thais-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


The　holy　man　watched　this　incident；　and　as；　by　virtue　of　his　holiness；
he　easily　comprehended　the　mystic　sense　of　all　occurrences；　he　knew
that　the　captive　bird　was　no　other　than　Thais；　caught　in　the　snares　of
sin；　and　thatlike　the　plover　that　had　cut　the　hempen　threads　with
its　beakhe　could；　by　pronouncing　the　word　of　power；　break　the
invisible　bonds　by　which　Thais　was　held　in　sin。　Therefore　he　praised
God；　and　was　confirmed　in　his　first　resolution。　But　then　seeing　the
plover　caught　by　the　feet；　and　hampered　by　the　net　it　had　broken；　he
fell　into　uncertainty　again。

He　did　not　sleep　all　night；　and　before　dawn　he　had　a　vision。　Thais
appeared　to　him　again。　There　was　no　expression　of　guilty　pleasure　on
her　face；　nor　was　she　dressed　according　to　custom　in　transparent
drapery。　She　was　enveloped　in　a　shroud；　which　hid　even　a　part　of　her
face；　so　that　the　Abbot　could　see　nothing　but　the　two　eyes；　from　which
flowed　white　and　heavy　tears。

At　this　sight　he　began　to　weep；　and　believing　that　this　vision　came
from　God；　he　no　longer　hesitated。　He　rose；　seized　a　knotted　stick；　the
symbol　of　the　Christian　faith；　and　left　his　cell；　carefully　closing
the　door；　lest　the　animals　of　the　desert　and　the　birds　of　the　air
should　enter；　and　befoul　the　copy　of　the　Holy　Scriptures　which　stood
at　the　head　of　his　bed。　He　called　Flavian；　the　deacon；　and　gave　him
authority　over　the　other　twenty…three　disciples　during　his　absence；
and　then；　clad　only　in　a　long　cassock；　he　bent　his　steps　towards　the
Nile；　intending　to　follow　the　Libyan　bank　to　the　city　founded　by　the
Macedonian　monarch。　He　walked　from　dawn　to　eve；　indifferent　to
fatigue；　hunger；　and　thirst；　the　sun　was　already　low　on　the　horizon
when　he　saw　the　dreadful　river；　the　blood…red　waters　of　which　rolled
between　the　rocks　of　gold　and　fire。

He　kept　along　the　shore；　begging　his　bread　at　the　door　of　solitary
huts　for　the　love　of　God；　and　joyfully　receiving　insults；　refusals；　or
threats。　He　feared　neither　robbers　nor　wild　beasts；　but　he　took　great
care　to　avoid　all　the　towns　and　villages　he　came　near。　He　was　afraid
lest　he　should　see　children　playing　at　knuckle…bones　before　their
father's　house；　or　meet；　by　the　side　of　the　well；　women　in　blue
smocks；　who　might　put　down　their　pitcher　and　smile　at　him。　All　things
are　dangerous　for　the　hermit；　it　is　sometimes　a　danger　for　him　to　read
in　the　Scriptures　that　the　Divine　Master　journeyed　from　town　to　town
and　supped　with　His　disciples。　The　virtues　that　the　anchorites
embroider　so　carefully　on　the　tissue　of　faith；　are　as　fragile　as　they
are　beautiful；　a　breath　of　ordinary　life　may　tarnish　their　pleasant
colours。　For　that　reason；　Paphnutius　avoided　the　towns；　fearing　lest
his　heart　should　soften　at　the　sight　of　his　fellow　men。

