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