Chapter 10 two poles

The glass bead game, known as the "China House Game", is still well-known to this day and is often cited as a classic game.For Knecht and his friend Deglarius, success was the fruit of their hard work, and for Castalia and the highest educational authorities, success was proof that they appointed Knecht Sett was right to be the Supreme Commander.The entire Waldzell area, the Game Academy, and all the elites finally experienced another glorious and joyful celebration.Yes, there hasn't been such a grand occasion in many years.Castalia's youngest and most controversial game master ever made his first public appearance with great success, especially defending Waldzell's reputation from the previous year's failure and humiliation.No one is seriously ill this year, and there are no frightened surrogates.Surrounded relentlessly by hostile elites, backed up by tense, loyal but powerless clerks, the surrogate supported the gigantic celebration with terror.Today, however, a leader clad in gold and silver stands on a symbolic and solemn chessboard, announcing to the public the results of his cooperation with his friends in the silent and inviolable posture of the chief priest.He radiated light of calmness, strength and dignity, which was impossible for any secular gathering. Surrounded by many assistants, he entered the ceremony hall, and directed the performance of the entire game one by one according to the rules of the ceremony. Pick up a luminous gold pen and write beautiful handwriting one after another on the small board in front of him. These handwritings are then magnified into a password font of the glass ball game a hundred times larger and projected onto a huge board on the back wall of the hall. , was quietly spelled out by tens of thousands of people, and was also read aloud by the spokesperson and broadcast to all parts of the country and countries around the world.When the first session was over, he summarized the content of the session on a small board, and then invited everyone to prepare for the retreat in an elegant and touching posture; he himself put down the golden pen, sat on his seat, and posed At this time, not only in the lobby, in the game academy, in and out of the Castalia area, but also in many places and countries, the believers of the glass bead game sat devoutly. Come down and do the same meditation until the master of the glass bead game who is meditating in the middle of the hall stands up again.The ritual process is the same as always, but everything still feels new and exciting.This game world is both abstract and timeless, but flexible, and can distinguish each individual's spirit, tone, temperament and handwriting from hundreds of nuances. This time the host has a great personality, and his cultural accomplishment is also Enough for him to bring his inspired associations within the indestructible laws of the game itself, rather than over them.And all the assistants, participants, and elite players present obey the command like a well-trained soldier. Lively participate in the performance according to each person's own feelings.As for the masses, the multitude of believers who filled the hall and the entire Waldzell area, thousands of souls, all followed in the footsteps of the master, crossed the endless and diverse image space of the glass bead game, and set foot on the dreamy road. and the deep and sonorous bells, tolled for the ritual, are the fundamental chords of the celebration, and to the simpler and more childish in the crowd are the best they can get out of the celebration, It is also almost the only physical feeling, and the sound of the bell evokes a feeling of awe in skilled game experts and critics, in the master's assistants and officials, and even in the master himself.

This was a high-level conference, and even the envoys from the outside world were aware of it and expressed their interest. In just a few days the game of glass bead won many new converts forever.However, after the ten-day celebration, Knecht said something rather strange to his friend Deglarius when summing up his experience: "We may be satisfied," he said. "Yes, Castalia and the Glass Bead game are wonderful, and both are almost perfect. But they may be too perfect, too good. They are so beautiful that you almost have to worry about them. We don't like to imagine that they too will one day become relics. But we have to think about it."

This remark, which has been handed down to the present, made the author of this biography feel it necessary to delve into the most difficult and mysterious part of his task. In fact, the author originally wanted to put this task behind for a while, but First of all, take advantage of this quiet moment to grasp Knecht's situation clearly and clearly, so as to continue to describe his various achievements, his leadership and the culmination of his brilliant life.However, if we do not give some elucidation here in advance of this duality or polarity in the essence of the life of this venerable game master, then we seem to be mistaken, and we seem to be off topic, although Knecht This essential feature was unknown at the time except Deglarius.In fact, our future work will be mainly concerned with studying this divisiveness, or rather an uninterrupted alternation of polarities in Knecht's mind, as a fundamental characteristic of the essence of this venerable man and To be confirmed.To be honest, it is not difficult at all for a biographer to write a biography of Master Castari from the perspective of the saint's life, words and deeds (in order to better promote Castari's honor).

He could easily write down Knecht's years as a game master—except for the last moments of his life—and report in full on his series of brilliant achievements, the tasks he accomplished, and the achievements he achieved. Achievement.From the perspective of historians who only rely on literature, Master Knecht’s deeds during his tenure are not only blameless, but also worthy of praise. He can be compared with any widely loved game master in history, that is, the Compared with Ludwig Wassermaller, the master of the glass bead game who caused the game boom in Walzell, it is not inferior.The master, however, had a far from ordinary and exciting ending—an absurdly scandalous ending in the eyes of some critics, but one that was not accidental or unfortunate, but had a cause. And totally logical.

