登陆注册
5419700000137

第137章

"Six stories told! We must have seven, A cluster like the Pleiades, And lo! it happens, as with these, That one is missing from our heaven.

Where is the Landlord? Bring him here;

Let the Lost Pleiad reappear."

Thus the Sicilian cried, and went Forthwith to seek his missing star, But did not find him in the bar, A place that landlords most frequent, Nor yet beside the kitchen fire, Nor up the stairs, nor in the hall;It was in vain to ask or call, There were no tidings of the Squire.

So he came back with downcast head, Exclaiming: "Well, our bashful host Hath surely given up the ghost.

Another proverb says the dead Can tell no tales; and that is true.

It follows, then, that one of you Must tell a story in his stead.

You must," he to the Student said, "Who know so many of the best, And tell them better than the rest."Straight by these flattering words beguiled, The Student, happy as a child When he is called a little man, Assumed the double task imposed, And without more ado unclosed His smiling lips, and thus began.

THE STUDENT'S SECOND TALE

THE BARON OF ST.CASTINE

Baron Castine of St.Castine Has left his chateau in the Pyrenees, And sailed across the western seas.

When he went away from his fair demesne The birds were building, the woods were green;And now the winds of winter blow Round the turrets of the old chateau, The birds are silent and unseen, The leaves lie dead in the ravine, And the Pyrenees are white with snow.

His father, lonely, old, and gray, Sits by the fireside day by day, Thinking ever one thought of care;Through the southern windows, narrow and tall, The sun shines into the ancient hall, And makes a glory round his hair.

The house-dog, stretched beneath his chair, Groans in his sleep as if in pain Then wakes, and yawns, and sleeps again, So silent is it everywhere,--So silent you can hear the mouse Run and rummage along the beams Behind the wainscot of the wall;And the old man rouses from his dreams, And wanders restless through the house, As if he heard strange voices call.

His footsteps echo along the floor Of a distant passage, and pause awhile;He is standing by an open door Looking long, with a sad, sweet smile, Into the room of his absent son.

There is the bed on which he lay, There are the pictures bright and gay, Horses and hounds and sun-lit seas;There are his powder-flask and gun, And his hunting-knives in shape of a fan;The chair by the window where he sat, With the clouded tiger-skin for a mat, Looking out on the Pyrenees, Looking out on Mount Marbore And the Seven Valleys of Lavedan.

Ah me! he turns away and sighs;

There is a mist before his eyes.

At night whatever the weather be, Wind or rain or starry heaven, Just as the clock is striking seven, Those who look from the windows see The village Curate, with lantern and maid, Come through the gateway from the park And cross the courtyard damp and dark,--A ring of light in a ring of shade.

And now at the old man's side he stands, His voice is cheery, his heart expands, He gossips pleasantly, by the blaze Of the fire of fagots, about old days, And Cardinal Mazarin and the Fronde, And the Cardinal's nieces fair and fond, And what they did, and what they said, When they heard his Eminence was dead.

And after a pause the old man says, His mind still coming back again To the one sad thought that haunts his brain, "Are there any tidings from over sea?

Ah, why has that wild boy gone from me?"

And the Curate answers, looking down, Harmless and docile as a lamb, "Young blood! young blood! It must so be!"And draws from the pocket of his gown A handkerchief like an oriflamb, And wipes his spectacles, and they play Their little game of lansquenet In silence for an hour or so, Till the clock at nine strikes loud and clear From the village lying asleep below, And across the courtyard, into the dark Of the winding pathway in the park, Curate and lantern disappear, And darkness reigns in the old chateau.

The ship has come back from over sea, She has been signalled from below, And into the harbor of Bordeaux She sails with her gallant company.

But among them is nowhere seen The brave young Baron of St.Castine;He hath tarried behind, I ween, In the beautiful land of Acadie!

And the father paces to and fro Through the chambers of the old chateau, Waiting, waiting to hear the hum Of wheels on the road that runs below, Of servants hurrying here and there, The voice in the courtyard, the step on the stair, Waiting for some one who doth not come!

But letters there are, which the old man reads To the Curate, when he comes at night Word by word, as an acolyte Repeats his prayers and tells his beads;Letters full of the rolling sea, Full of a young man's joy to be Abroad in the world, alone and free;Full of adventures and wonderful scenes Of hunting the deer through forests vast In the royal grant of Pierre du Gast;Of nights in the tents of the Tarratines;Of Madocawando the Indian chief, And his daughters, glorious as queens, And beautiful beyond belief;And so soft the tones of their native tongue, The words are not spoken, they are sung!

And the Curate listens, and smiling says:

"Ah yes, dear friend! in our young days We should have liked to hunt the deer All day amid those forest scenes, And to sleep in the tents of the Tarratines;But now it is better sitting here Within four walls, and without the fear Of losing our hearts to Indian queens;For man is fire and woman is tow, And the Somebody comes and begins to blow."Then a gleam of distrust and vague surmise Shines in the father's gentle eyes, As fire-light on a window-pane Glimmers and vanishes again;But naught he answers; he only sighs, And for a moment bows his head;Then, as their custom is, they play Their little gain of lansquenet, And another day is with the dead.

