王尔德童话四则(英文版)- 第17部分

of　the　sea；　and　called　to　the　young　Fisherman；　and　he　rose　out　of

the　deep　and　said；　'Why　dost　thou　call　to　me？'



And　the　Soul　answered；　'Come　nearer；　that　I　may　speak　with　thee；

for　I　have　seen　marvellous　things。'



So　he　came　nearer；　and　couched　in　the　shallow　water；　and　leaned　his

head　upon　his　hand　and　listened。



And　the　Soul　said　to　him；　'When　I　left　thee；　I　turned　my　face　to

the　South　and　journeyed。　　From　the　South　cometh　everything　that　is

precious。　　Six　days　I　journeyed　along　the　highways　that　lead　to　the

city　of　Ashter；　along　the　dusty　red…dyed　highways　by　which　the

pilgrims　are　wont　to　go　did　I　journey；　and　on　the　morning　of　the

seventh　day　I　lifted　up　my　eyes；　and　lo！　the　city　lay　at　my　feet；

for　it　is　in　a　valley。



'There　are　nine　gates　to　this　city；　and　in　front　of　each　gate

stands　a　bronze　horse　that　neighs　when　the　Bedouins　come　down　from

the　mountains。　　The　walls　are　cased　with　copper；　and　the　watch…

towers　on　the　walls　are　roofed　with　brass。　　In　every　tower　stands

an　archer　with　a　bow　in　his　hand。　　At　sunrise　he　strikes　with　an

arrow　on　a　gong；　and　at　sunset　he　blows　through　a　horn　of　horn。



'When　I　sought　to　enter；　the　guards　stopped　me　and　asked　of　me　who

I　was。　　I　made　answer　that　I　was　a　Dervish　and　on　my　way　to　the

city　of　Mecca；　where　there　was　a　green　veil　on　which　the　Koran　was

embroidered　in　silver　letters　by　the　hands　of　the　angels。　　They

were　filled　with　wonder；　and　entreated　me　to　pass　in。



'Inside　it　is　even　as　a　bazaar。　　Surely　thou　shouldst　have　been

with　me。　　Across　the　narrow　streets　the　gay　lanterns　of　paper

flutter　like　large　butterflies。　　When　the　wind　blows　over　the　roofs

they　rise　and　fall　as　painted　bubbles　do。　　In　front　of　their　booths

sit　the　merchants　on　silken　carpets。　　They　have　straight　black

beards；　and　their　turbans　are　covered　with　golden　sequins；　and　long

strings　of　amber　and　carved　peach…stones　glide　through　their　cool

fingers。　　Some　of　them　sell　galbanum　and　nard；　and　curious　perfumes

from　the　islands　of　the　Indian　Sea；　and　the　thick　oil　of　red　roses；

and　myrrh　and　little　nail…shaped　cloves。　　When　one　stops　to　speak

to　them；　they　throw　pinches　of　frankincense　upon　a　charcoal　brazier

and　make　the　air　sweet。　　I　saw　a　Syrian　who　held　in　his　hands　a

thin　rod　like　a　reed。　　Grey　threads　of　smoke　came　from　it；　and　its

odour　as　it　burned　was　as　the　odour　of　the　pink　almond　in　spring。

Others　sell　silver　bracelets　embossed　all　over　with　creamy　blue

turquoise　stones；　and　anklets　of　brass　wire　fringed　with　little

pearls；　and　tigers'　claws　set　in　gold；　and　the　claws　of　that　gilt

cat；　the　leopard；　set　in　gold　also；　and　earrings　of　pierced

emerald；　and　finger…rings　of　hollowed　jade。　　From　the　tea…houses

comes　the　sound　of　the　guitar；　and　the　opium…smokers　with　their

white　smiling　faces　look　out　at　the　passers…by。



'Of　a　truth　thou　shouldst　have　been　with　me。　　The　wine…sellers

elbow　their　way　through　the　crowd　with　great　black　skins　on　their