It is part of our future work to show that this outcome does not in any way contradict the glorious deeds and achievements of our venerable master.Knecht was an excellent model administrator, an honorable representative of his ranks, a flawless master of the glass bead game.And yet he saw and felt—or felt, even while he was in office—that Castalian splendor was nothing but a threatened, fading greatness.He lived in it, but not without doubts and speculations—like most of the Castalians of his contemporaries—but he knew its origin and history, he knew its historical essence. , feel how it succumbed to the times, how it was impacted and shocked by ruthless and huge violence.Knecht’s personal experience of this historical process, as well as his connection with himself and his work, made him like a cell operating in the blood flow of growth, development and self-change. In the process of operation, he gradually matured. In fact, he had matured as early as when he was engaged in historical research with the great Father Jacobs.He was under the influence of this Benedictine priest, and if we trace the roots and germs of this consciousness, we shall find it long ago in him.Anyone who really intends to explore Knecht's living personality and character, traces and analyzes the characteristics and significance of his life, then it is not difficult to find these roots and sprouts.

This man, in the best days of his life, after he presided over the first ceremonies, after he had been able to promote the spirit of Castalia in a remarkable way, said these words: "We don't like to imagine them. will one day be a relic—yet we have to think about it.” The man’s sense of the transience of all that exists, of the dubious nature of all the creations of the human mind, long before he studied and gained insight into human history, With cosmic awareness.If we go back to Knecht's childhood and school days, we immediately remember that every time he heard that a classmate had been transferred from the elite school to the ordinary school because he had disappointed the teacher, he would transfer from the Eichholtz school to the ordinary school. When it disappeared, he felt deeply disturbed and bewildered.We know that none of these expelled students had ever been a personal friend of the young Knecht.It wasn't some personal loss that made him irritated and painful, that someone left, disappeared.Rather, we should describe his anguish as a mild shock to his childish faith in the permanence and perfection of Castalia.Since Knecht regards his call to enter an elite school as a sacred mission, the fact that some boys and teenagers don't know how to cherish this blessing and grace and lose it rashly not only shocked him, but also made him see The power of several vulgar worlds.In addition, perhaps it should be mentioned—though we cannot prove it—that such facts led him for the first time to have doubts about the educational authorities in which he had always trusted absolutely. expulsion.

Whether these earliest emotional impulses, critical of the authority of the authorities, had influenced his thinking, we cannot judge.In any case, in the eyes of Knecht as a child, the expulsion of an elite student was not only unfortunate, but also undeserved, an ugly stain that everyone turned a blind eye to and allowed to persist for a long time, but the whole Cass Tarry's guilt.We believe that this is why the student Knecht was troubled and frightened in such situations.He knew that there was another world and another life beyond the borders of Castalia, a life completely contrary to the principles of Castalia, which would neither dissolve into the Castalian order nor Will not be spiritually sublimated under the control of Castalia.Of course, Knecht knew that this kind of world also existed deep in his heart.He also has impulses, fantasies, and desires that are contrary to his own principles, and can only be subdued gradually at a hard price.

So Knecht knew that in some students, this impulse was so strong that it broke through all the boundaries of warning and punishment, making these weak students leave the elite world of Castalia and return to the world dominated by instinct. And a world without spiritual education.For those who strive to promote the virtues of Castalia, that earthly world is at one moment a kind of evil hell, at other times a kind of playground and arena of temptation.This Castalian conception of evil has been accepted and experienced by countless young men of conscience throughout the ages.Many years later, Knecht, as a mature historian, must be able to realize more clearly that there can be no history without the material and vitality provided by this selfish and instinctive evil world, and such as religious groups Such a noble organization is also a product of this turbid current, where it was born and where it will one day be drowned.This question has become the motivation basis for Knecht's efforts throughout his life. He feels that this is by no means a purely ideological question, because it goes deeper into his heart than any other question, and he realizes that he also has a deep understanding of this question. responsible.Knecht belonged to a person with this kind of nature: whenever he saw the ideals he believed in, the countries and groups he loved and respected had problems and disasters, he would get sick, wither, and even die.

We continue to go back along this line of thought, and we discover the clues left by Knecht in Waldzell, his first arrival in Waldzell, his last few years as a schoolboy, and his relationship with the auditors. Significant intercourse with Sente Signoli—we have also given a detailed account of the auditor's situation in the appropriate place.The encounter between Knecht, a passionate follower of Castalian ideals, and Plinio, the son of the world, not only has a strong and lasting influence on Castalian, but also has an important and profound impact on the young student Knecht himself. profound symbolism.For at that time he was forced to play such a difficult and important role, which seemed to be purely accidental, but was in fact so consistent with his general nature that we cannot help saying that he seemed to spend the next half of his life only repeating this role again and again, and making it more difficult. The characters are getting more and more perfect and deep.Undoubtedly, he played the role of defender and agent of Castalia, as he replayed it some ten years later to Father Jacobus, and then performed it as master of the glass bead. However, although he is the defender and agent of the church organization, he is always keen to learn from the enemy, trying not to keep Castalia isolated from the world and stagnant and isolated, and prompting it to actively cooperate with the outside world and develop a lively life. discussion.Knecht and Tesignoli's speech contest-style exchanges were more or less playful. Later, when he dealt with the important figure, the enemy and friend Father Jacobus, he was completely ignorant. It's serious business.Knecht tested himself and matured in the process of confronting the two enemies, and learned a lot from them, and he also gave the other a lot through struggle and communication.He really didn't beat his opponent in those two fights, and yes, he never had that goal in the first place.But he succeeded in winning their respect and forcing them to recognize the principles and ideals he stood for.Even if his debates with the learned Benedictine priest did not lead directly to practical results, the quasi-official representation Castalia soon established in the Holy See was a valuable contribution, more Much higher value than most Castalians can imagine.

