thais-第7部分

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drama。

〃Formerly；〃　he　said；　〃clever　actors　used　to　declaim；　under　a　mask；　the
verses　of　Euripides　and　Menander。　Now　they　no　longer　recite　dramas；
they　act　in　dumb　show；　and　of　the　divine　spectacles　with　which　Bacchus
was　honoured　in　Athens；　we　have　kept　nothing　but　what　a　barbariana
Scythian　evencould　understandattitude　and　gesture。　The　tragic
mask；　the　mouth　of　which　was　provided　with　metal　tongues　that
increased　the　sound　of　the　voice；　the　cothurnus；　which　raised　the
actors　to　the　height　of　gods；　the　tragic　majesty　and　the　splendid
verses　that　used　to　be　sung；　have　all　gone。　Pantomimists；　and　dancing
girls　with　bare　faces；　have　replaced　Paulus　and　Roscius。　What　would
the　Athenians　of　the　days　of　Pericles　have　said　if　they　had　seen　a
woman　on　the　stage？　It　is　indecent　for　a　woman　to　appear　in　public。　We
must　be　very　degenerate　to　permit　it。　It　is　as　certain　as　that　my　name
is　Dorion；　that　woman　is　the　natural　enemy　of　man；　and　a　disgrace　to
human　kind。〃

〃You　speak　wisely；〃　replied　Paphnutius；　〃woman　is　our　worst　enemy。　She
gives　us　pleasure；　and　is　to　be　feared　on　that　account。〃

〃By　the　immovable　gods；〃　cried　Dorion；　〃it　is　not　pleasure　that　woman
gives　to　man；　but　sadness；　trouble；　and　black　cares。　Love　is　the　cause
of　our　most　biting　evils。　Listen；　stranger。　When　I　was　a　young　man　I
visited　Troezene；　in　Argolis；　and　I　saw　there　a　myrtle　of　a　most
prodigious　size；　the　leaves　of　which　were　covered　with　innumerable
pinholes。　And　this　is　what　the　Troezenians　say　about　that　myrtle。
Queen　Phaedra；　when　she　was　in　love　with　Hippolytos；　used　to　recline
idly　all　day　long　under　this　same　tree。　To　beguile　the　tedium　of　her
weary　life　she　used　to　draw　out　the　golden　pin　which　held　her　fair
locks；　and　pierce　with　it　the　leaves　of　the　sweet…scented　bush。　All
the　leaves　were　riddled　with　holes。　After　she　had　ruined　the　poor
young　man　whom　she　pursued　with　her　incestuous　love；　Phaedra；　as　you
know；　perished　miserably。　She　locked　herself　up　in　her　bridal　chamber；
and　hanged　herself　by　her　golden　girdle　from　an　ivory　peg。　The　gods
willed　that　the　myrtle；　the　witness　of　her　bitter　misery；　should
continue　to　bear；　in　its　fresh　leaves；　the　marks　of　the　pin…holes。　I
picked　one　of　these　leaves；　and　placed　it　at　the　head　of　my　bed；　that
by　the　sight　of　it　I　might　take　warning　against　the　folly　of　love；　and
conform　to　the　doctrine　of　the　divine　Epicurus；　my　master；　who　taught
that　all　lust　is　to　be　feared。　But；　properly　speaking；　love　is　a
disease　of　the　liver；　and　one　is　never　sure　of　not　catching　the
malady。〃

Paphnutius　asked

〃Dorion；　what　are　your　pleasures？〃

Dorion　replied　sadly

〃I　have　only　one　pleasure；　and；　it　must　be　confessed；　that　it　is　not　a
very　exciting　one；　it　is　meditation。　When　a　man　has　a　bad　digestion；
he　must　not　look　for　any　others。〃

Taking　advantage　of　these　words；　Paphnutius　proceeded　to　initiate　the
Epicurean　into　those　spiritual　joys　which　the　contemplation　of　God
procures。　He　began

〃Hear　the　truth；　Dorion；　and　receive　the　light。〃

But　he　saw　then　that　all　heads　were　turned　towards　him；　and　everybody
was　making　signs　for　him　to　be　quiet。　Dead　silence　prevailed　in　the
theatre；　broken　at　last　by　the　strains　of　heroic　music。

