thais-第9节

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tones　of　her　sharp　voice；　and　the　glitter　of　her　phosphorescent　eyes。
They　said　in　the　neighbourhood　that　she　was　a　witch；　and　changed　into
an　owl　at　night；　and　flew　to　see　her　lovers。　It　was　a　lie。　Thais　knew
well；　having　often　watched　her；　that　her　mother　practised　no　magic
arts；　but　that　she　was　eaten　up　with　avarice；　and　counted　all　night
the　gains　of　the　day。　The　idle　father　and　the　greedy　mother　let　the
child　live　as　best　it　could；　like　one　of　the　fowls　in　the　poultry…
yard。　She　became　very　clever　in　extracting；　one　by　one；　the　oboli　from
the　belt　of　some　drunken　sailor；　and　in　amusing　the　drinkers　with
artless　songs　and　obscene　words；　the　meaning　of　which　she　did　not
know。　She　passed　from　knee　to　knee；　in　a　room　reeking　with　the　odours
of　fermented　drinks　and　resiny　wine…skins；　then；　her　cheeks　sticky
with　beer　and　pricked　by　rough　beards；　she　escaped；　clutching　the
oboli　in　her　little　hand；　and　ran　to　buy　honey…cakes　from　an　old　woman
who　crouched　behind　her　baskets　under　the　Gate　of　the　Moon。　Every　day
the　same　scenes　were　repeated；　the　sailors　relating　their　perilous
adventures；　then　playing　at　dice　or　knuckle…bones；　and　blaspheming　the
gods；　amid　their　shouting　for　the　best　beer　of　Cilicia。

Every　night　the　child　was　awakened　by　the　quarrels　of　the　drunkards。
Oyster…shells　would　fly　across　the　tables；　cutting　the　heads　of　those
they　hit；　and　the　uproar　was　terrible。　Sometimes　she　saw；　by　the　light
of　the　smoky　lamps；　the　knives　glitter；　and　the　blood　flow。

It　humiliated　her　to　think　that　the　only　person　who　showed　her　any
human　kindness　in　her　young　days　was　the　mild　and　gentle　Ahmes。　Ahmes；
the　house…slave；　a　Nubian　blacker　than　the　pot　he　gravely　skimmed；　was
as　good　as　a　long　night's　sleep。　Often　he　would　take　Thais　on　his
knee；　and　tell　her　old　tales　about　underground　treasure…houses
constructed　for　avaricious　kings；　who　put　to　death　the　masons　and
architects。　There　were　also　tales　about　clever　thieves　who　married
kings'　daughters；　and　courtesans　who　built　pyramids。　Little　Thais
loved　Ahmes　like　a　father；　like　a　mother；　like　a　nurse；　and　like　a
dog。　She　followed　the　slave　into　the　cellar　when　he　went　to　fill　the
amphorae；　and　into　the　poultry…yard　amongst　the　scraggy　and　ragged
fowls；　all　beak；　claws；　and　feathers；　who　flew　swifter　than　eagles
before　the　knife　of　the　black　cook。　Often　at　night；　on　the　straw；
instead　of　sleeping；　he　built　for　Thais　little　water…mills；　and　ships
no　bigger　than　his　hand；　with　all　their　rigging。

He　had　been　badly　treated　by　his　masters；　one　of　his　ears　was　torn；
and　his　body　covered　with　scars。　Yet　his　features　always　wore　an　air
of　joyous　peace。　And　no　one　ever　asked　him　whence　he　drew　the
consolation　in　his　soul；　and　the　peace　in　his　heart。　He　was　as　simple
as　a　child。　As　he　performed　his　heavy　tasks；　he　sang；　in　a　harsh
voice；　hymns　which　made　the　child　tremble　and　dream。　He　murmured；　in　a
gravely　joyous　tone

　　〃Tell　us；　Mary；　what　thou　hast　seen　where　thou　hast　been？
　　I　saw　the　shroud　and　the　linen　cloths；　and　the　angels　seated　on　the　tomb。
　　And　I　saw　the　glory　of　the　Risen　One。〃

