thais-第23部分

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the　desert；　and　perform　some　extraordinary　austerities　that　would　even
astonish　the　devil？〃

〃I　am　but　a　poor　sinner；〃　replied　Palemon；　〃and　I　know　little　about
men；　having　passed　all　my　life　in　this　garden；　with　gazelles；　little
hares　and　pigeons。　But　it　seems　to　me；　brother；　that　your　distemper
comes　from　your　having　passed　too　suddenly　from　the　noisy　world　to　the
calm　of　solitude。　Such　sudden　transitions　can　but　do　harm　to　the
health　of　the　soul。　You　are；　brother；　like　a　man　who　exposes　himself；
almost　at　the　same　time；　to　great　heat　and　great　cold。　A　cough　shakes
him；　and　fever　torments　him。　In　your　place；　brother　Paphnutius；
instead　of　retiring　at　once　into　some　awful　desert；　I　should　take　such
amusements　as　are　fitting　to　a　monk　and　a　holy　abbot。　I　should　visit
the　monasteries　in　the　neighbourhood。　Some　of　them　are　wonderful；　it
is　said。　That　of　Abbot　Serapion　contains；　I　have　been　told；　a　thousand
four　hundred　and　thirty…two　cells；　and　the　monks　are　divided　into　as
many　legions　as　there　are　letters　in　the　Greek　alphabet。　I　am　even
informed　that　a　certain　analogy　is　observed　between　the　character　of
the　monks　and　the　shape　of　the　letter　by　which　they　are　designated；
and　that；　for　example；　those　who　are　placed　under　Z　have　a　tortuous
character；　whilst　those　under　I　have　an　upright　mind。　If　I　were　you；
brother；　I　should　go　and　assure　myself　of　this　with　my　own　eyes；　and　I
should　know　no　rest　until　I　had　seen　such　a　wonderful　thing。　I　should
not　fail　to　study　the　regulations　of　the　various　communities　which　are
scattered　along　the　banks　of　the　Nile；　so　as　to　be　able　to　compare　one
with　another。　Such　study　is　befitting　a　religious　man　like　yourself。
You　have　heard　say；　no　doubt；　that　Abbot　Ephrem　has　drawn　up　for　his
monastery　pious　regulations　of　great　beauty。　With　his　permission；　you
might　make　a　copy　of　them；　as　you　are　a　skilful　penman。　I　could　not　do
so；　for　my　hands；　accustomed　to　wield　the　spade；　are　too　awkward　to
direct　the　thin　reed　of　the　scribe　over　the　papyrus。　But　you　have　the
knowledge　of　letters；　brother；　and　should　thank　God　for　it；　for
beautiful　writing　cannot　be　too　much　admired。　The　work　of　the　copyist
and　the　reader　is　a　great　safeguard　against　evil　thoughts。　Brother
Paphnutius；　why　do　you　not　write　out　the　teachings　of　our　fathers；
Paul　and　Anthony？　Little　by　little　you　would　recover；　in　these　pious
works；　peace　of　soul　and　mind；　solitude　would　again　become　pleasant　to
your　heart；　and　soon　you　would　be　in　a　condition　to　recommence　those
ascetic　works　which　your　journey　has　interrupted。　But　you　must　not
expect　much　benefit　from　excessive　penitence。　When　he　was　amongst　us；
our　Father　Anthony　used　to　say；　'Excessive　fasting　produces　weakness；
and　weakness　begets　idleness。　There　are　some　monks　who　ruin　their　body
by　fasts　improperly　prolonged。　Of　them　it　may　be　said　that　they　plunge
a　dagger　into　their　own　breast；　and　deliver　themselves　up
unresistingly　into　the　power　of　the　devil。'　So　said　the　holy　man；
Anthony。　I　am　but　a　foolish　old　man；　but；　by　the　grace　of　God；　I　have
remembered　what　our　father　told　us。〃

Paphnutius　thanked　Palemon　and　promised　to　think　over　his　advice。　When
he　had　passed　the　fence　of　reeds　which　enclosed　the　little　garden；　he
turned　round　and　saw　the　good　old　gardener　engaged　in　watering　his
salads；　whilst　the　pigeon　walked　about　on　his　bent　back；　and　at　that
sight　Paphnutius　felt　ready　to　weep。

