messer marco polo-第4部分

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〃Gujarat；　Tana；　I　stopped　there。　　The　Male　and　Female　Islands　I　put　into　for　ambergris。　　Svestra；　which　is　full　of　magicians　　I　was　there；　too。　　Madagascar　and　Zanzibar；　where　they　live　on　camel　flesh；　I　was　there。　　And　from　Zanzibar　I　came　north　to　Abyssinia；　because　I　had　to　get　an　ostrich　there　for　the　King　of　Siam。　　And　there　was　a　letter　and　a　parcel　for　the　Sultan　of　Egypt。　　So　I　went　to　Cairo。　　I　had　a　month　on　my　hands；　so　I　thought　I'd　run　over　and　see　Venice；　because　it's　a　hobby　of　mine；　you　might　say；　to　see　the　world。

〃Now　let　me　reckon。　　Four　and　three　makes　seven；　and　four　more　are　eleven；　and　six　are　seventeen；　and　let　us　say　nine　with　that；　and　you　have　twenty…six。　　And　the　month　I'm　forgettng　on　the　rocks　of　　Aden　is　twenty…seven；　and　a　week　here　and　a　week　there　for　bad　winds　and　such　like。　　It　would　be　safe　to　put　that　at　three　months。　　So　it's　two　years　and　a　half　since　I　left　China。〃

〃You　never；〃　says　young　Marco；　〃met　anybody　in　China　by　the　name　of　Polo？〃

〃Poh…lo？　　Poh…lo？　　China's　a　bigger　place　nor　you　would　imagine；　laddie。　　There's　half　a　hundred　million　people　there。〃

〃These　were　foreigners；〃　Marco　explained；　〃traders。　　They　were　at　the　court　of　the　great　Khan。〃

〃Polo？　　Polo？　　Well；　now；　I　think　I've　heard　of　them。　　Was　one　of　them　a　big　red…bearded　man　with　a　great　eye　for　a　horse　and　a　great　eye　for　a　woman？〃

〃That　would　be　my　Uncle　Matthew。〃

〃For　God's　sake！　　And　was　the　other　a　cold；　dark　man；　a　good　judge　of　a　jewel　and　a　grand　judge　of　a　sword？〃

〃My　father；　Nicholas　Polo。〃

〃For　God's　sake！　　You're　the　son　of　one　and　the　nephew　of　the　other？〃

〃Did　you　know　them？〃

〃Ah；　laddie；　how　would　I　be　knowing　people　like　that！　　Sure；　they're　great　folks；　high　in　the　esteem　of　the　grand　Khan；　and　I'm　only　a　poor　sailorman。〃

〃But　you　heard　of　them。〃

〃I　heard　of　them。　　They　were　in　good　health。　　And　I　heard　they　were　on　their　way　home；　though　they　would　travel　overland　and　not　risk　the　great　dangers　of　the　sea。　　I　suppose；　if　they　go　back　to　China；　you'll　be　going　with　them？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　says　Marco　Polo。

〃You　ought　to　see　China。　　It's　a　great　country；　a　beautiful　country。〃

〃It　would　have　to　be　very　great　and　beautiful；〃　says　Marco　Polo；　〃to　out…weigh　the　greatness　and　the　beauty　that　are　here。　　You　mustn't　think　I'm　running　down　your　country；　mister；〃　says　he；　〃but　for　greatness；　where　is　the　beating　of　Venice　in　this　day？　　What　struck　Constantinople　like　a　thunderbolt　but　the　mailed　hand　of　Venice？　When　the　Barbary　corsairs　roamed　the　seven　seas；　so　that　it　was　no　more　safe　for　a　merchant　vessel　to　be　sailing　than　for　a　babe　to　be　walking　through　a　wild　jungle；　it　was　Venice　who　accepted　the　challenge　and　made　the　great　sea　as　peaceful　as　the　Grand　Canal。　　Who　humbled　proud　Genoa？　　And　hurled　the　Saracen　from　Saint　John　of　Acre's　walls？　Venice。　　And　as　for　magnificence；　the　retinue　of　our　doge　when　he　goes　to　marry　the　sea　with　a　ring　it　makes　the　court　of　Lorenzo　seem　like　a　huckster's　train。〃

〃It　is　a　crowning　city。〃

〃And　as　for　beauty；　sir；〃　went　on　Marco　Polo；　〃there　is　nothing　in　the　world　like　San　Marco's；　and　it　ablaze　in　the　setting　sun；　and　the　great　pillars　before　it　rising　in　tongues　of　flame。　　And　was　there　ever　in　all　time　anything　like　the　Grand　Canal　at　the　dusk　of　day；　and　the　torches　beginning　to　show　like　fireflies；　and　the　lap　of　the　water；　and　stringed　music；　and　the　great　barges　going　by　like　swans；　now　a　battle…hacked　captain　of　war；　now　a　great　gracious　lady？　　And　the　moon　does　be　rising。　。　。

