石榴之屋-第20章

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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　pany

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　bed　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　days　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　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　south　and　journeyed。　　from　the　south　eth　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　e　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

es　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　pu