tanglewood tales-第6部分

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a　creature　who；　no　doubt；　would　have　preferred　a　fat　ox；　or　even　a　large　pig；　to　the　plumpest　of　them。　And　when　she　beheld　the　brave；　spirited　figure　of　Prince　Theseus　bearing　himself　so　calmly　in　his　terrible　peril；　she　grew　a　hundred　times　more　pitiful　than　before。　As　the　guards　were　taking　him　away；　she　flung　herself　at　the　king's　feet；　and　besought　him　to　set　all　the　captives　free；　and　especially　this　one　young　man。

〃Peace；　foolish　girl！〃　answered　King　Minos。

〃What　hast　thou　to　do　with　an　affair　like　this？　It　is　a　matter　of　state　policy；　and　therefore　quite　beyond　thy　weak　comprehension。　Go　water　thy　flowers；　and　think　no　more　of　these　Athenian　caitiffs；　whom　the　Minotaur　shall　as　certainly　eat　up　for　breakfast　as　I　will　eat　a　partridge　for　my　supper。〃

So　saying；　the　king　looked　cruel　enough　to　devour　Theseus　and　all　the　rest　of　the　captives　himself；　had　there　been　no　Minotaur　to　save　him　the　trouble。　As　he　would　hear　not　another　word　in　their　favor；　the　prisoners　were　now　led　away；　and　clapped　into　a　dungeon；　where　the　jailer　advised　them　to　go　to　sleep　as　soon　as　possible；　because　the　Minotaur　was　in　the　habit　of　calling　for　breakfast　early。　The　seven　maiden　s　and　six　of　the　young　men　soon　sobbed　themselves　to　slumber。　But　Theseus　was　not　like　them。　He　felt　conscious　that　he　was　wiser；　and　braver；　and　stronger　than　his　companions；　and　that　therefore　he　had　the　responsibility　of　all　their　lives　upon　him；　and　must　consider　whether　there　was　no　way　to　save　them；　even　in　this　last　extremity。　So　he　kept　himself　awake；　and　paced　to　and　fro　across　the　gloomy　dungeon　in　which　they　were　shut　up。

Just　before　midnight；　the　door　was　softly　unbarred；　and　the　gentle　Ariadne　showed　herself；　with　a　torch　in　her　hand。

〃Are　you　awake；　Prince　Theseus？〃　she　whispered。

〃Yes；〃　answered　Theseus。　〃With　so　little　time　to　live；　I　do　not　choose　to　waste　any　of　it　in　sleep。〃

〃Then　follow　me；〃　said　Ariadne；　〃and　tread　softly。〃

What　had　become　of　the　jailer　and　the　guards；　Theseus　never　knew。　But；　however　that　might　be；　Ariadne　opened　all　the　doors；　and　led　him　forth　from　the　darksome　prison　into　the　pleasant　moonlight。

〃Theseus；〃　said　the　maiden；　〃you　can　now　get　on　board　your　vessel；　and　sail　away　for　Athens。〃

〃No；〃　answered　the　young　man；　〃I　will　never　leave　Crete　unless　I　can　first　slay　the　Minotaur；　and　save　my　poor　companions；　and　deliver　Athens　from　this　cruel　tribute。〃

〃I　knew　that　this　would　be　your　resolution；〃　said　Ariadne。　〃Come；　then；　with　me；　brave　Theseus。　Here　is　your　own　sword；　which　the　guards　deprived　you　of。　You　will　need　it；　and　pray　Heaven　you　may　use　it　well。〃

Then　she　led　Theseus　along　by　the　hand　until　they　came　to　a　dark；　shadowy　grove；　where　the　moonlight　wasted　itself　on　the　tops　of　the　trees；　without　shedding　hardly　so　much　as　a　glimmering　beam　upon　their　pathway。　After　going　a　good　way　through　this　obscurity；　they　reached　a　high　marble　wall；　which　was　overgrown　with　creeping　plants；　that　made　it　shaggy　with　their　verdure。　The　wall　seemed　to　have　no　door；　nor　any　windows；　but　rose　up；　lofty；　and　massive；　and　mysterious；　and　was　neither　to　be　clambered　over；　nor；　as　far　as　Theseus　could　perceive；　to　be　passed　through。　Nevertheless；　Ariadne　did　but　press　one　of　her　soft　little　fingers　against　a　particular　block　of　marble　and；　though　it　looked　as　solid　as　any　other　part　of　the　wall；　it　yielded　to　her　touch；　disclosing　an　entrance　just　wide　enough　to　admit　them　They　crept　through；　and　the　marble　stone　swung　back　into　its　place。

