tanglewood tales-第20节

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　of　their　physical　substance　was　swine's　flesh；　and　their　tempers　and　dispositions　were　very　much　akin　to　the　hog。　A　dish　of　venison；　however；　was　no　unacceptable　meal　to　them；　especially　after　feeding　so　long　on　oysters　and　clams。　So；　beholding　the　dead　stag；　they　felt　of　its　ribs；　in　a　knowing　way；　and　lost　no　time　in　kindling　a　fire　of　driftwood；　to　cook　it。　The　rest　of　the　day　was　spent　in　feasting；　and　if　these　enormous　eaters　got　up　from　table　at　sunset；　it　was　only　because　they　could　not　scrape　another　morsel　off　the　poor　animal's　bones。

The　next　morning；　their　appetites　were　as　sharp　as　ever。　They　looked　at　Ulysses；　as　if　they　expected　him　to　clamber　up　the　cliff　again；　and　come　back　with　another　fat　deer　upon　his　shoulders。　Instead　of　setting　out；　however；　he　summoned　the　whole　crew　together；　and　told　them　it　was　in　vain　to　hope　that　he　could　kill　a　stag　every　day　for　their　dinner；　and　therefore　it　was　advisable　to　think　of　some　other　mode　of　satisfying　their　hunger。

〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃when　I　was　on　the　cliff；　yesterday；　I　discovered　that　this　island　is　inhabited。　At　a　considerable　distance　from　the　shore　stood　a　marble　palace；　which　appeared　to　be　very　spacious；　and　had　a　great　deal　of　smoke　curling　out　of　one　of　its　chimneys。〃

〃Aha！〃　muttered　some　of　his　companions；　smacking　their　lips。　〃That　smoke　must　have　come　from　the　kitchen　fire。　There　was　a　good　dinner　on　the　spit；　and　no　doubt　there　will　be　as　good　a　one　to…day。〃

〃But；〃　continued　the　wise　Ulysses；　〃you　must　remember；　my　good　friends；　our　misadventure　in　the　cavern　of　one…eyed　Polyphemus；　the　Cyclops！　Instead　of　his　ordinary　milk　diet；　did　he　not　eat　up　two　of　our　comrades　for　his　supper；　and　a　couple　more　for　breakfast；　and　two　at　his　supper　again？　Methinks　I　see　him　yet；　the　hideous　monster；　scanning　us　with　that　great　red　eye；　in　the　middle　of　his　forehead；　to　single　out　the　fattest。　And　then；　again；　only　a　few　days　ago；　did　we　not　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　king　of　the　Laestrygons；　and　those　other　horrible　giants；　his　subjects；　who　devoured　a　great　many　more　of　us　than　are　now　left？　To　tell　you　the　truth；　if　we　go　to　yonder　palace；　there　can　be　no　question　that　we　shall　make　our　appearance　at　the　dinner　table；　but　whether　seated　as　guests；　or　served　up　as　food；　is　a　point　to　be　seriously　considered。〃

〃Either　way；〃　murmured　some　of　the　hungriest　of　the　crew；　〃it　will　be　better　than　starvation；　particularly　if　one　could　be　sure　of　being　well　fattened　beforehand；　and　daintily　cooked　afterwards。〃

〃That　is　a　matter　of　taste；〃　said　King　Ulysses；　〃and；　for　my　own　part；　neither　the　most　careful　fattening　nor　the　daintiest　of　cookery　would　reconcile　me　to　being　dished　at　last。　My　proposal　is；　therefore；　that　we　divide　ourselves　into　two　equal　parties；　and　ascertain；　by　drawing　lots；　which　of　the　two　shall　go　to　the　palace；　and　beg　for　food　and　assistance。　If　these　can　be　obtained；　all　is　well。　If　not；　and　if　the　inhabitants　prove　as　inhospitable　as　Polyphemus；　or　the　Laestrygons；　then　there　will　but　half　of　us　perish；　and　the　remainder　may　set　sail　and　escape。〃

