messer marco polo-第5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！



〃'Ho；　master　of　the　vessel。'　she　calls。　　'Where　do　you　go？'

〃And　the　sailors　back　water　with　a　swish；　and　I　stand　up　respectfully；　for　all　she　is　only　a　slip　of　a　girl。

〃'I　go　to　foreign　parts；　Golden　Bells；'　I　tell　her；　'to　far　and　dangerous　places；　into　the　Indian　Ocean。　　To　the　Island　of　Unicorns　and　to　the　land　where　men　eat　men。'

〃'I　hope　you　come　back　safe；　master　of　the　vessel；'　she　says。　　'I　hope　you　have　a　good　voyage　and　come　back　safe。　　It　must　be　a　dreadful　strain　on　your　people　to　think　of　you　so　far　away。'

〃'In　all　this　wide　land；'　I　tell　her；　'there　is　none　to　worry　about　me。　　I　have　neither　chick　nor　child。'

〃'Golden　Bells　will　worry　about　you；　then；'　she　said；　'and　you　in　the　hazards　of　the　sea。　　And　take　this　flower　for　luck。'　　And　she　gave　me　the　flower　from　her　hair。　　'And　let　it　bring　you　luck　against　the　anger　of　the　ocean　and　the　enemies　all　men　have。　　And　let　me　know　when　you　are　back；　because　I'll　be　worried　about　a　man　of　China　and　him　in　danger　on　the　open　sea。'

〃And　wasn't　that　a　wonderful　thing　from　a　daughter　of　Kubla　to　me；　a　poor　sailor…man？

〃The　son　of　the　King　of　Siam　came　to　woo　her　with　a　hundred　princes　on　a　hundred　elephants；　but　she　wouldn't　have　him。　　'I　don't　wish　to　be　a　queen；'　she　told　her　father。　　'How　could　I　be　a　queen？　　I　am　only　Golden　Bells。'　　Nor　would　she　have　anything　to　say　to　the　Prince　of　the　Land　of　Darkness；　who　came　to　her　with　sea　ivory　and　pale　Arctic　gold。　　'The　sun　of　China　is　in　my　heart；　and　you　wouldn't　have　me　go　up　into　the　great　coldness　to　shiver　and　die？'

〃So　she　remains　in　her　garden　by　the　lake　of　Cranes　with　Li　Po；　the　great　poet；　him　they　call　the　Drinker　of　Wine；　to　make　songs　for　her；　and　the　SANANG　Tung　Chih；　the　great　magician；　to　perform　wonders　for　her　when　she　is　wearied；　and　Bulagan；　her　nurse；　to　take　her　to　her　heart　when　she　is　sad。

〃And　sad　she　is　a　lot　of　the　time；　they　tell　me。　　She　sits　in　her　garden　in　the　dusk；　playing　her　lute；　and　singing　the　song　of　the　Willow　branches；　which　is　the　saddest　love…song　in　the　world。　。　。

〃And　why　she　should　be　singing　a　sad　love…song；　is　a　mystery；　for　her　soft；　brown　beauty　is　the　flower　of　the　world。　　For　there　would　be　no　lack　of　suitors　for　her；　nor　is　she　the　one　to　refuse　love。　The　only　thing　I　make　of　it　is　that　the　right　hour　hasn't　come。

〃The　beauty　of　Venice　jumps　to　your　eyes；　but　the　beauty　of　this　pulls　at　your　heart。　　Little　brown　Golden　Bells；　in　her　Chinese　garden；　singing　the　song　of　the　Willow　Branches　at　the　close　of　day　。　。　。Is　that　not　better　nor　Venice？〃

But　he　got　no　word　out　of　Marco　Polo；　sitting　with　his　chin　cupped　in　his　hands。　　And　that　was　the　finest　answer　at　all；　at　all。　。　。



CHAPTER　V

The　times　went　by；　and　Marco　Polo　busied　himself　with　his　daily　affairs；　keeping　track　of　the　galleasses　with　merchandise　to　strange　far…away　ports；　buying　presents　for　refractory　governors　who　didn't　care　for　foreign　trade　in　their　domains；　getting　wisdom　from　the　old　clerks；　and　knowledge　from　the　mariners；　in　the　main；　acting　as　the　son　of　a　great　house　while　the　heads　of　it　were　away。

