thais-第27节

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carried　him　in　triumph；　and　ceased　not　to　repeat

〃We　behold　another　well　of　Siloam！〃

Hundreds　of　crutches　already　hung　round　the　wonderful　column；　grateful
women　suspended　wreaths　and　votive　images　there。　Some　of　the　Greeks
inscribed　distiches；　and　as　every　pilgrim　carved　his　name；　the　stone
was　soon　covered　as　high　as　a　man　could　reach　with　an　infinity　of
Latin；　Greek；　Coptic；　Punic；　Hebrew；　Syrian；　and　magic　characters。

When　the　feast　of　Easter　came　there　was　such　an　affluence　of　people　to
this　city　of　miracles　that　old　men　thought　that　the　days　of　the
ancient　mysteries　had　returned。　All　sorts　of　people；　in　all　sorts　of
costumes；　were　to　be　seen　there；　the　striped　robes　of　the　Egyptians；
the　burnoose　of　the　Arabs；　the　white　drawers　of　the　Nubians；　the　short
cloak　of　the　Greeks；　the　long　toga　of　the　Romans；　the　scarlet　breeches
of　the　barbarians；　the　gold…spangled　robes　of　the　courtesans。　A　veiled
woman　would　pass　on　an　ass；　preceded　by　black　eunuchs；　who　cleared　a
passage　for　her　by　the　free　use　of　their　sticks。　Acrobats；　having
spread　a　carpet　on　the　ground；　juggled　and　performed　skilful　tricks
before　a　circle　of　silent　spectators。　Snake…charmers　unrolled　their
living　girdles。　A　glittering；　dusty；　noisy；　chattering　crowd！　The
curses　of　the　camel…drivers　beating　the　animals；　the　cries　of　the
hawkers　who　sold　amulets　against　leprosy　and　the　evil　eye；　the
psalmody　of　the　monks　reciting　verses　of　the　Bible；　the　shrieking　of
the　women　who　were　prophesying；　the　shouting　of　the　beggars　singing
old　songs　of　the　harem；　the　bleating　of　sheep；　the　braying　of　asses；
the　sailors　calling　tardy　passengers；　all　these　confused　noises　caused
a　deafening　uproar；　over　which　dominated　the　strident　voices　of　the
little　naked　negro　boys；　running　about　everywhere　selling　fresh　dates。

And　all　these　human　beings　stifled　under　the　white　sky；　in　a　heavy
atmosphere　laden　with　the　perfumes　of　women；　the　odour　of　negroes；　the
fumes　of　cooking　and　the　smoke　of　gums；　which　the　devotees　bought　of
the　shepherds　to　burn　before　the　saint。

When　night　came；　fires；　torches；　and　lanterns　were　lighted　everywhere；
and　nothing　was　to　be　seen　but　red　shadows　and　black　shapes。　Standing
amidst　a　circle　of　squatting　listeners；　an　old　man；　his　face　lighted
by　a　smoky　lamp；　related　how；　formerly；　Bitiou　had　enchanted　his
heart；　torn　it　from　his　breast；　placed　it　in　an　acacia；　and　then
transformed　himself　into　a　tree。　He　made　gestures；　which　his　shadow
repeated　with　absurd　exaggerations；　and　the　audience　uttered　cries　of
admiration。　In　the　taverns；　the　drinkers；　lying　on　couches；　called　for
beer　and　wine。　Dancing　girls；　with　painted　eyes　and　bare　stomachs；
performed　before　them　religious　or　lascivious　scenes。　In　retired
corners；　young　men　played　dice　or　other　games；　and　old　men　followed
prostitutes。　Above　all　these　rose　the　solitary；　unchanging　column；　the
head　with　the　cow's　horns　gazed　into　the　shadow；　and　above　it
Paphnutius　watched　between　heaven　and　earth。　All　at　once　the　moon　rose
over　the　Nile；　like　the　bare　shoulder　of　a　goddess。　The　hills　gleamed
with　blue　light；　and　Paphnutius　thought　he　saw　the　body　of　Thais
shinning　in　the　glimmer　of　the　waters　amidst　the　sapphire　night。

