石榴之屋- 第27部分

which　she　had　fallen；　they　set　meat　and　drink　before　her；　and　bade

her　have　fort。

but　she　would　neither　eat　nor　drink；　but　said　to　the　woodcutter；

didst　thou　not　say　that　the　child　was　found　in　the　forest？　　and

was　it　not　ten　years　from　this　day？

and　the　woodcutter　answered；　yea；　it　was　in　the　forest　that　i

found　him；　and　it　is　ten　years　from　this　day。

and　what　signs　didst　thou　find　with　him？　she　cried。　　bare　he　not

upon　his　neck　a　chain　of　amber？　　was　not　round　him　a　cloak　of　gold

tissue　broidered　with　stars？

truly；　answered　the　woodcutter；　it　was　even　as　thou　sayest。

and　he　took　the　cloak　and　the　amber　chain　from　the　chest　where　they

lay；　and　showed　them　to　her。

and　when　she　saw　them　she　wept　for　joy；　and　said；　he　is　my　little

son　whom　i　lost　in　the　forest。　　i　pray　thee　send　for　him　quickly；

for　in　search　of　him　have　i　wandered　over　the　whole　world。

so　the　woodcutter　and　his　wife　went　out　and　called　to　the　star…

child；　and　said　to　him；　go　into　the　house；　and　there　shalt　thou

find　thy　mother；　who　is　waiting　for　thee。

so　he　ran　in；　filled　with　wonder　and　great　gladness。　　but　when　he

saw　her　who　was　waiting　there；　he　laughed　scornfully　and　said；

why；　where　is　my　mother？　　for　i　see　none　here　but　this　vile

beggar…woman。

and　the　woman　answered　him；　i　am　thy　mother。

thou　art　mad　to　say　so；　cried　the　star…child　angrily。　　i　am　no

son　of　thine；　for　thou　art　a　beggar；　and　ugly；　and　in　rags。

therefore　get　thee　hence；　and　let　me　see　thy　foul　face　no　more。

nay；　but　thou　art　indeed　my　little　son；　whom　i　bare　in　the

forest；　she　cried；　and　she　fell　on　her　knees；　and　held　out　her

arms　to　him。　　the　robbers　stole　thee　from　me；　and　left　thee　to

die；　she　murmured；　but　i　recognised　thee　when　i　saw　thee；　and　the

signs　also　have　i　recognised；　the　cloak　of　golden　tissue　and　the

amber　chain。　　therefore　i　pray　thee　e　with　me；　for　over　the

whole　world　have　i　wandered　in　search　of　thee。　　e　with　me；　my

son；　for　i　have　need　of　thy　love。

but　the　star…child　stirred　not　from　his　place；　but　shut　the　doors

of　his　heart　against　her；　nor　was　there　any　sound　heard　save　the

sound　of　the　woman　weeping　for　pain。

and　at　last　he　spoke　to　her；　and　his　voice　was　hard　and　bitter。

if　in　very　truth　thou　art　my　mother；　he　said；　it　had　been　better

hadst　thou　stayed　away；　and　not　e　here　to　bring　me　to　shame；

seeing　that　i　thought　i　was　the　child　of　some　star；　and　not　a

beggars　child；　as　thou　tellest　me　that　i　am。　　therefore　get　thee

hence；　and　let　me　see　thee　no　more。

alas！　my　son；　she　cried；　wilt　thou　not　kiss　me　before　i　go？　　for

i　have　suffered　much　to　find　thee。

nay；　said　the　star…child；　but　thou　art　too　foul　to　look　at；　and

rather　would　i　kiss　the　adder　or　the　toad　than　thee。

so　the　woman　rose　up；　and　went　away　into　the　forest　weeping

bitterly；　and　when　the　star…child　saw　that　she　had　gone；　he　was

glad；　and　ran　back　to　his　playmates　that　he　might　play　with　them。

but　when　they　beheld　him　ing；　they　mocked　him　and　said；　why；