You　would　think　that　he　would　have　forgotten　what　the　sea…captain　of　China　told　him　about　Golden　Bells；　what　with　work　and　sport　and　other　women　near　him。　　You　would　think　that　would　drop　out　of　his　memory　like　an　old　rime。　　But　it　stuck　there；　as　an　old　rime　sometimes　sticks；　and　by　dint　of　thinking　he　had　her　fast　now　in　his　mind　　so　fast；　so　clear；　so　full　of　life；　that　she　might　be　some　one　he　had　seen　an　hour　ago　or　was　going　to　see　an　hour　from　now。　　He　would　think　of　the　now　merry；　now　sad　eyes　of　her；　and　the　soft；　sweet　voice　of　her　by　reason　of　which　they　called　her　Golden　Bells；　and　the　dusky　little　face；　and　the　hair　like　black　silk；　and　the　splotch　of　the　red　flower　in　it。　　She　was　as　distinct　to　him　as　the　five　fingers　on　his　hand。　　It　wasn't　only　she　was　clear　in　his　mind's　eye；　but　she　was　inside　of　him；　closer　than　his　heart。　　She　was　there　when　the　sun　rose；　so　he　would　be　saying；　〃It's　a　grand　day　is　in　it　surely；　Golden　Bells。〃　　She　was　there　in　the　dim　counting　house　and　he　going　over　in　the　great　intricate　ledgers　the　clerks　do　be　posting　carefully　with　quills　of　the　gray　goose；　so　that　he　would　be　saying：　〃I　wonder　where　this　is　and　that　is。　　Sure　I　had　my　finger　on　it　only　a　moment　ago；　Golden　Bells。〃　　And　when　the　dusk　was　falling；　and　the　bats　came　out；　and　the　quiet　of　Christ　was　over　everything；　and　the　swallows　flew　low　on　the　great　canals；　she　would　be　beside　him；　and　never　a　word　would　he　say　to　her；　so　near　to　him　would　she　be。

And　she　wrought　strangeness　between　him　and　the　women　he　knew；　the　great　grave　lady　with　the　large；　pale　mouth；　her　that　was　of　his　mind；　and　the　little　black　cloak…maker　with　the　eager；　red　mouth；　her　that　was　closer　than　mind　or　heart　to　him。　　So　that　the　first　found　fault　with　his　poetry。

〃I　don't　know　what's　come　over　you；　Marco　Polo；〃　　and　there　was　a　touch　of　temper　in　her　voice；　　〃but　these　poems　of　yours　show　me　you　haven't　your　mind　on　your　subject。　　Would　you　mind　telling　me　when　I　had　bound　black　hair？〃　she　says。　　〃And　you　say　my　bosom　is　like　two　little　russet　apples。　　Now；　a　regular　poet　once　compared　it　to　two　great　silver　cups；　and　that　was　a　good　comparison；　though　in　truth；〃　she　says；　〃he　knew　as　little　about　it　as　you。　　And　my　hands　are　not　like　soft　Eastern　flowers。　　They're　like　lilies。　　I　don't　know　where　you　do　be　getting　these　Eastern　comparisons；〃　she　says。　〃But　I　don't　like　them。　　Tell　me；　pretty　boy；〃　　she　looks　suspicious；　　　〃you　haven't　been　taking　any　of　the　strange　Egyptian　drugs　the　dark　people　do　be　selling　in　the　dim　shops　on　the　quiet　canals？　　Look　out；　pretty　boy！　　Look　out！〃

And　the　little　cloak…maker　grumbled　when　he　was　gone。　　〃I　don't　know　what's　wrong　with　him；〃　says　she。　　〃Or　maybe　it's　something　that's　wrong　with　myself；　but　this　delicate　love　isn't　all　it's　cracked　up　to　be。　　It's　all　right　in　books；〃　she　says；　〃and　it's　a　grand　sight；　and　the　players　doing　it；　but　I　like　a　hug；〃　she　says；　〃would　put　the　breath　out　of　you；　and　a　kiss；〃　she　says；　〃you　could　feel　in　the　soles　of　your　feet。〃　　And　she　lay　awake　and　grumbled。　〃Let　him　be　taking　his　la…di…da　courting　to　those　as　favor　it；〃　says　she。　　〃It's　not　my　kind；〃　and　she　grumbled　through　the　lonely　night。　　〃I　wonder　where　my　husband　is　now；〃　she　said。　　〃And　wasn't　I　the　foolish　girl　to　be　sending　him　off！　　Sure；　he　drank　like　a　fish　and　beat　me　something　cruel；　but　he　was　a　rare　lover；　and　the　mood　on　him。　　Sure；　a　woman　never　knows　when　she's　well　off；〃　says　she。

