石榴之屋- 第21部分

sell　all　kinds　of　fruit：　　ripe　figs；　with　their　bruised　purple

flesh；　melons；　smelling　of　musk　and　yellow　as　topazes；　citrons　and

rose…apples　and　clusters　of　white　grapes；　round　red…gold　oranges；

and　oval　lemons　of　green　gold。　　once　i　saw　an　elephant　go　by。　　its

trunk　was　painted　with　vermilion　and　turmeric；　and　over　its　ears　it

had　a　net　of　crimson　silk　cord。　　it　stopped　opposite　one　of　the

booths　and　began　eating　the　oranges；　and　the　man　only　laughed。

thou　canst　not　think　how　strange　a　people　they　are。　　when　they　are

glad　they　go　to　the　bird…sellers　and　buy　of　them　a　caged　bird；　and

set　it　free　that　their　joy　may　be　greater；　and　when　they　are　sad

they　scourge　themselves　with　thorns　that　their　sorrow　may　not　grow

less。

one　evening　i　met　some　negroes　carrying　a　heavy　palanquin　through

the　bazaar。　　it　was　made　of　gilded　bamboo；　and　the　poles　were　of

vermilion　lacquer　studded　with　brass　peacocks。　　across　the　windows

hung　thin　curtains　of　muslin　embroidered　with　beetles　wings　and

with　tiny　seed…pearls；　and　as　it　passed　by　a　pale…faced　circassian

looked　out　and　smiled　at　me。　　i　followed　behind；　and　the　negroes

hurried　their　steps　and　scowled。　　but　i　did　not　care。　　i　felt　a

great　curiosity　e　over　me。

at　last　they　stopped　at　a　square　white　house。　　there　were　no

windows　to　it；　only　a　little　door　like　the　door　of　a　tomb。　　they

set　down　the　palanquin　and　knocked　three　times　with　a　copper

hammer。　　an　armenian　in　a　caftan　of　green　leather　peered　through

the　wicket；　and　when　he　saw　them　he　opened；　and　spread　a　carpet　on

the　ground；　and　the　woman　stepped　out。　　as　she　went　in；　she　turned

round　and　smiled　at　me　again。　　i　had　never　seen　any　one　so　pale。

when　the　moon　rose　i　returned　to　the　same　place　and　sought　for　the

house；　but　it　was　no　longer　there。　　when　i　saw　that；　i　knew　who　the

woman　was；　and　wherefore　she　had　smiled　at　me。

certainly　thou　shouldst　have　been　with　me。　　on　the　feast　of　the

new　moon　the　young　emperor　came　forth　from　his　palace　and　went　into

the　mosque　to　pray。　　his　hair　and　beard　were　dyed　with　rose…leaves；

and　his　cheeks　were　powdered　with　a　fine　gold　dust。　　the　palms　of

his　feet　and　hands　were　yellow　with　saffron。

at　sunrise　he　went　forth　from　his　palace　in　a　robe　of　silver；　and

at　sunset　he　returned　to　it　again　in　a　robe　of　gold。　　the　people

flung　themselves　on　the　ground　and　hid　their　faces；　but　i　would　not

do　so。　　i　stood　by　the　stall　of　a　seller　of　dates　and　waited。　　when

the　emperor　saw　me；　he　raised　his　painted　eyebrows　and　stopped。　　i

stood　quite　still；　and　made　him　no　obeisance。　　the　people　marvelled

at　my　boldness；　and　counselled　me　to　flee　from　the　city。　　i　paid　no

heed　to　them；　but　went　and　sat　with　the　sellers　of　strange　gods；

who　by　reason　of　their　craft　are　abominated。　　when　i　told　them　what

i　had　done；　each　of　them　gave　me　a　god　and　prayed　me　to　leave　them。

that　night；　as　i　lay　on　a　cushion　in　the　tea…house　that　is　in　the

street　of　pomegranates；　the　guards　of　the　emperor　entered　and　led

