奥兰多orlando (英文版)作者:弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙-第16部分

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Nothing；　he　reflected；　gazing　at　the　view　which　was　now　sparkling　in　the　sun；　could　well　be　less　like　the　counties　of　Surrey　and　Kent　or　the　towns　of　London　and　Tunbridge　Wells。　To　the　right　and　left　rose　in　bald　and　stony　prominence　the　inhospitable　Asian　mountains；　to　which　the　arid　castle　of　a　robber　chief　or　two　might　hang；　but　parsonage　there　was　none；　nor　manor　house；　nor　cottage；　nor　oak；　elm；　violet；　ivy；　or　wild　eglantine。　There　were　no　hedges　for　ferns　to　grow　on；　and　no　fields　for　sheep　to　graze。　The　houses　were　white　as　egg–shells　and　as　bald。　That　he；　who　was　English　root　and　fibre；　should　yet　exult　to　the　depths　of　his　heart　in　this　wild　panorama；　and　gaze　and　gaze　at　those　passes　and　far　heights　planning　journeys　there　alone　on　foot　where　only　the　goat　and　shepherd　had　gone　before；　should　feel　a　passion　of　affection　for　the　bright；　unseasonable　flowers；　love　the　unkempt　pariah　dogs　beyond　even　his　elk　hounds　at　home；　and　snuff　the　acrid；　sharp　smell　of　the　streets　eagerly　into　his　nostrils；　surprised　him。　He　wondered　if；　in　the　season　of　the　Crusades；　one　of　his　ancestors　had　taken　up　with　a　Circassian　peasant　woman；　thought　it　possible；　fancied　a　certain　darkness　in　his　plexion；　and；　going　indoors　again；　withdrew　to　his　bath。

An　hour　later；　properly　scented；　curled；　and　anointed；　he　would　receive　visits　from　secretaries　and　other　high　officials　carrying；　one　after　another；　red　boxes　which　yielded　only　to　his　own　golden　key。　Within　were　papers　of　the　highest　importance；　of　which　only　fragments；　here　a　flourish；　there　a　seal　firmly　attached　to　a　piece　of　burnt　silk；　now　remain。　Of　their　contents　then；　we　cannot　speak；　but　can　only　testify　that　Orlando　was　kept　busy；　what　with　his　wax　and　seals；　his　various　coloured　ribbons　which　had　to　be　diversely　attached；　his　engrossing　of　titles　and　making　of　flourishes　round　capital　letters；　till　luncheon　came—a　splendid　meal　of　perhaps　thirty　courses。

