thais(塞斯)-第3部分
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go elsewhere。' 〃
〃Brother Palemon； do you disapprove of my project？〃
〃Dear Paphnutius； God forbid that I should suspect my brother of bad
intentions。 But our father Anthony also said； 'Fishes die on dry land； and
so is it with those monks who leave their cells and mingle with the men of
this world； amongst whom no good thing is to be found。' 〃
Having thus spoken； the old man pressed his foot on the spade； and
began to dig energetically round a fig tree laden with fruit。 As he was thus
engaged； there was a rustling in the bushes； and an antelope leaped over
the hedge which surrounded the garden； it stopped； surprised and
frightened； its delicate legs trembling； then ran up to the old man； and laid
its pretty head on the breast of its friend。
〃God be praised in the gazelle of the desert；〃 said Palemon。
He went to his hut； the light…footed little animal trotting after him； and
brought out some black bread； which the antelope ate out of his hand。
Paphnutius remained thoughtful for some time； his eyes fixed upon the
stones at his feet。 Then he slowly walked back to his cell； pondering on
what he had heard。 A great struggle was going on in his mind。
〃The hermit gives good advice；〃 he said to himself； 〃the spirit of
prudence is in him。 And he doubts the wisdom of my intention。 Yet it
would be cruel to leave Thais any longer in the power of the demon who
possesses her。 May God advise and conduct me。〃
As he was walking along； he saw a plover； caught in the net that a
hunter had laid on the sand； and he knew that it was a hen bird； for he saw
the male fly to the net； and tear the meshes one by one with its beak； until
it had made an opening by which its mate could escape。 The holy man
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watched this incident； and as； by virtue of his holiness； he easily
comprehended the mystic sense of all occurrences； he knew that the
captive bird was no other than Thais； caught in the snares of sin； and that
like the plover that had cut the hempen threads with its beakhe could； by
pronouncing the word of power； break the invisible bonds by which Thais
was held in sin。 Therefore he praised God； and was confirmed in his first
resolution。 But then seeing the plover caught by the feet； and hampered by
the net it had broken； he fell into uncertainty again。
He did not sleep all night； and before dawn he had a vision。 Thais
appeared to him again。 There was no expression of guilty pleasure on her
face； nor was she dressed according to custom in transparent drapery。 She
was enveloped in a shroud； which hid even a part of her face； so that the
Abbot could see nothing but the two eyes； from which flowed white and
heavy tears。
At this sight he began to weep； and believing that this vision came
from God； he no longer hesitated。 He rose； seized a knotted stick； the
symbol of the Christian faith； and left his cell； carefully closing the door；
lest the animals of the desert and the birds of the air should enter； and
befoul the copy of the Holy Scriptures which stood at the head of his bed。
He called Flavian； the deacon； and gave him authority over the other
twenty…three disciples during his absence； and then； clad only in a long
cassock； he bent his steps towards the Nile； intending to follow the Libyan
bank to the city founded by the Macedonian monarch。 He walked from
dawn to eve； indifferent to fatigue； hunger； and thirst； the sun was already
low on the horizon when he saw the dreadful river； the blood…red waters of
which rolled between the rocks of gold and fire。
He kept along the shore； begging his bread at the door of solitary huts
for the love of God； and joyfully receiving insults； refusals； or threats。 He
feared neither robbers nor wild beasts； but he took great care to avoid all
the towns and villages he came near。 He was afraid lest he should see
children playing at knuckle…bones before their father's house； or meet； by
the side of the well； women in blue smocks； who might put down their
pitcher and smile at him。 All things are dangerous for the hermit； it is
sometimes a danger for him to read in the Scriptures that the Divine
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Master journeyed from town to town and supped with His disciples。 The
virtues that the anchorites embroider so carefully on the tissue of faith； are
as fragile as they are beautiful； a breath of ordinary life may tarnish their
pleasant colours。 For that reason； Paphnutius avoided the towns； fearing
lest his heart should soften at the sight of his fellow men。
He journeyed along lonely roads。 When evening came； the murmuring
of the breeze amidst the tamarisk trees made him shiver； and he pulled his
hood over his eyes that he might not see how beautiful all things were。
After walking six days； he came to a place called Silsile。 There the river
runs in a narrow valley； bordered by a double chain of granite mountains。
It was there that the Egyptians； in the days when they worshipped demons；
carved their idols。 Paphnutius saw an enormous sphinx carved in the solid
rock。 Fearing that it might still possess some diabolical properties； he
made the sign of the cross； and pronounced the name of Jesus； he
immediately saw a bat fly out of one of the monster's ears； and Paphnutius
knew that he had driven out the evil spirits which had been for centuries in
the figure。 His zeal increased； and picking up a large stone； he threw it in
the idol's face。 Then the mysterious face of the sphinx expressed such
profound sadness that Paphnutius was moved。 In fact； the expression of
superhuman grief on the stone visage would have touched even the most
unfeeling man。 Therefore Paphnutius said to the sphinx
〃O monster； be like the satyrs and centaurs our father Anthony saw in
the desert； and confess the divinity of Jesus Christ； and I will bless thee in
the name of the Father； the Son； and the Holy Ghost。〃
When he had spoken a rosy light gleamed in the eyes of the sphinx；
the heavy eyelids of the monster quivered and the granite lips painfully
murmured； as though in echo to the man's voice； the holy name of Jesus
Christ； therefore Paphnutius stretched out his right hand； and blessed the
sphinx of Silsile。
That being done； he resumed his journey； and the valley having grown
wider； he saw the ruins of an immense city。 The temples； which still
remained standing； were supported by idols which served as columns； and…
…by the permission of Godthese figures with women's heads and cow's
horns； threw on Paphnutius a long look which made him turn pale。 He
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walked thus seventeen days； his only food a few raw herbs； and he slept at
night in some ruined palace； amongst the wild cats and Pharaoh's rats；
with which mingled sometimes； women whose bodies ended in a scaly tail。
But Paphnutius knew that these women came from hell； and he drove
them away by making the sign of the cross。
On the eighteenth day； he found； far from any village； a wretched hut
made of palm leaves； and half buried under the sand which had been
driven by the desert wind。 He approached it； hoping that the hut was
inhabited by some pious anchorite。 He saw inside the hovelfor there was
no doora pitcher； a bunch of onions； and a bed of dried leaves。
〃This must be the habitation of a hermit；〃 he said to himself。 〃Hermits
are generally to be found near their hut； and I shall not fail to meet this one。
I will give him the kiss of peace； even as the holy Anthony did when he
came to the hermit Paul； and kissed him three times。 We will discourse of
things eternal； and perhaps our Lord will send us； by one of His ravens； a
crust of bread； which my host will willingly invite me to share with him。〃
Whilst he was thus speaking to himself； he walked round the hut to see
if he could find any one。 He had not walked a hundred paces when he saw
a man seated； with his legs crossed； by the side of the river。 The man was
naked； his hair and beard were quite white； and his body redder than brick。
Paphnutius felt sure this must be the hermit。 He saluted him with the
words the monks are accustomed to use when they meet each other。
〃Peace be with you； brother！ May you some day taste the sweet joys of
paradise。〃
The man did not reply。 He remained motionless； and appeared not to
have heard。 Paphnutius supposed this was due to one of those rhapsodies
to which the saints are accustomed。 He knelt down； with his hands joined；
by the side of the unknown； and remained thus in prayer till sunset。 Then；
seeing that his companion had not moved； he said to him
〃Father； if you are now out of the ecstasy in which you were lost； give
me your blessing in our Lord Jesus Christ。〃
The