The　days　passed；　and　the　saint　still　lived　on　his　pillar。　When　the
rainy　season　came；　the　waters　of　heaven；　filtering　through　the　cracks
in　the　roof；　wetted　his　body；　his　stiff　limbs　were　incapable　of
movement。　Scorched　by　the　sun；　and　reddened　by　the　dew；　his　skin
broke；　large　ulcers　devoured　his　arms　and　legs。　But　the　desire　of
Thais　still　consumed　him　inwardly；　and　he　cried

〃It　is　not　enough；　great　God！　More　temptations！　More　unclean　thoughts！
More　horrible　desires！　Lord；　lay　upon　me　all　the　lusts　of　men；　that　I
may　expiate　them　all！　Though　it　is　false　that　the　Greek　bitch　took
upon　herself　all　the　sins　of　the　world；　as　I　heard　an　impostor　once
declare；　yet　there　is　a　hidden　meaning　in　the　fable；　the　truth　of
which　I　now　recognise。　For　it　is　true　that　the　sins　of　the　people
enter　the　soul　of　the　saints；　and　are　lost　there　as　in　a　well。　Thus　it
is　that　the　souls　of　the　just　are　polluted　with　more　filth　than　is
ever　found　in　the　soul　of　the　sinner。　And；　for　that　reason；　I　praise
Thee；　O　my　God；　for　having　made　me　the　cesspool　of　the　world。〃

One　day；　a　rumour　ran　through　the　holy　city；　and　even　reached　the　ears
of　the　hermit：　a　very　great　personage；　a　man　occupying　a　high
position；　the　Prefect　of　the　Alexandrian　fleet；　Lucius　Aurelius　Cotta；
was　about　to　visit　the　citywas；　indeed；　now　on　his　way。

The　news　was　true。　Old　Cotta；　who　was　inspecting　the　canals　and　the
navigation　of　the　Nile；　had　many　times　expressed　a　desire　to　see　the
stylite　and　the　new　city；　to　which　the　name　of　Stylopolis　had　been
given。　The　Stylopolitans　saw　the　river　covered　with　sails　one　morning。
Cotta　appeared　on　board　a　golden　galley　hung　with　purple；　and　followed
by　all　his　fleet。　He　landed；　and　advanced；　accompanied　by　a　secretary
carrying　his　tablets；　and　Aristaeus；　his　physician；　with　whom　he　liked
to　converse。

A　numerous　suite　walked　behind　him；　and　the　shore　was　covered　with
/laticlaves/＇*＇　and　military　uniforms。　He　stopped；　some　paces　from　the
column；　and　began　to　examine　the　stylite；　wiping　his　face　meanwhile
with　the　skirt　of　his　toga。　Being　of　a　naturally　curious　disposition；
he　had　observed　many　things　in　the　course　of　his　long　voyages。　He
liked　to　remember　them；　and　intended　to　write；　after　he　had　finished
his　Punic　history；　a　book　on　the　remarkable　things　he　had　witnessed。
He　seemed　much　interested　by　the　spectacle　before　him。

＇*＇　The　/laticlave/　was　a　toga；　with　a　broad　purple　band；　worn　by
　　　　Roman　senators　as　the　distinguishing　mark　of　their　high　office。

〃This　is　very　curious！〃　he　said；　puffing　and　blowing。　〃Andwhich　is　a
circumstance　worthy　of　being　recordedthis　man　was　my　guest。　Yes；
this　monk　supped　with　me　last　year；　after　which　he　carried　off　an
actress。〃

Turning　to　his　secretary

〃Note　that；　my　son；　on　my　tablets；　also　the　dimensions　of　the　column；
not　omitting　the　shape　of　the　top　of　it。〃

