messer marco polo-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ke　men…of…war；　the　glass…makers；　with　elegant　specimens　of　their　art；　the　comb…makers；　with　little　birds　in　cages；　the　barber…surgeons　on　horseback；　very　dignified；　very　learned；　and　with　that　you'd　think　there'd　be　an　end　to　them；　but　cast　your　eye　back　on　that　procession　and　you'd　find　guilds　as　far　as　your　sight　would　reach。　。　。

Let　you　be　going　down　the　markets；　and　what　would　you　see　for　sale？　Boots；　clothes；　bread？　　No；　they　were　out　of　sight；　but　scattered　on　the　booths；　the　like　of　farls　of　bread　on　a　fair…day；　you'd　find　cloves　and　nutmegs；　mace　and　ebony　from　Moluccas；　that　had　come　by　way　of　Alexandria　and　the　Syrian　ports；　sandalwood　from　Timor；　in　Asia；　camphor　from　Borneo。　　Sumatra　and　Java　sent　benzoin　to　her　markets。　　Cochin　China　sent　bitter　aloes…wood。　　From　China　and　Japan　and　from　Siam　came　gum；　spices；　silks；　chessmen；　and　curiosities　for　the　parlor。　　Rubies　from　Peru；　fine　cloths　from　Coromandel；　and　finer　still　from　Bengal。　　They　got　spikenard　from　Nepaul　and　Bhutan。　Their　diamonds　were　from　Golconda。　　From　Nirmul　they　purchased　Damascus　steel　for　their　swords。　　Nor　is　that　all　you'd　see；　and　you'd　be　going　down　by　the　markets　on　a　sunny　morning；　and　a　fine…　thinking；　low…voiced　woman　on　your　arm。　　You'd　see　pearls　and　sapphires；　topaz　and　cinnamon　from　Ceylon；　lac　and　agates；　brocades　and　coral　from　Cambay；　hammered　vessels　and　inlaid　weapons　and　embroidered　shawls　from　Cashmere。　　As　for　spices；　never　would　your　nostrils　meet　such　an　odor：　bdellium　from　Scinde；　musk　from　Tibet；　galbanum　from　Khorasan；　from　Afghanistan；　asafetida；　from　Persia；　sagapenum；　ambergris　and　civet　from　Zanzibar；　and　from　Zanzibar　came　ivory；　too。　　And　from　Zeila；　Berbera；　and　Shehri　came　balsam　and　frankincense。　。　。

And　that　was　Venice；　and　Marco　Polo　a　young　man。　　And　now　it's　only　a　town　like　any　other　town　but　for　its　churches　and　canals。　　There's　many　a　town　has　ghosts；　but　none　the　ghosts　that　Venice　has；　not　Rome　itself；　or　Tara　of　the　kings。

　　　〃Once　did　she　hold；〃　Randall　quoted；　〃the　gorgeous　East　in　fee；　　　　And　was　the　safeguard　of　the　West；　the　worth　　　　Of　Venice　did　not　fall　below　her　birth；　　　　Venice；　the　eldest　Child　of　Liberty。　　　　She　was　a　maiden　city；　bright　and　free；　　　　No　guile　seduced；　no　force　could　violate；　　　　And；　when　she　took　unto　herself　a　mate；　　　　She　must　espouse　the　everlasting　Sea！〃

Time　is　the　greatest　rogue　of　all。　　Not　all　the　arrows　of　Attila　can　do　the　damage　of　a　trickle　of　sand　in　an　hour…glass！　　Tyre　and　Sidon；　Carthage；　ancient　Babylon；　and　Venice；　queen　of　them　all。

I　am　describing　Venice　to　you　for　this　reason。　　You　might　now　stand　where　Troy's　walls　once　were　and　say　to　yourself：　　〃Was　this　where　Helen　walked　with　her　little　son？　　Was　this　where　the　loveliest　face　of　ages　wept？〃　　And　a　chill　of　doubt　would　come　on　you；　and　you　would　think；　〃I've　been　wasting　my　sorrow　and　wasting　my　love；　for　it　was　all　nothing　but　an　old　tale　made　up　in　a　minstrel's　head。〃

