登陆注册
5215100000070

第70章

LacerationsChapter 1

Father FerapontALYOSHA was roused early, before daybreak.Father Zossima woke up feeling very weak, though he wanted to get out of bed and sit up in a chair.His mind was quite clear; his face looked very tired, yet bright and almost joyful.It wore an expression of gaiety, kindness and cordiality."Maybe I shall not live through the coming day," he said to Alyosha.Then he desired to confess and take the sacrament at once.He always confessed to Father Paissy.After taking the communion, the service of extreme unction followed.The monks assembled and the cell was gradually filled up by the inmates of the hermitage.Meantime it was daylight.People began coming from the monastery.After the service was over the elder desired to kiss and take leave of everyone.As the cell was so small the earlier visitors withdrew to make room for others.Alyosha stood beside the elder, who was seated again in his arm-chair.He talked as much as he could.Though his voice was weak, it was fairly steady.

"I've been teaching you so many years, and therefore I've been talking aloud so many years, that I've got into the habit of talking, and so much so that it's almost more difficult for me to hold my tongue than to talk, even now, in spite of my weakness, dear Fathers and brothers," he jested, looking with emotion at the group round him.

Alyosha remembered afterwards something of what he said to them.

But though he spoke out distinctly and his voice was fairly steady, his speech was somewhat disconnected.He spoke of many things, he seemed anxious before the moment of death to say everything he had not said in his life, and not simply for the sake of instructing them, but as though thirsting to share with all men and all creation his joy and ecstasy, and once more in his life to open his whole heart.

"Love one another, Fathers," said Father Zossima, as far as Alyosha could remember afterwards."Love God's people.Because we have come here and shut ourselves within these walls, we are no holier than those that are outside, but on the contrary, from the very fact of coming here, each of us has confessed to himself that he is worse than others, than all men on earth....And the longer the monk lives in his seclusion, the more keenly he must recognise that.Else he would have had no reason to come here.When he realises that he is not only worse than others, but that he is responsible to all men for all and everything, for all human sins, national and individual, only then the aim of our seclusion is attained.For know, dear ones, that every one of us is undoubtedly responsible for all men- and everything on earth, not merely through the general sinfulness of creation, but each one personally for all mankind and every individual man.This knowledge is the crown of life for the monk and for every man.For monks are not a special sort of men, but only what all men ought to be.Only through that knowledge, our heart grows soft with infinite, universal, inexhaustible love.Then every one of you will have the power to win over the whole world by love and to wash away the sins of the world with your tears....Each of you keep watch over your heart and confess your sins to yourself unceasingly.Be not afraid of your sins, even when perceiving them, if only there be penitence, but make no conditions with God.Again, I say, be not proud.Be proud neither to the little nor to the great.Hate not those who reject you, who insult you, who abuse and slander you.Hate not the atheists, the teachers of evil, the materialists- and I mean not only the good ones- for there are many good ones among them, especially in our day- hate not even the wicked ones.Remember them in your prayers thus: Save, O Lord, all those who have none to pray for them, save too all those who will not pray.And add: it is not in pride that I make this prayer, O Lord, for I am lower than all men....

Love God's people, let not strangers draw away the flock, for if you slumber in your slothfulness and disdainful pride, or worse still, in covetousness, they will come from all sides and draw away your flock.Expound the Gospel to the people unceasingly...be not extortionate....Do not love gold and silver, do not hoard them....

Have faith.Cling to the banner and raise it on high."But the elder spoke more disconnectedly than Alyosha reported his words afterwards.Sometimes he broke off altogether, as though to take breath and recover his strength, but he was in a sort of ecstasy.They heard him with emotion, though many wondered at his words and found them obscure....Afterwards all remembered those words.

When Alyosha happened for a moment to leave the cell, he was struck by the general excitement and suspense in the monks who were crowding about it.This anticipation showed itself in some by anxiety, in others by devout solemnity.All were expecting that some marvel would happen immediately after the elder's death.Their suspense was, from one point of view, almost frivolous, but even the most austere of the monks were affected by it.Father Paissy's face looked the gravest of all.

Alyosha was mysteriously summoned by a monk to see Rakitin, who had arrived from town with a singular letter for him from Madame Hohlakov.In it she informed Alyosha of a strange and very opportune incident.It appeared that among the women who had come on the previous day to receive Father Zossima's blessing, there had been an old woman from the town, a sergeant's widow, called Prohorovna.She had inquired whether she might pray for the rest of the soul of her son, Vassenka, who had gone to Irkutsk, and had sent her no news for over a year.To which Father Zossima had answered sternly, forbidding her to do so, and saying that to pray for the living as though they were dead was a kind of sorcery.He afterwards forgave her on account of her ignorance, and added, "as though reading the book of the future" (this was Madame Hohlakov's expression), words of comfort:

同类推荐
  • 佛说大方广曼殊室利经

    佛说大方广曼殊室利经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 燥门

    燥门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 桯史

    桯史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说太子和休经

    佛说太子和休经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说金刚般若波罗蜜经略疏

    佛说金刚般若波罗蜜经略疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重生之带着夫君奔小康

    重生之带着夫君奔小康

    新书《悍妻当家:夫君,求不宠》已发,欢迎围观~沈绿穿越到一个穷山恶水的小村庄,所谓穷山恶水出刁民,面对一群极品亲戚,沈绿开启了战斗模式,想找茬?想占便宜?想打秋风?去想吧!沈绿觉得这样也不错种种田,养养花,把自己的小日子过得有模有样,顺带把自己的小夫君培养成忠犬,可是为什么小夫君越来越黑化?不仅考中了举人,还考中了状元,总是顺带着各种占便宜吃豆腐,啊喂,老娘把你当儿子养的,怎么到最后养着养着反倒成了挣钱养家养夫君。
  • Nada the Lily

    Nada the Lily

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 神级农民

    神级农民

    一个从农村出来的大学生,刚工作没两年,得到了一个足以改变整个世界的超级生物球之后的故事!美丽人生开了个书友群。。。19332955.喜欢的可以进吧。。。
  • 青铜王座

    青铜王座

    蛮荒世界地域辽阔,南起百万大山,北至大漠戈壁,东临汪洋肆意,西归无尽林海,四下之内,种族林立。身临绝顶者,君临天下,一览众山小!青铜王座的传说就此展开!
  • 乔·吉拉德快速推销的88条黄金法则

    乔·吉拉德快速推销的88条黄金法则

    乔·吉拉德是吉尼斯世界纪录大全认可的世界上最伟大的推销员,连续12年平均每天销售6辆车,这个惊人的纪录至今无人能破。本书通过对乔·吉拉德在汽车销售过程中运用的方法、技巧及其应用要领的总结,从自我推销、客户心理的把握、交易的促成等八个方面提炼出88条推销实战真经,既有生动的案例,又有实用的技能提升详解,旨在帮助广大推销员实现业绩的突破,成功攀登销售高峰。
  • 快穿:男神不许动

    快穿:男神不许动

    一缕没有记忆,没有感情的魂魄,遇见一个呆萌护短的系统,然后她的人生就像开挂一般。韶倾:“今天那帅哥不错”!系统:“小倾倾,已经洗干净打包好送到你床上啦”!韶倾:“……”韶倾:“今天有人欺负我”系统:“小倾倾,大炮已经准备好,你说是打他家还是打他!”韶倾:“……”这是前期有点小悲伤,后期很温馨的快穿。嘻嘻o((*^▽^*))o
  • 大汉使臣的生死恋人

    大汉使臣的生死恋人

    这个故事还得从汉高祖说起,刘邦自打下邳起兵,经过多年的楚汉相争,逼得项羽乌江自刎,到汜水立尊,开创了大汉二十八朝四百八十多年的帝业。这期间,可谓是没有打不败的敌手,没有攻不下的城池。但是,北方的匈奴却让他伤透了脑筋。早在秦始皇统一六国,建立了中国历史上第一个封建集权国家之时,就为了防范匈奴的入侵,不惜耗时费力修建了万里长城。怎奈秦朝只传到二世就被推翻了。随后的日子,借着刘邦和项羽打得你死我活,无暇他顾,匈奴的势力趁此得到了加强和扩张,除了中原,东从渤海,北从河套,西到雁门,都被匈奴霸占。
  • 老板的九项修炼

    老板的九项修炼

    中国企业用了短短几十年、十几年甚至几年,“浓缩”式得走过了西方正常的商业成长轨迹,一批企业得以快速成长。刨去时势大浪之托力,老板的个人综合能力,实为竞争力之一。柳传志、张瑞敏、任正非、鲁冠球、牛根生、陈天桥、马化腾等人,能够带领团队在一路“狂奔”中走向卓越,离不开他们良好的心理素质、深邃的商业思想,以及敏锐的洞察力和强大的创造力。作为企业的舵手,老板只有不断学习、不断创新、不断提高本领,才能在瞬息万变的商业世界里获取竞争优势,带领企业走向卓越、基业长青。中国商业的勃兴,中国经济持续发展,都需要企业家群体迎难而上、勇挑重担。
  • 贵州榜样

    贵州榜样

    本书是贵州省委宣传部牵头,贵州日报报业集团组织编写的30余位贵州先进典型人物。他们有盲人教师刘芳;有呕心沥血的县委书记姜仕坤;有为民引水,力拔穷根的81岁村支书黄大发;有“中国生态英雄”、“贵州造林王”吴庆贤……贵州榜样的名字在全社会广为传颂,贵州榜样的感人事迹,在人们心中久久回响,他们是在贵州崇山峻岭深处挺起的铮铮脊梁,他们是贵州人自强不息,锐意进取的精神丰碑。展示创新发展的新形象,凝聚苦干实干助跨越的精气神,传递同心同德奔小康的正能量,为全省经济社会发展注入无比强大精神力量。
  • 非常娇妃

    非常娇妃

    一本奇幻莲花书竟然让她穿越到连历史课本上都没有的朝代。在这里亲人视她为眼中钉,更有不知道何处来的危险在等着她。脑海中又被强行加入了别人的记忆,在二十一世纪什么都没有的她竟然在这里拥有了这些她没有的珍贵。可是,想在这里活下去,还想舒服的活下去只能让自己变得强大,或者借助某些手段拼爹?钓凯子?世事纷繁,时光终是无言。当一切尘埃落定,当一切归于平静。且看她如何从一个懦弱小生变成称霸穿越届的二把子。