messer marco polo-第7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！


ing　of　Marco　Polo。　　And　many's　the　young　man　will　dream　dreams；　and　many's　the　old　man　will　see　visions；　and　they　reading　the　book　by　the　golden　candle…light；　and　many's　the　young　girl　will　give　you　love；　and　you　dead　for　centuries。　　But　for　this　you　must　keep　your　dream。

〃Now　you'll　think　it's　the　queer　pope　I　am　to　be　telling　you　things　like　this　instead　of　demanding　converts。　　But　the　wisdom　that　surpasses　wisdom　comes　to　you　with　the　Annointing　of　the　Oil。　　'I　knew　a　man　in　Christ　above　fourteen　years　ago；'　writes　Saint　Paul；　'（whether　in　the　body　I　cannot　tell；　or　whether　out　of　the　body　I　cannot　tell。　　God　knoweth。）

〃'How　that　he　was　caught　up　into　paradise；　and　heard　unspeakable　words；　which　is　not　lawful　for　a　man　to　utter。'

〃Now　you　see　there　is　a　wisdom　surpassing　wisdom；　and　it　is　out　of　this　fount　of　wisdom　I　am　drawing　when　I　speak　to　you　these　words。

〃Child；　I　will　not　keep　you　any　longer。　　Only　to　say　this；　and　this　is　the　chiefest　thing：　never　let　your　dream　be　taken　from　you。　Keep　it　unspotted　from　the　world。　　In　darkness　and　in　tribulation　it　will　go　with　you　as　a　friend；　but　in　wealth　and　power　hold　fast　to　it；　for　then　is　danger。　　Let　not　the　mists　of　the　world；　the　gay　diversions；　the　little　trifles；　draw　you　from　glory。

〃Remember！

〃Si　oblitus　fuero　tui　Jerusalem；　　If　I　forget　thee；　O　Jerusalem；　

〃Oblivioni　detur　dextera　mea；　　let　my　right　hand　forget　her　cunning　

〃Adhaereat　lingua　mea　faucibus　meis；　si　non　meminero　tui；　　if　I　do　not　remember　thee；　let　my　tongue　cleave　to　the　roof　of　my　mouth　

〃Si　non　proposuero　Jerusalem；　in　principis　laetitiae　meae；　　If　I　prefer　not　Jerusalem　above　my　chief　joy。

〃I　shall　now　send　a　prayer　to　Heaven；〃　he　said；　〃to　keep　you　safe　in　the　strange　foreign　ways；　to　protect　you　against　wind　and　tempest；　against　pestilence　and　sudden　death；　against　the　powers　of　darkness；　and　Him　who　goes　up　and　down　the　world　for　the　ruin　of　souls。〃

And　he　turned　to　the　high　altar　again；　and　now　you'd　hear　his　voice　loud　and　powerful；　and　now　low　and　secret；　and　the　bell　struck；　and　the　acolyte　intoned　the　responses；　and　all　of　a　sudden　he　turned　and　spread　forth　his　hands。

〃Ite！　　Let　you　go　now。　　Missa　est。〃



CHAPTER　VIII

And　so　they　set　forth　with　their　great　train　of　red；　snarling　camels　and　little　patient　donkeys　and　slender；　nervous　horses　toward　the　rising　sun。　　Behind　them　the　green　hills　of　Palestine　died　out　as　a　rainbow　dies　out；　and　now　there　was　sand　before　them　and　now　bleak　mountains；　and　by　day　the　wind　was　swift　and　hot　and　by　night　it　was　black　and　cold。　　And　moons　were　born　and　died。　。　。

And　they　passed　through　the　land　of　the　King　of　Armenia；　and　they　passed　Ararat；　the　mountain　where　Noah　brought　his　ark　to　anchor；　and　where　it　still　is；　and　where　it　can　be　seen　still；　but　cannot　be　reached；　so　cold　and　high　and　terrible　is　that　mountain。

