penguin island-第47部分

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　they　themselves　had　spun。　The　goat…herds　moulded　little　figures　of　men　and　animals　out　of　clay；　or　sang　songs　about　the　young　girl　who　follows　her　lover　through　woods　or　among　the　browsing　goats　while　the　pine　trees　whisper　together　and　the　water　utters　its　murmuring　sound。　The　master　of　the　house　grew　angry　with　the　beetles　who　devoured　his　figs；　he　planned　snares　to　protect　his　fowls　from　the　velvet…tailed　fox；　and　he　poured　out　wine　for　his　neighbours　saying：

〃Drink！　The　flies　have　not　spoilt　my　vintage；　the　vines　were　dry　before　they　came。〃

Then　in　the　course　of　ages　the　wealth　of　the　villages　and　the　corn　that　filled　the　fields　were　pillaged　by　barbarian　invaders。　The　country　changed　its　masters　several　times。　The　conquerors　built　castles　upon　the　hills；　cultivation　increased；　mills；　forges）　tanneries；　and　looms　were　established；　roads　were　opened　through　the　woods　and　over　the　marshes；　the　river　was　covered　with　boats。　The　hamlets　became　large　villages　and　joining　together　formed　a　town　which　protected　itself　by　deep　trenches　and　lofty　walls。　Later；　becoming　the　capital　of　a　great　State；　it　found　itself　straitened　within　its　now　useless　ramparts　and　it　converted　them　into　grass…covered　walks。

It　grew　very　rich　and　large　beyond　measure。　The　houses　were　never　high　enough　to　satisfy　the　people；　they　kept　on　making　them　still　higher　and　built　them　of　thirty　or　forty　storeys；　with　offices；　shops；　banks；　societies　one　above　another；　they　dug　cellars　and　tunnels　ever　deeper　downwards。　Fifteen　millions　of　men　laboured　in　the　giant　town。





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