道林格雷的画像_奥斯卡·王尔德-第24章

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aw　that　there　was　no　mood　of　the　mind　that　had　not　its　counterpart　in　the　sensuous　life；　and　set　himself　to　discover　their　true　relations；　wondering　what　there　was　in　frankincense　that　made　one　mystical；　and　in　ambergris　that　stirred　ones　passions；　and　in　violets　that　woke　the　memory　of　dead　romances；　and　in　musk　that　troubled　the　brain；　and　in　champak　that　stained　the　imagination；　and　seeking　often　to　elaborate　a　real　psychology　of　perfumes；　and　to　estimate　the　several　influences　of　sweet…smelling　roots　and　scented；　pollen…laden　flowers；　of　aromatic　balms　and　of　dark　and　fragrant　woods；　of　spikenard；　that　sickens；　of　hovenia；　that　makes　men　mad；　and　of　aloes；　that　are　said　to　be　able　to　expel　melancholy　from　the　soul。

at　another　time　he　devoted　himself　entirely　to　music；　and　in　a　long　latticed　room；　with　a　vermilion…and…gold　ceiling　and　walls　of　olive…green　lacquer；　he　used　to　give　curious　concerts　in　which　mad　gipsies　tore　wild　music　from　little　zithers；　or　grave；　yellow…shawled　tunisians　plucked　at　the　strained　strings　of　monstrous　lutes；　while　grinning　negroes　beat　monotonously　upon　copper　drums　and；　crouching　upon　scarlet　mats；　slim　turbaned　indians　blew　through　long　pipes　of　reed　or　brass　and　charmed　or　feigned　to　charmgreat　hooded　snakes　and　horrible　horned　adders。　the　harsh　intervals　and　shrill　discords　of　barbaric　music　stirred　him　at　times　when　schuberts　grace；　and　chopins　beautiful　sorrows；　and　the　mighty　harmonies　of　beethoven　himself；　fell　unheeded　on　his　ear。　he　collected　together　from　all　parts　of　the　world　the　strangest　instruments　that　could　be　found；　either　in　the　tombs　of　dead　nations　or　among　the　few　savage　tribes　that　have　survived　contact　with　western　civilizations；　and　loved　to　touch　and　try　them。　he　had　the　mysterious　juruparis　of　the　rio　negro　indians；　that　women　are　not　allowed　to　look　at　and　that　even　youths　may　not　see　till　they　have　been　subjected　to　fasting　and　scourging；　and　the　earthen　jars　of　the　peruvians　that　have　the　shrill　cries　of　birds；　and　flutes　of　human　bones　such　as　alfonso　de　ovalle　heard　in　chile；　and　the　sonorous　green　jaspers　that　are　found　near　cuzco　and　give　forth　a　note　of　singular　sweetness。　he　had　painted　gourds　filled　with　pebbles　that　rattled　when　they　were　shaken；　the　long　clarin　of　the　mexicans；　into　which　the　performer　does　not　blow；　but　through　which　he　inhales　the　air；　the　harsh　ture　of　the　amazon　tribes；　that　is　sounded　by　the　sentinels　who　sit　all　day　long　in　high　trees；　and　can　be　heard；　it　is　said；　at　a　distance　of　three　leagues；　the　teponaztli；　that　has　two　vibrating　tongues　of　wood　and　is　beaten　with　sticks　that　are　smeared　with　an　elastic　gum　obtained　from　the　milky　juice　of　plants；　the　yotl…bells　of　the　aztecs；　that　are　hung　in　clusters　like　grapes；　and　a　huge　cylindrical　drum；　covered　with　the　skins　of　great　serpents；　like　the　one　that　bernal　diaz　saw　when　he　went　with　cortes　into　the　mexican　temple；　and　of　whose　doleful　sound　he　has　left　us　so　vivid　a　description。　the　fantastic　character　of　these　instruments　fascinated　him；　and　he　felt　a　curious　delight　in　the　thought　that　art；　like　nature；　has　her　monsters；　things　of　bestial　shape　and　with　hideous　voices。　yet；　after　some　time；　he　wearied　of　them；　and　would　sit　in　his　box　at　the　opera；　either　alone　or　with　lord　henry；　listening　in　rapt　pleasure　to　〃tannh？user〃　and　seeing　in　the　prelude　to　that　great　work　of　art　a　presentation　of　the　tragedy　of　his　own　soul。

