tanglewood tales-第3章

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o　take　him　back；　so　that；　between　the　cliff　and　the　sea；　Scinis　stuck　fast　in　the　air；　which　was　forced　to　bear　the　burden　of　his　naughtiness。

After　these　memorable　deeds；　Theseus　heard　of　an　enormous　sow；　which　ran　wild；　and　was　the　terror　of　all　the　farmers　round　about；　and；　as　he　did　not　consider　himself　above　doing　any　good　thing　that　came　in　his　way；　he　killed　this　monstrous　creature；　and　gave　the　carcass　to　the　poor　people　for　bacon。　The　great　sow　had　been　an　awful　beast；　while　ramping　about　the　woods　and　fields；　but　was　a　pleasant　object　enough　when　cut　up　into　joints；　and　smoking　on　I　know　not　how　many　dinner　tables。

Thus；　by　the　time　he　reached　his　journey's　end；　Theseus　had　done　many　valiant　feats　with　his　father's　golden…hilled　sword；　and　had　gained　the　renown　of　being　one　of　the　bravest　young　men　of　the　day。　His　fame　traveled　faster　than　he　did；　and　reached　Athens　before　him。　As　he　entered　the　city；　he　heard　the　inhabitants　talking　at　the　street　corners；　and　saying　that　Hercules　was　brave；　and　Jason　too；　and　Castor　and　Pollux　likewise；　but　that　Theseus；　the　son　of　their　own　king；　would　turn　out　as　great　a　hero　as　the　best　of　them。　Theseus　took　longer　strides　on　hearing　this；　and　fancied　himself　sure　of　a　magnificent　reception　at　his　father's　court；　since　he　came　thither　with　Fame　to　blow　her　trumpet　before　him；　and　cry　to　King　Aegeus；　〃Behold　your　son！〃

He　little　suspected；　innocent　youth　that　he　was；　that　here；　in　this　very　Athens；　where　his　father　reigned；　a　greater　danger　awaited　him　than　any　which　he　had　encountered　on　the　road。　Yet　this　was　the　truth。　You　must　understand　that　the　father　of　Theseus；　though　not　very　old　in　years；　was　almost　worn　out　with　the　cares　of　government；　and　had　thus　grown　aged　before　his　time。　His　nephews；　not　expecting　him　to　live　a　very　great　while；　intended　to　get　all　the　power　of　the　kingdom　into　their　own　hands。　But　when　they　heard　that　Theseus　had　arrived　in　Athens；　and　learned　what　a　gallant　young　man　he　was；　they　saw　that　he　would　not　be　at　all　the　kind　of　a　person　to　let　them　steal　away　his　father's　crown　and　scepter；　which　ought　to　be　his　own　by　right　of　inheritance。　Thus　these　bad…hearted　nephews　of　King　Aegeus；　who　were　the　own　cousins　of　Theseus；　at　once　became　his　enemies。　A　still　more　dangerous　enemy　was　Medea；　the　wicked　enchantress；　for　she　was　now　the　king's　wife；　and　wanted　to　give　the　kingdom　to　her　son　Medus；　instead　of　letting　it　be　given　to　the　son　of　Aethra；　whom　she　hated。

It　so　happened　that　the　king's　nephews　met　Theseus；　and　found　out　who　he　was；　just　as　he　reached　the　entrance　of　the　royal　palace。　With　all　their　evil　designs　against　him；　they　pretended　to　be　their　cousin's　best　friends；　and　expressed　great　joy　at　making　his。acquaintance。　They　proposed　to　him　that　he　should　come　into　the　king's　presence　as　a　stranger；　in　order　to　try　whether　Aegeus　would　discover　in　the　young　man's　features　any　likeness　either　to　himself　or　his　mother　Aethra；　and　thus　recognize　him　for　a　son。　Theseus　consented；　for　he　fancied　that　his　father　would　know　him　in　a　moment；　by　the　love　that　was　in　his　heart。　But；　while　he　waited　at　the　door；　the　nephews　ran　and　told　King　Aegeus　that　a　young　man　had　arrived　in　Athens；　who；　to　their　certain　knowledge；　intended　to　put　him　to　death；　and　get　possession　of　his　royal　crown。

〃And　he　is　now　waiting　for　admission　to　your　majesty's　presence；〃　added　they。

〃Aha！〃　cried　the　old　king；　on　hearing　this。　〃Why；　he　must　be　a　very　wicked　young　fellow　indeed！　Pray；　what　would　you　advise　me　to　do　with　him？　〃