me　to　the　palace。　　as　i　went　in　they　closed　each　door　behind　me；

and　put　a　chain　across　it。　　inside　was　a　great　court　with　an　arcade

running　all　round。　　the　walls　were　of　white　alabaster；　set　here　and

there　with　blue　and　green　tiles。　　the　pillars　were　of　green　marble；

and　the　pavement　of　a　kind　of　peach…blossom　marble。　　i　had　never

seen　anything　like　it　before。

as　i　passed　across　the　court　two　veiled　women　looked　down　from　a

balcony　and　cursed　me。　　the　guards　hastened　on；　and　the　butts　of

the　lances　rang　upon　the　polished　floor。　　they　opened　a　gate　of

wrought　ivory；　and　i　found　myself　in　a　watered　garden　of　seven

terraces。　　it　was　planted　with　tulip…cups　and　moonflowers；　and

silver…studded　aloes。　　like　a　slim　reed　of　crystal　a　fountain　hung

in　the　dusky　air。　　the　cypress…trees　were　like　burnt…out　torches。

from　one　of　them　a　nightingale　was　singing。

at　the　end　of　the　garden　stood　a　little　pavilion。　　as　we

approached　it　two　eunuchs　came　out　to　meet　us。　　their　fat　bodies

swayed　as　they　walked；　and　they　glanced　curiously　at　me　with　their

yellow…lidded　eyes。　　one　of　them　drew　aside　the　captain　of　the

guard；　and　in　a　low　voice　whispered　to　him。　　the　other　kept

munching　scented　pastilles；　which　he　took　with　an　affected　gesture

out　of　an　oval　box　of　lilac　enamel。

after　a　few　moments　the　captain　of　the　guard　dismissed　the

soldiers。　　they　went　back　to　the　palace；　the　eunuchs　following

slowly　behind　and　plucking　the　sweet　mulberries　from　the　trees　as

they　passed。　　once　the　elder　of　the　two　turned　round；　and　smiled　at

me　with　an　evil　smile。

then　the　captain　of　the　guard　motioned　me　towards　the　entrance　of

the　pavilion。　　i　walked　on　without　trembling；　and　drawing　the　heavy

curtain　aside　i　entered　in。

the　young　emperor　was　stretched　on　a　couch　of　dyed　lion　skins；　and

a　gerfalcon　perched　upon　his　wrist。　　behind　him　stood　a　brass…

turbaned　nubian；　naked　down　to　the　waist；　and　with　heavy　earrings

in　his　split　ears。　　on　a　table　by　the　side　of　the　couch　lay　a

mighty　scimitar　of　steel。

when　the　emperor　saw　me　he　frowned；　and　said　to　me；　〃what　is　thy

name？　　knowest　thou　not　that　i　am　emperor　of　this　city？〃　　but　i

made　him　no　answer。

he　pointed　with　his　finger　at　the　scimitar；　and　the　nubian　seized

it；　and　rushing　forward　struck　at　me　with　great　violence。　　the

blade　whizzed　through　me；　and　did　me　no　hurt。　　the　man　fell

sprawling　on　the　floor；　and　when　he　rose　up　his　teeth　chattered

with　terror　and　he　hid　himself　behind　the　couch。

the　emperor　leapt　to　his　feet；　and　taking　a　lance　from　a　stand　of

arms；　he　threw　it　at　me。　　i　caught　it　in　its　flight；　and　brake　the

shaft　into　two　pieces。　　he　shot　at　me　with　an　arrow；　but　i　held　up

my　hands　and　it　stopped　in　mid…air。　　then　he　drew　a　dagger　from　a

belt　of　white　leather；　and　stabbed　the　nubian　in　the　throat　lest

the　slave　should　tell　of　his　dishonour。　　the　man　writhed　like　a

trampled　snake；　and　a　red　foam　bubbled　from　his　lips。

as　soon　as　he　was　dead　the　emperor　turned　to　me；　and　when　he　had

