The Temptation of St. Antony Part 14

And he falls into a reverie.

_Simon_--"Innocent as Christ, who died for men, she has devoted herself to women. For the powerlessness of Jehovah is demonstrated by the transgression of Adam, and we must shake off the old law, opposed, as it is, to the order of things. I have preached the new Gospel in Ephraim and in Issachar, along the torrent of Bizor, behind the lake of Houleh, in the valley of Mageddo, and beyond the mountains, at Bostra and at Damas. Let those who are covered with wine-dregs, those who are covered with dirt, those who are covered with blood, come to me; and I will wash out their defilement with the Holy Spirit, called by the Greeks, Minerva. She is Minerva! She is the Holy Spirit! I am Jupiter Apollo, the Christ, the Paraclete, the great power of G.o.d incarnated in the person of Simon!"

_Antony_--"Ah! it is you! ... it is you! But I know your crimes! You were born at Gittha on the borders of Samaria. Dositheus, your first master, dismissed you! You execrate Saint Paul for having converted one of your women; and, vanquished by Saint Peter, in your rage and terror, you flung into the waves the bag which contained your magical instruments!"

_Simon_--"Do you desire them?"

Antony looks at him, and an inner voice murmurs in his breast, "Why not?"

Simon resumes:

"He who understands the powers of Nature and the substance of spirits ought to perform miracles. It is the dream of all sages--and the desire of which gnaws you; confess it!

"Amongst the Romans I flew so high in the circus that they saw me no more. Nero ordered me to be decapitated; but it was a sheep's head that fell to the ground instead of mine. Finally, they buried me alive; but I came back to life on the third day. The proof of it is that I am here!"

He gives him his hands to smell. They have the odour of a corpse. Antony recoils.

"I can make bronze serpents move, marble statues laugh, and dogs speak.

I will show you an immense quant.i.ty of gold, I will set up kings, you shall see nations adoring me. I can walk on the clouds and on the waves; pa.s.s through mountains; a.s.sume the appearance of a young man, or of an old man; of a tiger, or of an ant; take your face, give you mine; and drive the thunderbolt. Do you hear?"

The thunder rolls, followed by flashes of lightning.

"It is the voice of the Most High, 'for the Eternal, thy G.o.d, is a fire,' and all creations operate by the emanations of this central fire.

You are about to receive the baptism of it--that second baptism, announced by Jesus, which fell on the Apostles one stormy day when the window was open!"

And all the while stirring the flame with his hand, slowly, as if to sprinkle Antony with it:

"Mother of Mercies, thou who discoverest secrets in order that we may have rest in the eighth house ..."

Antony exclaims:

"Ah! if I had holy water!"

The flame goes out, producing much smoke.

Eunoia and Simon have disappeared.

An extremely cold fog, opaque and f[oe]tid, fills the atmosphere.

_Antony_, extending his arms like a blind man--

"Where am I? ... I am afraid of falling into the abyss. And the cross, no doubt, is too far away from me. Ah! what a night! what a night!"

A sudden gust of wind cleaves the fog asunder; and he perceives two men covered with long white tunics. The first is of tall stature, with a sweet expression of countenance and grave deportment. His white hair, parted like that of Christ, descends regularly over his shoulders. He has thrown down a wand which he was carrying in his hand, and which his companion has taken up, making a respectful bow after the fas.h.i.+on of Orientals. The other is small, coa.r.s.e-looking, flat-nosed, with a thick neck, curly hair, and an air of simplicity. Both of them are bare-footed, bare-headed, and covered with dust, like people who have come on a long journey.

_Antony_, with a start--"What do ye seek? Speak! Go on!"

_Damis_--He is the little man--

"La, la! ... worthy hermit! what do you say? I know nothing about it.

Here is the Master!"

He sits down; the other remains standing. Silence.

_Antony_, resumes--"Ye come in this fas.h.i.+on? ..."

_Damis_--"Oh! a great distance--a very great distance!"

_Antony_--"And ye are going? ..."

_Damis_, pointing at his companion--"Wherever he wishes."

_Antony_--"Who, then, is he?"

_Damis_--"Look at him."

_Antony_--"He has the appearance of a saint. If I dared ..."

The fog by this time is quite gone. The atmosphere has become perfectly clear. The moon s.h.i.+nes out.

_Damis_--"What are you thinking of now that you say nothing more?"

_Antony_--"I am thinking of----Oh! nothing."

Damis draws close to Apollonius, makes many turns round him, with his figure bent, and without moving his head.

"Master, this is a Galilean hermit who wishes to know the sources of your wisdom."

_Apollonius_--"Let him approach."

Antony hesitates.

_Damis_--"Approach!"

_Apollonius_, in a voice of thunder--

"Approach! You would like to know who I am, what I have done, what I am thinking of? Is that not so, child?"

_Antony_--" ... If at the same time those things contribute to my salvation."

_Apollonius_--"Rejoice! I am about to tell them to you!"

_Damis_, in a low tone to Antony--

"Is it possible? He must have, at the first glance, recognised your extraordinary inclinations for philosophy! I shall profit by it also myself."