Chapter 12 preparation

Knecht finally succeeded in breaking the deadlock, and an exciting exchange of contacts and ideas resumed between him and Tesignoli.Tesignoli, who for many years lived in resignation and melancholy, finally had to admit that his friend was quite right, that he was drawn back to the Academy of Castalia, in fact only because he longed for spiritual healing, for the soul Bright, yearning for Castalian pleasures.He began to visit Knecht frequently, even when he had no official business to do, which made Deglarius, who was watching from the sidelines, suspicious.It didn't take long for Knecht to fully grasp everything he wanted to know.In fact, Tsignoli's life is not as special and complicated as Knecht imagined when he first discovered the problem.Plinio had suffered some humiliation and disappointment in his youth, and he felt more painful because of his warm and positive nature.He tried to be an intermediary and coordinator between the secular world and Castalia, but instead of successfully reconciling the different characteristics of the secular world and Castalia with his background and personality, he turned himself into a Became a lonely and distressed outsider.

However, it cannot be said that he is a pure loser, because he has formed his own unique personality in the situation of failure and giving up. He felt as if he had received Castalian's years of education in vain. At least for now, this education brought him only contradictions and disappointments, as well as loneliness and loneliness that his nature could not bear.What's more serious is that since he had to embark on this lonely road full of thorns that he couldn't adapt to, he did all kinds of stupid things indiscriminately, which amplified the difficult predicament even more.Specifically, he has been at odds with his family since he was a student, especially with his own father.

Although Tesignoli's father was not an actual political leader, he, like the predecessors of the Tesignoli family, actively supported the Conservative Party government and its policies throughout his life, and was always hostile to any reform movement and opposed Everything against the demands of the current government and the right to share the results.He distrusts people without prestige and status, he is loyal to the ancient order, and is always ready to sacrifice for any cause he regards as legitimate and sacred.He had been a friend of the Church, though he had no religion of any kind; and though he was not lacking in justice, charity, and helpfulness, he opposed with all his strength and obstinacy the efforts of the sharecroppers to improve their conditions.He always uses the program and slogans put forward by his own party to justify his harshness. It seems that he is justified on the surface, but he is not, because in fact what he does is not based on confidence and his own opinions, but blindly and faithfully following him. The point of view of people of that class and the old traditions of one's own family.While advocating chivalry and knightly honor, he also strongly despises everything that is considered modern, progressive or innovative.

For a person like him, once he finds out that his own son has been close to an opposition party that will blatantly flaunt modernization in the student days, and even joins it, it will be nothing more than a bolt from the blue for him, and it is difficult to suppress his disappointment and anger.At that time, there was a young talent who had just emerged from the old middle-class Liberal Party and formed a left-wing youth political party.He was an impassioned man, occasionally swayed by his own eloquence into a self-styled representative of the people and a hero of liberty. Villagte often gave public lectures in university towns to win young students, and indeed he gained a lot. The young Tesignoli was one of his many enthusiastic audiences.Tesignoli was disappointed with the university education of the year and was looking for a new foothold to replace the Castalian thought that bored him. He heard some new ideals and programs in Villagte's speech, Immediately attracted to the past.He admired Viragut's enthusiasm and provocative spirit, his wit, his ability to condemn and accuse, his dignified appearance and words, and soon joined the student group composed of Viragut's admirers, and served the youth. Party and its goals.

As soon as Plinio's father heard about this situation, he immediately set out to come to his son, and for the first time in his life, he was furious with his son. Immediately sever ties with Viragut and his party.This is certainly not a good way to influence the son, because the young man is willing to sacrifice his life for his own party.Faced with his father's fury, Plinio just stood up and declared to his father that he went to an elite school for ten years and studied in a university for many years, not to give up his views and ability to judge.He will never allow a bunch of selfish aristocratic landowners to regulate his views on the country, economy, justice, and so on.He cites Viragut as an example, showing that Viragut only took the great tribune of antiquity as a model, and only knew and practiced pure and absolute justice and humanity, regardless of his own or his class. Benefit.

Old Te Signoli let out a wry smile, and told his son that at least he had to finish his studies before he could intervene in adult affairs, and he also thought that he really didn't know much about life and justice, and only knew that his son belonged to an ancient noble family. The descendant, now an unworthy son, stabbed his father from behind.The father and son quarreled more and more fiercely, and even said hurtful things, until the old man seemed to see his face changed with anger in a mirror, and he stopped in shame, and then walked away silently. Since then, the close and pleasant relationship between Plinio and the family has ceased to exist, because he has always been loyal to his party and its neoliberal ideology, and even went one step further, directly becoming a A close assistant and collaborator of Viragut, he became Viragut's son-in-law a few years later.Perhaps because of his education at an elite school, or because of the difficult circumstances he faced returning to the secular world, Plinio's mental balance was disrupted and he was plagued by problems that dragged him into a new relationship. This is a dangerous and difficult dilemma.However, he also gained something of real value, that is, belief, political belief and personal relationship with the party, which are exactly what every young man who yearns for justice and progress needs.Viragut has become his teacher, leader and older friend. First of all, he admires and loves Viragut unreservedly. In turn, the other party seems to need him and value him, so his life is full of life. Directions and goals, more specific work and mission.His gains can be described as not small, but he must also pay a heavy price.The young man had to endure being deprived of his ancestral family status, and had to face his fate of being expelled from privilege and hostility with a certain degree of fanatical martyrdom.He still has some troubles that he can't overcome, at least he has a painful feeling of being gnawed, that is, he has caused pain to his mother whom he loves so much, and made her in a difficult situation between father and son, perhaps It also shortened her life.She died shortly after his marriage.After her death, Plinio hardly ever returned home.After his father died, he sold the old ancestral home.