Knecht originally knew nothing about the world outside of Castalia, but the friendship he forged with his secular classmate Plinio Tesignoli and the wise old priest made him Knowing about the outside world, or rather having a considerable imagination, this is a knowledge that very few Castalians have.Knecht had never seen or experienced outside life since he was a child—except for the period when he stayed in Mariafell, but there did not allow him to know the real secular life.However, through Tesignoli, Father Jacobus, and his own historical research, Knecht gained a very clear and general understanding of the real situation in this secular world. There is less direct experience, but it is enough to make him understand and accept the outside world better than most Castalians, including those in the highest administration.He was always a loyal Castalian, yet he never forgot that Castalia was a part of the world, but a very small part of it, though it was the part he cherished and loved most.

And what was the nature of Knecht's friendship with Fritz Deglarius?Deglarius was a difficult problem, a skilled glass bead gamer, a pampered, sensitive, authentic Castalian, a Benedictine monk who had only been in Mariaferl for a few days and couldn't stand it. The vulgar atmosphere, the person who claims that he can never live for more than a week, so his friends who have stayed there for two years without fear of self-sufficiency are admired characters.Regarding the friendship between them, there are different opinions, and we have to exclude some of them, and some of them have yet to be further explored.And all views are based on the same question: what is the basis and significance of this friendship that has lasted for many years.First of all, we must not forget the following facts: Except for the relationship between Knecht and Father Jacobus, he did not seek, pursue, or even ask for any friends in his association.Knecht attracts attention, is admired, envied, even loved, purely because of his noble qualities, which he himself has been aware of since a certain "awakening" stage.He also knew that Deglarius had succumbed to him since the early days of his college career, but he always kept his friends at arm's length. However, there are various signs that Knecht really likes this friend, and we believe that Knecht's interest in him is not just due to his outstanding talent and his outstanding talent for solving problems in the glass bead game. It was not only his friend's talents that interested Knecht intensely and persistently, but also his various defects, including his infirmity, which so bored Deglarius to the other Walzellians that Often can't stand him.This weirdo is a true Castalian. His entire way of life may be unimaginable to outsiders, but it is in line with the cultural atmosphere and level of cultivation in Castalia. If it were not for his difficult to get along with and weird temper, it would be difficult to describe him as For "full Castalian", this is an apt nickname.But the true Castalian was on very bad terms with his companions, he was as unpopular with his companions as he was with his leaders, he was a constant disturbance and a constant source of irritation, and without him this brave and courageous A wise friend who gives protection and guidance may have been destroyed long ago.In fact, the fault that people are accusing is, in the final analysis, just a habit, a stubborn temper, and a weakness in character. Nothing to do.His behavior is precisely to adapt to the existing order, because this is the minimum requirement for him to survive in the group. He is a competent Castalian, yes, even a shining Castalian, because he is not only versatile, but also excels in learning, as well as in the art of the glass bead game, and never rests on his laurels. .It is a pity that he is very incompetent, even very bad, in dealing with the existing order of the church and the community.His biggest problem is that he has been ignoring the meditation courses for a long time. In fact, the significance of meditation