messer marco polo-第6部分

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race？　　And　Balkis；　queen　of　Sheba；　with　her　apes；　ivory；　and　peacocks？　　Dust　and　ashes；　dust　and　ashes！　　And　Scheherazade　was　but　a　strange；　sad　sound。　　Beauty　increased　and　waned　like　the　moon。　A　little　shadow　around　the　eyes；　a　little　crinkle　in　the　neck；　the　backs　of　the　hands　stiffening　like　parchment。　　Dust　and　ashes；　dust　and　ashes！

But　the　little　blue　shadow　would　glow　like　an　Easter　morning。

Or　it　would　be　a　poor；　lonely；　unlit　shadow　in　the　cold　gloom　of　the　clanging　worlds。

Poor　Golden　Bells！　　Poor　little　weeping　Golden　Bells！　　If　he　could　only　tell　her　about　the　Bitter　Tree！

And　then　what　happens　but　his　uncle　Matthew　claps　him　on　the　back；

〃How　would　you　like　to　go　to　China；　Marco　Markeen；〃　says　he；　〃and　preach　religion　to　the　benighted　people！〃

〃How　did　you　know；　Uncle　Matthew？〃

〃How　did　I　know　what？〃

〃That　I　wanted　to　go　to　China　and　preach　religion　to　the　　the　people！〃

〃Well；　if　that　doesn't　beat　Banagher；〃　says　Matthew　Polo；　〃and　Banagher　beats　the　devil！　　Tell　me；　did　you　ever　hear　an　old　tune　called　'Bundle　and　Go！'？〃

And　so　the　three　of　them　leave　upon　their　journey；　but　at　Layas；　where　the　King　of　Armenia　had　his　castle；　they　heard　of　the　election　of　a　new　pope；　so　they　came　back　to　Acre　to　get　his　instructions　and　blessing。



CHAPTER　VII

The　pope　said　a　grand　mass　for　them；　and　at　the　gospel　he　enters　the　pulpit；　a　burly　figure　of　a　man　with　sad　eyes。

〃The　blessing　of　the　Father　and　the　Son　and　the　Holy　Ghost　be　with　you　and　about　you；　Amen。

〃It　is　not　to　you；　Nicolo　Polo；　that　I　wish　to　speak；　nor　to　you；　Matthew　Polo；　for　neither　of　you　are　my　ambassadors　to　the　Great　Khan。　Merchant　and　sportsmen；　I　honor　you；　and　you　have　my　blessing；　but　you　have　no　hopes　of　mine。　　The　dirty　diversions　of　the　world　are　between　your　eyes　and　glory；〃　said　he。　　〃It's　only　myself；　an　old　and　sorrowful　man；　and　this　child；　a　young　and　hopeful　one；　can　understand；　old　men　having　sight　of　visions；　and　young　men　dreaming　dreams。　。　。

〃Now　in　the　matter　of　converting　the　Great　Khan　and　his　numerous　millions；　first　let　wisdom　speak。　　I　have　little　hopes。　　He　wants　to　be　argued　into　it；　you　see。　　Religion　is　not　a　matter　of　argument。　It　is　a　wisdom　that　surpasses　wisdom。　　It　drifts　in　men's　souls　as　the　foggy　dew　comes　unbidden　to　the　trees。　　It　is　born　before　our　soul；　as　the　horned　moon　is　born　before　our　eyes。

〃And　now；　my　child；　you　might　say；　'What　is　the　use　of　sending　me　to　China　if　he　knows　I　cannot　bring　these　millions　into　the　fold？　My　dear　son；　there　is　the　wisdom　surpassing　wisdom。　　A　great　and　　noble　thought　must　not　die。　　Things　of　the　spirit　we　cannot　reckon　as　a　husband…man　reckons　his　crops。　　There　is　a　folk　on　the　marches　of　Europe；　and　they　are　ever　going　into　battle；　and　they　always　fall。　Their　results　are　nothing。　　But　their　name　and　their　glory　will　endure　forever。　。　。

〃My　dear　son；　God　has　put　wisdom　in　my　head　and　beauty　into　yours。　Wisdom　is　needed　for　the　governance　of　this　world；　but　beauty　is　needed　for　its　existence。　　In　arid　deserts　there　is　no　life。　　Birds　do　not　sing　in　the　dark　of　night。　　Show　me　a　waste　country；　and　I'll　show　you　a　brutal　people。　　No　faith　can　live　that　is　not　beautiful。　。　。

