selected prose of oscar wilde-第13章

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

that　may　not　be　spoken；　and　a　granite　door　swung　back　on　a　secret

spring；　and　he　put　his　hands　before　his　face　lest　his　eyes　should　be

dazzled。



'Thou　couldst　not　believe　how　marvellous　a　place　it　was。　　There　were

huge　tortoise…shells　full　of　pearls；　and　hollowed　moonstones　of

great　size　piled　up　with　red　rubies。　　The　gold　was　stored　in　coffers

of　elephant…hide；　and　the　gold…dust　in　leather　bottles。　　There　were

opals　and　sapphires；　the　former　in　cups　of　crystal；　and　the　latter

in　cups　of　jade。　　Round　green　emeralds　were　ranged　in　order　upon

thin　plates　of　ivory；　and　in　one　corner　were　silk　bags　filled；　some

with　turquoise…stones；　and　others　with　beryls。　　The　ivory　horns　were

heaped　with　purple　amethysts；　and　the　horns　of　brass　with

chalcedonies　and　sards。　　The　pillars；　which　were　of　cedar；　were　hung

with　strings　of　yellow　lynx…stones。　　In　the　flat　oval　shields　there

were　carbuncles；　both　wine…coloured　and　coloured　like　grass。　　And

yet　I　have　told　thee　but　a　tithe　of　what　was　there。



'And　when　the　Emperor　had　taken　away　his　hands　from　before　his　face

he　said　to　me：　　〃This　is　my　house　of　treasure；　and　half　that　is　in

it　is　thine；　even　as　I　promised　to　thee。　　And　I　will　give　thee

camels　and　camel　drivers；　and　they　shall　do　thy　bidding　and　take　thy

share　of　the　treasure　to　whatever　part　of　the　world　thou　desirest　to

go。　　And　the　thing　shall　be　done　to…night；　for　I　would　not　that　the

Sun；　who　is　my　father；　should　see　that　there　is　in　my　city　a　man

whom　I　cannot　slay。〃



'But　I　answered　him；　〃The　gold　that　is　here　is　thine；　and　the　silver

also　is　thine；　and　thine　are　the　precious　jewels　and　the　things　of

price。　　As　for　me；　I　have　no　need　of　these。　　Nor　shall　I　take　aught

from　thee　but　that　little　ring　that　thou　wearest　on　the　finger　of

thy　hand。〃



'And　the　Emperor　frowned。　　〃It　is　but　a　ring　of　lead；〃　he　cried；

〃nor　has　it　any　value。　　Therefore　take　thy　half　of　the　treasure　and

go　from　my　city。〃



'〃Nay；〃　I　answered；　〃but　I　will　take　nought　but　that　leaden　ring；

for　I　know　what　is　written　within　it；　and　for　what　purpose。〃



'And　the　Emperor　trembled；　and　besought　me　and　said；　〃Take　all　the

treasure　and　go　from　my　city。　　The　half　that　is　mine　shall　be　thine

also。〃



'And　I　did　a　strange　thing；　but　what　I　did　matters　not；　for　in　a

cave　that　is　but　a　day's　journey　from　this　place　have；　I　hidden　the

Ring　of　Riches。　　It　is　but　a　day's　journey　from　this　place；　and　it

waits　for　thy　coming。　　He　who　has　this　Ring　is　richer　than　all　the

kings　of　the　world。　　Come　therefore　and　take　it；　and　the　world's

riches　shall　be　thine。'The　Fisherman　and　His　Soul







COVENT　GARDEN







Where　he　went　he　hardly　knew。　　He　had　a　dim　memory　of　wandering

through　a　labyrinth　of　sordid　houses；　of　being　lost　in　a　giant　web

of　sombre　streets；　and　it　was　bright　dawn　when　he　found　himself　at

last　in　Piccadilly　Circus。　　As　he　strolled　home　towards　Belgrave

Square；　he　met　the　great　waggons　on　their　way　to　Covent　Garden。　　The

white…smocked　carters；　with　their　pleasant　sunburnt　faces　and　coarse

curly　hair；　strode　sturdily　on；　cracking　their　whips；　and　calling

out　now　and　then　to　each　other；　on　the　back　of　a　huge　grey　horse；

the　leader　of　a　jangling　team；　sat　a　chubby　boy；　with　a　bunch　of

primroses　in　his　battered　hat；　keeping　tight　hold　of　the　mane　with

his　little　hands；　and　laughing；　and　the　great　piles　of　vegetables

looked　like　masses　of　jade　against　the　morning　sky；　like　masses　of

green　jade　against　the　pink　petals　of　some　marvellous　rose。　　Lord

Arthur　felt　curiously　affected；　he　could　not　tell　why。　　There　was

something　in　the　dawn's　delicate　loveliness　that　seemed　to　him

inexpressibly　pathetic；　and　he　thought　of　all　the　days　that　break　in

beauty；　and　that　set　in　storm。　　These　rustics；　too；　with　their

rough；　good…humoured　voices；　and　their　nonchalant　ways；　what　a

strange　London　they　saw！　　A　London　free　from　the　sin　of　night　and

