tanglewood tales-第33节

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r　is　not　here　to　carry　him　safely　across　on　his　back！〃

Jason　looked　round　greatly　surprised；　for　he　did　not　know　that　anybody　was　near。　But　beside　him　stood　an　old　woman；　with　a　ragged　mantle　over　her　head；　leaning　on　a　staff；　the　top　of　which　was　carved　into　the　shape　of　a　cuckoo。　She　looked　very　aged；　and　wrinkled；　and　infirm；　and　yet　her　eyes；　which　were　as　brown　as　those　of　an　ox；　were　so　extremely　large　and　beautiful；　that；　when　they　were　fixed　on　Jason's　eyes；　he　could　see　nothing　else　but　them。　The　old　woman　had　a　pomegranate　in　her　hand；　although　the　fruit　was　then　quite　out　of　season。

〃Whither　are　you　going；　Jason？〃　she　now　asked。

She　seemed　to　know　his　name；　you　will　observe；　and；　indeed；　those　great　brown　eyes　looked　as　if　they　had　a　knowledge　of　everything；　whether　past　or　to　come。　While　Jason　was　gazing　at　her；　a　peacock　strutted　forward；　and　took　his　stand　at　the　old　woman's　side。

〃I　am　going　to　Iolchos；〃　answered　the　young　man；　〃to　bid　the　wicked　King　Pelias　come　down　from　my　father's　throne；　and　let　me　reign　in　his　stead。〃

〃Ah；　well；　then；〃　said　the　old　woman；　still　with　the　same　cracked　voice；　〃if　that　is　all　your　business；　you　need　not　be　in　a　very　great　hurry。　Just　take　me　on　your　back；　there's　a　good　youth；　and　carry　me　across　the　river。　I　and　my　peacock　have　something　to　do　on　the　other　side；　as　well　as　yourself。〃

〃Good　mother；〃　replied　Jason；　〃your　business　can　hardly　be　so　important　as　the　pulling　down　a　king　from　his　throne。　Besides；　as　you　may　see　for　yourself；　the　river　is　very　boisterous；　and　if　I　should　chance　to　stumble；　it　would　sweep　both　of　us　away　more　easily　than　it　has　carried　off　yonder　uprooted　tree。　I　would　gladly　help　you　if　I　could；　but　I　doubt　whether　I　am　strong　enough　to　carry　you　across。〃

〃Then；〃　said　she；　very　scornfully；　〃neither　are　you　strong　enough　to　pull　King　Pelias　off　his　throne。　And；　Jason；　unless　you　will　help　an　old　woman　at　her　need；　you　ought　not　to　be　a　king。　What　are　kings　made　for；　save　to　succor　the　feeble　and　distressed？　But　do　as　you　please。　Either　take　me　on　your　back；　or　with　my　poor　old　limbs　I　shall　try　my　best　to　struggle　across　the　stream。〃

Saying　this；　the　old　woman　poked　with　her　staff　in　the　river；　as　if　to　find　the　safest　place　in　its　rocky　bed　where　she　might　make　the　first　step。　But　Jason；　by　this　time；　had　grown　ashamed　of　his　reluctance　to　help　her。　He　felt　that　he　could　never　forgive　himself；　if　this　poor　feeble　creature　should　come　to　any　harm　in　attempting　to　wrestle　against　the　headlong　current。　The　good　Chiron；　whether　half　horse　or　no；　had　taught　him　that　the　noblest　use　of　his　strength　was　to　assist　the　weak；　and　also　that　he　must　treat　every　young　woman　as　if　she　were　his　sister；　and　every　old　one　like　a　mother。　Remembering　these　maxims；　the　vigorous　and　beautiful　young　man　knelt　down；　and　requested　the　good　dame　to　mount　upon　his　back。

〃The　passage　seems　to　me　not　very　safe；〃　he　remarked。　〃But　as　your　business　is　so　urgent；　I　will　try　to　carry　you　across。　If　the　river　sweeps　you　away；　it　shall　take　me　too。〃

