按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Their veil is of woven night。
Their breath under their veil resembles the indescribably tragic respiration of death。
The abbess； a spectre； sanctifies them and terrifies them。 The immaculate one is there； and very fierce。
Such are the ancient monasteries of Spain。
Liars of terrible devotion； caverns of virgins； ferocious places。
Catholic Spain is more Roman than Rome herself。
The Spanish convent was； above all others； the Catholic convent。
There was a flavor of the Orient about it。
The archbishop； the kislar…aga of heaven； locked up and kept watch over this seraglio of souls reserved for God。
The nun was the odalisque； the priest was the eunuch。 The fervent were chosen in dreams and possessed Christ。 At night； the beautiful； nude young man descended from the cross and became the ecstasy of the cloistered one。
Lofty walls guarded the mystic sultana； who had the crucified for her sultan； from all living distraction。
A glance on the outer world was infidelity。 The in pace replaced the leather sack。
That which was cast into the sea in the East was thrown into the ground in the West。 In both quarters； women wrung their hands； the waves for the first； the grave for the last； here the drowned； there the buried。 Monstrous parallel。
To…day the upholders of the past； unable to deny these things； have adopted the expedient of smiling at them。
There has e into fashion a strange and easy manner of suppressing the revelations of history； of invalidating the mentaries of philosophy； of eliding all embarrassing facts and all gloomy questions。
A matter for declamations； say the clever。
Declamations； repeat the foolish。 Jean…Jacques a declaimer； Diderot a declaimer； Voltaire on Calas； Labarre； and Sirven； declaimers。
I know not who has recently discovered that Tacitus was a declaimer； that Nero was a victim； and that pity is decidedly due to 〃that poor Holofernes。〃
Facts； however； are awkward things to disconcert； and they are obstinate。 The author of this book has seen； with his own eyes； eight leagues distant from Brussels；there are relics of the Middle Ages there which are attainable for everybody；at the Abbey of Villers； the hole of the oubliettes； in the middle of the field which was formerly the courtyard of the cloister； and on the banks of the Thil； four stone dungeons； half under ground； half under the water。 They were in pace。
Each of these dungeons has the remains of an iron door； a vault； and a grated opening which； on the outside； is two feet above the level of the river； and on the inside； six feet above the level of the ground。
Four feet of river flow past along the outside wall。
The ground is always soaked。 The occupant of the in pace had this wet soil for his bed。 In one of these dungeons； there is a fragment of an iron necklet riveted to the wall； in another； there can be seen a square box made of four slabs of granite； too short for a person to lie down in； too low for him to stand upright in。
A human being was put inside； with a coverlid of stone on top。
This exists。
It can be seen。 It can be touched。
These in pace； these dungeons； these iron hinges； these necklets； that lofty peep…hole on a level with the river's current； that box of stone closed with a lid of granite like a tomb； with this difference； that the dead man here was a living being； that soil which is but mud； that vault hole； those oozing walls； what declaimers！
BOOK SEVENTH。PARENTHESIS
CHAPTER III
ON WHAT CONDITIONS ONE CAN RESPECT THE PAST
Monasticism； such as it existed in Spain； and such as it still exists in Thibet； is a sort of phthisis for civilization。
It stops life short。
It simply depopulates。
Claustration； castration。 It has been the scourge of Europe。
Add to this the violence so often done to the conscience； the forced vocations； feudalism bolstered up by the cloister； the right of the first…born pouring the excess of the family into monasticism； the ferocities of which we have just spoken； the in pace； the closed mouths； the walled…up brains； so many unfortunate minds placed in the dungeon of eternal vows； the taking of the habit； the interment of living souls。 Add individual tortures to national degradations； and； whoever you may be； you will shudder before the frock and the veil；those two winding…sheets of human devising。
Nevertheless； at certain points and in certain places； in spite of philosophy； in spite of progress； the spirit of the cloister persists in the midst of the nineteenth century； and a singular ascetic recrudescence is； at this moment； astonishing the civilized world。
The obstinacy of antiquated institutions in perpetuating themselves resembles the stubbornness of the rancid perfume which should claim our hair； the pretensions of the spoiled fish which should persist in being eaten； the persecution of the child's garment which should insist on clothing the man； the tenderness of corpses which should return to embrace the living。
〃Ingrates！〃 says the garment； 〃I protected you in inclement weather。 Why will you have nothing to do with me？〃
〃I have just e from the deep sea；〃 says the fish。
〃I have been a rose；〃 says the perfume。 〃I have loved you；〃 says the corpse。
〃I have civilized you；〃 says the convent。
To this there is but one reply：
〃In former days。〃
To dream of the indefinite prolongation of defunct things； and of the government of men by embalming； to restore dogmas in a bad condition； to regild shrines； to patch up cloisters； to rebless reliquaries； to refurnish superstitions； to revictual fanaticisms； to put new handles on holy water brushes and militarism； to reconstitute monasticism and militarism； to believe in the salvation of society by the multiplication of parasites； to force the past on the present； this seems strange。
Still； there are theorists who hold such theories。 These theorists； who are in other respects people of intelligence； have a very simple process； they apply to the past a glazing which they call social order； divine right； morality； family； the respect of elders； antique authority； sacred tradition； legitimacy； religion； and they go about shouting； 〃Look！ take this； honest people。〃 This logic was known to the ancients。
The soothsayers practise it。 They rubbed a black heifer over with chalk； and said； 〃She is white； Bos cretatus。〃
As for us； we respect the past here and there； and we spare it； above all； provided that it consents to be dead。
