what the moon saw-第3部分

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stem；　has　been　drifting　for　weeks　with　the　tide。　The　crown…shaped

Northern　Light　burned　fiercely　in　the　sky。　Its　ring　was　broad；　and

from　its　circumference　the　rays　shot　like　whirling　shafts　of　fire

across　the　whole　sky；　flashing　in　changing　radiance　from　green　to　red。

The　inhabitants　of　that　icy　region　were　assembling　for　dance　and

festivity；　but；　accustomed　to　this　glorious　spectacle；　they　scarcely

deigned　to　glance　at　it。　'Let　us　leave　the　soul　of　the　dead　to　their

ball…play　with　the　heads　of　the　walruses；'　they　thought　in　their

superstition；　and　they　turned　their　whole　attention　to　the　song　and

dance。　In　the　midst　of　the　circle；　and　divested　of　his　furry　cloak；

stood　a　Greenlander；　with　a　small　pipe；　and　he　played　and　sang　a

song　about　catching　the　seal；　and　the　chorus　around　chimed　in　with；

'Eia；　Eia；　Ah。'　And　in　their　white　furs　they　danced　about　in　the

circle；　till　you　might　fancy　it　was　a　polar　bear's　ball。

　　　　〃And　now　a　Court　of　Judgment　was　opened。　Those　Greenlanders　who

had　quarrelled　stepped　forward；　and　the　offended　person　chanted

forth　the　faults　of　his　adversary　in　an　extempore　song；　turning　them

sharply　into　ridicule；　to　the　sound　of　the　pipe　and　the　measure　of　the

dance。　The　defendant　replied　with　satire　as　keen；　while　the　audience

laughed；　and　gave　their　verdict。　The　rocks　heaved；　the　glaciers

melted；　and　great　masses　of　ice　and　snow　came　crashing　down；　shivering

to　fragments　as　they　fall；　it　was　a　glorious　Greenland　summer　night。　A

hundred　paces　away；　under　the　open　tent　of　hides；　lay　a　sick　man。　Life

still　flowed　through　his　warm　blood；　but　still　he　was　to　die…　he

himself　felt　it；　and　all　who　stood　round　him　knew　it　also；　therefore

his　wife　was　already　sewing　round　him　the　shroud　of　furs；　that　she

might　not　afterwards　be　obliged　to　touch　the　dead　body。　And　she　asked；

'Wilt　thou　be　buried　on　the　rock；　in　the　firm　snow？　I　will　deck　the

spot　with　thy　kayak；　and　thy　arrows；　and　the　angekokk　shall　dance　over

it。　Or　wouldst　thou　rather　be　buried　in　the　sea？'　'In　the　sea；'　he

whispered；　and　nodded　with　a　mournful　smile。　'Yes；　it　is　a　pleasant

summer　tent；　the　sea；'　observed　the　wife。　'Thousands　of　seals　sport

there；　the　walrus　shall　lie　at　thy　feet；　and　the　hunt　will　be　safe　and

merry！'　And　the　yelling　children　tore　the　outspread　hide　from　the

window…hole；　that　the　dead　man　might　be　carried　to　the　ocean；　the

billowy　ocean；　that　had　given　him　food　in　life；　and　that　now；　in

death；　was　to　afford　him　a　place　of　rest。　For　his　monument；　he　had　the

floating；　ever…changing　icebergs；　whereon　the　seal　sleeps；　while　the

storm　bird　flies　round　their　gleaming　summits！〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TENTH　EVENING



