essays and lectures-第33节

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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　who　believed

in　him。



And　he　said　to　himself；　'I　will　talk　no　more　about　God。　　He　who

giveth　away　wisdom　robbeth　himself。'



And　after　the　space　of　some　hours　his　disciples　came　near　him　and

bowed　themselves　to　the　ground　and　said；　'Master；　talk　to　us　about

God；　for　thou　hast　the　perfect　knowledge　of　God；　and　no　man　save

thee　hath　this　knowledge。'



And　he　answered　them　and　said；　'I　will　talk　to　you　about　all　other

things　that　are　in　heaven　and　on　earth；　but　about　God　I　will　not

talk　to　you。　　Neither　now；　nor　at　any　time；　will　I　talk　to　you

about　God。'



And　they　were　wroth　with　him　and　said　to　him；　'Thou　hast　led　us

into　the　desert　that　we　might　hearken　to　thee。　　Wilt　thou　send　us

away　hungry；　and　the　great　multitude　that　thou　hast　made　to　follow

thee？'



And　he　answered　them　and　said；　'I　will　not　talk　to　you　about　God。'



And　the　multitude　murmured　against　him　and　said　to　him；　'Thou　hast

led　us　into　the　desert；　and　hast　given　us　no　food　to　eat。　　Talk　to

us　about　God　and　it　will　suffice　us。'



But　he　answered　them　not　a　word。　　For　he　knew　that　if　he　spake　to

them　about　God　he　would　give　away　his　treasure。



And　his　disciples　went　away　sadly；　and　the　multitude　of　people

returned　to　their　own　homes。　　And　many　died　on　the　way。



And　when　he　was　alone　he　rose　up　and　set　his　face　to　the　moon；　and

journeyed　for　seven　moons；　speaking　to　no　man　nor　making　any

answer。　　And　when　the　seventh　moon　had　waned　he　reached　that　desert

which　is　the　desert　of　the　Great　River。　　And　having　found　a　cavern

in　which　a　Centaur　had　once　dwelt；　he　took　it　for　his　place　of

dwelling；　and　made　himself　a　mat　of　reeds　on　which　to　lie；　and

became　a　hermit。　　And　every　hour　the　Hermit　praised　God　that　He　had

suffered　him　to　keep　some　knowledge　of　Him　and　of　His　wonderful

greatness。



Now；　one　evening；　as　the　Hermit　was　seated　before　the　cavern　in

which　he　had　made　his　place　of　dwelling；　he　beheld　a　young　man　of

evil　and　beautiful　face　who　passed　by　in　mean　apparel　and　with

empty　hands。　　Every　evening　with　empty　hands　the　young　man　passed

by；　and　every　morning　he　returned　with　his　hands　full　of　purple　and

pearls。　　For　he　was　a　Robber　and　robbed　the　caravans　of　the

merchants。



And　the　Hermit　looked　at　him　and　pitied　him。　　But　he　spake　not　a

word。　　For　he　knew　that　he　who　speaks　a　word　loses　his　faith。



And　one　morning；　as　the　young　man　returned　with　his　hands　full　of

purple　and　pearls；　he　stopped　and　frowned　and　stamped　his　foot　upon

the　sand；　and　said　to　the　Hermit：　　'Why　do　you　look　at　me　ever　in

this　manner　as　I　pass　by？　　What　is　it　that　I　see　in　your　eyes？　　For

no　man　has　looked　at　me　before　in　this　manner。　　And　the　thing　is　a

thorn　and　a　trouble　to　me。'



And　the　Hermit　answered　him　and　said；　'What　you　see　in　my　eyes　is

pity。　　Pity　is　what　looks　out　at　you　from　my　eyes。'



And　the　young　man　laughed　with　scorn；　and　cried　to　the　Hermit　in　a

bitter　voice；　and　said　to　him；　'I　have　purple　and　pearls　in　my

hands；　and　you　have　but　a　mat　of　reeds　on　which　to　lie。　　What　pity

should　you　have　for　me？　　And　for　what　reason　have　you　this　pity？'



