tanglewood tales-第16节

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whom　he　met　whether　they　had　seen　Europa；　for；　to　say　the　truth；　Cadmus　had　grown　so　accustomed　to　ask　the　question；　that　it　came　to　his　lips　as　readily　as　a　remark　about　the　weather。　He　received　various　answers。　Some　told　him　one　thing；　and　some　another。　Among　the　rest；　a　mariner　affirmed；　that；　many　years　before；　in　a　distant　country；　he　had　heard　a　rumor　about　a　white　bull；　which　came　swimming　across　the　sea　with　a　child　on　his　back；　dressed　up　in　flowers　that　were　blighted　by　the　sea　water。　He　did　not　know　what　had　become　of　the　child　or　the　bull；　and　Cadmus　suspected；　indeed；　by　a　queer　twinkle　in　the　mariner's　eyes；　that　he　was　putting　a　joke　upon　him；　and　had　never　really　heard　anything　about　the　matter。

Poor　Cadmus　found　it　more　wearisome　to　travel　alone　than　to　bear　all　his　dear　mother's　weight；　while　she　had　kept　him　company。　His　heart；　you　will　understand；　was　now　so　heavy　that　it　seemed　impossible；　sometimes；　to　carry　it　any　farther。　But　his　limbs　were　strong　and　active；　and　well　accustomed　to　exercise。　He　walked　swiftly　along；　thinking　of　King　Agenor　and　Queen　Telephassa；　and　his　brothers；　and　the　friendly　Thasus；　all　of　whom　he　had　left　behind　him；　at　one　point　of　his　pilgrimage　or　another；　and　never　expected　to　see　them　any　more。　Full　of　these　remembrances；　he　came　within　sight　of　a　lofty　mountain；　which　the　people　thereabouts　told　him　was　called　Parnassus。　On　the　slope　of　Mount　Parnassus　was　the　famous　Delphi；　whither　Cadmus　was　going。

This　Delphi　was　supposed　to　be　the　very　midmost　spot　of　the　whole　world。　The　place　of　the　oracle　was　a　certain　cavity　in　the　mountain　side；　over　which；　when　Cadmus　came　thither；　he　found　a　rude　bower　of　branches。　It　reminded　him　of　those　which　he　had　helped　to　build　for　Phoenix　and　Cilix；　and　afterwards　for　Thasus。　In　later　times；　when　multitudes　of　people　came　from　great　distances　to　put　questions　to　the　oracle；　a　spacious　temple　of　marble　was　erected　over　the　spot。　But　in　the　days　of　Cadmus；　as　I　have　told　you；　there　was　only　this　rustic　bower；　with　its　abundance　of　green　foliage；　and　a　tuft　of　shrubbery；　that　ran　wild　over　the　mysterious　hole　in　the　hillside。

When　Cadmus　had　thrust　a　passage　through　the　tangled　boughs；　and　made　his　way　into　the　bower；　he　did　not　at　first　discern　the　half…hidden　cavity。　But　soon　he　felt　a　cold　stream　of　air　rushing　out　of　it；　with　so　much　force　that　it　shook　the　ringlets　on　his　cheek。　Pulling　away　the　shrubbery　which　clustered　over　the　hole；　he　bent　forward；　and　spoke　in　a　distinct　but　reverential　tone；　as　if　addressing　some　unseen　personage　inside　of　the　mountain。

〃Sacred　oracle　of　Delphi；〃　said　he；　〃whither　shall　I　go　next　in　quest　of　my　dear　sister　Europa？〃

There　was　at　first　a　deep　silence；　and　then　a　rushing　sound；　or　a　noise　like　a　long　sigh；　proceeding　out　of　the　interior　of　the　earth。　This　cavity；　you　must　know；　was　looked　upon　as　a　sort　of　fountain　of　truth；　which　sometimes　gushed　out　in　audible　words；　although；　for　the　most　part；　these　words　were　such　a　riddle　that　they　might　just　as　well　have　staid　at　the　bottom　of　the　hole。　But　Cadmus　was　more　fortunate　than　many　others　who　went　to　Delphi　in　search　of　truth。　By　and　by；　the　rushing　noise　began　to　sound　like　articulate　language。　It　repeated；　over　and　over　again；　the　following　sentence；　which；　after　all；　was　so　like　the　vague　whistle　of　a　blast　of　air；　that　Cadmus　really　did　not　quite　know　whether　it　meant　anything　or　not：

