Reclining on Olivet, Lothair, alone and in charmed abstraction, gazed on the wondrous8 scene. Since his arrival at Jerusalem he lived much apart, nor had he found difficulty in effecting this isolation9. Mr. Phoebus had already established a studio on a considerable scale, and was engaged in making sketches10 of pilgrims and monks11, tall donkeys of Bethlehem with starry12 fronts, in which he much delighted, and grave Jellaheen sheiks, who were hanging about the convents in the hopes of obtaining a convoy13 to the Dead Sea. As for St. Aldegonde and Bertram, they passed their lives at the Russian consulate15, or with its most charming inhabitants. This morning, with the consul14 and his wife and the matchless sisters, as St. Aldegonde always termed them, they had gone on an excursion to the Convent of the Nativity. Dinner usually reassembled all the party, and then the Divan16 followed.
“I say, Bertram,” said St. Aldegonde, “what a lucky thing we paired and went to Nubia! I rejoice in the Divan, and yet, somehow, I cannot bear leaving those women. If the matchless sisters would only smoke, by Jove they would be perfect!”
“I should not like Euphrosyne to smoke,” said Bertram.
A person approached Lothair by the pathway from Bethany. It was the Syrian gentleman whom he had met at the consulate. As he was passing Lothair, he saluted17 him with the grace which had been before remarked, and Lothair, who was by nature courteous18, and even inclined a little to ceremony in his manners, especially with those with whom he was not intimate, immediately rose, as he would not receive such a deputation in a reclining posture19.
“Let me not disturb you,” said the stranger, “or, if we must be on equal terms, let me also be seated, for this is a view that never palls20.”
“It is perhaps familiar to you,” said Lothair, “but with me, only a pilgrim, its effect is fascinating, almost overwhelming.”
“The view of Jerusalem never becomes familiar,” said the Syrian, “for its associations are so transcendent, so various, so inexhaustible, that the mind can never anticipate its course of thought and feeling, when one sits, as we do now, on this immortal21 mount.”
“I presume you live here?” said Lothair.
“Not exactly,” said his companion. “I have recently built a house without the walls, and I have planted my hill with fruit-trees, and made vineyards and olive-grounds, but I have done this as much—perhaps more—to set an example, which, I am glad, to say, has been followed, as for my own convenience or pleasure. My home is in the north of Palestine, on the other side of, Jordan, beyond the Sea of Galilee. My family has dwelt there from time immemorial; but they always loved this city, and have a legend that they dwelt occasionally within its walls, even in the days when Titus from that hill looked down upon the temple.”
“I have often wished to visit the Sea of Galilee,” said Lothair.
“Well, you have now an opportunity,” said the Syrian; “the north of Palestine, though it has no topical splendor22, has much variety and a peculiar23 natural charm. The burst and brightness of spring have not yet quite vanished: you would find our plains radiant with wild-flowers, and our hills green with young crops; and, though we cannot rival Lebanon, we have forest glades24 among our famous hills that, when once seen, are remembered.”
“But there is something to me more interesting than the splendor of tropical scenery,” said Lothair, “even if Galilee could offer it. I wish to visit the cradle of my faith.”
“And you would do wisely,” said the Syrian, “for there is no doubt the spiritual nature of man is developed in this land.”
“And yet there are persons at the present day who doubt—even deny—the spiritual nature of man,” said Lothair. “I do not, I could not—there are reasons why I could not.”
“There are some things I know, and some things I believe,” said the Syrian. “I know that I have a soul, and I believe that it is immortal.”
“It is science that, by demonstrating the insignificance25 of this globe in the vast scale of creation, has led to this infidelity,” said Lothair.
“Science may prove the insignificance of this globe in the scale of creation,” said the stranger, “but it cannot prove the insignificance of man. What is the earth compared with the sun? a molehill by a mountain; yet the inhabitants of this earth can discover the elements of which the great orb26 consists, and will probably ere long ascertain27 all the conditions of its being. Nay28, the human mind can penetrate29 far beyond the sun. There is no relation, therefore, between the faculties30 of man and the scale in creation of the planet which he inhabits.”
“I was glad to hear you assert the other night the spiritual nature of man in opposition31 to Mr. Phoebus.”
“Ah! Mr. Phoebus!” said the stranger, with a smile. “He is an old acquaintance of mine. And I must say he is very consistent—except in paying a visit to Jerusalem. That does surprise me. He said to me the other night the same things as he said to me at Rome many years ago. He would revive the worship of Nature. The deities32 whom he so eloquently33 describes and so exquisitely34 delineates are the ideal personifications of the most eminent35 human qualities, and chiefly the physical. Physical beauty is his standard of excellence36, and he has a fanciful theory that moral order would be the consequence of the worship of physical beauty, for without moral order he holds physical beauty cannot be maintained. But the answer to Mr. Phoebus is, that his system has been tried and has failed, and under conditions more favorable than are likely to exist again; the worship of Nature ended in the degradation37 of the human race.”
“But Mr. Phoebus cannot really believe in Apollo and Venus,” said Lothair. “These are phrases. He is, I suppose, what is called a Pantheist.”
“No doubt the Olympus of Mr. Phoebus is the creation of his easel,” replied the Syrian. “I should not, however, describe him as a Pantheist, whose creed38 requires more abstraction than Mr. Phoebus, the worshipper of nature, would tolerate. His school never care to pursue any investigation39 which cannot be followed by the eye—and the worship of the beautiful always ends in an orgy. As for Pantheism, it is Atheism40 in domino. The belief in a Creator who is unconscious of creating is more monstrous41 than any dogma of any of the Churches in this city, and we have them all here.”
“But there are people now who tell you that there never was any Creation, and therefore there never could have been a Creator,” said Lothair.
