酷兔英语
    当前位置:
  1. 首页
  2. 文章
  3. 娱乐英语
  4. 原版小说
  5. 正文

Penguin Island-Part2_Anatole France_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

0 收藏 0 分享 0 赞

章节正文
文章总共2页
"Birds are the living praises of God. I should not like a single one of these



praises to be lacking through me."

And he munched the lichens which he tore from the crannies of the rocks.



The holy man had gone almost entirely round the island without meeting any

inhabitants, when he came to a vast amphitheatre formed of black and red rocks



whose summits became tinged with blue as they rose towards the clouds, and

they were filled with sonorous cascades.



The reflection from the polar ice had hurt the old man's eyes, but a feeble

gleam of light still shone through his swollen eyelids. He distinguished



animated forms which filled the rocks, in stages, like a crowd of men on the

tiers of an amphitheatre. And at the same time, his ears, deafened by the



continual noises of the sea, heard a feeble sound of voices. Thinking that

what he saw were men living under the natural law, and that the Lord had sent



him to teach them the Divine law, he preached the gospel to them.

Mounted on a lofty stone in the midst of the wild circus:



"Inhabitants of this island," said he, "although you be of small stature, you

look less like a band of fishermen and mariners than like the senate of a



judicious republic. By your gravity, your silence, your tranquil deportment,

you form on this wild rock an assemblycomparable to the Conscript Fathers at



Rome deliberating in the temple of Victory, or rather, to the philosophers of

Athens disputing on the benches of the Areopagus. Doubtless you possess



neither their science nor their genius, but perhaps in the sight of God you

are their superiors. I believe that you are simple and good. As I went round



your island I saw no image of murder, no sign of carnage, no enemies' heads or

scalps hung from a lofty pole or nailed to the doors of your villages. You



appear to me to have no arts and not to work in metals. But your hearts are

pure and your hands are innocent, and the truth will easily enter into your



souls."

Now what he had taken for men of small stature but of grave bearing were



penguins whom the spring had gathered together, and who were ranged in couples

on the natural steps of the rock, erect in the majesty of their large white



bellies. From moment to moment they moved their winglets like arms, and

uttered peaceful cries. They did not fear men, for they did not know them, and



had never received any harm from them; and there was in the monk a certain

gentleness that reassured the most timid animals and that pleased these



penguins extremely. With a friendly curiosity they turned towards him their

little round eyes lengthened in front by a white oval spot that gave something



odd and human to their appearance.

Touched by their attention, the holy man taught them the Gospel.



"Inhabitants of this island, the earthly day that has just risen over your

rocks is the image of the heavenly day that rises in your souls. For I bring



you the inner light; I bring you the light and heat of the soul. Just as the

sun melts the ice of your mountains so Jesus Christ will melt the ice of your



hearts."

Thus the old man spoke. As everywhere throughout nature voice calls to voice,



as all which breathes in the light of day loves alternate strains, these

penguins answered the old man by the sounds of their throats. And their voices



were soft, for it was the season of their loves.

The holy man, persuaded that they belonged to some idolatrous people and that



in their own language they gave adherence to the Christian faith, invited them

to receive baptism.



"I think," said he to them, "that you bathe often, for all the hollows of the

rocks are full of pure water, and as I came to your assembly I saw several of



you plunging into these natural baths. Now purity of body is the image of

spiritual purity."



And he taught them the origin, the nature, and the effects of baptism.

"Baptism," said he to them, "is Adoption, New Birth, Regeneration,



Illumination."

And he explained each of these points to them in succession.



Then, having previouslyblessed the water that fell from the cascades and

recited the exorcisms, he baptized those whom he had just taught, pouring on



each of their heads a drop of pure water and pronouncing the sacred words.

And thus for three days and three nights he baptized the birds.



VI. AN ASSEMBLY IN PARADISE

When the baptism of the penguins was known in Paradise, it caused neither joy



nor sorrow, but an extreme surprise. The Lord himself was embarrassed. He




文章总共2页
文章标签:名著  

章节正文
Copyright © 2023 Qeto All rights reserved.
商务合作 | 联系我们 | 关于我们 | 版权声明 | 隐私条款 | 如果智培

京ICP备05059198号-1 京公网安备 11011202003401号