"Smith, Clark Ashton - The Demon The Angel And Beauty" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith Clark Ashton)

The Demon, the Angel, and Beauty

by Clark Ashton Smith

[c. May 1913]


Of the Demon who standeth or walketh always with me at my left hand, I asked:
''Hast thou seen Beauty? Her that meseemeth was the mistress of my soul in
Eternity? Her that is now beyond question set over me in Time; even though I
behold her not, and, it may be, have never beheld, nor ever shall; her of whose
aspect I am ignorant as noon is concerning any star: her of whom as witness and
testimony, I have found only the hem of her shadow, or at most, her reflection
in a dim and troubled water. Answer, if thou canst, and tell me, is she like
pearls, or like stars? Does she resemble most the sunlight that is transparent
and unbroken, or the sunlight divided into splendour and iris? Is she the heart
of the day, or the soul of the night?"

To which the Demon answered, after, as I thought, a brief space of
meditation:

"Concerning this Beauty, I can tell thee but little beyond that which
thou knowest. Albeit, in those orbs to which the demons of my rank have
admission, there be greater adumbrations of some transcendent Mystery than here,
yet have I never seen that Mystery itself, and know not if it be male or female.
Aeons ago, when I was young and incautious, when the world was new and bright,
and there were more stars than now, I, too, was attracted by this Mystery, and
sought after it in all accessible spheres. But failing to find the thing itself,
I soon grew wear of embracing its shadows, and took to the pursuit of illusions
less insubstantial. Now I am become grey and ashen without and red like old fire
within, who was fiery and flame-coloured all through, back in the star-thronged
aeons of which I speak: Heed me, for I am as wise, and wary and ancient as the
far-travelled and comet-scarred sun; and I am become of the opinion that the
thing Beauty itself does not exist, Doubtless the semblance thereof is but a web
of shadow and delusion, woven by the crafty hand of God, that He may snare
demons and men therewith, for His mirth, and the laughter of His archangels."

The Demon ceased, and took to watching me as usual-obliquely, and with
one eye-an eye that is more red than Aldebaran, and inscrutable as the gulfs
beyond the Hyades.

Then of the Angel, who walketh or standeth always with me at my right
hand, I asked, ''Hast thou seen Beauty? Or hast thou heard any assured rumour
concerning Beauty?"

To which the Angel answered, after, as I thought, a moment of
hesitation:

As to this Beauty, I can tell thee but little beyond that which thou
knowest, Albeit in all the heavens, this Mystery is a topic of the most frequent