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Page 118
PRIOR (after looking at the STRANGER for a moment.) What do you
seek here? (The STRANGER is confused and tries to find an answer,
but cannot. The PRIOR goes on, calmly, firmly, but indulgently.)
Peace? Isn't that so? (The STRANGER makes a sign of assent with
head and mouth.) But if the whole of life is a struggle, how can
you find peace amongst the living? (The STRANGER is not able to
answer.) Do you want to turn your back on life because you feel
you've been injured, cheated?
STRANGER (in a weak voice). Yes.
PRIOR. So you've been defrauded, unjustly dealt with? And this
injustice began so early that you, an innocent child, couldn't
imagine you'd committed any crime that was worthy of punishment.
Well, once you were unjustly accused of stealing fruit; tormented
into taking the offence on yourself; tortured into telling lies
about yourself and forced to beg forgiveness for a fault you'd not
committed. Wasn't it so?
STRANGER (with certainty). Yes. It was.
PRIOR. It was; and you've never been able to forget it. Never. Now
listen, you've a good memory; can you remember _The Swiss Family
Robinson_?
STRANGER (shrinking). _The Swiss Family Robinson_?
PRIOR. Yes. Those events that caused you such mental torture
happened in 1857, but at Christmas 1856, that is the year before,
you tore a copy of that book and out of fear of punishment hid it
under a chest in the kitchen. (The STRANGER is taken aback.) The
wardrobe was painted in oak graining, and clothes hung in its upper
part, whilst shoes stood below. This wardrobe seemed enormously big
to you, for you were a small child, and you couldn't imagine it
could ever be moved; but during spring cleaning at Easter what was
hidden was brought to light. Fear drove you to put the blame on a
schoolfellow. And now he had to endure torture, because appearances
were against him, for you were thought to be trustworthy. After
this the history of your sorrows comes as a logical sequence. You
accept this logic?
STRANGER. Yes. Punish me!
PRIOR. No. I don't punish; when I was a child I did--similar
things. But will you now promise to forget this history of your own
sufferings for all time and never to recount it again?
STRANGER. I promise! If only he whom I took advantage of could
forgive me.
PRIOR. He has already. Isn't that so, Pater Isidor?
ISIDOR (who was the DOCTOR in the first part of 'The Road to
Damascus,' rising). With my whole heart!
STRANGER. It's you!
ISIDOR. Yes. I.
PRIOR (to FATHER ISIDOR). Pater Isidor, say a word, just one.
ISIDOR. It was in the year 1856 that I had to endure my torture.
But even in 1854 one of my brothers suffered in the same way, owing
to a false accusation on my part. (To the STRANGER.) So we're all
guilty and not one of us is without blemish; and I believe my
victim had no clear conscience either. (He sits down.)
PRIOR. If we could only stop accusing one another and particularly
Eternal Justice! But we're born in guilt and all resemble Adam! (To
the STRANGER.) There was something you wanted to know, was there
not?
STRANGER. I wanted to know life's inmost meaning.
PRIOR. The very innermost! So you wanted to learn what no man's
permitted to know. Pater Uriel! (PATER URIEL, who is blind, rises.
The PRIOR speaks to the STRANGER.) Look at this blind father! We
call him Uriel in remembrance of Uriel Acosta, whom perhaps you've
heard of? (The STRANGER makes a sign that he has not.) You haven't?
All young people should have heard of him. Uriel Acosta was a
Portuguese of Jewish descent, who, however, was brought up in the
Christian faith. When he was still fairly young he began to
inquire--you understand--to inquire if Christ were really God; with
the result that he went over to the Jewish faith. And then he began
research into the Mosaic writings and the immortality of the soul,
with the result that the Rabbis handed him over to the Christian
priesthood for punishment. A long time after he returned to the
Jewish faith. But his thirst for knowledge knew no bounds, and he
continued his researches till he found he'd reached absolute
nullity; and in despair that he couldn't learn the final secret he
took his own life with a pistol shot. (Pause.) Now look at our good
father Uriel here. He, too, was once very young and anxious to
know; he always wanted to be in the forefront of every modern
movement, and he discovered new philosophies. I may add, by the
way, that he's a friend of my boyhood and almost as old as I. Now
about 1820 he came upon the so-called rational philosophy, that had
already lain in its grave for twenty years. With this system of
thought, which was supposed to be a master key, all locks were to
be picked, all questions answered and all opponents confuted--
everything was clear and simple. In those days Uriel was a strong
opponent of all religions and in particular followed the
Mesmerists, as the hypnotisers of that age were called. In 1830 our
friend became a Hegelian, though, to be sure, rather late in the
day. Then he re-discovered God, a God who was immanent in nature
and in man, and found he was a little god himself. Now, as ill-luck
would have it, there were two Hegels, just as there were two
Voltaires; and the later, or more conservative Hegel, had developed
his All-godhead till it had become a compromise with the Christian
view. And so Father Uriel, who never wanted to be behind the times,
became a rationalistic Christian, who was given the thankless task
of combating Rationalism and himself. (Pause.) I'll shorten the
whole sad history for Father Uriel's sake. In 1850 he again became
a materialist and an enemy of Christianity. In 1870 he became a
hypnotist, in 1880 a theosophist, and 1890 he wanted to shoot
himself! I met him just at that time. He was sitting on a bench in
Unter den Linden in Berlin, and he was blind. This Uriel was blind--
and Uriel means 'God is my Light'--who for a century had marched
with the torch of liberalism at the head of _every_ modern
movement! (To the STRANGER.) You see, he wanted to know, but he
failed! And therefore he now believes. Is there anything else you'd
like to know?
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