wiped　away　the　bright　sweat　from　his　brow　with　a　little　napkin　of

purfled　and　purple　silk；　he　said　to　me；　〃art　thou　a　prophet；　that　i

may　not　harm　thee；　or　the　son　of　a　prophet；　that　i　can　do　thee　no

hurt？　　i　pray　thee　leave　my　city　to…night；　for　while　thou　art　in　it

i　am　no　longer　its　lord。〃

and　i　answered　him；　〃i　will　go　for　half　of　thy　treasure。　　give　me

half　of　thy　treasure；　and　i　will　go　away。〃

he　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　led　me　out　into　the　garden。　　when　the

captain　of　the　guard　saw　me；　he　wondered。　　when　the　eunuchs　saw　me；

their　knees　shook　and　they　fell　upon　the　ground　in　fear。

there　is　a　chamber　in　the　palace　that　has　eight　walls　of　red

porphyry；　and　a　brass…sealed　ceiling　hung　with　lamps。　　the　emperor

touched　one　of　the　walls　and　it　opened；　and　we　passed　down　a

corridor　that　was　lit　with　many　torches。　　in　niches　upon　each　side

stood　great　wine…jars　filled　to　the　brim　with　silver　pieces。　　when

we　reached　the　centre　of　the　corridor　the　emperor　spake　the　word

that　may　not　be　spoken；　and　a　granite　door　swung　back　on　a　secret

spring；　and　he　put　his　hands　before　his　face　lest　his　eyes　should

be　dazzled。

thou　couldst　not　believe　how　marvellous　a　place　it　was。　　there

were　huge　tortoise…shells　full　of　pearls；　and　hollowed　moonstones

of　great　size　piled　up　with　red　rubies。　　the　gold　was　stored　in

coffers　of　elephant…hide；　and　the　gold…dust　in　leather　bottles。

there　were　opals　and　sapphires；　the　former　in　cups　of　crystal；　and

the　latter　in　cups　of　jade。　　round　green　emeralds　were　ranged　in

order　upon　thin　plates　of　ivory；　and　in　one　corner　were　silk　bags

filled；　some　with　turquoise…stones；　and　others　with　beryls。　　the

ivory　horns　were　heaped　with　purple　amethysts；　and　the　horns　of

brass　with　chalcedonies　and　sards。　　the　pillars；　which　were　of

cedar；　were　hung　with　strings　of　yellow　lynx…stones。　　in　the　flat

oval　shields　there　were　carbuncles；　both　wine…coloured　and　coloured

like　grass。　　and　yet　i　have　told　thee　but　a　tithe　of　what　was

there。

and　when　the　emperor　had　taken　away　his　hands　from　before　his　face

he　said　to　me：　　〃this　is　my　house　of　treasure；　and　half　that　is　in

it　is　thine；　even　as　i　promised　to　thee。　　and　i　will　give　thee

camels　and　camel　drivers；　and　they　shall　do　thy　bidding　and　take

thy　share　of　the　treasure　to　whatever　part　of　the　world　thou

desirest　to　go。　　and　the　thing　shall　be　done　to…night；　for　i　would

not　that　the　sun；　who　is　my　father；　should　see　that　there　is　in　my

city　a　man　whom　i　cannot　slay。〃

but　i　answered　him；　〃the　gold　that　is　here　is　thine；　and　the

silver　also　is　thine；　and　thine　are　the　precious　jewels　and　the

things　of　price。　　as　for　me；　i　have　no　need　of　these。　　nor　shall　i

take　aught　from　thee　but　that　little　ring　that　thou　wearest　on　the

finger　of　thy　hand。〃

and　the　emperor　frowned。　　〃it　is　but　a　ring　of　lead；〃　he　cried；

〃nor　has　it　any　value。　　therefore　take　thy　half　of　the　treasure　and

go　from　my　city。〃

〃nay；〃　i　answered；　〃but　i　will　take　nought　but　that　l