石榴之屋-第19章

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around　thy　feet　thy　shadow；　which　is　thy　souls　body；　and　bid　thy

soul　leave　thee；　and　it　will　do　so。

the　young　fisherman　trembled。　　is　this　true？　he　murmured。

it　is　true；　and　i　would　that　i　had　not　told　thee　of　it；　she

cried；　and　she　clung　to　his　knees　weeping。

he　put　her　from　him　and　left　her　in　the　rank　grass；　and　going　to

the　edge　of　the　mountain　he　placed　the　knife　in　his　belt　and　began

to　climb　down。

and　his　soul　that　was　within　him　called　out　to　him　and　said；　lo！

i　have　dwelt　with　thee　for　all　these　years；　and　have　been　thy

servant。　　send　me　not　away　from　thee　now；　for　what　evil　have　i　done

thee？

and　the　young　fisherman　laughed。　　thou　hast　done　me　no　evil；　but　i

have　no　need　of　thee；　he　answered。　　the　world　is　wide；　and　there

is　heaven　also；　and　hell；　and　that　dim　twilight　house　that　lies

between。　　go　wherever　thou　wilt；　but　trouble　me　not；　for　my　love　is

calling　to　me。

and　his　soul　besought　him　piteously；　but　he　heeded　it　not；　but

leapt　from　crag　to　crag；　being　sure…footed　as　a　wild　goat；　and　at

last　he　reached　the　level　ground　and　the　yellow　shore　of　the　sea。

bronze…limbed　and　well…knit；　like　a　statue　wrought　by　a　grecian；　he

stood　on　the　sand　with　his　back　to　the　moon；　and　out　of　the　foam

came　white　arms　that　beckoned　to　him；　and　out　of　the　waves　rose　dim

forms　that　did　him　homage。　　before　him　lay　his　shadow；　which　was

the　body　of　his　soul；　and　behind　him　hung　the　moon　in　the　honey…

coloured　air。

and　his　soul　said　to　him；　if　indeed　thou　must　drive　me　from　thee；

send　me　not　forth　without　a　heart。　　the　world　is　cruel；　give　me　thy

heart　to　take　with　me。

he　tossed　his　head　and　smiled。　　with　what　should　i　love　my　love　if

i　gave　thee　my　heart？　he　cried。

nay；　but　be　merciful；　said　his　soul：　　give　me　thy　heart；　for　the

world　is　very　cruel；　and　i　am　afraid。

my　heart　is　my　loves；　he　answered；　therefore　tarry　not；　but　get

thee　gone。

should　i　not　love　also？　asked　his　soul。

get　thee　gone；　for　i　have　no　need　of　thee；　cried　the　young

fisherman；　and　he　took　the　little　knife　with　its　handle　of　green

vipers　skin；　and　cut　away　his　shadow　from　around　his　feet；　and　it

rose　up　and　stood　before　him；　and　looked　at　him；　and　it　was　even　as

himself。

he　crept　back；　and　thrust　the　knife　into　his　belt；　and　a　feeling　of

awe　came　over　him。　　get　thee　gone；　he　murmured；　and　let　me　see

thy　face　no　more。

nay；　but　we　must　meet　again；　said　the　soul。　　its　voice　was　low

and　flute…like；　and　its　lips　hardly　moved　while　it　spake。

how　shall　we　meet？　cried　the　young　fisherman。　　thou　wilt　not

follow　me　into　the　depths　of　the　sea？

once　every　year　i　will　e　to　this　place；　and　call　to　thee；　said

the　soul。　　it　may　be　that　thou　wilt　have　need　of　me。

what　need　should　i　have　of　thee？　cried　the　young　fisherman；　but

be　it　as　thou　wilt；　and　he　plunged　into　the　waters　and　the　tritons

blew　their　horns　and　the　little　mermaid　rose　up　to　meet　him；　and

put　her　arms　around　his　neck　and　kissed　him　on　the　mouth。

and　the　soul　stood　on　the　lonely　beach　and　watched　them。　　and　when

they　had　sunk　down　into　the　sea；　it　went　weeping　away　over　the

marshes。

and　after　a　year　was　over　the　soul　came　down　to　the　shore　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；　e　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

east　and　journeyed。　　from　the　east　eth　everything　that　is　wise。

six　days　i　journeyed；　and　on　the　morning　of　the　seventh　day　i　came

to　a　hill　that　is　in　the　country　of　the　tartars。　　i　sat　down　under

the　shade　of　a　tamarisk　tree　to　shelter　myself　from　the　sun。　　the

land　was　dry　and　burnt　up　with　the　heat。　　the　people　went　to　and

fro　over　the　plain　like　flies　crawling　upon　a　disk　of　polished

copper。

when　it　was　noon　a　cloud　of　red　dust　rose　up　from　the　flat　rim　of

the　land。　　when　the　tartars　saw　it；　they　strung　their　painted　bows；

and　having　leapt　upon　their　little　horses　they　galloped　to　meet　it。

the　women　fled　screaming　to　the　waggons；　and　hid　themselves　behind

the　felt　curtains。

at　twilight　the　tartars　returned；　but　five　of　them　were　missing；

and　of　those　that　came　back　not　a　few　had　been　wounded。　　they

harnessed　their　horses　to　the　waggons　and　drove　hastily　away。

three　jackals　came　out　of　a　cave　and　peered　after　them。　　then　they

sniffed　up　the　air　with　their　nostrils；　and　trotted　off　in　the

opposite　direction。

when　the　moon　rose　i　saw　a　camp…fire　burning　on　the　plain；　and

went　towards　it。　　a　pany　of　merchants　were　seated　round　it　on

carpets。　　their　camels　were　picketed　behind　them；　and　the　negroes

who　were　their　servants　were　pitching　tents　of　tanned　skin　upon　the

sand；　and　making　a　high　wall　of　the　prickly　pear。

as　i　came　near　them；　the　chief　of　the　merchants　rose　up　and　drew

his　sword；　and　asked　me　my　business。

i　answered　that　i　was　a　prince　in　my　own　land；　and　that　i　had

escaped　from　the　tartars；　who　had　sought　to　make　me　their　slave。

the　chief　smiled；　and　showed　me　five　heads　fixed　upon　long　reeds　of

bamboo。

then　he　asked　me　who　was　the　prophet　of　god；　and　i　answered　him

mohammed。

when　he　heard　the　name　of　the　false　prophet；　he　bowed　and　took　me

by　the　hand；　and　placed　me　by　his　side。　　a　negro　brought　me　some

mares　milk　in　a　wooden　dish；　and　a　piece　of　lambs　flesh　roasted。

at　daybreak　we　started　on　our　journey。　　i　rode　on　a　red…haired

camel　by　the　side　of　the　chief；　and　a　runner　ran　before　us　carrying

a　spear。　　the　men　of　war　were　on　either　hand；　and　the　mules

followed　with　the　merchandise。　　there　were　forty　camels　in　the

caravan；　and　the　mules　were　twice　forty　in　number。

we　went　from　the　country　of　the　tartars　into　the　country　of　those

who　curse　the　moon。　　we　saw　the　gryphons　guarding　their　gold　on　the

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　ing；　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　pany　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　e　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　uncord