Part 1 Chapter 39

THE PRISON CHURCH--BLIND LEADERS OF THE BLIND.

The service began.

It consisted of the following. The priest, having dressed in a strange and very inconvenient¹ garb², made of gold cloth, cut and arranged little bits of bread on a saucer, and then put them into a cup with wine, repeating at the same time different names and prayers. Meanwhile the deacon first read Slavonic prayers, difficult to understand in themselves, and rendered still more incomprehensible by being read very fast, and then sang them turn and turn about with the convicts. The contents of the prayers were chiefly the desire for the welfare of the Emperor and his family. These petitions were repeated many times, separately and together with other prayers, the people kneeling. Besides this, several verses from the Acts of the Apostles were read by the deacon in a peculiarly strained voice, which made it impossible to understand what he read, and then the priest read very distinctly a part of the Gospel according to St. Mark, in which it said that Christ, having risen from the dead before flying up to heaven to sit down at His Father's right hand, first showed Himself to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven devils, and then to eleven of His disciples³, and ordered them to preach the Gospel to the whole creation, and the priest added that if any one did not believe this he would perish, but he that believed it and was baptised should be saved, and should besides drive out devils and cure people by laying his hands on them, should talk in strange tongues, should take up serpents, and if he drank poison should not die, but remain well.

The essence of the service consisted in the supposition that the bits cut up by the priest and put by him into the wine, when manipulated and prayed over in a certain way, turned into the flesh and blood of God.

These manipulations consisted in the priest's regularly lifting and holding up his arms, though hampered⁴ by the gold cloth sack he had on, then, sinking on to his knees and kissing the table and all that was on it, but chiefly in his taking a cloth by two of its corners and waving it regularly and softly over the silver saucer and golden cup. It was supposed that, at this point, the bread and the wine turned into flesh and blood; therefore, this part of the service was performed with the greatest solemnity.

"Now, to the blessed, most pure, and most holy Mother of God," the priest cried from the golden partition which divided part of the church from the rest, and the choir⁵ began solemnly to sing that it was very right to glorify⁶ the Virgin⁷ Mary, who had borne Christ without losing her virginity, and was therefore worthy⁸ of greater honour than some kind of cherubim, and greater glory than some kind of seraphim⁹. After this the transformation¹⁰ was considered accomplished¹¹, and the priest having taken the napkin off the saucer, cut the middle bit of bread in four, and put it into the wine, and then into his mouth. He was supposed to have eaten a bit of God's flesh and swallowed a little of His blood. Then the priest drew a curtain, opened the middle door in the partition, and, taking the gold cup in his hands, came out of the door, inviting¹² those who wished to do so also to come and eat some of God's flesh and blood that was contained in the cup. A few children appeared to wish to do so.

After having asked the children their names, the priest carefully took out of the cup, with a spoon, and shoved a bit of bread soaked in wine deep into the mouth of each child in turn, and the deacon, while wiping the children's mouths, sang, in a merry voice, that the children were eating the flesh and drinking the blood of God. After this the priest carried the cup back behind the partition, and there drank all the remaining blood and ate up all the bits of flesh, and after having carefully sucked his moustaches and wiped his mouth, he stepped briskly from behind the partition, the soles of his calfskin boots creaking. The principal part of this Christian¹³ service was now finished, but the priest, wishing to comfort the unfortunate prisoners, added to the ordinary service another. This consisted of his going up to the gilt¹⁴ hammered-out image (with black face and hands) supposed to represent the very God he had been eating, illuminated¹⁵ by a dozen wax candles, and proceeding¹⁶, in a strange, discordant¹⁷ voice, to hum or sing the following words:

"Jesu sweetest, glorified¹⁸ of the Apostles, Jesu lauded¹⁹ by the martyrs²⁰, almighty²¹ Monarch²², save me, Jesu my Saviour²³. Jesu, most beautiful, have mercy on him who cries to Thee, Saviour Jesu. Born of prayer Jesu, all thy saints, all thy prophets, save and find them worthy of the joys of heaven. Jesu, lover of men."

