seraphita- 第5部分

〃Dare　you　say　that　you　do　not　love　him？〃　he　went　on；　in　a　voice　which

pierced　her　like　a　dagger。



〃Have　mercy；　have　mercy；　my　Seraphitus！〃



〃Love　him；　poor　child　of　Earth　to　which　thy　destiny　has　indissolubly

bound　thee；〃　said　the　strange　being；　beckoning　Minna　by　a　gesture；　and

forcing　her　to　the　edge　of　the　saeter；　whence　he　pointed　downward　to　a

scene　that　might　well　inspire　a　young　girl　full　of　enthusiasm　with　the

fancy　that　she　stood　above　this　earth。



〃I　longed　for　a　companion　to　the　kingdom　of　Light；　I　wished　to　show

you　that　morsel　of　mud；　I　find　you　bound　to　it。　Farewell。　Remain　on

earth；　enjoy　through　the　senses；　obey　your　nature；　turn　pale　with

pallid　men；　blush　with　women；　sport　with　children；　pray　with　the

guilty；　raise　your　eyes　to　heaven　when　sorrows　overtake　you；　tremble；

hope；　throb　in　all　your　pulses；　you　will　have　a　companion；　you　can

laugh　and　weep；　and　give　and　receive。　I；I　am　an　exile；　far　from

heaven；　a　monster；　far　from　earth。　I　live　of　myself　and　by　myself。　I

feel　by　the　spirit；　I　breathe　through　my　brow；　I　see　by　thought；　I　die

of　impatience　and　of　longing。　No　one　here　below　can　fulfil　my　desires

or　calm　my　griefs。　I　have　forgotten　how　to　weep。　I　am　alone。　I　resign

myself；　and　I　wait。〃



Seraphitus　looked　at　the　flowery　mound　on　which　he　had　seated　Minna；

then　he　turned　and　faced　the　frowning　heights；　whose　pinnacles　were

wrapped　in　clouds；　to　them　he　cast；　unspoken；　the　remainder　of　his

thoughts。



〃Minna；　do　you　hear　those　delightful　strains？〃　he　said　after　a　pause；

with　the　voice　of　a　dove；　for　the　eagle's　cry　was　hushed；　〃it　is　like

the　music　of　those　Eolian　harps　your　poets　hang　in　forests　and　on　the

mountains。　Do　you　see　the　shadowy　figures　passing　among　the　clouds；

the　winged　feet　of　those　who　are　making　ready　the　gifts　of　heaven？

They　bring　refreshment　to　the　soul；　the　skies　are　about　to　open　and

shed　the　flowers　of　spring　upon　the　earth。　See；　a　gleam　is　darting

from　the　pole。　Let　us　fly；　let　us　fly！　It　is　time　we　go！〃



In　a　moment　their　skees　were　refastened；　and　the　pair　descended　the

Falberg　by　the　steep　slopes　which　join　the　mountain　to　the　valleys　of

the　Sieg。　Miraculous　perception　guided　their　course；　or；　to　speak　more

properly；　their　flight。　When　fissures　covered　with　snow　intercepted

them；　Seraphitus　caught　Minna　in　his　arms　and　darted　with　rapid

motion；　lightly　as　a　bird；　over　the　crumbling　causeways　of　the　abyss。

Sometimes；　while　propelling　his　companion；　he　deviated　to　the　right　or

left　to　avoid　a　precipice；　a　tree；　a　projecting　rock；　which　he　seemed

to　see　beneath　the　snow；　as　an　old　sailor；　familiar　with　the　ocean；

discerns　the　hidden　reefs　by　the　color；　the　trend；　or　the　eddying　of

the　water。　When　they　reached　the　paths　of　the　Siegdahlen；　where　they

could　fearlessly　follow　a　straight　line　to　regain　the　ice　of　the

fiord；　Seraphitus　stopped　Minna。



〃You　have　nothing　to　say　to　me？〃　he　asked。



〃I　thought　you　would　rather　think　alone；〃　she　answered　respectfully。



〃Let　us　hasten；　Minette；　it　is　almost　night；〃　he　said。



Minna　quivered　as　she　heard　the　voice；　now　so　changed；　of　her　guide；

a　pure　voice；　like　that　of　a　young　girl；　which　dissolved　the　fantastic

dream　through　which　she　had　been　passing。　Seraphitus　seemed　to　be

laying　aside　his　male　force　and　the　too　keen　intellect　that　flames

from　his　eyes。　Presently　the　charming　pair　glided　across　the　fiord　and

reached　the　snow…field　which　divides　the　shore　from　the　first　range　of

houses；　then；　hurrying　forward　as　daylight　faded；　they　sprang　up　the

hill　toward　the　parsonage；　as　though　they　were　mounting　the　steps　of　a

great　staircase。



〃My　father　must　be　anxious；〃　said　Minna。



〃No；〃　answered　Seraphitus。



As　he　spoke　the　couple　reached　the　porch　of　the　humble　dwelling　where

Monsieur　Becker；　the　pastor　of　Jarvis；　sat　reading　while　awaiting　his

daughter　for　the　evening　meal。



〃Dear　Monsieur　Becker；〃　said　Seraphitus；　〃I　have　brought　Minna　back　to

you　safe　and　sound。〃



〃Thank　you；　mademoiselle；〃　said　the　old　man；　laying　his　spectacles　on

his　book；　〃you　must　be　very　tired。〃



〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Minna；　and　as　she　spoke　she　felt　the　soft　breath　of　her