　　　　〃I　knew　an　old　maid；〃　said　the　Moon。　〃Every　winter　she　wore　a

wrapper　of　yellow　satin；　and　it　always　remained　new；　and　was　the

only　fashion　she　followed。　In　summer　she　always　wore　the　same　straw

hat；　and　I　verily　believe　the　very　same　gray…blue　dress。

　　　　〃She　never　went　out；　except　across　the　street　to　an　old　female

friend；　and　in　later　years　she　did　not　even　take　this　walk；　for　the

old　friend　was　dead。　In　her　solitude　my　old　maid　was　always　busy　at

the　window；　which　was　adorned　in　summer　with　pretty　flowers；　and　in

winter　with　cress；　grown　upon　felt。　During　the　last　months　I　saw　her

no　more　at　the　window；　but　she　was　still　alive。　I　knew　that；　for　I　had

not　yet　seen　her　begin　the　'long　journey；'　of　which　she　often　spoke

with　her　friend。　'Yes；　yes；'　she　was　in　the　habit　of　saying；　when　I

come　to　die　I　shall　take　a　longer　journey　than　I　have　made　my　whole

life　long。　Our　family　vault　is　six　miles　from　here。　I　shall　be　carried

there；　and　shall　sleep　there　among　my　family　and　relatives。'　Last

night　a　van　stopped　at　the　house。　A　coffin　was　carried　out；　and　then　I

knew　that　she　was　dead。　They　placed　straw　round　the　coffin；　and　the

van　drove　away。　There　slept　the　quiet　old　lady；　who　had　not　gone　out

of　her　house　once　for　the　last　year。　The　van　rolled　out　through　the

town…gate　as　briskly　as　if　it　were　going　for　a　pleasant　excursion。

On　the　high…road　the　pace　was　quicker　yet。　The　coachman　looked

nervously　round　every　now　and　then…　I　fancy　he　half　expected　to　see

her　sitting　on　the　coffin；　in　her　yellow　satin　wrapper。　And　because　he

was　startled；　he　foolishly　lashed　his　horses；　while　he　held　the

reins　so　tightly　that　the　poor　beasts　were　in　a　foam：　they　were

young　and　fiery。　A　hare　jumped　across　the　road　and　startled　them；

and　they　fairly　ran　away。　The　old　sober　maiden；　who　had　for　years

and　years　moved　quietly　round　and　round　in　a　dull　circle；　was　now；

in　death；　rattled　over　stock　and　stone　on　the　public　highway。　The

coffin　in　its　covering　of　straw　tumbled　out　of　the　van；　and　was　left

on　the　high…road；　while　horses；　coachman；　and　carriage　flew　past　in

wild　career。　The　lark　rose　up　carolling　from　the　field；　twittering　her

morning　lay　over　the　coffin；　and　presently　perched　upon　it；　picking

with　her　beak　at　the　straw　covering；　as　though　she　would　tear　it　up。

The　lark　rose　up　again；　singing　gaily；　and　I　withdrew　behind　the　red

morning　clouds。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ELEVENTH　EVENING