In　reply　to　this　question；　the　wicked　Medea　put　in　her　word。　As　I　have　already　told　you；　she　was　a　famous　enchantress。　According　to　some　stories；　she　was　in　the　habit　of　boiling　old　people　in　a　large　caldron；　under　pretense　of　making　them　young　again；　but　King　Aegeus；　I　suppose；　did　not　fancy　such　an　uncomfortable　way　of　growing　young；　or　perhaps　was　contented　to　be　old；　and　therefore　would　never　let　himself　be　popped　into　the　caldron。　If　there　were　time　to　spare　from　more　important　matters；　I　should　be　glad　to　tell　you　of　Medea's　fiery　chariot；　drawn　by　winged　dragons；　in　which　the　enchantress　used　often　to　take　an　airing　among　the　clouds。　This　chariot；　in　fact；　was　the　vehicle　that　first　brought　her　to　Athens；　where　she　had　done　nothing　but　mischief　ever　since　her　arrival。　But　these　and　many　other　wonders　must　be　left　untold；　and　it　is　enough　to　say；　that　Medea；　amongst　a　thousand　other　bad　things；　knew　how　to　prepare　a　poison；　that　was　instantly　fatal　to　whomsoever　might　so　much　as　touch　it　with　his　lips。

So；　when　the　king　asked　what　he　should　do　with　Theseus；　this　naughty　woman　had　an　answer　ready　at　her　tongue's　end。

〃Leave　that　to　me；　please　your　majesty；〃　she　replied。　〃Only　admit　this　evil…minded　young　man　to　your　presence；　treat　him　civilly；　and　invite　him　to　drink　a　goblet　of　wine。　Your　majesty　is　well　aware　that　I　sometimes　amuse　myself　by　distilling　very　powerful　medicines。　Here　is　one　of　them　in　this　small　phial。　As　to　what　it　is　made　of；　that　is　one　of　my　secrets　of　state。　Do　but　let　me　put　a　single　drop　into　the　goblet；　and　let　the　young　man　taste　it；　and　I　will　answer　for　it；　he　shall　quite　lay　aside　the　bad　designs　with　which　he　comes　hither。〃

As　she　said　this；　Medea　smiled；　but；　for　all　her　smiling　face；　she　meant　nothing　less　than　to　poison　the　poor　innocent　Theseus；　before　his　father's　eyes。　And　King　Aegeus；　like　most　other　kings；　thought　any　punishment　mild　enough　for　a　person　who　was　accused　of　plotting　against　his　life。　He　therefore　made　little　or　no　objection　to　Medea's　scheme；　and　as　soon　as　the　poisonous　wine　was　ready；　gave　orders　that　the　young　stranger　should　be　admitted　into　his　presence。

The　goblet　was　set　on　a　table　beside　the　king's　throne；　and　a　fly；　meaning　just　to　sip　a　little　from　the　brim；　immediately　tumbled　into　it；　dead。　Observing　this；　Medea　looked　round　at　the　nephews；　and　smiled　again。

When　Theseus　was　ushered　into　the　royal　apartment；　the　only　object　that　he　seemed　to　behold　was　the　white…bearded　old　king。　There　he　sat　on　his　magnificent　throne；　a　dazzling　crown　on　his　head；　and　a　scepter　in　his　hand。　His　aspect　was　stately　and　majestic；　although　his　years　and　infirmities　weighed　heavily　upon　him；　as　if　each　year　were　a　lump　of　lead；　and　each　infirmity　a　ponderous　stone；　and　all　were　bundled　up　together；　and　laid　upon　his　weary　shoulders。　The　tears　both　of　joy　and　sorrow　sprang　into　the　young　man's　eyes；　for　he　thought　how　sad　it　was　to　see　his　dear　father　so　infirm；　and　how　sweet　it　would　be　to　support　him　with　his　own　youthful　strength；　and　to　cheer　him　up　with　the　alacrity　of　his　loving　spirit。　When　a　son　takes　a　father　into　his　warm　heart　it　renews　the　old　man's　youth　in　a　better　way　than　by　the　heat　of　Medea's　magic　caldron。　And　this　was　what　Theseus　resolved　to　do。　He　could　scarcely　wait　to　see　whether　King　Aegeus　would　recognize　him；　so　eager　was　he　to　throw　himself　into　his　arms。

Advancing　to　the　foot　of　the　throne；　he　attempted　to　make　a　little　speech；　which　he　had　been　thinking　about；　as　he　came　up　the　stairs。　But　he　was　almost　choked　by　a　great　many　tender　feelings　that　gushed　out　of　his　heart　and　swelled　into　his　throat；　all　struggling　to　find　utterance　together。　And　therefore；　unless　he　could　have　laid　his　full；　over…　brimming　heart　into　the　king's　hand；　poor　Theseus　knew　not　what　to　do　or　say。　The　cunning　Medea　observed　what　was　passing　in　the　young　man's　mind。　She　was　more　wicked　at　that　moment　than　ever　she　had　been　before；　for　（and　it　makes　me　tremble　to　tell　you　of　it）　she　did　her　worst　to　turn　all　this　unspeakable　love　with　which　Theseus　was　agitated　to　his　own　ruin　and　destruction。

