tanglewood tales-第43部分

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Whether　the　light　of　her　beautiful　brown　eyes　threw　a　glory　round　about　her；　or　whatever　the　cause　might　be；　Jason　fancied　that　there　was　something　very　noble　and　majestic　in　her　figure；　after　all；　and　that；　though　her　gait　seemed　to　be　a　rheumatic　hobble；　yet　she　moved　with　as　much　grace　and　dignity　as　any　queen　on　earth。　Her　peacock；　which　had　now　fluttered　down　from　her　shoulder；　strutted　behind　her　in　a　prodigious　pomp；　and　spread　out　its　magnificent　tail　on　purpose　for　Jason　to　admire　it。

When　the　old　dame　and　her　peacock　were　out　of　sight；　Jason　set　forward　on　his　journey。　After　traveling　a　pretty　long　distance；　he　came　to　a　town　situated　at　the　foot　of　a　mountain；　and　not　a　great　way　from　the　shore　of　the　sea。　On　the　outside　of　the　town　there　was　an　immense　crowd　of　people；　not　only　men　and　women；　but　children　too；　all　in　their　best　clothes；　and　evidently　enjoying　a　holiday。　The　crowd　was　thickest　towards　the　sea…shore；　and　in　that　direction；　over　the　people's　heads；　Jason　saw　a　wreath　of　smoke　curling　upward　to　the　blue　sky。　He　inquired　of　one　of　the　multitude　what　town　it　was　near　by；　and　why　so　many　persons　were　here　assembled　together。

〃This　is　the　kingdom　of　Iolchos；〃　answered　the　man；　〃and　we　are　the　subjects　of　King　Pelias。　Our　monarch　has　　summoned　us　together；　that　we　may　see　him　sacrifice　a　black　bull　to　Neptune；　who；　they　say；　is　his　majesty's　father。　Yonder　is　the　king；　where　you　see　the　smoke　going　up　from　the　altar。〃

While　the　man　spoke　he　eyed　Jason　with　great　curiosity；　for　his　garb　was　quite　unlike　that　of　the　Iolchians；　and　it　looked　very　odd　to　see　a　youth　with　a　leopard's　skin　over　his　shoulders；　and　each　hand　grasping　a　spear。　Jason　perceived；　too；　that　the　man　stared　particularly　at　his　feet；　one　of　which；　you　remember；　was　bare；　while　the　other　was　decorated　with　his　father's　golden…stringed　sandal。

〃Look　at　him！　only　look　at　him！〃　said　the　man　to　his　next　neighbor。　〃Do　you　see？　He　wears　but　one　sandal！〃

Upon　this；　first　one　person；　and　then　another；　began　to　stare　at　Jason；　and　everybody　seemed　to　be　greatly　struck　with　something　in　his　aspect；　though　they　turned　their　eyes　much　oftener　towards　his　feet　than　to　any　other　part　of　his　figure。　Besides；　he　could　hear　them　whispering　to　one　another。

〃One　sandal！　One　sandal！〃　they　kept　saying。　〃The　man　with　one　sandal！　Here　he　is　at　last！　Whence　has　he　come？　What　does　he　mean　to　do？　What　will　the　king　say　to　the　one…sandaled　man？〃

Poor　Jason　was　greatly　abashed；　and　made　up　his　mind　that　the　people　of　Iolchos　were　exceedingly　ill…bred；　to　take　such　public　notice　of　an　accidental　deficiency　in　his　dress。　Meanwhile；　whether　it　were　that　they　hustled　him　forward；　or　that　Jason；　of　his　own　accord；　thrust　a　passage　through　the　crowd；　it　so　happened　that　he　soon　found　himself　close　to　the　smoking　altar；　where　King　Pelias　was　sacrificing　the　black　bull。　The　murmur　and　hum　of　the　multitude；　in　their　surprise　at　the　spectacle　of　Jason　with　his　one　bare　foot；　grew　so　loud　that　it　disturbed　the　ceremonies；　and　the　king；　holding　the　great　knife　with　which　he　was　just　going　to　cut　the　bull's　throat；　turned　angrily　about；　and　fixed　his　eyes　on　Jason。　The　people　had　now　withdrawn　from　around　him；　so　that　the　youth　stood　in　an　open　space；　near　the　smoking　altar；　front　to　front　with　the　angry　King　Pelias。

〃Who　are　you？〃　　cried　the　king；　with　a　terrible　frown。　〃And　how　dare　you　make　this　disturbance；　while　I　am　sacrificing　a　black　bull　to　my　father　Neptune？〃

〃It　is　no　fault　of　mine；〃　answered　Jason。　〃Your　majesty　must　blame　the　rudeness　of　your　subjects；　who　have　raised　all　this　tumult　because　one　of　my　feet　happens　to　be　bare。〃

