VIII
Applause broke out here and there. Prometheus, abashed, excused himself:
—Gentlemen, I was lying: pardon me: it did not happen quite so quickly: No, I have not always loved eagles: For a long time I preferred men; their injured happiness was dear to me, because once having interfered I believed myself responsible, and in the evening every time I thought of it, my eagle, sad as remorse, came to eat.
He was at this time gaunt and grey, careworn and morose, and he was as ugly as a vulture.—Gentlemen, look at him now and understand why I tell you this; why I asked you to come here; why I entreat you to listen to me. It is because I have discovered this: the eagle can become very beautiful. Now, every one of us has an eagle; as I have just most earnestly asserted. An eagle?—Alas, a vulture perhaps! no, no, not a vulture, gentlemen!—Gentlemen, you must have an eagle....
And now I touch the most serious question:—Why an eagle?... Ah! Why?—let him say why. Here is mine, gentlemen; I bring him to you.... Eagle! Will you reply now? Anxiously Prometheus turned towards his eagle. The eagle was motionless and remained silent.... Prometheus continued in a distressed voice:
—Gentlemen, gentlemen, I have vainly questioned my eagle.... Eagle! speak now: every one listens to you.... Who sends you? Why have you chosen me? Where do you come from? Where do you go to? Speak: What is your nature? (The eagle remained silent.) No, nothing! Not a word! Not a cry!—I hoped he would speak to you at any rate; that is why I brought him with me.... Must I speak alone here?—All is silence!—All is silence!
What does it mean?... I have questioned in vain. Then turning towards the audience:
Oh! I hoped, gentlemen, that you would love my eagle, that your love would affirm his beauty.—That is why I gave myself up to him, that is why I filled him with the blood of my soul.... But I see I am alone in admiring him. Is it not enough for you that he is beautiful? Or do you not admit his beauty? Look at him at least. I have lived only for him—and now I bring him to you: There he is! As for me I live for him—but he ... but he, why does he live?
Eagle that I have nourished with the blood of my soul, whom with all my love I have caressed ... (here Prometheus was interrupted by sobs)—must I then leave the earth without knowing why I loved you, nor what you will do, nor what you will be, after me on the earth ... on the earth? I have ... asked in vain ... in vain....
The words choked in his throat—his voice could not be heard through his tears.—Pardon me, gentlemen,—he continued a little calmer; pardon me for saying such serious things, but if I knew more serious ones I would say them....
Perspiring, Prometheus wiped his face, drank some water, and added:
THE END OF PROMETHEUS’ LECTURE
—I have only prepared my lecture up to this point....
... At these words there was a rustling among the audience; several, feeling bored, wished to go out.
—Gentlemen, cried Prometheus, I beseech you to stay, it will not be very long now; but the most important thing of all remains to be said, if I have not already persuaded you.... Gentlemen!—for goodness’ sake.... Here! quickly: a few fireworks; I will keep the best for the end.... Gentlemen!—sit down again, I pray you; look: do not think I want to economize: I light six at a time.—But first, waiter, shut the doors.
The fireworks were more or less effective. Nearly every one sat down again.
—But where was I? cried Prometheus. I counted upon getting under weigh; disturbance has checked me.
—So much the better, cried some one.
—Ah! I know ... continued Prometheus. I wished to tell you again....
—Enough! enough!! cried voices from all parts of the hall.
... That you must love your eagle.
Several cried “Why?” ironically.
—I hear, gentlemen, some one asks me “Why?” I reply: Because then he will become beautiful.
—But if we become ugly?
—Gentlemen, I do not speak here words of self-interest....
—One can see that.
—They are words of self-devotion. Gentlemen, one must devote oneself to one’s eagle.... (Agitation—many get up.) Gentlemen, do not move: I will be personal. It is not necessary to remind you of the history of Cocles and Damocles.—All here know it. Well—Well! I will tell them to their faces: the secret of their lives is in their self-devotion to their debt: You, Cocles, to your blow; you, Damocles, to your bank-note. Cocles, your duty was to make your scar deeper and your empty orbit emptier, oh! Cocles! yours, Damocles, to keep your bank-note, to continue owing it, owing it without shame, owing even more, owing it with joy. There is your eagle; there are other and more glorious ones. But I tell you this: the eagle will devour us anyway—vice or virtue—duty or passion,—cease to be commonplace and you cannot escape it. But....
(Here the voice of Prometheus was barely heard in the tumult)—but if you do not feed your eagle lovingly he will remain grey and miserable, invisible to all and sly; then you will call him conscience, not worthy of the torments he causes; without beauty.—Gentlemen, you must love your eagle, love him to make him beautiful; for it is for his future beauty that you must love your eagle....
Now I have finished, gentlemen, my eagle will make the collection. Gentlemen, you must love my eagle.—In the meantime I will let off some fireworks....
Thanks to the pyrotechnic diversion, the assembly dispersed without too much trouble; but Damocles took cold on coming out of the hall.