is precisely that it can bring individuals into the order of the group, not to mention it has a therapeutic effect. If he can use it properly, he may have cured himself neurasthenia.Therefore, whenever he has a period of poor performance, excessive agitation or depression, his superiors will punish him by putting him in meditation training under strict supervision, even if it is only for a short while, and even treat him consistently. The gentle and tolerant Knecht often had to force him to sit still in order to develop self-control. It is a pity that Deglarius is capricious, stubborn, out of gregarious, he likes to show off his knowledge, he often speaks so that even himself is fascinated, often with witty words and inspirations, and when it comes to getting carried away, no one will stop Can't stand him. In short, he was incurable because he would not accept correction at all.He never cared about unity and gregariousness, he only wanted his own freedom, and he would rather remain a student forever.He is willing to be a loner who suffers all his life, has a bleak future but never turns back, a fool with outstanding talents, and a nihilist, and he is unwilling to follow the path of obeying the order of the church to achieve a peaceful state.He didn't care about peace and stability, he didn't respect church order, he didn't care about all kinds of accusations and isolation.There was no doubt that he was an unpleasant and indigestible element in a society whose ideals were harmony and order.However, it is precisely this difficulty to get along with and assimilate that makes him a dynamic and restless force in this small and well-ordered world, a kind of reproach, warning and reminder, and an inspiration for novelty, bravery and breakthrough. The initiator of taboo and other fearless thoughts, he is a stubborn and disobedient goat in the flock.And all of this, we think, it is these qualities that he has that won Knecht's friendship. Of course, Knecht's friendship with Deglarius contained an element of pity to some extent, and he often gave a kind of chivalrous friendship to this friend in distress and unhappy situations.However, pity alone is far from enough to maintain a friendship. Once Knecht is in charge and is exhausted with work, duties and obligations all day long, this friendship will no longer exist.We have come to the conclusion that Deglarius was in fact no less important and necessary to Knecht than Tersignoli and Father Jacobus, in fact he was as important as the other two, It was a stimulating factor in Knecht's life, a small window into new realms.We believe that Knecht perceived in his strange friend the representative of a certain type of thought, and as time passed, he also gradually realized that, apart from this unique pioneer before him, Casta There has never been a character of this type in Castalia. For Castalia, only through new encounters and injection of new blood can Castalia's life be renewed and prosperous.Deglarius, like most solitary geniuses, was a solitary pioneer.He actually lives in a Kingdom of Castalia which does not yet exist but which may appear in the future; Among religious groups, in this Castalian world, there is still a high degree of intellect and a deep concentration on important spiritual ideas, but these highly developed and free spiritual activities have lost their purpose, and they only know how to appreciate their own exquisite work. Fine craftsmanship.Knecht saw in Deglarius two traits: both the embodiment of Castalian virtuosity and a warning sign of the depraved and morally corrupt nature of such talents.This Deglarius is indeed strange and lovely, but Castalia must not be reduced to a fantasy kingdom full of Deglarius-like eccentrics. Although this danger is far from coming, it is already showing signs.Knecht understood that as long as the isolated walls of Castalian aristocratic style continue to be built a little higher, the discipline of the group declines a little bit, and the religious morality degenerates a little bit, then Deglarius will no longer be