Thais owed a large sum of money； alone remained calm and silent in the
midst of the uproar。 He listened and watched； and gently stroking his
goat…beard； seemed thoughtful。 At last he approached young Cerons； and
pulling him by the sleeve； whispered
〃You are the favoured lover of Thais； handsome youth； show yourself；
and do not allow this monk to carry her off。〃
〃By Pollux and his sister； he shall not！〃 cried Cerons。 〃I will speak
to Thais； and without flattering myself； I think she will listen to me
rather than to that sooty…faced Lapithan。 Place！ Place； dogs！〃
And striking with his fist the men； upsetting the old women and
treading on the young children； he reached Thais； and taking her
aside
〃Dearest girl；〃 he said； 〃look at me； remember； and tell me truly if
you renounce love。〃
But Paphnutius threw himself between Thais and Cerons。
〃Impious wretch！〃 he cried； 〃beware and touch her not； she is sacred
she belongs to God。〃
〃Get away； baboon！〃 replied the young man furiously。 〃Let me speak to
my sweetheart； or if not I will drag your obscene carcase by the beard
to the fire； and roast you like a sausage。〃
And he put his hand on Thais。 But； pushed away by the monk with
unexpected force； he staggered back four paces and fell at the foot of
the pile amongst the scattered ashes。
Old Taddeus； meanwhile； had been going from one to the other； pulling
the ears of the slaves and kissing the hands of the masters； inciting
each and all against Paphnutius； and had already formed a little band
resolutely determined to oppose the monk who would steal Thais from
them。
Cerons rose； his face black； his hair singed； and choking with smoke
and rage。 He blasphemed against the gods； and threw himself amongst
the assailants； behind whom the beggars crawled； shaking their
crutches。 Paphnutius was soon enclosed in a circle of menacing fists；
raised sticks； and cries of death。
〃To the ravens with the monk！ to the ravens！〃
〃No； throw him in the fire！ Burn him alive！〃
Seizing his fair prey； he pressed her to his heart。
〃Impious men；〃 he cried in a voice of thunder； 〃strive not to tear the
dove from the eagle of the Lord。 But rather copy this woman； and like
she turn your filth into gold。 Imitate her example； and renounce the
false wealth which you think you hold and which holds you。 Hasten！ the
day is at hand； and divine patience begins to grow weary。 Repent；
confess your sins； weep and pray。 Walk in the footsteps of Thais。 Hate
your offenses； which are as great as hers。 Which of you； poor or rich；
merchants； soldiers； slaves or eminent citizens； would dare to say；
before God； that he was better than a prostitute？ You are all nothing
but living filth； and it is by a miracle of divine goodness that you
do not suddenly turn into streams of mire。〃
Whilst he spoke flames shot from his eyes； an it seemed as though live
coals came from his lips and those who surrounded him were obliged to
hear him in spite of themselves。
But old Taddeus did not remain idle。 He picked up stones and oyster
shells； which he hid in the skirt of his tunic； and not daring to
throw them himself slipped them into the hands of the beggars。 Soon
the stones began to fly； and a well…directed shell cut Paphnutius'
face。 The blood； which flowed down the dark face of the martyr；
dropped in a new baptism on the head of the penitent； and Thais； half
stifled in the monk's embrace and her delicate skin scratched by the
coarse cassock； felt a thrill of horror and fright。
At that moment a man elegantly dressed； and with a wreath of wild
celery on his head； opened a road for himself through the furious
crowd； and cried
〃Stop！ Stop！ This monk is my brother！〃
It was Nicias； who； having closed the eyes of the philosopher
Eucrites； was passing through the square to return to his house；。 and
saw； without very much surprise （for nothing astonished him）； the
smoking pile； Thais clad an a serge cassock； and Paphnutius being
stoned。
He repeated
〃Stop； I tell you； spare my old fellow…scholar； respect the beloved
head of Paphnutius！〃
But； being only used to subtle disquisitions with philosophers； he did
not possess that imperious energy which commands vulgar minds。 He was
not listened to。 A shower of stones and shells fell on the monk； who；
protecting Thais with his body； praised the Lord whose goodness turned
his wounds into caresses。 Despairing of making himself heard； and
feeling but too sure that he could not save his friend either by force
or persuasion； Nicias resigned himself to the will of the godsin
whom he had little confidencewhen the idea occurred to him to use a
stratagem which his contempt for men had suddenly suggested to him。 He
took from his girdle his purse； which was full of gold and silver； for
he was a pleasure…loving and charitable man； and running up to the men
who were throwing the stones； he chinked the money in their ears。 At
first they paid no attention to him； their fury being too great； but
little by little their looks turned towards the chinking gold； and
soon their arms dropped and no longer menaced their victim。 Seeing
