resurrection(复活)-第27章

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some　of　God's　flesh　and　blood　that　was　contained　in　the　cup。　A
few　children　appeared　to　wish　to　do　so。

After　having　asked　the　children　their　names；　the　priest　carefully
took　out　of　the　cup；　with　a　spoon；　and　shoved　a　bit　of　bread
soaked　in　wine　deep　into　the　mouth　of　each　child　in　turn；　and　the
deacon；　while　wiping　the　children's　mouths；　sang；　in　a　merry
voice；　that　the　children　were　eating　the　flesh　and　drinking　the
blood　of　God。　After　this　the　priest　carried　the　cup　back　behind
the　partition；　and　there　drank　all　the　remaining　blood　and　ate　up
all　the　bits　of　flesh；　and　after　having　carefully　sucked　his
moustaches　and　wiped　his　mouth；　he　stepped　briskly　from　behind
the　partition；　the　soles　of　his　calfskin　boots　creaking。　The
principal　part　of　this　Christian　service　was　now　finished；　but
the　priest；　wishing　to　comfort　the　unfortunate　prisoners；　added
to　the　ordinary　service　another。　This　consisted　of　his　going　up
to　the　gilt　hammered…out　image　（with　black　face　and　hands）
supposed　to　represent　the　very　God　he　had　been　eating；
illuminated　by　a　dozen　wax　candles；　and　proceeding；　in　a　strange；
discordant　voice；　to　hum　or　sing　the　following　words：

Jesu　sweetest；　glorified　of　the　Apostles；　Jesu　lauded　by　the
martyrs；　almighty　Monarch；　save　me；　Jesu　my　Saviour。　Jesu；　most
beautiful；　have　mercy　on　him　who　cries　to　Thee；　Saviour　Jesu。
Born　of　prayer　Jesu；　all　thy　saints；　all　thy　prophets；　save　and
find　them　worthy　of　the　joys　of　heaven。　Jesu；　lover　of　men。〃

Then　he　stopped；　drew　breath；　crossed　himself；　bowed　to　the
ground；　and　every　one　did　the　samethe　inspector；　the　warders；
the　prisoners；　and　from　above　the　clinking　of　the　chains　sounded
more　unintermittently。　Then　he　continued：　〃Of　angels　the　Creator
and　Lord　of　powers；　Jesu　most　wonderful；　the　angels'　amazement；
Jesu　most　powerful；　of　our　forefathers　the　Redeemer。　Jesu
sweetest；　of　patriarchs　the　praise。　Jesu　most　glorious；　of　kings
the　strength。　Jesu　most　good；　of　prophets　the　fulfilment。　Jesu
most　amazing；　of　martyrs　the　strength。　Jesu　most　humble；　of　monks
the　joy。　Jesu　most　merciful；　of　priests　the　sweetness。　Jesu　most
charitable；　of　the　fasting　the　continence。　Jesu　most　sweet；　of
the　just　the　joy。　Jesu　most　pure；　of　the　celibates　the　chastity。
Jesu　before　all　ages　of　sinners　the　salvation。　Jesu；　son　of　God；
have　mercy　on　me。〃

Every　time　he　repeated　the　word　〃Jesu〃　his　voice　became　more　and
more　wheezy。　At　last　he　came　to　a　stop；　and　holding　up　his
silk…lined　cassock；　and　kneeling　down　on　one　knee；　he　stooped
down　to　the　ground　and　the　choir　began　to　sing；　repeating　the
words；　〃Jesu；　Son　of　God；　have　mercy　on　me；〃　and　the　convicts
fell　down　and　rose　again；　shaking　back　the　hair　that　was　left　on
their　heads；　and　rattling　with　the　chains　that　were　bruising
their　thin　ankles。

This　continued　for　a　long　time。　First　came　the　glorification；
which　ended　with　the　words；　〃Have　mercy　on　me。〃　Then　more
glorifications；　ending　with　〃Alleluia！〃　And　the　convicts　made　the
sign　of　the　cross；　and　bowed；　first　at　each　sentence；　then　after
every　two　and　then　after　three；　and　all　were　very　glad　when　the
glorification　ended；　and　the　priest　shut　the　book　with　a　sigh　of
relief　and　retired　behind　the　partition。　One　last　act　remained。
The　priest　took　a　large；　gilt　cross；　with　enamel　medallions　at
the　ends；　from　a　table；　and　came　out　into　the　centre　of　the
church　with　it。　First　the　inspector　came　up　and　kissed　the　cross；
then　the　jailers；　then　the　convicts；　pushing　and　abusing　each
other　in　whispers。　The　priest；　talking　to　the　inspector；　pushed
the　cross　and　his　hand　now　against　the　mouths　and　now　against　the
noses　of　the　convicts；　who　were　trying　to　kiss　both　the　cross　and
the　hand　of　the　priest。　And　thus　ended　the　Christian　service；
intended　for　the　comfort　and　the　teaching　of　these　strayed
brothers。


