tanglewood tales-第30部分

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　another）　he　carried　a　winged　staff；　around　which　two　serpents　were　wriggling　and　twisting。　In　short；　I　have　said　enough　to　make　you　guess　that　it　was　Quicksilver；　and　Ulysses　（who　knew　him　of　old；　and　had　learned　a　great　deal　of　his　wisdom　from　him）　recognized　him　in　a　moment。

〃Whither　are　you　going　in　such　a　hurry；　wise　Ulysses？〃　asked　Quicksilver。　〃Do　you　not　know　that　this　island　is　enchanted？　The　wicked　enchantress　（whose　name　is　Circe；　the　sister　of　King　Aetes）　dwells　in　the　marble　palace　which　you　see　yonder　among　the　trees。　By　her　magic　arts　she　changes　every　human　being　into　the　brute；　beast；　or　fowl　whom　he　happens　most　to　resemble。〃

〃That　little　bird；　which　met　me　at　the　edge　of　the　cliff；〃　exclaimed　Ulysses；　〃was　he　a　human　being　once？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Quicksilver。　〃He　was　once　a　king；　named　Picus；　and　a　pretty　good　sort　of　a　king；　too；　only　rather　too　proud　of　his　purple　robe；　and　his　crown；　and　the　golden　chain　about　his　neck；　so　he　was　forced　to　take　the　shape　of　a　gaudy…feathered　bird。　The　lions；　and　wolves；　and　tigers；　who　will　come　running　to　meet　you；　in　front　of　the　palace；　were　formerly　fierce　and　cruel　　men；　resembling　in　their　disposition　the　wild　beasts　whose　forms　they　now　rightfully　wear。〃

〃And　my　poor　companions；〃　said　Ulysses。　〃Have　they　undergone　a　similar　change；　through　the　arts　of　this　wicked　Circe？〃

〃You　well　know　what　gormandizers　they　were；〃　replied　Quicksilver；　and　rogue　that　he　was；　he　could　not　help　laughing　at　the　joke。　〃So　you　will　not　be　surprised　to　hear　that　they　have　all　taken　the　shapes　of　swine！　If　Circe　had　never　done　anything　worse；　I　really　should　not　think　her　so　very　much　to　blame。〃

〃But　can　I　do　nothing　to　help　them？〃　inquired　Ulysses。

〃It　will　require　all　your　wisdom；〃　said　Quicksilver；　〃and　a　little　of　my　own　into　the　bargain；　to　keep　your　royal　and　sagacious　self　from　being　transformed　into　a　fox。　But　do　as　I　bid　you；　and　the　matter　may　end　better　than　it　has　begun。〃

While　he　was　speaking；　Quicksilver　seemed　to　be　in　search　of　something；　he　went　stooping　along　the　ground；　and　soon　laid　his　hand　on　a　little　plant　with　a　snow…white　flower；　which　he　plucked　and　smelt　of。　Ulysses　had　been　looking　at　that　very　spot　only　just　before；　and　it　appeared　to　him　that　the　plant　had　burst　into　full　flower　the　instant　when　Quicksilver　touched　it　with　his　fingers。

〃Take　this　flower；　King　Ulysses；〃　said　he。　〃Guard　it　as　you　do　your　eyesight；　for　I　can　assure　you　it　is　exceedingly　rare　and　precious；　and　you　might　seek　the　whole　earth　over　without　ever　finding　another　like　it。　Keep　it　in　your　hand；　and　smell　of　it　frequently　after　you　enter　the　palace；　and　while　you　are　talking　with　the　enchantress。　Especially　when　she　offers　you　food；　or　a　draught　of　wine　out　of　her　goblet；　be　careful　to　fill　your　nostrils　with　the　flower's　fragrance。　Follow　these　directions；　and　you　may　defy　her　magic　arts　to　change　you　into　a　fox。〃

Quicksilver　then　gave　him　some　further　advice　how　to　behave；　and　bidding　him　be　bold　and　prudent；　again　assured　him　that；　powerful　as　Circe　was；　he　would　have　a　fair　prospect　of　coming　safely　out　of　her　enchanted　palace。　After　listening　attentively；　Ulysses　thanked　his　good　friend；　and　resumed　his　way。　But　he　had　taken　only　a　few　steps；　when；　recollecting　some　other　questions　which　he　wished　to　ask；　he　turned　round　again；　and　beheld　nobody　on　the　spot　where　Quicksilver　had　stood；　for　that　winged　cap　of　his；　and　those　winged　shoes；　with　the　help　of　the　winged　staff；　had　carried　him　quickly　out　of　sight。