Another day, and many a day And many a week and month depart, When a fatal letter wings its way Across the sea, like a bird of prey, And strikes and tears the old man's heart.

Lo! the young Baron of St.Castine, Swift as the wind is, and as wild, Has married a dusky Tarratine, Has married Madocawando's child!

同类推荐
  • 王郭两先生崇论

    王郭两先生崇论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 了庵清欲禅师语录

    了庵清欲禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Princess de Montpensier

    The Princess de Montpensier

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 东海渔歌

    东海渔歌

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 今献备遗

    今献备遗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 一滴水有多深

    一滴水有多深

    著名作家刘醒龙一本关于故乡的大书。有关心灵。有关欲望。有关救赎。诗一样疼痛的情绪。骨血般情感的文字。作为自然,乡村像诗一样美丽。作为人生,乡村像诗一样痛苦。城市是一个被男人宠爱着的少妇。她的骄横、她的媚嗲,都是男人千姿百态想象的后果。乡村是在生活的酸甜苦辣中从年轻一直泡到年迈的母亲。没有乡村,独舞的城市就会成为倚门卖笑的那一类女子。城市是欲望在地理上所能达到的顶点,乡村只是人的家园。乡土并不真正属于乡土中人,它的真正主人是那些远离乡土的城里的读书人。
  • 小故事大道理:习惯左右孩子一生

    小故事大道理:习惯左右孩子一生

    “一个人养成一种习惯,然后又逐渐被这种习惯所改变,这就是习惯的力量。一个成功的人晓得如何培养好的习惯来代替坏的习惯,当好的习惯积累多了,自然会有一个好的人生。习惯就像一把钥匙,人的一生都会随身携带,好习惯可以开启成功和幸福之门,带领你走出扑朔迷离的大海,为你的人生指明正确的方向;坏习惯则会随时阻碍你走向成功之门,把你带到堕落和颓废的路上去。”
  • 元启之旅

    元启之旅

    无始大陆之上,自十万年前那场大战,上古门派如流星般陨落,新的势力瓜分了整个大陆。一个小城走出来的少年,满怀修真希望,看似意外般在那些盘根交错的势力之间游走。惊天的阴谋在不知不觉间呈现,是成魔还是成仙,不过是在一念之间。岁月苍茫,这一趟元启之旅,又会是怎样的际遇.......群号:1041234104
  • 快穿之:就服你

    快穿之:就服你

    [系统]:→_→宿主,你会失去你的系统的。戾棂:有你没你,不都一样么?至于男女主是什么样的人,大家往下看着,可以肯定的是,作者是亲妈。(*?︶?*)
  • 今生注定赖上你:野蛮女友

    今生注定赖上你:野蛮女友

    “林少龙,你给我站住,这辈子我是要定你了。”一对恋人在海边戏耍追逐着,说这话的是个女孩。文欣是一个近30岁的单身剩女,既没固定工作,也没恋爱对象,她简直像一个十足的男孩,哪个男人见到都会怕,好不容易找到一份自己喜爱的服装设计工作,却没想到自己的上司竟然是面试那天的倒霉鬼,上班后,她认为他所做的一切都是为了逼她离开昌盛服装公司,天天都要绞尽脑汁想着怎么对付他,居然私底下还跟他签了一年的“奴隶”协议,发生一大堆的搞笑趣事,这一切都在一个女人的出现后改变了,变成刀子嘴豆腐心的两人,情感的纠葛,利益的旋涡,如何上演一个单身剩女爱情与工作的双丰收?
  • 这片星域归我了

    这片星域归我了

    在这片神秘的星域里,有能加速疗愈的命金,有能使人狂乱的癔石,还有各种未知的神奇矿物。因为意外流落至此的银河联邦调查员林介,带着两名来自土法师星球的女孩,一群从海盗手中解救下来的人质,开启了他的星域领主之路。秘法,秘劲,魔法,科学……星空如此浩瀚;日常,斗嘴,种田,劫掠……想必会很精彩。
  • 既然青春留不住(张翰陈乔恩主演)

    既然青春留不住(张翰陈乔恩主演)

    电影《既然青春留不住》原著小说《当菠菜遇上空心菜》重磅上架,空心菜张翰、大波妹陈乔恩主演,金秋上映。这个世上,谁是谁的菜,就是天注定,就是命注定,就是缘分注定,和厨师无关,和非诚勿扰无关,和星座无关。
  • 大般涅槃经论

    大般涅槃经论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 妖医不好惹

    妖医不好惹

    她是二十一世纪认人闻风丧胆毒医,却被心爱之人逼致绝境,她将那颗世所罕见的丹药吞吐,便跳崖逃生。“你这病有点奇怪啊”某女为一个经常得病的某爷把着脉。“哦?何齐之有,不妨说来听听”某爷盯着一脸认真的某女。“你说你整天夜不能寐,寝食难安。我看你这脉象稳当的很啊!不像有病之人。”某女认真的分析。某爷气呼呼的把某女拥入怀里:“这是相思病,得用你一辈子来医。”PS:《妖医不好惹》首发,多多支持;不支持不行,来了就是我的人。
  • 明伦汇编人事典富贵部

    明伦汇编人事典富贵部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。