Many people have made great sacrifices for a certain status in life—for example, an official position, a marriage, or a career. Because of this sacrifice, they often cherish and cherish the status they have obtained, and regard it as their own happiness. .The situation with Tesignoli is quite different.He has undoubtedly been loyal to his party and leader, to his political beliefs and work, to his marriage, and to his idealistic spirit, but as time goes by, everything gradually becomes a problem, just as he is loyal to his entire life. The essence of life also has doubts. When the political and world-view fevers of his youth had subsided, his struggle to prove himself right, as obstinately as he endured sacrifice and pain, gave him less and less happiness. , coupled with the sober mind bestowed by professional experience, eventually led to his doubts.He doubted whether he followed Viragut out of a sense of justice and insight, or whether he was just tempted by Viragut, attracted by his eloquent and well-acted heroic demeanor, not to mention his clear voice and smiling face. The voice is bold, and there is a smart and beautiful daughter!

Plinio's doubts are getting stronger and stronger. Is his old father's obstinate loyalty to his own class and opposition to farmers purely because of his limited position?He also suspects that there are diametrically opposed good and evil, right and wrong in the world. In the final analysis, only the voice of each person's own conscience is the only valid judge.If this is true, then the wrong person is himself, because he feels unhappy, unbalanced, lacks confidence and security in life, but is always troubled by anxiety, doubt and guilt.His marriage was not generally unhappy or a failure, but it was often full of tension, disputes and conflicts, and it was perhaps the best thing he had ever had, but it didn't bring the peace he so desperately craved , happiness, innocence and peace of mind, but asked him to take care of the marriage, especially their smart and cute little son Tito, which soon became the source of their mutual rivalry and mutual jealousy, until the parent became overly spoiled. The wayward child leans more and more toward his mother, until at last he becomes her accomplice.Such was the state of Tesignoli's life of late, and it was evidently the greatest annoyance and pain of his life.But he was not broken by it, he surmounted it by his own way of enduring, and with a serious, heavy, and melancholy dignity dispelled this most poignant fact.

After several meetings between them, Knecht gradually learned everything about Plinio, and he himself detailed many personal experiences in the conversations with each other.Knecht never let his friend fall into the predicament of first confessing and then fearing regret due to lack of correspondence, but strengthened Plinio's confidence with his open heart.He also slowly revealed his life to his friends. He lived a seemingly simple, upright, well-ordered and regular life, and he won a series of achievements and praises in a hierarchical religious group. And more of a difficult sacrifice, and thus a truly lonely life, to be precise.Although Plinio, like many outsiders, could not fully understand this kind of life, he still had a general understanding of his friend's main ideological tendencies and basic emotions. Of course, he also had a better understanding of Knecht's desire to be close to young people, and understood why his friend Desire to educate unmisguided youth, to have a humble job in a less glamorous publicity, to get a position as a teacher of Latin or music in a lower school.Knecht's method of treatment and education for Tesignoli was just very appropriate. It not only won the patient's great trust, but also inspired the patient to come up with an idea of ​​helping the other party, and he did so.Because Tsignoli can actually be quite helpful to the game master, not to help him solve major life problems, but to provide countless trivial knowledge about worldly life to satisfy his curiosity and desire.

We don't know why Knecht took on such an uneasy educational burden to make his distressed childhood friend smile again and learn to live happily, and we don't know whether the two have ever considered serving each other. We later learned at least that Tsignoli had not initially entertained such considerations.He later recounted: "Whenever I try to understand why my friend Knecht is treating me, a man who has rejected life and shut himself up, I see more and more clearly that most The reason is the magic in him, and, I must say, also the mischievousness of him. He is a perfect mischievous, mischievous, witty, cunning, fond of magic games, and good at concealing himself, and can disappear amazingly. Suddenly, his naughtiness is far beyond the imagination of people here. I am convinced that the moment I attended the first Waldzell meeting and he looked at me, he had decided to capture me, that is, to The way he works on me—that is, he wakes me up and transforms me. At least he's been trying to win me over from the start. Why is he doing that? Why is he trying to win over me? I just don't know. I think that people of his type probably did this out of a conditioned reflex rather than a conscious action. When they face a person who is on the verge of difficulty, they will immediately feel the burden of the task and must complete the call. He found me sad and timid, and had no intention of falling into his arms, or, in other words, of asking him for help.