She　asked　him

〃Father；　why　do　you　sing　about　angels　seated　on　a　tomb？〃

And　he　replied

〃Little　light　of　my　eyes；　I　sing　of　the　angels　because　Jesus；　our
Lord；　is　risen　to　heaven。〃

Ahmes　was　a　Christian。　He　had　been　baptised；　and　was　known　as　Theodore
at　the　meetings　of　the　faithful；　to　which　he　went　secretly　during　the
hours　allowed　him　for　sleep。

At　that　time　the　Church　was　suffering　the　severest　trials。　By　order　of
the　Emperor；　the　churches　had　been　thrown　down；　the　holy　books　burned；
the　sacred　vessels　and　candlesticks　melted。　The　Christians　had　been
deprived　of　all　their　honours；　and　expected　nothing　but　death。　Terror
reigned　over　all　the　community　at　Alexandria；　and　the　prisons　were
crammed　with　victims。　It　was　whispered　with　horror　amongst　the
faithful；　that　in　Syria；　in　Arabia；　in　Mesopotamia；　in　Cappadocia；　in
all　the　empire；　bishops　and　virgins　had　been　flogged；　tortured；
crucified　or　thrown　to　wild　beasts。　Then　Anthony；　already　celebrated
for　his　visions　and　his　solitary　life；　a　prophet；　and　the　head　of　all
the　Egyptian　believers；　descended　like　an　eagle　from　his　desert　rock
on　the　city　of　Alexandria；　and；　flying　from　church　to　church；　fired
the　whole　community　with　his　holy　ardour。　Invisible　to　the　pagans；　he
was　present　at　the　same　time　at　all　the　meetings　of　Christians；
endowing　all　with　the　spirit　of　strength　and　prudence　by　which　he　was
animated。　Slaves；　in　particular；　were　persecuted　with　singular
severity。　Many　of　them；　seized　with　fright；　denied　the　faith。　Others；
and　by　far　the　greater　number；　fled　to　the　desert；　hoping　to　live
there；　either　as　hermits　or　robbers。　Ahmes；　however；　frequented　the
meetings　as　usual；　visited　the　prisoners；　buried　the　martyrs；　and
joyfully　professed　the　religion　of　Christ。　The　great　Anthony；　who　saw
his　unshaken　zeal；　before　he　returned　into　the　desert；　pressed　the
black　slave　in　his　arms；　and　gave　him　the　kiss　of　peace。

When　Thais　was　seven　years　old；　Ahmes　began　to　talk　to　her　of　God。

〃The　good　Lord　God；〃　he　said；　〃lived　in　heaven　like　a　Pharaoh；　under
the　tents　of　His　harem；　and　under　the　trees　of　His　gardens。　He　was　the
Ancient　of　Ancients；　and　older　than　the　world；　and　He　had　but　one　Son；
the　Prince　Jesus；　whom　He　loved　with　all　His　heart；　and　who　surpassed
in　beauty　the　virgins　and　the　angels。　And　the　good　Lord　God　said　to
Prince　Jesus

〃　'Leave　My　harem　and　My　palace；　and　My　date　trees　and　My　running
waters。　Descend　to　earth　for　the　welfare　of　men。　There　Thou　shalt　be
like　a　little　child；　and　Thou　shalt　live　poor　amongst　the　poor。
Suffering　shall　be　Thy　daily　bread；　and　Thou　shalt　weep　so　profusely
that　Thy　tears　shall　form　rivers；　in　which　the　tired　slave　shall　bathe
with　delight。　Go；　My　Son！'

〃Prince　Jesus　obeyed　the　good　Lord；　and　He　came　down　to　earth；　to　a
place　named　Bethlehem　of　Judaea。　And　He　walked　in　fields；　amidst　the
flowering　anemones；　saying　to　His　companion

〃　'Blessed　are　they　who　hunger；　for　I　will　lead　them　to　My　Father's
table！　Blessed　are　they　who　thirst；　for　they　shall　drink　of　the
fountains　of　heaven！　Blessed　are　they　who　weep；　for　I　will　dry　their
tears　with　veils　finer　than　those　of　the　almehs！'

