Chapter 29. he Ceremony of Separation

Separated from Almah, surrounded by foul fiends, in darkness and the shadow of death, with the baleful prospect of the Mista Kosek, it was mine to endure the bitterest anguish and despair; and in me these feelings were all the worse from the thought that Almah was in a similar state, and was enduring equal woes. Séparé d'Almah, entouré de démons immondes, dans les ténèbres et l'ombre de la mort, avec la perspective funeste de la Mista Kosek, c'était à moi d'endurer l'angoisse et le désespoir les plus amers ; et en moi, ces sentiments étaient d'autant plus graves que je pensais qu'Almah était dans un état similaire et qu'il subissait des malheurs égaux. All that I suffered in my present condition she too was suffering--and from this there was no possibility of escape. Perhaps her surroundings were even worse, and her sufferings keener; for who could tell what these people might inflict in their strange and perverted impulses? Peut-être son environnement était-il encore pire, et ses souffrances plus vives ; car qui pourrait dire ce que ces gens pourraient infliger dans leurs pulsions étranges et perverses ?

Many joms passed, and there was only one thing that sustained me--the hope of seeing Almah yet again, though it were but for a moment. That hope, however, was but faint. There was no escape. The gate was barred without and within. I was surrounded by miscreants, who formed the chief class in the state and the ruling order. The Chief Pauper was the highest magistrate in the land, from whose opinion there was no appeal, and the other paupers here formed the Kosekin senate. Le chef des pauvres était le plus haut magistrat du pays, dont l'opinion était sans appel, et les autres pauvres formaient ici le sénat de Kosekin. Here, in imprisonment and darkness, they formed a secret tribunal and controlled everything. They were objects of envy to all. All looked forward to this position as the highest object of human ambition, and the friends and relatives of those here rejoiced in their honor. Their powers were not executive, but deliberative. Hun bevoegdheden waren niet uitvoerend, maar delibererend. To the Meleks and Athons was left the exercise of authority, but their acts were always in subordination to the will of the paupers.

"I have everything that heart can wish," said the Chief Pauper to me once. "Look at me, Atam-or, and see me as I stand here: I have poverty, squalor, cold, perpetual darkness, the privilege of killing others, the near prospect of death, and the certainty of the Mista Kosek--all these I have, and yet, Atam-or, after all, I am not happy." To this strange speech I had nothing to say.

"Yes," continued the Chief Pauper, in a pensive tone, "for twenty seasons I have reigned as chief of the Kosekin in this place. My cavern is the coldest, squalidest, and darkest in the land. My raiment is the coarsest rags. Mes vêtements sont les chiffons les plus grossiers. I have separated from all my friends. I have had much sickness. I have the closest captivity. Death, darkness, poverty, want, all that men most live and long for, are mine to satiety; and yet, as I look back and count the joms of my life to see in how many I have known happiness, I find that in all they amount to just seven! Смерть, тьма, бедность, нужды - все, чего люди больше всего живут и чего жаждут, - мое до насыщения; и все же, оглядываясь назад и подсчитывая джомы своей жизни, чтобы увидеть, сколько я познал счастья, я обнаруживаю, что всего их всего семь! Oh, Atam-or, what a comment is this on the vanity of human life!" To this I had no answer ready; but by way of saying something, I offered to kill him on the spot. На это у меня не было готового ответа; но, чтобы что-то сказать, я предложил убить его на месте.