〃Seek　her　no　more！　Seek　her　no　more！　Seek　her　no　more！〃

〃What；　then；　shall　I　do？〃　asked　Cadmus。

For；　ever　since　he　was　a　child；　you　know；　it　had　been　the　great　object　of　his　life　to　find　his　sister。　From　the　very　hour　that　he　left　following　the　butterfly　in　the　meadow；　near　his　father's　palace；　he　had　done　his　best　to　follow　Europa；　over　land　and　sea。　And　now；　if　he　must　give　up　the　search；　he　seemed　to　have　no　more　business　in　the　world。

But　again　the　sighing　gust　of　air　grew　into　something　like　a　hoarse　voice。

〃Follow　the　cow！〃　it　said。　〃Follow　the　cow！　Follow　the　cow！〃

And　when　these　words　had　been　repeated　until　Cadmus　was　tired　of　hearing　them　（especially　as　he　could　not　imagine　what　cow　it　was；　or　why　he　was　to　follow　her）；　the　gusty　hole　gave　vent　to　another　sentence。

〃Where　the　stray　cow　lies　down；　there　is　your　home。〃

These　words　were　pronounced　but　a　single　time；　and　died　away　into　a　whisper　before　Cadmus　was　fully　satisfied　that　he　had　caught　the　meaning。　He　put　other　questions；　but　received　no　answer；　only　the　gust　of　wind　sighed　continually　out　of　the　cavity；　and　blew　the　withered　leaves　rustling　along　the　ground　before　it。

〃Did　there　really　come　any　words　out　of　the　hole？〃　thought　Cadmus；　〃or　have　I　been　dreaming　all　this　while？〃

He　turned　away　from　the　oracle；　and　thought　himself　no　wiser　than　when　he　came　thither。　Caring　little　what　might　happen　to　him；　he　took　the　first　path　that　offered　itself；　and　went　along　at　a　sluggish　pace；　for；　having　no　object　in　view；　nor　any　reason　to　go　one　way　more　than　another；　it　would　certainly　have　been　foolish　to　make　haste。　Whenever　he　met　anybody；　the　old　question　was　at　his　tongue's　end。

〃Have　you　seen　a　beautiful　maiden；　dressed　like　a　king's　daughter；　and　mounted　on　a　snow…white　bull；　that　gallops　as　swiftly　as　the　wind？〃

But；　remembering　what　the　oracle　had　said；　he　only　half　uttered　the　words；　and　then　mumbled　the　rest　indistinctly；　and　from　his　confusion；　people　must　have　imagined　that　this　handsome　young　man　had　lost　his　wits。

I　know　not　how　far　Cadmus　had　gone；　nor　could　he　himself　have　told　you；　when　at　no　great　distance　before　him；　he　beheld　a　brindled　cow。　She　was　lying　down　by　the　wayside；　and　quietly　chewing　her　cud；　nor　did　she　take　any　notice　of　the　young　man　until　he　had　approached　pretty　nigh。　Then；　getting　leisurely　upon　her　feet；　and　giving　her　head　a　gentle　toss；　she　began　to　move　along　at　a　moderate　pace；　often　pausing　just　long　enough　to　crop　a　mouthful　of　grass。　Cadmus　loitered　behind；　whistling　idly　to　himself；　and　scarcely　noticing　the　cow；　until　the　thought　occurred　to　him；　whether　this　could　possibly　be　the　animal　which；　according　to　the　oracle's　response；　was　to　serve　him　for　a　guide。　But　he　smiled　at　himself　for　fancying　such　a　thing。　He　could　not　seriously　think　that　this　was　the　cow；　because　she　went　along　so　quietly；　behaving　just　like　any　other　cow。　Evidently　she　neither　knew　nor　cared　so　much　as　a　wisp　of　hay　about　Cadmus；　and　was　only　thinking　how　to　get　her　living　along　the　wayside；　where　the　herbage　was　green　and　fresh。　Perhaps　she　was　going　home　to　be　milked。