'I　have　pity　for　you；'　said　the　Hermit；　'because　you　have　no

knowledge　of　God。'



'Is　this　knowledge　of　God　a　precious　thing？'　asked　the　young　man；

and　he　came　close　to　the　mouth　of　the　cavern。



'It　is　more　precious　than　all　the　purple　and　the　pearls　of　the

world；'　answered　the　Hermit。



'And　have　you　got　it？'　said　the　young　Robber；　and　he　came　closer

still。



'Once；　indeed；'　answered　the　Hermit；　'I　possessed　the　perfect

knowledge　of　God。　　But　in　my　foolishness　I　parted　with　it；　and

divided　it　amongst　others。　　Yet　even　now　is　such　knowledge　as

remains　to　me　more　precious　than　purple　or　pearls。'



And　when　the　young　Robber　heard　this　he　threw　away　the　purple　and

the　pearls　that　he　was　bearing　in　his　hands；　and　drawing　a　sharp

sword　of　curved　steel　he　said　to　the　Hermit；　'Give　me；　forthwith

this　knowledge　of　God　that　you　possess；　or　I　will　surely　slay　you。

Wherefore　should　I　not　slay　him　who　has　a　treasure　greater　than　my

treasure？'



And　the　Hermit　spread　out　his　arms　and　said；　'Were　it　not　better

for　me　to　go　unto　the　uttermost　courts　of　God　and　praise　Him；　than

to　live　in　the　world　and　have　no　knowledge　of　Him？　　Slay　me　if　that

be　your　desire。　　But　I　will　not　give　away　my　knowledge　of　God。'



And　the　young　Robber　knelt　down　and　besought　him；　but　the　Hermit

would　not　talk　to　him　about　God；　nor　give　him　his　Treasure；　and　the

young　Robber　rose　up　and　said　to　the　Hermit；　'Be　it　as　you　will。

As　for　myself；　I　will　go　to　the　City　of　the　Seven　Sins；　that　is　but

three　days'　journey　from　this　place；　and　for　my　purple　they　will

give　me　pleasure；　and　for　my　pearls　they　will　sell　me　joy。'　　And　he

took　up　the　purple　and　the　pearls　and　went　swiftly　away。



And　the　Hermit　cried　out　and　followed　him　and　besought　him。　　For

the　space　of　three　days　he　followed　the　young　Robber　on　the　road

and　entreated　him　to　return；　nor　to　enter　into　the　City　of　the

Seven　Sins。



And　ever　and　anon　the　young　Robber　looked　back　at　the　Hermit　and

called　to　him；　and　said；　'Will　you　give　me　this　knowledge　of　God

which　is　more　precious　than　purple　and　pearls？　　If　you　will　give　me

that；　I　will　not　enter　the　city。'



And　ever　did　the　Hermit　answer；　'All　things　that　I　have　I　will　give

thee；　save　that　one　thing　only。　　For　that　thing　it　is　not　lawful

for　me　to　give　away。'



And　in　the　twilight　of　the　third　day　they　came　nigh　to　the　great

scarlet　gates　of　the　City　of　the　Seven　Sins。　　And　from　the　city

there　came　the　sound　of　much　laughter。



And　the　young　Robber　laughed　in　answer；　and　sought　to　knock　at　the

gate。　　And　as　he　did　so　the　Hermit　ran　forward　and　caught　him　by

the　skirts　of　his　raiment；　and　said　to　him：　　'Stretch　forth　your

hands；　and　set　your　arms　around　my　neck；　and　put　your　ear　close　to

my　lips；　and　I　will　give　you　what　remains　to　me　of　the　knowledge　of

God。'　　And　the　young　Robber　stopped。



And　when　the　Hermit　had　given　away　his　knowledge　of　God；　he　fell

upon　the　ground　and　wept；　and　a　great　darkness　hid　from　him　the

city　and　the　young　Robber；　so　that　he　saw　them　no　more。



And　as　he　lay　there　weeping　he　was　ware　of　One　who　was　standing

beside　him；　and　He　who　was　standing　beside　him　had　feet　of　brass

and　hair　like　fine　wool。　　And　He　raised　the　Hermit