thais-第26节

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pillar；　he　ascended；　knelt　down　on　the　top；　and　said　to　the　Lord

〃Here；　then；　O　God；　is　the　abode　Thou　hast　chosen　for　me。　May　I　remain
here；　in　Thy　Grace；　until　the　hour　of　my　death。〃

He　had　brought　no　provisions　with　him；　trusting　in　divine　providence；
and　expecting　that　charitable　peasants　would　give　him　all　that　he
needed。　And；　in　fact；　the　next　day；　about　the　ninth　hour；　women　came
with　their　children；　bringing　bread；　dates；　and　fresh　water；　which　the
boys　carried　to　the　top　of　the　column。

The　top　of　the　pillar　was　not　large　enough　to　allow　the　monk　to　lie　at
full　length；　so　that　he　slept　with　his　legs　crossed　and　his　head　on
his　breast；　and　sleep　was　a　more　cruel　torture　to　him　than　his　wakeful
hours。　At　dawn　the　ospreys　brushed　him　with　their　wings；　and　he　awoke
filled　with　pain　and　terror。

It　happened　that　the　carpenter　who　had　made　the　ladder　feared　God。
Disturbed　at　the　thought　that　the　saint　was　exposed　to　the　sun　and
rain；　and　fearing　that　he　might　fall　in　his　sleep；　this　pious　man
constructed　a　roof　and　a　railing　on　the　top　of　the　column。

Soon　the　report　of　this　extraordinary　existence　spread　from　village　to
village；　and　the　labourers　of　the　valley　came　on　Sundays；　with　their
wives　and　children；　to　look　at　the　stylite。　The　disciples　of
Paphnutius；　having　learned　with　surprise　the　place　of　this　wonderful
retreat；　came　to　him；　and　obtained　from　him　permission　to　build　their
huts　at　the　foot　of　the　column。　Every　morning　they　came　and　stood　in　a
circle　round　the　master；　and　received　from　him　the　words　of
instruction。

〃My　sons；〃　he　said　to　them；　〃continue　like　those　little　children　whom
Jesus　loved。　That　is　the　way　of　salvation。　The　sin　of　the　flesh　is　the
source　and　origin　of　all　sins；　they　spring　from　it　as　from　a　parent。
Pride；　avarice；　idleness；　anger；　and　envy　are　its　dearly　beloved
progeny。　I　have　seen　this　in　Alexandria；　I　have　seen　rich　men　carried
away　by　the　vice　of　lust；　which；　like　a　river　with　a　turbid　flood；
swept　them　into　the　gulf　of　bitterness。〃

The　abbots　Ephrem　and　Serapion；　being　informed　of　his　strange
proceeding；　wished　to　behold　him　with　their　own　eyes。　Seeing　from
afar；　on　the　river；　the　triangular　sail　which　was　bringing　them　to
him；　Paphnutius　could　not　prevent　himself　from　thinking　that　God　had
made　him　an　example　to　all　solitary　monks。　The　two　abbots；　when　they
saw　him；　did　not　conceal　their　surprise；　and；　having　consulted
together；　they　agreed　in　condemning　such　an　extraordinary　penance；　and
exhorted　Paphnutius　to　come　down。

〃Such　a　mode　of　life　is　contrary　to　all　usage；〃　they　said；　〃it　is
peculiar；　and　against　all　rules。〃

But　Paphnutius　replied

〃What　is　the　monastic　life　if　not　peculiar？　And　ought　not　the　deeds　of
a　monk　to　be　as　eccentric　as　he　is　himself？　It　was　a　sign　from　God
that　caused　me　to　ascend　here；　it　is　a　sign　from　God　that　will　make　me
descend。〃

Every　day　religious　men　came　to　join　the　disciples　of　Paphnutius；　and
they　built　for　themselves　shelters　round　the　aerial　hermitage。　Several
of　them；　to　imitate　the　saint；　mounted　the　ruins　of　the　temple；　but；
being　reproved　by　their　brethren；　and　conquered　by　fatigue；　they　soon
gave　up　these　attempts。

