王尔德童话四则(英文版)-第16章

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white　rocks；　and　the　scaled　Dragons　sleeping　in　their　caves。　　As　we

passed　over　the　mountains　we　held　our　breath　lest　the　snows　might

fall　on　us；　and　each　man　tied　a　veil　of　gauze　before　his　eyes。　　As

we　passed　through　the　valleys　the　Pygmies　shot　arrows　at　us　from

the　hollows　of　the　trees；　and　at　night…time　we　heard　the　wild　men

beating　on　their　drums。　　When　we　came　to　the　Tower　of　Apes　we　set

fruits　before　them；　and　they　did　not　harm　us。　　When　we　came　to　the

Tower　of　Serpents　we　gave　them　warm　milk　in　howls　of　brass；　and

they　let　us　go　by。　　Three　times　in　our　journey　we　came　to　the　banks

of　the　Oxus。　　We　crossed　it　on　rafts　of　wood　with　great　bladders　of

blown　hide。　　The　river…horses　raged　against　us　and　sought　to　slay

us。　　When　the　camels　saw　them　they　trembled。



'The　kings　of　each　city　levied　tolls　on　us；　but　would　not　suffer　us

to　enter　their　gates。　　They　threw　us　bread　over　the　walls；　little

maize…cakes　baked　in　honey　and　cakes　of　fine　flour　filled　with

dates。　　For　every　hundred　baskets　we　gave　them　a　bead　of　amber。



'When　the　dwellers　in　the　villages　saw　us　coming；　they　poisoned　the

wells　and　fled　to　the　hill…summits。　　We　fought　with　the　Magadae　who

are　born　old；　and　grow　younger　and　younger　every　year；　and　die　when

they　are　little　children；　and　with　the　Laktroi　who　say　that　they

are　the　sons　of　tigers；　and　paint　themselves　yellow　and　black；　and

with　the　Aurantes　who　bury　their　dead　on　the　tops　of　trees；　and

themselves　live　in　dark　caverns　lest　the　Sun；　who　is　their　god；

should　slay　them；　and　with　the　Krimnians　who　worship　a　crocodile；

and　give　it　earrings　of　green　glass；　and　feed　it　with　butter　and

fresh　fowls；　and　with　the　Agazonbae；　who　are　dog…faced；　and　with

the　Sibans；　who　have　horses'　feet；　and　run　more　swiftly　than

horses。　　A　third　of　our　company　died　in　battle；　and　a　third　died　of

want。　　The　rest　murmured　against　me；　and　said　that　I　had　brought

them　an　evil　fortune。　　I　took　a　horned　adder　from　beneath　a　stone

and　let　it　sting　me。　　When　they　saw　that　I　did　not　sicken　they　grew

afraid。



'In　the　fourth　month　we　reached　the　city　of　Illel。　　It　was　night…

time　when　we　came　to　the　grove　that　is　outside　the　walls；　and　the

air　was　sultry；　for　the　Moon　was　travelling　in　Scorpion。　　We　took

the　ripe　pomegranates　from　the　trees；　and　brake　them；　and　drank

their　sweet　juices。　　Then　we　lay　down　on　our　carpets；　and　waited

for　the　dawn。



'And　at　dawn　we　rose　and　knocked　at　the　gate　of　the　city。　　It　was

wrought　out　of　red　bronze；　and　carved　with　sea…dragons　and　dragons

that　have　wings。　　The　guards　looked　down　from　the　battlements　and

asked　us　our　business。　　The　interpreter　of　the　caravan　answered

that　we　had　come　from　the　island　of　Syria　with　much　merchandise。

They　took　hostages；　and　told　us　that　they　would　open　the　gate　to　us

at　noon；　and　bade　us　tarry　till　then。



'When　it　was　noon　they　opened　the　gate；　and　as　we　entered　in　the

