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And while in reading the Gospels—particularly that of St John himself, or whatever early Gnostic took his name and mantle—I see this continual assertion of the imagination as the basis of all spiritual and material life[115a], I see also that to Christ imagination was simply a form of Love, and that to him Love was Lord in the fullest meaning of the phrase[115b]. Some six weeks ago I was allowed by the Doctor to have white bread to eat instead of the coarse black or brown bread of ordinary prison fare. It is a great delicacy. To you it will sound strange that dry bread could possibly be a delicacy to anyone. I assure you that to me it is so much so that at the close of each meal I carefully eat whatever crumbs may be left on my tin plate, or have fallen on the rough towel that one uses as a cloth so as not to soil one’s table[115c]: and do so not from hunger—I get now quite sufficient food—but simply in order that nothing should be wasted of what is given to me. So one should look on love.
在读《福音书》时——尤其是圣约翰本人的福音,或者说早期诺斯替教认为是他的名份真传的那些东西——我看到了书中不断在强调,想象是一切精神和物质生活的基础[115a], 也看到了对基督来说,想象简直就是爱的一个形式,而爱又是主的全部意义所在[115b]。大概六周前医生允许我吃白面包,而不是通常监狱伙食那粗糙的黑或半黑面包。真是可口美味。你听着会奇怪,怎么可能干巴巴的面包也有人当成美味佳肴。我郑重地告诉你,对我是这样的美味可口,每顿饭吃完了,要是盘里还留一点面包屑,或者权当桌布的粗毛巾上掉了一点,我都会认认真真地吃干净[115c]:而且不是因为肚子饿——我现在饭食足够——只是因为给的东西我一点也不愿浪费。人当以此心向着爱。
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