"Nay, nay, Atam-or," said he, with a melancholy smile, "do not tempt me. Leave me to struggle with temptations by myself, and do not seek to make me falter in my duty. Laissez-moi lutter seul contre les tentations, et ne cherchez pas à me faire faillir à mon devoir. Предоставьте мне самому бороться с искушениями и не пытайтесь заставить меня нарушить свой долг. Yes, Atam-or, you behold in me a melancholy example of the folly of ambition; for I often think, as I look down from my lofty eminence, that after all it is as well to remain content in the humble sphere in which we are placed at birth; for perhaps, if the truth were known, there is quite as much real happiness among the rich and splendid--among the Athons and Meleks." Oui, Atam-or, tu vois en moi un triste exemple de la folie de l'ambition ; car je pense souvent, en baissant les yeux de ma haute éminence, qu'après tout il vaut mieux rester content dans l'humble sphère où nous sommes placés à la naissance ; car peut-être, si la vérité était connue, il y a tout autant de vrai bonheur parmi les riches et les splendides, parmi les Athons et les Meleks." Да, Атам, или ты видишь во мне меланхолический пример безрассудства честолюбия; ибо я часто думаю, глядя вниз со своего высокого положения, что, в конце концов, лучше оставаться довольным той скромной сферой, в которую мы помещены при рождении; ибо возможно, если бы правда была известна, не меньше настоящего счастья было бы среди богатых и великолепных - среди Афонов и Мелеков ». On this occasion I took advantage of the Chief Pauper's softer mood to pour forth an earnest entreaty for him to save Almah's life, or at least to mitigate her miseries. A cette occasion, j'ai profité de l'humeur plus douce du chef Pauper pour lui adresser une prière sérieuse de sauver la vie d'Almah, ou du moins d'atténuer ses misères. В этом случае я воспользовался более мягким настроением главного нищего, чтобы излить ему искреннюю просьбу спасти жизнь Альмы или, по крайней мере, облегчить ее страдания. Alas! he was inexorable. It was like an appeal of some mad prisoner to some gentle-hearted governor in Christendom, entreating him to put some fellow-prisoner to death, or at least to make his confinement more severe. C'était comme un appel d'un prisonnier fou à quelque gouverneur au cœur doux de la chrétienté, le suppliant de mettre à mort quelque codétenu, ou du moins de rendre sa détention plus sévère. Это было похоже на призыв сумасшедшего узника к добросердечному правителю христианского мира, умоляющий его убить кого-нибудь из узников или, по крайней мере, сделать его заключение более суровым.

The Chief Pauper stared at me in horror.

"You are a strange being, Atam-or," said he, gently. "Sometimes I think you mad. I can only say that such a request is horrible to me beyond all words. Such degradation and cruelty to the gentle and virtuous Almah is outrageous and forever impossible; no, we will not deprive her of a single one of those blessings which she now enjoys." I turned away in despair.

At length one jom the Chief Pauper came to me with a smile and said,

"Atam-or, let me congratulate you on this joyous occasion." "What do you mean?" I asked.

"You are to have your ceremony of separation." "Separation!" I repeated.

"Yes," said he. "Almah has given notice to us. She has announced her intention of giving you up, and separating from you. With us the woman always gives the announcement in such cases. We have fixed the ceremony for the third jom from this, and I hope you will not think it too soon." This strange intelligence moved me greatly. Этот странный ум меня очень тронул. I did not like the idea of a ceremony of separation; but behind this there rose the prospect of seeing Almah, and I felt convinced that she had devised this as a mode of holding communication with me, or at least of seeing me again. The thought of Layelah was the only thing that interfered with this belief, for it might be her doings after all; yet the fact remained that I was to see Almah, and in this I rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

The appointed jom came. A procession was formed of the paupers. The chief did not go, as he never left the cavern except on the great sacrifices and Mista Koseks. The door was opened, and I accompanied the procession. On our way all was dark, and after traversing many passages we came at length to the door of a cavern as gloomy as the one I had left. On entering this I found all dark and drear; and a little distance before me there was a light burning, around which was gathered a group of hags hideous beyond all expression. En entrant, je trouvai tout sombre et lugubre ; et à peu de distance devant moi il y avait une lumière brûlante, autour de laquelle était rassemblé un groupe de sorcières hideuses au-delà de toute expression. But these I scarcely noticed; for there amid them, all pale and wan, with her face now lighted up with joyous and eager expectation, I saw my darling--my Almah! Mais ceux-ci, je les remarquai à peine ; car là au milieu d'eux, toute pâle et blême, avec son visage maintenant illuminé d'une attente joyeuse et impatiente, j'ai vu ma chérie, mon Almah ! I caught her in my arms, and for a few moments neither of us spoke a word. She sobbed upon my breast, but I knew that the tears which she shed were tears of joy. Nor was our joy checked by the thought that it was to be so short-lived. Notre joie n'était pas non plus arrêtée par la pensée qu'elle allait être de si courte durée. It was enough at that moment that we saw one another--enough that we were in one another's arms; and so we mingled our tears, and shared one common rapture. And sweet it was--sweet beyond all expression--the sweetest moment in all my life; for it had come in the midst of the drear desolation of my heart and the black despair. Et c'était doux – doux au-delà de toute expression – le moment le plus doux de toute ma vie ; car il était venu au milieu de la désolation affreuse de mon cœur et du noir désespoir. It was like a flash of lightning in the intense darkness, short and sudden indeed, yet still intense while it lasted, and in an instant filling all with its glow.

