messer marco polo(马可·波罗)-第11章
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have signs in abundance。 I wouldn't think of letting you go against them。
Fair play's a jewel； and you wouldn't have a chance。 There's the Red
Pope from Tibet and there's the Black Magician from Korea and a hundred
minor ones； and the Warlock of the North； from the Islands of Ice； who
governs the hail and the snow。 Child； I wouldn't let you get into the same
ring with them。 They'd ruin you。〃
〃But； sir； wasn't it a great miracle of the Lord's； my rescue in the Gobi
Desert？〃
〃A miracle of the Lord's！ A miracle of Golden Bells here。 It was
her magician saw you； and she had the message put on the drums； and the
desert patrols went to seek you。 It was herself here； wee Golden Bells。〃
And Golden Bells' mouth gave a smile of shame that his thought should be
broken in his mind。
〃A long way I'm after coming；〃 said Marco Polo； 〃and when I set out
my heart was high。〃
〃Now； don't be taking it too hard；〃 says the khan； kindly。 〃Sure；
there's a power of good you can be doing here。 Maybe you can do
something with Li Po；〃 says he。 〃I'd like fine for you to try。 The man is
worrying the life out of me with his drinking。 I never know when he
goes out whether he'll come back all right or feet foremost on a door。 For
he's got the bitter tongue when the drink's in him； and China could ill
afford to lose him。 And there are some of my captains； and the tune
they're always piping is 'War！ War！ War！ And let's show up this
Alexander who said he conquered the world。' And I'm past the age when
you make war for devilment。 So let you be helping me out with them；
Marco Polo。〃
But Marco Polo knew this was only meant in kindness； and his heart
was broken。
〃Ah； wee lady；〃 he turned to Golden Bells； 〃wee lady； wee lady；
why didn't you let me die in the desert？ Why didn't I die？〃
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Messer Marco Polo
〃And why should you die； Marco Polo？〃 Her low； sweet voice rang
in the heart of him。 〃Didn't you come here to give your message？ And to
make converts？ And didn't I hear your message？ And am n't I your
convert； Marco Polo？〃
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Messer Marco Polo
CHAPTER XVI
And now the place of Li Po was usurped； and gone Sanang with his
magic glass； and in the jasmine garden by the Lake of Cranes Marco Polo
sat and instructed Golden Bells。 。 。
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Messer Marco Polo
CHAPTER XVII
And he told of the flight into Egypt when savage Herod reigned； and
of the Jewish maid and her child sleeping beneath the shadow of the great
Sphinx； while the shades of the old Afric gods looked on in reverence；
Amenalk and Thoth and the moon…horned Io； Isis； and Osiris。 And the
painted kings knelt in their pyramids； and out of the sluggish Nile came
the strange aquatic population； the torpid crocodiles and monstrous water
lizards； and the great hippopotami lumbered to bow before the little Lord
of all things。 。 。
And he told her how Satan had tempted Him on the lonely； black
craigs。 。 。
〃But you are not listening； little Golden Bells 〃
〃Indeed I am listening； Marco Polo。 Yes； indeed I am。 I love to
hear your voice； Marco Polo。 You are so earnest； Marco Polo； there is
such a light in your eyes。 Listen； Marco Polo； Li Po once wrote a poem；
'White Gleam the Gulls；' and it is the poem by which he is best known；
and every time I hear it there is an echo in my heart。 But； Marco Polo； I
never listened to Li Po's song so eagerly as I am listening to your voice。〃
〃But you are not taking it in； little Golden Bells。〃
〃It is very hard to take in； Marco Polo。 It happened so long ago。 It is
hard to think of a tragedy in a strange country； and we in this garden on
the second moon of spring。 And it was so very long ago。 Do you hear
the bees； Marco Polo the bees among the almond…blossoms？ And see
the blue heron by the lotus flowers？ And do you see the little tortoise；
Marco Polo； and he sunning himself on a leaf？ If I throw a pebble；
Marco Polo； he will dive； and he is such a clumsy diver； Marco Polo！〃
〃But you must listen； Golden Bells； and believe me。〃
〃I do believe； Marco Polo； I honestly do。 Don't you know I believe
you？ Anything you say； Marco Polo； I believe。 You wouldn't be
coming all the way over the world to be telling me a lie。 Of course I
believe。〃
〃And doesn't it make you happy； Golden Bells？〃
