Clf - Gibran - Spirits Rebellious

7/28/2019 Clf - Gibran - Spirits Rebellious

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Spirits Rebellious

Kahlil Gibran1908

CHAPTER 1. MADAME ROSE HANIE - PART ONE

Miserable is the man who loves a woman and takes her for a wife, pouring at her feet the sweat ohis skin and the blood of his body and the life of his heart, and placing in her hands the fruit of hitoil and the revenue of hi s diligence for when he slowly wakes up, he finds that the heart, whichhe endeavoured to buy, is given freely and in sincerity to another man for the en!oyment of its

hidden secrets and deepest love" Miserable is the woman who arises from the inattenti veness andrestlessness of youth and finds herself in the home of a man showering her with his glittering goldand precious gifts and according her all the honors and grace of lavish entertainment but unable tsatisfy her soul with the heavenly wine whic h God pours from the eyes of a man into the heart ofa woman" # knew $ashid %ey &amaan since # was a youngster he was a 'ebanese, born andreared in the (ity of %eyrouth" %eing a member of an old and rich family which preserved thetradition and glory of his ancestry, $ashid was fond of citing incidents that dealt mainly with thenobility of his forefathers" #n his routine life he followed their beliefs and customs which, at thattime, prevailed in the Middle )ast"

$ashid %ey &amaan was generous and good*hearted, but like many of the +yrians, looked only at
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the superficial things instead of reality" e never hearkened to the dictates of his heart, but busiedhimself in obeying the voices of his environment" e amused himself with shimmering ob!ects thablinded his eyes and heart to life-s secrets his soul was diverted away from an understanding ofthe law of nature, and to a temporary self*gratification" e was one of those men who hastened tconfess thei r love or disgust to the people, then regretted their impulsiveness when it was too latfor recall" .nd then shame and ridicule befell them, instead of pardon or sanction"

/hese are the characteristics that prompted $ashid %ey &amaan to marry $ose anie far before

her soul emraced his soul in the shadow of the true love that makes union a paradise"

.fter a few years of absence, # returned to the (ity of %eyrouth" .s # went to visit $ashid %ey&amaan, # found him pale and thin" n his face one could see the spectre of bitterdisappointment his sorrowful eyes bespoke his crushed heart and melan choly soul" # was curiousto find the cause for his miserable plight however, # did not hesitate to ask for eplanation andsaid, 23hat became of you, $ashid4 3here is the radiant smile and the happy countenance thataccompanied you since childhood4 as death taken away from you a dear friend4 r have theblack nights stolen from you the gold you have amassed during the white days4 #n the name offriendship, tell me what is causing this sadness of heart and weakness of body42

e looked at me ruefully, as if # had revived to him some secluded images of beautiful days" 3itha distressed and faltering voice he responded, 23hen a person loses a friend, he consoles himselfwith the many other friends about him, and if he loses his gold, he meditates for a while and castmisfortune from his mind, especially when he finds himself healthy and still laden with ambition"%ut when a man loses the ease of his heart, where can he find comfort, and with what can hereplace it4 3hat mind can master it4 3hen death strikes close by, you will suffer" %ut when theday and the night pass, you will feel the smooth touch of the soft fingers of 'ife then you willsmile and re!oice"

25estiny comes suddenly, bringing concern she stares at you with horrible eyes and clutches you

at the throat with sharp fingers and hurls you to the ground and tramples upon you with ironcladfeet then she laughs and walks away, but later regrets h er actions and asks you through goodfortune to forgive her" +he stretches her silky hand and lifts you high and sings to you the +ong ofope and causes you to lose your cares" +he creates in you a new 6est for confidence andambition" #f your lot in life is a beautiful bird that you love dearly, you gladly feed to him the seedof your inner self, and make your heart his cage and your soul his nest" %ut while you areaffectionately admiring him and looking upon him with the eyes of love, he escapes from yourhands and flies very high then he descends and enters into another cage and never comes backto you" 3hat can you do4 3here can you find patience and condolence4 ow can you revive yourhopes and dreams4 3hat power can still your turbulent heart42

aving uttered these words with a choking voice and suffering spirit, $ashid %ey &amaan stoodshaking like a reed between the north and south wind" e etended his hands as if to graspsomething with his bent fingers and destroy it" is wrinkled fac e was livid, his eyes grew larger ahe stared a few moments, and it seemed to him as if he saw a demon appearing fromnoneistence to take him away then he fied his eyes on mine and his appearance suddenlychanged his anger was converted into keen suf fering and distress, and he cried out saying, 2#t isthe woman whom # rescued from between the deathly paws of poverty # opened my coffers toher and made her envied by all women for the beautiful raiment and precious gems andmagnificent carriages drawn by spirited horses the woman whom my heart has loved and atwhose feet # poured affection the woman, to whom # was a true friend, sincere companion and a


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faithful husband /he woman who betrayed me and departed me for another man to share withhim dest itution and partake his evil bread, kneaded with shame and mied with disgrace" /hewoman # loved the beautiful bird whom # fed, and to whom # made my heart a cage and my soula nest, has escaped from my hands and entered into another cage that pure an gel, who residedin the paradise of my affection and love, now appears to me as a horrible demon, descended intothe darkness to suffer for her sin and cause me to suffer on earth for her crime"2

e hid his face with his hands as if wanting to protect himself from himself, and became silent for

a moment" /hen he sighed and said, 2/his is all # can tell you please do not ask anything further"5o not make a crying voice of my calamity, but le t it rather be mute misfortune perhaps it willgrow in silence and deaden me away so that # may rest at last with peace"2

# rose with tears in my eyes and mercy in my heart, and silently bade him goodbye my words hano power to console his wounded heart, and my knowledge had no torch to illuminate his gloomyself"

CHAPTER 2. MADAME ROSE HANIE - PART TWO A

. few days thereafter # met Madame $ose anie for the first time, in a poor hovel, surrounded byflowers and trees" +he had heard of me through $ashid %ey &amaan, the man whose heart shehad crushed and stamped upon and left under the terrible hoofs of 'ife" .s # looked at herbeautiful bright eyes, and heard her sincere voice, # said to myself, 2(an this be the sordidwoman4 (an this clear face hide an ugly soul and a criminal heart4 #s this the unfaithful wife4 #sthis the woman of whom # have spoken evil and imagined as a serpent disguised in the form of abeautiful bird42 /hen # whispered again to myself saying, 2#s it this beautiful face that made $ashi%ey &amaan miserable4 aven-t we heard that obvious beauty is the cause of many hiddendistresses and deep suffering4 #s not the beautiful moon, that inspires the poets, the same moonthat angers the silence of the sea with a terrible roar42 .s we seated ourselves, Madame $oseanie seemed to have heard and read my thoughts and wanted not to prolong my doubts" +heleaned her beautiful head upon her hands and with a voice sweeter than the sound of the lyre, sh

said, 2# have never met you, but # heard the echoes of your thoughts and dreams from the mouthof the people, and they convinced me that you are merciful and have understanding for theoppressed woman * the woman whose heart-s secrets you have discovered and whose affectionsyou have known" .llow me to reveal to you the full contents of my heart so you may know that$ose anie never was an unfaithful woman"

2# was scarcely eighteen years of age when fate led me to $ashid %ey &amaan, who was thenforty years old" e fell in love with me, according to what the people say, and took me for a wifeand put me in his magnificent home, placing at my disposal clothes and precious gems" eehibited me as a strange rarity at the homes of his friends and family he smiled with triumphwhen he saw his contemporaries looking at me with surprise and admiration he lifted his chin hig

with pride when he heard the ladies speak of me with praise and affection" %ut never could hehear the whispers, -#s this the wife of $ashid %ey &amaan, or his adopted daughter4- .nd anotherone commenting, -#f he had married at the proper age, his first born would have been older than$ose anie"-

2.ll that happened before my life had awakened from the deep swoon of youth, and before Godinflamed my heart with the torch of love, and before the growth of the seeds of my affections" 7eall this transpired during the time when # believed that real happiness came through beautifulclothes and magnificent mansions" 3hen # woke up from the slumber of childhood, # felt theflames of sacred fire burning in my heart, and a spiritual hunger gnawing at my soul, making it


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suffer" 3hen # opened my eyes, # found my wings moving to the right and left, trying to ascendinto the spacious firmament of love, but shivering and dropping under the gusts of the shackles oflaws that bound my body to a man before # knew the true meaning of that law" # felt all thesethings and knew that a woman-s happiness does not come through man-s glory and honour, northrough his generosity and affection, but through love that unites both of their hearts andaffections, making them one member of life-s body and one word upon the lips of God" 3hen/ruth showed herself to me, # found myself imprisoned by law in the mansion of $ashid %ey&amaan, like a thief stealing his bread and hiding in the dark and friendly corners of the night" #

knew that every hour spent with him was a terrible lie written upon my forehead with letters of firbefore heaven and earth" # could not give him my love and affection in reward for his generosityand sincerity" # tried in vain to love him, but love is a power that makes our hearts, yet our heartscannot make that power" # prayed and prayed in the silence of the night before God to create inthe depths of my heart a spiritual attachment that would carry me closer to the man who had beechosen for me as a companion through life"

