seraphita- 第24部分

indeed　beside　the　light　which　bathes　a　Seer。　Cease；　cease　to　question

me；　our　languages　are　different。　For　a　moment　I　have　used　yours　to

cast；　if　it　be　possible；　a　ray　of　faith　into　your　soul；　to　give　you；

as　it　were；　the　hem　of　my　garment　and　draw　you　up　into　the　regions　of

Prayer。　Can　God　abase　Himself　to　you？　Is　it　not　for　you　to　rise　to

Him？　If　human　reason　finds　the　ladder　of　its　own　strength　too　weak　to

bring　God　down　to　it；　is　it　not　evident　that　you　must　find　some　other

path　to　reach　Him？　That　Path　is　in　ourselves。　The　Seer　and　the

Believer　find　eyes　within　their　souls　more　piercing　far　than　eyes　that

probe　the　things　of　earth；they　see　the　Dawn。　Hear　this　truth：　Your

science；　let　it　be　never　so　exact；　your　meditations；　however　bold；

your　noblest　lights　are　Clouds。　Above；　above　is　the　Sanctuary　whence

the　true　Light　flows。〃



She　sat　down　and　remained　silent；　her　calm　face　bore　no　sign　of　the

agitation　which　orators　betray　after　their　least　fervid

improvisations。



Wilfrid　bent　toward　Monsieur　Becker　and　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃Who

taught　her　that？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　answered。



〃He　was　gentler　on　the　Falberg；〃　Minna　whispered　to　herself。



Seraphita　passed　her　hand　across　her　eyes　and　then　she　said；

smiling：



〃You　are　very　thoughtful　to…night；　gentlemen。　You　treat　Minna　and　me

as　though　we　were　men　to　whom　you　must　talk　politics　or　commerce；

whereas　we　are　young　girls；　and　you　ought　to　tell　us　tales　while　you

drink　your　tea。　That　is　what　we　do；　Monsieur　Wilfrid；　in　our　long

Norwegian　evenings。　Come；　dear　pastor；　tell　me　some　Saga　that　I　have

not　heard；that　of　Frithiof；　the　chronicle　that　you　believe　and　have

so　often　promised　me。　Tell　us　the　story　of　the　peasant　lad　who　owned

the　ship　that　talked　and　had　a　soul。　Come！　I　dream　of　the　frigate

Ellida；　the　fairy　with　the　sails　young　girls　should　navigate！〃



〃Since　we　have　returned　to　the　regions　of　Jarvis；〃　said　Wilfrid；　whose

eyes　were　fastened　on　Seraphita　as　those　of　a　robber；　lurking　in　the

darkness；　fasten　on　the　spot　where　he　knows　the　jewels　lie；　〃tell　me

why　you　do　not　marry？〃



〃You　are　all　born　widows　and　widowers；〃　she　replied；　〃but　my　marriage

was　arranged　at　my　birth。　I　am　betrothed。〃



〃To　whom？〃　they　cried。



〃Ask　not　my　secret；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　promise；　if　our　father　permits

