the virgin of the sun-第11章

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One　day；　it　was　when　I　had　been　with　him　about　eighteen　months；　he
said　to　me　suddenly。

〃You　plough　the　field；　Hubert；　and　do　not　tithe　the　crop；　but　live
upon　the　bounty　of　the　husbandman。　Henceforward　take　as　much　of　it　as
you　will。　I　ask　no　account。〃

So　I　found　myself　rich；　though　in　truth　I　spent　but　little；　both
because　my　tastes　were　simple　and　it　was　part　of　my　uncle's　policy　to
make　no　show　which　he　said　would　bring　envy　on　us。　From　this　time
forward　he　began　to　withdraw　himself　from　business；　the　truth　being
that　age　took　hold　of　him　and　he　grew　feeble。　The　highest　of　the
affairs　he　left　to　me；　only　inquiring　of　them　and　giving　his　counsel
from　time　to　time。　Still；　because　he　must　do　something；　he　busied
himself　in　the　shop　which；　as　he　said；　he　kept　as　a　trap　for　the
birds；　chaffering　in　ornaments　and　furs　as　though　his　bread　depended
upon　his　earning　a　gold　piece；　and　directing　the　manufacture　of
beautiful　jewels　and　cups　which　he；　who　was　an　artist；　designed　to　be
made　by　his　skilled　and　highly　paid　workmen；　some　of　whom　were
foreigners。

〃We　end　where　we　began；〃　he　would　say。　〃A　smith　was　I　from　my
childhood　and　a　smith　I　shall　die。　What　a　fate　for　one　of　the　blood　of
Thorgrimmer！　Yet　I　am　selling　you　into　the　same　bondage；　or　so　it
would　seem。　But　who　knows？　Who　knows？　We　design；　but　God　decrees。〃

It　is　to　be　noted　that　when　old　men　cease　from　the　occupation　of　their
lives；　often　enough　within　a　very　little　time　they　also　cease　from
life　itself。　So　it　was　with　my　uncle。　Day　by　day　he　faded　till　at　last
at　the　beginning　of　the　third　winter　after　I　came　to　him　he　took　to
his　bed　where　he　lay　growing　ever　weaker　till　at　length　he　died　in　the
hour　of　the　birth　of　the　new　year。

To　the　last　his　mind　remained　clear　and　strong；　and　never　more　so　than
on　the　night　of　his　death。　That　evening　after　I　had　eaten　I　went　to
his　room　as　usual　and　found　him　reading　a　beautiful　manuscript　of　the
book　of　the　Wisdom　of　Solomon　that　is　called　Ecclesiastes；　a　work
which　he　preferred　to　all　others；　since　its　thoughts　were　his。　〃I
gathered　me　also　silver　and　gold　and　the　peculiar　treasures　of　kings；〃
he　read　aloud；　whether　to　himself　or　to　me　I　knew　not；　and　went　on；
〃So　I　was　great；　and　increased　more　than　all　that　were　before　me。
。　。　。　Then　I　looked　on　all　the　works　that　my　hands　had　wrought；　and　on
the　labour　that　I　had　laboured　to　do；　and　behold　all　was　vanity　and
vexation　of　spirit；　and　there　was　no　profit　under　the　sun。〃

He　closed　the　book；　saying；

〃So　shall　you　find；　Nephew；　you；　and　every　man　in　the　evil　days　of　age
when　you　shall　say；　'I　have　no　pleasure　in　them。'　Hubert；　I　am　going
to　my　long　home；　nor　do　I　grieve。　In　youth　I　met　with　sorrow；　for
though　I　have　never　told　you；　I　was　married　then　and　had　one　son；　a
bright　boy；　and　oh！　I　loved　him　and　his　mother。　Then　came　the　plague
and　took　them　both。　So　having　naught　left　and　being　by　nature　one　of
those　who　could　wean　himself　from　women；　which　I　fear　that　you　are
not；　Hubert；　noting　all　the　misery　there　is　in　the　world　and　how　those
who　are　called　noble　whom　I　hate；　grind　down　the　humble　and　the　poor；
I　turned　myself　to　good　works。　Half　of　all　my　gains　I　have　given　and
still　give　to　those　who　minister　to　poverty　and　sickness；　you　will
find　a　list　of　them　when　I　am　gone　should　you　wish　to　continue　the
bounty；　as　to　which　I　do　not　desire　to　bind　you　in　any　way。　For　know；
Hubert；　that　I　have　left　you　all　that　is　mine；　the　gold　and　the　ships
with　the　movables　and　chattels　to　be　your　own；　but　the　lands　which　are
the　main　wealth；　for　life　and　afterwards　to　be　your　children's；　or　if
you　should　die　childless；　then　to　go　to　certain　hospitals　where　the
sick　are　tended。〃

