seraphita-第26章

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the　faculty　of　praying　without　weariness；　with　love；　with　force；　with

certainty；　with　intelligence；　your　spiritualized　nature　will　presently

be　invested　with　power。　Like　a　rushing　wind；　like　a　thunderbolt；　it

cuts　its　way　through　all　things　and　shares　the　power　of　God。　The

quickness　of　the　Spirit　becomes　yours；　in　an　instant　you　may　pass　from

region　to　region；　like　the　Word　itself；　you　are　transported　from　the

ends　of　the　world　to　other　worlds。　Harmony　exists；　and　you　are　part　of

it！　Light　is　there　and　your　eyes　possess　it！　Melody　is　heard　and　you

echo　it！　Under　such　conditions；　you　feel　your　perceptions　developing；

widening；　the　eyes　of　your　mind　reach　to　vast　distances。　There　is；　in

truth；　neither　time　nor　place　to　the　Spirit；　space　and　duration　are

proportions　created　for　Matter；　spirit　and　matter　have　naught　in

common。



〃Though　these　things　take　place　in　stillness；　in　silence；　without

agitation；　without　external　movement；　yet　Prayer　is　all　action；　but　it

is　spiritual　action；　stripped　of　substantiality；　and　reduced；　like　the

motion　of　the　worlds；　to　an　invisible　pure　force。　It　penetrates

everywhere　like　light；　it　gives　vitality　to　souls　that　come　beneath

its　rays；　as　Nature　beneath　the　sun。　It　resuscitates　virtue；　purifies

and　sanctifies　all　actions；　peoples　solitude；　and　gives　a　foretaste　of

eternal　joys。　When　you　have　once　felt　the　delights　of　the　divine

intoxication　which　comes　of　this　internal　travail；　then　all　is　yours！

once　take　the　lute　on　which　we　sing　to　God　within　your　hands；　and　you

will　never　part　with　it。　Hence　the　solitude　in　which　Angelic　Spirits

live；　hence　their　disdain　of　human　joys。　They　are　withdrawn　from　those

who　must　die　to　live；　they　hear　the　language　of　such　beings；　but　they

no　longer　understand　their　ideas；　they　wonder　at　their　movements；　at

what　the　world　terms　policies；　material　laws；　societies。　For　them　all

mysteries　are　over；　truth；　and　truth　alone；　is　theirs。　They　who　have

reached　the　point　where　their　eyes　discern　the　Sacred　Portals；　who；

not　looking　back；　not　uttering　one　regret；　contemplate　worlds　and

comprehend　their　destinies；　such　as　they　keep　silence；　wait；　and　bear

their　final　struggles。　The　worst　of　all　those　struggles　is　the　last；

at　the　zenith　of　all　virtue　is　Resignation；to　be　an　exile　and　not

lament；　no　longer　to　delight　in　earthly　things　and　yet　to　smile；　to

belong　to　God　and　yet　to　stay　with　men！　You　hear　the　voice　that　cries

to　you；　'Advance！'　Often　celestial　visions　of　descending　Angels

compass　you　about　with　songs　of　praise；　then；　tearless；　uncomplaining；

must　you　watch　them　as　they　reascent　the　skies！　To　murmur　is　to

forfeit　all。　Resignation　is　a　fruit　that　ripens　at　the　gates　of

heaven。　How　powerful；　how　glorious　the　calm　smile；　the　pure　brow　of

the　resigned　human　creature。　Radiant　is　the　light　of　that　brow。　They

who　live　in　its　atmosphere　grow　purer。　That　calm　glance　penetrates　and

softens。　More　eloquent　by　silence　than　the　prophet　by　speech；　such

beings　triumph　by　their　simple　presence。　Their　ears　are　quick　to　hear

as　a　faithful　dog　listening　for　his　master。　Brighter　than　hope；

stronger　than　love；　higher　than　faith；　that　creature　of　resignation　is

the　virgin　standing　on　the　earth；　who　holds　for　a　moment　the　conquered

palm；　then；　rising　heavenward；　leaves　behind　her　the　imprint　of　her

white；　pure　feet。　When　she　has　passed　away　men　flock　around　and　cry；

'See！　See！'　Sometimes　God　holds　her　still　in　sight；a　figure　to　whose

feet　creep　Forms　and　Species　of　Animality　to　be　shown　their　way。　She

wafts　the　light　exhaling　from　her　hair；　and　they　see；　she　speaks；　and

