thais- 第1部分

THAIS

by　ANATOLE　FRANCE

Translated　by　Robert　B。　Douglas




CONTENTS

PART　I。　　　THE　LOTUS
PART　II。　　THE　PAPYRUS
　　　　　　　　　　THE　BANQUET
　　　　　　　　　　THE　PAPYRUS　（resumed）
PART　III。　THE　EUPHORBIA





THAIS



PART　THE　FIRST

THE　LOTUS

In　those　days　there　were　many　hermits　living　in　the　desert。　On　both
banks　of　the　Nile　numerous　huts；　built　by　these　solitary　dwellers；　of
branches　held　together　by　clay；　were　scattered　at　a　little　distance
from　each　other；　so　that　the　inhabitants　could　live　alone；　and　yet
help　one　another　in　case　of　need。　Churches；　each　surmounted　by　a
cross；　stood　here　and　there　amongst　the　huts；　and　the　monks　flocked　to
them　at　each　festival　to　celebrate　the　services　or　to　partake　of　the
Communion。　There　were　also；　here　and　there　on　the　banks　of　the　river；
monasteries；　where　the　cenobites　lived　in　separate　cells；　and　only　met
together　that　they　might　the　better　enjoy　their　solitude。

Both　hermits　and　cenobites　led　abstemious　lives；　taking　no　food　till
after　sunset；　and　eating　nothing　but　bread　with　a　little　salt　and
hyssop。　Some　retired　into　the　desert；　and　led　a　still　more　strange
life　in　some　cave　or　tomb。

All　lived　in　temperance　and　chastity；　they　wore　a　hair　shirt　and　a
hood；　slept　on　the　bare　ground　after　long　watching；　prayed；　sang
psalms；　and；　in　short；　spent　their　days　in　works　of　penitence。　As　an
atonement　for　original　sin；　they　refused　their　body　not　only　all
pleasures　and　satisfactions；　but　even　that　care　and　attention　which　in
this　age　are　deemed　indispensable。　They　believed　that　the　diseases　of
our　members　purify　our　souls；　and　the　flesh　could　put　on　no　adornment
more　glorious　than　wounds　and　ulcers。　Thus；　they　thought　they
fulfilled　the　words　of　the　prophet；　〃The　desert　shall　rejoice　and
blossom　as　the　rose。〃

Amongst　the　inhabitants　of　the　holy　Thebaid；　there　were　some　who
passed　their　days　in　asceticism　and　contemplation；　others　gained　their
livelihood　by　plaiting　palm　fibre；　or　by　working　at　harvest…time　for
the　neighbouring　farmers。　The　Gentiles　wrongly　suspected　some　of　them
of　living　by　brigandage；　and　allying　themselves　to　the　nomadic　Arabs
who　robbed　the　caravans。　But；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　the　monks　despised
riches；　and　the　odour　of　their　sanctity　rose　to　heaven。

Angels　in　the　likeness　of　young　men；　came；　staff　in　hand；　as
travellers；　to　visit　the　hermitages；　whilst　demonshaving　assumed　the
form　of　Ethiopians　or　of　animalswandered　round　the　habitations　of
the　hermits　in　order　to　lead　them　into　temptation。　When　the　monks　went
in　the　morning　to　fill　their　pitcher　at　the　spring；　they　saw　the
footprints　of　Satyrs　and　Aigipans　in　the　sand。　The　Thebaid　was；　really
and　spiritually；　a　battlefield；　where；　at　all　times；　and　more
especially　at　night；　there　were　terrible　conflicts　between　heaven　and
hell。

The　ascetics；　furiously　assailed　by　legions　of　the　damned；　defended
themselveswith　the　help　of　God　and　the　angelsby　fasting；　prayer；
and　penance。　Sometimes　carnal　desires　pricked　them　so　cruelly　that
they　cried　aloud　with　pain；　and　their　lamentations　rose　to　the　starlit
heavens　mingled　with　the　howls　of　the　hungry　hyaenas。　Then　it　was　that
the　demons　appeared　in　delightful　forms。　For　though　the　demons　are；　in
reality；　hideous；　they　sometimes　assume　an　appearance　of　beauty　which
prevents　their　real　nature　from　being　recognised。　The　ascetics　of　the
Thebaid　were　amazed　to　see　in　their　cells　phantasms　of　delights
unknown　even　to　the　voluptuaries　of　the　age。　But；　as　they　were　under
the　sign　of　the　Cross；　they　did　not　succumb　to　these　temptations；　and
the　unclean　spirits；　assuming　again　their　true　character；　fled　at
daybreak；　filled　with　rage　and　shame。　It　was　not　unusual　to　meet　at
dawn　one　of　these　beings；　flying　away　and　weeping；　and　replying　to
those　who　questioned　it；　〃I　weep　and　groan　because　one　of　the
Christians　who　live　here　has　beaten　me　with　rods；　and　driven　me　away
in　ignominy。〃

The　power　of　the　old　saints　of　the　desert　extended　over　all　sinners
and　unbelievers。　Their　goodness　was　sometimes　terrible。　They　derived
from　the　Apostles　authority　to　punish　all　offences　against　the　true
and　only　God；　and　no　earthly　power　could　save　those　they　condemned。
Strange　tales　were　told　in　the　cities；　and　even　as　far　as　Alexandria；
how　the　earth　had　opened　and　swallowed　up　certain　wicked　persons　whom
one　of　these　saints　struck　with　his　staff。　Therefore　they　were　feared
by　all　evil…doers；　and　particularly　by　mimes；　mountebanks；　married
priests；　and　prostitutes。