2My prayers were not granted, because 'ove descends upon our souls by the will of God and notby the demand or the plea of the individual" /hus # remained for two years in the home of thatman, envying the birds of the field their freedom while my friends envied me my painful chains ofgold" # was like a woman who is torn from her only child like a lamenting heart, eisting withoutattachment like an innocent victim of the severity of human law" # was close to death fromspiritual thirst and hunger"

2ne dark day, as # looked behind the heavy skies, # saw a gentle light pouring from the eyes of aman who was walking forlornly on the path of life # closed my eyes to that light and said tomyself, -h, my soul, darkness of the grave is thy lot, do not be greedy for the light"- /hen # hearda beautiful melody from heaven that revived my wounded heart with its purity, but # closed myears and said, -h, my soul, the cry of the abyss is thy lot, do not be greedy for heavenly songs"- closed my eyes again so # could not see, and shut my ears so # could not hear, but my closed eyestill saw that gentle light, and my ears still heard that divine sound" # was frightened for the first

time and felt like the beggar who found a precious !ewel near the )mir-s palace and could not pickit up on account of fear, or leave it because of poverty" # cried * a cry of a thirsty soul who sees abrook surrounded by wild beasts, and falls upon the ground waiting and watching fearfully"2

CHAPTER 3. MADAME ROSE HANIE - PART TWO B

/hen she turned her eyes away from me as if she remembered the past that made her ashamed tface me, but she continued, 2/hose people who go to back to eternity before they taste thesweetness of real life are unable to understand the meaning of a woman-s suffering" )speciallywhen she devotes her soul to a man she loves by the will of God, and her body to another whomshe caresses by the enforcement of earthly law" #t is a tragedy written with the blood of thewoman-s blood and tears which the man reads with ridicule because he cannot understand it yet

if he does understand, his laughter will turn into scorn and blasphemy that act like fire upon herheart" #t is a drama enacted by the black nights upon the stage of a woman-s soul, whose body istied up into a man, known to her as husband, ere she perceives God-s meaning of marriage" +hefinds her soul hovering about the man whom she adores by all agencies of pure and true love andbeauty" #t is a terrible agony that began with the eistence of weakness in a woman and thecommencement of strength in a man" #t will not end unless the days of slavery and superiority ofthe strong over the weak are abolished" #t is a horrible war between the corrupt law of humanityand the sacred affections and holy purpose of the heart" #n such a battlefield # was lyingyesterday, but # gathered the remnants of my strength, and unchained my irons of cowardice, anduntied my wings from the swaddles of weakness and arose into the spacious sky of love and


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freedom" 2/oday # am one with the man # love he and # sprang out as one torch from the hand oGod before the beginning of the world" /here is no power under the sun that can take myhappiness from me, because it emanated from two embraced spirits, engulfed by understanding,radiated by 'ove, and protected by heaven"2

+he looked at me as if she wanted to penetrate my heart with her eyes in order to to discover theimpression of her words upon me, and to hear the echo of her voice from within me but #remained silent and she continued" er voice was full of bitterness of memory and sweetness of

sincerity and freedom when she said, 2/he people will tell you that $ose anie is an heretic andunfaithful woman who followed her desires by leaving the man who elated her into him and madeher the elegance of his home" /hey will tell you that she is an adulteress and prostitute whodestroyed with her filthy hands the wreath of a sacred marriage and replaced it with a besmirchedunion woven of the thorns of hell" +he took off the garment of virtue and put on the cloak of sinand disgrace" /hey will tell you more than that, because the ghosts of their fathers are still living their bodies" /hey are like the deserted caves of the mountains that echo voices whose meaningsare not understood" /hey neither understand the law of God, nor comprehend the true intent ofveritable religion, nor distinguish between a sinner and an innocent" /hey look only at the surfaceof ob!ects without knowing their secrets" /hey pass their verdicts with ignorance, and !udge withblindness, making the criminal and the innocent, the good and the bad, eual" 3oe to those whoprosecute and !udge the people" " " "

2#n God-s eyes # was unfaithful and an adulteress only while at the home of $ashid %ey &amaan,because he made me his wife according to the customs and traditions and by the force of haste,before heaven had made him mine in conformity with the spiritual law of 'ove and .ffection" # waa sinner in the eyes of God and myself when # ate his bread and offered him my body in rewardfor his generosity" &ow # am pure and clean because the law of 'ove has freed me and made mehonourable and faithful" # ceased selling my body for shelter and my days for clothes" 7es, # wasan adulteress and a criminal when the people viewed me as the most honourable and faithful wifetoday # am pure and noble in spirit, but in their opinion # am polluted, for they !udge the soul by

the outcome of the body and measure the spirit by the standard of matter"2

/hen she looked through the window and pointed out with her right hand toward the city as if shehad seen the ghost of corruption and the shadow of shame among its magnificent buildings" +hesaid pityingly, 2'ook at those ma!estic mansions and sublime palaces where hypocrisy resides inthose edifices and between their beautifully decorated walls resides /reason beside utridityunder the ceiling painted with melted gold lives :alsehood beside retension" &otice thosegorgeous homes that represent happiness, glory and domination they are naught but caverns ofmisery and distress" /hey are plastered graves in which /reason of the weak woman hides behindher kohled eyes and crimsoned lips in their corners selfishness eists, and the animality of manthrough his gold and silver rules supreme"

2#f those high and impregnable buildings scented the odor of hatred, deceit and corruption, theywould have cracked and fallen" /he poor villager looks upon those residences with tearful eyes, buwhen he finds that the hearts of the occupants are empty of that pure love that eists in the heartof his wife and fills its domain, he will smile and go back to his fields contented"2

.nd then she took hold of my hand and led me to the side of the window and said, 2(ome, # willshow you the unveiled secrets of those people whose path # refused to follow" 'ook at that palacewith giant columns" #& it lives a rich man who inherited his gold from his father" .fter having led alife of filth and putrefaction, he married a woman about whom he knew nothing ecept that her


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father was one of the +ultan-s dignitaries" .s soon as the wedding trip was over he becamedisgusted and commenced associations with women who sell their bodies for pieces of silver" iswife was left alone in that palace like an empty bottle left by a drunkard" +he cried and sufferedfor the first time then she reali6ed that her tears were more precious than her degeneratehusband" &ow she is busying herself in the love and devotion of a young man upon whom sheshowers her !oyous hours, and into whose heart she pours her sincere love and affection"

2'et me take you now to that gorgeous home surrounded by beautiful gardens" #t is the home of

man who comes from a noble family which ruled the country for many generations, but whosestandards, wealth, and prestige have declined due to their indulgence in mad spending andslothfulness" . few years ago this man married an ugly but rich woman" .fter he acuired herfortune, he ignored her completely and commenced devoting himself to an attractive youngwoman" is wife today is devoting her time to curling her hair, painting her lips and perfuming hebody" +he wears the most epensive clothes and hopes that some young man will smile and cometo visit her, but it is all in vain, for she cannot succeed ecept in receiving a smile from her uglyself in the mirror"

2bserve that big manor, encircled with the marble statuary it is the home of a beautiful womanwho posseses strange character" 3hen her first husband died, she inherited all his money andestate then she selected a man with a weak mind and feeble body and became his wife to protecherself from the evil tongues, and to use him as a shield for her abominations" +he is now amongher admirers like a bee that sucks the sweetest and most delicious flowers"

CHAPTER . MADAME ROSE HANIE - PART TWO C

/hat beautiful home net to it was built by the greatest architect in the province it belongs to agreedy and substantial man who devotes all of his time to amassing gold and grinding the faces othe poor" e has a wife of supernatural beauty, bodily and spiritually, but she is like the rest, avictim of early marriage" er father committed a crime by giving her away to a man before sheattained understanding age, placing on her neck the heavy yoke of corrupt marriage" +he is thin

and pale now, and cannot find an outlet for her imprisoned affection" +he is sinking slowly andcraving for death to free her from the mesh of slavery and deliver her from a man who spends hislife gathering gold and cursing the hour he married a barren woman who could not bring him achild to carry on his name and inherit his money" #n that home among the orchards lives an idealpoet he married an ignorant woman who ridicules his works because she cannot understandthem, and laughs at his conduct because she cannot ad!ust herself to his sublime way of life" /hapoet found freedom from despair in his love for a married woman who appreciates his intelligenceand inspires him by kindling in his heart the torch of affections, and revealing to him the mostbeautiful and eternal sayings by means of her charm and beauty"2

+ilence prevailed for a few moments, and Madame anie seated herself on a sofa by the window

as if her soul were tired of roaming those uarters" /hen she slowly continued, 2/hese are theresidences in which # refused to live these are the graves in which #, too, was spiritually buried"/hese people from whom # have freed myself are the ones who become attracted by the body anrepelled by the spirit, and who know naught of 'ove and %eauty" /he only mediator between themand God is God-s pity for their ignorance of the law of God" # cannot !udge, for # was one of them,but # sympathi6e with all my heart" # do not hate them, but # hate their surrender to weakness anfalsehood" # have said all these things to show you the reality of the people from whom # haveescaped against their will" # was trying to eplain to you the life of persons who speak every evilagainst me because # have lost their friendship and finally gained my own" # emerged from theirdark dungeon and directed my eyes towards the light where sincerity, truth and !ustice prevail"