companion　on　her　brow。



〃Dear　heart；　will　you　come　day　after　to…morrow　evening　and　take　tea

with　me？〃



〃Gladly；　dear。〃



〃Monsieur　Becker；　you　will　bring　her；　will　you　not？〃



〃Yes；　mademoiselle。〃



Seraphitus　inclined　his　head　with　a　pretty　gesture；　and　bowed　to　the

old　pastor　as　he　left　the　house。　A　few　moments　later　he　reached　the

great　courtyard　of　the　Swedish　villa。　An　old　servant；　over　eighty

years　of　age；　appeared　in　the　portico　bearing　a　lantern。　Seraphitus

slipped　off　his　snow…shoes　with　the　graceful　dexterity　of　a　woman；

then　darting　into　the　salon　he　fell　exhausted　and　motionless　on　a　wide

divan　covered　with　furs。



〃What　will　you　take？〃　asked　the　old　man；　lighting　the　immensely　tall

wax…candles　that　are　used　in　Norway。



〃Nothing；　David；　I　am　too　weary。〃



Seraphitus　unfastened　his　pelisse　lined　with　sable；　threw　it　over　him；

and　fell　asleep。　The　old　servant　stood　for　several　minutes　gazing　with

loving　eyes　at　the　singular　being　before　him；　whose　sex　it　would　have

been　difficult　for　any　one　at　that　moment　to　determine。　Wrapped　as　he

was　in　a　formless　garment；　which　resembled　equally　a　woman's　robe　and

a　man's　mantle；　it　was　impossible　not　to　fancy　that　the　slender　feet

which　hung　at　the　side　of　the　couch　were　those　of　a　woman；　and　equally

impossible　not　to　note　how　the　forehead　and　the　outlines　of　the　head

gave　evidence　of　power　brought　to　its　highest　pitch。



〃She　suffers；　and　she　will　not　tell　me；〃　thought　the　old　man。　〃She　is

dying；　like　a　flower　wilted　by　the　burning　sun。〃



And　the　old　man　wept。







CHAPTER　II



SERAPHITA



Later　in　the　evening　David　re…entered　the　salon。



〃I　know　who　it　is　you　have　come　to　announce；〃　said　Seraphita　in　a

sleepy　voice。　〃Wilfrid　may　enter。〃



Hearing　these　words　a　man　suddenly　presented　himself；　crossed　the　room

and　sat　down　beside　her。



〃My　dear　Seraphita；　are　you　ill？〃　he　said。　〃You　look　paler　than

usual。〃



She　turned　slowly　towards　him；　tossing　back　her　hair　like　a　pretty

woman　whose　aching　head　leaves　her　no　strength　even　for　complaint。



〃I　was　foolish　enough　to　cross　the　fiord　with　Minna；〃　she　said。　〃We

ascended　the　Falberg。〃



〃Do　you　mean　to　kill　yourself？〃　he　said　with　a　lover's　terror。



〃No；　my　good　Wilfrid；　I　took　the　greatest　care　of　your　Minna。〃



Wilfrid　struck　his　hand　violently　on　a　table；　rose　hastily；　and　made

several　steps　towards　the　door　with　an　exclamation　full　of　pain；　then

he　returned　and　seemed　about　to　remonstrate。



〃Why　this　disturbance　if　you　think　me　ill？〃　she　said。



〃Forgive　me；　have　mercy！〃　he　cried；　kneeling　beside　her。　〃Speak　to　me

harshly　if　you　will；　exact　all　that　the　cruel　fancies　of　a　woman　lead

you　to　imagine　I　least　can　bear；　but　oh；　my　beloved；　do　not　doubt　my

love。　You　take　Minna　like　an　axe　to　hew　me　down。　Have　mercy！〃



