seraphita-第16章
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spread its iridescent wings and gave voice to its marine melodies；
saying； 'Twin daughter of suffering； we are sisters！ await me； let us
go together； all I need is to become a Woman。' The Bird with the wings
of an eagle and the paws of a lion； the head of a woman and the body
of a horse； the Animal； fell down before her and licked her feet； and
promised seven hundred years of plenty to her best…beloved daughter。
Then came the most formidable of all； the Child； weeping at her knees；
and saying； 'Wilt thou leave me； feeble and suffering as I am？ oh； my
mother； stay！' and he played with her； and shed languor on the air；
and the Heavens themselves had pity for his wail。 The Virgin of pure
song brought forth her choirs to relax the soul。 The Kings of the East
came with their slaves； their armies； and their women； the Wounded
asked her for succor； the Sorrowful stretched forth their hands： 'Do
not leave us！ do not leave us！' they cried。 I； too； I cried； 'Do not
leave us！ we adore thee！ stay！' Flowers； bursting from the seed；
bathed her in their fragrance which uttered； 'Stay！' The giant Enakim
came forth from Jupiter； leading Gold and its friends and all the
Spirits of the Astral Regions which are joined with him； and they
said； 'We are thine for seven hundred years。' At last came Death on
his pale horse； crying； 'I will obey thee！' One and all fell prostrate
before her。 Could you but have seen them！ They covered as it were a
vast plain； and they cried aloud to her； 'We have nurtured thee； thou
art our child； do not abandon us！' At length Life issued from her Ruby
Waters； and said； 'I will not leave thee！' then； finding Seraphita
silent； she flamed upon her as the sun； crying out； 'I am light！' 'THE
LIGHT is there！' cried Seraphita； pointing to the clouds where stood
the archangels； but she was wearied out； Desire had wrung her nerves；
she could only cry； 'My God！ my God！' Ah！ many an Angelic Spirit；
scaling the mountain and nigh to the summit； has set his foot upon a
rolling stone which plunged him back into the abyss！ All these lost
Spirits adored her constancy； they stood around her；a choir without
a song；weeping and whispering； 'Courage！' At last she conquered；
Desirelet loose upon her in every Shape and every Specieswas
vanquished。 She stood in prayer； and when at last her eyes were lifted
she saw the feet of Angels circling in the Heavens。〃
〃She saw the feet of Angels？〃 repeated Wilfrid。
〃Yes；〃 said the old man。
〃Was it a dream that she told you？〃 asked Wilfrid。
〃A dream as real as your life；〃 answered David； 〃I was there。〃
The calm assurance of the old servant affected Wilfrid powerfully。 He
went away asking himself whether these visions were any less
extraordinary than those he had read of in Swedenborg the night
before。
〃If Spirits exist； they must act；〃 he was saying to himself as he
entered the parsonage； where he found Monsieur Becker alone。
〃Dear pastor；〃 he said； 〃Seraphita is connected with us in form only；
and even that form is inexplicable。 Do not think me a madman or a
lover； a profound conviction cannot be argued with。 Convert my belief
into scientific theories； and let us try to enlighten each other。 To…
morrow evening we shall both be with her。〃
〃What then？〃 said Monsieur Becker。
〃If her eye ignores space；〃 replied Wilfrid； 〃if her thought is an
intelligent sight which enables her to perceive all things in their
essence； and to connect them with the general evolution of the
universe； if； in a word； she sees and knows all； let us seat the
Pythoness on her tripod； let us force this pitiless eagle by threats
to spread its wings！ Help me！ I breathe a fire which burns my vitals；
I must quench it or it will consume me。 I have found a prey at last；
and it shall be mine！〃
〃The conquest will be difficult；〃 said the pastor； 〃because this girl
is〃
〃Is what？〃 cried Wilfrid。
〃Mad；〃 said the old man。
〃I will not dispute her madness； but neither must you dispute her
wonderful powers。 Dear Monsieur Becker； she has often confounded me
with her learning。 Has she travelled？〃
〃From her house to the fiord； no further。〃
〃Never left this place！〃 exclaimed Wilfrid。 〃Then she must have read
immensely。〃
〃Not a page； not one iota！ I am the only person who possesses any
books in Jarvis。 The works of Swedenborgthe only books that were in
the chateauyou see before you。 She has never looked into a single
one of them。〃
〃Have you tried to talk with her？〃
〃What good would that do？〃
〃Does no one live with her in that house？〃
〃She has no friends but you and Minna； nor any servant except old
David。〃
〃It cannot be that she knows nothing of science nor of art。〃
〃Who should teach her？〃 said the pastor。
〃But if she can discuss such matters pertinently； as she has often
done with me； what do you make of it？〃
〃The girl may have acquired through years of silence the faculties
enjoyed by Apollonius of Tyana and other pretended sorcerers burned by
the Inquisition； which did not choose to admit the fact of second…
sight。〃
〃If she can speak Arabic； what would you say to that？〃
〃The history of medical science gives many authentic instances of
girls who have spoken languages entirely unknown to them。〃
〃What can I do？〃 exclaimed Wilfrid。 〃She knows of secrets in my past
life known only to me。〃