After　luncheon；　lackeys　announced　that　his　coach　and　six　was　at　the　door；　and　he　went；　preceded　by　purple　Janissaries　running　on　foot　and　waving　great　ostrich　feather　fans　above　their　heads；　to　call　upon　the　other　ambassadors　and　dignitaries　of　state。　The　ceremony　was　always　the　same。　On　reaching　the　courtyard；　the　Janissaries　struck　with　their　fans　upon　the　main　portal；　which　immediately　flew　open　revealing　a　large　chamber；　splendidly　furnished。　Here　were　seated　two　figures；　generally　of　the　opposite　sexes。　Profound　bows　and　curtseys　were　exchanged。　In　the　first　room；　it　was　permissible　only　to　mention　the　weather。　Having　said　that　it　was　fine　or　wet；　hot　or　cold；　the　Ambassador　then　passed　on　to　the　next　chamber；　where　again；　two　figures　rose　to　greet　him。　Here　it　was　only　permissible　to　pare　Constantinople　as　a　place　of　residence　with　London；　and　the　Ambassador　naturally　said　that　he　preferred　Constantinople；　and　his　hosts　naturally　said；　though　they　had　not　seen　it；　that　they　preferred　London。　In　the　next　chamber；　King　Charles’s　and　the　Sultan’s　healths　had　to　be　discussed　at　some　length。　In　the　next　were　discussed　the　Ambassador’s　health　and　that　of　his　host’s　wife；　but　more　briefly。　In　the　next　the　Ambassador　plimented　his　host　upon　his　furniture；　and　the　host　plimented　the　Ambassador　upon　his　dress。　In　the　next；　sweet　meats　were　offered；　the　host　deploring　their　badness；　the　Ambassador　extolling　their　goodness。　The　ceremony　ended　at　length　with　the　smoking　of　a　hookah　and　the　drinking　of　a　glass　of　coffee；　but　though　the　motions　of　smoking　and　drinking　were　gone　through　punctiliously　there　was　neither　tobacco　in　the　pipe　nor　coffee　in　the　glass；　as；　had　either　smoke　or　drink　been　real；　the　human　frame　would　have　sunk　beneath　the　surfeit。　For；　no　sooner　had　the　Ambassador　despatched　one　such　visit；　than　another　had　to　be　undertaken。　The　same　ceremonies　were　gone　through　in　precisely　the　same　order　six　or　seven　times　over　at　the　houses　of　the　other　great　officials；　so　that　it　was　often　late　at　night　before　the　Ambassador　reached　home。　Though　Orlando　performed　these　tasks　to　admiration　and　never　denied　that　they　are；　perhaps；　the　most　important　part　of　a　diplomatist’s　duties；　he　was　undoubtedly　fatigued　by　them；　and　often　depressed　to　such　a　pitch　of　gloom　that　he　preferred　to　take　his　dinner　alone　with　his　dogs。　To　them；　indeed；　he　might　be　heard　talking　in　his　own　tongue。　And　sometimes；　it　is　said；　he　would　pass　out　of　his　own　gates　late　at　night　so　disguised　that　the　sentries　did　not　know　him。　Then　he　would　mingle　with　the　crowd　on　the　Galata　Bridge；　or　stroll　through　the　bazaars；　or　throw　aside　his　shoes　and　join　the　worshippers　in　the　Mosques。　Once；　when　it　was　given　out　that　he　was　ill　of　a　fever；　shepherds；　bringing　their　goats　to　market；　reported　that　they　had　met　an　English　Lord　on　the　mountain　top　and　heard　him　praying　to　his　God。　This　was　thought　to　be　Orlando　himself；　and　his　prayer　was；　no　doubt；　a　poem　said　aloud；　for　it　was　known　that　he　still　carried　about　with　him；　in　the　bosom　of　his　cloak；　a　much　scored　manuscript；　and　servants；　listening　at　the　door；　heard　the　Ambassador　chanting　something　in　an　odd；　sing–song　voice　when　he　was　alone。

It　is　with　fragments　such　as　these　that　we　must　do　our　best　to　make　up　a　picture　of　Orlando’s　life　and　character　at　this　time。　There　exist；　even　to　this　day；　rumours；　legends；　anecdotes　of　a　floating　and　unauthenticated　kind　about　Orlando’s　life　in　Constantinople—（we　have　quoted　but　a　few　of　them）　which　go　to　prove　that　he　possessed；　now　that　he　was　in　the　prime　of　life；　the　power　to　stir　the　fancy　and　rivet　the　eye　which　will　keep　a　memory　green　long　after　all　that　more　durable　qualities　can　do　to　preserve　it　is　forgotten。　The　power　is　a　mysterious　one　pounded　of　beauty；　birth；　and　some　rarer　gift；　which　we　may　call　glamour　and　have　done　with　it。　‘A　million　candles’；　as　Sasha　had　said；　burnt　in　him　without　his　being　at　the　trouble　of　lighting　a　single　one。　He　moved　like　a　stag；　without　any　need　to　think　about　his　legs。　He　spoke　in　his　ordinary　voice　and　echo　beat　a　silver　gong。　Hence　rumours　gathered　round　him。　He　became　the　adored　of　many　women　and　some　men。　It　was　not　necessary　that　they　should　speak　to　him　or　even　that　they　should　see　him；　they　conjured　up　before　them　especially　when　the　scenery　was　romantic；　or　the　sun　was　setting；　the　figure　of　a　noble　gentleman　in　silk　stockings。　Upon　the　poor　and　uneducated；　he　had　the　same　power　as　upon　the　rich。　Shepherds；　gipsies；　donkey　drivers；　still　sing　songs　about　the　English　Lord　‘who　dropped　his　emeralds　in　the　well’；　which　undoubtedly　refer　to　Orlando；　who　once；　it　seems；　tore　his　jewels　from　him　in　a　moment　of　rage　or　intoxication　and　flung　them　in　a　fountain；　whence　they　were　fished　by　a　page　boy。　But　this　romantic　power；　it　is　well　known；　is　often　associated　with　a　nature　of　extreme　reserve。　Orlando　seems　to　have　made　no　friends。　As　far　as　is　known；　he　formed　no　attachments。　A　certain　great　lady　came　all　the　way　from　England　in　order　to　be　near　him；　and　pestered　him　with　her　attentions；　but　he　continued　to　discharge　his　duties　so　indefatigably　that　he　had　not　been　Ambassador　at　the　Horn　for　more　than　two　years　and　a　half　before　King　Charles　signified　his　intention　of　raising　him　to　the　highest　rank　in　the　peerage。　The　envious　said　that　this　was　Nell　Gwyn’s　tribute　to　the　memory　of　a　leg。　But；　as　she　had　seen　him　once　only；　and　was　then　busily　engaged　in　pelting　her　royal　master　with　nutshells；　it　is　likely　that　it　was　his　merits　that　won　him　his　Dukedom；　not　his　calves。