alone. and became a degenerate representative of the increasingly degenerate Castalia.If this future Castalian hadn't lived next to Knecht, and Knecht didn't have a precise understanding of him, the game master might not see it clearly until later, or even never. Having discovered the possibility of such decline, now Knecht has seen the truth, the decline has begun, and the signs of decline already exist.The sharp-eyed Knecht instinctively sensed that this was a symptom, a danger signal, just like a wise doctor discovers for the first time that a patient has a strange and unknown disease.And Deglarius is not an idler, he is an aristocrat, an outstanding talent.If Deglarius' unknown ominous pathology is allowed to spread first, the image of the Castalians may be changed, and perhaps the entire academy and group will finally accept this pathological and degenerate image, but the future It may not be possible that all the Castalians are real Deglarius characters, after all, not all have his rare talent, his melancholy temperament, his pulsating artistry. , on the contrary, most people will probably have only his negative factors: his unreliability, his penchant for wasting talents, his lack of discipline and sense of unity. When Knecht was upset, such dark imaginations and premonitions would often appear in his mind, and the only way to get rid of them was by sitting in meditation, or by strengthening his workload. This must have cost Knecht a lot of energy. It is precisely the Deglarius incident that provides us with an excellent example of how Knecht conducts education, showing that he never escapes from problems, difficulties and illnesses, but strives to overcome them.Without Knecht's careful care and guidance, this dangerous friend would have been completely finished.In addition, he will undoubtedly bring endless troubles to the entire game academy, which has caused a lot of troubles since Frieze became an elite.The game master Knecht cleverly used tricks to not only get his friend on the normal track, but also let him give full play to his superb talent in the glass bead game.Knecht tirelessly and patiently induces his friends to overcome their weaknesses of character with worthwhile work, and we have to marvel at the deglarius incident as a masterpiece of dealing with interpersonal problems.Incidentally, if someone conducts a precise analysis and research on the style characteristics of the annual meetings of the Glass Bead Game hosted by Knecht during his tenure, it may be a very wonderful plan, and unexpected discoveries may be obtained—— We would happily recommend this task to any historian of the Glass Bead game.Every game exudes whimsy and majesty and loveliness, and the rhythm is so creative that it is by no means comparable to any self-indulgent technique. The basic concept and structure of each game, that A series of ideas to guide the participants to retreat are all the products of Knecht's thinking, while all technical refinements and most of the details are the work of the partner Deglarius.As the years go by, these gaming conventions will be forgotten, but Knecht's life and work will remain attractive and exemplary for future generations.We are fortunate that his life and deeds have been recorded and preserved like all public celebrations, and.Not only buried in the archives, but handed down from generation to generation, alive today, studied by countless young students, and has become a well-loved example in many courses and seminars on the glass bead game.Even the name of the collaborator has been handed down, otherwise it would have been completely forgotten, or at most it was just a shadowy figure in many past rumors and anecdotes. In this way, Knecht arranged a place for his difficult friend Frieze, allowing him to play a full role. As a result, it not only enriched the culture and history of Walzell, but also let the image of this friend be remembered in future generations. Gain a certain degree of immortality in commemoration.We here pass by the fact that the great educator was fully aware of