seraphita-第7章

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The　cold　air；　with　its　stinging　flagellations；　had　begun　to　still　the

nervous　tremors　which　followed　the　reunion　of　his　two　natures；　so

powerfully　disunited　for　a　time；　he　was　drawn　towards　the　parsonage；

then　towards　Minna；　by　the　sight　of　the　every…day　home　life　for　which

he　thirsted　as　the　wandering　European　thirsts　for　his　native　land　when

nostalgia　seizes　him　amid　the　fairy　scenes　of　Orient　that　have　seduced

his　senses。　More　weary　than　he　had　ever　yet　been；　Wilfrid　dropped　into

a　chair　and　looked　about　him　for　a　time；　like　a　man　who　awakens　from

sleep。　Monsieur　Becker　and　his　daughter　accustomed；　perhaps；　to　the

apparent　eccentricity　of　their　guest；　continued　the　employments　in

which　they　were　engaged。



The　parlor　was　ornamented　with　a　collection　of　the　shells　and　insects

of　Norway。　These　curiosities；　admirably　arranged　on　a　background　of

the　yellow　pine　which　panelled　the　room；　formed；　as　it　were；　a　rich

tapestry　to　which　the　fumes　of　tobacco　had　imparted　a　mellow　tone。　At

the　further　end　of　the　room；　opposite　to　the　door；　was　an　immense

wrought…iron　stove；　carefully　polished　by　the　serving…woman　till　it

shone　like　burnished　steel。　Seated　in　a　large　tapestried　armchair　near

the　stove；　before　a　table；　with　his　feet　in　a　species　of　muff；

Monsieur　Becker　was　reading　a　folio　volume　which　was　propped　against　a

pile　of　other　books　as　on　a　desk。　At　his　left　stood　a　jug　of　beer　and

a　glass；　at　his　right　burned　a　smoky　lamp　fed　by　some　species　of　fish…

oil。　The　pastor　seemed　about　sixty　years　of　age。　His　face　belonged　to

a　type　often　painted　by　Rembrandt；　the　same　small　bright　eyes；　set　in

wrinkles　and　surmounted　by　thick　gray　eyebrows；　the　same　white　hair

escaping　in　snowy　flakes　from　a　black　velvet　cap；　the　same　broad；　bald

brow；　and　a　contour　of　face　which　the　ample　chin　made　almost　square；

and　lastly；　the　same　calm　tranquillity；　which；　to　an　observer；　denoted

the　possession　of　some　inward　power；　be　it　the　supremacy　bestowed　by

money；　or　the　magisterial　influence　of　the　burgomaster；　or　the

consciousness　of　art；　or　the　cubic　force　of　blissful　ignorance。　This

fine　old　man；　whose　stout　body　proclaimed　his　vigorous　health；　was

wrapped　in　a　dressing…gown　of　rough　gray　cloth　plainly　bound。　Between

his　lips　was　a　meerschaum　pipe；　from　which；　at　regular　intervals；　he

blew　the　smoke；　following　with　abstracted　vision　its　fantastic

wreathings；his　mind　employed；　no　doubt；　in　assimilating　through　some

meditative　process　the　thoughts　of　the　author　whose　works　he　was

studying。



On　the　other　side　of　the　stove　and　near　a　door　which　communicated　with

the　kitchen　Minna　was　indistinctly　visible　in　the　haze　of　the　good

man's　smoke；　to　which　she　was　apparently　accustomed。　Beside　her　on　a

little　table　were　the　implements　of　household　work；　a　pile　of　napkins；

and　another　of　socks　waiting　to　be　mended；　also　a　lamp　like　that　which

shone　on　the　white　page　of　the　book　in　which　the　pastor　was　absorbed。

Her　fresh　young　face；　with　its　delicate　outline；　expressed　an　infinite

purity　which　harmonized　with　the　candor　of　the　white　brow　and　the

clear　blue　eyes。　She　sat　erect；　turning　slightly　toward　the　lamp　for

better　light；　unconsciously　showing　as　she　did　so　the　beauty　of　her

waist　and　bust。　She　was　already　dressed　for　the　night　in　a　long　robe

of　white　cotton；　a　cambric　cap；　without　other　ornament　than　a　frill　of

the　same；　confined　her　hair。　Though　evidently　plunged　in　some　inward

meditation；　she　counted　without　a　mistake　the　threads　of　her　napkins

or　the　meshes　of　her　socks。　Sitting　thus；　she　presented　the　most