Then；　wiping　his　face　again

〃Persons　deserving　of　belief　have　assured　me　that　this　monk　has　not
left　his　column　for　a　single　moment　since　he　mounted　it　a　year　ago。　Is
that　possible；　Aristaeus？〃

〃That　which　is　possible　to　a　lunatic　or　a　sick　man；〃　replied
Aristaeus；　〃would　be　impossible　to　a　man　sound　in　body　and　mind。　Do
you　know；　Lucius；　that　sometimes　diseases　of　the　mind　or　body　give　to
those　afflicted　by　them　a　strength　which　healthy　men　do　not　possess？
For；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　there　is　no　such　thing　as　good　health　or　bad
health。　There　are　only　different　conditions　of　the　organs。　Having
studied　what　are　called　maladies；　I　have　come　to　consider　them　as
necessary　forms　of　life。　I　take　pleasure　in　studying　them　in　order　to
be　able　to　conquer　them。　Some　of　them　are　worthy　of　admiration；　and
conceal；　under　apparent　disorder；　profound　harmonies；　for　instance；　a
quartan　fever　is　certainly　a　very　pretty　thing！　Sometimes　certain
affections　of　the　body　cause　a　rapid　augmentation　of　the　faculties　of
the　mind。　You　know　Creon？　When　he　was　a　child；　he　stuttered　and　was
stupid。　But；　having　cracked　his　skull　by　tumbling　off　a　ladder；　he
became　an　able　lawyer；　as　you　are　aware。　This　monk　must　be　affected　in
some　hidden　organ。　Moreover；　this　kind　of　existence　is　not　so
extraordinary　as　it　appears　to　you；　Lucius。　I　may　remind　you　that　the
gymnosophists　of　India　can　remain　motionless；　not　merely　for　a　year；
but　during　twenty；　thirty；　or　forty　years。〃

〃By　Jupiter！〃　cried　Cotta；　〃that　is　a　strange　madness。　For　man　was
born　to　move　and　act；　and　idleness　is　an　unpardonable　crime；　because
it　is　an　injury　to　the　State。　I　do　not　know　of　any　religion　in　which
such　an　objectionable　practice　is　permitted；　though　it　possibly　may　be
in　some　of　the　Asiatic　creeds。　When　I　was　Governor　of　Syria；　I　found
/phalli/　erected　in　the　porches　at　the　city　of　Hera。　A　man　ascended；
twice　a　year；　and　remained　there　for　a　week。　The　people　believed　that
this　man　talked　with　the　gods；　and　interceded　with　them　for　the
prosperity　of　Syria。　The　custom　appeared　senseless　to　me；　nevertheless
I　did　nothing　to　put　it　down。　For　I　consider　that　a　functionary　ought
not　to　interfere　with　the　manners　and　customs　of　the　people；　but　on
the　contrary；　to　see　that　they　are　preserved。　It　is　not　the　business
of　the　government　to　force　a　religion　on　a　people；　but　to　maintain
that　which　exists；　which；　whether　good　or　bad；　has　been　regulated　by
the　spirit　of　the　time；　the　place；　and　the　race。　If　it　endeavours　to
put　down　a　religion；　it　proclaims　itself　revolutionary　in　its　spirit；
and　tyrannical　in　its　acts；　and　is　justly　detested。　Besides；　how　are
you　to　raise　yourself　above　the　superstitions　of　the　vulgar；　except　by
understanding　them　and　tolerating　them？　Aristaeus；　I　am　of　opinion
that　I　should　leave　this　nephelo…coccygian＇*＇　in　the　air；　exposed　only
to　the　indignities　the　birds　shower　on　him。　I　should　not　gain　anything
by　having　him　pulled　down；　but　I　should　by　taking　note　of　his　thoughts
and　beliefs。〃

＇*＇　Nephelo…coccygia；　the　cloud…city　built　by　the　cuckoos；　in　the
　　　　/Birds/　of　Aristophanes。

He　puffed；　coughe