笔趣阁

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第18部分（第1页）

He　thought　that　he　was　wandering　through　a　dim　wood，　hung　with　strange　fruits　and　with　beautiful　poisonous　flowers。　The　adders　hissed　at　him　as　he　went　by，　and　the　bright　parrots　flew　screaming　from　branch　to　branch。　Huge　tortoises　lay　asleep　upon　the　hot　mud。　The　trees　were　full　of　apes　and　peacocks。

On　and　on　he　went，　till　he　reached　the　outskirts　of　the　wood，　and　there　he　saw　an　immense　multitude　of　men　toiling　in　the　bed　of　a　dried…up　river。　They　swarmed　up　the　crag　like　ants。　They　dug　deep　pits　in　the　ground　and　went　down　into　them。　Some　of　them　cleft　the　rocks　with　great　axes；others　grabbled　in　the　sand。

They　tore　up　the　cactus　by　its　roots，　and　trampled　on　the　scarlet　blossoms。　They　hurried　about，　calling　to　each　other，　and　no　man　was　idle。

From　the　darkness　of　a　cavern　Death　and　Avarice　watched　them，　and　Death　said，　“I　am　weary；give　me　a　third　of　them　and　let　me　go。”But　Avarice　shook　her　head。“They　are　my　servants，　”　she　answered。

And　Death　said　to　her，　“What　hast　thou　in　thy　hand？”

“I　have　three　grains　of　corn，”　she　answered；“　what　is　that　to　thee？”

“Give　me　one　of　them，”cried　Death，　“to　plant　in　my　garden；only　one　of　them，　and　I　will　go　away。”

“　I　will　not　give　thee　anything，”said　Avarice，　and　she　hid　her　hand　in　the　fold　of　her　raiment。

And　Death　laughed，　and　took　a　cup，　and　dipped　it　into　a　pool　of　water，　and　out　of　the　cup　rose　Ague。　She　passed　through　the　great　multitude，　and　a　third　of　them　lay　dead。　A　cold　mist　followed　her，　and　the　water…snakes　ran　by　her　side。

And　when　Avarice　saw　that　a　third　of　the　multitude　was　dead　she　beat　her　breast　and　wept。　She　beat　her　barren　bosom，　and　cried　aloud。　“Thou　hast　slain　a　third　of　my　servants，”she　cried，　“get　thee　gone。　There　is　war　in　the　mountains　of　Tartary，　and　the　kings　of　each　side　are　calling　to　thee。　The　Afghans　have　slain　the　black　ox，　and　are　marching　to　battle。　They　have　beaten　upon　their　shields　with　their　spears，　and　have　put　on　their　helmets　of　iron。　What　is　my　valley　to　thee，　that　thou　shouldst　tarry　in　it？Get　thee　gone，　and　e　here　no　more。”

“Nay，”answered　Death，　“　but　till　thou　hast　given　me　a　grain　of　corn　I　will　not　go。”

But　Avarice　shut　her　hand，　and　clenched　her　teeth。　“I　will　not　give　thee　anything，”　she　muttered。

And　Death　laughed，　and　took　up　a　black　stone，　and　threw　it　into　the　forest，　and　out　of　a　thicket　of　wild　hemlock　came　Fever　in　a　robe　of　flame。　She　passed　through　the　multitude，　and　touched　them，　and　each　man　that　she　touched　died。　The　grass　withered　beneath　her　feet　as　she　walked。

And　Avarice　shuddered，　and　put　ashes　on　her　head。　“Thou　art　cruel，”she　cried；　“thou　art　cruel。　There　is　famine　in　the　walled　cities　of　India，　and　the　cisterns　of　Samarcand　have　run　dry。　There　is　famine　in　the　walled　cities　of　Egypt，　and　the　locusts　have　e　up　from　the　desert。　The　Nile　has　not　overflowed　its　banks，　and　the　priests　have　cursed　Isis　and　Osiris。　Get　thee　gone　to　those　who　need　thee，　and　leave　me　my　servants。”

“Nay，”　answered　Death，　“but　till　thou　hast　given　me　a　grain　of　corn　I　will　not　go。”

“I　will　not　give　thee　anything，”said　Avarice。

And　Death　laughed　again，　and　he　whistled　through　his　fingers，　and　a　woman　came　flying　through　the　air。　Plague　was　written　upon　her　forehead，　and　a　crowd　of　lean　vultures　wheeled　round　her。　She　covered　the　valley　with　her　wings，　and　no　man　was　left　alive。

And　Avarice　fled　shrieking　through　the　forest，　and　Death　leaped　upon　his　red　horse　and　galloped　away，　and　his　galloping　was　faster　than　the　wind。

And　out　of　the　slime　at　the　bottom　of　the　valley　crept　dragons　and　horrible　things　with　scales，　and　the　jackals　came　trotting　along　the　sand，　sniffing　up　the　air　with　their　nostrils。

And　the　young　King　wept，　and　said：　“Who　were　these　men，　and　for　what　were　they　seeking？”

“For　rubies　for　a　king’s　crown，”　answered　one　who　stood　behind　him。

And　the　young　King　started，　and，　turning　round，　he　saw　a　man　habited　as　a　pilgrim　and　holding　in　his　hand　a　mirror　of　silver。

And　he　grew　pale，　and　said：　“For　what　king？”

And　the　pilgrim　answered：　“Look　in　this　mirror，　and　thou　shalt　see　him。　”

And　he　looked　in　the　mirror，　and，　seeing　his　own　face，　he　gave　a　great　cry　and　woke，　and　the　bright　sunlight　was　streaming　into　the　room，　and　from　the　trees　of　the　garden　and　pleasaunce　the　birds　were　singing。

And　the　Chamberlain　and　the　high　officers　of　State　came　in　and　made　obeisance　to　him，　and　the　pages　brought　him　the　robe　of　tissued　gold，　and　set　the　crown　and　the　sceptre　before　him。

And　the　young　King　looked　at　them，　and　they　were　beautiful。　More　beautiful　were　they　than　aught　that　he　had　ever　seen。　But　he　remembered　his　dreams，　and　he　said　to　his　lords：　“Take　these　things　away，　for　I　will　not　wear　them。”

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