the man who was thursday-第35节

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auldrons；　or　passed；　laughing　and　clattering；　into　the　inner　passages　of　that　ancient　house。　Soon　there　were　only　some　ten　loiterers　in　the　garden；　soon　only　four。　Finally　the　last　stray　merry…maker　ran　into　the　house　whooping　to　his　companions。　The　fire　faded；　and　the　slow；　strong　stars　came　out。　And　the　seven　strange　men　were　left　alone；　like　seven　stone　statues　on　their　chairs　of　stone。　Not　one　of　them　had　spoken　a　word。

They　seemed　in　no　haste　to　do　so；　but　heard　in　silence　the　hum　of　insects　and　the　distant　song　of　one　bird。　Then　Sunday　spoke；　but　so　dreamily　that　he　might　have　been　continuing　a　conversation　rather　than　beginning　one。

〃We　will　eat　and　drink　later；〃　he　said。　〃Let　us　remain　together　a　little；　we　who　have　loved　each　other　so　sadly；　and　have　fought　so　long。　I　seem　to　remember　only　centuries　of　heroic　war；　in　which　you　were　always　heroesepic　on　epic；　iliad　on　iliad；　and　you　always　brothers　in　arms。　Whether　it　was　but　recently　（for　time　is　nothing）；　or　at　the　beginning　of　the　world；　I　sent　you　out　to　war。　I　sat　in　the　darkness；　where　there　is　not　any　created　thing；　and　to　you　I　was　only　a　voice　commanding　valour　and　an　unnatural　virtue。　You　heard　the　voice　in　the　dark；　and　you　never　heard　it　again。　The　sun　in　heaven　denied　it；　the　earth　and　sky　denied　it；　all　human　wisdom　denied　it。　And　when　I　met　you　in　the　daylight　I　denied　it　myself。〃

Syme　stirred　sharply　in　his　seat；　but　otherwise　there　was　silence；　and　the　incomprehensible　went　on。

〃But　you　were　men。　You　did　not　forget　your　secret　honour；　though　the　whole　cosmos　turned　an　engine　of　torture　to　tear　it　out　of　you。　I　knew　how　near　you　were　to　hell。　I　know　how　you；　Thursday；　crossed　swords　with　King　Satan；　and　how　you；　Wednesday；　named　me　in　the　hour　without　hope。〃

There　was　complete　silence　in　the　starlit　garden；　and　then　the　black…browed　Secretary；　implacable；　turned　in　his　chair　towards　Sunday；　and　said　in　a　harsh　voice

〃Who　and　what　are　you？〃

〃I　am　the　Sabbath；〃　said　the　other　without　moving。　〃I　am　the　peace　of　God。〃

The　Secretary　started　up；　and　stood　crushing　his　costly　robe　in　his　hand。

〃I　know　what　you　mean；〃　he　cried；　〃and　it　is　exactly　that　that　I　cannot　forgive　you。　I　know　you　are　contentment；　optimism；　what　do　they　call　the　thing；　an　ultimate　reconciliation。　Well；　I　am　not　reconciled。　If　you　were　the　man　in　the　dark　room；　why　were　you　also　Sunday；　an　offense　to　the　sunlight？　If　you　were　from　the　first　our　father　and　our　friend；　why　were　you　also　our　greatest　enemy？　We　wept；　we　fled　in　terror；　the　iron　entered　into　our　soulsand　you　are　the　peace　of　God！　Oh；　I　can　forgive　God　His　anger；　though　it　destroyed　nations；　but　I　cannot　forgive　Him　His　peace。〃

Sunday　answered　not　a　word；　but　very　slowly　he　turned　his　face　of　stone　upon　Syme　as　if　asking　a　question。

〃No；〃　said　Syme；　〃I　do　not　feel　fierce　like　that。　I　am　grateful　to　you；　not　only　for　wine　and　hospitality　here；　but　for　many　a　fine　scamper　and　free　fight。　But　I　should　like　to　know。　My　soul　and　heart　are　as　happy　and　quiet　here　as　this　old　garden；　but　my　reason　is　still　crying　out。　I　should　like　to　know。〃