And　sometime　in　Venice；　after　your　dinner　in　a　hotel；　you'd　go　out　for　a　while　in　a　BARCA；　that　would　have　no　more　romance　to　it　nor　the　bark　a　gillie　would　row；　and　you　salmon…fishing　on　a　cold；　blustery　day；　and　you　would　feel　disappointed；　you　having　come　so　far；　and　you'd　say：　〃It　was　a　grand　story　surely；　and　bravely　did　it　pass　the　winter　evening；　but　wasn't　old　Malachi　of　the　Long　Glen　the　liar　of　the　world！〃

I　wouldn't　have　you　saying　that；　and　I　dead。　　In　all　I'm　telling　you；　I'd　have　you　to　know　there's　not　a　ha'porth　of　lie。



CHAPTER　III

And　so　Marco　Polo　went　into　the　wine…shop　to　see　and　hear　the　strange　foreign　people。

It　was　a　dark；　long　room；　very　high；　full　of　shadows　between　the　flaming　torches　on　the　wall。　　At　one　side　of　it　was　a　great　fire　burning；　for　all　it　was　the　first　night　of　spring。　　At　one　end　of　it　were　the　great　barrels　of　liquor　for　the　thirsty　customers；　black　beer　for　the　English　and　the　Irish；　grand；　hairy　stuff　with　great　foam　to　it；　and　brown　beer　for　the　Germans；　and　there　was　white　wine　there　for　the　French　people；　and　red　wine　for　the　Italians；　asquebaugh　for　the　Scots；　and　rum　from　the　sugar　cane　for　such　as　had　cold　in　their　bones。　　There　was　all　kind　of　drink　there　in　the　brass…bound　barrels　　drink　would　make　you　mad　and　drink　would　make　you　merry；　drink　would　put　heart　in　a　timid　man　and　drink　would　make　fighting　men　peaceful　as　pigeons；　and　drink　that　would　make　you　forget　trouble　　all　in　the　brass…bound　barrels　at　the　end　of　the　room。　And　pleasant；　fat　little　men　were　roaming　around　serving　the　varied　liquor　in　little　silver　cups；　and　fine　Venetian　glasses　for　the　wine；　and　in　broad…bellied　drinking…pots　that　would　hold　more　than　a　quart。

And　there　was　such　a　babel　of　language　as　was　never　heard　but　in　one　place　before。

Some　of　the　drinkers　were　dicing　and　shouting　as　they　won；　and　grumbling　and　cursing　when　they　lost。　　And　some　were　singing。　And　some　were　dancing　to　the　Irish　pipes。　　And　there　was　a　knot　around　the　Indian　conjurer。

But　there　was　one　man　by　himself　at　a　table。　　And　him　being　so　silent；　you'd　think　he　was　shouting　for　attention。　　He　was　so　restful　against　the　great　commotion；　you'd　know　he　was　a　great　man。　　You　might　turn　your　back　on　him；　and　you'd　know　he　was　there；　though　he　never　even　whispered　nor　put　out　a　finger。　　A　fat；　pleasant；　close…coupled　man　he　was；　in　loose；　green　clothes；　with　gold　brocade　on　them。　　And　there　were　two　big　gold　ear…rings　in　his　lobes。　　He　smoked　a　wee　pipe　with　the　bowl　half…ways　up　it。　　The　pipe　was　silver　and　all　stem；　and　the　bowl　no　bigger　than　a　ten…cent　piece。　　His　shoulders　were　very　powerful；　so　you'd　know　he　was　a　man　you　should　be　polite　to；　and　out　of　that　chest　of　his　a　great　shout　could　come。　　He　might　have　been　a　working…man；　only；　when　he　fingered　his　pipe；　you'd　see　his　hands　were　as　well　kept　as　a　lord's　lady's；　fine　as　silk　and　polished　to　a　degree。　And　you'd　think　maybe　a　pleasant　poet；　which　is　a　scarce　thing；　until　you　looked　at　the　brown　face　of　him　and　big　gold　ear…rings。　And　then　you'd　know　what　he　was：　he　was　a　great　sea…captain。