that he had attracted their eyes and minds； Nicias opened his purse
and threw some pieces of gold and silver amongst the crowd。 The more
greedy of them stooped to pick it up。 The philosopher； pleased at his
first success； adroitly threw deniers and drachmas here and there。 At
the sound of the pieces of money rattling on the pavement； the
persecutors of Paphnutius threw themselves on the ground。 Beggars；
slaves； and tradespeople scrambled after the money； whilst； grouped
round Cerons； the patricians watched the struggle and laughed
heartily。 Cerons himself quite forgot his wrath。 His friends
encouraged the rivals； chose competitors； and made bets； and urged on
the miserable wretches as they would have done fighting dogs。 A
cripple without legs having succeeded in seizing a drachma； the
applause was frenetic。 The young men themselves began to throw money；
and nothing was to be seen in the square but a multitude of backs；
rising and falling like waves of the sea； under a shower of coins。
Paphnutius was forgotten。
Nicias ran up to him； covered him with his cloak； and dragged him and
Thais into by…streets where they were safe from pursuit。 They ran for
some time in silence； and when they thought they were out of reach of
their enemies； they ceased running； and Nicias said； in a tone of
raillery in which a little sadness was mingled
〃It is finished then！ Pluto ravishes Proserpine； and Thais will follow
my fierce…looking friend whithersoever he will lead her。〃
〃It is true； Nicias；〃 replied Thais； 〃that I am tired of living with
men like you； smiling； perfumed； kindly egoists。 I am weary of all I
know； and I am； therefore； going to seek the unknown。 I have
experienced joy that was not joy； and here is a man who teaches me
that sorrow is true joy。 I believe him； for he knows the truth。〃
〃And I； sweetheart；〃 replied Nicias； smiling； 〃I know the truths。 He
knows but one； I know them all。 I am superior to him in that respect；
but to tell the truth； it doesn't make me any the prouder nor any the
happier。〃
Then； seeing that the monk was glaring fiercely at him
〃My dear Paphnutius； do not imagine that I think you extremely absurd；
or even altogether unreasonable。 And if I were to compare your life
with mine； I could not say which is preferable in itself。 I shall
presently go and take the bath which Crobyle and Myrtale have prepared
for me； I shall eat the wing of a Phasian pheasant； then I shall read
for the hundredth timesome fable by Apuleius or some treatise by
Porphyry。 You will return to your cell； where； leaning like a tame
camel； you will ruminate onI know not whatformulas of incarnations
you have long chewed and rechewed； and in the evening you will swallow
some radishes without any oil。 Well； my dear friend； in accomplishing
these acts； so different apparently； we are both obeying the same
sentiment； the only motive for all human actions； we are both seeking
our own pleasure； and striving to attain the same endhappiness； the
impossible happiness。 It would be folly on my part to say you were
wrong； dear friend； even though I think myself in the right。
〃And you； my Thais； go and enjoy yourself； and be more happy still； if
it be possible； in abstinence and austerity than you have been in
riches and pleasure。 On the whole； I should say you were to be envied。
For if in our whole lives； Paphnutius and I have pursued but one kind
of pleasurable satisfaction； you in your life； dear Thais； have tasted
diverse joys such as it is rarely given to the same person to know。 I
should really like to be for one hour； a saint like our dear friend
Paphnutius。 But that is not possible。 Farewell； then； Thais！ Go where
the secret forces of nature and your destiny conduct you！ Go； and take
with you； whithersoever you go； the good wishes of Nicias！ I know that
is mere foolishness； but can I give you anything more than barren
regrets and vain wishes in payment for the delicious illusions which
once enveloped me when I was in your arms； and of which only the
shadow now remains to me？ Farewell； my benefactress！ Farewell；
goodness that is ignorant of its own existence； mysterious virtue； joy
of men！ Farewell to the most adorable of the images that nature has
ever thrownfor some unknown reasonson the face of this deceptive
world！〃
Whilst he spoke； deep wrath had been brewing in the monk's heart； and
it now broke forth in imprecations。
〃Avaunt； cursed wretch！ I scorn thee and hate thee。 Go； child of hell；
a thousand times worse than those poor lost ones who just now threw
stones and insults at me！ They knew not what they did； and the grace
of God； which I implored for them； may some day descend into their
hearts。 But thou； detestable Nicias； thou art but a perfidious venom
and a bitter poison。 Thy mouth breathes despair and death。 One of thy
smiles contains more blasphemy than issues in a century from the
smoking lips of Satan。 Avaunt； backslider！〃
Nicias looked at him。
〃Farewell； my brother；〃 he said； 〃and may you preserve until your
life's end your store of faith； hate； and love。 Farewell