〃That；　no　doubt；　will　be　a　great　comfort　to　both　of　us；〃　quoth　the　old　woman。　〃But　never　fear。　We　shall　get　safely　across。〃

So　she　threw　her　arms　around　Jason's　neck；　and　lifting　her　from　the　ground；　he　stepped　boldly　into　the　raging　and　foaming　current；　and　began　to　stagger　away　from　the　shore。　As　for　the　peacock；　it　alighted　on　the　old　dame's　shoulder。　Jason's　two　spears；　one　in　each　hand；　kept　him　from　stumbling；　and　enabled　him　to　feel　his　way　among　the　hidden　rocks；　although　every　instant；　he　expected　that　his　companion　and　himself　would　go　down　the　stream；　together　with　the　driftwood　of　shattered　trees；　and　the　carcasses　of　the　sheep　and　cow。　Down　came　the　cold；　snowy　torrent　from　the　steep　side　of　Olympus；　raging　and　thundering　as　if　it　had　a　real　spite　against　Jason；　or；　at　all　events；　were　determined　to　snatch　off　his　living　burden　from　his　shoulders。　When　he　was　half　way　across；　the　uprooted　tree　（which　I　have　already　told　you　about）　broke　loose　from　among　the　rocks；　and　bore　down　upon　him；　with　all　its　splintered　branches　sticking　out　like　the　hundred　arms　of　the　giant　Briareus。　It　rushed　past；　however；　without　touching　him。　But　the　next　moment　his　foot　was　caught　in　a　crevice　between　two　rocks；　and　stuck　there　so　fast；　that；　in　the　effort　to　get　free；　he　lost　one　of　his　golden…stringed　sandals。

At　this　accident　Jason　could　not　help　uttering　a　cry　of　vexation。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Jason？〃　asked　the　old　woman。

〃Matter　enough；〃　said　the　young　man。　〃I　have　lost　a　sandal　here　among　the　rocks。　And　what　sort　of　a　figure　shall　I　cut；　at　the　court　of　King　Pelias；　with　a　golden…stringed　sandal　on　one　foot；　and　the　other　foot　bare！〃

〃Do　not　take　it　to　heart；〃　answered　his　companion　cheerily。　〃You　never　met　with　better　fortune　than　in　losing　that　sandal。　It　satisfies　me　that　you　are　the　very　person　whom　the　Speaking　Oak　has　been　talking　about。〃

There　was　no　time；　just　then；　to　inquire　what　the　Speaking　Oak　had　said。　But　the　briskness　of　her　tone　encouraged　the　young　man；　and；　besides；　he　had　never　in　his　life　felt　so　vigorous　and　mighty　as　since　taking　this　old　woman　on　his　back。　Instead　of　being　exhausted；　he　gathered　strength　as　he　went　on；　and；　struggling　up　against　the　torrent；　he　at　last　gained　the　opposite　shore；　clambered　up　the　bank；　and　set　down　the　old　dame　and　her　peacock　safely　on　the　grass。　As　soon　as　this　was　done；　however；　he　could　not　help　looking　rather　despondently　at　his　bare　foot；　with　only　a　remnant　of　the　golden　string　of　the　sandal　clinging　round　his　ankle。

〃You　will　get　a　handsomer　pair　of　sandals　by　and　by；〃　said　the　old　woman；　with　a　kindly　look　out　of　her　beautiful　brown　eyes。　〃Only　let　King　Pelias　get　a　glimpse　of　that　bare　foot；　and　you　shall　see　him　turn　as　pale　as　ashes；　I　promise　you。　There　is　your　path。　Go　along；　my　good　Jason；　and　my　blessing　go　with　you。　And　when　you　sit　on　your　throne　remember　the　old　woman　whom　you　helped　over　the　river。〃

With　these　words；　she　hobbled　away；　giving　him　a　smile　over　her　shoulder　as　she　departed。