〃Once I was unhappy； Marco Polo。 I used sit here； and on my lute I
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used play the 'Song of the Willow Branches；' which is the saddest song in
the world。 Under the moon I used be lonely； and the droning of the bees
meant nothing to me； and now it is a sweet brave song。 I cannot play
'Willow Branches' any more； so alien is sadness to me。 And the moon
smiles。 I am very happy； Marco Polo。〃
〃It is the True Religion； little Golden Bells； that makes you happy。〃
〃Is it； Marco Polo？ Is it？ It must be； I suppose。 I don't know what
it is； but I am very happy。〃
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Messer Marco Polo
CHAPTER XVIII
And he told her of Paul； who had seen a vision and gone preaching
through； the world； who was persecuted； who was shipwrecked； who was
bitten by a viper； and who survived everything that he might preach the
Lord Jesus。 He was a fierce； ragged man with burning eyes。 。 。 And he
told her of Paul's instructions to women。 。 。
〃You do not look at me when you speak； Marco Polo。 Only your
voice comes to me； not your eyes。 Is it because of Paul？〃
And Marco Polo felt great trouble on him； because he could not
explain。 But Golden Bells went on：
〃There is little in your faith about women； Marco Polo。 Is it a faith
only for men； then？ Is it against women？ Must the young men not look
at the young women？〃
〃No； Golden Bells； the young men must not look too much on the
young women。〃
〃But that is very foolish； Marco Polo。 Is it wrong to see the beauty of
the almond blossoms； wrong to taste the scented wind？ Is it wrong to
watch the kingfisher seeking his nest？ Is it wrong to watch the moon； the
stars？ All these are very beautiful； Marco Polo； so beautiful as to make
me cry。 Is it wrong to watch them？〃
〃It is not wrong； Golden Bells。 The glory of God is in the beauty of
his handicraft。〃
〃Li Po is old and wise and a great poet； Marco Polo； and Li Po says
there is beauty in a running horse and beauty in a running stream； but there
is no beauty like the beauty of a young woman； and she letting down her
hair。 God made the beauty of women； too； Marco Polo； as well as the
beauty of the stars。 Won't you please explain to me； Marco Polo？ Why
should Li Po say one thing and Saint Paul another？〃
〃But Golden Bells； Saint Paul is inspired of God。〃
〃But Li Po is inspired of God； too； Marco Polo。 You mustn't be
thinking 1ittle of Li Po。 He is fat and old and drunken； but when he sings；
Marco Polo； it is the song of the wandering stars。 But why must not the
young men look at the young women； Marco Polo？ Why must they not
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look with their eyes？〃
〃It will be hard for me to tell you； Golden Bells 〃
〃Look at me now； Marco Polo。 Lift up your eyes and look into my
eyes。 Is there evil in me； Marco Polo； that your eyes should avoid me as
the fox avoids the dog？ Or maybe I am not beautiful。 Maybe they told
me wrong because I was a king's daughter； and they would not have me
think little of myself。 Maybe I am not beautiful； Marco Polo； maybe I
hurt your eyes 〃
〃Ah； Golden Bells； the little horned moon is not more beautiful。〃
〃Then why must not the young men look at the young women； Marco
Polo？ You are here to instruct me。 Won't you tell me why？〃
〃Maybe maybe maybe it is for fear of sin； Golden Bells。〃
〃Sin？ Sin！ Why should there be sin？ I know sin； Marco Polo。
They have warned me against it since I crept upon the floor。 There are two
sins。 There is meanness； Marco Polo； and there is cruelty； and those are
the only sins。 I know your heart； Marco Polo； there is no meanness there。
You would not have come here were you mean。 The mean do not travel
afar for other people。 And cruelty！ Surely you would not be cruel to me；
Marco Polo。 You would not be cruel to anybody； dear Marco Polo。 You
would not be cruel to me？〃
〃Cruel to you； little Golden Bells！ How could I be cruel to you？〃
〃But the sin； Marco Polo？〃
〃I don't know； Golden Bells。 I don't know。〃
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Messer Marco Polo
CHAPTER XIX
And one dusk the moon rose over the Chinese garden； and Marco Polo
finished telling her of what John saw on Patmos and he an old man。 。 。
〃'Veni； Domine Jesu。
〃'Gratia Domini nostri Jesu Christi cum omnibus vobis。 Amen！'〃
〃It is very difficult； Marco Polo。 I don't quite understand。〃
〃I don't quite understand myself； Golden Bells。