〃Why　do　you　say　these　things；　my　friend；　when　you　know　that　they　are

useless？〃　she　replied；　with　a　look　which　grew　in　the　end　so　soft　that

Wilfrid　ceased　to　behold　her　eyes；　but　saw　in　their　place　a　fluid

light；　the　shimmer　of　which　was　like　the　last　vibrations　of　an　Italian

song。



〃Ah！　no　man　dies　of　anguish！〃　he　murmured。



〃You　are　suffering？〃　she　said　in　a　voice　whose　intonations　produced

upon　his　heart　the　same　effect　as　that　of　her　look。　〃Would　I　could

help　you！〃



〃Love　me　as　I　love　you。〃



〃Poor　Minna！〃　she　replied。



〃Why　am　I　unarmed！〃　exclaimed　Wilfrid；　violently。



〃You　are　out　of　temper；〃　said　Seraphita；　smiling。　〃Come；　have　I　not

spoken　to　you　like　those　Parisian　women　whose　loves　you　tell　of？〃



Wilfrid　sat　down；　crossed　his　arms；　and　looked　gloomily　at　Seraphita。

〃I　forgive　you；〃　he　said；　〃for　you　know　not　what　you　do。〃



〃You　mistake；〃　she　replied；　〃every　woman　from　the　days　of　Eve　does

good　and　evil　knowingly。〃



〃I　believe　it〃；　he　said。



〃I　am　sure　of　it；　Wilfrid。　Our　instinct　is　precisely　that　which　makes

us　perfect。　What　you　men　learn；　we　feel。〃



〃Why；　then；　do　you　not　feel　how　much　I　love　you？〃



〃Because　you　do　not　love　me。〃



〃Good　God！〃



〃If　you　did；　would　you　complain　of　your　own　sufferings？〃



〃You　are　terrible　to…night；　Seraphita。　You　are　a　demon。〃



〃No；　but　I　am　gifted　with　the　faculty　of　comprehending；　and　it　is

awful。　Wilfrid；　sorrow　is　a　lamp　which　illumines　life。〃



〃Why　did　you　ascend　the　Falberg？〃



〃Minna　will　tell　you。　I　am　too　weary　to　talk。　You　must　talk　to　me；

you　who　know　so　much；　who　have　learned　all　things　and　forgotten

nothing；　you　who　have　passed　through　every　social　test。　Talk　to　me；

amuse　me；　I　am　listening。〃



〃What　can　I　tell　you　that　you　do　not　know？　Besides；　the　request　is

ironical。　You　allow　yourself　no　intercourse　with　social　life；　you

trample　on　its　conventions；　its　laws；　its　customs；　sentiments；　and

sciences；　you　reduce　them　all　to　the　proportions　such　things　take　when

viewed　by　you　beyond　this　universe。〃



〃Therefore　you　see；　my　friend；　that　I　am　not　a　woman。　You　do　wrong　to

love　me。　What！　am　I　to　leave　the　ethereal　regions　of　my　pretended

strength；　make　myself　humbly　small；　cringe　like　the　hapless　female　of

all　species；　that　you　may　lift　me　up？　and　then；　when　I；　helpless　and

broken；　ask　you　for　help；　when　I　need　your　arm；　you　will　repulse　me！

No；　we　can　never　come　to　terms。〃



〃You　are　more　maliciously　unkind　to…night　than　I　have　ever　known　you。〃



〃Unkind！〃　she　said；　with　a　look　which　seemed　to　blend　all　feelings

into　one　celestial　emotion；　〃no；　I　am　ill；　I　suffer；　that　is　all。

Leave　me；　my　friend；　it　is　your　manly　right。　We　women　should　ever

please　you；　entertain　you；　be　gay　in　your　presence　and　have　no　whims

save　those　that　amuse　you。　Come；　what　shall　I　do　for　you；　friend？

Shall　I　sing；　shall　I　dance；