tanglewood tales-第21节

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〃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　than　a　hundred　crystal　fountains。〃

Then　they　quickened　their　pace；　and　capered　for　joy　at　the　thought　of　the　savory　banquet　at　which　they　hoped　to　be　guests。　But　Eurylochus　told　them　that　he　felt　as　if　he　were　walking　in　a　dream。

〃If　I　am　really　awake；〃　continued　he；　〃then；　in　my　opinion；　we　are　on　the　point　of　meeting　with　some　stranger　adventure　than　any　that　befell　us　in　the　cave　of　Polyphemus；　or　among　the　gigantic　man…eating　Laestrygons；　or　in　the　windy　palace　of　King　Aeolus；　which　stands　on　a　brazen…walled　island。　This　kind　of　dreamy　feeling　always　comes　over　me　before　any　wonderful　occurrence。　If　you　take　my　advice；　you　will　turn　back。〃

〃No；　no；〃　answered　his　comrades；　snuffing　the　air；　in　which　the　scent　from　the　palace　kitchen　was　now　very　perceptible。　〃We　would　not　turn　back；　though　we　were　certain　that　the　king　of　the　Laestrygons；　as　big　as　a　mountain；　would　sit　at　the　head　of　the　table；　and　huge　Polyphemus；　the　one…eyed　Cyclops；　at　its　foot。〃

At　length　they　came　within　full　sight　of　the　palace；　which　proved　to　be　very　large　and　lofty；　with　a　great　number　of　airy　pinnacles　upon　its　roof。　Though　it　was　midday；　and　the　sun　shone　brightly　over　the　marble　front；　yet　its　snowy　whiteness；　and　its　fantastic　style　of　architecture；　made　it　look　unreal；　like　the　frost　work　on　a　window　pane；　or　like　the　shapes　of　castles　which　one　sees　among　the　clouds　by　moonlight。　But；　just　then；　a　puff　of　wind　brought　down　the　smoke　of　the　kitchen　chimney　among　them；　and　caused　each　man　to　smell　the　odor　of　the　dish　that　he　liked　best；　and；　after　scenting　it；　they　thought　everything　else　moonshine；　and　nothing　real　save　this　palace；　and　save　the　banquet　that　was　evidently　ready　to　be　served　up　in　it。

So　they　hastened　their　steps　towards　the　portal；　but　had　not　got　half　way　across　the　wide　lawn；　when　a　pack　of　lions；　tigers；　and　wolves　came　bounding　to　meet　them。　The　terrified　mariners　started　back；　expecting　no　better　fate　than　to　be　torn　to　pieces　and　devoured。　To　their　surprise　and　joy；　however；　these　wild　beasts　merely　capered　around　them；　wagging　their　tails；　offering　their　heads　to　be　stroked　and　patted；　and　behaving　just　like　so　many　well…bred　house　dogs；　when　they　wish　to　express　their　delight　at　meeting　their　master；　or　their　master's　friends。　The　biggest　lion　licked　the　feet　of　Eurylochus；　and　every　other　lion；　and　every　wolf　and　tiger；　singled　out　one　of　his　two　and　twenty　followers；　whom　the　beast　fondled　as　if　he　loved　him　better　than　a　beef　bone。

But；　for　all　that；　Eurylochus　imagined　that　he　saw　something　fierce　and　savage　in　their　eyes；　nor　would　he　have　been　surprised；　at　any　moment；　to　feel　the　big　lion's　terrible　claws；　or　to　see　each　of　the　tigers　make　a　deadly　spring；　or　each　wolf　leap　at　the　throat　of　the　man　whom　he　had　fondled。　Their　mildness　seemed　unreal；　and　a　mere　freak；　but　their　savage　nature　was　as　true　as　their　teeth　and　claws。

