part06-第4部分

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〃Upon　my　word；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　so　much　public　business　to　attend　to；

and　so　many　pursuits　to　follow；　that　I　have　had　no　time　to　think　on

the　subject。　I　have　every　day　a　thousand　visits　to　pay；　a　thousand

affairs　of　importance　to　examine　into；　that　leave　me　not　a　moment　of

leisure　for　these　little　sing…song　matters。　In　a　word；　I　am　a

citizen　of　the　world…　I　know　nothing　of　this　thing　called　love。〃　So

saying；　the　swallow　dived　into　the　valley；　and　was　out　of　sight　in　a

moment。

　　The　prince　remained　disappointed　and　perplexed；　but　with　his

curiosity　still　more　piqued　by　the　difficulty　of　gratifying　it。

While　in　this　mood；　his　ancient　guardian　entered　the　tower。　The　prince

advanced　eagerly　to　meet　him。　〃O　Eben　Bonabben；〃　cried　he；　〃thou

hast　revealed　to　me　much　of　the　wisdom　of　the　earth；　but　there　is

one　thing　of　which　I　remain　in　utter　ignorance；　and　would　fain　be

informed。〃

　　〃My　prince　has　but　to　make　the　inquiry；　and　every　thing　within　the

limited　range　of　his　servant's　intellect　is　at　his　command。〃

　　〃Tell　me　then；　O　most　profound　of　sages；　what　is　the　nature　of

this　thing　called　love？〃

　　Eben　Bonabben　was　struck　as　with　a　thunderbolt。　He　trembled　and

turned　pale；　and　felt　as　if　his　head　sat　but　loosely　on　his　shoulders。

　　〃What　could　suggest　such　a　question　to　my　prince…　where　could　he

have　learnt　so　idle　a　word？〃

　　The　prince　led　him　to　the　window　of　the　tower。　〃Listen；　O　Eben

Bonabben；〃　said　he。　The　sage　listened。　The　nightingale　sat　in　a

thicket　below　the　tower；　singing　to　his　paramour　the　rose；　from

every　blossomed　spray　and　tufted　grove　rose　a　strain　of　melody；　and

love…　love…　love…　was　still　the　unvarying　strain。

　　〃Allah　Akbar！　God　is　great！〃　exclaimed　the　wise　Bonabben。　〃Who　shall

pretend　to　keep　this　secret　from　the　heart　of　man；　when　even　the　birds

of　the　air　conspire　to　betray　it？〃

　　Then　turning　to　Ahmed…　〃O　my　prince；〃　cried　he；　〃shut　thine　ears

to　these　seductive　strains。　Close　thy　mind　against　this　dangerous

knowledge。　Know　that　this　love　is　the　cause　of　half　the　ills　of

wretched　mortality。　It　is　this　which　produces　bitterness　and　strife

between　brethren　and　friends；　which　causes　treacherous　murder　and

desolating　war。　Care　and　sorrow；　weary　days　and　sleepless　nights；

are　its　attendants。　It　withers　the　bloom　and　blights　the　joys　of

youth；　and　brings　on　the　ills　and　griefs　of　premature　old　age。　Allah

preserve　thee；　my　prince；　in　total　ignorance　of　this　thing　called

love！〃

　　The　sage　Eben　Bonabben　hastily　retired；　leaving　the　prince　plunged

in　still　deeper　perplexity。　It　was　in　vain　he　attempted　to　dismiss　the

subject　from　his　mind；　it　still　continued　uppermost　in　his　thoughts；

and　teased　and　exhausted　him　with　vain　conjectures。　Surely；　said　he　to

himself；　as　he　listened　to　the　tuneful　strains　of　the　birds；　there

is　no　sorrow　in　those　notes；　every　thing　seems　tenderness　and　joy。

If　love　be　a　cause　of　such　wretchedness　and　strife；　why　are　not

these　birds　drooping　in　solitude；　or　tearing　each　other　in　pieces；

instead　of　fluttering　cheerfully　about　the　groves；　or　sporting　with

each　other　among　flowers？

　　He　lay　one　morning　on　his　couch　meditating　on　this　inexplicable

matter。　The　window　of　his　chamber　was　open　to　admit　the　soft　morning

