seraphita-第8章

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

her　was　imposed　upon　me　against　my　will。　Each　time　that　I　have　wished

to　question　you　it　seemed　as　though　I　were　about　to　reveal　a　secret　of

which　I　ought　to　be　the　incorruptible　guardian。　Whenever　I　have　tried

to　speak；　a　burning　seal　has　been　laid　upon　my　lips；　and　I　myself　have

become　the　involuntary　minister　of　these　mysteries。　You　see　me　here

to…night；　for　the　hundredth　time；　bruised；　defeated；　broken；　after

leaving　the　hallucinating　sphere　which　surrounds　that　young　girl；　so

gentle；　so　fragile　to　both　of　you；　but　to　me　the　cruellest　of

magicians！　Yes；　to　me　she　is　like　a　sorcerer　holding　in　her　right　hand

the　invisible　wand　that　moves　the　globe；　and　in　her　left　the

thunderbolt　that　rends　asunder　all　things　at　her　will。　No　longer　can　I

look　upon　her　brow；　the　light　of　it　is　insupportable。　I　skirt　the

borders　of　the　abyss　of　madness　too　closely　to　be　longer　silent。　I

must　speak。　I　seize　this　moment；　when　courage　comes　to　me；　to　resist

the　power　which　drags　me　onward　without　inquiring　whether　or　not　I

have　the　force　to　follow。　Who　is　she？　Did　you　know　her　young？　What　of

her　birth？　Had　she　father　and　mother；　or　was　she　born　of　the

conjunction　of　ice　and　sun？　She　burns　and　yet　she　freeze；　she　shows

herself　and　then　withdraws；　she　attracts　me　and　repulses　me；　she

brings　me　life；　she　gives　me　death；　I　love　her　and　yet　I　hate　her！　I

cannot　live　thus；　let　me　be　wholly　in　heaven　or　in　hell！〃



Holding　his　refilled　pipe　in　one　hand；　and　in　the　other　the　cover

which　he　forgot　to　replace；　Monsieur　Becker　listened　to　Wilfrid　with　a

mysterious　expression　on　his　face；　looking　occasionally　at　his

daughter；　who　seemed　to　understand　the　man's　language　as　in　harmony

with　the　strange　being　who　inspired　it。　Wilfrid　was　splendid　to　behold

at　this　moment；like　Hamlet　listening　to　the　ghost　of　his　father　as

it　rises　for　him　alone　in　the　midst　of　the　living。



〃This　is　certainly　the　language　of　a　man　in　love；〃　said　the　good

pastor；　innocently。



〃In　love！〃　cried　Wilfrid；　〃yes；　to　common　minds。　But；　dear　Monsieur

Becker；　no　words　can　express　the　frenzy　which　draws　me　to　the　feet　of

that　unearthly　being。〃



〃Then　you　do　love　her？〃　said　Minna；　in　a　tone　of　reproach。



〃Mademoiselle；　I　feel　such　extraordinary　agitation　when　I　see　her；　and

such　deep　sadness　when　I　see　her　no　more；　that　in　any　other　man　what　I

feel　would　be　called　love。　But　that　sentiment　draws　those　who　feel　it

ardently　together；　whereas　between　her　and　me　a　great　gulf　lies；　whose

icy　coldness　penetrates　my　very　being　in　her　presence；　though　the

feeling　dies　away　when　I　see　her　no　longer。　I　leave　her　in　despair；　I

return　to　her　with　ardor；like　men　of　science　who　seek　a　secret　from

Nature　only　to　be　baffled；　or　like　the　painter　who　would　fain　put　life

upon　his　canvas　and　strives　with　all　the　resources　of　his　art　in　the

vain　attempt。〃



〃Monsieur；　all　that　you　say　is　true；〃　replied　the　young　girl；

artlessly。



〃How　can　you　know；　Minna？〃　asked　the　old　pastor。



〃Ah！　my　father；　had　you　been　with　us　this　morning　on　the　summit　of　the

Falberg；　had　you　seen　him　praying；　you　would　not　ask　me　that　question。

You　would　say；　like　Monsieur　Wilfrid；　that　he　saw　his　Seraphita　for

the　first　time　in　our　temple；　'It　is　the　Spirit　of　Prayer。'〃



These　words　were　followed　by　a　moment's　silence。



〃Ah；　truly！〃　said　Wilfrid；　〃she　has　nothing　in　common　with　the

creatures　who　grovel　upon　this　earth。〃



〃On　the　Falberg！〃　said　the　old　pastor；　〃how　could　you　get　there？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　replied　Minna；　〃the　way　is　like　a　dream　to　me；　of

