messer marco polo-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



　　　〃Once　did　she　hold；〃　Randall　quoted；　〃the　gorgeous　East　in　fee；　　　　And　was　the　safeguard　of　the　West；　the　worth　　　　Of　Venice　did　not　fall　below　her　birth；　　　　Venice；　the　eldest　Child　of　Liberty。　　　　She　was　a　maiden　city；　bright　and　free；　　　　No　guile　seduced；　no　force　could　violate；　　　　And；　when　she　took　unto　herself　a　mate；　　　　She　must　espouse　the　everlasting　Sea！〃

Time　is　the　greatest　rogue　of　all。　　Not　all　the　arrows　of　Attila　can　do　the　damage　of　a　trickle　of　sand　in　an　hour…glass！　　Tyre　and　Sidon；　Carthage；　ancient　Babylon；　and　Venice；　queen　of　them　all。

I　am　describing　Venice　to　you　for　this　reason。　　You　might　now　stand　where　Troy's　walls　once　were　and　say　to　yourself：　　〃Was　this　where　Helen　walked　with　her　little　son？　　Was　this　where　the　loveliest　face　of　ages　wept？〃　　And　a　chill　of　doubt　would　come　on　you；　and　you　would　think；　〃I've　been　wasting　my　sorrow　and　wasting　my　love；　for　it　was　all　nothing　but　an　old　tale　made　up　in　a　minstrel's　head。〃

And　sometime　in　Venice；　after　your　dinner　in　a　hotel；　you'd　go　out　for　a　while　in　a　BARCA；　that　would　have　no　more　romance　to　it　nor　the　bark　a　gillie　would　row；　and　you　salmon…fishing　on　a　cold；　blustery　day；　and　you　would　feel　disappointed；　you　having　come　so　far；　and　you'd　say：　〃It　was　a　grand　story　surely；　and　bravely　did　it　pass　the　winter　evening；　but　wasn't　old　Malachi　of　the　Long　Glen　the　liar　of　the　world！〃

I　wouldn't　have　you　saying　that；　and　I　dead。　　In　all　I'm　telling　you；　I'd　have　you　to　know　there's　not　a　ha'porth　of　lie。



CHAPTER　III

And　so　Marco　Polo　went　into　the　wine…shop　to　see　and　hear　the　strange　foreign　people。

It　was　a　dark；　long　room；　very　high；　full　of　shadows　between　the　flaming　torches　on　the　wall。　　At　one　side　of　it　was　a　great　fire　burning；　for　all　it　was　the　first　night　of　spring。　　At　one　end　of　it　were　the　great　barrels　of　liquor　for　the　thirsty　customers；　black　beer　for　the　English　and　the　Irish；　grand；　hairy　stuff　with　great　foam　to　it；　and　brown　beer　for　the　Germans；　and　there　was　white　wine　there　for　the　French　people；　and　red　wine　for　the　Italians；　asquebaugh　for　the　Scots；　and　rum　from　the　sugar　cane　for　such　as　had　cold　in　their　bones。　　There　was　all　kind　of　drink　there　in　the　brass…bound　barrels　　drink　would　make　you　mad　and　drink　would　make　you　merry；　drink　would　put　heart　in　a　timid　man　and　drink　would　make　fighting　men　peaceful　as　pigeons；　and　drink　that　would　make　you　forget　trouble　　all　in　the　brass…bound　barrels　at　the　end　of　the　room。　And　pleasant；　fat　little　men　were　roaming　around　serving　the　varied　liquor　in　little　silver　cups；　and　fine　Venetian　glasses　for　the　wine；　and　in　broad…bellied　drinking…pots　that　would　hold　more　than　a　quart。

And　there　was　such　a　babel　of　language　as　was　never　heard　but　in　one　place　before。

Some　of　the　drinkers　were　dicing　and　shouting　as　they　won；　and　grumbling　and　cursing　when　they　lost。　　And　some　were　singing。　And　some　were　dancing　to　the　Irish　pipes。　　And　there　was　a　knot　around　the　Indian　conjurer。

