tanglewood tales-第4部分

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armed。　One　of　these　bad　people　was　named　Procrustes；　and　he　was　indeed　a　terrible　fellow；　and　had　an　ugly　way　of　making　fun　of　the　poor　travelers　who　happened　to　fall　into　his　clutches。　In　his　cavern　he　had　a　bed；　on　which；　with　great　pretense　of　hospitality；　he　invited　his　guests　to　lie　down；　but；　if　they　happened　to　be　shorter　than　the　bed；　this　wicked　villain　stretched　them　out　by　main　force；　or；　if　they　were　too　tall；　he　lopped　off　their　heads　or　feet；　and　laughed　at　what　he　had　done；　as　an　excellent　joke。　Thus；　however　weary　a　man　might　be；　he　never　liked　to　lie　in　the　bed　of　Procrustes。　Another　of　these　robbers；　named　Scinis；　must　likewise　have　been　a　very　great　scoundrel。　He　was　in　the　habit　of　flinging　his　victims　off　a　high　cliff　into　the　sea；　and；　in　order　to　give　him　exactly　his　deserts；　Theseus　tossed　him　off　the　very　same　place。　But　if　you　will　believe　me；　the　sea　would　not　pollute　itself　by　receiving　such　a　bad　person　into　its　bosom；　neither　would　the　earth；　having　once　got　rid　of　him；　consent　to　take　him　back；　so　that；　between　the　cliff　and　the　sea；　Scinis　stuck　fast　in　the　air；　which　was　forced　to　bear　the　burden　of　his　naughtiness。

After　these　memorable　deeds；　Theseus　heard　of　an　enormous　sow；　which　ran　wild；　and　was　the　terror　of　all　the　farmers　round　about；　and；　as　he　did　not　consider　himself　above　doing　any　good　thing　that　came　in　his　way；　he　killed　this　monstrous　creature；　and　gave　the　carcass　to　the　poor　people　for　bacon。　The　great　sow　had　been　an　awful　beast；　while　ramping　about　the　woods　and　fields；　but　was　a　pleasant　object　enough　when　cut　up　into　joints；　and　smoking　on　I　know　not　how　many　dinner　tables。

Thus；　by　the　time　he　reached　his　journey's　end；　Theseus　had　done　many　valiant　feats　with　his　father's　golden…hilled　sword；　and　had　gained　the　renown　of　being　one　of　the　bravest　young　men　of　the　day。　His　fame　traveled　faster　than　he　did；　and　reached　Athens　before　him。　As　he　entered　the　city；　he　heard　the　inhabitants　talking　at　the　street　corners；　and　saying　that　Hercules　was　brave；　and　Jason　too；　and　Castor　and　Pollux　likewise；　but　that　Theseus；　the　son　of　their　own　king；　would　turn　out　as　great　a　hero　as　the　best　of　them。　Theseus　took　longer　strides　on　hearing　this；　and　fancied　himself　sure　of　a　magnificent　reception　at　his　father's　court；　since　he　came　thither　with　Fame　to　blow　her　trumpet　before　him；　and　cry　to　King　Aegeus；　〃Behold　your　son！〃

He　little　suspected；　innocent　youth　that　he　was；　that　here；　in　this　very　Athens；　where　his　father　reigned；　a　greater　danger　awaited　him　than　any　which　he　had　encountered　on　the　road。　Yet　this　was　the　truth。　You　must　understand　that　the　father　of　Theseus；　though　not　very　old　in　years；　was　almost　worn　out　with　the　cares　of　government；　and　had　thus　grown　aged　before　his　time。　His　nephews；　not　expecting　him　to　live　a　very　great　while；　intended　to　get　all　the　power　of　the　kingdom　into　their　own　hands。　But　when　they　heard　that　Theseus　had　arrived　in　Athens；　and　learned　what　a　gallant　young　man　he　was；　they　saw　that　he　would　not　be　at　all　the　kind　of　a　person　to　let　them　steal　away　his　father's　crown　and　scepter；　which　ought　to　be　his　own　by　right　of　inheritance。　Thus　these　bad…hearted　nephews　of　King　Aegeus；　who　were　the　own　cousins　of　Theseus；　at　once　became　his　enemies。　A　still　more　dangerous　enemy　was　Medea；　the　wicked　enchantress；　for　she　was　now　the　king's　wife；　and　wanted　to　give　the　kingdom　to　her　son　Medus；　instead　of　letting　it　be　given　to　the　son　of　Aethra；　whom　she　hated。

