seraphita- 第15部分

to　the　saeters；　says　that　in　rainy　weather　a　circle　of　clear　sky　can

be　seen　over　the　Swedish　castle；　and　that　the　heavens　are　always　blue

above　Seraphita's　head　when　she　is　on　the　mountain。　Many　women　hear

the　tones　of　a　mighty　organ　when　Seraphita　enters　the　church；　and　ask

their　neighbors　earnestly　if　they　too　do　not　hear　them。　But　my

daughter；　for　whom　during　the　last　two　years　Seraphita　has　shown　much

affection；　has　never　heard　this　music；　and　has　never　perceived　the

heavenly　perfumes　which；　they　say；　make　the　air　fragrant　about　her

when　she　moves。　Minna；　to　be　sure；　has　often　on　returning　from　their

walks　together　expressed　to　me　the　delight　of　a　young　girl　in　the

beauties　of　our　spring…time；　in　the　spicy　odors　of　budding　larches　and

pines　and　the　earliest　flowers；　but　after　our　long　winters　what　can　be

more　natural　than　such　pleasure？　The　companionship　of　this　so…called

spirit　has　nothing　so　very　extraordinary　in　it；　has　it；　my　child？〃



〃The　secrets　of　that　spirit　are　not　mine；〃　said　Minna。　〃Near　it　I　know

all；　away　from　it　I　know　nothing；　near　that　exquisite　life　I　am　no

longer　myself；　far　from　it　I　forget　all。　The　time　we　pass　together　is

a　dream　which　my　memory　scarcely　retains。　I　may　have　heard　yet　not

remember　the　music　which　the　women　tell　of；　in　that　presence；　I　may

have　breathed　celestial　perfumes；　seen　the　glory　of　the　heavens；　and

yet　be　unable　to　recollect　them　here。〃



〃What　astonishes　me　most；〃　resumed　the　pastor；　addressing　Wilfrid；　〃is

to　notice　that　you　suffer　from　being　near　her。〃



〃Near　her！〃　exclaimed　the　stranger；　〃she　has　never　so　much　as　let　me

touch　her　hand。　When　she　saw　me　for　the　first　time　her　glance

intimidated　me；　she　said：　'You　are　welcome　here；　for　you　were　to

come。'　I　fancied　that　she　knew　me。　I　trembled。　It　is　fear　that　forces

me　to　believe　in　her。〃



〃With　me　it　is　love；〃　said　Minna；　without　a　blush。



〃Are　you　making　fun　of　me？〃　said　Monsieur　Becker；　laughing　good…

humoredly；　〃you　my　daughter；　in　calling　yourself　a　Spirit　of　Love；　and

you；　Monsieur　Wilfrid；　in　pretending　to　be　a　Spirit　of　Wisdom？〃



He　drank　a　glass　of　beer　and　so　did　not　see　the　singular　look　which

Wilfrid　cast　upon　Minna。



〃Jesting　apart；〃　resumed　the　old　gentleman；　〃I　have　been　much

astonished　to　hear　that　these　two　mad…caps　ascended　to　the　summit　of

the　Falberg；　it　must　be　a　girlish　exaggeration；　they　probably　went　to

the　crest　of　a　ledge。　It　is　impossible　to　reach　the　peaks　of　the

Falberg。〃



〃If　so；　father；〃　said　Minna；　in　an　agitated　voice；　〃I　must　have　been

under　the　power　of　a　spirit；　for　indeed　we　reached　the　summit　of　the

Ice…Cap。〃



〃This　is　really　serious；〃　said　Monsieur　Becker。　〃Minna　is　always

truthful。〃



〃Monsieur　Becker；〃　said　Wilfrid；　〃I　swear　to　you　that　Seraphita

exercises　such　extraordinary　power　over　me　that　I　know　no　language　in

which　I　can　give　you　the　least　idea　of　it。　She　has　revealed　to　me

things　known　to　myself　alone。〃



〃Somnambulism！〃　said　the　old　man。　〃A　great　many　such　effects　are

related　by　Jean　Wier　as　phenomena　easily　explained　and　formerly

observed　in　Egypt。〃



〃Lend　me　Swedenborg's　theosophical　works；〃　said　Wilfrid；　〃and　let　me

plunge　into　those　gulfs　of　light；you　have　given　me　a　thirst　for

them。〃



Monsieur　Becker　took　down　a　volume　and　gave　it　to　his　guest；　who

instantly　began　to　read　it。　It　was　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening。

