nisida-第3章

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Nisida；　the　beloved　daughter　of　Solomon；　the　fisherman；　was；　as　we
have　said；　the　loveliest　flower　of　the　island　from　which　she　derived
her　name。　　That　island　is　the　most　charming　spot；　the　most　delicious
nook　with　which　we　are　acquainted；　it　is　a　basket　of　greenery　set
delicately　amid　the　pure　and　transparent　waters　of　the　gulf；　a　hill
wooded　with　orange　trees　and　oleanders；　and　crowned　at　the　summit　by
a　marble　castle。　　All　around　extends　the　fairy…like　prospect　of　that
immense　amphitheatre；　one　of　the　mightiest　wonders　of　creation。
There　lies　Naples；　the　voluptuous　syren；　reclining　carelessly　on　the
seashore；　there；　Portici；　Castellamare；　and　Sorrento；　the　very　names
of　which　awaken　in　the　imagination　a　thousand　thoughts　of　poetry　and
love；　there　are　Pausilippo；　Baiae；　Puozzoli；　and　those　vast　plains；
where　the　ancients　fancied　their　Elysium；　sacred　solitudes　which　one
might　suppose　peopled　by　the　men　of　former　days；　where　the　earth
echoes　under　foot　like　an　empty　grave；　and　the　air　has　unknown　sounds
and　strange　melodies。

Solomon's　hut　stood　in　that　part　of　the　island　which；　turning　its
back　to　the　capital；　beholds　afar　the　blue　crests　of　Capri。　　Nothing
could　be　simpler　or　brighter。　　The　brick　walls　were　hung　with　ivy
greener　than　emeralds；　and　enamelled　with　white　bell…flowers；　on　the
ground　floor　was　a　fairly　spacious　apartment；　in　which　the　men　slept
and　the　family　took　their　meals；　on　the　floor　above　was　Nisida's
little　maidenly　room；　full　of　coolness；　shadows；　and　mystery；　and
lighted　by　a　single　casement　that　looked　over　the　gulf；　above　this
room　was　a　terrace　of　the　Italian　kind；　the　four　pillars　of　which
were　wreathed　with　vine　branches；　while　its　vine…clad　arbour　and　wide
parapet　were　overgrown　with　moss　and　wild　flowers。　　A　little　hedge
of　hawthorn；　which　had　been　respected　for　ages；　made　a　kind　of
rampart　around　the　fisherman's　premises；　and　defended　his　house
better　than　deep　moats　and　castellated　walls　could　have　done。　　The
boldest　roisterers　of　the　place　would　have　preferred　to　fight　before
the　parsonage　and　in　the　precincts　of　the　church　rather　than　in　front
of　Solomon's　little　enclosure。　　Otherwise；　this　was　the　meeting　place
of　the　whole　island。　　Every　evening；　precisely　at　the　same　hour；　the
good　women　of　the　neighbourhood　came　to　knit　their　woollen　caps　and
tell　the　news。　　Groups　of　little　children；　naked；　brown；　and　as
mischievous　as　little　imps；　sported　about；　rolling　on　the　grass　and
throwing　handfuls　of　sand　into　the　other's　eyes；　heedless　of　the　risk
of　blinding；　while　their　mothers　were　engrossed　in　that　grave　gossip
which　marks　the　dwellers　in　villages。　　These　gatherings　occurred
daily　before　the　fisherman's　house；　they　formed　a　tacit　and　almost
involuntary　homage；　consecrated　by　custom；　and　of　which　no　one　had
ever　taken　special　account；　the　envy　that　rules　in　small　communities
would　soon　have　suppressed　them。　　The　influence　which　old　Solomon　had
over　his　equals　had　grown　so　simply　and　naturally；　that　no　one　found
any　fault　with　it；　and　it　had　only　attracted　notice　when　everyone　was
benefiting　by　it；　like　those　fine　trees　whose　growth　is　only　observed
when　we　profit　by　their　shade。　　If　any　dispute　arose　in　the　island；
the　two　opponents　preferred　to　abide　by　the　judgment　of　the　fisherman
instead　of　going　before　the　court；　he　was　fortunate　enough　or　clever
enough　to　send　away　both　parties　satisfied。　　He　knew　what　remedies　to
prescribe　better　than　any　physician；　for　it　seldom　happened　that　he
or　his　had　not　felt　the　same　ailments；　and　his　knowledge；　founded　on
personal　experience；　produced　the　most　excellent　results。　　Moreover；
he　had　no　interest；　as　ordinary　doctors　have；　in　prolonging
illnesses。　　For　many　years　past　the　only　formality　recognised　as　a
guarantee　for　the　inviolability　of　a　contract　had　been　the
intervention　of　the　fisherman。　　Each　party　shook　hands　with　Solomon；
and　the　thing　was　done。　　They　would　rather　have　thrown　themselves
into　Vesuvius　at　the　moment　of　its　most　violent　eruption　than　have
broken　so　solemn　an　agreement。　　At　the　period　when　our　story　opens；
it　was　impossible　to　find　any　person　in　the　island　who　had　not　felt
the　effects　of　the　fisherman's　generosity；　and　that　without　needing
to　confess　to　him　any　necessities。　　As　it　was　the　custom　for　the
little　populace　of　Nisida　to　spend　its　leisure　hours　before　Solomon's
cottage；　the　old　man；　while　he　walked　slowly　among　the　different
groups；　humming　his　favourite　song；　discovered　moral　and　physical
weaknesses　as　he　passed　；　and　the　same　evening　he　or　his　daughter
would　certainly　be　seen　coming　mysteriously　to　bestow　a　benefit　upon
every　sufferer；　to　lay　a　balm　upon　every　wound。　　In　short；　he　united
in　his　person　all　those　occupations　whose　business　is　to　help
mankind。　　Lawyers；　doctors；　and　the　notary；　all　the　vultures　of
civilisation；　had　beaten　a　retreat　before　the　patriarchal　benevolence
of　the　fisherman。　　Even　the　priest　had　capitulated。