thou　art　as　foul　as　the　toad；　and　as　loathsome　as　the　adder。　　get

thee　hence；　for　we　will　not　suffer　thee　to　play　with　us；　and　they

drave　him　out　of　the　garden。

and　the　star…child　frowned　and　said　to　himself；　what　is　this　that

they　say　to　me？　　i　will　go　to　the　well　of　water　and　look　into　it；

and　it　shall　tell　me　of　my　beauty。

so　he　went　to　the　well　of　water　and　looked　into　it；　and　lo！　his

face　was　as　the　face　of　a　toad；　and　his　body　was　sealed　like　an

adder。　　and　he　flung　himself　down　on　the　grass　and　wept；　and　said

to　himself；　surely　this　has　e　upon　me　by　reason　of　my　sin。　　for

i　have　denied　my　mother；　and　driven　her　away；　and　been　proud；　and

cruel　to　her。　　wherefore　i　will　go　and　seek　her　through　the　whole

world；　nor　will　i　rest　till　i　have　found　her。

and　there　came　to　him　the　little　daughter　of　the　woodcutter；　and

she　put　her　hand　upon　his　shoulder　and　said；　what　doth　it　matter

if　thou　hast　lost　thy　eliness？　　stay　with　us；　and　i　will　not

mock　at　thee。

and　he　said　to　her；　nay；　but　i　have　been　cruel　to　my　mother；　and

as　a　punishment　has　this　evil　been　sent　to　me。　　wherefore　i　must　go

hence；　and　wander　through　the　world　till　i　find　her；　and　she　give

me　her　forgiveness。

so　he　ran　away　into　the　forest　and　called　out　to　his　mother　to　e

to　him；　but　there　was　no　answer。　　all　day　long　he　called　to　her；

and；　when　the　sun　set　he　lay　down　to　sleep　on　a　bed　of　leaves；　and

the　birds　and　the　animals　fled　from　him；　for　they　remembered　his

cruelty；　and　he　was　alone　save　for　the　toad　that　watched　him；　and

the　slow　adder　that　crawled　past。

and　in　the　morning　he　rose　up；　and　plucked　some　bitter　berries　from

the　trees　and　ate　them；　and　took　his　way　through　the　great　wood；

weeping　sorely。　　and　of　everything　that　he　met　he　made　inquiry　if

perchance　they　had　seen　his　mother。

he　said　to　the　mole；　thou　canst　go　beneath　the　earth。　　tell　me；　is

my　mother　there？

and　the　mole　answered；　thou　hast　blinded　mine　eyes。　　how　should　i

know？

he　said　to　the　linnet；　thou　canst　fly　over　the　tops　of　the　tall

trees；　and　canst　see　the　whole　world。　　tell　me；　canst　thou　see　my

mother？

and　the　linnet　answered；　thou　hast　clipt　my　wings　for　thy

pleasure。　　how　should　i　fly？

and　to　the　little　squirrel　who　lived　in　the　fir…tree；　and　was

lonely；　he　said；　where　is　my　mother？

and　the　squirrel　answered；　thou　hast　slain　mine。　　dost　thou　seek

to　slay　thine　also？

and　the　star…child　wept　and　bowed　his　head；　and　prayed　forgiveness

of　gods　things；　and　went　on　through　the　forest；　seeking　for　the

beggar…woman。　　and　on　the　third　day　he　came　to　the　other　side　of

the　forest　and　went　down　into　the　plain。

and　when　he　passed　through　the　villages　the　children　mocked　him；

and　threw　stones　at　him；　and　the　carlots　would　not　suffer　him　even

to　sleep　in　the　byres　lest　he　might　bring　mildew　on　the　stored

corn；　so　foul　was　he　to　look　at；　and　their　hired　men　drave　him

away；　and　there　was　none　who　had　pity　on　him。　　nor　could　he　hear

anywhere　of　the　beggar…woman　who　was　his　mother；　though　for　the

