stories from pentamerone-第36节

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rn　to　marble。〃　And　thereupon　he　began　again　to　cry；　〃Rucche；　rucche！〃　And　his　mate　said　to　him；　〃What；　still　lamenting！　Is　there　anything　new？〃　〃Ay；　indeed；〃　answered　the　male　dove；　〃he　has　also　bought　a　horse；　and　the　first　time　his　brother　rides　him　the　horse　will　break　his　neck；　but　if　he　does　not　take　it　to　him；　or　if　he　warns　him　of　the　danger；　he　will　turn　to　marble。〃　〃Rucche；　rucche！〃　he　cried　again。　〃Alas；　with　all　these　RUCCHE；　RUCCHE；〃　said　the　female　dove；　〃what's　the　matter　now？〃　And　her　mate　said；　〃This　man　is　taking　a　beautiful　wife　to　his　brother；　but　the　first　night；　as　soon　as　they　go　to　sleep；　they　will　both　be　devoured　by　a　frightful　dragon；　yet　if　he　does　not　take　her　to　him；　or　if　he　warns　him　of　the　danger；　he　will　turn　to　marble。〃

As　he　spoke；　the　tempest　ceased；　and　the　rage　of　the　sea　and　the　fury　of　the　wind　subsided。　But　a　far　greater　tempest　arose　in　Jennariello's　breast；　from　what　he　had　heard；　and　more　than　twenty　times　he　was　on　the　point　of　throwing　all　the　things　into　the　sea；　in　order　not　to　carry　to　his　brother　the　cause　of　his　ruin。　But　on　the　other　hand　he　thought　of　himself；　and　reflected　that　charity　begins　at　home；　and　fearing　that；　if　he　did　not　carry　these　things　to　his　brother；　or　if　he　warned　him　of　the　danger；　he　should　turn　to　marble；　he　resolved　to　look　rather　to　the　fact　than　to　the　possibility；　since　the　shirt　was　closer　to　him　than　the　jacket。

When　he　arrived　at　Shady…Grove；　he　found　his　brother　on　the　shore；　awaiting　with　great　joy　the　return　of　the　ship；　which　he　had　seen　at　a　distance。　And　when　he　saw　that　it　bore　her　whom　he　carried　in　his　heart；　and　confronting　one　face　with　the　other　perceived　that　there　was　not　the　difference　of　a　hair；　his　joy　was　so　great　that　he　was　almost　weighed　down　under　the　excessive　burden　of　delight。　Then　embracing　his　brother　fervently；　he　said　to　him；　〃What　falcon　is　that　you　are　carrying　on　your　fist？〃　And　Jennariello　answered；　〃I　have　bought　it　on　purpose　to　give　to　you。〃　〃I　see　clearly　that　you　love　me；〃　replied　Milluccio；　〃since　you　go　about　seeking　to　give　me　pleasure。　Truly；　if　you　had　brought　me　a　costly　treasure；　it　could　not　have　given　me　greater　delight　than　this　falcon。〃　And　just　as　he　was　going　to　take　it　in　his　hand；　Jennariello　quickly　drew　a　large　knife　which　he　carried　at　his　side　and　cut　off　its　head。　At　this　deed　the　King　stood　aghast；　and　thought　his　brother　mad　to　have　done　such　a　stupid　act；　but　not　to　interrupt　the　joy　at　his　arrival；　he　remained　silent。　Presently；　however；　he　saw　the　horse；　and　on　asking　his　brother　whose　it　was；　heard　that　it　was　his　own。　Then　he　felt　a　great　desire　to　ride　him；　and　just　as　he　was　ordering　the　stirrup　to　beheld；　Jennariello　quickly　cut　off　the　horse's　legs　with　his　knife。　Thereat　the　King　waxed　wrath；　for　his　brother　seemed　to　have　done　it　on　purpose　to　vex　him；　and　his　choler　began　to　rise。　However；　he　did　not　think　it　a　right　time　to　show　resentment；　lest　he　should　poison　the　pleasure　of　the　bride　at　first　sight；　whom　he　could　never　gaze　upon　enough。

