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the heroes-第11章

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ust。  And it  happened on a day that Jason stood on the mountain; and  looked north and south and east and west; and Cheiron stood  by him and watched him; for he knew that the time was come。

And Jason looked and saw the plains of Thessaly; where the  Lapithai breed their horses; and the lake of Boibe; and the  stream which runs northward to Peneus and Tempe; and he  looked north; and saw the mountain wall which guards the  Magnesian shore; Olympus; the seat of the Immortals; and  Ossa; and Pelion; where he stood。 Then he looked east and saw  the bright blue sea; which stretched away for ever toward the  dawn。  Then he looked south; and saw a pleasant land; with  white…walled towns and farms; nestling along the shore of a  land…locked bay; while the smoke rose blue among the trees;  and he knew it for the bay of Pagasai; and the rich lowlands  of Haemonia; and Iolcos by the sea。

Then he sighed; and asked; 'Is it true what the heroes tell  me … that I am heir of that fair land?'

'And what good would it be to you; Jason; if you were heir of  that fair land?'

'I would take it and keep it。'

'A strong man has taken it and kept it long。  Are you  stronger than Pelias the terrible?'

'I can try my strength with his;' said Jason; but Cheiron  sighed; and said …

'You have many a danger to go through before you rule in  Iolcos by the sea:  many a danger and many a woe; and strange  troubles in strange lands; such as man never saw before。'

'The happier I;' said Jason; 'to see what man never saw  before。'

And Cheiron sighed again; and said; 'The eaglet must leave  the nest when it is fledged。  Will you go to Iolcos by the  sea?  Then promise me two things before you go。'

Jason promised; and Cheiron answered; 'Speak harshly to no  soul whom you may meet; and stand by the word which you shall  speak。'

Jason wondered why Cheiron asked this of him; but he knew  that the Centaur was a prophet; and saw things long before  they came。  So he promised; and leapt down the mountain; to  take his fortune like a man。

He went down through the arbutus thickets; and across the  downs of thyme; till he came to the vineyard walls; and the  pomegranates and the olives in the glen; and among the olives  roared Anauros; all foaming with a summer flood。

And on the bank of Anauros sat a woman; all wrinkled; gray;  and old; her head shook palsied on her breast; and her hands  shook palsied on her knees; and when she saw Jason; she spoke  whining; 'Who will carry me across the flood?'

Jason was bold and hasty; and was just going to leap into the  flood:  and yet he thought twice before he leapt; so loud  roared the torrent down; all brown from the mountain rains;  and silver…veined with melting snow; while underneath he  could hear the boulders rumbling like the tramp of horsemen  or the roll of wheels; as they ground along the narrow  channel; and shook the rocks on which he stood。

But the old woman whined all the more; 'I am weak and old;  fair youth。  For Hera's sake; carry me over the torrent。'

And Jason was going to answer her scornfully; when Cheiron's  words came to his mind。

So he said; 'For Hera's sake; the Queen of the Immortals on  Olympus; I will carry you over the torrent; unless we both  are drowned midway。'

Then the old dame leapt upon his back; as nimbly as a goat;  and Jason staggered in; wondering; and the first step was up  to his knees。

The first step was up to his knees; and the second step was  up to his waist; and the stones rolled about his feet; and  his feet slipped about the stones; so he went on staggering;  and panting; while the old woman cried from off his back …

'Fool; you have wet my mantle!  Do you make game of poor old  souls like me?'

Jason had half a mind to drop her; and let her get through  the torrent by herself; but Cheiron's words were in his mind;  and he said only; 'Patience; mother; the best horse may  stumble some day。'

At last he staggered to the shore; and set her down upon the  bank; and a strong man he needed to have been; or that wild  water he never would have crossed。

He lay panting awhile upon the bank; and then leapt up to go  upon his journey; but he cast one look at the old woman; for  he thought; 'She should thank me once at least。'

And as he looked; she grew fairer than all women; and taller  than all men on earth; and her garments shone like the summer  sea; and her jewels like the stars of heaven; and over her  forehead was a veil woven of the golden clouds of sunset; and  through the veil she looked down on him; with great soft  heifer's eyes; with great eyes; mild and awful; which filled  all the glen with light。

