第16章 THE PAPYRUS(3)

Amongst these figures, Thais recognised Jesus of Nazareth, by the anemones flowering at his feet.In the centre of the cave, near a large stone font filled with water, stood an old man clad in a scarlet dalmatic embroidered with gold, and on his head a low mitre.His thin face ended in a long beard.He looked gentle and humble, in spite of his rich costume.This was Bishop Vivantius, an exiled dignitary of the Church of Cyrene, who now gained his livelihood by weaving common stuffs of goats' hair.Two poor children stood by his side.Close by, an old negress unfolded a little white robe.Ahmes set the child down on the ground, and kneeling before the Bishop, said--"Father, this is the little soul, the child of my soul.I have brought her that you may, according to your promise, and if it please your holiness, bestow on her the baptism of life."At these words the Bishop opened his arms, and showed his mutilated hands.His nails had been torn out because he had maintained the faith in the days of persecution.Thais was frightened, and threw herself into the arms of Ahmes.But the kind words of the priest reassured her.

"Fear nothing, dearly beloved little one.Thou hast here a spiritual father, Ahmes, who is called Theodore amongst the faithful, and a kind mother in grace, who has prepared for thee, with her own hands, a white robe."And turning towards the negress--

"She is called Nitida," he added, "and is a slave in this world, but in heaven she will be a spouse of Jesus."Then he said to the child neophyte--

"Thais, dost thou believe in God, the Father Almighty; and in His only Son, who died for our salvation; and in all that the apostles taught?""Yes," replied together the negro and negress, who held her by each hand.

By the Bishop's orders, Nitida knelt down and undressed Thais.The child was quite naked; round her neck was an amulet.The Pontiff plunged her three times into the baptismal font.The acolytes brought the oil, with which Vivantius anointed the catechumen, and the salt, a morsel of which he placed on her tongue.Then, having dried that body which was destined, after many trials, to life immortal, the slave Nitida put on Thais the white robe she had woven.

The Bishop gave to each and all the kiss of peace, and, the ceremony being terminated, took off his sacerdotal insignia.

When they had left the crypt, Ahmes said--"We ought to rejoice that we have this day brought a soul to the good Lord God; let us go to the house of your Holiness and spend the rest of the night in rejoicing.""Thou hast well said, Theodore," replied the Bishop, and he led the little band to his house, which was quite near.It consisted of a single room, furnished with a couple of looms, a heavy table, and a worn-out carpet.As soon as they had entered, "Nitida," cried the Nubian, "bring hither the stove and the jar of oil, and we will have a good supper."Saying thus, he drew from under his cloak some little fish which he had kept concealed, and lighted a fire and fried them.The Bishop, the girl, the two boys, and the two slaves sat in a ring on the carpet, ate the fried fish, and blessed the Lord.Vivantius spoke of the torture he had undergone, and prophesied the speedy triumph of the Church.His language was grotesque, and full of word-play and rhetorical tropes.He compared the life of the just to a tissue of purple, and to explain the mystery of baptism, he said--"The Divine Spirit floated on the waters, and that is why Christians receive the baptism of water.But demons also inhabit the brooks;springs consecrated to nymphs are especially dangerous, and there are certain waters which cause various maladies, both of the soul and of the body."Sometimes he spoke enigmatically, and the child listened to him with profound awe and wonder.At the end of the repast he offered his guests a little wine, and this unloosed their tongues, and they began to sing lamentations and hymns.Ahmes and Nitida then rose, and danced a Nubian dance which they had learned as children, and which, no doubt, had been danced by their tribe since the early ages of the world.It was a love dance; waving their arms, and moving their bodies in rhythmic measure, they feigned, in turn, to fly from and to pursue each other.Their big eyes rolled, and they showed their gleaming teeth in broad grins.

In this strange manner did Thais receive the holy rite of baptism.

She loved amusements, and, as she grew, vague desires were created in her mind.All day long she danced and sang with the children in the streets, and when at night she returned to her father's house, she was still singing--"Crooked twist, why do you stay in the house?

I comb the wool, and the Miletan threads.

Crooked twist, what did your son die of?

He fell from the white horses into the sea."She now began to prefer the company of boys and girls to that of the gentle and quiet Ahmes.She did not notice that her friend was not so often with her.The persecution having relented, the Christians were able to assemble more regularly, and the Nubian frequented these meetings assiduously.His zeal increased, and he sometimes uttered mysterious threats.He said that the rich would not keep their wealth.

He went to the public places to which the poorer Christians used to resort, and assembling together all the poor wretches who were lying in the shade of the old walls, he announced to them that all slaves would soon be free, and that the day of justice was at hand.

"In the kingdom of God," he said, "the slaves will drink new wine and eat delicious fruits; whilst the rich, crouching at their feet like dogs, will devour the crumbs from their table."These sayings were noised abroad through all that quarter of the city, and the masters feared that Ahmes might incite the slaves to revolt.

The innkeeper hated him intensely, though he carefully concealed his rancour.