chater ne hw hata et ut n hi travel (第2/8页)

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"It is even so,"replied the guest dryly."But another poet has likewise said,"He who attempts to deceive the judicious is already baring his own back for the scourge."Do not load your aged mouth with falsehoods. This boy is manifestly no son of yours, for your cheek is as dark as mine but the boy is fair and white like the accursed but beautiful barbarians who inhabit the remote North."

"How well it was said," answered the fisherman,"that Swords can be kept off with shields but the Eye of Wisdom pierces through every defence ! Know then, O my formidable guest, that because of my extreme poverty I have never married and have no child. But in that same year in which the Tisroc may he live forever began his august and beneficent reign, on a night when the moon was at her full, it pleased the gods to deprive me of my sleep. Therefore I arose from my bed in this hovel and went forth to the beach to refresh myself with looking upon the water and the moon and breathing the cool air. And presently I heard a noise as of oars coming to me across the water and then, as it were, a weak cry.And shortly after, the tide brought to the land a little boat in which there was nothing but a man lean with extreme hunger and thirst who seemed to have died but a few moments before for he was still warm, and an empty water-skin, and a child, still living."Doubtless,"said I,"these unfortunates have escaped from the wreck of a great ship, but by the admirable designs of the gods, the elder has starved himself to keep the child alive and has perished in sight of land."Accordingly, remembering how the gods never fail to reward those who befriend the destitute, and being moved by compassion for your servant is a man of tender heart —"

"Leave out all these idle words in your own praise, " interrupted the Tarkaan."It is enough to know that you took the child— and have had ten times the worth of his daily bread out of him in labour, as anyone can see. And now tell me at once what price you put on him, for I am wearied with your loquacity."

"You yourself have wisely said, " answered Arsheesh, "that the boy' s labour has been to me of inestimable value.This must be taken into account in fixing the price. For if I sell the boy I must undoubtedly either buy or hire another to do his work."

"I'll give you fifteen crescents for him," said the Tarkaan.

"Fifteen!" cried Arsheesh in a voice that was something between a whine and a scream."Fifteen !For the prop of my old age and the delight of my eyes !Do not mock my grey beard, Tarkaan though you be. My price is seventy. "

At this point Shasta got up and tiptoed away. He had heard all he wanted, for he had open listened when men were bargaining in the village and knew how it was done. He was quite certain that Arsheesh would sell him in the end for something much more than fifteen crescents and much less than seventy, but that he and the Tarkaan would take hours in getting to an agreement.

You must not imagine that Shasta felt at all as you and I would feel if we had just overheard our parents talking about selling us for slaves. For one thing, his life was already little better than slavery;for all he knew, the lordly stranger on the great horse might be kinder to him than Arsheesh. For another, the story about his own discovery in the boat had filled him with excitement and with a sense of relief.He had often been uneasy because, try as he might, he had never been able to love the fisherman, and he knew that a boy ought to love his father. And now, apparently, he was no relation to Arsheesh at all.That took a great weight off his mind."Why, I might be anyone !"he thought.'! might be the son of a Tarkaan myself—or the son of the Tisroc may he live for ever or of a god !"

He was standing out in the grassy place before the cottage while he thought these things. Twilight was coming on apace and a star or two was already out, but the remains of the sunset could still be seen in the west. Not far away the stranger' s horse, loosely tied to an iron ring in the wall of the donkey' s stable, was grazing. Shasta strolled over to it and patted its neck. It went on tearing up the grass and took no notice of him.