it；　to　invite　you　to　these　mysterious　nuptials。〃



〃Will　they　be　soon？〃



〃I　think　so。〃



A　long　silence　followed　these　words。



〃The　spring　has　come！〃　said　Seraphita；　suddenly。　〃The　noise　of　the

waters　and　the　breaking　of　the　ice　begins。　Come；　let　us　welcome　the

first　spring　of　the　new　century。〃



She　rose；　followed　by　Wilfrid；　and　together　they　went　to　a　window

which　David　had　opened。　After　the　long　silence　of　winter；　the　waters

stirred　beneath　the　ice　and　resounded　through　the　fiord　like　music；

for　there　are　sounds　which　space　refines；　so　that　they　reach　the　ear

in　waves　of　light　and　freshness。



〃Wilfrid；　cease　to　nourish　evil　thoughts　whose　triumph　would　be　hard

to　bear。　Your　desires　are　easily　read　in　the　fire　of　your　eyes。　Be

kind；　take　one　step　forward　in　well…doing。　Advance　beyond　the　love　of

man　and　sacrifice　yourself　completely　to　the　happiness　of　her　you

love。　Obey　me；　I　will　lead　you　in　a　path　where　you　shall　obtain　the

distinctions　which　you　crave；　and　where　Love　is　infinite　indeed。〃



She　left　him　thoughtful。



〃That　soft　creature！〃　he　said　within　himself；　〃is　she　indeed　the

prophetess　whose　eyes　have　just　flashed　lightnings；　whose　voice　has

rung　through　worlds；　whose　hand　has　wielded　the　axe　of　doubt　against

our　sciences？　Have　we　been　dreaming？　Am　I　awake？〃



〃Minna；〃　said　Seraphita；　returning　to　the　young　girl；　〃the　eagle

swoops　where　the　carrion　lies；　but　the　dove　seeks　the　mountain　spring

beneath　the　peaceful　greenery　of　the　glades。　The　eagle　soars　to

heaven；　the　dove　descends　from　it。　Cease　to　venture　into　regions　where

thou　canst　find　no　spring　of　waters；　no　umbrageous　shade。　If　on　the

Falberg　thou　couldst　not　gaze　into　the　abyss　and　live；　keep　all　thy

strength　for　him　who　will　love　thee。　Go；　poor　girl；　thou　knowest；　I　am

betrothed。〃



Minna　rose　and　followed　Seraphita　to　the　window　where　Wilfrid　stood。

All　three　listened　to　the　Sieg　bounding　out　the　rush　of　the　upper

waters；　which　brought　down　trees　uprooted　by　the　ice；　the　fiord　had

regained　its　voice；　all　illusions　were　dispelled！　They　rejoiced　in

Nature　as　she　burst　her　bonds　and　seemed　to　answer　with　sublime　accord

to　the　Spirit　whose　breath　had　wakened　her。



When　the　three　guests　of　this　mysterious　being　left　the　house；　they

were　filled　with　the　vague　sensation　which　is　neither　sleep；　nor

torpor；　nor　astonishment；　but　partakes　of　the　nature　of　each；a　state

that　is　neither　dusk　nor　dawn；　but　which　creates　a　thirst　for　light。

All　three　were　thinking。



〃I　begin　to　believe　that　she　is　indeed　a　Spirit　hidden　in　human　form；〃

said　Monsieur　Becker。



Wilfrid；　re…entering　his　own　apartments；　calm　and　convinced；　was

unable　to　struggle　against　that　influence　so　divinely　majestic。



Minna　said　in　her　heart；　〃Why　will　he　not　let　me　love　him！〃







CHAPTER　V



FAREWELL



There　is　in　man　an　almost　hopeless　phenomenon　for　thoughtful　minds　who

seek　a　meaning　in　the　march　of　civilization；　and　who　endeavor　to　give

laws　of　progression　to　the　movement　of　intelligence。　However

portentous　a　fact　may　be；　or　even　supernatural；if　such　facts　exist；

however　solemnly　a　miracle　may　be　done　in　sight　of　all；　the

lightning　of　that　fact；　the　thunderbolt　of　that　miracle　is　quickly

swallowed　up　in　the　ocean　of　life；　whose　surface；　scarcely　stirred　by

the　brief　convulsion；　returns　to　the　level　of　its　habitual　flow。



A　Voice　is　heard　from　the　jaws　of　an　Animal；　a　Hand　writes　on　the　wall

before　a　feasting　Court；　an　Eye　gleams　in　the　slumber　of　a　king；　and　a

Prophet　explains　the　dream；　Death；　evoked；　rises　on　the　confines　of

the　luminous　sphere　were　faculties　revive；　Spirit　annihilates　Matter

at　the　foot　of　that　mystic　ladder　of　the　Seven　Spiritual　Worlds；　one

resting　upon　another　in　space　and　revealing　themselves　in　shining

