小说园

第32部分（第4页）

although　the　knowledge　that　it　was　not　true　in　fact　bit　at　him

like　a　weasel　in　his　heart。　Which　was　stronger；　the　pain　of　the

denial；　or　the　desire　for　affirmation？　He　was　stubborn　in

spirit；　and　abode　by　his　desire。　But　he　would　not　any　more

affirm　the　miracles　as　true。

Very　well；　it　was　not　true；　the　water　had　not　turned　into

wine。　The　water　had　not　turned　into　wine。　But　for　all　that　he

would　live　in　his　soul　as　if　the　water　had　turned　into

wine。　For　truth　of　fact；　it　had　not。　But　for　his　soul；　it

had。

〃Whether　it　turned　into　wine　or　whether　it　didnt；〃　he　said；

〃it　doesnt　bother　me。　I　take　it　for　what　it　is。〃

〃And　what　is　it？〃　she　asked；　quickly；　hopefully。

〃Its　the　Bible；〃　he　said。

That　answer　enraged　her；　and　she　despised　him。　She　did　not

actively　question　the　Bible　herself。　But　he　drove　her　to

contempt。

And　yet　he　did　not　care　about　the　Bible；　the　written　letter。

Although　he　could　not　satisfy　her；　yet　she　knew　of　herself　that

he　had　something　real。　He　was　not　a　dogmatist。　He　did　not

believe　in　fact　that　the　water　turned　into　wine。　He　did

not　want　to　make　a　fact　out　of　it。　Indeed；　his　attitude　was

without　criticism。　It　was　purely　individual。　He　took　that　which

was　of　value　to　him　from　the　Written　Word；　he　added　to　his

spirit。　His　mind　he　let　sleep。

And　she　was　bitter　against　him；　that　he　let　his　mind　sleep。

That　which　was　human；　belonged　to　mankind；　he　would　not　exert。

He　cared　only　for　himself。　He　was　no　Christian。　Above　all；

Christ　had　asserted　the　brotherhood　of　man。

She；　almost　against　herself；　clung　to　the　worship　of　the

human　knowledge。　Man　must　die　in　the　body；　but　in　his　knowledge

he　was　immortal。　Such；　somewhere；　was　her　belief；　quite　obscure

and　unformulated。　She　believed　in　the　omnipotence　of　the　human

mind。

He；　on　the　other　hand；　blind　as　a　subterranean　thing；　just