selected prose of oscar wilde-第16节

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comfort。



And　when　they　saw　that　the　pool　had　changed　from　a　cup　of　sweet

waters　into　a　cup　of　salt　tears；　they　loosened　the　green　tresses　of

their　hair　and　cried　to　the　pool　and　said；　'We　do　not　wonder　that

you　should　mourn　in　this　manner　for　Narcissus；　so　beautiful　was　he。'



'But　was　Narcissus　beautiful？'　said　the　pool。



'Who　should　know　that　better　than　you？'　answered　the　Oreads。　　'Us

did　he　ever　pass　by；　but　you　he　sought　for；　and　would　lie　on　your

banks　and　look　down　at　you；　and　in　the　mirror　of　your　waters　he

would　mirror　his　own　beauty。'



And　the　pool　answered；　'But　I　loved　Narcissus　because；　as　he　lay　on

my　banks　and　looked　down　at　me；　in　the　mirror　of　his　eyes　I　saw　ever

my　own　beauty　mirrored。'Poems　in　Prose







THE　MASTER







Now　when　the　darkness　came　over　the　earth　Joseph　of　Arimathea；

having　lighted　a　torch　of　pinewood；　passed　down　from　the　hill　into

the　valley。　　For　he　had　business　in　his　own　home。



And　kneeling　on　the　flint　stones　of　the　Valley　of　Desolation　he　saw

a　young　man　who　was　naked　and　weeping。　　His　hair　was　the　colour　of

honey；　and　his　body　was　as　a　white　flower；　but　he　had　wounded　his

body　with　thorns　and　on　his　hair　had　he　set　ashes　as　a　crown。



And　he　who　had　great　possessions　said　to　the　young　man　who　was　naked

and　weeping；　'I　do　not　wonder　that　your　sorrow　is　so　great；　for

surely　He　was　a　just　man。'



And　the　young　man　answered；　'It　is　not　for　Him　that　I　am　weeping；

but　for　myself。　　I　too　have　changed　water　into　wine；　and　I　have

healed　the　leper　and　given　sight　to　the　blind。　　I　have　walked　upon

the　waters；　and　from　the　dwellers　in　the　tombs　I　have　cast　out

devils。　　I　have　fed　the　hungry　in　the　desert　where　there　was　no

food；　and　I　have　raised　the　dead　from　their　narrow　houses；　and　at　my

bidding；　and　before　a　great　multitude；　of　people；　a　barren　fig…tree

withered　away。　　All　things　that　this　man　has　done　I　have　done　also。

And　yet　they　have　not　crucified　me。'Poems　in　Prose







THE　HOUSE　OF　JUDGMENT







And　there　was　silence　in　the　House　of　Judgment；　and　the　Man　came

naked　before　God。



And　God　opened　the　Book　of　the　Life　of　the　Man。



And　God　said　to　the　Man；　'Thy　life　hath　been　evil；　and　thou　hast

shown　cruelty　to　those　who　were　in　need　of　succour；　and　to　those　who

lacked　help　thou　hast　been　bitter　and　hard　of　heart。　　The　poor

called　to　thee　and　thou　didst　not　hearken；　and　thine　ears　were

closed　to　the　cry　of　My　afflicted。　　The　inheritance　of　the

fatherless　thou　didst　take　unto　thyself；　and　thou　didst　send　the

foxes　into　the　vineyard　of　thy　neighbour's　field。　　Thou　didst　take

the　bread　of　the　children　and　give　it　to　the　dogs　to　eat；　and　My

lepers　who　lived　in　the　marshes；　and　were　at　peace　and　praised　Me；

thou　didst　drive　forth　on　to　the　highways；　and　on　Mine　earth　out　of

which　I　made　thee　thou　didst　spill　innocent　blood。'



And　the　Man　made　answer　and　said；　'Even　so　did　I。'



And　again　God　opened　the　Book　of　the　Life　of　the　Man。



And　God　said　to　the　Man；　'Thy　life　hath　been　evil；　and　the　Beauty　I

have　shown　thou　hast　sought　for；　and　the　Good　I　have　hidden　thou

didst　pass　by。　　The　walls　of　thy　chamber　were　painted　with　images；

and　from　the　bed　of　thine　abominations　thou　didst　rise　up　to　the

sound　of　flutes。　　Thou　didst　build　seven　altars　to　the　sins　I　have

suffered；　and　didst　eat　of　the　thing　that　may　not　be　eaten；　and　the

purple　of　thy　raiment　was　broidered　with　the　three　signs　of　shame。

Thine　idols　were　neither　of　gold　nor　of　silver　that　endure；　but　of

flesh　that　dieth。　　Thou　didst　stain　their　hair　with　perfumes　and　put

pomegranates　in　their　hands。　　Thou　didst　stain　their　feet　with

saffron　and　spread　carpets　before　them。　　With　antimony　thou　didst

stain　their　eyelids　and　their　bodies　thou　didst　smear　with　myrrh。

Thou　didst　bow　thyself　to　the　ground　before　them；　and　the　thrones　of

thine　idols　were　set　in　the　sun。　　Thou　didst　show　to　the　sun　thy

shame　and　to　the　moon　thy　madness。'



And　the　Man　made　answer　and　said；　'Even　so　did　I。'



And　a　third　time　God　opened　the　Book　of　the　Life　of　the　Man。



And　God　said　to　the　Man；　'Evil　hath　been　thy　life；　and　with　evil

didst　thou　requite　good；　and　with　wrongdoing　kindness。　　The　hands

that　fed　thee　thou　didst　wound；　and　the　breasts　that　gave　thee　suck

thou　didst　despise。　　He　who　came　to　thee　with　water　went　away

thirsting；　and　the　outlawed　men　who　hid　thee　in　their　tents　at　night

thou　didst　betray　before　dawn。　　Thine　enemy　who　spared　thee　thou

didst　snare　in　an　ambush；　and　the　friend　who　walked　with　thee　thou

didst　sell　for　a　price；　and　to　those　who　brought　thee　Love　thou

didst　ever　give　Lust　in　thy　turn。'