waves　that　break　in　light　upon　the　steps　of　the　celestial　Tabernacle。

But　however　solemn　the　inward　Revelation；　however　clear　the　visible

outward　Sign；　be　sure　that　on　the　morrow　Balaam　doubts　both　himself

and　his　ass；　Belshazzar　and　Pharoah　call　Moses　and　Daniel　to　qualify

the　Word。　The　Spirit；　descending；　bears　man　above　this　earth；　opens

the　seas　and　lets　him　see　their　depths；　shows　him　lost　species；　wakens

dry　bones　whose　dust　is　the　soil　of　valleys；　the　Apostle　writes　the

Apocalypse；　and　twenty　centuries　later　human　science　ratifies　his

words　and　turns　his　visions　into　maxims。　And　what　comes　of　it　all？　Why

this；that　the　peoples　live　as　they　have　ever　lived；　as　they　lived　in

the　first　Olympiad；　as　they　lived　on　the　morrow　of　Creation；　and　on

the　eve　of　the　great　cataclysm。　The　waves　of　Doubt　have　covered　all

things。　The　same　floods　surge　with　the　same　measured　motion　on　the

human　granite　which　serves　as　a　boundary　to　the　ocean　of　intelligence。

When　man　has　inquired　of　himself　whether　he　has　seen　that　which　he　has

seen；　whether　he　has　heard　the　words　that　entered　his　ears；　whether

the　facts　were　facts　and　the　idea　is　indeed　an　idea；　then　he　resumes

his　wonted　bearing；　thinks　of　his　worldly　interests；　obeys　some　envoy

of　death　and　of　oblivion　whose　dusky　mantle　covers　like　a　pall　an

ancient　Humanity　of　which　the　moderns　retain　no　memory。　Man　never

pauses；　he　goes　his　round；　he　vegetates　until　the　appointed　day　when

his　Axe　falls。　If　this　wave　force；　this　pressure　of　bitter　waters

prevents　all　progress；　no　doubt　it　also　warns　of　death。　Spirits

prepared　by　faith　among　the　higher　souls　of　earth　can　alone　perceive

the　mystic　ladder　of　Jacob。



After　listening　to　Seraphita's　answer　in　which　（being　earnestly

questioned）　she　unrolled　before　their　eyes　a　Divine　Perspective；as

an　organ　fills　a　church　with　sonorous　sound　and　reveals　a　musical

universe；　its　solemn　tones　rising　to　the　loftiest　arches　and　playing；

like　light；　upon　their　foliated　capitals；Wilfrid　returned　to　his　own

room；　awed　by　the　sight　of　a　world　in　ruins；　and　on　those　ruins　the

brilliance　of　mysterious　lights　poured　forth　in　torrents　by　the　hand

of　a　young　girl。　On　the　morrow　he　still　thought　of　these　things；　but

his　awe　was　gone；　he　felt　he　was　neither　destroyed　nor　changed；　his

passions；　his　ideas　awoke　in　full　force；　fresh　and　vigorous。　He　went

to　breakfast　with　Monsieur　Becker　and　found　the　old　man　absorbed　in

the　〃Treatise　on　Incantations；〃　which　he　had　searched　since　early

morning　to　convince　his　guest　that　there　was　nothing　unprecedented　in

all　that　they　had　seen　and　heard　at　the　Swedish　castle。　With　the

childlike　trustfulness　of　a　true　scholar　he　had　folded　down　the　pages

in　which　Jean　Wier　related　authentic　facts　which　proved　the

possibility　of　the　events　that　had　happened　the　night　before；for　to

learned　men　an　idea　is　a　event；　just　as　the　greatest　events　often

present　no　idea　at　all　to　them。　By　the　time　they　had　swallowed　their

fifth　cup　of　tea；　these　philosophers　had　come　to　think　the　mysterious

scene　of　the　preceding　evening　wholly　natural。　The　celestial　truths　to

which　they　had　listened　were　arguments　susceptible　of　examination；

Seraphita　was　a　girl；　more　or　less　eloquent；　allowance　must　be　made

for　the　charms　of　her　voice；　her　seductive　beauty；　her　fascinating

motions；　in　short；　for　all　those　oratorical　arts　by　which　an　actor

puts　a　world　of　sentiment　and　thought　into　phrases　which　are　often

commonplace。



〃Bah！〃　said　the　worthy　pastor；　making　a　philosophical　grimace　as　he

spread　a　layer　of　salt　butter　on　his　slice　of　bread；　〃the　final　word

of　all　these　fine　enigmas　is　six　feet　under　ground。〃



〃But；〃　said　Wilfrid；　sugaring　his　tea；　〃I　cannot　image　how　a　young

girl　of　seventeen　can　know　so　much；　what　she　said　was　certainly　a

c