"He found that my once very open and honest man, his old friend who talked about everything, was now passive and silent, but the obstacles seemed to inspire determination to overcome them. Despite my repeated indifference, he But he didn’t back down, and he finally got what he wanted. I have to say, he always gave each other an impression of helping each other during our relationship, as if we were equal in ability and worth the same value to each other, and he needed my help Exactly the same as I needed his help. During our first long conversation, he told me that he had been looking forward to a situation like my presence in Waldzell, almost longing for it. , gradually, gradually, he involved me also in his plans to resign from office. He constantly tried to make me understand how much he valued my advice, my participation, and my secrecy, because he I had no worldly friends, let alone any worldly experience. I confess that I love to hear such things; He did. But as time passed, I started to feel suspicious and unreal again, maybe because I couldn't figure out what he expected from me at all, and I couldn't figure out whether his intentions to win me over were sincere or diplomatic. , naive or cunning, honest or hypocritical, or just a game. So far, he has always been in a superior position than me, and he has always treated me with great care and consideration, which is probably the reason why I don't want to go into it. Anyway, to this day, I still regard the so-called situation he invented, the so-called need for my sympathy and help, as well as my need for his support, as kind and polite, to create and weave for me To this day, I still can’t tell how much of this game he played with me was out of deliberate premeditation and how much out of his pure nature. Because this glass The Ball Game Master is indeed a great artist. He is good at teaching, influencing, healing and helping. He can do anything in order to inspire others. Always give it your all. One thing I am sure of: he treated me as a friend, as a doctor and a mentor, and put me under his protection, and never let go, until at last he awakened me, healed me, rooted as much as possible. Except for my sickness.There is also a very noticeable, and also very human, situation: when he seems to be begging me to help him get rid of the Waldzell office, when he listens calmly, even approvingly, to my comments on Casta While he was making his often rather rude and naive sarcasm, while he himself was struggling to break free from the Castalian yoke, he had the same kind of ability to lure me back there, and he re-cultivated my meditation. Habits; he educated me, transformed me, made me one of you again, through Castalian music and retreat, Castalian joy and courage,—though I had Because of their longing for Castalia's failure, they became non-Castalis and even anti-Castalians.He turned my unfortunate admiration for you into happiness. " This was Tesignoli's point of view, and he obviously had reason to admire and be grateful to Knecht.Perhaps it is not too difficult to reform children and adolescents using the tried and tested teaching methods of our religious groups, but it is not so easy to reform an adult, let alone one who is nearly fifty years old. Good wishes for this.Of course, Tesignoli has not since become a thorough or exemplary Castalian.However, Knecht has fully achieved his intended goal: to eliminate the sadness of this stubborn and extremely painful person, restore harmony and calm to his sensitive and fragile soul, and replace the previous bad habits with healthy ones.Of course, the Master of the Glass Bead Game was not able to take care of all the details himself, and he used the human and material resources of Waldzell and the church organization for his distinguished guests.For a period of time, he even sent a retreat teacher from Hillsland, where the leading institution of the church authority is located, to Tesignoli's home to guide and supervise the retreat homework at a fixed time.Of course, the entire plan and policy are still in the hands of Knecht. It was only during Knecht’s eighth year as master that he accepted his friend’s repeated invitation for the first time to visit his friend’s home in the capital.Knecht, having obtained permission from the leading authorities (whose supreme chief Alexander