tanglewood tales-第26部分

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　their　friends　in　hardly　better　spirits　than　themselves。

No　sooner　had　they　clambered　up　the　cliff；　than　they　discerned　the　tall　marble　towers　of　the　palace；　ascending；　as　white　as　snow；　out　of　the　lovely　green　shadow　of　the　trees　which　surrounded　it。　A　gush　of　smoke　came　from　a　chimney　in　the　rear　of　the　edifice。　This　vapor　rose　high　in　the　air；　and；　meeting　with　a　breeze；　was　wafted　seaward；　and　made　to　pass　over　the　heads　of　the　hungry　mariners。　When　people's　appetites　are　keen；　they　have　a　very　quick　scent　for　anything　savory　in　the　wind。

〃That　smoke　comes　from　the　kitchen！〃　cried　one　of　them；　turning　up　his　nose　as　high　as　he　could；　and　snuffing　eagerly。　〃And；　as　sure　as　I'm　a　half…starved　vagabond；　I　smell　roast　meat　in　it。〃

〃Pig；　roast　pig！〃　said　another。　〃Ah；　the　dainty　little　porker。　My　mouth　waters　for　him。〃

〃Let　us　make　haste；〃　cried　the　others；　〃or　we　shall　be　too　late　for　the　good　cheer！　〃

But　scarcely　had　they　made　half　a　dozen　steps　from　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　when　a　bird　came　fluttering　to　meet　them。　It　was　the　same　pretty　little　bird；　with　the　purple　wings　and　body；　the　yellow　legs；　the　golden　collar　round　its　neck；　and　the　crown…like　tuft　upon　its　head；　whose　behavior　had　so　much　surprised　Ulysses。　It　hovered　about　Eurylochus；　and　almost　brushed　his　face　with　its　wings。

〃Peep；　peep；　peweep！〃　chirped　the　bird。

So　plaintively　intelligent　was　the　sound；　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　little　creature　were　going　to　break　its　heart　with　some　mighty　secret　that　it　had　to　tell；　and　only　this　one　poor　note　to　tell　it　with。

〃My　pretty　bird；〃　said　Eurylochusfor　he　was　a　wary　person；　and　let　no　token　of　harm　escape　his　notice〃my　pretty　bird；　who　sent　you　hither？　And　what　is　the　message　which　you　bring？〃

〃Peep；　peep；　peweep！　〃　replied　the　bird；　very　sorrowfully。

Then　it　flew　towards　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　and　looked　around　at　them；　as　if　exceedingly　anxious　that　they　should　return　whence　they　came。　Eurylochus　and　a　few　of　the　others　were　inclined　to　turn　back。　They　could　not　help　suspecting　that　the　purple　bird　must　be　aware　of　something　mischievous　that　would　befall　them　at　the　palace；　and　the　knowledge　of　which　affected　its　airy　spirit　with　a　human　sympathy　and　sorrow。　But　the　rest　of　the　voyagers；　snuffing　up　the　smoke　from　the　palace　kitchen；　ridiculed　the　idea　of　returning　to　the　vessel。　One　of　them　（more　brutal　than　his　fellows；　and　the　most　notorious　gormandizer　in　the　crew）　said　such　a　cruel　and　wicked　thing；　that　I　wonder　the　mere　thought　did　not　turn　him　into　a　wild　beast；　in　shape；　as　he　already　was　in　his　nature。

〃This　troublesome　and　impertinent　little　fowl；〃　said　he；　〃would　make　a　delicate　titbit　to　begin　dinner　with。　Just　one　plump　morsel；　melting　away　between　the　teeth。　If　he　comes　within　my　reach；　I'll　catch　him；　and　give　him　to　the　palace　cook　to　be　roasted　on　a　skewer。〃

The　words　were　hardly　out　of　his　mouth；　before　the　purple　bird　flew　away；　crying；　〃Peep；　peep；　peweep；〃　more　dolorously　than　ever。

〃That　bird；〃　remarked　Eurylochus；　〃knows　more　than　we　do　about　what　awaits　us　at　the　palace。〃

〃Come　on；　then；〃　cried　his　comrades；　〃and　we'll　soon　know　as　much　as　he　does。〃

The　party；　accordingly；　went　onward　through　the　green　and　pleasant　wood。　Every　little　while　they　caught　new　glimpses　of　the　marble　palace；　which　looked　more　and　more　beautiful　the　nearer　they　approached　it。　They　soon　entered　a　broad　pathway；　which　seemed　to　be　very　neatly　kept；　and　which　went　winding　along；　with　streaks　of　sunshine　falling　across　it　and　specks　of　light　quivering　among　the　deepest　shadows　that　fell　from　the　lofty　trees。　It　was　bordered；　too；　with　a　great　many　sweet…smelling　flowers；　such　as　the　mariners　had　never　seen　before。　So　rich　and　beautiful　they　were；　that；　if　the　shrubs　grew　wild　here；　and　were　native　in　the　soil；　then　this　island　was　surely　the　flower　garden　of　the　whole　earth；　or；　if　transplanted　from　some　other　clime；　it　must　have　been　from　the　Happy　Islands　that　lay　towards　the　golden　sunset。

