tanglewood tales-第7部分

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merrily　over　the　white…capped　waves　as　if　they　had　been　going　on　the　most　delightful　errand　imaginable。　And　though　it　was　a　sad　business　enough；　I　rather　question　whether　fourteen　young　people；　without　any　old　persons　to　keep　them　in　order；　could　continue　to　spend　the　whole　time　of　the　voyage　in　being　miserable。　There　had　been　some　few　dances　upon　the　undulating　deck；　I　suspect；　and　some　hearty　bursts　of　laughter；　and　other　such　unseasonable　merriment　among　the　victims；　before　the　high　blue　mountains　of　Crete　began　to　show　themselves　among　the　far…off　clouds。　That　sight；　to　be　sure；　made　them　all　very　grave　again。

Theseus　stood　among　the　sailors；　gazing　eagerly　towards　the　land；　although；　as　yet；　it　seemed　hardly　more　substantial　than　the　clouds；　amidst　which　the　mountains　were　looming　up。　Once　or　twice；　he　fancied　that　he　saw　a　glare　of　some　bright　object；　a　long　way　off；　flinging　a　gleam　across　the　waves。

〃Did　you　see　that　flash　of　light？〃　he　inquired　of　the　master　of　the　vessel。

〃No；　prince；　but　I　have　seen　it　before；〃　answered　the　master。　〃It　came　from　Talus；　I　suppose。〃

As　the　breeze　came　fresher　just　then；　the　master　was　busy　with　trimming　his　sails；　and　had　no　more　time　to　answer　questions。　But　while　the　vessel　flew　faster　and　faster　towards　Crete；　Theseus　was　astonished　to　behold　a　human　figure；　gigantic　in　size；　which　appeared　to　be　striding；　with　a　measured　movement；　along　the　margin　of　the　island。　It　stepped　from　cliff　to　cliff；　and　sometimes　from　one　headland　to　another；　while　the　sea　foamed　and　thundered　on　the　shore　beneath；　and　dashed　its　jets　of　spray　over　the　giant's　feet。　What　was　still　more　remarkable；　whenever　the　sun　shone　on　this　huge　figure；　it　flickered　and　glimmered；　its　vast　countenance；　too；　had　a　metallic　lustre；　and　threw　great　flashes　of　splendor　through　the　air。　The　folds　of　its　garments；　moreover；　instead　of　waving　in　the　wind；　fell　heavily　over　its　limbs；　as　if　woven　of　some　kind　of　metal。

The　nigher　the　vessel　came；　the　more　Theseus　wondered　what　this　immense　giant　could　be；　and　whether　it　actually　had　life　or　no。　For；　though　it　walked；　and　made　other　lifelike　motions；　there　yet　was　a　kind　of　jerk　in　its　gait；　which；　together　with　its　brazen　aspect；　caused　the　young　prince　to　suspect　that　it　was　no　true　giant；　but　only　a　wonderful　piece　of　machinery。　The　figure　looked　all　the　more　terrible　because　it　carried　an　enormous　brass　club　on　its　shoulder。

〃What　is　this　wonder？〃　Theseus　asked　of　the　master　of　the　vessel；　who　was　now　at　leisure　to　answer　him。

〃It　is　Talus；　the　Man　of　Brass；〃　said　the　master。

〃And　is　he　a　live　giant；　or　a　brazen　image？〃　asked　Theseus。

〃That；　truly；〃　replied　the　master；　〃is　the　point　which　has　always　perplexed　me。　Some　say；　indeed；　that　this　Talus　was　hammered　out　for　King　Minos　by　Vulcan　himself；　the　skilfullest　of　all　workers　in　metal。　But　who　ever　saw　a　brazen　image　that　had　sense　enough　to　walk　round　an　island　three　times　a　day；　as　this　giant　walks　round　the　island　of　Crete；　challenging　every　vessel　that　comes　nigh　the　shore？　And；　on　the　other　hand；　what　living　thing；　unless　his　sinews　were　made　of　brass；　would　not　be　weary　of　marching　eighteen　hundred　miles　in　the　twenty…four　hours；　as　Talus　does；　without　ever　sitting　down　to　rest？　He　is　a　puzzler；　take　him　how　you　will。〃

