seraphita- 第27部分

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　of　her　beloved

makes　her　joyful；　it　flows　through　her　veins　in　a　crimson　tide　more

glowing　far　than　blood；　his　glance　is　the　light　that　penetrates　her；

her　being　melts　into　his　being。　He　is　warm　to　her　soul。　He　is　the

light　that　lightens；　near　to　him　there　is　neither　cold　nor　darkness。

He　is　never　absent；　he　is　always　with　us；　we　think　in　him；　to　him；　by

him！　Minna；　that　is　how　I　love　him。〃



〃Love　whom？〃　said　Minna；　tortured　with　sudden　jealousy。



〃God；〃　replied　Seraphitus；　his　voice　glowing　in　their　souls　like　fires

of　liberty　from　peak　to　peak　upon　the　mountains；〃God；　who　does　not

betray　us！　God；　who　will　never　abandon　us！　who　crowns　our　wishes；　who

satisfies　His　creatures　with　joyjoy　unalloyed　and　infinite！　God；　who

never　wearies　but　ever　smiles！　God；　who　pours　into　the　soul　fresh

treasures　day　by　day；　who　purifies　and　leaves　no　bitterness；　who　is

all　harmony；　all　flame！　God；　who　has　placed　Himself　within　our　hearts

to　blossom　there；　who　hearkens　to　our　prayers；　who　does　not　stand

aloof　when　we　are　His；　but　gives　His　presence　absolutely！　He　who

revives　us；　magnifies　us；　and　multiplies　us　in　Himself；　GOD！　Minna；　I

love　thee　because　thou　mayst　be　His！　I　love　thee　because　if　thou　come

to　Him　thou　wilt　be　mine。〃



〃Lead　me　to　Him；〃　cried　Minna；　kneeling　down；　〃take　me　by　the　hand；　I

will　not　leave　thee！〃



〃Lead　us；　Seraphita！〃　cried　Wilfrid；　coming　to　Minna's　side　with　an

impetuous　movement。　〃Yes；　thou　hast　given　me　a　thirst　for　Light；　a

thirst　for　the　Word。　I　am　parched　with　the　Love　thou　hast　put　into　my

heart；　I　desire　to　keep　thy　soul　in　mine；　thy　will　is　mine；　I　will　do

whatsoever　thou　biddest　me。　Since　I　cannot　obtain　thee；　I　will　keep

thy　will　and　all　the　thoughts　that　thou　hast　given　me。　If　I　may　not

unite　myself　with　thee　except　by　the　power　of　my　spirit；　I　will　cling

to　thee　in　soul　as　the　flame　to　what　it　laps。　Speak！〃



〃Angel！〃　exclaimed　the　mysterious　being；　enfolding　them　both　in　one

glance；　as　it　were　with　an　azure　mantle；　〃Heaven　shall　by　thine

heritage！〃



Silence　fell　among　them　after　these　words；　which　sounded　in　the　souls

of　the　man　and　of　the　woman　like　the　first　notes　of　some　celestial

harmony。



〃If　you　would　teach　your　feet　to　tread　the　Path　to　heaven；　know　that

the　way　is　hard　at　first；〃　said　the　weary　sufferer；　〃God　wills　that

you　shall　seek　Him　for　Himself。　In　that　sense；　He　is　jealous；　He

demands　your　whole　self。　But　when　you　have　given　Him　yourself；　never；

never　will　He　abandon　you。　I　leave　with　you　the　keys　of　the　kingdom　of

His　Light；　where　evermore　you　shall　dwell　in　the　bosom　of　the　Father；

in　the　heart　of　the　Bridegroom。　No　sentinels　guard　the　approaches；　you

may　enter　where　you　will；　His　palaces；　His　treasures；　His　sceptre；　all

are　free。　'Take　them！'　He　says。　Butyou　must　WILL　to　go　there。　Like

one　preparing　for　a　journey；　a　man　must　leave　his　home；　renounce　his

projects；　bid　farewell　to　friends；　to　father；　mother；　sister；　even　to

the　helpless　brother　who　cries　after　him；yes；　farewell　to　them

eternally；　you　will　no　more　return　than　did　the　martyrs　on　their　way

to　the　stake。　You　must　strip　yourself　of　every　sentiment；　of

everything　to　which　man　clings。　Unless　you　do　this　you　are　but　half…

hearted　in　your　enterprise。



〃Do　for　God　what　you　do　for　your　ambitious　projects；　what　you　do　in

consecrating　yourself　to　Art；　what　you　have　done　when　you　loved　a

human　creature　or　sought　some　secret　of　human　science。　Is　not　God　the

whole　of　science；　the　all　of　love；　the　source　of　poetry？　Surely　His

riches　are　worthy　of　being　coveted！　His　treasure　is　inexhaustible；　His

poem　infinite；　His　love　immutable；　His　science　sure　and　darkened　by　no

mysteries。　Be　anxious　for　nothing；　He　will　give　you　all。　Yes；　in　His

heart　are　treasures　with　which　the　petty　joys　you　lose　on　earth　are

not　to　be　compared。　What　I　tell　you　is　true；　you　shall　possess　His

power；　you　may　use　it　as　you　would　use　the　gifts　of　lover　or　mistress。

Alas！　men　doubt；　they　lack　faith；　and　will；　and　persistence。　If　some

set　their　feet　in　the　path；　they　look　behind　them　and　presently　turn

back。　Few　decide　between　the　two　extremes；to　go　or　stay；　heaven　or

the　mire。　All　hesitate。　Weakness　leads　astray；　passion　allures　into

dangerous　paths；　vice　becomes　habitual；　man　flounders　in　the　mud　and

makes　no　progress　towards　a　better　state。



〃All　human　beings　go　through　a　previous　life　in　the　sphere　of

