Читать книгу The Wanderings of Persiles and Sigismunda - Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra - Страница 17

CHAPTER IX.

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Wherein Rutilio continues his Story.

"The first thing that offered itself to my sight was the body of a barbarian hanging to a tree, by which I knew that I was in a country of savages, and immediately fear placed before my eyes a thousand different modes of death. Not knowing precisely which to dread, I expected and feared them all by turns. At last, since necessity is said to be the mother of invention, I bethought myself of an experiment, extraordinary enough; this was, to pull the dead barbarian off his bough, and having taken off all my own clothes, which I buried in the sand, to dress myself in his, which easily fitted, seeing they were made only of the skins of animals, not cut or fashioned in any way, but fastened round the waist, as you have seen. To conceal my foreign tongue, and that I might not be known to be a stranger, I pretended to be deaf and dumb, and in this guise I proceeded further into the island, jumping and making fantastic capers in the air.

"At a short distance I perceived a great number of the barbarians who flocked round me, and one and all asked (as I have since known) who I was, and whence I came, and whither I was going. I answered by keeping silence and making all the signs I could devise, again beginning to jump and cut capers in the air. I was followed by all the boys, let me go where I would, and thus I passed for a dumb barbarian, and the boys gave me food in return for my capers and merry-andrew tricks. In this way I have lived three years among them, and might pass all my life without being discovered. I paid great attention to their language, and learned to speak it very tolerably. I heard the prophecy about the duration of their kingdom, which had been pronounced by a very ancient and wise man, in whom they placed implicit credit. Many men have I seen sacrificed in order to accomplish it, many maidens I have seen purchased for the same purpose, until the conflagration of the island which you, sirs, have witnessed with your own eyes.

"I escaped from the flames and hastened to warn the prisoners in the dungeon, where you all no doubt have been. I saw these boats and flew to the shore, where in your generous bosoms I found an answer to my entreaties, and was received on board by you, for which I thank you with my whole heart; and now I put my trust in Heaven, since we have been delivered from so many and such great dangers, that we may be favoured with a happy and prosperous voyage."

Here Rutilio ceased speaking, leaving his hearers wondering and much interested by all he had told.

Day came on, sharp and cold, stormy, and threatening a snow-storm. Auristella now gave Periander something that Clelia had delivered into her hands the night on which she died. It was two waxen balls, one of which enclosed a magnificent diamond cross of inestimable value; the other contained two pearls, also of immense price. These jewels showed that Periander and Auristella were persons of great consequence, although this was more plainly proved by their noble bearing and good manners. As the day advanced, Antonio made a little excursion inland, but could discover nothing but high mountains covered with snow, and returning to the boats, he said, the island seemed uninhabited, and he thought it would be better for them to seek elsewhere some land where they might be sheltered from the extreme cold that threatened them, and to provide themselves with food of which they should shortly stand in need. The boats were accordingly launched into the sea, and they all embarked and directed their course towards another island they discovered not very far off. As they were making way with all the speed two oars could accomplish, for each boat had no more, a voice, low and melodious, was heard to proceed from one of the two other boats, so sweet that they all listened to it with attention. It was remarked, especially by the elder Antonio, that the song was in the Portuguese tongue, which he understood perfectly. The voice ceased, but shortly after began again to sing in Castilian, in time to the motion of the oars, which impelled the boats gently through a tranquil sea; the words he sang were as follows.

Upon a tranquil sea

With fav'ring winds

And starry sky,

And by a pleasant way,

Unknown, yet sure,

Thy strange and wondrous bark,

Her course shall ply,

Borne onwards to a port,

Safe and secure.

Onwards direct and straight

Her course she steers,

Nor upon Scylla, nor Charybdis driven,

Nor hidden rocks,

Nor secret perils, fears,

Honour, the end and aim, for which she thus hath striv'n.

Let not thine efforts fail,

Even though hopeless seem,

The distant haven;

Nor once remit thy toil,

Nor ever slacken sail.

True love can never change,

And only he,

Will prosp'rous be,

Who firm and true remains,

Nor ever seeks to range.

Ricla, as the voice ceased, said, "This songster must needs be an idle soft creature, who at such a time as this fills the air with his voice," but Periander and Auristella judged otherwise. They thought the singer was more of a lover than an idle fellow. Those who love quickly recognize the passion in another, and seek fellowship with them who know how to pity and sympathize with their own weaknesses. So with the leave of the rest of the party in the boat, although it was hardly necessary to ask it, they requested the singer to step into their boat, as much to enjoy hearing his voice better as to learn his history, for it was evident that a person who could sing at such a time must either feel a great deal, or not at all.

The boats joined, and the singer stepped from his into that where Periander and his party were, who all received him very courteously. As he entered, the new comer said, half in Portuguese and half in Castilian, "I owe to Heaven and to you, and to my voice, this agreeable change for the better into your boat; albeit I believe I shall not long encumber it with the load of my body, for the heavy sorrows I have in my heart are such that I feel my life holds by a single thread."

"Heaven may help thee yet," said Periander, "for I am a living proof that there are no sorrows or miseries that can kill any one."

Here Auristella joined in the conversation and said, "That is not hope which merely puts away and resists misfortune, but as the light shines brightest in darkness so is hope most firm in time of trouble, and despair is the feeling of only coward souls. There is no cowardice or meanness greater than to give oneself up to despair."

"I believe this truly," answered the singer, "notwithstanding, and in spite of, the sad experience I have known in the course of my life."

They continued rowing as they discoursed, so that before night they reached another island also uninhabited, but there were trees upon it, and many of them, and full of fruit, though dried, and past the season, yet fit to eat. They leaped ashore, drew up their boats, and began with great speed to despoil the trees, and make a hut to keep themselves from the cold that night; they also kindled a fire by rubbing dry sticks together, a common and well-known practice, and as all worked, it was not long before they had built up this poor shelter, where they all assembled, supplying the inconveniences of the place by a good fire, this appearing to all the first thing necessary to their comfort. After satisfying their hunger they would have prepared themselves to sleep, if it had not been that the desire Periander felt to learn the adventures of the musician prevented him, and he entreated that he would, if it were possible, let them hear the story of his misfortunes, for misfortunes they must have been, to have brought him into such a situation.

The singer was courteous and without more entreaty, began thus.