And　Marco　Polo　didn't　miss　them　any　more　nor　you'd　miss　an　old　overcoat　and　the　winter　past。　　All　his　mind　was　on　was　the　Golden　Bells　of　China。　　And　he　thought　long　until　his　uncle　and　father　came；　so　that　he　could　be　off　with　them　to　the　strange　Chinese　land。

〃But　there's　no　use　to　me　going　there；〃　says　he。　　〃I　couldn't　marry　her。　　She　would　laugh　at　me；〃　he　says。　　〃She；　who　refused　the　son　of　the　King　of　Siam；　with　his　hundred　princes　on　a　hundred　elephants；　what　use　would　she　have　for　me；　who's　no　better　nor　a　peddler　with　his　pack？　　But　it　would　be　worth　walking　the　world　barefoot　for　to　see　that　little　golden　face；　to　hear　the　low；　sweet　voice　they　call　Golden　Bells。〃

They　came　back　in　due　time；　his　uncle　Matthew；　the　red；　hairy　man；　and　his　father；　the　thin；　dark　man；　who　knew　precious　stones。　And　he　told　them　he　wanted　to　go　with　them　when　they　made　their　next　expedition　to　China。

〃We　could　be　using　you；　after　your　training　in　trade；〃　says　the　father。　　But　Marco　Polo　would　take　no　interest　in　barter。　　〃Sure；　you'd　better　come　along；〃　says　his　uncle　Matthew。　　〃There's　great　sport　to　be　had　on　the　road；　kissing　and　courting　the　foreign　women　and　not　a　word　of　language　between　you；　barring　a　smile　and　a　laugh。〃

〃I　have　no　interest　in　the　foreign　women；　Uncle　Matthew。〃

〃Then　it's　the　horses　you've　been　hearing　about；　the　fine　Arab　horses　faster　nor　the　wind；　and　the　little　Persian　ponies　they　do　be　playing　polo　on；　and　the　grand　Tatar　hunters　that　can　jump　the　heighth　of　a　man；　and　they　sure…footed　as　a　goat。　　Ah；　the　horses；　the　bonny　horses！〃

〃Ah；　sure；　Uncle　Matthew；　'tis　little　I　know　of　horses。　　Sure；　I　know　all　about　boats；　racing　and　trade　and　war　boats；　but　a　horse　is　not　kin　to　me。〃

〃Then　what　the　hell's　the　use　of　your　going　to　China？〃

〃Ah；　sure；　that's　the　question　I'm　asking　myself；　Uncle　Matthew。　But　I　have　to　go。　　I　do　so。　　There　is　something　calling　me；　Uncle　Matthew　　a　bell　in　my　ear；　father's　brother；　and　there's　a　ringing　bell　in　my　heart。〃



CHAPTER　VI

I　shall　now　tell　you　how　it　came　about　that　Marco　Polo　went　to　China　with　his　uncle　and　father；　though　he　had　no　eye　for　a　bargain；　or　interest　in　courting　foreign　women；　or　sense　of　horses。

Now；　as　you　may　know；　this　was　a　great　religious　time。　　The　Crusaders；　feeling　shame　that　the　Sepulchre　of　the　Lord　Jesus　should　be　in　Saracen　hands；　had　come　with　horse；　foot　and　artillery　to　Palestine　to　give　tribute　of　arms　to　Him　who　had　died　for　them　on　the　Bitter　Tree。　And　great　feats　were　performed　and　grand　battles　won。　　And　kings　became　saints；　like　Louis　of　France；　and　saints　became　kings；　like　Baldwin　of　Constantinople。　　Mighty　wonders　were　seen