seraphita- 第25部分

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

compact　argument。〃



〃Read　the　account　of　that　Italian　woman；〃　said　Monsieur　Becker；　〃who

at　the　age　of　twelve　spoke　forty…two　languages；　ancient　and　modern；

also　the　history　of　that　monk　who　could　guess　thought　by　smell。　I　can

give　you　a　thousand　such　cases　from　Jean　Wier　and　other　writers。〃



〃I　admit　all　that；　dear　pastor；　but　to　my　thinking；　Seraphita　would

make　a　perfect　wife。〃



〃She　is　all　mind；〃　said　Monsieur　Becker；　dubiously。



Several　days　went　by；　during　which　the　snow　in　the　valleys　melted

gradually　away；　the　green　of　the　forests　and　of　the　grass　began　to

show；　Norwegian　Nature　made　ready　her　wedding　garments　for　her　brief

bridal　of　a　day。　During　this　period；　when　the　softened　air　invited

every　one　to　leave　the　house；　Seraphita　remained　at　home　in　solitude。

When　at　last　she　admitted　Minna　the　latter　saw　at　once　the　ravages　of

inward　fever；　Seraphita's　voice　was　hollow；　her　skin　pallid；　hitherto

a　poet　might　have　compared　her　lustre　to　that　of　diamonds；now　it　was

that　of　a　topaz。



〃Have　you　seen　her？〃　asked　Wilfrid；　who　had　wandered　around　the

Swedish　dwelling　waiting　for　Minna's　return。



〃Yes；〃　answered　the　young　girl；　weeping；　〃We　must　lose　him！〃



〃Mademoiselle；〃　cried　Wilfrid；　endeavoring　to　repress　the　loud　tones

of　his　angry　voice；　〃do　not　jest　with　me。　You　can　love　Seraphita　only

as　one　young　girl　can　love　another；　and　not　with　the　love　which　she

inspires　in　me。　You　do　not　know　your　danger　if　my　jealousy　were　really

aroused。　Why　can　I　not　go　to　her？　Is　it　you　who　stand　in　my　way？〃



〃I　do　not　know　by　what　right　you　probe　my　heart；〃　said　Minna；　calm　in

appearance；　but　inwardly　terrified。　〃Yes；　I　love　him；〃　she　said；

recovering　the　courage　of　her　convictions；　that　she　might；　for　once；

confess　the　religion　of　her　heart。　〃But　my　jealousy；　natural　as　it　is

in　love；　fears　no　one　here　below。　Alas！　I　am　jealous　of　a　secret

feeling　that　absorbs　him。　Between　him　and　me　there　is　a　great　gulf

fixed　which　I　cannot　cross。　Would　that　I　knew　who　loves　him　best；　the

stars　or　I！　which　of　us　would　sacrifice　our　being　most　eagerly　for　his

happiness！　Why　should　I　not　be　free　to　avow　my　love？　In　the　presence

of　death　we　may　declare　our　feelings；and　Seraphitus　is　about　to

die。〃



〃Minna；　you　are　mistaken；　the　siren　I　so　love　and　long　for；　she；　whom

I　have　seen；　feeble　and　languid；　on　her　couch　of　furs；　is　not　a　young

man。〃



〃Monsieur；〃　answered　Minna；　distressfully；　〃the　being　whose　powerful

hand　guided　me　on　the　Falberg；　who　led　me　to　the　saeter　sheltered

beneath　the　Ice…Cap；　there〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　peak；　〃is　not

