第53章 THE EUPHORBIA(15)

He tore his breast with his nails, and bit the flesh of his arms.He thought--"If I could but kill all those she has loved!"The idea of these murders filled him with delicious fury.He dreamed of killing Nicias slowly and leisurely, looking him full in the eyes whilst he murdered him.Then suddenly his fury melted away.He wept, he sobbed.He became feeble and meek.An unknown tenderness softened his soul.He longed to throw his arms round the neck of the companion of his childhood and say to him, "Nicias, I love thee, because thou hast loved her.Talk to me about her.Tell me what she said to thee."And still, without ceasing, the iron of that phrase entered into his soul--"Thais is dying!""Light of day, silvery shadows of night stars, heavens, trees with trembling crests, savage beasts, domestic animals, all the anxious souls of men, do you not hear? 'Thais is dying!' Disappear, ye lights, breezes, and perfumes! Hide yourselves, ye shapes and thoughts of the universe! 'Thais is dying!' She was the beauty of the world, and all that drew near to her grew fairer in the reflection of her grace.The old man and the sages who sat near her, at the banquet at Alexandria, how pleasant they were, and how fascinating was their conversation! Ahost of brilliant thoughts sprang to their lips, and all their ideas were steeped in pleasure.And it was because the breath of Thais was on them that all they said was love, beauty, truth.A delightful impiety lent its grace to their discourse.They thoroughly expressed all human splendour.Alas! all that is but a dream.Thais is dying!

Oh, how easy it will be to me to die of her death! But canst thou only die, withered embryo, fetus steeped in gall and scalding tears?

Miserable abortion, dost thou think thou canst taste death, thou who hast never known life? If only God exists, that he may damn me.I hope for it--I wish it.God, I hate Thee--dost Thou hear? Overwhelm me with Thy damnation.To compel Thee to, I spit in Thy face.I must find an eternal hell, to exhaust the eternity of rage which consumes me."The next day, at dawn, Albina received the Abbot of Antinoe at the nunnery.

"Thou art welcome to our tabernacles of peace, venerable father, for no doubt, thou comest to bless the saint thou hast given us.Thou knowest that God, in his mercy, has called her to Him; how couldst thou fail to know tidings that the angels have carried from desert to desert? It is true that Thais is about to meet her blessed death.Her labours are accomplished, and I ought to inform thee, in a few words, as to her conduct whilst she was still amongst us.After thy departure, when she was confined in a cell sealed with thy seal, Isent her, with her food, a flute, similar to those which girls of her profession play at banquets.I did that to prevent her from falling into a melancholy mood, and that she should not show less skill and talent before God than she had shown before men.In this I showed prudence and foresight, for all day long Thais praised the Lord upon the flute, and the virgins, who were attracted by the sound of this invisible flute, said, 'We hear the nightingale of the heavenly groves, the dying swan of Jesus crucified.' Thus did Thais perform her penance, when, after sixty days, the door which thou hadst sealed opened of itself, and the clay seal was broken without being touched by any human hand.By that sign I knew that the trial thou hadst imposed upon her was at an end, and that God had pardoned the sins of the flute-player.From that time she has shared the ordinary life of my nuns, working and praying with them.She was an example to them by the modesty of her acts and words, and seemed like a statue of purity amongst them.Sometimes she was sad; but those clouds soon passed.

When I saw that she was really drawn towards God by faith, hope, and love, I did not hesitate to employ her talent, and even her beauty, for the improvement of her sisters.I asked her to represent before us the actions of the famous women and wise virgins of the Scriptures.