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the absorption of their guest with an air that was half…serious； half…
jesting。 To Minna's thoughts the face of Seraphitus smiled upon her as
it hovered above the clouds of smoke which enveloped them。 The clock
struck twelve。 Suddenly the outer door was opened violently。 Heavy but
hurried steps； the steps of a terrified old man； were heard in the
narrow vestibule between the two doors； then David burst into the
parlor。
〃Danger； danger！〃 he cried。 〃Come！ come； all！ The evil spirits are
unchained！ Fiery mitres are on their heads！ Demons； Vertumni； Sirens！
they tempt her as Jesus was tempted on the mountain！ Come； come！ and
drive them away。〃
〃Do you not recognize the language of Swedenborg？〃 said the pastor；
laughing； to Wilfrid。 〃Here it is； pure from the source。〃
But Wilfrid and Minna were gazing in terror at old David； who； with
hair erect； and eyes distraught； his legs trembling and covered with
snow； for he had come without snow…shoes； stood swaying from side to
side； as if some boisterous wind were shaking him。
〃Is he harmed？〃 cried Minna。
〃The devils hope and try to conquer her；〃 replied the old man。
The words made Wilfrid's pulses throb。
〃For the last five hours she has stood erect； her eyes raised to
heaven and her arms extended； she suffers； she cries to God。 I cannot
cross the barrier； Hell has posted the Vertumni as sentinels。 They
have set up an iron wall between her and her old David。 She wants me；
but what can I do？ Oh； help me！ help me！ Come and pray！〃
The old man's despair was terrible to see。
〃The Light of God is defending her；〃 he went on； with infectious
faith； 〃but oh！ she might yield to violence。〃
〃Silence； David！ you are raving。 This is a matter to be verified。 We
will go with you；〃 said the pastor； 〃and you shall see that there are
no Vertumni； nor Satans； nor Sirens； in that house。〃
〃Your father is blind；〃 whispered David to Minna。
Wilfrid； on whom the reading of Swedenborg's first treatise； which he
had rapidly gone through； had produced a powerful effect； was already
in the corridor putting on his skees； Minna was ready in a few
moments； and both left the old men far behind as they darted forward
to the Swedish castle。
〃Do you hear that cracking sound？〃 said Wilfrid。
〃The ice of the fiord stirs；〃 answered Minna； 〃the spring is coming。〃
Wilfrid was silent。 When the two reached the courtyard they were
conscious that they had neither the faculty nor the strength to enter
the house。
〃What think you of her？〃 asked Wilfrid。
〃See that radiance！〃 cried Minna； going towards the window of the
salon。 〃He is there！ How beautiful！ O my Seraphitus； take me！〃
The exclamation was uttered inwardly。 She saw Seraphitus standing
erect； lightly swathed in an opal…tinted mist that disappeared at a
little distance from the body； which seemed almost phosphorescent。
〃How beautiful she is！〃 cried Wilfrid； mentally。
Just then Monsieur Becker arrived； followed by David； he saw his
daughter and guest standing before the window； going up to them； he
looked into the salon and said quietly； 〃Well； my good David； she is
only saying her prayers。〃
〃Ah； but try to enter； Monsieur。〃
〃Why disturb those who pray？〃 answered the pastor。
At this instant the moon； rising above the Falberg； cast its rays upon
the window。 All three turned round； attracted by this natural effect
which made them quiver； when they turned back to again look at
Seraphita she had disappeared。
〃How strange！〃 exclaimed Wilfrid。
〃I hear delightful sounds；〃 said Minna。
〃Well；〃 said the pastor； 〃it is all plain enough； she is going to
bed。〃
David had entered the house。 The others took their way back in
silence； none of them interpreted the vision in the same manner；
Monsieur Becker doubted； Minna adored； Wilfrid longed。
Wilfrid was a man about thirty…six years of age。 His figure； though
broadly developed； was not wanting in symmetry。 Like most men who
distinguish themselves above their fellows； he was of medium height；
his chest and shoulders were broad； and his neck short；a
characteristic of those whose hearts are near their heads； his hair
was black； thick； and fine； his eyes； of a yellow brown； had； as it
were； a solar brilliancy； which proclaimed with what avidity his
nature aspired to Light。 Though these strong and virile features were
defective through the absence of an inward peace；granted only to a