On　returning　to　his　cell；　he　found　there　a　strange　turmoil；　as　though
it　were　filled　with　grains　of　sand　blown　about　by　a　strong　wind；　and
on　looking　closer；　he　saw　these　moving　bodies　were　myriads　of　little
jackals。　That　night　he　saw　in　a　dream；　a　high　stone　column　surmounted
by　a　human　face；　and　he　heard　a　voice　which　said

〃Ascend　this　pillar！〃

On　awaking；　he　felt　confident　that　this　dream　had　been　sent　from
heaven。　He　called　his　disciples；　and　addressed　them　in　these　words

〃My　beloved　sons；　I　must　leave　you；　and　go　where　God　sends　me。　During
my　absence　obey　Flavian　as　you　would　me；　and　take　care　of　our　brother
Paul。　Bless　you。　Farewell。〃

As　he　strode　away；　they　remained　prostrate　on　the　ground；　and　when
they　raised　their　heads；　they　saw　his　tall　dark　figure　on　the　sandy
horizon。

He　walked　day　and　night　until　he　reached　the　ruins　of　the　temple；
formerly　built　by　the　idolaters；　in　which　he　had　slept　amongst　the
scorpions　and　sirens　on　his　former　strange　journey。　The　walls；　covered
with　magic　signs；　were　still　standing。　Thirty　immense　columns；　which
terminated　in　human　heads　or　lotus　flowers；　still　supported　a　heavy
stone　entablature。　But；　at　one　end　of　the　temple；　a　pillar　had　shaken
off　its　old　burden；　and　stood　isolated。　It　had　for　its　capital　the
head　of　a　woman　which　smiled；　with　long　eyes　and　rounded　cheeks；　and
on　her　forehead　cow's　horns。

Paphnutius；　on　seeing　it；　recognised　the　column　which　had　been　shown
him　in　his　dream；　and　he　calculated　that　it　was　thirty…two　cubits
high。　He　went　to　the　neighbouring　village；　and　ordered　a　ladder　of
that　height　to　be　made；　and　when　the　ladder　was　placed　against　the
pillar；　he　ascended；　knelt　down　on　the　top；　and　said　to　the　Lord

〃Here；　then；　O　God；　is　the　abode　Thou　hast　chosen　for　me。　May　I　remain
here；　in　Thy　Grace；　until　the　hour　of　my　death。〃

He　had　brought　no　provisions　with　him；　trusting　in　divine　providence；
and　expecting　that　charitable　peasants　would　give　him　all　that　he
needed。　And；　in　fact；　the　next　day；　about　the　ninth　hour；　women　came
with　their　children；　bringing　bread；　dates；　and　fresh　water；　which　the
boys　carried　to　the　top　of　the　column。

The　top　of　the　pillar　was　not　large　enough　to　allow　the　monk　to　lie　at
full　length；　so　that　he　slept　with　his　legs　crossed　and　his　head　on
his　breast；　and　sleep　was　a　more　cruel　torture　to　him　than　his　wakeful
hours。　At　dawn　the　ospreys　brushed　him　with　their　wings；　and　he　awoke
filled　with　pain　and　terror。

It　happened　that　the　carpenter　who　had　made　the　ladder　feared　God。
Disturbed　at　the　thought　that　the　saint　was　exposed　to　the　sun　and
rain；　and　fearing　that　he　might　fall　in　his　sleep；　this　pious　man
constructed　a　roof　and　a　railing　on　the　top　of　the　column。

Soon　the　report　of　this　extraordinary　existence　spread　from　village　to
village；　and　the　labourers　of　the　valley　came　on　Sundays；　with　their
wives　and　children；　to　look　at　the　stylite。　The　disciples　of
Paphnutius；　having　learned　with　surprise　the　place　of　this　wonderful
retreat；　came　to　him；　and　obtained　from　him　permission　to　build　their
huts　at　the　foot　of　the　column。　Every　morning　they　came　and　stood　in　a
circle　round　the　master；　and　received　from　him　the　words　of
instruction。

〃My　sons；〃　he　said　to　them；　〃continue　like　those　little　children　whom
Jesus　loved。　That　is　the　way　of　salvation。　The　sin　of　the　flesh　is　the
source　and　origin　of　all　sins；　they　spring　from　it　as　from　a　parent。
Pride；　avarice；　idleness；　anger；　and　envy　are　its　dearly　beloved
progeny。　I　have　seen　this　in　Alexandria；　I　have　seen　rich　men　carried
away　by　the　vice　of　lust；　which；　like　a　river　with　a　turbid　flood；
swept　them　into　the　gulf　of　bitterness。〃