He　journeyed　along　lonely　roads。　When　evening　came；　the　murmuring　of
the　breeze　amidst　the　tamarisk　trees　made　him　shiver；　and　he　pulled
his　hood　over　his　eyes　that　he　might　not　see　how　beautiful　all　things
were。　After　walking　six　days；　he　came　to　a　place　called　Silsile。　There
the　river　runs　in　a　narrow　valley；　bordered　by　a　double　chain　of
granite　mountains。　It　was　there　that　the　Egyptians；　in　the　days　when
they　worshipped　demons；　carved　their　idols。　Paphnutius　saw　an　enormous
sphinx　carved　in　the　solid　rock。　Fearing　that　it　might　still　possess
some　diabolical　properties；　he　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　and
pronounced　the　name　of　Jesus；　he　immediately　saw　a　bat　fly　out　of　one
of　the　monster's　ears；　and　Paphnutius　knew　that　he　had　driven　out　the
evil　spirits　which　had　been　for　centuries　in　the　figure。　His　zeal
increased；　and　picking　up　a　large　stone；　he　threw　it　in　the　idol's
face。　Then　the　mysterious　face　of　the　sphinx　expressed　such　profound
sadness　that　Paphnutius　was　moved。　In　fact；　the　expression　of
superhuman　grief　on　the　stone　visage　would　have　touched　even　the　most
unfeeling　man。　Therefore　Paphnutius　said　to　the　sphinx

〃O　monster；　be　like　the　satyrs　and　centaurs　our　father　Anthony　saw　in
the　desert；　and　confess　the　divinity　of　Jesus　Christ；　and　I　will　bless
thee　in　the　name　of　the　Father；　the　Son；　and　the　Holy　Ghost。〃

When　he　had　spoken　a　rosy　light　gleamed　in　the　eyes　of　the　sphinx；　the
heavy　eyelids　of　the　monster　quivered　and　the　granite　lips　painfully
murmured；　as　though　in　echo　to　the　man's　voice；　the　holy　name　of　Jesus
Christ；　therefore　Paphnutius　stretched　out　his　right　hand；　and　blessed
the　sphinx　of　Silsile。

That　being　done；　he　resumed　his　journey；　and　the　valley　having　grown
wider；　he　saw　the　ruins　of　an　immense　city。　The　temples；　which　still
remained　standing；　were　supported　by　idols　which　served　as　columns；
andby　the　permission　of　Godthese　figures　with　women's　heads　and
cow's　horns；　threw　on　Paphnutius　a　long　look　which　made　him　turn　pale。
He　walked　thus　seventeen　days；　his　only　food　a　few　raw　herbs；　and　he
slept　at　night　in　some　ruined　palace；　amongst　the　wild　cats　and
Pharaoh's　rats；　with　which　mingled　sometimes；　women　whose　bodies　ended
in　a　scaly　tail。　But　Paphnutius　knew　that　these　women　came　from　hell；
and　he　drove　them　away　by　making　the　sign　of　the　cross。

On　the　eighteenth　day；　he　found；　far　from　any　village；　a　wretched　hut
made　of　palm　leaves；　and　half　buried　under　the　sand　which　had　been
driven　by　the　desert　wind。　He　approached　it；　hoping　that　the　hut　was
inhabited　by　some　pious　anchorite。　He　saw　inside　the　hovelfor　there
was　no　doora　pitcher；　a　bunch　of　onions；　and　a　bed　of　dried　leaves。

〃This　must　be　the　habitation　of　a　hermit；〃　he　said　to　himself。
〃Hermits　are　generally　to　be　found　near　their　hut；　and　I　shall　not
fail　to　meet　this　one。　I　will　give　him　the　kiss　of　peace；　even　as　the
holy　Anthony　did　when　he　came　to　the　hermit　Paul；　and　kissed　him　three
times。　We　will　discourse　of　things　eternal；　and　perhaps　our　Lord　will
send　us；　by　one　of　His　ravens；　a　crust　of　bread；　which　my　host　will
willingly　invite　me　to　share　with　him。〃

Whilst　he　was　thus　speaking　to　himself；　he　walked　round　the　hut　to　see
if　he　could　find　any　one。　He　had　not　walked　a　hundred　paces　when　he
saw　a　man　seated；　with　his　legs　crossed；　by　the　side　of　the　river。　The
man　was　naked；　his　hair　and　beard　were　quite　white；　and　his　body
redder　than　brick。　Paphnutius　felt　sure　this　must　be　the　hermit。　He
saluted　him　with　the　words　the　monks　are　accustomed　to　use　when　they
meet　each　other。

