第 9 节
作者:
水王 更新:2021-12-07 09:35 字数:9322
suffers any thing evil to get into his nature; or to remain there; is a kind of
Minotaur; an enemy of his fellow…creatures; and separated from all good
companionship; as this poor monster was。
Was Theseus afraid? By no means; my dear auditors。 What! a hero like
Theseus afraid; Not had the Minotaur had twenty bull…heads instead of one。
Bold as he was; however; I rather fancy that it strengthened his valiant
heart; just at this crisis; to feel a tremulous twitch at the silken cord; which
he was still holding in his left hand。 It was as if Ariadne were giving him
all her might and courage; and much as he already had; and little as she
had to give; it made his own seem twice as much。 And to confess the
honest truth; he needed the whole; for now the Minotaur; turning suddenly
about; caught sight of Theseus; and instantly lowered his horribly sharp
horns; exactly as a mad bull does when he means to rush against an enemy。
At the same time; he belched forth a tremendous roar; in which there was
something like the words of human language; but all disjointed and shaken
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to pieces by passing through the gullet of a miserably enraged brute。
Theseus could only guess what the creature intended to say; and that
rather by his gestures than his words; for the Minotaur's horns were
sharper than his wits; and of a great deal more service to him than his
tongue。 But probably this was the sense of what he uttered:
〃Ah; wretch of a human being! I'll stick my horns through you; and
toss you fifty feet high; and eat you up the moment you come down。〃
〃Come on; then; and try it!〃 was all that Theseus deigned to reply; for
he was far too magnanimous to assault his enemy with insolent language。
Without more words on either side; there ensued the most awful fight
between Theseus and the Minotaur that ever happened beneath the sun or
moon。 I really know not how it might have turned out; if the monster; in
his first headlong rush against Theseus; had not missed him; by a hair's
breadth; and broken one of his horns short off against the stone wall。 On
this mishap; he bellowed so intolerably that a part of the labyrinth tumbled
down; and all the inhabitants of Crete mistook the noise for an
uncommonly heavy thunder storm。 Smarting with the pain; he galloped
around the open space in so ridiculous a way that Theseus laughed at it;
long afterwards; though not precisely at the moment。 After this; the two
antagonists stood valiantly up to one another; and fought; sword to horn;
for a long while。 At last; the Minotaur made a run at Theseus; grazed his
left side with his horn; and flung him down; and thinking that he had
stabbed him to the heart; he cut a great caper in the air; opened his bull
mouth from ear to ear; and prepared to snap his head off。 But Theseus by
this time had leaped up; and caught the monster off his guard。 Fetching a
sword stroke at him with all his force; he hit him fair upon the neck; and
made his bull head skip six yards from his human body; which fell down
flat upon the ground。
So now the battle was ended。 Immediately the moon shone out as
brightly as if all the troubles of the world; and all the wickedness and the
ugliness that infest human life; were past and gone forever。 And Theseus;
as he leaned on his sword; taking breath; felt another twitch of the silken
cord; for all through the terrible encounter; he had held it fast in his left
hand。 Eager to let Ariadne know of his success; he followed the guidance
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of the thread; and soon found himself at the entrance of the labyrinth。
〃Thou hast slain the monster;〃 cried Ariadne; clasping her hands。
〃Thanks to thee; dear Ariadne;〃 answered Theseus; 〃I return
victorious。〃
〃Then;〃 said Ariadne; 〃we must quickly summon thy friends; and get
them and thyself on board the vessel before dawn。 If morning finds thee
here; my father will avenge the Minotaur。〃
To make my story short; the poor captives were awakened; and; hardly
knowing whether it was not a joyful dream; were told of what Theseus had
done; and that they must set sail for Athens before daybreak。 Hastening
down to the vessel; they all clambered on board; except Prince Theseus;
who lingered behind them on the strand; holding Ariadne's hand clasped in
his own。
〃Dear maiden;〃 said he; 〃thou wilt surely go with us。 Thou art too
gentle and sweet a child for such an iron…hearted father as King Minos。 He
cares no more for thee than a granite rock cares for the little flower that
grows in one of its crevices。 But my father; King Aegeus; and my dear
mother; Aethra; and all the fathers and mothers in Athens; and all the sons
and daughters too; will love and honor thee as their benefactress。 Come
with us; then; for King Minos will be very angry when he knows what
thou hast done。〃
Now; some low…minded people; who pretend to tell the story of
Theseus and Ariadne; have the face to say that this royal and honorable
maiden did really flee away; under cover of the night; with the young
stranger whose life she had preserved。 They say; too; that Prince Theseus
(who would have died sooner than wrong the meanest creature in the
world) ungratefully deserted Ariadne; on a solitary island; where the vessel
touched on its voyage to Athens。 But; had the noble Theseus heard these
falsehoods; he would have served their slanderous authors as he served the
Minotaur! Here is what Ariadne answered; when the brave prince of
Athens besought her to accompany him:
〃No; Theseus;〃 the maiden said; pressing his hand; and then drawing
back a step or two; 〃I cannot go with you。 My father is old; and has
nobody but myself to love him。 Hard as you think his heart is; it would
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break to lose me。 At first; King Minos will be angry; but he will soon
forgive his only child; and; by and by; he will rejoice; I know; that no more
youths and maidens must come from Athens to be devoured by the
Minotaur。 I have saved you; Theseus; as much for my father's sake as for
your own。 Farewell! Heaven bless you!〃
All this was so true; and so maiden…like; and was spoken with so sweet
a dignity; that Theseus would have blushed to urge her any longer。
Nothing remained for him; therefore; but to bid Ariadne an affectionate
farewell; and to go on board the vessel; and set sail。
In a few moments the white foam was boiling up before their prow; as
Prince Theseus and his companions sailed out of the harbor; with a
whistling breeze behind them。 Talus; the brazen giant; on his never…
ceasing sentinel's march; happened to be approaching that part of the coast;
and they saw him; by the glimmering of the moonbeams on his polished
surface; while he was yet a great way off。 As the figure moved like
clockwork; however; and could neither hasten his enormous strides nor
retard them; he arrived at the port when they were just beyond the reach of
his club。 Nevertheless; straddling from headland to headland; as his
custom was; Talus attempted to strike a blow at the vessel; and;
overreaching himself; tumbled at full length into the sea; which splashed
high over his gigantic shape; as when an iceberg turns a somerset。 There
he lies yet; and whoever desires to enrich himself by means of brass had
better go thither with a diving bell; and fish up Talus。
On the homeward voyage; the fourteen youths and damsels were in
excellent spirits; as you will easily suppose。 They spent most of their time
in dancing; unless when the sidelong breeze made the deck slope too much。
In due season; they came within sight of the coast of Attica; which was
their native country。 But here; I am grieved to tell yo