《石榴之屋》第4章

他身穿国王的衣服站在那里，珠宝镶嵌的神龛打开了盖子，从光芒四射的圣体匣的水晶
上放出异常神奇的光。他身着国王的衣服站在那儿，这里就充满了上帝的荣光，连壁龛中的
圣徒们也好像在动。身穿国王的华贵衣服，他站在了他们的面前，风琴奏出了乐曲，喇叭手
吹响了他们的喇叭，唱诗班的孩子们在放声歌唱。
百姓们敬畏地跪下身来，贵族们收回宝剑并向少年国王行礼，主教大人的脸色变得苍
白，双手颤抖不已。“给你加冕的人比我更伟大。”他大声说道，并跪倒在国王面前。
少年国王从高高的祭坛上走下来，穿过人群朝自己的房间走去。此时没有一个人敢看他
的脸，因为那容貌就跟天使一样。
the　young　king
it　was　the　night　before　the　day　fixed　for　his　coronation；　and　the
young　king　was　sitting　alone　in　his　beautiful　chamber。 his
courtiers　had　all　taken　their　leave　of　him；　bowing　their　heads　to
the　ground；　according　to　the　ceremonious　usage　of　the　day；　and　had
retired　to　the　great　hall　of　the　palace；　to　receive　a　few　last
lessons　from　the　professor　of　etiquette；　there　being　some　of　them
who　had　still　quite　natural　manners；　which　in　a　courtier　is；　i　need
hardly　say；　a　very　grave　offence。
the　lad　…　for　he　was　only　a　lad；　being　but　sixteen　years　of　age　…
was　not　sorry　at　their　departure；　and　had　flung　himself　back　with　a
deep　sigh　of　relief　on　the　soft　cushions　of　his　embroidered　couch；
lying　there；　wild…eyed　and　open…mouthed；　like　a　brown　woodland
faun；　or　some　young　animal　of　the　forest　newly　snared　by　the
hunters。
and；　indeed；　it　was　the　hunters　who　had　found　him；　ing　upon　him
almost　by　chance　as；　bare…limbed　and　pipe　in　hand；　he　was　following
the　flock　of　the　poor　goatherd　who　had　brought　him　up；　and　whose
son　he　had　always　fancied　himself　to　be。 the　child　of　the　old
kings　only　daughter　by　a　secret　marriage　with　one　much　beneath　her
in　station　…　a　stranger；　some　said；　who；　by　the　wonderful　magic　of
his　lute…playing；　had　made　the　young　princess　love　him；　while
others　spoke　of　an　artist　from　rimini；　to　whom　the　princess　had
shown　much；　perhaps　too　much　honour；　and　who　had　suddenly
disappeared　from　the　city；　leaving　his　work　in　the　cathedral
unfinished　…　he　had　been；　when　but　a　week　old；　stolen　away　from　his
mothers　side；　as　she　slept；　and　given　into　the　charge　of　a　mon
peasant　and　his　wife；　who　were　without　children　of　their　own；　and
lived　in　a　remote　part　of　the　forest；　more　than　a　days　ride　from
the　town。 grief；　or　the　plague；　as　the　court　physician　stated；　or；
as　some　suggested；　a　swift　italian　poison　administered　in　a　cup　of
spiced　wine；　slew；　within　an　hour　of　her　wakening；　the　white　girl
who　had　given　him　birth；　and　as　the　trusty　messenger　who　bare　the
child　across　his　saddle…bow　stooped　from　his　weary　horse　and
knocked　at　the　rude　door　of　the　goatherds　hut；　the　body　of　the
princess　was　being　lowered　into　an　open　grave　that　had　been　dug　in
a　deserted　churchyard；　beyond　the　city　gates；　a　grave　where　it　was
said　that　another　body　was　also　lying；　that　of　a　young　man　of
marvellous　and　foreign　beauty；　whose　hands　were　tied　behind　him
with　a　knotted　cord；　and　whose　breast　was　stabbed　with　many　red
wounds。
such；　at　least；　was　the　story　that　men　whispered　to　each　other。
certain　it　was　that　the　old　king；　when　on　his　deathbed；　whether
moved　by　remorse　for　his　great　sin；　or　merely　desiring　that　the
kingdom　should　not　pass　away　from　his　line；　had　had　the　lad　sent
for；　and；　in　the　presence　of　the　council；　had　acknowledged　him　as
his　heir。
and　it　seems　that　from　the　very　first　moment　of　his　recognition　he
had　shown　signs　of　that　strange　passion　for　beauty　that　was
destined　to　have　so　great　an　influence　over　his　life。 those　who
acpanied　him　to　the　suite　of　rooms　set　apart　for　his　service；
often　spoke　of　the　cry　of　pleasure　that　broke　from　his　lips　when　he
saw　the　delicate　raiment　and　rich　jewels　that　had　been　prepared　for
him；　and　of　the　almost　fierce　joy　with　which　he　flung　aside　his
rough　leathern　tunic　and　coarse　sheepskin　cloak。 he　missed；
indeed；　at　times　the　fine　freedom　of　his　forest　life；　and　was
always　apt　to　chafe　at　the　tedious　court　ceremonies　that　occupied
so　much　of　each　day；　but　the　wonderful　palace　…　joyeuse；　as　they
called　it　…　of　which　he　now　found　himself　lord；　seemed　to　him　to　be
a　new　world　fresh…fashioned　for　his　delight；　and　as　soon　as　he
could　escape　from　the　council…board　or　audience…chamber；　he　would
run　down　the　great　staircase；　with　its　lions　of　gilt　bronze　and　its
steps　of　bright　porphyry；　and　wander　from　room　to　room；　and　from
corridor　to　corridor；　like　one　who　was　seeking　to　find　in　beauty　an
anodyne　from　pain；　a　sort　of　restoration　from　sickness。
upon　these　journeys　of　discovery；　as　he　would　call　them　…　and；
indeed；　they　were　to　him　real　voyages　through　a　marvellous　land；　he
would　sometimes　be　acpanied　by　the　slim；　fair…haired　court
pages；　with　their　floating　mantles；　and　gay　fluttering　ribands；　but
more　often　he　would　be　alone；　feeling　through　a　certain　quick
instinct；　which　was　almost　a　divination；　that　the　secrets　of　art
are　best　learned　in　secret；　and　that　beauty；　like　wisdom；　loves　the
lonely　worshipper。
many　curious　stories　were　related　about　him　at　this　period。 it　was
said　that　a　stout　burgo…master；　who　had　e　to　deliver　a　florid
oratorical　address　on　behalf　of　the　citizens　of　the　town；　had
caught　sight　of　him　kneeling　in　real　adoration　before　a　great
picture　that　had　just　been　brought　from　venice；　and　that　seemed　to
herald　the　worship　of　some　new　gods。 on　another　occasion　he　had
been　missed　for　several　hours；　and　after　a　lengthened　search　had
been　discovered　in　a　little　chamber　in　one　of　the　northern　turrets
of　the　palace　gazing；　as　one　in　a　trance；　at　a　greek　gem　carved
with　the　figure　of　adonis。 he　had　been　seen；　so　the　tale　ran；
pressing　his　warm　lips　to　the　marble　brow　of　an　antique　statue　that
had　been　discovered　in　the　bed　of　the　river　on　the　occasion　of　the
building　of　the　stone　bridge；　and　was　inscribed　with　the　name　of
the　bithynian　slave　of　hadrian。 he　had　passed　a　whole　night　in
noting　the　effect　of　the　moonlight　on　a　silver　image　of　endymion。
all　r