tanglewood tales-第28部分

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they　saw　their　own　figures　perfectly　represented　in　different　colored　threads。　It　was　a　life…like　picture　of　their　recent　adventures；　showing　them　in　the　cave　of　Polyphemus；　and　how　they　had　put　out　his　one　great　moony　eye；　while　in　another　part　of　the　tapestry　they　were　untying　the　leathern　bags；　puffed　out　with　contrary　winds；　and　farther　on；　they　beheld　themselves　scampering　away　from　the　gigantic　king　of　the　Laestrygons；　who　had　caught　one　of　them　by　the　leg。　Lastly；　there　they　were；　sitting　on　the　desolate　shore　of　this　very　island；　hungry　and　downcast；　and　looking　ruefully　at　the　bare　bones　of　the　stag　which　they　devoured　yesterday。　This　was　as　far　as　the　work　had　yet　proceeded；　but　when　the　beautiful　woman　should　again　sit　down　at　her　loom；　she　would　probably　make　a　picture　of　what　had　since　happened　to　the　strangers；　and　of　what　was　now　going　to　happen。

〃You　see；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　know　all　about　your　troubles；　and　you　cannot　doubt　that　I　desire　to　make　you　happy　for　as　long　a　time　as　you　may　remain　with　me。　For　this　purpose；　my　honored　guests；　I　have　ordered　a　banquet　to　be　prepared。　Fish；　fowl；　and　flesh；　roasted；　and　in　luscious　stews；　and　seasoned；　I　trust；　to　all　your　tastes；　are　ready　to　be　served　up。　If　your　appetites　tell　you　it　is　dinner　time；　then　come　with　me　to　the　festal　saloon。〃

At　this　kind　invitation；　the　hungry　mariners　were　quite　overjoyed；　and　one　of　them；　taking　upon　himself　to　be　spokesman；　assured　their　hospitable　hostess　that　any　hour　of　the　day　was　dinner　time　with　them；　whenever　they　could　get　flesh　to　put　in　the　pot；　and　fire　to　boil　it　with。　So　the　beautiful　woman　led　the　way；　and　the　four　maidens　（one　of　them　had　sea…green　hair；　another　a　bodice　of　oak　bark；　a　third　sprinkled　a　shower　of　water　drops　from　her　fingers'　ends；　and　the　fourth　had　some　other　oddity；　which　I　have　forgotten）；　all　these　followed　behind；　and　hurried　the　guests　along；　until　they　entered　a　magnificent　saloon。　It　was　built　in　a　perfect　oval；　and　lighted　from　a　crystal　dome　above。　Around　the　walls　were　ranged　two　and　twenty　thrones；　overhung　by　canopies　of　crimson　and　gold；　and　provided　with　the　softest　of　cushions；　which　were　tasselled　and　fringed　with　gold　cord。　Each　of　the　strangers　was　invited　to　sit　down；　and　there　they　were；　two　and　twenty　storm…　beaten　mariners；　in　worn　and　tattered　garb；　sitting　on　two　and　twenty　cushioned　and　canopied　thrones；　so　rich　and　gorgeous　that　the　proudest　monarch　had　nothing　more　splendid　in　his　stateliest　hall。

Then　you　might　have　seen　the　guests　nodding；　winking　with　one　eye；　and　leaning　from　one　throne　to　another；　to　communicate　their　satisfaction　in　hoarse　whispers。

〃Our　good　hostess　has　made　kings　of　us　all；〃　said　one。　〃Ha！　do　you　smell　the　feast？　I'll　engage　it　will　be　fit　to　set　before　two　and　twenty　kings。〃

〃I　hope；〃　said　another；　〃it　will　be；　mainly；　good　substantial　joints；　sirloins；　spareribs；　and　hinder　quarters；　without　too　many　kickshaws。　If　I　thought　the　good　lady　would　not　take　it　amiss；　I　should　call　for　a　fat　slice　of　fried　bacon　to　begin　with。〃

Ah；　the　gluttons　and　gormandizers！　You　see　how　it　was　with　them。　In　the　loftiest　seats　of　dignity；　on　royal　thrones；　they　could　think　of　nothing　but　their　greedy　appetite；　which　was　the　portion　of　their　nature　that　they　shared　with　wolves　and　swine；　so　that　they　resembled　those　vilest　of　animals　far　more　than　they　did　kingsif；　indeed；　kings　were　what　they　ought　to　be。

