《石榴之屋》第29章

white　rocks；　and　the　scaled　dragons　sleeping　in　their　caves。 as　we
passed　over　the　mountains　we　held　our　breath　lest　the　snows　might
fall　on　us；　and　each　man　tied　a　veil　of　gauze　before　his　eyes。 as
we　passed　through　the　valleys　the　pygmies　shot　arrows　at　us　from
the　hollows　of　the　trees；　and　at　night…time　we　heard　the　wild　men
beating　on　their　drums。 when　we　came　to　the　tower　of　apes　we　set
fruits　before　them；　and　they　did　not　harm　us。 when　we　came　to　the
tower　of　serpents　we　gave　them　warm　milk　in　howls　of　brass；　and
they　let　us　go　by。 three　times　in　our　journey　we　came　to　the　banks
of　the　oxus。 we　crossed　it　on　rafts　of　wood　with　great　bladders　of
blown　hide。 the　river…horses　raged　against　us　and　sought　to　slay
us。 when　the　camels　saw　them　they　trembled。
the　kings　of　each　city　levied　tolls　on　us；　but　would　not　suffer　us
to　enter　their　gates。 they　threw　us　bread　over　the　walls；　little
maize…cakes　baked　in　honey　and　cakes　of　fine　flour　filled　with
dates。 for　every　hundred　baskets　we　gave　them　a　bead　of　amber。
when　the　dwellers　in　the　villages　saw　us　ing；　they　poisoned　the
wells　and　fled　to　the　hill…summits。 we　fought　with　the　magadae　who
are　born　old；　and　grow　younger　and　younger　every　year；　and　die　when
they　are　little　children；　and　with　the　laktroi　who　say　that　they
are　the　sons　of　tigers；　and　paint　themselves　yellow　and　black；　and
with　the　aurantes　who　bury　their　dead　on　the　tops　of　trees；　and
themselves　live　in　dark　caverns　lest　the　sun；　who　is　their　god；
should　slay　them；　and　with　the　krimnians　who　worship　a　crocodile；
and　give　it　earrings　of　green　glass；　and　feed　it　with　butter　and
fresh　fowls；　and　with　the　agazonbae；　who　are　dog…faced；　and　with
the　sibans；　who　have　horses　feet；　and　run　more　swiftly　than
horses。 a　third　of　our　pany　died　in　battle；　and　a　third　died　of
want。 the　rest　murmured　against　me；　and　said　that　i　had　brought
them　an　evil　fortune。 i　took　a　horned　adder　from　beneath　a　stone
and　let　it　sting　me。 when　they　saw　that　i　did　not　sicken　they　grew
afraid。
in　the　fourth　month　we　reached　the　city　of　illel。 it　was　night…
time　when　we　came　to　the　grove　that　is　outside　the　walls；　and　the
air　was　sultry；　for　the　moon　was　travelling　in　scorpion。 we　took
the　ripe　pomegranates　from　the　trees；　and　brake　them；　and　drank
their　sweet　juices。 then　we　lay　down　on　our　carpets；　and　waited
for　the　dawn。
and　at　dawn　we　rose　and　knocked　at　the　gate　of　the　city。 it　was
wrought　out　of　red　bronze；　and　carved　with　sea…dragons　and　dragons
that　have　wings。 the　guards　looked　down　from　the　battlements　and
asked　us　our　business。 the　interpreter　of　the　caravan　answered
that　we　had　e　from　the　island　of　syria　with　much　merchandise。
they　took　hostages；　and　told　us　that　they　would　open　the　gate　to　us
at　noon；　and　bade　us　tarry　till　then。
when　it　was　noon　they　opened　the　gate；　and　as　we　entered　in　the
people　came　crowding　out　of　the　houses　to　look　at　us；　and　a　crier
went　round　the　city　crying　through　a　shell。 we　stood　in　the
market…place；　and　the　negroes　uncorded　the　bales　of　figured　cloths
and　opened　the　carved　chests　of　sycamore。 and　when　they　had　ended
their　task；　the　merchants　set　forth　their　strange　wares；　the　waxed
linen　from　egypt　and　the　painted　linen　from　the　country　of　the
ethiops；　the　purple　sponges　from　tyre　and　the　blue　hangings　from
sidon；　the　cups　of　cold　amber　and　the　fine　vessels　of　glass　and　the
curious　vessels　of　burnt　clay。 from　the　roof　of　a　house　a　pany
of　women　watched　us。 one　of　them　wore　a　mask　of　gilded　leather。
and　on　the　first　day　the　priests　came　and　bartered　with　us；　and　on
the　second　day　came　the　nobles；　and　on　the　third　day　came　the
craftsmen　and　the　slaves。 and　this　is　their　custom　with　all
merchants　as　long　as　they　tarry　in　the　city。
and　we　tarried　for　a　moon；　and　when　the　moon　was　waning；　i　wearied
and　wandered　away　through　the　streets　of　the　city　and　came　to　the
garden　of　its　god。 the　priests　in　their　yellow　robes　moved
silently　through　the　green　trees；　and　on　a　pavement　of　black　marble
stood　the　rose…red　house　in　which　the　god　had　his　dwelling。 its
doors　were　of　powdered　lacquer；　and　bulls　and　peacocks　were　wrought
on　them　in　raised　and　polished　gold。 the　tilted　roof　was　of　sea…
green　porcelain；　and　the　jutting　eaves　were　festooned　with　little
bells。 when　the　white　doves　flew　past；　they　struck　the　bells　with
their　wings　and　made　them　tinkle。
in　front　of　the　temple　was　a　pool　of　clear　water　paved　with　veined
onyx。 i　lay　down　beside　it；　and　with　my　pale　fingers　i　touched　the
broad　leaves。 one　of　the　priests　came　towards　me　and　stood　behind
me。 he　had　sandals　on　his　feet；　one　of　soft　serpent…skin　and　the
other　of　birds　plumage。 on　his　head　was　a　mitre　of　black　felt
decorated　with　silver　crescents。 seven　yellows　were　woven　into　his
robe；　and　his　frizzed　hair　was　stained　with　antimony。
after　a　little　while　he　spake　to　me；　and　asked　me　my　desire。
i　told　him　that　my　desire　was　to　see　the　god。
〃the　god　is　hunting；〃　said　the　priest；　looking　strangely　at　me
with　his　small　slanting　eyes。
〃tell　me　in　what　forest；　and　i　will　ride　with　him；〃　i　answered。
he　bed　out　the　soft　fringes　of　his　tunic　with　his　long　pointed
nails。 〃the　god　is　asleep；〃　he　murmured。
〃tell　me　on　what　couch；　and　i　will　watch　by　him；〃　i　answered。
〃the　god　is　at　the　feast；〃　he　cried。
〃if　the　wine　be　sweet　i　will　drink　it　with　him；　and　if　it　be
bitter　i　will　drink　it　with　him　also；〃　was　my　answer。
he　bowed　his　head　in　wonder；　and；　taking　me　by　the　hand；　he　raised
me　up；　and　led　me　into　the　temple。
and　in　the　first　chamber　i　saw　an　idol　seated　on　a　throne　of
jasper　bordered　with　great　orient　pearls。 it　was　carved　out　of
ebony；　and　in　stature　was　of　the　stature　of　a　man。 on　its　forehead
was　a　ruby；　and　thick　oil　dripped　from　its　hair　on　to　its　thighs。
its　feet　were　red　with　the　blood　of　a　newly…slain　kid；　and　its
loins　girt　with　a　copper　belt　that　was　studded　with　seven　beryls。
and　i　said　to　the　priest；　〃is　this　the　god？〃 and　he　an