Then he stopped, drew breath, crossed himself, bowed to the ground, and every one did the same--the inspector²⁴, the warders, the prisoners; and from above the clinking of the chains sounded more unintermittently. Then he continued: "Of angels the Creator and Lord of powers, Jesu most wonderful, the angels' amazement²⁵, Jesu most powerful, of our forefathers²⁶ the Redeemer. Jesu sweetest, of patriarchs the praise. Jesu most glorious, of kings the strength. Jesu most good, of prophets the fulfilment. Jesu most amazing, of martyrs the strength. Jesu most humble²⁷, of monks²⁸ the joy. Jesu most merciful, of priests the sweetness. Jesu most charitable, of the fasting the continence. Jesu most sweet, of the just the joy. Jesu most pure, of the celibates²⁹ the chastity. Jesu before all ages of sinners the salvation³⁰. Jesu, son of God, have mercy on me."

Every time he repeated the word "Jesu" his voice became more and more wheezy. At last he came to a stop, and holding up his silk-lined cassock, and kneeling down on one knee, he stooped down to the ground and the choir began to sing, repeating the words, "Jesu, Son of God, have mercy on me," and the convicts fell down and rose again, shaking back the hair that was left on their heads, and rattling³¹ with the chains that were bruising³² their thin ankles.

This continued for a long time. First came the glorification³³, which ended with the words, "Have mercy on me." Then more glorifications, ending with "Alleluia!" And the convicts made the sign of the cross, and bowed, first at each sentence, then after every two and then after three, and all were very glad when the glorification ended, and the priest shut the book with a sigh of relief and retired³⁴ behind the partition. One last act remained. The priest took a large, gilt cross, with enamel³⁵ medallions at the ends, from a table, and came out into the centre of the church with it. First the inspector came up and kissed the cross, then the jailers, then the convicts, pushing and abusing each other in whispers. The priest, talking to the inspector, pushed the cross and his hand now against the mouths and now against the noses of the convicts, who were trying to kiss both the cross and the hand of the priest. And thus ended the Christian service, intended for the comfort and the teaching of these strayed brothers.

礼拜开始了。

礼拜仪式是这样的：司祭身穿一件样子古怪而行动不便的锦缎法衣，把碟子里的面包切成许多小块，放到一个葡萄酒杯子里，同时嘴里念着各种名字和祷词。诵经士不停地念各种斯拉夫语祷词，然后又同犯人们组成的唱诗班轮流唱歌。这些祷词本来都艰涩难懂，如今既念得快，又唱得快，就越发难懂了。祷词内容主要是祈求皇帝和皇室福寿康宁。这种祈福的祷词大家跪着念了许多遍，时而跟其他祷词一起念，时而单独念。此外，诵经士又念了几节《使徒行传》，声音那么古怪，紧张，简直一句也听不出来。司祭也念了《马可福音》中的一段，倒念得很清楚。内容是说耶稣复活后在升天、坐到圣父右边以前，先向抹大拉的马利亚显现，从她身上驱除七个魔鬼，后来又向十一个门徒显现，吩咐他们向普天下的万民传布福音，并声明不信的必被定罪，信而受洗的必然得救，还能赶鬼，手按病人，病人就好，还能说新方言，手能拿蛇，若喝了什么毒物，也必不受害。①

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①见《马可福音》第十六章。

礼拜的要义据说是，司祭把面包切成小块，放到葡萄酒里，通过一定手法和祈祷，变成上帝的身体和血。那手法是这样的：司祭身穿碍手碍脚的口袋般锦缎法衣，从容不迫地高举起双臂，这样举着不动，然后跪下来，吻吻圣坛和上面的东西。不过关键性的仪式是司祭两手拿起一块餐巾，慢条斯理地在碟子和金杯上挥动着。据说，面包和葡萄酒就在这时变成上帝的身体和血，因此这一部分仪式特别隆重。

“最大的荣耀归于至圣、至洁、至福的圣母，”司祭做完这些仪式，隔着隔板大声叫道。接着唱诗班就庄严地唱起来：荣耀理应归于童女马利亚，她生下基督，却没有失去童贞，她应该比司智天使得到更多的光荣，比六翼天使得到更大的荣耀。于是变化就完成了。司祭揭去碟子上的餐巾，把碟子中央的面包切成四份，先在酒里蘸了蘸，然后送进嘴里。大家认为，他这就是吃了一小块上帝身上的肉，喝了一小口上帝身上的血。随后司祭撩开帘幕，推开中间的门，手拿金杯，从门里走出来，请想进圣餐的信徒也来吃喝泡在杯里的上帝的血肉。

