penguin island-第3章

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The　reflection　from　the　polar　ice　had　hurt　the　old　man's　eyes；　but　a　feeble　gleam　of　light　still　shone　through　his　swollen　eyelids。　He　distinguished　animated　forms　which　filled　the　rocks；　in　stages；　like　a　crowd　of　men　on　the　tiers　of　an　amphitheatre。　And　at　the　same　time；　his　ears；　deafened　by　the　continual　noises　of　the　sea；　heard　a　feeble　sound　of　voices。　Thinking　that　what　he　saw　were　men　living　under　the　natural　law；　and　that　the　Lord　had　sent　him　to　teach　them　the　Divine　law；　he　preached　the　gospel　to　them。

Mounted　on　a　lofty　stone　in　the　midst　of　the　wild　circus：

〃Inhabitants　of　this　island；〃　said　he；　〃although　you　be　of　small　stature；　you　look　less　like　a　band　of　fishermen　and　mariners　than　like　the　senate　of　a　judicious　republic。　By　your　gravity；　your　silence；　your　tranquil　deportment；　you　form　on　this　wild　rock　an　assembly　comparable　to　the　Conscript　Fathers　at　Rome　deliberating　in　the　temple　of　Victory；　or　rather；　to　the　philosophers　of　Athens　disputing　on　the　benches　of　the　Areopagus。　Doubtless　you　possess　neither　their　science　nor　their　genius；　but　perhaps　in　the　sight　of　God　you　are　their　superiors。　I　believe　that　you　are　simple　and　good。　As　I　went　round　your　island　I　saw　no　image　of　murder；　no　sign　of　carnage；　no　enemies'　heads　or　scalps　hung　from　a　lofty　pole　or　nailed　to　the　doors　of　your　villages。　You　appear　to　me　to　have　no　arts　and　not　to　work　in　metals。　But　your　hearts　are　pure　and　your　hands　are　innocent；　and　the　truth　will　easily　enter　into　your　souls。〃

Now　what　he　had　taken　for　men　of　small　stature　but　of　grave　bearing　were　penguins　whom　the　spring　had　gathered　together；　and　who　were　ranged　in　couples　on　the　natural　steps　of　the　rock；　erect　in　the　majesty　of　their　large　white　bellies。　From　moment　to　moment　they　moved　their　winglets　like　arms；　and　uttered　peaceful　cries。　They　did　not　fear　men；　for　they　did　not　know　them；　and　had　never　received　any　harm　from　them；　and　there　was　in　the　monk　a　certain　gentleness　that　reassured　the　most　timid　animals　and　that　pleased　these　penguins　extremely。　With　a　friendly　curiosity　they　turned　towards　him　their　little　round　eyes　lengthened　in　front　by　a　white　oval　spot　that　gave　something　odd　and　human　to　their　appearance。

Touched　by　their　attention；　the　holy　man　taught　them　the　Gospel。

〃Inhabitants　of　this　island；　the　earthly　day　that　has　just　risen　over　your　rocks　is　the　image　of　the　heavenly　day　that　rises　in　your　souls。　For　I　bring　you　the　inner　light；　I　bring　you　the　light　and　heat　of　the　soul。　Just　as　the　sun　melts　the　ice　of　your　mountains　so　Jesus　Christ　will　melt　the　ice　of　your　hearts。〃

Thus　the　old　man　spoke。　As　everywhere　throughout　nature　voice　calls　to　voice；　as　all　which　breathes　in　the　light　of　day　loves　alternate　strains；　these　penguins　answered　the　old　man　by　the　sounds　of　their　throats。　And　their　voices　were　soft；　for　it　was　the　season　of　their　loves。

The　holy　man；　persuaded　that　they　belonged　to　some　idolatrous　people　and　that　in　their　own　language　they　gave　adherence　to　the　Christian　faith；　invited　them　to　receive　baptism。

〃I　think；〃　said　he　to　them；　〃that　you　bathe　often；　for　all　the　hollows　of　the　rocks　are　full　of　pure　water；　and　as　I　came　to　your　assembly　I　saw　several　of　you　plunging　into　these　natural　baths。　Now　purity　of　body　is　the　image　of　spiritual　purity。〃

And　he　taught　them　the　origin；　the　nature；　and　the　effects　of　baptism。

〃Baptism；〃　said　he　to　them；　〃is　Adoption；　New　Birth；　Regeneration；　Illumination。〃

And　he　explained　each　of　these　points　to　them　in　succession。

Then；　having　previously　blessed　the　water　that　fell　from　the　cascades　and　recited　the　exorcisms；　he　baptized　those　whom　he　had　just　taught；　pouring　on　each　of　their　heads　a　drop　of　pure　water　and　pronouncing　the　sacred　words。

