her to the gate of the Swedish castle like an eagle bearing a white

lamb to his mountain eyrie.



CHAPTER VI

THE PATH TO HEAVEN



The day succeeding that on which Seraphita foresaw her death and bade

farewell to Earth, as a prisoner looks round his dungeon before



leaving it forever, she suffered pains which obliged her to remain in

the helpless immobility of those whose pangs are great. Wilfrid and



Minna went to see her, and found her lying on her couch of furs. Still

veiled in flesh, her soul shone through that veil, which grew more and



more transparent day by day. The progress of the Spirit, piercing the

last obstacle between itself and the Infinite, was called an illness,



the hour of Life went by the name of death. David wept as he watched

her sufferings; unreasonable as a child, he would not listen to his



mistress's consolations. Monsieur Becker wished Seraphita to try

remedies; but all were useless.



One morning she sent for the two beings whom she loved, telling them

that this would be the last of her bad days. Wilfrid and Minna came in



terror, knowing well that they were about to lose her. Seraphita

smiled to them as one departing to a better world; her head drooped



like a flower heavy with dew, which opens its calyx for the last time

to waft its fragrance on the breeze. She looked at these friends with



a sadness that was for them, not for herself; she thought no longer of

herself, and they felt this with a grief mingled with gratitude which



they were unable to express. Wilfrid stood silent and motionless, lost

in thoughts excited by events whose vast bearings enabled him to



conceive of some illimitable immensity.

Emboldened by the weakness of the being lately so powerful, or perhaps



by the fear of losing him forever, Minna bent down over the couch and

said, "Seraphitus, let me follow thee!"



"Can I forbid thee?"

"Why will thou not love me enough to stay with me?"



"I can love nothing here."

"What canst thou love?"



"Heaven."

"Is it worthy of heaven to despise the creatures of God?"



"Minna, can we love two beings at once? Would our beloved be indeed

our beloved if he did not fill our hearts? Must he not be the first,



the last, the only one? She who is all love, must she not leave the

world for her beloved? Human ties are but a memory, she has no ties



except to him! Her soul is hers no longer; it is his. If she keeps

within her soul anything that is not his, does she love? No, she loves



not. To love feebly, is that to love at all? The voice of her beloved

makes her joyful; it flows through her veins in a crimson tide more



glowing far than blood; his glance is the light that penetrates her;

her being melts into his being. He is warm to her soul. He is the



light that lightens; near to him there is neither cold nor darkness.

He is never absent, he is always with us; we think in him, to him, by



him! Minna, that is how I love him."

"Love whom?" said Minna, tortured with sudden jealousy.



"God," replied Seraphitus, his voice glowing in their souls like fires

of liberty from peak to peak upon the mountains,--"God, who does not



betray us! God, who will never abandon us! who crowns our wishes; who

satisfies His creatures with joy--joy unalloyed and infinite! God, who



never wearies but ever smiles! God, who pours into the soul fresh

treasures day by day; who purifies and leaves no bitterness; who is



all harmony, all flame! God, who has placed Himself within our hearts

to blossom there; who hearkens to our prayers; who does not stand



aloof when we are His, but gives His presence absolutely! He who

revives us, magnifies us, and multiplies us in Himself; GOD! Minna, I



love thee because thou mayst be His! I love thee because if thou come

to Him thou wilt be mine."



"Lead me to Him," cried Minna, kneeling down; "take me by the hand; I

will not leave thee!"