was close to him), took a vacation to visit friends, as he had promised many times, but delayed for a whole year, partly because he wanted to know Whether this friend is really free, of course, is partly due to his natural overthinking. After all, this is his first step into the worldly world. Knecht's place of infinite mystery! Knecht found a modern house that his friend had exchanged for the old ancestral house in Tesignoli, and found that the mistress was a dignified, intelligent and prudent head of household, but at the same time was impressed by her beautiful, willful And very disobedient younger son rule.The little master seemed to be the center of the family, with an arrogant and perverse attitude toward his father, apparently learned from his mother. Both mother and son were indifferent and skeptical of the Castalian visitors, but they soon found it difficult to resist the personal power of the master, especially since his office itself had an almost sacred and mysterious mythological atmosphere. Even so, when Knecht first entered, the atmosphere was still stiff and tense.Knecht has always maintained a calm and expectant attitude.The hostess' hospitality was thoughtful but resistant, as if she were entertaining a high-ranking military officer from an enemy country.The boy Tito was the most unrestrained one in the family, he probably often took pleasure in watching, and was obviously a fisherman in such situations, while his father seemed to be just playing the role of head of the family.The tone of the relationship between the host and hostess is gentle, cautious, vigilant to each other, as if walking on tiptoes, and the wife is obviously more comfortable than the husband to maintain this estranged posture.In addition, Tsignoli always expresses his willingness to seek his son's friendship, while the boy seems to be erratic, friendly when it is profitable, and unreasonable at other times. In short, a family of three struggles to get along, lives in a sullen and oppressive atmosphere, full of fear of rubbing against each other, full of tension, talking and acting like the style of the whole house, it seems excessive. Careful, overly polite, as if one were trying to build a solid wall, thick enough to withstand any unexpected encroachment and assault.Knecht also noticed that most of the newly regained joy on Plinio's face had disappeared.Yes, the heaviness and melancholy had all but vanished from him in Waldzell or in the Hillsland Boardroom, yet in his own home he was shadowed again, and not only attracted much criticism, but Have to endure all kinds of pity. The whole house is very beautiful, showing the wealth and unusual culture of the owner.Every room is properly furnished and proportioned; every room is based on two or three harmonious and pleasing colors; precious works of art are dotted everywhere, which is refreshing.Ye; Knecht surveyed everything around him with great interest. But after reading it, he thinks that everything may be too beautiful, too delicate, too thoughtful, so that there is no room for development, and there is nothing to update, nothing to add or delete.Knecht even noticed that the beauty of the individual rooms and their furnishings, as in the case of the hosts, assumed an obsessed, deliberately defensive posture, so that everything: rooms, paintings, vases and flowers, although showing the owner The longing for harmony and beauty is in vain, because it is this irreproachably calibrated environment that keeps people from reaching their goals. Shortly after this unhappy visit, Knecht sent a retreat teacher to a friend's house for instruction.Since he had passed the day in such a tense and oppressive atmosphere, he had gained much information that he would not have wanted to know, and had even had to know, for the sake of his friend.The matter did not stop at the first visit, but repeated many times, and the focus of their conversation began to shift to the boy Tito's education.The child's mother also actively participated in the discussion.The game master gradually wins the favor and trust of this clever but suspicious lady.When Knecht once half-jokingly said that it was a pity that she had not sent the little one to Castalia in time for his education.But she took it seriously, regarded it as a serious accusation, and quickly defended herself: She was really worried about whether Tito would be approved!Although this child is quite talented, she is difficult to discipline, and she is unwilling to impose her own ideas on the child, not to mention that the child's father has also done similar experiments, but unfortunately found nothing.Besides, neither she nor her husband thought of securing for their son the privileges of this ancient family, since they had long since severed themselves from Plinio's father, and from all traditions of this distinguished family.At last she added, with a bitter smile, that she could not be separated from her child anyway, and she no longer longed for anything in the world except the child. This last sentence blurted out without thinking, which made Knecht ponder for a long time.So, her beautiful house, her husband, her political party and political ideas, the father she once admired so much--all these are not enough to give her life meaning and value, only Her son is what makes her feel worth living.However, she would rather let the child grow up in such a bad environment that is harmful to the body and mind than to be separated from him for the healthy growth of the child.Knecht was amazed at such a confession from such an intelligent, outwardly reasonable woman.Knecht could not help her directly like he did to her husband, nor did he have the slightest intention to try.However, he managed to visit occasionally, and Plinio was always under his influence, instilling his advice, more or less by compromise, into the family in their surly condition.For the Game Master himself, his influence and authority in this family gradually increased with his visits again and again, but Knecht was increasingly puzzled by the lives of these secular people.But we know very little about his trip to the capital, what he saw and what he experienced, so we can only be satisfied with what has just been written. Relations between Knecht and the former supreme leader of the Church authorities in Hillsland had always been limited to official matters. Knecht only saw him when he participated in the meeting of all leading members of the highest education authority. Most of the elders only held formal positions, presided over the etiquette of greeting and seeing off, and the main affairs of the meeting were all handled by his spokesperson. .When Knecht took office as the master of the glass bead game, the long-serving supreme leader was already an octogenarian, and he was respected by the game master. However, the game master never managed to shorten the distance between them, because in the In his eyes, the supreme leader is hardly a mortal, and no longer has only a mortal personality, but a noble priest floating in the air, a symbol of dignity and breadth, a person who lives in the entire religious group and organization. silent leaders above and a crown upon their heads.The venerable old man had recently died, and the collective authorities had chosen Alexander to succeed him. Alexander was the meditation teacher who was sent by the church authorities to guide Knecht when he first became a master many years ago.From then on, Knecht had great respect and love for this outstanding church member. As for Alexander, who had been close to him for a period of time, he could almost be regarded as his teacher of confession. Seat's personal character and behavior have had a close and careful observation, and he has also developed a heart of love.The moment Alexander became Knecht's colleague and the highest leader of the church authorities, the two of them realized that there was a potential friendship between them at the same time. Since then, not only have they met and talked, but they have often been together Work. Their friendship, of course, lacked the usual friendliness, just as it lacked a common youthful acquaintance between the two of them; The method is limited to greetings when meeting each other and greetings when saying goodbye. They are more enthusiastic than ordinary people. They are just able to understand each other more quickly and completely than ordinary people. For example, a few minutes of chatting between meetings and breaks is enough. The position of leader of the church authority—also known as the master of the church—is an equal position to the masters of various disciplines according to the church