The　abbots　Ephrem　and　Serapion；　being　informed　of　his　strange
proceeding；　wished　to　behold　him　with　their　own　eyes。　Seeing　from
afar；　on　the　river；　the　triangular　sail　which　was　bringing　them　to
him；　Paphnutius　could　not　prevent　himself　from　thinking　that　God　had
made　him　an　example　to　all　solitary　monks。　The　two　abbots；　when　they
saw　him；　did　not　conceal　their　surprise；　and；　having　consulted
together；　they　agreed　in　condemning　such　an　extraordinary　penance；　and
exhorted　Paphnutius　to　come　down。

〃Such　a　mode　of　life　is　contrary　to　all　usage；〃　they　said；　〃it　is
peculiar；　and　against　all　rules。〃

But　Paphnutius　replied

〃What　is　the　monastic　life　if　not　peculiar？　And　ought　not　the　deeds　of
a　monk　to　be　as　eccentric　as　he　is　himself？　It　was　a　sign　from　God
that　caused　me　to　ascend　here；　it　is　a　sign　from　God　that　will　make　me
descend。〃

Every　day　religious　men　came　to　join　the　disciples　of　Paphnutius；　and
they　built　for　themselves　shelters　round　the　aerial　hermitage。　Several
of　them；　to　imitate　the　saint；　mounted　the　ruins　of　the　temple；　but；
being　reproved　by　their　brethren；　and　conquered　by　fatigue；　they　soon
gave　up　these　attempts。

Pilgrims　flocked　from　all　parts。　There　were　some　who　had　come　long
distances；　and　were　hungry　and　thirsty。　The　idea　occurred　to　a　poor
widow　of　selling　fresh　water　and　melons。　Against　the　foot　of　the
column；　behind　her　bottles　of　red　clay；　her　cups　and　her　fruit　under
an　awning　of　blue…and…white　striped　canvas；　she　cried；　〃Who　wants　to
drink？〃　Following　the　example　of　this　widow；　a　baker　brought　some
bricks　and　made　an　oven　close　by；　in　the　hope　of　selling　loaves　and
cakes　to　visitors。　As　the　crowd　of　visitors　increased　unceasingly；　and
the　inhabitants　of　the　large　cities　of　Egypt　began　to　come；　some　man；
greedy　of　gain；　built　a　caravanserai　to　lodge　the　guests　and　their
servants；　camels；　and　mules。　Soon　there　was；　in　front　of　the　column；　a
market　to　which　the　fishermen　of　the　Nile　brought　their　fish；　and　the
gardeners　their　vegetables。　A　barber；　who　shaved　people　in　the　open
air；　amused　the　crowd　with　his　jokes。　The　old　temple；　so　long　given
over　to　silence　and　solitude　was　filled　with　countless　sights　and
sounds　of　life。　The　innkeepers　turned　the　subterranean　vaults　into
cellars　and　nailed　on　the　old　pillars　signs　surmounted　by　the　figure
of　the　holy　Paphnutius；　and　bearing　this　inscription　in　Greek　and
Egyptian〃/Pomegranate　wine；　fig　wine；　and　genuine　Cilician　beer　sold
here/。〃　On　the　walls；　sculptured　with　pure　and　graceful　carvings；　the
shop…keepers　hung　ropes　of　onions；　and　smoked　fish；　dead　hares；　and
the　carcases　of　sheep。　In　the　evening；　the　old　occupants　of　the　ruins；
the　rats；　scuttled　in　a　long　row　to　the　river；　whilst　the　ibises；
suspiciously　craning　their　necks；　perched　on　the　high　cornices；　to
which　rose　the　smoke　of　the　kitchens；　the　shouts　of　the　drinkers；　and
the　cries　of　the　tapsters。　All　around；　builders　laid　out　streets；　and
masons　constructed　convents；　chapels；　and　churches。　By　the　end　of　six
months　a　city　was　established　with　a　guardhouse；　a　tribunal；　a　prison；
and　a　school；　kept　by　an　old　blind