第 7 节
作者:水王      更新:2021-12-07 09:35      字数:9322
  TANGLEWOOD TALES
  sun     shone    on   this   huge    figure;   it  flickered    and    glimmered;       its  vast
  countenance; too; had a metallic lustre; and threw great flashes of splendor
  through the air。 The folds of its garments; moreover; instead of waving in
  the wind; fell heavily over its limbs; as if woven of some kind of metal。
  The   nigher   the   vessel   came;   the   more   Theseus   wondered   what   this
  immense giant could be; and whether it actually had life or no。 For; though
  it walked; and made other lifelike motions; there yet was a kind of jerk in
  its gait; which; together with its brazen aspect; caused the young prince to
  suspect that it was no true giant; but only a wonderful piece of machinery。
  The   figure   looked   all   the   more   terrible   because   it   carried   an   enormous
  brass club on its shoulder。
  〃What is this wonder?〃 Theseus asked of the master of the vessel; who
  was now at leisure to answer him。
  〃It is Talus; the Man of Brass;〃 said the master。
  〃And is he a live giant; or a brazen image?〃 asked Theseus。
  〃That;     truly;〃   replied    the  master;     〃is  the   point   which     has   always
  perplexed   me。   Some   say;   indeed;   that   this   Talus   was   hammered   out   for
  King Minos by Vulcan himself; the skilfullest of all workers in metal。 But
  who   ever   saw   a   brazen   image   that   had   sense   enough   to   walk   round   an
  island   three   times   a   day;   as   this   giant   walks   round   the   island   of   Crete;
  challenging   every   vessel   that   comes   nigh   the   shore?   And;   on   the   other
  hand; what living thing; unless his sinews were made of brass; would not
  be weary of marching eighteen hundred miles in the twenty…four hours; as
  Talus   does;  without   ever   sitting down   to   rest?  He  is   a puzzler;  take   him
  how you will。〃
  Still the  vessel   went bounding onward;   and   now Theseus   could hear
  the brazen clangor of the giant's footsteps; as he trod heavily upon the sea…
  beaten   rocks;   some   of   which   were   seen   to   crack   and   crumble   into   the
  foaming waves beneath his weight。 As they approached the entrance of the
  port; the giant straddled clear across it; with a foot firmly planted on each
  headland;   and   uplifting   his   club   to   such   a   height   that   its   butt…end   was
  hidden   in   the   cloud;   he   stood   in   that   formidable   posture;   with   the   sun
  gleaming   all   over   his   metallic   surface。 There   seemed   nothing   else   to   be
  expected but that; the next moment; he would fetch his great club down;
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  slam bang; and smash the vessel into a thousand pieces; without heeding
  how   many   innocent   people   he   might   destroy;   for   there   is   seldom   any
  mercy     in  a  giant;   you   know;    and    quite  as   little  in  a  piece  of  brass
  clockwork。 But just when Theseus and his companions thought the blow
  was coming; the brazen lips unclosed themselves; and the figure spoke。
  〃Whence come you; strangers?〃
  And when the ringing voice ceased; there was just such a reverberation
  as you may have heard within a great church bell; for a moment or two
  after the stroke of the hammer。
  〃From Athens!〃 shouted the master in reply。
  〃On what errand?〃 thundered the Man of Brass。
  And   he   whirled   his   club   aloft   more   threateningly  than   ever;   as   if   he
  were  about   to   smite   them  with   a  thunderstroke   right   amidships;   because
  Athens; so little while ago; had been at war with Crete。
  〃We   bring   the   seven   youths   and   the   seven   maidens;〃   answered   the
  master; 〃to be devoured by the Minotaur!〃
  〃Pass!〃 cried the brazen giant。
  That one loud word rolled all about the sky; while again there was a
  booming       reverberation     within    the   figure's   breast。   The    vessel   glided
  between the headlands of the port; and the giant resumed his march。 In a
  few moments; this wondrous sentinel was far away; flashing in the distant
  sunshine; and revolving with immense strides round the island of Crete; as
  it was his never…ceasing task to do。
  No sooner had they  entered the harbor than   a party  of the guards   of