people　came　crowding　out　of　the　houses　to　look　at　us；　and　a　crier

went　round　the　city　crying　through　a　shell。　　We　stood　in　the

market…place；　and　the　negroes　uncorded　the　bales　of　figured　cloths

and　opened　the　carved　chests　of　sycamore。　　And　when　they　had　ended


their　task；　the　merchants　set　forth　their　strange　wares；　the　waxed

linen　from　Egypt　and　the　painted　linen　from　the　country　of　the

Ethiops；　the　purple　sponges　from　Tyre　and　the　blue　hangings　from

Sidon；　the　cups　of　cold　amber　and　the　fine　vessels　of　glass　and　the

curious　vessels　of　burnt　clay。　　From　the　roof　of　a　house　a　company

of　women　watched　us。　　One　of　them　wore　a　mask　of　gilded　leather。



'And　on　the　first　day　the　priests　came　and　bartered　with　us；　and　on

the　second　day　came　the　nobles；　and　on　the　third　day　came　the

craftsmen　and　the　slaves。　　And　this　is　their　custom　with　all

merchants　as　long　as　they　tarry　in　the　city。



'And　we　tarried　for　a　moon；　and　when　the　moon　was　waning；　I　wearied

and　wandered　away　through　the　streets　of　the　city　and　came　to　the

garden　of　its　god。　　The　priests　in　their　yellow　robes　moved

silently　through　the　green　trees；　and　on　a　pavement　of　black　marble

stood　the　rose…red　house　in　which　the　god　had　his　dwelling。　　Its

doors　were　of　powdered　lacquer；　and　bulls　and　peacocks　were　wrought

on　them　in　raised　and　polished　gold。　　The　tilted　roof　was　of　sea…

green　porcelain；　and　the　jutting　eaves　were　festooned　with　little

bells。　　When　the　white　doves　flew　past；　they　struck　the　bells　with

their　wings　and　made　them　tinkle。



'In　front　of　the　temple　was　a　pool　of　clear　water　paved　with　veined

onyx。　　I　lay　down　beside　it；　and　with　my　pale　fingers　I　touched　the

broad　leaves。　　One　of　the　priests　came　towards　me　and　stood　behind

me。　　He　had　sandals　on　his　feet；　one　of　soft　serpent…skin　and　the

other　of　birds'　plumage。　　On　his　head　was　a　mitre　of　black　felt

decorated　with　silver　crescents。　　Seven　yellows　were　woven　into　his

robe；　and　his　frizzed　hair　was　stained　with　antimony。



'After　a　little　while　he　spake　to　me；　and　asked　me　my　desire。



'I　told　him　that　my　desire　was　to　see　the　god。



'〃The　god　is　hunting；〃　said　the　priest；　looking　strangely　at　me

with　his　small　slanting　eyes。



'〃Tell　me　in　what　forest；　and　I　will　ride　with　him；〃　I　answered。



'He　combed　out　the　soft　fringes　of　his　tunic　with　his　long　pointed

nails。　　〃The　god　is　asleep；〃　he　murmured。



'〃Tell　me　on　what　couch；　and　I　will　watch　by　him；〃　I　answered。



'〃The　god　is　at　the　feast；〃　he　cried。



'〃If　the　wine　be　sweet　I　will　drink　it　with　him；　and　if　it　be

bitter　I　will　drink　it　with　him　also；〃　was　my　answer。



'He　bowed　his　head　in　wonder；　and；　taking　me　by　the　hand；　he　raised

me　up；　and　led　me　into　the　temple。



'And　in　the　first　chamber　I　saw　an　idol　seated　on　a　throne　of

jasper　bordered　with　great　orient　pearls。　　It　was　carved　out　of

ebony；　and　in　stature　was　of　the　stature　of　a　man。　　On　its　forehead

was　a　ruby；　and　thick　oil　dripped　from　its　hair　on　to　its　thighs。

