"Come! let us sin, and be merry. Ho! wine, wine, wine! and lapfuls of flowers! let all the cane-brakes pipe their flutes7. Damsels! dance; reel, swim, around me:—I, the vortex that draws all in. Taji! Taji!— as a berry, that name is juicy in my mouth!—Taji, Taji!" and in choruses, she warbled forth8 the sound, till it seemed issuing from her syren eyes.
My heart flew forth from out its bars, and soared in air; but as my hand touched Hautia's, down dropped a dead bird from the clouds.
"Ha! how he sinks!—but did'st ever dive in deep waters, Taji? Did'st ever see where pearls grow?—To the cave!—damsels, lead on!"
Then wending through constellations9 of flowers, we entered deep groves10. And thus, thrice from sun-light to shade, it seemed three brief nights and days, ere we paused before the mouth of the cavern11.
A bow-shot from the sea, it pierced the hill-side like a vaulted13 way; and glancing in, we saw far gleams of water; crossed, here and there, by long-flung distant shadows of domes14 and columns. All Venice seemed within.
From a stack of golden palm-stalks, the damsels now made torches; then stood grouped; a sheaf of sirens in a sheaf of frame.
Illuminated15, the cavern shone like a Queen of Kandy's casket: full of dawns and sunsets.
From rocky roof to bubbling floor, it was columned with stalactites; and galleried all round, in spiral tiers, with sparkling, coral ledges16.
And now, their torches held aloft, into the water the maidens17 softly glided; and each a lotus floated; while, from far above, into the air Hautia flung her flambeau; then bounding after, in the lake, two meteors were quenched19.
Where she dived, the flambeaux clustered; and up among them, Hautia rose; hands, full of pearls.
"Lo! Taji; all these may be had for the diving; and Beauty, Health, Wealth, Long Life, and the Last Lost Hope of man. But through me alone, may these be had. Dive thou, and bring up one pearl if thou canst."
Down, down! down, down, in the clear, sparkling water, till I seemed crystalized in the flashing heart of a diamond; but from those bottomless depths, I uprose empty handed.
"Pearls, pearls! thy pearls! thou art fresh from the mines. Ah, Taji! for thee, bootless deep diving. Yet to Hautia, one shallow plunge20 reveals many Golcondas. But come; dive with me:—join hands—let me show thee strange things."
"Show me that which I seek, and I will dive with thee, straight through the world, till we come up in oceans unknown."
"Nay21, nay; but join hands, and I will take thee, where thy Past shall be forgotten; where thou wilt22 soon learn to love the living, not the dead."
"Better to me, oh Hautia! all the bitterness of my buried dead, than all the sweets of the life thou canst bestow23; even, were it eternal."
CHAPTER XCI. — Mardi Behind: An Ocean Before
Returned from the cave, Hautia reclined in her clematis bower24, invisible hands flinging fennel around her. And nearer, and nearer, stole dulcet25 sounds dissolving my woes26, as warm beams, snow. Strange languors made me droop28; once more within my inmost vault12, side by side, the Past and Yillah lay:—two bodies tranced;—while like a rounding sun, before me Hautia magnified magnificence; and through her fixed29 eyes, slowly drank up my soul.
"Life or death!"
"See, see!" and Yillah's rose-pearl danced before me.
I snatched it from her hand:—"Yillah! Yillah!"
"Rave34 on: she lies too deep to answer; stranger voices than thine she hears:—bubbles are bursting round her."
"Drowned! drowned then, even as she dreamed:—I come, I come!—Ha, what form is this?—hast mosses35? sea-thyme? pearls?—Help, help! I. — sink!—Back, shining monster!—-What, Hautia,—is it thou?—Oh vipress, I could slay36 thee!"
"Go, go,—and slay thyself: I may not make thee mine;—go,—dead to dead!—There is another cavern in the hill." Swift I fled along the valley-side; passed Hautia's cave of pearls; and gained a twilight37 arch; within, a lake transparent38 shone. Conflicting currents met, and wrestled39; and one dark arch led to channels, seaward tending.
Round and round, a gleaming form slow circled in the deepest eddies40:— white, and vaguely41 Yillah.
Then, as I frenzied44 gazed; gaining the one dark arch, the revolving45 shade darted out of sight, and the eddies whirled as before.
"Stay, stay! let me go with thee, though thou glidest to gulfs of blackness;—naught can exceed the hell of this despair!—Why beat longer in this corpse46 oh, my heart!"
As somnambulists fast-frozen in some horrid47 dream, ghost-like glide2 abroad, and fright the wakeful world; so that night, with death-glazed eyes, to and fro I flitted on the damp and weedy beach.
"Is this specter, Taji?"—and Mohi and the minstrel stood before me.
"Nay, then, phantom! the time has come to flee."
They dragged me to the water's brink49, where a prow50 was beached. Soon— Mohi at the helm—we shot beneath the far-flung shadow of a cliff; when, as in a dream, I hearkened to a voice.
Arrived at Odo, Media had been met with yells. Sedition51 was in arms, and to his beard defied him. Vain all concessions52 then. Foremost stood the three pale sons of him, whom I had slain53, to gain the maiden18 lost. Avengers, from the first hour we had parted on the sea, they had drifted on my track survived starvation; and lived to hunt me round all Mardi's reef; and now at Odo, that last threshold, waited to destroy; or there, missing the revenge they sought, still swore to hunt me round Eternity54.
Behind the avengers, raged a stormy mob, invoking55 Media to renounce56 his rule. But one hand waving like a pennant57 above the smoke of some sea-fight, straight through that tumult58 Media sailed serene59: the rioters parting from before him, as wild waves before a prow inflexible60.