on　one　occasion　he　took　up　the　study　of　jewels；　and　appeared　at　a　costume　ball　as　anne　de　joyeuse；　admiral　of　france；　in　a　dress　covered　with　five　hundred　and　sixty　pearls。　this　taste　enthralled　him　for　years；　and；　indeed；　may　be　said　never　to　have　left　him。　he　would　often　spend　a　whole　day　settling　and　resettling　in　their　cases　the　various　stones　that　be　had　collected；　such　as　the　olive…green　chrysoberyl　that　turns　red　by　lamplight；　the　cymophane　with　its　wirelike　line　of　silver；　the　pistachio…coloured　peridot；　rose…pink　and　wine…yellow　topazes；　carbuncles　of　fiery　scarlet　with　tremulous；　four…rayed　stars；　flame…red　cinnamon…stones；　orange　and　violet　spinels；　and　amethysts　with　their　alternate　layers　of　ruby　and　sapphire。　he　loved　the　red　gold　of　the　sunstone；　and　the　moonstones　pearly　whiteness；　and　the　broken　rainbow　of　the　milky　opal。　he　procured　from　amsterdam　three　emeralds　of　extraordinary　size　and　richness　of　colour；　and　had　a　turquoise　de　la　vieille　roche　that　was　the　envy　of　all　the　connoisseurs。

he　discovered　wonderful　stories；　also；　about　jewels。　in　alphonsos　clericalis　disciplina　a　serpent　was　mentioned　with　eyes　of　real　jacinth；　and　in　the　romantic　history　of　alexander；　the　conqueror　of　emathia　was　said　to　have　found　in　the　vale　of　jordan　snakes　〃with　collars　of　real　emeralds　growing　on　their　backs。〃　there　was　a　gem　in　the　brain　of　the　dragon；　philostratus　told　us；　and　〃by　the　exhibition　of　golden　letters　and　a　scarlet　robe〃　the　monster　could　be　thrown　into　a　magical　sleep　and　slain。　according　to　the　great　alchemist；　pierre　de　boniface；　the　diamond　rendered　a　man　invisible；　and　the　agate　of　india　made　him　eloquent。　the　cornelian　appeased　anger；　and　the　hyacinth　provoked　sleep；　and　the　amethyst　drove　away　the　fumes　of　wine。　the　garnet　cast　out　demons；　and　the　hydropicus　deprived　the　moon　of　her　colour。　the　selenite　waxed　and　waned　with　the　moon；　and　the　meloceus；　that　discovers　thieves；　could　be　affected　only　by　the　blood　of　kids。　leonardus　camillus　had　seen　a　white　stone　taken　from　the　brain　of　a　newly　killed　toad；　that　was　a　certain　antidote　against　poison。　the　bezoar；　that　was　found　in　the　heart　of　the　arabian　deer；　was　a　charm　that　could　cure　the　plague。　in　the　nests　of　arabian　birds　was　the　aspilates；　that；　according　to　democritus；　kept　the　wearer　from　any　danger　by　fire。

the　king　of　ceilan　rode　through　his　city　with　a　large　ruby　in　his　hand；　as　the　ceremony　of　his　coronation。　the　gates　of　the　palace　of　john　the　priest　were　〃made　of　sardius；　with　the　horn　of　the　horned　snake　inwrought；　so　that　no　man　might　bring　poison　within。〃　over　the　gable　were　〃two　golden　apples；　in　which　were　two　carbuncles；〃　so　that　the　gold　might　shine　by　day　and　the　carbuncles　by　night。　in　lodges　strange　romance　a　margarite　of　america；　it　was　stated　that　in　the　chamber　of　the　queen　one　could　behold　〃all　the　chaste　ladies　of　the　world；　inchased　out　of　silver；　looking　through　fair　mirrours　of　chrysolites；　carbuncles；　sapphires；　and　greene　emeraults。〃　marco　polo　had　seen　the　inhabitants　of　zipangu　place　rose…coloured　pearls　in　the　mouths　of　the　dead。　a　sea…monster　had　been　enamoured　of　the　pearl　that　the　diver　brought　to　king　perozes；　and　had　slain　the　thief；　and　mourned　for　seven　moons　over　its　loss。　when　the　huns　lured　the　king　into　the　great　pit；　he　flung　it　away　procopius　tells　the　storynor　was　it　ever　found　again；　though　the　emperor　anastasius　offered　five　hundred…weight　of　gold　pieces　for　it。　the　king　of　malabar　had　shown　to　a　certain　venetian　a　rosary　of　three　hundred　and　four　pearls；　one　for　every　god　that　he　worshipped。