complete　image；　the　truest　type；　of　the　woman　destined　for　terrestrial

labor；　whose　glance　may　piece　the　clouds　of　the　sanctuary　while　her

thought；　humble　and　charitable；　keeps　her　ever　on　the　level　of　man。



Wilfrid　had　flung　himself　into　a　chair　between　the　two　tables　and　was

contemplating　with　a　species　of　intoxication　this　picture　full　of

harmony；　to　which　the　clouds　of　smoke　did　no　despite。　The　single

window　which　lighted　the　parlor　during　the　fine　weather　was　now

carefully　closed。　An　old　tapestry；　used　for　a　curtain　and　fastened　to

a　stick；　hung　before　it　in　heavy　folds。　Nothing　in　the　room　was

picturesque；　nothing　brilliant；　everything　denoted　rigorous

simplicity；　true　heartiness；　the　ease　of　unconventional　nature；　and

the　habits　of　a　domestic　life　which　knew　neither　cares　nor　troubles。

Many　a　dwelling　is　like　a　dream；　the　sparkle　of　passing　pleasure　seems

to　hide　some　ruin　beneath　the　cold　smile　of　luxury；　but　this　parlor；

sublime　in　reality；　harmonious　in　tone；　diffused　the　patriarchal　ideas

of　a　full　and　self…contained　existence。　The　silence　was　unbroken　save

by　the　movements　of　the　servant　in　the　kitchen　engaged　in　preparing

the　supper；　and　by　the　sizzling　of　the　dried　fish　which　she　was　frying

in　salt　butter　according　to　the　custom　of　the　country。



〃Will　you　smoke　a　pipe？〃　said　the　pastor；　seizing　a　moment　when　he

thought　that　Wilfrid　might　listen　to　him。



〃Thank　you；　no；　dear　Monsieur　Becker；〃　replied　the　visitor。



〃You　seem　to　suffer　more　to…day　than　usual；〃　said　Minna；　struck　by　the

feeble　tones　of　the　stranger's　voice。



〃I　am　always　so　when　I　leave　the　chateau。〃



Minna　quivered。



〃A　strange　being　lives　there；　Monsieur　Becker；〃　he　continued　after　a

pause。　〃For　the　six　months　that　I　have　been　in　this　village　I　have

never　yet　dared　to　question　you　about　her；　and　even　now　I　do　violence

to　my　feelings　in　speaking　of　her。　I　began　by　keenly　regretting　that

my　journey　in　this　country　was　arrested　by　the　winter　weather　and　that

I　was　forced　to　remain　here。　But　during　the　last　two　months　chains

have　been　forged　and　riveted　which　bind　me　irrevocably　to　Jarvis；　till

now　I　fear　to　end　my　days　here。　You　know　how　I　first　met　Seraphita；

what　impression　her　look　and　voice　made　upon　me；　and　how　at　last　I　was

admitted　to　her　home　where　she　receives　no　one。　From　the　very　first

day　I　have　longed　to　ask　you　the　history　of　this　mysterious　being。　On

that　day　began；　for　me；　a　series　of　enchantments。〃



〃Enchantments！〃　cried　the　pastor　shaking　the　ashes　of　his　pipe　into　an

earthen…ware　dish　full　of　sand；　〃are　there　enchantments　in　these

days？〃



〃You；　who　are　carefully　studying　at　this　moment　that　volume　of　the

'Incantations'　of　Jean　Wier；　will　surely　understand　the　explanation　of

my　sensations　if　I　try　to　give　it　to　you；〃　replied　Wilfrid。　〃If　we

study　Nature　attentively　in　its　great　evolutions　as　in　its　minutest

works；　we　cannot　fail　to　recognize　the　possibility　of　enchantment

giving　to　that　word　its　exact　significance。　Man　does　not　create

forces；　he　employs　the　only　force　that　exists　and　which　includes　all

others　namely　Motion；　the　breath　incomprehensible　of　the　sovereign

Maker　of　the　universe。　Species　are　too　distinctly　separated　for　the

human　hand　to　mingle　them。　The　only　miracle　of　which　man　is　capable　is

done　through　the　conjunction　of　two　antagonistic　substances。　Gunpowder

for　instance　is　germane　to　a　thunderbolt。　As　to　calling　forth　a

creation；　and　a　sudden　one；　all　creation　demands　time；　and　time

neither　recedes　nor　advances　at　the　word　of　command。　So；　in　the　world

without　us；　plastic　nature　obeys　laws　the　order　and　exercise　of　which

cannot　be　interfered　with　by　the　hand　of　man。　But　after　fulfilling；　as