When　they　arrived　at　the　royal　palace；　he　invited　all　the　lords　and　ladies　of　the　city　to　a　grand　feast；　at　which　the　hall　seemed　just　like　a　riding…school　full　of　horses；　curveting　and　prancing；　with　a　number　of　foals　in　the　form　of　women。　But　when　the　ball　was　ended；　and　a　great　banquet　had　been　despatched；　they　all　retired　to　rest。

Jennariello；　who　thought　of　nothing　else　than　to　save　his　brother's　life；　hid　himself　behind　the　bed　of　the　bridal　pair；　and　as　he　stood　watching　to　see　the　dragon　come；　behold　at　midnight　a　fierce　dragon　entered　the　chamber；　who　sent　forth　flames　from　his　eyes　and　smoke　from　his　mouth；　and　who；　from　the　terror　he　carried　in　his　look；　would　have　been　a　good　agent　to　sell　all　the　antidotes　to　fear　in　the　apothecaries'　shops。　As　soon　as　Jennariello　saw　the　monster；　he　began　to　lay　about　him　right　and　left　with　a　Damascus　blade　which　he　had　hidden　under　his　cloak；　and　he　struck　one　blow　so　furiously　that　it　cut　in　halves　a　post　of　the　King's　bed；　at　which　noise　the　King　awoke；　and　the　dragon　disappeared。

When　Milluccio　saw　the　sword　in　his　brother's　hand；　and　the　bedpost　cut　in　two；　he　set　up　a　loud　cry；　〃Help　here！　hola！　help！　This　traitor　of　a　brother　is　come　to　kill　me！〃　Whereupon；　hearing　the　noise；　a　number　of　servants　who　slept　in　the　antechamber　came　running　up；　and　the　King　ordered　Jennariello　to　be　bound；　and　sent　him　the　same　hour　to　prison。

The　next　morning；　as　soon　as　the　Sun　opened　his　bank　to　deliver　the　deposit　of　light　to　the　Creditor　of　the　Day；　the　King　summoned　the　council；　and　when　he　told　them　what　had　passed；　confirming　the　wicked　intention　shown　in　killing　the　falcon　and　the　horse　on　purpose　to　vex　him；　they　judged　that　Jennariello　deserved　to　die。　The　prayers　of　Liviella　were　all　unavailing　to　soften　the　heart　of　the　King；　who　said；　〃You　do　not　love　me；　wife；　for　you　have　more　regard　for　your　brother…in…law　than　for　my　life。　You　have　seen　with　your　own　eyes　this　dog　of　an　assassin　come　with　a　sword　that　would　cut　a　hair　in　the　air　to　kill　me；　and　if　the　bedpost　（the　column　of　my　life）　had　not　protected　me；　you　would　at　this　moment　have　been　a　widow。〃　So　saying；　he　gave　orders　that　justice　should　take　its　course。

When　Jennariello　heard　this　sentence；　and　saw　himself　so　　ill…rewarded　for　doing　good；　he　knew　not　what　to　think　or　to　do。　If　he　said　nothing；　bad；　if　he　spoke；　worse；　and　whatever　he　should　do　was　a　fall　from　the　tree　into　the　wolf's　mouth。　If　he　remained　silent；　he　should　lose　his　head　under　an　axe；　if　he　spoke；　he　should　end　his　days　in　a　stone。　At　length；　after　various　resolutions；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　disclose　the　matter　to　his　brother；　and　since　he　must　die　at　all　events；　he　thought　it　better　to　tell　his　brother　the　truth；　and　to　end　his　days　with　the　title　of　an　innocent　man；　than　to　keep　the　truth　to　himself　and　be　sent　out　of　the　world　as　a　traitor。　So　sending　word　to　the　King　that　he　had　something　to　say　of　importance　to　his　state；　he　was　led　into　his　presence；　where　he　first　made　a　long　preamble　of　the　love　he　had　always　borne　him；　then　he　went　on　to　tell　of　the　deception　he　had　practiced　on　Liviella　in　order　to　give　him　pleasure；　and　then　what　he　had　heard　from　the　doves　about　the　falcon；　and　how；　to　avoid　being　turned　to　marble；　he　had　brought　it　him；　and　without　revealing　the　secret　had　killed　it　in　order　not　to　see　him　without　eyes。