Pilgrims　flocked　from　all　parts。　There　were　some　who　had　come　long
distances；　and　were　hungry　and　thirsty。　The　idea　occurred　to　a　poor
widow　of　selling　fresh　water　and　melons。　Against　the　foot　of　the
column；　behind　her　bottles　of　red　clay；　her　cups　and　her　fruit　under
an　awning　of　blue…and…white　striped　canvas；　she　cried；　〃Who　wants　to
drink？〃　Following　the　example　of　this　widow；　a　baker　brought　some
bricks　and　made　an　oven　close　by；　in　the　hope　of　selling　loaves　and
cakes　to　visitors。　As　the　crowd　of　visitors　increased　unceasingly；　and
the　inhabitants　of　the　large　cities　of　Egypt　began　to　come；　some　man；
greedy　of　gain；　built　a　caravanserai　to　lodge　the　guests　and　their
servants；　camels；　and　mules。　Soon　there　was；　in　front　of　the　column；　a
market　to　which　the　fishermen　of　the　Nile　brought　their　fish；　and　the
gardeners　their　vegetables。　A　barber；　who　shaved　people　in　the　open
air；　amused　the　crowd　with　his　jokes。　The　old　temple；　so　long　given
over　to　silence　and　solitude　was　filled　with　countless　sights　and
sounds　of　life。　The　innkeepers　turned　the　subterranean　vaults　into
cellars　and　nailed　on　the　old　pillars　signs　surmounted　by　the　figure
of　the　holy　Paphnutius；　and　bearing　this　inscription　in　Greek　and
Egyptian〃/Pomegranate　wine；　fig　wine；　and　genuine　Cilician　beer　sold
here/。〃　On　the　walls；　sculptured　with　pure　and　graceful　carvings；　the
shop…keepers　hung　ropes　of　onions；　and　smoked　fish；　dead　hares；　and
the　carcases　of　sheep。　In　the　evening；　the　old　occupants　of　the　ruins；
the　rats；　scuttled　in　a　long　row　to　the　river；　whilst　the　ibises；
suspiciously　craning　their　necks；　perched　on　the　high　cornices；　to
which　rose　the　smoke　of　the　kitchens；　the　shouts　of　the　drinkers；　and
the　cries　of　the　tapsters。　All　around；　builders　laid　out　streets；　and
masons　constructed　convents；　chapels；　and　churches。　By　the　end　of　six
months　a　city　was　established　with　a　guardhouse；　a　tribunal；　a　prison；
and　a　school；　kept　by　an　old　blind　scribe。

The　pilgrims　were　innumerable。　Bishops　and　other　Church　dignitaries；
came；　full　of　admiration。　The　Patriarch　of　Antioch；　who　chanced　to　be
in　Egypt　at　that　time；　came　with　all　his　clergy。　He　highly　approved　of
the　extraordinary　conduct　of　the　stylite；　and　the　heads　of　the　Libyan
Church　followed；　in　the　absence　of　Athanasius；　the　opinion　of　the
Patriarch。　Having　learned　which；　Abbots　Ephrem　and　Serapion　came　to
the　feet　of　Paphnutius　to　apologise　for　their　former　mistrust。
Paphnutius　replied

〃Know；　my　brothers；　that　the　penance　I　endure　is　barely　equal　to　the
temptations　which　are　sent　me；　the　number　and　force　of　which　astound
me。　A　man；　viewed　externally；　is　but　small；　and；　from　the　height　of
the　pillar　to　which　God　has　called　me；　I　see　human　beings　moving　about
like　ants。　But；　considered　internally；　man　is　immense；　he　is　as　large
as　the　world；　for　he　contains　it。　All　that　is　spread　before　methese
monasteries；　these　inns；　the　boats　on　the　river；　the　villages；　and
what　I　see　in　the　distance　of　fields；　canals；　sand；　and　mountainsis
nothing　in　respect　to　what　is　in　me。　I　carry　in　my　heart　countless
cities　and　illimitable　deserts。　And　evilevil　and　deathspread　over
this　immensity；　cover　them　all；　as　night　covers　the　earth。　I　am；　in
myself　alone；　a　universe　of　evil　thoughts。〃