breeze；　which　came　laden　with　the　perfume　of　orange　blossoms　from

the　valley　of　the　Darro。　The　voice　of　the　nightingale　was　faintly

heard；　still　chanting　the　wonted　theme。　As　the　prince　was　listening

and　sighing；　there　was　a　sudden　rushing　noise　in　the　air；　a

beautiful　dove；　pursued　by　a　hawk；　darted　in　at　the　window；　and　fell

panting　on　the　floor；　while　the　pursuer；　balked　of　his　prey；　soared

off　to　the　mountains。

　　The　prince　took　up　the　gasping　bird；　smoothed　its　feathers；　and

nestled　it　in　his　bosom。　When　he　had　soothed　it　by　his　caresses；　he

put　it　in　a　golden　cage；　and　offered　it；　with　his　own　hands；　the

whitest　and　finest　of　wheat　and　the　purest　of　water。　The　bird；

however；　refused　food；　and　sat　drooping　and　pining；　and　uttering

piteous　moans。

　　〃What　aileth　thee？〃　said　Ahmed。　〃Hast　thou　not　every　thing　thy　heart

can　wish？〃

　　〃Alas；　no！〃　replied　the　dove；　〃am　I　not　separated　from　the　partner

of　my　heart；　and　that　too　in　the　happy　spring…time；　the　very　season　of

love！〃

　　〃Of　love！〃　echoed　Ahmed；　〃I　pray　thee；　my　pretty　bird；　canst　thou

tell　me　what　is　love？〃

　　〃Too　well　can　I；　my　prince。　It　is　the　torment　of　one；　the　felicity

of　two；　the　strife　and　enmity　of　three。　It　is　a　charm　which　draws

two　beings　together；　and　unites　them　by　delicious　sympathies；　making

it　happiness　to　be　with　each　other；　but　misery　to　be　apart。　Is　there

no　being　to　whom　you　are　drawn　by　these　ties　of　tender　affection？〃

　　〃I　like　my　old　teacher　Eben　Bonabben　better　than　any　other　being；

but　he　is　often　tedious；　and　I　occasionally　feel　myself　happier

without　his　society。〃

　　〃That　is　not　the　sympathy　I　mean。　I　speak　of　love；　the　great　mystery

and　principle　of　life：　the　intoxicating　revel　of　youth；　the　sober

delight　of　age。　Look　forth；　my　prince；　and　behold　how　at　this　blest

season　all　nature　is　full　of　love。　Every　created　being　has　its　mate；

the　most　insignificant　bird　sings　to　its　paramour；　the　very　beetle

woos　its　lady…beetle　in　the　dust；　and　yon　butterflies　which　you　see

fluttering　high　above　the　tower；　and　toying　in　the　air；　are　happy　in

each　other's　loves。　Alas；　my　prince　hast　thou　spent　so　many　of　the

precious　days　of　youth　without　knowing　any　thing　of　love？　Is　there

no　gentle　being　of　another　sex…　no　beautiful　princess　nor　lovely

damsel　who　has　ensnared　your　heart；　and　filled　your　bosom　with　a

soft　tumult　of　pleasing　pains　and　tender　wishes？〃

　　〃I　begin　to　understand；〃　said　the　prince；　sighing；　〃such　a　tumult

I　have　more　than　once　experienced；　without　knowing　the　cause；　and

where　should　I　seek　for　an　object　such　as　you　describe；　in　this　dismal

solitude？〃

　　A　little　further　conversation　ensued；　and　the　first　amatory　lesson

of　the　prince　was　complete。

　　〃Alas！〃　said　he；　〃if　love　be　indeed　such　a　delight；　and　its

interruption　such　a　misery；　Allah　forbid　that　I　should　mar　the　joy

of　any　of　its　votaries。〃　He　opened　the　cage；　took　out　the　dove；　and

having　fondly　kissed　it；　carried　it　to　the　window。　〃Go；　happy　bird；〃

said　he；　〃rejoice　with　the　partner　of　thy　heart　in　the　days　of　youth

and　spring…time。　Why　should　I　make　thee　a　fellow…prisoner　in　this

dreary　tower；　where　love　can　never　enter？〃

　　The　dove　flapped　its　wings　in　rapture；　gave　one　vault　into　the

air；　and　then　swooped　downward　on　whistling　wings　to　the　blooming

bowers　of　the　Darro。

　　The　prince　followed　him　with　his　eyes；　and　then　gave　way　to　bitter

repining。　The　singing　of　the　birds　which　once　delighted　him；　now　added

to　his　bitterness。　Love！　love！　love！　Alas；　poor　youth！　he　now

understood　the　strain。

　　His　eyes　flashed　fire　when　next　he　beheld　the　sage　Bonabben。　〃Why

hast　thou　kept　me　in　this　abject　ignorance？〃　cried　he。　〃Why　has　the

great　mystery　and　principle　of　life　been　withheld　from　me；　in　which

I　find　the　meanest　insect　is　so　learned？　Behold　all　nature　is　in　a

revel　of　delight。　Every　created　being　rejoices　with　its　mate。　This…

this　is　the　love　about　which　I　have　sought　instruction。　Why　am　I　alone

debarred　its　enjoyment？　Why　has　so　much　of　my　youth　been　wasted

without　a　knowledge　of　its　raptures？〃

　　The　sage　Bonabben　saw　that　all　further　reserve　was　useless；　for

the　prince　had　acquired　the　dangerous　and　forbidden　knowledge。　He

revealed　to　him；　therefore；　the　predictions　of　the　astrologers；　and

the　precautions　that　had　been　taken　in　his　education　to　avert　the

threatened　evils。　〃And　now；　my　prince；〃　added　he；　〃my　life　is　in

your　hands。　Let　the　king　your　father　discover　that　you　have　learned

the　passion　of　love　while　under　my　guardianship；　and　my　head　must

answer　for　it。〃

　　The　prince　was　as　reasonable　as　most　young　men　of　his　age；　and

easily　listened　to　the　remonstrances　of　his　tutor；　since　nothing

pleaded　against　them。　Besides；　he　really　was　attached　to　Eben

Bonabben；　and　being　as　yet　but　theoretically　acquainted　with　the

passion　of　love；　he　consented　to　confine　the　knowledge　of　it　to　his

own　bosom；　rather　than　endanger　the　head　of　the　philosopher。

　　His　discretion　was　doomed；　however；　to　be　put　to　still　further

proofs。　A　few　mornings　afterwards；　as　he　was　ruminating　on　the

battlements　of　the　tower；　the　dove　which　had　been　released　by　him　came

hovering　in　the　air；　and　alighted　fearlessly　upon　his　shoulder。

　　The　prince　fondled　it　to　his　heart。　〃Happy　bird；〃　said　he；　〃who

can　fly；　as　it　were；　with　the　wings　of　the　morning　to　the　uttermost

parts　of　the　earth。　Where　hast　thou　been　since　we　parted？〃

　　〃In　a　far　country；　my　prince；　whence　I　bring　you　tidings　in　reward

for　my　liberty。　In　the　wild　compass　of　my　flight；　which　extends　over

plain　and　mountain；　as　I　was　soaring　in　the　air；　I　beheld　below　me　a

delightful　garden　with　all　kinds　of　fruits　and　flowers。　It　was　in　a

green　meadow；　on　the　banks　of　a　wandering　stream；　and　in　the　centre　of

the　garden　was　a　stately　palace。　I　alighted　in　one　of　the　bowers　to

repose　after　my　weary　flight。　On　the　green　bank　below　me　was　a

youthful　princess；　in　the　very　sweetness　and　bloom　of　her　years。　She

was　surrounded　by　female　attendants；　young　like　herself；　who　decked

her　with　garlands　and　coronets　of　flowers；　but　no　flower　of　field　or

garden　could　compare　with　her　for　loveliness。　Here；　however；　she

bloomed　in　secret；　for　the　garden　was　surrounded　by　high　walls；　and　no

mortal　man　was　permitted　to　enter。　When　I　beheld　this　beauteous

maid；　thus　young　and　innocent　and　unspotted　by　the　world；　I　thought；

here　is　the　being　formed　by　heaven　to　inspire　my　prince　with　love。〃

　　The　description　was　a　spark　of　fire　to　the　combustible　heart　of

Ahmed；　all　the　latent　amorousness　of　his　temperament　had　at　once　found

an　object；　and　he　conceived　an　immeasurable　passion　for　the

princess。　He　wrote　a　letter；　couched　in　the　most　impassioned　language；

breathing　his　fervent　de