Now　I　would　have　thanked　him；　but　he　waved　my　words　aside　and　went　on：

〃You　will　be　a　very　rich　man；　Hubert；　one　of　the　richest　in　all
London；　yet　set　not　your　heart　on　wealth；　and　above　all　do　not　ape
nobility　or　strive　to　climb　from　the　honest　class　of　which　you　come
into　the　ranks　of　those　idle　and　dissolute　cut…throats　and　pick…brains
who　are　called　the　great。　Lighten　their　pockets　if　you　will；　but　do
not　seek　to　wear　their　silken；　scented　garments。　That　is　my　counsel　to
you。〃

He　paused　a　while；　picking　at　the　bedclothes　as　the　dying　do；　and
continued；

〃You　told　me　that　your　mother　thought　you　would　be　a　wanderer；　and　it
is　strange　that　now　my　mind　should　be　as　hers　was　in　this　matter。　For
I　seem　to　see　you　far　away　amidst　war　and　love　and　splendour；　holding
Wave…Flame　aloft　as　did　that　Thorgrimmer　who　begat　us。　Well；　go　where
you　are　called　or　as　occasion　drives；　though　you　have　much　to　keep　you
at　home。　I　would　that　you　were　wed；　since　marriage　is　an　anchor　that
few　ships　can　drag。　Yet　I　am　not　sure；　for　how　know　I　whom　you　should
wed；　and　once　that　anchor　is　down　no　windlass　will　wind　it　up　and
death　alone　can　cut　its　chain。　One　word　more。　Though　you　are　so　young
and　strong　remember　that　as　I　am；　so　shall　you　be。　To…day　for　me；
to…morrow　for　thee；　said　the　wise　old　man；　and　thus　it　ever　was　and
is。

〃Hubert；　I　do　not　know　why　we　are　born　to　struggle　and　to　suffer　and
at　last　be　noosed　with　the　rope　of　Doom。　Yet　I　hope　the　priests　are
right　and　that　we　live　again；　though　Solomon　thought　not　so；　that　is；
if　we　live　where　there　is　neither　sin　nor　sorrow　nor　fear　of　death。　If
so；　be　sure　that　in　some　new　land　we　shall　meet　afresh；　and　there　I
shall　ask　account　of　you　of　the　wealth　I　entrusted　to　your　keeping。
Think　of　me　kindly　at　times；　for　I　have　learned　to　love　you　who　are　of
my　blood；　and　while　we　live　on　in　the　hearts　of　those　we　love；　we　are
not　truly　dead。　Come　hither　that　I　may　bless　you　in　your　coming　in　and
going　out　while　you　still　look　upon　the　sun。〃

So　he　blessed　me　in　beautiful　and　tender　words；　and　kissed　me　on　the
brow；　after　which　he　bade　me　leave　him　and　send　the　woman　to　watch
him；　because　he　desired　to　sleep。

When　she　looked　at　him　at　midnight　just　as　the　bells　rang　in　the　new
year；　he　was　dead。

According　to　his　wish　John　Grimmer；　the　last　of　that　name；　was　buried
by　the　bones　of　his　forgotten　wife　and　child；　who　had　left　the　world
over　fifty　years　before；　in　the　chancel　of　that　church　in　the　Cheap
which　was　within　a　stone's　throw　of　his　dwelling　house。　By　his　desire
also　the　funeral　was　without　pomp；　yet　many　came　to　it；　some　of　them
of　high　distinction；　although　the　day　was　cold　and　snowy。　I　noted；
moreover；　the　deference　they　showed　to　me　who　by　now　was　known　to　be
his　heir；　even　if　they　had　never　spoken　with　me　before；　as　was　the
case　with　certain　of　them；　taking　occasion　to　draw　me　aside　and　say
that　they　trusted　that　their　ancient　friendship　with　my　honoured　uncle
would　be　continued　by　myself。

Afterwards　I　looked　up　their　names　in　his　private　book　and　found　that
one　and　all　of　those　who　had　spoken　thus　owed　moneys　to　his　estate。

When　the　will　was　sworn　and　I　found　myself　the　master　of　many　legions；
or　rather　of　more　money；　land；　and　other　wealth　than　I　had　ever
dreamed　of；　at　first　I　was　minded　to　be　rid　of　trade　and　to　take　up　my
abode　upon　one　or　other　of　my　manors；　where　I　might　live　in　plenty　for
the　rest　of　my　days。　In　the　end；　however；　I　did　not　do　so；　partly
because　I　shrank　from　new　faces　and　surroundings；　and　partly　because　I
was　sure　that　such　would　not　have　been　my　uncle's　wish。

