ben-hur-第112章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


tarry　gifts　beyond　your　power　of　help；　unless；　indeed；　you　have　a　way　to　them　more　certain　than　that　of　the　sword。　If　so；　O　Egypt；　Egypt；　show　it　me；　and　I　will　walk　in　it；　if　only　for　your　sake。〃

She　removed　his　arm；　and　said；　〃Spread　your　cloak　upon　the　sandhere；　so　I　can　rest　against　the　camel。　I　will　sit；　and　tell　you　a　story　which　came　down　the　Nile　to　Alexandria；　where　I　had　it。〃

He　did　as　she　said；　first　planting　the　spear　in　the　ground　near　by。

〃And　what　shall　I　do？〃　he　said；　ruefully；　when　she　was　seated。　〃In　Alexandria　is　it　customary　for　the　listeners　to　sit　or　stand？〃

From　the　comfortable　place　against　the　old　domestic　she　answered；　laughing；　〃The　audiences　of　story…tellers　are　wilful；　and　sometimes　they　do　as　they　please。〃

Without　more　ado　he　stretched　himself　upon　the　sand；　and　put　her　arm　about　his　neck。

〃I　am　ready；〃　he　said。

And　directly　she　began：


HOW　THE　BEAUTIFUL　CAME　TO　THE　EARTH。

〃You　must　know；　in　the　first　place；　that　Isis　wasand；　for　that　matter；　she　may　yet　bethe　most　beautiful　of　deities；　and　Osiris；　her　husband；　though　wise　and　powerful；　was　sometimes　stung　with　jealousy　of　her；　for　only　in　their　loves　are　the　gods　like　mortals。

〃The　palace　of　the　Divine　Wife　was　of　silver；　crowning　the　tallest　mountain　in　the　moon；　and　thence　she　passed　often　to　the　sun；　in　the　heart　of　which；　a　source　of　eternal　light；　Osiris　kept　his　palace　of　gold　too　shining　for　men　to　look　at。

〃One　timethere　are　no　days　with　the　godswhile　she　was　full　pleasantly　with　him　on　the　roof　of　the　golden　palace；　she　chanced　to　look；　and　afar；　just　on　the　line　of　the　universe；　saw　Indra　passing　with　an　army　of　simians；　all　borne　upon　the　backs　of　flying　eagles。　He；　the　Friend　of　Living　Thingsso　with　much　love　is　Indra　calledwas　returning　from　his　final　war　with　the　hideous　Rakshakasreturning　victorious；　and　in　his　suite　were　Rama；　the　hero；　and　Sita；　his　bride；　who；　next　to　Isis　herself；　was　the　very　most　beautiful。　And　Isis　arose；　and　took　off　her　girdle　of　stars；　and　waved　it　to　Sitato　Sita；　mind　youwaved　it　in　glad　salute。　And　instantly；　between　the　marching　host　and　the　two　on　the　golden　roof；　a　something　as　of　night　fell；　and　shut　out　the　view；　but　it　was　not　nightonly　the　frown　of　Osiris。

〃It　happened　the　subject　of　his　speech　that　moment　was　such　as　none　else　than　they　could　think　of；　and　he　arose；　and　said；　majestically；　'Get　thee　home。　I　will　do　the　work　myself。　To　make　a　perfectly　happy　being　I　do　not　need　thy　help。　Get　thee　gone。'

〃Now　Isis　had　eyes　large　as　those　of　the　white　cow　which　in　the　temple　eats　sweet　grasses　from　the　hands　of　the　faithful　even　while　they　say　their　prayers；　and　her　eyes　were　the　color　of　the　cows；　and　quite　as　tender。　And　she　too　arose　and　said；　smiling　as　she　spoke；　so　her　look　was　little　more　than　the　glow　of　the　moon　in　the　hazy　harvest…month；　'Farewell；　good　my　lord。　You　will　call　me　presently；　I　know；　for　without　me　you　cannot　make　the　perfectly　happy　creature　of　which　you　were　thinking；　any　more'and　she　stopped　to　laugh；　knowing　well　the　truth　of　the　saying'any　more；　my　lord；　than　you　yourself　can　be　perfectly　happy　without　me。'

〃'We　will　see；'　he　said。

〃And　she　went　her　way；　and　took　her　needles　and　her　chair；　and　on　the　roof　of　the　silver　palace　sat　watching　and　knitting。

〃And　the　will　of　Osiris；　at　labor　in　his　mighty　breast；　was　as　the　sound　of　the　mills　of　all　the　other　gods　grinding　at　once；　so　loud　that　the　near　stars　rattled　like　seeds　in　a　parched　pod；　and　some　dropped　out　and　were　lost。　And　while　the　sound　kept　on　she　waited　and　knit；　nor　lost　she　ever　a　stitch　the　while。

〃Soon　a　spot　appeared　in　the　space　over　towards　the　sun；　and　it　grew　until　it　was　great　as　the　moon；　and　then　she　knew　a　world　was　intended；　but　when；　growing　and　growing；　at　last　it　cast　her　planet　in　the　shade；　all　save　the　little　point　lighted　by　her　presence；　she　knew　how　very　angry　he　was；　yet　she　knit　away；　assured　that　the　end　would　be　as　she　had　said。

