　not　be　in
vain。　Joined　to　us　by　the　bonds　of　the　flesh；　loving　us；　and　weeping
with　us；　she　will　effect　her　redemption　and　ours；　and　will　carry　us；
clinging　to　her　white　breast；　into　the　peace　of　the　regained
paradise。〃

HERMODORUS。　This　myth　was　not　unknown　to　me。　I　remembered　having　heard
that；　in　one　of　her　metamorphoses；　the　divine　Helen　lived　with　the
magician；　Simon；　in　the　reign　of　the　Emperor　Tiberius。　I　thought；
however；　that　her　perdition　was　involuntary；　and　that　she　was　dragged
down　by　the　angels　in　their　fall。

ZENOTHEMIS。　It　is　true；　Hermodorus；　that　men　who　were　not　properly
initiated　in　the　mysteries　have　imagined　that　the　sad　Eunoia　was　not　a
party　to　her　own　downfall。　But　if　it　were　as　they　assert　Eunoia　would
not　be　the　expiating　courtesan；　the　victim　covered　with　stains　of　all
sorts；　the　bread　steeped　in　the　wine　of　our　shame；　the　pleasant
offering；　the　meritorious　sacrifice；　the　holocaust；　the　smoke　of　which
rises　to　God。　If　they　were　not　voluntary；　there　would　be　no　merit　in
her　sins。

CALLICRATES。　Does　anyone　know；　Zenothemis　in　what　country；　under　what
name；　in　what　adorable　form；　this　ever…renascent　Helen　is　living　now？

ZENOTHEMIS。　A　man　would　have　to　be　very　wise　indeed　to　discover　such　a
secret。　And　wisdom；　Callicrates；　is　not　given　to　poets；　who　live　in
the　rude　world　of　forms　and　amuse　themselves；　like　children；　with
sounds　and　empty　shows。

CALLICRATES。　Beware　of　offending　the　gods；　impious　Zenothemis；　the
poets　are　dear　to　them。　The　first　laws　were　dictated　in　verse　by　the
immortals　themselves；　and　the　oracles　of　the　gods　are　poems。　Hymns
have　a　pleasant　sound　to　celestial　ears。　Who　does　not　know　that　the
poets　are　prophets；　and　that　nothing　is　hidden　from　them？　Being　a　poet
myself；　and　crowned　with　Apollo's　laurel；　I　will　make　known　to　all　the
last　incarnation　of　Eunoia。　The　eternal　Helen　is　close　to　us；　she　is
looking　at　us；　and　we　are　looking　at　her。　You　see　that　woman　reclining
on　the　cushions　of　her　couchso　beautiful　and　so　contemplativewhose
eyes　shed　tears；　and　whose　lips　abound　with　kisses！　It　is　she！　Lovely
as　in　the　time　of　Priam　and　the　halcyon　days　of　Asia；　Eunoia　is　now
called　Thais。

PHILINA。　What　do　you　say；　Callicrates？　Our　dear　Thais　knew　Paris；
Menelaus；　and　the　Achaians　who　fought　before　Ilion！　Was　the　Trojan
horse　big；　Thais？

ARISTOBULUS。　Who　speaks　of　a　horse？

〃I　have　drunk　like　a　Thracian！〃　cried　Chereas　and　he　rolled　under　the
table。

Callicrates；　raising　his　cup；　cried

〃If　we　drink　like　desperate　men；　we　die　unavenged！〃

Old　Cotta　was　asleep；　and　his　bald　head　nodded　slowly　above　his　broad
shoulders。

For　some　time　past　Dorion　had　seemed　to　be　greatly　excited　under　his
philosophic　cloak。　He　reeled　up　to　the　couch　of　Thais。

〃Thais；　I　love　you；　although　it　is　unseemly　in　me　to　love　a　woman。〃

THAIS。　Why　did　you　not　love　me　before？

DORION。　Because　I　had　not　supped。

THAIS。　But　I；　my　poor　friend；　have　drunk　nothing　but　water；　therefore
you　must　excuse　me　if　I　do　not　love　you。

Dorion　did　not　wait　to　hear　more；　but　made　towards　Drosea；　who　had
made　a　sign　to　him　in　order　to　get　him　away　from　her　friend。
Zenothemis　took　the　place　he　had　left；　and　gave　Thais　a　kiss　on　the
mouth。