〃We　are　now；〃　said　Ariadne；　〃in　the　famous　labyrinth　which　Daedalus　built　before　he　made　himself　a　pair　of　wings；　and　flew　away　from　our　island　like　a　bird。　That　Daedalus　was　a　very　cunning　workman；　but　of　all　his　artful　contrivances；　this　labyrinth　is　the　most　wondrous。　Were　we　to　take　but　a　few　steps　from　the　doorway；　we　might　wander　about　all　our　lifetime；　and　never　find　it　again。　Yet　in　the　very　center　of　this　labyrinth　is　the　Minotaur；　and；　Theseus；　you　must　go　thither　to　seek　him。〃

〃But　how　shall　I　ever　find　him；〃　asked　Theseus；　〃if　the　labyrinth　so　bewilders　me　as　you　say　it　will？〃

Just　as　he　spoke；　they　heard　a　rough　and　very　disagreeable　roar；　which　greatly　resembled　the　lowing　of　a　fierce　bull；　but　yet　had　some　sort　of　sound　like　the　human　voice。　Theseus　even　fancied　a　rude　articulation　in　it；　as　if　the　creature　that　uttered　it　were　trying　to　shape　his　hoarse　breath　into　words。　It　was　at　some　distance；　however；　and　he　really　could　not　tell　whether　it　sounded　most　like　a　bull's　roar　or　a　man's　harsh　voice。

〃That　is　the　Minotaur's　noise；〃　whispered　Ariadne；　closely　grasping　the　hand　of　Theseus；　and　pressing　one　of　her　own　hands　to　her　heart；　which　was　all　in　a　tremble。　〃You　must　follow　that　sound　through　the　windings　of　the　labyrinth；　and；　by　and　by；　you　will　find　him。　Stay！　take　the　end　of　this　silken　string；　I　will　hold　the　other　end；　and　then；　if　you　win　the　victory。　it　will　lead　you　again　to　this　spot。　Farewell；　brave　Theseus。〃

So　the　young　man　took　the　end　of　the　silken　string　in　his　left　hand；　and　his　gold…hilled　sword；　ready　drawn　from　its　scabbard；　in　the　other；　and　trod　boldly　into　the　inscrutable　labyrinth。　How　this　labyrinth　was　built　is　more　than　I　can　tell　you。　But　so　cunningly　contrived　a　mizmaze　was　never　seen　in　the　world；　before　nor　since。　There　can　be　nothing　else　so　intricate；　unless　it　were　the　brain　of　a　man　like　Daedalus；　who　planned　it；　or　the　heart　of　any　ordinary　man；　which　last；　to　be　sure；　is　ten　times　as　great　a　mystery　as　the　labyrinth　of　Crete。　Theseus　had　not　taken　five　steps　before　he　lost　sight　of　Ariadne；　and　in　five　more　his　head　was　growing　dizzy。　But　still　he　went　on；　now　creeping　through　a　low　arch；　now　ascending　a　flight　of　steps；　now　in　one　crooked　passage　and　now　in　another；　with　here　a　door　opening　before　him；　and　there　one　banging　behind；　until　it　really　seemed　as　if　the　walls　spun　round；　and　whirled　him　round　along　with　them。　And　all　the　while；　through　these　hollow　avenues；　now　nearer；　now　farther　off　again；　resounded　the　cry　of　the　Minotaur；　and　the　sound　was　so　fierce；　so　cruel；　so　ugly；　so　like　a　bull's　roar；　and　withal　so　like　a　human　voice；　and　yet　like　neither　of　them；　that　the　brave　heart　of　Theseus　grew　sterner　and　angrier　at　every　step；　for　he　felt　it　an　insult　to　the　moon　and　sky；　and　to　our　affectionate　and　simple　Mother　Earth；　that　such　a　monster　should　have　the　audacity　to　exist。