constitution, but in fact it seems to be higher than other colleagues because of traditional habits, because no matter the masters of various disciplines He is the chairman of the Supreme Education Council and all the meetings of the leading members of religious groups. Especially in recent decades, because the church authorities have paid more and more attention to the practice of meditation, this position has become more important-of course. Everything is limited to the educational academy and religious groups.Of all the leading members of the Board of Education and of the ecclesiastical authorities, the Master of the Church and the Master of the Glass Bead Game came to resemble more and more a pair of preeminent representatives of the Castalian spirit.Because compared with many traditional subjects that have been handed down from ancient Castalia to the present—such as grammar, astronomy, mathematics or music, etc.—the two subjects of meditation and glass ball games are already relatively speaking. The more important spiritual wealth here.It cannot but be said to be a good sign that the two current masters of these two disciplines have shown each other friendship and intimacy these days.For the two masters, it is a way to maintain and improve their own dignity, a way to add joy and warmth to life, and it is also a spur to motivate them to complete more tasks, urging them to carry forward the innermost and most profound aspects of the Castalian world. Divine spiritual power. For Knecht, this relationship meant a binding force, a balancing force against his tendency to give up everything, against his desire to break out of the status quo and break into a completely new sphere of life.Nevertheless, Knecht's tendency to break through has always been unstoppable.Since the time when he himself was fully conscious of his will—perhaps during his sixth or seventh year as Master—this wish had grown stronger by the day, and he was like the " As the "awakened person" did, he relentlessly incorporated this thought into his voluntary life and thinking.We believe we can say this: ever since he realized that he must one day relinquish his office and bid farewell to the Academy of Castalia, he has held fast to this idea. This kind of thinking made him feel sometimes like a prisoner who is convinced that he will be free, and sometimes like a dying patient who knows that his death is near. Knecht reunited with his companion from his youth, and in the first conversation he put his thoughts into words. He may do this only to win the goodwill of his friends, so as to open the other person's silent and closed heart, or he may use this first opportunity to inform another person of his new awakening and new attitude towards life. This is the first time for him. Turning to the outside world was the first step towards his goal.In further conversations with Tesignoli, Knecht expressed his determination to abandon his current way of life sooner or later and leap into a completely new life.During this period, Knecht has always been careful to build their friendship, because Plinio's friendship with him now is not only out of admiration for Castalia, but more because of the recovery of the sick. gratitude of the recipient.Now that Knecht has this bridge of friendship, he can also step out into the enigmatic secular world outside. It should come as no surprise that it took years for the game master to share with Fritz de Glarius the secret of his escape from the status quo.Although he has always been kind and sincere to his friends, he also knows how to maintain independence and use diplomacy.Now, Plinio has re-entered his life, and he has become Frieze's competitor invisibly, and another old friend who has the right to care about Knecht's interests and emotions.Deglarius' initial reaction was intense jealousy, which was also expected by Knecht.Yes, for quite a long time, until he had completely won Tsignoli's trust and brought his friend into orbit, Knecht regarded Frieze's temperance and discontent as a wishful act.After a while, another scruple took a greater place in his thoughts.How could I tell Deglarius, a pure Waldzell, my desire to get rid of my position as a master and flee from Waldzell, and persuade him?If Knecht really left Walzell, he would lose his friend forever.As for carrying the Walzell