CHAPTER　XL。

THE　HUSKS　OF　RELIGION。

And　none　of　those　present；　from　the　inspector　down　to　Maslova；
seemed　conscious　of　the　fact　that　this　Jesus；　whose　name　the
priest　repeated　such　a　great　number　of　times；　and　whom　he　praised
with　all　these　curious　expressions；　had　forbidden　the　very　things
that　were　being　done　there；　that　He　had　prohibited　not　only　this
meaningless　much…speaking　and　the　blasphemous　incantation　over
the　bread　and　wine；　but　had　also；　in　the　clearest　words；
forbidden　men　to　call　other　men　their　master；　and　to　pray　in
temples；　and　had　ordered　that　every　one　should　pray　in　solitude；
had　forbidden　to　erect　temples；　saying　that　He　had　come　to
destroy　them；　and　that　one　should　worship；　not　in　a　temple；　but
in　spirit　and　in　truth；　and；　above　all；　that　He　had　forbidden　not
only　to　judge；　to　imprison；　to　torment；　to　execute　men；　as　was
being　done　here；　but　had　prohibited　any　kind　of　violence；　saying
that　He　had　come　to　give　freedom　to　the　captives。

No　one　present　seemed　conscious　that　all　that　was　going　on　here
was　the　greatest　blasphemy　and　a　supreme　mockery　of　that　same
Christ　in　whose　name　it　was　being　done。　No　one　seemed　to　realise
that　the　gilt　cross　with　the　enamel　medallions　at　the　ends；　which
the　priest　held　out　to　the　people　to　be　kissed；　was　nothing　but
the　emblem　of　that　gallows　on　which　Christ　had　been　executed　for
denouncing　just　what　was　going　on　here。　That　these　priests；　who
imagined　they　were　eating　and　drinking　the　body　and　blood　of
Christ　in　the　form　of　bread　and　wine；　did　in　reality　eat　and
drink　His　flesh　and　His　blood；　but　not　as　wine　and　bits　of　bread；
but　by　ensnaring　〃these　little　ones〃　with　whom　He　identified
Himself；　by　depriving　them　of　the　greatest　blessings　and
submitting　them　to　most　cruel　torments；　and　by　hiding　from　men
the　tidings　of　great　joy　which　He　had　brought。　That　thought　did
not　enter　into　the　mind　of　any　one　present。

The　priest　did　his　part　with　a　quiet　conscience；　because　he　was
brought　up　from　childhood　to　consider　that　the　only　true　faith
was　the　faith　which　had　been　held　by　all　the　holy　men　of　olden
times　and　was　still　held　by　the　Church；　and　demanded　by　the　State
authorities。　He　did　not　believe　that　the　bread　turned　into　flesh；
that　it　was　useful　for　the　soul　to　repeat　so　many　words；　or　that
he　had　actually　swallowed　a　bit　of　God。　No　one　could　believe
this；　but　he　believed　that　one　ought　to　hold　this　faith。　What
strengthened　him　most　in　this　faith　was　the　fact　that；　for
fulfilling　the　demands　of　this　faith；　he　had　for　the　last　15
years　been　able　to　draw　an　income；　which　enabled　him　to　keep　his
family；　send　his　son　to　a　gymnasium　and　his　daughter　to　a　school
for　the　daughters　of　the　clergy。　The　deacon　believed　in　the　same
manner；　and　even　more　firmly　than　the　priest；　for　he　had
forgotten　the　substance　of　the　dogmas　of　this　faith；　and　knew
only　that　the　prayers　for　the　dead；　the　masses；　with　and　without
the　acathistus；　all　had　a　definite　price；　which　real　Christians
readily　paid；　and；　therefore；　he　called　out　his　〃have　mercy；　have
mercy；〃　very　willingly；　and　read　and　said　what　was　appointed；
with　the　same　quiet　certainty　of　its　being　necessary　to　do　so
with　which　other　men　sell　faggots；　flour；　or　potatoes。　The　prison
inspector　and　the　warders；　though　they　had　never　understood　or
gone　into　the　meaning　of　these　dogmas　and　of　all　that　went　on　in
church；　believed　that　they　must　believe；　because　the　higher
authorities　and　the　Tsar　himself　believed　in　it。　Besides；　though
faintly　（and　themselves　unable　to　explain　why）；　they　felt　that
this　faith　defended　their　cruel　occupations。　If　this　faith　did
not　exist　it　would　have　been　more　difficult；　perhaps　impossible；
for　them　to　use　all　their　powers　to　torment　people；　as　they　were
now　doing；　with　a　quiet　conscience。　The　inspector　was　such　a
kind…hearted　man　that　he　could　not　have　lived　as　he　was　now
living　unsupported　by　his　faith。　Therefore；　he　stood　motionless；
bowed　and　crossed　himself　zealously；　tried　to　feel　touched　when
the　song　about　the　cherubims　was　being　sung；　and　when　the
children　received　communion　he　lifted　one　of　them；　and　held　him
up　to　the　priest　with　his　own　hands。