the most important substantive grounds of his educational influence upon this friend.The foundation is the love and admiration of his friends.As we all know, Knecht's innate harmony and charisma not only attracted Fritz from the beginning to the end, but also was loved and respected by countless peers and students. Knecht used authority to When it comes to strength, relying on this characteristic is far better than holding on to his position. Although he is gentle and generous in nature, he has been tried and tested.Knecht could feel very precisely the impact of every well-intentioned word of approval, or every word of indifference and contempt.Many years later, a student who admired him very much described to others: Knecht once did not speak to him for ~ weeks, neither in class nor in seminars, as if there was no Seeing him, treating him like air—this time was the worst punishment he had received during his school years, but it also had the greatest effect. We consider it indispensable to cite and trace the above circumstances, so that our readers, who have followed our descriptive experience Having passed Knecht's peak, he now had to prepare for the final stages of his prolific life.His life showed two opposing or polar tendencies—his yin and yang—one was unreservedly loyal to and defending his religious group, the other was "Awakening", wanting to break through, understand and master real life.Joseph Knecht, as a believer and devotee, religious groups, Castalia, and the glass bead game are all sacred in his eyes.But in the eyes of the awakened, keen, and pioneering Knecht, all the values ​​gained through struggle belong to the past, their forms of existence are facing changes, and there is also the danger of aging, lack of creativity, and decline.Although the ideals of the church are always sacred and inviolable in Knecht's heart, he has also realized that each specific department is facing impermanence and change, and they can all be criticized. Knecht marveled at the spiritual group to which he was devoted, at its strength and its ideas, but considered it dangerous to have a tendency to regard its own existence as the only pure goal, completely ignoring the importance it should have on the nation as a whole. The final result of the responsibility and work undertaken by the world and the whole world is bound to be more and more barren and poor harvests, and gradually become divorced from the overall human life and decline day by day.He had already had a premonition of this crisis in his youth, which is why he was always hesitant and so slow in making up his mind that he would devote himself to the glass bead game.Especially when he held discussions with the monks of the monastery, especially Father Jacobus, and bravely defended Castalia, this consciousness often came to him more strongly.Since his return to Waldzell, and later his mastership, he has frequently detected clear signs of this danger, both in those department officials and his own subordinates who followed the rules honestly, and in those brilliant but Among the domineering Waldzell elite, especially in the very touching and terrifying character of his friend Deglarius. Knecht has spent his difficult first year as a master, and now he finally has some free time to do his year-long historical research.For the first time in his life, he really opened his eyes to understand the history of Castalia, and soon came to his own conclusion: the situation is not as good as the people in the Glass Bead Game Academy feel about themselves. The relationship with the outside world, its interaction with the outside world in life, politics, education and culture, has been in a state of constant decline for decades.Although it is true that the Commonwealth Parliament still consults the highest educational authorities as always in matters of education and culture, Waldzell Academy still supplies excellent teachers throughout the country, and remains authoritative on all academic matters, yet all things It was all routine and tinged with mechanism.Nowadays, few of the