第34章 THE BANQUET(10)

"Do as you will, my father," she said."I know that spirits often dwell in inanimate objects.At night some articles of furniture talk, either by giving knocks at regular intervals or by emitting little flashes of light as signals.And even more.Have you remarked, my father, at the entrance to the Grotto of Nymphs, on the right, a statue of a naked woman about to bathe? One day I saw, with my own eyes, that statue turn its head like a living person, and then return to its ordinary attitude.I was terrified.Nicias, to whom I related this prodigy, laughed at me; yet there must be some magic in that statue, for it inspired with violent desires a certain Dalmatian, who was insensible to my beauty.It is certain that I have lived amongst enchanted things, and that I was exposed to the greatest perils, for men have been strangled by the embraces of a bronze statue.Yet it would be a pity to destroy valuable works made with rare skill, and to burn my carpets and tapestry would be a great loss.The beautiful colours of some of them are truly wonderful, and they cost much money to those who gave them to me.I also possess cups, statues, and pictures of great price.I do not think they ought to perish.But you know what is necessary.Do as you will, my father."Thus saying, she followed the monk to the little door at which so many garlands and wreaths had been hung, and, when it was opened, she told the porter to call together all the slaves in the house.Four Indians, who were employed in the kitchen, were the first to appear.They were all four yellow men, and each had but one eye.It had cost Thais much trouble, and given her amusement, to get together these four slaves of the same race, and all afflicted with the same infirmity.When they attended at table they excited the curiosity of the guests, and Thais made them relate the story of their lives.These four waited in silence.Their assistants followed them.Then came the stablemen, the huntsmen, the litter-bearers, and the running footmen with muscles like iron, two gardeners hirsute as Priapus, six ferocious looking negroes, three Greek slaves--one a grammarian, another a poet, and the third a singer.They all stood, ranged in order, on the public square, and were presently joined by the negresses--curious, suspicious, rolling big round eyes, and each with a huge mouth slit to her earrings.Lastly, adjusting their veils and languidly dragging their feet, which were shackled with light gold chains, appeared six sulky-looking, beautiful white slave-girls.When they were all assembled, Thais, pointing to Paphnutius, said--"Do whatever this man commands you; for the spirit of God is in him, and if you disobey him you will fall dead."For she had heard, and really believed, that the earth would open and swallow up in flames and smoke any impious wretch whom a saint of the desert struck with his staff.

Paphnutius sent away the women and the Greek men-slaves, and said to the others--"Bring wood to the middle of this place, make a huge fire, and throw into it pell-mell all that there is in the house and grotto."They were astonished, and stood motionless, looking at their mistress.

And they still stood inactive and silent, and pressed against each other, elbow to elbow, suspecting that the order was a joke.

"Obey!" said the monk.

Several of them were Christians.They understood the command, and went to the house to fetch wood and torches.The others were not indisposed to imitate them, for, being poor, they hated riches and had a natural instinct for destruction.Whilst they were building the pile, Paphnutius said to Thais--"I thought at one time of fetching the treasurer of one of the churches of Alexandria (if there still remain one worthy of the name of church, and that is not defiled by the Arian beasts) and giving him thy goods, woman, that he might distribute them to widows, and change the proceeds of crime into the treasure of justice.But such a thought did not come from God, and I cast it from me, for assuredly it would be a great offence to the well-beloved of Jesus Christ to offer them the spoils of thy lust.Thais, all that thou hast touched must be devoured by the fire, even to its very soul.Thanks be to Heaven, these tunics and veils, which have seen kisses more innumerable than the waves of the sea, will only feel now the lips and tongues of the flames.Hasten, slaves! More wood! More links and torches! And thou, woman, return to thy house, strip thyself of thy shameful robes, and ask of the most humble of thy slaves, as an undeserving favour, the tunic that she puts on when she scrubs the floors."Thais obeyed.Whilst the Indians knelt down and blew the embers, the negroes threw on the pile coffers of ivory, ebony, or cedar, which broke open and let out wreaths, garlands, and necklaces.The smoke rose in a dark column, as in the holocausts of the old religion.Then the fire, which had been smouldering, burst out suddenly with a roar as of some monstrous animal, and the almost invisible flames began to devour their valuable prey.The slaves worked more eagerly; they joyfully dragged out rich carpets, veils embroidered with silver, and flowered tapestry.They staggered under the weight of tables, couches, thick cushions, and beds with gold nails.Three strong Ethiopians came hugging the coloured statues of the nymphs, one of which had been loved as though it were a mortal; and they looked like huge apes carrying off women.And when the beautiful naked forms fell from the arms of these monsters, and were broken on the stones, a deep groan was heard.

At that moment Thais appeared, her hair unloosed and streaming over her shoulders, barefooted, and clad in a clumsy coarse garment which seemed redolent with divine voluptuousness merely from having touched her body.Behind her came a gardener, carrying, half hidden in his long beard, an ivory Eros.

She made a sign to the man to stop, and approaching Paphnutius, showed him the little god.