〃You've　sailed　all　the　way　from　China　and　seen　strange　and　beautiful　things；　but　I　remember　one　summer's　day；　when　I　took　out　my　little　sailing…boat　and　went　out　on　the　water　to　compose　a　poem　for　a　lady；　and　the　water　was　blue　　oh；　as　blue　as　the　sky's　self；　and　the　sands　of　the　Lido　were　silver；　and　the　water　shuffled　gently　over　them；　as　gently　as　a　child's　little　feet。　　And　there　was　a　clump　of　olive…trees　there　so　green　as　to　be　black；　and　there　alighted　before　it　a　great　scarlet　Egyptian　bird。　　And　the　beauty　of　that　brought　the　tears　to　my　eyes；　so　that　I　thought　of　nuns　in　their　cells　and　barefoot　friars　in　the　hollow　lands；　and　they　striving　for　paradise。　　What　did　I　care　about　paradise？　　A　Venetian　I。　　So　why　should　I　want　to　go　to　China？〃

〃You　have　made　a　great　case　for　the　grandeur　and　beauty　of　Venice；〃　says　the　sea…captain。　　〃It　is　lovely；　surely；〃　says　he；　filling　his　pipe；　〃but　finer　poets　nor　you；　my　lad；〃　says　he；　lighting　it；　〃have　tried　to　describe　the　grace　and　beauty　of　Tao…Tuen；　and；〃　says　he　taking　a　draw；　〃have　failed。〃

〃Tao…Tuen　is　a　beautiful　name。　　It　is　like　two　notes　plucked　on　a　harp。　　And　it　must　be　a　wonderful　place；　surely；　if　great　poets　cannot　describe　it。〃

〃It　is　not　a　place；〃　said　the　captain；　〃it's　a　girl。〃

〃As　for　women；　Venice　〃

〃Venice　be　damned！〃　said　the　sea…captain。　　〃Not　in　Venice；　not　in　all　the　world；　is　there　the　like　for　grace　or　beauty　of　Tao…Tuen。　They　call　her　Golden　Bells；〃　he　says。

〃Is　she　a　dancing…girl？〃　Marco　asked。

〃She　is　not　a　dancing…girl；〃　says　the　sea…captain；　〃she　is　the　daughter　of　Kubla；　the　great　Khan。〃

〃A　cold　and　beautiful　princess；〃　says　Marco　Polo。

〃She　is　not　a　cold　and　beautiful　princess；〃　says　the　sea…captain。　〃She　is　warm　as　the　sun　in　early　June；　and　she　may　be　beautiful　and　a　princess；　but　we　all　think　of　her　as　Golden　Bells；　the　little　girl　in　the　Chinese　garden。〃

〃Did　you　ever　see　her？〃　says　Marco；　eagerly。　　〃Tell　me。〃

〃I　saw　her　before　I　left；〃　says　the　sea…captain。　　〃I　was　at　the　Khan's　palace　of　Chagannor；〃　says　he；　〃seeing　of　the　chief　of　the　stewards　was　there　anything　I　could　get　for　him；　and　I　in　foreign　parts。　　And　as　I　was　being　rowed　back　along　the　river　by　my　ten　brawny　sailormen；　what　did　I　pass　but　the　garden　of　Golden　Bells。

〃And　there　she　was　by　the　river…side；　a　little　brown　slip　of　a　girl　in　green　coat　and　trousers；　with　a　flower　in　her　dark　hair。

〃And　I　lower　my　head　in　reverence　as　we　pass　by。　　But　I　hear　her　low；　merry　voice；　by　reason　of　which　they　call　her　Golden　Bells。

〃'Ho；　master　of　the　vessel。'　she　calls。　　'Where　do　you　go？'

〃And　the　sailors　back　water　with　a　swish；　and　I　stand　up　respectfully；　for　all　she　is　only　a　slip　of　a　girl。

〃'I　go　to　foreign　parts；　Golden　Bells；'　I　tell　her；　'to　far　and　dangerous　places；　into　the　Indian　Ocean。　　To　the　Island　of　Unicorns　and　to　the　land　where　men　eat　men。'

〃'I　hope　you　come　back　safe；　master　of　the　vessel；'　she　says。　　'I　hope　you　have　a　good　voyage　and　come　back　safe。　　It　must　be　a　dreadful　strain　on　your　people　to　think　of　you　so　far　away。'

〃'In　all　this　wide　land；'　I　tell　her；　'there　is　none　to　worry　about　me。　　I　have　neither　chick　nor　child。'