And　they　passed　ruined　Babel；　that　was　built　of　Nimrod；　the　first　king　of　the　world；　and　now　is　desolation。　　They　passed　it　on　a　waning　moon。　　And　out　of　the　ruins　the　dragons　came　and　hissed　at　them；　and　strange；　obscene　birds　flapped　their　wings　in　the　air　and　cawed　and　pecked　at　them；　and　over　the　desert　the　satyr　called　unto　her　mate。　。　。

And　they　passed　through　the　Kingdom　of　Georgia；　whose　kings　are　born　with　the　mark　of　an　eagle　on　their　right　shoulder。　　They　passed　through　Persia；　where　the　magicians　worship　fire。　　And　they　passed　through　the　city　of　Saba；　where　sleep　the　three　magi　who　came　to　worship　at　Bethlehem；　and　their　names　were　Kaspar；　Balthlasar；　and　Melchior。

And　they　passed　through　Camadi；　where　great　ruins　are　and　robbers　roam　through　the　magical　darkness。　　And　they　passed　northward　of　the　Perilous　Valley；　where　the　Devil's　Head　is　in　black　stone；　and　that　is　one　of　the　nine　entrances　to　hell；　and　passed　the　Valley　of　the　Cockadrills；　where　there　are　serpents　five　fathoms　in　length；　and　passed　the　Valley　of　Cruel　Women；　who　have　precious　stones　in　place　of　eyes。　。　。

And　they　went　through　the　Dismal　Desert；　where　no　stream　sang。　。　。

And　in　the　desert　they　passed　the　Trees　of　the　Sun　and　Moon；　which　speak　with　the　voices　of　men。　　And　it　was　from　the　Speaking　Tree　that　Alexander　heard　of　his　death。　　And　it　was　near　there　that　he　and　Darius　fought。　　And　they　passed　the　Arbre　Sec；　the　Dry　Tree；　which　has　a　green　bark　on　one　side　and　white　on　the　other；　and　there　are　no　trees　within　a　hundred　miles　of　that　tree；　and　it　is　sprung　from　the　staff　of　Adam。

And　they　passed　through　Balkh；　the　Mother　of　Cities。　　And　they　passed　through　Tailian；　where　the　great　salt　mountains　are。　　And　they　passed　through　Badashan；　where　the　mountains　of　the　rubies　are。　And　they　passed　through　Kashmir；　whose　women　are　very　beautiful；　and　whose　magicians　weave　the　strongest　spells　in　the　world。　。　。

And　moons　were　born　and　died。　。　。

And　they　came　to　Alamoot；　the　fortess　of　Senex　de　Monte；　the　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain；　the　King　of　the　Assassins；　the　greatest　wizard　of　all　time。　。　。

Now　this　is　the　tale　of　the　Old　Man　the　Mountain。

Whenever　within　his　dominions　there　was　a　fine　young　horseman；　the　Old　Man　would　put　a　spell　on　him　and　draw　him　to　the　Castle　of　Alamoot；　and　outside　of　the　castle　sleep　would　come　on　him。　　And　when　he　woke　up；　he　would　be　inside　the　castle；　in　the　wonderful　gardens。　　And　they'd　tell　him　he　was　dead　and　in　paradise。　　And　paradise　it　would　be　for　him　what　with　the　lovely　women　and　the　great　playing　on　the　flutes；　the　birds　singing；　and　the　sun　shining；　the　crystal　rivers　and　the　flowers　of　the　world。　　And　after　a　while　the　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain　would　call　for　him；　and　tell　him　he　was　sending　him　back　on　earth　again　on　a　mission　to　punish　Such…and…Such。　　And　the　Old　Man　would　put　sleep　on　him　and　a　knife　in　his　hand；　and　when　he　woke　he　would　be　outside　the　Castle　of　Alamoot。　　And　he　would　start　on　his　mission。　　And　when　he　came　back　he　would　be　readmitted　to　paradise。　　And　if　he　didn't　come　back；　there　were　others　to　take　his　place。

The　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain　always　kept　one　hundred　and　one　assassins　and　four　hundred　and　four　women　to　tend　them。

