按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
after showing her his strength； his power； his wisdom； his
superiority； the capricious creature bends her head and says； 〃All
that is nothing〃； when； unmoved； she smiles and says； 〃Such things are
known to me；〃 as though his power were nought。
〃What！〃 cried Wilfrid； in despair； 〃can the riches of art； the riches
of worlds； the splendors of a court〃
She stopped him by a single inflexion of her lips； and said； 〃Beings
more powerful than you have offered me far more。〃
〃Thou hast no soul；〃 he cried；〃no soul； if thou art not persuaded by
the thought of comforting a great man； who is willing now to sacrifice
all things to live beside thee in a little house on the shores of a
lake。〃
〃But；〃 she said； 〃I am loved with a boundless love。〃
〃By whom？〃 cried Wilfrid； approaching Seraphita with a frenzied
movement； as if to fling her into the foaming basin of the Sieg。
She looked at him and slowly extended her arm； pointing to Minna； who
now sprang towards her； fair and glowing and lovely as the flowers she
held in her hand。
〃Child！〃 said Seraphitus； advancing to meet her。
Wilfrid remained where she left him； motionless as the rock on which
he stood； lost in thought； longing to let himself go into the torrent
of the Sieg； like the fallen trees which hurried past his eyes and
disappeared in the bosom of the gulf。
〃I gathered them for you；〃 said Minna； offering the bunch of
saxifrages to the being she adored。 〃One of them； see； this one；〃 she
added； selecting a flower； 〃is like that you found on the Falberg。〃
Seraphitus looked alternately at the flower and at Minna。
〃Why question me？ Dost thou doubt me？〃
〃No；〃 said the young girl； 〃my trust in you is infinite。 You are more
beautiful to look upon than this glorious nature； but your mind
surpasses in intellect that of all humanity。 When I have been with you
I seem to have prayed to God。 I long〃
〃For what？〃 said Seraphitus； with a glance that revealed to the young
girl the vast distance which separated them。
〃To suffer in your stead。〃
〃Ah； dangerous being！〃 cried Seraphitus in his heart。 〃Is it wrong； oh
my God！ to desire to offer her to Thee？ Dost thou remember； Minna；
what I said to thee up there？〃 he added； pointing to the summit of the
Ice…Cap。
〃He is terrible again；〃 thought Minna； trembling with fear。
The voice of the Sieg accompanied the thoughts of the three beings
united on this platform of projecting rock； but separated in soul by
the abysses of the Spiritual World。
〃Seraphitus！ teach me；〃 said Minna in a silvery voice； soft as the
motion of a sensitive plant； 〃teach me how to cease to love you。 Who
could fail to admire you； love is an admiration that never wearies。〃
〃Poor child！〃 said Seraphitus； turning pale； 〃there is but one whom
thou canst love in that way。〃
〃Who？〃 asked Minna。
〃Thou shalt know hereafter；〃 he said； in the feeble voice of a man who
lies down to die。
〃Help； help！ he is dying！〃 cried Minna。
Wilfrid ran towards them。 Seeing Seraphita as she lay on a fragment of
gneiss； where time had cast its velvet mantle of lustrous lichen and
tawny mosses now burnished in the sunlight； he whispered softly； 〃How
beautiful she is！〃
〃One other look！ the last that I shall ever cast upon this nature in
travail；〃 said Seraphitus； rallying her strength and rising to her
feet。
She advanced to the edge of the rocky platform； whence her eyes took
in the scenery of that grand and glorious landscape； so verdant；
flowery； and animated； yet so lately buried in its winding…sheet of
snow。
〃Farewell；〃 she said； 〃farewell； home of Earth； warmed by the fires of
Love； where all things press with ardent force from the centre to the
extremities； where the extremities are gathered up； like a woman's
hair； to weave the mysterious braid which binds us in that invisible
ether to the Thought Divine！
〃Behold the man bending above that furrow moistened with his tears；
who lifts his head for an instant to question Heaven； behold the woman
gathering her children that she may feed them with her milk； see him
who lashes the ropes in the height of the gale； see her who sits in
the hollow of the rocks； awaiting the father！ Behold all they who
stretch their hands in want after a lifetime spent in thankless toil。
To all peace and courage； and to all farewell！
〃Hear you the cry of the soldier； dying nameless and unknown？ the wail