The　great　majority　of　the　prisoners　believed　that　there　lay　a
mystic　power　in　these　gilt　images；　these　vestments；　candles；
cups；　crosses；　and　this　repetition　of　incomprehensible　words；
〃Jesu　sweetest〃　and　〃have　mercy〃a　power　through　which　might　be
obtained　much　convenience　in　this　and　in　the　future　life。　Only　a
few　clearly　saw　the　deception　that　was　practised　on　the　people
who　adhered　to　this　faith；　and　laughed　at　it　in　their　hearts；　but
the　majority；　having　made　several　attempts　to　get　the
conveniences　they　desired；　by　means　of　prayers；　masses；　and
candles；　and　not　having　got　them　（their　prayers　remaining
unanswered）；　were　each　of　them　convinced　that　their　want　of
success　was　accidental；　and　that　this　organisation；　approved　by
the　educated　and　by　archbishops；　is　very　important　and　necessary；
if　not　for　this；　at　any　rate　for　the　next　life。

Maslova　also　believed　in　this　way。　She　felt；　like　the　rest；　a
mixed　sensation　of　piety　and　dulness。　She　stood　at　first　in　a
crowd　behind　a　railing；　so　that　she　could　see　no　one　but　her
companions；　but　when　those　to　receive　communion　moved　on；　she
and　Theodosia　stepped　to　the　front；　and　they　saw　the　inspector；
and；　behind　him；　standing　among　the　warders；　a　little　peasant；
with　a　very　light　beard　and　fair　hair。　This　was　Theodosia's
husband；　and　he　was　gazing　with　fixed　eyes　at　his　wife。　During
the　acathistus　Maslova　occupied　herself　in　scrutinising　him　and
talking　to　Theodosia　in　whispers；　and　bowed　and　made　the　sign　of
the　cross　only　when　every　one　else　did。


CHAPTER　XLI。

VISITING　DAYTHE　MEN'S　WARD。

Nekhludoff　left　home　early。　A　peasant　from　the　country　was　still
driving　along　the　side　street　and　calling　out　in　a　voice　peculiar
to　his　trade；　〃Milk！　milk！　milk！〃

The　first　warm　spring　rain　had　fallen　the　day　before；　and　now
wherever　the　ground　was　not　paved　the　grass　shone　green。　The
birch　trees　in　the　gardens　looked　as　if　they　were　strewn　with
green　fluff；　the　wild　cherry　and　the　poplars　unrolled　their　long；
balmy　buds；　and　in　shops　and　dwelling…houses　the　double
window…frames　were　being　removed　and　the　windows　cleaned。

In　the　Tolkoochi　＇literally；　jostling　market；　where　second…hand
clothes　and　all　sorts　of　cheap　goods　are　sold＇　market；　which
Nekhludoff　had　to　pass　on　his　way；　a　dense　crowd　was　surging
along　the　row　of　booths；　and　tattered　men　walked　about　selling
top…boots；　which　they　carried　under　their　arms；　and　renovated
trousers　and　waistcoats；　which　hung　over　their　shoulders。

Men　in　clean　coats　and　shining　boots；　liberated　from　the
factories；　it　being　Sunday；　and　women　with　bright　silk　kerchiefs
on　their　heads　and　cloth　jackets　trimmed　with　jet；　were　already
thronging　at　the　door　of　the　traktir。　Policemen；　with　yellow
cords　to　their　uniforms　and　carrying　pistols；　were　on　duty；
looking　out　for　some　disorder　which　might　distract　the　ennui　that
oppressed　them。　On　the　paths　of　the　boulevards　and　on　the
newly…revived　grass；　children　and　dogs　ran　about；　playing；　and
the　nurses　sat　merrily　chattering　on　the　benches。　Along　the
streets；　still　fresh　and　damp　on　the　shady　side；　but　dry　in　the
middle；　heavy　carts　rumbled　unceasingly；　cabs　rattled　and
tramcars　passed　ringing　by。　The　air　vibrated　with　the　pealing　and
c