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王尔德童话四则(英文版)-第13章

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And the Hare answered him; and said:  'Surely thou hast given me

freedom; and what shall I give thee in return?'



And the Star…Child said to it; 'I am seeking for a piece of white

gold; nor can I anywhere find it; and if I bring it not to my

master he will beat me。'



'Come thou with me;' said the Hare; 'and I will lead thee to it;

for I know where it is hidden; and for what purpose。'



So the Star…Child went with the Hare; and lo! in the cleft of a

great oak…tree he saw the piece of white gold that he was seeking。

And he was filled with joy; and seized it; and said to the Hare;

'The service that I did to thee thou hast rendered back again many

times over; and the kindness that I showed thee thou hast repaid a

hundred…fold。'



'Nay;' answered the Hare; 'but as thou dealt with me; so I did deal

with thee;' and it ran away swiftly; and the Star…Child went

towards the city。



Now at the gate of the city there was seated one who was a leper。

Over his face hung a cowl of grey linen; and through the eyelets

his eyes gleamed like red coals。  And when he saw the Star…Child

coming; he struck upon a wooden bowl; and clattered his bell; and

called out to him; and said; 'Give me a piece of money; or I must

die of hunger。  For they have thrust me out of the city; and there

is no one who has pity on me。'



'Alas!' cried the Star…Child; 'I have but one piece of money in my

wallet; and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me; for I

am his slave。'



But the leper entreated him; and prayed of him; till the Star…Child

had pity; and gave him the piece of white gold。





And when he came to the Magician's house; the Magician opened to

him; and brought him in; and said to him; 'Hast thou the piece of

white gold?'  And the Star…Child answered; 'I have it not。'  So the

Magician fell upon him; and beat him; and set before him an empty

trencher; and said; 'Eat;' and an empty cup; and said; 'Drink;' and

flung him again into the dungeon。



And on the morrow the Magician came to him; and said; 'If to…day

thou bringest me not the piece of yellow gold; I will surely keep

thee as my slave; and give thee three hundred stripes。'



So the Star…Child went to the wood; and all day long he searched

for the piece of yellow gold; but nowhere could he find it。  And at

sunset he sat him down and began to weep; and as he was weeping

there came to him the little Hare that he had rescued from the

trap;



And the Hare said to him; 'Why art thou weeping?  And what dost

thou seek in the wood?'



And the Star…Child answered; 'I am seeking for a piece of yellow

gold that is hidden here; and if I find it not my master will beat

me; and keep me as a slave。'



'Follow me;' cried the Hare; and it ran through the wood till it

came to a pool of water。  And at the bottom of the pool the piece

of yellow gold was lying。



'How shall I thank thee?' said the Star…Child; 'for lo! this is the

second time that you have succoured me。'



'Nay; but thou hadst pity on me first;' said the Hare; and it ran

away swiftly。



And the Star…Child took the piece of yellow gold; and put it in his

wallet; and hurried to the city。  But the leper saw him coming; and

ran to meet him; and knelt down and cried; 'Give me a piece of

money or I shall die of hunger。'



And the Star…Child said to him; 'I have in my wallet but one piece

of yellow gold; and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me

and keep me as his slave。'



But the leper entreated him sore; so that the Star…Child had pity

on him; and gave him the piece of yellow gold。



And when he came to the Magician's house; the Magician opened to

him; and brought him in; and said to him; 'Hast thou the piece of

yellow gold?'  And the Star…Child said to him; 'I have it not。'  So

the Magician fell upon him; and beat him; and loaded him with

chains; and cast him again into the dungeon。



And on the morrow the Magician came to him; and said; 'If to…day

thou bringest me the piece of red gold I will set thee free; but if

thou bringest it not I will surely slay thee。'



So the Star…Child went to the wood; and all day long he searched

for the piece of red gold; but nowhere could he find it。  And at

evening he sat him down and wept; and as he was weeping there came

to him the little Hare。



And the Hare said to him; 'The piece of red gold that thou seekest

is in the cavern that is behind thee。  Therefore weep no more but

be glad。'



'How shall I reward thee?' cried the Star…Child; 'for lo! this is

the third time thou hast succoured me。'



'Nay; but thou hadst pity on me first;' said the Hare; and it ran

away swiftly。



And the Star…Child entered the cavern; and in its farthest corner

he found the piece of red gold。  So he put it in his wallet; and

hurried to the city。  And the leper seeing him coming; stood in the

centre of the road; and cried out; and said to him; 'Give me the

piece of red money; or I must die;' and the Star…Child had pity on

him again; and gave him the piece of red gold; saying; 'Thy need is

greater than mine。'  Yet was his heart heavy; for he knew what evil

fate awaited him。





But lo! as he passed through the gate of the city; the guards bowed

down and made obeisance to him; saying; 'How beautiful is our

lord!' and a crowd of citizens followed him; and cried out; 'Surely

there is none so beautiful in the whole world!' so that the Star…

Child wept; and said to himself; 'They are mocking me; and making

light of my misery。'  And so large was the concourse of the people;

that he lost the threads of his way; and found himself at last in a

great square; in which there was a palace of a King。



And the gate of the palace opened; and the priests and the high

officers of the city ran forth to meet him; and they abased

themselves before him; and said; 'Thou art our lord for whom we

have been waiting; and the son of our King。'



And the Star…Child answered them and said; 'I am no king's son; but

the child of a poor beggar…woman。  And how say ye that I am

beautiful; for I know that I am evil to look at?'



Then he; whose armour was inlaid with gilt flowers; and on whose

helmet crouched a lion that had wings; held up a shield; and cried;

'How saith my lord that he is not beautiful?'



And the Star…Child looked; and lo! his face was even as it had

been; and his comeliness had come back to him; and he saw that in

his eyes which he had not seen there before。



And the priests and the high officers knelt down and said to him;

'It was prophesied of old that on this day should come he who was

to rule over us。  Therefore; let our lord take this crown and this

sceptre; and be in his justice and mercy our King over us。'



But he said to them; 'I am not worthy; for I have denied the mother

who bare me; nor may I rest till I have found her; and known her

forgiveness。  Therefore; let me go; for I must wander again over

the world; and may not tarry here; though ye bring me the crown and

the sceptre。'  And as he spake he turned his face from them towards

the street that led to the gate of the city; and lo! amongst the

crowd that pressed round the soldiers; he saw the beggar…woman who

was his mother; and at her side stood the leper; who had sat by the

road。



And a cry of joy broke from his lips; and he ran over; and kneeling

down he kissed the wounds on his mother's feet; and wet them with

his tears。  He bowed his head in the dust; and sobbing; as one

whose heart might break; he said to her:  'Mother; I denied thee in

the hour of my pride。  Accept me in the hour of my humility。

Mother; I gave thee hatred。  Do thou give me love。  Mother; I

rejected thee。  Receive thy child now。'  But the beggar…woman

answered him not a word。



And he reached out his hands; and clasped the white feet of the

leper; and said to him:  'Thrice did I give thee of my mercy。  Bid

my mother speak to me once。'  But the leper
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