Instinct；　where　they　are　brought　to　see　the　worthlessness　of　earthly

treasures；　to　amass　which　they　gave　themselves　such　untold　pains！　Who

can　tell　how　many　times　the　human　being　lives　in　the　sphere　of

Instinct　before　he　is　prepared　to　enter　the　sphere　of　Abstractions；

where　thought　expends　itself　on　erring　science；　where　mind　wearies　at

last　of　human　language？　for；　when　Matter　is　exhausted；　Spirit　enters。

Who　knows　how　many　fleshly　forms　the　heir　of　heaven　occupies　before　he

can　be　brought　to　understand　the　value　of　that　silence　and　solitude

whose　starry　plains　are　but　the　vestibule　of　Spiritual　Worlds？　He

feels　his　way　amid　the　void；　makes　trial　of　nothingness；　and　then　at

last　his　eyes　revert　upon　the　Path。　Then　follow　other　existences；all

to　be　lived　to　reach　the　place　where　Light　effulgent　shines。　Death　is

the　post…house　of　the　journey。　A　lifetime　may　be　needed　merely　to　gain

the　virtues　which　annul　the　errors　of　man's　preceding　life。　First

comes　the　life　of　suffering；　whose　tortures　create　a　thirst　for　love。

Next　the　life　of　love　and　devotion　to　the　creature；　teaching　devotion

to　the　Creator；a　life　where　the　virtues　of　love；　its　martyrdoms；　its

joys　followed　by　sorrows；　its　angelic　hopes；　its　patience；　its

resignation；　excite　an　appetite　for　things　divine。　Then　follows　the

life　which　seeks　in　silence　the　traces　of　the　Word；　in　which　the　soul

grows　humble　and　charitable。　Next　the　life　of　longing；　and　lastly；　the

life　of　prayer。　In　that　is　the　noonday　sun；　there　are　the　flowers；

there　the　harvest！



〃The　virtues　we　acquire；　which　develop　slowly　within　us；　are　the

invisible　links　that　bind　each　one　of　our　existences　to　the　others；

existences　which　the　spirit　alone　remembers；　for　Matter　has　no　memory

for　spiritual　things。　Thought　alone　holds　the　tradition　of　the　bygone

life。　The　endless　legacy　of　the　past　to　the　present　is　the　secret

source　of　human　genius。　Some　receive　the　gift　of　form；　some　the　gift

of　numbers；　others　the　gift　of　harmony。　All　these　gifts　are　steps　of

progress　in　the　Path　of　Light。　Yes；　he　who　possesses　a　single　one　of

them　touches　at　that　point　the　Infinite。　Earth　has　divided　the　Word

of　which　I　here　reveal　some　syllablesinto　particles；　she　has　reduced

it　to　dust　and　has　scattered　it　through　her　works；　her　dogmas；　her

poems。　If　some　impalpable　grain　shines　like　a　diamond　in　a　human　work；

men　cry：　'How　grand！　how　true！　how　glorious！'　That　fragment　vibrates

in　their　souls　and　wakes　a　presentiment　of　heaven：　to　some；　a　melody

that　weans　from　earth；　to　others；　the　solitude　that　draws　to　God。　To

all；　whatsoever　sends　us　back　upon　ourselves；　whatsoever　strikes　us

down　and　crushes　us；　lifts　or　abases　us；THAT　is　but　a　syllable　of

the　Divine　Word。



〃When　a　human　soul　draws　its　first　furrow　straight；　the　rest　will

follow　surely。　One　thought　borne　inward；　one　prayer　uplifted；　one

suffering　endured；　one　echo　of　the　Word　within　us；　and　our　souls　are

forever　changed。　All　ends　in　God；　and　many　are　the　ways　to　find　Him　by

walking　straight　before　us。　When　the　happy　day　arrives　in　which　you

set　your　feet　upon　the　Path　and　begin　your　pilgrimage；　the　world　will

know　nothing　of　it；　earth　no　longer　understands　you；　you　no　longer

understand　each　other。　Men　who　attain　a　knowledge　of　these　things；　who

lisp　a　few　syllables　of　the　Word；　often　have　not　where　to　lay　their

head；　hunted　like　beasts　they　perish　on　the　scaffold；　to　the　joy　of

assembled　peoples；　while　Angels　open　to　them　the　gates　of　heaven。

Therefore；　your　destiny　is　a　secret　between　yourself　and　God；　just　as

love　is　a　secret　between　two　hearts。　You　may　be　the　buried　treasure；

trodden　under　the　feet　of　men　thirsting　for　gold　yet　all…unknowing

that　you　are　there　beneath　them。



〃Henceforth　your　existence　becomes　a　thing　of　ceaseless　activity；　each

act　has　a　meaning　which　connects　you　with　God；　just　as　in　love　your

actions　and　your　thoughts　are　filled　with　the　loved　one。　But　love　and

its　joys；　love　and　its　pleasures　limited　by　the　senses；　are　but　the

imperfect　image　of　the　love　which　unites　you　to　your　celestial　Spouse。

All　earthly　joy　is　mixed　with　anguish；　with　discontent。　If　love　ought

not　to　pall　then　death　should　end　it　while　its　flame　is　high；　so　that

we　see　no　ashes。　But　in　God　our　wretchedness　becomes　delight；　joy

lives　upon　itself　and　multiplies；　and　grows；　and　has　no　limit。　In　the

Earthly　life　our　fleeting　love　is　ended　by　tribulation；　in　the

Spiritual　life　the　tribulations　of　a　day　end　in　joys　unending。　The

s