So it was that Jurgen came into Cocaigne, wherein is the bedchamber of Time. And Time, they report, came in with Jurgen, since Jurgen was mortal: and Time, they say, rejoiced in this respite1 from the slow toil2 of dilapidating cities stone by stone, and with his eyes tired by the finicky work of etching in wrinkles, went happily into his bedchamber, and fell asleep just after sunset on this fine evening in late June: so that the weather remained fair and changeless, with no glaring sun rays anywhere, and with one large star shining alone in clear daylight. This was the star of Venus Mechanitis, and Jurgen later derived3 considerable amusement from noting how this star was trundled about the dome4 of heaven by a largish beetle5, named Khepre. And the trees everywhere kept their first fresh foliage6, and the birds were about their indolent evening songs, all during Jurgen's stay in Cocaigne, for Time had gone to sleep at the pleasantest hour of the year's most pleasant season. So tells the tale.
And Jurgen's shadow also went in with Jurgen, but in Cocaigne as in Glathion, nobody save Jurgen seemed to notice this curious shadow which now followed Jurgen everywhere.
In Cocaigne Queen Anaïtis had a palace, where domes7 and pinnacles8 beyond numbering glimmered9 with a soft whiteness above the top of an old twilit forest, wherein the vegetation was unlike that which is nourished by ordinary earth. There was to be seen in these woods, for instance, a sort of moss10 which made Jurgen shudder11. So Anaïtis and Jurgen came through narrow paths, like murmuring green caverns12, into a courtyard walled and paved with yellow marble, wherein was nothing save the dimly colored statue of a god with ten heads and thirty-four arms: he was represented as very much engrossed13 by a woman, and with his unoccupied hands was holding yet other women.
"It is Jigsbyed," said Anaïtis.
Said Jurgen: "I do not criticize. Nevertheless, I think this
Jigsbyed is carrying matters to extremes."
Then they passed the statue of Tangaro Loloquong, and afterward14 the statue of Legba. Jurgen stroked his chin, and his color heightened. "Now certainly, Queen Anaïtis," he said, "you have unusual taste in sculpture."
Thence Jurgen came with Anaïtis into a white room, with copper15 plaques16 upon the walls, and there four girls were heating water in a brass17 tripod. They bathed Jurgen, giving him astonishing caresses18 meanwhile—with the tongue, the hair, the finger-nails, and the tips of the breasts,—and they anointed him with four oils, then dressed him again in his glittering shirt. Of Caliburn, said Anaïtis, there was no present need: so Jurgen's sword was hung upon the wall.
These girls brought silver bowls containing wine mixed with honey, and they brought pomegranates and eggs and barleycorn, and triangular19 red-colored loaves, whereon they sprinkled sweet-smelling little seeds with formal gestures. Then Anaïtis and Jurgen broke their fast, eating together while the four girls served them.
"And now," says Jurgen, "and now, my dear, I would suggest that we enter into the pursuit of those curious pleasures of which you were telling me."
"I am very willing," responded Anaïtis, "since there is no one of these pleasures but is purchased by some diversion of man's nature. Yet first, as I need hardly inform you, there is a ceremonial to be observed."
"And what, pray, is this ceremonial?"
"Why, we call it the Breaking of the Veil." And Queen Anaïtis explained what they must do.
"Well," says Jurgen, "I am willing to taste any drink once."
So Anaïtis led Jurgen into a sort of chapel20, adorned21 with very unchurchlike paintings. There were four shrines22, dedicated23 severally to St. Cosmo, to St. Damianus, to St. Guignole of Brest, and to St. Foutin de Varailles. In this chapel were a hooded24 man, clothed in long garments that were striped with white and yellow, and two naked children, both girls. One of the children carried a censer: the other held in one hand a vividly25 blue pitcher26 half filled with water, and in her left hand a cellar of salt.
First of all, the hooded man made Jurgen ready. "Behold27 the lance," said the hooded man, "which must serve you in this adventure."
"I accept the adventure," Jurgen replied, "because I believe the weapon to be trustworthy."
Said the hooded man: "So be it! but as you are, so once was I."
Meanwhile Duke Jurgen held the lance erect29, shaking it with his right hand. This lance was large, and the tip of it was red with blood.