But　where　did　he　come　from？　　You　might　know　from　the　high　cheek　bones　and　the　eyes　that　were　on　a　slant；　as　it　were；　that　it　was　an　Eastern　man　was　in　it。　　It　might　be　Java　and　it　might　be　Borneo；　or　it　might　be　the　strange　country　of　Japan。

And　there　were　a　couple　of　strange　occurrences　in　the　wine…shop。　The　Indian　juggler　was　being　baited　by　the　fighting　men；　as　people　will　be　after　poking　coarse　fun　at　a　foreigner。　　The　slim　Hindu　fellow　wasn't　taking　it　at　all　well。　　He　was　looking　with　eyes　like　gimlets　at　a　big　bullock　of　a　soldier　that　was　leading　the　tormenters。

〃Show　me　something　would　surprise　me；〃　he　was　ordering。　　〃Be　damned　to　this　old　woman's　entertainment！〃　says　he。　　〃As　a　magician；〃　says　he；　〃you're　the　worst　I　ever　saw。　　If　you're　a　magician；〃　says　he；　〃I'm　a　rabbit。〃

And　there　was　a　roar　at　that；　because　he　was　known　to　be　a　very　brave　man。

〃Show　me　a　magic　trick；〃　says　he。

Says　the　Hindu：

〃Maybe　you'd　wish　you　hadn't　seen　it。〃

〃Be　damned　to　that！〃　says　the　big　fellow。

〃Look　at　this　man　well；〃　the　Hindu　told　the　room。　　〃Look　at　him　well。〃　He　throws　a　handful　of　powder　in　the　fire　and　chants　in　his　foreign　language。　　A　cloud　of　white　smoke　arises　from　the　fire。　　He　makes　a　pass　before　it；　and；　lo　and　behold　ye！　it's　a　screen　against　the　wall。　And　there's　a　great　commotion　of　shadows　on　the　screen；　and　suddenly　you　see　what　it's　all　about。　　It's　a　platform；　and　a　man　kneeling；　with　his　head　on　the　block。　　You　don't　see　who　it　is；　but　you　get　chilled。　　And　suddenly　there's　a　headsman　in　a　red　cloak　and　a　red　mask；　and　the　ax　swings　and　falls。　　The　head　pops　off；　and　the　body　falls　limp。　　And　the　head　rolls　down　the　platform　and　stops；　and　you　see　it's　the　head　of　the　fellow　who　wanted　to　see　something；　and　it's　in　the　grisly　grin　of　death。　。　。

〃There's　your　latter　end　for　you；〃　says　the　conjurer。　　〃You　wanted　to　see　something。　　I　hope　you're　content。〃

The　big　fellow　turns　white；　gulps；　gives　a　bellow；　and　makes　a　rush；　but　the　conjurer　isn't　there；　nor　his　screen　nor　anything。

Everybody　in　the　room　was　white　and　shaken　　all　but　the　sea…captain。　He　just　tamps　his　pipe　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　and　smokes　on。　He　doesn't　even　take　a　drink　from　his　glass。

And　a　little　while　later　an　Irish　chieftain　walks　in。　　He's　poor　and　ragged　and　very　thin。　　You　might　know　he'd　been　fighting　the　heathen　for　the　Holy　sepulchre；　and　so　entitled　to　respect；　no　matter　what　his　condition。　　And　behind　him　are　five　clansmen　as　ragged　as　he。　　But　a　big　German　trooper　rolls　up。

〃And　what　are　you？〃　says　the　big；　burly　fellow。

〃A　gentleman；　I　hope；〃　says　the　ragged　chief。

〃'Tis　yourself　that　says　it；〃　laughs　the　German　trooper。　　The　chieftain　snicks　the　knife　from　his　armpit；　and　sticks　him　in　the　jugular　as　neat　as　be　damned。

〃You'd　might　take　that　out；　Kevin　Beg〃　　the　Irish　chief　points　to　the　killed　man　　〃and　throw　it　in　the　canal。　　Somebody　might　stumble　over　it　and　bark　their　shins。〃

Now　this；　as　you　can　conceive；　roused　a　powerful　commotion　in　the　room。　They　were　all　on　their　feet；　captains　and　mariners　and　men…at…arms；　cheering　or　grumbling；　and　arguing　the　rights　and　wrongs　of　the　matter。　All　but　the　sea…captain