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/hey have eiled me now from their society and # am pleased, because humanity does not eileecept the one whose noble spirit rebels against despotism and oppression" e who does notprefer eile to slavery is not free by any measure of freedom, truth and duty"

27esterday # was like a tray containing all kinds of palatable foods, and $ashid %ey &amaan neverapproached me unless he felt a need for that food yet both of our souls remained far apart fromus like two humble, dignified servants" # have tried to reconcile myself to what people callmisfortune, but my spirit refused to spend all its life kneeling with me before a horrible idol erecte

by the dark ages and called '.3" # kept my chains until # heard 'ove calling me and saw my spiritpreparing to embark" /hen # broke them and walked out from $ashid %ey &amaan-s home like abird freed from his iron cage and leaving behind me all the gems, clothes and servants" # came tolive with my beloved, for # knew that what # was doing was honest" eaven does not want me toweep and suffer" Many times at night # prayed for dawn to come and when dawn came, # prayedfor the day to be over" God does not want me to lead a miserable life, for e placed in the depthsof my heart a desire for happiness is glory rests in the happiness of my heart"

2/his is my story and this is my protest before heaven and earth this is what # sing and repeatwhile people are closing their ears for fear of hearing me and leading their spirits into rebellion thawould crumble the foundation of their uavering society"

2/his is the rough pathway # have carved until # reached the mountain peak of my happiness" &owif death comes to take me away, # will be more than willing to offer myself before the +upreme/hrone of eaven without fear or shame" # am ready for the day of !udgment and my heart iswhite as the snow" # have obeyed the will of God in everything # have done and followed the call omy heart while listening to the angelic voice of heaven" /his is my drama which the people of%eyrouth call -. curse upon the lips of life,- and -.n ailment in the body of society"- %ut one daylove will arouse their hearts like the sun rays that bring forth the flowers even from contaminatedearth" ne day the wayfarers will stop by my grave and greet the earth that enfolds my body andsay, -ere lies $ose anie who freed herself from the slavery of decayed human laws in order to

comply with God-s law of pure love" +he turned her face toward the sun so she would not see theshadow of her body amongst the skulls and thorns"- 2

/he door opened and a man entered" is eyes were shining with magic rays and upon his lipsappeared a wholesome smile" Madame anie rose, took the young man-s arm and introduced himto me, then gave him my name with flattering words" # knew that he was the one for whose sakeshe denied the whole world and violated all earthly laws and customs"

.s we sat down, silence controlled" )ach one of us was engrossed in deep thought" ne minuteworthy of silence and respect had passed when # looked at the couple sitting side by side" # sawsomething # had never seen before, and reali6ed instantly the meaning of Madame anie-s story"

comprehended the secret of her protest against the society which persecutes those who rebelagainst confining laws and customs before determining the cause for the rebellion" # saw oneheavenly spirit before me, composed of two beautiful and united persons, in the midst of whichstood the god of 'ove stretching his wings over them to protect them from evil tongues" # found acomplete understanding emanating from two smiling faces, illuminated by sincerity and surroundeby virtue" :or the first time in my life # found the phantom of happiness standing between a manand a woman, cursed by religion and opposed by the law" # rose and bade them goodbye and leftthat poor hovel which .ffection had erected as an altar to 'ove and ;nderstanding" # walked pastthe buildings which Madame anie pointed out to me" .s # reached the end of these uarters #remembered $ashid %ey &amaan and meditated his miserable plight and said to myself, 2e is


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oppressed will heaven ever listen to him if he complains about Madame anie4 ad that womandone wrong when she left him and followed the freedom of her heart4 r did he commit a crimeby subduing her heart into love4 3hich of the two is the oppressed and which is the oppressor43ho is the criminal and who is the innocent42

/hen # resumed talking to myself after a few moments of deep thinking" 2Many times deceptionhad tempted woman to leave her husband and follow wealth, because her love for riches andbeautiful raiment blinds her and leads her into shame" 3as Madame anie deceitful when she left

her rich husband-s palace for a poor man-s hut4 Many times igorance kills a woman-s honour andrevives her passion she grows tired and leaves her husband, prompted by her desires, and followa man to whom she lowers herself" 3as Madame anie an ignorant woman following her physicadesires when she declared publicly her independence and !oined her beloved young man4 +hecould have satisfied herself secretly while at her husband-s home, for many men were willing to bethe slaves of her beauty and martyrs of her love" Madame anie was a miserable woman" +hesought only happiness, found it, and embraced it" /his is the very truth which society disrespects"/hen # whispered through the ether and inuired of myself, 2#s it permissible for a woman to buyher happiness with her husband-s misery42 .nd my soul added, 2#s it lawful for a man to enslavehis wife-s affection when he reali6es he will never possess it42

# continued walking and Madame anie-s voice was still sounding in my ears when # reached theetreme end of the city" /he sun was disappearing and silence ruled the fields and prairies whilethe birds commenced singing their evening prayers" # stood there meditating, and then # sighedand said, 2%efore the throne of :reedom, the trees re!oice with the frolicsome bree6e and en!oythe rays of the sun and the beams of the moon" /hrough the ears of :reedom these birds whisperand around :reedom they flutter to the music of the brooks" /hroughout the sky of :reedom thesflowers breathe their fragrance and before :reedom-s eyes they smile when day comes"

2)verything lives on earth according to the law of nature, and from that law emerges the glory an!oy of liberty but man is denied this fortune, because he set for the God*given soul a limited and

earthly law of his own" e made for himself strict rules" Man built a narrow and painful prison inwhich he secluded his affections and desires" e dug out a deep grave in which he buried his heaand its purpose" #f an individual, through the dictates of his soul, declares his withdrawal fromsociety and violates the law, his fellowmen will say he is a rebel worthy of eile, or an infamouscreature worthy only of eecution" 3ill man remain a slave of self*confinement until the end of thworld4 r will he be freed by the passing of time and live in the +pirit for the +pirit4 3ill man insisupon staring downward and backward at the earth4 r will he turn his eyes toward the sun so hewill not see the shadow of his body amongst the skulls and thorns42

CHAPTER !. THE CR" O# THE $RA%ES - PART ONE

/he )mir walked into the court room and took the central chair while at his right and left sat the

wise men of the country" /he guards, armed with swords and spears, stood in attention, and thepeople who came to witness the trial rose and bowed ceremoniously to the )mir whose eyesemanated a power that revealed horror to their spirits and fear to their hearts" .s the court cameto order and the hour of !udgment approached, the )mir raised his hand and shouted saying,2%ring forth the criminals singly and tell me what crimes they have committed"2 /he prison dooropened like the mouth of a ferocious yawning beast" #n the obscure corners of the dungeon onecould hear the echo of shackles rattling in unison with the moaning and lamentations of theprisoners" /he spectators were eager to see the prey of 5eath emerging from the depths of thatinferno" . few moments later, two soldiers came out leading a young man with his arms pinionedbehind his back" is stern face bespoke nobility of spirit and strength of the heart" e was halted


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in the middle of the court room and the soldiers marched a few steps to the rear" /he )mir staredat him steadily and said, 23hat crime has this man, who is proudly and triumphantly standingbefore me, committed42 ne of the courtmen responded, 2e is a murderer yesterday he slewone of the )mir-s officers who was on an important mission in the surrounding villages he was stgrasping the bloody sword when he was arrested"2 /he )mir retorted with anger, 2$eturn the mato the dark prison and tie him with heavy chains, and at dawn cut off his head with his own swordand throw his body in the woods so that the beasts may eat the flesh, and the air may carry itsremindful odor into the noses of his family and friends"2 /he youth was returned to prison while

the people looked upon him with sorroful eyes, for he was a young man in the spring of life" /hesoldiers returned back again from the prison leading a young woman of natural and frail beauty"+he looked pale and upon her face appeared the signs of oppression and disappointment" er eyewere soaked with tears and her head was bent under the burden of grief" .fter eyeing herthoroughly, the )mir eclaimed, 2.nd this emaciated woman, who is standing before me like theshadow beside a corpse, what has she done42 ne of the soldiers answered him, saying, 2+he isan adulteress last night her husband discovered her in the arms of another" .fter her loverecaped, her husband turned her over to the law"2 /he )mir looked at her while she raised herface without epression, and he ordered, 2/ake her back to the dark room and stretch her upon abed of thorns so she may remember the resting place which she polluted with her fault give hervinegar mied with gall to drink so she may remember the taste of those sweet kisses" .t dawndrag her naked body outside the city and stone her" 'et the wolves en!oy the tender meat of herbody and the worms pierce her bones"2 .+ she walked back to the dark cell, the people lookedupon her with sympathy and surprise" /hey were astonished with the )mir-s !ustice and grievedover her fate" /he soldiers reappeared, bringing with them a sad man with shaking knees andtrembling like a tender sapling before the north wind" e looked powerless, sickly and frightened,and he was miserable and poor" /he )mir stared at him loathfully and inuired, 2.nd this filthyman, who is like dead amongst the living what has he done42 ne of the guards returned, 2e isa thief who broke into the monastery and stole the sacred vases which the priests found under hisgarment when they arrested him"2

