A fourth-century desert monk leaves his hermitage and travels to Alexandria not to save souls, but to find one. Paphnuce has heard of Thais, the legendary actress whose beauty allegedly damns all who behold it, and he is determined to convert her to Christianity. What follows is a masterful examination of spiritual hubris and the flesh it pretends to scorn. Thais does convert, retreating to a convent, but the hermit finds he cannot stop thinking of her. The austerities that were supposed to purify his mind only sharpen her image. When he learns she is dying, he rushes to her side to make a confession that unmakes everything he believed about himself. Anatole France writes with the elegant cruelty of a man who understands that the most dangerous temptations wear the mask of righteousness.
X-Ray