〃And　so　came　the　earth；　at　first　but　a　cold　gray　mass　hanging　listless　in　the　hollow　void。　Later　she　saw　it　separate　into　divisions；　here　a　plain；　there　a　mountain；　yonder　a　sea；　all　as　yet　without　a　sparkle。　And　then；　by　a　river…bank；　something　moved；　and　she　stopped　her　knitting　for　wonder。　The　something　arose；　and　lifted　its　hands　to　the　sun　in　sign　of　knowledge　whence　it　had　its　being。　And　this　First　Man　was　beautiful　to　see。　And　about　him　were　the　creations　we　call　naturethe　grass；　the　trees；　birds；　beasts；　even　the　insects　and　reptiles。

〃And　for　a　time　the　man　went　about　happy　in　his　life：　it　was　easy　to　see　how　happy　he　was。　And　in　the　lull　of　the　sound　of　the　laboring　will　Isis　heard　a　scornful　laugh；　and　presently　the　words；　blown　across　from　the　sun；

〃'Thy　help；　indeed！　Behold　a　creature　perfectly　happy！'

〃And　Isis　fell　to　knitting　again；　for　she　was　patient　as　Osiris　was　strong；　and　if　he　could　work；　she　could　wait；　and　wait　she　did；　knowing　that　mere　life　is　not　enough　to　keep　anything　content。

〃And　sure　enough。　Not　long　until　the　Divine　Wife　could　see　a　change　in　the　man。　He　grew　listless；　and　kept　to　one　place　prone　by　the　river；　and　looked　up　but　seldom；　and　then　always　with　a　moody　face。　Interest　was　dying　in　him。　And　when　she　made　sure　of　it；　even　while　she　was　saying　to　herself；　'The　creature　is　sick　of　his　being；'　there　was　a　roar　of　the　creative　will　at　work　again；　and　in　a　twinkling　the　earth；　theretofore　all　a　thing　of　coldest　gray；　flamed　with　colors；　the　mountains　swam　in　purple；　the　plains　bearing　grass　and　trees　turned　green；　the　sea　blue；　and　the　clouds　varied　infinitely。

And　the　man　sprang　up　and　clapped　his　hands；　for　he　was　cured　and　happy　again。

〃And　Isis　smiled；　and　knit　away；　saying　to　herself；　'It　was　well　thought；　and　will　do　a　little　while；　but　mere　beauty　in　a　world　is　not　enough　for　such　a　being。　My　lord　must　try　again。'

〃With　the　last　word；　the　thunder　of　the　will　at　work　shook　the　moon；　and；　looking；　Isis　dropped　her　knitting　and　clapped　her　hands；　for　theretofore　everything　on　the　earth　but　the　man　had　been　fixed　to　a　given　place；　now　all　living；　and　much　that　was　not　living；　received　the　gift　of　Motion。　The　birds　took　to　wing　joyously；　beasts　great　and　small　went　about；　each　in　its　way；　the　trees　shook　their　verdurous　branches；　nodding　to　the　enamoured　winds；　the　rivers　ran　to　the　seas；　and　the　seas　tossed　in　their　beds　and　rolled　in　crested　waves；　and　with　surging　and　ebbing　painted　the　shores　with　glistening　foam；　and　over　all　the　clouds　floated　like　sailed　ships　unanchored。

〃And　the　man　rose　up　happy　as　a　child；　whereat　Osiris　was　pleased；　so　that　he　shouted；　'Ha；　ha！　See　how　well　I　am　doing　without　thee！'

〃The　good　wife　took　up　her　work；　and　answered　ever　so　quietly；　'It　was　well　thought；　my　lordever　so　well　thoughtand　will　serve　awhile。'

〃And　as　before；　so　again。　The　sight　of　things　in　motion　became　to　the　man　as　of　course。　The　birds　in　flight；　the　rivers　running；　the　seas　in　tumult　of　action；　ceased　to　amuse　him；　and　he　pined　again　even　worse。

〃And　Isis　waited；　saying　to　herself；　'Poor　creature！　He　is　more　wretched　than　ever。'

〃And；　as　if　he　heard　the　thought；　Osiris　stirred；　and　the　noise　of　his　will　shook　the　universe；　the　sun　in　its　central　seat　alone　stood　firm。　And　Isis　looked；　but　saw　no　change；　then　while　she　was　smiling；　assured　that　her　lord's　last　invention　was　sped；　suddenly　the　creature　arose；　and　seemed　to　listen；　and　his　face　brightened；　and　he　clapped　his　hands　for　joy；　for　Sounds　were　heard　the　first　time　on　earthsounds　dissonant；　sounds　harmonious。　The　winds　murmured　in　the　trees；　the　birds　sang；　each　kind　a　song　of　its　own；　or　chattered　in　speech；　the　rivulets　running　to　the　rivers　became　so　many　harpers　with　harps　of　silver　strings　all　tinkling　together；　and　the　rivers　running　to　the　seas　surged　on　in　solemn　accord；　while　the　seas　beat　the　land　to　a　tune　of　thunder。　There　was　music；　music　everywhere；　and　all　the　time；　so　the　man　could　not　but　be　happy。

〃Then　Isis　mused；　thinking　how　well；　how　wondrous　well；　her　lord　was　doing；　but　presently　she　shook　her　head：　Color；　Motion；　Soundand　she　repeated　them　slowlythere　was　no　element　else　of　beauty　except　Form　and　Light；　and　to　them　the　earth　had　been　born。　Now；　in