And　thus　for　three　days　and　three　nights　he　baptized　the　birds。



VI。　AN　ASSEMBLY　IN　PARADISE

When　the　baptism　of　the　penguins　was　known　in　Paradise；　it　caused　neither　joy　nor　sorrow；　but　an　extreme　surprise。　The　Lord　himself　was　embarrassed。　He　gathered　an　assembly　of　clerics　and　doctors；　and　asked　them　whether　they　regarded　the　baptism　as　valid。

〃It　is　void；〃　said　St。　Patrick。

〃Why　is　it　void？〃　asked　St。　Gal；　who　had　evangelized　the　people　of　Cornwall　and　had　trained　the　holy　Mael　for　his　apostolical　labours。

〃The　sacrament　of　baptism；〃　answered　St。　Patrick；　〃is　void　when　it　is　given　to　birds；　just　as　the　sacrament　of　marriage　is　void　when　it　is　given　to　a　eunuch。〃

But　St。　Gal　replied：

〃What　relation　do　you　claim　to　establish　between　the　baptism　of　a　bird　and　the　marriage　of　a　eunuch？　There　is　none　at　all。　Marriage　is；　if　I　may　say　so；　a　conditional；　a　contingent　sacrament。　The　priest　blesses　an　event　beforehand；　it　is　evident　that　if　the　act　is　not　consummated　the　benediction　remains　without　effect。　That　is　obvious。　I　have　known　on　earth；　in　the　town　of　Antrim；　a　rich　man　named　Sadoc；　who；　living　in　concubinage　with　a　woman；　caused　her　to　be　the　mother　of　nine　children。　In　his　old　age；　yielding　to　my　reproofs；　he　consented　to　marry　her；　and　I　blessed　their　union。　Unfortunately　Sadoc's　great　age　prevented　him　from　consummating　the　marriage。　A　short　time　afterwards　he　lost　all　his　property；　and　Germaine　（that　was　the　name　of　the　woman）；　not　feeling　herself　able　to　endure　poverty；　asked　for　the　annulment　of　a　marriage　which　was　no　reality。　The　Pope　granted　her　request；　for　it　was　just。　So　much　for　marriage。　But　baptism　is　conferred　without　restrictions　or　reserves　of　any　kind。　There　is　no　doubt　about　it；　what　the　penguins　have　received　is　a　sacrament。〃

Called　to　give　his　opinion；　Pope　St。　Damascus　expressed　himself　in　these　terms：

〃In　order　to　know　if　a　baptism　is　valid　and　will　produce　its　result；　that　is　to　say；　sanctification；　it　is　necessary　to　consider　who　gives　it　and　not　who　receives　it。　In　truth；　the　sanctifying　virtue　of　this　sacrament　results　from　the　exterior　act　by　which　it　is　conferred；　without　the　baptized　person　cooperating　in　his　own　sanctification　by　any　personal　act；　if　it　were　otherwise　it　would　not　be　administered　to　the　newly　born。　And　there　is　no　need；　in　order　to　baptize；　to　fulfil　any　special　condition；　it　is　not　necessary　to　be　in　a　state　of　grace；　it　is　sufficient　to　have　the　intention　of　doing　what　the　Church　does；　to　pronounce　the　consecrated　words　and　to　observe　the　prescribed　forms。　Now　we　cannot　doubt　that　the　venerable　Mael　has　observed　these　conditions。　Therefore　the　penguins　are　baptized。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　asked　St。　Guenole。　〃And　what　then　do　you　believe　that　baptism　really　is？　Baptism　is　the　process　of　regeneration　by　which　man　is　born　of　water　and　of　the　spirit；　for　having　entered　the　water　covered　with　crimes；　he　goes　out　of　it　a　neophyte；　a　new　creature；　abounding　in　the　fruits　of　righteousness；　baptism　is　the　seed　of　immortality；　baptism　is　the　pledge　of　the　resurrection；　baptism　is　the　burying　with　Christ　in　His　death　and　participation　in　His　departure　from　the　sepulchre。　That　is　not　a　gift　to　bestow　upon　birds。　Reverend　Fathers；　let　us　consider。　Baptism　washes　away　original　sin；　now　the　penguins　were　not　conceived　in　sin。　It　removes　the　penalty　of　sin；　now　the　penguins　have　not　sinned。　It　produces　grace　and　the　gift　of　virtues；　uniting　Christians　to　Jesus　Christ；　as　the　members　to　the　body；　and　it　is　obvious　to　the　senses　that　penguins　cannot　acquire　the　virtues　of　confessors；　of　virgins；　and　of　widows；　or　receive　grace　and　be　united　to〃

St。　Damascus　did　not　allow　him　to　finish。

〃That　proves；〃　said　he　warmly；　〃that　the　baptism　was　useless；　it　does　not　prove　that　it　was　not　effective。〃