Sunday　looked　at　Ratcliffe；　whose　clear　voice　said

〃It　seems　so　silly　that　you　should　have　been　on　both　sides　and　fought　yourself。〃

Bull　said

〃l　understand　nothing；　but　I　am　happy。　In　fact；　I　am　going　to　sleep。〃

〃I　am　not　happy；〃　said　the　Professor　with　his　head　in　his　hands；　〃because　I　do　not　understand。　You　let　me　stray　a　little　too　near　to　hell。〃

And　then　Gogol　said；　with　the　absolute　simplicity　of　a　child

〃I　wish　I　knew　why　I　was　hurt　so　much。〃

Still　Sunday　said　nothing；　but　only　sat　with　his　mighty　chin　upon　his　hand；　and　gazed　at　the　distance。　Then　at　last　he　said

〃I　have　heard　your　complaints　in　order。　And　here；　I　think；　comes　another　to　complain；　and　we　will　hear　him　also。〃

The　falling　fire　in　the　great　cresset　threw　a　last　long　gleam；　like　a　bar　of　burning　gold；　across　the　dim　grass。　Against　this　fiery　band　was　outlined　in　utter　black　the　advancing　legs　of　a　black…clad　figure。　He　seemed　to　have　a　fine　close　suit　with　knee…breeches　such　as　that　which　was　worn　by　the　servants　of　the　house；　only　that　it　was　not　blue；　but　of　this　absolute　sable。　He　had；　like　the　servants；　a　kind　of　word　by　his　side。　It　was　only　when　he　had　come　quite　close　to　the　crescent　of　the　seven　and　flung　up　his　face　to　look　at　them；　that　Syme　saw；　with　thunder…struck　clearness；　that　the　face　was　the　broad；　almost　ape…like　face　of　his　old　friend　Gregory；　with　its　rank　red　hair　and　its　insulting　smile。

〃Gregory！〃　gasped　Syme；　half…rising　from　his　seat。　〃Why；　this　is　the　real　anarchist！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Gregory；　with　a　great　and　dangerous　restraint；　〃I　am　the　real　anarchist。〃

〃'Now　there　was　a　day；'〃　murmured　Bull；　who　seemed　really　to　have　fallen　asleep；　〃'when　the　sons　of　God　came　to　present　themselves　before　the　Lord；　and　Satan　came　also　among　them。'〃

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Gregory；　and　gazed　all　round。　〃I　am　a　destroyer。　I　would　destroy　the　world　if　I　could。〃

A　sense　of　a　pathos　far　under　the　earth　stirred　up　in　Syme；　and　he　spoke　brokenly　and　without　sequence。

〃Oh；　most　unhappy　man；〃　he　cried；　〃try　to　be　happy！　You　have　red　hair　like　your　sister。〃

〃My　red　hair；　like　red　flames；　shall　burn　up　the　world；〃　said　Gregory。　〃I　thought　I　hated　everything　more　than　common　men　can　hate　anything；　but　I　find　that　I　do　not　hate　everything　so　much　as　I　hate　you！　〃

〃I　never　hated　you；〃　said　Syme　very　sadly。

Then　out　of　this　unintelligible　creature　the　last　thunders　broke。

〃You！〃　he　cried。　〃You　never　hated　because　you　never　lived。　I　know　what　you　are　all　of　you；　from　first　to　lastyou　are　the　people　in　power！　You　are　the　policethe　great　fat；　smiling　men　in　blue　and　buttons！　You　are　the　Law；　and　you　have　never　been　broken。　But　is　there　a　free　soul　alive　that　does　not　long　to　break　you；　only　because　you　have　never　been　broken？　We　in　revolt　talk　all　kind　of　nonsense　doubtless　about　this　crime　or　that　crime　of　the　Government。　It　is　all　folly！　The　only　crime　of　the　Government　is　that　it　governs。　The　unpardonable　sin　of　the　supreme　power　is　that　it　is　supreme。　I　do　not　curse　you　for　being　cruel。　I　do　not　curse　you　（though　I　might）　for　being　kind。　I　curse　you　for　being　safe！　You　sit　in　your　chairs　of　stone；　and　have　never　come　down　from　them。　You　are　the　seven　angels　of　heaven；　and　you　have　had　no　troubles。　Oh；　I　could　forgive　you　everything；　you　that　rule　all　mankind；　if　I　could　feel　for　once　that　you　had　suffered　for　one　hour　a　real　agony　such　as　I〃