As　he　spoke；　he　felt　his　legs　stiffen　and　turn　to　marble。　And　when　he　went　on　to　relate　the　affair　of　the　horse　in　the　same　manner；　he　became　visibly　stone　up　to　the　waist；　stiffening　miserably　a　thing　which　at　another　time　he　would　have　paid　in　ready　money；　but　which　now　his　heart　wept　at。　At　last；　when　he　came　to　the　affair　of　the　dragon；　he　stood　like　a　statue　in　the　middle　of　the　hall；　stone　from　head　to　foot。　When　the　King　saw　this；　reproaching　himself　for　the　error　he　had　committed；　and　the　rash　sentence　he　had　passed　upon　so　good　and　loving　a　brother；　he　mourned　him　more　than　a　year；　and　every　time　he　thought　of　him　he　shed　a　river　of　tears。

Meanwhile　Liviella　gave　birth　to　two　sons；　who　were　two　of　the　most　beautiful　creatures　in　the　world。　And　after　a　few　months；　when　the　Queen　was　gone　into　the　country　for　pleasure；　and　the　father　and　his　two　little　boys　chanced　to　be　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　hall；　gazing　with　tearful　eyes　on　the　statuethe　memorial　of　his　folly；　which　had　taken　from　him　the　flower　of　men　behold　a　stately　and　venerable　old　man　entered；　whose　long　hair　fell　upon　his　shoulders　and　whose　beard　covered　his　breast。　And　making　a　reverence　to　the　King；　the　old　man　said　to　him；　〃What　would　your　Majesty　give　to　have　this　noble　brother　return　to　his　former　state？〃　And　the　King　answered；　〃I　would　give　my　kingdom。〃　〃Nay；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃this　is　not　a　thing　that　requires　payment　in　wealth；　but　being　an　affair　of　life；　it　must　be　paid　for　with　as　much　again　of　life。〃

Then　the　King；　partly　out　of　the　love　he　bore　Jennariello；　and　partly　from　hearing　himself　reproached　with　the　injury　he　had　done　him；　answered；　〃Believe　me；　my　good　sir；　I　would　give　my　own　life　for　his　life；　and　provided　that　he　came　out　of　the　stone；　I　should　be　content　to　be　enclosed　in　a　stone。〃

Hearing　this　the　old　man　said；　〃Without　putting　your　life　to　the　risksince　it　takes　so　long　to　rear　a　manthe　blood　of　these；　your　two　little　boys；　smeared　upon　the　marble；　would　suffice　to　make　him　instantly　come　to　life。〃　Then　the　King　replied；　〃Children　I　may　have　again；　but　I　have　a　brother；　and　another　I　can　never　more　hop　to　see。〃　So　saying；　he　made　a　pitiable　sacrifice　of　two　little　innocent　kids　before　an　idol　of　stone；　and　besmearing　the　statue　with　their　blood；　it　instantly　became　alive；　whereupon　the　King　embraced　his　brother；　and　their　joy　is　not　to　be　told。　Then　they　had　these　poor　little　creatures　put　into　a　coffin；　in　order　to　give　them　burial　with　all　due　honour。　But　just　at　that　instant　the　Queen　returned　home；　and　the　King；　bidding　his　brother　hide　himself；　said　to　his　wife；　〃What　would　you　give；　my　heart；　to　have　my　brother　restored　to　life？〃　〃I　would　give　this　whole　kingdom；〃　replied　Liviella。　And　the　King　answered；　〃Would　you　give　the　blood　of　your　children？〃　〃Nay；　not　that；　indeed；〃　replied　the　Queen；　〃for　I　c