Magas; or, Long Ago, Chapter IX-XII [pp. 256-265]

2Magas; or, ZLoiio Ago.
soon again, for Magas is a Christian
priest."
He left her.
No, the energies did not depart as
she started to her feet on hearing the
last words-" a Christian priest!"
"Magas! Oh! had I known, could I
have guessed! The love of Magas
without losing my religion! Can I
regain it? Yes; by penance, Chione,
doing penance! Faugh! Chione
standing in the cold, clothed in sackcloth, exposed to the derision of the
faithful.'Twould be easy to love,
he said. Did he say so? Love must
be boiling hot indeed to sweeten
such an act as that; and my love,
ah! ah! love for religion, such a religion as that, ah! ah! ah!"
The poor woman raved, but alas!
there was too much method in her
madness. Wilfully she shut out
faith; wilfully she turned to hate all
that heretofore she had held dear;
but she acted for a while with an
earthly prudence that deceived those
around her.
She staid with the Lady Damaris
until she had recovered health and
strength, until she had made herself
sure of the independence Magas had
settled on her. Then she left, and
opened a school of philosophy, which
was soon filled. Her former reputation did her much service in that respect, and that she had escaped from
the enchantments of the Christians,
who had tried to destroy her, added
to the interest she inspired. She
soon recovered her former beauty,
and she studied now, studied deeply,
how to thwart the Christians, how to
demonstrate that whatever was beautiful in their religion they had stolen
from the muses; that whatever was
mystical came to them from Hindostan, the seat of mysticism; that whatev'er was reasonable and ethical they
had learned from philosophy. It was
a splendid success in Athens, that
philosophical school of Chione; for
it flattered the passions while it shed
the grace of eloquence and refinement over them. All beauty, taste,
and melody were made to yield their
utmost sweetness there. Her disciples were of the rich, the great, the
noble. They could practise the elegant course of study alternating with
ease that she prescribed: "To enjoy
is the aim of existence, refinement,
cultivation, a correct system of ethics
makes perfect enjoyment. Science
gives interest, lifts one above the vulgar. Art ennobles and civilizes, and
Athens is still the central point of
art, science, and philosophy." So
said Ch'one.
CHAPTER XII.
"INDEED, Lotis, you must give me
more hope than that; you must not
bid me despair."
The words were spoken somewhat
louder than was intended. They
were heard by one who was passing
by. The speaker was Magas; the
passer-by was Chlione. Magas was
lamenting over the account he had
heard of Chione's continued resistance to grace. Chione applied to
the words another meaning; she ascribed them to a passion felt for Lotis, and her heart burned with rage
and jealousy.
"Magas was then returned to
Athens. What was he doing?" She
set spies on his steps. He was often at the bishlop's house, often in
the Christian assembly; but also often had interviews with Lotis. This
fact, which might have been easily
explained by the occupation of Lotis,
who supplied copies of books, and
kept various accounts for the church,
was otherwise interpreted by the misled woman, and she resolved on the
destruction of Lotis. If she could
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