〃Cow；　cow；　cow！〃　cried　Cadmus。　〃Hey；　Brindle；　hey！　Stop；　my　good　cow！〃

He　wanted　to　come　up　with　the　cow；　so　as　to　examine　her；　and　see　if　she　would　appear　to　know　him；　or　whether　there　were　any　peculiarities　to　distinguish　her　from　a　thousand　other　cows；　whose　only　business　is　to　fill　the　milk…pail；　and　sometimes　kick　it　over。　But　still　the　brindled　cow　trudged　on；　whisking　her　tail　to　keep　the　flies　away；　and　taking　as　little　notice　of　Cadmus　as　she　well　could。　If　he　walked　slowly；　so　did　the　cow；　and　seized　the　opportunity　to　graze。　If　he　quickened　his　pace；　the　cow　went　just　so　much　the　faster；　and　once；　when　Cadmus　tried　to　catch　her　by　running；　she　threw　out　her　heels；　stuck　her　tail　straight　on　end；　and　set　off　at　a　gallop；　looking　as　queerly　as　cows　generally　do；　while　putting　themselves　to　their　speed。

When　Cadmus　saw　that　it　was　impossible　to　come　up　with　her；　he　walked　on　moderately；　as　before。　The　cow；　too；　went　leisurely　on；　without　looking　behind。　Wherever　the　grass　was　greenest；　there　she　nibbled　a　mouthful　or　two。　Where　a　brook　glistened　brightly　across　the　path；　there　the　cow　drank；　and　breathed　a　comfortable　sigh；　and　drank　again。　and　trudged　onward　at　the　pace　that　best　suited　herself　and　Cadmus。

〃I　do　believe；〃　thought　Cadmus；　〃that　this　may　be　the　cow　that　was　foretold　me。　If　it　be　the　one；　I　suppose　she　will　lie　down　somewhere　hereabouts。〃

Whether　it　were　the　oracular　cow　or　some　other　one；　it　did　not　seem　reasonable　that　she　should　travel　a　great　way　farther。　So；　whenever　they　reached　a　particularly　pleasant　spot　on　a　breezy　hillside；　or　in　a　sheltered　vale；　or　flowery　meadow；　on　the　shore　of　a　calm　lake；　or　along　the　bank　of　a　clear　stream；　Cadmus　looked　eagerly　around　to　see　if　the　situation　would　suit　him　for　a　home。　But　still；　whether　he　liked　the　place　or　no；　the　brindled　cow　never　offered　to　lie　down。　On　she　went　at　the　quiet　pace　of　a　cow　going　homeward　to　the　barn　yard；　and；　every　moment；　Cadmus　expected　to　see　a　milkmaid　approaching　with　a　pail；　or　a　herdsman　running　to　head　the　stray　animal；　and　turn　her　back　towards　the　pasture。　But　no　milkmaid　came；　no　herdsman　drove　her　back；　and　Cadmus　followed　the　stray　Brindle　till　he　was　almost　ready　to　drop　down　with　fatigue。

〃O　brindled　cow；〃　cried　he；　in　a　tone　of　despair；　〃do　you　never　mean　to　stop？〃

He　had　now　grown　too　intent　on　following　her　to　think　of　lagging　behind；　however　long　the　way；　and　whatever　might　be　his　fatigue。　Indeed；　it　seemed　as　if　there　were　something　about　the　animal　that　bewitched　people。　Several　persons　who　happened　to　see　the　brindled　cow；　and　Cadmus　following　behind；　began　to　trudge　after　her；　precisely　as　he　did。　Cadmus　was　glad　of　somebody　to　converse　with；