the path of the king-第21节

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nd　storm　blowing　from　the　east　had　flung　them　seaward；　and　for　weeks　they　were　out　of　sight　of　land；　steering　by　strange　stars。　They　had　their　magnets　and　astrolabes；　but　it　was　a　new　world　they　had　entered；　and　they　trusted　God　rather　than　their　wits。　At　last　they　turned　eastward。

〃What　distance　before　the　turn？〃　Philip　asked。

〃I　know　not。　We　were　far　from　land　and　no　man　can　measure　a　course　on　water。〃

〃Nay；　but　the　ancients　could；〃　Philip　cried；　and　he　explained　how　the　Romans　had　wheels　of　a　certain　diameter　fixed　to　their　ships'　sides　which　the　water　turned　in　its　passing；　and　which　flung　for　each　revolution　a　pebble　into　a　tally…box。〃

The　other's　eyes　widened。　〃A　master　device！　I　would　hear　more　of　it。　What　a　thing　it　is　to　have　learning。　We　had　only　the　hour…glass　and　guesswork。〃

Then　he　told　how　on　a　certain　day　the　crews　would　go　no　farther；　being　worn　out　by　storms；　for　in　those　seas　the　tides　were　like　cataracts　and　the　waves　were　mountains。　The　admiral；　Bartholomew　Diaz；　was　forced　to　put　about　with　a　heavy　heart；　for　he　believed　that　a　little　way　to　the　east　he　should　find　the　southern　cape　of　Africa。　He　steered　west　by　north；　looking　for　no　land　till　Guinea　was　sighted。　〃But　on　the　second　morning　we　saw　land　to　the　northward；　and　following　it　westward　came　to　a　mighty　cape　so　high　that　the　top　was　in　the　clouds。　There　was　such　a　gale　from　the　east　that　we　could　do　no　more　than　gaze　on　it　as　we　scudded　past。　Presently；　still　keeping　land　in　sight；　we　were　able　to　bend　north　again；　and　when　we　came　into　calm　waters　we　captains　went　aboard　the　admiral's　ship　and　knelt　and　gave　thanks　to　God　for　His　mercies。　For　we；　the　first　of　mortals；　had　rounded　the　butt　of　Africa　and　prepared　the　sea…road　to　the　Indies。〃

〃A　vision　maybe。〃

〃Nay；　it　was　no　vision。　I　returned　there　under　mild　skies；　when　it　was　no　longer　a　misty　rock；　but　a　green　mountain。　We　landed；　and　set　up　a　cross　and　ate　the　fruits　and　drank　the　water　of　the　land。　Likewise　we　changed　its　name　from　the　Cape　of　Storms；　as　Diaz　had　dubbed　it；　to　the　Bona　Esperanza；　for　indeed　it　seemed　to　us　the　hope　of　the　world。〃

〃And　beyond　it？〃

〃Beyond　it　we　found　a　pleasant　country；　and　would　doubtless　have　made　the　Indies；　if　our　ships　had　not　grown　foul　and　our　crews　mutinous　from　fear　of　the　unknown。　It　is　clear　to　me　that　we　must　establish　a　port　of　victualling　in　that　southern　Africa　before　we　can　sail　the　last　stage　to　Cathay。〃

The　man　spoke　modestly　and　simply　as　if　he　were　talking　of　a　little　journey　from　one　village　to　another。　Something　in　his　serious　calm　powerfully　caught　Philip's　fancy。　In　all　his　days　he　had　never　met　such　a　one。

〃I　have　not　your　name；　Signor；〃　he　said。

〃They　call　me　Battista　de　Cosca；　a　citizen　of　Genoa；　but　these　many　years　a　wanderer。　And　yours？〃

Philip　gave　it　and　the　stranger　bowed。　The　de　Lavals　were　known　as　a　great　house　far　beyond　the　confines　of　France。

〃You　contemplate　another　voyage？〃

The　brown　man　nodded。　〃I　am　here　on　the　quest　of　maps；　for　these　Venetians　are　the　princes　of　mapmaking。　Then　I　sail　again。〃

