tanglewood tales-第5节

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　an　affair　that　made　all　his　foregone　adventures　seem　like　mere　boy's　play。　The　occasion　of　it　was　as　follows：

One　morning；　when　Prince　Theseus　awoke；　he　fancied　that　he　must　have　had　a　very　sorrowful　dream；　and　that　it　was　still　running　in　his　mind；　even　now　that　his　eyes　were　opened。　For　it　appeared　as　if　the　air　was　full　of　a　melancholy　wail；　and　when　he　listened　more　attentively；　he　could　hear　sobs；　and　groans；　and　screams　of　woe；　mingled　with　deep；　quiet　sighs；　which　came　from　the　king's　palace；　and　from　the　streets；　and　from　the　temples；　and　from　every　habitation　in　the　city。　And　all　these　mournful　noises；　issuing　out　of　thousands　of　separate　hearts；　united　themselves　into　one　great　sound　of　affliction；　which　had　startled　Theseus　from　slumber。　He　put　on　his　clothes　as　quickly　as　he　could　（not　forgetting　his　sandals　and　gold…hilted　sword）；　and；　hastening　to　the　king；　inquired　what　it　all　meant。

〃Alas！　my　son；〃　quoth　King　Aegeus；　heaving　a　long　sigh；　〃here　is　a　very　lamentable　matter　in　hand！　This　is　the　wofulest　anniversary　in　the　whole　year。　It　is　the　day　when　we　annually　draw　lots　to　see　which　of　the　youths　and　maids　of　Athens　shall　go　to　be　devoured　by　the　horrible　Minotaur！〃

〃The　Minotaur！〃　exclaimed　Prince　Theseus；　and　like　a　brave　young　prince　as　he　was；　he　put　his　hand　to　the　hilt　of　his　sword。　〃What　kind　of　a　monster　may　that　be？　Is　it　not　possible；　at　the　risk　of　one's　life；　to　slay　him？〃

But　King　Aegeus　shook　his　venerable　head；　and　to　convince　Theseus　that　it　was　quite　a　hopeless　case；　he　gave　him　an　explanation　of　the　whole　affair。　It　seems　that　in　the　island　of　Crete　there　lived　a　certain　dreadful　monster；　called　a　Minotaur；　which　was　shaped　partly　like　a　man　and　partly　like　a　bull；　and　was　altogether　such　a　hideous　sort　of　a　creature　that　it　is　really　disagreeable　to　think　of　him。　If　he　were　suffered　to　exist　at　all；　it　should　have　been　on　some　desert　island；　or　in　the　duskiness　of　some　deep　cavern；　where　nobody　would　ever　be　tormented　by　his　abominable　aspect。　But　King　Minos；　who　reigned　over　Crete；　laid　out　a　vast　deal　of　money　in　building　a　habitation　for　the　Minotaur；　and　took　great　care　of　his　health　and　comfort；　merely　for　mischief's　sake。　A　few　years　before　this　time；　there　had　been　a　war　between　the　city　of　Athens　and　the　island　of　Crete；　in　which　the　Athenians　were　beaten；　and　compelled　to　beg　for　peace。　No　peace　could　they　obtain；　however；　except　on　condition　that　they　should　send　seven　young　men　and　seven　maidens；　every　year；　to　be　devoured　by　the　pet　monster　of　the　cruel　King　Minos。　For　three　years　past；　this　grievous　calamity　had　been　borne。　And　the　sobs；　and　groans；　and　shrieks；　with　which　the　city　was　now　filled；　were　caused　by　the　people's　woe；　because　the　fatal　day　had　come　again；　when　the　fourteen　victims　were　to　be　chosen　by　lot；　and　the　old　people　feared　lest　their　sons　or　daughters　might　be　taken；　and　the　youths　and　damsels　dreaded　lest　they　themselves　might　be　destined　to　glut　the　ravenous　maw　of　that　detestable　man…brute。