"I did this," murmured Almah, "to see you and to save you." "Save me!" I repeated.

"Yes," said she. "I have seen Layelah. She told me that there is this chance and this one only to save you. I determined to try it. I cannot bear to think of you at the sacrifice--and for love of me meeting your death--for I would die to save you, Atam-or." Je ne peux pas supporter de penser à vous au sacrifice - et pour l'amour de moi rencontrant votre mort - car je mourrais pour vous sauver, Atam-or." I pressed her closer in my arms.

"Oh, Almah," said I, "I would die to save you! and if this ceremony will save you I will go through with it, and accept my fate whatever it may be." и если эта церемония спасет вас, я приму ее и приму свою судьбу, какой бы она ни была ». We were now interrupted.

The women--the hags of horror--the shriek-like ones, as I may call them, or the fiend-like, the female fiends, the foul ones--they were all around us; and one there was who looked so exactly like the nightmare hag of the outer sea that I felt sure she must be the same, who by some strange chance had come here. Les femmes, les sorcières de l'horreur, les criardes, comme je peux les appeler, ou les démones, les démones femelles, les immondes, elles étaient tout autour de nous ; et il y en avait une qui ressemblait si exactement à la sorcière cauchemardesque de la mer extérieure que j'étais sûr qu'elle devait être la même qui, par un étrange hasard, était venue ici. Such, indeed, is quite likely, for there may have been a pass over the mountains to the land of the Kosekin; and those savage cannibals may all have been honored Kosekin exiles, dwelling in poverty, want, woe, and darkness, all of which may have been allotted to them as a reward for eminent virtues. Cela, en effet, est tout à fait probable, car il peut y avoir eu un passage au-dessus des montagnes jusqu'au pays des Kosekin ; et ces cannibales sauvages ont peut-être tous été des exilés kosekiniens honorés, vivant dans la pauvreté, le besoin, le malheur et les ténèbres, qui leur ont peut-être été attribués en récompense de vertus éminentes. Это действительно весьма вероятно, поскольку мог быть проход через горы в страну Косекин; и все эти дикие каннибалы, возможно, были почитаемы косекинскими изгнанниками, живущими в бедности, нужде, горе и тьме, и все это могло быть уделено им в награду за выдающиеся добродетели. And so here she was, the nightmare hag, and I saw that she recognized me.

A circle was now formed around us, and the light stood in the middle. The nightmare hag also stood within the circle on the other side of the light opposite us. The beams of the lamp flickered through the darkness, faintly illuminating the faces of the horrible creatures around, who, foul and repulsive as harpies, seemed like unclean beasts, ready to make us their prey. Les faisceaux de la lampe vacillaient dans l'obscurité, éclairant faiblement les visages des horribles créatures alentour, qui, immondes et repoussantes comme des harpies, semblaient être des bêtes impures, prêtes à faire de nous leur proie. Their glances seemed to menace death; their blear eyes rested upon us with a horrid eager hunger. Leurs regards semblaient menacer la mort ; leurs yeux larmoyants se posaient sur nous avec une horrible faim avide. My worst fears at that moment seemed realized; for I saw that Almah's associates were worse than mine, and her fate had been more bitter. Mes pires craintes à ce moment semblaient réalisées ; car j'ai vu que les associés d'Almah étaient pires que les miens, et son sort avait été plus amer. And I wondered how it had been possible for her to live among such associates; or, even though she had lived thus far, whether it would be possible for her to endure it longer. Et je me demandais comment il lui avait été possible de vivre parmi de tels associés ; ou, même si elle avait vécu jusque-là, s'il lui serait possible de le supporter plus longtemps.