And　the　Man　made　answer　and　said；　'Even　so　did　I。'



And　God　closed　the　Book　of　the　Life　of　the　Man；　and　said；　'Surely　I

will　send　thee　into　Hell。　　Even　into　Hell　will　I　send　thee。'



And　the　Man　cried　out；　'Thou　canst　not。'



And　God　said　to　the　Man；　'Wherefore　can　I　not　send　thee　to　Hell；　and

for　what　reason？'



'Because　in　Hell　have　I　always　lived；'　answered　the　Man。



And　there　was　silence　in　the　House　of　Judgment。



And　after　a　space　God　spake；　and　said　to　the　Man；　'Seeing　that　I　may

not　send　thee　into　Hell；　surely　I　will　send　thee　unto　Heaven。　　Even

unto　Heaven　will　I　send　thee。'



And　the　Man　cried　out；　'Thou　canst　not。'



And　God　said　to　the　Man；　'Wherefore　can　I　not　send　thee　unto　Heaven；

and　for　what　reason？'



'Because　never；　and　in　no　place；　have　I　been　able　to　imagine　it；'

answered　the　Man。



And　there　was　silence　in　the　House　of　Judgment。Poems　in　Prose







THE　TEACHER　OF　WISDOM







From　his　childhood　he　had　been　as　one　filled　with　the　perfect

knowledge　of　God；　and　even　while　he　was　yet　but　a　lad　many　of　the

saints；　as　well　as　certain　holy　women　who　dwelt　in　the　free　city　of

his　birth；　had　been　stirred　to　much　wonder　by　the　grave　wisdom　of

his　answers。



And　when　his　parents　had　given　him　the　robe　and　the　ring　of　manhood

he　kissed　them；　and　left　them　and　went　out　into　the　world；　that　he

might　speak　to　the　world　about　God。　　For　there　were　at　that　time

many　in　the　world　who　either　knew　not　God　at　all；　or　had　but　an

incomplete　knowledge　of　Him；　or　worshipped　the　false　gods　who　dwell

in　groves　and　have　no　care　of　their　worshippers。



And　he　set　his　face　to　the　sun　and　journeyed；　walking　without

sandals；　as　he　had　seen　the　saints　walk；　and　carrying　at　his　girdle

a　leathern　wallet　and　a　little　water…bottle　of　burnt　clay。



And　as　he　walked　along　the　highway　he　was　full　of　the　joy　that　comes

from　the　perfect　knowledge　of　God；　and　he　sang　praises　unto　God

without　ceasing；　and　after　a　time　he　reached　a　strange　land　in　which

there　were　many　cities。



And　he　passed　through　eleven　cities。　　And　some　of　these　cities　were

in　valleys；　and　others　were　by　the　banks　of　great　rivers；　and　others

were　set　on　hills。　　And　in　each　city　he　found　a　disciple　who　loved

him　and　followed　him；　and　a　great　multitude　also　of　people　followed

him　from　each　city；　and　the　knowledge　of　God　spread　in　the　whole

land；　and　many　of　the　rulers　were　converted；　and　the　priests　of　the

temples　in　which　there　were　idols　found　that　half　of　their　gain　was

gone；　and　when　they　beat　upon　their　drums　at　noon　none；　or　but　a

few；　came　with　peacocks　and　with　offerings　of　flesh　as　had　been　the

custom　of　the　land　before　his　coming。



Yet　the　more　the　people　followed　him；　and　the　greater　the　number　of

his　disciples；　the　greater　became　his　sorrow。　　And　he　knew　not　why

his　sorrow　was　so　great。　　For　he　spake　ever　about　God；　and　out　of

the　fulness　of　that　perfect　knowledge　of　God　which　God　had　Himself

given　to　him。



And　one　evening　he　passed　out　of　the　eleventh　city；　which　was　a　city

of　Armenia；　and　his　disciples　and　a　great　crowd　of　people　followed

after　him；　and　he　went　up　on　to　a　mountain　and　sat　down　on　a　rock

that　was　on　the　mountain；　and　his　disciples　stood　round　him；　and　the

multitude　knelt　in　the　valley。



And　he　bowed　his　head　on　his　hands　and　wept；　and　said　to　his　Soul；

'Why　is　it　that　I　am　full　of　sorrow　and　fear；　and　that　each　of　my

disciples　is　an　enemy　that　walks　in　the　noonday？'　　And　his　Soul

answered　him　and　said；　'God　filled　thee　with　the　perfect　knowledge

of　Himself；　and　thou　hast　given　this　knowledge　away　to　others。　　The

pearl　of　great　price　thou　hast　divided；　and　the　vesture　without　seam

thou　hast　parted　asunder。　　He　who　giveth　away　wisdom　robbeth

himself。　　He　is　as　one　who　giveth　his　treasure　to　a　robber。　　Is　not

God　wiser　than　thou　art？　　Who　art　thou　to　give　away　the　secret　that

God　hath　told　thee？　　I　was　rich　once；　and　thou　hast　made　me　poor。

Once　I　saw　God；　and　now　thou　hast　hidden　Him　from　me。'



And　he　wept　again；　for　he　knew　that　his　Soul　spake　truth　to　him；　and

that　he　had　given　to　others　the　perfect　knowledge　of　God；　and　that

he　was　as　one　clinging　to　the　skirts　of　God；　and　that　his　faith　was

leaving　him　by　reason　of　the　number　of　those