〃To　Cathay？〃

A　sudden　longing　had　taken　Philip。　It　was　as　if　a　bright　strange　world　had　been　spread　before　him　compared　with　which　the　old　was　tarnished　and　dingy。

Battista　shook　his　head。　〃Not　Cathay。　To　go　there　would　be　only　to　make　assurance　of　that　which　we　already　know。　I　have　shown　the　road：　let　others　plan　its　details　and　build　hostelries。　For　myself　I　am　for　a　bolder　venture。〃

The　balcony　was　filling　up。　A　noisy　group　of　young　men　were　chattering　at　one　table；　and　at　others　some　of　the　merchants　from　the　Merceria　were　at　wine。　But　where　the　two　sat　it　was　quiet　and　dusky；　though　without　on　the　canal　the　sky　made　a　golden　mirror。　Philip　could　see　his　companion's　face　in　the　reflected　light；　and　it　reminded　him　of　the　friars　who　had　filled　the　chamber　of　his　dying　grandmother。　It　was　strained　with　a　steadfast　ardour。

Battista　leaned　his　elbows　on　the　board　and　his　eyes　searched　the　other's。

〃I　am　minded　to　open　my　heart　to　you；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　young　and　of　a　noble　stock。　Likewise　you　are　a　scholar。　I　am　on　a　mission；　Sir　Philipthe　loftiest；　I　think；　since　Moses　led　Israel　over　the　deserts。　I　am　seeking　a　promised　land。　Not　Cathay；　but　a　greater。　I　sail　presently；　not　the　African　seas；　but　the　Sea　of　Darkness；　the　Mare　Atlanticum。〃　He　nodded　towards　Bianco's　map。　〃I　am　going　beyond　the　Ultimate　Islands。〃

〃Listen；〃　he　went　on；　and　his　voice　fell　very　low　and　deep。　〃I　take　it　we　live　in　these　latter　days　of　which　the　prophets　spoke。　I　remember　a　monk　in　Genoa　who　said　that　the　Blessed　Trinity　ruled　in　turn；　and　that　the　reign　of　the　Father　was　accomplished　and　that　of　the　Son　nearing　its　close；　and　that　now　the　reign　of　the　Spirit　was　at　hand。　It　may　have　been　heresyI　am　no　scholarbut　he　pointed　a　good　moral。　For；　said　he；　the　old　things　pass　away　and　the　boundaries　of　the　world　are　shifting。　Here　in　Europe　we　have　come　to　knowledge　of　salvation；　and　brought　the　soul　and　mind　of　man　to　an　edge　and　brightness　like　a　sword。　Having　perfected　the　weapon；　it　is　now　God's　will　that　we　enter　into　possession　of　the　new　earth　which　He　has　kept　hidden　against　this　day；　and　He　has　sent　His　Spirit　like　a　wind　to　blow　us　into　those　happy　spaces。　。　。　。　Now；　mark　you；　sir；　this　earth　is　not　a　flat　plain　surrounded　by　outer　darkness；　but　a　sphere　hung　in　the　heavens　and　sustained　by　God's　hand。　Therefore　if　a　man　travel　east　or　west　he　will；　if　God　prosper　him；　return　in　time　to　his　starting…point。〃

The　speaker　looked　at　Philip　as　if　to　invite　contradiction；　but　the　other　nodded。

〃It　is　the　belief　of　the　best　sailors；〃　Battista　went　on；　〃it　is　the　belief　of　the　great　Paolo　Toscanelli　in　this　very　land　of　Italy。〃

〃It　was　the　belief　of　a　greater　than　he。　The　ancients〃

〃Ay；　what　of　your　ancients？〃　Battista　asked　eagerly。

Philip　responded　with　a　scholar's　zest。　〃Four　centuries　before　our　Lord's　birth　Aristotle　taught　the　doctrine；　from　observing　in　different　places　the　rise　and　setting　of　the　heavenly　bodies。　The　sages　Eratosthenes；　Hipparchus　and　Ptolemy　amplified　the　teaching。　It　is　found　in　the　poetry　of　Manilius　and　Seneca；　and　it　was　a　common　thought　in　the　minds　of　Virgil　and　Ovid　and　Pliny。　You　will　find　it　in　St。　Augustine；　and　St。　Isidore　and　Beda；　and　in　many　of　the　moderns。　I　myself　have　little　knowledge　of　such　things；　but　on　the　appeal　to　high　authority　your　doctrine　succeeds。'