But　the　beautiful　woman　now　clapped　her　hands；　and　immediately　there　entered　a　train　of　two　and　twenty　serving　man；　bringing　dishes　of　the　richest　food；　all　hot　from　the　kitchen　fire；　and　sending　up　such　a　steam　that　it　hung　like　a　cloud　below　the　crystal　dome　of　the　saloon。　An　equal　number　of　attendants　brought　great　flagons　of　wine；　of　various　kinds；　some　of　which　sparkled　as　it　was　poured　out；　and　went　bubbling　down　the　throat；　while；　of　other　sorts；　the　purple　liquor　was　so　clear　that　you　could　see　the　wrought　figures　at　the　bottom　of　the　goblet。　While　the　servants　supplied　the　two　and　twenty　guests　with　food　and　drink；　the　hostess　and　her　four　maidens　went　from　one　throne　to　another；　exhorting　them　to　eat　their　fill；　and　to　quaff　wine　abundantly；　and　thus　to　recompense　them…　selves；　at　this　one　banquet；　for　the　many　days　when　they　had　gone　without　a　dinner。　But　whenever　the　mariners　were　not　looking　at　them　（which　was　pretty　often；　as　they　looked　chiefly　into　the　basins　and　platters）；　the　beautiful　woman　and　her　damsels　turned　aside；　and　laughed。　Even　the　servants；　as　they　knelt　down　to　present　the　dishes；　might　be　seen　to　grin　and　sneer；　while　the　guests　were　helping　themselves　to　the　offered　dainties。

And；　once　in　a　while；　the　strangers　seemed　to　taste　something　that　they　did　not　like。

〃Here　is　an　odd　kind　of　spice　in　this　dish；〃　said　one。　〃I　can't　say　it　quite　suits　my　palate。　Down　it　goes；　however。〃

〃Send　a　good　draught　of　wine　down　your　throat；〃　said　his　comrade　on　the　next　throne。　〃That　is　the　stuff　to　make　this　sort　of　cookery　relish　well。　Though　I　must　needs　say；　the　wine　has　a　queer　taste　too。　But　the　more　I　drink　of　it；　the　better　I　like　the　flavor。〃

Whatever　little　fault　they　might　find　with　the　dishes；　they　sat　at　dinner　a　prodigiously　long　while；　and　it　would　really　have　made　you　ashamed　to　see　how　they　swilled　down　the　liquor　and　gobbled　up　the　food。　They　sat　on　golden　thrones；　to　be　sure；　but　they　behaved　like　pigs　in　a　sty；　and；　if　they　had　had　their　wits　about　them；　they　might　have　guessed　that　this　was　the　opinion　of　their　beautiful　hostess　and　her　maidens。　It　brings　a　blush　into　my　face　to　reckon　up；　in　my　own　mind；　what　mountains　of　meat　and　pudding；　and　what　gallons　of　wine；　these　two　and　twenty　guzzlers　and　gormandizers　ate　and　drank。　They　forgot　all　about　their　homes；　and　their　wives　and　children；　and　all　about　Ulysses；　and　everything　else；　except　this　banquet；　at　which　they　wanted　to　keep　feasting　forever。　But　at　length　they　began　to　give　over；　from　mere　incapacity　to　hold　any　more。

〃That　last　bit　of　fat　is　too　much　for　me；〃　said　one。

〃And　I　have　not　room　for　another　morsel；〃　said　his　next　neighbor；　heaving　a　sigh。　〃What　a　pity！　My　appetite　is　as　sharp　as　ever。〃

In　short；　they　all　left　off　eating；　and　leaned　back　on　their　thrones；　with　such　a　stupid　and　helpless　aspect　as　made　them　ridiculous　to　behold。　When　their　hostess　saw　this；　she　laughed　aloud；　so　did　her　four　damsels；　so　did　the　two　and　twenty　serving　men　that　bore　the　dishes；　and　their　two　and　twenty　fellows　that　poured　out　the　wine。　And　the　louder　they　all　laughed；　the　more　stupid　and　helpless　did　the　two　and　twenty　gormandizers　look。　Then　the　beautiful　woman　took　her　stand　in　the　middle　of　the　saloon；　and　stretching　out　a　slender　rod　（it　had　been　all　the　while　in　her　hand；　although　they　never　noticed　it　till　this　moment）；　she　turned　it　from　one　guest　to　another；　until　each　had　felt　it　pointed　at　himself。　Beautiful　as　her　face　was；　and　though　there　was　a　smile　on　it；　it　looked　just　as　wicked　and　mischievous　as　the　ugliest　serpent　that　ever　was　seen；　and　fat…witted　as　the　voyagers　had　made　themselves；　they　began　to　suspect　that　they　had　fallen　into　the　power　of　an　evil…minded　enchantress。

〃Wretches；〃　cried　she；　〃you　have　abused　a　lady's