of the man deceived who weeps in the desert？ To them peace and
courage； to all farewell！
〃Farewell； you who die for the kings of the earth！ Farewell； ye people
without a country and ye countries without a people； each； with a
mutual want。 Above all； farewell to Thee who knew not where to lay Thy
head； Exile divine！ Farewell； mothers beside your dying sons！
Farewell； ye Little Ones； ye Feeble； ye Suffering； you whose sorrows I
have so often borne！ Farewell； all ye who have descended into the
sphere of Instinct that you may suffer there for others！
〃Farewell； ye mariners who seek the Orient through the thick darkness
of your abstractions； vast as principles！ Farewell； martyrs of
thought； led by thought into the presence of the True Light。 Farewell；
regions of study where mine ears can hear the plaint of genius
neglected and insulted； the sigh of the patient scholar to whom
enlightenment comes too late！
〃I see the angelic choir； the wafting of perfumes； the incense of the
heart of those who go their way consoling； praying； imparting
celestial balm and living light to suffering souls！ Courage； ye choir
of Love！ you to whom the peoples cry； 'Comfort us； comfort us； defend
us！' To you courage！ and farewell！
〃Farewell； ye granite rocks that shall bloom a flower； farewell；
flower that becomes a dove； farewell； dove that shalt be woman；
farewell； woman； who art Suffering； man； who art Belief！ Farewell； you
who shall be all love； all prayer！〃
Broken with fatigue； this inexplicable being leaned for the first time
on Wilfrid and on Minna to be taken home。 Wilfrid and Minna felt the
shock of a mysterious contact in and through the being who thus
connected them。 They had scarcely advanced a few steps when David met
them； weeping。 〃She will die；〃 he said； 〃why have you brought her
hither？〃
The old man raised her in his arms with the vigor of youth and bore
her to the gate of the Swedish castle like an eagle bearing a white
lamb to his mountain eyrie。
CHAPTER VI
THE PATH TO HEAVEN
The day succeeding that on which Seraphita foresaw her death and bade
farewell to Earth； as a prisoner looks round his dungeon before
leaving it forever； she suffered pains which obliged her to remain in
the helpless immobility of those whose pangs are great。 Wilfrid and
Minna went to see her； and found her lying on her couch of furs。 Still
veiled in flesh； her soul shone through that veil； which grew more and
more transparent day by day。 The progress of the Spirit； piercing the
last obstacle between itself and the Infinite； was called an illness；
the hour of Life went by the name of death。 David wept as he watched
her sufferings； unreasonable as a child； he would not listen to his
mistress's consolations。 Monsieur Becker wished Seraphita to try
remedies； but all were useless。
One morning she sent for the two beings whom she loved； telling them
that this would be the last of her bad days。 Wilfrid and Minna came in
terror； knowing well that they were about to lose her。 Seraphita
smiled to them as one departing to a better world； her head drooped
like a flower heavy with dew； which opens its calyx for the last time
to waft its fragrance on the breeze。 She looked at these friends with
a sadness that was for them； not for herself； she thought no longer of
herself； and they felt this with a grief mingled with gratitude which
they were unable to express。 Wilfrid stood silent and motionless； lost
in thoughts excited by events whose vast bearings enabled him to
conceive of some illimitable immensity。
Emboldened by the weakness of the being lately so powerful； or perhaps
by the fear of losing him forever； Minna bent down over the couch and
said； 〃Seraphitus； let me follow thee！〃
〃Can I forbid thee？〃
〃Why will thou not love me enough to stay with me？〃
〃I can love nothing here。〃
〃What canst thou love？〃
〃Heaven。〃
〃Is it worthy of heaven to despise the creatures of God？〃
〃Minna； can we love two beings at once？ Would our beloved be indeed
our beloved if he did not fill our hearts？ Must he not be the first；
the last； the only one？ She who is all love； must she not leave the
world for her beloved？ Human ties are but a memory； she has no ties
except to him！ Her soul is hers no longer； it is his。 If she keeps
within her soul anything that is not his； does she love？ No； she loves
not。 To love feebly； is that to love at all？ The voice o