space　of　three　years　he　wandered　over　the　world；　and　often　seemed

to　see　her　on　the　road　in　front　of　him；　and　would　call　to　her；　and

run　after　her　till　the　sharp　flints　made　his　feet　to　bleed。　　but

overtake　her　he　could　not；　and　those　who　dwelt　by　the　way　did　ever

deny　that　they　had　seen　her；　or　any　like　to　her；　and　they　made

sport　of　his　sorrow。

for　the　space　of　three　years　he　wandered　over　the　world；　and　in　the

world　there　was　neither　love　nor　loving…kindness　nor　charity　for

him；　but　it　was　even　such　a　world　as　he　had　made　for　himself　in　the

days　of　his　great　pride。

and　one　evening　he　came　to　the　gate　of　a　strong…walled　city　that

stood　by　a　river；　and；　weary　and　footsore　though　he　was；　he　made　to

enter　in。　　but　the　soldiers　who　stood　on　guard　dropped　their

halberts　across　the　entrance；　and　said　roughly　to　him；　what　is　thy

business　in　the　city？

i　am　seeking　for　my　mother；　he　answered；　and　i　pray　ye　to　suffer

me　to　pass；　for　it　may　be　that　she　is　in　this　city。

but　they　mocked　at　him；　and　one　of　them　wagged　a　black　beard；　and

set　down　his　shield　and　cried；　of　a　truth；　thy　mother　will　not　be

merry　when　she　sees　thee；　for　thou　art　more　ill…favoured　than　the

toad　of　the　marsh；　or　the　adder　that　crawls　in　the　fen。　　get　thee

gone。　　get　thee　gone。　　thy　mother　dwells　not　in　this　city。

and　another；　who　held　a　yellow　banner　in　his　hand；　said　to　him；

who　is　thy　mother；　and　wherefore　art　thou　seeking　for　her？

and　he　answered；　my　mother　is　a　beggar　even　as　i　am；　and　i　have

treated　her　evilly；　and　i　pray　ye　to　suffer　me　to　pass　that　she　may

give　me　her　forgiveness；　if　it　be　that　she　tarrieth　in　this　city。

but　they　would　not；　and　pricked　him　with　their　spears。

and；　as　he　turned　away　weeping；　one　whose　armour　was　inlaid　with

gilt　flowers；　and　on　whose　helmet　couched　a　lion　that　had　wings；

came　up　and　made　inquiry　of　the　soldiers　who　it　was　who　had　sought

entrance。　　and　they　said　to　him；　it　is　a　beggar　and　the　child　of　a

beggar；　and　we　have　driven　him　away。

nay；　he　cried；　laughing；　but　we　will　sell　the　foul　thing　for　a

slave；　and　his　price　shall　be　the　price　of　a　bowl　of　sweet　wine。

and　an　old　and　evil…visaged　man　who　was　passing　by　called　out；　and

said；　i　will　buy　him　for　that　price；　and；　when　he　had　paid　the

price；　he　took　the　star…child　by　the　hand　and　led　him　into　the

city。

and　after　that　they　had　gone　through　many　streets　they　came　to　a

little　door　that　was　set　in　a　wall　that　was　covered　with　a

pomegranate　tree。　　and　the　old　man　touched　the　door　with　a　ring　of

graved　jasper　and　it　opened；　and　they　went　down　five　steps　of　brass

into　a　garden　filled　with　black　poppies　and　green　jars　of　burnt

clay。　　and　the　old　man　took　then　from　his　turban　a　scarf　of　figured

silk；　and　bound　with　it　the　eyes　of　the　star…child；　and　drave　him

in　front　of　him。　　and　when　the　scarf　was　taken　off　his　eyes；　the

star…child　found　himself　in　a　dungeon；　that　was　lit　by　a　lantern　of

horn。

and　the　old　man　set　before　him　some　mouldy　brea