"Behold," said Jurgen, "I am a man born of a woman incomprehensibly. Now I, who am miraculous30, am found worthy28 to perform a miracle, and to create that which I may not comprehend."
Anaïtis took salt and water from the child, and mingled31 these. "Let the salt of earth enable the thin fluid to assume the virtue32 of the teeming33 sea!"
Then, kneeling, she touched the lance, and began to stroke it lovingly. To Jurgen she said: "Now may you be fervent34 of soul and body! May the endless Serpent be your crown, and the fertile flame of the sun your strength!"
Said the hooded man, again: "So be it!" His voice was high and bleating35, because of that which had been done to him.
"That therefore which we cannot understand we also invoke36," said Jurgen. "By the power of the lifted lance"—and now with his left hand he took the hand of Anaïtis,—"I, being a man born of a woman incomprehensibly, now seize upon that which alone I desire with my whole being. I lead you toward the east. I upraise you above the earth and all the things of earth."
Then Jurgen raised Queen Anaïtis so that she sat upon the altar, and that which was there before tumbled to the ground. Anaïtis placed together the tips of her thumbs and of her fingers, so that her hands made an open triangle; and waited thus. Upon her head was a network of red coral, with branches radiating downward: her gauzy tunic37 had twenty-two openings, so as to admit all imaginable caresses, and was of two colors, being shot with black and crimson38 curiously39 mingled: her dark eyes glittered and her breath came fast.
Now the hooded man and the two naked girls performed their share in the ceremonial, which part it is not essential to record. But Jurgen was rather shocked by it.
None the less, Jurgen said: "O cord that binds40 the circling of the stars! O cup which holds all time, all color, and all thought! O soul of space! not unto any image of thee do we attain41 unless thy image show in what we are about to do. Therefore by every plant which scatters42 its seed and by the moist warm garden which receives and nourishes it, by the comminglement of bloodshed with pleasure, by the joy that mimics43 anguish44 with sighs and shudderings, and by the contentment which mimics death,—by all these do we invoke thee. O thou, continuous one, whose will these children attend, and whom I now adore in this fair-colored and soft woman's body, it is thou whom I honor, not any woman, in doing what seems good to me: and it is thou who art about to speak, and not she."
Then Anaïtis said: "Yea, for I speak with the tongue of every woman, and I shine in the eyes of every woman, when the lance is lifted. To serve me is better than all else. When you invoke me with a heart wherein is kindled45 the serpent flame, if but for a moment, you will understand the delights of my garden, what joy unwordable pulsates46 therein, and how potent47 is the sole desire which uses all of a man. To serve me you will then be eager to surrender whatever else is in your life: and other pleasures you will take with your left hand, not thinking of them entirely48: for I am the desire which uses all of a man, and so wastes nothing. And I accept you, I yearn49 toward you, I who am daughter and somewhat more than daughter to the Sun. I who am all pleasure, all ruin, and a drunkenness of the inmost sense, desire you."
Now Jurgen held his lance erect before Anaïtis. "O secret of all things, hidden in the being of all which lives, now that the lance is exalted50 I do not dread51 thee: for thou art in me, and I am thou. I am the flame that burns in every beating heart and in the core of the farthest star. I too am life and the giver of life, and in me too is death. Wherein art thou better than I? I am alone: my will is justice: and there comes no other god where I am."
Said the hooded man behind Jurgen: "So be it! but as you are, so once was I."
The two naked children stood one at each side of Anaïtis, and waited there trembling. These girls, as Jurgen afterward learned, were Alecto and Tisiphonê, two of the Eumenidês. And now Jurgen shifted the red point of the lance, so that it rested in the open triangle made by the fingers of Anaïtis.
"I am life and the giver of life," cried Jurgen. "Thou that art one, that makest use of all! I who am a man born of woman, I in my station honor thee in honoring this desire which uses all of a man. Make open therefore the way of creation, encourage the flaming dust which is in our hearts, and aid us in that flame's perpetuation52! For is not that thy law?"
Anaïtis answered: "There is no law in Cocaigne save, Do that which seems good to you."
Then said the naked children: "Perhaps it is the law, but certainly it is not justice. Yet we are little and quite helpless. So presently we must be made as you are for now you two are no longer two, and your flesh is not shared merely with each other. For your flesh becomes our flesh, and your sins our sins: and we have no choice."