But　there　was　one　man　by　himself　at　a　table。　　And　him　being　so　silent；　you'd　think　he　was　shouting　for　attention。　　He　was　so　restful　against　the　great　commotion；　you'd　know　he　was　a　great　man。　　You　might　turn　your　back　on　him；　and　you'd　know　he　was　there；　though　he　never　even　whispered　nor　put　out　a　finger。　　A　fat；　pleasant；　close…coupled　man　he　was；　in　loose；　green　clothes；　with　gold　brocade　on　them。　　And　there　were　two　big　gold　ear…rings　in　his　lobes。　　He　smoked　a　wee　pipe　with　the　bowl　half…ways　up　it。　　The　pipe　was　silver　and　all　stem；　and　the　bowl　no　bigger　than　a　ten…cent　piece。　　His　shoulders　were　very　powerful；　so　you'd　know　he　was　a　man　you　should　be　polite　to；　and　out　of　that　chest　of　his　a　great　shout　could　come。　　He　might　have　been　a　working…man；　only；　when　he　fingered　his　pipe；　you'd　see　his　hands　were　as　well　kept　as　a　lord's　lady's；　fine　as　silk　and　polished　to　a　degree。　And　you'd　think　maybe　a　pleasant　poet；　which　is　a　scarce　thing；　until　you　looked　at　the　brown　face　of　him　and　big　gold　ear…rings。　And　then　you'd　know　what　he　was：　he　was　a　great　sea…captain。

But　where　did　he　come　from？　　You　might　know　from　the　high　cheek　bones　and　the　eyes　that　were　on　a　slant；　as　it　were；　that　it　was　an　Eastern　man　was　in　it。　　It　might　be　Java　and　it　might　be　Borneo；　or　it　might　be　the　strange　country　of　Japan。

And　there　were　a　couple　of　strange　occurrences　in　the　wine…shop。　The　Indian　juggler　was　being　baited　by　the　fighting　men；　as　people　will　be　after　poking　coarse　fun　at　a　foreigner。　　The　slim　Hindu　fellow　wasn't　taking　it　at　all　well。　　He　was　looking　with　eyes　like　gimlets　at　a　big　bullock　of　a　soldier　that　was　leading　the　tormenters。

〃Show　me　something　would　surprise　me；〃　he　was　ordering。　　〃Be　damned　to　this　old　woman's　entertainment！〃　says　he。　　〃As　a　magician；〃　says　he；　〃you're　the　worst　I　ever　saw。　　If　you're　a　magician；〃　says　he；　〃I'm　a　rabbit。〃

And　there　was　a　roar　at　that；　because　he　was　known　to　be　a　very　brave　man。

〃Show　me　a　magic　trick；〃　says　he。

Says　the　Hindu：

〃Maybe　you'd　wish　you　hadn't　seen　it。〃

〃Be　damned　to　that！〃　says　the　big　fellow。

〃Look　at　this　man　well；〃　the　Hindu　told　the　room。　　〃Look　at　him　well。〃　He　throws　a　handful　of　powder　in　the　fire　and　chants　in　his　foreign　language。　　A　cloud　of　white　smoke　arises　from　the　fire。　　He　makes　a　pass　before　it；　and；　lo　and　behold　ye！　it's　a　screen　against　the　wall。　And　there's　a　great　commotion　of　shadows　on　the　screen；　and　suddenly　you　see　what　it's　all　about。　　It's　a　platform；　and　a　man　kneeling；　with　his　head　on　the　block。　　You　don't　see　who　it　is；　but　you　get　chilled。　　And　suddenly　there's　a　headsman　in　a　red　cloak　and　a　red　mask；　and　the　ax　swings　and　falls。　　The　head　pops　off；　and　the　body　falls　limp。　　And　the　head　rolls　down　the　platform　and　stops；　and　you　see　it's　the　head　of　the　fellow　who　wanted　to　see　something；　and　it's　in　the　grisly　grin　of　death。　。　。

〃There's　your　latter　end　for　you；〃　says　the　conjurer。　　〃You　wanted　to　see　something。　　I　hope　you're　content。〃

The　big　fellow　turns　white；　gulps；　gives　a　bellow；　and　makes　a　rush；　but　the　conjurer　isn't　there；　nor　his　screen　nor　anything。

Everybody　in　the　room　was　white　and　shaken　　all　but　the　sea…captain。　He　just　tamps　his　pipe　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　and　smokes　on。　He　doesn't　even　take　a　drink　from　his　glass。

And　a　little　while　later　an　Irish　chieftain　walks　in。　　He's　poor　and　ragged　and　very　thin。　　You　might　know　he'd　been　fighting　the　heathen　for　the　Holy　sepulchre；　and　so　entitled　to　respect；　no　matter　what　his　condition。　　And　behind　him　are　five　clansmen　as　ragged　as　he。　　But　a　big　German　trooper　rolls　up。

〃And　what　are　you？〃　says　the　big；　burly　fellow。

〃A　gentleman；　I　hope；〃　says　the　ragged　chief。

〃'Tis　yourself　that　says　it；〃　laughs　the　German　trooper。　　The　chieftain　snicks　the　knife　from　his　armpit；　and　sticks　him　in　the　jugular　as　neat　as　be　damned。

