seraphita-第3章

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surely。　From　the　crown　of　her　head　to　her　feet　and　along　her　spine　an

icy　shudder　ran；　then　suddenly　intolerable　heat　suffused　her　nerves；

beat　in　her　veins　and　overpowered　her　extremities　with　electric　shocks

like　those　of　the　torpedo。　Too　feeble　to　resist；　she　felt　herself

drawn　by　a　mysterious　power　to　the　depths　below；　wherein　she　fancied

that　she　saw　some　monster　belching　its　venom；　a　monster　whose　magnetic

eyes　were　charming　her；　whose　open　jaws　appeared　to　craunch　their　prey

before　they　seized　it。



〃I　die；　my　Seraphitus；　loving　none　but　thee；〃　she　said；　making　a

mechanical　movement　to　fling　herself　into　the　abyss。



Seraphitus　breathed　softly　on　her　forehead　and　eyes。　Suddenly；　like　a

traveller　relaxed　after　a　bath；　Minna　forgot　these　keen　emotions；

already　dissipated　by　that　caressing　breath　which　penetrated　her　body

and　filled　it　with　balsamic　essences　as　quickly　as　the　breath　itself

had　crossed　the　air。



〃Who　art　thou？〃　she　said；　with　a　feeling　of　gentle　terror。　〃Ah；　but　I

know！　thou　art　my　life。　How　canst　thou　look　into　that　gulf　and　not

die？〃　she　added　presently。



Seraphitus　left　her　clinging　to　the　granite　rock　and　placed　himself　at

the　edge　of　the　narrow　platform　on　which　they　stood；　whence　his　eyes

plunged　to　the　depths　of　the　fiord；　defying　its　dazzling　invitation。

His　body　did　not　tremble；　his　brow　was　white　and　calm　as　that　of　a

marble　statue；an　abyss　facing　an　abyss。



〃Seraphitus！　dost　thou　not　love　me？　come　back！〃　she　cried。　〃Thy　danger

renews　my　terror。　Who　art　thou　to　have　such　superhuman　power　at　thy

age？〃　she　asked　as　she　felt　his　arms　inclosing　her　once　more。



〃But；　Minna；〃　answered　Seraphitus；　〃you　look　fearlessly　at　greater

spaces　far　than　that。〃



Then　with　raised　finger；　this　strange　being　pointed　upward　to　the　blue

dome；　which　parting　clouds　left　clear　above　their　heads；　where　stars

could　be　seen　in　open　day　by　virtue　of　atmospheric　laws　as　yet

unstudied。



〃But　what　a　difference！〃　she　answered　smiling。



〃You　are　right；〃　he　said；　〃we　are　born　to　stretch　upward　to　the　skies。

Our　native　land；　like　the　face　of　a　mother；　cannot　terrify　her

children。〃



His　voice　vibrated　through　the　being　of　his　companion；　who　made　no

reply。



〃Come！　let　us　go　on；〃　he　said。



The　pair　darted　forward　along　the　narrow　paths　traced　back　and　forth

upon　the　mountain；　skimming　from　terrace　to　terrace；　from　line　to

line；　with　the　rapidity　of　a　barb；　that　bird　of　the　desert。　Presently

they　reached　an　open　space；　carpeted　with　turf　and　moss　and　flowers；

where　no　foot　had　ever　trod。



〃Oh；　the　pretty　saeter！〃　cried　Minna；　giving　to　the　upland　meadow　its

Norwegian　name。　〃But　how　comes　it　here；　at　such　a　height？〃



〃Vegetation　ceases　here；　it　is　true；〃　said　Seraphitus。　〃These　few

plants　and　flowers　are　due　to　that　sheltering　rock　which　protects　the

meadow　from　the　polar　winds。　Put　that　tuft　in　your　bosom；　Minna；〃　he

added；　gathering　a　flower；〃that　balmy　creation　which　no　eye　has　ever

seen；　keep　the　solitary　matchless　flower　in　memory　of　this　one

matchless　morning　of　your　life。　You　will　find　no　other　guide　to　lead

you　again　to　this　saeter。〃



So　saying；　he　gave　her　the　hybrid　plant　his　falcon　eye　had　seen　amid

the　tufts　of　gentian　acaulis　and　saxifrages；a　marvel；　brought　to

bloom　by　the　breath　of　angels。　With　girlish　eagerness　Minna　seized　the

tufted　plant　of　transparent　green；　vivid　as　emerald；　which　was　formed

of　little　leaves　rolled　trumpet…wise；　brown　at　the　smaller　end　but

changing　tint　by　tint　to　their　delicately　notched　edges；　which　were

green。　These　leaves　were　so　tightly　pressed　together　that　they　seemed

to　blend　and　form　a　mat　or　cluster　of　rosettes。　Here　and　there　from

this　green　ground　rose　pure　white　stars　edged　with　a　line　of　gold；　and

from　their　throats　came　crimson　anthers　but　no　pistils。　A　fragrance；

blended　of　roses　and　of　orange　blossoms；　yet　ethereal　and　fugitive；

gave　something　as　it　were　celestial　to　that　mysterious　flower；　which

Seraphitus　sadly　contemplated；　as　though　it　uttered　plaintive　thoughts

which　he　alone　could　understand。　But　to　Minna　this　mysterious

phenomenon　seemed　a　mere　caprice　of　nature　giving　to　stone　the

freshness；　softness；　and　perfume　of　plants。



〃Why　do　you　call　it　matchless？　can　it　not　reproduce　itself？〃　she

asked；　looking　at　Seraphitus；　who　colored　and　turned　away。



〃Let　us　sit　down；〃　he　said　presently；　〃look　below　you；　Minna。　See！　At

this　height　you　will　have　no　fear。　The　abyss　is　so　far　beneath　us　that

we　no　longer　have　a　sense　of　its　depths；　it　acquires　the　perspective

uniformity　of　ocean；　the　vagueness　of　clouds；　the　soft　coloring　of　the

sky。　See；　the　ice　of　the　fiord　is　a　turquoise；　the　dark　pine　forests

are　mere　threads　of　brown；　for　us　all　abysses　should　be　thus　adorned。〃



Seraphitus　said　the　words　with　that　fervor　of　tone　and　gesture　seen

and　known　only　by　those　who　have　ascended　the　highest　mountains　of　the

globe；a　fervor　so　involuntarily　acquired　that　the　haughtiest　of　men

is　forced　to　regard　his　guide　as　a　brother；　forgetting　his　own

superior　station　till　he　descends　to　the　valleys　and　the　abodes　of　his

kind。　Seraphitus　unfastened　the　skees　from　Minna's　feet；　kneeling

before　her。　The　girl　did　not　notice　him；　so　absorbed　was　she　in　the

marvellous　view　now　offered　of　her　native　land；　whose　rocky　outlines

could　here　be　seen　at　a　glance。　She　felt；　with　deep　emotion；　the

solemn　permanence　of　those　frozen　summits；　to　which　words　could　give

no　adequate　utterance。



〃We　have　not　come　here　by　human　power　alone；〃　she　said；　clasping　her

hands。　〃But　perhaps　I　dream。〃



〃You　think　that　facts　the　causes　of　which　you　cannot　perceive　are

supernatural；〃　replied　her　companion。



〃Your　replies；〃　she　said；　〃always　bear　the　stamp　of　some　deep　thought。

When　I　am　near　you　I　understand　all　things　without　an　effort。　Ah；　I　am

free！〃



〃If　so；　you　will　not　need　your　skees；〃　he　answered。



〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃I　who　would　fain　unfasten　yours　and　kiss　your　feet！〃



