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THAIS
Thy precious body？ Is not Thy face here； and that tear which flows down
Thy cheek a real tear？ Yes； the angel of eternal justice shall receive it； and
it shall be the ransom of the soul of Thais。 Art Thou not here； Jesus？ Jesus；
Thy loving lips open。 Thou canst speak； speak； I hear Thee！ And thee；
Thais； happy Thais！ listen to what the Saviour Himself says to thee； it is
He who speaks； not I。 He says； 'I have sought thee long； O My lost sheep！
I have found thee at last！ Fly from Me no more。 Let Me take thee by the
hands； poor little one； and I will bear thee on My shoulders to the heavenly
fold。 Come； My Thais！ come； My chosen one！ come； and weep with Me！'
〃
And Paphnutius fell on his knees； his eyes filled with ecstasy。 And
then Thais saw in his face the likeness of the living Christ。
〃O vanished days of my childhood！〃 she sobbed。 〃O sweet father
Ahmes！ good Saint Theodore； why did I not die in thy white mantle whilst
thou didst bear me； in the first dawn of day； yet fresh from the waters of
baptism！〃
Paphnutius advanced towards her； crying
〃Thou art baptised！ O divine wisdom！ O Providence！ O great God！ I
know now the power which drew me to thee。 I know what rendered thee
so dear and so beautiful in my eyes。 It was the virtue of the baptismal
water； which made me leave the shadow of God； where I lived； to seek
thee in the poisoned air where men dwell。 A dropa drop； no doubt； of the
water which washed thy bodyhas been sprinkled in my face。 Come； O
my sister； and receive from thy brother the kiss of peace。〃
And the monk touched with his lips the forehead of the courtesan。
Then he was silent； letting God speak； and nothing was heard in the
Grotto of Nymphs but the sobs of Thais； mingled with the rippling of the
running water。
She wept without trying to stop her tears； when two black slaves
appeared； loaded with stuffs； perfumes； and garlands。
〃It was hardly the right time to weep；〃 she said； trying to smile。 〃Tears
redden the eyes and spoil the complexion； and I must sup tonight with
some friends； and want to be beautiful； for there will be women there
quick to spy out marks of care on my face。 These slaves come to dress me。
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THAIS
Withdraw； my father； and allow them to do their work。 They are clever and
experienced； and I pay them well for their services。 You see that one who
wears thick rings of gold； and shows such white teeth。 I took her from the
wife of the pro…consul。〃
Paphnutius had at first a thought of dissuading Thais； as earnestly as
he could； from going to this supper。 But he determined to act prudently；
and asked what persons she would meet there。
She replied that there would be the host； old Cotta； the Prefect of the
Fleet； Nicias； and several other philosophers who loved an argument； the
poet Callicrates； the high priest of Serapis； some young men whose chief
amusement was training horses； and lastly some women； of whom there
was little to be said except that they were young。 Then； by a supernatural
inspiration
〃Go amongst them； Thais；〃 said the monk。 〃Go！ But I will not leave
thee。 I will go with thee to this banquet； and will remain by thy side
without saying a word。〃
She burst out laughing。 And whilst her two black slaves were busy
dressing her； she cried
〃What will they say when they see that I have a monk of the Thebaid
for my lover？〃
THE BANQUET
When； followed by Paphnutius； Thais entered the banqueting…room；
the guests were already； for the most part； assembled； and reclining on
their couches before the horseshoe table； which was covered with
glittering vessels。 In the centre of the table stood a silver basin；
surmounted by four figures of satyrs； who poured out from wine…skins on
the boiled fish a kind of pickle in which they floated。 When Thais
appeared； acclamations arose from all sides。
Greetings to the sister of the Graces！
To the silent Melpomene； who can express all things with her looks！
Salutation to the well…beloved of gods and men！
To the much desired！
To her who gives suffering and its cure！
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THAIS
To the pearl of Racotis！
To the rose of Alexandria！
She waited impatiently till this torrent of praise had passed； and then
said to Cotta； the host
〃Lucius； I have brought you a monk of the desert； Paphnutius； the
Abbot of Antinoe。 He is a great saint； whose words burn like fire。〃
Lucius Aurelius Cotta； the Prefect of the Fleet； rose； and replied
〃You are welcome； Paphnutius； you who profess the Christian faith。 I
myself have some respect of a religion that has now become imperial。 The
divine Constantine has placed your co…religionists in the front rank of the
friends of the empire。 Latin wisdom ought； in fact； to admit your Christ
into our pantheon。 It was a maxim of our forefathers that there was
something divine in every god。 But no more of that。 Let us drink and enjoy
ourselves while there is yet time。〃
Old Cotta spoke tranquilly。 He had just studied a new model for a
galley； and had finished the sixth book of his history of the Carthaginians。
He felt sure he had not lost his day； and was satisfied with himself and the
gods。
〃Paphnutius；〃 he added； 〃you see here several men who are worthy to
be lovedHermodorus； the High Priest of Serapis； the philosophers
Dorion； Nicias； and Zenothemis； the poet Callicrates； young Chereas and
young Aristobulus； both sons of dear old comrades； and near them Philina
and Drosea； who deserve to be praised for their beauty。〃
Nicias embraced Paphnutius； and whispered in his ear
〃I warned you； brother； that Venus was powerful。 It is her gentle force
that has brought you here in spite of yourself。 Listen： you are a man full of
piety； but if you do not confess that she is the mother of the gods； your
ruin is certain。 Do you know that the old mathematician； Melanthes； used
to say； 'I cannot demonstrate the properties of a triangle without the aid of
Venus'？〃
Dorion； who had for some seconds been looking at the new…comer；
suddenly clapped his hands and uttered a cry of surprise。
〃It is he； friends！ His look； his beard； his tunicit is he himself！ I met
him at the theatre whilst our Thais was acting。 He was furiously excited；
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THAIS
and spoke with violence； as I can testify。 He is an honest man； but he will
abuse us all； his eloquence is terrible。 If Marcus is the Plato of the
Christians； Paphnutius is the Demosthenes。 Epicurus； in his little garden；
never heard the like。〃
Philina and Drosea； however； devoured Thais with their eyes。 She
wore on her fair hair a wreath of pale violets； each flower of which
recalled； in a paler hue； the colour of her eyes； so that the flowers looked
like softened glances； and the eyes like sparkling flowers。 It was the
peculiar gift of this woman； on her everything lived； and was soul and
harmony。 Her robe； which was of mauve spangled with silver； trailed in
long folds with a grace that was almost melancholy and was not relieved
by either bracelets or necklaces。 The chief charm of her appearance was
her beautiful bare arms。 The two friends were obliged to admire； in spite
of themselves the robe and head…dress of Thais； though they said nothing
to her on the subject。
〃How beautiful you are！〃 said Philina。 〃You could not have been more
so when you came to Alexandria。 Yet my mother； who remembers seeing
you then； says there were few women who were worthy to be compared
with you。〃
〃Who is the new lover you have brought？〃 asked Drosea。 〃He has a
strange； wild appearance。 If there are shepherds of elephants； assuredly he
must resemble one。 Where did you find such a wild…looking friend； Thais？