.s a hungry eagle who looks at a bird with broken wings, the )mir looked at him and said, 2/akehim back to the !ail and chain him, and at dawn drag him into a lofty tree and hang him betweenheaven and earth so his sinful hands may perish and the members of his body may be turned intoparticles and scattered by the wind"2 .s the thief stimbled back into the depths of the prison, thepeople commenced whispering one to another saying, 2ow dare such a weak and heretic mansteal the sacred vases of the monastery42

.t this time the court ad!ourned and the )mir walked out accompanied by all his wise men,guarded by the soldiers, while the audience scattered and the place became empty ecept of themoaning and wailing of the prisoners" .ll this happened while # was standing there like a mirrorbefore passing ghosts" # was meditating the laws, made by man for man, contemplating what the

people call 2!ustice,2 and engrossing myself with deep thoughts of the secrets of life" # tried tounderstand the meaning of the universe" # was dumbfounded in finding myself lost like a hori6onthat disappears beyond the cloud" .s # left the place # said to myself, 2/he vegetable feeds uponthe elements of the earth, the sheep eats the vegetable, the wolf preys upon the sheep, and thebull kills the wolf while the lion devours the bull yet 5eath claims the lion" #s there any power thawill overcome 5eath and make these brutalities an eternal !ustice4 #s there a force that canconvert all the ugly things into beautiful ob!ects4 #s there any might that can clutch with its handsall the elements of life and embrace them with !oy as the sea !oyfully engulfs all the brooks into itdepths4 #s there any power that can arrest the murdered and the murderer, the adulteress and thadulterer, the robber and the robbed, and bring them to a court loftier and more supreme than th


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court of the )mir42

CHAPTER &. THE CR" O# THE $RA%ES - PART TWO A

/hen )mir walked into the court room and took the central chair while at his right and left sat thewise men of the country" /he guards, armed with swords and spears, stood in attention, and thepeople who came to witness the trial rose and bowed ceremoniously to the )mir whose eyesemanated a power that revealed horror to their spirits and fear to their hearts" .s the court cameto order and the hour of !udgment approached, the )mir raised his hand and shouted saying,

2%ring forth the criminals singly and tell me what crimes they have committed"2 /he prison dooropened like the mouth of a ferocious yawning beast" #n the obscure corners of the dungeon onecould hear the echo of shackles rattling in unison with the moaning and lamentations of theprisoners" /he spectators were eager to see the prey of 5eath emerging from the depths of thatinferno" . few moments later, two soldiers came out leading a young man with his arms pinionedbehind his back" is stern face bespoke nobility of spirit and strength of the heart" e was haltedin the middle of the court room and the soldiers marched a few steps to the rear" /he )mir staredat him steadily and said, 23hat crime has this man, who is proudly and triumphantly standingbefore me, committed42 ne of the courtmen responded, 2e is a murderer yesterday he slewone of the )mir-s officers who was on an important mission in the surrounding villages he was stgrasping the bloody sword when he was arrested"2 /he )mir retorted with anger, 2$eturn the mato the dark prison and tie him with heavy chains, and at dawn cut off his head with his own swordand throw his body in the woods so that the beasts may eat the flesh, and the air may carry itsremindful odor into the noses of his family and friends"2 /he youth was returned to prison whilethe people looked upon him with sorroful eyes, for he was a young man in the spring of life" /hesoldiers returned back again from the prison leading a young woman of natural and frail beauty"+he looked pale and upon her face appeared the signs of oppression and disappointment" er eyewere soaked with tears and her head was bent under the burden of grief" .fter eyeing herthoroughly, the )mir eclaimed, 2.nd this emaciated woman, who is standing before me like theshadow beside a corpse, what has she done42 ne of the soldiers answered him, saying, 2+he isan adulteress last night her husband discovered her in the arms of another" .fter her lover

ecaped, her husband turned her over to the law"2 /he )mir looked at her while she raised herface without epression, and he ordered, 2/ake her back to the dark room and stretch her upon abed of thorns so she may remember the resting place which she polluted with her fault give hervinegar mied with gall to drink so she may remember the taste of those sweet kisses" .t dawndrag her naked body outside the city and stone her" 'et the wolves en!oy the tender meat of herbody and the worms pierce her bones"2 .+ she walked back to the dark cell, the people lookedupon her with sympathy and surprise" /hey were astonished with the )mir-s !ustice and grievedover her fate" /he soldiers reappeared, bringing with them a sad man with shaking knees andtrembling like a tender sapling before the north wind" e looked powerless, sickly and frightened,and he was miserable and poor" /he )mir stared at him loathfully and inuired, 2.nd this filthyman, who is like dead amongst the living what has he done42 ne of the guards returned, 2e is

a thief who broke into the monastery and stole the sacred vases which the priests found under hisgarment when they arrested him"2

.s a hungry eagle who looks at a bird with broken wings, the )mir looked at him and said, 2/akehim back to the !ail and chain him, and at dawn drag him into a lofty tree and hang him betweenheaven and earth so his sinful hands may perish and the members of his body may be turned intoparticles and scattered by the wind"2 .s the thief stimbled back into the depths of the prison, thepeople commenced whispering one to another saying, 2ow dare such a weak and heretic mansteal the sacred vases of the monastery42


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.t this time the court ad!ourned and the )mir walked out accompanied by all his wise men,guarded by the soldiers, while the audience scattered and the place became empty ecept of themoaning and wailing of the prisoners" .ll this happened while # was standing there like a mirrorbefore passing ghosts" # was meditating the laws, made by man for man, contemplating what thepeople call 2!ustice,2 and engrossing myself with deep thoughts of the secrets of life" # tried tounderstand the meaning of the universe" # was dumbfounded in finding myself lost like a hori6onthat disappears beyond the cloud" .s # left the place # said to myself, 2/he vegetable feeds uponthe elements of the earth, the sheep eats the vegetable, the wolf preys upon the sheep, and the

bull kills the wolf while the lion devours the bull yet 5eath claims the lion" #s there any power thawill overcome 5eath and make these brutalities an eternal !ustice4 #s there a force that canconvert all the ugly things into beautiful ob!ects4 #s there any might that can clutch with its handsall the elements of life and embrace them with !oy as the sea !oyfully engulfs all the brooks into itdepths4 #s there any power that can arrest the murdered and the murderer, the adulteress and thadulterer, the robber and the robbed, and bring them to a court loftier and more supreme than thcourt of the )mir42

CHAPTER '. THE CR" O# THE $RA%ES - PART TWO B

3hen he stared at me, his sorrowful eyes bespoke his misery, and he said, 2# am the unfortunateman for whose love she was stoned # loved her and she loved me since childhood we grewtogether 'ove, whom we served and revered, was the lord of our hearts" 'ove !oined both of usand embraced our souls" ne day # absented myself from the city, and upon my return #discovered that her father obliged her to marry a man she did not love" My life became a perpetuastruggle, and all my days were converted into one long and dark night" # tried to be at peace withmy heart, but my heart would not be still" :inally # went to see her secretly and my sole purposewas to have a glimpse of her beautiful eyes and hear the sound of her serene voice" 3hen #reached her house # found her lonely, lamenting her unfortunate self" # sat by her silence was ouimportant conversation and virtue our companion" ne hour of understanding uiet passed, whenher husband entered" # cautioned him to contain himself but he dragged her with both hands intothe street and cried out saying, -(ome, come and see the adulteress and her lover


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employ ecept the strong and the healthy" /hen he sat on the dusty street stretching his handtoward all who passed, begging and repeating the sad song of his defeat in life, while sufferingfrom hunger and humiliation, but the people refused to help him, saying that la6y people did notdeserve alms" n night, hunger gnawed painfully at our children" especially the youngest, whotried hopelessly to nurse on my dry breast" My husband-s epression changed and he left thehouse under the cover of the night" e entered the monastery-s bin and carried out a bushel ofwheat" .s he emerged, the monks woke up from their slumber and arrested him after beating himmercilessly" .t dawn they brought him to the )mir and complained that he came to the monastery

to steal the golden vases of the altar" e was placed in prison and hanged the second day" e watrying to fill the stomachs of his little hungry one with the wheat he had raised by his own labour,but the )mir killed him and used his flesh as food to fill the stomachs of the birds and the beasts"2aving spoken in this manner, she left me alone in a sorrowful plight and departed"

# stood there before the graves like a speaker suffering wordlessness while trying to recite aeulogy" # was speechless, but my falling tears substitute for my words and spoke for my soul" Myspirit rebelled when # attempted to meditate a while, because the soul is like a flower that folds itspetals when dark comes, and breathes not its fragrance into the phantoms of the night" # felt as ifthe earth that enfolded the victims of oppression in that lonely place were filling my ears withsorrowful tunes of suffering souls, and inspiring me to talk" # resorted to silence, but if the peopleunderstood what silence reveals to them, they would have been as close to God as the flowers ofthe valleys" #f the flames of my sighing soul had touched the trees, they would have moved fromtheir places and marched like a strong army to fight the )mir with their branches and tear downthe monastery upon the heads of those priests and monks" # stood there watching, and felt thatthe sweet feeling of mercy and the bitterness of sorrow were pouring from my heart upon thenewly dug graves ** a grave of a young man who sacrificed his life in defending a weak maiden,whose life and honour he had saved from between the paws and teeth of a savage human ayouth whose head was cut off in reward for his bravery and his sword was planted upon his gravby the one he saved, as a symbol of heroism before the face of the sun that shines upon anempire laden with stupidity and corruption" . grave of a young woman whose heart was inflamed

with love before her body was taken by greed, usurped by lust, and stoned by tyranny" " " " +hekept her faith until death her lover placed flowers upon her grave to speak through their witherinhours of those souls whom 'ove had selected and blessed among a people blinded by earthlysubstance and muted by ignorance" . grave of a miserable man, weakened by hard labour in themonastery-s land, who asked for bread to feed his hungry little ones, and was refused" e resorteto begging, but the people took no heed" 3hen his soul led him to restore a small part of the cropwhich he had raised and gathered, he was arrested and beaten to death" is poor widow erected cross upon his head as a witness in the silence of the night before the stars of heaven to testifyagainst those priests who converted the kind teaching of (hrist into sharp swords by which theycut the people-s necks and tore the bodies of the weak"