〃You'd　might　take　that　out；　Kevin　Beg〃　　the　Irish　chief　points　to　the　killed　man　　〃and　throw　it　in　the　canal。　　Somebody　might　stumble　over　it　and　bark　their　shins。〃

Now　this；　as　you　can　conceive；　roused　a　powerful　commotion　in　the　room。　They　were　all　on　their　feet；　captains　and　mariners　and　men…at…arms；　cheering　or　grumbling；　and　arguing　the　rights　and　wrongs　of　the　matter。　All　but　the　sea…captain；　who　saw　it　all；　and　he　never　blinked　an　eyelid；　never　even　missed　a　draw　of　the　pipe。

And　then　Marco　Polo　knew　him　to　be　a　Chinaman；　because；　as　all　the　world　knows；　Chinamen　are　never　surprised　at　anything。



CHAPTER　IV

So　Marco　Polo　goes　over　and　salutes　him　politely。

〃I　wonder　if　you　mind　my　sitting　down　by　you　for　a　while；〃　he　says。　〃I　perceive　you're　from　China。〃

The　sea…captain　waves　him　politely　to　his　place。

〃I'm　from　China。〃　　He　smiles。　　〃You　guessed　right。〃

〃Is　it　long　since　you've　been　in　China？〃

〃Well；　that　depends　upon　what　you　call　long；〃　says　the　captain。　〃If　you　mean　time；　it's　one　thing。　　If　you　mean　voyage；　it's　another。　For　you've　got　to　take　into　account；〃　says　he；　〃adverse　winds；　roundabout　turns　to　avoid　currents；　possible　delays　to　have　the　ship　scraped　free　from　the　parasite　life　that　does　be　attaching　itself　to　the　strakes；　time　spent　in　barter　and　trade。　　Other　matters；　too；　the　attacks　of　pirates；　cross…grained　princes　who　don't　want　you　to　be　leaving　their　ports　with　a　good　cargo　in　your　hold；　sickness；　loss　of　sails　and　masts；　repairs　to　the　ship。　　It　wasn't　a　short　journey　and　it　wasn't　a　long　one。〃

〃It　will　be　a　long　ways　to　China；　I'm　thinking。〃

〃I　can　tell　you　how　long　it　is　from　China　to　here；　and　you　can　reverse　that；　and　you　will　get　a　fair　idea　of　how　long　it　is　from　here　to　China。　　I　left　Zeitoon　with　a　cargo　of　porcelain　for　Japan；　and　traded　it　for　gold…dust；　and　from　Japan　I　went　to　Chamba　to　lay　in　a　store　of　chessmen　and　pen…cases。　　And　from　Chamba　I　sailed　to　Java；　which　is　the　greatest　island　in　the　world。　　Java　is　fifteen　hundred　miles　from　Chamba；　south　and　southeast；　and　it　took　me　four　months　sailing；　but　a　sea…captain　cannot　pass　Java　by；　for　it　is　the　chief　place　for　black　pepper；　nutmegs；　spikenard；　galingale；　cubebs；　doves；　and　all　the　spices　that　grow。

〃And　I　stopped　at　various　small　islands　from　there；　until　I　came　to　Basma；　which　is　the　island　of　the　unicorns。　　And　there　we　trade　in　pygmies；　which　ignorant　people　think　are　human　folk。　　They　are　just　a　wee　monkey；　with　all　the　hair　plucked　out　except　the　hair　of　the　beard。　　There　is　great　money　in　them。

〃I　stopped　at　Sumatra　for　cocoanuts　and　toddy；　and　just　for　water　at　Dragoian。　　Dragoian　is　not　a　good　city。　　It　is　filled　with　sorcerers　who　have　tattooed　faces。　　At　Lambri　I　put　in　for　the　sago　you　buy　from　the　hairy　men　with　tails。

〃Son；　never　stop　at　the　isle　of　Andaman。　　The　men　there　have　faces　like　dogs。　　They　are　a　cruel　generation；　and　eat　every　one　they　can　catch。　　I　could　tell　you　a　story；　but　I　would　not　spoil　this　fine　spring　night。　　Go　rather　to　the　island　of　Ceylon；　and　see　the　King's　Ruby；　which　is　the　greatest　jewel　in　the　world。　　I　stopped　there　and　at　Coromandel　for　the　pearls　the　divers　go　down　in　the　sea　for；　and　there　are　no　clothes　on　that　island；　so　that　every　one　goes　naked　as　a　fish。　　And　there　is　the　shrine　of　Saint　Thomas。　　I　was　there。　

〃Gujarat；　Tana；　I　stopped　there。　　The　Male　and