Портрет художника в юності
Chapter 4
Afadedworldofferventloveandvirginalresponsesseemedtobeevokedforhissoulbythereadingofitspagesinwhichtheimageryofthecanticleswasinterwovenwiththecommunicant’sprayers.Aninaudiblevoiceseemedtocaressthesoul,tellinghernamesandglories,biddingherariseasforespousalandcomeaway,biddingherlookforth,aspouse,fromAmanaandfromthemountainsoftheleopards;andthesoulseemedtoanswerwiththesameinaudiblevoice,surrenderingherself:INTERUBERAMEACOMMORABITUR.
Thisideaofsurrenderhadaperilousattractionforhismindnowthathefelthissoulbesetonceagainbytheinsistentvoicesofthefleshwhichbegantomurmurtohimagainduringhisprayersandmeditations.Itgavehimanintensesenseofpowertoknowthathecould,byasingleactofconsent,inamomentofthought,undoallthathehaddone.Heseemedtofeelafloodslowlyadvancingtowardshisnakedfeetandtobewaitingforthefirstfainttimidnoiselesswavelettotouchhisfeveredskin.Then,almostattheinstantofthattouch,almostatthevergeofsinfulconsent,hefoundhimselfstandingfarawayfromtheflooduponadryshore,savedbyasuddenactofthewillorasuddenejaculation;and,seeingthesilverlineofthefloodfarawayandbeginningagainitsslowadvancetowardshisfeet,anewthrillofpowerandsatisfactionshookhissoultoknowthathehadnotyieldednorundoneall.
