thais-第7节

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trees　of　Academe。　Old　Timocles　alone　had　withdrawn　from　the　others；
and　shook　his　head　like　a　man　who　denies。　One　of　the　demons　of　the
abyss　shook　a　torch　before　his　eyes；　but　Timocles　would　see　neither
the　demon　nor　the　torch。

Mute　with　surprise　at　this　spectacle；　Paphnutius　turned　to　the
monster。　It　had　disappeared；　and；　in　place　of　the　sphinx；　the　monk　saw
a　veiled　woman；　who　said

〃Look　and　understand。　Such　is　the　obstinacy　of　these　infidels；　that；
even　in　hell；　they　remain　victims　of　the　illusions　which　deluded　them
when　on　earth。　Death　has　not　undeceived　them；　for　it　is　very　plain
that　it　does　not　suffice　merely　to　die　in　order　to　see　God。　Those　who
are　ignorant　of　the　truth　whilst　living；　will　be　ignorant　of　it
always。　The　demons　which　are　busy　torturing　these　souls；　what　are　they
but　agents　of　divine　justice？　That　is　why　these　souls　neither　see　them
nor　feel　them。　They　were　ignorant　of　the　truth；　and　therefore　unaware
of　their　own　condemnation；　and　God　Himself　cannot　compel　them　to
suffer。

〃God　can　do　all　things；〃　said　the　Abbot　of　Antinoe。

〃He　cannot　do　that　which　is　absurd；〃　replied　the　veiled　woman。　〃To
punish　them；　they　must　first　be　enlightened；　and　if　they　possessed　the
truth；　they　would　be　like　unto　the　elect。〃

Vexed　and　horrified；　Paphnutius　again　bent　over　the　edge　of　the　abyss。
He　saw　the　shade　of　Nicias　smiling；　with　a　wreath　of　flowers　on　his
head；　sitting　under　a　burnt　myrtle　tree。　By　his　side　was　Aspasia　of
Miletus；　gracefully　draped　in　a　woollen　cloak；　and　they　seemed　to　talk
together　of　love　and　philosophy；　the　expression　of　her　face　was　sweet
and　noble。　The　rain　of　fire　which　fell　on　them　was　as　a　refreshing
dew；　and　their　feet　pressed　the　burning　soil　as　though　it　had　been
tender　grass。　At　this　sight　Paphnutius　was　filled　with　fury。

〃Strike　him；　O　God！　strike　him！〃　he　cried。　〃It　is　Nicias！　Let　him
weep！　let　him　groan！　let　him　grind　his　teeth！　He　sinned　with　Thais！〃

And　Paphnutius　woke　in　the　arms　of　a　sailor；　as　strong　as　Hercules；
who　cried

〃Quietly！　quietly！　my　friend！　By　Proteus；　the　old　shepherd　of　the
seals；　you　slumber　uneasily。　If　I　had　not　caught　hold　of　you；　you
would　have　tumbled　into　the　Eunostos。　It　is　as　true　as　that　my　mother
sold　salt　fish；　that　I　saved　your　life。〃

〃I　thank　God；〃　replied　Paphnutius。

And；　rising　to　his　feet；　he　walked　straight　before　him；　meditating　on
the　vision　which　had　come　to　him　whilst　he　was　asleep。

〃This　vision；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃is　plainly　an　evil　one；　it　is　an
insult　to　divine　goodness　to　imagine　hell　is　unreal。　The　dream
certainly　came　from　the　devil。〃

He　reasoned　thus　because　he　knew　how　to　distinguish　between　the　dreams
sent　by　God　and　those　produced　by　evil　angels。　Such　discernment　is
useful　to　the　hermit；　who　lives　surrounded　by　apparitions；　and　who；　in
avoiding　men；　is　sure　to　meet　with　spirits。　The　deserts　are　full　of
phantoms。　When　the　pilgrims　drew　near　the　ruined　castle；　to　which　the
holy　hermit；　Anthony；　had　retired；　they　heard　a　noise　like　that　which
goes　up　from　the　public　square　of　a　large　city　at　a　great　festival。
The　noise　was　made　by　the　devils；　who　were　tempting　the　holy　man。