a　feeble　girl。　Ah；　had　you　but　heard　him　prophesying！　His　poem　was　the

music　of　thought。　A　young　girl　never　uttered　those　solemn　tones　of　a

voice　which　stirred　my　soul。〃



〃What　certainty　have　you？〃　said　Wilfrid。



〃None　but　that　of　the　heart；〃　answered　Minna。



〃And　I；〃　cried　Wilfrid；　casting　on　his　companion　the　terrible　glance

of　the　earthly　desire　that　kills；　〃I；　too；　know　how　powerful　is　her

empire　over　me；　and　I　will　undeceive　you。〃



At　this　moment；　while　the　words　were　rushing　from　Wilfrid's　lips　as

rapidly　as　the　thoughts　surged　in　his　brain；　they　saw　Seraphita　coming

towards　them　from　the　house；　followed　by　David。　The　apparition　calmed

the　man's　excitement。



〃Look；〃　he　said；　〃could　any　but　a　woman　move　with　that　grace　and

langor？〃



〃He　suffers；　he　comes　forth　for　the　last　time；〃　said　Minna。



David　went　back　at　a　sign　from　his　mistress；　who　advanced　towards

Wilfrid　and　Minna。



〃Let　us　go　to　the　falls　of　the　Sieg；〃　she　said；　expressing　one　of

those　desires　which　suddenly　possess　the　sick　and　which　the　well

hasten　to　obey。



A　thin　white　mist　covered　the　valleys　around　the　fiord　and　the　sides

of　the　mountains；　whose　icy　summits；　sparkling　like　stars；　pierced　the

vapor　and　gave　it　the　appearance　of　a　moving　milky　way。　The　sun　was

visible　through　the　haze　like　a　globe　of　red　fire。　Though　winter　still

lingered；　puffs　of　warm　air　laden　with　the　scent　of　the　birch…trees；

already　adorned　with　their　rosy　efflorescence；　and　of　the　larches；

whose　silken　tassels　were　beginning　to　appear；breezes　tempered　by

the　incense　and　the　sighs　of　earth；gave　token　of　the　glorious

Northern　spring；　the　rapid；　fleeting　joy　of　that　most　melancholy　of

Natures。　The　wind　was　beginning　to　lift　the　veil　of　mist　which　half…

obscured　the　gulf。　The　birds　sang。　The　bark　of　the　trees　where　the　sun

had　not　yet　dried　the　clinging　hoar…frost　shone　gayly　to　the　eye　in

its　fantastic　wreathings　which　trickled　away　in　murmuring　rivulets　as

the　warmth　reached　them。　The　three　friends　walked　in　silence　along　the

shore。　Wilfrid　and　Minna　alone　noticed　the　magic　transformation　that

was　taking　place　in　the　monotonous　picture　of　the　winter　landscape。

Their　companion　walked　in　thought；　as　though　a　voice　were　sounding　to

her　ears　in　this　concert　of　Nature。



Presently　they　reached　the　ledge　of　rocks　through　which　the　Sieg　had

forced　its　way；　after　escaping　from　the　long　avenue　cut　by　its　waters

in　an　undulating　line　through　the　forest；a　fluvial　pathway　flanked

by　aged　firs　and　roofed　with　strong…ribbed　arches　like　those　of　a

cathedral。　Looking　back　from　that　vantage…ground；　the　whole　extent　of

the　fiord　could　be　seen　at　a　glance；　with　the　open　sea　sparkling　on

the　horizon　beyond　it　like　a　burnished　blade。



At　this　moment　the　mist；　rolling　away；　left　the　sky　blue　and　clear。

Among　the　valleys　and　around　the　trees　flitted　the　shining　fragments；

a　diamond　dust　swept　by　the　freshening　breeze。　The　torrent　rolled　on

toward　them；　along　its　length　a　vapor　rose；　tinted　by　the　sun　with

every　color　of　his　light；　the　decomposing　rays　flashing　prismatic

fires　along　the　many…tinted　scarf　of　waters。　The　rugged　ledge　on　which

they　stood　was　carpeted　by　several　kinds　of　lichen；　forming　a　noble

mat　variegated　by　moisture　and　lustrous　like　the　sheen　of　a　silken

fabric。　Shrubs；　already　in　bloom；　crowned　the　rocks　with　garlands。

Their　waving　foliage；　eager　for　the　freshness　of　the　water；　drooped

its　tresses　above　the　stream；　the　larches　shook　their　light　fringes

and　played　with　the　pines；　stiff　and　motionless　as　aged　men。　This

luxuriant　beauty　was　foiled　by　the　solemn　colonnades　of　the　forest…

