王尔德童话四则(英文版)-第7部分

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And　a　man　came　out　of　the　crowd　and　spake　bitterly　to　him；　and

said；　'Sir；　knowest　thou　not　that　out　of　the　luxury　of　the　rich

cometh　the　life　of　the　poor？　　By　your　pomp　we　are　nurtured；　and

your　vices　give　us　bread。　　To　toil　for　a　hard　master　is　bitter；　but

to　have　no　master　to　toil　for　is　more　bitter　still。　　Thinkest　thou

that　the　ravens　will　feed　us？　　And　what　cure　hast　thou　for　these

things？　　Wilt　thou　say　to　the　buyer；　〃Thou　shalt　buy　for　so　much；〃

and　to　the　seller；　〃Thou　shalt　sell　at　this　price〃？　　I　trow　not。

Therefore　go　back　to　thy　Palace　and　put　on　thy　purple　and　fine

linen。　　What　hast　thou　to　do　with　us；　and　what　we　suffer？'



'Are　not　the　rich　and　the　poor　brothers？'　asked　the　young　King。



'Ay；'　answered　the　man；　'and　the　name　of　the　rich　brother　is　Cain。'



And　the　young　King's　eyes　filled　with　tears；　and　he　rode　on　through

the　murmurs　of　the　people；　and　the　little　page　grew　afraid　and　left

him。



And　when　he　reached　the　great　portal　of　the　cathedral；　the　soldiers

thrust　their　halberts　out　and　said；　'What　dost　thou　seek　here？

None　enters　by　this　door　but　the　King。'



And　his　face　flushed　with　anger；　and　he　said　to　them；　'I　am　the

King；'　and　waved　their　halberts　aside　and　passed　in。



And　when　the　old　Bishop　saw　him　coming　in　his　goatherd's　dress；　he

rose　up　in　wonder　from　his　throne；　and　went　to　meet　him；　and　said

to　him；　'My　son；　is　this　a　king's　apparel？　　And　with　what　crown

shall　I　crown　thee；　and　what　sceptre　shall　I　place　in　thy　hand？

Surely　this　should　be　to　thee　a　day　of　joy；　and　not　a　day　of

abasement。'



'Shall　Joy　wear　what　Grief　has　fashioned？'　said　the　young　King。

And　he　told　him　his　three　dreams。



And　when　the　Bishop　had　heard　them　he　knit　his　brows；　and　said；　'My

son；　I　am　an　old　man；　and　in　the　winter　of　my　days；　and　I　know　that

many　evil　things　are　done　in　the　wide　world。　　The　fierce　robbers

come　down　from　the　mountains；　and　carry　off　the　little　children；

and　sell　them　to　the　Moors。　　The　lions　lie　in　wait　for　the

caravans；　and　leap　upon　the　camels。　　The　wild　boar　roots　up　the

corn　in　the　valley；　and　the　foxes　gnaw　the　vines　upon　the　hill。

The　pirates　lay　waste　the　sea…coast　and　burn　the　ships　of　the

fishermen；　and　take　their　nets　from　them。　　In　the　salt…marshes　live

the　lepers；　they　have　houses　of　wattled　reeds；　and　none　may　come

nigh　them。　　The　beggars　wander　through　the　cities；　and　eat　their

food　with　the　dogs。　　Canst　thou　make　these　things　not　to　be？　　Wilt

thou　take　the　leper　for　thy　bedfellow；　and　set　the　beggar　at　thy

board？　　Shall　the　lion　do　thy　bidding；　and　the　wild　boar　obey　thee？

Is　not　He　who　made　misery　wiser　than　thou　art？　　Wherefore　I　praise

thee　not　for　this　that　thou　hast　done；　but　I　bid　thee　ride　back　to

the　Palace　and　make　thy　face　glad；　and　put　on　the　raiment　that

beseemeth　a　king；　and　with　the　crown　of　gold　I　will　crown　thee；　and

the　sceptre　of　pearl　will　I　place　in　thy　hand。　　And　as　for　thy

dreams；　think　no　more　of　them。　　The　burden　of　this　world　is　too

great　for　one　man　to　bear；　and　the　world's　sorrow　too　heavy　for　one

heart　to　suffer。'