〃The　beauty　God　has　put　in　your　heart；　child；　you　must　always　keep　。　。　。How　much　I　think　of　it　I'll　tell　you。　　I'm　an　old　man　now；　an　old　and　broken　man；　and　in　a　few　years　I'll　stand　before　my　Master。

〃'What　have　you　seen　on　my　earth；'　He'll　ask　me；　'you　who　followed　St。　Peter！'

〃'Lord！　　Lord！'　I'll　tell　Him；　'I've　seen　mighty　things。　　I've　seen　the　bridegroom　leave　his　bride　and　the　king　his　kingdom；　the　huckster　leave　his　booth；　and　the　reaper　drop　his　hook；　that　they　might　rescue　Your　Holy　Sepulchre　from　pagan　hands。'

〃'And　anything　else？'　　He'll　ask。

〃'And　I've　seen　a　young　man　go　out　into　the　desert　and　over　his　head　was　a　star。　。　。'

〃You　may　think　you　have　failed；　child；　but　remember　that　in　the　coming　times　your　name　and　fame　will　awaken　beauty；　and　many's　the　traveler　on　the　hard　road　will　find　his　courage　again；　and　he　thinking　of　Marco　Polo。　　And　many's　the　young　man　will　dream　dreams；　and　many's　the　old　man　will　see　visions；　and　they　reading　the　book　by　the　golden　candle…light；　and　many's　the　young　girl　will　give　you　love；　and　you　dead　for　centuries。　　But　for　this　you　must　keep　your　dream。

〃Now　you'll　think　it's　the　queer　pope　I　am　to　be　telling　you　things　like　this　instead　of　demanding　converts。　　But　the　wisdom　that　surpasses　wisdom　comes　to　you　with　the　Annointing　of　the　Oil。　　'I　knew　a　man　in　Christ　above　fourteen　years　ago；'　writes　Saint　Paul；　'（whether　in　the　body　I　cannot　tell；　or　whether　out　of　the　body　I　cannot　tell。　　God　knoweth。）

〃'How　that　he　was　caught　up　into　paradise；　and　heard　unspeakable　words；　which　is　not　lawful　for　a　man　to　utter。'

〃Now　you　see　there　is　a　wisdom　surpassing　wisdom；　and　it　is　out　of　this　fount　of　wisdom　I　am　drawing　when　I　speak　to　you　these　words。

〃Child；　I　will　not　keep　you　any　longer。　　Only　to　say　this；　and　this　is　the　chiefest　thing：　never　let　your　dream　be　taken　from　you。　Keep　it　unspotted　from　the　world。　　In　darkness　and　in　tribulation　it　will　go　with　you　as　a　friend；　but　in　wealth　and　power　hold　fast　to　it；　for　then　is　danger。　　Let　not　the　mists　of　the　world；　the　gay　diversions；　the　little　trifles；　draw　you　from　glory。

〃Remember！

〃Si　oblitus　fuero　tui　Jerusalem；　　If　I　forget　thee；　O　Jerusalem；　

〃Oblivioni　detur　dextera　mea；　　let　my　right　hand　forget　her　cunning　

〃Adhaereat　lingua　mea　faucibus　meis；　si　non　meminero　tui；　　if　I　do　not　remember　thee；　let　my　tongue　cleave　to　the　roof　of　my　mouth　

〃Si　non　proposuero　Jerusalem；　in　principis　laetitiae　meae；　　If　I　prefer　not　Jerusalem　above　my　chief　joy。

〃I　shall　now　send　a　prayer　to　Heaven；〃　he　said；　〃to　keep　you　safe　in　the　strange　foreign　ways；　to　protect　you　against　wind　and　tempest；　against　pestilence　and　sudden　death；　against　the　powers　of　darkness；　and　Him　who　goes　up　and　down　the　world　for　the　ruin　of　souls。〃

And　he　turned　to　the　high　altar　again；　and　now　you'd　hear　his　voice　loud　and　powerful；　and　now　low　and　secret；　and　the　bell　struck；　and　the　acolyte　intoned　the　responses；　and　all　of　a　sudden　he　turned　and　spread　forth　his　hands。

〃Ite！　　Let　you　go　now。　　Missa　est。〃



CHAPTER　VIII

And　so　they　set　forth　with　their　great　train　of　red；　snarling　camels　and　little　patient　donkeys　and　slender；　nervous　horses　toward　the　rising　sun。　　Behind　them　the　green　hills　of　Palestine　died　out　as　a　rainbow　dies　out；　and　now　there　was　sand　before　them　and　now　bleak　mountains；　and　by　day　the　wind　was　swift　and　hot　and　by　night　it　was　black　and　cold。　　And　moons　were　born　and　died。　。　。

