第 13 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2024-12-13 14:16      字数:9321
  condemned me; after having taken a large dose of avarice; to
  wander three years on the banks of Cocytus; with the knowledge of
  having spent the fortune in the person of the grandson which I
  had raised in that of the grandfather。
  〃The place of my birth; on my return to the world; was
  Constantinople; where my father was a carpenter。  The first thing
  I remember was; the triumph of Belisarius; which was; indeed;
  most noble show; but nothing pleased me so much as the figure of
  Gelimer; king of the African Vandals; who; being led captive on
  this occasion; reflecting with disdain on the mutation of his own
  fortune; and on the ridiculous empty pomp of the conqueror; cried
  out; VANITY; VANITY; ALL IS MERE VANITY。'
  〃I was bred up to my father's trade; and you may easily believe
  so low a sphere could produce no adventures worth your notice。
  However; I married a woman I liked; and who proved a very
  tolerable wife。  My days were passed in hard labor; but this
  procured me health; and I enjoyed a homely supper at night with
  my wife with more pleasure than I apprehend greater persons find
  at their luxurious meals。  My life had scarce any variety in it;
  and at my death I advanced to Minos with great confidence of
  entering the gate:  but I was unhappily obliged to discover some
  frauds I had been guilty of in the measure of my work when I
  worked by the foot; as well as my laziness when I was employed by
  the day。  On which account; when I attempted to pass; the angry
  judge laid hold on me by the shoulders; and turned me back so
  violently; that; had I had a neck of flesh and bone; I believe he
  would have broke it。〃
  CHAPTER XIII
  Julian passes into a fop。
  〃My scene of action was Rome。  I was born into a noble family;
  and heir to a considerable fortune。  On which my parents;
  thinking I should not want any talents; resolved very kindly and
  wisely to throw none away upon me。  The only instructors of my
  youth were therefore one Saltator; who taught me several motions
  for my legs; and one Ficus; whose business was to show me the
  cleanest way (as he called it) of cutting off a man's head。  When
  I was well accomplished in these sciences; I thought nothing more
  wanting; but what was to be furnished by the several mechanics in
  Rome; who dealt in dressing and adorning the pope。  Being
  therefore well equipped with all which their art could produce; I
  became at the age of twenty a complete finished beau。  And now
  during forty…five years I dressed; I sang and danced; and danced
  and sang; I bowed and ogled; and ogled and bowed; till; in the
  sixty…sixth year of my age; I got cold by overheating myself with
  dancing; and died。
  〃Minos told me; as I was unworthy of Elysium; so I was too
  insignificant to be damned; and therefore bade me walk back
  again。〃
  CHAPTER XIV
  Adventures in the person of a monk。
  〃Fortune now placed me in the character of a younger brother of a
  good house; and I was in my youth sent to school; but learning
  was now at so low an ebb; that my master himself could hardly
  construe a sentence of Latin; and as for Greek; he could not read
  it。  With very little knowledge therefore; and with altogether as
  little virtue; I was set apart for the church; and at the proper
  age commenced monk。  I lived many years retired in a cell; a life
  very agreeable to the gloominess of my temper; which was much
  inclined to despise the world; that is; in other words; to envy
  all men of superior fortune and qualifications; and in general to
  hate and detest the human species。  Notwithstanding which; I
  could; on proper occasions; submit to flatter the vilest fellow
  in nature; which I did one Stephen; an eunuch; a favorite of the
  emperor Justinian II; one of the wickedest wretches whom perhaps
  the world ever saw。  I not only wrote a panegyric on this man;
  but I commended him as a pattern to all others in my sermons; by
  which means I so greatly ingratiated myself with him; that he
  introduced me to the emperor's presence; where I prevailed so far
  by the same methods; that I was shortly taken from my cell; and
  preferred to a place at court。  I was no sooner established in
  the favor of Justinian than I prompted him to all kind of
  cruelty。  As I was of a sour morose temper; and hated nothing
  more than the symptoms of happiness appearing in any countenance;
  I represented all kind of diversion and amusement as the most
