nisida-第2章

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be　a　thief　than　to　be　an　honest　man。　　Finally　he　decided　in　favour　of
contemplative　philosophy。　　He　had　a　passionate　preference　for　the
horizontal　position；　and　found　the　greatest　pleasure　in　the　world　in
watching　the　shooting　of　stars。　　Unfortunately；　in　the　course　of　his
meditations　this　deserving　man　came　near　to　dying　of　hunger；　which
would　have　been　a　great　pity；　for　he　was　beginning　to　accustom
himself　not　to　eat　anything。　　But　as　he　was　predestined　by　nature　to
play　a　small　part　in　our　story；　God　showed　him　grace　for　that　time；
and　sent　to　his　assistancenot　one　of　His　angels；　the　rogue　was　not
worthy　of　that；　butone　of　Brancaleone's　hunting　dogs。　　The　noble
animal　sniffed　round　the　philosopher；　and　uttered　a　little　charitable
growl　that　would　have　done　credit　to　one　of　the　brethren　of　Mount　St。
Bernard。　　The　prince；　who　was　returning　in　triumph　from　hunting；　and
who；　by　good　luck；　had　that　day　killed　a　bear　and　ruined　a　countess；
had　an　odd　inclination　to　do　a　good　deed。　　He　approached　the　plebeian
who　was　about　to　pass　into　the　condition　of　a　corpse；　stirred　the
thing　with　his　foot；　and　seeing　that　there　was　still　a　little　hope；
bade　his　people　bring　him　along。

》From　that　day　onward；　Trespolo　saw　the　dream　of　his　life　nearly
realised。　　Something　rather　above　a　footman　and　rather　below　a　house
steward；　he　became　the　confidant　of　his　master；　who　found　his　talents
most　useful；　for　this　Trespolo　was　as　sharp　as　a　demon　and　almost　as
artful　as　a　woman。　　The　prince；　who；　like　an　intelligent　man　as　he
was；　had　divined　that　genius　is　naturally　indolent；　asked　nothing　of
him　but　advice；　when　tiresome　people　wanted　thrashing；　he　saw　to　that
matter　himself；　and；　indeed；　he　was　the　equal　of　any　two　at　such
work。　　As　nothing　in　this　lower　world；　however；　is　complete；　Trespolo
had　strange　moments　amid　this　life　of　delights；　from　time　to　time　his
happiness　was　disturbed　by　panics　that　greatly　diverted　his　master；
he　would　mutter　incoherent　words；　stifle　violent　sighs；　and　lose　his
appetite。　　The　root　of　the　matter　was　that　the　poor　fellow　was　afraid
of　going　to　hell。　　The　matter　was　very　simple：　he　was　afraid　of
everything；　and；　besides；　it　had　often　been　preached　to　him　that　the
Devil　never　allowed　a　moment's　rest　to　those　who　were　ill…advised
enough　to　fall　into　his　clutches。　　Trespolo　was　in　one　of　his　good
moods　of　repentance；　when　the　prince；　after　gazing　on　the　young　girl
with　the　fierce　eagerness　of　a　vulture　about　to　swoop　upon　its　prey；
turned　to　speak　to　his　intimate　adviser。　　The　poor　servant　understood
his　master's　abominable　design；　and　not　wishing　to　share　the　guilt　of
a　sacrilegious　conversation；　opened　his　eyes　very　wide　and　turned
them　up　to　heaven　in　ecstatic　contemplation。　　The　prince　coughed；
stamped　his　foot；　moved　his　sword　so　as　to　hit　Trespolo's　legs；　but
could　not　get　from　him　any　sign　of　attention；　so　absorbed　did　he
appear　in　celestial　thoughts。　　Brancaleone　would　have　liked　to　wring
his　neck；　but　both　his　hands　were　occupied　by　the　staff　of　the
canopy；　and　besides；　the　king　was　present。

At　last　they　were　drawing　nearer　to　the　church　of　St。　Clara；　where
the　Neapolitan　kings　were　buried；　and　where　several　princesses　of　the
blood；　exchanging　the　crown　for　the　veil；　have　gone　to　bury
themselves　alive。　　The　nuns；　novices；　and　abbess；　hidden　behind
shutters；　were　throwing　flowers　upon　the　procession。　　A　bunch　fell　at
the　feet　of　the　Prince　of　Brancaleone。

〃Trespolo；　pick　up　that　nosegay；〃　said　the　prince；　so　audibly　that
his　servant　had　no　further　excuse。　　〃It　is　from　Sister　Theresa；〃　he
added；　in　a　low　voice；　〃constancy　is　only　to　be　found；　nowadays；　in　a
convent。〃