  King Minos came down to the water side; and took charge of the fourteen
  young   men   and   damsels。   Surrounded          by   these   armed   warriors;    Prince
  Theseus   and   his   companions   were   led   to   the   king's   palace;   and   ushered
  into his presence。 Now; Minos was a stern and pitiless king。 If the figure
  that guarded Crete was made of brass; then the monarch; who ruled over it;
  might be thought to have a still harder metal in his breast; and might have
  been   called   a   man   of   iron。   He   bent   his   shaggy   brows   upon   the   poor
  Athenian      victims。   Any    other   mortal;   beholding     their  fresh   and   tender
  beauty; and their innocent looks; would have felt himself sitting on thorns
  until he had made every soul of them happy by bidding them go free as the
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  summer wind。 But this immitigable Minos cared only to examine whether
  they were plump enough to satisfy the Minotaur's appetite。 For my part; I
  wish   he   himself   had   been   the   only  victim;   and   the   monster   would   have
  found him a pretty tough one。
  One after another; King Minos called these pale; frightened youths and
  sobbing maidens to his footstool; gave them each a poke in the ribs with
  his sceptre (to try whether they were in good flesh or no); and dismissed
  them with a nod to his guards。 But when his eyes rested on Theseus; the
  king looked at him more attentively; because his face was calm and brave。
  〃Young man;〃 asked he; with his stern voice; 〃are you not appalled at
  the certainty of being devoured by this terrible Minotaur?〃
  〃I   have   offered   my   life   in   a   good   cause;〃   answered   Theseus;   〃and
  therefore   I   give   it   freely  and   gladly。  But   thou;  King   Minos;  art   thou  not
  thyself appalled; who; year after year; hast perpetrated this dreadful wrong;
  by giving seven innocent youths and as many maidens to be devoured by a
  monster? Dost thou not tremble; wicked king; to turn shine eyes inward on
  shine own heart? Sitting there on thy golden throne; and in thy robes of
  majesty;   I   tell   thee   to   thy   face;   King   Minos;   thou   art   a   more   hideous
  monster than the Minotaur himself!〃
  〃Aha! do you think me so?〃 cried the king; laughing in his cruel way。
  〃To…morrow; at breakfast time;  you shall have an opportunity of judging
  which is the greater monster; the Minotaur or the king! Take them away;
  guards; and let this free…spoken youth be the Minotaur's first morsel。〃
  Near   the   king's   throne   (though   I   had   no   time   to   tell   you   so   before)
  stood his daughter Ariadne。 She was a beautiful and tender…hearted maiden;
  and   looked   at   these   poor   doomed   captives   with   very   different   feelings
  from those of the iron…breasted King Minos。 She really wept indeed; at the
  idea of how much human happiness would be needlessly thrown away; by
  giving so many young people; in the first bloom and rose blossom of their
  lives; to be eaten up by a creature who; no doubt; would have preferred a
  fat ox; or even a large pig; to the plumpest of them。 And when she beheld
  the brave; spirited figure of Prince Theseus bearing himself so calmly in
  his terrible peril; she grew a hundred times more pitiful than before。 As the
  guards   were   taking   him   away;   she   flung   herself   at   the   king's   feet;   and
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  besought   him   to   set   all   the   captives   free;   and   especially   this   one   young
  man。
  〃Peace; foolish girl!〃 answered King Minos。
  〃What hast thou to do with an affair like this? It is a matter of state
  policy; and therefore quite beyond thy weak comprehension。 Go water thy
  flowers; and think no more of these Athenian caitiffs; whom the Minotaur
  shall   as   certainly   eat   up   for   breakfast   as   I   will   eat   a   partridge   for   my
  supper。〃
  So saying; the king looked cruel enough to devour Theseus and all the
  rest of the captives himself; had there been no Minotaur to save him the
  trouble。 As   he  would   hear  not   another  word in   their  favor;  the  prisoners
  were now led away; and clapped into a dungeon; where the jailer advi