when　the　duke　de　valentinois；　son　of　alexander　vi；　visited　louis　xii　of　france；　his　horse　was　loaded　with　gold　leaves；　according　to　brantome；　and　his　cap　had　double　rows　of　rubies　that　threw　out　a　great　light。　charles　of　england　had　ridden　in　stirrups　hung　with　four　hundred　and　twenty…one　diamonds。　richard　ii　had　a　coat；　valued　at　thirty　thousand　marks；　which　was　covered　with　balas　rubies。　hall　described　henry　viii；　on　his　way　to　the　tower　previous　to　his　coronation；　as　wearing　〃a　jacket　of　raised　gold；　the　placard　embroidered　with　diamonds　and　other　rich　stones；　and　a　great　bauderike　about　his　neck　of　large　balasses。〃　the　favourites　of　james　i　wore　ear…rings　of　emeralds　set　in　gold　filigrane。　edward　ii　gave　to　piers　gaveston　a　suit　of　red…gold　armour　studded　with　jacinths；　a　collar　of　gold　roses　set　with　turquoise…stones；　and　a　skull…cap　parsem茅　with　pearls。　henry　ii　wore　jewelled　gloves　reaching　to　the　elbow；　and　had　a　hawk…glove　sewn　with　twelve　rubies　and　fifty…two　great　orients。　the　ducal　hat　of　charles　the　rash；　the　last　duke　of　burgundy　of　his　race；　was　hung　with　pear…shaped　pearls　and　studded　with　sapphires。

how　exquisite　life　had　once　been！　how　gorgeous　in　its　pomp　and　decoration！　even　to　read　of　the　luxury　of　the　dead　was　wonderful。

then　he　turned　his　attention　to　embroideries　and　to　the　tapestries　that　performed　the　office　of　frescoes　in　the　chill　rooms　of　the　northern　nations　of　europe。　as　he　investigated　the　subject　and　he　always　had　an　extraordinary　faculty　of　being　absolutely　absorbed　for　the　moment　in　whatever　he　took　uphe　was　almost　saddened　by　the　reflection　of　the　ruin　that　time　brought　on　beautiful　and　wonderful　things。　he；　at　any　rate；　had　escaped　that。　summer　followed　summer；　and　the　yellow　jonquils　bloomed　and　died　many　times；　and　nights　of　horror　repeated　the　story　of　their　shame；　but　he　was　unchanged。　no　winter　marred　his　face　or　stained　his　flowerlike　bloom。　how　different　it　was　with　material　things！　where　had　they　passed　to？　where　was　the　great　crocus…coloured　robe；　on　which　the　gods　fought　against　the　giants；　that　had　been　worked　by　brown　girls　for　the　pleasure　of　athena？　where　the　huge　velarium　that　nero　had　stretched　across　the　colosseum　at　rome；　that　titan　sail　of　purple　on　which　was　represented　the　starry　sky；　and　apollo　driving　a　chariot　drawn　by　white；　gilt…reined　steeds？　he　longed　to　see　the　curious　table…napkins　wrought　for　the　priest　of　the　sun；　on　which　were　displayed　all　the　dainties　and　viands　that　could　be　wanted　for　a　feast；　the　mortuary　cloth　of　king　chilperic；　with　its　three　hundred　golden　bees；　the　fantastic　robes　that　excited　the　indignation　of　the　bishop　of　pontus　and　were　figured　with　〃lions；　panthers；　bears；　dogs；　forests；　rocks；　huntersall；　in　fact；　that　a　painter　can　copy　from　nature〃；　and　the　coat　that　charles　of　orleans　once　wore；　on　the　sleeves　of　which　were　embroidered　the　verses　of　a　song　beginning　〃madame；　je　suis　tout　joyeux；〃　the　musical　acpaniment　of　the　words　being　wrought　in　gold　thread；　and　each　note；　of　square　shape　in　those　days；　formed　with　four　pearls。　he　read　of　the　room　that　was　prepared　at　the　palace　at　rheims　for　the　use　of　queen　joan　of　burgundy　and　was　decorated　with　〃thirteen　hundred　and　twenty…one　parrots；　made　in　broidery；　and　blazoned　with　the　kings　arms；　and　five　hundred　and　sixty…one　butterflies；　whose　wings　were　similarly　ornamented　with　the　arms　of　the　queen；　the　whole　worked　in　gold。〃　catherine　de　m茅dicis　had　a　mourning…bed　made　for　her　of　black　velvet　powdered　with　crescents　and　suns。　its　curtains　were　of　damask；　with　leafy　wreaths　and　garlands；　figured　upon　a　gold　and　silver　ground；　and　fringed　along　the　edges　with　broideries　of　pearls；　and　it　stood　in　a　room　hung　with　rows　of　the　queens　devices　in　cut　black　velvet　upon　cloth　of　silver。　louis　xiv　had　gold　embroidered　caryatides　fifteen　feet　high　in　his　apartment。　the　state　bed　of　sobieski；　king　of　poland；　was　made　of　smyrna　gold　brocade　embroidered　in　turquoises　with　verses　from　the　koran。　its　supports　were　of　silver　gilt；　beautifully　chased；　and　profusely　set　with　enamelled　and　jewelled　medallions。　it　had　been　taken　from　the　turkish　camp　before　vienna；　and　the　standard　of　mohammed　had　stood　beneath　the　tremulous　gilt　of　its　canopy。

and　so；　for　a　whole　year；　he　sought　to　accumulate　the　most　exquisite　spe