man with him through the dangerous and rough road, that is unthinkable, even if Frieze unexpectedly confessed to him the courage of the adventure, it would not work. Knecht hesitated, pondered, and hesitated for a long time before including Fritz in his own plan of action. After he finally made up his mind to leave, he waited for a while before telling Frieze his action plan.Keeping friends in the dark, or making plans behind their backs to how many preparations will hit each other is completely against Knecht's nature.According to Knecht's wish, of course, Frieze also participated in the plan, and as far as possible, like Plinio, not only an insider, but also a real or at least an imagined assistant, because actions can make His situation was more bearable. Undoubtedly, Knecht had told Deglarius about the decline of Castalia a long time ago, and because of the very concern he poured into his narration, the other party had no choice but to comment on his situation. Thoughts agreed.Knecht used this as a bridge of communication and told the other party his intention to resign. The fact that he hadn't expected it was a huge relief: Frieze had nothing against the plan, and he wasn't even pessimistic.It should be said that in Frieze's eyes, a game master throwing his noble position back to the highest authority, dusting off the Castalian dust from his feet, and choosing a life that suits his own taste is really an exciting and satisfying feeling. Very interesting idea.Deglarius is a do-it-yourselfer who hates all standard conventions and of course takes sides with those who rebel against authority at all times.He always goes along with everything that intelligently resists, ridicules, and even restricts official power. Fritz's reaction provided Knecht with a way to solve the problem. He heaved a sigh of relief and showed a knowing smile.Knecht left Frieze free to associate, saw the whole thing as a feat of resistance against a corrupt bureaucracy, and did not assign him a collaborator or accomplice.With the development of the matter at this point, it is imperative to submit an application to the highest administrative authority stating the reasons for the game master's resignation.Deglarius then took up the task of drafting the application.Deglarius must first grasp Knecht's basic views on the birth, development and current situation of Castalia, and on this basis collect historical data to verify the correctness of Knecht's wishes and suggestions.这项任务迫使他不得不进入自己一贯轻视和排斥的专业领域——历史研究，不过他似乎也没有因而烦恼，于是克乃西特也加快速度给予他必要的帮助指点。而德格拉里乌斯也立即以自己惯有的热情和韧劲投身于这项他认为孤立无援的冒险的新任务之中了。这位性格执拗的个人主义者兴致勃勃地开始了历史研究工作，因为这项工作让他处于挑战地位，得以挑战当今的官僚和教会秩序，或者甚至揭露他们的问题和缺陷。 克乃西特没有分享德格拉里乌斯的乐趣，也不相信朋友的努力会取得什么结果。 他既已下定决心摆脱目前的羁绊，就听任自己无牵无挂地期待着似乎已在等待他去做的工作。然而克乃西特十分清楚，他并无说服领导当局的合理论据，而德格拉里乌斯也没有能力承担自己在这里的工作，即或只是一部分工作。尽管如此，他还是为弗里兹有事可忙，还可以在他身边多逗留一段时期而感到宽慰。下一次他再见到普林尼奥·特西格诺利时，也就能够向他添补一句：“好朋友德格拉里乌斯如今已投入我们的工作，正在弥补他认为由于你再返华尔采尔而遭受的损失。他的嫉妒毛病已基本治愈。他目前为我出力，反对我的同事们，这反倒令他感觉惬意；他现在几乎变得很快乐了。但是，普林尼奥，千万别以为我对他的行动存在多少期望，这件事仅仅对这位好人自身有益而已。我们拟议中的计划想要获得最高当局的体谅，简直难以想象，是的，这完全是不可能的，他们至多只会赐给我们一场比较温和的斥责。我们宗教团体的制度本身就注定我的申请必遭否决。话还得说回来，作为行政当局居然根据自己玻璃球大师自以为是的申请而放他离开，随他去外界自寻工作，换了我是不会允许的。此外，我了解现任教会大师亚历山大，一位无法动摇的人。不，我必须独自一人去进行这场斗争。我们现在就让德格拉里乌斯先练练他的洞察力吧！我们不过为他牺牲一些时间而已，我必须这么对待他。何况我还得把这里的一切都料理妥当，以便我离开时不致使华尔采尔遭受损害。这期间还得你设法为我寻找栖身之处和某种合宜的工作，倘若有个音乐教师之类的职位，我就很满意了，我只要有个开头的机会，有个出发点就足够了。” 特西格诺利当即说，他会帮忙找到工作的，届时就可以住在他家，想住多久就多久。然而克乃西特没有应承这一建议。 “不行，”他说，“我不想当客人，我只需要工作。我在尊府作客固然很好，但是日子一长，就会增添许多麻烦和紧张。我对你完全信任，你的夫人待我也日益友好。然而，当我不再是贵客，不再是游戏大师，而成为一个流亡者，一个常住食客后，情况也许就大不一样了。” “你的态度也太迂了，”普林尼奥答道，“你一旦离开此地，在首都住下来，很快就会获得合适的职务，至少到大学里当教授——我敢担保你能够获得这类职位。 不过办这类事也需要时间，而且你也明白，我只有在你完全离开此地之后，才能够替你办理这件事。 " “事实如此，”游戏大师接着说，“直到那时为止，我的决定都必须保密。在我的上级把决定通知我之前，我不能把自己介绍给你们的当局，这当然是不言而喻的。然而我现在根本不想去任何官方机构。我的需求很小很卑微，比你可能猜想的还要小得多。我只需要一间小屋和每天的面包，最主要的是有一项工作，当一个教师和教育者，我只愿教一个或者几个小学生，和他们生活在一起，能够让我对他们施加影响。去大学任教是我最不想要的职位。也许我更乐意，不，更爱做一个孩子的家庭教师，或者与此类似的工作。我寻求的、我需要的是一种单纯、朴素的工作，我要教育一个他需要我的人。受聘于一所大学，等于把我一开头就又纳人一个因袭传统的、神圣而又机械化的官僚机器之中，与我的愿望背道而驰。” 特西格诺利终于踌躇地说出了自己心里酝酿已久的想法。 “我有一个建议，”他说，“希望你至少听一听，再满怀好意替我想想。倘若你能够接受，那就真的是帮了我的大忙。从我第一次到这里来作客，你就不断给我帮助。你现在也已熟悉和了解我的生活与家庭情况。我的处境不佳，但比起前几年已有所好转。一切问题中最棘手的是我和儿子之间的关系。他被宠坏了，他在家里替自己营造了一种特权地位，常常出言不逊，事实上，他很小的时候就已被他的母亲，和被我惯坏了。他自幼就偏向母亲，日子一久，我变得一点儿都管不了他了。 我也对此死了心，如同我顺从自己失败的一生那样。如今多亏你的指点，我又多少恢复了信心，对自己也有了希望。你一定早已看出我想追求什么。目前铁托在学校里正处于困境之中，倘若有一位教育者愿意接受他，管教他一阵子，这将是我的大幸事。我知道，这是一件自私的提议，因为我还不知道这项工作能否吸引你。不过我纯粹是因为受到你的鼓励，才敢说出这番话的。 " 克乃西特微笑着伸出了手。 “谢谢你，普林尼奥。我觉得这是我最欢迎的建议。万事俱备，只差你夫人的同意了。此外，你们夫妇必须作出决定，暂时把儿子托付给我全权管理。为了手把手教导他，我必须首先排除来自家庭日常生活的影响。你必须与夫人商量，设法说服她接受这个条件。你得小心谨慎，千万不要着急！” “你深信你对付得了铁托？”特西格诺利怀疑地问。 “嗅，是的，为什么不行呢？他有良好的血统，继承了双亲的优秀天赋，他欠缺的只是这类大赋力量的协调发展。我很乐意承担这项工作：唤醒他要求协调发展的愿望，努力加强这种愿望，直至最后化为他的自觉意识。” 克乃西特就这样动员了他的两位朋友，每个人以各自不同的方式为同一件事情而忙碌起来。当特西格诺利回到首都和妻子商量这个新计划，以动听的语言争取她的同意之际，德格拉里乌斯则端坐在华尔采尔图书馆的小书库里，正按照克乃西特的提示为拟议书面申请而收集资料呢。这位游戏大师在自己开具的书目中放进了诱人的香饵，使我们的憎恶历史者一口咬住就逃脱不开。德格拉里乌斯迷上了战争时期那一段历史。他以一贯的狂热工作热情，不知疲倦地搜罗着我们宗教团体创建之前那段古老黑暗时期的遗闻轶事，收集了大堆资料，数月后他向朋友交差时，克乃西特只能采用不足十分之一。 这段时期里，克乃西特又去首都特西格诺利家访问了多次。如同一般精神健康和谐的人常常较易为心存烦恼而难相处的人所接受，特西格诺利夫人也越来越信赖克乃西特了。她很快就同意了丈夫的计划。据我们所知，铁托曾在游戏大师某次来访时，相当傲慢地告诉对方，希望别人不要用你称呼他，因为现在任何人，包括他的学校老师在内，都很有礼貌地用您称呼他了。克乃西特客客气气地向他表示了谢意，也表示了歉意，随即向他叙述了卡斯塔里学园的习惯，凡是老师都称学生为你无论学生是否已是成人。晚餐后，克乃西特邀请男孩一起出门走走，并让他指点市内可看的景致。 铁托把他带到旧城区一条宽阔的大道上，周围全是具有数百年历史的富有贵族家庭的住宅，一幢又一幢，鳞次栉比。在一座高高耸立着的坚实的建筑物前，铁托停住了脚步，指着大门上的一块牌子问道：“您认识这块牌子吗？”当克乃西特表示不认识时，他就说道：“这是特西格诺利家族的纹章，这儿便是我们家的祖屋，它属于特氏家族已有三百年历史。但是我们现在却住在那幢俗不可耐的普通住宅里，只因我父亲在祖父死后莫名其妙地卖掉这座壮丽可爱的祖屋，而建造了一幢如今已不够现代化的现代住宅。您能谅解做这种事的人吗？” “您很痛惜失去老屋吗？”克乃西特友好地问。 铁托神情激动地作出了肯定的答复，然后又问道：“您能谅解做这种事的人吗？” “人们能够谅解一切的，倘若人们能够换一种角度看问题的话，”克乃西特答道，接着又说：“古宅是一种美好的东西，倘若让古宅和新宅并列一处让你父亲挑选的话，他也许会保留旧宅的。是的，古建筑都是又美又庄严的，尤其是我们眼前这幢，壮丽极了。但是，对于一位积极上进的年轻人来说，自己建造一幢新居也是一件同样美妙的事，因而，他倘若面临选择：是住进舒适的旧巢呢，还是另建全新的寓所？他就很可能选择后者，我们应当谅解这个事实。据我对您父亲的了解——他在您这般年龄的时候，我就熟识他了——，因出售祖居而受痛苦之深是任何人都无法想象的。他曾与自己的父亲以及整个家族有过激烈的冲突，由此看来，让他在我们卡斯塔里接受教育似乎不太恰当，至少这种教育并未能抑止他许多次狂暴的情绪冲动。出售祖屋也许就是此类冲动的后果之一。他以为这便是迎头痛击旧传统，便是对他的父亲、家族，对他的全部过去和一切依赖性的挑战，至少在我眼中，这一切都是可以理解的。但是，人类是奇怪的动物，因而我觉得另一种想法也并非完全不可能。这种想法便是：这位出售祖屋的人卖掉这幢老房子，与其说是存心伤害家族，不如说是有意伤害自己。他的家庭让他感到失望。他们把他送入我们的精英学校，让他接受我们的那种精神教育，使他日后返归世俗世界不能适应必须应付的工作、需要和其他种种要求。然而我们现在还是不要进一步作什么心理分析吧。无论如何，这个出售祖屋的故事显示了父子之间一场强烈的冲突——表达了一种憎恨，一种由爱而生的憎恨。这类例子在我们世界历史上并不罕见，尤其表现在某些特别有才能而且生气勃勃的人身上。此外，我还因而想象出，未来一代的小特西格诺利将竭尽全力为自己家族收回这幢祖屋，他把这件事视之为自己毕生使命，会不惜付出任何代价。” “是啊，”铁托失声喊叫道，“倘若他果真如此，您不认为他是对的吗？” “我不愿充当他的法官。如果一位未来的特西格诺利后人能够意识到自己先辈的伟大之处和他们赋予他的责任，那么他便会竭尽全力为自己的国家、城市、正义与社会福利服务，在服务中逐渐成长，强壮，以致最后有能力附带收回自己的祖屋，到那时他必定是一位不虚此生的受人尊敬的长者；到那时我们也乐意向他脱帽致敬。 但是，如果他一生中毫无理想目标，只以收回祖屋为最终目的的话，那么他仅仅是一个占有狂、盲目热情者，一个被激情冲昏头脑的家伙，尤其重要的是，他或许永远也无法认识到父子两代冲突的真正意义，以致整整一生，即便成年之后，始终得肩负着这一沉重的包袱。我们能够理解他，也会怜悯他，但是他永远也不可能提高自己家族的声誉。一个古老的家族世世代代和睦聚居祖屋，固然很美，但是，倘若想要使这个古老家族获得新生和焕发出新的光芒，唯有它的子孙辈能够具有为家族服务更伟大的理想才行。 " 铁托和客人散步过程中，全神贯注而近乎温顺地倾听了自己父亲追求理想的故事，他以往在别的场合却一贯持拒绝和反抗态度，铁托看到向来互相不一致的双亲眼下却一致地尊敬这位客人，便不由自主地预感到来人可能会威胁他任性胡为的自由，时不时要向这位贵宾发表一通无礼的言论。不言而喻，每次发作之后，歉意和内疚随之而来，因为在这位愉悦有礼，好像披着闪光盔甲的游戏大师面前出乖露丑，让他觉得自己也受了侮辱。他那颗幼稚而被宠坏了的心也隐隐觉察到，这个人也许确是他理当喜爱和值得尊敬的。 有一回，铁托特别强烈地感受了这一感觉：那次他父亲忙于家事，克乃西特独自一人在客厅呆了半个钟点。铁托一脚踏进房间，只见客人半闭双目像雕像一般静坐不动，正在人定状态中散射出平静和谐的光辉，男孩子不由自主地放慢脚步，打算踮起脚尖悄悄退出门外。这时静坐者忽然睁开眼睛，友好地打了招呼，然后站起身来，指指室内的钢琴，询问道：喜欢音乐么？ 是的，铁托说，只是他已经好长时间没上音乐课了，自己也没有练习，因为他在学校里没有学好，因为那里的音乐教师总是不停训斥他，不过他一直总爱听音乐的。克乃西特揭起琴盖，坐到琴前，发现琴已调好，便奏起了史卡拉蒂的一个慢板乐章，他近日正以这首乐曲作为一场玻璃球游戏的基础进行着练习。片刻后，他停下来，发现男孩听得很人迷，便向他简略介绍了玻璃球游戏是如何通过音乐进行练习的，如何把音乐分解后融和进游戏中，并且举例说明了若干人们常常采用的分析方法，最后还介绍了把音乐移译成玻璃球游戏符号的途径。 铁托第一次没有把游戏大师视为客人，没有把他当作社会名流而加以拒绝，因为这样的人会损害自己的自尊，如今他看到的是一位正在训练的人，这个人已掌握某种十分精致的艺术，能以艺术大师的手腕加以展现，对于这种艺术蕴含的意义，铁托确乎只有模糊的猜测，然而他已觉得它似乎值得一个成年男子为之付出全部身心。而这位男子如今把他也看作了成人，还认为他已有足够的智慧去尝试这些复杂的事情，这也大大加强了他的自信心。在剩余的半个钟点内，铁托开始静下心来思索，这位奇怪人物身上的愉快、沉静精神，究竟源自何处呢。 克乃西特任职最后阶段的公务繁忙复杂，几乎可与他刚任职时期的艰苦繁难相比拟。他曾决定替自己属下的一切部门留下一种无可挑剔的模范境况。他达到了这个目标，但是同时想到了另一个目标：让别人感到他本人可有可无，或者至少是不难取代，却始终没有完成。这种情形在学园的最高领导层中已是屡见不鲜了。我们的玻璃球游戏大师好似飘浮在空中，在高高的远处统辖着自己管区的千头万绪的复杂事务，他好像是一枚最高的勋章，一种闪光的标志。他来去匆匆，好似一位善良的精灵，轻轻松松地说几句话，点一点头，挥一挥手，便作出了决定，安排了任务。 转眼间，他已经离去，已经到了另一个部门。他指挥他的公务机构恰似一位音乐家摆弄自己擅长的乐器，看着似乎不费吹灰之力，似乎不动什么脑筋，却事事有条不紊，顺利向前发展。然而这架公务机器里的每一个公务人员无不清清楚楚，一旦这位大师病了或者离开了，情况将会怎样，即或有人接替他的工作，哪怕只干几个钟点或者一个整天，将会发生何种情况！ 当克乃西特再一次穿越整个小小的玻璃球游戏王国，细细审视着每一件琐事，尤其倾注全力悄悄透选自己的“影子”，以便离开后有人代表自己处理一切大大小小公务时，心里却十分清楚，他内心深处早已与这里的一切脱钩，早已远走高飞。 这个秩序井然的珍贵小世界已不再能令他狂喜，不再能约束他了。他几乎已经把华尔采尔和自己的大师职位看成是身后之事，一个已穿越过的地域，它曾给予他许多东西，使他获益匪浅，然而如今却不能够赋予他新的力量，诱导他作出新的行动了。 在这段缓缓挣脱和辞别的日子里，克乃西特对自己所以背离和逃避的真正原因也看得越来越清楚了。他知道，根本的原因不在于他发现了卡斯塔里现存的危机，也不是为卡斯塔里的前途担心。真正的原因只有一个简单的事实，他对自己那种不务实事的空虚生活业已疲倦，他的心、他的灵魂如今都在渴求，在争取获得充实的权利。 当年，克乃西特曾再度彻底研究教会组织的规章和条例，发现自己想要脱离这个教育学园，并非如起初想象的那么艰难，也不是完全行不通的事情。只要以自己的良心为理由，不仅可以辞去官职，甚至可以离开宗教团体。入教时的誓言也并非必须终身信守，尽管很少有人要求享有这种自由，更不要说最高行政当局的成员了，简直绝无仅有。是的，这一步之所以难行，并不在于规章太严，而是宗教团体的精神本身，是自己内心对团体的忠诚。毫无疑问，他不愿不辞而别，他正在筹备一份要求离职的申请书，他的忠实好友德格拉里乌斯已把手指都写得墨黑了呢。但是他对这份申请书的效果全无信心。人们也许会抚慰他，给予他一些忠告，也许还会给他一段假期，让他去罗马走走，或者去玛丽亚费尔逗留一阵，约可布斯神父刚刚在那里去世。他估计人们不会放他走，他对这一点已看得越来越清楚。允许他离开，这将是违背教会组织以往一切传统的行为。倘若最高当局这么做，也就无异于承认他的请求确有道理，尤其一位身居高位的人士竟然要求离开，如果同意他走，更无异于承认卡斯塔里的生活不能够在任何情况下都满足人的需要，却是能够让人产生如坐牢笼的感觉。