Paphnutius　remembered　this　memorable　example。　He　also　called　to　mind
St。　John　the　Egyptian；　who　for　sixty　years　was　tempted　by　the　devil。
But　John　saw　through　all　the　tricks　of　the　demon。　One　day；　however；
the　devil；　having　assumed　the　appearance　of　a　man；　entered　the　grotto
of　the　venerable　John；　and　said　to　him；　〃John；　you　must　continue　to
fast　until　to…morrow　evening。〃　And　John；　believing　that　it　was　an
angel　who　spoke；　obeyed　the　voice　of　the　demon；　and　fasted　the　next
day　until　the　vesper　hour。　That　was　the　only　victory　that　the　Prince
of　Darkness　ever　gained　over　St。　John　the　Egyptian；　and　that　was　but　a
trifling　one。　It　was　therefore　not　astonishing　that　Paphnutius　knew　at
once　that　the　vision　which　had　visited　him　in　his　sleep　was　an　evil
one。

Whilst　he　was　gently　remonstrating　with　God　for　having　given　him　into
the　power　of　the　demons；　he　felt　himself　pushed　and　dragged　amidst　a
crowd　of　people　who　were　all　hurrying　in　the　same　direction。　As　he　was
unaccustomed　to　walk　in　the　streets　of　a　city；　he　was　shoved　and
knocked　from　one　passer　to　another　like　an　inert　mass；　and　being
embarrassed　by　the　folds　of　his　tunic；　he　was　more　than　once　on　the
point　of　falling。　Desirous　of　knowing　where　all　these　people　could　be
going；　he　asked　one　of　them　the　cause　of　this　hurry。

〃Do　you　not　know；　stranger；〃　replied　he；　〃that　the　games　are　about　to
begin；　and　that　Thais　will　appear　on　the　stage？　All　the　citizens　are
going　to　the　theatre；　and　I　also　am　going。　Would　you　like　to　accompany
me？〃

It　occurred　to　him　at　once　that　it　would　further　his　design　to　see
Thais　in　the　games；　and　Paphnutius　followed　the　stranger。　In　front　of
them　stood　the　theatre；　its　portico　ornamented　with　shining　masks；　and
its　huge　circular　wall　covered　with　innumerable　statues。　Following　the
crowd；　they　entered　a　narrow　passage；　at　the　end　of　which　lay　the
amphitheatre；　glittering　with　light。　They　took　their　places　on　one　of
the　seats；　which　descended　in　steps　to　the　stage；　which　was　empty　but
magnificently　decorated。　There　was　no　curtain　to　hide　the　view；　and　on
the　stage　was　a　mound；　such　as　used　to　be　erected　in　old　times　to　the
shades　of　heroes。　This　mound　stood　in　the　midst　of　a　camp。　Lances　were
stacked　in　front　of　the　tents；　and　golden　shields　hung　from　masts；
amidst　boughs　of　laurel　and　wreaths　of　oak。　On　the　stage　all　was
silence；　but　a　murmur　like　the　humming　of　bees　in　a　hive　rose　from　the
vast　hemicycle　filled　with　spectators。　All　their　faces；　reddened　by
the　reflection　from　the　purple　awning　which　waved　above　them；　turned
with　attentive　curiosity　towards　the　large；　silent　stage；　with　its
tomb　and　tents。　The　women　laughed　and　ate　lemons；　and　the　regular
theatre…goers　called　gaily　to　one　another　from　their　seats。

Paphnutius　prayed　inwardly；　and　refrained　from　uttering　any　vain
words；　but　his　neighbour　began　to　complain　of　the　decline　of　the
drama。

