《石榴之屋》第39章

have　brought　it　to　thee　to　have　care　of　it；　and　he　stirred　not
from　the　threshold。
what　is　it？　she　cried。 show　it　to　me；　for　the　house　is　bare；
and　we　have　need　of　many　things。 and　he　drew　the　cloak　back；　and
showed　her　the　sleeping　child。
alack；　goodman！　she　murmured；　have　we　not　children　of　our　own；
that　thou　must　needs　bring　a　changeling　to　sit　by　the　hearth？ and
who　knows　if　it　will　not　bring　us　bad　fortune？ and　how　shall　we
tend　it？ and　she　was　wroth　against　him。
nay；　but　it　is　a　star…child；　he　answered；　and　he　told　her　the
strange　manner　of　the　finding　of　it。
but　she　would　not　be　appeased；　but　mocked　at　him；　and　spoke
angrily；　and　cried： our　children　lack　bread；　and　shall　we　feed
the　child　of　another？ who　is　there　who　careth　for　us？ and　who
giveth　us　food？
nay；　but　god　careth　for　the　sparrows　even；　and　feedeth　them；　he
answered。
do　not　the　sparrows　die　of　hunger　in　the　winter？　she　asked。 and
is　it　not　winter　now？
and　the　man　answered　nothing；　but　stirred　not　from　the　threshold。
and　a　bitter　wind　from　the　forest　came　in　through　the　open　door；
and　made　her　tremble；　and　she　shivered；　and　said　to　him： wilt
thou　not　close　the　door？ there　eth　a　bitter　wind　into　the
house；　and　i　am　cold。
into　a　house　where　a　heart　is　hard　eth　there　not　always　a
bitter　wind？　he　asked。 and　the　woman　answered　him　nothing；　but
crept　closer　to　the　fire。
and　after　a　time　she　turned　round　and　looked　at　him；　and　her　eyes
were　full　of　tears。 and　he　came　in　swiftly；　and　placed　the　child
in　her　arms；　and　she　kissed　it；　and　laid　it　in　a　little　bed　where
the　youngest　of　their　own　children　was　lying。 and　on　the　morrow
the　woodcutter　took　the　curious　cloak　of　gold　and　placed　it　in　a
great　chest；　and　a　chain　of　amber　that　was　round　the　childs　neck
his　wife　took　and　set　it　in　the　chest　also。
so　the　star…child　was　brought　up　with　the　children　of　the
woodcutter；　and　sat　at　the　same　board　with　them；　and　was　their
playmate。 and　every　year　he　became　more　beautiful　to　look　at；　so
that　all　those　who　dwelt　in　the　village　were　filled　with　wonder；
for；　while　they　were　swarthy　and　black…haired；　he　was　white　and
delicate　as　sawn　ivory；　and　his　curls　were　like　the　rings　of　the
daffodil。 his　lips；　also；　were　like　the　petals　of　a　red　flower；
and　his　eyes　were　like　violets　by　a　river　of　pure　water；　and　his
body　like　the　narcissus　of　a　field　where　the　mower　es　not。
yet　did　his　beauty　work　him　evil。 for　he　grew　proud；　and　cruel；
and　selfish。 the　children　of　the　woodcutter；　and　the　other
children　of　the　village；　he　despised；　saying　that　they　were　of　mean
parentage；　while　he　was　noble；　being　sprang　from　a　star；　and　he
made　himself　master　over　them；　and　called　them　his　servants。 no
pity　had　he　for　the　poor；　or　for　those　who　were　blind　or　maimed　or
in　any　way　afflicted；　but　would　cast　stones　at　them　and　drive　them
forth　on　to　the　highway；　and　bid　them　beg　their　bread　elsewhere；　so
that　none　save　the　outlaws　came　twice　to　that　village　to　ask　for
alms。 indeed；　he　was　as　one　enamoured　of　beauty；　and　would　mock　at
the　weakly　and　ill…favoured；　and　make　jest　of　them；　and　himself　he
loved；　and　in　summer；　when　the　winds　were　still；　he　would　lie　by
the　well　in　the　priests　orchard　and　look　down　at　the　marvel　of　his
own　face；　and　laugh　for　the　pleasure　he　had　in　his　fairness。
often　did　the　woodcutter　and　his　wife　chide　him；　and　say： we　did
not　deal　with　thee　as　thou　dealest　with　those　who　are　left
desolate；　and　have　none　to　succour　them。 wherefore　art　thou　so
cruel　to　all　who　need　pity？
often　did　the　old　priest　send　for　him；　and　seek　to　teach　him　the
love　of　living　things；　saying　to　him： the　fly　is　thy　brother。 do
it　no　harm。 the　wild　birds　that　roam　through　the　forest　have　their
freedom。 snare　them　not　for　thy　pleasure。 god　made　the　blind…worm
and　the　mole；　and　each　has　its　place。 who　art　thou　to　bring　pain
into　gods　world？ even　the　cattle　of　the　field　praise　him。〃
but　the　star…child　heeded　not　their　words；　but　would　frown　and
flout；　and　go　back　to　his　panions；　and　lead　them。 and　his
panions　followed　him；　for　he　was　fair；　and　fleet　of　foot；　and
could　dance；　and　pipe；　and　make　music。 and　wherever　the　star…child
led　them　they　followed；　and　whatever　the　star…child　bade　them　do；
that　did　they。 and　when　he　pierced　with　a　sharp　reed　the　dim　eyes
of　the　mole；　they　laughed；　and　when　he　cast　stones　at　the　leper
they　laughed　also。 and　in　all　things　he　ruled　them；　and　they
became　hard　of　heart　even　as　he　was。
now　there　passed　one　day　through　the　village　a　poor　beggar…woman。
her　garments　were　torn　and　ragged；　and　her　feet　were　bleeding　from
the　rough　road　on　which　she　had　travelled；　and　she　was　in　very　evil
plight。 and　being　weary　she　sat　her　down　under　a　chestnut…tree　to
rest。
but　when　the　star…child　saw　her；　he　said　to　his　panions；　see！
there　sitteth　a　foul　beggar…woman　under　that　fair　and　green…leaved
tree。 e；　let　us　drive　her　hence；　for　she　is　ugly　and　ill…
favoured。
so　he　came　near　and　threw　stones　at　her；　and　mocked　her；　and　she
looked　at　him　with　terror　in　her　eyes；　nor　did　she　move　her　gaze
from　him。 and　when　the　woodcutter；　who　was　cleaving　logs　in　a
haggard　hard　by；　saw　what　the　star…child　was　doing；　he　ran　up　and
rebuked　him；　and　said　to　him： surely　thou　art　hard　of　heart　and
knowest　not　mercy；　for　what　evil　has　this　poor　woman　done　to　thee
that　thou　shouldst　treat　her　in　this　wise？
and　the　star…child　grew　red　with　anger；　and　stamped　his　foot　upon
the　ground；　and　said；　who　art　thou　to　question　me　what　i　do？ i　am
no　son　of　thine　to　do　thy　bidding。
thou　speakest　truly；　answered　the　wood…cutter；　yet　did　i　show
thee　pity　when　i　found　thee　in　the　forest。
and　when　the　woman　heard　these　words　she　gave　a　loud　cry；　and　fell
into　a　swoon。 and　the　woodcutter　carried　her　to　his　own　house；　and
his　wife　had　care　of　her；　and　when　she　rose　up　from　the　swoon　into
which　she　had　fallen；　they　set　meat　and　drink　before　her；　and　bade
her　have　fort。
but　she　would　neither　eat