As　nobody　objected　to　this　scheme；　Ulysses　proceeded　to　count　the　whole　band；　and　found　that　there　were　forty…six　men；　including　himself。　He　then　numbered　off　twenty…two　of　them；　and　put　Eurylochus　（who　was　one　of　his　chief　officers；　and　second　only　to　himself　in　sagacity）　at　their　head。　Ulysses　took　command　of　the　remaining　twenty…two　men；　in　person。　Then；　taking　off　his　helmet；　he　put　two　shells　into　it；　on　one　of　which　was　written；　〃Go；〃　and　on　the　other　〃Stay。〃　Another　person　now　held　the　helmet；　while　Ulysses　and　Eurylochus　drew　out　each　a　shell；　and　the　word　〃Go〃　was　found　written　on　that　which　Eurylochus　had　drawn。　In　this　manner；　it　was　decided　that　Ulysses　and　his　twenty…two　men　were　to　remain　at　the　seaside　until　the　other　party　should　have　found　out　what　sort　of　treatment　they　might　expect　at　the　mysterious　palace。　As　there　was　no　help　for　it；　Eurylochus　immediately　set　forth　at　the　head　of　his　twenty…two　followers；　who　went　off　in　a　very　melancholy　state　of　mind；　leaving　their　friends　in　hardly　better　spirits　than　themselves。

No　sooner　had　they　clambered　up　the　cliff；　than　they　discerned　the　tall　marble　towers　of　the　palace；　ascending；　as　white　as　snow；　out　of　the　lovely　green　shadow　of　the　trees　which　surrounded　it。　A　gush　of　smoke　came　from　a　chimney　in　the　rear　of　the　edifice。　This　vapor　rose　high　in　the　air；　and；　meeting　with　a　breeze；　was　wafted　seaward；　and　made　to　pass　over　the　heads　of　the　hungry　mariners。　When　people's　appetites　are　keen；　they　have　a　very　quick　scent　for　anything　savory　in　the　wind。

〃That　smoke　comes　from　the　kitchen！〃　cried　one　of　them；　turning　up　his　nose　as　high　as　he　could；　and　snuffing　eagerly。　〃And；　as　sure　as　I'm　a　half…starved　vagabond；　I　smell　roast　meat　in　it。〃

〃Pig；　roast　pig！〃　said　another。　〃Ah；　the　dainty　little　porker。　My　mouth　waters　for　him。〃

〃Let　us　make　haste；〃　cried　the　others；　〃or　we　shall　be　too　late　for　the　good　cheer！　〃

But　scarcely　had　they　made　half　a　dozen　steps　from　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　when　a　bird　came　fluttering　to　meet　them。　It　was　the　same　pretty　little　bird；　with　the　purple　wings　and　body；　the　yellow　legs；　the　golden　collar　round　its　neck；　and　the　crown…like　tuft　upon　its　head；　whose　behavior　had　so　much　surprised　Ulysses。　It　hovered　about　Eurylochus；　and　almost　brushed　his　face　with　its　wings。

〃Peep；　peep；　peweep！〃　chirped　the　bird。

So　plaintively　intelligent　was　the　sound；　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　little　creature　were　going　to　break　its　heart　with　some　mighty　secret　that　it　had　to　tell；　and　only　this　one　poor　note　to　tell　it　with。

〃My　pretty　bird；〃　said　Eurylochusfor　he　was　a　wary　person；　and　let　no　token　of　harm　escape　his　notice〃my　pretty　bird；　who　sent　you　hither？　And　what　is　the　message　which　you　bring？〃