The　serving…woman　brought　in　the　supper。　Minna　made　tea。　The　repast

over；　each　turned　silently　to　his　or　her　occupation；　the　pastor　read

the　Incantations；　Wilfrid　pursued　the　spirit　of　Swedenborg；　and　the

young　girl　continued　to　sew；　her　mind　absorbed　in　recollections。　It

was　a　true　Norwegian　eveningpeaceful；　studious；　and　domestic；　full

of　thoughts；　flowers　blooming　beneath　the　snow。　Wilfrid；　as　he

devoured　the　pages　of　the　prophet；　lived　by　his　inner　senses　only；　the

pastor；　looking　up　at　times　from　his　book；　called　Minna's　attention　to

the　absorption　of　their　guest　with　an　air　that　was　half…serious；　half…

jesting。　To　Minna's　thoughts　the　face　of　Seraphitus　smiled　upon　her　as

it　hovered　above　the　clouds　of　smoke　which　enveloped　them。　The　clock

struck　twelve。　Suddenly　the　outer　door　was　opened　violently。　Heavy　but

hurried　steps；　the　steps　of　a　terrified　old　man；　were　heard　in　the

narrow　vestibule　between　the　two　doors；　then　David　burst　into　the

parlor。



〃Danger；　danger！〃　he　cried。　〃Come！　come；　all！　The　evil　spirits　are

unchained！　Fiery　mitres　are　on　their　heads！　Demons；　Vertumni；　Sirens！

they　tempt　her　as　Jesus　was　tempted　on　the　mountain！　Come；　come！　and

drive　them　away。〃



〃Do　you　not　recognize　the　language　of　Swedenborg？〃　said　the　pastor；

laughing；　to　Wilfrid。　〃Here　it　is；　pure　from　the　source。〃



But　Wilfrid　and　Minna　were　gazing　in　terror　at　old　David；　who；　with

hair　erect；　and　eyes　distraught；　his　legs　trembling　and　covered　with

snow；　for　he　had　come　without　snow…shoes；　stood　swaying　from　side　to

side；　as　if　some　boisterous　wind　were　shaking　him。



〃Is　he　harmed？〃　cried　Minna。



〃The　devils　hope　and　try　to　conquer　her；〃　replied　the　old　man。



The　words　made　Wilfrid's　pulses　throb。



〃For　the　last　five　hours　she　has　stood　erect；　her　eyes　raised　to

heaven　and　her　arms　extended；　she　suffers；　she　cries　to　God。　I　cannot

cross　the　barrier；　Hell　has　posted　the　Vertumni　as　sentinels。　They

have　set　up　an　iron　wall　between　her　and　her　old　David。　She　wants　me；

but　what　can　I　do？　Oh；　help　me！　help　me！　Come　and　pray！〃



The　old　man's　despair　was　terrible　to　see。



〃The　Light　of　God　is　defending　her；〃　he　went　on；　with　infectious

faith；　〃but　oh！　she　might　yield　to　violence。〃



〃Silence；　David！　you　are　raving。　This　is　a　matter　to　be　verified。　We

will　go　with　you；〃　said　the　pastor；　〃and　you　shall　see　that　there　are

no　Vertumni；　nor　Satans；　nor　Sirens；　in　that　house。〃



〃Your　father　is　blind；〃　whispered　David　to　Minna。



Wilfrid；　on　whom　the　reading　of　Swedenborg's　first　treatise；　which　he

had　rapidly　gone　through；　had　produced　a　powerful　effect；　was　already

in　the　corridor　putting　on　his　skees；　Minna　was　ready　in　a　few

moments；　and　both　left　the　old　men　far　behind　as　they　darted　forward

to　the　Swedish　castle。



〃Do　you　hear　that　cracking　sound？〃　said　Wilfrid。



〃The　ice　of　the　fiord　stirs；〃　answered　Minna；　〃the　spring　is　coming。〃



Wilfrid　was　silent。　When　the　two　reached　the　courtyard　they　were

conscious　that　they　had　neither　the　faculty　nor　the　strength　to　enter

the　house。



〃What　think　you　of　her？〃　asked　Wilfrid。



〃See　that　radiance！〃　cried　Minna；　going　towards　the　window　of　the

salon。　〃He　is　there！　How　beautiful！　O　my　Seraphitus；　take　me！〃



