第24章 THE PAPYRUS(11)

"Listen!" he said."I was not alone when I entered this house.Another accompanied me, another who stands by my side.Him thou canst not see, because thy eyes are yet unworthy to behold Him; but soon thou shalt see Him in all His glorious splendour, and thou wilt say, 'He alone is to be adored.' But now, if He had not placed His gentle hands before my eyes, O Thais, I should perhaps have fallen into sin with thee, for of myself I am but weak and sinful.But He saved us both.He is as good as He is powerful, and His name is the Saviour.He was promised to the world, by David and the prophets, worshipped in His cradle by the shepherds and the magi, crucified by the Pharisees, buried by the holy women, revealed to the world by the apostles, testified to by the martyrs.And now, having learned that thou fearest death, O woman, He has come to thy house to prevent thee from dying.Art Thou not here present with me, Jesus, at this moment, as Thou didst appear to the men of Galilee, in those wonderful days when the stars, which came down with thee from heaven, were so near the earth that the holy innocents could take them in their hands, when they played in their mothers' arms on the terraces of Bethlehem? Is it not true, Jesus, that Thou art here present, and that Thou showest me in reality Thy precious body? Is not Thy face here, and that tear which flows down Thy cheek a real tear? Yes, the angel of eternal justice shall receive it, and it shall be the ransom of the soul of Thais.Art Thou not here, Jesus? Jesus, Thy loving lips open.Thou canst speak; speak, Ihear Thee! And thee, Thais, happy Thais! listen to what the Saviour Himself says to thee; it is He who speaks, not I.He says, 'I have sought thee long, O My lost sheep! I have found thee at last! Fly from Me no more.Let Me take thee by the hands, poor little one, and I will bear thee on My shoulders to the heavenly fold.Come, My Thais! come, My chosen one! come, and weep with Me!' "And Paphnutius fell on his knees, his eyes filled with ecstasy.And then Thais saw in his face the likeness of the living Christ.

"O vanished days of my childhood!" she sobbed."O sweet father Ahmes!

good Saint Theodore, why did I not die in thy white mantle whilst thou didst bear me, in the first dawn of day, yet fresh from the waters of baptism!"Paphnutius advanced towards her, crying--"Thou art baptised! O divine wisdom! O Providence! O great God! I know now the power which drew me to thee.I know what rendered thee so dear and so beautiful in my eyes.It was the virtue of the baptismal water, which made me leave the shadow of God, where I lived, to seek thee in the poisoned air where men dwell.A drop--a drop, no doubt, of the water which washed thy body--has been sprinkled in my face.Come, O my sister, and receive from thy brother the kiss of peace."And the monk touched with his lips the forehead of the courtesan.

Then he was silent, letting God speak, and nothing was heard in the Grotto of Nymphs but the sobs of Thais, mingled with the rippling of the running water.

She wept without trying to stop her tears, when two black slaves appeared, loaded with stuffs, perfumes, and garlands.

"It was hardly the right time to weep," she said, trying to smile.

"Tears redden the eyes and spoil the complexion, and I must sup tonight with some friends, and want to be beautiful, for there will be women there quick to spy out marks of care on my face.These slaves come to dress me.Withdraw, my father, and allow them to do their work.They are clever and experienced, and I pay them well for their services.You see that one who wears thick rings of gold, and shows such white teeth.I took her from the wife of the pro-consul."Paphnutius had at first a thought of dissuading Thais, as earnestly as he could, from going to this supper.But he determined to act prudently, and asked what persons she would meet there.

She replied that there would be the host, old Cotta, the Prefect of the Fleet, Nicias, and several other philosophers who loved an argument, the poet Callicrates, the high priest of Serapis, some young men whose chief amusement was training horses, and lastly some women, of whom there was little to be said except that they were young.Then, by a supernatural inspiration--"Go amongst them, Thais," said the monk."Go! But I will not leave thee.I will go with thee to this banquet, and will remain by thy side without saying a word."She burst out laughing.And whilst her two black slaves were busy dressing her, she cried--"What will they say when they see that I have a monk of the Thebaid for my lover?"