〃Keep　such　words　for　Wilfrid；〃　said　Seraphitus；　gently。



〃Wilfrid！〃　cried　Minna　angrily；　then；　softening　as　she　glanced　at　her

companion's　face　and　trying；　but　in　vain；　to　take　his　hand；　she　added；

〃You　are　never　angry；　never；　you　are　so　hopelessly　perfect　in　all

things。〃



〃From　which　you　conclude　that　I　am　unfeeling。〃



Minna　was　startled　at　this　lucid　interpretation　of　her　thought。



〃You　prove　to　me；　at　any　rate；　that　we　understand　each　other；〃　she

said；　with　the　grace　of　a　loving　woman。



Seraphitus　softly　shook　his　head　and　looked　sadly　and　gently　at　her。



〃You；　who　know　all　things；〃　said　Minna；　〃tell　me　why　it　is　that　the

timidity　I　felt　below　is　over　now　that　I　have　mounted　higher。　Why　do　I

dare　to　look　at　you　for　the　first　time　face　to　face；　while　lower　down

I　scarcely　dared　to　give　a　furtive　glance？〃



〃Perhaps　because　we　are　withdrawn　from　the　pettiness　of　earth；〃　he

answered；　unfastening　his　pelisse。



〃Never；　never　have　I　seen　you　so　beautiful！〃　cried　Minna；　sitting　down

on　a　mossy　rock　and　losing　herself　in　contemplation　of　the　being　who

had　now　guided　her　to　a　part　of　the　peak　hitherto　supposed　to　be

inaccessible。



Never；　in　truth；　had　Seraphitus　shone　with　so　bright　a　radiance；the

only　word　which　can　render　the　illumination　of　his　face　and　the　aspect

of　his　whole　person。　Was　this　splendor　due　to　the　lustre　which　the

pure　air　of　mountains　and　the　reflections　of　the　snow　give　to　the

complexion？　Was　it　produced　by　the　inward　impulse　which　excites　the

body　at　the　instant　when　exertion　is　arrested？　Did　it　come　from　the

sudden　contrast　between　the　glory　of　the　sun　and　the　darkness　of　the

clouds；　from　whose　shadow　the　charming　couple　had　just　emerged？

Perhaps　to　all　these　causes　we　may　add　the　effect　of　a　phenomenon；　one

of　the　noblest　which　human　nature　has　to　offer。　If　some　able

physiologist　had　studied　this　being　（who；　judging　by　the　pride　on　his

brow　and　the　lightning　in　his　eyes　seemed　a　youth　of　about　seventeen

years　of　age）；　and　if　the　student　had　sought　for　the　springs　of　that

beaming　life　beneath　the　whitest　skin　that　ever　the　North　bestowed

upon　her　offspring；　he　would　undoubtedly　have　believed　either　in　some

phosphoric　fluid　of　the　nerves　shining　beneath　the　cuticle；　or　in　the

constant　presence　of　an　inward　luminary；　whose　rays　issued　through　the

being　of　Seraphitus　like　a　light　through　an　alabaster　vase。　Soft　and

slender　as　were　his　hands；　ungloved　to　remove　his　companion's　snow…

boots；　they　seemed　possessed　of　a　strength　equal　to　that　which　the

Creator　gave　to　the　diaphanous　tentacles　of　the　crab。　The　fire　darting

from　his　vivid　glance　seemed　to　struggle　with　the　beams　of　the　sun；

not　to　take　but　to　give　them　light。　His　body；　slim　and　delicate　as

that　of　a　woman；　gave　evidence　of　one　of　those　natures　which　are

feeble　apparently；　but　whose　strength　equals　their　will；　rendering

them　at　times　powerful。　Of　medium　height；　Seraphitus　appeared　to　grow

in　stature　as　he　turned　fully　round　and　seemed　about　to　spring　upward。

His　hair；　curled　by　a　fairy's　hand　and　waving　to　the　breeze；　increased

the　illusion　produced　by　this　aerial　attitude；　yet　his　bearing；　wholly

without　conscious　effort；　was　the　result　far　more　of　a　moral

phenomenon　than　of　a　corporal　habit。



Minna's　imagination　seconded　this　illusion；　under　the　dominion　of

which　all　persons　would　assuredly　have　fallen；an　illusion　which　gave

to　Seraphitus　the　appearance　of　a　vision　dreamed　of　in　happy　sleep。　No

known　type　conveys　an　image　of　that　form　so　majestically　made　to

Minna；　but　which　to　the　eyes　of　a　man　would　have　eclipsed　in　womanly

grace　the　fairest　of　Raphael's　creations。　That　painter　of　heaven　has

ever　put　a　tranquil　joy；　a　loving　sweetness；　into　the　lines　of　his

angelic　conceptions；　but　what　soul；　unless　it　contemplated　Seraphitus

himself；　could　have　conceived　the　ineffable　emotions　imprinted　on　his

face？　Who　would　have　divined；　even　in　the　dreams　of　artists；　where　all

things　become　possible；　the　shadow　cast　by　some　mysterious　awe　upon

that　brow；　shining　with　intellect；　which　seemed　to　question　Heaven　and

to　pity　Earth？　The　head　hovered　awhile　disdainfully；　as　some　majestic

bird　whose　cries　reverberate　on　the　atmosphere；　then　bowed　itself

resignedly；　like　the　turtledove　uttering　soft　notes　of　tenderness　in

the　depths　of　the　silent　woods。　His　complexion　was　of　marvellous

whiteness；　which　brought　out　vividly　the　coral　lips；　the　brown

eyebrows；　and　the　silken　lashes；　the　only　colors　that　trenched　upon

the　paleness　of　that　face；　whose　perfect　regularity　did　not　detract

from　the　grandeur　of　the　sentiments　expressed　in　it；　nay；　thought　and

emotion　were　reflected　there；　without　hindrance　or　violence；　with　the

majestic　and　natural　gravity　which　we　delight　in　attributing　to

superior　beings。　That　face　of　purest　marble　expressed　in　all　things

strength　and　peace。



Minna　rose　to　take　the　hand　of　Seraphitus；　hopin