thais-第29节

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despoiled　by　robbers；　and　gnawed　by　the　wild　beasts。　Having　passed
through　this　funeral　city；　Paphnutius　fell　exhausted　before　a　tomb
which　stood　near　a　spring　surrounded　by　palm　trees。　This　tomb　was　much
ornamented；　and；　as　there　was　no　door　to　it；　he　saw　inside　it　a
painted　chamber；　in　which　serpents　bred。

〃Here；〃　he　sighed；　〃is　the　abode　I　have　chosen；　the　tabernacle　of　my
repentance　and　penitence。〃

He　dragged　himself　to　it；　drove　out　the　reptiles　with　his　feet；　and
remained　prostrate　on　the　stone　floor　for　eighteen　hours；　at　the　end
of　which　time　he　went　to　the　spring；　and　drank　out　of　his　hand。　Then
he　plucked　some　dates　and　some　stalks　of　lotus；　the　seeds　of　which　he
ate。　Thinking　this　kind　of　life　was　good；　he　made　it　the　rule　of　his
existence。　From　morning　to　night　he　never　lifted　his　forehead　from　the
stone。

One　day；　whilst　he　was　thus　prostrated；　he　heard　a　voice　which　said

〃Look　at　these　images；　that　thou　mayest　learn。〃

Then；　raising　his　head；　he　saw；　on　the　walls　of　the　chamber；　paintings
which　represented　lively　and　domestic　scenes。　They　were　of　very　old
work；　and　marvellously　lifelike。　There　were　cooks　who　blew　the　fire；
with　their　cheeks　all　puffed　out；　others　plucked　geese；　or　cooked
quarters　of　sheep　in　stew…pans。　A　little　farther；　a　hunter　carried　on
his　shoulders　a　gazelle　pierced　with　arrows。　In　one　place；　peasants
were　sowing；　reaping；　or　gathering。　In　another；　women　danced　to　the
sounds　of　viols；　flutes；　and　harp。　A　young　girl　played　the　theorbo。
The　lotus　flower　shone　in　her　hair；　which　was　neatly　braided。　Her
transparent　dress　let　the　pure　forms　of　her　body　be　seen。　Her　bosom
and　mouth　were　perfect。　The　face　was　turned　in　profile；　and　the
beautiful　eye　looked　straight　before　her。　The　whole　figure　was
exquisite。　Paphnutius　having　examined　it；　lowered　his　eyes；　and
replied　to　the　voice

〃Why　dost　thou　command　me　to　look　at　these　images？　No　doubt　they
represent　the　terrestrial　life　of　the　idolater　whose　body　rests　here；
under　my　feet；　at　the　bottom　of　a　well；　in　a　coffin　of　black　basalt。
They　recall　the　life　of　a　dead　man；　and　are；　despite　their　bright
colours；　the　shadows　of　a　shadow。　The　life　of　a　dead　man！　O　vanity！〃

〃He　is　dead；　but　he　lived；〃　replied　the　voice；　〃and　thou　wilt　die；　and
wilt　not　have　lived。〃

From　that　day；　Paphnutius　had　not　a　moment's　rest。　The　voice　spoke　to
him　incessantly。　The　girl　with　the　theorbo　looked　fixedly　at　him　from
underneath　the　long　lashes　of　her　eye。　At　last　she　also　spoke