If it insists on being alive； we attack it； and we try to kill it。
Superstitions； bigotries； affected devotion； prejudices； those forms all forms as they are； are tenacious of life； they have teeth and nails in their smoke； and they must be clasped close； body to body； and war must be made on them； and that without truce； for it is one of the fatalities of humanity to be condemned to eternal bat with phantoms。
It is difficult to seize darkness by the throat； and to hurl it to the earth。
A convent in France； in the broad daylight of the nineteenth century； is a college of owls facing the light。
A cloister； caught in the very act of asceticism； in the very heart of the city of '89 and of 1830 and of 1848； Rome blossoming out in Paris； is an anachronism。 In ordinary times； in order to dissolve an anachronism and to cause it to vanish； one has only to make it spell out the date。 But we are not in ordinary times。
Let us fight。
Let us fight； but let us make a distinction。
The peculiar property of truth is never to mit excesses。
What need has it of exaggeration？
There is that which it is necessary to destroy； and there is that which it is simply necessary to elucidate and examine。
What a force is kindly and serious examination！ Let us not apply a flame where only a light is required。
So； given the nineteenth century； we are opposed； as a general proposition； and among all peoples； in Asia as well as in Europe； in India as well as in Turkey； to ascetic claustration。 Whoever says cloister； says marsh。
Their putrescence is evident； their stagnation is unhealthy； their fermentation infects people with fever； and etiolates them； their multiplication bees a plague of Egypt。
We cannot think without affright of those lands where fakirs； bonzes； santons； Greek monks； marabouts； talapoins； and dervishes multiply even like swarms of vermin。
This said； the religious question remains。
This question has certain mysterious； almost formidable sides； may we be permitted to look at it fixedly。
BOOK SEVENTH。PARENTHESIS
CHAPTER IV
THE CONVENT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF PRINCIPLES
Men unite themselves and dwell in munities。
By virtue of what right？ By virtue of the right of association。
They shut themselves up at home。
By virtue of what right？ By virtue of the right which every man has to open or shut his door。
They do not e forth。
By virtue of what right？
By virtue of the right to go and e； which implies the right to remain at home。
There； at home； what do they do？
They speak in low tones； they drop their eyes； they toil。 They renounce the world； towns； sensualities； pleasures； vanities； pride； interests。
They are clothed in coarse woollen or coarse linen。 Not one of them possesses in his own right anything whatever。 On entering there； each one who was rich makes himself poor。 What he has； he gives to all。
He who was what is called noble； a gentleman and a lord； is the equal of him who was a peasant。 The cell is identical for all。
All undergo the same tonsure； wear the same frock； eat the same black bread； sleep on the same straw； die on the same ashes。
The same sack on their backs； the same rope around their loins。
If the decision has been to go barefoot； all go barefoot。
There may be a prince among them； that prince is the same shadow as the rest。
No titles。
Even family names have disappeared。
They bear only first names。
All are bowed beneath the equality of baptismal names。
They have dissolved the carnal family； and constituted in their munity a spiritual family。 They have no other relatives than all men。
They succor the poor； they care for the sick。
They elect those whom they obey。
They call each other 〃my brother。〃
You stop me and exclaim； 〃But that is the ideal convent！〃
It is sufficient that it may be the possible convent； that I should take notice of it。
Thence it results that； in the preceding book； I have spoken of a convent with respectful accents。
The Middle Ages cast aside； Asia cast aside； the historical and political question held in reserve； from the purely philosophical point of view； outside the requirements of militant policy； on condition that the monastery shall be absolutely a voluntary matter and shall contain only consenting parties； I shall always consider a cloistered munity with a certain attentive； and； in some respects； a deferential gravity。
Wherever there is a munity； there is a mune； where there is a mune； there is right。
The monastery is the product of the formula：
Equality； Fraternity。
Oh！ how grand is liberty！ And what a splendid transfiguration！
Liberty suffices to transform the monastery into a republic。
Let us continue。
But these men； or these women who are behind these four walls。 They dress themselves in coarse woollen； they are equals； they call each other brothers； that is well； but they do something else？
Yes。
What？
They gaze on the darkness； they kneel； and they clasp their hands。
What does this signify？
BOOK SEVENTH。PARENTHESIS
CHAPTER V
PRAYER
They pray。
To whom？
To God。
To pray to God；what is the meaning of these words？
Is there an infinite beyond us？
Is that infinite there； inherent； permanent； necessarily substantial； since it is infinite； and because； if it lacked matter it would be bounded； necessarily intelligent； since it is infinite； and because； if it lacked intelligence； it would end there？
Does this infinite awaken in us the idea of essence； while we can attribute to ourselves only the idea of existence？ In other terms； is it not the absolute； of which we are only the relative？
At the same time that there is an infinite without us； is there not an infinite within us？
Are not these two infinites （what an alarming plural！） superposed； the one upon the other？
Is not this second infinite； so to speak； subjacent to the first？
Is it not the latter's mirror； reflection； echo； an abyss which is concentric with another abyss？
Is this second infinity intelligent also？ Does it think？
Does it love？
Does it will？
If these two infinities are intelligent； each of them has a will principle； and there is an _I_ in the upper infinity as there is an _I_ in the lower infinity。 The _I_ below is the soul； the _I_ on high is God。
To place the infinity here below in contact； by the medium of thought； with the infinity on high； is called praying。
Let us take nothing from the human mind； to suppress is bad。 We must reform and transform。
Certain faculties in man are directed towards the Unk