essays and lectures-第32节

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And　He　saw　afar…off　the　walls　of　a　round　city　and　went　towards　the

city。



And　when　He　came　near　He　heard　within　the　city　the　tread　of　the

feet　of　joy；　and　the　laughter　of　the　mouth　of　gladness　and　the　loud

noise　of　many　lutes。　　And　He　knocked　at　the　gate　and　certain　of　the

gate…keepers　opened　to　Him。



And　He　beheld　a　house　that　was　of　marble　and　had　fair　pillars　of

marble　before　it。　　The　pillars　were　hung　with　garlands；　and　within

and　without　there　were　torches　of　cedar。　　And　He　entered　the　house。



And　when　He　had　passed　through　the　hall　of　chalcedony　and　the　hall

of　jasper；　and　reached　the　long　hall　of　feasting；　He　saw　lying　on　a

couch　of　sea…purple　one　whose　hair　was　crowned　with　red　roses　and

whose　lips　were　red　with　wine。



And　He　went　behind　him　and　touched　him　on　the　shoulder　and　said　to

him；　'Why　do　you　live　like　this？'



And　the　young　man　turned　round　and　recognised　Him；　and　made　answer

and　said；　'But　I　was　a　leper　once；　and　you　healed　me。　　How　else

should　I　live？'



And　He　passed　out　of　the　house　and　went　again　into　the　street。



And　after　a　little　while　He　saw　one　whose　face　and　raiment　were

painted　and　whose　feet　were　shod　with　pearls。　　And　behind　her　came；

slowly　as　a　hunter；　a　young　man　who　wore　a　cloak　of　two　colours。

Now　the　face　of　the　woman　was　as　the　fair　face　of　an　idol；　and　the

eyes　of　the　young　man　were　bright　with　lust。



And　He　followed　swiftly　and　touched　the　hand　of　the　young　man　and

said　to　him；　'Why　do　you　look　at　this　woman　and　in　such　wise？'



And　the　young　man　turned　round　and　recognised　Him　and　said；　'But　I

was　blind　once；　and　you　gave　me　sight。　　At　what　else　should　I

look？'



And　He　ran　forward　and　touched　the　painted　raiment　of　the　woman　and

said　to　her；　'Is　there　no　other　way　in　which　to　walk　save　the　way

of　sin？'



And　the　woman　turned　round　and　recognised　Him；　and　laughed　and

said；　'But　you　forgave　me　my　sins；　and　the　way　is　a　pleasant　way。'



And　He　passed　out　of　the　city。



And　when　He　had　passed　out　of　the　city　He　saw　seated　by　the

roadside　a　young　man　who　was　weeping。



And　He　went　towards　him　and　touched　the　long　locks　of　his　hair　and

said　to　him；　'Why　are　you　weeping？'



And　the　young　man　looked　up　and　recognised　Him　and　made　answer；

'But　I　was　dead　once；　and　you　raised　me　from　the　dead。　　What　else

should　I　do　but　weep？'





THE　DISCIPLE





When　Narcissus　died　the　pool　of　his　pleasure　changed　from　a　cup　of

sweet　waters　into　a　cup　of　salt　tears；　and　the　Oreads　came　weeping

through　the　woodland　that　they　might　sing　to　the　pool　and　give　it

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。'





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。'





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。





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　carry