按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
window which lighted the parlor during the fine weather was now
carefully closed。 An old tapestry； used for a curtain and fastened to
a stick； hung before it in heavy folds。 Nothing in the room was
picturesque； nothing brilliant； everything denoted rigorous
simplicity； true heartiness； the ease of unconventional nature； and
the habits of a domestic life which knew neither cares nor troubles。
Many a dwelling is like a dream； the sparkle of passing pleasure seems
to hide some ruin beneath the cold smile of luxury； but this parlor；
sublime in reality； harmonious in tone； diffused the patriarchal ideas
of a full and self…contained existence。 The silence was unbroken save
by the movements of the servant in the kitchen engaged in preparing
the supper； and by the sizzling of the dried fish which she was frying
in salt butter according to the custom of the country。
〃Will you smoke a pipe？〃 said the pastor； seizing a moment when he
thought that Wilfrid might listen to him。
〃Thank you； no； dear Monsieur Becker；〃 replied the visitor。
〃You seem to suffer more to…day than usual；〃 said Minna； struck by the
feeble tones of the stranger's voice。
〃I am always so when I leave the chateau。〃
Minna quivered。
〃A strange being lives there； Monsieur Becker；〃 he continued after a
pause。 〃For the six months that I have been in this village I have
never yet dared to question you about her； and even now I do violence
to my feelings in speaking of her。 I began by keenly regretting that
my journey in this country was arrested by the winter weather and that
I was forced to remain here。 But during the last two months chains
have been forged and riveted which bind me irrevocably to Jarvis； till
now I fear to end my days here。 You know how I first met Seraphita；
what impression her look and voice made upon me； and how at last I was
admitted to her home where she receives no one。 From the very first
day I have longed to ask you the history of this mysterious being。 On
that day began； for me； a series of enchantments。〃
〃Enchantments！〃 cried the pastor shaking the ashes of his pipe into an
earthen…ware dish full of sand； 〃are there enchantments in these
days？〃
〃You； who are carefully studying at this moment that volume of the
'Incantations' of Jean Wier； will surely understand the explanation of
my sensations if I try to give it to you；〃 replied Wilfrid。 〃If we
study Nature attentively in its great evolutions as in its minutest
works； we cannot fail to recognize the possibility of enchantment
giving to that word its exact significance。 Man does not create
forces； he employs the only force that exists and which includes all
others namely Motion； the breath incomprehensible of the sovereign
Maker of the universe。 Species are too distinctly separated for the
human hand to mingle them。 The only miracle of which man is capable is
done through the conjunction of two antagonistic substances。 Gunpowder
for instance is germane to a thunderbolt。 As to calling forth a
creation； and a sudden one； all creation demands time； and time
neither recedes nor advances at the word of command。 So； in the world
without us； plastic nature obeys laws the order and exercise of which
cannot be interfered with by the hand of man。 But after fulfilling； as
it were； the function of Matter； it would be unreasonable not to
recognize within us the existence of a gigantic power； the effects of
which are so incommensurable that the known generations of men have
never yet been able to classify them。 I do not speak of man's faculty
of abstraction； of constraining Nature to confine itself within the
Word；a gigantic act on which the common mind reflects as little as
it does on the nature of Motion； but which； nevertheless； has led the
Indian theosophists to explain creation by a word to which they give
an inverse power。 The smallest atom of their subsistence； namely； the
grain of rice； from which a creation issues and in which alternately
creation again is held； presented to their minds so perfect an image
of the creative word； and of the abstractive word； that to them it was
easy to apply the same system to the creation of worlds。 The majority
of men content themselves with the grain of rice sown in the first
chapter of all the Geneses。 Saint John； when he said the Word was God
only complicated the difficulty。 But the fructification； germination；
and efflorescence of our ideas is of little consequence if we compare
that property； shared by many men； with the wholly individual faculty
of communicating to that property； by some mysterious concentration；
forces that are more or less active； of carrying it up to a third； a
ninth； or a twenty…seventh power； of making it thus fasten upon the
masses and obtain magical results by condensing the processes of
nature。
〃What I mean by enchantments；〃 continued Wilfrid after a moment's
pause； 〃are those stupendous actions taking place between two
membranes in the tissue of the brain。 We find in the unexplorable
nature of the Spiritual World certain beings armed with these wondrous
faculties； comparable only to the terrible power of certain gases in
the physical world； beings who combine with other beings； penetrate
them as active agents； and produce upon them witchcrafts； charms；
against which these helpless slaves are wholly defenceless； they are；
in fact； enchanted； brought under subjection； reduced to a condition
of dreadful vassalage。 Such mysterious beings overpower others with
the sceptre and the glory of a superior nature；acting upon them at
times like the torpedo which electrifies or paralyzes the fisherman；
at other times like a dose of phosphorous which stimulates life and
accelerates its propulsion； or again； like opium； which puts to sleep
corporeal nature； disengages the spirit from every bond； enables it to
float above the world and shows this earth to the spiritual eye as
through a prism； extracting from it the food most needed； or； yet
again； like catalepsy； which deadens all faculties for the sake of one
only vision。 Miracles； enchantments； incantations； witchcrafts；
spells； and charms； in short； all those acts improperly termed
supernatural； are only possible and can only be explained by the
despotism with which some spirit compels us to feel the effects of a
mysterious optic which increases； or diminishes； or exalts creation；
moves within us as it pleases； deforms or embellishes all things to
our eyes； tears us from heaven； or drags us to hell；two terms by
which men agree to express the two extremes of joy and misery。
〃These phenomena are within us； not without us；〃 Wilfrid went on。 〃The
being whom we call Seraphita seems to me one of those rare and
terrible spirits to whom power is given to bind men； to crush nature；
to enter into participation of the occult power of God。 The course of
her enchantments over me began on that first day； when silence as to
her was imposed upon me against my will。 Each