"The first thing that offered itself to my sight was the body of a barbarian1 hanging to a tree, by which I knew that I was in a country of savages2, and immediately fear placed before my eyes a thousand different modes of death. Not knowing precisely3 which to dread4, 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 bough5, 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 conceal6 my foreign tongue, and that I might not be known to be a stranger, I pretended to be deaf and dumb, and in this guise7 I proceeded further into the island, jumping and making fantastic capers8 in the air.
"At a short distance I perceived a great number of the barbarians9 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 implicit10 credit. Many men have I seen sacrificed in order to accomplish it, many maidens11 I have seen purchased for the same purpose, until the conflagration12 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 dungeon13, where you all no doubt have been. I saw these boats and flew to the shore, where in your generous bosoms14 I found an answer to my entreaties15, 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 embarked16 and directed their course towards another island they discovered not very far off. As they were making way with all the speed two oars17 could accomplish, for each boat had no more, a voice, low and melodious18, 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 Portuguese19 tongue, which he understood perfectly20. The voice ceased, but shortly after began again to sing in Castilian, in time to the motion of the oars, which impelled21 the boats gently through a tranquil22 sea; the words he sang were as follows.
Upon a tranquil sea
With fav'ring winds
And starry23 sky,
And by a pleasant way,
Unknown, yet sure,
Thy strange and wondrous24 bark,
Her course shall ply25,
Borne onwards to a port,
Safe and secure.
Onwards direct and straight
Her course she steers26,
Nor upon Scylla, nor Charybdis driven,
Nor hidden rocks,
Nor secret perils27, fears,
Honour, the end and aim, for which she thus hath striv'n.
Let not thine efforts fail,
Even though hopeless seem,
The distant haven28;
Nor once remit29 thy toil30,
Nor ever slacken sail.
True love can never change,
And only he,
Will prosp'rous be,
Who firm and true remains31,
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 courteously32. 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; albeit34 I believe I shall not long encumber35 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 miseries36 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 cowardice37 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 discoursed38, 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 ashore39, drew up their boats, and began with great speed to despoil40 the trees, and make a hut to keep themselves from the cold that night; they also kindled41 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 entreated42 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 courteous33 and without more entreaty43, began thus.
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1
barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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2
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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3
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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5
bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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7
guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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8
capers
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| n.开玩笑( caper的名词复数 )；刺山柑v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的第三人称单数 ) | |
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9
barbarians
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| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
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10
implicit
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| a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的 | |
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11
maidens
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| 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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12
conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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13
dungeon
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| n.地牢，土牢 | |
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14
bosoms
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| 胸部( bosom的名词复数 )； 胸怀； 女衣胸部（或胸襟）； 和爱护自己的人在一起的情形 | |
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15
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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16
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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17
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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18
melodious
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| adj.旋律美妙的，调子优美的，音乐性的 | |
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19
Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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21
impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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22
tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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23
starry
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| adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的 | |
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24
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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25
ply
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| v.(搬运工等)等候顾客，弯曲 | |
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26
steers
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| n.阉公牛，肉用公牛( steer的名词复数 )v.驾驶( steer的第三人称单数 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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27
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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28
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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29
remit
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| v.汇款，汇寄；豁免（债务），免除（处罚等） | |
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30
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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31
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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32
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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33
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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34
albeit
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| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
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35
encumber
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| v.阻碍行动，妨碍，堆满 | |
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36
miseries
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| n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 )；痛苦的事；穷困；常发牢骚的人 | |
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37
cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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38
discoursed
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| 演说（discourse的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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39
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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40
despoil
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| v.夺取，抢夺 | |
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41
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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42
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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