It　so　happened　that　the　king's　nephews　met　Theseus；　and　found　out　who　he　was；　just　as　he　reached　the　entrance　of　the　royal　palace。　With　all　their　evil　designs　against　him；　they　pretended　to　be　their　cousin's　best　friends；　and　expressed　great　joy　at　making　his。acquaintance。　They　proposed　to　him　that　he　should　come　into　the　king's　presence　as　a　stranger；　in　order　to　try　whether　Aegeus　would　discover　in　the　young　man's　features　any　likeness　either　to　himself　or　his　mother　Aethra；　and　thus　recognize　him　for　a　son。　Theseus　consented；　for　he　fancied　that　his　father　would　know　him　in　a　moment；　by　the　love　that　was　in　his　heart。　But；　while　he　waited　at　the　door；　the　nephews　ran　and　told　King　Aegeus　that　a　young　man　had　arrived　in　Athens；　who；　to　their　certain　knowledge；　intended　to　put　him　to　death；　and　get　possession　of　his　royal　crown。

〃And　he　is　now　waiting　for　admission　to　your　majesty's　presence；〃　added　they。

〃Aha！〃　cried　the　old　king；　on　hearing　this。　〃Why；　he　must　be　a　very　wicked　young　fellow　indeed！　Pray；　what　would　you　advise　me　to　do　with　him？　〃

In　reply　to　this　question；　the　wicked　Medea　put　in　her　word。　As　I　have　already　told　you；　she　was　a　famous　enchantress。　According　to　some　stories；　she　was　in　the　habit　of　boiling　old　people　in　a　large　caldron；　under　pretense　of　making　them　young　again；　but　King　Aegeus；　I　suppose；　did　not　fancy　such　an　uncomfortable　way　of　growing　young；　or　perhaps　was　contented　to　be　old；　and　therefore　would　never　let　himself　be　popped　into　the　caldron。　If　there　were　time　to　spare　from　more　important　matters；　I　should　be　glad　to　tell　you　of　Medea's　fiery　chariot；　drawn　by　winged　dragons；　in　which　the　enchantress　used　often　to　take　an　airing　among　the　clouds。　This　chariot；　in　fact；　was　the　vehicle　that　first　brought　her　to　Athens；　where　she　had　done　nothing　but　mischief　ever　since　her　arrival。　But　these　and　many　other　wonders　must　be　left　untold；　and　it　is　enough　to　say；　that　Medea；　amongst　a　thousand　other　bad　things；　knew　how　to　prepare　a　poison；　that　was　instantly　fatal　to　whomsoever　might　so　much　as　touch　it　with　his　lips。

So；　when　the　king　asked　what　he　should　do　with　Theseus；　this　naughty　woman　had　an　answer　ready　at　her　tongue's　end。

〃Leave　that　to　me；　please　your　majesty；〃　she　replied。　〃Only　admit　this　evil…minded　young　man　to　your　presence；　treat　him　civilly；　and　invite　him　to　drink　a　goblet　of　wine。　Your　majesty　is　well　aware　that　I　sometimes　amuse　myself　by　distilling　very　powerful　medicines。　Here　is　one　of　them　in　this　small　phial。　As　to　what　it　is　made　of；　that　is　one　of　my　secrets　of　state。　Do　but　let　me　put　a　single　drop　into　the　goblet；　and　let　the　young　man　taste　it；　and　I　will　answer　for　it；　he　shall　quite　lay　aside　the　bad　designs　with　which　he　comes　hither。〃

As　she　said　this；　Medea　smiled；　but；　for　all　her　smiling　face；　she　meant　nothing　less　than　to　poison　the　poor　innocent　Theseus；　before　his　father's　eyes。　And　King　Aegeus；　like　most　other　kings；　thought　any　punishment　mild　enough　for　a　person　who　was　accused　of　plotting　against　his　life。　He　therefore　made　little　or　no　objection　to　Medea's　scheme；　and　as　soon　as　the　poisonous　wine　was　ready；　gave　orders　that　the　young　stranger　should　be　admitted　into　his　presence。

The　goblet　was　set　on　a　table　beside　the　king's　throne；　and　a　fly；　meaning　just　to　sip　a　little　from　the　brim；　immediately　tumbled　into　it；　dead。　Observing　this；　Medea　looked　round　at　the　nephews；　and　smiled　again。

When　Theseus　was　ushered　into　the　royal　apartment；　the　only　object　that　he　seemed　to　behold　was　the　white…bearded　old　king。　There　he　sat　on　his　magnificent　throne；　a　dazzling　crown　on　his　head；　and　a　scepter　in　his　hand。　His　aspect　was　stately　and　majestic；　although　his　years　and　infirmitie