The　play　began。　The　soldiers　left　their　tents；　and　were　preparing　to
depart；　when　a　prodigy　occurreda　cloud　covered　the　summit　of　the
funeral　pile。　Then　the　cloud　rolled　away；　and　the　ghost　of　Achilles
appeared；　clad　in　golden　armour。　Extending　his　arms　towards　the
warriors；　he　seemed　to　say　to　them；　〃What！　do　you　depart；　children　of
Danaos？　do　you　return　to　the　land　I　shall　never　behold　again；　and
leave　my　tomb　without　any　offerings？〃　Already　the　principal　Greek
chieftains　pressed　to　the　foot　of　the　pile。　Acamas；　the　son　of
Theseus；　old　Nestor；　Agamemnon；　bearing　a　sceptre　and　with　a　fillet　on
his　brow；　gazed　at　the　prodigy。　Pyrrhus；　the　young　son　of　Achilles；
was　prostrate　in　the　dust。　Ulysses；　recognisable　by　the　cap　which
covered　his　curly　hair；　showed　by　his　gestures　that　he　acquiesced　in
the　demand　of　the　hero's　shade。　He　argued　with　Agamemnon；　and　their
words　might　be　easily　guessed

〃Achilles；〃　said　the　King　of　Ithaca；　〃is　worthy　to　be　honoured　by　us；
for　he　died　gloriously　for　Hellas。　He　demands　that　the　daughter　of
Priam；　the　virgin　Polyxena；　should　be　immolated　on　his　tomb。　Greeks！
appease　the　manes　of　the　hero；　and　let　the　son　of　Peleus　rejoice　in
Hades。〃

But　the　king　of　kings　replied

〃Spare　the　Trojan　virgins　we　have　torn　from　the　altars。　Sufficient
misfortunes　have　already　fallen　on　the　illustrious　race　of　Priam。〃

He　spoke　thus　because　he　shared　the　couch　of　the　sister　of　Polyxena；
and　the　wise　Ulysses　reproached　him　for　preferring　the　couch　of
Cassandra　to　the　lance　of　Achilles。

The　Greeks　showed　they　shared　the　opinion　of　Ulysses；　by　loudly
clashing　their　weapons。　The　death　of　Polyxena　was　resolved　on；　and　the
appeased　shade　of　Achilles　vanished。　The　musicsometimes　wild　and
sometimes　plaintivefollowed　the　thoughts　of　the　personages　in　the
drama。　The　spectators　burst　into　applause。

Paphnutius；　who　applied　divine　truth　to　everything　murmured

〃This　fable　shows　how　cruel　the　worshippers　of　false　gods　were。〃

〃All　religions　breed　crimes；〃　replied　the　Epicurean。　〃Happily；　a
Greek；　who　was　divinely　wise；　has　freed　men　from　foolish　terrors　of
the　unknown〃

Just　at　that　moment；　Hecuba；　her　white　hair　dishevelled；　her　robe
tattered；　came　out　of　the　tent　in　which　she　was　kept　captive。　A　long
sigh　went　up　from　the　audience；　when　her　woeful　figure　appeared。
Hecuba　had　been　warned　by　a　prophetic　dream；　and　lamented　her
daughter's　fate　and　her　own。　Ulysses　approached　her；　and　asked　her　to
give　up　Polyxena。　The　old　mother　tore　her　hair；　dug　her　nails　into　her
cheeks；　and　kissed　the　hands　of　the　cruel　chieftain；　who；　with
unpitying　calmness；　seemed　to　say

〃Be　wise；　Hecuba；　and　yield　to　necessity。　There　are　amongst　us　many
old　mothers　who　weep　for　their　children；　now　sleeping　under　the　pines
of　Ida。〃

And　Hecuba；　formerly　queen　of　the　most　flourishing　city　in　Asia；　and
now　a　slave；　bowed　her　unhappy　head　in　the　dust。

Then　the　curtain　in　front　of　one　of　the　tents　was　raised；　and　the
virgin　Polyxena　appeared。　A　tremor　passed　through　all　the　spectators。
They　had　recognised　Thais。　Paphnutius　saw　again　the　woman　he　had　come
to　seek。　With　her　white　arm　she　held　above　her　head　the　heavy　curtain。
Motionless　as　a　splendid　statue；　she　stood；　with　a　look　of　pride　and
resignation　in　her　violet　eyes；　and　her　resplendent　beauty　made　a
shudder　of　commiseration　pass　through　all　who　beheld　her。

A　murmur　of　applause　uprose；　and　Paphnutius；　his　soul　agitated；　and
pressing　both　hands　to　his　heart；　sighed