And now there arose a melancholy chant from the old hags around--a dreadful strain, that sounded like a funeral dirge, sung in shrill, discordant voices, led by the nightmare hag, who as she sang waved in her hand a kind of club. Et maintenant, il s'éleva un chant mélancolique des vieilles sorcières alentour - une tension épouvantable, qui ressemblait à un chant funèbre, chanté d'une voix aiguë et discordante, mené par la sorcière cauchemardesque, qui pendant qu'elle chantait agitait dans sa main une sorte de massue . И вот тут раздались меланхолические песнопения старых ведьм вокруг - ужасное звучание, звучащее как похоронная панихида, спетая пронзительными, диссонирующими голосами, во главе с кошмарной ведьмой, которая во время пения махала в руке чем-то вроде дубинки. . All the time I held Almah in my arms, regardless of those around us, thinking only of her from whom I must soon again be separated, and whom I must leave in this drear abode to meet her fearful fate alone. Tout le temps, j'ai tenu Almah dans mes bras, indépendamment de ceux qui nous entouraient, ne pensant qu'à elle dont je devais bientôt être à nouveau séparé, et que je devais quitter dans cette triste demeure pour affronter seul son terrible destin. The chant continued for some time, and as long as it continued it was sweet to me; for it prolonged the meeting with Almah, and postponed by so much our separation. Le chant continua quelque temps, et tant qu'il continua, il me fut doux ; car elle prolongea la rencontre avec Almah, et retarda d'autant notre séparation.

At length the chant ceased. The nightmare hag looked fixedly at us, and spoke these words:

"You have embraced for the last time. Henceforth there is no more sorrow in your love. You may be happy now in being forever disunited, and in knowing the bliss of eternal separation. As darkness is better than light, as death is better than life, so may you find separation better than union." She now gave a blow with her club at the lamp, which broke it to atoms and extinguished the flame. Elle donna maintenant un coup de massue à la lampe, qui la brisa en atomes et éteignit la flamme. She continued:

"As the baleful light is succeeded by the blessed darkness, so may you find the light of union followed by the blessed darkness of separation." "Comme à la lumière funeste succèdent les ténèbres bénies, ainsi puissiez-vous trouver la lumière de l'union suivie des ténèbres bénies de la séparation." And now in the deep darkness we stood clasped in one another's arms; while around us, from the horrible circle of hags, there arose another chant as harsh and discordant as the previous one, but which, nevertheless, like that, served at least to keep us together a little longer. For this reason it sounded sweeter than the sweetest music; and therefore, when at last the hideous noise ended, I felt a pang of grief, for I knew that I must now give up Almah forever.

I was right. The ceremony was over. We had to part, and we parted with tears of despair. I was led away, and as I went I heard Almah's sobs. I broke away, and tried to return for one more embrace; but in the darkness I could not find her, and could only hear her sobs at a greater distance, which showed that she too was being led away. J'ai rompu et j'ai essayé de revenir pour une autre étreinte ; mais dans l'obscurité je ne la trouvais pas et n'entendais ses sanglots qu'à une plus grande distance, ce qui montrait qu'elle aussi était emmenée. I called after her,

"Farewell, Almah!" Her reply came back broken with sobs.

"Farewell forever, Atam-or!" I was once more led away, and again traversed the dark passages, and again came back to my den, which now seemed dark with the blackness of despair. J'ai été une fois de plus emmené, et j'ai de nouveau traversé les passages sombres, et je suis revenu de nouveau à ma tanière, qui semblait maintenant sombre avec la noirceur du désespoir.

