thais-第4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！


We　know　not　what　dogs　are　or　what　we　are。　We　know　nothing。〃

〃Old　man；　do　you　belong；　then；　to　the　absurd　sect　of　sceptics？　Are　you
one　of　those　miserable　fools　who　alike　deny　movement　and　rest；　and　who
know　not　how　to　distinguish　between　the　light　of　the　sun　and　the
shadows　of　night？〃

〃Friend；　I　am　truly　a　sceptic；　and　of　a　sect　which　appears
praiseworthy　to　me；　though　it　seems　ridiculous　to　you。　For　the　same
things　often　assume　different　appearances。　The　pyramids　of　Memphis
seem　at　sunrise　to　be　cones　of　pink　light。　At　sunset　they　look　like
black　triangles　against　the　illuminated　sky。　But　who　shall　solve　the
problem　of　their　true　nature？　You　reproach　me　with　denying
appearances；　when；　in　fact；　appearances　are　the　only　realities　I
recognise。　The　sun　seems　to　me　illuminous；　but　its　nature　is　unknown
to　me。　I　feel　that　fire　burnsbut　I　know　not　how　or　why。　My　friend；
you　understand　me　badly。　Besides；　it　is　indifferent　to　me　whether　I　am
understood　one　way　or　the　other。〃

〃Once　more。　Why　do　you　live　on　dates　and　onions　in　the　desert？　Why　do
you　endure　great　hardships？　I　endure　hardships　equally　great；　and；
like　you；　I　live　in　abstinence　and　solitude。　But　then　it　is　to　please
God；　and　to　earn　eternal　happiness。　And　that　is　a　reasonable　object；
for　it　is　wise　to　suffer　now　for　a　future　gain。　It　is　senseless；　on
the　contrary；　to　expose　yourself　voluntarily　to　useless　fatigue　and
vain　sufferings。　If　I　did　not　believepardon　my　blasphemy；　O
uncreated　Light！if　I　did　not　believe　in　the　truth　of　that　which　God
has　taught　us　by　the　voice　of　the　prophets；　by　the　example　of　His　Son；
by　the　acts　of　the　Apostles；　by　the　authority　of　councils；　and　by　the
testimony　of　the　martyrs；if　I　did　not　know　that　the　sufferings　of
the　body　are　necessary　for　the　salvation　of　the　soulif　I　were；　like
thee；　lost　in　ignorance　of　sacred　mysteriesI　would　return　at　once
amongst　the　men　of　this　day；　I　would　strive　to　acquire　riches；　that　I
might　live　in　ease；　like　those　who　are　happy　in　this　world；　and　I
would　say　to　the　votaries　of　pleasure；　'Come；　my　daughters；　come；　my
servants；　come　and　pour　out　for　me　your　wines；　your　philtres；　your
perfumes。'　But　you；　foolish　old　man！　you　deprive　yourself　of　all　these
advantages；　you　lose　without　hope　of　any　gain；　you　give　without　hope
of　any　return；　and　you　imitate　foolishly　the　noble　deeds　of　us
anchorites；　as　an　impudent　monkey　thinks；　by　smearing　a　wall；　to　copy
the　picture　of　a　clever　artist。　What；　then；　are　your　reasons；　O　most
besotted　of　men？〃

Paphnutius　spoke　with　violence　and　indignation；　but　the　old　man
remained　unmoved。

〃Friend；〃　he　replied；　gently；　〃what　matter　the　reasons　of　a　dog
sleeping　in　the　dirt　or　a　mischievous　ape？〃

Paphnutius'　only　aim　was　the　glory　of　God。　His　anger　vanished；　and　he
apologised　with　noble　humility。

〃Pardon　me；　old　man；　my　brother；〃　he　said；　〃if　zeal　for　the　truth　has
carried　me　beyond　proper　bounds。　God　is　my　witness；　that　it　is　thy
errors　and　not　thyself　that　I　hate。　I　suffer　to　see　thee　in　darkness；
for　I　love　thee　in　Jesus　Christ；　and　care　for　thy　salvation　fills　my
heart。　Speak！　give　me　your　reasons。　I　long　to　know　them　that　I　may
refute　them。〃