elite youths from various disciplines in Castalia are interested in off-campus work, and few of them voluntarily sign up to work as teachers outside the school. Knocking on the door for advice, and how important the voice of Castalia was in the past, such as major legal matters, all walks of life are willing to quote and listen to Castalia's voice.If one compares the level of culture in Castalia with that of the rest of the country, one immediately finds that, instead of approaching each other, they diverge in embarrassing ways.The more refined Castalian culture is cultivated, the more the secular world resigns itself to it, and sees it less and less as a necessity, a daily bread, but as a Objects from extraterrestrials are also like a precious antique worth showing off to others; of course, this kind of antique is not willing to discard it for the time being, but would rather put it on the shelf because of its lack of practical value.Most people don't know what's going on, and still trust the moral and spiritual atmosphere of Castalia, but in fact, it's all dead and has no effect on actual life. The interest of the people of the whole country in Castalia Academy, their concern for various educational facilities, including the glass bead game, is just like the concern of Castalians for the life and destiny of the people of the whole country, all of which are constantly declining .Of course the fault was on both sides, he knew it all along, but the fact that he was now a master of the Glass Bead game only dealt with the Castalians and the Glass Bead Game experts hurt him.That's why he is increasingly committed to elementary game courses, and is more willing to teach young students—yes, the younger the students, the more connected they are with the entire outside world, and the less limited their training and training will be .He often finds himself fanatically longing for the earthly world, for the common people, for the simple and unadulterated life—even though the world that exists outside is completely unknown to him.当然，我们大多数人也有过大致类似的渴望，向往某种虚空的东西，向往一种更为清淡的空气，就连最高教育当局也熟悉这一难题，也曾不断想方设法寻求解决这一难题的途径，例如加强体操训练和体育游戏，试验推行各种手艺劳作和园艺劳动等等。倘若我们的观察正确，我们敢说宗教团体当局最近一段时期出现了新倾向，撤消了某些过度培养的专门科目，以利于强化静坐训练，那么不是怀疑分子和抹黑者，不是叛离团体的人，也会承认克乃西特的看法是正确的，因为他早于我们很久之前便已清楚看出：我们这架既复杂又敏感的共和国机器，业已老迈不堪，不少器官均急需更新了。 刚才已经提到，克乃西特就任大师职务第二年便又恢复了历史研究工作。除了研究卡斯塔里历史外，主要是研读约可布斯神父论述本笃会教派的各种大大小小的著作。此外，他还常寻找机会与杜波依斯先生和一位来自科普海姆的语言学家（常以秘书身份参加教育当局的会议）交流对历史问题的看法，从而引发他们对历史的新的兴趣。对克乃西特来说，这种交谈不仅愉快，而且是令人振奋的休闲。他在日常工作中非常缺乏这类交谈机会，老实说，他日常接触的人当中，最厌恶历史的人就是他的朋友弗里兹。我们在一堆材料里发现一份记录某次谈话的笔记，德格拉里乌斯发表了激烈的言论，认为历史绝不是卡斯塔里人值得研究的题目。 “人们当然可以用机智的、消遣的，必要时也可以用慷慨激昂的语气阐释历史，谈论历史哲学，议论历史如同议论其他哲学一样，自有许多乐趣，因此，如果有人愿意以此自娱，发言者丝毫也不反对。但是这～事物本身，人们娱乐的对象-一也就是所谓历史，却是又丑恶又可怖，同时也是无聊乏味的东西。发言者无法理解，居然有人乐意从事这方面的工作。历史的唯一内容便是人类的自私自利和无限的权力斗争，他们总是过高地评价这类斗争，把它们吹得天花乱坠，实际上追求的只是残酷的、兽性的物质权力——这并不是卡斯塔里人理想世界里的东西，或者应该说是卡斯塔里人所渺视的东西。世俗世界的历史不过是无穷无尽一长串无聊乏味的弱肉强食的记录而已。如果把人类真正的历史，也即把没有时间性的精神历史，与老朽愚蠢的权力斗争以及明目张胆地往上爬等相提并论或者试图进行由此及彼的阐释，这种做法本身就是对精神思想的反叛。这使我联想到十九世纪或者二十世纪一个散布很广的宗教派别，凡是其中虔诚的信徒都相信：古时候人们供奉神抵敬献祭品，建造神殿，传播神话，以及从事其他各种各样的美妙活动，全都是食物或工作不足或过多的结果，是工资和面包价格失衡的结果。换句话说，一切艺术和宗教不过是些门面装饰，所谓超越人类之上的思想意识归根结蒂完全取决于饥饿和食物。” 克乃西特听完这番议论，逗乐似地问道：“难道人类的思想史、文化史、艺术史不算历史么？它们和其他历史之间不存在丝毫关系么？” “不存在任何关系的，”他的朋友激烈地叫嚷道，“这正是我要否定的。世界史只是一部赛跑史，为求利，为抓权，为夺宝而进行的赛跑，凡是好运当头，又可当权又可得利的人，都不会错过自己的机会。而一切思想、文化和艺术的行为则恰恰与之相反，总是努力挣脱时代的奴役，尽力从人类懒惰和本能的粪坑中挣脱出来，抵达一个纯然不同的层次，进入一个无时间性的、永恒的神性境界，这些活动绝对而完全地反历史，是非历史的。” 克乃西特听任德格拉里乌斯讲够后，对这通宣泄之同一笑而已，随即便平静地为他们的对话作了一个结沦：“你爱好精神和文化产品，这值得钦佩！但是，精神文化的创造工作并非如某些人认为的那样，是人人都能够参与的工作。柏拉图的对话录或者伊萨克的合唱曲——一切被我们称为精神产品或者艺术著作或者任何具体化了的思想，都是创作者追求净化和自由而斗争的最后结果。正如你方才所说，都是无时间性，挣脱了时代奴役，进入了永恒自在境界的东西，一般说来，凡是其中最完美无瑕的作品，都似经过大浪淘沙般，洗尽了人间纷争痕迹的。我们能够拥有这些作品是我们的巨大幸福，是的，我们卡斯塔里人几乎纯因它们而活着，我们要做的唯一创造性工作就是再现它们，我们要持久地活在那种超越时空和纷争的境界里，这一切正是作品得以诞生的基础，而没有这些作品，我们大概就一无所知。我们还努力超凡脱俗，或者也可以用你喜欢的说法：不断地深入抽象概括。我们在自己的玻璃球游戏里，把那些圣哲和艺术家的作品分解为一个个原始组成部分，抽象出它们的风格、模式及其升华了的意义，随后予以解剖分析，就像这些组成部分都是积木一般。当然，一切都是美好的工作，没有人为此发生争执。然而，并非每个人都能够一辈子只是呼吸、吃喝在抽象之中。在值得华尔采尔的教师们产生兴趣的工作中，历史研究应该处于优先地位：因为它可以和现实生活打交道。抽象化确乎很吸引人，但是我认为，生而为人也必须呼吸空气，也必须吃饭才对。” 克乃西特经常抽空去短暂看望老音乐大师。这位可敬的老人已明显地衰老，很久以来便完全丧失了说话习惯，但是那种清明愉悦的平静状态却一直保持到最后时刻。