Instead　I　set　myself　to　play　and　outpass　his　game。　He　had　died　very
rich；　I　determined　that　I　would　die　five　or　ten　times　richer；　the
richest　man　in　England　if　I　could；　not　because　I　cared　for　money；　of
which　indeed　I　spent　but　little　upon　myself；　but　because　the　getting
of　it　and　the　power　that　it　brought；　seemed　to　me　the　highest　kind　of
sport。　So　bending　my　mind　to　the　matter　I　doubled　and　trebled　his
enterprises　on　this　line　and　on　that；　and　won　and　won　again；　for　even
where　skill　and　foresight　failed；　Fortune　stood　my　friend　with　a　such
strange　persistence　that　at　length　I　became　superstitious　and　grew
frightened　of　her　gifts。　Also　I　took　pains　to　hide　my　great　riches
from　the　public　eye；　placing　much　of　them　in　the　names　of　others　whom
I　could　trust；　and　living　most　modestly　in　the　same　old　house；　lest　I
should　become　a　man　envied　by　the　hungry　and　marked　for　plunder　by　the
spendthrift　great。



It　was　during　the　summer　following　my　uncle's　death　that　I　went　to　the
wharves　to　see　to　the　unloading　of　a　ship　that　came　in　from　Venice；
bearing　many　goods　from　the　East　on　my　account；　such　as　ivory；　silks；
spices；　glass；　carpets；　and　I　know　not　what。　Having　finished　my
business　and　seen　these　precious　things　warehoused；　I　handed　over　the
checking　of　a　list　of　them　to　another　and　turned　to　seek　my　horse。

Then　it　was　that　I　saw　a　number　of　half…grown　lads　and　other　idlers
mobbing　a　man　who　stood　among　them　wrapped　in　a　robe　of　what　looked
like　tattered　sheepskin；　yet　was　not　because　the　wool　on　it　was　of　a
reddish　hue　and　very　long　and　soft；　which　robe　was　thrown　over　his
head　hiding　his　face。　At　this　mana　tall　figure　who　stood　there
patiently　like　a　martyr　at　the　stakethese　lewd　fellows　were　hurling
offal；　such　as　fishes'　heads　and　rotted　fruits　that　lay　in　plenty　on
the　quay；　together　with　coarse　words。　〃Blackamoor〃　was　one　I　caught。

Such　sights　were　common　enough；　but　there　was　a　quiet　dignity　of
bearing　about　this　victim　which　moved　me；　so　that　I　went　to　the　rabble
commanding　them　to　desist。　One　of　them；　a　rough　bumpkin；　not　knowing
who　I　was；　pushed　me　aside；　bidding　me　mind　my　own　business；
whereupon；　being　very　strong；　I　dealt　him　such　a　blow　between　the　eyes
that　he　went　down　like　a　felled　ox　and　lay　there　half　stunned。　His
companions　beginning　to　threaten　me；　I　blew　upon　my　whistle；　whereon
two　of　my　serving…men；　without　whom　I　seldom　rode　in　those　troublous
times；　ran　up　from　behind　a　shed；　laying　hands　upon　their　short
swords；　on　seeing　which　the　idlers　took　to　their　heels。

When　they　had　gone　I　turned　to　look　at　the　stranger；　whose　hood　had
fallen　back　in　the　hustling；　and　saw　that　he　was　about　thirty　years　of
age；　and　of　a　dark　and　noble　countenance；　beardless；　but　with　straight
black　hair；　black　flashing　eyes；　and　an　aquiline　nose。　Another　thing　I
noted　about　him　was　that　the　lobe　of　his　ear　was　pierced　and　in　a
strange　fashion；　since　the　gristle　was　stretched　to　such　a　size　that　a
small　apple　could　have　been　placed　within　its　ring。　For　the　rest　the
man's　limbs　were　so　thin　as　though　from　hunger；　that　everywhere　his
bones　showed；　while　his　skin　was　scarred　with　cuts　and　scratches；　and
on　his　forehead　was　a　large　bruise。　He　seemed　bewildered　also　and　very
weak；　yet　I　think　he　understood　that　I　was　playing　a　friend's　part　to
him；　for　he　bowed　towards　me　in　a　stately；　courteous　way　and　kissed
the　air　thrice；　but　what　this　meant　at　the　time　I　did　not　know。

I　spoke　to　him　in　English；　but　he　shook　his　head　gently　to　show　that
he　did　not　understand。　Then；　as　though　by　an　afterthought；　he　touched
his　breast　several　times；　and　after　each　touch；　said　in　a　voice　of
strange　softness；　〃Kari；〃　which　I　took　it　he　meant　was　his　name。　At
any　rate；　from　that　time　forward　I　called　him　Kari。

Now　the　question　was　how　to　deal　with　him。　Leave　him　there　to　be
mocked　or　to　perish　I　could　not；　nor　was　there　anywhere　whither