/he sun disappeared behind the hori6on as if tiring of the world-s troubles and loathing thepeople-s submission" .t that moment the evening began to weave a delicate veil from the sinewsof silence and sread it upon &ature-s body" # stretched my hand toward the graves, pointing attheir symbols, lifted my eyes toward heaven and cried out, 2h, %ravery, this is your sword, burienow in the earth< h, 'ove, these are your flowers, scorched by fire< h, 'ord =esus, this is /hycross, submerged in the obscurity of the night


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dwarfs" e lived amid luury while they pursued an eistence of penury" /hey obeyed him andbowed reverently before him as he spoke to them" #t seemed as though the power of mind hadappointed him its official interpreter and spokesman" is anger would make them tremble andscatter like autumn leaves before a strong wind" #f he were to slap one-s face, it would be heresyon the individual-s part to move or lift his head or make any attempt to discover why the blow hadcome" #f he smiled at a man, the villagers would consider the person thus honoured as the mostfortunate" /he people-s fear and surrender to +heik .bbas were not due to weakness however,their poverty and need of him had brought about this state of continual humiliation" )ven the huts

they lived in and the fields they cultivated were owned by +heik .bbas who had inherited themfrom his ancestors" /he farming of the land and the sowing of the seeds and the gathering ofwheat were all done under the supervision of the +heik who, in reward for their toil, compensatedthem with a small portion of the crop which barely kept them from falling as victims of gnawingstarvation"

ften many of them were in need of bread before the crop was reaped, and they came to +heik.bbas and asked him with pouring tears to advance them a few piastres or a bushel of wheatmand the +heik gladly granted their reuest for he knew that they would pay their debts doublywhen harvest time came" /hus those people remained obligated all their lives, left a legacy ofdebts to their children and were submissive to their master whose anger they had always fearedand whose friendship and good will they had constantly but unsuccessfully endeavoured to win"

CHAPTER +. )HA*I* THE HERETIC - PART TWO

3intercame and brought heavy snow and strong winds the valleys and the fields became emptyof all things ecept leafless trees which stood as spectres of death above the lifeless plains" avinstored the products of the land in the +heik-s bins and filled his vases with the wine of thevineyards, the villagers retreated to their huts to spend a portion of their lives idling by the firesideand commemorating the glory of the past ages and relating to one another the tales of weary dayand long nights"

/he old year had !ust breathed its last into the grey sky" /he night had arrived during which the&ew 7ear would be crowned and placed upon the throne of the ;niverse" /he snow began to fallheavily and the whistling winds were racing from the lofty mountains down to the abyss andblowing the snow into heaps to be stored away in the valleys"

/he trees were shaking under the heavy storms and the fields and knolls were covered with awhite floor upon which 5eath was writing vague lines and effacing them" /he mists stood aspartitions between the scattered villages by the sides of the valleys" /he lights that flickeredthrough the windows of those wretched huts disappeared behind the thick veil of &ature-s wrath"

:ear penetrated the fellahin-s hearts and the animals stood by their mangers in the sheds, while

the dogs were hiding in the corners" ne could hear the voices of the sreaming winds andthundering of the storms resounding from the depths of the valleys" #t seemed as if &ature wereenraged by the passing of the old year and trying to wrest revenge from those peaceful souls byfighting with weapons of cold and frost"

/hat night under ths raging sky, a young man was attempting to walk the winding trail thatconnected 5eir Ki6haya with +heik .bbas- village" /he youth-s limbs were numbed with cold, whilepain and hunger usurped him of his strength" /he black raiment he wore was bleached with thefalling snow, as if he were shrouded in death before the hour of his death had come" e wasstruggling against the wind" is progress was difficult, and he took but a few steps forward with


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each effort" e called for help and then stood silent, shivering in the cold night" e had slim hopewithering between great despair and deep sorrow" e was like a bird with a broken wing, who felin a stream whose whirlpools carried him down to the depths"

/he young man continued walking and falling until his blood stopped circulating and he collapsede uttered a terrible sound " " " the voice of a soul who encountered the hollow face of 5eath " " "a voice of dying youth, weakened by man and trapped by nature " " " a voice of the love ofeistence in the space of nothingness"

CHAPTER 1,. )HA*I* THE HERETIC - PART THREE A

n the north side of that village, in the midst of the wind*torn fields, stood the solitary home of awoman named $achel, and her daughter Miriam who had not then attained the age of eighteen"$achel was the widow of +amaan $amy, who was found slain si years earlier, but the law of mandid not find the murderer" 'ike the rest of the 'ebanese widows, $achel sustained life throughlong, hard work" 5uring the harvest season, she would look for ears of corn left behind by othersin the field, and in .utumn she gathered the remnants of some forgotten fruits in the gardens" #n3inter she spun wool and made raiment for which she received a few piastres or a bushel of grainMiriam, her daughter, was a beautiful girl who shared with her mother the burden of toil"

/hat bitter night the two women were sitting by the fireplace whose warmth was weakened by thfrost and whose firebrands were buried beneath the ashes" %y their side was a flickering lamp thasent its yellow, dimmed rays into the heart of darkness like a prayer that sends phantoms of hopeinto the hearts of the sorrowful"

Midnight had come and they were listening to the wailing winds outside" )very now and thenMiriam would get up, open the small transom and look toward the obscured sky, and then shewould return to her chair worried and frightened by the raging elements" +uddenly Miriam startedas if she had awakened from a swoon of deep slumber" +he looked aniously toward her motherand said, 25id you hear that, Mother4 5id you hear a voice calling for help42 /he mother listened

moment and said, 2# hear nothing but the crying wind, my daughter"2 /hen Miriam eclaimed, 2#heard a voice deeper than the thundering heaven and more sorrowful than the wailing of thetempest"2

aving uttered these words" she stood up and opened the door and listened for a moment" /henshe said, 2# hear it again, Mother


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voice" /he mother put her hands under his armpits, calmed Miriam and said, 2:ear not, for he isstill living hold the lower edge of his cloak and let us carry him home"2

(onfronted with the strong wind and heavy snow, the two women carried the youth and startedtoward the hut" .s they reached the little haven, they laid him down by the fireplace" $achelcoomenced rubbing his numbed hands and Miriam drying his hair with the end of her dress" /heyouth began to move after a few minutes" is eyelids uivered and he took a deep sigh ** a sighthat brought the hope of his safety into the hearts of the merciful women" /hey removed his shoe

and took off his black robe" Miriam looked at her mother and said, 2bserve his raiment, Motherthese clothes are worn by the monks"2 .fter feeding the fire with a bundle of dry sticks, $achellooked at her daughter with perpleity and said, 2/he monks do not leave their convent on such aterrible night"2 .nd Miriam inuired, 2%ut he has no hair on his face the monks wear beards"2 /hemother ga6ed at him with eyes full of mercy and maternal love then she turned to her daughterand said, 2#t makes no difference whether he is a monk or a criminal dry his feet well, mydaughter"2 $achel opened a closet, took from it a !ar of wine and poured some in an earthenwarebowl" Miriam held his head while the mother gave him some of it to stimulate his heart" .s hesipped the wine he opened his eyes for the first time and gave his rescuers a sorrowful lookmingled with tears of gratitude ** the look of a human who felt the smooth touch of life afterhaving been gripped in the sharp claws of death ** a look of great hope after hope had died" /henhe bent his head, and his lips trembled when he uttered the words, 2May God bless both of you"2$achel placed her hand upon his shoulder and said, 2%e calm, brother" 5o not tire yourself withtalking until you gain strength"2 .nd Miriam added, 2$est your head on this pillow, brother, and wwill place you closer to the fire"2 $achel refilled the bowl with wine and gave it to him" +he lookedat her daughter and said, 2ang his robe by the fire so it will dry"2 aving eecuted her mother-scommand, she returned and commenced looking at him mercifully, as if she wanted to help him bpouring into his heart all the warmth of her soul" $achel brought two loaves of bread with somepreserves and dry fruits she sat by him and began to feed him small morsels, as a mother feedsher little child" .t this time he felt stronger and sat up on the hearth mat while the red flames offire reflected upon his sad face" is eyes brightened and he shook his head slowly, saying, 2Mercy

and cruelty are both wrestling in the human heart like the mad elements in the sky of this terriblenight, but mercy shall overcome cruelty because it is divine, and the terror alone, of this night,shall pass away when daylight comes"2 +ilence prevailed for a minute and then he added with awhispering voice, 2. human hand drove me into desperation and a human hand rescued me howsevere man is, and how merciful man is


