thais-第20节

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thoughtful　a　moment。　Then　he　continued；　with　extreme　joy

〃Separate　thyself　from　life；　Eucrites；　like　the　ripe　olive　which
falls；　returning　thanks　to　the　tree　which　bore　thee；　and　blessing　the
earth；　thy　nurse。〃

At　these　words；　drawing　from　the　folds　of　his　robe　a　naked　dagger；　he
plunged　it　into　his　breast。

Those　who　listened　to　him　sprang　forward　to　seize　his　hand；　but　the
steel　point　had　already　penetrated　the　heart　of　the　sage。　Eucrites　had
already　entered　into　his　rest。　Hermodorus　and　Nicias　bore　the　pale　and
bleeding　body　to　one　of　the　couches；　amidst　the　shrill　shrieks　of　the
women；　the　grunts　of　the　guests　disturbed　in　their　sleep；　and　the
heavy　breathing　of　the　couples　hidden　in　the　shadow　of　the　tapestry。
Cotta；　an　old　soldier；　who　slept　lightly；　woke；　approached　the　corpse；
examined　the　wound；　and　cried

〃Call　Aristaeus；　my　physician！〃

Nicias　shook　his　head。

〃Eucrites　is　no　more；〃　he　said。　〃He　wished　to　die　as　others　wish　to
love。　He　has；　like　all　of　us；　obeyed　his　inexpressible　desire。　And；
lo；　now　he　is　like　unto　the　gods；　who　desire　nothing。〃

Cotta　struck　his　forehead。

〃Die！　To　want　to　die　when　he　might　still　serve　the　State！　What
nonsense！〃

Paphnutius　and　Thais　remained　motionless　and　mute；　side　by　side；　their
souls　overflowing　with　disgust；　horror；　and　hope。

Suddenly　the　monk　seized　the　hand　of　the　actress；　and　stepping　over
the　drunkards；　who　had　fallen　close　to　the　lascivious　couples；　and
treading　in　the　wine　and　blood　spilt　upon　the　floor；　he　led　her　out　of
the　house。



The　sun　had　risen　over　the　city。　Long　colonnades　stretched　on　both
sides　of　the　deserted　street；　and　at　the　end　shone　the　dome　of
Alexander's　tomb。　Here　and　there　on　the　pavement　lay　broken　wreaths
and　extinguished　torches。　Fresh　wafts　of　the　sea　could　be　felt　in　the
air。　Paphnutius；　with　a　look　of　disgust；　tore　off　his　rich　robe　and
trampled　the　fragments　under　his　feet。

〃Thou　hast　heard　them；　my　Thais！〃　he　cried。　〃They　have　spat　forth
every　sort　of　folly　and　abomination。　They　dragged　the　Divine　Creator
of　all　things　down　the　gemonies＇*＇　of　the　devils　of　hell；　impudently
denied　the　existence　of　Good　and　Evil；　blasphemed　Jesus；　and　exalted
Judas。　And　the　most　infamous　of　all；　the　jackal　of　darkness；　the
stinking　beast；　the　Arian　full　of　corruption　and　death；　opened　his
mouth　like　a　yawning　sepulchre。　My　Thais；　thou　hast　seen　these　filthy
snails　crawling　towards　thee　and　defiling　thee　with　their　sticky
sweat；　thou　hast　seen　others；　like　brutes；　sleeping　under　the　heels　of
their　slaves；　thou　hast　seen　them　coupling　like　beasts　on　the　carpet
they　had　fouled　with　their　vomit；　thou　hast　seen　a　foolish　old　man
shed　a　blood　yet　viler　than　the　wine　which　flowed　at　his　debauch；　and
at　the　end　of　the　orgie　throw　himself　in　the　face　of　the　unforeseen
Christ。　Praise　be　to　God！　Thou　hast　seen　error　and　recognised　how
hideous　it　was。　Thais；　Thais；　Thais；　recall　to　mind　the　follies　of
these　philosophers；　and　say　if　thou　wilt　go　mad　with　them！　Remember
the　looks；　the　gestures；　the　laughs　of　their　fitting　companions；　those
two　lascivious　and　malicious　strumpets；　and　say　if　thou　wilt　remain
like　unto　them。〃