他没有病倒，他的逝世也决非寻常的死亡，而是一种渐进的精神化——肉体的物质存在与功能的日益消失，与此同时，他的生命力最终越来越集中于双眼的目光，还有那消瘦枯萎脸上淡淡的光辉里。这已是蒙特坡大多数居民十分熟悉而且敬重的景象，却只有少数人，如克乃西特、费罗蒙梯和年轻的彼特洛斯能够有幸沐浴在一个无私的纯净生命之落日余辉和慈光中。这少数几个人每回总是先作好准备，集中精神，随后再进入老大师坐在躺椅上的小屋内，这才得以踏进这种超尘脱俗的慈祥光圈中，与无言的老人共同感受和谐完美的境界。他们逗留在这个水晶般透明清澈的灵魂的气氛里，好似置身于受到无形慈光普照的王国里，他们在这一极乐的时刻与老人共同谛听着非尘世的神秘音乐，而后带着清纯的心情和充沛精力回转自己的日常生活，好似从一座高山的巅顶下到人间一般。 有一天，克乃西特收到了讣告。他匆匆赶到蒙特坡，看到老人安祥地躺在灵床上，瘦削的脸容凝缩为一幅静谧的古日耳曼或者古阿拉伯的文字图案，虽然无法辨认，却仍然向人们散放着微笑和极乐的幸福。克乃西特继音乐大师和费罗蒙梯之后在葬礼上致悼词，他没有讲述这位光辉音乐圣哲的成就，没有提他为人师表的伟大，更没有说到他作为最高教育当局元老的仁爱智慧，而只是讲述他垂暮和临终前的慈悲景象，谈论他精神上的不朽之美，凡是曾与他共度最后时光的人都享受过他的恩典。 我们从许多材料中了解到克乃西特极想替老音乐大师写传，却因公务繁重，无暇抽身。他早已习惯于克制自己的私人愿望了。克乃西特有一次曾对一位教师说：“很可惜，学生们不能够完全明白自己目前的生活多么丰富和快乐。我做学生的时候也和他们一样。我们忙着研究，忙着工作。我们不浪费时间，自以为称得上勤奋好学，——但是我们几乎不清楚自己做这一切究竟为了什么，也不知道我们利用这种自由能够做些什么。随后，突然接到了宗教当局的召唤，派给了我们任务，一个教职、一个使命、一个官位，从此升到了更高的地位，不料就此陷入了公务和责任的罗网，人们越是想挣脱，却被围困得越紧，其实都是些微不足道的小事，但又必须按时完成它们，而且每日的公务都远远多于办公的时间。事实如此，我们则能忍受而已。但是每当我们在大礼堂、档案馆、秘书处、接待室以及小型会议和公务旅途中忙得不亦乐乎之际，偶尔想到了我们曾经拥有又已失却的自由，想到了我们自由选择工作的自由，不受限制地广泛研究的自由，我们就会在这一瞬间非常渴望那些日子，而且会设想自己若能再度拥有这份自由，定要彻底享受和充分利用它的潜能。” 克乃西特在发扬自己属下官员和学生各不相同的为宗教团体服务的秉赋上，有着过人的精细分辨能力。他小心慎重地替每一项任务、每一个职位挑选合适的人才，根据各种记录文字来看，证明他对各种问题，尤其是不同性格的判断极其确切。同事们都很乐意向他讨教处理各种疑难性格的难题。譬如已故音乐大师那位最后的得意门生彼特洛斯的问题。这位青年属于那种静静的狂热分子，在服侍可敬的大师期间，出色地完成了自己独特的伴侣、护士和信徒角色，直至大师逝世。但是当这项任务自然终止之后，他却当即陷入了抑郁悲伤状态，当然，大家谅解他，也就容忍了他一段时间，然而，症状随日俱增，使现任音乐大师罗德维希不得不予以认真关注。因为这个彼特洛斯硬要留在老音乐大师逝世的小园亭里，他住在那里，守护着这间小屋，谨慎地把屋内的陈设和家具原封不动地保留下来，甚至把已故者的居室当作圣殿，老人的躺椅、床榻以及那把古琴都成了不可接触的圣物，他除了悉心照看这些遗物外，唯一的其他活动就是守护和照料自己敬爱的先师的坟墓。在他眼里，终身崇拜死者应是他的天职，他要永远看守这一纪念圣地，好似他是一个庙宇的奴仆，他也许想让这地方成为人们朝圣的圣地吧。老大师下葬后的头几天，他拒绝进食，后来仿效老大师临终前进食的量度，每天仅吃一点点东西，人们觉得他大有步先师的后尘，随同敬爱者同赴黄泉的意向。但是他难以长久坚持这一作法，不久便改变主意，想做一个园亭和墓园的永久看守人，把这个地方变成永恒的纪念场所。 这个年轻人的行为清楚地显示了他性格执拗，在经历过一段令他留恋的特殊生活后，不愿再回返普通的日常生活和工作，显然他暗暗感觉自己已不能胜任往昔的工作了。 “附带告诉你，那个曾奉派陪伴已故音乐大师的彼特洛斯肯定是疯狂了。”这是费罗蒙梯在一封致克乃西特的短简里的尖刻报道。 蒙特坡这位音乐学生的问题自然不需华尔采尔的大师亲自操心，更不必插手蒙特坡的公务而加重工作负担。但是彼特洛斯的情况越来越糟，他被强行赶出了园亭，然而他的悲伤并未随着时日而消退，甚至到了孤立自己、避不见人的地步，以致一般的犯规处罚对他全无用处，他的上司们知道克乃西特对他颇有好感，于是现任音乐大师办公室的官员便向克乃西特征询意见和帮助，与之同时，他们把这个不听话的学生送进了医院的隔离室进行观察。 克乃西特原本不乐意介入这桩麻烦事件，后来想起这个青年也曾一度有助于自己的思索，最终决定也试着加以援手，便把事情接了下来。他先建议将被特洛斯置于他的呵护之下，请人们视彼特洛斯为健康常人，允许他单独出门旅行。克乃西特在公函里附了一份简短、语气亲切的邀请信，请彼特洛斯到华尔采尔略事逗留，他很希望知道老音乐大师临终前几天的情形。 蒙特坡医院的医生勉强地同意了这个办法。人们把克乃西特的邀请转交给青年学生，情况正如克乃西特所预料，处于糟糕被囚状况中的彼特洛斯，眼下最受欢迎，最求之不得的事情，莫过于快快逃出这一灾难场所。彼特洛斯立即同意旅行，毫不反抗地接受了正规饮食，一拿到旅行证件就徒步出发了。他平平安安地抵达了华尔采尔，由于克乃西特吩咐在先，大家对他种种漫不经心的举止只当视而不见。彼特洛斯被安排在来档案馆工作的客人们之中，这让他感到自己没有被视为犯过错的人、病人，或者任何脱出常规的人物，事实上，他也没有病到不知道重视这种舒适气氛的程度，因此也就顺顺当当踏上了这条为他铺平的重返人生之路。彼特洛斯初到的几星期里，确乎给游戏大师添了不少麻烦，克乃西特先安排他一项工作，要他把已故音乐大师最后的音乐演奏和音乐研究在严格监督下作出详尽记录，又让他在档案室里做一些小小的日常工作，借口说眼下档案室缺人手，工作忙不过来，希望他能抽空去助一臂之力。 总而言之，大家相帮这位误入歧途的学生重又踏上了正路。直到他完全平静下来，显然已可纳入正常轨道之时，克乃西特开始以简短的交谈对他施加直接的教育影响，逐渐消解这位青年的妄想；把已故大师当作偶像进行崇拜，这种行为在卡斯塔里既不受尊重，也不会获得许可。但是彼特洛斯表面看来似乎已经痊愈，但实际上始终未能克服重返蒙特坡的畏惧心理，于是他只得到华尔采尔一所精英学校去担任低年级的音乐教师，从此他就一直颇为受人尊敬。 关于克乃西特在治疗和陶冶精神和心灵方面所做的工作，实例颇多，然而更重要的是他那种温和品性的巨大感化力量，许多青年学生就像当年克乃西特受老音乐大师教化一样，因克乃西特而体验了真正的卡斯塔里精神。所有这些感化人的例子都表明克乃西特在性格上毫无毛病，是一个十分健康和平衡的人。然而他竭力关心帮助那类具有危险性格又思想不稳定的人物，如：彼特洛斯或者德格拉里乌斯；他似乎又在暗示自己对卡斯塔里人的此类病症或者对病症缺乏抵抗力有着特殊警惕性和高度敏感性，也暗示他自第一次觉醒之后便对卡斯塔里生活中存在的问题和危险始终高度关注，从未懈怠放松。与此同时，我们的多数同事却大都轻率地不愿正视这种危险，和他的清醒勇敢相差甚远。我们揣测，在当时的当权者中，大部分人也已看出这类危险，却基本上置之度外，克乃西特的策略可称是不同凡响。他看清了这些问题，或者应当说他因为熟悉卡斯塔里的早期历史而把在危险中生活视作必然的奋斗。克乃西特因而肯定并且乐意面对这些危险，而他同时代的多数卡斯塔里人却宁肯只把自己的团体和团体内的生活视作一种恬静的田园生活。此外，克乃西特还在约可布斯神父论述本笃会教派的著作中汲取了若干观念，如把教会视为一种战斗的社团，把虔诚视为斗争的主场。这位老人有一次说道：“不认识恶魔与鬼怪，不与它们进行持久的斗争，便不存在什么高尚和可敬的生活。” 在卡斯塔里高层人士之间很少有亲密的友谊关系，因而我们发现克乃西特任职最初几年里未与任何同事建立私人友谊时，丝毫也不觉奇怪。克乃西特极喜欢科普海姆的那位古代语言学家，对团体当局的领导成员们也深怀敬意，但在领导层的工作氛围里，几乎排斥了一切个人的以及私人的感情，一切务求不偏不袒，客观求实，以致几乎不可能产生任何超越公务关系之上的亲密关系。然而对克乃西特而言，仍有一种友谊还实实在在地存在着。 涉及最高教育当局的档案都是不供借阅的秘密档案，因而我们仅能通过他偶尔与朋友们谈及这方面的内容的交谈中去进行推断。克乃西特担任大师初期，出席高层会议时似乎总持缄默态度，除非必须由他本人提出倡议之类时才开口说话。我们听说他很快就学会了高层领导的传统的交往语凋，掌握了那种优雅、机智和愉悦的态度，并熟练地运用于实际之中。众所周知，我们教会组织的头头们，各学科的大帅们，还有团体当局各部门的领导人相互来往时，无不小心翼翼地保持着一种正规场合的礼仪姿态。我们说不清这种情况始于何时，然而确已成了他们的习惯，尤其当他们彼此间争议越多或者涉及了重大问题，他们的礼数也越发严格越发周到，好像这是什么必得遵守的神秘游戏规则。我们揣测这种礼仪可能是与卡斯塔里其他传统功能一起传下来的重要功能，首先是它的安全阀作用：人们在讨论问题时运用超乎寻常的礼貌语气，不仅可使辩论人避免情绪冲动，有助十令人保持完美的态度，更可借以保护宗教团体和最高教育当局本身的尊严。用庆典的礼服，用神圣的面纱把他们遮掩起来的理由大概也就在此，尽管这种微妙的恭维艺术经常受到学生们的嘲笑。在克乃西特时代之前，他的前任托马斯·封·德·特拉维就是一位精通此道的大师。不过，就这一艺术而言，克乃西特不能算是他的后继者，更不是他的仿效者，而是一个古老的中国的信徒，他的礼数较少讥讽，更多的则是诙谐。但是，他也在自己的同事们之间被奉为精于礼数的大师。