〃'Golden　Bells　will　worry　about　you；　then；'　she　said；　'and　you　in　the　hazards　of　the　sea。　　And　take　this　flower　for　luck。'　　And　she　gave　me　the　flower　from　her　hair。　　'And　let　it　bring　you　luck　against　the　anger　of　the　ocean　and　the　enemies　all　men　have。　　And　let　me　know　when　you　are　back；　because　I'll　be　worried　about　a　man　of　China　and　him　in　danger　on　the　open　sea。'

〃And　wasn't　that　a　wonderful　thing　from　a　daughter　of　Kubla　to　me；　a　poor　sailor…man？

〃The　son　of　the　King　of　Siam　came　to　woo　her　with　a　hundred　princes　on　a　hundred　elephants；　but　she　wouldn't　have　him。　　'I　don't　wish　to　be　a　queen；'　she　told　her　father。　　'How　could　I　be　a　queen？　　I　am　only　Golden　Bells。'　　Nor　would　she　have　anything　to　say　to　the　Prince　of　the　Land　of　Darkness；　who　came　to　her　with　sea　ivory　and　pale　Arctic　gold。　　'The　sun　of　China　is　in　my　heart；　and　you　wouldn't　have　me　go　up　into　the　great　coldness　to　shiver　and　die？'

〃So　she　remains　in　her　garden　by　the　lake　of　Cranes　with　Li　Po；　the　great　poet；　him　they　call　the　Drinker　of　Wine；　to　make　songs　for　her；　and　the　SANANG　Tung　Chih；　the　great　magician；　to　perform　wonders　for　her　when　she　is　wearied；　and　Bulagan；　her　nurse；　to　take　her　to　her　heart　when　she　is　sad。

〃And　sad　she　is　a　lot　of　the　time；　they　tell　me。　　She　sits　in　her　garden　in　the　dusk；　playing　her　lute；　and　singing　the　song　of　the　Willow　branches；　which　is　the　saddest　love…song　in　the　world。　。　。

〃And　why　she　should　be　singing　a　sad　love…song；　is　a　mystery；　for　her　soft；　brown　beauty　is　the　flower　of　the　world。　　For　there　would　be　no　lack　of　suitors　for　her；　nor　is　she　the　one　to　refuse　love。　The　only　thing　I　make　of　it　is　that　the　right　hour　hasn't　come。

〃The　beauty　of　Venice　jumps　to　your　eyes；　but　the　beauty　of　this　pulls　at　your　heart。　　Little　brown　Golden　Bells；　in　her　Chinese　garden；　singing　the　song　of　the　Willow　Branches　at　the　close　of　day　。　。　。Is　that　not　better　nor　Venice？〃

But　he　got　no　word　out　of　Marco　Polo；　sitting　with　his　chin　cupped　in　his　hands。　　And　that　was　the　finest　answer　at　all；　at　all。　。　。



CHAPTER　V

The　times　went　by；　and　Marco　Polo　busied　himself　with　his　daily　affairs；　keeping　track　of　the　galleasses　with　merchandise　to　strange　far…away　ports；　buying　presents　for　refractory　governors　who　didn't　care　for　foreign　trade　in　their　domains；　getting　wisdom　from　the　old　clerks；　and　knowledge　from　the　mariners；　in　the　main；　acting　as　the　son　of　a　great　house　while　the　heads　of　it　were　away。

You　would　think　that　he　would　have　forgotten　what　the　sea…captain　of　China　told　him　about　Golden　Bells；　what　with　work　and　sport　and　other　women　near　him。　　You　would　think　that　would　drop　out　of　his　memory　like　an　old　rime。　　But　it　stuck　there；　as　an　old　rime　sometimes　sticks；　and　by　dint　of　thinking　he　had　her　fast　now　in　his　mind　　so　fast；　so　clear；　so　full　of　life；　that　she　might　be　some　one　he　had　seen　an　hour　ago　or　was　going　to　see　an　hour　from　now。　　He　would　think　of　the　now　merry；　now　sad　eyes　of　her；　and　the　soft；　sweet　voice　of　her　by　reason　of　which　they　called　her　Golden　Bells；　and　the　dusky　little　face；　and　the　hair　like　black　silk；　and　the　splotch　of　the　red　flower　in　it。　　She　was　as　distinct　to　him　as　the　five　fingers　on　his　hand。　　It　wasn't　only　she　was　clear　in　his　mind's　eye；　but　she　was　inside　of　him；　closer　than　his　heart。　　She　was　there　when　the　sun　rose；　so　he　would　be　saying；　〃It's　a　grand　day　is　in　it　surely；　Golden　Bells。〃　　She　was　there　in　the　dim　counting　house　and　he　going　over　in　the　great　intricate　ledgers　the　clerks　do　be　posting　carefully　with