shoulders。　　Most　of　them　sell　the　wine　of　Schiraz；　which　is　as

sweet　as　honey。　　They　serve　it　in　little　metal　cups　and　strew　rose

leaves　upon　it。　　In　the　market…place　stand　the　fruitsellers；　who

sell　all　kinds　of　fruit：　　ripe　figs；　with　their　bruised　purple

flesh；　melons；　smelling　of　musk　and　yellow　as　topazes；　citrons　and

rose…apples　and　clusters　of　white　grapes；　round　red…gold　oranges；

and　oval　lemons　of　green　gold。　　Once　I　saw　an　elephant　go　by。　　Its

trunk　was　painted　with　vermilion　and　turmeric；　and　over　its　ears　it

had　a　net　of　crimson　silk　cord。　　It　stopped　opposite　one　of　the

booths　and　began　eating　the　oranges；　and　the　man　only　laughed。

Thou　canst　not　think　how　strange　a　people　they　are。　　When　they　are

glad　they　go　to　the　bird…sellers　and　buy　of　them　a　caged　bird；　and

set　it　free　that　their　joy　may　be　greater；　and　when　they　are　sad

they　scourge　themselves　with　thorns　that　their　sorrow　may　not　grow

less。



'One　evening　I　met　some　negroes　carrying　a　heavy　palanquin　through

the　bazaar。　　It　was　made　of　gilded　bamboo；　and　the　poles　were　of

vermilion　lacquer　studded　with　brass　peacocks。　　Across　the　windows

hung　thin　curtains　of　muslin　embroidered　with　beetles'　wings　and

with　tiny　seed…pearls；　and　as　it　passed　by　a　pale…faced　Circassian

looked　out　and　smiled　at　me。　　I　followed　behind；　and　the　negroes

hurried　their　steps　and　scowled。　　But　I　did　not　care。　　I　felt　a

great　curiosity　come　over　me。



'At　last　they　stopped　at　a　square　white　house。　　There　were　no

windows　to　it；　only　a　little　door　like　the　door　of　a　tomb。　　They

set　down　the　palanquin　and　knocked　three　times　with　a　copper

hammer。　　An　Armenian　in　a　caftan　of　green　leather　peered　through

the　wicket；　and　when　he　saw　them　he　opened；　and　spread　a　carpet　on

the　ground；　and　the　woman　stepped　out。　　As　she　went　in；　she　turned

round　and　smiled　at　me　again。　　I　had　never　seen　any　one　so　pale。



'When　the　moon　rose　I　returned　to　the　same　place　and　sought　for　the

house；　but　it　was　no　longer　there。　　When　I　saw　that；　I　knew　who　the

woman　was；　and　wherefore　she　had　smiled　at　me。



'Certainly　thou　shouldst　have　been　with　me。　　On　the　feast　of　the

New　Moon　the　young　Emperor　came　forth　from　his　palace　and　went　into

the　mosque　to　pray。　　His　hair　and　beard　were　dyed　with　rose…leaves；

and　his　cheeks　were　powdered　with　a　fine　gold　dust。　　The　palms　of

his　feet　and　hands　were　yellow　with　saffron。



'At　sunrise　he　went　forth　from　his　palace　in　a　robe　of　silver；　and

at　sunset　he　returned　to　it　again　in　a　robe　of　gold。　　The　people

flung　themselves　on　the　ground　and　hid　their　faces；　but　I　would　not

do　so。　　I　stood　by　the　stall　of　a　seller　of　dates　and　waited。　　When

the　Emperor　saw　me；　he　raised　his　painted　eyebrows　and　stopped。　　I

stood　quite　still；　and　made　him　no　obeisance。　　The　people　marvelled

at　my　boldness；　and　counselled　me　to　flee　from　the　city。　　I　paid　no

heed　to　them；　but　went　and　sat　with　the　sellers　of　strange　gods；

who　by　reason　of　their　craft　are　abominated。　　When　I　told　them　what

I　had　done；　each　of　them　gave　me　a　god　and　prayed　me　to　leave　them。



'That　night；　as　I　lay　on　a　cushion　in　the　tea…house　that　is　in　the

Street　of　Pomegranates；　the　guards　of　the　Emperor　entered　and　led

me　to　the　palace。　　As　I　went　in　they　closed　each　door　behind　me；

and　put　a　chain　across　it。　　Inside　was　a　great　court　with　an　arcade

running　all　round。　　The　walls　were　of　white　alabaster；　set　here　and

there　with　blue　and　green　tiles。　　The　pillars　were　of　green　marble；

and　the　pavement　of　a　kind　of　peach…blossom　marble。　　I　had　never

seen　anything　like　it　before。



'As　I　passed　across　the　court　two　veiled　women　looked　down　from　a

balcony　and　cursed　me。　　The　guards　hastened　on；　and　the　butts　of

the　lances　rang　upon　the　polished　floor。　　They　opened　a　gate　of

wrought　ivory；　and　I　found　myself　in　a　watered　garden　of　seven

terraces。　　It　was　planted　with　tulip…cups　and　moonflowers；　and

silver…studded　aloes。　　Like　a　slim　reed　of　crystal　a　fountain　hung

in　the　dusky　air。　　The　cypress…trees　were　like　burnt…out　torches。

From　one　of　them　a　nightingale　was　singing。



'At　the　end　of　the　garden　stood　a　little　pavilion。　　As　we

approached　it　two　eunuchs　came　out　to　meet　us。　　Their　fat　bodies

swayed　as　they　walked；　and　they　glanced　curiously　at　me　with　their

yellow…lidded　eyes。　　One　of　them　drew　aside　the　captain　of　the

guard；　and　in　a　low　voice　whispered　to　him。　　The　other　kept

munching　scented　pastilles；　which　he　took　with　an　affected　gesture

out　of　an　oval　box　of　lilac　enamel。



'After　a　few　moments　the　captain　of　the　guard　dismissed　the

soldiers。　　They　went　back　to　the　palace；　the　eunuchs　following

slowly　behind　and　plucking　the　sweet　mulberries　from　the　trees　as

they　passed。　　Once　the　elder　of　the　two　turned　round；　and　smiled　at

me　with　an　evil　smile。



'Then　the　captain　of　the　guard　motioned　me　towards　the　entrance　of

the　pavilion。　　I　walked　on　without　trembling；　and　drawing　the　heavy

curtain　aside　I　entered　in。



'The　young　Emperor　was　stretched　on　a　couch　of　dyed　lion　skins；　and

a　gerfalcon　perched　upon　his　wrist。　　Behind　him　stood　a　brass…

turbaned　Nubian；　naked　down　to　the　waist；　and　with　heavy　earrings

in　his　split　ears。　　On　a　table　by　the　side　of　the　couch　lay　a

mighty　scimitar　of　steel。



'When　the　Emperor　saw　me　he　frowned；　and　said　to　me；　〃What　is　thy

name？　　Knowest　thou　not　that　I　am　Emperor　of　this　city？〃　　But　I

made　him　no　answer。



'He　pointed　with　his　finger　at　the　scimitar；　and　the　Nubian　seized

it；　and　rushing　forward　struck　at　me　with　great　violence。　　The

blade　whizzed　through　me；　and　did　me　no　hurt。　　The　man　fell

sprawling　on　the　floor；　and　when　he　rose　up　his　teeth　chattered

with　terror　and　he　hid　himself　behind　the　couch。



'The　Emperor　leapt　to　his　feet；　and　taking　a　lance　from　a　stand　of

arms；　he　threw　it　at　me。　　I　caught　it　in　its　flight；　and　brake　the

shaft　into　two　pieces。　　He　shot　at　me　with　an　arrow；　but　I　held　up

my　hands　and　it　stopped　in　mid…air。　　Then　he　drew　a　dag