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第27章

tanglewood tales(探戈林故事)-第27章

小说: tanglewood tales(探戈林故事) 字数: 每页4000字

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communicate; for; at the siege of Troy; and elsewhere; he had known such 

odd things to happen; that he would not have considered it much out of the 

common run had this little feathered creature talked as plainly as himself。 

     〃Peep!〃 said the bird; 〃peep; peep; peweep!〃 And nothing else would 

it   say;   but   only;   〃Peep;   peep;   peweep!〃   in   a   melancholy   cadence;   and 

over    and   over    and   over   again。   As   often   as  Ulysses    moved     forward; 

however; the bird showed the greatest alarm; and did its best to drive him 

back;    with   the   anxious    flutter  of  its  purple    wings。   Its  unaccountable 

behavior made him conclude; at last; that the bird knew of some danger 

that   awaited    him;   and   which    must    needs   be   very   terrible;  beyond     all 

question; since it moved even a little fowl to feel compassion for a human 

being。 So he resolved; for the present; to return to the vessel; and tell his 

companions what he had seen。 

     This appeared to satisfy the bird。 As soon as   Ulysses turned back; it 

ran up the trunk of a tree; and began to pick insects out of the bark with its 



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long; sharp bill; for it was a kind of woodpecker; you must know; and had 

to   get   its   living   in   the   same   manner   as   other   birds   of   that   species。   But 

every   little   while;   as   it   pecked   at   the   bark   of   the   tree;   the   purple   bird 

bethought itself of some secret sorrow; and repeated its plaintive note of 

〃Peep; peep; peweep!〃 

     On his way to the shore; Ulysses had the good luck to kill a large stag 

by thrusting his spear into his back。 Taking it on his shoulders (for he was 

a remarkably strong man); he lugged it along with him; and flung it down 

before     his   hungry    companions。       I  have    already    hinted    to  you    what 

gormandizers some of the comrades of King Ulysses were。 From what is 

related of them;  I  reckon that   their  favorite  diet was   pork;  and   that  they 

had lived upon it until a good part of their physical substance was swine's 

flesh; and their tempers and dispositions were very much akin to the hog。 

A dish of venison; however; was no unacceptable meal to them; especially 

after feeding so long on oysters and clams。 So; beholding the dead stag; 

they felt of its ribs; in a knowing way; and lost no time in kindling a fire of 

driftwood; to cook it。 The rest of the day was spent in feasting; and if these 

enormous   eaters   got   up   from   table   at   sunset;   it   was   only   because   they 

could not scrape another morsel off the poor animal's bones。 

     The next morning; their appetites were as sharp as ever。 They looked at 

Ulysses; as if they expected him to clamber up the cliff again; and come 

back   with   another   fat   deer   upon   his   shoulders。   Instead   of   setting   out; 

however; he summoned the whole crew together; and told them it was in 

vain   to   hope   that   he   could   kill   a   stag   every   day   for   their   dinner;   and 

therefore it was advisable to think of some other mode of satisfying their 

hunger。 

     〃Now;〃 said he; 〃when I was on the cliff; yesterday; I discovered that 

this island is inhabited。 At a considerable distance from the shore stood a 

marble palace; which appeared to be very spacious; and had a great deal of 

smoke curling out of one of its chimneys。〃 

     〃Aha!〃 muttered some of his companions; smacking their lips。 〃That 

smoke must have come from the kitchen fire。 There was a good dinner on 

the spit; and no doubt there will be as good a one to…day。〃 

     〃But;〃   continued   the   wise   Ulysses;   〃you   must   remember;   my   good 



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friends;    our   misadventure       in  the   cavern    of  one…eyed      Polyphemus;       the 

Cyclops! Instead of his ordinary  milk diet; did he not eat up two of our 

comrades for his supper; and a couple more for breakfast; and two at his 

supper again? Methinks I see him  yet; the hideous monster; scanning us 

with   that   great   red   eye;   in   the   middle   of   his   forehead;   to   single   out   the 

fattest。 And then; again; only a few days ago; did we not fall into the hands 

of the king of the Laestrygons; and those other horrible giants; his subjects; 

who devoured a great many more of us than are now left? To tell you the 

truth;   if   we   go   to   yonder   palace;   there   can   be   no   question   that   we   shall 

make our appearance at the dinner table; but whether seated as guests; or 

served up as food; is a point to be seriously considered。〃 

     〃Either way;〃 murmured some of the hungriest of the crew; 〃it will be 

better   than   starvation;   particularly   if   one   could   be   sure   of   being     well 

fattened beforehand; and daintily cooked afterwards。〃 

     〃That is a matter of taste;〃 said King Ulysses; 〃and; for my own part; 

neither     the  most    careful   fattening    nor   the   daintiest   of   cookery     would 

reconcile   me   to   being   dished   at   last。   My   proposal   is;   therefore;   that   we 

divide   ourselves   into   two   equal   parties;   and   ascertain;   by   drawing   lots; 

which of the two shall go to the palace; and beg for food and assistance。 If 

these   can be   obtained;  all   is   well。  If   not;  and if the inhabitants prove   as 

inhospitable as Polyphemus; or the Laestrygons; then there will but half of 

us perish; and the remainder may set sail and escape。〃 

     As   nobody   objected   to   this   scheme;   Ulysses   proceeded   to   count   the 

whole band; and found that there were forty…six men; including himself。 

He then numbered off twenty…two of them; and put Eurylochus (who was 

one of his chief officers; and second only to himself in sagacity) at their 

head。 Ulysses took command of the remaining twenty…two men; in person。 

Then; taking off his helmet; he put two shells into it; on one of which was 

written;   〃Go;〃   and   on     the   other   〃Stay。〃   Another   person   now   held        the 

helmet; while Ulysses and Eurylochus drew out each a shell; and the word 

〃Go〃   was   found   written   on   that   which   Eurylochus   had   drawn。   In   this 

manner;   it   was   decided   that   Ulysses   and   his   twenty…two   men   were   to 

remain at the seaside until the other party should have found out what sort 

of treatment they might expect at the mysterious palace。 As there was no 



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help for it; Eurylochus immediately set forth at the head of his twenty…two 

followers; who went off in a very melancholy state of mind; leaving 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 

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