Flourishing Artisan
Having seen all worth viewing in Yammo, we departed, to complete the circumnavigation of the island, by returning to Uma without reversing our prows2. As we glided3 along, we passed many objects of interest, concerning which, Mohi, as usual, was very diffuse4.
Among other things pointed5 out, were certain little altars, like mile- stones, planted here and there upon bright bluffs6, running out into the lagoon7. Dedicated8 respectively to the guardian9 spirits of Maramma, these altars formed a chain of spiritual defenses; and here were presumed to stand post the most vigilant10 of warders; dread11 Hivohitee, all by himself, garrisoning12 the impregnable interior.
But these sentries13 were only subalterns, subject to the beck of the Pontiff; who frequently sent word to them, concerning the duties of their watch. His mandates14 were intrusted to one Ravoo, the hereditary15 pontifical16 messenger; a long-limbed varlet, so swift of foot, that he was said to travel like a javelin17. "Art thou Ravoo, that thou so pliest thy legs?" say these islanders, to one encountered in a hurry.
Hivohitee's postman held no oral communication with the sentries. Dispatched round the island with divers18 bits of tappa, hieroglyphically19 stamped, he merely deposited one upon each altar; superadding a stone, to keep the missive in its place; and so went his rounds.
Now, his route lay over hill and over dale, and over many a coral rock; and to preserve his feet from bruises20, he was fain to wear a sort of buskin, or boot, fabricated of a durable21 tappa, made from the thickest and toughest of fibers22. As he never wore his buskins except when he carried the mail, Ravoo sorely fretted23 with his Hessians; though it would have been highly imprudent to travel without them. To make the thing more endurable, therefore, and, at intervals24, to cool his heated pedals, he established a series of stopping-places, or stages; at each of which a fresh pair of buskins, hanging from a tree, were taken down and vaulted25 into by the ingenious traveler. Those relays of boots were exceedingly convenient; next, indeed, to being lifted upon a fresh pair of legs.
"But has it any meaning you know of?"
"Thou art wise, find out," retorted Braid-Beard. "But what comes of it?" persisted Babbalanja.
"Beshrew me, this senseless catechising of thine," replied Mohi; "naught28 else, it seems, save a grin or two."
"And pray, what may you be driving at, philosopher?" interrupted Media.
"I am intent upon the essence of things; the mystery that lieth beyond; the elements of the tear which much laughter provoketh; that which is beneath the seeming; the precious pearl within the shaggy oyster29. I probe the circle's center; I seek to evolve the inscrutable."
"Seek on; and when aught is found, cry out, that we may run to see."
"My lord the king is merry upon me. To him my more subtle cogitations seem foolishness. But believe me, my lord, there is more to be thought of than to be seen. There is a world of wonders insphered within the spontaneous consciousness; or, as old Bardianna hath it, a mystery within the obvious, yet an obviousness within the mystery."
"And did I ever deny that?" said Media.
"As plain as my hand in the dark," said Mohi.
"I dreamed a dream," said Yoomy.
"They banter30 me; but enough; I am to blame for discoursing31 upon the deep world wherein I live. I am wrong in seeking to invest sublunary sounds with celestial32 sense. Much that is in me is incommunicable by this ether we breathe. But I blame ye not." And wrapping round him his mantle33, Babbalanja retired34 into its most private folds.
Ere coming in sight of Uma, we put into a little bay, to pay our respects to Hevaneva, a famous character there dwelling35; who, assisted by many journeymen, carried on the lucrative36 business of making idols38 for the surrounding isles39.
Know ye, that all idols not made in Maramma, and consecrated40 by Hivohitee; and, what is more, in strings41 of teeth paid down for to Hevaneva; are of no more account, than logs, stocks, or stones. Yet does not the cunning artificer monopolize42 the profits of his vocation43; for Hevaneva being but the vassal44 of the Pontiff, the latter lays claim to King Leo's share of the spoils, and secures it.
The place was very prettily45 lapped in a pleasant dell, nigh to the margin46 of the water; and here, were several spacious47 arbors; wherein, prostrate48 upon their sacred faces, were all manner of idols, in every imaginable stage of statuary development.