〃But　by　this　reasoning；〃　said　St。　Guenole；　〃one　might　baptize　in　the　name　of　the　Father；　of　the　Son；　and　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　by　aspersion　or　immersion；　not　only　a　bird　or　a　quadruped；　but　also　an　inanimate　object；　a　statue；　a　table；　a　chair；　etc。　That　animal　would　be　Christian；　that　idol；　that　table　would　be　Christian！　It　is　absurd！〃

St。　Augustine　began　to　speak。　There　was　a　great　silence。

〃I　am　going；〃　said　the　ardent　bishop　of　Hippo；　〃to　show　you；　by　an　example；　the　power　of　formulas。　It　deals；　it　is　true；　with　a　diabolical　operation。　But　if　it　be　established　that　formulas　taught　by　the　Devil　have　effect　upon　unintelligent　animals　or　even　on　inanimate　objects；　how　can　we　longer　doubt　that　the　effect　of　the　sacramental　formulas　extends　to　the　minds　of　beasts　and　even　to　inert　matter？

〃This　is　the　example。　There　was　during　my　lifetime　in　the　town　of　Madaura；　the　birthplace　of　the　philosopher　Apuleius；　a　witch　who　was　able　to　attract　men　to　her　chamber　by　burning　a　few　of　their　hairs　along　with　certain　herbs　upon　her　tripod；　pronouncing　at　the　same　time　certain　words。　Now　one　day　when　she　wished　by　this　means　to　gain　the；　love　of　a　young　man；　she　was　deceived　by　her　maid；　and　instead　of　the　young　man's　hairs；　she　burned　some　hairs　pulled　from　a　leather　bottle；　made　out　of　a　goatskin　that　hung　in　a　tavern。　During　the　night　the　leather　bottle；　full　of　wine；　capered　through　the　town　up　to　the　witch's　door。　This　fact　is　undoubted。　And　in　sacraments　as　in　enchantments　it　is　the　form　which　operates。　The　effect　of　a　divine　formula　cannot　be　less　in　power　and　extent　than　the　effect　of　an　infernal　formula。〃

Having　spoken　in　this　fashion　the　great　St。　Augustine　sat　down　amidst　applause。

One　of　the　blessed；　of　an　advanced　age　and　having　a　melancholy　appearance；　asked　permission　to　speak。　No　one　knew　him。　His　name　was　Probus；　and　he　was　not　enrolled　in　the　canon　of　the　saints。

〃I　beg　the　company's　pardon；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　no　halo；　and　I　gained　eternal　blessedness　without　any　eminent　distinction。　But　after　what　the　great　St。　Augustine　has　just　told　you　I　believe　it　right　to　impart　a　cruel　experience；　which　I　had；　relative　to　the　conditions　necessary　for　the　validity　of　a　sacrament。　The　bishop　of　Hippo　is　indeed　right　in　what　he　said。　A　sacrament　depends　on　the　form；　its　virtue　is　in　its　form；　its　vice　is　in　its　form。　Listen；　confessors　and　pontiffs；　to　my　woeful　story。　I　was　a　priest　in　Rome　under　the　rule　of　the　Emperor　Gordianus。　Without　desiring　to　recommend　myself　to　you　for　any　special　merit；　I　may　say　that　I　exercised　my　priesthood　with　piety　and　zeal。　For　forty　years　I　served　the　church　of　St。　Modestus…beyond…the…Walls。　My　habits　were　regular。　Every　Saturday　I　went　to　a　tavern…keeper　called　Barjas；　who　dwelt　with　his　wine…jars　under　the　Porta　Capena；　and　from　him　I　bought　the　wine　that　I　consecrated　daily　throughout　the　week。　During　that。long　space　of　time　I　never　failed　for　a　single　morning　to　consecrate　the　holy　sacrifice　of　the　mass。　However；　I　had　no　joy；　and　it　was　with　a　heart　oppressed　by　sorrow　that；　on　the　steps　of　the　altar　I　used　to　ask；　'Why　art　thou　so　heavy；　O　my　soul；　and　why　art　thou　so　disquieted　within　me？'　The　faithful　whom　I　invited　to　the　holy　table　gave　me　cause　for　affliction；　for　having；　so　to　speak；　the　Host　that　I　administered　still　upon　their　tongues；　they　fell　again　into　sin　just　as　if　the　sacrament　had　been　without　power　or　efficacy。　At　last　I　reached　the　end　of　my　earthly　trials；　and　failing　asleep　in　the　Lord；　I　awoke　in　this　abode　of　the　elect。　I　learned　then　from　the　mouth　of　the　angel　who　brought　me　here；　that　Barjas；　the　tavern…keeper　of　the　Porta　Capena；　had　sold　for　wine　a　decoction　of　roots　and　barks　in　which　there　was　not　a