selected prose of oscar wilde-第12章

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sized　portrait　of　Charles　V。　in　hunting　dress；　with　a　great　mastiff

by　his　side；　and　a　picture　of　Philip　II。　receiving　the　homage　of　the

Netherlands　occupied　the　centre　of　the　other　wall。　　Between　the

windows　stood　a　black　ebony　cabinet；　inlaid　with　plates　of　ivory；　on

which　the　figures　from　Holbein's　Dance　of　Death　had　been　gravedby

the　hand；　some　said；　of　that　famous　master　himself。



But　the　little　Dwarf　cared　nothing　for　all　this　magnificence。　　He

would　not　have　given　his　rose　for　all　the　pearls　on　the　canopy；　nor

one　white　petal　of　his　rose　for　the　throne　itself。　　What　he　wanted

was　to　see　the　Infanta　before　she　went　down　to　the　pavilion；　and　to

ask　her　to　come　away　with　him　when　he　had　finished　his　dance。　　Here；

in　the　Palace；　the　air　was　close　and　heavy；　but　in　the　forest　the

wind　blew　free；　and　the　sunlight　with　wandering　hands　of　gold　moved

the　tremulous　leaves　aside。　　There　were　flowers；　too；　in　the　forest；

not　so　splendid；　perhaps；　as　the　flowers　in　the　garden；　but　more

sweetly　scented　for　all　that；　hyacinths　in　early　spring　that　flooded

with　waving　purple　the　cool　glens；　and　grassy　knolls；　yellow

primroses　that　nestled　in　little　clumps　round　the　gnarled　roots　of

the　oak…trees；　bright　celandine；　and　blue　speedwell；　and　irises

lilac　and　gold。　　There　were　grey　catkins　on　the　hazels；　and　the

foxgloves　drooped　with　the　weight　of　their　dappled　bee…haunted

cells。　　The　chestnut　had　its　spires　of　white　stars；　and　the　hawthorn

its　pallid　moons　of　beauty。　　Yes：　　surely　she　would　come　if　he　could

only　find　her！　　She　would　come　with　him　to　the　fair　forest；　and　all

day　long　he　would　dance　for　her　delight。　　A　smile　lit　up　his　eyes　at

the　thought；　and　he　passed　into　the　next　room。



Of　all　the　rooms　this　was　the　brightest　and　the　most　beautiful。　　The

walls　were　covered　with　a　pink…flowered　Lucca　damask；　patterned　with

birds　and　dotted　with　dainty　blossoms　of　silver；　the　furniture　was

of　massive　silver；　festooned　with　florid　wreaths；　and　swinging

Cupids；　in　front　of　the　two　large　fire…places　stood　great　screens

broidered　with　parrots　and　peacocks；　and　the　floor；　which　was　of

sea…green　onyx；　seemed　to　stretch　far　away　into　the　distance。　　Nor

was　he　alone。　　Standing　under　the　shadow　of　the　doorway；　at　the

extreme　end　of　the　room；　he　saw　a　little　figure　watching　him。　　His

heart　trembled；　a　cry　of　joy　broke　from　his　lips；　and　he　moved　out

into　the　sunlight。　　As　he　did　so；　the　figure　moved　out　also；　and　he

saw　it　plainly。The　Birthday　of　the　Infanta







A　PROTECTED　COUNTRY







'The　kings　of　each　city　levied　tolls　on　us；　but　would　not　suffer　us

to　enter　their　gates。　　They　threw　us　bread　over　the　walls；　little

maize…cakes　baked　in　honey　and　cakes　of　fine　flour　filled　with

dates。　　For　every　hundred　baskets　we　gave　them　a　bead　of　amber。



'When　the　dwellers　in　the　villages　saw　us　coming；　they　poisoned　the

wells　and　fled　to　the　hill…summits。　　We　fought　with　the　Magadae　who

are　born　old；　and　grow　younger　and　younger　every　year；　and　die　when

they　are　little　children；　and　with　the　Laktroi　who　say　that　they　are

the　sons　of　tigers；　and　paint　themselves　yellow　and　black；　and　with

the　Aurantes　who　bury　their　dead　on　the　tops　of　trees；　and

themselves　live　in　dark　caverns　lest　the　Sun；　who　is　their　god；

should　slay　them；　and　with　the　Krimnians　who　worship　a　crocodile；

and　give　it　earrings　of　green　glass；　and　feed　it　with　butter　and

fresh　fowls；　and　with　the　Agazonbae；　who　are　dog…faced；　and　with　the

Sibans；　who　have　horses'　feet；　and　run　more　swiftly　than　horses。　　A

third　of　our　company　died　in　battle；　and　a　third　died　of　want。　　The

rest　murmured　against　me；　and　said　that　I　had　brought　them　an　evil

fortune。　　I　took　a　horned　adder　from　beneath　a　stone　and　let　it

sting　me。　　When　they　saw　that　I　did　not　sicken　they　grew　afraid。



'In　the　fourth　month　we　reached　the　city　of　Illel。　　It　was　night…

time　when　we　came　to　the　grove　that　is　outside　the　walls；　and　the