life without storms or conflicts；they plainly showed the
inexhaustible resources of impetuous senses and the appetites of
instinct； just as every motion revealed the perfection of the man's
physical apparatus； the flexibility of his senses； and their fidelity
when brought into play。 This man might contend with savages； and hear；
as they do； the tread of enemies in distant forests； he could follow a
scent in the air； a trail on the ground； or see on the horizon the
signal of a friend。 His sleep was light； like that of all creatures
who will not allow themselves to be surprised。 His body came quickly
into harmony with the climate of any country where his tempestuous
life conducted him。 Art and science would have admired his
organization in the light of a human model。 Everything about him was
symmetrical and well…balanced；action and heart； intelligence and
will。 At first sight he might be classed among purely instinctive
beings； who give themselves blindly up to the material wants of life；
but in the very morning of his days he had flung himself into a higher
social world； with which his feelings harmonized； study had widened
his mind； reflection had sharpened his power of thought； and the
sciences had enlarged his understanding。 He had studied human laws；
the working of self…interests brought into conflict by the passions；
and he seemed to have early familiarized himself with the abstractions
on which societies rest。 He had pored over books；those deeds of dead
humanity； he had spent whole nights of pleasure in every European
capital； he had slept on fields of battle the night before the combat
and the night that followed victory。 His stormy youth may have flung
him on the deck of some corsair and sent him among the contrasting
regions of the globe； thus it was that he knew the actions of a living
humanity。 He knew the present and the past；a double history； that of
to…day； that of other days。 Many men have been； like Wilfrid； equally
powerful by the Hand； by the Heart； by the Head； like him； the
majority have abused their triple power。 But though this man still
held by certain outward liens to the slimy side of humanity； he
belonged also and positively to the sphere where force is intelligent。
In spite of the many veils which enveloped his soul； there were
certain ineffable symptoms of this fact which were visible to pure
spirits； to the eyes of the child whose innocence has known no breath
of evil passions； to the eyes of the old man who has lived to regain
his purity。
These signs revealed a Cain for whom there was still hope；one who
seemed as though he were seeking absolution from the ends of the
earth。 Minna suspected the galley…slave of glory in the man； Seraphita
recognized him。 Both admired and both pitied him。 Whence came their
prescience？ Nothing could be more simple nor yet more extraordinary。
As soon as we seek to penetrate the secrets of Nature； where nothing
is secret； and where it is only necessary to have the eyes to see； we
perceive that the simple produces the marvellous。
〃Seraphitus；〃 said Minna one evening a few days after Wilfrid's
arrival in Jarvis； 〃you read the soul of this stranger while I have
only vague impressions of it。 He chills me or else he excites me； but
you seem to know the cause of this cold and of this heat； tell me what
it means； for you know all about him。〃
〃Yes； I have seen the causes；〃 said Seraphitus； lowing his large
eyelids。
〃By what power？〃 asked the curious Minna。
〃I have the gift of Specialism；〃 he answered。 〃Specialism is an inward
sight which can penetrate all things； you will only understand its
full meaning through a comparison。 In the great cities of Europe where
works are produced by which the human Hand seeks to represent the
effects of the moral nature was well as those of the physical nature；
there are glorious men who express ideas in marble。 The sculptor acts
on the stone； he fashions it； he puts a realm of ideas into it。 There
are statues which the hand of man has endowed with the faculty of
representing the noble side of humanity； or the whole evil side； most
men see in such marbles a human figure and nothing more； a few other
men； a little higher in the scale of being； perceive a fraction of the
thoughts expressed in the statue； but the Initiates in the secrets of
art are of the same intellect as the sculptor； they see in his work
the whole universe of his thought。 Such persons ar