The　old　man　replied　quietly

〃It　is　the　same　to　me　whether　I　speak　or　remain　silent。　I　will　give　my
reasons　without　asking　yours　in　return；　for　I　have　no　interest　in　you
at　all。　I　care　neither　for　your　happiness　nor　your　misfortune；　and　it
matters　not　to　me　whether　you　think　one　way　or　another。　Why　should　I
love　you；　or　hate　you？　Aversion　and　sympathy　are　equally　unworthy　of
the　wise　man。　But　since　you　question　me；　know　then　that　I　am　named
Timocles；　and　that　I　was　born　at　Cos；　of　parents　made　rich　by
commerce。　My　father　was　a　shipowner。　In　intelligence　he　much　resembled
Alexander；　who　is　surnamed　the　Great。　But　he　was　not　so　gross。　In
short；　he　was　a　man　of　no　great　parts。　I　had　two　brothers；　who；　like
him；　were　shipowners。　As　for　me；　I　followed　wisdom。　My　eldest　brother
was　compelled　by　my　father　to　marry　a　Carian　woman；　named　Timaessa；
who　displeased　him　so　greatly　that　he　could　not　live　with　her　without
falling　into　a　deep　melancholy。　However；　Timaessa　inspired　our　younger
brother　with　a　criminal　passion；　and　this　passion　soon　turned　to　a
furious　madness。　The　Carian　woman　hated　them　both　equally；　but　she
loved　a　flute…player；　and　received　him　at　night　in　her　chamber。　One
morning　he　left　there　the　wreath　which　he　usually　wore　at　feasts。　My
two　brothers；　having　found　this　wreath；　swore　to　kill　the　flute…
player；　and　the　next　day　they　caused　him　to　perish　under　the　lash；　in
spite　of　his　tears　and　prayers。　My　sister…in…law　felt　such　grief　that
she　lost　her　reason；　and　these　three　poor　wretches　became　beasts
rather　than　human　beings；　and　wandered　insane　along　the　shores　of　Cos；
howling　like　wolves　and　foaming　at　the　mouth；　and　hooted　at　by　the
children；　who　threw　shells　and　stones　at　them。　They　died；　and　my
father　buried　them　with　his　own　hands。　A　little　later　his　stomach
refused　all　nourishment；　and　he　died　of　hunger；　though　he　was　rich
enough　to　have　bought　all　the　meats　and　fruits　in　the　markets　of　Asia。
He　was　deeply　grieved　at　having　to　leave　me　his　fortune。　I　used　it　in
travels。　I　visited　Italy；　Greece；　and　Africa　without　meeting　a　single
person　who　was　either　wise　or　happy。　I　studied　philosophy　at　Athens
and　Alexandria；　and　was　deafened　by　noisy　arguments。　At　last　I
wandered　as　far　as　India；　and　I　saw　on　the　banks　of　the　Ganges　a　naked
man；　who　had　sat　there　motionless　with　his　legs　crossed　for　more　than
thirty　years。　Climbing　plants　twined　round　his　dried　up　body；　and　the
birds　built　their　nests　in　his　hair。　Yet　he　lived。　At　the　sight　of　him
I　called　to　mind　Timaessa；　the　flute…player；　my　two　brothers；　and　my
father；　and　I　realised　that　this　Indian　was　a　wise　man。　'Men；'　I　said
to　myself；　'suffer　because　they　are　deprived　of　that　which　they
believe　to　be　good；　or　because；　possessing　it　they　fear　to　lose　it；　or
because　they　endure　that　which　they　believe　to　be　an　evil。　Put　an　end
to　all　beliefs　of　this　kind；　and　the　evils　would　disappear。'　That　is
why　I　resolved　henceforth　to　deem　nothing　an　advantage；　to　tear　myself
entirely　from　the　good　things　of　this　world；　and　to　live　silent　and
motionless；　like　the　Indian。〃