有几个孩子想进圣餐。

司祭先问了每个孩子的姓名，然后用茶匙小心翼翼地从杯子里舀出一小块浸过酒的面包，深深地送进每个孩子的嘴里。诵经士就当场给孩子们擦擦嘴，又快乐地歌唱孩子们吃上帝的身体，喝上帝的血。接着，司祭把杯子端到隔板后面，在那里喝干杯子里的血，吃完上帝的身体，用心舔干净小胡子，擦干嘴巴和杯子，兴高采烈，精神抖擞地从隔板后面走出来，脚上那双薄后跟小牛皮靴发出吱嘎吱嘎的响声。

礼拜的主要仪式到此结束。但司祭存心安慰安慰不幸的囚犯们，就在通常礼拜之外增加一项特殊仪式，就是：司祭站在那由十支蜡烛照亮的铸铁包金、黑脸黑臂的圣像——据认为就是刚才被吃掉的上帝——面前，用怪声怪气的假嗓又象唱又象念，添了下面一段后：

“至亲至爱的耶稣哇！使徒的荣耀，我的耶稣哇！殉道者的赞美，万能的主耶稣哇！拯救我，我的救主耶稣，我的至美的耶稣，拯救找你的人，救主耶稣哇！饶恕我，全体圣徒，全体先知祷告中诞生的耶稣，我的救主耶稣哇！赐给我们天堂的快乐，爱人类的耶稣哇！”

他念到这里停住了，换了一口气，画了一个十字，跪下去叩头。大家也照他的样子做。典狱长、看守、囚犯都跪了下去。上边敞廊里脚镣的哐啷声格外频繁。

“天使的创造者，万军之主，”他继续念道，“极顶神妙的耶稣，天使们的惊奇，万能的耶稣，祖先的救主，至亲至爱的耶稣，族长们的赞美，极顶光荣的耶稣，皇帝的后盾，至善的耶稣，预言的实现，极顶奇妙的耶稣，殉道者的堡垒，极顶温和的耶稣，修士们的喜悦，极顶仁爱的耶稣，神父们的快乐，极顶仁慈的耶稣，苦斋徒的克制，极顶乐天的耶稣，圣徒们的欢乐，至洁的耶稣，童贞者的贞洁，万古永存的耶稣，罪人的救星，耶稣，上帝的儿子，饶恕我吧！”最后总算念完了，又反复呼喊着“耶稣”，但声音越来越沙哑了。他一手稍稍提起绸里子的法衣，曲着一条腿，跪在地上叩头。唱诗班都唱着最后那句话：“耶稣，上帝的儿子，饶恕我吧！”犯人们都匍匐在地，再爬起来，把没有剃掉的一半头发往后一甩，那磨伤他们瘦腿的脚镣就哐啷发响。

这项仪式持续了很久。总是以赞美词开始，以“饶恕我吧”结束。然后又是一套新的赞美词，最后以“阿利路亚”终结。犯人们画十字，跪下去，匍匐在地。开头每赞颂一次，犯人们就跪拜一次；后来隔一次跪拜，甚至隔两次跪拜。等到全部赞颂完毕，司祭轻松地舒了一口气，合上圣经，走到隔板后面去了。大家都感到很高兴。剩下最后一项仪式，就是司祭从大桌子上拿起一个四端镶有珐琅圆饰的包金十字架，举着它走到教堂中央。首先是典狱长走到司祭跟前，吻了吻十字架，然后是副典狱长，然后是看守们，最后是犯人们。犯人们互相拥挤，低声咒骂，走到司祭跟前。司祭一面跟典狱长谈话，一面把十字架和自己的手凑到犯人嘴边和鼻子旁，犯人们就竭力去吻十字架和同祭的手。这次专门为安慰和教训迷途弟兄而做的礼拜就这样结束了。

1 inconvenient   

adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的

参考例句：

• You have come at a very inconvenient time.你来得最不适时。
• Will it be inconvenient for him to attend that meeting?他参加那次会议会不方便吗？

