tanglewood tales-第5部分

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d；　and　a　scepter　in　his　hand。　His　aspect　was　stately　and　majestic；　although　his　years　and　infirmities　weighed　heavily　upon　him；　as　if　each　year　were　a　lump　of　lead；　and　each　infirmity　a　ponderous　stone；　and　all　were　bundled　up　together；　and　laid　upon　his　weary　shoulders。　The　tears　both　of　joy　and　sorrow　sprang　into　the　young　man's　eyes；　for　he　thought　how　sad　it　was　to　see　his　dear　father　so　infirm；　and　how　sweet　it　would　be　to　support　him　with　his　own　youthful　strength；　and　to　cheer　him　up　with　the　alacrity　of　his　loving　spirit。　When　a　son　takes　a　father　into　his　warm　heart　it　renews　the　old　man's　youth　in　a　better　way　than　by　the　heat　of　Medea's　magic　caldron。　And　this　was　what　Theseus　resolved　to　do。　He　could　scarcely　wait　to　see　whether　King　Aegeus　would　recognize　him；　so　eager　was　he　to　throw　himself　into　his　arms。

Advancing　to　the　foot　of　the　throne；　he　attempted　to　make　a　little　speech；　which　he　had　been　thinking　about；　as　he　came　up　the　stairs。　But　he　was　almost　choked　by　a　great　many　tender　feelings　that　gushed　out　of　his　heart　and　swelled　into　his　throat；　all　struggling　to　find　utterance　together。　And　therefore；　unless　he　could　have　laid　his　full；　over…　brimming　heart　into　the　king's　hand；　poor　Theseus　knew　not　what　to　do　or　say。　The　cunning　Medea　observed　what　was　passing　in　the　young　man's　mind。　She　was　more　wicked　at　that　moment　than　ever　she　had　been　before；　for　（and　it　makes　me　tremble　to　tell　you　of　it）　she　did　her　worst　to　turn　all　this　unspeakable　love　with　which　Theseus　was　agitated　to　his　own　ruin　and　destruction。

〃Does　your　majesty　see　his　confusion？〃　she　whispered　in　the　king's　ear。　〃He　is　so　conscious　of　guilt；　that　he　trembles　and　cannot　speak。　The　wretch　lives　too　long！　Quick！　offer　him　the　wine！〃

Now　King　Aegeus　had　been　gazing　earnestly　at　the　young　stranger；　as　he　drew　near　the　throne。　There　was　something；　he　knew　not　what；　either　in　his　white　brow；　or　in　the　fine　expression　of　his　mouth；　or　in　his　beautiful　and　tender　eyes；　that　made　him　indistinctly　feel　as　if　he　had　seen　this　youth　before；　as　if；　indeed；　he　had　trotted　him　on　his　knee　when　a　baby；　and　had　beheld　him　growing　to　be　a　stalwart　man；　while　he　himself　grew　old。　But　Medea　guessed　how　the　king　felt；　and　would　not　suffer　him　to　yield　to　these　natural　sensibilities；　although　they　were　the　voice　of　his　deepest　heart；　telling　him　as　plainly　as　it　could　speak；　that　here　was　our　dear　son；　and　Aethra's　son；　coming　to　claim　him　for　a　father。　The　enchantress　again　whispered　in　the　king's　ear；　and　compelled　him；　by　her　witchcraft；　to　see　everything　under　a　false　aspect。

He　made　up　his　mind；　therefore；　to　let　Theseus　drink　off　the　poisoned　wine。

〃Young　man；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　welcome！　I　am　proud　to　show　hospitality　to　so　heroic　a　youth。　Do　me　the　favor　to　drink　the　contents　of　this　goblet。　It　is　brimming　over；　as　you　see；　with　delicious　wine；　such　as　I　bestow　only　on　those　who　are　worthy　of　it！　None　is　more　worthy　to　quaff　it　than　yourself！〃

So　saying；　King　Aegeus　took　the　golden　goblet　from　the　table；　and　was　about　to　offer　it　to　Theseus。　But；　partly　through　his　infirmities；　and　partly　because　it　seemed　so　sad　a　thing　to　take　away　this　young　man's　life。　however　wicked　he　might　be；　and　partly；　no　doubt；　because　his　heart　was　wiser　than　his　head；　and　quaked　within　him　at　the　thought　of　what　he　was　going　to　dofor　all　these　reasons；　the　king's　hand　trembled　so　much　that　a　great　deal　of　the　wine　slopped　over。　In　order　to　strengthen　his　purpose；　and　fearing　lest　the　whole　of　the　precious　poison　should　be　wasted；　one　of　his　nephews　now　whispered　to　him：