THAIS。　I　thought　you　more　virtuous。

ZENOTHEMIS。　I　am　perfect；　and　the　perfect　are　subject　to　no　laws。

THAIS。　But　are　you　not　afraid　of　sullying　your　soul　in　a　woman's　arms？

ZENOTHEMIS。　The　body　may　yield　to　lust　without　the　soul　being
concerned。

THAIS。　Go　away！　I　wish　to　be　loved　with　body　and　soul。　All　these
philosophers　are　old　goats。

The　lamps　died　out　one　by　one。　The　pale　rays　of　dawn；　which　entered
between　the　openings　of　the　hangings；　shone　on　the　livid　faces　and
swollen　eyes　of　the　guests。　Aristobulus　was　sleeping　soundly　by　the
side　of　Chereas；　and；　in　his　dreams；　devoting　all　his　grooms　to　the
ravens。　Zenothemis　pressed　in　his　arms　the　yielding　Philina；　Dorion
poured　on　the　naked　bosom　of　Drosea　drops　of　wine；　which　rolled　like
rubies　on　the　white　breast；　which　was　shaking　with　laughter；　and　the
philosopher　tried　to　catch　these　drops　with　his　lips；　as　they　rolled
on　the　slippery　flesh。　Eucrites　rose；　and　placing　his　arm　on　the
shoulder　of　Nicias；　led　him　to　the　end　of　the　hall。

〃Friend；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃if　you　can　still　think　at　allof　what
are　you　thinking？〃

〃I　think　that　the　love　of　women　is　like　a　garden　of　Adonis。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃Do　you　not　know；　Eucrites；　that　women　make　little　gardens　on　the
terraces；　in　which　they　plant　boughs　in　clay　pots　in　honour　of　the
lover　of　Venus？　These　boughs　flourish　a　little　time；　and　then　fade。〃

〃What　does　that　signify；　Nicias？　That　it　is　foolish　to　attach
importance　to　that　which　fades？〃

〃If　beauty　is　but　a　shadow；　desire　is　but　a　lightning　flash。　What
madness　it　is；　then；　to　desire　beauty！　Is　it　not　rational；　on　the
contrary；　that　that　which　passes　should　go　with　that　which　does　not
endure；　and　that　the　lightning　should　devour　the　gliding　shadow？〃

〃Nicias；　you　seem　to　me　like　a　child　playing　at　knuckle…bones。　Take　my
advicebe　free！　By　liberty　only　can　you　become　a　man。〃

〃How　can　a　man　be　free；　Eucrites；　when　he　has　a　body？〃

〃You　shall　see　presently；　my　son。　Presently　you　will　say；　'Eucrites
was　free。'　〃

The　old　man　spoke；　leaning　against　a　porphyry　pillar；　his　face　lighted
by　the　first　rays　of　dawn。　Hermodorus　and　Marcus　had　approached；　and
stood　before　him　by　the　side　of　Nicias；　and　all　four；　regardless　of
the　laughter　and　cries　of　the　drinkers；　conversed　on　things　divine。
Eucrites　expresses　himself　so　wisely　and　eloquently；　that　Marcus
said

〃You　are　worthy　to　know　the　true　God。〃

Eucrites　replied

〃The　true　God　is　in　the　heart　of　the　wise　man。〃

Then　they　spoke　of　death。

〃I　wish；〃　said　Eucrites；　〃that　it　may　find　me　occupied　in　correcting
my　faults；　and　attentive　to　all　my　duties。　In　the　face　of　death　I　will
raise　my　pure　hands　to　heaven；　and　I　will　say　to　the　gods；　'Your
images；　gods；　that　you　have　placed　in　the　temple　of　my　soul；　I　have
not　profaned；　I　have　hung　there　my　thoughts；　as　well　as　garlands；
fillets；　and　wreaths。　I　have　lived　according　to　your　providence。　I
have　lived　enough。'　〃

Thus　speaking；　he　raised　his　arms　to　heaven；　and　he　remained
thoughtful　a　moment。　Then　he　continued；　with　extreme　joy

〃Separate　thyself　from　li