On　the　morrow　of　the　Feast　of　the　Assumption；　Solomon　was　sitting；　as
his　habit　was；　on　a　stone　bench　in　front　of　his　house；　his　legs
crossed　and　his　arms　carelessly　stretched　out。　　At　the　first　glance
you　would　have　taken　him　for　sixty　at　the　outside；　though　he　was
really　over　eighty。　　He　had　all　his　teeth；　which　were　as　white　as
pearls；　and　showed　them　proudly。　　His　brow；　calm　and　restful　beneath
its　crown　of　abundant　white　hair；　was　as　firm　and　polished　as　marble；
not　a　wrinkle　ruffled　the　corner　of　his　eye；　and　the　gem…like　lustre
of　his　blue　orbs　revealed　a　freshness　of　soul　and　an　eternal　youth
such　as　fable　grants　to　the　sea…gods。　　He　displayed　his　bare　arms　and
muscular　neck　with　an　old　man's　vanity。　　Never　had　a　gloomy　idea；　an
evil　prepossession；　or　a　keen　remorse；　arisen　to　disturb　his　long　and
peaceful　life。　　He　had　never　seen　a　tear　flow　near　him　without
hurrying　to　wipe　it；　poor　though　he　was；　he　had　succeeded　in　pouring
out　benefits　that　all　the　kings　of　the　earth　could　not　have　bought
with　their　gold；　ignorant　though　he　was；　he　had　spoken　to　his　fellows
the　only　language　that　they　could　understand；　the　language　of　the
heart。　　One　single　drop　of　bitterness　had　mingled　with　his
inexhaustible　stream　of　happiness；　one　grief　only　had　clouded　his
sunny　lifethe　death　of　his　wifeand　moreover　he　had　forgotten
that。

All　the　affections　of　his　soul　were　turned　upon　Nisida；　whose　birth
had　caused　her　mother's　death；　he　loved　her　with　that　immoderate　love
that　old　people　have　for　the　youngest　of　their　children。　　At　the
present　moment　he　was　gazing　upon　her　with　an　air　of　profound
rapture；　and　watching　her　come　and　go；　as　she　now　joined　the　groups
of　children　and　scolded　them　for　games　too　dangerous　or　too　noisy；
now　seated　herself　on　the　grass　beside　their　mothers　and　took　part
with　grave　and　thoughtful　interest　in　their　talk。　　Nisida　was　more
beautiful　thus　than　she　had　been　the　day　before；　with　the　vaporous
cloud　of　perfume　that　had　folded　her　round　from　head　to　foot　had
disappeared　all　that　mystic　poetry　which　put　a　sort　of　constraint
upon　her　admirers　and　obliged　them　to　lower　their　glances。　　She　had
become　a　daughter　of　Eve　again　without　losing　anything　of　her　charm。
Simply　dressed；　as　she　usually　was　on　work…days；　she　was
distinguishable　among　her　companions　only　by　her　amazing　beauty　and
by　the　dazzling　whiteness　of　her　skin。　　Her　beautiful　black　hair　was
twisted　in　plaits　around　the　little　dagger　of　chased　silver；　that　has
lately　been　imported　into　Paris　by　that　right　of　conquest　which　the
pretty　women　of　Paris　have　over　the　fashions　of　all　countries；　like
the　English　over　the　sea。

Nisida　was　adored　by　her　young　friends；　all　the　mothers　had　adopted
her　with　pride；　she　was　the　glory　of　the　island。　　The　opinion　of　her
superiority　was　shared　by　everyone　to　such　a　degree；　that　if　some
bold　young　man；　forgetting　the　distance　which　divided　him　from　the
maiden；　dared　speak　a　little　too　loudly　of　his　pretensions；　he　became
the　laughing…stock　of　his　companions。　　Even　the　past　masters　of
tarentella　dancing　were　out　of　countenance　before　the　daughter　of
Solomon；　and　did　not　dare　to　seek　her　as　a　partner。　　Only　a　few
singers　from　Amalfi　or　Sorrento；　attracted　by　the　rar