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your life to the storms and snow42 .nd he remarked, 2#n the opinion of the head priest, a mancannot become a monk unless he is blind and ignorant, senseless and dumb" # left the conventbecause # ama sensible man who can see, feel, and hear"2

Miriam and $achel stared at him as if they had found in his face a hidden secret after a momentofmeditation the mother said, 23ill a man who sees and hears go out on a night that blinds theeyes and deafens the ears42 .nd the youth sated uietly, 2# was epelled from the convent"22)pelled


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share it"2

CHAPTER 12. )HA*I* THE HERETIC - PART THREE C

Khalil straightened himself and looked about with wonder, as if he had found something beautifulstanding before him in that wretched hut" $achel and Miriam remained silent and he proceeded,2God, who took my father and eiled me as an orphan to the convent, did not want me to spendall my life walking blindly toward a dangerous !ungle nor did e wish me to be a miserable slavefor the rest of my life" God opened my eyes and ears and showed me the bright light and made

me hear /ruth when /ruth was talking"2 $achel thought aloud, 2#s there any light, other than thesun, that shines over all the people4 .re human beings capable of understanding the /ruth42 Khareturned, 2/he true light is that which emanates from within man, and reveals the secrets of theheart to the soul, making it happy and contented with life" /ruth is like the stars it does notappear ecept from behind obscurity of the night" /ruth is like all beautiful things in the world itdoes not disclose its desirability ecept to those who first feel the influence of falsehood" /ruth is deep kindness that teaches us to be content in our everyday life and share with the people thesame happiness"2

$achel re!oined, 2Many are those who live according to their goodness, and many are those whobelieve that compassion to others is the shadow of the law of God to man but still, they do notre!oice in life, for they remain miserable until death"2 Khalil replied, 2>ain are the beliefs andteachings that make man miserable, and false is the goodness that leads him into sorrow anddespair, for it is man-s purpose to be happy on this earth and lead the way to felicity and preachits gospel wherever he goes" e who does not see the kingdom of heaven in this life will never seit in the coming life" 3e came not into this life by eile, but we came as innocent creatures of Godto learn how to worship the holy and eternal spirit and seek the hidden secrets within ourselvesfrom the beauty of life" /his is the truth which # have learned from the teachings of the &a6arene"/his is the light that came from within me and showed me the dark corners of the convent thatthreatened my life" /his is the deep secret which the beautiful valleys and fields revealed to mewhen # was hungry, sitting lonely and weeping under the shadow of the trees"

2/his is the religion as the convent should impart it as God wished it as =esus taught it" ne dayas my soul became intoicated with the heavenly intoication of /ruth-s beauty, # stood bravelybefore the monks who were gathering in the garden, and critici6ed their wrong deeds saying, -3hdo you spend your days here and en!oy the bounty of the poor, whose bread you eat was madewith the sweat of their bodies and the tears of their hearts4 3hy are you living in the shadow ofparasitism, segregating yourselves from the people who are in need of knowledge4 3hy are youdepriving the country your help4 =esus has sent you as lambs amongst the wolves what has madyou as wolves amongst the lambs4 3hy are you fleeing from mankind and from God who createdyou4 #f you are better than the people who walk in the procession of life, you should go to themand better their lives but if you think they are better than you, you should desire to learn from

them" ow do you take an oath and vow to live in poverty, then forget what you have said andlive in luury4 ow do you swear an obedience to God and then revolt against all that religionmeans4 ow do you adopt virtue as your rule when your hearts are full of lusts4 7ou pretend thatyou are killing your bodies, but in fact you are killing your souls" 7ou feign to abhor the earthlythings, but your hearts are swollen with greed" 7ou have the people believe in you as religiousteachers truly speaking you are like busy cattle who divert themselves from knowledge by gra6ingin a green and beautiful pasture" 'et us restore to the needy the vast land of the convent and giveback to them the silver and gold we took from them" 'et us disperse from our aloofness and servethe weak who made us strong, and cleanse the country in which we live" 'et us teach this


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miserable nation to smile and re!oice with heaven-s bounty and glory of life and freedom"

2/he people-s tears are more beautiful and God*!oined than the ease and tranuility to which youhave accustomed yourselves in this place" /he sympathy that touches the neighbour-s heart ismore supreme than the hidden virute in the unseen corners of the convent" . word of compassionto the weak criminal or prostitute is nobler than the long prayer which we repeat emptily evey dayin the temple"- 2

.t this time Khalil took a deep breath" /hen he lifted his eyes toward $achel and Miriam saying, 2was saying all of these things to the monks and they were listening with an air of perpleity, as ifthey could not believe that a young man would dare stand before them and utter such bold words3hen # finished, one of the monks approached me and angrily said to me, -ow dare you talk insuch fashion in our presence4- .nd another one came laughing and added, -5id you learn all thisfrom the cows and pigs you tended in the fields4- .nd a third one stood up and threatened mesaying, -7ou shall be punished, heretic


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2.s # read to them these words of =ohn the %aptist, the monks became silent as if an invisible hanstrangled their spirits, but they took false courage and commenced laughing" ne of them said,-3e have read these words many times, and we are not in need of a cow gra6ier to repeat them tus"2

2# protested, -#f you had read these words and comprehended their meaning, these poor viallgerswould not have fro6en or starved to death"- 3hen # said this, one of the monks slapped my face aif # had spoken evil of the priests another kicked me and a third took the book from me and a

fourth one called the head priest who hurried to the scene shaking with anger" e cried out,-.rrest this rebel and drag him from this sacred place, and let the storm-s fury teach himobedience" /ake him away and let nature do unto him the will of God, and then wash your handsof the poisonous germs of heresy infesting his raiment" #f he should return pleading forforgiveness, do not open the door for him, for the viper will not become a dove if placed in a cagenor will the briar bear figs if planted in the vineyards"-

2#n accordance with the command, # was dragged out by the laughing monks" %efore they lockedthe door behind me, # heard one saying, -7esterday you were king of cows and pigs, and todayyou are dethroned, h Great $eformer go now and be the king of wolves and teach them how tolive in their lairs"- 2

Khalilsighed deeply, then turned his face and looked toward the flaming fire" 3ith a sweet andloving voice, and with a pained contenance he said, 2/hus was # epelled from the convent, andthus did the monks deliver me over to the hands of 5eath" # fought through the night blindly theheavy wind was tearing my robe and the piling snow was trapping me feet and pulling me downuntil # fell, crying desperately for help" # felt that no one heard me ecept 5eath, but a powerwhich is all knowledge and mercy had heard my cry" /hat power did not want me to die before #had learned what is left of life-s secrets" /hat power sent you both to me to save my life from thedepth of the abyss and non*eistence"2

$achel and Miriam felt as if their spirits understood the mystery of his soul, and they became hispartners in feeling and understanding" &otwithstanding her will, $achel stretched forth andtouched his hand gently while tears coursed down from her eyes, and she said, 2e who has beenchosen by heaven as a defender of /ruth will not persih by heaven-s own storms and snow"2 .ndMiriam added, 2/he storms and snow may kill the flowers, but cannot deaden the seeds, for thesnow keeps them warm from the killing frost"2

Khalil-sface brightened upon hearing those words of encouragement, and he said, 2#f you do notlook upon me as a rebel and an heretic as the monks did, the persecution which # have sustainedin the convent is the symbol of an oppressed nation that has not yet attained knowledge and thisnight in which # was on the verge of death is like a revolution that precedes full !ustice" .nd from

sensitive woman-s heart springs the happiness of mankind, and from the kindness of her noblespirit comes mankind-s affection"2

e closed his eyes and leaned down on the pillow the two women did not bother him with furtheconversation for they knew that the weariness cause by long eposure had allured and capturedhis eyes" Khalil slept like a lost child who had finally found safety in his mother-s arms"

$achel and her daughter slowly walked to their bed and sat there watching him as if they hadfound in his trouble*torn face an attraction bringing their souls and hearts closer to him" .nd themother whispered, saying, 2/here is a strange power in his closed eyes that speaks in silence and


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stimulates the soul-s desires"2

.nd Miriam re!oined, 2is hands, Mother, are like those of (hrist in the (hurch"2 /he motherreplied, 2is face possesses at the same time a woman-s tenderness and a man-s boldness"2

.nd the wings of slumber carried the two women-s spirits into the world of dream, and the firewent down and turned into ashes, while the light of the oil lamp dimmed gradually anddisappeared" /he fierce tempest continued its roar, and the obscured sky spread layers of snow,

and the strong wind scattered them to the right and the left"

CHAPTER 1. )HA*I* THE HERETIC - PART #OR A

:ive days passed, and the sky was still heavy with snow, burying the mountains and prairiesrelentlessly" Khalil made three attempts to resume his !ourney toward the plains, but $achelrestrained him each time, saying, 25o not give up your life to the blind elements, brother remainhere, for the bread that suffices two will also feed three, and the fire will still be burning after youdeparture as it was before your arrival" 3e are poor, brother, but like the rest of the people, welive our lives before the face of the sun and mankind, and God gives us our daily bread"2 .ndMiriam was begging him with her kind glances, and pleading with her deep sighs, for since heentered the hut she felt the presence of a divine power in her soul sending forth life and light intoher heart and awakening new affection in the oly of olies of her spirit" :or the first time sheeperienced the feeling which made her heart like a white rose that sips the dew drops from thedawn and breathes its fragrance into the endless firmament"