〃That　is　why　the　poor　loved　Him；　and　believed　in　Him。　But　the　rich
hated　Him；　fearing　that　He　should　raise　the　poor　above　them。　At　that
time；　Cleopatra　and　Caesar　were　powerful　on　the　earth。　They　both　hated
Jesus；　and　they　ordered　the　judges　and　priests　to　put　Him　to　death。　To
obey　the　Queen　of　Egypt；　the　princes　of　Syria　erected　a　cross　on　a
high　mountain；　and　they　caused　Jesus　to　die　on　this　cross。　But　women
washed　His　corpse；　and　buried　it；　and　Prince　Jesus；　having　broken　the
door　of　His　tomb；　rose　again　to　the　good　Lord；　His　Father。

〃And；　from　that　time；　all　those　who　believed　in　Him　go　to　heaven。

〃The　Lord　God　opens　His　arms；　and　says　to　them

〃　'Ye　are　welcome；　because　ye　love　the　Prince；　My　Son。　Wash；　and　then
eat。'

〃They　bathe　to　the　sound　of　beautiful　music；　and；　all　the　time　they
are　eating；　they　see　almehs　dancing；　and　they　listen　to　tales　that
never　end。　They　are　dearer　to　the　good　Lord　God　than　the　light　of　His
eyes；　because　they　are　His　guests；　and　they　shall　have　for　their
portion　the　carpets　of　His　house；　and　the　pomegranates　of　His
gardens。〃

Ahmes　often　spoke　in　this　strain；　and　thus　taught　the　truth　to　Thais。
She　wondered；　and　said

〃I　should　like　to　eat　the　pomegranates　of　the　good　Lord。〃

Ahmes　replied

〃Only　those　who　are　baptised　may　taste　the　fruits　of　heaven。〃

And　Thais　asked　to　be　baptised。　Seeing　by　this　that　she　believed　in
Jesus；　the　slave　resolved　to　instruct　her　more　fully；　so　that；　being
baptised；　she　might　enter　the　Church；　and　he　loved　her　as　his
spiritual　daughter。

The　child；　unloved　and　uncared　for　by　its　selfish　parents；　had　no　bed
in　the　house。　She　slept　in　a　corner　of　the　stable　amongst　the　domestic
animals；　and　there　Ahmes　came　to　her　every　night　secretly。

He　gently　approached　the　mat　on　which　she　lay；　and　sat　down　on　his
heels；　his　legs　bent　and　his　body　straighta　position　hereditary　to
his　race。　His　face　and　his　body；　which　was　clothed　in　black；　were
invisible　in　the　darkness；　but　his　big　white　eyes　shone　out；　and　there
came　from　them　a　light　like　a　ray　of　dawn　through　the　chinks　of　a
door。　He　spoke　in　a　husky；　monotonous　tone；　with　a　slight　nasal　twang
that　gave　it　the　soft　melody　of　music　heard　at　night　in　the　streets。
Sometimes　the　breathing　of　an　ass；　or　the　soft　lowing　of　an　ox；
accompanied；　like　a　chorus　of　invisible　spirits；　the　voice　of　the
slave　as　he　recited　the　gospels。　His　words　flowed　gently　in　the
darkness；　which　they　filled　with　zeal；　mercy；　and　hope；　and　the
neophyte；　her　hand　in　that　of　Ahmes；　lulled　by　the　monotonous　sounds；
and　the　vague　visions　in　her　mind；　slept　calm　and　smiling；　amid　the
harmonies　of　the　dark　night　and　the　holy　mysteries；　gazed　down　on　by　a
star；　which　twinkled　between　the　joists　of　the　stable…roof。

The　initiation　lasted　a　whole　year；　till　the　time　when　the　Christians
joyfully　celebrate　the　festival　of　Easter。　One　night　in　the　holy　week；
Thais；　who　was　already　asleep　on　her　ma