Trespolo　picked　up　the　nosegay　and　came　towards　his　master；　looking
like　a　man　who　was　being　strangled。

〃Who　is　that　girl？〃　the　latter　asked　him　shortly。

〃Which　one？〃　stammered　the　servant。

〃Forsooth！　　The　one　walking　in　front　of　us。〃

〃I　don't　know　her；　my　lord。〃

〃You　must　find　out　something　about　her　before　this　evening。〃

〃I　shall　have　to　go　rather　far　afield。〃

〃Then　you　do　know　her；　you　intolerable　rascal！　　I　have　half　a　mind　to
have　you　hanged　like　a　dog。〃

〃For　pity's　sake；　my　lord；　think　of　the　salvation　of　your　soul；　of
your　eternal　life。〃

〃I　advise　you　to　think　of　your　temporal　life。　　What　is　her　name？〃

〃She　is　called　Nisida；　and　is　the　prettiest　girl　in　the　island　that
she　is　named　after。　　She　is　innocence　itself。　　Her　father　is　only　a
poor　fisherman；　but　I　can　assure　your　excellency　that　in　his　island
he　is　respected　like　a　king。〃

〃Indeed！〃　replied　the　prince；　with　an　ironical　smile。　　〃I　must　own；
to　my　great　shame；　that　I　have　never　visited　the　little　island　of
Nisida。　　You　will　have　a　boat　ready　for　me　to…morrow；　and　then　we
will　see。〃

He　interrupted　himself　suddenly；　for　the　king　was　looking　at　him；　and
calling　up　the　most　sonorous　bass　notes　that　he　could　find　in　the
depths　of　his　throat；　he　continued　with　an　inspired　air；　〃Genitori
genitoque　laus　et　jubilatio。〃

〃Amen；〃　replied　the　serving…man　in　a　ringing　voice。

Nisida；　the　beloved　daughter　of　Solomon；　the　fisherman；　was；　as　we
have　said；　the　loveliest　flower　of　the　island　from　which　she　derived
her　name。　　That　island　is　the　most　charming　spot；　the　most　delicious
nook　with　which　we　are　acquainted；　it　is　a　basket　of　greenery　set
delicately　amid　the　pure　and　transparent　waters　of　the　gulf；　a　hill
wooded　with　orange　trees　and　oleanders；　and　crowned　at　the　summit　by
a　marble　castle。　　All　around　extends　the　fairy…like　prospect　of　that
immense　amphitheatre；　one　of　the　mightiest　wonders　of　creation。
There　lies　Naples；　the　voluptuous　syren；　reclining　carelessly　on　the
seashore；　there；　Portici；　Castellamare；　and　Sorrento；　the　very　names
of　which　awaken　in　the　imagination　a　thousand　thoughts　of　poetry　and
love；　there　are　Pausilippo；　Baiae；　Puozzoli；　and　those　vast　plains；
where　the　ancients　fancied　their　Elysium；　sacred　solitudes　which　one
might　suppose　peopled　by　the　men　of　former　days；　where　the　earth
echoes　under　foot　like　an　empty　grave；　and　the　air　has　unknown　sounds
and　strange　melodies。

