The Quest: The authorized translation from the Dutch of De kleine JohannesEeden, Frederik van
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The Quest: The authorized translation from the Dutch of De kleine Johannes
Eeden, Frederik van
Dutch fiction -- Translations into English
What followed, perhaps each one of the hundreds of witnesses would tell
differently; and of those who heard about it later, each had a different
idea. But I am going to tell you what Johannes saw and heard--heard
quite as clearly as you have seen and heard the members of your own
household, to-day.
He saw his Brother's face, pale and illumined, as if his head were shone
upon by beams of clearest sunlight. And the sadness of that face was so
deep and unutterable, so bitter and yet so gentle, that Johannes felt
forced, through pain, to press both hands upon his heart, and to set his
teeth, while he gazed with wide, tear-filled eyes, forgetting everything
save that shining face so full of grief.
For a time it was as still as death, while man and priest regarded each
other. At last the man spoke, and said:
"Who are you, and in whose name are you here?"
When two men stand thus, face to face, and address each other with all
earnestness in the hearing of many others, one of them is always
immediately recognized to be the superior--even if the listeners are
unable to gauge the force of the argument. Every one feels that
superiority, although later many forget or deny it. If that dominance is
not very great, it arouses spitefulness and fury; but if it is indeed
great, it brings, betimes, repose and submissiveness.
In this case the ascendancy was so great that the priest lost even the
air of authority and assurance with which he had come forward, and did
that for which, later, he reproached himself--he stopped to explain:
"I am a consecrated priest of the Triune God, and I speak in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ--our Saviour and Redeemer."
There ensued a long silence, and Johannes saw nothing but the shining,
human face and the eyes, which, full of sorrow and compassion, continued
to regard the richly robed priest with a bitter smile. The priest stood
motionless, with hanging hands and staring eves, as if uncertain what
next to say or do; but he listened silently for what was coming, as did
Johannes and all the others in the church--as if under an overpowering
spell.
Then came the following words, and so long as they sounded no one could
think of anything else--neither of the humble garb of him who spoke, nor
of the incomprehensible subjection of his gorgeously arrayed listener:
"But you are not yet a man! Would you be a priest of the Most High?
"You are not yet redeemed, nor are these others with you redeemed,
although you make bold to say so in the name of the Redeemer.
"Did your Saviour when upon earth wear cloth of silver and of gold?
"There is no redemption yet--neither for you nor for any of yours. The
time is not come for the wearing of garments of gold.
"Mock not, nor slander. Your ostentation is a travesty of the Most High,
and a defamation of your Saviour.
"Do you esteem the kingdom of God a trifle, that you array yourself and
rejoice, while the world still lies in despair and in shackles?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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