＇*＇　Steps　on　the　Aventine　Hill；　leading　to　the　Tiber；　to　which　the
　　　　bodies　of　executed　criminals　were　dragged　to　be　thrown　into　the
　　　　river。　The　word　is　now　obsolete；　but　was　employed　by　Ben　Jonson
　　　　（Sejanus）　and　Massinger　（The　Roman　Actor）。TRANS。

Thais；　her　heart　stirred　with　horror　and　disgust　at　all　she　had　seen
and　heard　that　night；　and　feeling　the　indifference　and　brutality；　the
malicious　jealousy　of　women；　the　heavy　weight　of　useless　hours；
sighed。

〃I　am　weary　to　death；　O　my　father！　Where　shall　I　find　rest？　I　feel
that　my　face　is　burning；　my　head　empty；　and　my　arms　are　so　tired　that
I　should　not　have　the　strength　to　seize　happiness　were　it　within　reach
of　my　hand。〃

Paphnutius　gazed　at　her　with　loving　pity。

〃Courage；　O　my　sister！　The　hour　of　rest　rises　for　thee；　white　and　pure
as　the　vapours　thou　seest　rise　from　the　gardens　and　waters。〃

They　were　near　the　house　of　Thais；　and　could　see；　above　the　wall；　the
tops　of　the　sycamore　and　fir　trees；　which　surrounded　the　Grotto　of
Nymphs；　tremble　in　the　morning　breeze。　In　front　of　them　was　a　public
square；　deserted；　and　surrounded　with　steles　and　votive　statues；　and
having　at　each　end　a　semicircular　marble　seat；　supported　by　figures　of
monsters。　Thais　fell　on　one　of　these　seats。　Then；　looking　anxiously　at
the　monk；　she　asked

〃What　must　I　do？〃

〃Thou　must；〃　replied　the　monk；　〃follow　Him　who　has　come　to　seek　thee。
He　will　separate　thee　from　this　present　life；　as　the　vintager　gathers
the　cluster　that　would　have　rotted　on　the　tree；　and　bears　it　to　the
wine…press　to　change　it　into　perfumed　wine。　Listen！　there　is；　a　dozen
hours　from　Alexandria；　towards　the　west；　not　far　from　the　sea；　a
nunnery；　the　rules　of　which；　a　masterpiece　of　wisdom；　deserve　to　be
put　in　lyric　verse　and　sung　to　the　sound　of　the　theorbo　and
tambourines。　It　may　truly　be　said　that　the　women　who　are　there；
submissive　to　these　rules；　have　their　feet　upon　earth　and　their　faces
in　heaven。　They　desire　to　be　poor；　that　Jesus　may　love　them；　modest；
that　He　may　gaze　upon　them；　chaste　that　He　may　wed　them。　He　visits
them　every　day　in　the　guise　of　a　gardener；　His　feet　bare；　His
beautiful　hands　openeven　as　He　showed　Himself　to　Mary　at　the
entrance　of　the　tomb。　I　will　conduct　thee　this　very　day　to　this
nunnery；　my　Thais；　and　soon；　commingling　with　these　holy　women；　thou
wilt　share　in　their　heavenly　conversation。　They　await　thee　as　a
sister。　On　the　threshold　of　the　convent；　their　mother；　the　pious
Albina；　will　give　thee　the　kiss　of　peace　and　will　say；　'My　daughter；
thou　art　welcome！'　〃

The　courtesan　uttered　a　cry　of　amazement。

〃Albina！　a　daughter　of　the　Caesars！　The　great　niece　of　the　Emperor
Carus！〃

〃She　herself！　Albina；　who；　born　in　the　purple；　has　donned　the　serge；
and　a　daughter　of　the　masters　of　this　world；　has　risen　to　the　rank　of
servant　of　Jesus　Christ。　She　will　be　thy　mother。〃