they　hear。　'A　miracle！'　they　cry。　Often　she　triumphs　in　the　name　of

God；　frightened　men　deny　her　and　put　her　to　death；　smiling；　she　lays

down　her　sword　and　goes　to　the　stake；　having　saved　the　Peoples。　How

many　a　pardoned　Angel　has　passed　from　martyrdom　to　heaven！　Sinai；

Golgotha　are　not　in　this　place　nor　in　that；　Angels　are　crucified　in

every　place；　in　every　sphere。　Sighs　pierce　to　God　from　the　whole

universe。　This　earth　on　which　we　live　is　but　a　single　sheaf　of　the

great　harvest；　humanity　is　but　a　species　in　the　vast　garden　where　the

flowers　of　heaven　are　cultivated。　Everywhere　God　is　like　unto　Himself；

and　everywhere；　by　prayer；　it　is　easy　to　reach　Him。〃



With　these　words；　which　fell　from　the　lips　of　another　Hagar　in　the

wilderness；　burning　the　souls　of　the　hearers　as　the　live　coal　of　the

word　inflamed　Isaiah；　this　mysterious　being　paused　as　though　to　gather

some　remaining　strength。　Wilfrid　and　Minna　dared　not　speak。　Suddenly

HE　lifted　himself　up　to　die：



〃Soul　of　all　things；　oh　my　God；　thou　whom　I　love　for　Thyself！　Thou；

Judge　and　Father；　receive　a　love　which　has　no　limit。　Give　me　of　thine

essence　and　thy　faculties　that　I　be　wholly　thine！　Take　me；　that　I　no

longer　be　myself！　Am　I　not　purified？　then　cast　me　back　into　the

furnace！　If　I　be　not　yet　proved　in　the　fire；　make　me　some　nurturing

ploughshare；　or　the　Sword　of　victory！　Grant　me　a　glorious　martyrdom　in

which　to　proclaim　thy　Word！　Rejected；　I　will　bless　thy　justice。　But　if

excess　of　love　may　win　in　a　moment　that　which　hard　and　patient　labor

cannot　attain；　then　bear　me　upward　in　thy　chariot　of　fire！　Grant　me

triumph；　or　further　trial；　still　will　I　bless　thee！　To　suffer　for

thee；　is　not　that　to　triumph？　Take　me；　seize　me；　bear　me　away！　nay；　if

thou　wilt；　reject　me！　Thou　art　He　who　can　do　no　evil。　Ah！〃　he　cried；

after　a　pause；　〃the　bonds　are　breaking。



〃Spirits　of　the　pure；　ye　sacred　flock；　come　forth　from　the　hidden

places；　come　on　the　surface　of　the　luminous　waves！　The　hour　now　is；

come；　assemble！　Let　us　sing　at　the　gates　of　the　Sanctuary；　our　songs

shall　drive　away　the　final　clouds。　With　one　accord　let　us　hail　the

Dawn　of　the　Eternal　Day。　Behold　the　rising　of　the　one　True　Light！　Ah；

why　may　I　not　take　with　me　these　my　friends！　Farewell；　poor　earth；

Farewell！〃







CHAPTER　VII



THE　ASSUMPTION



The　last　psalm　was　uttered　neither　by　word；　look；　nor　gesture；　nor　by

any　of　those　signs　which　men　employ　to　communicate　their　thoughts；　but

as　the　soul　speaks　to　itself；　for　at　the　moment　when　Seraphita

revealed　herself　in　her　true　nature；　her　thoughts　were　no　longer

enslaved　by　human　words。　The　violence　of　that　last　prayer　had　burst

her　bonds。　Her　soul；　like　a　white　dove；　remained　for　an　instant　poised

above　the　body　whose　exhausted　substances　were　about　to　be

annihilated。



The　aspiration　of　the　Soul　toward　heaven　was　so　contagious　that

Wilfrid　and　Minna；　beholding　those　radiant　scintillations　of　Life；

perceived　not　Death。



They　had　fallen　on　their　knees　when　HE　had　turned　toward　his　Orient；

and　they　shared　his　ecstasy。



The　fear　of　the　Lord；　which　creates　man　a　second　time；　purging　away

his　dross；　mastered　their　hearts。



Their　eyes；　veiled　to　the　things　of　Earth；　were　opened　to　the

Brightness　of　Heaven。



Though；　like　the　Seers　of　old　called　Prophets　by　men；　they　were　filled

with　the　terror　of　the　Most　High；　yet　like　them　they　continued　firm

when　they　found　themselves　within　the　radiance　where　the　Glory　of　the

SPIRIT　shone。



The　veil　of　flesh；　which；　until　now；　had　hidden　that　glory　from　their

eyes；　dissolved　imperceptibly　away；　and　left　them　free　to　behold　the