“And which is now advanced with the confidences of novelty,” said the Syrian, “though all of it has been urged, and vainly urged, thousands of years ago. There must be design, or all we see would be without sense, and I do not believe in the unmeaning. As for the natural forces to which all creation is now attributed, we know they are unconscious, while consciousness is as inevitable42 a portion of our existence as the eye or the hand. The conscious cannot be derived43 from the unconscious. Man is divine.”
“I wish I could assure myself of the personality of the Creator,” said Lothair. “I cling to that, but they say it is unphilosophical.”
“In what sense?” asked the Syrian. “Is it more unphilosophical to believe in a personal God, omnipotent45 and omniscient46, than in natural forces unconscious and irresistible47? Is it unphilosophical to combine power with intelligence? Goethe, a Spinozist who did not believe in Spinoza, said that he could bring his mind to the conception that in the centre of space we might meet with a monad of pure intelligence. What may be the centre of space I leave to the daedal imagination of the author of ‘Faust;’ but a monad of pure intelligence—is that more philosophical44 than the truth, first revealed to man amid these everlasting48 hills,” said the Syrian, “that God made man in His own image?”
“I have often found in that assurance a source of sublime49 consolation,” said Lothair.
“It is the charter of the nobility of man,” said the Syrian, “one of the divine dogmas revealed in this land; not the invention of councils, not one of which was held on this sacred soil, confused assemblies first got together by the Greeks, and then by barbarous nations in barbarous times.”
“Yet the divine land no longer tells us divine things,” said Lothair.
“It may or it may not have fulfilled its destiny,” said the Syrian. “‘In my Father’s house are many mansions,’ and by the various families of nations the designs of the Creator are accomplished50. God works by races, and one was appointed in due season and after many developments to reveal and expound51 in this land the spiritual nature of man. The Aryan and the Semite are of the same blood and origin, but when they quitted their central land they were ordained52 to follow opposite courses. Each division of the great race has developed one portion of the double nature of humanity, till, after all their wanderings, they met again, and, represented by their two choicest families, the Hellenes and the Hebrews, brought together the treasures of their accumulated wisdom, and secured the civilization of man.”
“Those among whom I have lived of late,” said Lothair, “have taught me to trust much in councils, and to believe that without them there could be no foundation for the Church. I observe you do not speak in that vein53, though, like myself, you find solace54 in those dogmas which recognize the relations between the created and the Creator.”
“There can be no religion without that recognition,” said the Syrian, “and no creed can possibly be devised without such a recognition that would satisfy man. Why we are here, whence we come, whither we go—these are questions which man is organically framed and forced to ask himself, and that would not be the case if they could not be answered. As for churches depending on councils, the first council was held more than three centuries after the Sermon on the Mount. We Syrians had churches in the interval55: no one can deny that. I bow before the Divine decree that swept them away from Antioch to Jerusalem, but I am not yet prepared to transfer my spiritual allegiance to Italian popes and Greek patriarchs. We believe that our family were among the first followers56 of Jesus, and that we then held lands in Bashan which we hold now. We had a gospel once in our district where there was some allusion57 to this, and being written by neighbors, and probably at the time, I dare say it was accurate, but the Western Churches declared our gospel was not authentic58, though why I cannot tell, and they succeeded in extirpating59 it. It was not an additional reason why we, should enter into their fold. So I am content to dwell in Galilee and trace the footsteps of my Divine Master, musing60 over His life and pregnant sayings amid the mounts He sanctified and the waters He loved so well.”
The sun was now rising in the heavens, and the hour had arrived when it became expedient61 to seek the shade. Lothair and the Syrian rose at the same time.
“I shall not easily forget our conversation on the Mount of Olives,” said Lothair, “and I would ask you to add to this kindness by permitting me, before I leave Jerusalem, to pay my respects to you under your roof.”
“Peace be with you!” said the Syrian. “I live without the gate of Damascus, on a hill which you will easily recognize, and my name is PARACLETE.”
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1
turrets
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| （六角）转台( turret的名词复数 )； （战舰和坦克等上的）转动炮塔； （摄影机等上的）镜头转台； （旧时攻城用的）塔车 | |
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2
monasteries
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| 修道院( monastery的名词复数 ) | |
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mosque
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| n.清真寺 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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5
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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cedar
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| n.雪松，香柏(木) | |
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7
cypress
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| n.柏树 | |
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wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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9
isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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sketches
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| n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概 | |
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11
monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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13
convoy
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| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
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14
consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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consulate
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| n.领事馆 | |
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divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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17
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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18
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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palls
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| n.柩衣( pall的名词复数 )；墓衣；棺罩；深色或厚重的覆盖物v.（因过多或过久而）生厌，感到乏味，厌烦( pall的第三人称单数 ) | |
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21
immortal
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| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
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splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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23
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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24
glades
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| n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
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25
insignificance
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| n.不重要；无价值；无意义 | |
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26
orb
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| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
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27
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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29
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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32
deities
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| n.神，女神( deity的名词复数 )；神祗；神灵；神明 | |
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33
eloquently
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| adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地) | |
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34
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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35
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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37
degradation
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| n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变 | |
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38
creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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40
atheism
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| n.无神论，不信神 | |
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41
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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42
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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43
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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44
philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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45
omnipotent
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| adj.全能的，万能的 | |
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46
omniscient
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| adj.无所不知的；博识的 | |
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47
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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48
everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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49
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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50
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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51
expound
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| v.详述；解释；阐述 | |
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52
ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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53
vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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54
solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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55
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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56
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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57
allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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58
authentic
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| a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的 | |
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59
extirpating
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| v.消灭，灭绝( extirpate的现在分词 )；根除 | |
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60
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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61
expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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