〃Peep；　peep；　peweep！　〃　replied　the　bird；　very　sorrowfully。

Then　it　flew　towards　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　and　looked　around　at　them；　as　if　exceedingly　anxious　that　they　should　return　whence　they　came。　Eurylochus　and　a　few　of　the　others　were　inclined　to　turn　back。　They　could　not　help　suspecting　that　the　purple　bird　must　be　aware　of　something　mischievous　that　would　befall　them　at　the　palace；　and　the　knowledge　of　which　affected　its　airy　spirit　with　a　human　sympathy　and　sorrow。　But　the　rest　of　the　voyagers；　snuffing　up　the　smoke　from　the　palace　kitchen；　ridiculed　the　idea　of　returning　to　the　vessel。　One　of　them　（more　brutal　than　his　fellows；　and　the　most　notorious　gormandizer　in　the　crew）　said　such　a　cruel　and　wicked　thing；　that　I　wonder　the　mere　thought　did　not　turn　him　into　a　wild　beast；　in　shape；　as　he　already　was　in　his　nature。

〃This　troublesome　and　impertinent　little　fowl；〃　said　he；　〃would　make　a　delicate　titbit　to　begin　dinner　with。　Just　one　plump　morsel；　melting　away　between　the　teeth。　If　he　comes　within　my　reach；　I'll　catch　him；　and　give　him　to　the　palace　cook　to　be　roasted　on　a　skewer。〃

The　words　were　hardly　out　of　his　mouth；　before　the　purple　bird　flew　away；　crying；　〃Peep；　peep；　peweep；〃　more　dolorously　than　ever。

〃That　bird；〃　remarked　Eurylochus；　〃knows　more　than　we　do　about　what　awaits　us　at　the　palace。〃

〃Come　on；　then；〃　cried　his　comrades；　〃and　we'll　soon　know　as　much　as　he　does。〃

The　party；　accordingly；　went　onward　through　the　green　and　pleasant　wood。　Every　little　while　they　caught　new　glimpses　of　the　marble　palace；　which　looked　more　and　more　beautiful　the　nearer　they　approached　it。　They　soon　entered　a　broad　pathway；　which　seemed　to　be　very　neatly　kept；　and　which　went　winding　along；　with　streaks　of　sunshine　falling　across　it　and　specks　of　light　quivering　among　the　deepest　shadows　that　fell　from　the　lofty　trees。　It　was　bordered；　too；　with　a　great　many　sweet…smelling　flowers；　such　as　the　mariners　had　never　seen　before。　So　rich　and　beautiful　they　were；　that；　if　the　shrubs　grew　wild　here；　and　were　native　in　the　soil；　then　this　island　was　surely　the　flower　garden　of　the　whole　earth；　or；　if　transplanted　from　some　other　clime；　it　must　have　been　from　the　Happy　Islands　that　lay　towards　the　golden　sunset。

〃There　has　been　a　great　deal　of　pains　foolishly　wasted　on　these　flowers；〃　observed　one　of　the　company；　and　I　tell　you　what　he　said；　that　you　may　keep　in　mind　what　gormandizers　they　were。　〃For　my　part；　if　I　were　the　owner　of　the　palace；　I　would　bid　my　gardener　cultivate　nothing　but　savory　pot　herbs　to　make　a　stuffing　for　roast　meat；　or　to　flavor　a　stew　with。〃

〃　Well　said！〃　cried　the　others。　〃But　I'll　warrant　you　there's　a　kitchen　garden　in　the　rear　of　the　palace。〃

At　one　place　they　came　to　a　crystal　spring；　and　paused　to　drink　at　it　for　want　of　liquor　which　they　liked　better。　Looking　into　its　bosom；　they　beheld　their　own　faces　dimly　reflected；　but　so　extravagantly　distorted　by　the　gush　and　motion　of　the　water；　that　each　one　of　them　appeared　to　be　laughing　at　himself　and　all　his　companions。　So　ridiculous　were　these　images　of　themselves；　indeed；　that　they　did　really　laugh　aloud；　and　could　hardly　be　grave　again　as　soon　as　they　wished。　And　after　they　had　drank；　they　grew　still　merrier　than　before。

〃It　has　a　twang　of　the　wine　cask　in　it；〃　said　one；　smacking　his　lips。

〃Make　haste！〃　cried　his　fellows：　〃we'll　find　the　wine　cask　itself　at　the　palace；　and　that　will　be　better　th