Still　the　vessel　went　bounding　onward；　and　now　Theseus　could　hear　the　brazen　clangor　of　the　giant's　footsteps；　as　he　trod　heavily　upon　the　sea…beaten　rocks；　some　of　which　were　seen　to　crack　and　crumble　into　the　foaming　waves　beneath　his　weight。　As　they　approached　the　entrance　of　the　port；　the　giant　straddled　clear　across　it；　with　a　foot　firmly　planted　on　each　headland；　and　uplifting　his　club　to　such　a　height　that　its　butt…end　was　hidden　in　the　cloud；　he　stood　in　that　formidable　posture；　with　the　sun　gleaming　all　over　his　metallic　surface。　There　seemed　nothing　else　to　be　expected　but　that；　the　next　moment；　he　would　fetch　his　great　club　down；　slam　bang；　and　smash　the　vessel　into　a　thousand　pieces；　without　heeding　how　many　innocent　people　he　might　destroy；　for　there　is　seldom　any　mercy　in　a　giant；　you　know；　and　quite　as　little　in　a　piece　of　brass　clockwork。　But　just　when　Theseus　and　his　companions　thought　the　blow　was　coming；　the　brazen　lips　unclosed　themselves；　and　the　figure　spoke。

〃Whence　come　you；　strangers？〃

And　when　the　ringing　voice　ceased；　there　was　just　such　a　reverberation　as　you　may　have　heard　within　a　great　church　bell；　for　a　moment　or　two　after　the　stroke　of　the　hammer。

〃From　Athens！〃　shouted　the　master　in　reply。

〃On　what　errand？〃　thundered　the　Man　of　Brass。

And　he　whirled　his　club　aloft　more　threateningly　than　ever；　as　if　he　were　about　to　smite　them　with　a　thunderstroke　right　amidships；　because　Athens；　so　little　while　ago；　had　been　at　war　with　Crete。

〃We　bring　the　seven　youths　and　the　seven　maidens；〃　answered　the　master；　〃to　be　devoured　by　the　Minotaur！〃

〃Pass！〃　cried　the　brazen　giant。

That　one　loud　word　rolled　all　about　the　sky；　while　again　there　was　a　booming　reverberation　within　the　figure's　breast。　The　vessel　glided　between　the　headlands　of　the　port；　and　the　giant　resumed　his　march。　In　a　few　moments；　this　wondrous　sentinel　was　far　away；　flashing　in　the　distant　sunshine；　and　revolving　with　immense　strides　round　the　island　of　Crete；　as　it　was　his　never…ceasing　task　to　do。

No　sooner　had　they　entered　the　harbor　than　a　party　of　the　guards　of　King　Minos　came　down　to　the　water　side；　and　took　charge　of　the　fourteen　young　men　and　damsels。　Surrounded　by　these　armed　warriors；　Prince　Theseus　and　his　companions　were　led　to　the　king's　palace；　and　ushered　into　his　presence。　Now；　Minos　was　a　stern　and　pitiless　king。　If　the　figure　that　guarded　Crete　was　made　of　brass；　then　the　monarch；　who　ruled　over　it；　might　be　thought　to　have　a　still　harder　metal　in　his　breast；　and　might　have　been　called　a　man　of　iron。　He　bent　his　shaggy　brows　upon　the　poor　Athenian　victims。　Any　other　mortal；　beholding　their　fresh　and　tender　beauty；　and　their　innocent　looks；　would　have　felt　himself　sitting　on　thorns　until　he　had　made　every　soul　of　them　happy　by　bidding　them　go　free　as　the　summer　wind。　But　this　immitigable　Minos　cared　only　to　examine　whether　they　were　plump　enough　to　satisfy　the　Minotaur's　appetite。　For　my　part；　I　wish　he　himself　had　been　the　only　victim；　and　the　monster　would　have　found　him　a　pretty　tough　one。

One　after　another；　King　Minos　called　these　pale；　frightened　youths　and　sobbing　maidens　to　his　footstool；　gave　them　each　a　poke　in　the　ribs　with　his　sceptre　（to　try　whether　they　were　in　good　flesh　or　no）；　and　dismissed　them　with　a　nod　to　his　guards。　But　when　his　eyes　rested　on　Theseus；　the　king　looked　at　him　more　attentively；　because　his　face　was　calm　and　brave。

〃Young　man；〃　asked　he；　with　his　stern　voice；　〃are　you　not　appalled　at　the　certainty　of　being　devoured　by　this　terrible　Minotaur？〃

〃I　have　offered　my　life　in　a　good　cause；〃　answered　Theseus；　〃and　therefore　I　give　it　freely　and　gladly。　But　thou；　King　Minos；　art　thou　not　thyself　appalled；　who；　year　after　year；　hast　perpetrated　this　dreadful　wrong；　by　giving　seven　innocent　youths　and　as　many　maidens　to　be　devoured　by　a　monster？　Dost　thou　not　tremble；　wicked　king；　to　turn　shine　eyes　inward　on　shi