With wonderful industry the journeymen were plying49 their tools;—some chiseling51 noses; some trenching for mouths; and others, with heated flints, boring for ears: a hole drilled straight through the occiput, representing the auricular organs.
"How easily they are seen through," said Babbalanja, taking a sight through one of the heads.
The last finish is given to their godships, by rubbing them all over with dried slips of consecrated shark-skin, rough as sand paper, tacked52 over bits of wood.
In one of the farther arbors, Hevaneva pointed out a goodly array of idols, all complete and ready for the market. They were of every variety of pattern; and of every size; from that of a giant, to the little images worn in the ears of the ultra devout53.
"Of late," said the artist, "there has been a lively demand for the image of Arbino the god of fishing; the present being the principal season for that business. For Nadams (Nadam presides over love and wine), there has also been urgent call; it being the time of the grape; and the maidens54 growing frolicsome55 withal, and devotional."
Seeing that Hevaneva handled his wares56 with much familiarity, not to say irreverence57, Babbalanja was minded to learn from him, what he thought of his trade; whether the images he made were genuine or spurious; in a word, whether he believed in his gods.
His reply was curious. But still more so, the marginal gestures wherewith he helped out the text.
"When I cut down the trees for my idols," said he, "they are nothing but logs; when upon those logs, I chalk out the figures of, my images, they yet remain logs; when the chisel50 is applied58, logs they are still; and when all complete, I at last stand them up in my studio, even then they are logs. Nevertheless, when I handle the pay, they are as prime gods, as ever were turned out in Maramma."
"You must make a very great variety," said Babbalanja.
"All sorts, all sorts."
"And from the same material, I presume."
"Ay, ay, one grove59 supplies them all. And, on an average, each tree stands us in full fifty idols. Then, we often take second-hand60 images in part pay for new ones. These we work over again into new patterns; touching61 up their eyes and ears; resetting62 their noses; and more especially new-footing their legs, where they always decay first."
Under sanction of the Pontiff, Hevaneva, in addition to his large commerce in idols, also carried on the highly lucrative business of canoe-building; the profits whereof, undivided, he dropped into his private exchequer63. But Mohi averred64, that the Pontiff often charged him with neglecting his images, for his canoes. Be that as it may, Hevaneva drove a thriving trade at both avocations65. And in demonstration66 of the fact, he directed our attention to three long rows of canoes, upheld by wooden supports. They were in perfect order; at a moment's notice, ready for launching; being furnished with paddles, out-riggers, masts, sails, and a human skull67, with a short handle thrust through one of its eyes, the ordinary bailer68 of Maramma; besides other appurtenances, including on the prow1 a duodecimo idol37 to match.
Owing to a superstitious69 preference bestowed70 upon the wood and work of the sacred island, Hevaneva's canoes were in as high repute as his idols; and sold equally well.
In truth, in several ways one trade helped the other. The larger images being dug out of the hollow part of the canoes; and all knotty71 odds72 and ends reserved for the idol ear-rings.
"But after all," said the artificer, "I find a readier sale for my images, than for my canoes."
"And so it will ever be," said Babbalanja.—"Stick to thy idols, man! a trade, more reliable than the baker's."
