selected prose of oscar wilde-第11节

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Cupids；　in　front　of　the　two　large　fire…places　stood　great　screens

broidered　with　parrots　and　peacocks；　and　the　floor；　which　was　of

sea…green　onyx；　seemed　to　stretch　far　away　into　the　distance。　　Nor

was　he　alone。　　Standing　under　the　shadow　of　the　doorway；　at　the

extreme　end　of　the　room；　he　saw　a　little　figure　watching　him。　　His

heart　trembled；　a　cry　of　joy　broke　from　his　lips；　and　he　moved　out

into　the　sunlight。　　As　he　did　so；　the　figure　moved　out　also；　and　he

saw　it　plainly。The　Birthday　of　the　Infanta







A　PROTECTED　COUNTRY







'The　kings　of　each　city　levied　tolls　on　us；　but　would　not　suffer　us

to　enter　their　gates。　　They　threw　us　bread　over　the　walls；　little

maize…cakes　baked　in　honey　and　cakes　of　fine　flour　filled　with

dates。　　For　every　hundred　baskets　we　gave　them　a　bead　of　amber。



'When　the　dwellers　in　the　villages　saw　us　coming；　they　poisoned　the

wells　and　fled　to　the　hill…summits。　　We　fought　with　the　Magadae　who

are　born　old；　and　grow　younger　and　younger　every　year；　and　die　when

they　are　little　children；　and　with　the　Laktroi　who　say　that　they　are

the　sons　of　tigers；　and　paint　themselves　yellow　and　black；　and　with

the　Aurantes　who　bury　their　dead　on　the　tops　of　trees；　and

themselves　live　in　dark　caverns　lest　the　Sun；　who　is　their　god；

should　slay　them；　and　with　the　Krimnians　who　worship　a　crocodile；

and　give　it　earrings　of　green　glass；　and　feed　it　with　butter　and

fresh　fowls；　and　with　the　Agazonbae；　who　are　dog…faced；　and　with　the

Sibans；　who　have　horses'　feet；　and　run　more　swiftly　than　horses。　　A

third　of　our　company　died　in　battle；　and　a　third　died　of　want。　　The

rest　murmured　against　me；　and　said　that　I　had　brought　them　an　evil

fortune。　　I　took　a　horned　adder　from　beneath　a　stone　and　let　it

sting　me。　　When　they　saw　that　I　did　not　sicken　they　grew　afraid。



'In　the　fourth　month　we　reached　the　city　of　Illel。　　It　was　night…

time　when　we　came　to　the　grove　that　is　outside　the　walls；　and　the

air　was　sultry；　for　the　Moon　was　travelling　in　Scorpion。　　We　took

the　ripe　pomegranates　from　the　trees；　and　brake　them；　and　drank

their　sweet　juices。　　Then　we　lay　down　on　our　carpets；　and　waited　for

the　dawn。



'And　at　dawn　we　rose　and　knocked　at　the　gate　of　the　city。　　It　was

wrought　out　of　red　bronze；　and　carved　with　sea…dragons　and　dragons

that　have　wings。　　The　guards　looked　down　from　the　battlements　and

asked　us　our　business。　　The　interpreter　of　the　caravan　answered　that

we　had　come　from　the　island　of　Syria　with　much　merchandise。　　They

took　hostages；　and　told　us　that　they　would　open　the　gate　to　us　at

noon；　and　bade　us　tarry　till　then。



'When　it　was　noon　they　opened　the　gate；　and　as　we　entered　in　the

people　came　crowding　out　of　the　houses　to　look　at　us；　and　a　crier

went　round　the　city　crying　through　a　shell。　　We　stood　in　the　market…

place；　and　the　negroes　uncorded　the　bales　of　figured　cloths　and

opened　the　carved　chests　of　sycamore。　　And　when　they　had　ended　their

task；　the　merchants　set　forth　their　strange　wares；　the　waxed　linen

from　Egypt　and　the　painted　linen　from　the　country　of　the　Ethiops；

the　purple　sponges　from　Tyre　and　the　blue　hangings　from　Sidon；　the

cups　of　cold　amber　and　the　fine　vessels　of　glass　and　the　curious

vessels　of　burnt　clay。　　From　the　roof　of　a　house　a　company　of　women

watched　us。　　One　of　them　wore　a　mask　of　gilded　leather。



'And　on　the　first　day　the　priests　came　and　bartered　with　us；　and　on

the　second　day　came　the　nobles；　and　on　the　third　day　came　the

craftsmen　and　the　slaves。　　And　this　is　their　custom　with　all

merchants　as　long　as　they　tarry　in　the　city。



'And　we　tarried　for　a　moon；　and　when　the　moon　was　waning；　I　wearied

and　wandered　away　through　the　streets　of　the　city　and　came　to　the

garden　of　its　god。　　The　priests　in　their　yellow　robes　moved　silently

through　the　green　trees；　and　on　a　pavement　of　black　marble　stood　the

rose…red　house　in　which　the　god　had　his　dwelling。　　Its　doors　were　of

powdered　lacquer；　and　bulls　and　peacocks　were　wrought　on　them　in

raised　and　polished　gold。　　The　tilted　roof　was　of　sea…green

porcelain；　and　the　jutting　eaves　were　festooned　with　little　bells。

When　the　white　doves　flew　past；　they　struck　the　bells　with　their

wings　and　made　them　tinkle。