Whether　the　light　of　her　beautiful　brown　eyes　threw　a　glory　round　about　her；　or　whatever　the　cause　might　be；　Jason　fancied　that　there　was　something　very　noble　and　majestic　in　her　figure；　after　all；　and　that；　though　her　gait　seemed　to　be　a　rheumatic　hobble；　yet　she　moved　with　as　much　grace　and　dignity　as　any　queen　on　earth。　Her　peacock；　which　had　now　fluttered　down　from　her　shoulder；　strutted　behind　her　in　a　prodigious　pomp；　and　spread　out　its　magnificent　tail　on　purpose　for　Jason　to　admire　it。

When　the　old　dame　and　her　peacock　were　out　of　sight；　Jason　set　forward　on　his　journey。　After　traveling　a　pretty　long　distance；　he　came　to　a　town　situated　at　the　foot　of　a　mountain；　and　not　a　great　way　from　the　shore　of　the　sea。　On　the　outside　of　the　town　there　was　an　immense　crowd　of　people；　not　only　men　and　women；　but　children　too；　all　in　their　best　clothes；　and　evidently　enjoying　a　holiday。　The　crowd　was　thickest　towards　the　sea…shore；　and　in　that　direction；　over　the　people's　heads；　Jason　saw　a　wreath　of　smoke　curling　upward　to　the　blue　sky。　He　inquired　of　one　of　the　multitude　what　town　it　was　near　by；　and　why　so　many　persons　were　here　assembled　together。

〃This　is　the　kingdom　of　Iolchos；〃　answered　the　man；　〃and　we　are　the　subjects　of　King　Pelias。　Our　monarch　has　　summoned　us　together；　that　we　may　see　him　sacrifice　a　black　bull　to　Neptune；　who；　they　say；　is　his　majesty's　father。　Yonder　is　the　king；　where　you　see　the　smoke　going　up　from　the　altar。〃

While　the　man　spoke　he　eyed　Jason　with　great　curiosity；　for　his　garb　was　quite　unlike　that　of　the　Iolchians；　and　it　looked　very　odd　to　see　a　youth　with　a　leopard's　skin　over　his　shoulders；　and　each　hand　grasping　a　spear。　Jason　perceived；　too；　that　the　man　stared　particularly　at　his　feet；　one　of　which；　you　remember；　was　bare；　while　the　other　was　decorated　with　his　father's　golden…stringed　sandal。

〃Look　at　him！　only　look　at　him！〃　said　the　man　to　his　next　neighbor。　〃Do　you　see？　He　wears　but　one　sandal！〃

Upon　this；　first　one　person；　and　then　another；　began　to　stare　at　Jason；　and　everybody　seemed　to　be　greatly　struck　with　something　in　his　aspect；　though　they　turned　their　eyes　much　oftener　towards　his　feet　than　to　any　other　part　of　his　figure。　Besides；　he　could　hear　them　whispering　to　one　another。

〃One　sandal！　One　sandal！〃　they　kept　saying。　〃The　man　with　one　sandal！　Here　he　is　at　last！　Whence　has　he　come？　What　does　he　mean　to　do？　What　will　the　king　say　to　the　one…sandaled　man？〃

Poor　Jason　was　greatly　abashed；　and　made　up　his　mind　that　the　people　of　Iolchos　were　exceedingly　ill…bred；　to　take　such　public　notice　of　an　accidental　deficiency　in　his　dress。　Meanwhile；　whether　it　were　that　they　hustled　him　forward；　or　that　Jason；　of　his　own　accord；　thrust　a　passage　through　the　crowd；　it　so　happened　that　he　soon　found　himself　close　to　the　smoking　altar；　where　King　Pelias　was　sacrificing　the　black　bull。　The　murmur　and　hum　of　the　multitude；　in　their　surprise　at　the　spectacle　of　Jason　with　his　one　bare　foot；　grew　so　loud　that　it　disturbed　the　ceremonies；　and　the　king；　holding　the　great　knife　with　which　he　was　just　going　to　cut　the　bull's　throat；　turned　angrily　about；　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　Jason。　The