〃Formerly；〃　he　said；　〃clever　actors　used　to　declaim；　under　a　mask；　the
verses　of　Euripides　and　Menander。　Now　they　no　longer　recite　dramas；
they　act　in　dumb　show；　and　of　the　divine　spectacles　with　which　Bacchus
was　honoured　in　Athens；　we　have　kept　nothing　but　what　a　barbariana
Scythian　evencould　understandattitude　and　gesture。　The　tragic
mask；　the　mouth　of　which　was　provided　with　metal　tongues　that
increased　the　sound　of　the　voice；　the　cothurnus；　which　raised　the
actors　to　the　height　of　gods；　the　tragic　majesty　and　the　splendid
verses　that　used　to　be　sung；　have　all　gone。　Pantomimists；　and　dancing
girls　with　bare　faces；　have　replaced　Paulus　and　Roscius。　What　would
the　Athenians　of　the　days　of　Pericles　have　said　if　they　had　seen　a
woman　on　the　stage？　It　is　indecent　for　a　woman　to　appear　in　public。　We
must　be　very　degenerate　to　permit　it。　It　is　as　certain　as　that　my　name
is　Dorion；　that　woman　is　the　natural　enemy　of　man；　and　a　disgrace　to
human　kind。〃

〃You　speak　wisely；〃　replied　Paphnutius；　〃woman　is　our　worst　enemy。　She
gives　us　pleasure；　and　is　to　be　feared　on　that　account。〃

〃By　the　immovable　gods；〃　cried　Dorion；　〃it　is　not　pleasure　that　woman
gives　to　man；　but　sadness；　trouble；　and　black　cares。　Love　is　the　cause
of　our　most　biting　evils。　Listen；　stranger。　When　I　was　a　young　man　I
visited　Troezene；　in　Argolis；　and　I　saw　there　a　myrtle　of　a　most
prodigious　size；　the　leaves　of　which　were　covered　with　innumerable
pinholes。　And　this　is　what　the　Troezenians　say　about　that　myrtle。
Queen　Phaedra；　when　she　was　in　love　with　Hippolytos；　used　to　recline
idly　all　day　long　under　this　same　tree。　To　beguile　the　tedium　of　her
weary　life　she　used　to　draw　out　the　golden　pin　which　held　her　fair
locks；　and　pierce　with　it　the　leaves　of　the　sweet…scented　bush。　All
the　leaves　were　riddled　with　holes。　After　she　had　ruined　the　poor
young　man　whom　she　pursued　with　her　incestuous　love；　Phaedra；　as　you
know；　perished　miserably。　She　locked　herself　up　in　her　bridal　chamber；
and　hanged　herself　by　her　golden　girdle　from　an　ivory　peg。　The　gods
willed　that　the　myrtle；　the　witness　of　her　bitter　misery；　should
continue　to　bear；　in　its　fresh　leaves；　the　marks　of　the　pin…holes。　I
picked　one　of　these　leaves；　and　placed　it　at　the　head　of　my　bed；　that
by　the　sight　of　it　I　might　take　warning　against　the　folly　of　love；　and
conform　to　the　doctrine　of　the　divine　Epicurus；　my　master；　who　taught
that　all　lust　is　to　be　feared。　But；　properly　speaking；　love　is　a
disease　of　the　liver；　and　one　is　never　sure　of　not　catching　the
malady。〃

Paphnutius　asked

〃Dorion；　what　are　your　pleasures？〃

Dorion　replied　sadly

〃I　have　only　one　pleasure；　and；　it　must　be　confessed；　that　it　is　not　a
very　exciting　one；　it　is　meditation。　When　a　man　has　a　bad　digestion；
he　must　not　look　for　any　others。〃

Taking　advantage　of　these　words；　Paphnutius　proceeded　to　initiate　the
Epicurean　into　those　spiritual　joys　which　the　contemplation　of　God
procures。　He　began

〃Hear　the　truth；　Dorion；　and　receive　the　light。〃

But　he　saw　then　that　all　heads　were　turned　towards　him；　and　everybody
was　making　signs　for　him　to　be　quiet。　Dead　silence　prevailed　in　the
the