2 garb   

n.服装，装束

参考例句：

• He wore the garb of a general.他身着将军的制服。
• Certain political,social,and legal forms reappear in seemingly different garb.一些政治、社会和法律的形式在表面不同的外衣下重复出现。

3 disciples   

n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一

参考例句：

• Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. 犹大是耶稣十二门徒之一。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• "The names of the first two disciples were --" “最初的两个门徒的名字是——” 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

4 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。

5 choir   

n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• The church choir is singing tonight.今晚教堂歌唱队要唱诗。

6 glorify   

vt.颂扬，赞美，使增光，美化

参考例句：

• Politicians have complained that the media glorify drugs.政治家们抱怨媒体美化毒品。
• We are all committed to serving the Lord and glorifying His name in the best way we know.我们全心全意敬奉上帝，竭尽所能颂扬他的美名。

7 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

8 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

9 seraphim   

n.六翼天使(seraph的复数)；六翼天使( seraph的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Seraphim were first discovered during a deep space exploration mission. 最初的天使时发现一深空探测任务。 来自互联网
• The home seraphim: preservation and advancement of the home. 家园炽天使：保存家园，为家园兴旺与进步努力。 来自互联网

10 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

11 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

12 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

13 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

14 gilt   

adj.镀金的；n.金边证券

参考例句：

• The plates have a gilt edge.这些盘子的边是镀金的。
• The rest of the money is invested in gilt.其余的钱投资于金边证券。

15 illuminated   

adj.被照明的；受启迪的

参考例句：

• Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。
• the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市

16 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

17 discordant   

adj.不调和的

参考例句：

• Leonato thought they would make a discordant pair.里奥那托认为他们不适宜作夫妻。
• For when we are deeply mournful discordant above all others is the voice of mirth.因为当我们极度悲伤的时候，欢乐的声音会比其他一切声音都更显得不谐调。

18 glorified   

美其名的，变荣耀的

参考例句：

• The restaurant was no more than a glorified fast-food cafe. 这地方美其名曰餐馆，其实只不过是个快餐店而已。
• The author glorified the life of the peasants. 那个作者赞美了农民的生活。

19 lauded   

v.称赞，赞美( laud的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They lauded the former president as a hero. 他们颂扬前总统为英雄。 来自辞典例句
• The nervy feats of the mountaineers were lauded. 登山者有勇气的壮举受到赞美。 来自辞典例句

20 martyrs   

n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情）

参考例句：

• the early Christian martyrs 早期基督教殉道者
• They paid their respects to the revolutionary martyrs. 他们向革命烈士致哀。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

21 almighty   

adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的

参考例句：

• Those rebels did not really challenge Gods almighty power.这些叛徒没有对上帝的全能力量表示怀疑。
• It's almighty cold outside.外面冷得要命。

22 monarch   

n.帝王，君主，最高统治者

参考例句：

• The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
• I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。

23 saviour   

n.拯救者，救星

参考例句：

• I saw myself as the saviour of my country.我幻想自己为国家的救星。
• The people clearly saw her as their saviour.人们显然把她看成了救星。

24 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

25 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

26 forefathers   

n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left. 它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All of us bristled at the lawyer's speech insulting our forefathers. 听到那个律师在讲演中污蔑我们的祖先，大家都气得怒发冲冠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

28 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 celibates   

n.独身者( celibate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Men attach more importance to marriage than women do, and there are fewer male celibates. 男人们更重视结婚。男性独身主义者比女性独身主义者更少。 来自互联网

30 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

31 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

32 bruising   

adj.殊死的；十分激烈的v.擦伤(bruise的现在分词形式)

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• He slipped and fell, badly bruising an elbow. 他滑倒了，一只胳膊肘严重擦伤。 来自辞典例句

33 glorification   

n.赞颂

参考例句：

• Militant devotion to and glorification of one's country; fanatical patriotism. 对国家的军事效忠以及美化；狂热的爱国主义。
• Glorification-A change of place, a new condition with God. 得荣─在神面前新处境，改变了我们的结局。

34 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

35 enamel   

n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质

参考例句：

• I chipped the enamel on my front tooth when I fell over.我跌倒时门牙的珐琅质碰碎了。
• He collected coloured enamel bowls from Yugoslavia.他藏有来自南斯拉夫的彩色搪瓷碗。