'In　front　of　the　temple　was　a　pool　of　clear　water　paved　with　veined

onyx。　　I　lay　down　beside　it；　and　with　my　pale　fingers　I　touched　the

broad　leaves。　　One　of　the　priests　came　towards　me　and　stood　behind

me。　　He　had　sandals　on　his　feet；　one　of　soft　serpent…skin　and　the

other　of　birds'　plumage。　　On　his　head　was　a　mitre　of　black　felt

decorated　with　silver　crescents。　　Seven　yellows　were　woven　into　his

robe；　and　his　frizzed　hair　was　stained　with　antimony。



'After　a　little　while　he　spake　to　me；　and　asked　me　my　desire。



'I　told　him　that　my　desire　was　to　see　the　god。'The　Fisherman　and

His　Soul







THE　BLACKMAILING　OF　THE　EMPEROR







'As　soon　as　the　man　was　dead　the　Emperor　turned　to　me；　and　when　he

had　wiped　away　the　bright　sweat　from　his　brow　with　a　little　napkin

of　purfled　and　purple　silk；　he　said　to　me；　〃Art　thou　a　prophet；　that

I　may　not　harm　thee；　or　the　son　of　a　prophet；　that　I　can　do　thee　no

hurt？　　I　pray　thee　leave　my　city　to…night；　for　while　thou　art　in　it

I　am　no　longer　its　lord。〃



'And　I　answered　him；　〃I　will　go　for　half　of　thy　treasure。　　Give　me

half　of　thy　treasure；　and　I　will　go　away。〃



'He　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　led　me　out　into　the　garden。　　When　the

captain　of　the　guard　saw　me；　he　wondered。　　When　the　eunuchs　saw　me；

their　knees　shook　and　they　fell　upon　the　ground　in　fear。



'There　is　a　chamber　in　the　palace　that　has　eight　walls　of　red

porphyry；　and　a　brass…sealed　ceiling　hung　with　lamps。　　The　Emperor

touched　one　of　the　walls　and　it　opened；　and　we　passed　down　a

corridor　that　was　lit　with　many　torches。　　In　niches　upon　each　side

stood　great　wine…jars　filled　to　the　brim　with　silver　pieces。　　When

we　reached　the　centre　of　the　corridor　the　Emperor　spake　the　word

that　may　not　be　spoken；　and　a　granite　door　swung　back　on　a　secret

spring；　and　he　put　his　hands　before　his　face　lest　his　eyes　should　be

dazzled。



'Thou　couldst　not　believe　how　marvellous　a　place　it　was。　　There　were

huge　tortoise…shells　full　of　pearls；　and　hollowed　moonstones　of

great　size　piled　up　with　red　rubies。　　The　gold　was　stored　in　coffers

of　elephant…hide；　and　the　gold…dust　in　leather　bottles。　　There　were

opals　and　sapphires；　the　former　in　cups　of　crystal；　and　the　latter

in　cups　of　jade。　　Round　green　emeralds　were　ranged　in　order　upon

thin　plates　of　ivory；　and　in　one　corner　were　silk　bags　filled；　some

with　turquoise…stones；　and　others　with　beryls。　　The　ivory　horns　were

heaped　with　purple　amethysts；　and　the　horns　of　brass　with

chalcedonies　and　sards。　　The　pillars；　which　were　of　cedar；　were　hung

with　strings　of　yellow　lynx…stones。　　In　the　flat　oval　shields　there

were　carbuncles；　both　wine…coloured　and　coloured　like　grass。　　And

yet　I　have　told　thee　but　a　tithe　of　what　was　there。



'And　when　the　Emperor　had　taken　away　his　hands　from　before　his　face

he　said　to　me：　　〃This　is　my　house　of　treasure；　and　half　that　is　in

it　is　thine；　even　as　I　promised　to　thee。　　And　I　will　give　thee

camels　and　camel　drivers；　and　they　shall　do　thy　bidding　and　take　thy

share　of　the　treasure　to　whatever　part　of　the　world　thou　desirest　to

go。　　And　the　thing　shall　be　done　to…night；　for　I　would　not　that　the

Sun；　who　is　my　father；　should　see　that　there　is　in　my　city　a　man

whom　I　cannot　slay。〃



'But　I　answered　him；　〃The　gold　that　is　here　is　thine；　and　the　silver

also　is　thine；　and　thine　are　the　precious　jewels　and　the　things　of

price。　　As　for　me；　I　have　no　need　of　these。　　Nor　shall　I　take　aught

from　thee　but　that　little　ring　that　thou　wearest　on　the　finger　of

thy　hand。〃



'And　the　Emperor　frowned。　　〃It　is　but　a　ring　of　lead；〃　he　cried；

〃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　day's　journey　from　this　place　have；　I　hidden　the

Ring　of　Riches。　　It　is　but　a　day's　journey　from　this　place；　and　it

waits　for　thy　coming。　　He　who　has　this　Ring　is　richer　than　all　the

kings　of　the　world。　　Come　therefore　and　take　it；　and　the　world's

riches　shall　be　thine。'The　Fisherman　and　His　Soul







COVENT　GARDEN







Where　he　went　he　hardly　knew。　　He　had　a　dim　memory　of　wandering

through　a　labyrinth　of　sordid　houses；　of　being　lost　in　a　giant　web

of　sombre　streets；　and　it　was　bright　dawn　when　he　found　himself　at

last　in　Piccadilly　Circus。　　As　he　strolled　home　towards　Belgrave

Square；　he　met　the　great　waggons　on　their　way　to　Covent　Garden。　　The