air　was　sultry；　for　the　Moon　was　travelling　in　Scorpion。　　We　took

the　ripe　pomegranates　from　the　trees；　and　brake　them；　and　drank

their　sweet　juices。　　Then　we　lay　down　on　our　carpets；　and　waited　for

the　dawn。



'And　at　dawn　we　rose　and　knocked　at　the　gate　of　the　city。　　It　was

wrought　out　of　red　bronze；　and　carved　with　sea…dragons　and　dragons

that　have　wings。　　The　guards　looked　down　from　the　battlements　and

asked　us　our　business。　　The　interpreter　of　the　caravan　answered　that

we　had　come　from　the　island　of　Syria　with　much　merchandise。　　They

took　hostages；　and　told　us　that　they　would　open　the　gate　to　us　at

noon；　and　bade　us　tarry　till　then。



'When　it　was　noon　they　opened　the　gate；　and　as　we　entered　in　the

people　came　crowding　out　of　the　houses　to　look　at　us；　and　a　crier

went　round　the　city　crying　through　a　shell。　　We　stood　in　the　market…

place；　and　the　negroes　uncorded　the　bales　of　figured　cloths　and

opened　the　carved　chests　of　sycamore。　　And　when　they　had　ended　their

task；　the　merchants　set　forth　their　strange　wares；　the　waxed　linen

from　Egypt　and　the　painted　linen　from　the　country　of　the　Ethiops；

the　purple　sponges　from　Tyre　and　the　blue　hangings　from　Sidon；　the

cups　of　cold　amber　and　the　fine　vessels　of　glass　and　the　curious

vessels　of　burnt　clay。　　From　the　roof　of　a　house　a　company　of　women

watched　us。　　One　of　them　wore　a　mask　of　gilded　leather。



'And　on　the　first　day　the　priests　came　and　bartered　with　us；　and　on

the　second　day　came　the　nobles；　and　on　the　third　day　came　the

craftsmen　and　the　slaves。　　And　this　is　their　custom　with　all

merchants　as　long　as　they　tarry　in　the　city。



'And　we　tarried　for　a　moon；　and　when　the　moon　was　waning；　I　wearied

and　wandered　away　through　the　streets　of　the　city　and　came　to　the

garden　of　its　god。　　The　priests　in　their　yellow　robes　moved　silently

through　the　green　trees；　and　on　a　pavement　of　black　marble　stood　the

rose…red　house　in　which　the　god　had　his　dwelling。　　Its　doors　were　of

powdered　lacquer；　and　bulls　and　peacocks　were　wrought　on　them　in

raised　and　polished　gold。　　The　tilted　roof　was　of　sea…green

porcelain；　and　the　jutting　eaves　were　festooned　with　little　bells。

When　the　white　doves　flew　past；　they　struck　the　bells　with　their

wings　and　made　them　tinkle。



'In　front　of　the　temple　was　a　pool　of　clear　water　paved　with　veined

onyx。　　I　lay　down　beside　it；　and　with　my　pale　fingers　I　touched　the

broad　leaves。　　One　of　the　priests　came　towards　me　and　stood　behind

me。　　He　had　sandals　on　his　feet；　one　of　soft　serpent…skin　and　the

other　of　birds'　plumage。　　On　his　head　was　a　mitre　of　black　felt

decorated　with　silver　crescents。　　Seven　yellows　were　woven　into　his

robe；　and　his　frizzed　hair　was　stained　with　antimony。



'After　a　little　while　he　spake　to　me；　and　asked　me　my　desire。



'I　told　him　that　my　desire　was　to　see　the　god。'The　Fisherman　and

His　Soul







THE　BLACKMAILING　OF　THE　EMPEROR







'As　soon　as　the　man　was　dead　the　Emperor　turned　to　me；　and　when　he

had　wiped　away　the　bright　sweat　from　his　brow　with　a　little　napkin

of　purfled　and　purple　silk；　he　said　to　me；　〃Art　thou　a　prophet；　that

I　may　not　harm　thee；　or　the　son　of　a　prophet；　that　I　can　do　thee　no

hurt？　　I　pray　thee　leave　my　city　to…night；　for　while　thou　art　in　it

I　am　no　longer　its　lord。〃



'And　I　answered　him；　〃I　will　go　for　half　of　thy　treasure。　　Give　me

half　of　thy　treasure；　and　I　will　go　away。〃



'He　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　led　me　out　into　the　garden。　　When　the

captain　of　the　guard　saw　me；　he　wondered。　　When　the　eunuchs　saw　me；

their　knees　shook　and　they　fell　upon　the　ground　in　fear。



'There　is　a　chamber　in　the　palace　that　has　eight　walls　of　red

porphyry；　and　a　brass…sealed　ceiling　hung　with　lamps。　　The　Emperor

touched　one　of　the　walls　and　it　opened；　and　we　passed　down　a

corridor　that　was　lit　with　many　torches。　　In　niches　upon　each　side

stood　great　wine…jars　filled　to　the　brim　with　silver　pieces。　　When

we　reached　the　centre　of　the　corridor　the　Emperor　spake　the　word

that　may　not　be　spo