Jurgen lifted Anaïtis from the altar, and they went into the chancel and searched for the adytum. There seemed to be no doors anywhere in the chancel: but presently Jurgen found an opening screened by a pink veil. Jurgen thrust with his lance and broke this veil. He heard the sound of one brief wailing53 cry: it was followed by soft laughter. So Jurgen came into the adytum.
Black candles were burning in this place, and sulphur too was burning there, before a scarlet54 cross, of which the top was a circle, and whereon was nailed a living toad55. And other curious matters Jurgen likewise noticed.
He laughed, and turned to Anaïtis: now that the candles were behind him, she was standing56 in his shadow. "Well, well! but you are a little old-fashioned, with all these equivocal mummeries. And I did not know that civilized57 persons any longer retained sufficient credulity to wring58 a thrill from god-baiting. Still, women must be humored, bless them! and at last, I take it, we have quite fairly fulfilled the ceremonial requisite59 to the pursuit of curious pleasures."
Queen Anaïtis was very beautiful, even under his bedimming shadow. Triumphant60 too was the proud face beneath that curious coral network, and yet this woman's face was sad.
"Dear fool," she said, "it was not wise, when you sang of the Léshy, to put an affront61 upon Monday. But you have forgotten that. And now you laugh because that which we have done you do not understand: and equally that which I am you do not understand."
"No matter what you may be, my dear, I am sure that you will presently tell me all about it. For I assume that you mean to deal fairly with me."
"I shall do that which becomes me, Duke Jurgen—"
"That is it, my dear, precisely62! You intend to be true to yourself, whatever happens. The aspiration63 does you infinite honor, and I shall try to help you. Now I have noticed that every woman is most truly herself," says Jurgen, oracularly, "in the dark."
Then Jurgen looked at her for a moment, with twinkling eyes: then
Anaïtis, standing in his shadow, smiled with glowing eyes: then
Jurgen blew out those black candles: and then it was quite dark.
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1
respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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2
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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3
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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4
dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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5
beetle
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| n.甲虫，近视眼的人 | |
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6
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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7
domes
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| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
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8
pinnacles
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| 顶峰( pinnacle的名词复数 )； 顶点； 尖顶； 小尖塔 | |
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9
glimmered
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| v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
moss
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| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
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11
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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12
caverns
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| 大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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13
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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14
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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15
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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16
plaques
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| （纪念性的）匾牌( plaque的名词复数 )； 纪念匾； 牙斑； 空斑 | |
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17
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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18
caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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19
triangular
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| adj.三角（形）的，三者间的 | |
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20
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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21
adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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22
shrines
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| 圣地，圣坛，神圣场所( shrine的名词复数 ) | |
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23
dedicated
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| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
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24
hooded
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| adj.戴头巾的；有罩盖的；颈部因肋骨运动而膨胀的 | |
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25
vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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26
pitcher
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| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
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27
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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28
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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29
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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30
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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31
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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32
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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33
teeming
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| adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
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34
fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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35
bleating
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| v.（羊，小牛）叫( bleat的现在分词 )；哭诉；发出羊叫似的声音；轻声诉说 | |
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36
invoke
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| v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求 | |
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37
tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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38
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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39
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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40
binds
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| v.约束( bind的第三人称单数 )；装订；捆绑；（用长布条）缠绕 | |
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41
attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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42
scatters
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| v.（使）散开， （使）分散，驱散( scatter的第三人称单数 )；撒 | |
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43
mimics
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| n.模仿名人言行的娱乐演员，滑稽剧演员( mimic的名词复数 )；善于模仿的人或物v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的第三人称单数 )；酷似 | |
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44
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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45
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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46
pulsates
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| v.有节奏地舒张及收缩( pulsate的第三人称单数 )；跳动；脉动；受（激情）震动 | |
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47
potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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48
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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49
yearn
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| v.想念；怀念；渴望 | |
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50
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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51
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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52
perpetuation
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| n.永存，不朽 | |
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53
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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54
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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55
toad
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| n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆 | |
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56
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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57
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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58
wring
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| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
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59
requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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60
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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61
affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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62
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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63
aspiration
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| n.志向，志趣抱负；渴望；(语)送气音；吸出 | |
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