Solomon's　hut　stood　in　that　part　of　the　island　which；　turning　its
back　to　the　capital；　beholds　afar　the　blue　crests　of　Capri。　　Nothing
could　be　simpler　or　brighter。　　The　brick　walls　were　hung　with　ivy
greener　than　emeralds；　and　enamelled　with　white　bell…flowers；　on　the
ground　floor　was　a　fairly　spacious　apartment；　in　which　the　men　slept
and　the　family　took　their　meals；　on　the　floor　above　was　Nisida's
little　maidenly　room；　full　of　coolness；　shadows；　and　mystery；　and
lighted　by　a　single　casement　that　looked　over　the　gulf；　above　this
room　was　a　terrace　of　the　Italian　kind；　the　four　pillars　of　which
were　wreathed　with　vine　branches；　while　its　vine…clad　arbour　and　wide
parapet　were　overgrown　with　moss　and　wild　flowers。　　A　little　hedge
of　hawthorn；　which　had　been　respected　for　ages；　made　a　kind　of
rampart　around　the　fisherman's　premises；　and　defended　his　house
better　than　deep　moats　and　castellated　walls　could　have　done。　　The
boldest　roisterers　of　the　place　would　have　preferred　to　fight　before
the　parsonage　and　in　the　precincts　of　the　church　rather　than　in　front
of　Solomon's　little　enclosure。　　Otherwise；　this　was　the　meeting　place
of　the　whole　island。　　Every　evening；　precisely　at　the　same　hour；　the
good　women　of　the　neighbourhood　came　to　knit　their　woollen　caps　and
tell　the　news。　　Groups　of　little　children；　naked；　brown；　and　as
mischievous　as　little　imps；　sported　about；　rolling　on　the　grass　and
throwing　handfuls　of　sand　into　the　other's　eyes；　heedless　of　the　risk
of　blinding；　while　their　mothers　were　engrossed　in　that　grave　gossip
which　marks　the　dwellers　in　villages。　　These　gatherings　occurred
daily　before　the　fisherman's　house；　they　formed　a　tacit　and　almost
involuntary　homage；　consecrated　by　custom；　and　of　which　no　one　had
ever　taken　special　account；　the　envy　that　rules　in　small　communities
would　soon　have　suppressed　them。　　The　influence　which　old　Solomon　had
over　his　equals　had　grown　so　simply　and　naturally；　that　no　one　found
any　fault　with　it；　and　it　had　only　attracted　notice　when　everyone　was
benefiting　by　it；　like　those　fine　trees　whose　growth　is　only　observed
when　we　profit　by　their　shade。　　If　any　dispute　arose　in　the　island；
the　two　opponents　preferred　to　abide　by　the　judgment　of　the　fisherman
instead　of　going　before　the　court；　he　was　fortunate　enough　or　clever
enough　to　send　away　both　parties　satisfied。　　He　knew　what　remedies　to
prescribe　better　than　any　physician；　for　it　seldom　happened　that　he
or　his　had　not　felt　the　same　ailments；　and　his　knowledge；　founded　on
personal　experience；　produced　the　most　excellent　results。　　Moreover；
he　had　no　interest；　as　ordinary　doctors　have；　in　prolonging
illnesses。　　For　many　years　past　the　only　formality　recognised　as　a
guarantee　for　the　inviolability　of　a　contract　had　been　the
intervention　of　the　fisherman。　　Each　party　shook　hands　with　Solomon；
and　the　thing　was　done。　　They　would　rather　have　thrown　themselves
into　Vesuvius　at　the　moment　of　its　most　violent　eruption　than　have
broken　so　solemn　an　agreement。　　At　the　period　when　our　story　opens；
it　was　impossible　to　find　any　person　in　the　island　who　had　not　felt
the　effects　of　the　fisherman's　generosity；　and　that　without　needing
to　confess　to　him　any　necessities。　　As　it　was　the　custom　for　the
little　populace　of　Nisida　to　spend　its　leisure　hours　before　Solomon's
cottage；　the　old　man；　while　he　walked　slowly　among　the　different
groups；　humming　his　favourite　song；　discovered　moral　and　physical
weaknesses　as　he　passed　；　and　the　same　evening　he　or　his　daughter
would　certainly　be　seen　coming　mysteriously　to　bestow　a　benefit　upon
every　sufferer；　to　lay　a　balm　upon　every　wound。　　In　short；　he　united
in　his　person　all　those　occupations　whose　business　is　to　help
mankind。　　Lawyers；　doctors；　and　the　notary；　all　the　vultures　of
civilisation；　had　beaten　a　retreat　before　the　patriarchal　benevolence
of　the　fisherman。　　Even　the　priest　had　capitulated。

On　the　morrow　of　the　Feast　of　the　Assumption；　Solomon　was　sitting；　as
his　habit　was；　on　a　stone　bench　in　front　of　his　house；　his　legs
crossed　and　his　arms　carelessly　stretched　out。　　At　the　first　glance
you　would　have　taken　him　for　sixty　at　the　outside；　though　he　was
really　over　eighty。　　He　had　all　his　teeth；　which　were　as　white　as
pearls；　and　showed　them　proudly。　　His　brow；　calm　and　restful　beneath
its　crown　of　abundant　white　hair；　was　as　firm　and　polished　as　marble；
not　a　wrinkle　ruffled　the　corner　of　his　eye；　and　the　gem…like　lustre
of　his　blue　orbs　revealed　a　freshness　of　soul　and　an　eternal　youth
such　as　fable　grants　to　the　sea…gods。　　He　displayed　his　bare　arms　and
muscular　neck　with　an　old　man's　vanity。　　Never　had　a　gloomy　idea；　an
evil　prepossession；　or　a　keen　remorse；　arisen　to　disturb　his　long　and
peaceful　life。　　He　had　never　seen　a　tear　flow　near　him　without
hurrying　to　wipe　it；　poor　though　he　was；　he　had　succeeded　in　pouring
out　benefits　that　all　the　kings　of　the　earth　could　not　have　bought
with　their　gold；　ignorant　though　he　was；　he　had　spoken　to　his　fellows
the　only　language　that　they　could　understand；　the　language　of　the
heart。　　One　single　drop　of　bitterness　had　mingled　with　his
inexhaustib