〃What　a　thing　is　learning！〃　Battista　exclaimed　with　reverence。　〃Here　have　I　and　such　as　I　been　fumbling　in　the　dark　when　the　great　ones　of　old　saw　clearly！　。　。　。　It　follows；　then；　that　a　voyage　westward　will　bring　a　man　to　Cathay？〃

〃Assuredly。　But　how　will　he　return？　If　the　earth　is　a　sphere；　his　course　will　be　a　descent；　and　on　his　way　back　he　will　have　to　climb　a　great　steep　of　waters。〃

〃It　is　not　so；〃　said　Battista　vigorously。　〃Though　why　it　is　not　so　I　cannot　tell。　Travelling　eastward　by　land　there　is　no　such　descent；　and　in　this　Mediterranean　sea　of　ours　one　can　sail　as　easily　from　Cadiz　to　Egypt　as　from　Egypt　to　Cadiz。　There　is　a　divine　alchemy　in　it　which　I　cannot　fathom；　but　the　fact　stands。〃

〃Then　you　would　reach　Cathay　by　the　west？〃

〃Not　Cathay。〃　The　man's　voice　was　very　earnest。　〃There　is　a　land　between　us　and　Cathay；　a　great　islandland　beyond　the　Seven　Cities　of　Antillia。〃

〃Cipango；〃　said　Philip；　who　had　read　Marco　Polo's　book　in　the　Latin　version　published　a　year　or　two　before。

〃Nay；　not　Cipango。　On　this　side　Cipango。　Of　Cipango　the　Venetians　have　told　us　much；　but　the　land　I　seek　is　not　Cipango。〃

He　drew　closer　to　Philip　and　spoke　low。　〃There　was　a　Frenchman；　a　Rochellois　he　is　dead　these　ten　yearsbut　I　have　spoken　with　him。　He　was　whirled　west　by　storms　far　beyond　Antillia；　and　was　gripped　by　a　great　ocean　stream　and　carried　to　land。　What　think　you　it　was？　No　less　than　Hy…Brasil。　There　he　found　men；　broad…faced　dusky　men；　with　gentle　souls；　and　saw　such　miracles　as　have　never　been　vouchsafed　to　mortals。　'Twas　not　Cipango　or　Cathay'　for　there　were　no　Emperors　or　cities；　but　a　peaceful　race　dwelling　in　innocence。　The　land　was　like　Eden；　bringing　forth　five　harvests　in　the　year；　and　vines　and　all　manner　of　fruits　grew　without　tillage。　Tortorel　was　the　man's　name；　and　some　thought　him　mad；　but　I　judged　differently。　I　have　talked　with　him　and　I　have　copied　his　charts。　I　go　to　find　those　Fortunate　Islands。〃

〃Alone？〃

〃I　have　friends。　There　is　a　man　of　my　own　cityCristoforo　Colombo；　they　call　him。　He　is　a　hard　man　and　a　bitter；　but　a　master　seaman；　and　there　is　a　fire　in　him　that　will　not　be　put　out。　And　there　may　be　others。〃

His　steadfast　burning　eyes　held　Philip's。

〃And　youwhat　do　you　seek？〃　he　asked。

Philip　was　aware　that　he　had　come　to　a　cross　roads　in　life。　The　easy　path　he　had　planned　for　himself　was　barred　by　his　own　nature。　Something　of　his　grandmother's　blood　clamoured　within　him　for　a　sharper　air　than　the　well…warmed　chamber　of　the　scholar。　This　man；　chance　met　in　a　tavern；　had　revealed　to　him　his　own　heart。

〃I　am　looking　for　the　Wood　of　Life；〃　he　said　simply　and　was　amazed　at　his　words。

Battista　stared　at　him　with　open　mouth；　and　then　plucked　feverishly　at　his　doublet。　From　an　inner　pocket　he　produced　a　packet　rolled　in　fine