  horrid sins。  I inveighed against cheerfulness as levity; and
  encouraged nothing but gravity; or; to confess the truth to you;
  hypocrisy。  The unhappy emperor followed my advice; and incensed
  the people by such repeated barbarities; that he was at last
  deposed by them and banished。
  〃I now retired again to my cell (for historians mistake in saying
  I was put to death); where I remained safe from the danger of the
  irritated mob; whom I cursed in my own heart as much as they
  could curse me。
  〃Justinian; after three years of his banishment; returned to
  Constantinople in disguise; and paid me a visit。  I at first
  affected not to know him; and without the least compunction of
  gratitude for his former favors; intended not to receive him;
  till a thought immediately suggested itself to me how I might
  convert him to my advantage; I pretended to recollect him; and;
  blaming the shortness of my memory and badness of my eyes; I
  sprung forward and embraced him with great affection。
  〃My design was to betray him to Apsimar; who; I doubted not;
  would generously reward such a service。  I therefore very
  earnestly requested him to spend the whole evening with me; to
  which he consented。  I formed an excuse for leaving him a few
  minutes; and ran away to the palace to acquaint Apsimar with the
  guest whom I had then in my cell。  He presently ordered a guard
  to go with me and seize him; but; whether the length of my stay
  gave him any suspicion; or whether he changed his purpose after
  my departure; I know not; for at my return we found he had given
  us the slip; nor could we with the most diligent search discover
  him。
  〃Apsimar; being disappointed of his prey; now raged at me; at
  first denouncing the most dreadful vengeance if I did not produce
  the deposed monarch。  However; by soothing his passion when at
  the highest; and afterwards by canting and flattery; I made a
  shift to escape his fury。
  〃When Justinian was restored I very confidently went to wish him
  joy of his restoration:  but it seems he had unfortunately heard
  of my treachery; so that he at first received me coldly; and
  afterwards upbraided me openly with what I had done。  I
  persevered stoutly in denying it; as I knew no evidence could be
  produced against me; till; finding him irreconcilable; I betook
  myself to reviling him in my sermons; and on every other
  occasion; as an enemy to the church and good men; and as an
  infidel; a heretic; an atheist; a heathen; and an Arian。  This I
  did immediately on his return; and before he gave  those flagrant
  proofs of his inhumanity which afterwards sufficiently verified
  all I had said。
  〃Luckily I died on the same day when a great number of those
  forces which Justinian had sent against the Thracian Bosphorus;
  and who had executed such unheard…of cruelties there; perished。
  As every one of these was cast into the bottomless pit; Minos was
  so tired with condemnation; that he proclaimed that all present
  who had not been concerned in that bloody expedition might; if
  they pleased; return to the other world。  I took him at his word;
  and; presently turning about; began my journey。〃
  CHAPTER XV
  Julian passes into the character of a fiddler。
  〃Rome was now the seat of my nativity。  My mother was an African;
  a woman of no great beauty; but a favorite; I suppose from her
  piety; of pope Gregory II。  Who was my father I know not; but I
  believe no very considerable man; for after the death of that
  pope; who was; out of his religion; a very good friend of my
  mother; we fell into great distress; and were at length reduced
  to walk the streets of Rome; nor had either of us any other
  support but a fiddle; on which I played with pretty tolerable
  skill; for; as my genius turned naturally to music; so I had been
  in my youth very early instructed at the expense of the good
  pope。  This afforded us but a very poor livelihood:  for; though
  I had often a numerous crowd of hearers; few ever thought
  themselves obliged to contribute the smallest pittance to the
  poor starving wretch who had given them pleasure。  Nay; some of
  the graver sort; after an hour's attention to my music; have gone
  away shaking their heads; and crying it was a shame such
  vagabonds were suffered to stay in the city。
  〃To say the truth; I am confident the fiddle would not have kept
  us alive had we entirely depended on the generosity of my
  hearers。  My mother therefore was forced to use her own industry;
  and while I was soothing the ears of the