When　Jason　said　this；　the　king　gave　a　quick　startled　glance　down　at　his　feet。

〃Ha！〃　muttered　he；　〃here　is　the　one…sandaled　fellow；　sure　enough！　What　can　I　do　with　him？〃

And　he　clutched　more　closely　the　great　knife　in　his　hand；　as　if　he　were　half　a　mind　to　slay　Jason；　instead　of　the　black　bull。　The　people　round　about　caught　up　the　king's　words；　indistinctly　as　they　were　uttered；　and　first　there　was　a　murmur　amongst　them；　and　then　a　loud　shout。

〃The　one…sandaled　man　has　come！　The　prophecy　must　be　fulfilled！〃

For　you　are　to　know；　that；　many　years　before；　King　Pelias　had　been　told　by　the　Speaking　Oak　of　Dodona；　that　a　man　with　one　sandal　should　cast　him　down　from　his　throne。　On　this　account；　he　had　given　strict　orders　that　nobody　should　ever　come　into　his　presence；　unless　both　sandals　were　securely　tied　upon　his　feet；　and　he　kept　an　officer　in　his　palace；　whose　sole　business　it　was　to　examine　people's　sandals；　and　to　supply　them　with　a　new　pair；　at　the　expense　of　the　royal　treasury；　as　soon　as　the　old　ones　began　to　wear　out。　In　the　whole　course　of　the　king's　reign；　he　had　never　been　thrown　into　such　a　fright　and　agitation　as　by　the　spectacle　of　poor　Jason's　bare　foot。　But；　as　he　was　naturally　a　bold　and　hard…hearted　man；　he　soon　took　courage；　and　began　to　consider　in　what　way　he　might　rid　himself　of　this　terrible　one…sandaled　stranger。

〃My　good　young　man；〃　said　King　Pelias；　taking　the　softest　tone　imaginable；　in　order　to　throw　Jason　off　his　guard；　〃you　are　excessively　welcome　to　my　kingdom。　Judging　by　your　dress；　you　must　have　traveled　a　long　distance；　for　it　is　not　the　fashion　to　wear　leopard　skins　in　this　part　of　the　world。　Pray　what　may　I　call　your　name？　and　where　did　you　receive　your　education？〃

〃My　name　is　Jason；〃　answered　the　young　stranger。　〃Ever　since　my　infancy；　I　have　dwelt　in　the　cave　of　Chiron　the　Centaur。　He　was　my　instructor；　and　taught　me　music；　and　horsemanship；　and　how　to　cure　wounds；　and　likewise　how　to　inflict　wounds　with　my　weapons！〃

〃I　have　heard　of　Chiron　the　schoolmaster；〃　replied　King　Pelias；　〃and　how　that　there　is　an　immense　deal　of　learning　and　wisdom　in　his　head；　although　it　happens　to　be　set　on　a　horse's　body。　It　gives　me　great　delight　to　see　one　of　his　scholars　at　my　court。　But　to　test　how　much　you　have　profited　under　so　excellent　a　teacher；　will　you　allow　me　to　ask　you　a　single　question？〃

〃I　do　not　pretend　to　be　very　wise；〃　said　Jason。　〃But　ask　me　what　you　please；　and　I　will　answer　to　the　best　of　my　ability。〃

Now　King　Pelias　meant　cunningly　to　entrap　the　young　man；　and　to　make　him　say　something　that　should　be　the　cause　of　mischief　and　distraction　to　himself。　So；　with　a　crafty　and　evil　smile　upon　his　face；　he　spoke　as　follows：

〃What　would　you　do；　brave　Jason；〃　asked　he；　〃if　there　were　a　man　in　the　world；　by　whom；　as　you　had　reason　to　believe；　you　were　doomed　to　be　ruined　and　slainwhat　would　you　do；　I　say；　if　that　man　stood　before　you；　and　in　your　power？〃

When　Jason　saw　the　malice　and　wickedness　which　King　Pelias　could　not　prevent　from　gleaming　out　of　his　eyes；　he　probably　guessed　that　the　king　had　discovered　what　he　came　for；　and　that　he　intended　to　turn　his　own　words　against　himself。　Still　he　scorned　to　tell　a　falsehood。　Like　an　upright　and　honorable　prince　as　he　was；　he　determined　to　speak　out　the　real　truth。　Since　the　king　had　chosen　to　ask　him　the　question；　and　since　Jason　had　promised　him　an　answer；　there　was　no　right　way　save　to　tell　him　precisely　what　would　be　the　most　prudent　thing　to　do；　if　he　had　his　worst　enemy　in　his　power。

Therefore；　after　a　mom