which　no　more　than　a　memory　remains。　Perhaps　I　should　hardly　believe

that　I　had　been　there　were　it　not　for　this　tangible　proof。〃



She　drew　the　flower　from　her　bosom　and　showed　it　to　them。　All　three

gazed　at　the　pretty　saxifrage；　which　was　still　fresh；　and　now　shone　in

the　light　of　the　two　lamps　like　a　third　luminary。



〃This　is　indeed　supernatural；〃　said　the　old　man；　astounded　at　the

sight　of　a　flower　blooming　in　winter。



〃A　mystery！〃　cried　Wilfrid；　intoxicated　with　its　perfume。



〃The　flower　makes　me　giddy；〃　said　Minna；　〃I　fancy　I　still　hear　that

voice；the　music　of　thought；　that　I　still　see　the　light　of　that　look；

which　is　Love。〃



〃I　implore　you；　my　dear　Monsieur　Becker；　tell　me　the　history　of

Seraphita；enigmatical　human　flower；whose　image　is　before　us　in

this　mysterious　bloom。〃



〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　the　old　man；　emitting　a　puff　of　smoke；　〃to

explain　the　birth　of　that　being　it　is　absolutely　necessary　that　I

disperse　the　clouds　which　envelop　the　most　obscure　of　Christian

doctrines。　It　is　not　easy　to　make　myself　clear　when　speaking　of　that

incomprehensible　revelation；the　last　effulgence　of　faith　that　has

shone　upon　our　lump　of　mud。　Do　you　know　Swedenborg？〃



〃By　name　only；of　him；　of　his　books；　and　his　religion　I　know

nothing。〃



〃Then　I　must　relate　to　you　the　whole　chronicle　of　Swedenborg。〃







CHAPTER　III



SERAPHITA…SERAPHITUS



After　a　pause；　during　which　the　pastor　seemed　to　be　gathering　his

recollections；　he　continued　in　the　following　words：



〃Emanuel　Swedenborg　was　born　at　Upsala　in　Sweden；　in　the　month　of

January；　1688；　according　to　various　authors；in　1689；　according　to

his　epitaph。　His　father　was　Bishop　of　Skara。　Swedenborg　lived　eighty…

five　years；　his　death　occurred　in　London；　March　29；　1772。　I　use　that

term　to　convey　the　idea　of　a　simple　change　of　state。　According　to　his

disciples；　Swedenborg　was　seen　at　Jarvis　and　in　Paris　after　that　date。

Allow　me；　my　dear　Monsieur　Wilfrid；〃　said　Monsieur　Becker；　making　a

gesture　to　prevent　all　interruption；　〃I　relate　these　facts　without

either　affirming　or　denying　them。　Listen；　afterwards　you　can　think　and

say　what　you　like。　I　will　inform　you　when　I　judge；　criticise；　and

discuss　these　doctrines；　so　as　to　keep　clearly　in　view　my　own

intellectual　neutrality　between　HIM　and　Reason。



〃The　life　of　Swedenborg　was　divided　into　two　parts；〃　continued　the

pastor。　〃From　1688　to　1745　Baron　Emanuel　Swedenborg　appeared　in　the

world　as　a　man　of　vast　learning；　esteemed　and　cherished　for　his

virtues；　always　irreproachable　and　constantly　useful。　While　fulfilling

high　public　functions　in　Sweden；　he　published；　between　1709　and　1740；

several　important　works　on　mineralogy；　physics；　mathematics；　and

astronomy；　which　enlightened　the　world　of　learning。　He　originated　a

method　of　building　docks　suitable　for　the　reception　of　large　vessels；

and　he　wrote　many　treatises　on　various　important　questions；　such　as

the　rise　of　tides；　the　theory　of　the　magnet　and　its　qualities；　the

motion　and　position　of　the　earth　and　planets；　and　while　Assessor　in

the　Royal　College　of　Mines；　on　the　proper　system　of　working　salt

mines。　He　discovered　means　to　construct　canal…locks　or　sluices；　and　he

also　discovered　and　applied　the　simplest　methods　of　extracting　ore　and

of　working　metals。　In　fact　he　studied　no　science　without　advancing　it。

In　youth　he　learned　Hebrew；　Greek；　and　Latin；　also　the　oriental

languages；　with　which　he　became　so　familiar　that　many　distinguished

scholars　consulted　him；　and　he　was　able　to　decipher　the　vestiges　of

the　oldest　known　books　of　Scripture；　namely：　'The　Wars　of　Jehovah'　and