/here is no affection purer and more soothing to the spirit than the one hidden in the heart of amaiden who awakens suddenly and fills her own spirit with heavenly music that makes her dayslike poets- dreams and her nights prophetic" /here is no secret in the mystery of life stronger andmore beautiful than that attachment which converts the silence of a virgin-s spirit into a perpetualawareness that makes a person forget the past, for it kindles fiercely in the heart the sweet andoverwhelming hope of the coming future"

/he 'ebanese woman distinguishes herself from the woman of other nations by her simplicity" /hemanner in which she is trained restricts her progress educationally, and stands as a hindrance toher future" 7et for this reason, she finds herself inuiring of herself as to the inclination andmystery of her heart" /he 'ebanese young woman is like a spring that comes out from the heart othe earth and follows its course through the winding depressions, but since it cannot find an outleto the sea, it turns into a calm lake that reflects upon its growing surface the glittering stars andthe shining moon" Khalil felt the vibration of Miriam-s heart twining steadily about his soul, and heknew that the divine torch that illuminated his heart had also touched her heart" e re!oiced forthe first time, like a parched brook greeting the rain, but he blamed himself for his haste, believinthat this spiritual understanding would pass like a cloud when he departed from the village" e

often spoke to himself saying, 23hat is this mystery that plays so great a part in our lives4 3hat ithis 'aw that drives us into a rough road and stops us !ust before we reach the mountain top,smiling and glorying, then suddenly we are cast to the depths of the valley, weeping and suffering3hat is this life that embraces us like a lover one day, and fights us like an enemy the secondday4 3as # not persecuted yesterday4 5id # not survive hunger and thirst and suffering andmockery for the sake of the /ruth which heaven had awakened in my heart4 5id # not tell themonks that happiness through /ruth is the will and the purpose of God in man4 /hen what is thisfear4 .nd why do # close my eyes to the light that emanates from that young woman-s eyes4 # amepelled and she is poor, but is it on bread only that man can live4 .re we not, between famineand plenty, like trees between winter and summer4 %ut what would $achel say if she knew that


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my heart and her daughter-s heart came to an understanding in silence, and approached close toeach other and neared the circle of the +upreme 'ight4 3hat would she say if she discovered thatthe young man whose life she saved longed to ga6e upon her daughter4 3hat would the simplevillagers say if they knew that a young man, reared in the convent, came to their village bynecessity and epulsion, and desired to live near a beautiful maiden4 3ill they listen to me if # tellthem that he who leaves the convent to live amongst them is like a bird that flies from the bruisinwalls of the cage to the light of freedom4 3hat will +heik .bbas say if he hears my story4 3hatwill the priest of the village do if he learns of the cause of my epulsion42

CHAPTER 1!. )HA*I* THE HERETIC - PART #OR B

Khalil was talking to himself in this fashion while sitting by the fireplace, meditating the flames,symbol of his love and Miriam was stealing a glance now and then at his face and reading hisdreams through his eyes, and hearing the echo of his thoughts, and feeling the touch of his love,even though no word was uttered" ne night, as he stood by the small transom that faced thevalleys where the trees and rocks were shrouded with white coverings, Miriam came and stood byhim, looking at the sky" .s their eyes turned and met, he drew a deep sigh and shut his eyes as ifhis soul were sailing in the spacious sky looking for a word" e found no word necessary, for thesilence spoke for them" Miriam ventured, 23here will you go when the snow meets the stream anthe paths are dry42 is eyes opened, looking beyond the hori6on, and he eplained, 2# shall followthe path to wherever my destiny and my mission for truth shall take me"2 Miriam sighed sadly andoffered, 23hy will you not remain here and live close to us4 #s it that you are obliged to goelsewhere42 e was moved by her kindness and sweet words, but protested, 2/he villagers herewill not accept an epelled monk as their neighbour, and will not permit him to breathe the air thebreathe because they believe that the enemy of the convent is an infidel, cursed by God and issaints"2 Miriam resorted to silence, for the /ruth that pained her prevented further talk" /hen Khaturned aside and eplained, 2Miriam, these villagers are taught by those in authority to hateeveryone who thinks freely they are trained to remain afar from those whose minds soar aloftGod does not like to be worshipped by an ignorant man who imitates someone else if # remainedin this village and asked the people to worship as they please, they would say that # am an infidel

disobeying the authority that was given to the priest by God" #f # asked them to listen and hear thvoices of their hearts and do according to the will of the spirit within, they would say # am an evilman who wants them to do away with the clergy that God placed between heaven and earth"2Khalil looked straight into Miriam-s eyes, and with a voice that bespoke the soundof silver stringssaid, 2%ut, Miriam, there is a magic power in this village that possesses me and engulfs my soul apower so divine that it causes me to forget my pain" #n this village # met 5eath to hs very face,and in this place my soul embraced God-s spirit" #n this village there is a beautiful flower grownover the lifeless grass its beauty attracts my heart and it fragrance fills its domain" +hall # leavethis important flower and go out preaching the ideas that caused my epulsion from the convent,or shall # remain by the side of that flower and dig a grave and bury my thoughts and truthsamong its neighbouring thorns4 3hat shall # do, Miriam42 ;pon hearing these words, she shivere

like a lily before the frolicsome bree6e of the dawn" er heart glowed through her eyes when shefaltered, 23e are both in the hands of a mysterious ad meciful power" 'et it do its will"2

.t that moment the two hearts !oined and thereafter both spirits were one burning torchilluminating their lives"

CHAPTER 1&. )HA*I* THE HERETIC - PART #I%E

+ince the beginning of the creation and up to our present time, certain clans, rich by inheritance,in co*operation with the clergy, had appointed themselves the administrators of the people" #t is aold, gaping wound in the heart of society that cannot be removed ecept by intense removal of


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ignorance" /he man who acuires his wealth by inheritance builds his mansion with the weakpoor-s money" /he clergyman erects his temple upon the graves and bones of the devotedworshippers" /he prince grasps the fellah-s arms while the priest empties his pocket the rulerlooks upon the sons of the fields with frowning face, and the bishop consoles them with his smile,and between the frown of the tiger and the smile of the wolf the flock is perished the ruler claimshimself as king of the law, and the priest as the representative of God, and between these two,the bodies are destroyed and the souls wither into nothing"

#n 'ebanon, that mountain rich in sunlight and poor in knowledge, the noble and the priest !oinedhands to eploit the farmer who ploughed the land and reaped the crop in order to protect himselfrom the sword of the ruler and the curse of the priest" /he rich man in 'ebanon stood proudly byhis palace and shouted at the multitudes saying, 2/he +ultan had appointed me as your lord"2 .ndthe priest stands before the altar saying, 2God has delegated me as an eecutive of your souls"2%ut the 'ebanese resorted to silence, for the dead could not talk"

+heik .bbas had friendship in his heart for the clrgymen, because they were his allies in chokingthe people-s knowledge and reviving the spirit of stern obedience among his workers"

/hat evening, when Khalil and Miriam were approaching the throne of 'ove, and $achel waslooking upon them with the eyes of affection, :ather )lias informed +heik .bbas that the headpriest had epelled a rebellious young man from the convent and that he had taken refuge at thehouse of $achel, the widow of +amaan $amy" .nd the priest was not satisfied with the littleinformation he gave the +heik, but commented, 2/he demon they chased out of the conventcannot become an angel in this village, and the fig tree which is hewn and cast into the fire, doesnot bear fruit while burning" #f we wish to clean this village of the filth of this beast, we must drivehim away as the monks did"2 .nd the +heik answered, 2.re you certain that the young man will ba bad influence upon our people4 #s it not better for us to keep him and make him a worker in ouvineyards4 3e are in need of strong men"2

/he priest-s face showed his disagreement" (ombing his beard with his fingers, he said shrewdly,2#f he were fit to work, he would not have been epelled from the convent" . student who worksin the convent, and who happened to spend last night at my house, informed me that this youngman had violated the rules of the head priest by preaching danger*ridden ideas among the monksand he uoted him as saying, -$estore the fields and the vineyards and the silver of the convent tothe poor and scatter it in all directions and help the people who are in need of knowledge by thudoing, you will please your :ather in eaven"-2

n hearing these words, +heik .bbas leaped to his feet, and like a tiger making ready to strike thevictim, he walked to the door and called to the servants, ordering them to report immediately"/hree men entered, and the +heik commanded, 2#n the house of $achel, the widow of +amaan

$amy, there is a young man wearing a monk-s raiment" /ie him and bring him here" #f that womaob!ects to his arrest, drag her out by her braided hair over the snow and bring her with him, for hwho helps evil is evil himself"2 /he men bowed obediently and hurried to $achel-s home while thepriest and the +heik discussed the type of punishment to be awarded to Khalil and $achel"