'Sayest　thou　that　in　this　house？'　said　the　young　King；　and　he

strode　past　the　Bishop；　and　climbed　up　the　steps　of　the　altar；　and

stood　before　the　image　of　Christ。



He　stood　before　the　image　of　Christ；　and　on　his　right　hand　and　on

his　left　were　the　marvellous　vessels　of　gold；　the　chalice　with　the

yellow　wine；　and　the　vial　with　the　holy　oil。　　He　knelt　before　the

image　of　Christ；　and　the　great　candles　burned　brightly　by　the

jewelled　shrine；　and　the　smoke　of　the　incense　curled　in　thin　blue

wreaths　through　the　dome。　　He　bowed　his　head　in　prayer；　and　the

priests　in　their　stiff　copes　crept　away　from　the　altar。



And　suddenly　a　wild　tumult　came　from　the　street　outside；　and　in

entered　the　nobles　with　drawn　swords　and　nodding　plumes；　and

shields　of　polished　steel。　　'Where　is　this　dreamer　of　dreams？'　they

cried。　　'Where　is　this　King　who　is　apparelled　like　a　beggar　…　this

boy　who　brings　shame　upon　our　state？　　Surely　we　will　slay　him；　for

he　is　unworthy　to　rule　over　us。'



And　the　young　King　bowed　his　head　again；　and　prayed；　and　when　he

had　finished　his　prayer　he　rose　up；　and　turning　round　he　looked　at

them　sadly。



And　lo！　through　the　painted　windows　came　the　sunlight　streaming

upon　him；　and　the　sun…beams　wove　round　him　a　tissued　robe　that　was

fairer　than　the　robe　that　had　been　fashioned　for　his　pleasure。　　The

dead　staff　blossomed；　and　bare　lilies　that　were　whiter　than　pearls。

The　dry　thorn　blossomed；　and　bare　roses　that　were　redder　than

rubies。　　Whiter　than　fine　pearls　were　the　lilies；　and　their　stems

were　of　bright　silver。　　Redder　than　male　rubies　were　the　roses；　and

their　leaves　were　of　beaten　gold。



He　stood　there　in　the　raiment　of　a　king；　and　the　gates　of　the

jewelled　shrine　flew　open；　and　from　the　crystal　of　the　many…rayed

monstrance　shone　a　marvellous　and　mystical　light。　　He　stood　there

in　a　king's　raiment；　and　the　Glory　of　God　filled　the　place；　and　the

saints　in　their　carven　niches　seemed　to　move。　　In　the　fair　raiment

of　a　king　he　stood　before　them；　and　the　organ　pealed　out　its　music；

and　the　trumpeters　blew　upon　their　trumpets；　and　the　singing　boys

sang。



And　the　people　fell　upon　their　knees　in　awe；　and　the　nobles

sheathed　their　swords　and　did　homage；　and　the　Bishop's　face　grew

pale；　and　his　hands　trembled。　　'A　greater　than　I　hath　crowned

thee；'　he　cried；　and　he　knelt　before　him。



And　the　young　King　came　down　from　the　high　altar；　and　passed　home

through　the　midst　of　the　people。　　But　no　man　dared　look　upon　his

face；　for　it　was　like　the　face　of　an　angel。


　



星孩
THE　STAR…CHILD


＇TO　MISS　MARGOT　TENNANT　…　MRS。　ASQUITH＇





Once　upon　a　time　two　poor　Woodcutters　were　making　their　way　home

through　a　great　pine…forest。　　It　was　winter；　and　a　night　of　bitter

cold。　　The　snow　lay　thick　upon　the　ground；　and　upon　the　branches　of

the　trees：　　the　frost　kept　snapping　the　little　twigs　on　either　side

of　them；　as　they　passed：　　and　when　they　came　to　the　Mountain…

Torrent　she　was　hanging　motionless　in　air；　for　the　Ice…King　had

kissed　her。



So　cold　was　it　that　even　the　animals　and　the　birds　did　not　know

what　to　make　of　it。



'Ugh！'　snarled　the　Wolf；　as　he　limped　through　the　brushwood　with

his　tail　between　his　legs；　'this　is　perfectly　monstrous　weather。

Why　doesn't　the　Government　look　to　it？'



'Weet！　weet！　weet！'　twittered　the　green　Linnets；　'the　old　Earth　is

dead　and　they　have　laid　her　out　in　her　white　shroud。'



'The　Earth　is　going　to　be　married；　and　this　is　her　bridal　dress；'

whispered　the　Turtle…doves　to　each　other。　　Their　little　pink　feet

were　quite　frost…bitten；　but　they　felt　that　it　was　their　duty　to

take　a　romantic　view　of　the　situation。



'Nonsense！'　growled　the　Wolf。　　'I　tell　you　that　it　is　all　the　fault

of　the　Government；　and　if　you　don't　believe　me　I　shall　eat　you。'

The　Wolf　had　a　thoroughly　practical　mind；　and　was　never　at　a　loss

for　a　good　argument。



'Well；　for　my　own　part；'　said　the　Woodpecker；　who　was　a　born

philosopher；　'I　don't　care　an　atomic　theory　for　explanations。　　If　a

thing　is　so；　it　is　so；　and　at　present　it　is　terribly　cold。'



