读到这本书，即是惊喜，也是负担。

本来是为了读推理小说而找到此书，但在阅读过程中，却发现被塞了一脑门的关于中世纪历史、人文、宗教、神学、符号学、象征学等林林种种的深奥知识，虽然仅留下浮光掠影的映象，却仿佛偷窥到天国一角，其华美壮观已不可或忘。

 

故事是“我”发现一部古老的手稿，手稿的作者是一位生活在14世纪的年迈天主教（Catholicism）修士阿德索（Adesso），回忆自己少年时代，追随一位天主教方济各会（Franciscan）修士威廉（William）拜访一座修道院，七天之内发生的一连串可怕而神秘事件的经历。

故事中，威廉甫一出场便先声夺人，在半山腰遇到修道院的人们时，未等对方说话，就开口指点他们找到他们正在搜寻的失踪小马，而在之前，他既没有来过这座修道院，也不认识其中的人，更不知道有这么一匹小马。

接着，修道院的院长请求威廉查访不久前一位僧人从塔楼掉下死亡事件，但是死亡事件连二连三发生，修道院中的人们却个个讳莫如深，所有秘密似乎都藏在那座号称“天主教世界最大的图书馆”最深处的密室。

威廉得出结论，凶手似乎是按照《圣经新约》（New Covenant）中《启示录》（Revelation）的内容行凶，《启示录》中讲述末日之时，将有七位天使接连吹响号角，世界将出现七大灾难。第一位死者死在他楼下的冰雪中，对应第一位天使的号角引来带血的冰雹；第二位死者被发现倒栽在盛满猪血的大缸里，对应第二位天使的三分之一海洋变成血；第三人死在浴缸里，对应燃烧的星辰落在众水之源；第四人被天象仪砸死，第四声号则是日月星的三分之一都被破坏变暗；第五人被毒死时提到“毒蝎”，对应无底坑中飞出的像蝎子的蝗虫。

如此一一对应，自然不能用巧合来形容，威廉以此为线索，终于查明了所有真相，但对应着第六声号的烈焰和第七声号的书卷情节仍然发生了，而威廉也在此发现了自己的渺小无力，以及天主的意志何等宏伟。

 

从人类社会的发展过程来看，知识首先都是掌握在神权之手，而本书的出场人物，大部分都是身居高位或很有名望的教会主教、修士，至不济也是在那座大图书馆饱读书籍的僧人。他们的谈话、演讲、争论和幻想都表现出了极为深厚的学识功底，不仅是基督教世界，其他如古希腊、罗马、阿拉伯、北非等地的古今著名人物和著作他们都能如数家珍，旁征博引地作为自己的论据。

博学可以诞生傲慢，智慧会孕育执着。在这座巍峨的修道院，有下里巴人的低俗欲望，也有贪求知识，乃至为信仰现身的狂热。威廉指出“唯一的真理就是学会摆脱对真理不理智的狂热”，但对于宗教来说，哲学思辨是大敌，人们只需要信仰，不需要思索。

作者本人是意大利人，周边天主教氛围浓厚，他本人甚至真的当过一段时间的修士。作者学识渊博——这在本书的每一页都能看出来，研究范围广泛，对于欧洲中世纪尤其情有独钟，本书就可以看作是一部小说版本的中世界百科全书。

这座古老的修道院，之所以成为一切矛盾的焦点，在于包括威廉在内的方济各会代表，将要在这里与教皇的使团会面，讨论双方如何化解矛盾。但是，方济各会有心，而教皇一方无意。小说中，教皇与皇帝的矛盾，教廷与地方教派（本书主要是方济各会）的倾轧，天主教与异教的残酷斗争，各教派之间的微妙关系，雄踞一方的修道院和外在的教廷、地方领主的平衡，守贫与蓄财的争辩，全部汇集于修道院，在作者的长篇大论中一一展现，另外还有植物学、宝石研究、工匠作坊、宗教建筑、异教审判、修士生活等等论述，无不精到细致，栩栩如生。

科学诞生于愚昧。黑暗的中世纪，知识由教会掌控，虽然教会中的大部分智者希望能霸占知识的奥秘，但仍然诞生了早期的科学家们。宗教与禁忌、科学与愚昧的斗争表现在书中的方方面面，教会与异教的差别也并非泾渭分明。书中的方济各会修士们，就常常将当时的教皇称作异教徒。

 

本书并不是单纯的推理小说，毋宁说是一部学术著作，虽然有凶杀，有逻辑推理，有探案，但与推理小说的不少传统背道而驰，作者本人对宗教的思辨和疑惑都充斥在字里行间。虽然如此，仍不妨碍它成为一部十分优秀的历史推理小说。

 

 

（《玫瑰的名字》（Il Nome Della Rosa），意大利作家翁贝托·埃科（安伯托·艾柯）（Umberto Eco，1932—2016年）著，沈萼梅、刘锡荣译，上海译文出版社2015年1月出版。）

 

 

2024年4月1日星期一中午

 

 

 

附《启示录》中关于七位天使吹号内容：

 