〃I shall be curious if she can tell me thoughts that I have confided
to no living person；〃 said Monsieur Becker。
Minna entered the room。
〃Well； my daughter； and how is your familiar spirit？〃
〃He suffers； father；〃 she answered； bowing to Wilfrid。 〃Human
passions； clothed in their false riches； surrounded him all night； and
showed him all the glories of the world。 But you think these things
mere tales。〃
〃Tales as beautiful to those who read them in their brains as the
'Arabian Nights' to common minds；〃 said the pastor； smiling。
〃Did not Satan carry our Savior to the pinnacle of the Temple； and
show him all the kingdoms of the world？〃 she said。
〃The Evangelists；〃 replied her father； 〃did not correct their copies
very carefully； and several versions are in existence。〃
〃You believe in the reality of these visions？〃 said Wilfrid to Minna。
〃Who can doubt when he relates them。〃
〃He？〃 demanded Wilfrid。 〃Who？〃
〃He who is there；〃 replied Minna； motioning towards the chateau。
〃Are you speaking of Seraphita？〃 he said。
The young girl bent her head； and looked at him with an expression of
gentle mischief。
〃You too！〃 exclaimed Wilfrid； 〃you take pleasure in confounding me。
Who and what is she？ What do you think of her？〃
〃What I feel is inexplicable；〃 said Minna； blushing。
〃You are all crazy！〃 cried the pastor。
〃Farewell； until to…morrow evening；〃 said Wilfrid。
CHAPTER IV
THE CLOUDS OF THE SANCTUARY
There are pageants in which all the material splendors that man arrays
co…operate。 Nations of slaves and divers have searched the sands of
ocean and the bowels of earth for the pearls and diamonds which adorn
the spectators。 Transmitted as heirlooms from generation to
generation； these treasures have shone on consecrated brows and could
be the most faithful of historians had they speech。 They know the joys
and sorrows of the great and those of the small。 Everywhere do they
go； they are worn with pride at festivals； carried in despair to
usurers； borne off in triumph amid blood and pillage； enshrined in
masterpieces conceived by art for their protection。 None； except the
pearl of Cleopatra； has been lost。 The Great and the Fortunate
assemble to witness the coronation of some king； whose trappings are
the work of men's hands； but the purple of whose raiment is less
glorious than that of the flowers of the field。 These festivals；
splendid in light； bathed in music which the hand of man creates； aye；
all the triumphs of that hand are subdued by a thought； crushed by a
sentiment。 The Mind can illumine in a man and round a man a light more
vivid； can open his ear to more melodious harmonies； can seat him on
clouds of shining constellations and teach him to question them。 The
Heart can do still greater things。 Man may come into the presence of
one sole being and find in a single word； a single look； an influence
so weighty to bear； of so luminous a light； so penetrating a sound；
that he succumbs and kneels before it。 The most real of all splendors
are not in outward things； they are within us。 A single secret of
science is a realm of wonders to the man of learning。 Do the trumpets
of Power； the jewels of Wealth； the music of Joy； or a vast concourse
of people attend his mental festival？ No； he finds his glory in some
dim retreat where； perchance； a pallid suffering man whispers a single
word into his ear； that word； like a torch lighted in a mine； reveals
to him a Science。 All human ideas； arrayed in every attractive form
which Mystery can invent surrounded a blind man seated in a wayside
ditch。 Three worlds； the Natural； the Spiritual； the Divine； with all
their spheres； opened their portals to a Florentine exile； he walked
attended by the Happy and the Unhappy； by those who prayed and those
who moaned； by angels and by souls in hell。 When the Sent of God； who
knew and could accomplish all things； appeared to three of his
disciples it was at eventide； at the common table of the humblest of
inns； and then and there the Light broke forth； shattering Material
Forms； illuminating the Spiritual Faculties； so that they saw him in
his glory； and the earth lay at their feet like a cast…off sandal。
Monsieur Becker； Wilfrid； and Minna were all under the influence of
fear as they took their way to meet the extraordinary being whom each
desired to question。 To them； in their several ways； the Swedish
castle had grown to mean some gigantic representation； some spectacle
like those whose colors and masses are skilfully and harmoniously
marshalled by the poets； and whose personages； imaginary actors to
men； are real to those who begin to penetrate the Spiritual World。 On
the tiers of this Coliseum Monsieur Becker seated the gray legions of
Doubt； the stern ideas； the specious formulas of Dispute。 He convoked
the various antagonistic worlds of philosophy and religion； and they
all appeared； in the guise of a fleshless shape； like that in which
art embodies Time；an old man bearing in one hand a scythe； in the
other a broken globe； the human universe。
Wilfrid had bidden to the scene his earliest illusions and his latest
hopes； human destiny and its conflicts； religion and its conquering
powers。
Minna saw heaven confusedly by glimpses； love raised a curtain wrought
with mysterious images； and the melodious sounds which met her ear
redoubled her curiosity。
To all three； therefore； this evening was to be wh