Paphnutius　had　listened　attentively　to　the　old　man's　story。

〃Timocles　of　Cos；〃　he　replied；　〃I　own　that　your　discourse　is　not
wholly　devoid　of　sense。　It　is；　in　truth；　wise　to　despise　the　riches　of
this　world。　But　it　would　be　absurd　to　despise　also　your　eternal
welfare；　and　render　yourself　liable　to　be　visited　by　the　wrath　of　God。
I　grieve　at　your　ignorance；　Timocles；　and　I　will　instruct　you　in　the
truth；　in　order　that　knowing　that　there　really　exists　a　God　in　three
hypostases；　you　may　obey　this　God　as　a　child　obeys　its　father。〃

Timocles　interrupted　him。

〃Refrain；　stranger；　from　showing　me　your　doctrines；　and　do　not　imagine
that　you　will　persuade　me　to　share　your　opinions。　All　discussions　are
useless。　My　opinion　is　to　have　no　opinion。　My　life　is　devoid　of
trouble　because　I　have　no　preferences。　Go　thy　ways；　and　strive　not　to
withdraw　me　from　the　beneficent　apathy　in　which　I　am　plunged；　as
though　in　a　delicious　bath；　after　the　hardships　of　my　past　days。〃

Paphnutius　was　profoundly　instructed　in　all　things　relating　to　the
faith。　By　his　knowledge　of　the　human　heart；　he　was　aware　that　the
grace　of　God　had　not　fallen　on　old　Timocles；　and　the　day　of　salvation
for　this　soul　so　obstinately　resolved　to　ruin　itself　had　not　yet　come。
He　did　not　reply；　lest　the　power　given　for　edification　should　turn　to
destruction。　For　it　sometimes　happens；　in　disputing　with　infidels；
that　the　means　used　for　their　conversion　may　steep　them　still　farther
in　sin。　Therefore　they　who　possess　the　truth　should　take　care　how　they
spread　it。

〃Farewell；　then；　unhappy　Timocles；〃　he　said；　and　heaving　a　deep　sigh；
he　resumed　his　pious　pilgrimage　through　the　night。

In　the　morning；　he　saw　the　ibises　motionless　on　one　leg　at　the　edge　of
the　water；　which　reflected　their　pale　pink　necks。　The　willows
stretched　their　soft　grey　foliage　to　the　bank；　cranes　flew　in　a
triangle　in　the　clear　sky；　and　the　cry　of　unseen　herons　was　heard　from
the　sedges。　Far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　the　river　rolled　its　broad
green　waters　o'er　which　white　sails；　like　the　wings　of　birds；　glided；
and　here　and　there　on　the　shores；　a　white　house　shone　out。　A　light
mist　floated　along　the　banks；　and　from　out　the　shadow　of　the　islands；
which　were　laden　with　palms；　flowers；　and　fruits；　came　noisy　flocks　of
ducks；　geese；　flamingoes；　and　teal。　To　the　left；　the　grassy　valley
extended　to　the　desert　its　fields　and　orchards　in　joyful　abundance；
the　sun　shone　on　the　yellow　wheat；　and　the　earth　exhaled　forth　its
fecundity　in　odorous　wafts。　At　this　sight；　Paphnutius　fell　on　his
knees；　and　cried

〃Blessed　be　the　Lord；　who　has　given　a　happy　issue　to　my　journey。　O
God；　who　spreadest　Thy　dew　upon　the　fig　trees　of　the　Arsiniote；　pour
Thy　grace　upon　Thais；　whom　Thou　hast　formed　with　Thy　love；　as　Thou
hast　the　flowers　and　trees　of　the　field。　May　she；　by　Thy　loving　care；
flourish　like　a　sweet…scented　rose　in　the　heavenly　Jerusalem。〃

And　every　time　that　he　saw　a　tree　cov