The　exclamation　was　uttered　inwardly。　She　saw　Seraphitus　standing

erect；　lightly　swathed　in　an　opal…tinted　mist　that　disappeared　at　a

little　distance　from　the　body；　which　seemed　almost　phosphorescent。



〃How　beautiful　she　is！〃　cried　Wilfrid；　mentally。



Just　then　Monsieur　Becker　arrived；　followed　by　David；　he　saw　his

daughter　and　guest　standing　before　the　window；　going　up　to　them；　he

looked　into　the　salon　and　said　quietly；　〃Well；　my　good　David；　she　is

only　saying　her　prayers。〃



〃Ah；　but　try　to　enter；　Monsieur。〃



〃Why　disturb　those　who　pray？〃　answered　the　pastor。



At　this　instant　the　moon；　rising　above　the　Falberg；　cast　its　rays　upon

the　window。　All　three　turned　round；　attracted　by　this　natural　effect

which　made　them　quiver；　when　they　turned　back　to　again　look　at

Seraphita　she　had　disappeared。



〃How　strange！〃　exclaimed　Wilfrid。



〃I　hear　delightful　sounds；〃　said　Minna。



〃Well；〃　said　the　pastor；　〃it　is　all　plain　enough；　she　is　going　to

bed。〃



David　had　entered　the　house。　The　others　took　their　way　back　in

silence；　none　of　them　interpreted　the　vision　in　the　same　manner；

Monsieur　Becker　doubted；　Minna　adored；　Wilfrid　longed。



Wilfrid　was　a　man　about　thirty…six　years　of　age。　His　figure；　though

broadly　developed；　was　not　wanting　in　symmetry。　Like　most　men　who

distinguish　themselves　above　their　fellows；　he　was　of　medium　height；

his　chest　and　shoulders　were　broad；　and　his　neck　short；a

characteristic　of　those　whose　hearts　are　near　their　heads；　his　hair

was　black；　thick；　and　fine；　his　eyes；　of　a　yellow　brown；　had；　as　it

were；　a　solar　brilliancy；　which　proclaimed　with　what　avidity　his

nature　aspired　to　Light。　Though　these　strong　and　virile　features　were

defective　through　the　absence　of　an　inward　peace；granted　only　to　a

life　without　storms　or　conflicts；they　plainly　showed　the

inexhaustible　resources　of　impetuous　senses　and　the　appetites　of

instinct；　just　as　every　motion　revealed　the　perfection　of　the　man's

physical　apparatus；　the　flexibility　of　his　senses；　and　their　fidelity

when　brought　into　play。　This　man　might　contend　with　savages；　and　hear；

as　they　do；　the　tread　of　enemies　in　distant　forests；　he　could　follow　a

scent　in　the　air；　a　trail　on　the　ground；　or　see　on　the　horizon　the

signal　of　a　friend。　His　sleep　was　light；　like　that　of　all　creatures

who　will　not　allow　themselves　to　be　surprised。　His　body　came　quickly

into　harmony　with　the　climate　of　any　country　where　his　tempestuous

life　conducted　him。　Art　and　science　would　have　admired　his

organization　in　the　light　of　a　human　model。　Everything　about　him　was

symmetrical　and　well…balanced；action　and　heart；　intelligence　and

will。　At　first　sight　he　might　be　classed　among　purely　instinctive

beings；　who　give　themselves　blindly　up　to　the　material　wants　of　life；

but　in　the　very　morning　of　his　days　he　had　flung　himself　into　a　higher

social　world；　with　which　his　feelings　harmonized；　study　had　widened

his　mind；　reflection　had　sharpened　his　power　of　thought；　and　the

sciences　had　enlarged　his　understanding。　He　had　studied　human　laws；

the　working　of　self…interests　brought　into　conflict　by　the　passions；

and　he　seemed　to　have　early　familiarized　himself　with　the　abstractions

on　which　societies　rest。　He　had　pored　over　books；those　deeds　of　dead

humanity；