　　　　〃I　will　give　you　a　picture　of　Pompeii；〃　said　the　Moon。　〃I　was　in

the　suburb　in　the　Street　of　Tombs；　as　they　call　it；　where　the　fair

monuments　stand；　in　the　spot　where；　ages　ago；　the　merry　youths；

their　temples　bound　with　rosy　wreaths；　danced　with　the　fair　sisters　of

Lais。　Now；　the　stillness　of　death　reigned　around。　German

mercenaries；　in　the　Neapolitan　service；　kept　guard；　played　cards；

and　diced；　and　a　troop　of　strangers　from　beyond　the　mountains　came

into　the　town；　accompanied　by　a　sentry。　They　wanted　to　see　the　city

that　had　risen　from　the　grave　illumined　by　my　beams；　and　I　showed　them

the　wheel…ruts　in　the　streets　paved　with　broad　lava　slabs；　I　showed

them　the　names　on　the　doors；　and　the　signs　that　hung　there　yet：　they

saw　in　the　little　courtyard　the　basins　of　the　fountains；　ornamented

with　shells；　but　no　jet　of　water　gushed　upwards；　no　songs　sounded

forth　from　the　richly…painted　chambers；　where　the　bronze　dog　kept

the　door。

　　　　〃It　was　the　City　of　the　Dead；　only　Vesuvius　thundered　forth　his

everlasting　hymn；　each　separate　verse　of　which　is　called　by　men　an

eruption。　We　went　to　the　temple　of　Venus；　built　of　snow…white

marble；　with　its　high　altar　in　front　of　the　broad　steps；　and　the

weeping　willows　sprouting　freshly　forth　among　the　pillars。　The　air　was

transparent　and　blue；　and　black　Vesuvius　formed　the　background；　with

fire　ever　shooting　forth　from　it；　like　the　stem　of　the　pine　tree。

Above　it　stretched　the　smoky　cloud　in　the　silence　of　the　night；　like

the　crown　of　the　pine；　but　in　a　blood…red　illumination。　Among　the

company　was　a　lady　singer；　a　real　and　great　singer。　I　have　witnessed

the　homage　paid　to　her　in　the　greatest　cities　of　Europe。　When　they

came　to　the　tragic　theatre；　they　all　sat　down　on　the　amphitheatre

steps；　and　thus　a　small　part　of　the　house　was　occupied　by　an　audience；

as　it　had　been　many　centuries　ago。　The　stage　still　stood　unchanged；

with　its　walled　side…scenes；　and　the　two　arches　in　the　background；

through　which　the　beholders　saw　the　same　scene　that　had　been　exhibited

in　the　old　times…　a　scene　painted　by　nature　herself；　namely；　the

mountains　between　Sorento　and　Amalfi。　The　singer　gaily　mounted　the

ancient　stage；　and　sang。　The　place　inspired　her；　and　she　reminded　me

of　a　wild　Arab　horse；　that　rushes　headlong　on　with　snorting　nostrils

and　flying　mane…　her　song　was　so　light　and　yet　so　firm。　Anon　I　thought

of　the　mourning　mother　beneath　the　cross　at　Golgotha；　so　deep　was

the　expression　of　pain。　And；　just　as　it　had　done　thousands　of　years

ago；　the　sound　of　applause　and　delight　now　filled　the　theatre。　'Happy；

gifted　creature！'　all　the　hearers　exclaimed。　Five　minutes　more；　and

the　stage　was　empty；　the　company　had　vanished；　and　not　a　sound　more

was　heard…　all　were　gone。　But　the　ruins　stood　unchanged；　as　they

will　stand　when　centuries　shall　have　gone　by；　and　when　none　shall　know

of　the　momentary　applause　and　of　the　triumph　of　the　fair　songstress；

when　all　will　be　forgotten　and　gone；　and　even　for　me　this　hour　will　be

but　a　dream　of　the　past。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TWELFTH　EVENING



　　　　〃I　looked　through　the　windows　of　an　editor's　house；〃　said　the

Moon。　〃It　was　somewhere　in　Germany。　I　saw　handsome　furniture；　many

books；　and　a　chaos　of　newspapers。　Several　young　men　were　present：

the　editor　himself　stood　at　his　desk；　and　two　little　books；　both　by

young　authors；　were　to　be　noticed。　'This　one　has　been　sent　to　me；'

said　he。　'I　have　not　read　it　yet；　what　think　you　of　the　contents？'

'Oh；'　said　the　person　addressed…　he　was　a　poet　himself…　'it　is　good

enough；　a　little　broad；　certainly；　but；　you　see；　the　author　is　still

young。　The　verses　might　be　better；　to　be　sure；　the　thoughts　are　sound；

though　there　is　certainly　a　good　deal　of　common…place　among　them。

But　what　will　you　have？　You　can't　be　always　getting　something　new。

That　he'll　turn　out　anything　great　I　don't　believe；　but　you　may　safely

praise　him。　He　is　well　read；　a　remarkable　Oriental　scholar；　and　has

a　good　judgment。　It　was　he　who　wrote　that　nice　review　of　my

'Reflections　on　Domestic　Life。'　We　must　be　lenient　towards　the　young

man。〃

　　　　〃'But　he　is　a　complete　hack！'　objected　another　of　the　gentlemen。

'Nothing　worse　in　poetry　than　mediocrity；　and　he　certainly　does　not　go

beyond　this。'

　　　　〃'Poor　fellow；'　observed　a　third；　'and　his　aunt　is　so　happy

about　him。　It　was　she；　Mr。　Editor；　who　got　together　so　many

subscribers　for　your　last　translation。'

　　　　〃'Ah；　the　good　woman！　Well；　I　have　noticed　the　book　briefly。

Undoubted　talent…　a　welcome　offering…　a　flower　in　the　garden　of

poetry…　prettily　brought　out…　and　so　on。　But　this　other　book…　I

suppose　the　author　expects　me　to　purchase　it？　I　hear　it　is　praised。　He

has　genius；　certainly：　don't　you　think　so？'

　　　　〃'Yes；　all　the　world　declares　as　much；'　replied　the　poet；　'but

it　has　turned　out　rather　wildly。　The　punctuation　of　the　book；　in

particular；　is　very　eccentric。'

　　　　〃'It　will　be　good　for　him　if　we　pull　him　to　pieces；　and　anger

him　a　little；　otherw