〃Look。　I　am　mysterious　and　beautiful。　Love　me。　Exhaust　in　my　arms　the
love　which　torments　you。　What　use　is　it　to　fear　me？　You　cannot　escape
me；　I　am　the　beauty　of　woman。　Whither　do　you　think　to　fly　from　me；
senseless　fool？　You　will　find　my　likeness　in　the　radiancy　of　flowers；
and　in　the　grace　of　the　palm　trees；　in　the　flight　of　pigeons；　in　the
bounds　of　the　gazelle；　in　the　rippling　of　brooks；　in　the　soft　light　of
the　moon；　and　if　you　close　your　eyes；　you　will　find　me　within
yourself。　It　is　a　thousand　years　since　the　man　who　sleeps　here；
swathed　in　linen；　in　a　bed　of　black　stone；　pressed　me　to　his　heart。　It
is　a　thousand　years　since　he　received　the　last　kiss　from　my　mouth；　and
his　sleep　is　yet　redolent　with　it。　You　know　me　well；　Paphnutius。　How
is　it　you　have　not　recognised　me？　I　am　one　of　the　innumerable
incarnations　of　Thais。　You　are　a　learned　monk；　and　well　skilled　in　the
knowledge　of　things。　You　have　travelled；　and　it　is　by　travel　a　man
learns　the　most。　Often　a　day　passed　abroad　will　show　more　novelties
than　ten　years　passed　at　home。　You　have　heard　that　Thais　lived
formerly　in　Argos；　under　the　name　of　Helen。　She　had　another　existence
in　Thebes　Hecatompyle。　And　I　was　Thais　of　Thebes。　How　is　it　you　have
not　guessed　it？　I　took；　when　I　was　alive；　a　large　share　in　the　sins　of
this　world；　and　now　reduced　here　to　the　condition　of　a　shadow；　I　am
still　quite　capable　of　taking　your　sins　upon　me；　beloved　monk。　Whence
comes　your　surprise？　It　was　certain　that；　wherever　you　went；　you　would
find　Thais　again。〃

He　struck　his　forehead　against　the　pavement；　and　uttered　a　cry　of
terror。　And　every　night　the　player　of　the　theorbo　left　the　wall；
approached　him；　and　spoke　in　a　clear　voice　mingled　with　soft
breathing。　And　as　the　holy　man　resisted　the　temptations　she　gave　him；
she　said　to　him

〃Love　me；　yield；　friend。　As　long　as　you　resist　me　I　shall　torment　you。
You　do　not　know　what　the　patience　of　a　dead　woman　is。　I　shall　wait；　if
necessary；　till　you　are　dead。　Being　a　sorceress；　I　shall　put　into　your
lifeless　body　a　spirit　who　will　reanimate　it；　and　who　will　not　refuse
me　what　I　have　asked　in　vain　of　you。　And　think；　Paphnutius；　what　a
strange　situation　when　your　blessed　soul　sees；　from　the　height　of
heaven；　its　own　body　given　up　to　sin。　God；　who　has　promised　to　return
you　this　body　after　the　day　of　judgment　and　the　end　of　time；　will
Himself　be　much　puzzled。　How　can　He　place　in　celestial　glory　a　human
form　inhabited　by　a　devil；　and　guarded　by　a　sorceress？　You　have　not
thought　of　that　difficulty。　Nor　God　either；　perhaps。　Between
ourselves；　He　is　not　very　knowing。　Any　ordinary　magician　can　easily
deceive　Him；　and　if　He　had　not　His　thunder；　and　the　cataracts　of
heaven；　the　village　urchins　would　pull　His　beard。　He　has　certainly　not
as　much　sense　as　the　old　serpent；　His　adversary。　He；　indeed；　is　a
wonderful　artist。　If　I　am　so　beautiful；　it　is　because　he　adorned　me
with　all　my　attractions。　It　was　he　who　taught　me　how　to　braid　my　hair；
and　to　make　for　myself　rosy　fingers　with　agate　nails。　You　have
misunderstood　him。　When　you　came　to　live　in　this　tomb；　you　drove　out
with　your　feet　the　serpents　which　were　here；　without　troubling
yourself　to　know　whether　they　were　of　his　family；　and　you　crushed
their　eggs。　I　am　afraid；　my　poor　friend；　you　will　have　a　troublesome
business　on　your　hands。　You　were　warned；　however；　that　he　was　a
musician　and　a　lover。　What　have　you　done？　You　have　quarrelled　with
science　and　beauty。　You　are　altogether　miserable；　and　Iaveh　does　not
come　to　your　help。　It　is　not　probable　that　he　will　come。　Being　as
great　as　all　things；　he　cannot　move　for　want　of　space；　and　if；　by　an
impossibility；　he　made　the　least　movement；　all　creation　would　be
pushed　out　of　place。　My　handsome　hermit；　give　me　a　kiss。〃