CHAPTER 1'. )HA*I* THE HERETIC - PART SI

/he day was over and the night had come spreading its shadow over those wretched huts, heavilyladen with snow" /he stars finally appeared in the sky, like hopes in the coming eternity after thesuffering of death-s agony" /he doors and windows were closed and the lamps were lighted" /hefellahin sat by the fireside, warming their bodies" $achel, Miriam and Khalil were seated at a rough


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wooden table eating their evening meal when there was a knock at the door and three menentered" $achel and Miriam were frightened, but Khalil remained calm, as if he awaited the cominof those men" ne of the +heik-s servants walked toward Khalil, laid his hand upon his shoulderand asked, 2.re you the one who was epelled from the convent42 .nd Khalil responded, 27es, #am the one, what do you want42 /he man replied, 23e are ordered to arrest you and take youwith us to +heik .bbas- home, and if you ob!ect we shall drag you out like a butchered sheep overthe snow"2 $achel turned pale as she eclaimed, 23hat crime has he committed, and why do youwant to tie him and drag him out42 /he two women pleaded with tearful voices, saying, 2e is on

individual in the hands of three and it is cowardly of you to make him suffer"2 /he men becameenraged and shouted, 2#s there any woman in this village who opposes the +heik-s order42 .nd hedrew forth a rope and started to tie Khalil-s hands" Khalil lifted his head proudly, and a sorrowfulsmile appeared on his lips when he said, 2# feel sorry for you men, because you are a strong andblind instrument in the hands of a man who oppresses the weak with the strength of your arms"

7ou are slaves of ignorance" 7esterday # was a man like you, but tomorrow you shall be free inmind as # am now" %etween us there is a deep precipice that chokes my calling voice and hides mreality from you, and you cannot hear or see" ere # am, tie my hands and do as you please"2 /hethree men were moved by his talk and it seemed that his voice had awakened in them a newspirit, but the voice of +heik .bbas still rang in their minds, warning themm to complete themission" /hey bound his hands and led him out silently with a heavy conscience" $achel andMiriam followed them to the +heik-s home, like the daughters of =erusalem who followed (hrist toMount (alvary"

CHAPTER 1(. )HA*I* THE HERETIC - PART SE%EN A

$egardless of its import, news travels swiftly among the fellahin in the small villages, because theabsence from the realm of society makes them anious and busy in discussing the happenings oftheir limited environs" #n winter, when the fields are slumbering under the uilts of snow, andwhen human life is taking refuge and warming itself by the fireside, the villagers become mostinclined to learn of current news in order to occupy themselves" #t was not long after Khalil wasarrested, when the story spread like a contagious disease amongst the villagers" /hey left their

huts and hurried like an army from evey direction into the home of +heik .bbas" 3hen Khalil-s feestepped into the +heik-s home, the residence was crowded with men, women and children whowere endeavouring for a glance at the infidel who was epelled from the convent" /hey were alsoanious to see $achel and her daughter, who had helped Khalil in spreading the hellish disease ifheresy in the pure sky of their village"

/he +heik took the seat of !udgment and beside him sat :ather )lias, while the throng was ga6ingat the pinioned youth who stood bravely before them" $achel and Miriam were standing behindKhalil and trembling with fear" %ut what could fear do to the heart of a woman who found /ruthand followed him4 3hat could the scorn of the crowd do to the soul of a maiden who had beenawakened by 'ove4 +heik .bbas looked at the young man, and with a thundering voice he

interrogated him saying, 23hat is your name, man42 2Khalil is my name,2 answered the youth" /h+heik returned, 23ho are your father and mothe and relatives, and where were you born42 Khalilturned toward the fellahin, who looked upon him with hateful eyes, and said, 2/he oppressed pooare my clan and my relatives, and this vast country is my birthplace"2

+heik .bbas, with an air of ridicule, said, 2/hose people whom you claim as kin demand that yoube punished, and the country you assert as your birthplace ob!ects to your being a member of itspeople"2 Khalil replied, 2/he ignorant nations arrest their good men and turn them into theirdespots and a country, ruled by a tyrant, persecutes those who try to free the people from theyoke of slavery" %ut will a good son leave his mother if she is ill4 3ill a merciful man deny his


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brother who is miserable4 /hose poor men who arrested me and brought me here today are thesame ones who surrendered their lives to you yesterday" .nd this vast earth that disapproves myeistence is the one that does not yawn and swallow the greedy despots"2

/he +heik uttered a loud laugh, as if wanting to depress the young man-s spirit and prevent himfrom influencing the audience" e turned to Khalil and said impressively, 27ou cattle gra6ier, doyou think that we will show more mercy than did the monks, who epelled you from the convent45o you think that we feel pity for a dangerous agitator42 Khalil responded, 2#t is true that # was a

cattle gra6ier, but # am glad that # was not a butcher" # led my herds to the rich pastures andnever gra6ed them on arid land" # led my animals to pure springs and kept them fromcontaminated marshes" .t eventide # brought them safely to their shed and never left them in thevalleys as prey for the wolves" /hus # have treated the animals and if you had pursued my courseand treated human beings as # treated my flock, these poor people would not live in wretched hutand suffer the pangs of poverty, while you are living like &ero in this gorgeous mansion"2

/he +heik-s forehead glittered with drops of perspiration, and his smirk turned into anger, but hetried to show only calm by pretending that he did not heed Khalil-s talk, and he epostulated,pointing at Khalil with his finger, 27ou are a heretic, and we shall not listen to your ridiculous talkwe summoned you to be tried as a criminal, and you reali6e that you are in the presence of the'ord off this village who is empowered to represent his )cellency )mir .meen +hehab" 7ou arestanding before :ather )lias, the representative of the oly (hurch whose teachings you haveopposed" &ow, defend yourself, or kneel down before these people and we will pardon you andmake you a cattle gra6ier, as you were in the convent"2 Khalil calmly returned, 2. criminal is not tobe tried by another criminal, as an atheist will not defend himself before sinners"2 .nd Khalillooked at the audience and spoke to them saying, 2My brethren, the man whom you call the 'ordof your fields, and to whom you have yielded thus long, has brought me to be tried before you inthis edifice which he built upon the graves of your forefathers" .nd the man who became a pastorof your church through your faith, has come to !udge me and help to humiliate me and increasemy sufferings" 7ou have hurried to this place from every direction to see me suffer and hear me

plead for mercy" 7ou have left your huts in order to witness your pinioned son and brother" 7ouhave come to see the prey trembling between the paws of a ferocious beast" 7ou came heretonight to view an infidel standing before the !udges" # am the criminal and # am the heretic whohas been epelled from the convent" /he tempest brought me into your village" 'isten to myprotest, and do not be merciful, but be !ust, for mercy is bestowed upon the guilty criminal, while

!ustice is all that an innocent man reuires"

2# select you now as my !ury, because the will of the people is the will of God" .waken your heartand listen carefully and then prosecute me according to the dictates of your conscience" 7ou havebeen told that # am an infidel, but you have not been informed of what crime or sin # havecommitted" 7ou have seen me tied like a thief, but you have not heard about my offenses, for

wrongdoings are not revealed in this court, while punishment comes out like thunder" My crime,dear fellowmen, is my understanding of your plight, for # felt the weight of the irons which havebeen placed upon your necks" My sin is my heartfelt sorrows for your women it is my sympathyfor your children who suck life from your breast mied with the shadow of death" # am one of youand my forefathers lived in these valleys and died under the same yolk which is bending yourheads now" # believe in God who listens to the call of your suffering souls, and # believe in the%ook that makes all of us brothers before the face of heaven" # believe in the teachings that makeus all eual, and that render us unpinioned upon this earth, the steeping place of the careful feetof God"


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CHAPTER 1+. )HA*I* THE HERETIC - PART SE%EN B

2.s # was gra6ing my cows at the convent, and contemplating the sorrowful condition you tolerate# heard a desperate cry coming from your miserable homes ** a cry of oppressed souls ** a cry ofbroken hearts which are locked in your bodies as slaves to the lord of these fields" .s # looked, #found me in the convent and you in the fields, and # saw you as a flock of lambs following a wolfto the lair and as # stopped in the middle of the road to aid the lambs, # cried for help and thewolf snapped me with his sharp teeth" 2# have sustained imprisonment, thirst, and hunger for thesake fo /ruth that hurts only the body" # have undergone suffering beyond endurance because #

turned your sad sighs into a crying voice that rang and echoed in every corner of the convent" #never felt fear, and my heart never tired, for your painful cry was in!ecting a new strength into meevery day, and my heart was healthy" 7ou may ask yourself now saying, -3hen did we ever cry fohelp, and who dares open his lips4- %ut # say unto you, your souls are crying every day, andpleading for help every night, but you cannot hear them, for the dying man cannot hear his ownheart rattling, while those who are standing by his bedside can surely hear" /he slaughtered bird,in spite of his will, dances painfully and unknowingly, but those who witness the dance know whatcaused it" #n what hour of the day do you sigh painfully4 #s it in the morning, when love ofeistence cries at you and tears the veil of slumber off your eyes and leads you like slaves into thefields4 #s it at noon, when you wish to sit under a tree to protect yourself from the burning sun4 at eventide, when you return home hungry, wishing for sustaining food instead of a meagre morsand impure water4 r at night when fatigue throws you upon your rough bed, and as s

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