When　Ulysses　reached　the　lawn；　in　front　of　the　palace；　the　lions　and　other　savage　animals　came　bounding　to　meet　him；　and　would　have　fawned　upon　him　and　licked　his　feet。　But　the　wise　king　struck　at　them　with　his　long　spear；　and　sternly　bade　them　begone　out　of　his　path；　for　he　knew　that　they　had　once　been　bloodthirsty　men；　and　would　now　tear　him　limb　from　limb；　instead　of　fawning　upon　him；　could　they　do　the　mischief　that　was　in　their　hearts。　The　wild　beasts　yelped　and　glared　at　him；　and　stood　at　a　distance；　while　he　ascended　the　palace　steps。

On　entering　the　hall；　Ulysses　saw　the　magic　fountain　in　the　center　of　it。　The　up…gushing　water　had　now　again　taken　the　shape　of　a　man　in　a　long；　white；　fleecy　robe；　who　appeared　to　be　making　gestures　of　welcome。　The　king　likewise　heard　the　noise　of　the　shuttle　in　the　loom　and　the　sweet　melody　of　the　beautiful　woman's　song；　and　then　the　pleasant　voices　of　herself　and　the　four　maidens　talking　together；　with　peals　of　merry　laughter　intermixed。　But　Ulysses　did　not　waste　much　time　in　listening　to　the　laughter　or　the　song。　He　leaned　his　spear　against　one　of　the　pillars　of　the　hall；　and　then；　after　loosening　his　sword　in　the　scabbard；　stepped　boldly　forward；　and　threw　the　folding　doors　wide　open。　The　moment　she　beheld　his　stately　figure　standing　in　the　doorway；　the　beautiful　woman　rose　from　the　loom；　and　ran　to　meet　him　with　a　glad　smile　throwing　its　sunshine　over　her　face；　and　both　her　hands　extended。

〃Welcome；　brave　stranger！〃　cried　she。　〃We　were　expecting　you。〃

And　the　nymph　with　the　sea…green　hair　made　a　courtesy　down　to　the　ground；　and　likewise　bade　him　welcome；　so　did　her　sister　with　the　bodice　of　oaken　bark；　and　she　that　sprinkled　dew…drops　from　her　fingers'　ends；　and　the　fourth　one　with　some　oddity　which　I　cannot　remember。　And　Circe；　as　the　beautiful　enchantress　was　called　（who　had　deluded　so　many　persons　that　she　did　not　doubt　of　being　able　to　delude　Ulysses；　not　imagining　how　wise　he　was）；　again　addressed　him：

〃Your　companions；〃　said　she；　〃have　already　been　received　into　my　palace；　and　have　enjoyed　the　hospitable　treatment　to　which　the　propriety　of　their　behavior　so　well　entitles　them。　If　such　be　your　pleasure；　you　shall　first　take　some　refreshment；　and　then　join　them　in　the　elegant　apartment　which　they　now　occupy。　See；　I　and　my　maidens　have　been　weaving　their　figures　into　this　piece　of　tapestry。〃

She　pointed　to　the　web　of　beautifully…woven　cloth　in　the　loom。　Circe　and　the　four　nymphs　must　have　been　very　diligently　at　work　since　the　arrival　of　the　mariners；　for　a　great　many　yards　of　tapestry　had　nw　been　wrought；　in　addition　to　what　I　before　described。　In　this　new　part；　Ulysses　saw　his　two　and　twenty　friends　represented　as　sitting　on　cushions　and　canopied　thrones；　greedily　devouring　dainties；　and　quaffing　deep　draughts　of　wine。　The　work　had　not　yet　gone　any　further。　O；　no；　indeed。　The　enchantress　was　far　too　cunning　to　let　Ulysses　see　the　mischief　which　her　magic　arts　had　since　brought　upon　the　gormandizers。

〃As　for　yourself；　valiant　sir；〃　said　Circe；　〃judging　by　the　dignity　of　your　aspect；　I　take　you　to　be　nothing　less　than　a　king。　Deign　to　follow　me；　and　you　shall　be　treated　as　befits　your　rank。〃

So　Ulysses　followed　her　into　the　oval　saloon；　where　his　two　and　twenty　comrades　had　devoured　the　banquet；　which　ended　so　disastrously　for　themselves。　But；　all　this　while；　he　had　held　the　snow…white　flower　in　his　hand；　and　had　constantly　smelt　of　it　while　Circe　was　speaking；　and　as　he　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　saloon；　he　took　good　care　to　inhale　several　long　and　deep　snuffs　of　its　fragrance。　Instead　of　two　and　twenty　thrones；　which　had　before　been　ranged　around　the　wall；　there　was　now　only　a　sing