'The　Enunciations；'　spoken　of　by　Moses　（Numbers　xxi。　14；　15；　27…30）；

also　by　Joshua；　Jeremiah；　and　Samuel；'The　Wars　of　Jehovah'　being　the

historical　part　and　'The　Enunciations'　the　prophetical　part　of　the

Mosaical　Books　anterior　to　Genesis。　Swedenborg　even　affirms　that　'the

Book　of　Jasher；'　the　Book　of　the　Righteous；　mentioned　by　Joshua；　was

in　existence　in　Eastern　Tartary；　together　with　the　doctrine　of

Correspondences。　A　Frenchman　has　lately；　so　they　tell　me；　justified

these　statements　of　Swedenborg；　by　the　discovery　at　Bagdad　of　several

portions　of　the　Bible　hitherto　unknown　to　Europe。　During　the

widespread　discussion　on　animal　magnetism　which　took　its　rise　in

Paris；　and　in　which　most　men　of　Western　science　took　an　active　part

about　the　year　1785；　Monsieur　le　Marquis　de　Thome　vindicated　the

memory　of　Swedenborg　by　calling　attention　to　certain　assertions　made

by　the　Commission　appointed　by　the　King　of　France　to　investigate　the

subject。　These　gentlemen　declared　that　no　theory　of　magnetism　existed；

whereas　Swedenborg　had　studied　and　promulgated　it　ever　since　the　year

1720。　Monsieur　de　Thome　seizes　this　opportunity　to　show　the　reason　why

so　many　men　of　science　relegated　Swedenborg　to　oblivion　while　they

delved　into　his　treasure…house　and　took　his　facts　to　aid　their　work。

'Some　of　the　most　illustrious　of　these　men；'　said　Monsieur　de　Thome；

alluding　to　the　'Theory　of　the　Earth'　by　Buffon；　'have　had　the

meanness　to　wear　the　plumage　of　the　noble　bird　and　refuse　him　all

acknowledgment'；　and　he　proved；　by　masterly　quotations　drawn　from　the

encyclopaedic　works　of　Swedenborg；　that　the　great　prophet　had

anticipated　by　over　a　century　the　slow　march　of　human　science。　It

suffices　to　read　his　philosophical　and　mineralogical　works　to　be

convinced　of　this。　In　one　passage　he　is　seen　as　the　precursor　of

modern　chemistry　by　the　announcement　that　the　productions　of　organized

nature　are　decomposable　and　resolve　into　two　simple　principles；　also

that　water；　air；　and　fire　are　NOT　ELEMENTS。　In　another；　he　goes　in　a

few　words　to　the　heart　of　magnetic　mysteries　and　deprives　Mesmer　of

the　honors　of　a　first　knowledge　of　them。



〃There；〃　said　Monsieur　Becker；　pointing　to　a　long　shelf　against　the

wall　between　the　stove　and　the　window　on　which　were　ranged　books　of

all　sizes；　〃behold　him！　here　are　seventeen　works　from　his　pen；　of

which　one；　his　'Philosophical　and　Mineralogical　Works；'　published　in

1734；　is　in　three　folio　volumes。　These　productions；　which　prove　the

incontestable　knowledge　of　Swedenborg；　were　given　to　me　by　Monsieur

Seraphitus；　his　cousin　and　the　father　of　Seraphita。



〃In　1740；〃　continued　Monsieur　Becker；　after　a　slight　pause；

〃Swedenborg　fell　into　a　state　of　absolute　silence；　from　which　he

emerged　to　bid　farewell　to　all　his　earthly　occupations；　after　which

his　thoughts　turned　exclusively　to　the　Spiritual　Life。　He　received　the

first　commands　of　heaven　in　1745；　and　he　thus　relates　the　nature　of

the　vocation　to　which　he　was　called：　One　evening；　in　London；　after

dining　with　a　great　appetite；　a　thick　white　mist　seemed　to　fill　his

room。　When　the　vapor　dispersed　a　creature　in　human　form　rose　from　one

corner　of　the　apartment；　and　said　in　a　stern　tone；　'Do　not　eat　so

much。'　He　refrained。　The　next　night　the　same　man　returned；　radiant　in

light；　and　said　to　him；　'I　am　sent　of　God；　who　has　chosen　you　to

explain　to　men　the　meaning　of　his　Word　and　his　Creation。　I　will　tell

you　what　to　write。'　The　vision　lasted　but　a　few　moments。　The　ANGEL　was

clothed　in　purple。　During　that　night　the　eyes　of　his　INNER　MAN　were

opened；　and　he　was　forced　to　look　into　the　heavens；　into　the　world　of

spirits；　and　into　hell；three