〃Why；　O　my　God；　hast　thou　given　this　power　to　one　of　Thy　creatures？〃

Dorion　was　not　so　disturbed。　He　said

〃Certainly　the　atoms；　which　have　momentarily　met　together　to　form　this
woman；　present　a　combination　which　is　agreeable　to　the　eye。　But　that
is　but　a　freak　of　nature；　and　the　atoms　know　not　what　they　do。　They
will　some　day　separate　with　the　same　indifference　as　they　came
together。　Where　are　now　the　atoms　which　formed　Lais　or　Cleopatra？　I
must　confess　that　women　are　sometimes　beautiful。　But　they　are　liable
to　grievous　afflictions；　and　disgusting　inconveniences。　That　is　patent
to　all　thinking　men；　though　the　vulgar　pay　no　attention　to　it。　And
women　inspire　love；　though　it　is　absurd　and　ridiculous　to　love　them。〃

Such　were　the　thoughts　of　the　philosopher　and　the　ascetic　as　they
gazed　on　Thais。　They　neither　of　them　noticed　Hecuba；　who　turned　to　her
daughter；　and　seemed　to　say　by　her　gestures

〃Try　to　soften　the　cruel　Ulysses。　Employ　your　tears；　your　beauty；　and
your　youth。〃

Thaisor　rather　Polyxena　herselflet　fall　the　curtain　of　the　tent。
She　made　a　step　forward；　and　all　hearts　were　conquered。　And　when；　with
firm　but　light　steps；　she　advanced　towards　Ulysses；　her　rhythmic
movements；　which　were　accompanied　by　the　sound　of　flutes；　created　in
all　present　such　happy　visions；　that　it　seemed　as　though　she　were　the
divine　centre　of　all　the　harmonies　of　the　world。　All　eyes　were　bent　on
her；　the　other　actors　were　obscured　by　her　effulgence；　and　were　not
noticed。　The　play　continued；　however。

The　prudent　son　of　Laertes　turned　away　his　head；　and　hid　his　hand
under　his　mantle；　in　order　to　avoid　the　looks　and　kisses　of　the
suppliant。　The　virgin　made　a　sign　to　him　to　fear　nothing。　Her　tranquil
gaze　said

〃I　follow　you；　Ulysses；　and　bow　to　necessitybecause　I　wish　to　die。
Daughter　of　Priam；　and　sister　of　Hector；　my　couch；　which　was　once
worthy　of　Kings；　shall　never　receive　a　foreign　master。　Freely　do　I
quit　the　light　of　day。〃

Hecuba；　lying　motionless　in　the　dust；　suddenly　rose　and　enfolded　her
daughter　in　a　last　despairing　embrace。　Polyxena　gently；　but
resolutely；　removed　the　old　arms　which　held　her。　She　seemed　to　say

〃Do　not　expose　yourself；　mother；　to　the　fury　of　your　master。　Do　not
wait　until　he　drags　you　ignominiously　on　the　ground　in　tearing　me　from
your　arms。　Better；　O　well…beloved　mother；　to　give　me　your　wrinkled
hand；　and　bend　your　hollow　cheeks　to　my　lips。〃

The　face　of　Thais　looked　beautiful　in　its　grief。　The　crowd　felt
grateful　to　her　for　showing　them　the　forms　and　passions　of　life
endowed　with　superhuman　grace；　and　Paphnutius　pardoned　her　present
splendour　on　account　of　her　coming　humility；　and　glorified　himself　in
advance　for　the　saint　he　was　about　to　give　to　heaven。

The　drama　neared　its　end。　Hecuba　fell　as　though　dead；　and　Polyxena；
led　by　Ulysses；　advanced　towards　the　tomb；　which　was　surrounded　by　the
chief　warriors。　A　dirge　was　sung　as　she　mounted　the　funeral　pile；　on
the　summit　of　which　the　son　of　Achilles　poured　out　libations　from　a
gold　cup　to　the　manes　of　the　hero。　When　the　sacrificing　priests
stretched　out　their　arms　to　seize　her；　she　made　a　sign　that　she　wished
to　die　free　and　unbound；　as　befitted　the　daughter　of　so　many　kings。
Then；　tearing　aside　her　robe；　she　bared　her　bosom　to　the　blow。
Pyrrhus；　turning　away　his　head；　plunged　his　sword　into　her　heart；　and
by　a　skilful　trick；　the　blood　gushed　forth　over　the　dazzling　white
breast　of　the　virgin；　who；　with　head　thrown　back；　and　her　eyes
swimming　in　the　horrors　of　death