Nevertheless；　the　men　went　safely　across　the　lawn　with　the　wild　beasts　frisking　about　them；　and　doing　no　manner　of　harm；　although；　as　they　mounted　the　steps　of　the　palace；　you　might　possibly　have　heard　a　low　growl；　particularly　from　the　wolves；　as　if　they　thought　it　a　pity；　after　all；　to　let　the　strangers　pass　without　so　much　as　tasting　what　they　were　made　of。

Eurylochus　and　his　followers　now　passed　under　a　lofty　portal；　and　looked　through　the　open　doorway　into　the　interior　of　the　palace。　The　first　thing　that　they　saw　was　a　spacious　hall；　and　a　fountain　in　the　middle　of　it；　gushing　up　towards　the　ceiling　out　of　a　marble　basin；　and　falling　back　into　it　with　a　continual　plash。　The　water　of　this　fountain；　as　it　spouted　upward；　was　constantly　taking　new　shapes；　not　very　distinctly；　but　plainly　enough　for　a　nimble　fancy　to　recognize　what　they　were。　Now　it　was　the　shape　of　a　man　in　a　long　robe；　the　fleecy　whiteness　of　which　was　made　out　of　the　fountain's　spray；　now　it　was　a　lion；　or　a　tiger；　or　a　wolf；　or　an　ass；　or；　as　often　as　anything　else；　a　hog；　wallowing　in　the　marble　basin　as　if　it　were　his　sty。　It　was　either　magic　or　some　very　curious　machinery　that　caused　the　gushing　waterspout　to　assume　all　these　forms。　But；　before　the　strangers　had　time　to　look　closely　at　this　wonderful　sight；　their　attention　was　drawn　off　by　a　very　sweet　and　agreeable　sound。　A　woman's　voice　was　singing　melodiously　in　another　room　of　the　palace；　and　with　her　voice　was　mingled　the　noise　of　a　loom；　at　which　she　was　probably　seated；　weaving　a　rich　texture　of　cloth；　and　intertwining　the　high　and　low　sweetness　of　her　voice　into　a　rich　tissue　of　harmony。

By　and　by；　the　song　came　to　an　end；　and　then；　all　at　once；　there　were　several　feminine　voices；　talking　airily　and　cheerfully；　with　now　and　then　a　merry　burst　of　laughter；　such　as　you　may　always　hear　when　three　or　four　young　women　sit　at　work　together。

〃What　a　sweet　song　that　was！〃　exclaimed　one　of　the　voyagers。

〃Too　sweet；　indeed；〃　answered　Eurylochus；　shaking　his　head。　〃Yet　it　was　not　so　sweet　as　the　song　of　the　Sirens；　those　bird…like　damsels　who　wanted　to　tempt　us　on　the　rocks；　so　that　our　vessel　might　be　wrecked；　and　our　bones　left　whitening　along　the　shore。〃

〃But　just　listen　to　the　pleasant　voices　of　those　maidens；　and　that　buzz　of　the　loom；　as　the　shuttle　passes　to　and　fro；〃　said　another　comrade。　〃What　a　domestic；　household；　home…like　sound　it　is！　Ah；　before　that　weary　siege　of　Troy；　I　used　to　hear　the　buzzing　loom　and　the　women's　voices　under　my　own　roof。　Shall　I　never　hear　them　again？　nor　taste　those　nice　little　savory　dishes　which　my　dearest　wife　knew　how　to　serve　up？〃

〃Tush！　we　shall　fare　better　here；〃　said　another。　〃But　how　innocently　those　women　are　babbling　together；　without　guessing　that　we　overhear　them！　And　mark　that　richest　voice　of　all；　so　pleasant　and　so　familiar；　but　which　yet　seems　to　have　the　authority　of　a　mistress　among　them。　Let　us　show　ourselves　at　once。　What　harm　can　the　lady　of　the　palace　and　her　maidens　do　to　mariners　and　warriors　like　us？〃