And Jason fell upon his knees; and hid his face between his  hands。

And she spoke; 'I am the Queen of Olympus; Hera the wife of  Zeus。  As thou hast done to me; so will I do to thee。  Call  on me in the hour of need; and try if the Immortals can  forget。'

And when Jason looked up; she rose from off the earth; like a  pillar of tall white cloud; and floated away across the  mountain peaks; toward Olympus the holy hill。

Then a great fear fell on Jason:  but after a while he grew  light of heart; and he blessed old Cheiron; and said; 'Surely  the Centaur is a prophet; and guessed what would come to  pass; when he bade me speak harshly to no soul whom I might  meet。'

Then he went down toward Iolcos; and as he walked he found  that he had lost one of his sandals in the flood。

And as he went through the streets; the people came out to  look at him; so tall and fair was he; but some of the elders  whispered together; and at last one of them stopped Jason;  and called to him; 'Fair lad; who are you; and whence come  you; and what is your errand in the town?'

'My name; good father; is Jason; and I come from Pelion up  above; and my errand is to Pelias your king; tell me then  where his palace is。'

But the old man started; and grew pale; and said; 'Do you not  know the oracle; my son; that you go so boldly through the  town with but one sandal on?'

'I am a stranger here; and know of no oracle; but what of my  one sandal?  I lost the other in Anauros; while I was  struggling with the flood。'

Then the old man looked back to his companions; and one  sighed; and another smiled; at last he said; 'I will tell  you; lest you rush upon your ruin unawares。  The oracle in  Delphi has said that a man wearing one sandal should take the  kingdom from Pelias; and keep it for himself。  Therefore  beware how you go up to his palace; for he is the fiercest  and most cunning of all kings。'

Then Jason laughed a great laugh; like a war…horse in his  pride。  'Good news; good father; both for you and me。  For  that very end I came into the town。'

Then he strode on toward the palace of Pelias; while all the  people wondered at his bearing。

And he stood in the doorway and cried; 'Come out; come out;  Pelias the valiant; and fight for your kingdom like a man。'

Pelias came out wondering; and 'Who are you; bold youth?' he  cried。

'I am Jason; the son of AEson; the heir of all this land。'

Then Pelias lifted up his hands and eyes; and wept; or seemed  to weep; and blessed the heavens which had brought his nephew  to him; never to leave him more。  'For;' said he; 'I have but  three daughters; and no son to be my heir。  You shall be my  heir then; and rule the kingdom after me; and marry  whichsoever of my daughters you shall choose; though a sad  kingdom you will find it; and whosoever rules it a miserable  man。  But come in; come in; and feast。'

So he drew Jason in; whether he would or not; and spoke to  him so lovingly and feasted him so well; that Jason's anger  passed; and after supper his three cousins came into the  hall; and Jason thought that he should like well enough to  have one of them for his wife。

But at last he said to Pelias; 'Why do you look so sad; my  uncle?  And what did you mean just now when you said that  this was a doleful kingdom; and its ruler a miserable man?'

Then Pelias sighed heavily again and again and again; like a  man who had to tell some dreadful story; and was afraid to  begin; but at last …

'For seven long years and more have I never known a quiet  night; and no more will he who comes after me; till the  golden fleece be brought home。'

Then he told Jason the story of Phrixus; and of the golden  fleece; and told him; too; which was a lie; that Phrixus'  spirit tormented him; calling to him day and night。  And his  daughters came; and told the same tale (for their father had  taught them their parts); and wept; and said; 'Oh who will  bring home the golden fleece; that our uncle's spirit may  rest; and that we may have rest also; whom he never lets  sleep in peace?'

Jason sat awhile; sad and silent; for he had often heard of  that golden fleece; but he looked on it as a thing hopeless  and impossible for any mortal man to win it。

But when Pelias saw him silent; he began to talk of other  things; and courted Jason more and more; speaking to him as  if he was certain to be his heir; and asking his advice about  the kingdom; till Jason; who was young and simple; could not  help saying to himself; 'Surely he is not the dark man whom  people call him。  Yet why did he drive my 
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