Such　was　the　sanctity　of　these　holy　men　that　even　wild　beasts　felt
their　power。　When　a　hermit　was　about　to　die；　a　lion　came　and　dug　a
grave　with　its　claws。　The　saint　knew　by　this　that　God　had　called　him；
and　he　went　and　kissed　all　his　brethren　on　the　cheek。　Then　he　lay　down
joyfully；　and　slept　in　the　Lord。

Now　that　Anthony；　who　was　more　than　a　hundred　years　old；　had　retired
to　Mount　Colzin　with　his　well…beloved　disciples；　Macarius　and　Amathas；
there　was　no　monk　in　the　Thebaid　more　renowned　for　good　works　than
Paphnutius；　the　Abbot　of　Antinoe。　Ephrem　and　Serapion　had　a　greater
number　of　followers；　and　in　the　spiritual　and　temporal　management　of
their　monasteries　surpassed　him。　But　Paphnutius　observed　the　most
rigorous　fasts；　and　often　went　for　three　entire　days　without　taking
food。　He　wore　a　very　rough　hair　shirt；　he　flogged　himself　night　and
morning；　and　lay　for　hours　with　his　face　to　the　earth。

His　twenty…four　disciples　had　built　their　huts　near　his；　and　imitated
his　austerities。　He　loved　them　all　dearly　in　Jesus　Christ；　and
unceasingly　exhorted　them　to　good　works。　Amongst　his　spiritual
children　were　men　who　had　been　robbers　for　many　years；　and　had　been
persuaded　by　the　exhortations　of　the　holy　abbot　to　embrace　the
monastic　life；　and　who　now　edified　their　companions　by　the　purity　of
their　lives。　One；　who　had　been　cook　to　the　Queen　of　Abyssinia；　and　was
converted　by　the　Abbot　of　Antinoe；　never　ceased　to　weep。　There　was
also　Flavian；　the　deacon；　who　knew　the　Scriptures；　and　spoke　well；　but
the　disciple　of　Paphnutius　who　surpassed　all　the　others　in　holiness
was　a　young　peasant　named　Paul；　and　surnamed　the　Fool；　because　of　his
extreme　simplicity。　Men　laughed　at　his　childishness；　but　God　favoured
him　with　visions；　and　by　bestowing　upon　him　the　gift　of　prophecy。

Paphnutius　passed　his　life　in　teaching　his　disciples；　and　in　ascetic
practices。　Often　did　he　meditate　upon　the　Holy　Scriptures　in　order　to
find　allegories　in　them。　Therefore　he　abounded　in　good　works；　though
still　young。　The　devils；　who　so　rudely　assailed　the　good　hermits；　did
not　dare　to　approach　him。　At　night；　seven　little　jackals　sat　in　the
moonlight　in　front　of　his　cell；　silent　and　motionless；　and　with　their
ears　pricked　up。　It　was　believed　that　they　were　seven　devils；　who；
owing　to　his　sanctity；　could　not　cross　his　threshold。

Paphnutius　was　born　at　Alexandria　of　noble　parents；　who　had　instructed
him　in　all　profane　learning。　He　had　even　been　allured　by　the
falsehoods　of　the　poets；　and　in　his　early　youth　had　been　misguided
enough　to　believe　that　the　human　race　had　all　been　drowned　by　a　deluge
in　the　days　of　Deucalion；　and　had　argued　with　his　fellow…scholars
concerning　the　nature；　the　attributes；　and　even　the　existence　of　God。
He　then　led　a　life　of　dissipation；　after　the　manner　of　the　Gentiles；
and　he　recalled　the　memory　of　those　days　with　shame　and　horror。

〃At　that　time；〃　he　used　to　say　to　the　brethren；　〃I　seethed　in　the
cauldron　of　false　delights。〃

He　meant　by　that　that　he　had　eaten　food　properly　dressed；　and
frequented　the　public　baths。　In　fact；　until　his　twentieth　year　he　had
continued　to　lead　the　ordinary　existence　of　those　times；　which　now
seemed　to　him　rather　death　than　life；　but；　owing　to　the　lessons　of　the
priest　Macrinus；　he　then　became　a　new　man。

The　truth　penetrated　him　through　and　through；　andas　he　used　to　say
entered　his　soul　like　a　sword。　He　embraced　the　faith　of　Calvary；　and
worshipped　Christ　crucified。　After　his　baptism　he　remained　yet　a　year
amongst　the　Gentiles；　unable　to　cast　off　the　bonds　of　old　habits。　But
one　day　he　entered　a　church；　and　heard　a　deacon　read　from　the　Bible；
the　verse；　〃If　thou　wilt　be　perfect；　go　and　sell　that　thou　hast；　and
give　to　the　poor。〃　Thereupon　he　sold　all　that　he　had；　gave　away　the
money　in　alms；　and　embraced　the　monastic　life。

During　the　ten　years　that　he　had　lived　remote　from　men；　he　no　longer
seethed　in　the　cauldron　of　false　delights；　but　more　profitably
macerated　his　flesh　in　the　balms　of　penitence。

One　day　when；　according　to　his　pious　custom；　he　was　recalling　to　mind
the　hours　he　had　lived　apart　from　God；　and　examining　his　sins　one　by
one；　that　he　might　the　better　ponder　on　their　enormity；　he　remembered
that　he　had　seen　at　the　theatre　at　Alexandria　a　very　beautiful　actress
named　Thais。　This　woman　showed　herself　in　the　public　games；　and　did
not　scruple　to　perform　dances；　the　movements　of　which；　arranged　only
too　cleverly；　brought　to　mind　the　most　horrible　passions。　Sometimes
she　imitated　the　horrible　deeds　which　the　Pagan　fables　ascribe　to
Venus；　Leda；　or　Pasiphae。　Thus　she　fired　all　the　spectators　with　lust；
and　when　handsome　young　men；　or　rich　old　ones；　came；　ins