Here　we　must　pause；　for　we　have　reached　a　moment　of　great　significance　in　his　career。　For　the　conferring　of　the　Dukedom　was　the　occasion　of　a　very　famous；　and　indeed；　much　disputed　incident；　which　we　must　now　describe；　picking　our　way　among　burnt　papers　and　little　bits　of　tape　as　best　we　may。　It　was　at　the　end　of　the　great　fast　of　Ramadan　that　the　Order　of　the　Bath　and　the　patent　of　nobility　arrived　in　a　frigate　manded　by　Sir　Adrian　Scrope；　and　Orlando　made　this　the　occasion　for　an　entertainment　more　splendid　than　any　that　has　been　known　before　or　since　in　Constantinople。　The　night　was　fine；　the　crowd　immense；　and　the　windows　of　the　Embassy　brilliantly　illuminated。　Again；　details　are　lacking；　for　the　fire　had　its　way　with　all　such　records；　and　has　left　only　tantalizing　fragments　which　leave　the　most　important　points　obscure。　From　the　diary　of　John　Fenner　Brigge；　however；　an　English　naval　officer；　who　was　among　the　guests；　we　gather　that　people　of　all　nationalities　‘were　packed　like　herrings　in　a　barrel’　in　the　courtyard。　The　crowd　pressed　so　unpleasantly　close　that　Brigge　soon　climbed　into　a　Judas　tree；　the　better　to　observe　the　proceedings。　The　rumour　had　got　about　among　the　natives　（and　here　is　additional　proof　of　Orlando’s　mysterious　power　over　the　imagination）　that　some　kind　of　miracle　was　to　be　performed。　‘Thus；’　writes　Brigge　（but　his　manuscript　is　full　of　burns　and　holes；　some　sentences　being　quite　illegible）；　‘when　the　rockets　began　to　soar　into　the　air；　there　was　considerable　uneasiness　among　us　lest　the　native　population　should　be　seized。。。fraught　with　unpleasant　consequences　to　all。。。English　ladies　in　the　pany；　I　own　that　my　hand　went　to　my　cutlass。　Happily；’　he　continues　in　his　somewhat　long–winded　style；　‘these　fears　seemed；　for　the　moment；　groundless　and；　observing　the　demeanour　of　the　natives。。。I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　this　demonstration　of　our　skill　in　the　art　of　pyrotechny　was　valuable；　if　only　because　it　impressed　upon　them。。。the　superiority　of　the　British。。。Indeed；　the　sight　was　one　of　indescribable　magnificence。　I　found　myself　alternately　praising　the　Lord　that　he　had　permitted。。。and　wishing　that　my　poor；　dear　mother。。。By　the　Ambassador’s　orders；　the　long　windows；　which　are　so　imposing　a　feature　of　Eastern　architecture；　for　though　ignorant　in　many　ways。。。were　thrown　wide；　and　within；　we　could　see　a　tableau　vivant　or　theatrical　display　in　which　English　ladies　and　gentlemen。。。represented　a　masque　the　work　of　one。。。The　words　were　inaudible；　but　the　sight　of　so　many　of　our　countrymen　and　women；　dressed　with　the　highest　elegance　and　distinction。。。moved　me　to　emotions　of　which　I　am　certainly　not　ashamed；　though　unable。。。I　was　intent　upon　observing　the　astonishing　conduct　of　Lady—which　was　of　a　nature　to　faste