《石榴之屋》第32章

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　leaden　ring；
for　i　know　what　is　written　within　it；　and　for　what　purpose。〃
and　the　emperor　trembled；　and　besought　me　and　said；　〃take　all　the
treasure　and　go　from　my　city。 the　half　that　is　mine　shall　be　thine
also。〃
and　i　did　a　strange　thing；　but　what　i　did　matters　not；　for　in　a
cave　that　is　but　a　days　journey　from　this　place　have；　i　hidden　the
ring　of　riches。 it　is　but　a　days　journey　from　this　place；　and　it
waits　for　thy　ing。 he　who　has　this　ring　is　richer　than　all　the
kings　of　the　world。 e　therefore　and　take　it；　and　the　worlds
riches　shall　be　thine。
but　the　young　fisherman　laughed。 love　is　better　than　riches；　he
cried；　and　the　little　mermaid　loves　me。
nay；　but　there　is　nothing　better　than　riches；　said　the　soul。
love　is　better；　answered　the　young　fisherman；　and　he　plunged　into
the　deep；　and　the　soul　went　weeping　away　over　the　marshes。
and　after　the　third　year　was　over；　the　soul　came　down　to　the　shore
of　the　sea；　and　called　to　the　young　fisherman；　and　he　rose　out　of
the　deep　and　said；　why　dost　thou　call　to　me？
and　the　soul　answered；　e　nearer；　that　i　may　speak　with　thee；
for　i　have　seen　marvellous　things。
so　he　came　nearer；　and　couched　in　the　shallow　water；　and　leaned　his
head　upon　his　hand　and　listened。
and　the　soul　said　to　him；　in　a　city　that　i　know　of　there　is　an　inn
that　standeth　by　a　river。 i　sat　there　with　sailors　who　drank　of
two　different…coloured　wines；　and　ate　bread　made　of　barley；　and
little　salt　fish　served　in　bay　leaves　with　vinegar。 and　as　we　sat
and　made　merry；　there　entered　to　us　an　old　man　bearing　a　leathern
carpet　and　a　lute　that　had　two　horns　of　amber。 and　when　he　had
laid　out　the　carpet　on　the　floor；　he　struck　with　a　quill　on　the
wire　strings　of　his　lute；　and　a　girl　whose　face　was　veiled　ran　in
and　began　to　dance　before　us。 her　face　was　veiled　with　a　veil　of
gauze；　but　her　feet　were　naked。 naked　were　her　feet；　and　they
moved　over　the　carpet　like　little　white　pigeons。 never　have　i　seen
anything　so　marvellous；　and　the　city　in　which　she　dances　is　but　a
days　journey　from　this　place。
now　when　the　young　fisherman　heard　the　words　of　his　soul；　he
remembered　that　the　little　mermaid　had　no　feet　and　could　not　dance。
and　a　great　desire　came　over　him；　and　he　said　to　himself；　it　is
but　a　days　journey；　and　i　can　return　to　my　love；　and　he　laughed；
and　stood　up　in　the　shallow　water；　and　strode　towards　the　shore。
and　when　he　had　reached　the　dry　shore　he　laughed　again；　and　held
out　his　arms　to　his　soul。 and　his　soul　gave　a　great　cry　of　joy　and
ran　to　meet　him；　and　entered　into　him；　and　the　young　fisherman　saw
stretched　before　him　upon　the　sand　that　shadow　of　the　body　that　is
the　body　of　the　soul。
and　his　soul　said　to　him；　let　us　not　tarry；　but　get　hence　at　once；
for　the　sea…gods　are　jealous；　and　have　monsters　that　do　their
bidding。
so　they　made　haste；　and　all　that　night　they　journeyed　beneath　the
moon；　and　all　t