But　when　Theseus　heard　the　story；　he　straightened　himself　up；　so　that　he　seemed　taller　than　ever　before；　and　as　for　his　face　it　was　indignant；　despiteful；　bold；　tender；　and　compassionate；　all　in　one　look。

〃Let　the　people　of　Athens　this　year　draw　lots　for　only　six　young　men；　instead　of　seven；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　myself　be　the　seventh；　and　let　the　Minotaur　devour　me　if　he　can！〃

〃O　my　dear　son；〃　cried　King　Aegeus；　〃why　should　you　expose　yourself　to　this　horrible　fate？　You　are　a　royal　prince；　and　have　a　right　to　hold　yourself　above　the　destinies　of　common　men。〃

〃It　is　because　I　am　a　prince；　your　son；　and　the　rightful　heir　of　your　kingdom；　that　I　freely　take　upon　me　the　calamity　of　your　subjects；〃　answered　Theseus；　〃　And　you；　my　father；　being　king　over　these　people；　and　answerable　to　Heaven　for　their　welfare；　are　bound　to　sacrifice　what　is　dearest　to　you；　rather　than　that　the　son　or　daughter　of　the　poorest　citizen　should　come　to　any　harm。〃

The　old　king　shed　tears；　and　besought　Theseus　not　to　leave　him　desolate　in　his　old　age；　more　especially　as　he　had　but　just　begun　to　know　the　happiness　of　possessing　a　good　and　valiant　son。　Theseus；　however；　felt　that　he　was　in　the　right；　and　therefore　would　not　give　up　his　resolution。　But　he　assured　his　father　that　he　did　not　intend　to　be　eaten　up；　unresistingly；　like　a　sheep；　and　that；　if　the　Minotaur　devoured　him；　it　should　not　be　without　a　battle　for　his　dinner。　And　finally；　since　he　could　not　help　it；　King　Aegeus　consented　to　let　him　go。　So　a　vessel　was　got　ready；　and　rigged　with　black　sails；　and　Theseus；　with　six　other　young　men；　and　seven　tender　and　beautiful　damsels；　came　down　to　the　harbor　to　embark。　A　sorrowful　multitude　accompanied　them　to　the　shore。　There　was　the　poor　old　king；　too；　leaning　on　his　son's　arm；　and　looking　as　if　his　single　heart　held　all　the　grief　of　Athens。

Just　as　Prince　Theseus　was　going　on　board；　his　father　bethought　himself　of　one　last　word　to　say。

〃My　beloved　son；〃　said　he；　grasping　the　Prince's　hand；　〃you　observe　that　the　sails　of　this　vessel　are　black；　as　indeed　they　ought　to　be；　since　it　goes　upon　a　voyage　of　sorrow　and　despair。　Now；　being　weighed　down　with　infirmities；　I　know　not　whether　I　can　survive　till　the　vessel　shall　return。　But；　as　long　as　I　do　live；　I　shall　creep　daily　to　the　top　of　yonder　cliff；　to　watch　if　there　be　a　sail　upon　the　sea。　And；　dearest　Theseus；　if　by　some　happy　chance；　you　should　escape　the　jaws　of　the　Minotaur；　then　tear　down　those　dismal　sails；　and　hoist　others　that　shall　be　bright　as　the　sunshine。　Beholding　them　on　the　horizon；　myself　and　all　the　people　will　know　that　you　are　coming　back　victorious；　and　will　welcome　you　with　such　a　festal　uproar　as　Athens　never　heard　before。〃

