石榴之屋-第22章

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〃nor　has　it　any　value。　　therefore　take　thy　half　of　the　treasure　and

go　from　my　city。〃

〃nay；〃　i　answered；　〃but　i　will　take　nought　but　that　leaden　ring；

for　i　know　what　is　written　within　it；　and　for　what　purpose。〃

and　the　emperor　trembled；　and　besought　me　and　said；　〃take　all　the

treasure　and　go　from　my　city。　　the　half　that　is　mine　shall　be　thine

also。〃

and　i　did　a　strange　thing；　but　what　i　did　matters　not；　for　in　a

cave　that　is　but　a　days　journey　from　this　place　have；　i　hidden　the

ring　of　riches。　　it　is　but　a　days　journey　from　this　place；　and　it

waits　for　thy　ing。　　he　who　has　this　ring　is　richer　than　all　the

kings　of　the　world。　　e　therefore　and　take　it；　and　the　worlds

riches　shall　be　thine。

but　the　young　fisherman　laughed。　　love　is　better　than　riches；　he

cried；　and　the　little　mermaid　loves　me。

nay；　but　there　is　nothing　better　than　riches；　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　third　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；　in　a　city　that　i　know　of　there　is　an　inn

that　standeth　by　a　river。　　i　sat　there　with　sailors　who　drank　of

two　different…coloured　wines；　and　ate　bread　made　of　barley；　and

little　salt　fish　served　in　bay　leaves　with　vinegar。　　and　as　we　sat

and　made　merry；　there　entered　to　us　an　old　man　bearing　a　leathern

carpet　and　a　lute　that　had　two　horns　of　amber。　　and　when　he　had

laid　out　the　carpet　on　the　floor；　he　struck　with　a　quill　on　the

wire　strings　of　his　lute；　and　a　girl　whose　face　was　veiled　ran　in

and　began　to　dance　before　us。　　her　face　was　veiled　with　a　veil　of

gauze；　but　her　feet　were　naked。　　naked　were　her　feet；　and　they

moved　over　the　carpet　like　little　white　pigeons。　　never　have　i　seen

anything　so　marvellous；　and　the　city　in　which　she　dances　is　but　a

days　journey　from　this　place。

now　when　the　young　fisherman　heard　the　words　of　his　soul；　he

remembered　that　the　little　mermaid　had　no　feet　and　could　not　dance。

and　a　great　desire　came　over　him；　and　he　said　to　himself；　it　is

but　a　days　journey；　and　i　can　return　to　my　love；　and　he　laughed；

and　stood　up　in　the　shallow　water；　and　strode　towards　the　shore。

and　when　he　had　reached　the　dry　shore　he　laughed　again；　and　held

out　his　arms　to　his　soul。　　and　his　soul　gave　a　great　cry　of　joy　and

ran　to　meet　him；　and　entered　into　him；　and　the　young　fisherman　saw

stretched　before　him　upon　the　sand　that　shadow　of　the　body　that　is

the　body　of　the　soul。

and　his　soul　said　to　him；　let　us　not　tarry；　but　get　hence　at　once；

for　the　sea…gods　are　jealous；　and　have　monsters　that　do　their

bidding。

so　they　made　haste；　and　all　that　night　they　journeyed　beneath　the

moon；　and　all　the　next　day　they　journeyed　beneath　the　sun；　and　on

the　evening　of　the　day　they　came　to　a　city。

and　the　young　fisherman　said　to　his　soul；　is　this　the　city　in

which　she　dances　of　whom　thou　didst　speak　to　me？

and　his　soul　answered　him；　it　is　not　this　city；　but　another。

nevertheless　let　us　enter　in。　　so　they　entered　in　and　passed

through　the　streets；　and　as　they　passed　through　the　street　of　the

jewellers　the　young　fisherman　saw　a　fair　silver　cup　set　forth　in　a

booth。　　and　his　soul　said　to　him；　take　that　silver　cup　and　hide

it。

so　he　took　the　cup　and　hid　it　in　the　fold　of　his　tunic；　and　they

went　hurriedly　out　of　the　city。

and　after　that　they　had　gone　a　league　from　the　city；　the　young

fisherman　frowned；　and　flung　the　cup　away；　and　said　to　his　soul；

why　didst　thou　tell　me　to　take　this　cup　and　hide　it；　for　it　was　an

evil　thing　to　do？

but　his　soul　answered　him；　be　at　peace；　be　at　peace。

and　on　the　evening　of　the　second　day　they　came　to　a　city；　and　the

young　fisherman　said　to　his　soul；　is　this　the　city　in　which　she

dances　of　whom　thou　didst　speak　to　me？

and　his　soul　answered　him；　it　is　not　this　city；　but　another。

nevertheless　let　us　enter　in。　　so　they　entered　in　and　passed

through　the　streets；　and　as　they　passed　through　the　street　of　the

sellers　of　sandals；　the　young　fisherman　saw　a　child　standing　by　a

jar　of　water。　　and　his　soul　said　to　him；　smite　that　child。　　so　he

smote　the　child　till　it　wept；　and　when　he　had　done　this　they　went

hurriedly　out　of　the　city。

and　after　that　they　had　gone　a　league　from　the　city　the　young

fisherman　grew　wroth；　and　said　to　his　soul；　why　didst　thou　tell　me

