messer marco polo-第5部分

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ouse　and　he　going　over　in　the　great　intricate　ledgers　the　clerks　do　be　posting　carefully　with　quills　of　the　gray　goose；　so　that　he　would　be　saying：　〃I　wonder　where　this　is　and　that　is。　　Sure　I　had　my　finger　on　it　only　a　moment　ago；　Golden　Bells。〃　　And　when　the　dusk　was　falling；　and　the　bats　came　out；　and　the　quiet　of　Christ　was　over　everything；　and　the　swallows　flew　low　on　the　great　canals；　she　would　be　beside　him；　and　never　a　word　would　he　say　to　her；　so　near　to　him　would　she　be。

And　she　wrought　strangeness　between　him　and　the　women　he　knew；　the　great　grave　lady　with　the　large；　pale　mouth；　her　that　was　of　his　mind；　and　the　little　black　cloak…maker　with　the　eager；　red　mouth；　her　that　was　closer　than　mind　or　heart　to　him。　　So　that　the　first　found　fault　with　his　poetry。

〃I　don't　know　what's　come　over　you；　Marco　Polo；〃　　and　there　was　a　touch　of　temper　in　her　voice；　　〃but　these　poems　of　yours　show　me　you　haven't　your　mind　on　your　subject。　　Would　you　mind　telling　me　when　I　had　bound　black　hair？〃　she　says。　　〃And　you　say　my　bosom　is　like　two　little　russet　apples。　　Now；　a　regular　poet　once　compared　it　to　two　great　silver　cups；　and　that　was　a　good　comparison；　though　in　truth；〃　she　says；　〃he　knew　as　little　about　it　as　you。　　And　my　hands　are　not　like　soft　Eastern　flowers。　　They're　like　lilies。　　I　don't　know　where　you　do　be　getting　these　Eastern　comparisons；〃　she　says。　〃But　I　don't　like　them。　　Tell　me；　pretty　boy；〃　　she　looks　suspicious；　　　〃you　haven't　been　taking　any　of　the　strange　Egyptian　drugs　the　dark　people　do　be　selling　in　the　dim　shops　on　the　quiet　canals？　　Look　out；　pretty　boy！　　Look　out！〃

And　the　little　cloak…maker　grumbled　when　he　was　gone。　　〃I　don't　know　what's　wrong　with　him；〃　says　she。　　〃Or　maybe　it's　something　that's　wrong　with　myself；　but　this　delicate　love　isn't　all　it's　cracked　up　to　be。　　It's　all　right　in　books；〃　she　says；　〃and　it's　a　grand　sight；　and　the　players　doing　it；　but　I　like　a　hug；〃　she　says；　〃would　put　the　breath　out　of　you；　and　a　kiss；〃　she　says；　〃you　could　feel　in　the　soles　of　your　feet。〃　　And　she　lay　awake　and　grumbled。　〃Let　him　be　taking　his　la…di…da　courting　to　those　as　favor　it；〃　says　she。　　〃It's　not　my　kind；〃　and　she　grumbled　through　the　lonely　night。　　〃I　wonder　where　my　husband　is　now；〃　she　said。　　〃And　wasn't　I　the　foolish　girl　to　be　sending　him　off！　　Sure；　he　drank　like　a　fish　and　beat　me　something　cruel；　but　he　was　a　rare　lover；　and　the　mood　on　him。　　Sure；　a　woman　never　knows　when　she's　well　off；〃　says　she。

And　Marco　Polo　didn't　miss　them　any　more　nor　you'd　miss　an　old　overcoat　and　the　winter　past。　　All　his　mind　was　on　was　the　Golden　Bells　of　China。　　And　he　thought　long　until　his　uncle　and　father　came；　so　that　he　could　be　off　with　them　to　the　strange　Chinese　land。

〃But　there's　no　use　to　me　going　there；〃　says　he。　　〃I　couldn't　marry　her。　　She　would　laugh　at　me；〃　he　says。　　〃She；　who　refused　the　son　of　the　King　of　Siam；　with　his　hundred　princes　on　a　hundred　elephants；　what　use　would　she　have　for　me；　who's　no　better　nor　a　peddler　with　his　pack？　　But　it　would　be　worth　walking　the　world　barefoot　for　to　see　that　little　golden　face；　to　hear　the　low；　sweet　voice　they　call　Golden　Bells。〃

They　came　back　in　due　time；　his　uncle　Matthew；　the　red；　hairy　man；　and　his　father；　the　thin；　dark　man；　who　knew　precious　stones。　And　he　told　them　he　wanted　to　go　with　them　when　they　made　their　next　expedition　to　China。