Now　when　the　caravan　of　the　Polos　had　come　to　rest　for　the　day；　the　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain　put　out　white；　not　black　magic；　and　he　drew　Marco　Polo　to　the　castle　as　a　magnet　draws　a　needle。　　And　Marco　Polo　galloped　up　to　the　Castle　in　the　waning　moon；　and　the　Old　Man　looked　down　on　him　from　the　battlements　and　stroked　his　long　white　beard。

〃Do　you　know　me；　Marco　Polo？〃

〃I　know　you　and　I　have　no　fear　of　you；　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain。〃

〃And　why　have　you　no　fear　of　me；　Marco　Polo？〃

〃Because　the　cross　of　the　Lord　Jesus　is　between　me　and　harm。　Because　it　protects　me　night　and　day。〃

〃I　know　Eesa　ben…Miriam；〃　said　the　Old　Man。　　〃He　was　a　great　prophet。　But　whether　he　would　have　protected　you　from　me；　we　will　differ　about　that。　　I've　often　thought　of　you；　Marco　Polo；　and　you　coming　this　way。　I　could　have　used　you　in　my　work　of　keeping　the　kings　and　chieftains　of　the　world　in　fear　and　subjection。〃

〃Then　why　am　n't　I　in　your　garden；　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain？〃

〃The　four　most　beautiful　women　in　the　world　are　in　my　garden。　There　is　a　tall；　black…haired　woman；　and　she　is　fairer　and　more　adroit　than　Lilith；　who　was　before　Eve；　and　there　is　a　tall；　blond　woman；　and　she　is　like　a　queen；　and　there　is　a　slim；　copper…colored　woman；　and　she　is　like　an　idol　in　a　shrine；　and　there　is　a　little　brown…haired　woman；　and　she　is　like　a　child。　　But　none　of　those　women　could　make　you　believe　you　were　in　paradise　while　there's　a　face　in　your　heart。　　Not　the　cross　of　the　Lord　Jesus　is　between　you　and　me；　but　the　face　of　little　Golden　Bells　of　China。〃

〃But　I　am　not　going　to　China　to　woo　Golden　Bells；　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain。　　I　am　going　to　convert　the　men　of　Cathay。〃

The　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain　laughed　and　stroked　his　beard。

〃You　had　a　sermon　from　Gregory　before　you　came　away。　　Did　he　tell　you　you　were　to　convert　the　men　of　Cathay？〃

〃He　did　not。〃

〃Ali；　Gregory's　a　sound　man。　　He　knew　you　can't　make　saints　in　a　day。　Why；　child；　I've　seen　the　beginning　of　the　world；　and　I've　seen　the　end　of　it。　　I've　seen　the　beginning　in　a　crystal　glass；　and　I've　seen　the　end　in　a　pool　of　ink　in　a　slave's　hand。　　I've　seen　mankind　begin　lower　nor　the　gibbering　ape；　and　I've　seen　them　end　the　shining　sons　of　God。　　Millions　on　millions　on　millions　of　years；　multiplied　unto　dizziness；　crawling；　infinitesimal　work　overcoming　nature；　overcoming　themselves；　overcoming　the　princes　of　the　powers　of　darkness；　one　of　whom　I　am。　　But　this　is　too　deep　for　you；　Marco　Polo。

〃Now　you　can　go　on　your　way　without　hindrance　from　me；　Marco　Polo；　because　of　the　memory　of　an　old　time；　when　the　courting　of　a　woman　was　more　to　me　than　the　killing　of　a　man；　when　beauty　meant　more　nor　power。

〃Let　you　be　on　your　way；　Marco　Polo；　while　I　sit　here　a　lonely　old　man；　with　wee；　soft　ghosts　whispering　to　him。　　Let　you　be　hastening　on　your　way　before　I　remember　I　am　a　prince　of　the　powers　of　darkness　and　should　do　you　harm。　。　。



CHAPTER　IX

And　so　they　went　on　eastward；　ever　eastward；　and　the　moons　were　born；　grew；　waned；　and　died。　。　。

They　passed　through　Khotan；　where　the　divers　bring　up　jade　from　the　rivers；　white　jade　and　black　jade；　and　green　jad