to　smite　the　child；　for　it　was　an　evil　thing　to　do？

but　his　soul　answered　him；　be　at　peace；　be　at　peace。

and　on　the　evening　of　the　third　day　they　came　to　a　city；　and　the

young　fisherman　said　to　his　soul；　is　this　the　city　in　which　she

dances　of　whom　thou　didst　speak　to　me？

and　his　soul　answered　him；　it　may　be　that　it　is　in　this　city；

therefore　let　us　enter　in。

so　they　entered　in　and　passed　through　the　streets；　but　nowhere

could　the　young　fisherman　find　the　river　or　the　inn　that　stood　by

its　side。　　and　the　people　of　the　city　looked　curiously　at　him；　and

he　grew　afraid　and　said　to　his　soul；　let　us　go　hence；　for　she　who

dances　with　white　feet　is　not　here。

but　his　soul　answered；　nay；　but　let　us　tarry；　for　the　night　is

dark　and　there　will　be　robbers　on　the　way。

so　he　sat　him　down　in　the　market…place　and　rested；　and　after　a　time

there　went　by　a　hooded　merchant　who　had　a　cloak　of　cloth　of

tartary；　and　bare　a　lantern　of　pierced　horn　at　the　end　of　a　jointed

reed。　　and　the　merchant　said　to　him；　why　dost　thou　sit　in　the

market…place；　seeing　that　the　booths　are　closed　and　the　bales

corded？

and　the　young　fisherman　answered　him；　i　can　find　no　inn　in　this

city；　nor　have　i　any　kinsman　who　might　give　me　shelter。

are　we　not　all　kinsmen？　said　the　merchant。　　and　did　not　one　god

make　us？　　therefore　e　with　me；　for　i　have　a　guest…chamber。

so　the　young　fisherman　rose　up　and　followed　the　merchant　to　his

house。　　and　when　he　had　passed　through　a　garden　of　pomegranates　and

entered　into　the　house；　the　merchant　brought　him　rose…water　in　a

copper　dish　that　he　might　wash　his　hands；　and　ripe　melons　that　he

might　quench　his　thirst；　and　set　a　bowl　of　rice　and　a　piece　of

roasted　kid　before　him。

and　after　that　he　had　finished；　the　merchant　led　him　to　the　guest…

chamber；　and　bade　him　sleep　and　be　at　rest。　　and　the　young

fisherman　gave　him　thanks；　and　kissed　the　ring　that　was　on　his

hand；　and　flung　himself　down　on　the　carpets　of　dyed　goats…hair。

and　when　he　had　covered　himself　with　a　covering　of　black　lambs…

wool　he　fell　asleep。

and　three　hours　before　dawn；　and　while　it　was　still　night；　his　soul

waked　him　and　said　to　him；　rise　up　and　go　to　the　room　of　the

merchant；　even　to　the　room　in　which　he　sleepeth；　and　slay　him；　and

take　from　him　his　gold；　for　we　have　need　of　it。

and　the　young　fisherman　rose　up　and　crept　towards　the　room　of　the

merchant；　and　over　the　feet　of　the　merchant　there　was　lying　a

curved　sword；　and　the　tray　by　the　side　of　the　merchant　held　nine

purses　of　gold。　　and　he　reached　out　his　hand　and　touched　the　sword；

and　when　he　touched　it　the　merchant　started　and　awoke；　and　leaping

up　seized　himself　the　sword　and　cried　to　the　young　fisherman；　dost

thou　return　evil　for　good；　and　pay　with　the　shedding　of　blood　for

the　kindness　that　i　have　shown　thee？

and　his　soul　said　to　the　young　fisherman；　strike　him；　and　he

struck　him　so　that　he　swooned　and　he　seized　then　the　nine　purses　of

gold；　and　fled　hastily　through　the　garden　of　pomegranates；　and　set

his　face　to　the　star　that　is　the　star　of　morning。

and　when　they　had　gone　a　league　from　the　city；　the　young　fisherman

beat　his　breast；　and　said　to　his　soul；　why　didst　thou　bid　me　slay

the　merchant　and　take　his　gold？　　surely　thou　art　evil。

but　his　soul　answered　him；　be　at　peace；　be　at　peace。

nay；　cried　the　young　fisherman；　i　may　not　be　at　peace；　for　all

that　thou　hast　made　me　to　do　i　hate。　　thee　also　i　hate；　and　i　bid

thee　tell　me　wherefore　thou　hast　wrought　with　me　in　this　wise。

and　his　soul　answered　him；　when　thou　didst　send　me　forth　into　the

world　thou　gavest　me　no　heart；　so　i　learned　to　do　all　these　things

and　love　them。

what　sayest　thou？　murmured　the　young　fisherman。

thou　knowest；　answered　his　soul；　thou　knowest　it　well。　　hast

thou　forgotten　that　thou　gavest　me　no　heart？　　i　trow　not。　　and　so

trouble　not　thyself　nor　me；　but　be　at　peace；　for　there　is　no　pain

that　thou　shalt　not　give　away；　nor　any　pleasure　that　thou　shalt　not

receive。

and　when　the　young　fisherman　heard　these　words　he　trembled　and　said

to　his　soul；　nay；　but　thou　art　evil；　and　hast　made　me　forget　my

love；　and　hast　tempted　me　with　temptations；　and　hast　set　my　feet　in

the　ways　of　sin。

and　his　soul　answered　him；　thou　hast　not　forgotten　that　when　thou

didst　send　me　forth　into　the　world　thou　gav