〃We　could　be　using　you；　after　your　training　in　trade；〃　says　the　father。　　But　Marco　Polo　would　take　no　interest　in　barter。　　〃Sure；　you'd　better　come　along；〃　says　his　uncle　Matthew。　　〃There's　great　sport　to　be　had　on　the　road；　kissing　and　courting　the　foreign　women　and　not　a　word　of　language　between　you；　barring　a　smile　and　a　laugh。〃

〃I　have　no　interest　in　the　foreign　women；　Uncle　Matthew。〃

〃Then　it's　the　horses　you've　been　hearing　about；　the　fine　Arab　horses　faster　nor　the　wind；　and　the　little　Persian　ponies　they　do　be　playing　polo　on；　and　the　grand　Tatar　hunters　that　can　jump　the　heighth　of　a　man；　and　they　sure…footed　as　a　goat。　　Ah；　the　horses；　the　bonny　horses！〃

〃Ah；　sure；　Uncle　Matthew；　'tis　little　I　know　of　horses。　　Sure；　I　know　all　about　boats；　racing　and　trade　and　war　boats；　but　a　horse　is　not　kin　to　me。〃

〃Then　what　the　hell's　the　use　of　your　going　to　China？〃

〃Ah；　sure；　that's　the　question　I'm　asking　myself；　Uncle　Matthew。　But　I　have　to　go。　　I　do　so。　　There　is　something　calling　me；　Uncle　Matthew　　a　bell　in　my　ear；　father's　brother；　and　there's　a　ringing　bell　in　my　heart。〃



CHAPTER　VI

I　shall　now　tell　you　how　it　came　about　that　Marco　Polo　went　to　China　with　his　uncle　and　father；　though　he　had　no　eye　for　a　bargain；　or　interest　in　courting　foreign　women；　or　sense　of　horses。

Now；　as　you　may　know；　this　was　a　great　religious　time。　　The　Crusaders；　feeling　shame　that　the　Sepulchre　of　the　Lord　Jesus　should　be　in　Saracen　hands；　had　come　with　horse；　foot　and　artillery　to　Palestine　to　give　tribute　of　arms　to　Him　who　had　died　for　them　on　the　Bitter　Tree。　And　great　feats　were　performed　and　grand　battles　won。　　And　kings　became　saints；　like　Louis　of　France；　and　saints　became　kings；　like　Baldwin　of　Constantinople。　　Mighty　wonders　were　seen　and　miracles　performed；　so　that　people　said；　〃Now　will　be　the　second　coming　of　Christ　and　the　end　of　the　world。〃

And　a　great　desire　came　on　the　Christian　people　to　tell　the　truth　of　Christ　to　the　strange　and　foreign　peoples　of　the　world。　　So　that　every　day　out　of　Jerusalem　you　would　see　friars　hitting　the　road；　some　of　them　to　confront　the　wizards　of　the　Land　of　Darkness；　and　some　to　argue　theology　with　the　old　lamas　of　Tibet；　and　some　to　convert　the　sunny　Southern　islands；　where　the　young　women　do　be　letting　down　their　hair　and　the　men　do　be　forgetting　God　for　them。　And　all　over　the　world　there　was　spreading　a　great　rumor　that　the　truth　of　all　things　was　at　last　known。

Even　Kubla　Khan　had　heard　of　it　far　off　in　China；　and　he　had　charged　the　uncle　and　father　of　Marco　with　a　message　to　the　Pope　of　Rome。　Let　the　pope　be　sending　some　theologians　to　his　court；　and　they'd　argue　the　matter　out；　and　if　he　was　satisfied　that　this　new　religion　was　the　True　Religion；　then　he'd　turn　Christian　and　tell　his　people　to　turn　Christian；　too。　　And　let　them　be　bringing　back　some　of　the　Oil　of　the　Lamp　which　burns　in　the　Holy　Sepulchre　at　Jerusalem　and　is　a　cure　for　all　the　ills　in　the　world。

And　when　they　came　to　the　City　of　Acre；　sure　the　pope　was　dead。　And　they　waited　a　long　time；　but　no　new　pope　was　chosen；　so　they　decided　to　go　back；　because　they　had　a　good　business　there；　and　they　didn't　want　to　lose　it。　　And　yet　they　knew　there'd　be　trouble　with　the　Grand　Khan；　if　they　didn't　bring　back　the　news　of　the　True　Religion　and　people　to　argue　it。

〃I've　been　a　long　time　trading；〃　says　Nicolo；　and　it's　a　queer　thing；　but　the　more　trading　you　do；　the　less　religion　you　have。　　The　arguing　of　religion　would　not　come　easy　to　me。　　And　I'd　be　up　against　experts。　I'm　not　the　man　for　it；〃　says　he。　　〃How　about　you；　Matthew？〃