〃Does　your　majesty　see　his　confusion？〃　she　whispered　in　the　king's　ear。　〃He　is　so　conscious　of　guilt；　that　he　trembles　and　cannot　speak。　The　wretch　lives　too　long！　Quick！　offer　him　the　wine！〃

Now　King　Aegeus　had　been　gazing　earnestly　at　the　young　stranger；　as　he　drew　near　the　throne。　There　was　something；　he　knew　not　what；　either　in　his　white　brow；　or　in　the　fine　expression　of　his　mouth；　or　in　his　beautiful　and　tender　eyes；　that　made　him　indistinctly　feel　as　if　he　had　seen　this　youth　before；　as　if；　indeed；　he　had　trotted　him　on　his　knee　when　a　baby；　and　had　beheld　him　growing　to　be　a　stalwart　man；　while　he　himself　grew　old。　But　Medea　guessed　how　the　king　felt；　and　would　not　suffer　him　to　yield　to　these　natural　sensibilities；　although　they　were　the　voice　of　his　deepest　heart；　telling　him　as　plainly　as　it　could　speak；　that　here　was　our　dear　son；　and　Aethra's　son；　coming　to　claim　him　for　a　father。　The　enchantress　again　whispered　in　the　king's　ear；　and　compelled　him；　by　her　witchcraft；　to　see　everything　under　a　false　aspect。

He　made　up　his　mind；　therefore；　to　let　Theseus　drink　off　the　poisoned　wine。

〃Young　man；〃　said　he；　〃you　are　welcome！　I　am　proud　to　show　hospitality　to　so　heroic　a　youth。　Do　me　the　favor　to　drink　the　contents　of　this　goblet。　It　is　brimming　over；　as　you　see；　with　delicious　wine；　such　as　I　bestow　only　on　those　who　are　worthy　of　it！　None　is　more　worthy　to　quaff　it　than　yourself！〃

So　saying；　King　Aegeus　took　the　golden　goblet　from　the　table；　and　was　about　to　offer　it　to　Theseus。　But；　partly　through　his　infirmities；　and　partly　because　it　seemed　so　sad　a　thing　to　take　away　this　young　man's　life。　however　wicked　he　might　be；　and　partly；　no　doubt；　because　his　heart　was　wiser　than　his　head；　and　quaked　within　him　at　the　thought　of　what　he　was　going　to　dofor　all　these　reasons；　the　king's　hand　trembled　so　much　that　a　great　deal　of　the　wine　slopped　over。　In　order　to　strengthen　his　purpose；　and　fearing　lest　the　whole　of　the　precious　poison　should　be　wasted；　one　of　his　nephews　now　whispered　to　him：

〃Has　your　Majesty　any　doubt　of　this　stranger's　guilt？　This　is　the　very　sword　with　which　he　meant　to　slay　you。　How　sharp；　and　bright；　and　terrible　it　is！　Quick！let　him　taste　the　wine；　or　perhaps　he　may　do　the　deed　even　yet。〃

At　these　words；　Aegeus　drove　every　thought　and　feeling　out　of　his　breast；　except　the　one　idea　of　how　justly　the　young　man　deserved　to　be　put　to　death。　He　sat　erect　on　his　throne；　and　held　out　the　goblet　of　wine　with　a　steady　hand；　and　bent　on　Theseus　a　frown　of　kingly　severity；　for；　after　all；　he　had　too　noble　a　spirit　to　murder　even　a　treacherous　enemy　with　a　deceitful　smile　upon　his　face。

〃Drink！〃　said　he；　in　the　stern　tone　with　which　he　was　wont　to　condemn　a　criminal　to　be　beheaded。　〃You　have　well　deserved　of　me　such　wine　as　this！〃

Theseus　held　out　his　hand　to　take　the　wine。　But；　before　he　touched　it；　King　Aegeus　trembled　again。　His　eyes　had　fallen　on　the　gold…hilled　sword　that　hung　at　the　young　man's　side。　He　drew　back　the　goblet。

〃That　sword！〃　he　exclaimed：　〃how　came　you　by　it？〃

〃It　was　my　father's　sword；〃　replied　Theseus；　with　a　tremulous　voice。　〃These　were　his　sandals。　My　dear　mother　（her　name　is　Aethra）　told　me　his　story　while　I　was　yet　a　little　child。　But　it　is　only　a　month　since　I　grew　strong　enough　to　lift　the　heavy　stone；　and　take　the　sword　and　sandals　from　beneath　it；　and　come　to　Athens　to　seek　my　father。〃

〃My　son！　my　son！〃　cried　King　Aegeus；　flinging　away　the　fatal　goblet；　and　tottering　down　from　the　throne　to　fall　into　the　arms　of　Theseus。　〃Yes；　these　are　Aethra's　eyes。　It　is　my　son。〃

I　have　quite　forgotten　what　became　of　the