Thais　rose　and　said

〃Take　me　to　the　house　of　Albina。〃

And　Paphnutius；　completing　his　victory

〃Surely　I　will　conduct　thee　thither；　and　there　I　will　place　thee　in　a
cell；　where　thou　shalt　weep　for　thy　sins。　For　it　is　not　fitting　that
thou　shouldst　mingle　with　the　daughters　of　Albina　until　thou　art
cleansed　from　thy　sins。　I　will　seal　the　door；　and　there；　a　happy
prisoner；　thou　wilt　wait　in　tears　till　Jesus　Himself　come；　as　a　sign
of　pardon；　to　break　the　seal　that　I　have　placed。　And　doubt　not　that　He
will　come；　Thais；　and　how　the　flesh　of　thy　soul　will　tremble　when　thou
shalt　feel　the　fingers　of　Light　placed　upon　thy　eyes　to　dry　thy
tears！〃

Thais　said　a　second　time

〃Take　me；　my　father；　to　the　house　of　Albina。〃

His　heart　filled　with　joy；　Paphnutius　gazed　around　him；　and　tasted；
almost　without　fear；　the　pleasure　of　contemplating　the　works　of
creation；　his　eyes　drank　in　with　joy　God's　light；　and　unknown　breezes
fanned　his　cheeks。　Suddenly；　seeing　at　one　of　the　corners　of　the
public　square　the　little　door　which　led　to　Thais'　house；　and
remembering　that　the　trees；　whose　foliage　he　had　been　admiring；　shaded
the　courtesan's　garden；　he　thought　of　all　the　impurities　which　there
sullied　the　air；　to…day　so　light　and　pure；　and　his　soul　was　so　grieved
that　bitter　tears　sprang　to　his　eyes。

〃Thais；〃　he　said；　〃we　must　fly　without　looking　back。　But　we　must　not
leave　behind　us　the　instruments；　the　witnesses；　the　accomplices　of　thy
past　crimes；　those　heavy　hangings；　those　beds；　carpets；　perfume
censers　and　lamps；　which　would　proclaim　thy　infamy！　Dost　thou　wish
that；　animated　by　the　demons；　and　carried　by　the　evil　spirit　that　is
in　them；　those　accursed　belongings　should　pursue　thee　even　to　the
desert？　It　is　but　too　true　that　there　are　tables　which　bring　ruin；
seats　which　serve　as　the　instruments　of　devils；　which　act；　speak；
strike　the　ground；　and　pass　through　the　air。　Let　all　perish　which　has
seen　thy　shame！　Hasten；　Thais；　and；　whilst　the　city　is　yet　asleep；
order　thy　slaves　to　make；　in　the　centre　of　this　place；　a　pile；　upon
which　we　will　burn　all　the　abominable　riches　thy　dwelling　contains。〃

Thais　consented。

〃Do　as　you　will；　my　father；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　that　spirits　often
dwell　in　inanimate　objects。　At　night　some　articles　of　furniture　talk；
either　by　giving　knocks　at　regular　intervals　or　by　emitting　little
flashes　of　light　as　signals。　And　even　more。　Have　you　remarked；　my
father；　at　the　entrance　to　the　Grotto　of　Nymphs；　on　the　right；　a
statue　of　a　naked　woman　about　to　bathe？　One　day　I　saw；　with　my　own
eyes；　that　statue　turn　its　head　like　a　living　person；　and　then　return
to　its　ordinary　attitude。　I　was　terrified。　Nicias；　to　whom　I　related
this　prodigy；　laughed　at　me；　yet　there　must　be　some　magic　in　that
statue；　for　it　inspired　with　violent　desires　a　certain　Dalmatian；　who
was　insensible　to　my　beauty。　It　is　certain　that　I　have　lived　amongst
enchanted　things；　and　that　I　was　exposed　to　the　greatest　perils；　for
men　have　been　strangled　by　the　embraces　of　a　bronze　statue。　Yet　it
would　be　a　pity　to　destroy　valuable　works　made　with　rare　skill；　and　to
burn　my　carpets　and　tapestry　would　be　a　great　loss。　Th