"Lead us, Seraphita!" cried Wilfrid, coming to Minna's side with an

impetuous movement. "Yes, thou hast given me a thirst for Light, a



thirst for the Word. I am parched with the Love thou hast put into my

• atmosphere [´ætməsfiə] n.大气；空气；气氛 (初中英语单词)


• triumph [´traiəmf] n.胜利 vi.得胜，战胜 (初中英语单词)


• thirst [θə:st] n.渴，口渴；渴望 (初中英语单词)


• govern [´gʌvən] v.统治；控制；指导 (初中英语单词)


• throat [θrəut] n.咽喉；嗓子；出入口 (初中英语单词)


• wisdom [´wizdəm] n.智慧，聪明，才智 (初中英语单词)


• despair [di´speə] vi.&n.绝望 (初中英语单词)


• riches [´ritʃiz] n.房地产；丰富 (初中英语单词)


• willing [´wiliŋ] a.情愿的，乐意的 (初中英语单词)


• sprang [spræŋ] spring 的过去式 (初中英语单词)


• glorious [´glɔ:riəs] a.光荣的；辉煌的 (初中英语单词)


• humanity [hju:´mæniti] n.人类；人性；仁慈 (初中英语单词)


• platform [´plætfɔ:m] n.(平)台；讲台；站台 (初中英语单词)


• spiritual [´spiritʃuəl] a.精神(上)的；神圣的 (初中英语单词)


• admiration [,ædmə´reiʃən] n.赞赏，钦佩 (初中英语单词)


• feeble [´fi:bəl] a.虚弱的，无力的 (初中英语单词)


• fragment [´frægmənt] n.碎片；破片；断片 (初中英语单词)


• velvet [´velvit] n.&a.天鹅绒(般的) (初中英语单词)


• sunlight [´sʌnlait] n.日光 (初中英语单词)


• softly [´sɔftli] ad.软化地；柔和地 (初中英语单词)


• advanced [əd´vɑ:nst] a.先进的；高级的 (初中英语单词)


• lately [´leitli] ad.近来，不久前 (初中英语单词)


• mysterious [mi´stiəriəs] a.神秘的；难以理解的 (初中英语单词)


• instant [´instənt] a.立即的 n.紧迫；瞬间 (初中英语单词)


• height [hait] n.高度；顶点；卓越 (初中英语单词)


• farewell [feə´wel] int.再见 n.&a.告别 (初中英语单词)


• suffering [´sʌfəriŋ] n.痛苦；灾害 (初中英语单词)


• instinct [´instiŋkt] n.本能；直觉；天资 (初中英语单词)


• scholar [´skɔlə, ´skɑ-] n.学者；奖学金获得者 (初中英语单词)


• contact [´kɔntækt] n.接触；联系 v.联络 (初中英语单词)


• helpless [´helpləs] a.无助的，无依靠的 (初中英语单词)


• monsieur [mə´sjə:] n.先生 (初中英语单词)


• knowing [´nəuiŋ] a.会意的，心照不宣的 (初中英语单词)


• breeze [bri:z] n.微风；不费力的事 (初中英语单词)


• gratitude [´grætitju:d] n.感激，感谢 (初中英语单词)


• unable [ʌn´eibəl] a.不能的；无能为力的 (初中英语单词)


• weakness [´wi:knis] n.虚弱；弱点，缺点 (初中英语单词)


• forbid [fə´bid] vt.禁止，不许，阻止 (初中英语单词)


• worthy [´wə:ði] a.有价值的；值得的 (初中英语单词)


• despise [di´spaiz] vt.轻视，藐视 (初中英语单词)


• beloved [bi´lʌvd] a.为….所爱的 n.爱人 (初中英语单词)


• absent [´æbsənt, əb´sent] a.不在的 vt.使缺席 (初中英语单词)


• abandon [ə´bændən] vt.抛弃，放弃，离弃 (初中英语单词)


• harmony [´hɑ:məni] n.调合，协调，和谐 (初中英语单词)


• blossom [´blɔsəm] n.花；开花期 vi.开花 (初中英语单词)


• movement [´mu:vmənt] n.活动；运动；动作 (初中英语单词)


• scourge [skə:dʒ] v.&n.鞭(打)；严惩 (高中英语单词)


• overthrow [´əuvəθrəu] n.推翻；打倒 (高中英语单词)


• motionless [´məuʃənləs] a.静止的；固定的 (高中英语单词)


• longing [´lɔŋiŋ] n.&a.渴望(的) (高中英语单词)


• hurried [´hʌrid] a.仓促的，慌忙的 (高中英语单词)


• offering [´ɔfəriŋ] n.提供；礼物；捐献 (高中英语单词)


• infinite [´infinit] a.无限的，无穷的 (高中英语单词)


• summit [´sʌmit] n.顶(点)；绝顶 (高中英语单词)


• sensitive [´sensitiv] a.敏感的；感光的 (高中英语单词)


• seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)


• mantle [´mæntl] n.斗蓬 v.覆盖；笼罩 (高中英语单词)


• scenery [´si:nəri] n.舞台布景 (高中英语单词)


• landscape [´lændskeip] n.风景；景色；风景画 (高中英语单词)


• lifetime [´laiftaim] n.一生，终生，寿命 (高中英语单词)


• orient [´ɔ:riənt] n.东方 a.东方的 (高中英语单词)


• incense [´insens, in´sens] n.香(气) vt.激怒 (高中英语单词)


• granite [´grænit] n.花岗岩 (高中英语单词)


• fatigue [fə´ti:g] n.&vt.(使)疲劳(劳累) (高中英语单词)


• bearing [´beəriŋ] n.举止；忍耐；关系 (高中英语单词)


• dungeon [´dʌndʒən] n.地牢，土牢 (高中英语单词)


• transparent [træns´peərənt] a.透明的；显而易见的 (高中英语单词)


• obstacle [´ɔbstəkl] n.障碍(物)；妨碍 (高中英语单词)


• fragrance [´freigrəns] n.芬芳，芳香 (高中英语单词)


• sadness [´sædnis] n.悲哀；悲痛；凄惨 (高中英语单词)


• joyful [´dʒɔifəl] a.高兴的，充满快乐的 (高中英语单词)


• crimson [´krimzən] a.&n.深(紫)红(的) (高中英语单词)


• bitterness [´bitənis] n.苦味；辛酸；苦难 (高中英语单词)


• thunderbolt [´θʌndəbəult] n.雷电，霹雳 (英语四级单词)


• intellect [´intilekt] n.智力；有才智的人 (英语四级单词)


• triumphant [trai´ʌmfənt] a.胜利的；洋洋得意的 (英语四级单词)


• sovereignty [´sɔvrinti] n.主权；君权 (英语四级单词)


• boundless [´baundlis] a.无边无际的 (英语四级单词)


• alternately [ɔ:l´tə:nitli] ad.交替地，轮流地 (英语四级单词)


• silvery [´silvəri] a.银一般的 (英语四级单词)


• lichen [´laikən] n.地衣，青苔 (英语四级单词)


• whence [wens] ad.从何处；从那里 (英语四级单词)


• ardent [´ɑ:dənt] a.热心的；热情洋溢的 (英语四级单词)


• furrow [´fʌrəu] n.沟 vt.犁；使起皱纹 (英语四级单词)


• swedish [´swi:diʃ] a.瑞典人 n.瑞典语 (英语四级单词)


• unreasonable [ʌn´ri:zənəbl] a.不合理的；荒唐的 (英语四级单词)


• feebly [´fi:bli] ad.虚弱地；贫乏地 (英语四级单词)


• woodman [´wudmən] n.伐木工 (英语六级单词)


• unmoved [ʌn´mu:vd] a.无动于衷的；坚定的 (英语六级单词)


• extended [iks´tendid] a.伸长的；广大的 (英语六级单词)


• animated [´ænimeitid] a.栩栩如生的；活跃的 (英语六级单词)


• nameless [´neimlis] a.无名字的；无名声的 (英语六级单词)


• angelic [æn´dʒelik] a.天使(般)的 (英语六级单词)


• inexplicable [,inik´splikəbəl] a.难以理解的 (英语六级单词)


• weeping [´wi:piŋ] a.&n.哭泣(的) (英语六级单词)


• piercing [´piəsiŋ] a.刺(贯)穿的；尖刻的 (英语六级单词)