〃There　has　been　a　great　deal　of　pains　foolishly　wasted　on　these　flowers；〃　observed　one　of　the　company；　and　I　tell　you　what　he　said；　that　you　may　keep　in　mind　what　gormandizers　they　were。　〃For　my　part；　if　I　were　the　owner　of　the　palace；　I　would　bid　my　gardener　cultivate　nothing　but　savory　pot　herbs　to　make　a　stuffing　for　roast　meat；　or　to　flavor　a　stew　with。〃

〃　Well　said！〃　cried　the　others。　〃But　I'll　warrant　you　there's　a　kitchen　garden　in　the　rear　of　the　palace。〃

At　one　place　they　came　to　a　crystal　spring；　and　paused　to　drink　at　it　for　want　of　liquor　which　they　liked　better。　Looking　into　its　bosom；　they　beheld　their　own　faces　dimly　reflected；　but　so　extravagantly　distorted　by　the　gush　and　motion　of　the　water；　that　each　one　of　them　appeared　to　be　laughing　at　himself　and　all　his　companions。　So　ridiculous　were　these　images　of　themselves；　indeed；　that　they　did　really　laugh　aloud；　and　could　hardly　be　grave　again　as　soon　as　they　wished。　And　after　they　had　drank；　they　grew　still　merrier　than　before。

〃It　has　a　twang　of　the　wine　cask　in　it；〃　said　one；　smacking　his　lips。

〃Make　haste！〃　cried　his　fellows：　〃we'll　find　the　wine　cask　itself　at　the　palace；　and　that　will　be　better　than　a　hundred　crystal　fountains。〃

Then　they　quickened　their　pace；　and　capered　for　joy　at　the　thought　of　the　savory　banquet　at　which　they　hoped　to　be　guests。　But　Eurylochus　told　them　that　he　felt　as　if　he　were　walking　in　a　dream。

〃If　I　am　really　awake；〃　continued　he；　〃then；　in　my　opinion；　we　are　on　the　point　of　meeting　with　some　stranger　adventure　than　any　that　befell　us　in　the　cave　of　Polyphemus；　or　among　the　gigantic　man…eating　Laestrygons；　or　in　the　windy　palace　of　King　Aeolus；　which　stands　on　a　brazen…walled　island。　This　kind　of　dreamy　feeling　always　comes　over　me　before　any　wonderful　occurrence。　If　you　take　my　advice；　you　will　turn　back。〃

〃No；　no；〃　answered　his　comrades；　snuffing　the　air；　in　which　the　scent　from　the　palace　kitchen　was　now　very　perceptible。　〃We　would　not　turn　back；　though　we　were　certain　that　the　king　of　the　Laestrygons；　as　big　as　a　mountain；　would　sit　at　the　head　of　the　table；　and　huge　Polyphemus；　the　one…eyed　Cyclops；　at　its　foot。〃

At　length　they　came　within　full　sight　of　the　palace；　which　proved　to　be　very　large　and　lofty；　with　a　great　number　of　airy　pinnacles　upon　its　roof。　Though　it　was　midday；　and　the　sun　shone　brightly　over　the　marble　front；　yet　its　snowy　whiteness；　and　its　fantastic　style　of　architecture；　made　it　look　unreal；　like　the　frost　work　on　a　window　pane；　or　like　the　shapes　of　castles　which　one　sees　among　the　clouds　by　moonlight。　But；　just　then；　a　puff　of　wind　brought　down　the　smoke　of　the　kitchen　chimney　among　them；　and　caused　each　man　to　smell　the　odor　of　the　dish　that　he　liked　best；　and；　after　scenting　it；　they　thought　everything　else　moonshine；　and　nothing　real　save　this　palace；　and　save　the　banquet　that　was　evidently　ready　to　be　served　up　in　it。

So　they　hastened　their　steps　towards　the　portal；　but　had　not　got　half　way　across　the　wide　lawn；　when　a　pack　of　lions；　tigers；　and　wolves　came　bounding　to　meet　them。　The　terrified　mariners　started　back；　expecting　no　better　fate　than　to　be　torn　to　pieces　and　devoured。　To　their　surprise　and　joy；　however；　these　wild　beast