〃Remember；〃　said　Eurylochus；　〃that　it　was　a　young　maiden　who　beguiled　three　of　our　friends　into　the　palace　of　the　king　of　the　Laestrygons；　who　ate　up　one　of　them　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye。〃

No　warning　or　persuasion；　however；　had　any　effect　on　his　companions。　They　went　up　to　a　pair　of　folding　doors　at　the　farther　end　of　the　hall；　and　throwing　them　wide　open；　passed　into　the　next　room。　Eurylochus；　meanwhile；　had　stepped　behind　a　pillar。　In　the　short　moment　while　the　folding　doors　opened　and　closed　again；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　very　beautiful　woman　rising　from　the　loom；　and　coming　to　meet　the　poor　weather…beaten　wanderers；　with　a　hospitable　smile；　and　her　hand　stretched　out　in　welcome。　There　were　four　other　young　women；　who　joined　their　hands　and　danced　merrily　forward；　making　gestures　of　obeisance　to　the　strangers。　They　were　only　less　beautiful　than　the　lady　who　seemed　to　be　their　mistress。　Yet　Eurylochus　fancied　that　one　of　them　had　sea…green　hair；　and　that　the　close…fitting　bodice　of　a　second　looked　like　the　bark　of　a　tree；　and　that　both　the　others　had　something　odd　in　their　aspect；　although　he　could　not　quite　determine　what　it　was；　in　the　little　while　that　he　had　to　examine　them。

The　folding　doors　swung　quickly　back；　and　left　him　standing　behind　the　pillar；　in　the　solitude　of　the　outer　hall。　There　Eurylochus　waited　until　he　was　quite　weary；　and　listened　eagerly　to　every　sound；　but　without　hearing　anything　that　could　help　him　to　guess　what　had　become　of　his　friends。　Footsteps；　it　is　true；　seemed　to　be　passing　and　repassing；　in　other　parts　of　the　palace。　Then　there　was　a　clatter　of　silver　dishes；　or　golden　ones；　which　made　him　imagine　a　rich　feast　in　a　splendid　banqueting　hall。　But　by　and　by　he　heard　a　tremendous　grunting　and　squealing；　and　then　a　sudden　scampering；　like　that　of　small；　hard　hoofs　over　a　marble　floor；　while　the　voices　of　the　mistress　and　her　four　handmaidens　were　screaming　all　together；　in　tones　of　anger　and　derision。　Eurylochus　could　not　conceive　what　had　happened；　unless　a　drove　of　swine　had　broken　into　the　palace；　attracted　by　the　smell　of　the　feast。　Chancing　to　cast　his　eyes　at　the　fountain；　he　saw　that　it　did　not　shift　its　shape；　as　formerly；　nor　looked　either　like　a　long…robed　man；　or　a　lion；　a　tiger；　a　wolf；　or　an　ass。　It　looked　like　nothing　but　a　hog；　which　lay　wallowing　in　the　marble　basin；　and　filled　it　from　brim　to　brim。

But　we　must　leave　the　prudent　Eurylochus　waiting　in　the　outer　hall；　and　follow　his　friends　into　the　inner　secrecy　of　the　palace。　As　soon　as　the　beautiful　woman　saw　them；　she　arose　from　the　loom；　as　I　have　told　you；　and　came　forward；　smiling；　and　stretching　out　her　hand。　She　took　the　hand　of　the　foremost　among　them；　and　bade　him　and　the　whole　party　welcome。

〃You　have　been　long　expected；　my　good　friends；〃　said　she。　〃I　and　my　maidens　are　well　acquainted　with　you；　although　you　do　not　appear　to　recognize　us。　Look　at　this　piece　of　tapestry；　and　judge　if　your　faces　must　not　have　been　familiar　to　us。〃

So　the　voyagers　examined　the　web　of　cloth　which　the　beautiful　woman　had　been　weaving　in　her　loom；　and；　to　their　vast　astonishment；　they　saw　their　own