As　he　passed　onward；　the　clouds　gathered　over　the　moon；　and　the　labyrinth　grew　so　dusky　that　Theseus　could　no　longer　discern　the　bewilderment　through　which　he　was　passing。　He　would　have　left　quite　lost；　and　utterly　hopeless　of　ever　again　walking　in　a　straight　path；　if；　every　little　while；　he　had　not　been　conscious　of　a　gentle　twitch　at　the　silken　cord。　Then　he　knew　that　the　tender…hearted　Ariadne　was　still　holding　the　other　end；　and　that　she　was　fearing　for　him；　and　hoping　for　him；　and　giving　him　just　as　much　of　her　sympathy　as　if　she　were　close　by　his　side。　O；　indeed；　I　can　assure　you；　there　was　a　vast　deal　of　human　sympathy　running　along　that　slender　thread　of　silk。　But　still　he　followed　the　dreadful　roar　of　the　Minotaur；　which　now　grew　louder　and　louder；　and　finally　so　very　loud　that　Theseus　fully　expected　to　come　close　upon　him；　at　every　new　zizgag　and　wriggle　of　the　path。　And　at　last；　in　an　open　space；　at　the　very　center　of　the　labyrinth；　he　did　discern　the　hideous　creature。

Sure　enough；　what　an　ugly　monster　it　was！　Only　his　horned　head　belonged　to　a　bull；　and　yet；　somehow　or　other；　he　looked　like　a　bull　all　over；　preposterously　waddling　on　his　hind　legs；　or；　if　you　happened　to　view　him　in　another　way；　he　seemed　wholly　a　man；　and　all　the　more　monstrous　for　being　so。　And　there　he　was；　the　wretched　thing；　with　no　society；　no　companion；　no　kind　of　a　mate；　living　only　to　do　mischief；　and　incapable　of　knowing　what　affection　means。　Theseus　hated　him；　and　shuddered　at　him；　and　yet　could　not　but　be　sensible　of　some　sort　of　pity；　and　all　the　more；　the　uglier　and　more　detestable　the　creature　was。　For　he　kept　striding　to　and　fro；　in　a　solitary　frenzy　of　rage；　continually　emitting　a　hoarse　roar；　which　was　oddly　mixed　up　with　half…shaped　words；　and；　after　listening　a　while；　Theseus　understood　that　the　Minotaur　was　saying　to　himself　how　miserable　he　was；　and　how　hungry；　and　how　he　hated　everybody；　and　how　he　longed　to　eat　up　the　human　race　alive。

Ah！　the　bull…headed　villain！　And　O；　my　good　little　people；　you　will　perhaps　see；　one　of　these　days；　as　I　do　now；　that　every　human　being　who　suffers　any　thing　evil　to　get　into　his　nature；　or　to　remain　there；　is　a　kind　of　Minotaur；　an　enemy　of　his　fellow…creatures；　and　separated　from　all　good　companionship；　as　this　poor　monster　was。

Was　Theseus　afraid？　By　no　means；　my　dear　auditors。　What！　a　hero　like　Theseus　afraid；　Not　had　the　Minotaur　had　twenty　bull…heads　instead　of　one。　Bold　as　he　was；　however；　I　rather　fancy　that　it　strengthened　his　valiant　heart；　just　at　this　crisis；　to　feel　a　tremulous　twitch　at　the　silken　cord；　which　he　was　still　holding　in　his　left　hand。　It　was　as　if　Ariadne　were　giving　him　all　her　might　and　courage；　and　much　as　he　already　had；　and　little　as　she　had　to　give；　it　made　his　own　seem　twice　as　much。　And　to　confess　the　honest　truth；　he　needed　the　whole；　for　now　the　Minotaur；　turning　suddenly　about；　caught　sight　of　Theseus；　and　instantly　lowered　his　horribly　sharp　horns；　exactly　as　a　mad　bull　does　when　he　means　to　rush　against　an　enemy。　At　the　same　time；　he　belched　forth　a　tremendous　roar；　in　which　there　was　something　like　the　words　of　human　language；　but　all　disjointed　and　shaken　to　pieces　by　passing　through　the　gullet　of　a　miserably　enraged　brute。

Theseus　could　only　guess　what　the　creature　intended　to　say；　and　that　rather　by　his　gestures　than　his　words；　for　the　Minotaur's　horns　were　sharper　than　his　wits；　and　of　a　great　deal　more　service　to　him　than　his　tongue。　But　probably　this　was　the　sense　of　what　he　uttered：

〃Ah；　wretch　of　a　human　being！　I'll　stick　my　horns　through　you；　and　toss　you　fifty　feet　high；　and　eat　you　up　the　moment　you　come　down。〃

〃Come　on；　then；　and　try　it！〃　was　all　that　Theseus　deigned　to　reply；　for　he　was　far　too　magnanimous　to　assault　his　enemy　with　insolent　language。

Without　more　words　on　either　side；　there　ensued　the　most　awful　fight