Divine　substance。



They　stood　in　the　twilight　of　the　Coming　Dawn；　whose　feeble　rays

prepared　them　to　look　upon　the　True　Light；　to　hear　the　Living　Word；

and　yet　not　die。



In　this　state　they　began　to　perceive　the　immeasurable　differences

which　separate　the　things　of　earth　from　the　things　of　Heaven。



LIFE；　on　the　borders　of　which　they　stood；　leaning　upon　each　other；

trembling　and　illuminated；　like　two　children　standing　under　shelter　in

presence　of　a　conflagration；　That　Life　offered　no　lodgment　to　the

senses。



The　ideas　they　used　to　interpret　their　vision　to　themselves　were　to

the　things　seen　what　the　visible　senses　of　a　man　are　to　his　soul；　the

material　covering　of　a　divine　essence。



The　departing　SPIRIT　was　above　them；　shedding　incense　without　odor；

melody　without　sound。　About　them；　where　they　stood；　were　neither

surfaces；　nor　angles；　nor　atmosphere。



They　dared　neither　question　him　nor　contemplate　him；　they　stood　in　the

shadow　of　that　Presence　as　beneath　the　burning　rays　of　a　tropical　sun；

fearing　to　raise　their　eyes　lest　the　light　should　blast　them。



They　knew　they　were　beside　him；　without　being　able　to　perceive　how　it

was　that　they　stood；　as　in　a　dream；　on　the　confines　of　the　Visible　and

the　Invisible；　nor　how　they　had　lost　sight　of　the　Visible　and　how　they

beheld　the　Invisible。



To　each　other　they　said：　〃If　he　touches　us；　we　can　die！〃　But　the

SPIRIT　was　now　within　the　Infinite；　and　they　knew　not　that　neither

time；　nor　space；　nor　death；　existed　there；　and　that　a　great　gulf　lay

between　them；　although　they　thought　themselves　beside　him。



Their　souls　were　not　prepared　to　receive　in　its　fulness　a　knowledge　of

the　faculties　of　that　Life；　they　could　have　only　faint　and　confused

perceptions　of　it；　suited　to　their　weakness。



Were　it　not　so；　the　thunder　of　the　LIVING　WORD；　whose　far…off　tones

now　reached　their　ears；　and　whose　meaning　entered　their　souls　as　life

unites　with　body；one　echo　of　that　Word　would　have　consumed　their

being　as　a　whirlwind　of　fire　laps　up　a　fragile　straw。



Therefore　they　saw　only　that　which　their　nature；　sustained　by　the

strength　of　the　SPIRIT；　permitted　them　to　see；　they　heard　that　only

which　they　were　able　to　hear。



And　yet；　though　thus　protected；　they　shuddered　when　the　Voice　of　the

anguished　soul　broke　forth　above　themthe　prayer　of　the　SPIRIT

awaiting　Life　and　imploring　it　with　a　cry。



That　cry　froze　them　to　the　very　marrow　of　their　bones。



The　SPIRIT　knocked　at　the　SACRED　PORTAL。　〃What　wilt　thou？〃　answered　a

CHOIR；　whose　question　echoed　among　the　worlds。　〃To　go　to　God。〃　〃Hast

thou　conquered？〃　〃I　have　conquered　the　flesh　through　abstinence；　I

have　conquered　false　knowledge　by　humility；　I　have　conquered　pride　by

charity；　I　have　conquered　the　earth　by　love；　I　have　paid　my　dues　by

suffering；　I　am　purified　in　the　fires　of　faith；　I　have　longed　for　Life

by　prayer：　I　wait　in　adoration；　and　I　am　resigned。〃



No　answer　came。



〃God's　will　be　done！〃　answered　the　SPIRIT；　believing　that　he　was　about

to　be　rejected。



His　tears　flowed　and　fell　like　dew　upon　the　heads　of　the　two　kneeling

witnesses；　who　trembled　before　the　justice　of　God。



Suddenly　the　trumpets　sounded；the　last　trumpets　of　Victory　won　by

the　ANGEL　in　this　last　trial。　The　reverberation　passed　through　space

as　sound　through　its　echo；　filling　it；　and　shaking　the　universe　which

Wilfrid　and　Minna　felt　like　an　atom　beneath　their　feet。　They　trembled

under　an　anguish　caused　by　the　dread　of　the　mystery　about　to　be

accomplished。



A　great　movement　took　place；　as　though　the　Eternal　Legions；　putting

themselves　in　motion；　were　passing　upward　in　spiral　columns。　The

worlds