Paphnutius　was　aware　that　great　prodigies　are　performed　by　magic　arts。
He　thoughtnot　without　much　uneasiness

〃Perhaps　the　dead　man　buried　at　my　feet　knows　the　words　written　in
that　mysterious　book　which　exists　hidden；　not　far　from　here；　at　the
bottom　of　a　royal　tomb。　By　virtue　of　these　words；　the　dead；　taking　the
form　which　they　had　upon　earth；　see　the　light　of　the　sun　and　the
smiles　of　women。〃

His　chief　fear　was　that　the　girl　with　the　theorbo　and　the　dead　man
might　come　together；　as　they　did　in　their　lifetime；　and　that　he　should
see　them　unite。　Sometimes　he　thought　he　heard　the　sound　of　kissing。

He　was　troubled　in　his　mind；　and　now；　in　the　absence　of　God　he　feared
to　think　as　much　as　to　feel。　One　evening；　when　he　was　kneeling
prostrate　according　to　his　custom；　an　unknown　voice　said　to　him

〃Paphnutius；　there　are　on　earth　more　people　than　you　imagine；　and　if　I
were　to　show　you　what　I　have　seen；　you　would　die　of　astonishment。
There　are　men　with　a　single　eye　in　the　middle　of　their　forehead。　There
are　men　who　have　but　one　leg；　and　advance　by　jumps。　There　are　men　who
change　their　sex；　and　the　females　become　males。　There　are　men…trees；
who　shoot　out　roots　in　the　ground。　And　there　are　men　with　no　head；
with　two　eyes；　a　nose；　and　a　mouth　in　their　breast。　Can　you　honestly
believe　that　Jesus　Christ　died　for　the　salvation　of　these　men？〃

Another　time　he　had　a　vision。　He　saw；　in　a　strong　light；　a　broad　road；
rivulets；　and　gardens。　On　the　road；　Aristobulus　and　Chereas　passed　at
a　gallop　on　their　Syrian　horses；　and　the　joyous　ardour　of　the　race
reddened　the　cheeks　of　the　two　young　men。　Beneath　a　portico；
Callicrates　recited　his　verses；　satisfied　pride　trembled　in　his　voice
and　shone　in　his　eyes。　In　the　garden；　Zenothemis　picked　apples　of
gold；　and　caressed　a　serpent　with　azure　wings。　Clad　in　white；　and
wearing　a　shining　mitre；　Hermodorus　meditated　beneath　a　sacred　persea；
which　bore；　instead　of　flowers；　small　heads　of　pure　profile；　wearing；
like　the　Egyptian　goddesses；　vultures；　hawks；　or　the　shining　disk　of
the　moon；　whilst　in　the　background；　by　the　side　of　a　fountain；　Nicias
studied；　on　an　armillary　sphere；　the　harmonious　movements　of　the
stars。

Then　a　veiled　woman　approached　the　monk；　holding　in　her　hand　a　branch
of　myrtle。　She　said　to　him

〃Look！　Some　seek　eternal　beauty；　and　place　their　ephemeral　life　in　the
infinite。　Others　live　without　much　thought。　But　by　that　alone　they
submit　to　fair　Nature；　and　they　are　happy　and　beautiful　in　the　joy　of
living　only；　and　give　glory　to　the　supreme　artist　of　all　things；　for
man　is　a　noble　hymn　to　God。　All　think　that　happiness　is　innocent；　and
that　pleasure　is　permitted　to　man。　Paphnutius；　if　they　are　right；　what
a　dupe　you　have　been！〃

And　the　vision　vanished。

Thus　was　Paphnutius　tempted　unceasingly　in　body　and　mind。　Satan　never
gave　him　a　minute's　repose。　The　solitude　of　the　tomb　was　more　peopled
than　the　streets　of　a　great　city。　Th