Syme　sprang　to　his　feet；　shaking　from　head　to　foot。

〃I　see　everything；〃　he　cried；　〃everything　that　there　is。　Why　does　each　thing　on　the　earth　war　against　each　other　thing？　Why　does　each　small　thing　in　the　world　have　to　fight　against　the　world　itself？　Why　does　a　fly　have　to　fight　the　whole　universe？　Why　does　a　dandelion　have　to　fight　the　whole　universe？　For　the　same　reason　that　I　had　to　be　alone　in　the　dreadful　Council　of　the　Days。　So　that　each　thing　that　obeys　law　may　have　the　glory　and　isolation　of　the　anarchist。　So　that　each　man　fighting　for　order　may　be　as　brave　and　good　a　man　as　the　dynamiter。　So　that　the　real　lie　of　Satan　may　be　flung　back　in　the　face　of　this　blasphemer；　so　that　by　tears　and　torture　we　may　earn　the　right　to　say　to　this　man；　'You　lie！'　No　agonies　can　be　too　great　to　buy　the　right　to　say　to　this　accuser；　'We　also　have　suffered。'

〃It　is　not　true　that　we　have　never　been　broken。　We　have　been　broken　upon　the　wheel。　It　is　not　true　that　we　have　never　descended　from　these　thrones。　We　have　descended　into　hell。　We　were　complaining　of　unforgettable　miseries　even　at　the　very　moment　when　this　man　entered　insolently　to　accuse　us　of　happiness。　I　repel　the　slander；　we　have　not　been　happy。　I　can　answer　for　every　one　of　the　great　guards　of　Law　whom　he　has　accused。　At　least〃

He　had　turned　his　eyes　so　as　to　see　suddenly　the　great　face　of　Sunday；　which　wore　a　strange　smile。

〃Have　you；〃　he　cried　in　a　dreadful　voice；　〃have　you　ever　suffered？〃

As　he　gazed；　the　great　face　grew　to　an　awful　size；　grew　larger　than　the　colossal　mask　of　Memnon；　which　had　made　him　scream　as　a　child。　It　grew　larger　and　larger；　filling　the　whole　sky；　then　everything　went　black。　Only　in　the　blackness　before　it　entirely　destroyed　his　brain　he　seemed　to　hear　a　distant　voice　saying　a　commonplace　text　that　he　had　heard　somewhere；　〃Can　ye　drink　of　the　cup　that　I　drink　of？〃

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When　men　in　books　awake　from　a　vision；　they　commonly　find　themselves　in　some　place　in　which　they　might　have　fallen　asleep；　they　yawn　in　a　chair；　or　lift　themselves　with　bruised　limbs　from　a　field。　Syme's　experience　was　something　much　more　psychologically　strange　if　there　was　indeed　anything　unreal；　in　the　earthly　sense；　about　the　things　he　had　gone　through。　For　while　he　could　always　remember　afterwards　that　he　had　swooned　before　the　face　of　Sunday；　he　could　not　remember　having　ever　come　to　at　all。　He　could　only　remember　that　gradually　and　naturally　he　knew　that　he　was　and　had　been　walking　along　a　country　lane　with　an　easy　and　conversational　companion。　That　companion　had　been　a　part　of　his　recent　drama；　it　was　the　red…haired　poet　Gregory。　They　were　walking　like　old　friends；　and　were　in　the　middle　of　a　conversation　about　some　triviality。　But　Syme　cou