the　smoke　of　day；　a　pallid；　ghost…like　city；　a　desolate　town　of

tombs！　　He　wondered　what　they　thought　of　it；　and　whether　they　knew

anything　of　its　splendour　and　its　shame；　of　its　fierce；　fiery…

coloured　joys；　and　its　horrible　hunger；　of　all　it　makes　and　mars

from　morn　to　eve。　　Probably　it　was　to　them　merely　a　mart　where　they

brought　their　fruits　to　sell；　and　where　they　tarried　for　a　few　hours

at　most；　leaving　the　streets　still　silent；　the　houses　still　asleep。

It　gave　him　pleasure　to　watch　them　as　they　went　by。　　Rude　as　they

were；　with　their　heavy；　hob…nailed　shoes；　and　their　awkward　gait；

they　brought　a　little　of　a　ready　with　them。　　He　felt　that　they　had

lived　with　Nature；　and　that　she　had　taught　them　peace。　　He　envied

them　all　that　they　did　not　know。



By　the　time　he　had　reached　Belgrave　Square　the　sky　was　a　faint　blue；

and　the　birds　were　beginning　to　twitter　in　the　gardens。Lord　Arthur

Savile's　Crime







A　LETTER　FROM　MISS　JANE　PERCY　TO　HER　AUNT







THE　DEANERY；　CHICHESTER；

27th　May。



My　Dearest　Aunt；



Thank　you　so　much　for　the　flannel　for　the　Dorcas　Society；　and　also

for　the　gingham。　　I　quite　agree　with　you　that　it　is　nonsense　their

wanting　to　wear　pretty　things；　but　everybody　is　so　Radical　and

irreligious　nowadays；　that　it　is　difficult　to　make　them　see　that

they　should　not　try　and　dress　like　the　upper　classes。　　I　am　sure　I

don't　know　what　we　are　coming　to。　　As　papa　has　often　said　in　his

sermons；　we　live　in　an　age　of　unbelief。



We　have　had　great　fun　over　a　clock　that　an　unknown　admirer　sent　papa

last　Thursday。　　It　arrived　in　a　wooden　box　from　London；　carriage

paid；　and　papa　feels　it　must　have　been　sent　by　some　one　who　had　read

his　remarkable　sermon；　'Is　Licence　Liberty？'　for　on　the　top　of　the

clock　was　a　figure　of　a　woman；　with　what　papa　said　was　the　cap　of

Liberty　on　her　head。　　I　didn't　think　it　very　becoming　myself；　but

papa　said　it　was　historical；　so　I　suppose　it　is　all　right。　　Parker

unpacked　it；　and　papa　put　it　on　the　mantelpiece　in　the　library；　and

we　were　all　sitting　there　on　Friday　morning；　when　just　as　the　clock

struck　twelve；　we　heard　a　whirring　noise；　a　little　puff　of　smoke

came　from　the　pedestal　of　the　figure；　and　the　goddess　of　Liberty

fell　off；　and　broke　her　nose　on　the　fender！　　Maria　was　quite

alarmed；　but　it　looked　so　ridiculous；　that　James　and　I　went　off　into

fits　of　laughter；　and　even　papa　was　amused。　　When　we　examined　it；　we

found　it　was　a　sort　of　alarum　clock；　and　that；　if　you　set　it　to　a

particular　hour；　and　put　some　gunpowder　and　a　cap　under　a　little

hammer；　it　went　off　whenever　you　wanted。　　Papa　said　it　must　not

remain　in　the　library；　as　it　made　a　noise；　so　Reggie　carried　it　away

to　the　schoolroom；　and　does　nothing　but　have　small　explosions　all

day　long。　　Do　you　think　Arthur　would　like　one　for　a　wedding　present？

I　suppose　they　are　quite　fashionable　in　London。　　Papa　says　they

should　do　a　great　deal　of　good；　as　they　show　that　Liberty　can't

last；　but　must　fall　down。　　Papa　says　Liberty　was　invented　at　the

time　of　the　French　Revolution。　　How　awful　it　seems！



I　have　now　to　go　to　the　Dorcas；　where　I　will　read　them　your　most

instructive　letter。　　How　true；　dear　aunt；　your　idea　is；　that　in

their　rank　of　life　they　should　wear　what　is　unbecoming。　　I　must　say

it　is　absurd；　their　anxiety　about　dress；　when　there　are　so　many　more

important　things　in　this　world；　and　in　the　next。　　I　am　so　glad　your

flowered　poplin　turned　out　so　well；　and　that　your　lace　was　not　torn。

I　am　wearing　my　yellow　satin；　that　you　so　kindly　gave　me；　at　the

Bishop's　on　Wednesday；　and　think　it　will　look　all　right。　　Would　you

have　bows　or　not？　　Jennings　says　that　every　one　wears　bows　now；　and

that　the　underskirt　should　be　frilled。　　Reggie　has　just　had　another

explosion；　and　papa　has　ordered　the　clock　to　be　sent　to　the　stables。

I　don't　think　papa　likes　it　so　much　as　he　did　at　first；　though　he　is

very　flattered　at　being　sent　such　a　pretty　and　ingenious　toy。　　It

shows　that　peopl