Its　feet　were　red　with　the　blood　of　a　newly…slain　kid；　and　its

loins　girt　with　a　copper　belt　that　was　studded　with　seven　beryls。



'And　I　said　to　the　priest；　〃Is　this　the　god？〃　　And　he　answered　me；

〃This　is　the　god。〃



'〃Show　me　the　god；〃　I　cried；　〃or　I　will　surely　slay　thee。〃　　And　I

touched　his　hand；　and　it　became　withered。



'And　the　priest　besought　me；　saying；　〃Let　my　lord　heal　his　servant；

and　I　will　show　him　the　god。〃



'So　I　breathed　with　my　breath　upon　his　hand；　and　it　became　whole

again；　and　he　trembled　and　led　me　into　the　second　chamber；　and　I

saw　an　idol　standing　on　a　lotus　of　jade　hung　with　great　emeralds。

It　was　carved　out　of　ivory；　and　in　stature　was　twice　the　stature　of

a　man。　　On　its　forehead　was　a　chrysolite；　and　its　breasts　were

smeared　with　myrrh　and　cinnamon。　　In　one　hand　it　held　a　crooked

sceptre　of　jade；　and　in　the　other　a　round　crystal。　　It　ware　buskins

of　brass；　and　its　thick　neck　was　circled　with　a　circle　of

selenites。



'And　I　said　to　the　priest；　〃Is　this　the　god？〃



'And　he　answered　me；　〃This　is　the　god。〃



'〃Show　me　the　god；〃　I　cried；　〃or　I　will　surely　slay　thee。〃　　And　I

touched　his　eyes；　and　they　became　blind。



'And　the　priest　besought　me；　saying；　〃Let　my　lord　heal　his　servant；

and　I　will　show　him　the　god。〃



'So　I　breathed　with　my　breath　upon　his　eyes；　and　the　sight　came

back　to　them；　and　he　trembled　again；　and　led　me　into　the　third

chamber；　and　lo！　there　was　no　idol　in　it；　nor　image　of　any　kind；

but　only　a　mirror　of　round　metal　set　on　an　altar　of　stone。



'And　I　said　to　the　priest；　〃Where　is　the　god？〃



'And　he　answered　me：　　〃There　is　no　god　but　this　mirror　that　thou

seest；　for　this　is　the　Mirror　of　Wisdom。　　And　it　reflecteth　all

things　that　are　in　heaven　and　on　earth；　save　only　the　face　of　him

who　looketh　into　it。　　This　it　reflecteth　not；　so　that　he　who

looketh　into　it　may　be　wise。　　Many　other　mirrors　are　there；　but

they　are　mirrors　of　Opinion。　　This　only　is　the　Mirror　of　Wisdom。

And　they　who　possess　this　mirror　know　everything；　nor　is　there

anything　hidden　from　them。　　And　they　who　possess　it　not　have　not

Wisdom。　　Therefore　is　it　the　god；　and　we　worship　it。〃　　And　I　looked

into　the　mirror；　and　it　was　even　as　he　had　said　to　me。



'And　I　did　a　strange　thing；　but　what　I　did　matters　not；　for　in　a

valley　that　is　but　a　day's　journey　from　this　place　have　I　hidden

the　Mirror　of　Wisdom。　　Do　but　suffer　me　to　enter　into　thee　again

and　be　thy　servant；　and　thou　shalt　be　wiser　than　all　the　wise　men；

and　Wisdom　shall　be　thine。　　Suffer　me　to　enter　into　thee；　and　none

will　be　as　wise　as　thou。'



But　the　young　Fisherman　laughed。　　'Love　is　better　than　Wisdom；'　he

cried；　'and　the　little　Mermaid　loves　me。'



'Nay；　but　there　is　nothing　better　than　Wisdom；'　said　the　Soul。



'Love　is　better；'　answered　the　young　Fisherman；　and　he　plunged　into

the　deep；　and　the　Soul　went　weeping　away　over　the　marshes。





And　after　the　second　year　was　over；　the　Soul　came　down　to　the　shore

of　the　sea；　and　called　to　the　young　Fis