it　were；　the　function　of　Matter；　it　would　be　unreasonable　not　to

recognize　within　us　the　existence　of　a　gigantic　power；　the　effects　of

which　are　so　incommensurable　that　the　known　generations　of　men　have

never　yet　been　able　to　classify　them。　I　do　not　speak　of　man's　faculty

of　abstraction；　of　constraining　Nature　to　confine　itself　within　the

Word；a　gigantic　act　on　which　the　common　mind　reflects　as　little　as

it　does　on　the　nature　of　Motion；　but　which；　nevertheless；　has　led　the

Indian　theosophists　to　explain　creation　by　a　word　to　which　they　give

an　inverse　power。　The　smallest　atom　of　their　subsistence；　namely；　the

grain　of　rice；　from　which　a　creation　issues　and　in　which　alternately

creation　again　is　held；　presented　to　their　minds　so　perfect　an　image

of　the　creative　word；　and　of　the　abstractive　word；　that　to　them　it　was

easy　to　apply　the　same　system　to　the　creation　of　worlds。　The　majority

of　men　content　themselves　with　the　grain　of　rice　sown　in　the　first

chapter　of　all　the　Geneses。　Saint　John；　when　he　said　the　Word　was　God

only　complicated　the　difficulty。　But　the　fructification；　germination；

and　efflorescence　of　our　ideas　is　of　little　consequence　if　we　compare

that　property；　shared　by　many　men；　with　the　wholly　individual　faculty

of　communicating　to　that　property；　by　some　mysterious　concentration；

forces　that　are　more　or　less　active；　of　carrying　it　up　to　a　third；　a

ninth；　or　a　twenty…seventh　power；　of　making　it　thus　fasten　upon　the

masses　and　obtain　magical　results　by　condensing　the　processes　of

nature。



〃What　I　mean　by　enchantments；〃　continued　Wilfrid　after　a　moment's

pause；　〃are　those　stupendous　actions　taking　place　between　two

membranes　in　the　tissue　of　the　brain。　We　find　in　the　unexplorable

nature　of　the　Spiritual　World　certain　beings　armed　with　these　wondrous

faculties；　comparable　only　to　the　terrible　power　of　certain　gases　in

the　physical　world；　beings　who　combine　with　other　beings；　penetrate

them　as　active　agents；　and　produce　upon　them　witchcrafts；　charms；

against　which　these　helpless　slaves　are　wholly　defenceless；　they　are；

in　fact；　enchanted；　brought　under　subjection；　reduced　to　a　condition

of　dreadful　vassalage。　Such　mysterious　beings　overpower　others　with

the　sceptre　and　the　glory　of　a　superior　nature；acting　upon　them　at

times　like　the　torpedo　which　electrifies　or　paralyzes　the　fisherman；

at　other　times　like　a　dose　of　phosphorous　which　stimulates　life　and

accelerates　its　propulsion；　or　again；　like　opium；　which　puts　to　sleep

corporeal　nature；　disengages　the　spirit　from　every　bond；　enables　it　to

float　above　the　world　and　shows　this　earth　to　the　spiritual　eye　as

through　a　prism；　extracting　from　it　the　food　most　needed；　or；　yet

again；　like　catalepsy；　which　deadens　all　faculties　for　the　sake　of　one

only　vision。　Miracles；　enchantments；　incantations；　witchcrafts；

spells；　and　charms；　in　short；　all　those　acts　improperly　termed

supernatural；　are　only　possible　and　can　only　be　explained　by　the

despotism　with　which　some　spirit　compels　us　to　feel　the　effects　of　a

mysterious　optic　which　increases；　or　diminishes；　or　exalts　creation；

moves　within　us　as　it　pleases；　deforms　or　embellishes　all　things　to

our　eyes；　tears　us　from　heaven；　or　drags　us　to　hell；two　terms　by

which　men　agree　to　express　the　two　extremes　of　joy　and　misery。



〃These　phenomena　are　within　us；　not　without　us；〃　Wilfrid　went　on。　〃The

being　whom　we　call　Seraphita　seems　to　me　one　of　those　rare　and

terrible　spirits　to　whom　power　is　given　to　bind　men；　to　crush　nature；

to　enter　into　participation　of　the　occult　power　of　God。　The　course　of

her　enchantments　over　me　began　on　that　first　day；　when　silence　as　to

h