A haven61 gained, he turned to Mohi and the minstrel:—"Oh, friends! after our long companionship, hard to part! But henceforth, for many moons, Odo will prove no home for old age, or youth. In Serenia only, will ye find the peace ye seek; and thither62 ye must carry Taji, who else must soon be slain, or lost. Go: release him from the thrall63 of Hautia. Outfly the avengers, and gain Serenia. Reek64 not of me. The state is tossed in storms; and where I stand, the combing billows must break over. But among all noble souls, in tempest-time, the headmost man last flies the wreck65. So, here in Odo will I abide66, though every plank67 breaks up beneath me. And then,—great Oro! let the king die clinging to the keel! Farewell!"
Such Mohi's tale.
In trumpet-blasts, the hoarse68 night-winds now blew; the Lagoon69, black with the still shadows of the mountains, and the driving shadows of the clouds. Of all the stars, only red Arcturus shone. But through the gloom, and on the circumvallating reef, the breakers dashed ghost-white.
"Ah! Yillah! Yillah!—the currents sweep thee ocean-ward; nor will I. — tarry behind.—Mardi, farewell!—Give me the helm, old man!"
"Nay, madman! Serenia is our haven. Through yonder strait, for thee, perdition lies. And from the deep beyond, no voyager e'er puts back."
"And why put back? is a life of dying worth living o'er again?—Let me, then, be the unreturning wanderer. The helm! By Oro, I will steer71 my own fate, old man.—Mardi, farewell!"
"Nay, Taji: commit not the last, last crime!" cried Yoomy.
"He's seized the helm! eternity is in his eye! Yoomy: for our lives we must now swim."
And plunging72, they struck out for land: Yoomy buoying73 Mohi up, and the salt waves dashing the tears from his pallid74 face, as through the scud75, he turned it on me mournfully.
"Now, I am my own soul's emperor; and my first act is abdication76! Hail! realm of shades!"—and turning my prow into the racing77 tide, which seized me like a hand omnipotent78, I darted through.
Churned in foam79, that outer ocean lashed80 the clouds; and straight in my white wake, headlong dashed a shallop, three fixed specters leaning o'er its prow: three arrows poising81.
And thus, pursuers and pursued flew on, over an endless sea.
THE END.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
glided
|
|
| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
glide
|
|
| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
bosom
|
|
| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
ebbed
|
|
| （指潮水）退( ebb的过去式和过去分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
motes
|
|
| n.尘埃( mote的名词复数 )；斑点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
darted
|
|
| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
flutes
|
|
| 长笛( flute的名词复数 )； 细长香槟杯（形似长笛） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
constellations
|
|
| n.星座( constellation的名词复数 )；一群杰出人物；一系列（相关的想法、事物）；一群（相关的人） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
groves
|
|
| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
cavern
|
|
| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
vault
|
|
| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
vaulted
|
|
| adj.拱状的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
domes
|
|
| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
illuminated
|
|
| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
ledges
|
|
| n.（墙壁，悬崖等）突出的狭长部分( ledge的名词复数 )；（平窄的）壁架；横档；（尤指）窗台 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
maiden
|
|
| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
quenched
|
|
| 解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
plunge
|
|
| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
nay
|
|
| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
wilt
|
|
| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
bestow
|
|
| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
bower
|
|
| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
dulcet
|
|
| adj.悦耳的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
woes
|
|
| 困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
woe
|
|
| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
droop
|
|
| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
ebbing
|
|
| （指潮水）退( ebb的现在分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
smote
|
|
| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
fathom
|
|
| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
crouching
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
rave
|
|
| vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
mosses
|
|
| n. 藓类, 苔藓植物 名词moss的复数形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
slay
|
|
| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
twilight
|
|
| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
transparent
|
|
| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
wrestled
|
|
| v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
eddies
|
|
| （水、烟等的）漩涡，涡流( eddy的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
vaguely
|
|
| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
plunged
|
|
| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
capes
|
|
| 碎谷； 斗篷( cape的名词复数 )； 披肩； 海角； 岬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
frenzied
|
|
| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
revolving
|
|
| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
corpse
|
|
| n.尸体，死尸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
horrid
|
|
| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
phantom
|
|
| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
brink
|
|
| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
prow
|
|
| n.(飞机)机头，船头 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
sedition
|
|
| n.煽动叛乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
concessions
|
|
| n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
slain
|
|
| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
eternity
|
|
| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
invoking
|
|
| v.援引( invoke的现在分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
renounce
|
|
| v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
pennant
|
|
| n.三角旗；锦标旗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
tumult
|
|
| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
serene
|
|
| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
inflexible
|
|
| adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
haven
|
|
| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
thither
|
|
| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
thrall
|
|
| n.奴隶；奴隶制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
reek
|
|
| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
wreck
|
|
| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
abide
|
|
| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
plank
|
|
| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
hoarse
|
|
| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
lagoon
|
|
| n.泻湖，咸水湖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
outlet
|
|
| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
steer
|
|
| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
plunging
|
|
| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
buoying
|
|
| v.使浮起( buoy的现在分词 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
pallid
|
|
| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
scud
|
|
| n.疾行；v.疾行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
abdication
|
|
| n.辞职；退位 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
racing
|
|
| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
omnipotent
|
|
| adj.全能的，万能的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
foam
|
|
| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
lashed
|
|
| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
poising
|
|
| 使平衡( poise的现在分词 )； 保持（某种姿势）； 抓紧； 使稳定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |