dreams-第8部分

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And　God　said；　〃Stand　a　way　off。〃

And　he　took　me　where　I　saw　both　sides　of　the　curtain。　　Behind　the　house　was　the　wine…press　where　the　wine　was　made。　　I　saw　the　grapes　crushed；　and　I　heard　them　cry。　　I　said；　〃Do　not　they　on　the　other　side　hear　it？〃

God　said；　〃The　curtain　is　thick；　they　are　feasting。〃

And　I　said；　〃But　the　men　who　came　in　last。　　They　saw？〃

God　said；　〃They　let　the　curtain　fall　behind　themand　they　forget！〃

I　said；　〃How　came　they　by　their　jars　of　wine？〃

God　said；　〃In　the　treading　of　the　press　these　are　they　who　came　to　the　top；　they　have　climbed　out　over　the　edge；　and　filled　their　jars　from　below；　and　have　gone　into　the　house。〃

And　I　said；　〃And　if　they　had　fallen　as　they　climbed？〃

God　said；　〃They　had　been　wine。〃

I　stood　a　way　off　watching　in　the　sunshine；　and　I　shivered。

God　lay　in　the　sunshine　watching　too。

Then　there　rose　one　among　the　feasters；　who　said；　〃My　brethren；　let　us　pray！〃

And　all　the　men　and　women　rose：　　and　strong　men　bowed　their　heads；　and　mothers　folded　their　little　children's　hands　together；　and　turned　their　faces　upwards；　to　the　roof。　　And　he　who　first　had　risen　stood　at　the　table　head；　and　stretched　out　both　his　hands；　and　his　beard　was　long　and　white；　and　his　sleeves　and　his　beard　had　been　dipped　in　wine；　and　because　the　sleeves　were　wide　and　full　they　held　much　wine；　and　it　dropped　down　upon　the　floor。

And　he　cried；　〃My　brothers　and　my　sisters；　let　us　pray。〃

And　all　the　men　and　women　answered；　〃Let　us　pray。〃

He　cried；　〃For　this　fair　banquet…house　we　thank　thee；　Lord。〃

And　all　the　men　and　women　said　〃We　thank　thee；　Lord。〃

〃Thine　is　this　house；　dear　Lord。〃

〃Thine　is　this　house。〃

〃For　us　hast　thou　made　it。〃

〃For　us。〃

〃Oh；　fill　our　jars　with　wine；　dear　Lord。〃

〃Our　jars　with　wine。〃

〃Give　peace　and　plenty　in　our　time；　dear　Lord。〃

〃Peace　and　plenty　in　our　time〃I　said　to　God；　〃Whom　is　it　they　are　talking　to？〃　　God　said；　〃Do　I　know　whom　they　speak　of？〃　　And　I　saw　they　were　looking　up　at　the　roof；　but　out　in　the　sunshine；　God　lay。

〃dear　Lord！〃

〃Dear　Lord。〃

〃Our　children's　children；　Lord；　shall　rise　and　call　thee　blessed。〃

〃Our　children's　children；　Lord。〃I　said　to　God；　〃The　grapes　are　crying！〃　　God　said；　〃Still！　　I　hear　them〃〃shall　call　thee　blessed。〃

〃Shall　call　thee　blessed。〃

〃Pour　forth　more　wine　upon　us；　Lord。〃

〃More　wine。〃

〃More　wine。〃

〃More　wine！〃

〃Wine！！〃

〃Wine！！〃

〃Wine！！！〃

〃Dear　Lord！〃

Then　men　and　women　sat　down　and　the　feast　went　on。　　And　mothers　poured　out　wine　and　fed　their　little　children　with　it；　and　men　held　up　the　cup　to　women's　lips　and　cried；　〃Beloved！　drink；〃　and　women　filled　their　lovers'　flagons　and　held　them　up；　and　yet　the　feast　went　on。

And　after　a　while　I　looked；　and　I　saw　the　curtain　that　hung　behind　the　house　moving。

I　said　to　God；　〃Is　it　a　wind？〃

God　said；　〃A　wind。〃

And　it　seemed　to　me；　that　against　the　curtain　I　saw　pressed　the　forms　of　men　and　women。　　And　after　a　while　the　feasters　saw　it　move；　and　they　whispered；　one　to　another。　　Then　some　rose　and　gathered　the　most　worn…out　cups；　and　into　them　they　put　what　was　left　at　the　bottom　of　other　vessels。　Mothers　whispered　to　their　children；　〃Do　not　drink　all；　save　a　little　drop　when　you　have　drunk。〃　　And　when　they　had　collected　all　the　dregs　they　slipped　the　cups　out　under　the　bottom　of　the　curtain　without　lifting　it。　　After　a　while　the　curtain　left　off　moving。

I　said　to　God；　〃How　is　it　so　quiet？〃

He　said；　〃They　have　gone　away　to　drink　it。〃

I　said；　〃They　drink　ittheir　own！〃

God　said；　〃It　comes　from　this　side　of　the　curtain；　and　they　are　very　thirsty。〃

Then　the　feast　went　on；　and　after　a　while　I　saw　a　small；　white　hand　slipped　in　below　the　curtain's　edge　along　the　floor；　and　it　motioned　towards　the　wine　jars。

And　I　said　to　God；　〃Why　is　that　hand　so　bloodless？〃

And　God　said；　〃It　is　a　wine…pressed　hand。〃

And　men　saw　it　and　started　to　their　feet；　and　women　cried；　and　ran　to　the　great　wine　jars；　and　threw　their　arms　around　them；　and　cried；　〃Ours；　our　own；　our　beloved！〃　and　twined　their　long　hair　about　them。

I　said　to　God；　〃Why　are　they　frightened　of　that　one　small　hand？〃


God　answered；　〃Because　it　is　so　white。〃

And　men　ran　in　a　great　company　towards　the　curtain；　and　struggled　there。　　I　heard　them　strike　upon　the　floor。　　And　when　they　moved　away　the　curtain　hung　smooth　and　still；　and　there　was　a　small　stain　upon　the　floor。

I　said　to　God；　〃Why　do　they　not　wash　it　out？〃

God　said；　〃They　cannot。〃

And　they　took　small　stones　and　put　them　down　along　the　edge　of　the　curtain　to　keep　it　down。　　Then　the　men　and　women　sat　down　again　at　the　tables。

And　I　said　to　God；　〃Will　those　stones　keep　it　down？〃

God　said；　〃What　think　you？〃

I　said；　〃If　the　wind　blew？〃

God　said；　〃If　the　wind　blew？〃

And　the　feast　went　on。

And　suddenly　I　cried　to　God；　〃If　one　should　rise　among　them；　even　of　themselves；　and　start　up　from　the　table　and　should　cast　away　his　cup；　and　cry；　'My　brothers　and　my　sisters；　stay！　what　is　it　that　we　drink？'and　with　his　sword　should　cut　in　two　the　curtain；　and　holding　wide　the　fragments；　cry；　'Brothers；　sisters；　see！　it　is　not　wine；　not　wine！　not　wine！　　My　brothers；　oh；　my　sisters！'　and　he　should　overturn　the〃

God　said；　〃Be　still！；　see　there。〃

I　looked：　　before　the　banquet…house；　among　the　grass；　I　saw　a　row　of　mounds；　flowers　covered　them；　and　gilded　marble　stood　at　their　heads。　　I　asked　God　what　they　were。

He　answered；　〃They　are　the　graves　of　those　who　rose　up　at　the　feast　and　cried。〃

And　I　asked　God　how　they　came　there。

He　said；　〃The　men　of　the　banquet…house　rose　and　cast　them　down　backwards。〃

I　said；　〃Who　buried　them？〃

God　said；　〃The　men　who　cast　them　down。〃

I　said；　〃How　came　it　that　they　threw　them　down；　and　then　set　marble　over　them？〃

God　said；　〃Because　the　bones　cried　out；　they　covered　them。〃

And　among　the　grass　and　weeds　I　saw　an　unburied　body　lying；　and　I　asked　God　why　it　was。

God　said；　〃Because　it　was　thrown　down　only　yesterday。　　In　a　little　while；　when　the　flesh　shall　have　fallen　from　its　bones；　they　will　bury　it　also；　and　plant　flowers　over　it。〃

And　still　the　feast　went　on。

Men　and　women　sat　at　the　tables　quaffing　great　bowls。　　Some　rose；　and　threw　their　arms　about　each　other；　and　danced　and　sang。　　They　pledged　each　other　in　the　wine；　and　kissed　each　other's　blood…red　lips。

Higher　and　higher　grew　the　revels。

Men；　when　they　had　drunk　till　they　could　no　longer；　threw　what　was　left　in　their　glasses　up　to　the　roof；　and　let　it　fall　back　in　cascades。　　Women　dyed　their　children's　garments　in　the　wine；　and　fed　them　on　it　till　their　tiny　mouths　were　red。　　Sometimes；　as　the　dancers　whirled；　they　overturned　a　vessel；　and　their　garments　were　bespattered。　　Children　sat　upon　the　floor　with　great　bowls　of　wine；　and　swam　rose…leaves　on　it；　for　boats。　　They　put　their　hands　in　the　wine　and　blew　large　red　bubbles。