点击收听单词发音
1 prow | |
n.(飞机)机头,船头 | |
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2 prows | |
n.船首( prow的名词复数 ) | |
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3 glided | |
v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 );掠过;(鸟或飞机 ) 滑翔 | |
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4 diffuse | |
v.扩散;传播;adj.冗长的;四散的,弥漫的 | |
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5 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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6 bluffs | |
恐吓( bluff的名词复数 ); 悬崖; 峭壁 | |
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7 lagoon | |
n.泻湖,咸水湖 | |
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8 dedicated | |
adj.一心一意的;献身的;热诚的 | |
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9 guardian | |
n.监护人;守卫者,保护者 | |
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10 vigilant | |
adj.警觉的,警戒的,警惕的 | |
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11 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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12 garrisoning | |
卫戍部队守备( garrison的现在分词 ); 派部队驻防 | |
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13 sentries | |
哨兵,步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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14 mandates | |
托管(mandate的第三人称单数形式) | |
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15 hereditary | |
adj.遗传的,遗传性的,可继承的,世袭的 | |
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16 pontifical | |
adj.自以为是的,武断的 | |
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17 javelin | |
n.标枪,投枪 | |
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18 divers | |
adj.不同的;种种的 | |
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19 hieroglyphically | |
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20 bruises | |
n.瘀伤,伤痕,擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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21 durable | |
adj.持久的,耐久的 | |
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22 fibers | |
光纤( fiber的名词复数 ); (织物的)质地; 纤维,纤维物质 | |
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23 fretted | |
焦躁的,附有弦马的,腐蚀的 | |
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24 intervals | |
n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
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25 vaulted | |
adj.拱状的 | |
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26 anecdote | |
n.轶事,趣闻,短故事 | |
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27 recital | |
n.朗诵,独奏会,独唱会 | |
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28 naught | |
n.无,零 [=nought] | |
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29 oyster | |
n.牡蛎;沉默寡言的人 | |
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30 banter | |
n.嘲弄,戏谑;v.取笑,逗弄,开玩笑 | |
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31 discoursing | |
演说(discourse的现在分词形式) | |
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32 celestial | |
adj.天体的;天上的 | |
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33 mantle | |
n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;v.罩住,覆盖,脸红 | |
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34 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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35 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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36 lucrative | |
adj.赚钱的,可获利的 | |
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37 idol | |
n.偶像,红人,宠儿 | |
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38 idols | |
偶像( idol的名词复数 ); 受崇拜的人或物; 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物; 神像 | |
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39 isles | |
岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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40 consecrated | |
adj.神圣的,被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣,给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 );奉献 | |
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41 strings | |
n.弦 | |
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42 monopolize | |
v.垄断,独占,专营 | |
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43 vocation | |
n.职业,行业 | |
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44 vassal | |
n.附庸的;属下;adj.奴仆的 | |
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45 prettily | |
adv.优美地;可爱地 | |
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46 margin | |
n.页边空白;差额;余地,余裕;边,边缘 | |
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47 spacious | |
adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
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48 prostrate | |
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的 | |
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49 plying | |
v.使用(工具)( ply的现在分词 );经常供应(食物、饮料);固定往来;经营生意 | |
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50 chisel | |
n.凿子;v.用凿子刻,雕,凿 | |
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51 chiseling | |
v.凿,雕,镌( chisel的现在分词 ) | |
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52 tacked | |
用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 ); 附加,增补; 帆船抢风行驶,用粗线脚缝 | |
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53 devout | |
adj.虔诚的,虔敬的,衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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54 maidens | |
处女( maiden的名词复数 ); 少女; 未婚女子; (板球运动)未得分的一轮投球 | |
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55 frolicsome | |
adj.嬉戏的,闹着玩的 | |
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56 wares | |
n. 货物, 商品 | |
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57 irreverence | |
n.不尊敬 | |
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58 applied | |
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用 | |
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59 grove | |
n.林子,小树林,园林 | |
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60 second-hand | |
adj.用过的,旧的,二手的 | |
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61 touching | |
adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
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62 resetting | |
v.重新安放或安置( reset的现在分词 );重拨(测量仪器指针);为(考试、测试等)出一套新题;重新安置,将…恢复原位 | |
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63 exchequer | |
n.财政部;国库 | |
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64 averred | |
v.断言( aver的过去式和过去分词 );证实;证明…属实;作为事实提出 | |
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65 avocations | |
n.业余爱好,嗜好( avocation的名词复数 );职业 | |
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66 demonstration | |
n.表明,示范,论证,示威 | |
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67 skull | |
n.头骨;颅骨 | |
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68 bailer | |
汲出积水的人,水斗; 水瓢; 水勺 | |
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69 superstitious | |
adj.迷信的 | |
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70 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71 knotty | |
adj.有结的,多节的,多瘤的,棘手的 | |
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72 odds | |
n.让步,机率,可能性,比率;胜败优劣之别 | |
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