Terribly　cold　it　certainly　was。　　The　little　Squirrels；　who　lived

inside　the　tall　fir…tree；　kept　rubbing　each　other's　noses　to　keep

themselves　warm；　and　the　Rabbits　curled　themselves　up　in　their

holes；　and　did　not　venture　even　to　look　out　of　doors。　　The　only

people　who　seemed　to　enjoy　it　were　the　great　horned　Owls。　　Their

feathers　e；　but　they　did　not　mind；　and

they　rolled　their　large　yellow　eyes；　and　called　out　to　each　other

across　the　forest；　'Tu…whit！　　Tu…whoo！　　Tu…whit！　　Tu…whoo！　what

delightful　weather　we　are　having！'



On　and　on　went　the　two　Woodcutters；　blowing　lustily　upon　their

fingers；　and　stamping　with　their　huge　iron…shod　boots　upon　the

caked　snow。　　Once　they　sank　into　a　deep　drift；　and　came　out　as

white　as　millers　are；　when　the　stones　are　grinding；　and　once　they

slipped　on　the　hard　smooth　ice　where　the　marsh…water　was　frozen；

and　their　faggots　fell　out　of　their　bundles；　and　they　had　to　pick

them　up　and　bind　them　together　again；　and　once　they　thought　that

they　had　lost　their　way；　and　a　great　terror　seized　on　them；　for

they　knew　that　the　Snow　is　cruel　to　those　who　sleep　in　her　arms。

But　they　put　their　trust　in　the　good　Saint　Martin；　who　watches　over

all　travellers；　and　retraced　their　steps；　and　went　warily；　and　at

last　they　reached　the　outskirts　of　the　forest；　and　saw；　far　down　in

the　valley　beneath　them；　the　lights　of　the　village　in　which　they

dwelt。



So　overjoyed　were　they　at　their　deliverance　that　they　laughed

aloud；　and　the　Earth　seemed　to　them　like　a　flower　of　silver；　and

the　Moon　like　a　flower　of　gold。



Yet；　after　that　they　had　laughed　they　became　sad；　for　they

remembered　their　poverty；　and　one　of　them　said　to　the　other；　'Why

did　we　make　merry；　seeing　that　life　is　for　the　rich；　and　not　for

such　as　we　are？　　Better　that　we　had　died　of　cold　in　the　forest；　or

that　some　wild　beast　had　fallen　upon　us　and　slain　us。'



'Truly；'　answered　his　companion；　'much　is　given　to　some；　and　little

is　given　to　others。　　Injustice　has　parcelled　out　the　world；　nor　is

there　equal　division　of　aught　save　of　sorrow。'



But　as　they　were　bewailing　their　misery　to　each　other　this　strange

thing　happened。　　There　fell　from　heaven　a　very　bright　and　beautiful

star。　　It　slipped　down　the　side　of　the　sky；　passing　by　the　other

stars　in　its　course；　and；　as　they　watched　it　wondering；　it　seemed

to　them　to　sink　behind　a　clump　of　willow…trees　that　stood　hard　by　a

little　sheepfold　no　more　than　a　stone's…throw　away。



'Why！　there　is　a　crook　of　gold　for　whoever　finds　it；'　they　cried；

and　they　set　to　and　ran；　so　eager　were　they　for　the　gold。



And　one　of　them　ran　faster　than　his　mate；　and　outstripped　him；　and

forced　his　way　through　the　willows；　and　came　out　on　the　other　side；

and　lo！　there　was　indeed　a　thing　of　gold　lying　on　the　white　snow。

So　he　hastened　towards　it；　and　stooping　down　placed　his　hands　upon

it；　and　it　was　a　cloak　of　golden　tissue；　curiously　wrought　with

stars；　and　wrapped　in　many　folds。　　And　he　cried　out　to　his　comrade

that　he　had　found　the　treasure　that　had　fallen　from　the　sky；　and

when　his　comrade　had　come　up；　they　sat　them　down　in　the　snow；　and

loosened　the　folds　of　the　cloak　that　they　might　divide　the　pieces

of　gold。　　But；　alas！　no　gold　was　in　it；　nor　silver；　nor；　indeed；

treasure　of　any　kind；　but　only　a　little　child　who　was　asleep。



And　one　of　them　said　to　the　other：　　'This　is　a　bitter　ending　to　our

hope；　nor　have　we　any　good　fortune；　for　what　doth　a　child　profit　to

a　man？　　Let　us　leave　it　here；　and　go　our　way；　seeing　that　we　are

poor　men；　and　have　children　of　our　own　whose　bread　we　may　not　give

to　another。'



But　his　companion　answered　him：　　'Nay；　but　it　were　an　evil　thing　to

leave　the　child　to　perish　here　in　the　snow；　and　though　I　am