And　higher　and　higher　grew　the　revels；　and　wilder　the　dancing；　and　louder　and　louder　the　singing。　　But　here　and　there　among　the　revellers　were　those　who　did　not　revel。　　I　saw　that　at　the　tables　here　and　there　were　men　who　sat　with　their　elbows　on　the　board　and　hands　shading　their　eyes；　they　looked　into　the　wine…cup　beneath　them；　and　did　not　drink。　　And　when　one　touched　them　lightly　on　the　shoulder；　bidding　them　to　rise　and　dance　and　sing；　they　started；　and　then　looked　down；　and　sat　there　watching　the　wine　in　the　cup；　but　they　did　not　move。

And　here　and　there　I　saw　a　woman　sit　apart。　　The　others　danced　and　sang　and　fed　their　children；　but　she　sat　silent　with　her　head　aside　as　though　she　listened。　　Her　little　children　plucked　her　gown；　she　did　not　see　them；　she　was　listening　to　some　sound；　but　she　did　not　stir。

The　revels　grew　higher。　　Men　drank　till　they　could　drink　no　longer；　and　lay　their　heads　upon　the　table　sleeping　heavily。　　Women　who　could　dance　no　more　leaned　back　on　the　benches　with　their　heads　against　their　lovers'　shoulders。　　Little　children；　sick　with　wine；　lay　down　upon　the　edges　of　their　mothers'　robes。　　Sometimes；　a　man　rose　suddenly；　and　as　he　staggered　struck　the　tables　and　overthrew　the　benches；　some　leaned　upon　the　balustrades　sick　unto　death。　　Here　and　there　one　rose　who　staggered　to　the　wine　jars　and　lay　down　beside　them。　　He　turned　the　wine　tap；　but　sleep　overcame　him　as　he　lay　there；　and　the　wine　ran　out。

Slowly　the　thin；　red　stream　ran　across　the　white　marbled　floor；　it　reached　the　stone　steps；　slowly；　slowly；　slowly　it　trickled　down；　from　step　to　step；　from　step　to　step：　　then　it　sank　into　the　earth。　　A　thin　white　smoke　rose　up　from　it。

I　was　silent；　I　could　not　breathe；　but　God　called　me　to　come　further。

And　after　I　had　travelled　for　a　while　I　came　where　on　seven　hills　lay　the　ruins　of　a　mighty　banquet…house　larger　and　stronger　than　the　one　which　I　had　seen　standing。

I　said　to　God；　〃What　did　the　men　who　built　it　here？〃

God　said；　〃They　feasted。〃

I　said；　〃On　what？〃

God　said；　〃On　wine。〃

And　I　looked；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　behind　the　ruins　lay　still　a　large　circular　hollow　within　the　earth　where　a　foot　of　the　wine…press　had　stood。

I　said　to　God；　〃How　came　it　that　this　large　house　fell？〃

God　said；　〃Because　the　earth　was　sodden。〃

He　called　me　to　come　further。

And　at　last　we　came　upon　a　hill　where　blue　waters　played；　and　white　marble　lay　upon　the　earth。　　I　said　to　God；　〃What　was　here　once？〃

God　said；　〃A　pleasure　house。〃

I　looked；　and　at　my　feet　great　pillars　lay。　　I　cried　aloud　for　joy　to　God；　〃The　marble　blossoms！〃

God　said；　〃Ay；　'twas　a　fairy　house。　　There　has　not　been　one　like　to　it；　nor　ever　shall　be。　　The　pillars　and　the　porticoes　blossomed；　and　the　wine　cups　were　as　gathered　flowers：　　on　this　side　all　the　curtain　was　broidered　with　fair　designs；　the　stitching　was　of　gold。〃

I　said　to　God；　〃How　came　it　that　it　fell？〃

God　said；　〃On　the　side　of　the　wine…press　it　was　dark。〃

And　as　we　travelled；　we　came　where　lay　a　mighty　ridge　of　sand；　and　a　dark　river　ran　there；　and　there　rose　two　vast　mounds。

I　said　to　God；　〃They　are　very　mighty。〃

God　said；　〃Ay；　exceeding　great。〃

And　I　listened。

God　asked　me　what　I　was　listening　to。

And　I　said；　〃A　sound　of　weeping；　and　I　hear　the　sound　of　strokes；　but　I　cannot　tell　whence　it　comes。〃

God　said；