trees；　rising　in　terraces　upon　the　mountains；　and　by　the　calm　sheet　of

the　fiord；　lying　below；　where　the　torrent　buried　its　fury　and　was

still。　Beyond；　the　sea　hemmed　in　this　page　of　Nature；　written　by　the

greatest　of　poets；　Chance；　to　whom　the　wild　luxuriance　of　creation

when　apparently　abandoned　to　itself　is　owing。



The　village　of　Jarvis　was　a　lost　point　in　the　landscape；　in　this

immensity　of　Nature；　sublime　at　this　moment　like　all　things　else　of

ephemeral　life　which　present　a　fleeting　image　of　perfection；　for；　by　a

law　fatal　to　no　eyes　but　our　own；　creations　which　appear　completethe

love　of　our　heart　and　the　desire　of　our　eyeshave　but　one　spring…tide

here　below。　Standing　on　this　breast…work　of　rock　these　three　persons

might　well　suppose　themselves　alone　in　the　universe。



〃What　beauty！〃　cried　Wilfrid。



〃Nature　sings　hymns；〃　said　Seraphita。　〃Is　not　her　music　exquisite？

Tell　me；　Wilfrid；　could　any　of　the　women　you　once　knew　create　such　a

glorious　retreat　for　herself　as　this？　I　am　conscious　here　of　a　feeling

seldom　inspired　by　the　sight　of　cities；　a　longing　to　lie　down　amid

this　quickening　verdure。　Here；　with　eyes　to　heaven　and　an　open　heart；

lost　in　the　bosom　of　immensity；　I　could　hear　the　sighings　of　the

flower；　scarce　budded；　which　longs　for　wings；　or　the　cry　of　the　eider

grieving　that　it　can　only　fly；　and　remember　the　desires　of　man　who；

issuing　from　all；　is　none　the　less　ever　longing。　But　that；　Wilfrid；　is

only　a　woman's　thought。　You　find　seductive　fancies　in　the　wreathing

mists；　the　light　embroidered　veils　which　Nature　dons　like　a　coy

maiden；　in　this　atmosphere　where　she　perfumes　for　her　spousals　the

greenery　of　her　tresses。　You　seek　the　naiad's　form　amid　the　gauzy

vapors；　and　to　your　thinking　my　ears　should　listen　only　to　the　virile

voice　of　the　Torrent。〃



〃But　Love　is　there；　like　the　bee　in　the　calyx　of　the　flower；〃　replied

Wilfrid；　perceiving　for　the　first　time　a　trace　of　earthly　sentiment　in

her　words；　and　fancying　the　moment　favorable　for　an　expression　of　his

passionate　tenderness。



〃Always　there？〃　said　Seraphita；　smiling。　Minna　had　left　them　for　a

moment　to　gather　the　blue　saxifrages　growing　on　a　rock　above。



〃Always；〃　repeated　Wilfrid。　〃Hear　me；〃　he　said；　with　a　masterful

glance　which　was　foiled　as　by　a　diamond　breast…plate。　〃You　know　not

what　I　am；　nor　what　I　can　be；　nor　what　I　will。　Do　not　reject　my　last

entreaty。　Be　mine　for　the　good　of　that　world　whose　happiness　you　bear

upon　your　heart。　Be　mine　that　my　conscience　may　be　pure；　that　a　voice

divine　may　sound　in　my　ears　and　infuse　Good　into　the　great　enterprise

I　have　undertaken　prompted　by　my　hatred　to　the　nations；　but　which　I

swear　to　accomplish　for　their　benefit　if　you　will　walk　beside　me。　What

higher　mission　can　you　ask　for　love？　what　nobler　part　can　woman　aspire

to？　I　came　to　Norway　to　meditate　a　grand　design。〃



〃And　you　will　sacrifice　its　grandeur；〃　she　said；　〃to　an　innocent　girl

who　loves　you；　and　who　will　lead　you　in　the　paths　of　peace。〃



〃What　matters　sacrifice；〃　he　cried；　〃if　I　have　you？　Hear　my　secret。　I

have　gone　from　end　to　end　of　the　North；that　great　smithy　from　whose

anvils　new　races　have　spread　over　the　earth；　like　human　tides

appointed　to　refresh　the　wornout　civilizations。　I　wished　to　begin　my

work　at　some　Northern　point；　to　win　the　empire　which　force　and

intellect　must　ever　give　over　a　primitive　people；　to　form　that　people

for　battle；　to　drive　them　to　wars　which　should　ravage　Europe　like　a

conflagration；　crying　liberty　to　some；　pillage　to　others；　glory　here；

pleasure　there！I；　myself；　remaining　an　image　of　Destiny；　cruel；

impla