And　they　passed　through　the　land　of　the　King　of　Armenia；　and　they　passed　Ararat；　the　mountain　where　Noah　brought　his　ark　to　anchor；　and　where　it　still　is；　and　where　it　can　be　seen　still；　but　cannot　be　reached；　so　cold　and　high　and　terrible　is　that　mountain。

And　they　passed　ruined　Babel；　that　was　built　of　Nimrod；　the　first　king　of　the　world；　and　now　is　desolation。　　They　passed　it　on　a　waning　moon。　　And　out　of　the　ruins　the　dragons　came　and　hissed　at　them；　and　strange；　obscene　birds　flapped　their　wings　in　the　air　and　cawed　and　pecked　at　them；　and　over　the　desert　the　satyr　called　unto　her　mate。　。　。

And　they　passed　through　the　Kingdom　of　Georgia；　whose　kings　are　born　with　the　mark　of　an　eagle　on　their　right　shoulder。　　They　passed　through　Persia；　where　the　magicians　worship　fire。　　And　they　passed　through　the　city　of　Saba；　where　sleep　the　three　magi　who　came　to　worship　at　Bethlehem；　and　their　names　were　Kaspar；　Balthlasar；　and　Melchior。

And　they　passed　through　Camadi；　where　great　ruins　are　and　robbers　roam　through　the　magical　darkness。　　And　they　passed　northward　of　the　Perilous　Valley；　where　the　Devil's　Head　is　in　black　stone；　and　that　is　one　of　the　nine　entrances　to　hell；　and　passed　the　Valley　of　the　Cockadrills；　where　there　are　serpents　five　fathoms　in　length；　and　passed　the　Valley　of　Cruel　Women；　who　have　precious　stones　in　place　of　eyes。　。　。

And　they　went　through　the　Dismal　Desert；　where　no　stream　sang。　。　。

And　in　the　desert　they　passed　the　Trees　of　the　Sun　and　Moon；　which　speak　with　the　voices　of　men。　　And　it　was　from　the　Speaking　Tree　that　Alexander　heard　of　his　death。　　And　it　was　near　there　that　he　and　Darius　fought。　　And　they　passed　the　Arbre　Sec；　the　Dry　Tree；　which　has　a　green　bark　on　one　side　and　white　on　the　other；　and　there　are　no　trees　within　a　hundred　miles　of　that　tree；　and　it　is　sprung　from　the　staff　of　Adam。

And　they　passed　through　Balkh；　the　Mother　of　Cities。　　And　they　passed　through　Tailian；　where　the　great　salt　mountains　are。　　And　they　passed　through　Badashan；　where　the　mountains　of　the　rubies　are。　And　they　passed　through　Kashmir；　whose　women　are　very　beautiful；　and　whose　magicians　weave　the　strongest　spells　in　the　world。　。　。

And　moons　were　born　and　died。　。　。

And　they　came　to　Alamoot；　the　fortess　of　Senex　de　Monte；　the　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain；　the　King　of　the　Assassins；　the　greatest　wizard　of　all　time。　。　。

Now　this　is　the　tale　of　the　Old　Man　the　Mountain。

Whenever　within　his　dominions　there　was　a　fine　young　horseman；　the　Old　Man　would　put　a　spell　on　him　and　draw　him　to　the　Castle　of　Alamoot；　and　outside　of　the　castle　sleep　would　come　on　him。　　And　when　he　woke　up；　he　would　be　inside　the　castle；　in　the　wonderful　gardens。　　And　they'd　tell　him　he　was　dead　and　in　paradise。　　And　paradise　it　would　be　for　him　what　with　the　lovely　women　and　the　great　playing　on　the　flutes；　the　birds　singing；　and　the　sun　shining；　the　crystal　rivers　and　the　flowers　of　the　world。　　And　after　a　while　the　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain　would　call　for　him；　and　tell　him　he　was　sending　him　back　on　earth　again　on　a　mission　to　punish　Such…and…Such。　　And　the　Old　Man　would　put　sleep　on　him　and　a　knife　in　his　hand；　and　when　he　woke　he　would　be　outside　the　Castle　of　Alamoot。　　And　he　would　start　on　his　mission。　　And　when　he　came　back　he　would　be　readmitted　to　paradise。　　And　if　he　didn't　come　back；　there　were　others　to　take　his　place。

The　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain　always　kept　one　hundred　and　one　assassins　and　four　hundred　and　four　women　to　tend　them。

Now　when　the　caravan　of　the　Polos　had　come　to　rest　for　the　day；　the　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain　put　out