〃Has　your　Majesty　any　doubt　of　this　stranger's　guilt？　This　is　the　very　sword　with　which　he　meant　to　slay　you。　How　sharp；　and　bright；　and　terrible　it　is！　Quick！let　him　taste　the　wine；　or　perhaps　he　may　do　the　deed　even　yet。〃

At　these　words；　Aegeus　drove　every　thought　and　feeling　out　of　his　breast；　except　the　one　idea　of　how　justly　the　young　man　deserved　to　be　put　to　death。　He　sat　erect　on　his　throne；　and　held　out　the　goblet　of　wine　with　a　steady　hand；　and　bent　on　Theseus　a　frown　of　kingly　severity；　for；　after　all；　he　had　too　noble　a　spirit　to　murder　even　a　treacherous　enemy　with　a　deceitful　smile　upon　his　face。

〃Drink！〃　said　he；　in　the　stern　tone　with　which　he　was　wont　to　condemn　a　criminal　to　be　beheaded。　〃You　have　well　deserved　of　me　such　wine　as　this！〃

Theseus　held　out　his　hand　to　take　the　wine。　But；　before　he　touched　it；　King　Aegeus　trembled　again。　His　eyes　had　fallen　on　the　gold…hilled　sword　that　hung　at　the　young　man's　side。　He　drew　back　the　goblet。

〃That　sword！〃　he　exclaimed：　〃how　came　you　by　it？〃

〃It　was　my　father's　sword；〃　replied　Theseus；　with　a　tremulous　voice。　〃These　were　his　sandals。　My　dear　mother　（her　name　is　Aethra）　told　me　his　story　while　I　was　yet　a　little　child。　But　it　is　only　a　month　since　I　grew　strong　enough　to　lift　the　heavy　stone；　and　take　the　sword　and　sandals　from　beneath　it；　and　come　to　Athens　to　seek　my　father。〃

〃My　son！　my　son！〃　cried　King　Aegeus；　flinging　away　the　fatal　goblet；　and　tottering　down　from　the　throne　to　fall　into　the　arms　of　Theseus。　〃Yes；　these　are　Aethra's　eyes。　It　is　my　son。〃

I　have　quite　forgotten　what　became　of　the　king's　nephews。　But　when　the　wicked　Medea　saw　this　new　turn　of　affairs；　she　hurried　out　of　the　room；　and　going　to　her　private　chamber；　lost　no　time　to　setting　her　enchantments　to　work。　In　a　few　moments；　she　heard　a　great　noise　of　hissing　snakes　outside　of　the　chamber　window；　and　behold！　there　was　her　fiery　chariot；　and　four　huge　winged　serpents；　wriggling　and　twisting　in　the　air；　flourishing　their　tails　higher　than　the　top　of　the　palace；　and　all　ready　to　set　off　on　an　aerial　journey。　Medea　staid　only　long　enough　to　take　her　son　with　her；　and　to　steal　the　crown　jewels；　together　with　the　king's　best　robes；　and　whatever　other　valuable　things　she　could　lay　hands　on；　and　getting　into　the　chariot；　she　whipped　up　the　snakes；　and　ascended　high　over　the　city。

The　king；　hearing　the　hiss　of　the　serpents；　scrambled　as　fast　as　he　could　to　the　window；　and　bawled　out　to　the　abominable　enchantress　never　to　come　back。　The　whole　people　of　Athens；　too；　who　had　run　out　of　doors　to　see　this　wonderful　spectacle；　set　up　a　shout　of　joy　at　the　prospect　of　getting　rid　of　her。　Medea；　almost　bursting　with　rage；　uttered　precisely　such　a　hiss　as　one　of　her　own　snakes；　only　ten　times　more　venomous　and　spiteful；　and　glaring　fiercely　out　of　the　blaze　of　the　chariot；　she　shook　her　hands　over　the　multitude　below；　as　if　she　were　scattering　a　million　of　curses　among　them。　In　so　doing；　however；　she　unintentionally　let　fall　about　five　hundred　diamonds　of　the　first　water；　together　with　a　thousand　great　pearls；　and　two　thousand　emeralds；　rubies；　sapphires；　opals；　and　topazes；　to　which　she　had　helped　herself　out　of　the　king's　strong　box。　All　these　came　pelting　down；　like　a　shower　of　many…　colored　hailstones；　upon　the　heads　of　grown　people　and　children；　who　forthwith　gathered　them　up；　and　carried　them　back　to　the　palace。　But　King　Aegeus　told　them　that　they　were　welcome　to　the　whole；　and　to　twice　as　many　more；　if　he　had　them；　for　the　sake　of　his　delight　at　finding　his　son；　and　losing　the　wicked　Medea。　And；　indeed；　if　you　had　seen　how　hateful　was　her　la