〃Oh；　sure；　they'd　never　listen　to　me；〃　Matthew　laughs　　〃me　that's　drank　with　them；　and　deludhered　their　women；　and　gambled　until　I　left　them　nothing　but　the　sweat　of　their　brows。　　I'd　be　a　great　one　to　preach　religion　to　them。　　Why；　man；　they'd　laugh　at　me。　　But　I　tell　you　what；　Nicolas。　　There's　a　bishop　in　Negropont；　and　I　know　where　he　lives；　and　I　know　his　house　and　everything。　　What　do　you　say；　Nicolas？　　We'll　just　throw　a　bag　over　his　head　and　tie　him　on　a　horse。　　Oh；　sure；　he'd　give　grand　discourses　to　the　Great　Khan！〃

〃Have　sense；　Matthew；　have　sense。　　You're　always　too　rough；　always　ready　to　end　an　argument　with　a　knife；　or　just　lift　what　you　want。　Have　sense；　man；　you　can't　kidnap　a　bishop　like　you'd　kidnap　a　woman。

〃Well；　I　don't　see　why　not；〃　says　Matthew。　　〃It　would　be　easier；　too；　because　a　woman　will　scratch　like　a　wildcat。　　But　if　you're　set　against　it；　I　won't　do　it；〃　he　says。　　〃Well；　then；　how　about　young　Marco？〃

〃My　sound　man　Matthew！　　My　bully　fellow！　　Sure　you　were　never　at　a　loss　yet！　　Young　Marco　it　is；　sure；　'tis　the　elegant　idea。　　There's　not　a　man　born　of　woman　better　for　the　job。〃

Now；　all　the　Christian　world　had　gone　religious；　and　young　Marco　was　no　exception；　for't　is　not　only　the　old　that　are　religious。　The　young　are；　too；　but　there's　a　difference。　　The　religion　of　old　men　is　reason　and　translation；　the　religion　of　the　young　is　just　a　burning　cloud。　　The　Tragedy　of　the　Bitter　Tree　is　not　a　symbol　to　them；　but　a　reality；　and　their　tears　are　not　of　the　spirit；　but　of　the　body；　too。

And　there　are　no　half…way　houses；　no　compromises；　in　a　young　man's　creed。　　It's　swallow　all；　or　be　damned　to　you。　　It's　believe　or　be　lost。

And　thinking　over　the　little　girl　in　the　Chinese　garden；　there　had　come　into　Marco's　heart；　a　thought　past　enduring。　　If　little　Golden　Bells　did　not　believe；　then　little　Golden　Bells　was　lost。　　She　might　have　everything　in　this　world；　in　this　life；　an　emperor　for　a　father；　kings　for　suitors；　a　great　poet　for　a　minstrel；　a　wizard　for　an　entertainer；　but　once　the　little　blue　shadow　left　her　body；　she　was　lost　forever。　　And　the　sight　came　to　him　of　little　Golden　Bells　going　down　the　dim　and　lonely　alleys　of　death；　and　weeping；　weeping；　weeping。　。　。Her　eyes　would　be　shot　with　panic；　and　the　little　mouth　twisted；　and　the　little　flowery　hands　twitching　at　each　other。　　And　it　would　be　cold　there　for　her　who　was　so　warm；　and　it　would　be　dark　there　for　her　who　loved　light；　and　the　Golden　Bells　of　her　voice　would　be　lost　in　the　whistling　and　clanging　of　the　stars　as　they　swung　by　in　their　orbits。　　He　to　be　in　the　great　delight　of　paradise；　and　she　to　be　in　the　blue…gray　maze　between　the　worlds　　what　tragedy！

Kings　might　bring　her　presents；　a　husband　might　bring　her　happiness；　but　if　he　could　only　bring　her　salvation！　　If　he　could　only　tell　her　of　the　Bitter　Tree！

The　body；　when　you　came　to　think　of　it；　mattered　little。　　All　the　beauty　in　the　world　could　not　endure　more　than　its　appointed　span。　Helen　was　dust　now；　and　Deirdre　nothing。　　What　had　become　of　the　beauty　of　Semiramis；　Alexander's　darling；　and　Cleopatra；　who　loved　the　great　proconsul；　and　Bathsheba；　for　whom　David　of　the　Psalms　fell　from　grace？　　And　Balkis；　queen　of　Sheba；　with　her　apes；　ivory；　and　peacocks？　　Dust　and　ashes；　dust　and　ash