8:6 拿着七枝号的七位天使，就豫备要吹。

And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

 

8:7 第一位天使吹号，就有雹子与火搀着血丢在地上。地的三分之一和树的三分之一被烧了，一切的青草也被烧了。

The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

 

8:8 第二位天使吹号，就有彷佛火烧着的大山扔在海中。海的三分之一变成血。

And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

 

8:9 海中的活物死了三分之一。船只也坏了三分之一。

And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

 

8:10 第三位天使吹号，就有烧着的大星，好像火把从天上落下来，落在江河的三分之一，和众水的泉源上。

And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

 

8:11 这星名叫茵？？。众水的三分之一便为茵？？。因水变苦，就死了许多人。

And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

 

8:12 第四位天使吹号，日头的三分之一，月亮的三分之一，星辰的三分之一，都被击打。以致日月星的三分之一黑暗了，白昼的三分之一没有光，黑夜也是这样。

And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

 

8:13 我又看见一个鹰飞在空中，并听见他大声说，三位天使要吹那其馀的号，你们住在地上的民，祸哉，祸哉，祸哉。

And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

 

9:1 第五位天使吹号，我就看见一个星从天落到地上。有无底坑的钥匙赐给他。

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

 

9:2 他开了无底坑，便有烟从坑里往上冒，好像大火炉的烟。日头和天空，都因这烟昏暗了。

And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

 

9:3 有蝗虫从烟中出来飞到地上。有能力赐给他们，好像地上蝎子的能力一样。

And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

 

9:4 并且吩咐他们说，不可伤害地上的草，和各样青物，并一切树木，惟独要伤害额上没有神印记的人。

And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

 

9:5 但不许蝗虫害死他们，只叫他们受痛苦五个月。这痛苦就像蝎子螫人的痛苦一样。

And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

 

9:6 在那些日子，人要求死，决不得死。愿意死，死却远避他们。

And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

 

9:7 蝗虫的形状，好像豫备出战的马一样，头上戴的好像金冠冕，脸面好像男人的脸面。

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

 

9:8 头发像女人的头发，牙齿像狮子的牙齿。

And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

 

9:9 胸前有甲，好像铁甲。他们翅膀的声音，好像许多车马奔跑上阵的声音。

And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

 

9:10 有尾巴像蝎子。尾巴上的毒钩能伤人五个月。

And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

 

9:11 有无底坑的使者作他们的王。按着希伯来话，名叫亚巴顿，希腊话，名叫亚玻伦。

And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

 

9:12 第一样灾祸过去，还有两样灾祸要来。

One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

 

9:13 第六位天使吹号，我就听见有声音，从神面前金坛的四角出来，

And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

 

9:14 吩咐那吹号的第六位天使，说，把那捆绑在伯拉大河的四个使者释放了。

Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

 

9:15 那四个使者就被释放。他们原是豫备好了，到某年某月某日某时，要杀人的三分之一。

And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

 

9:16 马军有二万万。他们的数目我听见了。

And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

 

9:17 我在异象中看见那些马和骑马的，骑马的胸前有甲如火，与紫玛瑙，并硫磺。马的头好像狮子头，有火，有烟，有硫磺，从马的口中出来。

And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

 

9:18 口中所出来的火，与烟，并硫磺，这三样灾杀了人的三分之一。

By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

 

9:19 这马的能力，是在口里，和尾巴上。因这尾巴像蛇，并且有头用以害人。

For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

 

9:20 其馀未曾被这灾所杀的人，仍旧不悔改自己手所作的，还是去拜鬼魔，和那些不能看，不能听，不能走，金，银，铜，木，石，的偶像。

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

 

9:21 又不悔改他们那些凶杀，邪术，奸淫，偷窃的事。

Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

 

10:1 我又看见另有一位大力的天使，从天降下，披着云彩，头上有虹。脸面像日头，两脚像火柱。

And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

 

10:2 他手里拿着小书卷是展开的。他用右脚踏海，左脚踏地。

And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

 

10:3 大声呼喊，好像狮子吼叫，呼喊完了，就有七雷发声。

And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

 

10:4 七雷发声之后，我正要写出来，就听见从天上有声音说，七雷所说的你要封上，不可写出来。

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

 

10:5 我所看见的那踏海踏地的天使，向天举起右手来，

And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

 

10:6 指着那创造天和天上之物，地和地上之物，海和海中之物，直活到永永远远的，起誓说，不再有时日了。（或作不再耽延了）

And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

 

10:7 但在第七位天使吹号发声的时候，神的奥秘，就成全了，正如神所传给他仆人众先知的佳音。

But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

 

10:8 我先前从天上所听见的那声音，又吩咐我说，你去把那踏海踏地之天使手中展开的小书卷取过来。

And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

 

10:9 我就走到天使那里，对他说，请你把小书卷给我。他对我说，你拿着吃尽了，便叫你肚子发苦，然而在你口中要甜如蜜。

And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

 

10:10 我从天使手中把小书卷接过来，吃尽了。在我口中果然甜如蜜。吃了以后，肚子觉得发苦了。

And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.