He　spoke　thus　because　the　desire　for　woman　was　in　him。

The　seventh　month；　there　came　from　Alexandria；　Bubastis　and　Sais；
women　who　had　long　been　barren；　hoping　to　obtain　children　by　the
intercession　of　the　holy　man　and　the　virtues　of　his　pillar。　They
rubbed　their　sterile　bodies　against　the　stone。　There　followed　a
procession；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　of　chariots；　palanquins；
and　litters；　which　stopped　and　pushed　and　jostled　below　the　man　of
God。　From　them　came　sick　people　terrible　to　see。　Mothers　brought　to
Paphnutius　young　boys　whose　limbs　were　twisted；　their　eyes　starting；
their　mouth　foaming；　their　voices　hoarse。　He　laid　his　hands　upon　them。
Blind　men　approached；　groping　with　their　hands；　and　raising　towards
him　a　face　pierced　with　two　bleeding　holes。　Paralytics　displayed
before　him　the　heavy　immobility；　the　deadly　emaciation；　and　the
hideous　contractions　of　their　limbs；　lame　men　showed　him　their　club
feet；　women　with　cancer；　holding　their　bosoms　with　both　hands；
uncovered　before　him　their　breasts　devoured　by　the　invisible　vulture。
Dropsical　women；　swollen　like　wine　skins　were　placed　on　the　ground
before　him。　He　blessed　them。　Nubians；　afflicted　with　elephantiasis；
advanced　with　heavy　steps　and　looked　at　him　with　streaming　eyes　and
expressionless　countenances。　He　made　the　sign　of　the　cross　over　them。
A　young　girl　of　Aphroditopolis　was　brought　to　him　on　a　litter；　after
having　vomited　blood；　she　had　slept　for　three　days。　She　looked　like　a
waxen　image；　and　her　parents；　who　thought　she　was　dead；　had　placed　a
palm　leaf　on　her　breast。　Paphnutius　having　prayed　to　God；　the　young
girl　raised　her　head　and　opened　her　eyes。

As　the　people　reported　everywhere　the　miracles　which　the　saint　had
performed；　unfortunate　persons　afflicted　with　that　disease　which　the
Greeks　call　〃the　divine　malady；〃　came　from　all　parts　of　Egypt　in
incalculable　legions。　As　soon　as　they　saw　the　pillar；　they　were　seized
with　convulsions；　rolled　on　the　ground；　writhed；　and　twisted
themselves　into　a　ball。　Andthough　it　is　hardly　to　be　believedthe
persons　present　were　in　their　turn　seized　with　a　violent　delirium；　and
imitated　the　contortions　of　the　epileptics。　Monks　and　pilgrims；　men
and　women；　wallowed　and　struggled　pell…mell；　their　limbs　twisted；
foaming　at　the　mouth；　eating　handfuls　of　earth　and　prophesying。　And
Paphnutius　at　the　top　of　his　pillar　felt　a　thrill　of　horror　pass
through　him；　and　cried　to　God

〃I　am　the　scapegoat；　and　I　take　upon　me　all　the　impurities　of　these
people；　and　that　is　why；　Lord；　my　body　is　filled　with　evil　spirits。〃

Every　time　that　a　sick　person　went　away　healed；　the　people　applauded；
carried　him　in　triumph；　and　ceased　not　to　repeat

〃We　behold　another　well　of　Siloam！〃

Hundreds　of　crutches　al