The Rebel Angels
"Then listen to me, because this is true. I love Hollier. I love him the way I love you - for the splendid thing you are, in your own world of splendid things. Like a fool I wanted him the way you are talking about, and whether it was because I wanted him or he wanted me I don't know and never shall know, but it was a very great mistake. Because of that stupidity, which didn't amount to a damn as an experience, I think I have put something between us that has almost lost him to me. Do you think I want to do that with you? Are all men such greedy fools that they think love only comes with that special favour?"
"The world think of it as the completion of love."
"The the world still has something important to learn. Simon, you called me Sophia: the Divine Wisdom, God's partner and playmate in Creation. Now perhaps I am going to surprise you: I agree I am Sophia to you, and I can be that for as long as you wish, but I must be my own human Maria-self as well, and if we go to bed it may be Sophia who lies down but it will certainly be Maria - and not the best of her - who gets up, and Sophia will be gone forever. And you, Simon dear, would come into bed as my Rebel Angel, but very soon you would be a stoutish Anglican person, and a Rebel Angel no more."
"A Rebel Angel?"
"You don't mean to tell me that I can teach you something about the very non-academic talk we have had? Oh, Simon, you must remember the Rebel Angels? They were real angels, Samahazai and Azazel, and they betrayed the secrets of Heaven to King Solomon, and God threw them out of Heaven. And did they mope and plot vengeance? Not they! They weren't sore-headed egoists like Lucifer. Instead they gave mankind another push up the ladder, they came to earth and taught tongues, and were often special successes with the 'daughters of men'. It's a marvelous piece of apocrypha, and I would have expected you to know it, because surely it is the explanation of the origin of universities! God doesn't come out of some of these stories in a very good light, does He? Job had to tell Him a few home truths about His injustice and caprice; the Rebel Angels showed Him that hiding all knowledge and wisdom and keeping it for Himself was dog-in-the-manger behaviour. I've always taken it as proof that we'll civilize God yet. So don't, Simon dear, don't rob me of my Rebel Angel by wanting to be an ordinary human lover, and I won't rob you of Sophia. You and Hollier are my Rebel Angels, but as you are the first to be told, you may choose which one you will be: Samahazai or Azazel?"
"Samahazai, every time! Azazel is to zizzy."
"Dear Simon!"
I've had several of Robertson Davies' novels for a long time. I picked one of them up a few weeks ago to realize that it was the second in a trilogy and I was missing the first one. So I checked out Rebel Angels from the library, hoping Davies wasn't as hard as I worried he might be. It turns out, he was an extremely enjoyable read. His characters are colorful and enjoyable. His plot is twisted, complicated, and amusing. I loved this book and look forward to the rest of the trilogy. |