Theseus　promised　that　he　would　do　so。　Then　going　on　board；　the　mariners　trimmed　the　vessel's　black　sails　to　the　wind；　which　blew　faintly　off　the　shore；　being　pretty　much　made　up　of　the　sighs　that　everybody　kept　pouring　forth　on　this　melancholy　occasion。　But　by　and　by；　when　they　had　got　fairly　out　to　sea；　there　came　a　stiff　breeze　from　the　north…west；　and　drove　them　along　as　merrily　over　the　white…capped　waves　as　if　they　had　been　going　on　the　most　delightful　errand　imaginable。　And　though　it　was　a　sad　business　enough；　I　rather　question　whether　fourteen　young　people；　without　any　old　persons　to　keep　them　in　order；　could　continue　to　spend　the　whole　time　of　the　voyage　in　being　miserable。　There　had　been　some　few　dances　upon　the　undulating　deck；　I　suspect；　and　some　hearty　bursts　of　laughter；　and　other　such　unseasonable　merriment　among　the　victims；　before　the　high　blue　mountains　of　Crete　began　to　show　themselves　among　the　far…off　clouds。　That　sight；　to　be　sure；　made　them　all　very　grave　again。

Theseus　stood　among　the　sailors；　gazing　eagerly　towards　the　land；　although；　as　yet；　it　seemed　hardly　more　substantial　than　the　clouds；　amidst　which　the　mountains　were　looming　up。　Once　or　twice；　he　fancied　that　he　saw　a　glare　of　some　bright　object；　a　long　way　off；　flinging　a　gleam　across　the　waves。

〃Did　you　see　that　flash　of　light？〃　he　inquired　of　the　master　of　the　vessel。

〃No；　prince；　but　I　have　seen　it　before；〃　answered　the　master。　〃It　came　from　Talus；　I　suppose。〃

As　the　breeze　came　fresher　just　then；　the　master　was　busy　with　trimming　his　sails；　and　had　no　more　time　to　answer　questions。　But　while　the　vessel　flew　faster　and　faster　towards　Crete；　Theseus　was　astonished　to　behold　a　human　figure；　gigantic　in　size；　which　appeared　to　be　striding；　with　a　measured　movement；　along　the　margin　of　the　island。　It　stepped　from　cliff　to　cliff；　and　sometimes　from　one　headland　to　another；　while　the　sea　foamed　and　thundered　on　the　shore　beneath；　and　dashed　its　jets　of　spray　over　the　giant's　feet。　What　was　still　more　remarkable；　whenever　the　sun　shone　on　this　huge　figure；　it　flickered　and　glimmered；　its　vast　countenance；　too；　had　a　metallic　lustre；　and　threw　great　flashes　of　splendor　through　the　air。　The　folds　of　its　garments；　moreover；　instead　of　waving　in　the　wind；　fell　heavily　over　its　limbs；　as　if　woven　of　some　kind　of　metal。

The　nigher　the　vessel　came；　the　more　Theseus　wondered　what　this　immense　giant　could　be；　and　whether　it　actually　had　life　or　no。　For；　though　it　walked；　and　made　other　lifelike　motions；　there　yet　was　a　kind　of　jerk　in　its　gait；　which；　together　with　its　brazen　aspect；　caused　the　young　prince　to　suspect　that　it　was　no　true　giant；　but　only　a　wonderful　piece　of　machinery。　The　figure　looked　all　the　more　terrible　because　it　carried　an　enormous　brass　club　on　its　shoulder。

〃What　is　this　wonder？〃　Theseus　asked　of　the　master　of　the　vessel；　who　was　now　at　leisure　to　answer　him。

〃It　is　Talus；　the　Man　of　Brass；〃　said　the　master。

〃And　is　he　a　live　giant；　or　a　brazen　image？〃　asked　Theseus。

〃That；　truly；〃　replied　the　master；　〃is　the　point　which　has　always　perplexed　me。　Some　say；　indeed；　that　this　Talus　was　hammered　out　for　King　Minos　by　Vulcan　himself；　the　skilfullest　of　all　workers　in　metal。　But　who　ever　saw　a　brazen　image　that　had　sense　enough　to　walk　round　an　island　three　times　a　day；　as　this　giant　walks　round　the　island　of　Crete；　challenging　every　vessel　that　comes　nigh　the　shore？　And；　on　the　other　hand；　what　living　thing；　unless　his　sinews　were　made　of　brass；　would　not　be　weary　of　ma