The Rainbow-虹(英文版)

第30部分 (第3/7頁)

urches：　Italian；

English；　French　and　German。　He　had；　when　he　was　sixteen；

discovered　a　Roman　Catholic　bookshop　where　he　could　find　such

things。

He　turned　the　leaves　in　absorption；　absorbed　in　looking；　not

thinking。　He　was　like　a　man　whose　eyes　were　in　his　chest；　she

said　of　him　later。

She　came　to　look　at　the　things　with　him。　Half　they　fascinated

her。　She　was　puzzled；　interested；　and　antagonistic。

It　was　when　she　came　to　pictures　of　the　Pieta　that　she　burst

out。

〃I　do　think　they're　loathsome；〃　she　cried。

〃What？〃　he　said；　surprised；　abstracted。

〃Those　bodies　with　slits　in　them；　posing　to　be

worshipped。〃

〃You　see；　it　means　the　Sacraments；　the　Bread；〃　he　said

slowly。

〃Does　it；〃　she　cried。　〃Then　it's　worse。　I　don't　want　to　see

your　chest　slit；　nor　to　eat　your　dead　body；　even　if　you　offer　it

to　me。　Can't　you　see　it's　horrible？〃

〃It　isn't　me；　it's　Christ。〃

〃What　if　it　is；　it's　you！　And　it's　horrible；　you　wallowing　in

your　own　dead　body；　and　thinking　of　eating　it　in　the

Sacrament。〃

〃You've　to　take　it　for　what　it　means。〃

〃It　means　your　human　body　put　up　to　be　slit　and　killed　and

then　worshipped……what　else？〃

They　lapsed　into　silence。　His　soul　grew　angry　and　aloof。

〃And　I　think　that　lamb　in　Church；〃　she　said；　〃is　the　biggest

joke　in　the　parish〃

She　burst　into　a　〃Pouf〃　of　ridiculing　laughter。

〃It　might　be；　to　those　that　see　nothing　in　it；〃　he　said。　〃You

know　it's　the　symbol　of　Christ；　of　His　innocence　and

sacrifice。〃

〃Whatever　it　means；　it's　a　lamb；〃　she　said。　〃And　I

like　lambs　too　much　to　treat　them　as　if　they　had　to　mean

something。