On my return I was formally and solemnly congratulated by all the paupers. I should not have received their congratulations had I not expected that there would be something more. Je n'aurais pas reçu leurs félicitations si je ne m'étais attendu à ce qu'il y ait quelque chose de plus. Я не получил бы их поздравлений, если бы не ожидал, что будет что-то еще. I expected that something would be said about the result of this act of separation; for Almah had believed that it would be the means of saving my life, and I believed that it would be the means of saving her life, and for this reason each of us had performed our part; although, of course, the joy of meeting with one another would of itself have been sufficient, and more than sufficient, to make that ceremony an object of desire. Я ожидал, что что-то скажут о результате этого акта разделения; ибо Альма верил, что это будет средство спасти мою жизнь, и я верил, что это будет средство спасти ее жизнь, и по этой причине каждый из нас выполнил свою часть; хотя, конечно, радости от встречи друг с другом было бы достаточно и более чем достаточно, чтобы сделать эту церемонию объектом желания. I thought, therefore, that some statement might now be made to the effect that by means of this ceremony my status among the Kosekin would be changed, and that both I and Almah, being no longer lovers, would be no longer fit for the sacrifice. To my intense disappointment, however, nothing whatever was said that had the remotest reference to this.

On the following jom I determined to ask the Chief Pauper himself directly; and accordingly, after a brief preamble, I put the question point-blank: Le jour suivant, je résolus de demander directement au chef Pauper lui-même ; et en conséquence, après un bref préambule, je pose la question à brûle-pourpoint :

"Will our ceremony of separation make any difference as to our sacrifice?" "What?" he asked, with a puzzled expression.

I repeated the question.

"I don't understand," said he, still looking puzzled. Upon this I once more repeated it.

"How can that be?" said he at length; "how can the ceremony of separation have any effect upon your sacrifice? The ceremony of separation stands by itself as the sign and symbol of an additional blessing. La cérémonie de séparation est à elle seule le signe et le symbole d'une bénédiction supplémentaire. This new happiness of separation is a great favor, and will make you the object of new envy and admiration; for few have been so fortunate as you in all the history of the Kosekin. But you are the favorite of the Kosekin now, and there is nothing that they will not do for you." Но теперь ты любимец Косекиных, и нет ничего, что бы они тебе не сделали ». "But we were separate before," said I, indignantly. "That is true," said he, "in point of fact; but this ceremony makes your separation a legal thing, and gives it the solemn sanction of law and of religion. Among the Kosekin one cannot be considered as a separate man until the ceremony of separation has been publicly performed." "I understood," said I, "that we were chosen to suffer the sacrifice together because we were lovers, and now since you do not any longer regard us as lovers, why do you sacrifice us?" At this question the Chief Pauper looked at me with one of those hungry glances of his, which showed how he thirsted for my blood, and he smiled the smile of an evil fiend. A cette question, le chef Pauper me regarda avec un de ses regards affamés, qui montrait combien il avait soif de mon sang, et il sourit du sourire d'un démon maléfique.

"Why do we sacrifice you, Atam-or?" he replied. "Why, because we honor you both, and love you both so dearly that we are eager to give you the greatest of all blessings, and to deny you nothing that is in our power to bestow." «Почему, потому что мы чтим вас обоих и любим вас обоих так сильно, что мы очень хотим дать вам величайшее из всех благословений и не отказывать вам ни в чем, что в наших силах даровать». "Do you mean to sacrifice both of us?" I gasped.

"Of course." "What! Almah too?" "Certainly. Why should we be so cruel to the dear child as to deprive her of so great a boon?" Pourquoi serions-nous si cruels envers la chère enfant au point de la priver d'une si grande faveur ? » At this I groaned aloud and turned away in despair. À cela, j'ai gémi à haute voix et je me suis détourné de désespoir.

Many joms now passed away. I grew more and more melancholy and desperate. I thought sometimes of fighting my way out. Je pensais parfois à me battre pour m'en sortir. My fire-arms were now my chief consolation; for I had fully made up my mind not to die quietly like a slaughtered calf, but to strike a blow for life, and meet my death amid slain enemies. Mes armes à feu étaient maintenant ma principale consolation ; car j'étais bien décidé à ne pas mourir tranquillement comme un veau égorgé, mais à porter un coup pour la vie, et à affronter ma mort au milieu d'ennemis massacrés. In this prospect I found some satisfaction, and death was robbed of some of its terrors. Dans cette perspective, j'ai trouvé une certaine satisfaction, et la mort a été privée de quelques-unes de ses terreurs. В этой перспективе я нашел некоторое удовлетворение, и смерть лишилась некоторых своих ужасов.