〃Peace　be　with　you；　brother！　May　you　some　day　taste　the　sweet　joys　of
paradise。〃

The　man　did　not　reply。　He　remained　motionless；　and　appeared　not　to
have　heard。　Paphnutius　supposed　this　was　due　to　one　of　those
rhapsodies　to　which　the　saints　are　accustomed。　He　knelt　down；　with　his
hands　joined；　by　the　side　of　the　unknown；　and　remained　thus　in　prayer
till　sunset。　Then；　seeing　that　his　companion　had　not　moved；　he　said　to
him

〃Father；　if　you　are　now　out　of　the　ecstasy　in　which　you　were　lost；
give　me　your　blessing　in　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ。〃

The　other　replied　without　turning　his　head

〃Stranger；　I　understand　you　not；　and　I　know　not　the　Lord　Jesus
Christ。〃

〃What！〃　cried　Paphnutius。　〃The　prophets　have　announced　Him；　legions　of
martyrs　have　confessed　His　name；　Caesar　himself　has　worshipped　Him；
and；　but　just　now；　I　made　the　sphinx　of　Silsile　proclaim　His　glory。　Is
it　possible　that　you　do　not　know　Him？〃

〃Friend；〃　replied　the　other；　〃it　is　possible。　It　would　even　be
certain；　if　anything　in　this　world　were　certain。〃

Paphnutius　was　surprised　and　saddened　by　the　incredible　ignorance　of
the　man。

〃If　you　know　not　Jesus　Christ；〃　he　said；　〃all　your　works　serve　no
purpose；　and　you　will　never　rise　to　life　immortal。〃

The　old　man　replied

〃It　is　useless　to　act；　or　to　abstain　from　acting。　It　matters　not
whether　we　live　or　die。〃

〃Eh；　what？〃　asked　Paphnutius。　〃Do　you　not　desire　to　live　through　all
eternity？　But；　tell　me；　do　you　not　live　in　a　hut　in　the　desert　as　the
hermits　do？〃

〃It　seems　so。〃

〃Do　I　not　see　you　naked；　and　lacking　all　things？〃

〃It　seems　so。〃

〃Do　you　not　feed　on　roots；　and　live　in　chastity？〃

〃It　seems　so。〃

〃Have　you　not　renounced　all　the　vanities　of　this　world？〃

〃I　have　truly　renounced　all　those　vain　things　for　which　men　commonly
care。〃

〃Then　you　are　like　me；　poor；　chaste；　and　solitary。　And　you　are　not　so
as　I　amfor　the　love　of　God；　and　with　a　hope　of　celestial
happiness！　That　I　cannot　understand。　Why　are　you　virtuous　if　you　do
not　believe　in　Jesus　Christ？　Why　deprive　yourself　of　the　good　things
of　this　world　if　you　do　not　hope　to　gain　eternal　riches　in　heaven？〃

〃Stranger；　I　deprive　myself　of　nothing　which　is　good；　and　I　flatter
myself　that　I　have　found　a　life　which　is　satisfactory　enough；　though
to　speak　more　preciselythere　is　no　such　thing　as　a　good　or　evil
life。　Nothing　is　itself；　either　virtuous　or　shameful；　just　or　unjust；
pleasant　or　painful；　good　or　bad。　It　is　our　opinion　which　gives　those
qualities　to　things；　as　salt　gives　savour　to　meats。〃

〃So　then；　according　to　you　there　is　no　certainty。　You　deny　the　truth
which　the　idolaters　themselves　have　sought。　You　lie　in　ignorancelike
a　tired　dog　sleeping　in　the　mud。〃

〃Stranger；　it　is　equally　useless　to　abuse　either　dogs　or　philosophers。
We　know　not　what　dogs　are　or　what　we　are。　We　know　nothing。〃

〃Old　man；　do　you　belong；　then；　to